WHO | Week Ahead for media | 22 October 2021

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Friday 10.22.21 | Issue 130

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Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) updates

A virtual press briefing with simultaneous translation in all UN languages with the participation of the WHO Director-General is planned for next week. Media advisories with Zoom links/dial-in details will be emailed in advance. For the latest news from WHO on COVID-19 and other breaking health stories, read WHO's news updates.

24-26October

World Health Summit

WHO, as a patron of the World Health Summit, will be using the opportunity to call for a strengthening of global health, scaling up equitable access to life-saving health tools, including vaccines, and promoting health all. Highlights will include a keynote opening speech by the WHO Director-General, the launch of the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board report, and special sessions on pandemic surveillance and the economics of health for all. More information on the WHO speakers and overall programme.

24-29 October
International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week

This year’s International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action focuses on lead in paint. A global campaign, the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead in Paint, led by WHO and UNEP, aims to eliminate lead from paints. Progress with the elimination of decorative paint containing lead has been accelerating in recent years, but still only 83 countries have regulations in place which prohibit the addition of lead compounds to paint to enhance the colour, durability, drying speed or other customer preferences. More here.

Monday, 25 October

Ninth COVID-19 IHR Emergency Committee
meeting statement

Following their 9th meeting, the Emergency Committee on COVID-19 will issue a statement on Monday with recommendations to WHO and its Member States. The Emergency Committee is convened by the Director-General under the International Health Regulations (2005). The list of members of the Emergency Committee and its previous statements are available here.

Thursday, 28 October

Third edition of the Health for All Film Festival

WHO will launch the third edition of the Health for All Film Festival call for short films next Thursday. The call will close on 30 January 2022. WHO invites independent film-makers, production companies, broadcasters, public institutions, NGOs, communities, students in public health and film schools from around the world to submit their original short film. For more details, the awards, previous official selections and jury compositions and further information, visit the multilingual festival website.

Launch of WHO guidelines on lead exposure

The WHO Guideline for Clinical Management of Exposure to Lead aims to assist health-care providers to deal with insidious exposures to lead. Launched in conjunction with International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week 2021, it recommends the detection of blood lead concentration of 5 micrograms per decilitre (μg/dL) in a person as a trigger for a thorough review of the ways in which he or she is being exposed to lead and for action to reduce or end this exposure. More available next week.

Launch of the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030

WHO will kick off a Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021-2030 next Thursday, with the ambitious target of preventing at least 50% of road traffic deaths and injuries by 2030. WHO and the UN regional commissions, in cooperation with other partners in the UN Road Safety Collaboration, have developed a Global Plan for the Decade of Action.

The plan will be formally presented during a virtual event from 14:00 to 15:00 CEST. This event will provide an opportunity for the WHO Director-General and road safety stakeholders from national and municipal governments, NGOs, and youth groups to make brief remarks on its importance as a tool for preventing road traffic deaths and injuries. To join, register in advance here.

New Global Health Matters podcast

Check out the newest podcast episode of Global Health Matters on “Communicating science, not fiction.”

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