WHO | Week Ahead for media | 5 November 2021

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Friday 11.05.21 | Issue 132

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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.

6 November-12 November

UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) continues

The global health community is driving transformational change to protect the health of people and the planet. WHO and its partners are hosting an extensive series of events at the COP26 UN climate conference, in order to ensure health and equity are placed at the center of the climate negotiations. Check out these resources on the COP26 Health Programme. An overview of all health and climate events can be consulted here, including the following:

The 2021 global conference on climate change and health will take place this Saturday at the Glasgow Caledonian University. The conference will convene health leaders from around the world on the side lines of COP26, to help accelerate ambitious climate action. More on the conference here. Register here. Agenda here.

This will be the second edition of WHO’s survey tracking the progress on climate and health made by 91 countries. Key findings include progress on countries’ national health and climate change plans, recovery plans from COVID-19, and available finance for climate and health. The report contains loads of new numbers on where countries stand in protecting the health of their citizens from climate change

This initiative led by the UK government, WHO and Health Care Without Harm will see around 40 countries commit to decarbonize their health systems and strengthen their resilience. The list of countries committing includes some of the world’s major economies, as well as some of the most vulnerable countries. More info here.

Over 60 events in the COP26 Health Pavilion will be showcasing evidence, initiatives and solutions to maximize the health benefits of tackling climate change across regions, sectors and communities. Most events will be livestreamed and recorded. More on the COP26 Health Pavilion here.

8-18 November
Codex Alimentarius Commission (virtual)

The 44th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC44) will be held online 8-18 November with members of the international food standards-setting body expected to approve a series of standards, guidelines and codes of practice. Sessions will be held on 8-15 November (12:00-15:00 CET), with the adoption of the report scheduled for 17-18 November.

The following Codex Committees and Task Forces have met virtually in 2021 to complete work on a range of standards which have been proposed for adoption by CAC44:

The Commission will also examine the possible need and mechanism for Codex to address and provide guidance on new food sources and production systems (e.g. microalgae, cell culture based food products, 3D printed foods, etc.), and review the updates of the FAO Food Safety Strategy 2022-2031 and WHO Global Strategy for Food Safety 2022-2030.

Real-time summaries of key decisions made by the Codex Alimentarius Commission will be published on the FAO and WHO websites as they happen. The meeting will be broadcast live in six official UN languages on Codex YouTube channels: English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian.

Resources: All Codex CAC44 documents, About Codex, FAO portal and WHO portal.

8-18 November

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Conference of the Parties (COP9) and Meeting of the Parties (MOP2)

In the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, two global events, coordinated from WHO’s headquarters, bring together partners from all over the world who aim to strengthen tobacco control measures. They intend to improve standards that reduce the burden of disease and suffering caused by tobacco consumption.

The 182 Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) will gather virtually for the ninth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP9) from 8 – 13 November 2021. Immediately after COP9, the second session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP2) to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products will also be held, from 15–18 November 2021. More here.

Wednesday, 10 November

Annual measles mortality report

WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will release their annual report on measles elimination progress, including estimates of cases and deaths for 2020. More available next week. About measles and immunization.

Friday, 12 November

Launch of new report: Keeping the 100-year old promise – making insulin access universal

The new report: Keeping the 100-year old promise – making insulin access universal, will be published Friday on the occasion of the centenary of insulin’s discovery.

The report aims to:

The report and a press release will be made available under embargo on Thursday with an embargo lift on Friday at 15:00 CET.

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