๐ ๊ตญ์ ๊ธฐ๊ตฌ ยท "BEF" ยท ์ด 29๊ฑด
ํํฐ ๋ณด๊ธฐํ์ฌ ์ง์
50.0
0 = ๋ถ์ ์ฐ์ธ
50 = ์ค๋ฆฝ
100 = ๊ธ์ ์ฐ์ธ
์ต๊ทผ 7์ผ ๊ธฐ์ค 3,608๊ฑด์ ๋ถ์ํ ๊ฒฐ๊ณผ, ๋ด์ค ์ฌ๋ฆฌ์ง์๋ 50.0(๊ท ํ)์ ๋๋ค. ๊ธ์ 0๊ฑด(0.0%)ยท์ค๋ฆฝ 3,608๊ฑด(100.0%)ยท๋ถ์ 0๊ฑด(0.0%)์ด๋ฉฐ, ์ค๋ฆฝ ๋น์ค์ด ๋๋ ทํ๊ฒ ๋์ต๋๋ค. ์ฑํฅ ์ง์๋ ์ข ํฉ 0.0(์ค๋ ๊ท ํ)์ ๋๋ค.
Stray dogs without owners must be held for at least five days, while dogs with potential owners can be held up to 60 days before euthanasia is allowed.
Countries: Afghanistan, Pakistan Source: UN Women Earthquake survivors in Afghanistan have been forced to flee again due to Pakistan-Afghanistan border conflict. It was during an air attack in eastern Afghanistan that 30-year-old Najeeba* felt her labour pains begin. Around her, families were already on the move, fleeing renewed hostilities along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. But her baby wasnโt going to wait. Just six months earlier, the ground had shaken beneath her feet when a massive earthquake devastated the region. Now, it was the skies that she feared. โThere was no safe placeโ, she recalled, as the conflict reached the camp where she had been living with other families displaced by the earthquake. โAircraft were flying overhead, and my children were extremely frightened; whenever they heard the sound, they would cry and scream.โ With her husband, she packed up their tent and few remaining belongings. Najeeba gave birth in a Red Crescent clinic, then climbed into a rented mini truck with her newborn daughter, six other children aged two to 11, and her husband, and escaped to a new camp in the Maza Dara Valley, in Nurgal district. What is happening on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and how does the conflict affect displaced women? More than 100,000 people have been displaced by the latest cross-border air strikes, shelling, drone attacks, and ground clashes in eastern Afghanistan, following the escalation of renewed hostilities along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. Women and girls โ who are already living under increasing restrictions on their freedoms and movement under the Taliban โ and those struggling to survive the aftermath of last yearโs earthquake in eastern Afghanistan have been hit hardest by the increased insecurity. An estimated 50,000 people in the affected areas are at increased risk of gender-based violence. And women have further reduced access to health and essential services. For pregnant women, the risks are even higher, as many face hunger and limited healthcare. Women displaced by border fighting in eastern Afghanistan face growing health risks; pregnant women struggle to access care For Najeeba and her family, the journey was expensive, forcing them to sell already scarce resources โ precious blankets, flour, and cooking oil โ just to pay for the trip to the new camp in the Maza Dara Valley. About 40 minutes away, along a steep dirt road in the mountains, another new mother reflected on the impact of the ongoing hostilities along the border. Seventeen-year-old Fahima* had given birth to her son just before the latest escalation began in late February. When the fighting started, her three other children, aged five and under, were terrified by the sound of aircraft and missiles. She and her husband โ who had also been living in a camp with families displaced by the earthquake โ decided to leave, selling flour and borrowing money to pay for transport. Less than a year ago, they were farmers, growing sorghum, wheat, and kidney beans to feed their family or sell for income. Now, forced to move for the second time in six months, they are running out of food. โOur land was destroyed [in the earthquake] and there is no work hereโ, Fahima said. โWe give more food to our children and eat less ourselves.โ More than two-thirds of women in ten impacted provinces have lost income, according to the Afghanistan Gender Coordination Group. Three-quarters report finding it harder to find food and more than four-in-ten report greater difficulty accessing healthcare. Women are also more likely to experience psychological distress. What is UN Women doing to support women and girls in eastern Afghanistan? With funding from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, and through a local partner, UN Women has been supporting women-only safe spaces in camps for families displaced by the earthquake. Counsellors provide much-needed mental health support, while the spaces also offer a rare opportunity for women to connect with each other in privacy, despite the crowded camp conditions. Two of the four safe spaces have now been relocated due to the conflict. Each tent is run by a team of two, a manager and a counsellor, who provide support to women during the day, and cook and sleep in the same space at night. Many have toddlers with them, and return home to their older children, one day a week. Supporting Afghan women affected by trauma and displacement โWe stay together and eat together โ we are like a mother and daughterโ, said Zaland,* 25, a counsellor who moved to a new location with her colleague after the hostilities escalated. Inside their newly re-erected safe space, bright balloons hang from the roof and multicoloured cardboard signs carry messages of mental health support along the walls. โSome of the women have suffered a great dealโ, added Zaland. โSome have lost family members, some have lost their homes, some have lost livestock, and some have hungry children.โ After counselling, she says, some women leave to collect wild plants to eat. Her colleague, Mastoora,* 36, explains the impact of their work. โThe happiness I feel comes from knowing that, even if I cannot do much for a woman, I can at least say something that helps herโ, she said. โWhen I go home, I explain [to my daughters] that I am working for women โ they are happy when they see their mother going somewhere to serve other women.โ For 17-year-old Fahima, the service helps her cope better, despite the daily struggle she faces to feed her four children. โWhen we come [for counselling], we feel relieved and our mood improvesโ, she says. โWe would not come if they were male counsellors; the female counsellors are like our sisters, and we can speak openly with them.โ Sustained humanitarian support is critical for women and girls in Afghanistan As families continue to endure double displacement following the 2025 earthquake, and now the on-going hostilities, women and girls are affected distinctly and immensely. Sustained support is essential to ensure that womenโs civil society organizations can maintain vital women-only safe spaces and other community-based services, providing protection, mental health support, and dignity for those most at risk. * Names have been changed to protect identities.
Countries: World, Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Uruguay Source: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Panama City, 1 June 2026 โ Although forecasts point to a below-average hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) today recalled that high cyclonic activity is expected in the eastern Pacific. The organization called for sustained investment in preparedness, anticipatory action and early warning systems across more than 25 countries1 in Central America, North America and the Caribbean that are exposed to tropical cyclones. For the 2026 season in the Atlantic basin, which runs from 1 June to 30 November, the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) forecasts, with a 55 per cent probability, below-average cyclonic activity relative to the historical average of 14 named storms and seven hurricanes. This year, NOAA notes, there would be between eight and 14 named storms. Of these, three to six would become hurricanes, including one to three major hurricanes โ that is, Category 3 or higher. By contrast, the agency forecasts, with a 70 per cent probability, a more active season in the eastern Pacific Ocean, where it predicts between 15 and 22 named storms, of which nine to 14 would become hurricanes and five to nine of those would reach major hurricane strength. "We will say it again and again: a single storm is enough to destroy communities, overwhelm public services, and displace and endanger hundreds of thousands of people," said Cristian Torres, Deputy Regional Director of the IFRC for the Americas. "Forecasts are critical so that we can act before disasters strike, but beyond knowing how many storms there will be, it is essential to reduce people's vulnerability, expand the coverage of early warning systems, and develop, fund and test inter-agency protocols that protect them from the multiple hazards they face," he added. As part of its commitment to preparedness, the IFRC has already prepositioned in Panama, Santo Domingo and other strategic locations across the region enough relief supplies to provide immediate assistance to up to 60,000 people affected by a large-scale emergency. The stock includes hygiene and kitchen kits, mosquito nets, tarpaulins, cleaning and construction tools, solar lamps, water treatment units and water purification supplies, among other items. Aware that mobilizing humanitarian aid in record time requires the participation, knowledge and collaboration of multiple actors, the IFRC also relies on simulation exercises as a critical tool to test crisis and disaster response mechanisms and protocols. The most recent, held this past May, aimed to measure and improve mobilization times, customs procedures and the inter-agency response capacity of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras in the face of potential flooding caused by hurricanes. The exercise involved mobilizing Red Cross water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) specialist teams and equipment across these three countries. The initiative brought together civil protection, customs and foreign affairs authorities, along with the National Red Cross Societies. It was supported by European Union humanitarian funding and the German Red Cross, and was carried out within the framework of the Regional Mechanism for International Humanitarian Assistance, the instrument of the Central American Integration System (SICA) for organizing, facilitating and coordinating humanitarian assistance among its member countries. Another of the preparedness measures driven by the IFRC ahead of the hurricane season is the adoption of early action protocols. These protocols bring together measures agreed in advance among communities, authorities, and the Red Cross, which are triggered when certain risk thresholds are reached. Depending on the context, these actions may include cash transfers ahead of an emergency to protect homes and livelihoods, the relocation of essential goods, the reinforcement of critical infrastructure, or the evacuation of people in situations of greater vulnerability. When these systems work, communities receive timely alerts, authorities have more time to coordinate evacuations, and humanitarian teams can mobilize aid before the impact occurs. In Central America alone, the IFRC currently has five early action protocols for floods and tropical storms, financially supported by its Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF). "Prepositioning relief items, simulation exercises and early action protocols make it possible to protect lives, reduce economic losses and speed up recovery after a disaster," Torres explained. "But rules can also save lives and build community resilience, which is why we call on all countries in the region to advance the international treaty for the protection of persons in disaster situations, currently under consultation at the United Nations." This treaty seeks to ensure that the protection of people exposed to or affected by disasters does not depend on chance, but on clear commitments and coordinated action. Its adoption, expected in 2027, would facilitate international cooperation and reduce the obstacles that can delay the arrival of aid. It would also improve the conditions for Red Cross Societies, as auxiliary to the public powers, to continue assisting the most vulnerable people: women, girls, older people, people on the move or with disabilities, and communities affected by violence and poverty. This season, shaped by the influence of the coming El Niรฑo phenomenon, illustrates how risk can shift and take different forms across the continent. While Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic continue to recover from hurricanes Beryl, Oscar, Rafael and Melissa, other areas face different threats. The Central American Dry Corridor, parts of Chile and areas of the Andean region are bracing for possible droughts, while Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay anticipate heavy rains and flooding. In all of them, Red Cross teams are already working with communities to get ready. Against this backdrop, where climate, health and social risks accumulate and overlap with growing frequency, the IFRC calls for investing without delay in measures that enable States, communities and the Red Cross itself to better protect people in the face of multi-hazard scenarios. Because, as underscored at IFRC's recent XXXIII Pre-Hurricane and Recurrent Hazards Conference, when risks pile up, the difference between a hazard and a humanitarian crisis is usually decided before the impact โ in the level of preparedness already in place, and in the capacity to act before the disaster occurs. For more information: [email protected] In Panama: Susana Arroyo +50769993199 In Geneva: Paolo Cravero +41 79 894 83 96
Country: World Source: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Please refer to the attached file. Message from the IFRC Secretary General Small and medium-sized disasters may not dominate global headlines, but for communities affected they are just as devastating. The IFRCโs Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF) ensures that these crises are met with speed, dignity and locally-led action. Money is made available fast, without the need to wait for a specific appeal. The DREF 2026 Plan is firmly anchored in the IFRCโs Renewal. In the context of significant global funding constraints, humanitarians must be more focused, disciplined and accountable than ever. The IFRC-DREF is central to this shift - enabling early, flexible financing while reinforcing strong stewardship and clear evidence of results. It is also innovative both in the way it is financed (our world-first indemnity insurance policy was triggered for the first time in 2024) and in how its funds are allocated; funding anticipatory action, before hazards hit, is a growing priority. Our 2026โ2030 DREF Ambition involves strengthening not only what we fund, but how we deliver. In 2026, we will continue to streamline processes, improve sequencing between DREF grants and Emergency Appeals and reinforce compliance and operational quality. This ensures that speed is matched by sound decision-making, transparency and impact. Localization remains at the heart of IFRC-DREF. By channeling resources directly to National Societies, we enable action that is timely, context-driven and sustainable. At a time when humanitarian needs are rising and financing is under pressure, this agile and principled mechanism is more essential than ever. The DREF 2026 Plan reflects our commitment to work smarter, better demonstrate impact and ensure that no community facing disaster is ignored. I urge you to read it. Jagan Chapagain Context and rationale for the 2026 plan What is the IFRC-DREF? The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societiesโ Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF) is an efficient, fast, transparent, and localized way of getting funding directly to local humanitarian actors โ both before and after a crisis. It enables National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to respond rapidly to emergencies and act ahead of predictable hazards through two complementary pillars: โข Response โข Anticipatory Action The fund combines speed, flexibility, transparency and localization to support community-led humanitarian action. Context and rationale for the 2026 plan The IFRCโs Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF) enters 2026 at a pivotal moment, marking the conclusion of its Strategic Ambition 2020โ2025 and the release of the IFRC-DREF Strategic Ambition 2026โ2030, with 2026 serving as the first year of its operationalization. This transition builds on a period of significant reform, as the revision of procedures introduced in 2025 strengthened accountability, clarified operational and financial rules, and reinforced minimum readiness requirements, including for anticipatory action, while safeguarding IFRC-DREFโs core strengths of speed, flexibility, and reliability. These developments take place within the broader context of the IFRC Renewal, which seeks to strengthen a collective approach by reinforcing localization, quality, accountability, and proximity to communities across the IFRC network (the IFRC secretariat and its 191 member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies). At the same time, National Societies continue to operate in increasingly complex environments shaped by: ยท climate-related disasters, ยท epidemics, ยท displacement, ยท economic pressures, ยท and shrinking humanitarian funding. These realities reinforce the importance of a fast, agile and locally led humanitarian financing mechanism. Global operational realities In 2025, IFRC-DREF allocated CHF 77.4 million across 170 operations in 83 National Societies, supporting 14.5 million people affected by crises worldwide. While most allocations remained under the Response Pillar (CHF 64.9 million), anticipatory action reached a record CHF 12.7 million, representing 16% of total funding. This growth was supported by the approval of 11 new simplified EAPs and 21 new EAPs. Despite a decline from 2024, allocations in 2025 remained 75% higher than in 2021, while operations increased by 27% over the same period. At the same time, the number of countries supported remained relatively stable, reflecting growing concentration of IFRC-DREF usage in highly crisis-affected contexts. Anticipatory action expanded significantly faster than the overall fund between 2021 and 2025, increasing by approximately 150%. This trend is expected to continue in 2026 through simplified procedures and expanded early action mechanisms. Despite growing pressure on humanitarian financing systems, IFRC-DREF allocations in 2025 remained 75% higher than in 2021.
Country: World Source: Regional Technical Group on Anticipatory Action in Latin America and the Caribbean Please refer to the attached file. The Technical Working Group on Anticipatory Action for Latin America and the Caribbean (GTAA LAC) publishes this briefing note in light of the forecast of an El Niรฑo episode for the second half of 2026, with increasing probabilities of reaching strong to very strong intensity towards the end of the year. The document analyses current ENSO conditions, the differentiated impacts projected by subregion, and the compound effect of the fertilizer crisis stemming from the conflict in the Strait of Hormuz on regional agrifood systems. As of March 2026, the region has active or developing anticipatory action frameworks in 22 countries, with pre-arranged financing of USD 37.8 million. The note documents the ongoing inter-agency activations in the Central American Dry Corridor, funded by CERF with USD 10.5 million to protect up to 145,000 people in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, as well as complementary WFP activations in Nicaragua and Belize, IFRC Early Action Protocols, and ongoing actions in South America. The document presents the activation time windows by subregion and includes recommendations for governments, humanitarian actors and donors aimed at scaling up anticipatory action before the impacts of El Niรฑo materialize on the most vulnerable populations in the region.
Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: International Rescue Committee Delayed detection and slow contact tracing suggest virus has likely spread undetected for months Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, June 1, 2026 โ The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is likely significantly larger and more advanced than official figures suggest, as response efforts struggle with delayed detection and dangerously low levels of contact tracing, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) warned today. With only 20% of contacts currently being traced, health authorities are struggling to identify and isolate new chains of transmission. The virus may have been spreading undetected since before March, potentially as long as three months before the first official case was identified, allowing multiple chains of transmission to establish across communities and provinces. The combination of these factors dramatically increases the likelihood that the true scale of infections is far higher than reported, the IRC warned. Rachel Howard, Senior Technical Emergency Health advisor at the IRC, said: โThe true scale of this Ebola outbreak is likely far worse than official figures suggest. When four out of five contacts are not being traced, it becomes incredibly difficult to contain the outbreak or even understand its true scale. Weโre especially concerned about the virus spreading to other countries like Burundi or South Sudan.โ IRC teams warn that shortages of diagnostic cartridges and testing backlogs are slowing confirmation of cases, further obscuring the true spread of the outbreak. Seven confirmed Ebola patients have reportedly left treatment centers in the DRC, while more than six healthcare workers have died, including two doctors in recent days. The incidents underscore the deep fear and mistrust some communities continue to have toward Ebola prevention and treatment efforts. People are avoiding health facilities, raising fears that those affected are remaining within communities rather than seeking treatment. As a result, transmission is spreading across multiple areas, and communities are losing trust in the response. Strengthening local, community-based prevention and infection control should be the immediate priority to control the outbreak at the source. Without urgent funding, the situation could deteriorate rapidly. This outbreak is increasingly resembling the 2018โ2020 North Kivu Ebola crisis, which infected thousands of people and was complicated by insecurity, population movement, and community resistance. However, unlike previous outbreaks, there is currently no approved vaccine available for this Ebola strain. The IRC is calling for urgent international support to scale up contact tracing, surveillance, laboratory testing, treatment capacity, and community engagement efforts before the outbreak escalates further. It is also critical to build trust with affected communities, including through survivor-led awareness and risk awareness activities. In response to the current escalating outbreak, whilst working in close coordination with the government health authorities who are leading the response, IRC has launched prevention and control activities, including distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as well as awareness raising activities amidst communities at risk, rehabilitation of triage areas and rehabilitation/construction of showers, latrines and waste disposal areas. In Uganda, IRC is working with the Ministry of Health on the border to support infection, prevention and control activities including screening people coming across the border. IRC is also supporting response coordination in Uganda. Media contacts Madiha Raza International Rescue Committee madiha.raza@rescue.org Kim Winkler International Rescue Committee Kim.Winkler@rescue.org IRC Global Communications communications@rescue.org
Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: Mรฉdecins Sans Frontiรจres Statement Of Dr Alan Gonzalez, Deputy Director Of Operations For Mรฉdecins Sans Frontiรจres (MSF) on the occasion of The High-Level Visit To Bunia, Ituri Province, Democratic Republic Of Congo, of the Director-General Of The World Health Organization Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus โTwo weeks after the declaration of the Ebola disease outbreak in Ituri Province, the situation is deeply alarming and a legitimate source of anxiety for communities and frontline health workers alike. Never before has an Ebola outbreak recorded so many cases so soon after its declaration. Like everyone in the affected areas, Mรฉdecins Sans Frontiรจres (Doctors Without Borders / MSF) teams are witnessing a response that has not yet caught up to the rapid spread of the epidemic. Unlike most previous Ebola disease outbreaks, this one involves the Bundibugyo virus, for which there are no approved vaccines or specific treatments, and which is particularly difficult to diagnose due to limited testing capacity. The reality today is that nobody knows the true scale and severity of this outbreak. New suspected cases are being reported daily, yet hundreds of samples remain untested. At the same time, major constraints, including border and airport closures, continue to delay the arrival of critical medical supplies, humanitarian aid, and specialized personnel. We know from experience that these measures severely hinder outbreak response, and isolate countries that urgently need international support. This outbreak is making those consequences painfully clear. The number of expert medical organizations responding on the ground is still far too limited, and the level of support being provided - including our own - falls far short of what is needed. People urgently need a response that matches the scale of the crisis they are facing. To bring the situation under even partial control, there must be an immediate expansion of testing capacity. This must be accompanied by a rapid, coordinated and tailored scale-up of the overall response, supported by experienced medical and humanitarian organizations, alongside guaranteed and sustained access for the swift entry of medical supplies and humanitarian staff into affected areas. This outbreak is unfolding in a context where medical needs are already acute, and we are now at real risk of a silent escalation of other critical health problems people face every day. So many health facilities are overwhelmed, and access to regular, non-Ebola care is affected while many people remain at home, too afraid to seek care. The response cannot succeed if it is imposed on communities rather than built with them. Every aspect of the response must be rooted in continuous engagement with communities โ listening to concerns, addressing fear and misinformation, and building trust so that people feel safe seeking care. Trust and active community participation are essential to controlling the spread of the disease and saving lives. And the effectiveness of the response will ultimately depend on whether people believe in it.โ
Country: Honduras Source: Famine Early Warning System Network Please refer to the attached file. Key Messages Stressed (IPC Phase 2) outcomes remain widespread across Honduras, with Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes emerging in the Dry Corridor between June and September as above-average prices, below-average labor demand, and previous harvest losses exacerbate seasonal trends. While many households continue to meet minimum food needs through market purchases, they are struggling to cover essential non-food expenditures amid below-average seasonal agricultural labor opportunities and are increasingly relying on coping strategies such as selling small livestock and borrowing. In the Dry Corridor, households negatively impacted by multiple poor agricultural seasons are likely to resort to more severe coping strategies at the height of the lean season. The rest of the country will experience Stressed (IPC Phase 2), while urban centers including Tegucigalpa (Francisco Morazรกn), La Esperanza (Intibucรก), and the Bay Islands remain in Minimal (IPC Phase 1) due to more stable formal and informal income sources. Above-average fuel and fertilizer prices continue to drive high production and transportation costs for a second consecutive month. In April,diesel prices remained nearly 34 percent higher than March, 64 percent higher than last year, and 49 percent higher than the five-year average. Fertilizer prices have also remained elevated, with DAP (18-46-0) and urea rising to 7.2 and 50 percent higher than March, respectively, and 21.2 and 45.1 percent above the five-year average, respectively. These rising input costs contributed to inflation surpassing the 5 percent threshold in April. Staple food costs persist above last year and the five-year average despite relatively stable month-on-month prices, driven by weak domestic production. In April, wholesale white maize prices were 49.2 and 39.8 percent higher than last year and the five-year average, respectively, reflecting increased demand and lingering effects of below-average import volumes in 2025. Wholesale red bean prices are 10 percent above the five-year average but remained stable month-on-month and year-on-year, partly supported by increased bean availability due to crop substitution of maize for beans during primera 2025and improved import volumes. While increased remittance inflows in early 2026 are helping receiving households partially offset higher food costs, most poor households do not receive remittances and remain vulnerable to price increases. Recent rainfall estimates through mid-May indicate widespread below-average precipitation across Honduras, negatively impacting primera land preparation and planting in localized areas. While some localized rainfall has met thresholds for planting requirements, much of this precipitation has been concentrated within short periods (2-3 days), limiting soil moisture adequacy and leading many farmers to postpone planting until more consistent rainfall is established. As a result, smallholders are not expected to initiate primera planting until mid-May. At the same time, elevated input costs are constraining fertilizer use by smallholder farmers, likely contributing to expected below-average primera crop yields by August. The Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG), in coordination with agroclimatology boards and with support from the Centro de Estudios Atmosfรฉricos, Oceanogrรกficos y Sรญsmicos (CENAOS)/Comisiรณn Permanente de Contingencias (COPECO), is monitoring and guiding planting decisions across the country. The forecast transition to El Niรฑo is expected to result in rainfall deficits and above-average temperatures through September, particularly in the Dry Corridor, reducing vegetation health and soil moisture and disrupting crop development throughout the primera season. While the magnitude of the El Niรฑo event remains uncertain, CENAOS has issued region-specific guidance for farmers, recommending early planting (before May 10) in the Dry Corridor areas bordering El Salvador, and slightly later planting (after May 15) in central and eastern departments. Drought-prone areas, including southern Francisco Morazรกn, El Paraรญso, Valle, Choluteca, and southern Comayagua, are likely to experience larger rainfall deficits. SAG is advising some farmers to prioritize planting red beans instead of white maize due to its short production cycle and lower water requirements, improving crop resilience under uncertain rainfall conditions.
Country: occupied Palestinian territory Source: UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Please refer to the attached files. UN Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OHCHR OPT) condemns the increase in Israeli attacks in Gaza since the eve of Eid Al Adha on Tuesday, 26 May. At least 26 Palestinians were killed since Tuesday including six women and seven children as Palestinian families prepared to observe Eid amid displacement, deprivation, and insecurity. Three airstrikes on 26 May killed 12 Palestinians. In the early morning hours, one more 14-year-old girl died of injuries sustained in an Israeli airstrike the day before that also killed a 30-year-old woman and a five-year-old girl according to initial information. Since the announcement of a ceasefire, at least 32 children and eight women have been killed in Israeli attacks in which fatalities were exclusively women and children. One of the airstrikes on 26 May killed four men in eastern Al Maghazi camp, Middle Gaza, reportedly after they resisted attempts to search their homes by armed gangs allegedly supported by the Israeli military. Another airstrike hit a car in Al Mawasi, Khan Younis, killing two men. The third airstrike struck an apartment in Al Rimal, Gaza City, and killed a newly appointed commander of Hamasโs Al Qassam Brigades together with his wife, his two sons, aged 15 and 22, his daughter, aged 9, and a woman passerby. On the first day of Eid Al Adha, 27 May, an Israeli airstrike in central Gaza City reportedly killed at least ten: four girls, one boy, three women, and two men allegedly affiliated with Al Qassam Brigades. Since the announcement of a ceasefire, Israeli forces have killed 922 Palestinians in attacks across Gaza, bringing the total death toll since 7 October 2023 to nearly 73,000. OHCHR OPT has consistently warned that Israelโs attacks in Gaza violate international humanitarian lawโs principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution in attacks. A recent OHCHR OPT report also concluded that the totality of Israeli conduct in Gaza raises serious concerns about Israelโs compliance with its obligations to prevent acts prohibited under the Genocide Convention. The Israeli blockade on Gaza is also still depriving Palestinians of necessities, including adequate shelter, essential medicines, and food items. Almost everyone is displaced and concentrated into less than half the land area of Gazaโ hemmed in by Israeli ground forces that continue to move west, displacing families and pushing them into a progressively narrower strip of land. In recent days, multiple displacement orders were issued, forcing people out of their shelters. The Israeli Prime Minister announced yesterday that he had directed Israeli forces to expand their deployment to cover 70 per cent of Gaza. The continued contraction of areas available to civilians raises grave concerns about access to humanitarian assistance, and the ability of displaced families to find any meaningful safety. โOur concerns about the commission of war crimes in Gaza have not stopped,โ said Ajith Sunghay, Head of UN Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. โIt is difficult enough to navigate life in chronic displacement in the ruins of Gaza, under blockade, and after Israeli attacks virtually destroyed every essential system: healthcare, education, food production, law enforcement and civil order. Continuing military attacks on a population living under these conditions is unthinkable.โ ENDS For more information and media requests, please contact: Mayy El Sheikh โ mayy.elsheikh@un.org Tag and share Twitter @OHCHR_Palestine Facebook UN Human Rights Palestine
Country: Somalia Source: Action Against Hunger Population: 19 million People in Need: 6 million People Facing Hunger: 9.8 million People Helped Last Year: 3,201,516 Our Team: 116 employees Program Start: 1992 In Somalia, birth is never a quiet, private thing. Grandmothers whisper blessings. Neighbors hold your hand. For as long as anyone can remember, mothers have brought babies into the world this way; guided by the women who came before them. That wisdom is real. It matters. But it is not always enough. In Somalia, fewer than one in three mothers give birth with a trained health worker by their side. Too many mothers and babies die from problems that good medical care can prevent. So, how do you keep the wisdom of grandmothers and add the safety of modern medicine? You build a place that families trust. That is exactly what happened at Makkah Hospital in Mogadishu, with support from the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), World Health Organization Somalia, and Action Against Hunger. And that is where two young mothersโstrangers to each otherโwalked through the same door and changed the future of their families. Dahiro was 24 years old. She traveled a long way from her village in Jilib, a small town far from the capital. She had already given birth twice before, both times at home, and both times without a doctor or a nurse. โI always feared hospitals for delivery,โ she said, holding her newborn daughter close. โIn Jilib, you trust what your grandmother told you.โ Dahiro holds her newborn baby at the Makkah Hospital, supported by Action Against Hunger Dahiro was a careful, loving mother. She breastfed her older children because her aunt told her it was the right thing to do. The practice also helped space out her pregnancies in a natural way. She followed the traditions and believed she was doing everything right. โBut I didnโt know,โ she says quietly, โthat I was only doing half the job to protect them.โ She had recently realized through conversation with the hospital staff that, while breastfeeding built her babiesโ immune systems, they needed vaccines as an additional shield. Her older children, still back in the village, had never been vaccinated because she simply didnโt know they needed to be. Down the hall, 25-year-old Nafisa sat with her children gathered around her. She was a single mother, and life had not been easy. A bad drought pushed her family from their home and into a displacement camp. Nafisa has a consultation at Makkah Hospital, supported by Action Against Hunger. Nafisa first came to Makkah Hospital in June 2025 because her two young children were dangerously thin. They were malnourished and needed special milk and therapeutic food to survive. While the medical team treated her children, they noticed Nafisa was pregnant and signed her up for check-ups right away. In September 2025, she returned to the hospital and delivered her baby safely. But even then, she could not stop worrying. A measles outbreak was spreading near her camp. โI feared my children might get sick from Jadeeco [the Somali word for measles],โ she said . Her voice was steady, but her eyes showed fear. The team at Makkah Hospital did not treat Dahiroโs and Nafisaโs appointments as time to address isolated issues. They treated them as an opportunity for holistic care. This is the โone-stop-shopโ approach: when a mother walks through the door for any reasonโa birth, a sick child, or hungerโthe team checks on everything. Every child. Every need. Dahiro is helped by a midwife in the postnatal room in Makkah Hospital, supported by Action Against Hunger. Action Against Hunger and WHO Somalia have built a healthcare system that sees the whole family. When Makkah Hospital brings vaccines, nutrition, and maternal care under one roof, they are turning Somaliaโs National Transformation Plan (NTP) โ the countryโs roadmap for rebuilding and modernizing the country through 2029 โ into a reality that mothers can actually feel. One ordinary morning at Makkah Hospital, something small and powerful happened. Dahiro and Nafisa were both in the ward at the same time. Dahiroโs newborn daughter received her very first vaccine. Nafisaโs children got their life-saving shots and were checked to make sure they were growing well. Two families, side by side, stepping into safety at the same time. Nafisa in the Makkah Hospital This is how big goals like Universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals (particularly SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being) stop being words on paper and start becoming real life. Every visit becomes a chance to catch what might otherwise be missed. Dahiro and Nafisa headed home, carrying their children and a new shield of knowledge. โI will go back home with what I know now,โ Dahiro says with new confidence. โI will speak to other mothers. My aunts gave me their wisdom, and now I will give other mothers the wisdom I have found here.โ She is not rejecting what her grandmother taught her; she is adding to it. Nafisa does not say much as she leaves. She just breathes with relief and holds her children a little tighter, knowing they are finally safe. These two women walked into Makkah Hospital as strangers, each carrying her own fears. They are walking out as proof of what becomes possible when the right support meets a motherโs love. When you give a mother the tools, she protects the family. And family by family, they are rewriting the future of a nation.
Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: Direct Relief A clinical pharmacist and Direct Reliefโs regional director for Africa, Dr. Samuel talks about the current Ebola outbreak, how it's different than past events, and how it can be contained. By Talya Meyers When the first cases of Ebola virus were announced in the Democratic Republic of the Congo this month, Dr. Jeffrey Samuel, traveling in East Africa, read about it on the Direct Relief website. Dr. Samuel, a clinical pharmacist and Direct Reliefโs regional director for Africa, was visiting hospital partners in Uganda at the time the countryโs first cases were being identified and contained. โWe were already engaging with and supporting partners in Uganda through routine medical shipments and other ongoing support,โ he explained. โThat work was not Ebola-specific, but it reflects the kind of sustained support health systems need before, during, and after an emergency.โ Direct Relief also dispatched $2.5 million in emergency medical support to the DRC, the epicenter of the outbreak, to support Ebola containment and treatment. But Dr. Samuel stressed that routine support canโt be disentangled from emergency response. Both are vital to containing an Ebola outbreak or similar public health emergency, and to helping affected communities respond and recover. โEbola response is about much more than Ebola alone,โ he said. โStronger health systems allow countries to continue delivering essential healthcare services even while responding to an emergency.โ Direct Relief: So many people are unfamiliar with Ebola, and itโs frightening. Can you give us some background? How does Ebola spread, what are the symptoms, and how do people stay safe? Jeffrey Samuel: Yeah, absolutely. Ebola is a severe viral disease: It primarily spreads through direct contact with body fluids from someone who is either sick with the disease or has died from it. That includes blood, vomit, diarrhea, urine, saliva, sweat, and other types of bodily fluids like that. It can also spread through contaminated medical equipment, unsafe burial practices, or direct contact with the body of someone who has died from the disease. One important thing I always emphasize with Ebola is that itโs not airborne, like measles or Covid-19. You canโt get Ebola simply by walking past someone. Thatโs why healthcare workers, the families that take care of these patients, and the people involved in different burial practices are often at the highest risk. Ebola typically starts with non-specific symptoms: stuff like fever, fatigue, muscle aches, headaches, and weakness. It can look like malaria, typhoid and other infectious diseases common in the region, so itโs hard to distinguish at the outset. Itโs not until the disease starts to progress that many patients start developing vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. Their organs start to fail, and in some cases, patients can experience hemorrhaging in the later stages of illness. The incubation period, which means the time between when a person is exposed to when the symptoms begin, is usually between 2 and 21 days. Thatโs a very large range, which does not help [with diagnosis and containment] either. Direct Relief: How dangerous is this outbreak? Jeffrey Samuel: Historically, Ebola has been extremely deadly. Fatality rates typically depend on the strain involved, how quickly the outbreak is detected, and the strength of the healthcare system responding to it. Most people are familiar with the Zaire virus, which caused the large Ebola outbreaks from 2014 to 2016 in West Africa. Those outbreaks often had fatality rates around 50 to 70 percent, which is extremely high. The Bundibugyo virus, which is the one thatโs causing the current outbreak, has historically had somewhat lower fatality rates โ generally around 25 to 50 percent. But thatโs still a very serious and potentially fatal disease. Direct Relief: How is Ebola prevented and treated? Jeffrey Samuel: In terms of prevention, the most important measures are early identification of cases, isolation of those suspected cases, infection prevention and control โ in other words, good hand hygiene and personal protective equipment โ contact tracing of people those patients have been in contact with recently, and safe burial procedures. You need strong community engagement and trust. Thatโs a big [issue] specifically with this outbreak. There have been reports of Ebola treatment units being attacked and set on fire, which shows how difficult containment becomes when fear, grief, and mistrust are present. Right now, the treatment is supportive care. That includes IV fluids, electrolyte replacement, oxygen support, treatment of secondary infections, management of blood pressure, providing the right nutritional support, and very careful monitoring. These supportive care measures can really improve survival in a massive way. For us at Direct Relief, focusing on supporting these areas is top priority. Direct Relief: Can you talk about the difference between treating the Zaire and Bundibugyo strains? Jeffrey Samuel: Absolutely. The biggest practical difference is that this current outbreak is being caused by the Bundibugyo virus, while the 2014 to 2016 West Africa outbreak was caused by the Zaire Ebola virus. That distinction matters because all of the approved vaccines and monoclonal antibody treatments that were developed over the past decade were specifically designed for the Zaire Ebola virus. But itโs important to remember that during that outbreak, these tools were not widely available. In fact, that outbreak is what accelerated [Ebola] vaccine and therapeutic development globally. Researchers are now working on similar tools for the Bundibugyo virus as well. In the meantime, the public health response principles remain largely the same. Itโs really surveillance, monitoring, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, supportive care, and community engagement. Direct Relief: Why did this outbreak take so long to surface? Jeffrey Samuel: One of the biggest challenges is that early symptoms of Ebola look very similar to many other diseases common in the region. A patient with fever, vomiting, fatigue, or diarrhea may initially be suspected of having malaria, cholera, typhoid, or another common illness. In many outbreaks, the alarm bells only begin once healthcare workers become infected, or if thereโs a cluster of unexplained deaths that appear, or if the laboratory testing confirms something unusual. This outbreak is also occurring in an incredibly complex environment. The eastern DRC has faced years of conflict, displacement, insecurity, and strain on the healthcare system. Insecurity can delay surveillance teams from reaching the affected areas. It can limit testing capacity, disrupt transport, and make it harder to trace contacts effectively. There are also trust issues that can emerge during outbreaks. In some communities, people may fear isolation centers or avoid seeking care because they worry about stigma or separation from family members. And because the Bundibugyo virus is relatively uncommon compared to the Zaire Ebola virus, it may not have been the first thing clinicians initially suspected when they were seeing these cases. Direct Relief: Is this going to spread much further? What happens if it does? Jeffrey Samuel: Yes, thereโs certainly a risk of further regional spread, which is why neighboring countries have implemented stricter border controls, enhanced surveillance, and other preparedness measures. Rwanda, for example, temporarily closed key border crossings with the DRC. And in the U.S., travelers who have recently visited the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan are being routed through designated airports for enhanced public health screening. The biggest danger is that outbreaks can overwhelm fragile health systems and healthcare facilities. They can reduce routine care access. They can increase infections in healthcare workers, and interrupt normal services like maternal and child health or vaccination programs. Ebola really creates broader humanitarian impacts, and in settings already affected by conflict or displacement, the response becomes even more difficult. A lot of measures have been put in place to try to prevent it from spreading further regionally. But that doesnโt negate the impact thatโs happening on the ground right now. Direct Relief: During the West Africa outbreak, Americans were diagnosed with Ebola โ itโs happened during this event too โ and they had much better survival rates than the West African people who got sick. Why is that? Jeffrey Samuel: Itโs important to state clearly that the differences in outcomes were not biological. They were largely about access to care and the strength of the surrounding healthcare system. Patients treated in highly resourced settings like the U.S. often received earlier diagnosis, intensive monitoring around the clock, aggressive fluid and electrolyte replacement. Thatโs a real key. They also had access to oxygen support, advanced laboratory testing, PPE, and intensive care when needed. [Note: the federal administration has announced that Americans diagnosed with Ebola during this outbreak are being routed to Kenya, not the U.S., for treatment.] In many outbreak settings, especially in places affected by conflict or displacement, it can be much harder to provide that same level of care consistently because the infrastructure and resources are often much more limited. And that can have a real impact on patient outcomes. Honestly, this is one of the broader lessons Ebola keeps exposing globally: Outbreak preparedness and health system strengthening are deeply connected. Direct Relief: Direct Relief has shipped a significant range of medical support, including PPE, cardiovascular drugs, and IV fluids, to the DRC in response to this Ebola outbreak. How did the organization decide what to send, and what role will that support play? Jeffrey Samuel: All these items play a very practical and important role in the outbreak response. PPE helps protect healthcare workers and prevent transmission inside of healthcare facilities. During Ebola outbreaks, protecting healthcare workers is critical because health worker infections can quickly weaken the overall response capacity. IV fluids are absolutely key to supportive care. Ebola patients often experience severe vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, and electrolyte loss. So a key part of treatment is being able to replace those fluids and electrolytes. Beyond Ebola-specific supplies, essential medicines like cardiovascular drugs, antibiotics, and other critical treatments help keep the broader health system functioning during an outbreak. Ebola response does not pause the rest of healthcare โ patients still need care for chronic diseases, infections, pregnancy complications, and other urgent health needs. And our approach is very much partner-driven. We work directly with local partner organizations, hospitals, and in-country ministries of health to understand the actual operational and clinical needs on the ground. We also look at storage capacity, cold chain requirements, logistics, and feasibility for what we send. The strongest responses happen when that emergency support is layered onto resilient local systems. Emergency response plus long-term system strengthening go hand in hand. The goal is to support countries not only in responding to the current outbreak, but also to build stronger systems for whatever comes next.
Country: South Sudan Source: World Food Programme AKOBO, South Sudan - The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has scaled-up its emergency response in Akobo East, South Sudan, delivering vital food and nutrition assistance to hundreds of thousands of people facing catastrophic hunger and malnutrition, even as insecurity, infrastructure damage and the onset of the rainy season continue to hamper operations. โThe situation is critical and demands immediate attention to save lives of people who desperately need assistance,โ said Mutinta Chimuka, WFP Country Director in South Sudan. โOur hope is to continue to reach people in need. Sustained safety and security of humanitarians and humanitarian cargo is therefore crucial to allow us to ramp up assistance and effectively reach all those in need.โ Here are the latest updates on food security and WFP operations in Akobo, South Sudan: Food Security Situation in Akobo: According to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) update, parts of Akobo County are experiencing IPC Phase 5 (Catastrophe) โ one of four counties at risk of famine if conditions deteriorate. An estimated 97,000 people are projected to face IPC Phase 3 (Crisis), 85,000 Phase 4 (Emergency), and 12,000 Phase 5 (Catastrophe) through July The malnutrition crisis has worsened to IPC Acute Malnutrition Phase 5 (Extremely Critical), driven by displacement, loss of livelihoods, disruption to health and nutrition services, and increased disease risks due to overcrowding. Severe malnutrition among children under five and breastfeeding mothers is rising sharply, fuelling fears of famine-like conditions developing in the region. Ongoing conflict has already displaced approximately 142,000 individuals from Akobo County and surrounding areas, with 100,000 having crossed into neighbouring Ethiopia. The collapse of local markets due to conflict and looting has severely restricted access to food supplies. WFP Operations in Akobo: Since launching its emergency response three weeks ago, WFP has reached more than 60,000 vulnerable people in Akobo including: More than 15,000 people with emergency food assistance Close to 6,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women with nutrition commodities and Over 30,000 people with High Energy Biscuits (HEB), a vital source of nutrition for people on the move. More than 6,000 children and pregnant and breastfeeding women with specialized nutritious foods โ part of a blanket supplementary feeding programme. WFP and partners have also conducted nutrition screenings for 15,000 children and admitted 3,000 children with moderate acute malnutrition (MAM). WFPโs supply chain coordination and delivery continues to enable the scale up, including: Delivery of 25 metric tons of fortified biscuits and specialised nutritious foods, including airlifting 14.5 metric tons to frontline warehouses. Transport of 300 metric tons of mixed commodities for General food assistance and Nutrition to Akobo by air. A 33-truck convoy from WFP and the Logistics Cluster to deliver over 200 metric tons of food assistance, nutrition supplies, and 100 metric tons of relief items by this week. This may be the final road convoy before heavy rains render key roads impassable. More than 60 flights by WFP Aviation including airdrops, airlifts, and UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) passenger flights transporting 430 MT of critical assistance. UNHAS has also transported more than 200 aid workers into and out of the area. Increasing WFP-managed UNHAS flights to three times per week. During the rainy season, when overland transport becomes unfeasible, WFP will continue supporting Akobo through air deliveries to ensure uninterrupted food assistance. Challenges and Funding requirements While access in Akobo has recently improved, delivering life-saving assistance has relied heavily on costly air operations due to persistent insecurity. The risk of renewed fighting is real. We need hostilities to end and humanitarians must have continued secure access to ensure civilians can safely receive vital assistance. The sustained and consistent delivery of critical services and support to communities is paramount for recovery and rebuilding livelihoods. WFP is deeply concerned about the many vulnerable people trapped in inaccessible regions, where hunger and malnutrition is likely to worsen during the fast-approaching lean season. WFP urgently requires USD 266 million to continue life-saving food, nutrition assistance, as well as support to the humanitarian community in South Sudan in 2026. # # # Note to editors: Broadcast quality footage available, please contact wfp.media@wfp.org. The United Nations World Food Programme is the worldโs largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp @wfp_Africa @wfp_SouthSudan For more information please contact (email address: firstname.lastname@wfp.org): Tomson Phiri, WFP/Juba, +211 928 008 037 Azfar Deen, WFP/Nairobi +39 345 846 6425 Julian Miglierini, WFP/ Rome, Mob. +39 348 2316793 Martin Rentsch, WFP/Berlin, Mob +49 160 99 26 17 30 Shaza Moghraby, WFP/New York, Mob. + 1 929 289 9867 Rene McGuffin, WFP/ Washington Mob. +1 771 245 4268 Nicola Kelly, WFP/London, Mob +44 (0)796 8008 474
Countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda Source: World Health Organization In response to the current outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus occurring in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with cases also reported in Uganda, WHO convened several of its expert and advisory groups. These groups assessed potential vaccines and therapeutics for both prevention and treatment of Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD). The WHO advisory groups recommended that all the products identified and considered be used exclusively within clinical trials to generate robust data and ensure safe, ethical, and effective research. WHO convened a series of meetings with the WHO R&D Blueprint technical advisory groups on candidate vaccines and therapeutics for BVD. In parallel, WHO also convened the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) and its Ebola vaccine working group to advise on the potential role of licensed Ebola vaccines during BVD outbreaks. Key recommendations There are currently no licensed therapeutics or vaccines specifically approved for the prevention and treatment of BVD. Nevertheless, WHO advisory groups considered several candidate products that are promising enough to warrant prioritization for evaluation in clinical trials. WHO is now working closely with the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda to facilitate the implementation of research evaluation of these products. For treatment of cases: For treatment, the independent experts recommended prioritizing three candidate therapeutics for evaluation in research (i.e. clinical trials) among confirmed BVD cases: the monoclonal antibodies MBP134 and Maftivimabยฎ, as well as the antiviral remdesivir. Combination therapy using a monoclonal antibody and remdesivir is also recommended for evaluation. For prevention of cases: For post-exposure prophylaxis among contacts of confirmed and probable cases, the oral antiviral obeldesivir was determined to be a priority candidate, although experts noted that this approach depends on effective contact tracing, which remains operationally challenging in some of the affected areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Research on post-exposure prophylaxis involves giving tablets of obeldesivir to contacts of cases to evaluate whether this prevents them from developing Ebola disease. The most promising candidate vaccine was determined by the experts to be the single-dose rVSV Bundibugyo vaccine (being developed by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative or IAVI). The development of this single-dose vaccine candidate will likely require 7โ9 months before it is ready to be assessed through a clinical trial for its ability to prevent BDV. Another candidate vaccine, ChAdOx1 Bundibugyo (being developed by Oxford University/Serum Institute of India) could potentially become available within 2โ3 months for efficacy assessment through a clinical trial. However, additional animal data are still required to support and confirm further prioritization. Experts noted that a single-dose vaccine approach of this candidate could be suitable for contacts of Ebola cases, whereas a two-dose strategy might be considered for high-risk but unexposed populations such as health-care workers and frontline responders. The convened experts also reviewed the potential role of Ervebo, the only licensed Ebola vaccine. It is approved for use during outbreaks caused by the most common Ebola virus in Africa, from the Orthoebolavirus family. Ervebo is not licensed for prevention of BVD and evidence on cross-protection to other Ebola virus species remains limited and inconclusive. WHO recommends that Ervebo should not be used outside carefully designed research settings, to allow for its performance against BDV to be assessed. Ensuring ethical and safe clinical trials WHO, the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the ANRS Emerging infectious diseases (French National Agency for Research on AIDS and Viral Hepatitis), and other scientific partners are working together to develop and implement appropriate protocols to assess the safety and efficacy of the prioritized therapeutics through clinical field trials. WHO calls for accelerated access to essential supplies, stronger community protection, engagement and trust, and coordinated investment in the research, development and evaluation of BVD countermeasures. All research must adhere to the highest ethical standards, under the leadership of the national health authorities and in close consultation with affected communities. In the meantime, our priority is to stop transmission with tools that we have used for decades of Ebola responses, which include disease surveillance, rapid testing and diagnosis, contact tracing, isolation and care for patients, infection prevention and control, community engagement, and safe and dignified burials. Background The WHO R&D Blueprint is a global initiative that allows the rapid activation of research and development activities during epidemics. Its aim is to fast-track the availability of proven effective tests, vaccines, and medicines that can be used to save lives and avert large-scale crises. SAGE is the principal advisory group to WHO for vaccines and immunization. It is charged with advising WHO on overall global policies and strategies, ranging from vaccines and technology, research and development, to delivery of immunization and its linkages with other health interventions. Media Contacts WHO Media Team World Health Organization Email: mediainquiries@who.int
Country: World Source: International Rescue Committee Please refer to the attached file. Which humanitarian interventions deliver the most impact per dollar? The International Rescue Committee has identified, through years of rigorous research, a set of high-impact interventions that deliver outsized results for every dollar invested. Download the two-pager for the evidence behind each, or read on for a summary. Humanitarian needs have reached record levels while available funding shrinks. Seventeen countries at the intersection of extreme poverty, conflict and climate vulnerability are home to 70% of people in humanitarian need, yet receive a fraction of the funding required. Every dollar must work harder. The two-pager addresses the following questions, drawing on evidence across health and survival, women's empowerment, education, and cash and resilience: How can we reach children with vaccines in conflict zones at low cost? Through the IRC's REACH program with Gavi, mobile teams and pop-up clinics have delivered over 24 million doses, with delivery costs falling to ~$2 per dose at scale. What is the most cost-effective way to treat acute malnutrition? A simplified malnutrition treatment protocol matches standard care outcomes at one-fifth less cost, enabling treatment for more children with the same resources. How can health systems prevent maternal deaths in low-resource settings? Community-based distribution of misoprostol cuts postpartum hemorrhage risk by 80%, extending coverage to communities that facility-based care cannot reach. What is the return on investment for infection prevention in crisis settings? Effective prevention and control halves infection-related deaths and saves over $16 in treatment costs for every $1 invested. How cost-effective is reproductive health programming in humanitarian contexts? Every $1 spent on contraceptive services saves $2.50 in health care costs, while self-injection innovations and community health workers extend access to women in crisis settings. Can humanitarian programming reduce intimate partner violence cost-effectively? An integrated IRC approach in the DRC achieved a 77% reduction in intimate partner violence at 27% lower cost than stand-alone programs. Is remote early learning a cost-effective response to disrupted schooling? The IRC's Remote Early Learning Program delivers a year's worth of preschool gains in 11 weeks via WhatsApp, at 20% lower cost than in-person preschool. How does cash compare to in-kind aid in cost-efficiency? Cash transfers reach 18% more people and generate $2 in local economic activity for every $1 transferred, by removing supply chain costs and giving families direct purchasing choice. Can anticipatory action reduce humanitarian costs before disasters hit? Pre-shock cash and early warning systems help families preserve assets and meet basic needs, reducing the cost burden of post-crisis response. The IRC's anticipatory action model now operates in five countries. As the gap between humanitarian need and available funding widens, these highest-return investments offer the clearest path to reaching more people with fewer resources.
Countries: Nigeria, Somalia Source: Mรฉdecins Sans Frontiรจres Obstetric fistula is a devastating yet preventable condition that continues to affect women with limited access to pre- and postnatal care. When Aisha* arrived at Jahun General Hospital in Jigawa state in northern Nigeria she was in deep physical and emotional pain: She had not only lost her child during delivery, but had sustained an injury while giving birth. On the other side of the African continent, Hodan* walked into Bay Regional Hospital in Baidoa, southwestern Somalia, after suffering for eight years from urinary incontinence caused by a difficult delivery. She had been married as a teenager in a village on the rural outskirts of Bur Hakaba. Her first delivery was prolonged and complicated; the baby was delivered with forceps but did not survive. Soon after, Hodan lost control of her bladder, and she was too ashamed to talk about her condition for years. These two women, thousands of miles apart, suffer from the same condition: obstetric fistula. This condition develops when the soft tissue between the birth canal and bladder or rectum is damaged through prolonged, obstructed labor without timely access to emergency obstetric care, creating a permanent opening through which urine or stool leaks continuously. Many of the women who reach us have lived with this condition for years before they even knew what it was. Fistula care is not only about surgery. It is about listening, counseling, and helping women rebuild their confidence. At Jahun General Hospital and at Bay Regional Hospital, teams from Doctors Without Borders/Mรฉdecins Sans Frontiรจres (MSF) and the respective state ministries of health provide reconstructive surgery, psychological support, and rehabilitation to women living with obstetric fistula. Risk factors for obstetric fistula The risk for fistula is highest where women marry and give birth young; where childhood malnutrition is widespread; where female genital mutilation is common; and where health systems cannot guarantee an emergency cesarean section in time. In Nigeria and Somalia, these factors overlap. So do insecurity, displacement, and long distances that many women must travel to reach a functioning health facility. Beyond physical injury โ which can cause chronic pain, recurring infections, and an increased risk of kidney damage โ women living with fistula often face stigma, exclusion from work and community life, and even, in many cases, divorce. How MSF cares for patients with obstetric fistula The 55-bed fistula ward at the Jahun General Hospital is, by design, more than a surgical facility. Care is free. Women stay between two and three months. Each patient may need one or more reconstructive surgeries, supported by physiotherapy, mental health care, and nutrition. โMost of the women who reach us have already given birth somewhere else or tried to โ often at home, and often after several days of labor,โ says Dr. Raphael Kananga, MSF medical coordinator in Nigeria. โBy the time they arrive at our hospital, they have already sustained an injury, often with additional infections and complications. Surgical repair is possible, but this should have been prevented from happening in the first place.โ Since the project opened in 2008, the teams have performed more than 6,000 fistula surgeries in Jahun. In 2025, 295 women were admitted and 224 had reconstructive surgery. From January to March 2026, 64 more women had already been admitted to the facility, with 48 already receiving surgical care. Most of the women who reach us have already given birth somewhere else or tried to โ often at home, and often after several days of labor. By the time they arrive at our hospital, they have already sustained an injury, often with additional infections and complications. Aisha has already had two surgeries and is preparing for a third. โAt first, I thought I would never be cured,โ she says. โThen I came here and saw other women with the same condition. I realized I was not alone.โ In southwestern Somalia, the fistula unit at Bay Regional Hospital offers free surgical repair, pre- and post-operative care, counseling, and nutrition support. Since opening in 2025, 38 women have been treated. Across the country, several thousand more women are estimated to need this care but are unable to access it. Dr. Idris Suleiman Abubakar, fistula surgeon at Jahun General Hospital Courage to come forward The most terrible thing about obstetric fistula is that women suffer it when they bring another life into this world. Here you have a woman trying to bring another life, and at the end, she suffers, she often loses the child, and she is left with this condition. We have seen women in our practice [struggle with their mental health] because of this condition. It is something even the woman herself is ashamed of. So it takes courage, and a great deal of self-confidence, for her to come forward at all. Imagine a woman who has lost all hope of ever living a normal life again, and through the work you do, she is returned to what she thought she would never reach again. That is when you see real happiness in another person. And that gives me joy. That is what keeps taking me back. ... From there, I understood why I am drawn back to fistula work. If we really want to tackle obstetric fistula, every pregnant woman must deliver in a properly equipped facility, with personnel trained in midwifery. Without that, even women who reach a health facility will continue to develop fistulas โ because the skilled care needed to prevent them is not actually there. Barriers to accessing fistula care "Many of the women who reach us have lived with this condition for years before they even knew what it was, or that anything could be done about it,โ says Frida Athanassiadis, MSF medical coordinator in Somalia. โFistula care is not only about surgery. It is about listening, counseling, and helping women rebuild their confidence.โ Hodan lived with the condition for eight years before a relative told her about the new service in Baidoa. โFor a long time, I did not know there was a name for what was wrong with me. I did not know there was treatment,โ she says. At first, I thought I would never be cured. Then I came here and saw other women with the same condition. I realized I was not alone. Jahun is the only facility with the capacity to provide vesicovaginal fistula reconstructive surgical services in Jigawa state. In Somalia, the fistula unit at Bay Regional Hospital in Baidoa is the only facility in Southwest state and one of the few facilities in the country able to offer specialized repair. The limited number of services, combined with insecurity, displacement, poverty, and long travel distances, means this care remains beyond reach for most women who need it. How to prevent obstetric fistula Fistula is completely preventable. What stops fistula from occurring in the first place is clear: prenatal care that identifies risks early, trained midwives within reach of the women they serve, a functional referral pathway, and access to emergency cesarean section before prolonged labor causes tissue damage. There is an urgent need for sustained investment in maternal and newborn care in both Somalia and Nigeria. Prenatal services, skilled birth attendants, timely emergency obstetric care, and specialized repair must be available for women who need it. * Names changed for privacy
Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: World Health Organization To the people of DRC, especially to the people of Ituri Jambo kwenu wakahaji wa Ituri Mbote na bino, bato ya Ituri My name is Tedros, and I am the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). But today, I am not writing to you as an official. I am writing to you as someone who knows your region, who has walked your streets, and who cares deeply about what happens to you and your families. I am writing because I want to be with you in these moments. And I want you to know that you are not alone. Ebola is not new to me personally. From 2018 to 2020, I came fourteen times to North Kivu, the epicentre of the outbreak at that time. Fourteen visits to Beni, Butembo, Katwa, Goma, and many other communities. During that outbreak, Ebola spread across North Kivu, South Kivu, and reached parts of Ituri as well. I was alongside families who had lost their loved ones. I met health workers risking their lives every day. I met community leaders, traditional healers, religious leaders and business leaders who refused to abandon their people. I saw men and women show extraordinary courage in the most difficult of circumstances. The people there, who saw me coming back again and again, wanted to give me a name that belonged to their community. They asked me whether I was the first, second, or third child of my parents. When I told them I was the firstborn, they gave me the name Dr. Paluku. I carry that name with pride. It is not just a name. It is a bond. It is a reminder that this work is not about titles or institutions. It is about people. It is about you. That outbreak was one of the most complex in history. It did not unfold in a stable, peaceful environment. It happened in the middle of armed conflict, with communities displaced, supply routes disrupted, and health workers operating under constant threat. People were fleeing violence while also trying to protect themselves and their families from a deadly disease. I remember being in Beni on more than one occasion while fighting was taking place on the outskirts of the city. We could hear it. And yet the health workers around me did not stop. They kept working. That kind of courage is something I will never forget. The challenges of that time are not so different from what you are facing today in Ituri. I understand that. I have seen it with my own eyes. Mistrust ran deep, and the security situation cost us precious time. Our health workers were attacked. Clinics were targeted. People who were only trying to save lives found themselves caught in the middle of a conflict they did not start. Lives were lost that we might have saved, and that weighs on me still. But I also witnessed something remarkable. When we listened, when communities felt respected and heard, things began to change. Trust grew slowly, then more quickly. People came forward. And together, we managed to contain the outbreak. We did it. The people of DRC did it. I will never forget that. Ebola is now back. This time, the outbreak is hitting Ituri province the hardest. More than 90% of all cases have been reported in Ituri province, with a small number of cases also reported in North Kivu and South Kivu. I know how frightening that is, and I know that the people of Ituri are bearing a burden that is not easy to carry. I know that many of you are exhausted. You are already carrying so much: malaria, hunger, insecurity, and the daily struggle to keep your families safe. And now Ebola. It is not fair, and I will not pretend otherwise. But I also want to say something else about Ituri, because this province deserves to be seen for more than its hardships. Ituri is a place of remarkable energy. It is a province of vibrant commerce, of entrepreneurial spirit, of communities that have refused to be defined by the conflicts around them. The markets of Bunia buzz with life. Traders, farmers, teachers, and young people building their futures against all odds. That spirit, that refusal to give up, is exactly what we need now. It is the foundation on which we will build our response. We do not come to Ituri with only medicine and expertise. We come to join a community that already knows how to fight for its survival. I want to say a special word to the young people of Ituri. You are growing up in circumstances that no young person should have to face. And yet what I see, again and again, is not despair but determination. You are the future of this province and this country. In this outbreak, you have a vital role to play. Talk to your friends and your families. Share what you know about Ebola. Help break the fear and the silence that allow this virus to spread. Your voice carries further than you know, and we need it now more than ever. And to the health workers of Ituri, I want to say this: you are seen, and you are not alone. Every day you go to work knowing the risks, and you go anyway. You do it for your patients, for your communities, for your families. You are the backbone of this response. Without you, none of this is possible. I know the conditions are hard. I know the resources are often not enough. I know that fear and exhaustion are real. Please know that WHO stands with you, that we are working to get you the support you need, and that your courage and dedication are known and deeply valued far beyond the borders of this province. I also know that the security situation in parts of this region remains very difficult. Conflict and displacement make everything harder, including reaching people who need care and keeping health workers safe. I want to be honest: this is one of our greatest challenges. We cannot do this work if those who are trying to help are prevented from doing so or put in danger. We are working closely with all relevant partners to ensure that the response can reach every community that needs it, and that no one is left behind because of where they live or what is happening around them. That is why today I am making a direct appeal to all warring parties in this region: please, declare a ceasefire. Even briefly. Even just enough to let health workers through. People are dying from Ebola who do not have to die. Children are sick. Families are suffering. No cause, no conflict, no grievance is worth condemning innocent people to death from a preventable disease. A ceasefire, even a temporary one, would save lives. I urge you, I implore you: give us the space to help the people who need it most. I also know that there is anger and mistrust in some communities, and I understand why. Trust must be earned, it cannot be assumed. We have not always done things correctly. But I promise you, we are here to learn as much as we are here to help. I need to be honest with you about something important. Most previous Ebola outbreaks in DRC were caused by a virus called Ebola Zaire, for which we have vaccines and treatments. This outbreak is caused by a different virus called Ebola Bundibugyo. There are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for it. This is serious, and you deserve to hear that plainly. But I also want you to know this: while there are no specific treatments for Bundibugyo, there is much we can do together to prevent the spread of this virus and save lives. Early supportive care in our treatment centers can make a real difference. If you or someone you know falls ill, please do not wait. Coming forward early can make the difference between life and death. And everything we do, we will do with you. We will listen to you, we will share information with you, and we are here to help. And for those we cannot save, we will mourn with you. We will help you grieve your lost loved ones with safe and dignified burials. We are working under the leadership of the Government of DRC, together with all relevant partners, united around one goal: to stop this outbreak and protect your communities. No one is working alone. No one is working at cross purposes. We are coordinated, we are committed, and we are here. That is why I am coming to Bunia. I will be there in person, alongside my colleagues, meeting your leaders, listening to your concerns, and doing everything in my power to help you. I will not be managing this from a comfortable office far away. This is the 17th Ebola outbreak in DRC. Together, you have overcome every single one before. That is not a small thing. That is a testament to the strength and resilience of your communities. I have seen that strength with my own eyes. My brothers and sisters of Ituri, I want you to know that the world is watching your courage. You are not forgotten. Together, we will overcome this outbreak, as you have overcome every challenge before. Your resilience is the light that guides us all. We will get through this one too. Not because of anyone, but because of you. Our teams are already on the ground, and they will stay for as long as necessary. And when this outbreak is over, we will not quietly disappear. We will not forget you. We will stay, and we will keep working with you to build health systems that protect every person in every community. I look forward to seeing you in Bunia soon. Until then, please know that you are in my thoughts. With respect and solidarity, Paluku Tedros Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Director-General, World Health Organization
Country: Sudan Source: Life for Relief and Development By Tasneem El-Raidi This yearโs Eid al-Adha comes as Sudan continues to endure one of the worldโs worst humanitarian crises. The ongoing war, now lasting for more than two years, has displaced millions of families and left vast numbers of people without sources of income. Millions are facing tragic conditions inside displacement camps and conflict zones amid rapidly rising hunger rates and unprecedented food prices. According to reports from the World Food Programme, nearly 19.5 million people are suffering from acute hunger and food insecurity, including 135,000 people living under catastrophic famine conditions. Around 34 million Sudanese urgently require humanitarian assistance, while more than 4.2 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition, making Sudan currently one of the gravest hunger and humanitarian disaster zones in the world. 510,000 Poor Families Benefited from Qurbani Meat in 2025 Life for Relief and Development continues its intensive preparations to launch its Eid al-Adha projects through field teams operating across Sudan and many countries around the world. We spoke with Vicky Roob, National and International Programs Director at the organization, who explained that the Qurbani project is one of the deepest humanitarian initiatives the organization has carried out for more than 33 years. It is not only because it provides food, but because it also brings dignity and joy to families who wait for Eid al-Adha year after year, hoping they might be able to eat meat, even if only for a few days. She added that the successive humanitarian crises โ including famine in Sudan and other Arab countries, global inflation, and the sharp rise in food and meat prices across most African countries โ have left millions of families unable to secure even their most basic nutritional needs. โToday, we are no longer speaking only about poverty,โ she said. โWe are speaking about entire families that can no longer provide food, and children who experience Eid while waiting for a meal they may receive only once a year. Some know the smell of grilled meat more than they know its taste, living in hope that their share of the Qurbani meat will reach them during Eid.โ Omar El-Raidi, Director of the Projects Department, added: โThe Qurbani project carries a unique humanitarian dimension unlike other relief programs because it does not only address direct needs, but also touches the psychological and social wellbeing of struggling families. In other relief programs, we provide what is necessary for families to survive and remain resilient. But Qurbani offers something different โ it gives families a sense of participation, joy, and dignity, fulfilling a simple wish that may seem ordinary to some, but means a great deal to millions of people in need.โ He explained that โLifeโ is implementing the Qurbani project this year in 39 countries and regions worldwide, including areas suffering from conflict, humanitarian disasters, and severe poverty, such as Gaza, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Cรดte dโIvoire, Jordan, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Somaliland, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, the West Bank, and Yemen. โOur Qurbani Meat Is Delivered to Needy Families with the Same Quality We Serve Our Own Childrenโ From Sudan, we also spoke with Ms. Rima Bakir, Lifeโs Project Coordinator in Sudan, who explained that last year the organization provided Qurbani meat to 15,120 displaced people in the Yifi and Dashrifi village clusters in Kassala State. Regarding the preparation and distribution process, she said: โThe Qurbani project carries a special humanitarian dimension that goes beyond traditional aid because it gives vulnerable families a rare opportunity to obtain food they may not be able to afford throughout the entire year. There are families living under extremely harsh conditions, such as widows in displacement camps or families who have completely lost their sources of income. When these families receive even a small amount of money, they are forced to spend it on the most urgent necessities such as flour, medicine, and essential living supplies, while meat remains completely beyond their purchasing power. But when Qurbani meat reaches them directly, it becomes a real family meal around which everyone gathers, allowing children to experience the joy of Eid โ something many have been deprived of for years.โ She emphasized that โLifeโ pays close attention to the quality of the sacrificial animals and the distribution process out of respect for the dignity of beneficiaries and their right to receive safe and nutritious food. โWe are committed to all Islamic and health standards during the implementation of the project. We ensure that the sacrificial animals meet religious requirements, and we carefully supervise every stage of slaughtering, preparation, and distribution. We also ensure that the meat reaching needy families is fresh and of high quality. We do not treat the Qurbani project merely as aid distribution, but as a humanitarian message. Therefore, we believe that what reaches the tables of struggling families should be of the same quality we would accept for our own families and children.โ Between the Donor and the Needyโฆ A Network of Trust Despite the unprecedented humanitarian and security complications witnessed in Sudan, โLifeโ has continued implementing the Qurbani project in an effort to reach displaced and affected families living under devastating conditions caused by war and repeated displacement. Working inside Sudan during wartime has not been an easy task, but Lifeโs teams have made exceptional efforts to ensure that Qurbani meat reaches displaced families enduring extremely difficult humanitarian conditions. The organization confirmed that priority in distribution is given to the most vulnerable groups, including displaced and refugee families, victims of wars and natural disasters, as well as orphans, widows, elderly people, and families suffering from extreme poverty. Lifeโs teams have continued carrying out Qurbani distributions in Sudan for the third consecutive year despite escalating conflict and the increasing difficulty of humanitarian access to many affected regions. The organizationโs efforts during Eid al-Adha are not limited to distributing meat. They also include humanitarian and recreational programs targeting children and affected families. โLifeโ organizes family Eid celebrations and special events for orphans that include entertainment activities and psychological support programs aimed at bringing some joy to children living amid war, displacement, and disasters. These activities seek to ease the psychological burdens suffered by children and their families throughout the year, especially inside displacement shelters, by creating celebratory environments that provide them with a temporary sense of safety and happiness. The organization currently sponsors more than 13,100 orphans around the world through its continuous humanitarian care and sponsorship programs. For more information: Life for Relief and Development โ Udhiyah Campaign LIFE USA Arabic Platforms
Country: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: Direct Relief The Jericho Road Wellness Clinic in Goma, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, will receive $2.5 million in personal protective gear, medication, and supplies from Direct Relief. A significant number of these items will be used to protect staff and treat patients at a district Ebola containment center. By Talya Meyers Share Since an outbreak of Ebola was announced in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Jericho Road Wellness Clinic in Goma, in the countryโs east, has seen an influx of frightened patients. โThey donโt come to test for Ebolaโ at this point, said director Chantal Mandro. โThey come to be sure that they are doing well.โ Hundreds of cases had been confirmed in the DRC, and seven in Uganda, as of last week. Historically, hospitals and clinics have become more dangerous during Ebola outbreaks, leading many patients to avoid them, as they did during the Covid-19 pandemic. Still, Mandro and her staff screen every patient for fever and other symptoms of Ebola before they can enter the facility. Anyone who has symptoms or has traveled to Ituri Province, the center of this new outbreak, has to be kept separate from other patients. Potential cases will be sent on to a nearby hospital. In North Kivu province, where Goma is located, government officials and healthcare providers are gearing up for a large-scale response. Putting together enough medicine, personal protective equipment, or PPE, and medical supplies to run an effective containment center is an urgent concern. โThey donโt have enough PPE. They donโt have enough anything,โ Mandro said of local responders. A shipment from Direct Relief, containing $2.5 million in personal protective equipment, medicine, diagnostics, and supportive care treatments, has been prepared for the Wellness Clinic, which is part of long-time Direct Relief partner Jericho Road. Included in the shipment are coveralls for biological protection, respirators, and goggles; antibiotics for coinfection; diagnostics; IV fluids, oral rehydration salts, and electrolytes; safety equipment; and chronic disease medications, because diseases like diabetes must be carefully managed in Ebola patients to prevent worse outcomes. When it arrives, Mandro said, much of the PPE and medicine will be distributed to the district government to be used in an Ebola containment center in Goma, which officials are currently working to set up. Dr. Myron Glick, a Buffalo, New York physician who founded Jericho Road, said that years of instability โ civil war, an active volcano, a major Ebola outbreak in 2019, and widespread displacement โ have made Goma especially vulnerable in the current health emergency. About 800,000 people internally displaced by conflict are currently sheltering in the area, and even the 1.1 million residents experience widespread poverty, instability, and lack of access to healthcare. โGomaโs a really tough place to run a hospital,โ he said, noting that itโs often cited as one of the most dangerous cities in the world. โItโs already challenging, and now on top of it you put Ebola.โ While current measures require anyone whoโs come in contact with a possible Ebola patient to quarantine at home, Dr. Glick said poverty and crowding make that less effective. โIโve seen families with eight or 10 kids [in Goma] live in spaces that are no bigger than my kitchen in Buffalo,โ he told Direct Relief. Receiving a shipment of this size will be key to an effective response, Dr. Glick said. โThereโs never enough of that stuff in stock,โ he said. โThe most important items right now are the PPE, the IV fluids, the soaps.โ But he noted that unmanaged conditions and coinfections will also pose life-threatening danger. Dehydration is a deadly concern in Ebola cases, making patients more vulnerable to coinfections that, in turn, lessen their odds of survival. The Wellness Clinicโs most urgent priority is to remain a safe place for patients to come, Dr. Glick said. โThe goal is to screen well, transfer the sick, and protect our team so we can keep doing primary care, the hospital, and maternal care,โ he said. Patients who are afraid to go to the clinic to manage chronic diseases, deliver babies, and receive vaccines are at greater risk too. โThatโs something we saw in the past, in West Africa in 2014,โ during the most deadly Ebola outbreak yet seen, he recalled. Clinic visits and vaccinations โall fell pretty dramatically in that first year after Ebola.โ Dr. Glick is hopeful that this outbreak will be more like that of 2019, which, though extremely deadly, was confined within the Democratic Republic of the Congo and resulted in about 2,200 deaths, a fraction of the 11,300 people who died in the 2014 West Africa outbreak. But he noted that there is no vaccine for this strain of Ebola, and that testing models donโt appear to be as effective. (Oxford University scientists have said they may be ready to begin clinical trials for a vaccine within two to three months.) โThereโs some worry that this will end differently from the 2019 outbreak,โ he said. Mandro said that years of instability have taken their toll on the communityโs outlook. โPeople in Goma are very, very tired because there are many catastrophes,โ she said. Still, she said, people are gearing up to meet this new threat. โWe are all afraid, but we are resilient,โ she told Direct Relief. โThereโs nothing else to do.โ
Country: South Africa Source: Government of South Africa Minister Steenhuisen calls on provinces to speed up vaccinations as millions more foot and mouth disease vaccines arrive The Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, has announced that the first batch of a 3.5 million dose consignment of Biogรฉnesis Bagรณ Foot and mouth disease (FMD) vaccines arrived on Sunday, and has called on all provincial departments to ensure their top priority for the next few weeks must be to vaccinate as many animals as quickly as possible. The remainder of this record-breaking shipment from Argentina is already en route and expected to arrive during the course of the week. โThis is the largest single consignment of FMD vaccines ever imported into South Africa. Provinces must now move with speed and urgency to scale up frontline vaccination efforts and protect our national herd of approximately 14 million cattle,โ said Minister Steenhuisen. With the arrival of the 3.5 million doses, South Africa will have successfully secured and imported a total of 13.5 million vaccine doses before the end of May 2026. This forms part of the Department of Agricultureโs wider strategy to achieve and maintain โFMD free with vaccinationโ status, while safeguarding rural livelihoods, food security and agricultural exports. To maintain the pace and effectiveness of the campaign, the department is already fully prepared to facilitate the importation of follow-up consignments required for the critical booster vaccination programme. This will ensure that second-round vaccinations can be administered within the required timelines to establish durable immunity across the national herd. โThe acquisition of 13.5 million doses in just four months demonstrates the seriousness with which we are confronting this disease,โ Minister Steenhuisen said. โIf we maintain this disciplined and aggressive trajectory, and ensure these vaccines are administered rapidly and effectively, we can ensure that South Africa never again experiences outbreaks on this scale. But government cannot do this alone. Every livestock owner has a responsibility to protect their animals through strict biosecurity measures, compliance with movement controls, and full participation in vaccination and identification programmes.โ The Minister emphasised that defeating FMD requires a unified national effort across government, industry and farming communities. โThis is a moment that demands partnership and collective action. Commercial farmers, communal farmers, veterinarians, industry bodies and government all have a role to play if we are to defeat this disease and secure the future of our livestock sector. โThe stakes could not be higher. This is about protecting jobs, defending rural economies, safeguarding food security, and protecting the national interest,โ Minister Steenhuisen said. To support the accelerated vaccination campaign, more Animal Health Technicians will be appointed and deployed across affected provinces to strengthen frontline operations and expand vaccination capacity. For media enquiries, please contact: Ms Joylene van Wyk Director: Media Liaison Ministry of Agriculture Email: joylenev@nda.gov.zaor medialiaison@nda.agric.za Cell: 083 292 7399 or 063 298 5661 Toll-Free FMD Support Line: 0860 246 640 Email: FMDcommandcent@nda.gov.za FMD WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vags5R83gvWWZOhk9946 FMD Reporting System: fmd.nda.gov.za #ServiceDeliveryZA
Country: Somalia Source: Action Against Hunger Action Against Hunger is warning that the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis reveals rapidly worsening food insecurity and nutrition conditions in the country, including a credible risk of famine in Burhakaba District in Bay Region. The organization has witnessed a significant rise in admissions of severely malnourished children to its stabilization centers across Somalia and is calling for an urgent scale-up of humanitarian assistance to prevent further deterioration and save lives. According to the updated IPC projection for AprilโJune 2026, approximately 6 million people โ nearly one in three of the population analyzed โ are facing Crisis levels of hunger or worse (IPC Phase 3 or above). Nearly 1.9 million people are in Emergency conditions (IPC Phase 4), almost doubling in severity from the first quarter of 2025. The report also projects that 1.88 million children under five will suffer acute malnutrition in 2026, including nearly 493,000 children expected to suffer Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), the deadliest form of hunger. The report identifies the Bay Agropastoral Livelihood Zone as the area with the most alarming deterioration of food security. Within this zone, Burhakaba District has reached extremely critical levels of acute malnutrition (IPC Phase 5), with a Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) rate of 37.1 percent. Failing Gu rains, soaring food prices, and limited humanitarian food security assistance could worsen the crisis at a time when at least one out of three children in Burhakaba are already expected to be acutely malnourished. Action Against Hungerโs program data confirms the growing malnutrition crisis, recording an average 35% increase in SAM admissions across its stabilization centers between January to March of 2025 and January to March of 2026 (from 1,796 to 2,420 cases). The increases have been particularly severe in the Bayhaw stabilization center (serving the wider Bay region), with a 54% increase, and in the Wajid stabilization center (serving the Bakool region), with a 58% increase in admissions in the same timeframe. โWhat we are witnessing in Burhakaba and across the Bay region is not a future warning โ it is a present emergency,โ said Mohamed Abdi Haji, Acting Country Director of Action Against Hunger in Somalia. โA GAM rate of 37 percent means that in some communities, malnutrition is the norm, not the exception. Our teams are already on the ground; we currently support five of the six functional health facilities in Burhakaba district, and we are seeing the consequences of this crisis firsthand in our stabilization centers, where admissions of the most severe malnutrition cases have surged by more than half in some locations.โ Food insecurity in Somalia is being driven by a convergence of failed and delayed rains, escalating food prices exacerbated by conflict in the Middle East, internal conflict and insecurity, and displacement. Across the country, deteriorating climatic conditions continue to devastate livelihoods. The AprilโJune Gu rainy season has performed significantly below expectations, extending drought impacts after failed rains during the 2025 Deyr season and a harsh 2026 Jilaal dry season. Livestock losses, failed crop production, shrinking incomes, and soaring fuel and food prices linked to regional instability are pushing families deeper into crisis. Action Against Hunger is calling on the international community to mobilize support and prevent further deterioration of the food insecurity crisis in Somalia. โSomalia has stood on the edge of famine before and pulled back โ but only because the world responded in time,โ said Haji. โThat window is open now, and it will not remain open indefinitely.โ