Geneva [Switzerland], Dec. 14 : Despite major progress in the fight against malaria, the mosquito-borne disease remains an acute public health problem, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, home to 90 per cent of the world's malaria cases, according to an annual flagship report by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Geneva - World Health Organization experts began emergency talks today on whether a Zika virus outbreak suspected of causing a surge in serious birth defects in South America should be declared a global health emergency.

The UN health agency warned last week that the mosquito-borne virus was "spreading explosively" in the Americas, with the region expected to see up to four million cases this year.

Geneva : The World Health Organisation today lauded India's tobacco control mechanisms, calling the country a "champion" for curbing "tobacco marketing in films".

"India is a champion from the point of view in controlling tobacco marketing in films. You even have the case of Woody Allen who did not want his film released due to a regulation.

Geneva : The Ebola virus killed 56 people in just two days, bringing the global death toll to 1,069, the World Health Organisation said on Wednesday.

The death toll, which passed the 1,000-mark at the weekend, soared higher between August 10 and 11.

The number of confirmed infections jumped by 128 over the two days, bringing the total number of cases to 1,975 people, the UN's health agency said.

Geneva, May 1 : A new report by the World Health Organisation (WHO - its first to globally look at antimicrobial resistance, including antibiotic resistance - reveals that this serious threat is no longer a prediction for the future but is happening right now in every region of the world and has the potential to affect anyone, of any age, in any country.

Geneva, April 25 : On the occasion of World Malaria Day Friday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) launched a new guide to help countries to move towards malaria eradication.

The new guide provides countries with a comprehensive framework to assess different scenarios and timelines for moving towards elimination, depending on programme coverage and funding availability, Xinhua reported.

Bern, May 1 : Swiss scientists have proved that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can improve muscle strength and fibre function in women, says a study.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) significantly improves muscle function -- down to the muscle fibre level -- in post-menopausal women, said a new study published Wednesday in The Journal of Physiology.

Geneva, Mar 1 - Infants in Japan's Fukushima prefecture are at greater risk of developing cancer after the March 2011 accident at the Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant, the World Health Organization says in a report released here Thursday.

People living near Dai-Ichi were exposed to radiation when the plant suffered severe damage from the magnitude-9.0 earthquake and ensuing tsunami that struck northeastern Japan March 11, 2011.

Berne, Feb 18 - Tiny, ultra-flexible electrodes could be the answer to more successful treatment of Parkinson's, which afflicts an estimated seven to 10 million people worldwide.

Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), currently the standard practice in treating this condition, can involve long, expensive surgeries with dramatic side-effects.

Auckland, Dec 11 : James Bond movies are more than twice as violent as they used to be, according to a study in New Zealand. Researchers fear that exposure to such violence can contribute to aggressive behaviour among children.

Violent acts in Bond films were more than twice as common in 2008 film "Quantum of Solace" than in the first 1962 movie "Dr. No", according to research from University of Otago.

Bern, Aug 17 : Scientists have worked out an effective new approach to treat urinary tract infections (UTIs) by dumping antibiotics.

It involves so-called FimH antagonists, which are non-antibiotic compounds and would not contribute to the growing problem of bugs resistant to antibiotics.

Berne, July 12: Some people who are more forthcoming with help than others can thank the size of their grey matter, housed at the junction of the two brain lobes, says a new study.

Researchers from Switzerland's University of Zurich led by Ernst Fehr, director of the department of economics, found a link between brain anatomy and altruistic behaviour in the first ever study of this kind.

Bern, July 10 - Iron supplements lowered fatigue by almost 50 percent in women who are low in iron but not anaemic.

Symptoms of iron deficiency include fatigue, dizziness, pallor, hair loss, irritability, weakness, brittle or grooved nails.

Berne, June 6 : Scientists have identified a natural milk compound that keeps obesity at bay in mice even as they continue to enjoy high-fat diets.

"This is present in what we've all been eating since day one," says study co-author Johan Auwerx of Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Switzerland.

Geneva, May 25 : A World Health Organisation report has revealed that radiation levels across most of Japan are below cancer-causing levels, since the Fukushima plant accident occurred due to an earthquake a year ago.

Geneva, March 13 - World's leading planemaker Boeing received over $5 billion in illegal US government subsidies, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) said Monday in a ruling.

The US government had pumped at least $5.3 billion in illegal subsidies into Boeing between 1989 and 2006, according to the WTO's Appellate Body report.

It said the subsidies granted to Boeing by the Wichita City of Kansas violate WTO rules, Xinhua reported. (IANS)

Geneva, March 3 - An estimated 910,000 lives were saved globally over six years by improving collaboration between TB and HIV services that protect people living with HIV from tuberculosis, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Zurich, Feb 22 - Scientists have identified a common mouth bug that can trigger serious illnesses if it gets into the bloodstream.

Identified by University of Zurich researchers, the oral bug has been named Streptococcus Tigurinus after the region of Zurich where it was first recognised.

Geneva, Nov 30 - The number of people dying due to HIV-AIDS has declined by nearly 0.4 million in the last five years due to improved healthcare, a UN report said Wednesday. However, it cautioned that a large number of people continue to be unaware about their HIV status.

Geneva, Nov 22 : Margaret Chan, the incumbent chief of the World Health Organization (WHO), has become the only candidate proposed by members to compete for next term of the post, the Geneva-based organization announced Monday.

The organization's 194 members were given the opportunity to propose candidates from July 4 to Nov 15. Only China submitted a nomination of Chan, reported Xinhua.

Geneva, Sep 27 - Two million people worldwide die from air pollution each year, the Geneva based World Health Organization (WHO) has said.

Geneva, Jan 11 : At least 3,651 people have died due to cholera in Haiti since October, according to UN figures released Tuesday.

Little information on cholera deaths in rural areas of the impoverished Caribbean nation was available, the UN said.

A massive earthquake struck Haiti a year ago, killing at least 220,000 people.

Geneva, Nov 23 : The UN Tuesday noted a decline in new HIV/AIDS infections and fewer deaths, but warned that the economic crisis could dampen hopes for further positive developments.

New infections worldwide declined by 19 percent between 2004 and 2009, UNAIDS, the UN programme to combat the disease said in its annual global report.

In 2009, 1.8 million people died of AIDS-related illnesses, down from the 2.1 million in 2004.

Geneva/Berlin, Nov 22 : Millions of people are pushed into poverty each year as a result of rising costs for healthcare, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said Monday.

In the poorest parts of the world, many people miss out on health care altogether, as they simply cannot afford to pay doctors' bills or purchase medicines.

Geneva, Oct 26 : Three flood-affected provinces of Pakistan are reporting 99 cases of cholera, and the country was also seeing an increase in other diseases, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said Monday.

The Pakistani health ministry notified WHO Oct 12 of the cholera cases, after the disease was confirmed in laboratory. No reason was given for the delay in publication.