| No images? Click here  Friday, 23 January 2026 | Issue 337  Children in Kyrgyzstan eating lunch in a school canteen © WHO / Mikhail Grigorev  25 January 2026 World Leprosy Day The theme for World Leprosy Day 2026 is "Leprosy is curable, the real challenge is stigma". The theme is a call to action aiming to raise awareness of leprosy, highlight the challenges faced by persons affected by leprosy, and inspire collaborative action to eliminate leprosy. WHO renewed its commitment to a leprosy-free world ahead of this day, extending a Memorandum of Understanding with Novartis to provide free multidrug therapy, single dose rifampicin (SDR) for post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Marking his 25th anniversary as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination, Mr. Yohei Sasakawa highlighted the disease's stigma and called for an end to prejudice.  26 JanuaryUN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking-Water (UN-Water GLAAS report)Co-led by WHO and UNICEF, the new UN-Water GLAAS report provides the latest global assessment of sanitation and drinking-water systems, drawing on data from 105 countries and 21 development partners. The analysis provides a global perspective on the structural and policy barriers that continue to hold water and sanitation services back. The report will be released at the opening of the High-Level Preparatory Meeting for the 2026 UN Water Conference (26–27 January 2026, Dakar, Senegal), co-hosted by Senegal and the United Arab Emirates, ahead of the main conference in December 2026.  27 JanuaryNew WHO guideline: Policies and interventions to create healthy school food environmentsUnhealthy diets are one of the biggest threats to people’s health worldwide, contributing to undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases. In 2025, about 1 in 10 school-aged children and teens, 188 million, were living with obesity globally, exceeding for the first time those who are underweight. Today, approximately 466 million children receive school meals globally, yet there is limited information available about the nutritional quality of this food. Join the webinar to learn about WHO recommendations and hear first-hand about the experiences of countries implementing policies to create healthier school food environments.
New research on the most common methods of inducing labourA new review including over 100 clinical trials provides new information on the efficacy and safety of the most common methods for medically inducing labour. This review was led by WHO and the Human Reproduction Programme (HRP). ‘Methods of induction of labour: a network meta-analysis’ will be published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. To access an embargoed draft manuscript or for interview requests, please email mediainquiries@who.int with a copy to guerraja@who.int. Embargo lifts at 01:00 GMT on Thursday, 27 January 2026. After the embargo has lifted, the manuscript will be available at the following url: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD015234.pub2  29 JanuaryWHO EPI-WIN webinar: Ready & Resilient: community social protection for preparedness and response13:00 – 14:30 CET This webinar provides an overview of community social protection for effective health emergency management. Using examples from the African and European regions - across outbreaks, conflict, displacement, and among host communities - it showcases how community-centred actions can protect those who are affected by or at risk during health emergencies. Link to register and more information.
World Cancer Day embargoed virtual press conference14:00 CET Ahead of World Cancer Day (4 February), WHO and its International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) will present at an embargoed press conference key findings from an upcoming paper assessing global cancer incidence linked to 30 preventable risk factors. These include tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption, high body mass index, insufficient physical activity, air pollution, ultraviolet radiation, selected occupational exposures, and, for the first time in a global risk-factor analysis of this kind, nine cancer-causing infectious agents. A media advisory with additional information, including dial-in links, will be shared early next week. Read about WHO's work on cancer.  30 January World Neglected Tropical Diseases DayNeglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of conditions that still affect one billion people worldwide, primarily in vulnerable and underserved communities. Yet they are preventable, treatable, and can be eliminated. In 2024, around 1.4 billion people required interventions against neglected tropical diseases, a 36% decrease from 2010. As of early 2026, 58 countries have successfully eliminated at least one NTD—demonstrating significant progress toward the WHO’s global target of 100 countries reaching elimination by 2030. However, this hard-won progress is now at risk. Deep cuts in official development assistance for global health, particularly for NTD programs, threaten to stall or reverse gains and negatively impact the lives of affected communities. Proven, low-cost tools exist, such as preventive chemotherapy - which delivers an estimated $25 in economic benefits for every $1 invested - yet NTDs remain among the most underfunded areas in global health. On World NTD Day 2026, we must answer the call to unite, act, and eliminate NTDs, building a safer and more resilient world for everyone. We urge countries to invest in better tools, systems, approaches, and partnerships so that domestically owned and financed NTD programmes are sustainable. We call on partners to continue to honor commitments, protect hard-earned gains, unlock innovative financing, and implement new approaches.  Look ahead: WHO Executive Board, 158th session, 2-7 February 2026  WHO events here Sign up for our newsletters here Check out the WHO series, Science in 5 Access WHO photos available for media use here  WHO media contacts:  You are receiving this NO-REPLY email because you are included on a WHO mail list. |
Friday, January 23, 2026
WHO | Week Ahead for media - 23 January 2026
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