The United Nations Office at Geneva
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UN Geneva Press Briefing - 05 November2024
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58:31
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MP4
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3.4 GB
UN GENEVA PRESS BRIEFING
5 November 2024
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid briefing, which was attended by the representatives and the spokesperson of the World Health Organization.
Update on the health situation in Gaza
Dr. Richard Peeperkorn, World Health Organization (WHO) representative for the occupied Palestinian territories, speaking from Gaza, said that in October the WHO had planned numerous missions to the north of Gaza, many of which had been cancelled or impeded. Over the last three weeks, nonetheless, the WHO had managed to conduct seven missions to the northern areas. WHO missions had the same objectives: to deliver food and medical and surgical supplies and medications for patients. 109 critical patients had now been medically evacuated to the Al-Shifa Hospital and the south of Gaza. Over 100 patients were expected to be evacuated from Gaza the following day, informed Dr. Peeperkorn. The needs in the Kamal Adwan Hospital in the north were massive, with emergency wards flooded with trauma cases and casualties. The Al-Adha Hospital also urgently needed surgical and medical supplies as well as fuel, otherwise it would become non-functional in the coming weeks. There were currently no fully functional medical centres in the north of Gaza, where an estimated 75,000 people remained. Medical staff in the two partially functioning hospitals (Al-Shifa and Al-Adha) expected protection of their facilities and expected the WHO and partners to regularly visit and deliver life-saving supplies. This was a small ask with a massive impact, said Dr. Peeperkorn.
Regarding the polio vaccination campaign, out of the 591,000 children under ten that were targeted across Gaza, Dr. Peeperkorn said that the first two phases had been successfully implemented in the south and center of Gaza. In the north, however, the campaign had been compromised due to the lack of access and of humanitarian pauses. Over the last few days, some 150,000 people had been forced to evacuate from the north of Gaza to Gaza City, which had an adverse impact on the vaccination in the north. Between 2 and 4 November, nevertheless, over 105,000 children under the age of ten had been successfully vaccinated, 88 percent of the target, which was an exceptional achievement under such dire conditions. The polio vaccination continued today in four fixed sites (primary health centres) in the north, after which an evaluation would be conducted. Only in several months would it be known how successful the campaign had been. Dr. Peeperkorn also spoke of horrible shelter conditions in the north of Gaza, which had to be quickly improved. He emphasized the need for consistent access, especially to the north of Gaza. WHO was working to ensure that essential health services were functional.
Answering questions from the media, Dr. Peeperkorn said that the planned medical evacuation on 6 November should include over 100 patients, who were on the priority list of the Ministry of Health. Most patients would go to the United Arab Emirates and Romania. Since the closing of the Rafah crossing on 6 May, only 282 patients had been medically evacuated from Gaza, with the last medevac taking place about five weeks ago. The upcoming medevac was a welcome, but ad hoc intervention. What had been repeatedly requested was a sustained, organized medevac; an estimated 12,000 to 14,000 patients needed medical evacuation, for both trauma and chronic conditions. For this, medical corridors were needed, to the West Bank and Jordan. Dr. Peeperkorn reiterated that it was not within the mandate of the WHO to investigate destruction of medical facilities and polio vaccination sites. Specific humanitarian pauses had to be respected, he emphasized. Speaking of patients waiting to be evacuated the following day, he said that about half of them were trauma-related and others were chronically ill patients; about one-third of them were children.
WHO list of endemic pathogens for which new vaccines are needed
Mr. Mateusz Hasso-Agopsowicz, Technical Officer and Project Manager, Vaccine Product & Delivery Research at the World Health Organization (WHO), informed that the WHO had published today a major study identifying 17 bacteria, viruses, and parasites (pathogens) that frequently caused diseases as top priorities for new vaccine development. This study marked the first global effort to systematically prioritize endemic pathogens based on their impact on regional and global health. WHO was hoping to shift the focus in vaccine development away from commercial returns to regional and global health needs. Typically, in the past, vaccine research and development were influenced by the profitability of new vaccines, which could mean that diseases severely affecting low-income regions received less attention. This WHO study represented a critical shift, focusing on the actual health burden these diseases had.
Mr. Hasso-Agopsowicz explained that the WHO had used Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis, a systematic approach that asked experts about what they thought was important when prioritizing pathogens for vaccines research and development. The findings reconfirmed some long-standing vaccine priorities: HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis continued to top the list as major global threats, which collectively caused 2.5 million deaths a year. However, the study also raised attention to pathogens such as Group A streptococcus, which caused severe infections and contributed to 280 000 deaths from rheumatic heart disease, mainly in low-income countries. Another new priority was Klebsiella pneumoniae, a bacteria associated with 790 000 deaths in 2019, and responsible for 40 percent of neonatal deaths due to blood infection (sepsis) in low-income countries. In order to advance vaccine research and development, the WHO had categorized each pathogen based on the stage of vaccine development and the technical challenges involved in creating effective vaccines, ranging from Research, through Advance development, to Prepare to Implement.
Full press release is available here.
Responding to questions, Mr. Hasso-Agopsowicz said that some of the diseases were happening in both low- and high-income countries; one example was E.coli, which was a highly resistant pathogen. With the newly published list, the WHO was hoping to provide guidance to researchers and producers on which pathogens to focus. Same vaccines, with minor modifications, could be used for different scenarios in low- and high-income countries. For dengue, there were two licensed vaccines, from Japanese and Brazilian manufacturers, and the production was being scaled up. Regarding tuberculosis, there were two advanced vaccine candidates, one of which could be given to adults and adolescents already infected with tuberculosis, in trial until 2027, and the other targeting infants, which was also in phase 3 trial. Tuberculosis vaccines were among the priorities for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
Announcements
Tarik Jašarević, for the World Health Organization (WHO), announced that the WHO would hold a press conference on 7 November, ahead of COP29 in Azerbaijan. Dr. Maria Neira and other speakers would present documents on new health initiatives to be launched at COP29. Health ought to be positioned in the center of all climate negotiations.
Alessandra Vellucci, for the United Nations Information Service (UNIS), informed that on 6 November at 11 am, there would be a virtual press conference at which Carsten Fink, Chief Economist at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) would present the World Intellectual Property Indicators report showing global intellectual property statistics from countries across the globe. The report would be under embargo until 7 November at 9:30 am.
On 7 November at 10 am, in a hybrid press conference, Andrea Cattaneo, Senior Economist at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), would present State of Food and Agriculture 2024, under embargo until 8 November at 10 am.
Also on 7 November at 1:30 pm, UN Human Rights Committeewould close its 142nd session the same day and issue its concluding observations on the six countries reviewed during this session. In a hybrid press conference, the Committee would present findings on Ecuador, France, Greece, Iceland, Pakistan, and Türkiye.
The Committee Against Torture was beginning this morning the review of the report of Thailand.
On 6 November, at 4 pm Geneva time, an informal meeting of the General Assembly plenary would be held in New York to discuss UNRWA. The meeting would be webcast.
Finally, on 14 November, an event “Future en tous genres” would be organized at the Palais des Nations, and journalists could bring their children to work for a day of learning and fun activities. A mock-up press conference would be part of this event.
***
The webcast for this briefing is available here
The audio for this briefing is available here
Teleprompter
Good morning.
Welcome to the press briefing of the Information Service here in Geneva.
the United Nations.
Today is Tuesday, 5th of November.
We have one Pakutu, a short briefing and it's WHO, who is taking us all this news.
And so I would like to start immediately with Doctor Rick Peppercorn, the representative for Occupied Palestinian Territory for WHO, who is joining in from Gaza.
Dr Piper, can you have the floor?
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Can you hear me?
We can very well, thank you.
OK.
So good morning and and greetings from Gaza.
I want to start with two topics.
I want to 1st focus in health in the north of Gaza and I mean the north of Gaza, north of Gaza City.
And then I want to focus on the polio and the polio campaign.
So in October, WHO actually planned many missions to the north and as you know, not only the health missions but also other missions also WHO, many of these WHO missions were cancelled, were impeded.
That was also applicable for the other sectors.
Still over the last three weeks, and I need this, you know, this current mission is more than 3 1/2 weeks.
Over the last three weeks, The Who managed 7 missions to the north, 5 missions were specifically to come out of one.
And yes, the day before yesterday actually also Alada was the last mission.
There are participating four of those missions and we had also two other large missions to Gaza City.
So this WHO missions is always have kind of the same objective to deliver few medical supplies, blood units and if we are allowed also some food for patients and some food and water for patients and staff.
Then with our partners of Palestinian Red Crest Society in Paris, in the last of his five missions, we internally meta facts one of the nine critical patients, if you're one of the 10 critical patients and 111 caregivers to Shippa and some of them to the South.
We also facilitated and supported some of the emergency medical teams to hospitals when feasible.
And it's not feasible now anymore in the north the the the north gate.
But for example, 2 emerging medical teams were brought to Shiva, another one to the hospital.
Tomorrow we plan big partners for a large Med attack over 100 / 100 patients.
We'll get a details tomorrow, critical patients outside Gaza.
But I want to share some specifics on the situation in the North.
So for example, the day before yesterday when we again reached Kamala one on three November say 7th mission in in 2-3 weeks.
So we managed despite dire conditions to get medical supplies in for 7000 intervention, 150 units of plus 20,000 litre fuel, 60 boxes of dry food, etcetera.
And we transferred then 25 pages and 37 companions intense bombardments close to the hospital and also close to the to the to the mission.
You might have heard about that.
And then actually go through the convoy as well.
Well, shortly after WHO mission to come on Mallard 1.
And when we had departed, it was reported that the facility was hitched and again, so that is again 2 days ago on the 3rd floor and and six children were reportedly 6 patients were reportedly injured.
If you look at the situation at Kamala, 3 medical doctors remain, 2 paediatrician, 1 general physician, 30 nurses and 120 patients.
The needs are enormous and specifically they ask for emergency medical teams.
They need surgeon, general surgeon, orthopaedic surgeon and vascular surgeon.
The emergency department is full of patients, more than 40 casualties as we countered.
So when we're there and all our former missions, we also saw numerous emergency wards fluttered sometimes with, with trauma cases and casualties and a lack of, of, of, let's say, the right staff to treat many of those trauma occasions.
The inpatient partner was also full of hospitalised patients and their caregivers in Alada, which is just a few blocks away, difficult to reach.
We transferred 5 patients and five caregivers.
I want to make the point here.
It's very important.
So the hospital has no fuel, very little fuel left.
Generator was only operating for three hours.
It's stopped now.
They they, they ration it very much.
44 patients and five of them we took out critical patient, 71 staff, 11 medical doctors.
They have a surgeon and they can operate.
They have a lot of trauma, burn and 79 injuries.
The 2nd of November, 69 injured on the 3rd of November.
Currently no surgical operation could take place to the lack of electricity.
So we were not who was not facilitators.
We put in this request time and again to bring medical and surgical supplies and medications for approximately 1000 infection to deliver 10,000 litre of fuel, deliver food and water, you know, and 50 units of blood.
For unclear reasons we were not facilitated this.
We were also wanted to bring in some polio vaccines for both hospitals to at least cover the children around.
There are still children around.
We're not allowed to bring in the we not facilitated to bring in the polio vaccines a lot are we very concerned because the hospital needs this urgent fuel and medical supplies otherwise it might become non functional in over the coming week, coming week.
We plan to resupply this hospital later the week.
And and just to describe to both directors, the director of Doctor Khalada, Dr Muhammad, he was desperate and also really disappointed with us because he said he had heard we brought would bring fuel and supplies and we only and not just matter of fact his critical patients.
There are three hospitals to describe the North Gaza.
There's three hospitals in North Gaza, Carmelat 1, Alada and Indonesian Hospital.
Indonesian hospital is malfunctional and Carmelat 1 and Alada are minimum functional.
There are no functional Primary Health care centres or medical points in the North Gaza.
So the overall health and situation in the north, which still an estimated population of 75,000 people, very difficult to estimate.
A lot of people estimated is 150,000 people left, but it's were left were forcibly evacuated and flat.
But it is critically, it's vital that these hospitals remain functional and and what the doctor Rusam, the the director of of of Kamal Aguan, he described very well.
He said what I really want and need is first for protection, protection of the hospital, the staff facility and the second I want WHO, as you're trying to do and partners to come in regularly, deliver the regular supplies, fuel, medical supplies, blood and food for patients, staff and assist with an with an EMT.
So again, I want to make that point.
It's all about access WHO and partners.
We are ready to do so.
What we need is regular access, not just at all access, regular access and that we can properly and access which should be properly supported and facilitated and not made unnecessary dangerous.
And and that sounds I and I would say, Oh my call.
If we sound like a broken record in into one year into this crisis, but it's a it's a small ask with a key impact.
Now let's now shift to podium.
So, and let's not forget why we are doing this and what the target was.
So the campaign aims to vaccinate an estimated 591,000 children under 10 years of age and this time with the second dose because the first round was done 5 weeks ago.
A second dose of novel oral polio vaccine type 2.
Also in this the whole the second round vitamin A has been Co administered alongside the polio vaccine to help boost the overall immunity of children between the ages of two and nine years.
We have successful implementation of the first two phases in the central and southern Gaza, which reads more than 451,000 children and and more than 364,000 children with vitamin A and that was more than 95% of the target.
So against many odds successful.
We know that a campaign in the north was compromised.
The Technical Committee, which is the Ministry of Health, WHO, UNICEF, Anwar and and and the NGO partners, they decided to postpone from 23 October until the 2nd of November due to the lack of access the the lack of assured comprehensive humanitarian pulses, the intense bombardment and the mass evacuation orders.
Also because the area specific humanitarian pulse, the area related to the humanitarian pulse was substantially reduced compared to the first round.
It was mainly the broader, It is mainly the broader Gaza City and excluded the north of Gaza and we initially estimated we would miss at least 15,000 children.
However, as we know that's over the last few weeks estimation is 150,000 people have been forced to evacuate from North Gaza toward Gas city and flats etcetera.
So it's difficult to really estimate what amount of children you know we would miss.
The committee decided to go ahead after the delay and to do our level best and to cover as many kids as possible.
So the target for the north was 119,000 children and between the 2nd and the and the 4th of November.
So yesterday 105,000 more than over 105,000 children, actually 105,000 children 261 and a 10 year have been vaccinated and and almost 84,000 children provide vitamin A.
That's actually 88% of the target is it's exceptionally, I think it's an exceptional achievement, but it's also it shows even when I went around, I visited many sites, primary healthcare facilities, but also, for example, a playground to Yarmou playgrounds and and orphanage centres, which are all shelters for, for thousands, literally thousands of internally displaced people.
And we met so many families who have flashed from the from the north.
I was, I was recognised even it was painful and all sorts of that happy account by so many men and women and children from my 4 visits to Kamala 1 and and that after that last seat, they were forced to, to leave.
So currently today there is still some polio activities going on on on 4 fixed sites in in the north.
Tomorrow the, the post campaign monitoring will start and, and based on the post campaign monitoring, we have a, a really good overview of, of, of the, the, the final coverage.
And of course we will only know after weeks, after a month, etcetera, how successful this has been.
But I think overall, I think I really want to thank the Ministry of Health.
I mean, like all the organisations, The Who, UNICEF, Anwar, but to many NGO partners has specifically, of course, those teams on the ground.
Because also in the north we talked for example, about more than 205 teams, many fixed sites, many mobile teams.
And every day the committee analysed it came together.
For example, on day two or three.
They decided to have more mobile teams during the war because it would be it was way more effective.
I think because of this large displacement from the North.
We have done relatively better with Carter polio, which is cynical.
One thing I want to also ask, when I met those families in the North and they were in all these makeshift camps, for example, on this playground and other things, there's an absolute needs to improve the shelter.
And the shelter conditions are horrible and, and there's a need of water and food and the rains have not yet started.
But if you think about what will happen when the rains would start, it will be horrific.
So there's the absolute needs for, for, for shelter, for more shelter activities and actually work in all sector and there is a consistent needs for access everywhere specifically to the north of of Gaza.
I want to says again, we as WHO our partners, we focus to, to, to to assist and make sure that essential health services are functional even if it is minimal functional, partly functional.
That is our main aim.
The the polio campaign is was just an important component and maybe lets me close with a small positive note.
If you look for example, the Shiva medical complex and everybody who was witnessed Shiva over the time and, and being largely destroyed and damaged etcetera becoming non functional.
Currently, Shiva is like a mini hospital again, there's an emergency department.
It has functional operation theatres as general surgeons, vascular surgeon, orthopaedic surgeon, 9 to 15 major operations per day.
And this is the place where we now refer.
It's again working as we refer to more critical patients.
It also is a unit and middle of the rubble of of an hemodialysis unit with 25 machines operational and and it used to be 60, but it provided serves twice a week for for for 63 patients.
There's war going on The Who support to EMG through the emerging medical team helping FIFA through MAP UK providing supplies.
There's war going on with other parties to look at neonatology and to the MCA services.
So it's a small positive in, in, in or in, I would say, in this crisis.
Over to you.
Questions now in the room.
Lena Larson, AFP And there's a lot of details, so I had a few questions for you.
First, I was wondering if you could say a little bit more about the large medevac that you're planning tomorrow.
It was a little unclear to me.
I think you said you're planning to take 100 / 100 patients out of Gaza.
Could you explain how that's going to happen and give more details on that?
Maybe I misunderstood, but if you could provide some more details.
And then on Kamala 1, I think you mentioned more than 40 casualties had been counted.
Are you talking about people who have died?
Are you talking about including injuries?
And if you could give, if you have more details on that, including the recent days of of strikes on the hospital, that would be helpful.
And then just on the polio campaign, there was an attack on polio Centre on Saturday, I think.
If you could, do you have more details on what happened there and how many people were injured, if you have any more details on that now?
Yeah, I'll start with that.
Thanks.
OK, Let me first say something about the medevac for tomorrow and I also need to get the details for the medevac of tomorrow.
Yeah, that's we, we talk over over 100 patients.
I think it's even one in a 13 or something like that and the larger group of patients.
So what's happening?
So these patients are prioritised on the Ministry of Health priority list WHO helps to get these patients to, for example, to one location and and it's an enormous amount of work.
And also from the north to the South and from the various hospitals.
Tonight they will be gathered at European Gaza Hospital and tomorrow and from 6:00 in the morning, that's the plan.
They will be brought to Karen Shalong and then across then from Kerm Shalom, they will go to Ramano airports and the majority of the patient will go to the UAE.
We've done this before, I mean, and then I think talking like 13 patients will go to Romania.
So that is plans for tomorrow.
I think I want to say something about this whole matter of fact.
So since the Rafa crossing has been closed the 66th of May.
So before that there was close to 4700 patients had been manufactured outside Gaza and WHO helped to facilitate that.
But since that we only had 282 patients manufacture household guys and the majority facilitated by WHO and and a lot of them to the UAE, which I really want to thank as a part.
And so this is the and not a Malevac again largely to the UAE but also some European countries suspect interest to receive patients from from Gaza critical patients.
So a small group will also move to Romania as I said tomorrow we will can provide you with more details of that.
Now on the Malevac though this, we see this as as very good initiative, but it's ad hoc.
And so of course, by the way, WH will get us all these patients together tonight in European Gaza and then with our partners, I have to mention them, the Palestine Red Crescent Society and Qatis, we will move all these patients.
It's a huge convoy to camp flow.
These are ad hoc message what we, what we have been requesting for repeatedly.
We need a sustained medevac house, our Gaza an organised, a better organised sustained medevac.
So we estimated that approximately 12 and 14,000 critical patients need to be metaback, half of them probably trauma related etcetera.
All the serious trauma cases, think amputation, 6, spinal cord injuries, burns, etcetera.
But the other half is also the chronic case, oncology, etcetera.
For that, we cannot continue the way we do now.
We need medical corridors and the first medical corridors we have repeatedly requested to be restored is the traditional referral pathway from Gaza to East Jerusalem and the West Bank and the hospitals there.
Already a second metal corridor to Egypt should be opened again and maybe to Jordan.
And from there, you know, when other countries are willing to receive patients can go to other other areas.
Now on, on Kamala one, just a few details then I think maybe I'll provide.
So there is currently three medical doctors there, 2 paediatricians, 1 general physicians, 30 nurses, 120 inpatients, well of which we took 23 patients.
So currently less than 100.
What they really want besides this continuation of medical supplies and fuel and food for staff and patients.
They need specific medical specialist, they need a general surgeon, vascular surgeon, orthopaedic surgeon.
Because what I said the emergency department is full of patients, more than 40K casualties and they don't have a general surgeon.
Inpatient department is also full of hospitalised patients.
On the you asked about the the strike, I think that was on command one.
I think I described that and and I just want to say for WHO we are very clear, we WHO we have a mandate to, to monitor, to analyse as good as possible on report on attacks on healthcare.
We never attribute.
We are not a crime investigating organisation.
We are a health organisation.
I'm a medical doctor, I'm public health.
So we don't do that.
So we do not attribute.
So I cannot also I wouldn't even know what and how.
And I think and that also applies for that auto strike.
I think you've seen the reports in the media about that and also from the various part I said cetera.
I actually was at that.
I visited the six sites on that first day on polio and I was at that site as well etcetera, which was likely struck.
You've seen the the the reports of we I cannot say anything about us because we are again, we are not investigated that we just we just hear that we get the pictures, we've been there, we've seen the damage and that's it.
Now on the there was one, yeah, I think I answered probably all your questions.
Thank you.
Over to you.
Thank you very much.
But I see Nina has a follow up.
Thank you.
So just on the strike on the polio site, could I know if you're not attributing blame or or anything, but it would be interesting to know sort of your your thoughts on on the fact that a polio site was was hit when this has been.
I mean, you have the the humanitarian pause that's supposed to be in place to allow, to allow.
The.
Vaccination to go ahead and if you could say maybe.
Just a little bit more about.
The impact that's had on the on the vaccination.
Thanks.
OK.
So for WHO and I think and and Unicever for all of us, it's very clear that we expect that humanitarian area specific pauses are respected.
And that's what also we came out straight away with I think with the information on that one.
That's what we expect whatever happened etcetera.
And even people say it was a light attack and the wall slightly damaged, I think one ambulance and then even that's I mean, like, of course it should never happen, but I'm not going to go in detail because that's not what we are doing.
Like what or how and, and, and, and we're not attributing that because we don't also, we literally don't know.
And you've seen the reports probably from from all parties.
What was what was transferred?
What kind of information was transferred to that?
How did it affect the polio campaign?
I think it wasn't.
Again, I really applaud the, the, the resilience of this, the tech committee and all the partners present.
We kept our head cool and continued and actually on the on the second or third day deployed many more mobile teams and, and which was strategically a very wise decision and actually covered more kids than personally me.
I I expect that, I mean, like I had a because the this, this, this last lack of the campaign in the North was compromised from the reasons I, I, I already shared.
And I think in that situation, the the teams did a fantastic job and covered way more children than I than actually we expected.
Yeah, So good job.
And I think the, the campaign itself was very little affected by this incident.
Over to you.
Thank you very much.
Jamie Keaton, Associated Press.
Good morning, Doctor Peppercorn.
Thank you for coming to see us again.
I was wondering if you could, you alluded to the 282 people who have been evacuated have had from from Gaza since May 6th.
If I understood you correctly.
Could you tell us when those people were evacuated and going to the 113 that I think you said roughly that are going to be evacuated tomorrow as it seems.
Could you tell us a little bit about the ailments that they have or these chronic diseases?
Are they, are they injuries?
What, what are, could you just give this like a nutshell as to what kind of cases that these people are showing?
OK, it's a range of it's a range of of, of cases.
It's a lot of them are trauma and trauma related and some of them are, are chronic.
So it's in, yeah, I would say probably fifty, 5050%, but a lot of them what I've seen up till now from the 282 patients, the ones I saw, most of them were trauma or related to the ongoing crisis and and and war roughly.
It's difficult to estimate.
I think at least 1/3 are also children.
And then of course, it's you don't only talk about the patients, we also talk about companions over to you.
Go ahead.
When were the 282 evacuated?
Oh yeah, so sorry I just got a call.
Sorry.
And the 282 since the Rafa crossing was closed on the 6th of May, so there was no possibility for for medevac.
So that was after 7 May, yeah, after 7 May.
So the Rafa crossing was closed 6 or 7 May.
So since that time only 282 critical patients have been metavx outside Gaza.
So tomorrow will be another dash etcetera.
And I say we as WHO, we support all this matter of fact we manage, we get them together.
We not only then we get them together, we from all the various hospitals, then we get them together the day before the manifact on one location, we provide food, shelter, etcetera and of course treatment together with respective hospitals and partners.
And then we make sure that they get transported this long cone board to care of Shalom.
On the other side, they are received by another WHO team and partners.
Sorry, there is some confusion here, maybe Jamie.
Sorry, I'm just trying to find out when the last medevac was.
Basically is my question precisely.
Oh, the the last medevac was a story.
The last medevac was, if I remember, I when I was also here in Gaza.
So that must be.
Or you can tell us 5.
Weeks ago.
Five weeks ago.
OK, OK, Jeremy, Jeremy launch ready France and international.
Yeah.
Just to elaborate a bit more on the medevac is is it going to happen tomorrow?
Are are you still waiting for the green lights of the Israeli authorities to to get the medevac?
Because you're saying that the last one was 5 weeks ago.
But just like humanitarian convoys in and of that have been denied on multiple times that that thing happened like you said like 5 weeks ago was the last medevac, but since then did you had like denials for medevac for the past five weeks?
So bottom line is, is it going to happen tomorrow for?
Sure.
A Good Hope for that because in general the manufact operations, let's say exiting Gaza, we have been when, when, when there is a possibility we've been facilitated.
So yes, I Good Hope that this will happen.
Thank you.
Just for those journalists who've asked Estaricus put in the in the chat, the notes of Rick's briefing will be distributed soon before I go to the platform.
Nina, you have a follow up on another question.
Sorry, it's just a clarification.
So on the medevac that had happened between May 6th and and now the 282, that didn't happen in one go, did it?
It was Or is this the largest medevac that's happened since May 6th?
I think it's one of the larger ones.
I think the former one I mean, which we was reported on was also pretty, was also approximately the same size.
OK, let me go to the platform.
Isabel Sacco, FA Good morning.
Thank you.
Just a short one on the vaccination campaign.
I saw just this morning the Palestinian Ministry of Health announcing the extension today of the vaccination in northern Gaza, because they say that they will achieve the 9090% coverage.
And you said that there are just some polio activity today.
So I would like to confirm just that, a formal.
The end The end day of the vaccination campaign is today.
And the activities of vaccination are still going on today.
Thank you.
I think today is, yeah, it's the fourth day.
There are still some polio activities going on in fixed sites.
I think it's four fixed sites and probably today and more and probably tomorrow.
And I think there's four fixed sites, like they're mainly fixed sites, Primary Health care centres where that takes place.
So we that an attempt to, to, to to wrap up and actually get a obviously the, the, the lost children still being vaccinated today.
Yeah.
But it's just, it's a, it's a, it's a not a, so it's not a proper campaign.
It's an activities at 4 fixed sites.
All right.
I don't see.
Yeah, Yeah.
But no, Jamie.
Hi, again, sorry about this.
I just, I, I wanted to know if you have any comment about the, the reported detention of a Palestinian man who was with his grandchild being evacuated to southern Gaza.
Do you know anything about that?
And you have any comment on it?
Pardon me, I didn't get the question.
The.
Sorry, I just, I was wondering if you could give a comment about the reported detention of a Palestinian man who was with his grandchild during who was being evacuated to southern Gaza.
Are you aware of that case?
And do you have any comment on it if so?
I don't have many comments and I'm aware of that and and the UN is trying to follow up on that.
Thank you, Rick.
Don't see other hands up.
So thank you very much for this excessive briefing.
Thank you so much for keeping us informed.
But we'll stay with WHO.
Tariq, you are online and you have brought us Doctor Matthews also Agopsovic.
I hope I pronounce well.
Technical officer and project manager for the vaccine product and delivery research who's joining in from Poland.
Maybe I'll give the floor first to Tariq to introduce the the subject and then we'll go to the doctor.
Thank you very much, Alexander.
Many thanks to to Rick.
Indeed, thank you very much.
During today also many.
Thanks to his.
Team.
That that will prepare the notes that we will.
Share as soon as possible by e-mail so you get all the numbers, especially on the polio vaccination.
So let's just turn to to something a little bit different.
This morning you have received the press release where we list where WHO list for the first time.
The diseases that should be.
Prioritised when it comes to development of.
Vaccines.
And I know maybe some of you may wonder what is the difference between the the priority list pathogen list that we have been?
Issuing previous years and and the last one was was end of end of July.
But the difference is that that priority pathogen.
List is for the diseases with pandemic potential and it's really about the research and development on all aspects of getting to know better the pathogen than all the tools like diagnostics, therapeutics, including vaccines.
Today we are just really speaking about vaccines for diseases that we know and for for which we don't have vaccines yet.
So you have the press release, and I'll give the floor to Doctor Mathieu Hassa Agospovitz to tell us.
More about about that.
Thank you so much, Tariq, and good morning, colleagues.
So I'm here today to talk to you that WHO has published today a major study where we had identified 17 bacteria, viruses and ********, which we collectively call pathogens that frequently cause diseases, as top priorities for developing and researching new vaccines.
This study is the first global effort where we systematically prioritise endemic pathogens based on the impact that they make in regions, but also globally.
Why do we do this?
Well, we need to do this because we would like to shift the focus from developing vaccines away from commercial returns towards regional and global health needs.
So what typically has happened in the past is that vaccine research and development has been influenced by profitability of new vaccines.
What that means is that diseases that severely affect low income regions, unfortunately to receive much less attention.
And with this WHL study, we hope this represents a critical shift where we want to change the focus from commercial perspective, profitability of new vaccines towards the actual health burden so that the new vaccine research and development is driven by health burden and not just commercial opportunities.
How did we do this?
Well, we employed something that is called multi criteria decision analysis.
This is a systematic approach where we had asked experts about what do they think is important when prioritising which pathogens For which pathogens do we need to develop vaccines.
So we asked these experts about criteria like deaths, disease, socio economic impact or resistance of these pathogens.
And we had asked experts that have expertise in pathogen epidemiology, clinicians, paediatricians, vaccine experts from all of The Who regions.
So that to ensure that the list and the results that we produce, they really reflect the needs of diverse populations worldwide.
So what have we found?
The findings reconfirm some long standing vaccine priorities, for example, HIV, malaria and tuberculosis.
They come to the top priorities as major global health threats.
They collectively cause around two and a half million deaths a year.
However, the study also raises importantly attention to new pathogen priorities, for example, Group A Streptococcus, which causes severe infections and contributes to 280,000 deaths from rheumatic heart disease, mainly in low income countries.
Another example of a new priority for vaccine research and development is Kryptsira pneumonia, a bacteria that is associated with 790,000 deaths and is responsible for 40% of neonatal deaths due to infections of a bladder sepsis in low income countries.
So 2 examples of pathogens that have a very large burden, particularly in low income countries.
In order to advance the development of vaccines against these priority pathogens, we had categorised these pathogens based on where vaccines against these pathogens are in development but also what are the technical challenges to develop these vaccines.
So, do we know what immunity profiles are there with these vaccines?
Do we have appropriate tools to develop these vaccines?
Well, once vaccines have developed, can we pay for them and can we deliver these vaccines to those who need them the most?
And based on these needs, we had categorised vaccines from research to advance development and to prepare for regulatory decision, maxing introduction and scale up in countries.
Overall, we hope that we expect that this study will lead to impact which is guiding future investment, research and development investments.
For example, for funders, they can use this list to be able to identify a gift for which pathogens they need to fund research studies.
They need to find clinical research in order to accelerate the development of these important vaccines.
For researchers, they could use that list in order to come back research to overcome challenges to vaccine development associated with these priority pathogens.
For vaccine developers, they can use that list as guiding principle to say, OK for these priority pathogens.
This is what we should be developing vaccines against.
And lastly, for policy makers and country decision makers so that they can look at this list, they can assess this as a priority and on that basis they can decide whether to introduce these vaccines into the immunisation programmes and also they can scale up the introduction of these vaccines in their countries against **** priority pathogens.
Thank you colleagues.
Thank you very much Matthews for this.
Questions to WHO on this matter?
I see Isabel again from FA, the Spanish news agency.
Go ahead, Isabel.
Yes, good morning.
I would like to.
Ask if to think so firstly if if you can confirm or comment on the fact that many of these illnesses in the list are, as you said, the illnesses that happens mostly in low income countries and the problem has been always that there is a low commercial interest to develop these products.
So how to make more interesting for producers, laboratories and producers to, to to to manufacture?
This developed and manufactured this this vaccines.
And not to stay in few years in the same point that we are now.
This is one thing and the other thing that you you have divided.
Your list in three categories and the last one is pathogens where vaccines are approaching regulatory approval and we see their dengue Stratacup Group B.
And so on.
So how?
Close this Approvals are for this for these vaccines.
And.
What is the timeline we could expect to have?
Once they have been approved to have vaccines for, for example, commercially already in the in the market for dengue and the other E coli and the other the other illnesses.
Thank you.
But just go ahead.
Sure, thank you so much for these questions.
So the first question is whether these diseases happen predominantly in low income countries.
There are example majority of the pathogens and diseases that we list on that list affect low and middle income countries.
There are example that are just for low income countries like Plasmodium falciparum which causes malaria.
You can see in the chart that it actually it's a disease that is predominantly being prioritised in the African region.
So it affects majority of low income countries.
But there are also some examples of diseases that are happening in low income countries and in **** income countries.
One example of that would be something that we call expect, which is an E coli that affects infects different parts of the body and it causes actually neonatal sepsis.
So very young babies can die from an infection with E coli within the 1st 28 days of life and that happens predominantly in low income countries.
But you have another presentation of that disease, for example in the elderly where they get severe pneumonia, where they get meningitis and that is often happening in higher income countries also because we see very **** levels of resistance associated with that pathogens.
So yes, this is predominantly about low income countries, but you have some examples of diseases that are also happening in **** income countries.
And your question about how can we make these vaccines more interesting to producers.
I think I've mentioned in the past that producers, they were very much driven by commercial opportunity, but at the same time they've never received any guidance and steering as to if we would like to develop vaccines for low income countries, which vaccines we should be developing.
And with this list, we're hoping that we give them guidance, we give them steering.
They know what to look forward to and they know which vaccines they should start producing and they start doing so.
How we can increase the attractiveness of developing these vaccines?
One way could be to partner with funders, could be to partner with research institutions.
Some of these funders are willing to invest to share money to in order to advance the development of these vaccines.
Follow income countries, for example against Clipsala pneumonia, against tuberculosis, etcetera, so that the funding is provided for the early stages of diseases.
Another example of how to make it more interesting is to consider dual markets.
And like in the example of a Collider I just gave, you could for example develop one vaccine that could be suitable for use in low income countries to prevent neonatal sepsis.
And then with minor modification, it could also be suitable to **** income country markets where it brings investments and then it pays off the partial investments to for that vaccine to go to to low income country.
We have also asked about the last category of vaccines.
These are the vaccines that approach regulatory approval, policy decision and vaccine introduction and scale up.
And you have asked how quickly we can expect for these vaccines to be available.
So some of these vaccines that are in that group have actually already been licenced during the time of this exercise.
An example here is dengue that received a policy decision in March last year and another for example is malaria that also has received the policy decision and is being introduced to some countries.
So there are examples of some vaccines that are already being approved.
So now the matter for them is to be introduced to countries immunisation programmes and then scaled up in the right populations for the remaining vaccines like Group B streptococcus.
You know, phase three trials for that vaccine are yet starting and then that may cost, you know, three to five years because such a before such a vaccine will become available.
But what we wanted to highlight in this message that given that the clinical development is already so advanced, countries need to start thinking about which priority populations would they give this vaccine to?
How would they identify these priority innovations?
Who would they need to partner up in order to identify funding to fight to pay for these vaccines and how would they be able to introduce them?
So it very much depends on pathogens that are in development.
But it's between 3:00 to five years.
And we want to highlight, you know, some critical actions that we need to already start thinking to prepare for the introduction of these vaccines.
Indeed, that's also explained in the press release that we received.
Now, any other question to WHO?
Isabel, you have a follow up.
Yes, also very short.
Thank you.
Is do you have an idea of what is expected production of vaccines for dengue and tuberculosis this year?
Thank you.
So just to summarise for dengue there's we have two vaccines that have been licenced.
SO1 vaccine is vaccine from a Japanese manufacturer and that vaccine has received the policy decision from WHO in September this year and that vaccine is recommended for for use in those who are who have already been exposed to dengue.
There is another vaccine from the Brazilian manufacturer, which is had the results of efficacy from that vaccine at the beginning of this year, I think it was around February.
So for dengue, the production is being scaled up.
Countries are considering the introduction of this vaccine based on the local evidence, based on what they know about efficacy of this vaccine and based on modelling as to how that vaccine, how important that vaccine could be for their population, specifics about the production and manufacturing and the number of doses.
I'm not able to provide that.
I don't have such a knowledge for tuberculosis.
We have, I assume that you're referring to new vaccines in development against tuberculosis.
We have two, the most advanced candidate, one vaccine is it's called M72 vaccine, it's called M 72 because of the protein that it has in that vaccine.
And this is a vaccine that will be given to adults and adolescents who are already infected with latent tuberculosis.
And that vaccine would prevent from progression to active tuberculosis.
That vaccine has just started phase three trials, which are funded by international funders.
And that trial is expected to finish around 2027.
The reason why it takes so long is because within the trial, a person who is vaccinated or not vaccinated, you know some of them, they need to become sick with tuberculosis and it takes a lot of time for TB to be able to develop and to be able to become active.
It takes around minimum the duration of the trial, which is around 3 years.
This is why the trial takes so long.
There is also another vaccine which is a vaccine that will be targeted to infants to protect infants and then perhaps later through additional immunisation for without life to protect against pulmonary disease.
And that vaccine is also in phase retrial.
So I think for a vaccine against tuberculosis, we are not looking for earlier than 20/28/2029 to have some considerations about early introduction.
And just importantly also Gavi, you know the organisation that that pays for vaccines for low income countries, they have very much considered tuberculosis vaccines and it's one of their priorities to be able to, to, to finance one is once it becomes available.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Matthew, I don't see other questions for you.
So before closing with WHA, I'd like to pass the floor to Tarek again for an announcement.
Yes, thank you.
Thank you, Alexander.
So just just.
To make an.
Announcement You will get the media advisory later today, but we will have a.
Press conference this.
Thursday day after tomorrow at 2:00 and that's a head of COP 29 that will take place in in Baku from 11:50.
Second, in November we will have Doctor Maria Neyra that you know very well, Doctor Dearmy Campbell Landrum, Doctor Vanessa Kerry who is Director General Special animal for Climate change and Health and Elizabeth E.
We will present new documents on the health initiatives that will take place at the COP 29 and also discuss health arguments for immediate and decisive action by climate negotiators at at that conference.
In this this new these documents are under available under embargo.
And basically we try to stress the importance of positioning help at the core of all climate negotiations.
So you will see the the the media advisory and you will see how to obtain the documents under embargo.
Again, press conference is AT2O clock.
On Thursday.
Tarika, you're speaking about Thursday the 7th of November?
Yes.
Yeah, let's, let's have a little discussion on that because we have a, a, a press conference already announced for 1:30.
So let's see we, we, we, if we can adjust a little bit the, the timing one way or the other in order to have both.
And that press conference, I was going to remind you on the 7th of November, it's at 1:30 to HCHR, and it's the Human Rights Committee representing the findings on Ecuador, France, Greece, Iceland, Pakistan and to Kiev that has been already announced.
So let's see with WHO and the colleagues of OHCHR, if we can adjust a little bit the timing.
But thank you very much, Tarek.
Thanks for bringing us the 2 speakers of today.
Just as I said, a couple of reminding reminders.
One is the Human Rights Committee.
The press conference comes as they close their session on Thursday itself.
Also on the committees there is the Committee against Torture, which begins this morning.
The the review of the report of Thailand.
The other countries to be examined are Jordan, Mongolia, Cameroon and then in the morning of the 14th of November, the Committee will hold the **** level event for the 40th anniversary of the Convention against Torture.
The colleagues of West of Waipo have asked me to remind you that on the 6th of November, so the day before Wednesday at 11 AM, there will be a virtual only press conference for the release of the World Intellectual Property Indicators report showing global intellectual property statistics from countries across the globe.
This is an embargoed press conference.
The embargo is lifted on Thursday, 7th of November at 9:30 Geneva time.
The speakers, the speaker will be Kirsten Fink, the Chief economist of Waipo.
And Ed has asked me to tell you that you will be receiving all the press material under embargo today and they will send you the Zoom link tomorrow as usual.
So the same day of the press conference, just ahead of the beginning of the press conference, last press conference I wanted to remind you of is the one organised by FAO to launch the State of Food and Agricultural 2024.
That's the media launch and it's also under embargo because the report will be presented on the 8th of November at 10 Rome time.
So you will have the embargo press conference with Andrea Catano, FAO, senior economist and lead author, author of the report.
And I think this is what I had for you.
Just one thing, because two things, in fact, one thing that had been asked and I can confirm that tomorrow, sorry, yes, tomorrow, Wednesday, 6th of November at 10 AM New York Times.
So that's now again for for PM in Geneva as they are backwards to the change of the hour in the States.
At 10 AM in the General Assembly Hall, there will be an informal meeting of the plenary of the General Assembly plenary to hear a briefing on UNRWA.
Some of you had asked whether this briefing was broadcast and it is broadcast on UN Web TV and CG and Commissioner General Lonzarini will brief the Assembly.
That's something that I've been asked.
So I can confirm this.
And just a very, very last point.
On the 14th of November we will have a, as we had last year, the commemoration of what we call the future and two genre.
That's the day, I think you, those of you who have children know that it's a day where you bring your children to the office.
They can see not only the, the, the job of their parents but also the environment and working environment.
As last year we are organising a, a, a small event for children, not only of the staff but also of the journalists.
You're invited to bring your children if you wish.
Just let us know because we need to know how many children we will have that day.
I know some of you have already registered but just wanted to put it on record.
If people want to bring their children to the office that day, let us know.
There will be a a mock up press conference so they will probably understand better When you tell them that you will do meeting press coverage at the UN.
They will probably understand better.
One moment that does do for a living.
Isabel, I see you have your hand up.
Yes, thank you.
What's up for Tarek?
I don't know if he's still there, but this is no if.
We the this.
Press information given in the press in the Surface press conference will be under embargo or or not free to use on on the same day.
I think Tarek is still online so I'll give him the floor.
Yeah, thanks.
Well, we will.
We will work with Alexandria on on a.
Specific timing, so we don't clash with the with the press conference that that Alessandra mentioned, but basically the the the the embargo will lift.
At the end of the press.
Conference.
That's the that's the idea.
So yeah, if you.
You wish there is a one hour embargo.
But otherwise no.
But again, you will have more intermediate advisory that will be sent out today.
And then we will work on the time.
Thank you.
And I see Emma, thank you.
Emma sends a message saying that she no worries, we'll, we'll send it to you again.
But basically it's not much to to announce that if you want your children to participate, just let us know that.
Let just let Rolando know and we will enrol it in the in the day.
But we will try to send a separate message on this.
Anybody else?
I don't see hands up.
So thank you very much and bon appetit and I'll see you on Friday.
Thank you.