The United Nations Office at Geneva
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UN Geneva Press Briefing - 05 November2024
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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 at the United Nations.
Today is Tuesday, fifth of November. We have
a
short briefing,
and it's
who is taking us all this news. And so I would like to start immediately with Dr
Rick
Peppercorn,
the representative for occupied Palestinian territory. For
who? Who is joining in from Gaza?
Dr.
Peppercorn,
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, um and greetings, um, from, uh, Gaza.
Uh,
I wanna start with two topics.
I wanna first focus in health in the north of Gaza, and I mean, uh, 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, uh, but also other missions
of WHO. Uh, many of the WHO missions were cancelled, were impeded.
That was also applicable for the other sectors.
Still, over the last three weeks.
And I mean this,
you know, this current mission is more than 3.5 weeks. Over the last three weeks,
the WHO managed seven missions to the north.
Five missions were specifically to come out at one.
And yes, uh, the day before yesterday actually also called
ADA was the last mission there.
I participated in four of those missions and we had also two other, uh,
large missions to Gaza City.
So this
WHO missions, um,
is always have
kind of the same objective
to deliver few medical supplies, blood units.
And if we are allowed some food for,
uh, uh, patients and, uh,
some food and water for patients and staff,
then with
our partners of the Palestinian Red Cross Society in Qatar.
In the last
of his five missions, we internally medevacs
one of the nine
critical patients. I give you one out of 10 critical patients
and 100 and 11 caregivers to Shea
and some of them to the South.
We also S, uh,
facilitated and supported some of the emergency medical teams, uh,
to hospitals when feasible.
And it's not feasible now anymore. In the north, the the the North
G,
for example, two
emerging medical team,
uh, were brought to
Shifa Another one to Al
Ahli Hospital
tomorrow we plan to be partners for a large medevac.
Uh, over 100/100 patients will get the details tomorrow.
Critical patients outside, uh, Gaza.
But I wanna share some specifics
on the situation in the North.
So, for example, the day before yesterday when we again reached Kamal at one
on 3 November,
say, seven mission in, um, in 23 weeks.
So we managed, despite the dire conditions, um,
to get medical supplies in for 7000 intervention, 150 units of blood,
20,000 litre fuel, 60 boxes of dried food, et cetera.
And we transfer them 25 patients and 37 companions,
intense compartments close to the hospital
and also close to the
to the to the mission. You might have heard about that. And then,
actually go to the convoy as well. Well,
shortly after
WHO mission to come all at one.
And when we had departed,
it was reported that the facility was hitched and again, So this is again two days ago
on the third floor and and six Children were reportedly, um uh,
six patients were reportedly injured.
Um
if you look at the situation at Kamala
13 medical doctors remain two paediatricians, one general physician,
30 nurses and one of the 20 patients.
The needs are enormous and specifically they ask for emerging medical teams.
They need a surgeon,
general, surgeon, orthopaedic surgeon and vascular surgeon.
The emergency department is full of patients more than 40 casualties as we counted.
So when we there and all our former mission
we also saw numerous, uh, emergency wards flooded, sometimes with, uh,
with trauma cases and casualties
and a
lack of, uh, of of, let's say, the right staff to treat many of those, uh,
trauma cases.
The inpatient partner was also full of hospitalised patients and their caregivers
in
Al
A,
which is just a few blocks away.
difficult to reach.
We transfer five pages of five character.
I wanna make the point here. It's very important. So the hospital,
uh,
has no fuel. Very little fuel left generator was only operated for three hours. It
stop now. They they they ration it.
Uh,
very much. 44 patients and five of them. We took out a critical patient.
71 staff, 11 medical doctors. They have a surgeon and they can operate.
They have a lot of trauma burden. 79 injuries on the second of November.
69 injuries on the third of November.
Currently no surgery.
Cooper 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.
Uh, you know, and 50 units of blood.
For unclear reasons. We were not
fil,
uh, 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 are not allowed to bring in the we not facilitated to bring in the polio vaccine
a lot. Are we very concerned?
Because the hospital, uh,
needs this urgent fuel and medical supplies. Otherwise
it might become nonfunctional in over the coming week.
Coming week, we plan to resupply uh, this hospital, uh, later the week. And And
just to describe that both directors the director of Doctor Ah Kada.
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 a matter of fact,
his critical patients.
There are three
hospitals to describe the north Gaza.
There's three hospitals in north Gaza, Kamal at one Al
ADA
and Indonesian Hospital.
Indonesian Hospital is not functional,
and Kamal at one and Al
A are minimum functional.
There are no
functional primary health care centres or medical points in
the north of Gaza.
So the overall health,
uh, situation in the north, which still an estimated population of 75,000 people,
are very difficult to estimate a lot of people.
There
is one in 50,000 people left,
but it's if we left were forcibly evacuated and fled.
But it is critically. It is vital that these hospitals remain functional and and
what?
The doctor Hussam, the the director of, uh
of of
Kamala one he described very well,
he said. What I
really want to need is first of all protection,
protection of the hospital staff facility
and the second
I want WHO as you trying to do
and partners to come in regularly deliver the regular supplies of fuel,
medical supplies, blood and food for patients staff and
assist with an with an EMT. So again, I wanna make that point.
It's all about access
WHO on part as 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 in that sense, I and I would say, Oh, my call if we sound like a broken record, um,
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 five weeks ago,
the second dose of novel oral polio vaccine type two
also in this, uh, 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 had successful implementation of the first two phases, uh,
in the central and southern Gaza, which raised more than 451,000 Children
and and more than 364,000 Children, um, 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, NW and
and and the NGO Partners.
They decided to postpone from 23 October until the
second 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 um,
the area
related to the humanitarian post 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.
Uh,
however, as we know that over the last few weeks,
estimation is 150,000 people have been forced to evacuate
from north Gaza to Gaza City and flat et
cetera,
So it's difficult to really estimate
what amount of Children
you know. We would,
uh, 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 second and the and the Fourth of November.
So yesterday,
105,000 more than over 105,000 Children.
Actually, 105,000 Children 261 and 10 year,
um, have been vaccinated, and 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. Uh,
even when I went around, I visited many sites, primary healthcare facilities
but also, for example, a playground, yar
playgrounds and
and and orphanage centres, which are all, uh, um shelters for for thousands,
literally thousands of internally displaced people.
And
we met so many families who had fled from the from the north.
I was I was recognised, Steve. And it was painful and all of
that happy accounts
by so many men and women and Children from my four
visits to Kamala one and and that after that last seat,
they were forced to, um, to leave.
So
currently, today,
there is still some poly
activities going on on on four fixed sites in 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, um
uh, after weeks, uh, after months, et cetera. 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, uh, the WHO, UNICEF
and NW A.
But to many NGO partners specifically, of course,
those teams on the ground because also in the north we talked, for example,
about more than 205 teams,
many fix 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, uh, during the war,
because it would be it was way more effective,
I think, because of this, um, large displacement from the north.
Uh,
we have done relatively better with the car to polio, which is cynical.
One thing I wanna 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 need to improve the
shelter and the shelter conditions are horrible,
and
and,
uh, 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 an absolute need for, for for shelter
and for more shelter activities and actually work in all sector.
And there is a consistent needs
for access everywhere,
specifically
to the north of, uh of Gaza.
But I want to stress 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 or partly functional.
That is our main name, the go
the polio
campaign is was just an important component.
And maybe let's be close with a small positive notes
if you look, for example, the CIA,
uh,
medical complex
and everybody who has witnessed
FIFA over the time,
and and being largely destroyed and damaged et cetera and becoming nonfunctional.
Currently, CIA is like a mini hospital. Again,
it is an emergency department, it says functional Operation Theatres
as a general surgeon, 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
has a unit in the middle of the rubble of of a hemo
dialysis 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 VHO support to EMT through, uh, the emerging medical team helpings
a
through, uh, map UK providing supplies.
There's war going on with other parties to look
at neonatology and to the MC A services,
so it's a small positive
in, in in
well, in I would say in this crisis over to you
questions. Now,
in the room on Nina Larson, a FP.
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.
Um, 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 gonna happen and give more details on that?
Maybe I misunderstood, but, um, if you could provide some more details
and then, um, on Kamal
a one.
I think you mentioned more than 40 casualties had been counted.
Are you talking about,
uh, people who have died? Are you talking about including injuries?
Um, and if you could give if you have more details on that,
including the recent days of of strikes
on the hospital, um, that would be helpful.
Um, and then just on the polio, uh, campaign. Uh, there was an attack,
uh, on, uh, uh, polio centre on Saturday.
I think, um, if you could do you, uh, have more details on what happened there.
And how many people,
uh, were injured. If you have any more details on that now,
yeah, I'll start with that, then.
Ok,
um, let me, uh first I thought about the medevac for tomorrow, and I also need to get,
um um the details for the me medevac of tomorrow.
Yeah, that That's, um
we We talk over over 100. Um,
uh, patients.
I think it's even one on the 13 or something like that. Uh,
and, um,
the larger group of patients.
So what's happening? So these patients are prioritised.
They are on the Ministry of Health Priority list.
WHO
helps to get these patients
to, for example, uh, 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,
uh, tonight they will be gathered at the European Gaza Hospital and tomorrow, and,
uh, from six.
In the morning. That's the plan. They will be brought to Karen
slo
and then
across then from Kern Shom.
They will go to
Ramal
Airport
and the majority of the patient will go to the UAE. We've done this before. I mean, I
you.
And then, um I think something
like 13 patients will go to Romania.
Uh,
so that is, uh, plans. Uh, for tomorrow. I think
I wanna say something about this whole matter of fact.
So since the Rafa
crossing, uh,
it's been closed the six sixth of May.
So before that,
there was close to 4700. Uh, patients had been medevaced outside Gaza,
and WHO helped to facilitate that.
But since that we only had 282 patients,
Uh, medifacts guys and the majority facilitated by WHO and
and a lot of them to the UAE,
which I really wanna thank as a part.
And,
uh so this is
the
auto man
attack again, largely to the UE UAE. But also, some European countries spread
interest to receive patients from, uh, from, uh, 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
medevac,
though, this we see this as as very good initiative. But it's ad hoc.
And so, of course, by the way, WHO get us all the species together tonight.
in European Gaza and then with our partners. I have to mention them the Pine
Red Crescent Society
and Katas.
We will move all these patients. It's
a huge convoy to
CLO.
These are ad hoc measure. What we what We have been, uh, requesting for repeatedly.
We need a sustained medevac
ha
outside Gaza
and organised a better organised sustain medevac.
So we estimate that approximately between 12 and 14,000 critical patients
need to be medevac half of them probably trauma related,
ET cetera.
All the serious trauma cases think
reations see spinal cord injuries, burns, et cetera.
But the other half is also like a chronic case, oncology, et cetera.
for death, 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 medical 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,
uh, go to other
other areas Now on
on on
one, just a few details. Then
I think
maybe I provide. So there is currently three medical doctors there.
Two paediatricians, one general physicians,
30 nurses, one of the 20 inpatient.
Well of
it. 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 a specific, uh, medical specialist.
They need a general surgeon, vascular surgeon, orthopaedic surgeon.
Because what I said,
the emergency department is full of patients more than
40 casualties and they don't have a general surgeon.
Inpatient department is also full of hospital. Uh, R
patients
on the
you asked
about the the strike. I think that was, um
uh on command at one. I think
I describe that
and and I just want to say, for WHO we are very clear.
With WHO we have a mandate
to to monitor,
to analyse as good as possible on report
on
tax on health care.
We never attribute
We are not a crime investigating organisation.
We we had a health organisation.
I'm a medical doctor and 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 the,
uh, border
strike. I think you've seen the reports in the media about that.
And also from the various parties, etcetera.
I actually was at that, uh I visit the six sites on that first day on polio,
and I was at that
site as well. Etcetera, which was, uh, likely struck. Uh
uh. You've seen the
the the reports that
we
I cannot say anything about that because we are again.
We are not investigating that. We just
We just hear that we get the pictures. Uh, 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 as a follow up.
Thank you.
Um, so, just on the strike on the polio site could I know if you're not at attributing,
uh, blame or or anything, but it would be interesting to know
Sort of your your thoughts on, uh, on the fact that a polio site was
was hit when this has been, uh I mean,
you have the the humanitarian pause that's supposed to be in place to allow
to allow the vaccination to go ahead.
Um, and if you could say,
maybe just a little bit more about the impact that's had on the on the, uh,
vaccination.
Thanks.
OK,
so for WHO and I think and and and UNICEF
for all of us, it's very clear that,
um, we expect that humanitarian area
specific policies are respected.
And that's what also we came out straight away with,
I think with the information on on that one. That's what we expect.
Whatever happens, et cetera.
And even people say it was a light attack and the wall, uh, slightly damaged, I think.
One ambulance
and then, um
even th 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,
uh, 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.
Uh, what was, uh,
what was transferred? What kind of information was transferred to that.
How did it affect the the polio campaign? I think it wasn't. Um
again,
I really applaud the the
the resilience of the
tech committee and all the partners, uh, present
who? Capra
had coup
and continued and actually,
on the on the second or third day deployed many more mobile teams.
And and it was, strategically, a very wise decision
and actually covered, uh, more kids than personally me I I expected.
I mean, like, I had a
because that this
this this last lack of the campaign
in the North was compromised from the reasons II I already shared.
And I think in that situation,
the
the teams did a
fantastic job
in corporate way, more Children and like, um, than actually we expected,
uh,
yeah. So good job. And I think the the campaign itself was, uh, very little affected
by this incident.
Thank you very much. Jamie Keaton,
Associated Press.
Uh, good morning, Doctor Peppercorn. Thank you for coming to see us again.
Um, I was wondering if you could, uh, you alluded to the 282.
Uh, people who have been evacuated have had, um
uh from from Gaza. Uh, since May 6th. If I understood you correctly,
could you tell us, Um
uh,
when those people were evacuated and going to the 113 That I think you said roughly,
um, that are gonna be, uh, evacuated
tomorrow. Uh, as it seems,
could you tell us a little bit about the
ailments that they have or these chronic diseases?
Are they are they, uh,
injuries? What? What could you just give us, like a a nutshell? As to, um,
what kind of, uh, cases that these people are showing?
OK, it's a range of, um it's a range of, um, of, of cases. It's, um
a lot of them are trauma and trauma related,
and some of them are are chronic.
Uh, so it's in the
Yeah, I would say probably, uh, 5050 50%.
But a lot of them what I've seen up till now from the
282 patients, the ones I saw,
um, most of them were, uh, trauma or related to, uh, the ongoing, um
uh, crisis and and And War.
Uh,
roughly. It's difficult to estimate. I think at least one third are also Children.
And then Of course, if you don't only talk about, uh, the patients
you also talk about, um uh,
companions
over to you.
Yeah, go ahead.
When were the 282 evacuated?
Oh, yeah. So sorry. Um,
I just got a call. Sorry. And,
in the 282
since the rough crossing was closed on the sixth of May.
Yeah, so there was no possibility for
for medevac.
Uh, so that was after 7 May?
Yeah, after 7 May. So the rafa
crossing was closed six or 7 may.
So since that time,
only 282
critical patients have been medevacs outside Gaza.
So tomorrow will be another, uh, B et
cetera,
And I. I say we as WHO.
We support all these medifacts we manage, we get them together, we
not only then we get them together. We were from all the various hospitals. Then we
get them together the the day before the Medac on one location, we provide food,
shelter, et cetera, and, of course,
treatment together with respective hospitals and partners.
And then on um,
we make sure that they get transported this long. Cold
World
War two
Kong
on the other side they are received by another
WHO team.
And there
is
some
confusion here. Maybe
Jamie,
I'm just trying to find out when the last medevac was basically is my question.
Oh, the the last
medevac was, um, a
story.
The last
Medac was, um if I remember, um,
I when I was also here in Gaza, So that must be
you
can
five week ago. OK, OK,
Jeremy, Jeremy?
Uh,
yeah. Just to elaborate a bit more on the medevac.
Is
it going to happen tomorrow?
Are you still waiting for the green lights
of the Israeli authorities to get the medevac?
Because
you are saying that the last one was five weeks ago, but
just like humanitarian convoys in the north that have been denied multiple times
that that thing happened, like you said, like, five weeks ago was the last medevac.
But since then, did you have, like,
denials for medevac for the past five weeks? So
bottom line is, is it gonna
happen tomorrow for sure?
I good hope, uh, for that. Because in general, the
medevac operations, uh, let's say exit in Gaza.
Um
uh, We have been, um
When?
When?
When? There is a possibility
uh, we've been facilitated. So, yes, I do hope that this will happen.
Thank you. Just for those journalists who've asked as
Tari
is 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 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.
Um, was also, uh, approximately the same size.
Ok, let me go to the platform. Isabel
Sacco.
A
good morning. Thank you.
Uh, just a short one on the, uh, vaccination campaign.
Um, I saw just this morning, uh, the Palestinian Ministry of Health
announcing the extension today of the vaccination in
northern Gaza. Uh, because they say that
they will actually
give the 90 90% coverage. And you said that there are just some polio
activity today. So I would like to confirm just that, uh,
a
formal, uh, vaccine.
The end.
The end day of the vaccination campaign is today,
and the activities of vaccination are still going on.
Uh, today.
Thank you.
I think today,
uh, it's the Yeah, it's the fourth day.
There are still some polio activities going on in fixed sites,
I think four fixed sites
and, uh, probably today and mo and probably tomorrow.
And I think there's four fixed sites.
I think there are mainly, uh,
fix sites,
uh, primary health care centres where that takes place. So we
that
an attempt to to to, uh,
to wrap up and actually get, uh, hopefully the the the the last Children,
Uh, still, uh, being vaccinated. Uh, today.
Yeah, but it's just
it's a It's a It's a not
so it's not a proper campaign. It's an, um, activities at four fixed sites.
All right, I don't see,
uh,
Jamie.
Hi. Uh, again. Sorry about this.
Um, 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, um, being, uh,
uh, evacuated to Southern Gaza. Do you know anything about that?
Do you have any comment on it?
Excuse
me? I didn't get the question.
Sorry. I just, um
I was wondering if you could give a
comment about the reported detention of a Palestinian man
who was with his grandchild during, uh, 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.
Don't see other hands up. So thank you very much for this exhaustive briefing.
Thank you so much for keeping us informed,
but we'll stay with Tariq.
You are online, and you have brought us Dr
Matteus
as
a
so
I hope I pronounce.
Well,
technical officer and project manager for the Vaccine Product
and Delivery Research who is joining in from Poland.
Maybe I'll give you the floor first to
Tariq to introduce the subject. And then we will go to the doctor.
Thank you very much. Uh, Alexandra, many thanks to To Rick.
Uh,
thank you very much.
Joining today. Also, many thanks to his team. Uh,
that, uh, that will prepare the notes that we will share as soon as possible by email.
So you get all the numbers, especially on the polio
vaccination.
Uh, so let's, uh, just, uh, turn to to something, uh, a little bit different.
Uh, this morning you have received the press release. Uh
uh. Where we list, Um,
WHO, at least for the first time.
The diseases, Uh, that should be prioritised when it comes to,
uh, uh, development of vaccines.
Uh, and and And I know maybe some of you may wonder what is the difference between the
the priority list pathogen list that, uh,
we have been issuing, uh uh, previous years. And the last one was, uh,
was end of, uh, end of July.
But the difference is that that priority pathogen
list is for the diseases and pandemic potential.
And it's really about the research and development
on all aspects of, uh, getting to know better.
Uh, the pathogen, uh, than, uh, uh, all the
tools, like the diagnostics therapeutics, including vaccines.
Today, we are just really speaking about vaccines for diseases that we know,
uh, and for for which we don't have vaccines yet.
So, uh, you have the press release and I give the floor, uh, to Dr
Maus
haso auss
povi,
uh,
to
tell us more about about that.
Thank you so much, Tariq. And good morning colleagues.
Um, so I'm here today to talk to you, Um,
that WHO has published today a major study where we had identified
17 bacteria, viruses and parasites 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
to 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, um, diseases that severely affect low income regions,
unfortunately receive much less attention.
And with this WO
study, we hope this represents a critical shift
where we want to change the focus from a
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
and for which pathogens do we need to develop vaccines?
We asked these experts, um, about criteria like, um 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 2.5 million deaths a year.
However, the study also raises importantly, um,
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 clips
and pneumonia, a bacteria that is associated with 790,000 deaths
and is responsible for 40% of neonatal deaths due to infections of the blood,
the sepsis in low income countries.
So two 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
or 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, um, categorised vaccines from research
to advance development and to prepare for regulatory decision,
vaccine 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
for which pathogens they need to fund research studies.
They need to fund clinical research
in order to accelerate the development of these important vaccines
for researchers.
They could use that list in order to conduct research
to overcome challenges to vaccine
development associated with these priority pathogens
For vaccine developers,
they can use that list as a 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,
um, 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 high priority pathos.
Thank you, guys.
Thank you very much. Uh, Matthews
for this,
uh, questions to the WHO on this matter.
I see Isabel
again, uh, from FA, the Spanish news agency
where I had Isabel
uh Yes. Good morning.
Um, I would like to ask, uh, if, uh to things. So, firstly, if, uh, if if you can confirm
or comment on the fact that, uh,
many of these, uh
um, illnesses, uh, in the list
are, as you said, uh, illnesses that happens mostly in low income countries.
And, uh, the problem has been always that, uh, there is a low, uh,
commercial interest to develop these products.
So how to
make it more interesting for, uh, producers,
laboratories and producers to to to to to manufacture
this, uh, develop and manufacture these?
These vaccines are not to stay in a few years in the same
point that we are. Now,
this is one thing. And the other thing that you you have divided the, uh
your list in three categories.
And the last one is pathogens where vaccines are approaching regulatory approval,
and we see the dengue
streptococcus
group, B and so on.
So
how close This, um
uh, approvals are
for this, uh, for for for these vaccines.
And,
uh
uh,
what is the timeline we could expect to have,
uh,
once they have been approved to have vaccines for, for example,
Uh, commercially already in the in the market for dengue
and the other, uh, E coli and the other the other illnesses. Thank you,
but 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,
um, affect low middle income countries.
There are examples that are just for low income countries like Plasmodium
pip
paro,
which causes malaria.
Um, you can see in the chart that it actually, uh,
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 high income countries.
One example of that
would be something that we call expect,
which is,
um, an E. Coli
and that affects infects different parts of the body.
And it causes, actually, neonatal sepsis.
So very young babies can die from an infection within
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 high 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 high 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
that some of these funders are willing to invest to share money to
in order to advance the development of these vaccines for low income countries,
for example, against clip
cell and pneumonia against tuberculosis, et cetera,
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 liken the example.
The call that 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 high
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 countries.
You have also asked about the last category of vaccines.
These are the vaccines that, um approach regulatory approval,
policy decision and vaccine introduction
and scale up,
and we 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 example is malaria that also has received a
policy decision and is being introduced to some countries.
Um, so there are examples of some vaccines that are already being approved.
So now the matter for them is to be, um,
introduced to countries immunisation programmes and
then scaled up in the right populations
for the remaining vaccines. Um, like, um group B streptococcus.
Um, you know, phase free trials for that vaccine are yet starting,
and then that may cost, you know,
3 to 5 years because such 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 this 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, um, introduce them?
So it very much depends on, um, pathogens that are in development.
But it's between 3 to 5 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, uh, also explained in the press release that we received. Now,
any other question to WE two is W. Have a follow up?
Yes. Uh, also very short. Thank you.
Is, um do you have a an idea of what is the expected production of vaccines for dengue
and tuberculosis this year?
Thank you.
so just to summarise for dengue,
um, there's we have two vaccines that have been licenced.
So one vaccine is a vaccine from a Japanese manufacturer.
And that vaccine has received a policy decision from WHO in September this year.
And that vaccine is recommended
for, um,
for use in those who are, uh, who have already been exposed to dengue.
There is another vaccine, uh, from the Brazilian manufacturer.
Um, which is, uh,
had the results of efficacy from that vaccine at the beginning of this year.
I think it was around, um, February.
So for dengue,
the production is being scaled up.
Countries are considering the introduction of these
vaccines based on their local evidence,
based on what they know about the efficacy of this vaccine
and based on modelling as to how that vaccine,
how important that vaccine could be for their populations,
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, um,
I assume that you are referring to
new vaccines in development against tuberculosis.
We have two the most advanced candidate.
One vaccine is, um, it's called M 72 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 progressing 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 knows some them.
They need to, um, 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 three years.
This is why the trial takes so long.
There is also another vaccine,
um, which is a vaccine that will be targeted to infants to protect infants and then,
perhaps later through additional immunisation for that
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 2028 2029
to have some considerations about early introduction.
And just importantly, also, Gavi, you know,
the organisation that pays for vaccines for low income
countries?
they have very much considered tuberculosis vaccines
and is one of their priorities.
Um, to be able to to to finance once it
once it becomes available.
Thank you.
Thank you very much. Um,
matteus I don't see other questions for you.
So, uh, before closing with WHO,
I'd like to pass the floor to Tariq again for an announcement.
Uh, yes. Uh, thank you. Uh, thank
you.
So just, uh, just to make an announcement.
You will get the media advisory later today, but we will have a press conference. Uh
uh, This, uh, Thursday day after tomorrow at, uh, two o'clock and then,
uh, ahead of, uh, CO
29. That will take place in in
Baku
from 11. 52nd
November. We will have, uh, doctor
Maria Nera
that you know very well uh, doctor died
Campbell's
Landrum Dr
Vanessa Ky
who is, uh,
uh, director General special
for Climate Change and health and
Elizabeth E.
Uh, 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 these new these documents are under, uh, uh, are available under embargo.
And basically, we try to
stress the importance of positioning help at the core of all climate
negotiations.
So, uh, you will see the the the the media Advisory, and you will, uh,
see how to obtain the documents and the embargo again.
Press conference is at two o'clock on Thursday.
tarika. You're speaking about Thursday, the seventh of November?
Yes.
Let's have a little discussion on that because we
have a press conference already announced for 130.
So let's see
if we can adjust a little bit the
timing one way or the other
in order to have both that press conference I was going to remind you on 7 November,
it's at 130 to HC
HR
and it's the Human Rights Committee presenting the findings on Ecuador, France,
Greece, Iceland, Pakistan and Turkey
that has been already announced. So let's see with who
and the colleagues of
if we can
adjust a little bit the timing.
But thank you very much, Tarik, Thanks for bringing us the two speakers of today.
Just as I said a couple of
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 a committee against Torture,
which begins this morning in 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 November,
the committee will hold high level event for
the 40th anniversary of the Convention Against Torture.
The colleagues of W
of Yo
have asked me to remind you that on the sixth of November, so the day before,
on Wednesday
at 11 a.m. 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, seventh of November at nine
Geneva time.
The
the speaker will be Kirsten Fink, the chief economist of
and 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
A
to launch the state of food and agriculture 2024. That's the media launch.
And it's also under embargo because the report,
uh, will be presented on the eighth of November at 10 Rome time.
So you will have the embargo press conference with Andrea Cataneo,
a
senior economist and lead
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, sixth of November at 10 a.m. New York time.
So that's now again for for
PM in Geneva as they are back
to the
change of the hour in the States
at
10 a.m. in the General Assembly Hall,
there will be an informal meeting of the plenary of
the General Assembly plenary to hear a briefing on UN
R A.
Some of you had asked whether this briefing was broadcast
and it is broadcast on UN web. TV and C
and Commissioner General
Lazarin
will brief
the assembly.
That's something that I've been asked. 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 F
and toe.
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 job of their parents, but also the environment,
the working environment.
As last year, we are organising a small event for Children not only of the staff,
but also of the journalists are 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
mock up press conference so they will probably understand better.
When you tell them
that you do
press coverage at the UN,
they will probably understand better. What woman that does do for a living. Isabel.
I see you have your hand up.
Yes, thank you. What's, uh, for Tariq?
I don't know if he's still there, but this is to know if we need the this press in
the information given in the press in the survey
press conference will be under embargo or or no, free to
use on on the same day.
I think
Tare is still online, so I'll give him the flow.
Uh, yeah, thanks.
Uh, well, uh, we will, uh we will work with Alexandra on on on a, uh,
specific timing so we don't clash with the with the press conference that uh
uh, That Alessandra mentioned, uh, but, uh, basically, the the
the,
uh uh,
the embargo will lift at the end of the press conference. That's the That's the idea.
Uh, so, uh, yeah, if you you wish there is a one hour embargo, but otherwise no,
uh, but again, you will have more in a in a media advisor 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
No worries. We'll send it to you again.
But basically, it's not much to announce that if
you want your Children to participate, just let us know
that
just let Rolando know and we will enrol it 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, uh, bona petit.
And I'll see you on Friday. Thank you.