Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

As a founding member of World Health Organization (WHO), the United States of America has contributed significantly to many of WHO’s greatest achievements, including the eradication of smallpox. WHO has always engaged with the US, and all Member States, with full respect for their sovereignty.

Unfortunately, the reasons cited for the US decision to withdraw from WHO are untrue. The notification of withdrawal makes both the US and the world less safe.

We hope the US will return to active participation in WHO in the future. Meanwhile, WHO remains steadfastly committed to working with all countries in pursuit of its core mission and constitutional mandate: the highest attainable standard of health as a fundamental right for all people.

Read the full WHO statement: https://www.who.int/news/item/24-01-2026-who-statement-on-notification-of-withdrawal-of-the-united-states

Here in the heart of the Amazon, the lungs of the earth, we are reminded that healthy people depend on a healthy planet.

I am at #COP30 Belem Summit, calling on leaders to make health a formal topic in the UN climate negotiations.

Because the #ClimateCrisis is a health crisis.

Yesterday, WHO evacuated 19 critically ill patients and 93 companions from #Gaza to #Italy for specialised medical care.

Grazie mille, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, and DPCgov for their generosity and solidarity.

We also thank Commissioner Hadja Lahbib and 🇪🇺 for their continued support.

We urge more countries to receive patients from Gaza, as over 16,500 people still need urgent medical care that is not available in the Strip. We also call for opening of all evacuation routes, particularly to West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

This year’s aid cuts did not create global health financing emergency but have exposed and amplified long-standing vulnerabilities, threatening progress towards #HealthForAll.

New WHO guidance provides countries recommendations on how to shift toward more sustainable, domestically-financed and self-reliant health systems: https://bit.ly/4oOVVgX

Sudden and unplanned cuts to aid have hit many countries hard, costing lives and jeopardizing hard-won health gains.

Today, WHO issued a guidance to help countries to better mobilize, allocate, prioritize and use funds to support the delivery of health services: https://bit.ly/47z3hOv #HealthForAll

Millions of people in Sudan are cut off from health care due to the ongoing attacks on health and block of lifesaving aid.

WHO is delivering supplies to places like Tawila, supporting families fleeing El Fasher, from cholera and acute malnutrition treatments to maternal and child health care.

We are ready to deliver more. But we need access now. Lives depend on it.

More than half of humanity lives in urban areas.

On #WorldCitiesDay, WHO launches a new guide for decision-makers to meet the growing demand for integrated urban health solutions.

I call on municipal and national leaders to adopt a more strategic approach to improve the health of billions of city-dwellers, and to make urban areas more livable, more just and more sustainable.

Saudi Maternity Hospital — the only partially functioning hospital in El Fasher, Darfour, #Sudan — was attacked again yesterday. Reports say one nurse lost her life and three additional health workers have been injured.

There is a communication blackout and we cannot verify further developments at and around the hospital.

We call for an immediate end to hostilities, protection of health personnel and patients, humanitarian access to deliver health aid.

Ceasefire!

The 42-day countdown towards the end of the #Ebola outbreak in the #DRC started on Monday. If no further cases are confirmed, the outbreak will be declared over in early December.

Meanwhile, the measures need to be maintained so that we are ready to respond to any new cases.

We are on the verge of making polio the second human disease to be consigned to history.  

Decades ago, humanity bridged geopolitical and geographic borders to end smallpox.

Let's do the same for polio.

Let's finish the job.

#WorldPolioDay

Despite the ceasefire, the health needs in #Gaza are enormous. Here is WHO’s 60-day plan for early recovery of the health system: bit.ly/4nYk6JT

The beginning of the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees brings hope for all those who have suffered over the past two years.

This week’s developments mark an important step in the right direction. We are ready to substantially expand our work to save lives and restore health services.

Gaza’s health system must be rehabilitated and rebuilt. This crisis gives us the opportunity to rebuild it better: stronger, fairer and centered on people’s needs.

The best medicine is peace.

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Since the ceasefire took effect in #Gaza, WHO teams have been scaling up our operations. So far, we have:
-Deployed an emergency medical team within 24h to boost surgical and emergency care at Al-Ahli Hospital, with more deployments planned in Gaza City as people begin to return.
-Brought 8 trucks of medical supplies into Gaza, including insulin, lab supplies, and essential medicines.
-Reached European Gaza Hospital to retrieve cancer and other life-saving medications and intensive care unit equipment, including incubators, mechanical ventilators, and patient monitors. Equipment and medicines were transferred to Nasser Hospital.

Improvement in access to health facilities and the ability to expand our missions are crucial first steps in providing immediate health support to Palestinians across Gaza.

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One of the best gifts science has produced for girls is the HPV vaccine.

When I think about my daughter or granddaughters, I think about ways to provide them with a better future - peaceful and healthy.

Cervical cancer is a disease we can eliminate.

Today on #DayOfTheGirl, I’m reminding parents, governments and manufacturers that the power lies in our hands to protect every single girl from this deadly disease. Let’s step up!

Wars and outbreaks end eventually.
Wounds heal.
Homes are rebuilt.

But the mental health impact of emergencies often goes unnoticed and untreated.

On today's #WorldMentalHealthDay, WHO is drawing attention to mental health in humanitarian emergencies.

Beyond food, water and medicine, people also need mental health and psychosocial support to cope, recover, and rebuild.

I welcome President Trump’s announcement about the ceasefire in #Gaza and hostage release — it is indeed a big step towards lasting peace for both Israelis and Palestinians. I hope all parties will respect the agreement, so the suffering of all civilians finally ends and all hostages are brought home respectfully.

WHO stands ready to scale up its work to meet the dire health needs of patients across Gaza, and to support rehabilitation of the destroyed health system.

The best medicine is peace.