Good morning and thank you for joining us here at the UN Office of Geneva for this press briefing today, the 9th of February.
We have Sudan, we have Iraq, we have Haiti, we have the global dengue situation, and we have the Global Supply Chain Forum also coming up.
So we'll start off immediately with James Elder of UNICEF, who's got an update on Sudan.
Hi, good morning everyone.
300 days ago today, a wave of atrocities were unleashed upon the children of Sudan.
Here is some of what's happened in that.
In that 300 days, First, the world's largest displacement of children has been seen in Sudan.
4 million children have been displaced.
That's just over 13,000 children displaced every single day for the past 300 days.
Worldly possessions gone, hope fading.
Second, the consequences of the past 300 days mean that more than 700,000 children are likely to suffer the most dangerous form of malnutrition this year.
UNICEF won't be able to treat more than 300,000 of those without improved access and without additional support.
In that case, 10s of thousands would likely die.
Third, there's been a 5 fold increase in verified cases of killing, sexual violence and recruitment from a year ago.
That equates to a terrified number of children killed, raped or recruited.
And these numbers are of course the tip of the iceberg.
4th 2/3 of the population now lack access to basic healthcare.
This then is a war that's destroying health and nutrition systems, and that is killing people.
This is a war destroying the concept of respect for the laws of war and that is killing people.
This is a war destroying families ability to fend for themselves and protect themselves and that is killing people.
But this is also a war destroying opportunity and that destroys a country.
The true cost of war isn't measured just in casualties, but also in the loss of intellectual capital.
And this war risks condemning Sudan to a future bereft of learning, innovation, progress and hope.
When I returned this past week, I heard many stories of deaths from nutrition and deaths from violence.
But I also met countless 20 somethings for whom dreams had died.
Those youth were small children when the massacres occurred in Darfur 20 years ago.
In the preceding 20 years, they have latched onto life.
Those I met both in Darfur and the newly arrived refugees in Chad had studied or was studying economics, medical science, IT, engineering and so on.
However, in the chaos of war, the brightest minds have been forced to abandon their studies.
Their ambitions have been shattered.
As a 2022 year old Haider, as she said to me in Darfur and I quote, I had a dream to study medical science.
Sadness is my friend Achmed 20 now in for China, Chad.
I cannot afford to dream here.
How then to get out of this nightmare and reawaken those dreams?
One, those in power need to negotiate a ceasefire and ensure aid is no longer blocked.
2 The region needs to show leadership.
Thirdly, donor countries need to show compassion and humanity and funds.
But with no sign of a ceasefire.
We have to focus instead on two things.
Safe, sustained and unimpeded humanitarian access across conflict lines and international support to help sustain the essential services that children rely on to survive.
Currently, we have neither.
In 2024, UNICEF's appealing for $840 million to help just over 7 and a half million of the most vulnerable children in Sudan.
Despite the magnitude of needs last year, in 2023, the funding UNICEF sought for nearly 3/4 of children in Sudan was not forthcoming.
But amid so many children being overlooked, it's important to remember what families and communities are doing.
Most health workers in Sudan have not been paid a penny since the war started, 300 days.
But so many of them come to work day after day to help their communities.
Communities in Chad, where I spent quite a bit of time, are already desperately short of food and water.
They share everything they can with refugees.
Towns double in size over the space of a week.
People are using every ounce of strength and resilience to support their own communities and those arriving, yet the people of of Sudan are increasingly feeling abandoned by the world.
When it comes to the children and the youth of Sudan, the world needs to stop turning a blind eye.
And maybe if I can just take this opportunity to echo what the Secretary General said yesterday during his press conference on his priorities for the year.
Referring to the situation in Sudan, the Secretary General said the situation is absolutely horrible.
We need to mobilise the whole of the international community, the neighbours, the countries that have influence on both parties to do everything possible to stop these horrible atrocities.
There is no military solution for Sudan, according to the Secretary General's press conference yesterday.
We'll now turn to you for questions in the room on the platform.
OK, we have a question from Lisa Schwinn, the Voice of America.
Thank you, Rolando and good morning.
Could you tell me a little bit more about the visit that you had?
You seen you mentioned that you are also in Chad.
So where did you actually go?
I mean how much access were you able to get anywhere in in the country outside?
I suppose in Chad it was easier, but if you could talk about that and well, a lot impressed you.
So I'm going to ask you what the most thing was that impressed you.
But is any any aid getting in anywhere in in the country?
How are people coping in this absolutely horrible situation?
And then it is somebody there from the World Health Organisation because it would be useful to get a little greater insight about the health situation there.
You James mentioned it, but perhaps we could get a little bit more about the facilities that are available to treat people, whether anyone can actually get there and so forth.
Thanks so much on those three things.
So I was, I flew into the capital, Jermaine of Chad, and then to the Far East, Fachana and Andre, where I was in refugee camps for three days speaking to those people who newly arrived and those people who came at the start 300 days ago and many of them in June, July.
Then each day for Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, I think of those, those three days, I would go in at sort of 6:00 AM with our regional, with our field chief for one of the Darfur's and the emergency coordinator.
We would go into Janaina and to Zelenji both both in West Darfur, one of them 3040 kilometres away and one of them 2 1/2 hours away.
At the moment, still UN workers can't stay overnight in in Sudan and that obviously makes makes a response more and more difficult.
But if still it gave it gave access to go in and to speak to people in Darfur and of course to many people who were in those camps in in Chad.
If I just speak from UNICEF's point of view and colleagues may speak for other agencies, Of course, you know, UNICEF is the provider of RUTF, that magic therapeutic food.
And so we continue to, to take that into Sudan, whatever way we can, quite increasingly commonly through that border with Chad, immense support from the government of Chad to be able to do that.
And we start to even rehabilitate, you know, things like I, I saw solar systems that communities had set up of, of water systems, Lisa, of, you know, 60 solar panels.
Again, the looting and devastation is immense.
So now that that rehabilitation, that reconstruction has to start with communities of that devastation, physical and and psychological devastation of what they've what they've seen destroyed.
But when we talk about the bureaucratic and the security obstructions to aid, they're very real, Lisa and they, they are costing lives to give up 11 examples.
UNICEF has 20,000 cartoons of RUTFA carton you could equate to a child.
That's a that's scientifically how long they would need 20,000 cartoons of that in Elabid ELOBEID for two months that's been blocked due to fighting and no approval from all parties to access.
We've had 27 trucks of UNICEF supplies, mixed supplies, I think another 10 from WFP and and others from WHO and ICRC, though they can speak to that, that that is, that's critical.
We need much more than lip service from all parties about bureaucratic and security obstruct obstructions.
They, they cost lives and that that needs to stop.
And of course, a ceasefire.
But what we can at least push more so on right now is is getting through those obstructions.
And I think you asked just in terms of people I met, I would share very quickly one anecdote.
I think this gives a sense of the nutrition crisis, but also what people are doing now.
She was seven months pregnant, Lisa, when she gave birth.
The stress brought on an early pregnancy, as we so frequently see.
As she was giving birth, her home was hit.
So she came under fire, I think from the air.
She then walked for days with her newborn.
Her newborn was badly malnourished by the time she got to a UNICEF stabilisation centre.
In her words, Lisa, as a nutritionist, as a mother, she was ashamed that her child was in this state.
Obviously, I thought her actions were heroic and her now her child now is on the mend.
Many other mothers, rather than being in that situation, are burying their children.
So we have a question with Peter Kennedy of All Africa Global Media.
Can we unmute Peter please?
OK, I think there may be a problem with computers audio maybe just if I could take this opportunity to invite any other colleagues online who may want to add about their own agency's efforts in terms of humanitarian relief.
Of course, the Secretary General again just referred to this situation in particular saying we need we need a ceasefire, we need conditions to deliver aid across the globe.
Just a a a quick question regarding the most dangerous form of malnutrition.
You said that 700,000 children are likely to suffer from this most dangerous form.
What is this most dangerous form of hunger?
Is there any way to define it?
And are there maybe less dangerous forms of hunger that also might be causing issues here?
If you have more details on on that classification?
I I tried to be, you know, use normal language.
They officially you Three and a half million children are projected to suffer acute malnutrition.
The most dangerous form, the one that makes a child 10 times more likely to die from getting, you know, a malaria or cholera is severe acute malnutrition.
So last year the number was 2023600 thousand.
We are we are getting very close to record numbers.
So 700,000 children are expected to suffer severe acute malnutrition and they're this year, they are the ones who require that regular support, which is both our UTF, which is why we need a pipeline with a pipeline of our UTF going through the country requires access, requires funding and of course, requires people on the ground to be able to distribute that.
All those things have come under challenge.
Distribution and pipeline is one of the things UNICEF has most aggressively sought to, to, to, to, to take on and has done so quite successfully.
Because you may recall last year, the RUTF factory, the one place in Sudan that made our UTF was burnt down.
So that added to our challenges.
But we have a secured pipeline so far for June, but June is very close.
When you think it takes three months or more in this environment to get our UTF into the country.
So it's perilous for that.
And that's a crazy number of kids.
We, I think while we're waiting for Peter, Peterfie, if you're having a problem with your audio, please feel free to put your question in the chat and I'll be happy to recite that.
We'll go back to Lisa, who may have a follow up.
Yeah, Well, I I did ask whether there was AWHO representative there who could speak about the health situation.
But in the meantime, James, I gather a lot of children are dying from the malnutrition, that they're not getting the treatment that they need, and that that the lack of Healthcare is affecting other people as as well, who may have chronic illnesses or diseases.
I see Tareq is coming, so that's good.
Yeah, luckily I have the expert to to my right.
I do know that the number of cholera cases has more than doubled in the last month with more than 10,000 suspected cases and 292 deaths.
But you're absolutely right.
It's a it's a health system on its on its knees.
So you have Lisa, we use these terms so frequently, the perfect storm and so forth.
But yes, you have a devastated health system, an ongoing conflict, incredible numbers of severely malnourished children, woefully depleted aid and obstructions to that aid.
And now there is only so much that communities can do among one another and with whatever support that the UNICEF's and WH OS give to avoid, as we say, quite likely 10s of thousands of children dying from this.
And I think it's a very important question you asked Lisa, because of course we will talk of verified deaths and that is very important to look at those.
It's also I I think UNICEF think it's very important to look at those children who lose their lives through disease and through severe acute malnutrition because of this war.
And I think you have seen the the press release that has been sent yesterday by our regional colleagues with the Mediterranean about a situation in in Sudan.
But I'll just like give you the the few lines and some numbers on the disease burden.
So the Sudan's health crisis is made much worse by food insecurity.
And the latest report indicated nearly 18 million people, 37% of population are food insecure as James was already speaking.
Now let me give you some numbers on the diseases.
Since the ongoing cholera outbreak was declared in September 20, 2311, of Sudan's 18 states have reported cholera with 10,500 cases and 300 deaths recorded by 31st January 2024.
While cases appear to show decreasing trend overall, the actual number of cases and that's maybe much higher since surveillance system accuracy is affected by the axis limitation.
Now few more, a few more numbers that that I have here is so beside the cholera, there are reports of measles, malaria, dengue and other diseases that are reported from several States and I have some numbers as of 26th January and I'll be happy to send these numbers.
There were 4650 suspected cases of measles with 106 associated deaths reported from 11 states.
More than 7000 precisely 7850 suspected cases of dengue.
And we will have our colleague Rahman who will speak about global dengue situation just a bit later.
There were also malaria cases and and there were also cases of of respiratory diseases.
So, so the situation is is really difficult.
And as James was mentioning, the, the, definitely the access is one of the issue, but also the scale of, of, of this crisis myself, I also worked in Darfur 20 years ago.
And when you just think about the share this space is that, that colleagues doing humanitarian work have to go and, and the lack of lack of infrastructure, it's really, really difficult to, to provide services.
But again, hopefully, hopefully colleagues from, from UNICEF and other agencies, I'm sure we'll, we'll do everything to, to, to, to try to what James was saying really about the severe acute malnutrition.
It's these babies can recover very quickly.
If, if there is, if there is a possibility to provide them with therapeutic feeding, babies in matter of few days can go from the brink of death to, to, to be playing in a, in a, in a, in a, in these centres.
So, so I think it's, it's really important that we get funding that is needed because this is something that, you know, Sudan is unfortunately, it's not always it's not always something that is being funded at the level it should be.
Thank you both very much.
And I, I could on behalf of Peter who poses his question in the chat.
Peter, all Africa global media asks, is the situation in Sudan then anarchy?
Do we have to get to get permission from each side at each point that aid must be provided?
I don't know if either of you can address that.
But maybe just to mention again, referring to what the Secretary General said yesterday, he, he notes that of course the UN, as has been the case, is working with EGAD, the intergovernmental Authority on development, and with the African Union and the Arab League, whom he hopes to meet with next week at the Africa Union summit.
He says to see how we can converge our efforts to bring these two generals, that's Burhan and Tagalow to the table to have a ceasefire and to finally create conditions also for an effective humanitarian aid delivery.
This is again, according to the Secretary General.
I don't know if either of you can address any, any further about access and permissions.
Peter, I don't think this, I'm sorry, I don't think this will help you hugely.
It's just to reiterate that that.
Both all parties have have restricted the movement of aid, so the the the operating context could not be more difficult.
You're at catastrophic levels of need.
The funding nowhere near matches these.
And then when we get aid with brave partners on the ground to move it, it can frustratingly and and life threateningly not move for two months.
I certainly saw stabilisation centres with all the type of support that that is required.
But I also saw hospitals where the, the, the supplies that were in trucks several 100 kilometres away would have saved lives in those hospitals that that, that cost lives, to be concise.
Yeah, just to just to maybe, maybe to add that 70 to 80% of hospitals in in conflict affected states are, are not functioning anymore.
So the, the, the, the, the, the, the, the access to healthcare has been severely reduced.
And that, for example, in Al Jazeera state, we had to, we had to stop our operations due to, to security concerns.
And obviously Darfur is is of of a great concern because hospitals are inaccessible and there is insecurity that is preventing the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
OK, Lisa, Charlene once again for Voice of America.
Yeah, this is for you, Rolando.
There was the launch of the response plans.
I was wondering, I don't know where The Jets is there or not, but whether any pledges have been coming in, what sort of hopefulness there might be in terms of getting the money that is needed.
And then also Griffith spoke about the discussions, the meetings that he had with the with the generals and the prospect of possibly having in negotiations going.
He said that they agreed to this, but that he was still waiting.
Is there any movement on this front or not?
Of course, I would refer you to Jens for the details.
I mean, I just recited what the hopes of the Secretary General are to try to get the two generals to the table.
But of course, I remind you of this very important announcement made just two days ago here in Geneva by Mr Griffiths and Mr Grandy.
And they are to remind you colleagues.
So we're calling or asking for a combined $4.1 billion for the most urgent humanitarian needs.
Some monies as had been announced here and that this seat had already been pledged.
I think the EU was one, one group that had pledged money.
But indeed, I would refer you to Jens for the details on on the monies that might be be coming forward.
But of course, this is drastically underfunded as as just resided here by my colleagues.
But again, Jens might have more details.
I don't believe he's online.
If you are, Jens, put your hand up.
Do we have further questions on Sudan for our colleagues here?
OK, Jens does put his hand up.
So Jens, please over to you.
Thank you, Rolando, and thank you, Lisa.
In, in terms of of funding, as you know, it was a launch of the plants.
It was not a pledging conference.
I just checked on the on the inside Sudan plan and you have the numbers on, on the size of that it's 4% funded 4%.
So that's that's where we're at in terms of the of the discussions and the contacts that have been with the with the two sides.
No, there is no updates in the past day on on that.
I just want you to remind you that Mister Griffiths also said it was contacts with the generals, but discussions in the humanitarian forum could and will most likely be with what he called empowered representatives.
So perhaps not generals in person, but they're representatives empowered to negotiate and discuss on their behalf.
Thanks very much for chiming in.
No, I don't see that's the case.
So thank you very, very much.
James Tarek is maybe if you can stay here, because I know we have going back to WHO shortly, but before that, we'll turn to Marta Hurtado of the UN, the **** Commissioner for Refugee Human Rights, pardon me, Office for the **** Commissioner for Human Rights where I used to work in fact.
So offer to Marta who has updates on Iraq and Haiti, starting with Iraq over to you.
Happy New year to everyone.
I haven't been here since.
We are travelled by proposed amendments to legislation in Iraq which if approved, would impose the death penalty or life imprisonment for engaging in consensual same sex relations as well As for certain forms of adultery.
We call on the members of parliament to ensure that any legislation it's fully aligned with Iraq's human rights obligations.
This was among the issues raised with this concern.
But UN **** Commissioner for Human Rights Fokker to work with Iraqi authorities during his mission to Iraq in August last year.
For countries which have not abolished the death penalty, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Iraq ratified in 1971, strictly limits the death penalty to the most serious crimes, which entails crimes of extreme gravity involving international intentional killings.
The proposed amendments are all the more alarming in the context of Iraq, given its widening use of the death penalty.
More than a dozen prisoners were executed at the end of 2023 and reports have been received indicating that the execution of hundreds of prisons have been recently authorised.
We call on the government to halt all plan executions and establish a moratorium on any position of capital punishment with a view to its abolition.
Thank you very much, Marta.
We have a question for you from Moussa of Almaydin.
Moussa, See your pleb Merci Orlando.
Do we have any questions on Iraq before we?
No, I don't see this case.
Let's maybe before we go back to you, Musa, let's maybe continue with Marta in this case, who has an update as well on Haiti, the monthly record for gang violence killings in Haiti, specifically Marta.
You might have received for about to receive a press release we are issuing on Haiti.
UN **** Commissioner for Human Rights Fokker Tour on Friday issue an urgent warning about the dependent human rights catastrophe in Haiti.
After figures showed that January was the most violent month in more than two years, The already dire human rights situation has deteriorated even farther amid unrelenting and expanding gut violence, with disastrous consequence for Asians, said Turk.
At least 806 people not involved in violent exchanges taking place were killed, injured or kidnapped in January.
In addition, some 300 gang members were killed or injured, bringing the total number of people affected to 1108, more than three times the number recorded in January 2023.
Gang violence is affecting all communes in the Port au France metropolitan area, as gang members continue to clash for control of territory and have escalated their activities in areas outside the capital.
The intensity of clashes, which in some cases have lasted several hours, may indicate that some gangs have recently received new ammunition.
People in areas controlled by gangs have been targeted directly.
Gangs also continued to use sexual violence against women and girls as a weapon and spread fear by sharing on social media gruesome photos and videos of killed individuals and women being raped.
The impact of this torrent of violence on children continues to be of particular consent.
In twenty, 23167 children were killed and injured by bullets.
Some were executed by gangs or so-called self defence groups for the suspect support for rivals.
The recruitment of children to gangs remained extremely worrisome in this context of widespread violence.
In recent weeks there have been anti government street protests and civil unrest supported by opposition political parties in at least 24 towns across the country, including the capital.
Schools, public services and local businesses have been forced to close.
Recently, armed elements have emerged, including some members of the so-called Protected Area Security breach in French Brigade Security Desert Proteges, an informal entity established several years ago by a body in charge of Ember and embrace mental issues.
While some protests have turned violence with public and private buildings transact, there are also persistent concerns about the necessary and disproportionate use of force by law enforcement.
There's more details in the note, but you will receive it later, so I leave it there.
I think maybe we'll just ask Maya is your question on Haiti?
No, my question is nothing on Haiti.
I'm sorry, could we put the volume up?
In this case, let's go back to Musa in this case, if there are no questions on on Haiti.
We'll take a question from Nina of AFP in the room.
I was just wondering if you had a breakdown of the numbers of how many people were killed among those who, because you have killed, injured and kidnapped, if you have a breakdown.
So in January, out of the 1008 victims of killings and during kidnapping was 547 victims of killings, 295 victims of injury and 266 victims of kidnappings.
Thanks for that clarification, Marta.
Any other questions on either Iraq, Iraq or Haiti before we take other questions?
OK, Excuse me, I don't see as the case.
Alertron Zone vie pasi and Commando.
Bonjour Musa International humanitarian law extends special protection to medical units which might be protected and respected at all times.
We always say that and medical units lose such special protection as a result of being used outside the humanitarian function with doesn't look that was the case in Jenin.
So I refer to my previous comment.
International humanitarian law, extend special protection to medical units.
Like I know that has been some confusion with you and with us.
I'm happy to call you later when I am out of the podium to talk about this case specifically.
But to refer what my colleagues have said up until now, we are not in a position to comment on this specific case because we weren't there.
And with the information we have is the same that all of you have seen in the videos.
And as you know, we can only express with about as events that we have been able to verify it has not been the case.
That's why we haven't give you an specific answer to you on this case, but happy to speak outside the microphone.
OK, we have a few more hands for you, perhaps Maya.
Is this also for for Marta?
Yes, Martha, I know that the **** Commissioner for Human Rights, Boca Turk is going to be visiting San Francisco's Silicon Valley next week.
I think it's an invitation from the European Commission.
Can you give us a little bit more details who is going to meet and what is in the agenda of these meetings and how long this is staying in in Silicon Valley?
My, if I may, I will give you all this information as well later on.
My colleagues are currently working on it.
I know that **** Commission is going to meet plenty of stakeholders in San Francisco.
Of course, he's going to raise AI hate speech and all these really concerning Martins regarding human rights and technology.
But I can give you a detailed programme one way we have it and we'll share with you, of course.
We look forward to receiving that.
John Zarcostas Francois Cat.
You have a big team in the OPT, a human rights team, and you have your head of the team in neighbouring Jordan who periodically goes into the OPT.
Have none of your staff been able to get any information from the Palestinian authorities?
I think in this case the information was released by the Ministry of Health of the OPT and I my question is also to Tariq on the podium.
Tariq, you have a mechanism in The Who on attacks on health where you independently verify attacks on health.
What has been the case with this incident that Moussa raised the if your team have been able to independently verify and if you have any information on the attacks on health yesterday, NASA Hospital where I understand a person was injured, seriously injured inside the hospital by a reportedly a sniper from the IDF forces.
On your first question, John, we don't have a big team in the RPT because as you know, we haven't received the authorisation to renew the business for the international staff that we had in Israel and Israel, sorry, on the Occupied Palestinian territory.
So currently there's no any international staff in the territory.
The head of the office have been granted exceptional visas to go to Gaza.
He when recently you had interviews with with him, but currently there's not any international staff.
With respect to the national staff, they have been fleeing as anyone else in the OPT.
There are people that lived in Gaza with their families and there are not present there and the staff working in the West Bank do it as better as they can.
But as I said before, we need to correct ourselves what before speaking up on as well on this case of the hospital, I we did issue a comment on on it.
I have it in front of of my eyes and what we said is that it seemed to be an extrajudicial execution and in a counterterrorism operation.
But is the information that we had at the moment, we haven't had any further information.
That's why we haven't expressed ourselves on this matter.
So I think, you know, we, we addressed this question one of the press conferences.
Look, this this reported attacks within the health facilities can only create fear and and people in hospitals should always feel safe.
Those should be safe havens where people come to get medical care and should not be afraid.
Or for their for their lives.
So, so if, if people feel fear to to go to health hospitals, to health facilities, hospitals, health centres, obviously that reduces the access to healthcare and, and can have a can have a consequences on the health of of the population.
Health facilities are protected under international humanitarian law and we keep really repeating our appeal to all parties.
So the conflict to respect that, that that health workers, ambulances, hospitals, patients should, should not, should never be a target and should be protected.
I'll just give you the, the latest figures we do have on the, on the number of, of attacks that as you know, we are documenting by getting information from different sources.
I will repeat again, who is, is, is, is monitoring, verifying and reporting these attacks, but we do not attributing blame, we do not have capacity nor mandate to to know what weapons have been used and who has committed those attacks.
So so far, WTO has documented 721 attacks on healthcare in the occupied Palestinian territory since October 7.
Out out of those 700 and 21357 attacks in the Gaza resulting in 645 fatalities and 818 injuries.
These attacks attacks have affected 98 healthcare facilities including 27 hospitals damaged out of 36 and affected 90 ambulances including fifty which sustained damage.
Other 364 attacks happened in the West Bank resulting in 10 fatalities and 62 injuries.
These attacks in West Bank have affected 44 health facilities including 15 mobile clinics and 24/9 ambulances.
Happy to send this information by e-mail.
And I think Marta has additional information on Jeanine, if you could.
Yes, just to be clear, I will read out the comment I was referring to that we should follow.
In the the Jeanine attack, we specifically said that the Israeli security forces claim that.
Claimed that three men, the three men that were killed were planning attacks against Israelis and hiding the hospital.
The ISF also claimed that one of them had a gun, a claim denied by hospital staff.
No, a change of fire was reported.
Under applicable international human rights law, firearms may only be used when it's strictly necessary to prevent an imminent ****** to life of serious injury and is otherwise unlawful.
The UN Human Rights Office calls on the Israeli authorities to immediately end the unlawful killing of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, which the office has increasingly documented after the 7th of October, and to provide accountability for all unlawful use of force.
If you recall, on the 28th of December, we released a report on Westman Bank and settlements violence.
Again, citizens of the West Bank, we can share with you again.
At the time, if I recall correctly, it was more than 200 people killed, might be more by now.
So we can ask our colleagues in the OPT and the Occupied Palestinian Territory Office and share those numbers with you.
And let me recall as well that before the 7th of October, already the number of killings and violence in the WAS Bank was really **** and a record number for the last 15 or 20 years.
So already the violence in West Bank was striking before the 7th of October.
But we can share with you these these numbers when we get them.
And as well, let me use opportunity as we are speaking about OPT flag that you have made seen we issue yesterday a comment by the **** Commissioner on the widespread destruction by Israeli Defence forces of civilian infrastructure and how worried we are.
So again, let me repeat what it's written in this in this press release and highlight the Article 53 of the Ford Geneva Convention prohibits destruction by the occupying power of property belonging to private persons except where such destruction is rendered absolutely necessary by military operations.
Destruction carried out to create a buffer zone for general security purpose do not appear consistent with the narrow military operations and extensive destruction of property not justified by military necessity and carry out unlawfully and deliberately amounts to a grave breach of the Fort Geneva Convention.
So this was put out yesterday by us and the **** Commissioner.
It's really, really worried about such destruction.
Marta Moussa, is this a follow up for Marta?
You would have a pause people on the television.
Specifically on being dressed up or not, I don't have the answer, but I can talk to my colleagues on the willful killing, on willful killing or if it's a summary execution or not.
It's there's not an imminent ******.
Arms should not be used and these people, regardless of the they were patients or they were, had committed crimes.
No one can ***** at a person that doesn't have an arm and doesn't and it's not a ******.
So it looks like it was done in not the way it should have been done.
But again, it's that we can say up until now that what it appears.
Thank you very much, Marta.
Gabby, was that your hand up and just went back down?
I thought I saw a hand, so I don't see.
Oh, there it is again, Gabby.
Thank you very much, Rolando.
My question maybe to Tariq or Marta, who is going to investigate who are the perpetrator, perpetrators of the attacks against health facilities and hospitals and health staff.
Who is going to investigate?
I mean on accountability.
Israel as an occupying power has the obligation to investigate any crime.
It's committee on the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
I think that's pretty clear.
Thank you very much for that, Marta, for the questions for Marta.
No, I don't see the case.
So thank you very, very much for joining us here.
Tarek, Thank you for staying with us.
I'll, I'll give you the honour of maybe introducing your guest who is going to address the an update on the global dengue situation.
So we have a pleasure to have again Doctor Rahman Velayudan, who is our lead on on dengue.
You had opportunity to to speak to him couple of months ago, but we really thought that it would be good to provide you with the update on the global dengue situation.
So I'll give the floor immediately to Doctor Velayudan.
It is indeed a pleasure to brief you and thank you for giving me this opportunity.
Just a brief background, dengue is most common viral infection transmitted to humans through the bite of a mosquito.
And this infection is most common in urban areas and petty urban areas in tropical and subtropical regions of the world.
Majority of the cases are mild and sometimes there is no symptoms.
But for those who have the symptoms, they are usually **** fever, headache, body ache, rashes and nausea.
They recover in one to two weeks time.
But there are cases, especially those who get dengue for the second time, which we call secondary infection, they may need hospital care because they may have a severe dengue and which has specific warning signs.
And if we have severe dengue, naturally you need specialist care in the hospital.
The there is currently no specific treatment for dengue or severe dengue.
So early detection and proper medical care is the key and it definitely reduces the mortality due to dengue.
At present, about 4 billion people are at risk of this disease.
In 2023, we reported around 5.5 million cases and 5000 deaths of due to dengue in over 80 countries.
The situation the the region of the American region was one of the worst hit and they had recorded 4.5 million cases, one of the highest in the in history of which there were about 2280 deaths and the cases most of them were reported from Brazil which was around 3,000,000 though the case fatality rate was 0.4%.
The main vector of dengue which is the Aedes mosquito.
They have silently expanded their range and they have crossed many countries and today they are present in over 130 countries.
And this expansion is continuing mainly in the Mediterranean region, southern parts of South S South America, parts of Africa.
And this is facilitated by environmental changes and climates, climatic conditions which are extremely suitable for their breeding.
The dengue season is currently peaking in the Southern Hemisphere, especially in the American region, and the El Nino phenomenon is still ongoing, and the trend of 2023 is continuing at present, and we are quite concerned about it.
In the first four weeks of 2024, the American region has reported over 373,000 cases, of which 258 were severe and 57 deaths were reported.
All four serotypes have been detected in the region.
Most of these cases are from Brazil, followed by Paraguay, Colombia, Mexico and Nicaragua.
Brazil has one of the strongest surveillance system in the region and it's a real model for many countries and the dengue cases are reported as suspected, probable and confirmed.
Brazil is one of the two countries in the region of the Americas who have who are going to introduce the new dengue vaccine Q Dengue, which is produced by Takeda in its routine schedule for children between 10 to 14 in 512 municipalities with over 100,000 population and they are targeting to vaccinate around 2.5 million children.
Now in terms of WH OS action, considering all these factors, WH OS assets to the risk of dengue globally and has put dengue at a higher level and supporting all countries around the world to control the current outbreak and prepare the countries to respond to any future outbreaks.
As the monsoon and weather patterns change from region to region, W2 is currently supporting countries to plan and implement priority multi sectoral interventions to control the spread of dengue such as strengthening surveillance, conducting risk stratification and prioritising action.
We are also helping countries in training clinical experts and updating their guidelines, strengthening mosquito surveillance and control to guide vector control activities, including community participation.
And WHO is also leading the Global Arbovirus Initiative, an integrated strategy to tackle all arboviruses, which includes dengue, chikungunya, Zika and yellow fever.
And this is mainly to address the issue of monitoring risks, risks preventing preparedness, detecting and response and building a coalition of partners.
The advice WHO gives to countries and partners and communities to work together to be alert and be prepared to detect any transmission and other of dengue and other mosquito borne disease in the tropical area.
The general population can also lower their risk of dengue by avoiding mosquito bite by using insect repellents or screening their houses and even especially during the day because most of these mosquitoes bite during the daytime.
And they need to support communities to reduce and eliminate risk, especially reducing mosquito breeding in and around your homes, at places of your work, schools, etcetera.
If there's any question I'll be happy to answer.
Doctor, we have a question for you from oh, OK.
I think Jimmy will disappear.
So we Gabriela Sotomayor of El Proceso of Mexico go ahead.
Very thank you very much for these briefing.
What are your main concerns, concerns regarding Mexico?
How is the situation there?
Well, the Mexico has recorded a few cases so far and we are not, we are probably we really need to monitor and I must say that Mexico also has one of the very good surveillance systems.
I have personally seen it.
So they will be able to detect and act on it to control the outbreak.
So at the moment it is not alarming, but we hope things will be under control and we are monitoring the situation.
Thank you very much, Doctor.
We have a question now from Paula Dupras Dobias of Geneva Solutions.
I wanted to ask about Ecuador because it doesn't, I mean, you didn't mention it in the, the, the, the names of countries in South America or in Latin America, but given the El Nino phenomenon, there's, there's been concerned that there as well well as in Peru with the, with the rains and flooding that they're the situation may be exacerbated.
I also wanted to ask you and if you have comments about the situation that in in Ecuador regarding thing.
But I also wanted to ask about any response by WHO or other humanitarian organisations in Ecuador right now given the security situation, if if you and perhaps any other colleagues could comment on that.
I don't know if if OCHA or UNHCR are able to comment about the situation in in Ecuador.
I think later I can provide you the exact figure of dengue because we are still updating our table.
As I said, Ecuador is not in the top five countries at the moment, but we are monitoring it.
We have our staff office based in Ecuador closely monitoring that.
Yeah, on the security situation, I will ask other agencies to help.
You're using this as an opportunity to invite other colleagues should you have anything to add on the situation in Ecuador, Please just put up your hand.
But for the meantime, we'll turn to Isabel Sacco of Spanish News Agency.
I I would like to know on the availability of vaccines, if there are enough amount of stocks of vaccines to to respond to any outbreak in Latin America and if it would be a need to expand the immunisation programmes or regarding dengue.
In terms of vaccines, frankly this question we have to address to the company which is currently Takeda, they are by basically scaling up their production.
We are told that they have provided 3.2 million doses to Brazil and other countries if they are requested.
We, we really don't know.
So this is something we, we have to get it from the company and I, I will try to get it in a couple of days.
So we really don't know their capacity at the moment.
We know it, they are scaling up, but they haven't provided us exact figures.
And I really don't know which countries are opting for vaccinating because our WHO recommendation given by our strategic advisory group is to vaccinate children in the age group of 6 to 16 years in **** transmission areas.
So that is very specific to this vaccine.
And so it's, it's up to countries to decide where they want to target their intervention.
Before we go to the Jamel, Isabel, do you have a follow up to your question?
Tell, tell me, would you or would WHO describe this situation that you are seeing regarding to dengue in Latin America as a crisis, as a concerning situation or as a normal pattern given the the season, the peak that this is the normal season for dengue?
Actually, this is the season for dengue.
There's no question about it because it's summer in the Southern Hemisphere and you have your rains and things and it is an ideal condition for mosquitoes to breed.
This is definitely the season.
Now, whether this is going to have a steep increase, we really don't know.
We are in the early stages now.
We know there is El Nino phenomenon happening in the region.
We also know that there are places which could have which had severe drought.
In those areas also people store water and this breeds mosquitoes and even in flooded conditions again it favours the mosquitoes.
So we just need to watch how this season spans out in the next few weeks before we can give you any assessment whether this is a really a crisis.
But at the moment, the trend in Brazil is little alarming.
It is increasing and the government has even declared an emergency, which is already in the media.
The graph is definitely **** in Brazil, but we hope other countries it may not be so, but it are very much depends on weather patterns as well as the transmission by the mosquitoes.
Speaking of Brazil, we turn now to our colleague of Brazilian correspondent, Jamil Shad has a question.
Yes, Roland, can you hear me?
I have a number of of questions on dengue in Brazil.
So the first one, Carnival starts tomorrow in Brazil.
Is there any specific recommendation from WHO regarding dengue and a massive event that is much bigger than New Year's, World Cup, Olympic Games, anything that you can imagine?
Is there any specific recommendations?
Secondly, why is it that the world has only one company producing dengue vaccine?
Where is double HO in the mobilisation of private sector etcetera in the production of vaccines?
3rd on the numbers, can you repeat again the numbers of 2024?
I think you said 370,000 cases and 258 in Brazil.
From where, when to when exactly?
And finally, last question, is this a situation in Brazil that is a consequence of political choices in health during the years of Bolsonaro or it has nothing to do with political choices?
Thank you very much for a range of questions.
So in terms of Carnival, basically WHO has advice on base personal protection?
Mainly we encourage people who are involved in the Carnival to use repellents and protect themselves.
And of course those who are who can cover up with the long sleeves, it is even better.
But repellents are definitely a a a way to protect yourself from day biting mosquitoes.
The second issue regarding in the companies producing vaccine.
Now you must remember that Tequila vaccine is a second one.
The first one was Sanofi vaccine, which had limited efficacy because it works better in people who had dengue once.
And Sanofi has since not been scaling up production, mainly because this challenge remains that they have to test anyone before they vaccinate.
So it is a it was the first candidate.
Then of course, they, we, we have a range of vaccines under trial, one of which is actually in Brazil, the Bhutanthwan vaccine, which is an NIH product which was licenced and we understand that vaccine is giving real positive results and we are waiting for their final report for recommendation.
So there are candidates and there there are other candidates in other countries as well, all in various stages of studies.
And we are encouraging it to to come to The Who Strategic advisory group for review and recommendation.
In terms of dengue vaccine, the challenge is basic issue is dengue there are 4 serotypes or very 4 closely related viruses.
It is a very difficult to find a vaccine which addresses all four and this has been the challenge for past 50 years.
It is not an easy solution.
So it is like having a single key for four locks, not easy.
So the problem is most of these vaccines have varying level of efficacy against these four viruses, four different closely related virus.
So if you want a good vaccine, we have to have at least 6070% protection against these four.
And we are happy that some of these candidate vaccines are showing that and we hope more vaccines will come in, in, in the coming years And we are expecting one or two even this year later this year.
Now the number I have is back basically for the first four weeks of this year and there is Brazil has 262, 1247 cases.
And this was the number given to me.
And we can give you the latest figure later because as you know our regional office PAHO has a website which is more or less live constantly updated.
So we can give you more accurate numbers in terms of consequence.
I wouldn't wish to comment on this because this health delivery system and how it is managed, it is very much a government priority.
But I must say that Brazil has done commendably well for many, many years in addressing dengue, facilitating the introduction of vaccines and even try carrying out this large scale vaccination right now.
They have also been pivotal in testing new vector control methods.
So there has been a lot of initiative from Brazil and we we look to Brazil's data mainly for many of our recommendations and things.
We also have collaborating centres in Brazil.
So the overall Brazil has done well, but we need more.
And this is a very difficult disease because it's urban and it is facilitated by a day biting mosquito.
And we really have four different viruses.
So you may get infected in your lifetime with one or two or three of these.
So this is our challenge and we need to protect ourselves and make a comprehensive approach to deal with this.
Thanks to you, Doctor Tarik, and thank you for sending the notes.
I think Jamil has a follow up for you, Doctor.
You said that we may have one or two new vaccines by the end of the year.
And secondly, you mentioned the name number for Brazil to 262,000, but what is the international number or the world number for that same.
Actually from the Brazil and the American region is one of the best we have in reporting and their reporting system is something we are trying to develop in all regions of WHO and we will launch a a dashboard soon which is we are under development.
But the regions of the American region has really got a very good dashboard which you can see on the website now.
The global number is around 500,000 cases so far.
But as I said, in the American region, because of their reporting, they account for 373,000 cases.
Now the on, on the vaccine, we know that Butantuan trial data is expected anytime this year.
And we are also told that there is a, a trial going on somewhere in, in India also and in few other countries which the national regulatory authorities are screening.
So we will, we hope some of those candidates will also come to WHO later this year.
So this is the data we have at the moment.
Further questions for Doctor Vela Udan.
I don't see that's the case.
So I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you very much for the important work.
We're shedding light on this important situation of the global dengue situation, in fact.
OK, Catherine from UNCTAD has an announcement for us.
Over to you, Catherine Bridgetown.
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No, I don't see that's the case.
So thank you once again, Mercy on call.
We have just a couple of announcements in terms of the human rights treaty bodies, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.
We'll be reviewing the Central African Republic today, and on Monday the Committee on the Economic, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights will open its 75th session, which will last for three weeks, during which the committee will review reports of Romania, Mauritania, Ireland, Iraq, Indonesia and Sweden.
There's a media advisory that we shared with you earlier, Vuz aveloso Tulion from Marcion, so le Conference de pest Maldi Perschen for Crusade.
And then just a last note is a couple of observances which I'd like to flag.
Tomorrow is the Lunar New Year, and there's a video message from the Secretary General through which he says he sends his warmest greetings as we usher in the Year of the Dragon.
The dragon symbolises energy, wisdom, protection and good luck, and we need these qualities to rise to today's global challenges.
And then Sunday we have the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
Among other things, the Secretary General notes that from climate change to health to artificial intelligence, the equal participation of women and girls in scientific discovery and innovation is the only way to ensure that science works for everyone.
So those messages were shared with you.
So wish you a very nice weekend and happy Lunar New Year.
