WHO podcast

The WHO podcast brings you public health information and related news from around the world. Click on the links below to subscibe, or to play or download individual episodes. :: Subscribe to our feed on Feedburner Allows you to subscribe using a number of popular aggregators. :: What is a podcast? Explanation of how a podcast works, and how to listen and subscribe to the WHO podcast. :: Feedback Send your comments about the podcast

Recent episodes

21 November 2008: WHO coordinates health relief to people displaced in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
In the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, renewed hostilities are putting health facilities under extreme pressure. We find out what is being done to provide essential health services for the people pushed out of their homes and forced to abandon their communities.
Play now - duration 00:06:55 [mp3 3.9Mb]

5 November 2008: A new WHO study presents the state of the world's health
WHO publishes a new a study on the global burden of disease, with comparisons between deaths, diseases and injuries by region, age, sex and country income.
Play now - duration 00:05:44 [mp3 3.3Mb]
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23 October 2008: New programme launched to fill gap in treatment of mental disorders
WHO launches a new programme to help millions with mental disorders in the developing world.
Play now - duration 00:04:34 [mp3 2.6Mb]
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15 October 2008: World Health Report launched, calls for return to primary health care approach
The World Health Report calls for a revival of the primary health care approach to steer health systems towards better performance and greater equity.
Play now - duration 00:08:04 [mp3 4.6Mb]
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9 October 2008: Melamine in baby food
WHO update on the situation of melamine in baby food in China.
Play now - duration 00:06:00 [mp3 3.4Mb]
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26 September 2008: Does the electronic cigarette help smokers to quit smoking?
WHO says there is no evidence that the electronic cigarette helps smokers to quit smoking. WHO this week asked manufacturers and marketers to stop their unproved therapy claims.
Play now - duration 00:05:00 [mp3 2.9Mb]
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22 September 2008: Progress in malaria control since 2006
The World malaria report 2008 finds that progress in malaria control has accelerated since 2006. We look at the main findings of the report and their implications.
Play now - duration 00:04:55 [mp3 2.8Mb]
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17 September 2008: Pakistan and Haiti in need of emergency health care
Heavy rains and flooding have made thousands of people in Pakistan and Haiti homeless and cut off their access to health care. In this episode, we find out what WHO is doing to provide emergency health care in these two countries.
Play now - duration 00:06:22 [mp3 3.8Mb]
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8 September 2008: New vaccine to prevent meningitis epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa
A new meningitis vaccine is being introduced to prevent epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa. We find out how big a problem meningitis is and how the vaccine will help.
Play now - duration 00:06:55 [mp3 4.0Mb]
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2 September 2008: Social inequities are killing people on a grand scale, says new report
The WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health submits its final report to the WHO Director-General.
Play now - duration 00:07:48 [mp3 4.5Mb]
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27 August 2008: Follow-up from the International Aids Conference in Mexico
The XVII International AIDS Conference which was held in Mexico City in early August was truly an international event with participants from every corner of the world. With over 20 000 participants, this meeting was the second largest International AIDS Conference.
Play now - duration 00:04:55 [mp3 2.8Mb]
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15 August 2008: Global public health and ethics
The role of ethics in global public health and the key ethical questions that arise during demographic and health surveillance discussed, in the context of this month's Bulletin of the World Health Organization.
Play now - duration 00:06:11 [mp3 3.6Mb]
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4 August 2008: International AIDS conference opens in Mexico City; World breastfeeding week
The International AIDS conference opens today in Mexico City. One focus of the conference will be the status of the pandemic in the Americas. World Breastfeeding week raises awareness of the importance of breastfeeding for both mothers and babies; this year the focus is particularly on supporting mothers to breastfeed successfully.
Play now - duration 00:08:21 [mp3 4.8Mb]
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28 July 2008: New funding to fight tobacco use in the developing world; shifting from emergency relief to early recovery in Myanmar
New funding announced to expand the fight against the growing use of tobacco products, specifically in the developing world; WHO and its partners shift emphasis in Myanmar from relief to early recovery, focusing particularly on rebuilding health facilities and restoring essential health services after Cyclone Nargis.
Play now - duration 00:07:30 [mp3 4.4Mb]
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23 July 2008: WHO international staff return to work in Iraq; 2.5 billion people do not have access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene
WHO international staff return to work in Iraq after five years; and a new report says more than 2.5 billion people worldwide do not have access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene.
Play now - duration 00:07:06 [mp3 4.1Mb]
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9 July 2008: European health ministers make commitments to improve health systems
Health ministers from the 53 countries of the WHO European Region have signed a new charter on health systems, committing themselves to improving the health and wealth of people in Europe.
Play now - duration 00:06:50 [mp3 4.0Mb]
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27 June 2008: Call for action to reduce TB deaths among people living with HIV; impact of safe water on global health; ensuring baby-friendly hospitals
World leaders call for action to reduce tuberculosis deaths among people living with HIV; a new report highlights how much disease can be prevented by improving access to safe water and better sanitation and hygiene; and, a look at the achievements of the Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative since its launch in 1991.
Play now - duration 00:06:24 [mp3 3.7Mb]
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19 June 2008: Polio eradication top operational priority; update on Myanmar situation; importance of volunteer blood donors
WHO makes polio eradication top operational priority; an update on the situation in Myanmar six weeks after Cyclone Nargis; and why there is a need for volunteer blood donors.
Play now - duration 00:06:01 [mp3 3.4Mb]
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6 June 2008: 3 million now receiving life-saving HIV drugs; what WHO is doing on health impacts of climate change; campaign asks for total ban on tobacco ads
Nearly 3 million HIV-positive people are now receiving anti-retroviral therapy; a look at what WHO is doing to address health impacts of climate change; and a new campaign for a total ban on all forms of tobacco advertisements.
Play now - duration 00:06:48 [mp3 3.9Mb]
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20 May 2008: WHO's priorities 60 years ago and now: two founding pioneers reflect
Two founding pioneers recount WHO's birth 60 years ago and reflect on its role today.
Play now - duration 00:06:01 [mp3 3.4Mb]
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8 May 2008: Emergency help to cyclone-affected Myanmar; UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; volunteers help deliver treatments in Africa
WHO sends emergency help to people affected by Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar; the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities comes into force; and volunteers help improve treatment coverage for malaria and river blindness in Africa.
Play now - duration 00:06:43 [mp3 3.9Mb]
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18 April 2008: Experts assess progress in tackling XDR-TB; steps to further reduce maternal and child deaths
Experts assess progress in tackling extensively drug-resistant TB; and Countdown 2015 conference identifies steps to further reduce maternal and child deaths.
Play now - duration 00:07:00 [mp3 4.0Mb]
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7 April 2008: World Health Day 2008 - a focus on how climate change affects human health
On World Health Day, a look at how climate change is going to affect human health in different parts of the world.
Play now - duration 00:07:58 [mp3 4.5Mb]
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28 March 2008: Somalia is again polio-free; role of history in public health today
With no new cases reported in a year, Somalia is again polio-free; and why is history important for public health today?
Play now - duration 00:07:32 [mp3 4.3Mb]
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20 March 2008: New report on global TB control; emergency vaccination in Iraq; new edition of medical guide for ships
The Global Tuberculosis Control 2008 report is launched; an emergency vaccination campaign takes place in Iraq; and a new edition of the International Medical Guide for Ships is published.
Play now - duration 00:07:15 [mp3 4.2Mb]
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27 February 2008: Highest rates of multidrug-resistant TB recorded; yellow fever vaccines on their way to Paraguay
Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has been recorded at the highest rate ever; and WHO and its partners ship vaccines to Paraguay in response to the yellow fever outbreak.
Play now - duration 00:05:23 [mp3 3.1Mb]
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11 February 2008: New report on tobacco use and control efforts; the consequences of female genital mutilation
In this episode, WHO releases the first comprehensive analysis of tobacco use and efforts to control the tobacco epidemic, and marks 6 February as International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation.
Play now - duration 00:05:02 [mp3 3.1Mb]
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16 January 2008: Estimating the number of violent deaths in Iraq
In this episode, new research by WHO and the Iraqi government estimates that 151 000 Iraqis died from violence in the three years following the March 2003 invasion of the country.
Play now - duration 00:04:58 [mp3 2.8Mb]
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