A fire crew tackles a wildfire burning an area of forest near the village of Mano, in the Landes department of France, on July 31, 2022. The fire broke out in the late afternoon and by the evening had burned some 100 hectares, and caused the evacuation of 15 houses. This region of France has been ravaged by wildfires over the past couple of weeks, originally coinciding with a heatwave. Some 20,800 hectares of forest have been burned, and more than 36,000 people have been evacuated during the fires.

A helicopter works to put out a wildfire burning in an area of forest near the village of Mano, in the Landes department of France, on July 31, 2022. The fire broke out in the late afternoon and by the evening had burned some 100 hectares, and caused the evacuation of 15 houses. This region of France has been ravaged by wildfires over the past couple of weeks, originally coinciding with a heatwave. Some 20,800 hectares of forest have been burned, and more than 36,000 people have been evacuated during the fires.

Nicolas Padoit, 40, sits on the jetty in the town of Arcachon, near the Dune du Pilat (pictured, background), in the Gironde department of France, on July 30, 2022. A wildfire in the forest surrounding the dune ravaged the area, and was still smouldering. Mr. Padoit owns a surf-school that operates from one of the beaches closed during the wildfire. "Everything around burned down, except us," he said. "They [the fire-service] managed to contain the flames." Thousands of people were evacuated from their homes, and Mr. Padoit hosted one of his employees and his family during this period.

A lifeguard's rescue surfboard is pictured near a first aid post on the Pilat beach below the Dune du Pilat, Europe's largest sand dune, near La Taste-de-Buch in the Gironde department of France, during a hot summers day on July 30, 2022. The area had recently seen a dire heatwave, which coincided with terrible wildfires.

Mahe Vergriette, 22, a lifeguard, stands outside his first aid post on the Pilat beach below the Dune du Pilat, Europe's largest sand dune, near La Taste-de-Buch in the Gironde department of France, during a hot summers day on July 30, 2022. The area had recently seen a dire heatwave, which coincided with terrible wildfires. "People try to walk up the dune but get dehydrated, they don't realise how hot it is with the wind," said Mr. Vergriette. During the wildfires, Mr. Vergriette lent a hand to the fire service, preparing food and drink, as well as helping entertain children who had been evacuated.

Rui Martins, 53, stands in front of burned trees beside his house, on the outskirts of the village of Saint-Magne, in the Gironde department of France, on July 30, 2022. A wildfire tore through the forests surrounding the village earlier in the month, causing residents including Mr. Martins to be evacuated. "It's sad, we had a beautiful spot here," said Mr. Martins. "We no longer hear the birds." Mr. Martins' house was spared from the fire, but outbuildings used for storage were destroyed. Wildfires in the region have destroyed some 20,800 hectares of forest, and more than 36,000 people have been evacuated from their homes.

Mount Kazbegi, 5047m, Georgia Caucasian mountains in autumn, Kazbegi, Georgia

Chris Allan Englefield Green, United Kingdom Chris is a recovered Long COVID sufferer. As a younger man, Chris Allan, 46, cycled from London to Kathmandu. He has run marathons and, not long before COVID-19 struck in 2020, he climbed a 7,000-metre mountain in Central Asia.

“As the weeks turned to months and now years, I have had days when I have wondered if I will ever be the person I was before - and it makes me feel depressed. My main frustration is not being able to go for long walks, climb hills, or travel long distances because of the fatigue. I also find my memory and ability to recall wards has become really bad.” Susan, 63 is a health policy consultant and considered herself fit and healthy before catching COVID-19 in April 2020. At that time, she was an avid hill walker and regularly practiced yoga. The irony was that her husband also caught COVID-19 at around the same time, but was over his illness after only a week. Susan, however, was not so fortunate – she soon developed chronic fatigue, headaches, high temperature and muscle aches, with a nasty cough developing two weeks later. She remained Ill in bed for 3 weeks, only venturing out to get her pulse and oxygen levels checked at a local drive-through test centre. Two months after having contracted COVID-19, Susan was still coping with headaches and brain fog, which eventually cleared up, only to be replaced by breathlessness and fatigue again. “In the first few months I was frustrated that I couldn’t even walk to the local shops, having always been a very active and independent person. My husband was very supportive, but at first he struggled to understand why I wasn’t getting better, particularly as he’d managed to shake off the virus so quickly. Loss of appetite and interest in things because of fatigue worried me, but I was very hopeful that the symptoms would soon clear up”. As well as having this sense of optimism, Susan was feeling that things could have been so much worse. “ Given the number of people who were dying from COVID-19 in 2020, I considered myself extremely lucky. I was very aware that as we were all in lockdown so everyone’s lives were being restricted, not just mine. Also that this had happened to me at a time of my life when I could afford to slow down a bit without having major financial or family worries. If I’d been mid-career, with a physically demanding role, I am sure I would have felt much more frustrated and stressed.” Susan began following the LongCovidSupport Facebook page, which made her aware she wasn’t alone in how she was feeling. “In the first half of 2020, the Facebook page seemed to be the only form of support out there. A coordinated service for addressing my symptoms didn’t become available in my area until spring 2021. It was reassuring to find there were many others in the same situation as me and that what I had was real. It also became a really useful source of practical advice at a time when there was very little available”. “I chatted to many people on there, who like me had had COVID-19, but weren’t admitted to hospital. We had all started trying to build up exercise after the initial infection went and then ended up exhausted and back in bed. For me, that was the trigger to realise something was really not right.” Between August and October 2020, Susan was referred for heart, lung and blood tests, which led to a diagnosis of ‘post-viral chronic fatigue’ – a classic sign of Long COVID Condition. “My GP has been very supportive, both before and after the diagnosis. You have to remember that no-one really had a clue what Long COVID was at that time (and we still don’t fully understand it) so it has been a challenging time for clinicians as well. However, my GP really listened to me and through the process we’ve both learnt a lot about Long COVID ”. Two years on from catching COVID-19, Susan is still suffering from fatigue, but has adapted and come to terms with the reality of her condition. “I am often tired by early evening so have to plan my day accordingly. I find yoga – which combines movement, breathing and mindfulness – is really helpful. My life has really slowed down, but in some ways I find it quite beneficial. I notice and appreciate so much more around me – especially nature and the seasons. So as one door closes, another one opens”. “Long COVID can be life-altering, as I have found, so I don’t understand why people wouldn’t want to get a COVID-19 vaccination to protect their own health and that of the loved ones around them. No-one can predict, as yet, who will go on to develop Long COVID from a COVID-19 infection – even a mild bout of it; it is a condition that can affect all ages and there are many sufferers out there – like me – who were previously healthy, with no underlying conditions”. “I’d urge everyone to get vaccinated, because people who end up having to have hospital treatment because of COVID-19 infection are also potentially worsening the already significant backlog in treatments available to patients with other serious conditions”.

Exterior view of UN city, Copenhagen.

A grim milestone has passed as reported confirmed COVID-19 deaths from countries in the WHO European Region have exceeded 2 million deaths. While this number is devastating, it only represents a fraction of the overall deaths directly and indirectly associated with COVID-19, as WHO’s report on excess mortality during the pandemic has shown. Elena Ciesco, lost her father, Luigi Ciesco to COVID-19 in `December 2020, he was originally from Italy. "So my father's name was Luigi. His name Luigi actually means courageous warrior. And that to me is exactly who my dad was. I've never known a man with the courage and strength as my dad." "The pandemic is not over: it’s still killing people. It hasn't gone away. Life is not normal. I know people will want to think that it is normal, but it's not. " And even though the restrictions have been lifted, Elena is adamant that she won’t be stopping any protective measures soon: “COVID-19 is still here and it’s still killing people. I know people will want to think that life is back to normal, but it's not. And even though the restrictions have been lifted, and facemasks are an option, I will still be making sure I'm fully protected. I've got a really, really vulnerable Mum, so I have to look after her. " "We're all in this together. And I really believe that everyone should do their fair share in being responsible for the prevention of this awful virus from spreading so I would urge anybody to get vaccinated." A grim milestone has passed as reported confirmed COVID-19 deaths from countries in the WHO European Region have exceeded 2 million deaths. While this number is devastating, it only represents a fraction of the overall deaths directly and indirectly associated with COVID-19, as WHO’s report on excess mortality during the pandemic has shown. Elena Ciesco, lost her father, Luigi Ciesco to COVID-19 in `December 2020, he was originally from Italy. "So my father's name was Luigi. His name Luigi actually means courageous warrior. And that to me is exactly who my dad was. I've never known a man with the courage and strength as my dad." "The pandemic is not over: it’s still killing people. It hasn't gone away. Life is not normal. I know people will want to think that it is normal, but it's not. " And even though the restrictions have been lifted, Elena is adamant that she won’t be stopping any protective measures soon: “COVID-19 is still here and it’s still killing people. I know people will want to think that life is back to normal, but it's not. And even though the restrictions have been lifted, and facemasks are an option, I will still be making sure I'm fully protected. I've got a really, really vulnerable Mum, so I have to look after her. " "We're all in this together. And I really believe that everyone should do their fair share in being responsible for the prevention of this awful virus from spreading so I would urge anybody to get vaccinated."un

Jean lost her father to Covid in a care home in April 2020. Jean also works in the care home sector. She stands in from of the National COVID Memorial Wall in London, United Kingdom. She holds a photo of her father, and repaints the heart she drew to remember her father, Aldrick. Jean's father who was 98-years old died less than 24 hours after being admitted to hospital: “The death of my father from COVID-19 made me acutely aware of contracting the virus. Having lost my dad the way that I did, it was very personal to me, so I have been ultra-cautious, especially around my grandchildren”. Jean is also a great advocate for the COVID-19 vaccines: “Coming from a nursing background, getting the vaccine was a no brainer. But, also the fact that I lost my father meant I couldn't wait to get it, so had mine fairly early in the rollout”. "This memorial is so beautiful and so important because it's positioned next to an NHS hospital and opposite where all of the decisions were made. And this is the fallout from that. So it is a really powerful monument for a whole community of bereaved families. There are a lot of ways that we can remember my Dad. pay tribute to him. But it's a lovely thing to be able to come and see (the Wall) and to have that shared remembrance "In the weeks leading up to my Dad catching COVID I was unable to visit him, only see him through his bedroom window. Following his infection, he became quite breathless and I asked the care home to have him admitted to hospital so that he could get the oxygen he needed. As he was deteriorating quite quickly, the hospital invited me in to spend time with him, but as my daughter had just given birth two weeks earlier it seemed too much of a risk to me, my daughter and my granddaughter to do that – given how COVID-19 was circulating so widely and there were no vaccines or treatments at that time. He died within 24 hours of being in hospital. It’s something that I'll live with for the rest of my days - that I wasn't able to be with him and offer him any real comfort, in his dying days."

Lobby places a hand on the heart he drew to remember his father who passed from COVID_19 in 2020. He stands in front of the National COVID Memorial Wall in London, United Kingdom. Thousands of painted hearts and messages line the 500-metre wall along the River Thames. Each one marks a death, and a bereaved family coming to terms with the devastating – and often sudden – loss of one of their loved ones to the disease The numbers that have died in the European region are staggering, as Lobby Akinnola, who lost his father to COVID-19 in 2020 emphasizes: “When you hear ‘2 million’, that should terrify everyone. A million people a year is insane. It shows just how deadly the disease is and how unprepared we were. It really needs to be a point of reflection, when people need to say ‘how are we going to make sure this doesn't happen again’?” But, the grim milestone of two million deaths from COVID-19 is also a reminder that the virus is still very much with us. As Lobby explains, we need to continue to take actions to combat COVID-19 “There is still value in doing things like wearing a mask if you are in an enclosed space. Yes, it’s a bit inconvenient, but it could save your life, or the life of one of your family. You do not want to learn the hard way. You might not cause pain for yourself, but think about the consequences for other people.” Lobby Akinnola's father, Olufemi Akinnolato died from COVID in April 2020. My father was my supporter, my friend. (I remember when I was at university in Nottingham) I was having a bit of a hard time and my dad as he always does, as he always did, came to comfort and reassure me. This was emblematic of the relationship we had, you know, as father and son.

Lobby stands in front of the National COVID Memorial Wall in London, United Kingdom. Thousands of painted hearts and messages line the 500-metre wall along the River Thames. Each one marks a death, and a bereaved family coming to terms with the devastating – and often sudden – loss of one of their loved ones to the disease The numbers that have died in the European region are staggering, as Lobby Akinnola, who lost his father to COVID-19 in 2020 emphasizes: “When you hear ‘2 million’, that should terrify everyone. A million people a year is insane. It shows just how deadly the disease is and how unprepared we were. It really needs to be a point of reflection, when people need to say ‘how are we going to make sure this doesn't happen again’?” But, the grim milestone of two million deaths from COVID-19 is also a reminder that the virus is still very much with us. As Lobby explains, we need to continue to take actions to combat COVID-19 “There is still value in doing things like wearing a mask if you are in an enclosed space. Yes, it’s a bit inconvenient, but it could save your life, or the life of one of your family. You do not want to learn the hard way. You might not cause pain for yourself, but think about the consequences for other people.” Lobby Akinnola's father, Olufemi Akinnolato died from COVID in April 2020. My father was my supporter, my friend. (I remember when I was at university in Nottingham) I was having a bit of a hard time and my dad as he always does, as he always did, came to comfort and reassure me. This was emblematic of the relationship we had, you know, as father and son.

Elderly patients enjoy lunch at the Day Care Center for the Elderly, Balykchy, Issyk-Kul region, Kyrgyzstan, 30 March 2022. The mission of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme (WHE) is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks, and provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations.

Elderly residents exercise, assisted by a physical therapist, at Bishkek social center for the elderly and disabled in Kyrgyzstan, 29 March 2022. The mission of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme (WHE) is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks, and provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations.

Elderly residents exercise, assisted by a physical therapist, at Bishkek social center for the elderly and disabled in Kyrgyzstan, 29 March 2022. The mission of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme (WHE) is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks, and provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations.

The overwhelming majority of Ukrainian refugees are women and children. The arriving refugees require specific healthcare, such as treatment for chronic conditions, psychological support and maternal and child health. The Rzeszow main train station has been converted into a reception centre for refugees, with entire families including elderly women, new mothers and their babies availing of crucial health services, including psychosocial health support. Amid their misery, many refugees made the time to share stories with our team and express their appreciation for the warmth with which Polish authorities and civilians alike have received them and created support systems with record speed.

On March 3, 2022, WHO's Regional Director for Europe, Dr Hans Kluge, visited a Warsaw warehouse where 36 metric tonnes of critical medical supplies were temporarily stored before being shipped a day later to western Ukraine. The supplies included trauma kits and other health items intended to benefit up to 150,000 people amid the Ukraine humanitarian emergency.

Optimizing the health and well-being of people with disabilities is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Because the experience of disability is universal across the lifespan and impacts all areas of human life, disability is relevant to the implementation of all SDGs. Everyone’s health and well-being depends on an adequate standard of living, decently paid work and participation in education and social and community life but these are areas of life in which people with disabilities are particularly disadvantaged. Read more https://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/420163/Disability-SDG-factsheet.pdf Photo are taken at Peto Institute in Budapest, Hungary. Since 1945, the institute has been helping children with cerebral palsy through conductive education.

Optimizing the health and well-being of people with disabilities is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Because the experience of disability is universal across the lifespan and impacts all areas of human life, disability is relevant to the implementation of all SDGs. Everyone’s health and well-being depends on an adequate standard of living, decently paid work and participation in education and social and community life but these are areas of life in which people with disabilities are particularly disadvantaged. Read more https://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/420163/Disability-SDG-factsheet.pdf Photo are taken at Peto Institute in Budapest, Hungary. Since 1945, the institute has been helping children with cerebral palsy through conductive education.

Optimizing the health and well-being of people with disabilities is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Because the experience of disability is universal across the lifespan and impacts all areas of human life, disability is relevant to the implementation of all SDGs. Everyone’s health and well-being depends on an adequate standard of living, decently paid work and participation in education and social and community life but these are areas of life in which people with disabilities are particularly disadvantaged. Read more https://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/420163/Disability-SDG-factsheet.pdf Photo are taken at Peto Institute in Budapest, Hungary. Since 1945, the institute has been helping children with cerebral palsy through conductive education.

Optimizing the health and well-being of people with disabilities is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Because the experience of disability is universal across the lifespan and impacts all areas of human life, disability is relevant to the implementation of all SDGs. Everyone’s health and well-being depends on an adequate standard of living, decently paid work and participation in education and social and community life but these are areas of life in which people with disabilities are particularly disadvantaged. Read more https://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/420163/Disability-SDG-factsheet.pdf Photo are taken at Peto Institute in Budapest, Hungary. Since 1945, the institute has been helping children with cerebral palsy through conductive education.

The population in the WHO European Region is ageing rapidly: its median age is already the highest in the world, and the proportion of people aged 65 and older is forecast to increase from 14% in 2010 to 25% in 2050. People in nearly every part of the Region are living longer, but their chances of spending these later years in good health and well-being vary within and between countries. For too many, old age brings a high risk of social isolation and poverty, with limited access to affordable, high-quality health and social services. Strong public policies are thus needed to ensure that positive trends can be sustained and the benefits of a longer life can extend to everyone regardless of where they live or the socioeconomic group they belong to. Read more on https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/Life-stages/healthy-ageing/healthy-ageing Boldog Gizella Idősek Otthona

The population in the WHO European Region is ageing rapidly: its median age is already the highest in the world, and the proportion of people aged 65 and older is forecast to increase from 14% in 2010 to 25% in 2050. People in nearly every part of the Region are living longer, but their chances of spending these later years in good health and well-being vary within and between countries. For too many, old age brings a high risk of social isolation and poverty, with limited access to affordable, high-quality health and social services. Strong public policies are thus needed to ensure that positive trends can be sustained and the benefits of a longer life can extend to everyone regardless of where they live or the socioeconomic group they belong to. Read more on https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/Life-stages/healthy-ageing/healthy-ageing Boldog Gizella Idősek Otthona

The population in the WHO European Region is ageing rapidly: its median age is already the highest in the world, and the proportion of people aged 65 and older is forecast to increase from 14% in 2010 to 25% in 2050. People in nearly every part of the Region are living longer, but their chances of spending these later years in good health and well-being vary within and between countries. For too many, old age brings a high risk of social isolation and poverty, with limited access to affordable, high-quality health and social services. Strong public policies are thus needed to ensure that positive trends can be sustained and the benefits of a longer life can extend to everyone regardless of where they live or the socioeconomic group they belong to. Read more on https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/Life-stages/healthy-ageing/healthy-ageing Boldog Gizella Idősek Otthona

The population in the WHO European Region is ageing rapidly: its median age is already the highest in the world, and the proportion of people aged 65 and older is forecast to increase from 14% in 2010 to 25% in 2050. People in nearly every part of the Region are living longer, but their chances of spending these later years in good health and well-being vary within and between countries. For too many, old age brings a high risk of social isolation and poverty, with limited access to affordable, high-quality health and social services. Strong public policies are thus needed to ensure that positive trends can be sustained and the benefits of a longer life can extend to everyone regardless of where they live or the socioeconomic group they belong to. Read more on https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/Life-stages/healthy-ageing/healthy-ageing Boldog Gizella Idősek Otthona

The population in the WHO European Region is ageing rapidly: its median age is already the highest in the world, and the proportion of people aged 65 and older is forecast to increase from 14% in 2010 to 25% in 2050. People in nearly every part of the Region are living longer, but their chances of spending these later years in good health and well-being vary within and between countries. For too many, old age brings a high risk of social isolation and poverty, with limited access to affordable, high-quality health and social services. Strong public policies are thus needed to ensure that positive trends can be sustained and the benefits of a longer life can extend to everyone regardless of where they live or the socioeconomic group they belong to. Read more on https://www.euro.who.int/en/health-topics/Life-stages/healthy-ageing/healthy-ageing Boldog Gizella Idősek Otthona

A lab worker at the Department of Clinical Immunology, Rigshospitalet in Copenhagen, July 2021.

Living with Type 2 Diabetes.

In a catastrophic fire that broke out on 8 September 2020, the Moria reception and identification centre for asylum seekers and refugees on Lesvos, Greece, was burned to the ground. On 11 September, the WHO team on the ground was joined by an expert from WHO/Europe. They began supporting the site planning for a central medical area at the new temporary accommodation site in the area of Kara Tepe. On 11 September, the WHO team on the ground was joined by an expert from WHO/Europe. They began supporting the site planning for a central medical area at the new temporary accommodation site in the area of Kara Tepe. Le 11 septembre, l’équipe de l’OMS sur le terrain a été rejointe par un expert de l’OMS/Europe. Ils ont commencé à planifier la mise en place d’une zone médicale centrale sur le nouveau site d’hébergement temporaire dans la région de Kara Tepe. Am 11. September traf ein Experte aus dem WHO-Regionalbüro für Europa bei dem WHO-Team vor Ort ein. Sie begannen, die Planungen für eine zentrale medizinische Station in dem neuen provisorischen Lager in Kara Tepe zu unterstützen. 11 сентября к группе сотрудников ВОЗ на месте присоединился эксперт Европейского регионального бюро. Они начали участвовать в планировании обустройства центрального медицинского пункта в новом временном пункте размещения в лагере «Каратепе».

In a catastrophic fire that broke out on 8 September 2020, the Moria reception and identification centre for asylum seekers and refugees on Lesvos, Greece, was burned to the ground. WHO helped the EMT with customs clearance for the shipments of medical supplies and equipment, as well as their transportation and storage. WHO helped the EMT with customs clearance for the shipments of medical supplies and equipment, as well as their transportation and storage. L’OMS a aidé l’équipe médicale d’urgence à effectuer le dédouanement des livraisons de fournitures et d’équipements médicaux, ainsi que leur transport et leur stockage. Die WHO unterstützte das Notfallteam bei der Zollabfertigung ihrer Hilfsgüter in Form von medizinischen Versorgungsgütern und Ausrüstung, sowie deren Transport und Lagerung. ВОЗ помогла ЧМБ с таможенным оформлением, транспортировкой и хранением медицинских товаров и приборов.

In a catastrophic fire that broke out on 8 September 2020, the Moria reception and identification centre for asylum seekers and refugees on Lesvos, Greece, was burned to the ground. As part of its extensive coordination efforts, WHO briefed a representative from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. As part of its extensive coordination efforts, WHO briefed a representative from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. Dans le cadre de ses vastes efforts de coordination, l’OMS a informé un représentant de la Direction suisse du développement et de la coopération. Im Rahmen ihrer umfassenden Koordinierungsbemühungen unterrichteten Mitarbeiter der WHO einen Vertreter der Schweizer Direktion für Entwicklung und Zusammenarbeit. В рамках своей обширной координационной работы ВОЗ проинструктировала представителя Швейцарского агентства развития и сотрудничества.

PPEs and medical devices being delivered to the Ministry of Health in the Republic of Moldova.

Emergency Medical Team (EMT) from Poland operates in the hospitals of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), Tajikistan. Read more on the https://www.who.int/republic-of-moldova/news/item/09-06-2020-covid-19-who-coordinates-large-scale-response-operation-in-tajikistan

Emergency Medical Team (EMT) from Poland operates at the regional hospital in Khorog, Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), Tajikistan. Read more on the https://www.who.int/republic-of-moldova/news/item/09-06-2020-covid-19-who-coordinates-large-scale-response-operation-in-tajikistan

Health worker getting her blood pressure measured.  The main hospital of the country specializing in communicable diseases, the Toma Ciorba Infectious Diseases Hospital, was designated as the first COVID-19 treatment strategic healthcare facility in the Republic of Moldova.

The hospital was designated as a strategic healthcare facility for COVID-19 treatment of children. The health workers play a critical role in providing health services to dozens of children and their families. WHO conducted a series of trainings for pediatricians in the application of inpatient oxygen therapy, chronic lung disease and asthma, management of long-term cough and fever, etc.  Health worker in full PPE with infant at Emilian Cotaga Children Hospital Moldova.

The hospital was designated as a strategic healthcare facility for COVID-19 treatment of children. The health workers play a critical role in providing health services to dozens of children and their families. WHO conducted a series of trainings for pediatricians in the application of inpatient oxygen therapy, chronic lung disease and asthma, management of long-term cough and fever, etc.  Child patient at Emilian Cotaga Children Hospital Moldova.

An Emergency Medical Team (EMT) from Poland conducted a mission to Bishkek to support the COVID-19 emergency response in Kyrgyzstan. The team shared insights learned from treating COVID-19 patients in Lombardy, Italy and provided support to the Republican Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital in Bishkek as well as hospitals in Osh and Jalal-Abad. On completion of the mission, the team held a debriefing with high-level representatives, including the deputy prime minister and the deputy head of the President’s office. - A team of medics from Poland went to Kyrgyzstan to share their experience from virus-hit Italy and transfer knowledge and skills to their peers. This support was part of the Emergency Medical Team initiative coordinated by WHO and was organized as a fast track to improving the care of COVID-19 patients in Kyrgyzstan. The polish medics’ experience from virus-hit Italy enabled a valuable transfer of knowledge and skills and a fast track to improving the care of patients battling with COVID-19 in Kyrgyzstan. Team leader, Dr Michał M., emphasized the practical hands-on nature of their task to advise and support health-care workers in Kyrgyzstan. “The doctors we met always appreciated the fact that we went with them to see patients and stand at their bedsides. It was important for them to see us working side by side and not just making theoretical statements. This way they knew they could trust our medical background.” On-the-job training in the capital and beyond During the 10-day support trip, the 8-person EMT visited infectious disease services in the capital, Bishkek, as well as travelling to 6 hospitals in the southern regions of Osh and Jalal-Abad. The Polish clinicians included 3 anaesthesiologists, 3 paramedics, a general practitioner and an intensive care nurse. Marina D. was one of the health workers who appreciated their advice on how best to support patients with severe coronavirus symptoms. “When the Polish medical workers came to our hospital we worked practically around the clock. They showed us how to reorganize the hospital to increase the number of beds, and how to put on and correctly use personal protective equipment. I felt inspired by their calm manner and professional approach.” Dr Michał M. pointed out that his team included 2 interpreters, provided by WHO Kyrgyzstan, who both had medical backgrounds, making it much easier to discuss key technical concepts. Nevertheless, he stressed that being able to deliver on-the-job training was crucial, highlighting the need to demonstrate some techniques in person. “It is a very different thing to listen to someone talking than to have a go at doing something yourself,” he observed. “It’s not enough to hear about how to set up a ventilator – they need to be able to stand at a patient’s bedside and set one up.” The Polish doctors noted the high level of competence of Kyrgyz health specialists in terms of administrative and practical measures taken to protect health-care workers. The team recommended continuing to follow basic preventative measures, ensuring proper airflow in patients’ rooms, following hygiene requirements and practicing social distancing. On completion of the trip, the team held a debriefing with high-level government representatives, including the deputy prime minister and the deputy head of the President’s office. “This exercise serves as a good example of international coordination between WHO, the medical workforce and Kyrgyz national authorities. It also demonstrates that we must work together, united on all fronts and assist national authorities, as this is a global crisis requiring a global, coordinated response that has a positive impact at the country level,” highlighted Dr Nazira Artykova, WHO Representative in Kyrgyzstan. Supporting Kyrgyzstan’s COVID-19 response The WHO Country Office in Kyrgyzstan coordinated the field visit with the government, including the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It follows previous successful training sessions which took place earlier in the year to help the country develop a contingency plan in preparation for a COVID-19 outbreak. Kyrgyzstan, alongside 16 other countries in the WHO European Region, received 1300 laboratory testing kits over 3 months from WHO/Europe. The country also received personal protective equipment for frontline health-care workers, as well as for laboratory staff testing swabs from patients with suspected COVID-19. More than 310 health-care workers completed online training courses in the clinical management of patients with COVID-19. Overall, the COVID-19 response in Kyrgyzstan was found to be well organized and orchestrated largely in line with WHO guidelines. These have been further strengthened by the presence of a medical team on the ground able to share best practices between Poland, Italy and Kyrgyzstan. Emergency Medical Teams The WHO European Region has 14 WHO-certified EMTs ready to deliver rapid health care when disaster strikes or an outbreak flares. EMTs are an important part of the global health workforce. Any doctor, nurse or paramedic team coming from another country to practice health care in an emergency needs to arrive as part of a team. That team must be qualified, trained and bring equipment and supplies to deliver an effective response rather than imposing a burden on the national system.

Member of a WHO mission dressing in personal protection equipment before entering the COVID-19 ward in Minsk City Hospital #4 in Belarus. WHO experts travelled to Belarus the week of 6 April 2020 to support the ministry in preparing the country for COVID-19 response. They visited healthcare facilities, public health centres, laboratories, and emergency centres at the national, regional, and city levels to understand the transmission patterns of the virus and recommend actions to control the outbreak.

Group of health professionals in personal protective equipment in a hospital environment.

Newborn triplets. National Center for Maternal and Child Welfare in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. “I was inspired to pursue a career in midwifery after assisting in a birth. One of the aspects I enjoy most about being a midwife is that my work is very diverse and requires using a range of skills to face the different situations that occur daily. Just recently, for example, a mother gave birth to triplets!” « J’ai été encouragée à embrasser la profession de sage-femme après avoir assisté une naissance. L’un des aspects que j’apprécie le plus dans le métier de sage-femme est que mon travail est très varié et requiert d’utiliser toute une palette de compétences pour pouvoir affronter les différentes situations qui se produisent tous les jours. Tout récemment, par exemple, une mère a donné naissance à des triplés ! » „Auf die Idee, den Hebammenberuf zu ergreifen, kam ich, nachdem ich bei einer Geburt assistiert hatte. Besonders mag ich an meiner Arbeit, dass sie sehr vielfältig ist und ein breites Spektrum von Fähigkeiten erfordert, um die Vielzahl der sich täglich ergebenden Situationen zu bewältigen. Gerade vor kurzem zum Beispiel hat eine Frau Drillinge bekommen!“ "Я решила стать акушеркой после того, как однажды мне пришлось помогать при родах. Я люблю свою работу за ее разнообразие – каждый день у нас возникают самые разные ситуации, в которых мне необходимо применять самые разные знания и навыки. Например, недавно одна мама родила тройню!" Please use these photos exclusively for 'Maternal Health' and 'Child Health' purposes. For any other use, please contact mailto:zhumalieva@who.int for permission. 

A new model of maternal, antenatal and postnatal care is being implemented in 17 primary health-care centres of excellence around the country, which were launched in 2018 and 2019. One of these centres of excellence is located in the town of Esik, in the Enbekshikazakh Region near Almaty. Nurse with patients - child and mother

A new model of maternal, antenatal and postnatal care is being implemented in 17 primary health-care centres of excellence around the country, which were launched in 2018 and 2019. One of these centres of excellence is located in the town of Esik, in the Enbekshikazakh Region near Almaty. “I advise mothers on following a healthy diet, explain breastfeeding, tell them when it’s time for vaccinations. We, community nurses, follow pregnant women, newborns and children until the age of 5,” says Akmaral, a nurse working in Esik. « Je conseille aux mères d’adopter une alimentation saine, je leur explique l’allaitement, je leur dis quand il est temps de vacciner. Nous, le personnel infirmier communautaire, suivons les femmes enceintes, les nouveau-nés et les enfants jusqu’à l’âge de 5 ans », explique Akmaral, une infirmière travaillant à Esik. „Ich rate Müttern zu einer gesunden Ernährung, erkläre das Stillen und sage ihnen, wann es Zeit für einen Urlaub ist. Wir Gemeindeschwestern begleiten Schwangere, Neugeborene und Kinder bis 5 Jahre“, sagt Akmaral, eine in Esik tätige Pflegekraft. \n\n "Я консультирую матерей по вопросам соблюдения здоровой диеты и грудного вскармливания, а также сообщаю им, когда ребенку нужно сделать прививку. Мы, участковые медсестры, ведем беременных женщин, новорожденных, а также детей в возрасте до пяти лет", – говорит Акмарал, медсестра из центра в Есике.

A new model of maternal, antenatal and postnatal care is being implemented in 17 primary health-care centres of excellence around the country, which were launched in 2018 and 2019. One of these centres of excellence is located in the town of Esik, in the Enbekshikazakh Region near Almaty. A social worker talking to a couple in the primary health care facility. Social workers also provide advice to families at the primary health-care facility. Here the social worker is talking to a family about the allowances they can receive from the government as parents with many children. Les assistants sociaux délivrent également des conseils aux familles dans les établissements de soins de santé primaires. Dans le cas présent, l’assistante sociale met une famille au courant des allocations qu’elle peut recevoir de l’État en sa qualité de famille nombreuse. Darüber hinaus beraten die Sozialarbeiter die Familien in der Einrichtung für die primäre Gesundheitsversorgung. In diesem Bild spricht die Sozialarbeiterin mit einer Familie über die staatlichen Beihilfen, die sie als kinderreiche Eltern erhalten können. Социальные работники также консультируют семьи на базе центра первичной медико-санитарной помощи. На фото социальный работник информирует одну из семей о том, какие пособия они могут получить от государства как многодетные родители.

Woman at a microscope in a clinic in Uzbekistan.

Children's routine immunizations in a clinic in Uzbekistan. Nurse holding a baby.

Children's routine immunizations in a clinic in Uzbekistan. Nurse holding a baby girl.