Infectious disease outbreaks are no longer just about bacteria and viruses, but also the social and economic world we create.

World Health Organization Podcast

Preparing for Zika

Research can put a human face on health emergencies and help us respond to them more effectively.

Researching Zika

Evidence is not enough to shape health policy and practice. We also need to consider bioethics to take the right action for society.

Ethics and Zika virus

Is microcephaly just the tip of an enormous iceberg? Dr Vanessa van der Linden was the first doctor to make the connection between Zika virus infection and babies born with microcephaly.

Long-term management of congenital Zika virus syndrome

How can epidemiology help solve some of the mysteries around Zika virus transmission and the rare but serious neurological disorders associated with it, in particular Guillain-Barr頳yndrome and microcephaly?

Zika epidemiology

One in four people develop some kind of mental illness at some point in their lives. WHO's Mental health atlas 2011 examines the extent of mental health needs and services around the world.

Mental health atlas 2011

World Health Organization has declared the 28th July as World Hepatitis Day. The slogan for this first year is "Know it. Confront it. Hepatitis affects everyone, everywhere".

The first official World Hepatitis Day, 28th July

In New York this week, the World Health Organization, together with the World Bank, launched the first ever World report on disability.

World Report on disability podcast

This year's World Health Day focuses on the dangers of resistance to today's infection-fighting wonder drugs. The world is on the brink of losing these miracle cures.

World Health Day 2011: combat drug resistance

New and comprehensive study on the consumption of alcohol reveals worrying trends on alcohol use around the world.

Worldwide alcohol trends

Low levels of physical activity are associated with a high risk of colon cancer and breast cancer.

Physical activity a key in preventing some cancers

A newly formed Commission on Information and Accountability for Women's and Children's Health will track resources pledged to actual results. The Commission will provide evidence of which programmes are most effective in saving the lives of women and children and ensure that the money doesn't get swallowed up through inefficiency or corruption.

Tracking resources for women's and children's health

The World health report 2010 focuses on how to pay for health care. The report looks at how to raise sufficient funds, how to raise funds fairly and how to get better value for money by becoming more efficient.

World Health Report 2010: the path to universal coverage

Three-quarters of cancer deaths occur in developing countries where the resources needed to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer are severely limited. As a result WHO and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have created a Joint Programme on Cancer Control focusing on the needs of developing countries.

Improving cancer control in developing countriese

WHO estimates that over 75% of people living in developing countries do not receive any mental health treatment or care. A new, easy-to-use guide to identify and provide care for mental health disorders will help expand care at a cost that is affordable, even for low- and middle-income countries.

Mental health Intervention guide to make care more accessible

The WHO podcast brings you public health information and related news from around the world.