WHO | Week Ahead for media - 15 October 2026

No images? Click here Thursday, 15 October 2026  | Issue 373   Subscribe to receive this weekly update   WHO EMRO mission to Syria to strengthen maternal, newborn, child health and nutrition- 13 July 2026  © WHO 17-18 October  WHO at the World Conference on Traditional Medicine 2026 The World Conference on Traditional Medicine in Beijing, China will be held on 17 and 18 October under the theme "Technology Empowerment, Integrated Development: Advancing Traditional Medicine for All."  Co-sponsored by WHO, it will explore how artificial intelligence, evidence-based research, education, regulation, standards and the integration of traditional and modern medicine can help advance health and well-being for all. For media inquiries, please contact, mediainquiries@who.int and Murat Gungor at gungorm@who.int. 18-24 October  International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action 2026: From Detection to Prevention WHO is marking International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week 2026 (18-24 October) with a call for accelerated action to prevent lead exposure, a widespread but entirely preventable public health threat that contributes to an estimated 3.5 million deaths globally each year. This year's theme, From Detection to Prevention highlights the need to move beyond identifying lead exposure and focus on eliminating lead hazards at their source through stronger policies, regulations and enforcement. WHO is supporting countries through the development of a Global Action Plan on Lead Mitigation and the upcoming PREVENT Technical Package on Lead Poisoning Prevention. A departmental news story will be available from 16 October at www.who.int/news WHO campaign website for 2026   More information about the health impacts of lead poisoning   WHO Global Action Plan and the PREVENT Technical Package on Lead Poisoning Prevention: Tuesday, 20 October  Examining inequalities in noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors As countries work towards global targets for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), understanding who is most affected is essential to making progress. Evidence on inequalities can shape more equitable and effective NCD policies and programmes, ensuring that prevention, detection and care efforts reach populations facing the greatest barriers. The State of inequality: NCDs and their risk factors report covers four major NCDs – cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes – and key risk factors including tobacco and alcohol use, obesity and unhealthy diets, insufficient physical activity and air pollution.  A departmental update will be published on the WHO website. A webinar on this topic will take place on 22 October 2026 from 13.30-15:00 CET. For more information and to register, visit the event page. Wednesday, 21 October  A burning issue: Heat exposure and maternal, newborn and child health 13:00 CEST Journalists are invited to join a WHO, WMO, UNICEF and UNFPA webinar on exploring the growing threat of extreme heat to pregnant women, newborns and children. The event will highlight a new publication identifying priority health indicators to monitor the impacts of heat exposure on maternal, newborn and child health. Experts will present the latest scientific evidence, guidance on building climate-resilient health systems and protecting health workers, and practical lessons from countries responding to rising temperatures. Join the virtual webinar here. Thursday, 22 October  New WHO report on global benefits and costs of prioritized actions on climate change and health As governments prepare for the UN Conference on climate change (COP31), WHO will release new analysis examining how climate action can deliver significant health, economic gains and save lives. The report, Global benefits and costs of prioritized actions on climate change and health, presents global evidence on the potential benefits of a set of priority interventions that can simultaneously protect health, strengthen resilience and support climate goals.  The findings underscore the growing case for placing health at the centre of climate policies and investments. A press briefing will take place on 22 October at 13:00 CEST /11.00 GMT to present the report's key findings and provide an overview of WHO's engagement and health priorities at COP31.  A media advisory with further information and dial-in details will be shared later.   Journalists are offered early access to the report and other materials, and interviews with WHO experts as of Wednesday, 21 October. Please send your requests to osseirann@who.int with a copy to mediainquiries@who.int. Please note that the embargo will lift at 14.00 CEST/12.00 GMT on 22 October 2026. WHO's climate change and health work WHO and health at COP31 WHO events of interest (full list here)  Sixtieth meeting of the WHO Expert Committee on Specifications for Pharmaceutical Preparations, 12-16 October  WHO @ IUSTI World Congress, 14-17 October  Forty-ninth Expert Committee on Drug Dependence, 19-22 October  WHO Health Emergencies EPI-WIN webinar: Safer Cholera treatment facilities: the latest WHO guidance on design, construction, WASH, 21 October 2026 WHO global report “State of inequality: noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors”, 22 October (webinar)  Launch webinar: WHO policy options for integrating the health and care workforce, 22 October 2026   Latest news from WHO here Outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus here WHO events here Sign up for our newsletters here WHO photos available for media use here WHO media contact: mediainquiries@who.int You are receiving this NO-REPLY email because you are included on a WHO mail list. 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