REGULAR PRESS BRIEFING BY THE INFORMATION SERVICE

Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service, chaired the briefing attended by spokespersons for the World Health Organization, the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Stillbirths, Maternal and Neonatal Deaths

Ian Askew, for the World Health Organization (WHO), presented three publications launched today by WHO on the issues of stillbirths, maternal and neonatal deaths. Every year, he said, 2.6 million babies were stillborn, 2.7 million babies died within the first 28 days of life, and over 300,000 women died in childbirth. One of the problems faced in addressing these tragedies was the lack of knowledge of how many deaths were happening. The numbers provided were only estimates based on the best evidence that WHO had. Indeed, in many countries, stillbirths were not recorded, and there was neither birth nor death certificates. The same occurred for at least half of the new-born deaths.

Research showed that stillbirths and new-born deaths could happen because of complications during labour or delivery, it could be associated with an infection with the mother, particularly amongst women who have diabetes or hypertension, or it could result from a problem with the foetus itself. Because there was no record of the birth or death of the infant, it was very hard to know why exactly the death had occurred. These reasons varied dramatically, and without the documentation to know why deaths occurred, it was very hard for countries to know how to prevent them.

The first publication launched today, the “WHO Application of the International Classification of Diseas-10 to deaths during the perinatal period” (ICD-PM), sought to provide a global basis for classifying causes of stillbirths and neonatal deaths. It also provided classification on the timing of the death, and the relationship between the death and the mother’s condition. The second publication, “Making every baby count: audit and review of stillbirths and neonatal deaths”, which built upon this classification system, sought to enable countries to record these deaths, and then establish committees to review the data for a better understanding of the situation. The third document launched today, “Time to respond: a report on the global implementation of maternal death surveillance and response” (MDSR) was a review of the implementation of maternal death surveillance and response, which was a process by which countries could record and analyse the evidence around maternal mortality, and to understand better what could be done to prevent maternal deaths in the future. Although there had been progress in preventing maternal deaths recently, there was still a long way to go.

Concluding, Mr. Askew recalled that 98 percent of stillbirths, maternal and neonatal deaths mostly occurred in lower and middle-income countries. At least half of them occurred to women living in emergency or conflict settings, and also half of them occurred during labour itself. Improving labour conditions would therefore address a number of these cases.

When asked about specific problems faced in the Africa region, Mr. Askew said that Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia were the regions in the world that were the most affected, primarily because of weak health systems there. In these regions, it was also difficult for women having complications during pregnancy to reach a clinic because of difficult transport systems.

Responding to concerns as to whether countries would implement these guidelines, he said that the report on the global implementation of maternal death surveillance and response showed that there had been progress when countries responded to the guidance provided by WHO. He was therefore hopeful that countries would feel the same way about the urgent need to collect data about new-born and stillborn deaths.

Yellow Fever Mass Vaccination Campaign

Tarik Jasarevic, for the World Health Organization, said that later today there would be a launching ceremony in Kinshasa to launch the latest round of vaccination against yellow fever in Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola, especially on the border areas. WHO expected to vaccinate more than 14 million people in the two countries, within the next couple of weeks, out of which 8.5 million people in Kinshasa. WHO was working, together with the Ministry of Health and 56 global partners to do this vaccination campaign. So far, since the beginning of the outbreak in December 2015, yellow fever vaccination had reached more than 13 million people in Angola and almost three million people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These campaigns had been crucial to stop the spread to the outbreak. The response to this outbreak had been complex and challenging, as it was the first time WHO and other partners were dealing with an outbreak of yellow fever in a dense urban areas.

Despite these challenges, millions of people had been vaccinated, and there had been no confirmed cases of yellow fever in Angola for the last eight weeks. Kinshasa, however, was a big urban centres with more than ten million people, among whom only two million had been vaccinated so far. There was a high risk of outbreak in parts of the town, he said, which was why WHO was launching this campaign today. It sought to vaccinate as many people as possible before the beginning of the rainy season. It would be the first time that WHO use “emergency vaccines”, which were fractioned doses providing at least a 12-month protection to the virus, to be able to vaccinate 8.5 million people. The scope of the campaign was unprecedented. 17.3 million syringes had to be shipped to the country; 41,000 health workers and volunteers had been mobilised; and more than 500 vehicles operated in 8,000 vaccination sites in Kinshasa and along the border.

Asked to give examples of other large WHO vaccination campaigns, Tarik Jasarevic said that polio campaigns had usually been very large. He repeated that it was the first time that WHO had to address a yellow fever in an urban setting, which was due to increased urbanization, increased connectivity between cities, as well as climate change. In response to a question on the potential number of cases, he said that there would hopefully not be an explosion of new cases. There was a risk of international spread because of travels, he said, referring to the case of Chinese workers returning to China from Angola and diagnosed with yellow fever. The current situation was a serious threat that had to be dealt with as such.

When referred to the fact that Save the Children appeared to be far more alarmed than WHO about the possibility of cases of yellow fever spreading to Asia or Europe, he agreed that there was a risk of international spread for many mosquito-borne diseases, including yellow fever. Increasing urbanization, mobility and environmental changes made an international spread possible. The WHO Emergency Committee considered that the current situation in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo did not constitute a public health emergency of international concern, he said, but rather constituted a serious public health event that warranted intensified national action and enhanced international support. The outbreak was manageable if enough people could be protected with a vaccine, he said. The goal was to prevent this event from becoming a public health emergency of international concern. WHO had worked with vaccine manufacturers and other partners to ensure that it would still have, after the campaign is carried out, five million doses available.

Responding to a question about numbers, he said that in Angola, there had been no confirmed cases reported in July and August. On 4 August, there had been a total of 3,867 suspected cases, of which 879 were laboratory-confirmed. The total number of reported deaths was 369, of which 119 were reported among confirmed cases. As of 8 August, out of 1,943 samples analysed in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 741 cases had been confirmed, including 16 deaths. WHO expected updated figures this week.

Yemen: Airstrike on a MSF Hospital

Alessandra Vellucci read a statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on Yemen:

“The Secretary-General condemns the reported coalition airstrike on a rural hospital supported by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Hajjah, Yemen, today.

The Secretary-General notes that the parties to the conflict in Yemen have damaged or destroyed over 70 health centres, including three other MSF-supported facilities. He is deeply disturbed by the intensification of airstrikes and continuing ground fighting and shelling, especially in populated areas. The shrinking humanitarian space and limited access to essential services for Yemenis, a situation exacerbated by the return to full-scale hostilities, is a matter of ever greater concern.

Hospitals and medical personnel are explicitly protected under international humanitarian law and any attack directed against them, or against any civilian persons or infrastructure, is a serious violation of international humanitarian law. All such attacks should be investigated through prompt, effective, independent and impartial.

The Secretary-General reiterates his call on all parties to the Yemeni conflict to immediately implement the cessation of hostilities and to renew their engagement – without delay and in good faith - with his Special Envoy for Yemen in pursuit of a negotiated solution.”

Tarik Jasarevic, for the World Health Organization, declared that WHO condemned the attack on MSF-supported Abs Hospital in Hajjah governorate, Yemen, which had claimed the lives of 11 people, including an MSF staff member, and had injured 19 others, according to MSF. The local health office had confirmed 18 killed and 18 injured within of hours after the attack. The attack had partially destroyed the hospital while all remaining patients and staff had been evacuated, according to MSF. There were 23 patients in surgery, 25 in maternity ward as well as 13 new-born and 12 patients in paediatrics at the hospital at time of the bombing. He added that Hajjah governorate had already been suffering from serious disruptions in health service delivery and shortages of medical staff, as continued fighting had led to the closure of health facilities and departure of medical personnel.

Responding to the need for emergency medicines, WHO had urgently sent 2 trauma kits to Al-Jumhoori Hospital in Hajjah where those injured by the bombings had been sent. Regarding the hospital itself, WHO had constructed and equipped the emergency building inside the hospital in 2014-2015, which had later on been used by MSF Spain for surgical operations. WHO had also supported the hospital with needed amount of fuel as well as essential medicines and intravenous fluids. The MSF-supported Abs hospital was receiving 100-150 outpatients daily and was one of very few functioning hospitals in the area of Hajja governorate providing life-saving services, especially for mothers and children.

Among all Yemen's governorates, Hajja hosted large number of internally displaced persons in the country. In addition to the loss of lives of health workers, the cessation of the hospital would further deprive access to essential health services among the conflict affected population. He stressed that WHO repeated its call on all parties with their commitments and obligations under international humanitarian law to protect health workers and facilities. As a reminder, he mentioned that since the escalation of the conflict in March 2015, more than 13 health workers had lost their lives and 23 had been injured. In addition, 102 health facilities had been partially or totally damaged, compounding already the poor health system in the country.

To a question about the local health office in Yemen, Mr. Jasarevic answered that WHO numbers were either coming from MSF or local authorities.

Ravina Shamdasani, of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said that OHCHR staff on the ground was investigating the attack against the MSF hospital, and reiterated that attacks on medical facilities were clearly prohibited under international humanitarian law. Responding to a question, she said that the National Commission of Inquiry set up to investigate crimes in Yemen would publish its report imminently. OHCHR had been mandated by the Human Rights Council to work with that Commission, and to report on the situation on the ground. This report would be published imminently as well, she said.

Syria: Dire Situation in Aleppo

Alessandra Vellucci read parts of a statement by the Commission of Inquiry on Syria, underlining the urgent need to protect civilians living amidst on-going attacks on Aleppo city:

“The Commission is gravely concerned for the safety of civilians, including a reported 100,000 children, living in eastern Aleppo city, where violence has reached new heights in recent weeks as asymmetric warfare intensifies over control of armed group-held neighbourhoods and their principal remaining supply lines, currently the Castello road and access through Ramouseh neighbourhood. These attacks appear to form the prelude to a siege, designed to force the capture of the city through an already-documented strategy of ‘surrender or starve’. The situation of civilians in Aleppo city is critical and demands immediate attention and response.”

At the end of the statement, Alessandra Vellucci said, the Commission of Inquiry stated that “War has rules. The Commission urges the warring parties to conduct themselves in accordance with international law. The Commission emphasises, however, that the attacks on Aleppo city, even if in accordance with the laws of war, will only further devastate the civilian population. As attacks continue across the Syrian Arab Republic, the Commission urges States with influence, particularly those supporting parties to the conflict, to pressure a return to political negotiations. Until that time, and before our eyes, Syrian men, women and children continue to pay the highest price.”

The complete statement was available and had been sent to journalists. Jessy Chahine, for the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria, when asked about reports of Napalm being dropped via barrel bombs by the Syrian Government, said that the Special Envoy had been informed of these reports and would be addressing the issue within the Humanitarian Taskforce and during his next weekly stakeout.

Ravina Shamdasani, of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that the Office was currently investigating these allegations.

Democratic Republic of the Congo: Massacre in Beni

Ravina Shamdasani, of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said that the Office of the High Commissioner urged the Congolese authorities to promptly investigate a massacre that had occurred in Beni territory in Northern Kivu province on Saturday. At least 47 civilians, including two children, had reportedly been killed by suspected Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) members, three had been wounded and 10 houses had been burnt down. This was the most serious violence to affect the area since late 2014, when the United Nations had documented at least 237 civilian deaths in a three-month period between 1 October and 31 December 2014.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights urged the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to enhance its efforts to protect civilians, to investigate these serious violations of international humanitarian law and to ensure the perpetrators of human rights abuses and violations on all sides were brought to justice.

Geneva Activities and Other Issues

Ravina Shamdasani, of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, updated journalists about their access to Palais Wilson, which was granted to all accredited journalists, without extra-permission. The communication officers of OHCHR were only informed by Security to be able to facilitate the work of the journalists.

Alessandra Vellucci then informed that the Conference on Disarmament, whose annual session would conclude on 16 September, held this morning (from 10 a.m.) an official public plenary session.

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, whose 90th session ran until 26 August the Palais Wilson, completed this morning reviewing the report of Sri Lanka, started yesterday afternoon. This afternoon and tomorrow morning, the Committee would consider the report of Pakistan, which was its last report for this session.

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which opened its sixteenth session yesterday morning, concluded this morning its review of the periodic report of Uruguay, started yesterday afternoon. During this session, which would run until Friday, 2 September at Palais Wilson in Geneva, the Committee would examine reports of Ethiopia, Bolivia, United Arab Emirates, Guatemala, Colombia and Italy.

Continuing, Alessandra Vellucci announced a press conference, which would take place on 22 August at 12.30 p.m. in Press Room I, about the launch of the Global Shapers Community’s Annual Survey, organized by the World Economic Forum. It would be given by Adeyemi Babington-Ashaye, Head of the Global Shapers Community.

Ms. Vellucci recalled that 19 August was the World Humanitarian Day, which would this year focus on young people across the world. In the morning, there would be a Panel at the Palais des Nations with Filippo Grandi, among others, followed by an official commemoration.