Health

In Mali, the UN and its partners, together with the country’s transitional authorities, today launched a $770 million Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan to support millions across Mali. The Plan aims to address the needs of 4.7 million people affected by conflict, displacement, health emergencies and climate shocks.

The Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator for Lebanon, Imran Riza, today announced a $30 million allocation from the Lebanon Humanitarian Fund to support the response in the country, enabling the UN’s partners to assist with food security, shelter, nutrition, protection, healthcare, water and sanitation, and education.

In Myanmar, where conflict has driven over 3.5 million people from their homes, humanitarian needs are expected to reach unprecedented levels, with nearly 20 million people requiring assistance. The 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan aims to reach 5.5 million people with aid, requiring $1.1 billion in funding.

As of today, some 664,000 people remain newly displaced across Syria, mostly in Idlib and Aleppo, marking a decrease of about 64,000 people compared to a week ago. UN reports say that returnee movements remain fluid, with nearly 486,000 people having returned to their areas of origin over the past month.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message on the International Day Message on Epidemic Preparedness, observed on 27 December:

Despite pledges to slash methane emissions by 30 per cent by 2030 — key to getting global warming under control, only 1 per cent of the Methane Alert and Response System in the past year were responded to, a UN Environment Programme report released today states. The system is an untapped opportunity for climate action.

Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for World AIDS Day, observed on 1 December:

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that in Gaza City, along with UN partners, mental health and psychosocial support services are being provided to tens of thousands of people and solid waste that has piled up along Tareq bin Zeyad Street is being picked up.

Ransomware attacks on hospitals and healthcare systems can be “issues of life and death” and pose a serious threat to international security, the head of the UN health agency told the Security Council today, as several delegates echoed his calls for international cooperation to address one of today’s most damaging cyberthreats, while others questioned whether the 15 nation organ was the appropriate forum for the meeting.

In its annual report, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said today that opium cultivation in Afghanistan in 2024 increased by an estimated 19 per cent year-on-year to cover 12,800 hectares. UNODC said that the increase follows on a 95 per cent decrease in cultivation during the 2023 crop season.