WHO says Türkiye has become a leader on the health agenda ahead of COP31

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and WHO's Campbell-Lendrum spoke at the agency's weekly press briefing about the COP31 climate summit to be held in Türkiye. Ghebreyesus said he would meet world leaders there next week and that WHO would stress that the climate crisis is a health crisis.

Campbell-Lendrum said Türkiye has become one of the leaders on the health agenda in COP negotiations. He said Türkiye has made climate-resilient and dynamic health systems one of its 10 priorities for COP31, which the organisation sees as concrete progress. He also welcomed plans for a comprehensive 'health day' on the first day of COP31.

Ghebreyesus reported more than 10,000 Ebola cases and 5,000 deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where cholera has caused more than 60,000 cases and 1,800 deaths this year. He noted 9 Ebola cases resulting in deaths in Kenya and one confirmed case in Nigeria. He also said the war in Sudan, now in its third year, has caused one of the world's largest humanitarian and health crises.