Proper infant nutrition is fundamental to a child’s continued health, from birth through adulthood. Correct feeding in the first three years of life is particularly important due to its role in lowering morbidity and mortality, reducing the risk of chronic disease throughout their life span, and promoting regular mental and physical development.
Today, WHO published its first-ever position paper on immunization products to protect infants against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – the leading cause of acute lower respiratory infections in children globally.
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In 2024, 89% of infants globally received at least one dose of the diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP)-containing vaccine, and 85% completed all three doses, according to new data released today by WHO and UNICEF. Despite the progress, the latest estimates highlight a concerning trajectory.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus that causes symptoms similar to the common cold, including a runny nose, cough and fever. RSV can cause more severe illnesses such as pneumonia or bronchiolitis. It is particularly dangerous for infants, young children, older adults, and those with weakened immune systems or serious underlying health conditions. Each year, RSV ...
To ensure every child survives and thrives to reach their full potential, we must focus on improving care around the time of birth and the first week of life. The high rates of preventable death and poor health and well-being of newborns and children under the age of five are indicators of the uneven coverage of life-saving interventions and, more broadly, of inadequate social and economic ...
On 12 March 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) prequalified the first maternal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine to protect infants against one of the most common causes of acute lower respiratory infections in children globally.
This guideline provides global, normative evidence-based recommendations on complementary feeding of infants and young children 6–23 months of age living in low, middle- and high-income countries. It considers the needs of both breastfed and non-breastfed children. The guideline supersedes the earlier Guiding Principles for Complementary Feeding of the Breastfed Child and Guiding principles ...
