UN agencies commemorate 40th anniversary of smallpox eradication with a stamp
- On 8th May 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the UN’’s postal agency have released a commemorative postage stamp on the 40th anniversary of the eradication of smallpox.
- Smallpox was eradicated on the back of a 10-year-old effort spearheaded by the WHO involving thousands of health workers around the world to administer half a billion vaccinations.
ABOUT THE STAMP
- The commemorative stamp was designed and developed by Sergio Baradat, United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) in collaboration with WHO.
- The stamp recognises the global solidarity in fighting smallpox.
- It can be used to mail postcards and letters around the world, provided that they are sent from the UN headquarters in New York, Geneva or Vienna respectively.
IMPORTANT HIGHLIGHTS
- It honours millions of people working together, from world leaders and international organisations to rural doctors and community health workers, to eradicate smallpox.
- Successful smallpox eradication programme yielded vital knowledge and tools for the field of disease surveillance, the benefits of vaccination and the importance of health promotion in fighting other diseases.
- WHO used to spend USD 300 million to eradicate the virus and this has saved the world over USD 1 billion every year since 1980.
SMALLPOX ERADICATION
- On 9 December 1979, a global commission certified that smallpox had been eradicated.
- This certification was officially accepted by the 33rd World Health Assembly in 1980.
- It involved thousands of health workers around the world to administer half a billion vaccinations to stamp out smallpox.
- The successful eradication of smallpox led to the launch of Expanded Programme on Immunization by WHO and UNICEF. Under this 85% of the world’s children are vaccinated and protected from debilitating diseases.
- It tis the only human disease to be eradicated globally.
ABOUT Mr. Khatre
- World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus appreciated the efforts of Mr Atul Khare, Under-Secretary-General for the Department of Operational Support (DOS).
- He is the UN Postal Administration is within the DOS Division of Administration.
- He is an Indian. Khare became the Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support in January 2019. He was appointed Under-Secretary-General for Field Support in 2015.
ABOUT WHO
- Specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health.
- HQ– Geneva, Switzerland
- Director General – Tedros Adhanom
- Deputy Director General-Soumya Swaminathan
जीके और दैनिक करेंट अफेयर्स अपडेट हिंदी में प्राप्त करें – क्लिक करें
