In brief

Programme purpose: In support of Global Agenda Goal 2, and the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 4, liaise with global immunization partners to ensure the continued involvement of the secretariat and Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies in measles and polio supplementary immunization activities (SIAs). This involvement will help increase the uptake of services during both mass vaccination campaigns and routine immunization services, as well as reduce global measles and polio-related morbidity and mortality.

In brief

Programme purpose: In support of Global Agenda Goal 2, and Millennium Development Goal 4, liaise with global immunization partners to ensure the continued involvement of the International Federation and Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies in measles and polio supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) to increase uptake of services during both mass vaccination campaigns and routine immunization services and reduce global measles and polio-related morbidity and mortality.

Programme summary:

The main principles of leprosy control are the timely detection of new cases and prompt treatment with multidrug therapy (MDT). These principles are being widely implemented in all endemic countries, where MDT drugs are provided free of charge to all patients. Services for control of leprosy have been integrated into the primary health-care system at the peripheral level, and referral services are being strengthened to support integration. These referral centres will play a key role in providing specialized services for patients with complications as well

The bulletin covers 56 countries over the period from March to June 2009 .

Highlights:

- Overall: Prices of main staple

Domestic food prices in developing countries mostly remain much higher than before the soaring food price crisis despite a sharp decline in international prices since their peaks in 2008 (see special feature inside). This situation continues to give rise to concern for the food security of low-income vulnerable populations who spend a large share of their incomes on food.

FAO's latest forecast points to a 3.4 percent reduction in world cereal production in 2009, mostly on account of lower plantings and yields among developed countries. In developing

Conseil économique et social
Session de fond de 2009
Genève, 6-31 juillet 2009
Point 5 de l'ordre du jour provisoire**
Assistance économique spéciale, aide

WFP is deeply concerned that the scourge of hunger and malnutrition is on the increase across the developing world, with now over a billion hungry people on the planet. The global economic downturn is exacerbating the impact of the food crisis and increasing food insecurity for the world's most vulnerable people, reversing progress toward the Millennium Development Goals. This threatens human well-being, peace and stability, and puts an entire generation at risk in many countries.

In 2008, the number of people in need

Early indications point to a reduction in global cereal output in 2009 from the previous year's record. Smaller plantings and/or adverse weather look likely to bring grain production down in most of the world's major producers.

In Low-Income Food-Deficit countries, prospects for the early 2009 cereal crops point to a lower output. Good crops are expected in North Africa. Although the early outlook has improved in southern Africa a lower maize crop is still expected; prolonged dry weather is adversely affecting wheat prospects in most of Asia, where much

- As the year draws to a close, FAO's latest estimates confirm that a new record high level of global cereal production was achieved in 2008, sufficient to cover the expected increase in utilization in 2008/09 and also allow for a moderate replenishment of world reserves.

- Most of the increase in production this year has been among the developed countries, with that in the developing countries rising just marginally. In the developing group, outputs rose somewhat more among the Low-Income Food-Deficit Countries, especially in