World News in Brief: Landmark disease and mental health declaration, Afghan hunger deepens, DR Congo refugee crisis

The agreement marks the first time governments have committed to addressing chronic illnesses – such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes – alongside mental health, recognising their growing toll on lives and economies worldwide.

Clear targets for 2030

Noncommunicable diseases are among the leading causes of death worldwide, while mental health conditions affect more than one billion people.

The declaration sets measurable targets to be reached by 2030, including reducing tobacco use, improving control of high blood pressure and expanding access to mental healthcare for millions more.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the commitments offer a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to change the course of global health and improve quality of life.

The declaration also calls on countries to strengthen national health policies, expand access to essential services and secure sustainable funding to turn promises into action.

Progress will be reviewed through regular UN reporting, with governments expected to show concrete results in the years ahead.

Afghanistan mothers turned away at health centres amid dire cuts

The dire funding situation facing aid workers globally continues to have a devastating impact on vulnerable communities.

In Afghanistan today, it means that children are not getting the help they need – and used to get – to stave off worsening hunger.

In an update on Tuesday, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) warned that more than 17 million Afghans are at risk as winter sets in.

This is over two million more than last year, according to the global authority on hunger, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification platform, or IPC.

Jean-Martin Bauer from WFP explained the impact of unprecedented reductions in funding for essential services: “Mothers especially are turning up at health centres with children hoping for some support for them,” but in many cases they have been turned away “because resources are no longer available.”

Fears deepening

The agency says clear signs of a deepening humanitarian crisis are being confirmed on the ground, with families “skipping meals for days” as hunger worsens.

“Our teams are seeing families taking extreme measures to survive,” said John Aylieff, WFP country director in Afghanistan. “Child deaths are rising, and they risk becoming worse in the months ahead.”

Afghanistan is facing a harsh winter after drought destroyed crops, jobs were lost and recent earthquakes left thousands homeless.

Forced returns from Pakistan and Iran are compounding needs, with 2.5 million people sent back this year, many malnourished.

Yet aid is shrinking. WFP needs $468 million to help six million survive the winter.

DR Congo violence pushes 500,000 from their homes

UN agencies in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) say more than half a million people have fled their homes in just the last few days, in eastern areas overrun by Rwanda-backed M23 fighters.

“No one should have to choose between safety and survival,” WFP said in an online post on Tuesday, as South Kivu province witnesses its most significant escalation of hostilities since the beginning of the year.

To help, the agency urgently needs $350 million to deliver life-saving food to communities impacted by decades of insecurity in the vast, resource-rich region.

In neighbouring Burundi, meanwhile, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, reported that around 64,000 refugees have arrived, and more are on their way.

Needs include medical assistance and shelter, the agency said. It also issued a warning about unaccompanied or separated children and the “high percentage” of women at risk among the newly displaced.

Operations suspended

Fighting in parts of South Kivu has forced the suspension of all humanitarian operations in the towns of Fizi and Baraka, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Tuesday, amid reports of panic and looting by armed groups.

Local authorities estimate that around 110,000 people have been newly displaced since 8 December, many sheltering in public spaces without access to aid. Some have crossed into Burundi, while others are moving onwards towards Tanzania.

Aid deliveries are resuming gradually in Uvira and Bukavu, but OCHA warned that access remains fragile as needs continue to rise.