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UN PhotoWHO / HEALTH EMERGENCIES PRESSER
STORY: WHO / HEALTH EMERGENCIES PRESSER
TRT: 5:32
SOURCE: WHO
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT WHO ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 01 DECEMBER 2025, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND AND REMOTE LOCATION
1.Wide shot, press briefing room
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General:
“Today marks the end of the most recent outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I send my warmest congratulations to the Government and people of the DRC, especially in the affected community of Bulape.”
3. Wide shot, press briefing room
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General:
“The outbreak was declared in September and there were 64 confirmed and probable cases, with 45 deaths. We honour the memory of those who died, especially those who lost their lives while serving others.”
5.Wide shot, press briefing room
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General:
“WHO is proud to have played our part in bringing this outbreak under control, in support of the Ministry of Health, national public health institutions, and alongside our partners.”
7. Wide shot, press briefing room
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General:
“It’s important to remember how far we have come in our fight against Ebola. When Ebola devastated West Africa a decade ago, there were no approved vaccines or therapeutics against it. Now we have both. Ebola is a preventable and treatable disease that can be stopped.”
9.Wide shot, press briefing room
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General:
“An outbreak of Marburg virus disease was declared in Ethiopia over two weeks ago. So far, 12 confirmed cases have been reported, including 8 deaths. Three patients have recovered, and one is still under treatment.”
11. Wide shot, press briefing room
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General:
“The Government of Ethiopia is leading the response, and WHO is supporting as requested. We’re providing testing supplies and protective equipment for health workers, and deploying experts to support local authorities.”
13. Wide shot, press briefing room
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General:
“Obesity is one of the most serious public health challenges of our time. Globally, more than one billion people are living with obesity, and that number is expected to double by 2030.”
15.Wide shot, press briefing room
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General:
“Obesity is a chronic, relapsing disease that drives heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. It was linked with 3.7 million deaths globally last year, and puts huge strain on health systems and economies.”
17. Wide shot, press briefing room
18. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General:
“In recent years, a class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists – or GLP-1s – which were originally developed to treat diabetes, have been approved in many countries for the treatment of obesity.”
19. Wide shot, press briefing room
20. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General:
“Today we are issuing new recommendations on the use of GLP-1s to treat obesity in adults. These new medicines are a powerful clinical tool, offering hope to millions. But let me be clear: medication alone will not solve the obesity crisis. Obesity is a complex disease that requires comprehensive, lifelong care.”
21. Wide shot, press briefing room
22. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General:
“This guideline is about integration. These therapies are part of a holistic strategy built on three pillars: First, creating healthier environments through robust policies; Second, protecting individuals at high risk through screening and early intervention; And third, ensuring access to lifelong, person-centred care for those living with obesity. Crucially, the use of GLP-1s does not replace the need for healthy diet and physical activity.”
23. Wide shot, press briefing room
24. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General:
“Our greatest concern is equitable access. Without concerted action, these medicines could contribute to widening the gap between the rich and poor, both between and within countries.”
25.Wide shot, press briefing room
26. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General:
“This guideline is a key part of WHO’s Acceleration Plan to Stop Obesity. It is built on evidence and shaped by the principle of health for all—ensuring that scientific progress benefits everyone, everywhere. This guideline has been developed in response to strong demand from Member States and civil society.”
27.Wide shot, press briefing room
28. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Jeremy Farrar, Assistant Director-General, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and Care:
“Whenever a new innovation comes, and these drugs are still relatively new, used around the world, and you're then going to potentially give it to many, many millions, if not billions of people around the world, is absolutely crucial that those individuals have got access to the best possible information, as individuals, as a as a government, as a health ministry, to know that what you're going to do in terms of policy and access is backed by the best possible evidence.”
29. Wide shot, press briefing room
30. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Jeremy Farrar, Assistant Director-General, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and Care:
“We have issued quite a restrictive guideline at the moment, on the basis that we think the scientific evidence there is very strong, and we can back that up with that evidence, with a lot of external expertise, including people with lived experience. We think the evidence on the longer term use still needs some further evidence to be generated. And that's what we will do and that's why these are called living guidelines, because they will be updated in a more dynamic way in future, so that they can take into account that new evidence as it comes.”
31. Wide shot, press briefing room
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus congratulated the Government and people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for the end of the most recent outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the country.
Speaking to reporters today (01 Dec) Tedros said, “The outbreak was declared in September and there were 64 confirmed and probable cases, with 45 deaths. We honour the memory of those who died, especially those who lost their lives while serving others.”
The Director-General also said, “WHO is proud to have played our part in bringing this outbreak under control, in support of the Ministry of Health, national public health institutions, and alongside our partners.”
He added, “It’s important to remember how far we have come in our fight against Ebola. When Ebola devastated West Africa a decade ago, there were no approved vaccines or therapeutics against it. Now we have both. Ebola is a preventable and treatable disease that can be stopped.”
On an outbreak of Marburg virus disease declared in Ethiopia over two weeks ago, the WHO chief said, “So far, 12 confirmed cases have been reported, including 8 deaths. Three patients have recovered, and one is still under treatment.”
He added, “The Government of Ethiopia is leading the response, and WHO is supporting as requested. We’re providing testing supplies and protective equipment for health workers, and deploying experts to support local authorities.”
Moving onto Obesity, Tedros said that it is “one of the most serious public health challenges of our time. Globally, more than one billion people are living with obesity, and that number is expected to double by 2030.”
He said, “Obesity is a chronic, relapsing disease that drives heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. It was linked with 3.7 million deaths globally last year, and puts huge strain on health systems and economies.”
“In recent years, a class of drugs called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists – or GLP-1s – which were originally developed to treat diabetes, have been approved in many countries for the treatment of obesity,” the WHO chief said.
Tedros announced the new recommendations on the use of GLP-1s to treat obesity in adults. “These new medicines are a powerful clinical tool, offering hope to millions. But let me be clear: medication alone will not solve the obesity crisis. Obesity is a complex disease that requires comprehensive, lifelong care,” he said.
The Director-General also said, “This guideline is about integration. These therapies are part of a holistic strategy built on three pillars: First, creating healthier environments through robust policies; Second, protecting individuals at high risk through screening and early intervention; And third, ensuring access to lifelong, person-centred care for those living with obesity. Crucially, the use of GLP-1s does not replace the need for healthy diet and physical activity.”
“Our greatest concern is equitable access,” Tedros reiterated, adding that “without concerted action, these medicines could contribute to widening the gap between the rich and poor, both between and within countries.”
He also said, “This guideline is a key part of WHO’s Acceleration Plan to Stop Obesity. It is built on evidence and shaped by the principle of health for all—ensuring that scientific progress benefits everyone, everywhere.”
“This guideline has been developed in response to strong demand from Member States and civil society,” Tedros added.
WHO’s Dr Jeremy Farrar said, “Whenever a new innovation comes, and these drugs are still relatively new, used around the world, and you're then going to potentially give it to many, many millions, if not billions of people around the world, is absolutely crucial that those individuals have got access to the best possible information, as individuals, as a as a government, as a health ministry, to know that what you're going to do in terms of policy and access is backed by the best possible evidence.”
He also said, “We have issued quite a restrictive guideline at the moment, on the basis that we think the scientific evidence there is very strong, and we can back that up with that evidence, with a lot of external expertise, including people with lived experience. We think the evidence on the longer term use still needs some further evidence to be generated. And that's what we will do and that's why these are called living guidelines, because they will be updated in a more dynamic way in future, so that they can take into account that new evidence as it comes.”
