• On World TB Day on 24 March, British R&B singer and songwriter Craig David was announced as Goodwill Ambassador against Tuberculosis for the Stop TB Partnership. In 2008, around 9 million people became ill with and 1.8 million people died from tuberculosis. Craig has a massive and loyal following in many African and Asian countries that are heavily affected by the disease.

• WHO celebrated World Health Day on 7 April with its "1000 cities - 1000 lives" campaign which highlights the impact of urban living on health and encourages efforts to make cities healthier places for people to live. "In general, urban populations are better off than their rural counterparts," says Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. "They tend to have greater access to social and health services and their life expectancy is longer. But cities can also concentrate threats to health such as inadequate sanitation and refuse collection, pollution, road traffic accidents, outbreaks of infectious diseases and also unhealthy lifestyles."

• On 9 April in Manila, WHO pledged its support to the United Nations' One Million Safe Schools and Hospitals Campaign. "This campaign is unique because it offers people from all walks of life the opportunity to protect their hospitals and schools and, in turn, save lives," says Dr Eric Laroche, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Action in Crises. "Members of the public, governments, health workers and hospital staff can all find a way to actively support this initiative to make one million hospitals and schools safe from disasters."