Included in the guidance is a list of medicines that nations should stockpile for “radiological or nuclear emergencies”.

The global health body also shared how the stockpiles which could “prevent or reduce exposure to radiation” should be handled. 

Dr Maria Neira, WHO’s acting assistant director-general warned that governments need to make treatments for radiation and nuclear exposure available quickly. 

“It is essential that governments are prepared to protect the health of populations and respond immediately to emergencies,” she added.

Potential scenarios considered in the publication include radiological or nuclear emergencies at nuclear power plants, as well as intentional uses of radioactive materials with malicious intent.

These emergencies could result in exposure to deadly radiation doses, yet many countries are underprepared, according to the document.

It stressed: “It is therefore extremely important that governments respond rapidly to such threats.”

Putin’s ‘war against the West’

The document comes as Stefano Sannino, secretary general of the European Union’s European External Action Service, today announced that Russia has shifted the focus of its Ukraine invasion.

Speaking at a news conference in Tokyo as part of an Asia-Pacific tour, he said that Vladimir Putin has “moved from a concept of special operation to a concept now of a war against NATO and the West”.

He also defended the recent decision by Germany and the U.S. to send advanced tanks to Ukraine.

The EU is not looking to escalate hostilities but “just giving the possibility of saving lives and allowing the Ukrainians to defend from these barbaric attacks,” Sannino added.

Western allies have committed about 150 tanks to Ukraine, to reduce casualties and help restore dwindling ammunition supplies.

The Kremlin has described this as evidence of growing “direct involvement” of the United States and Europe in the 11-month-old war, something both deny.