The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has said the world does not give equal attention to emergencies affecting black and white people.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who comes from Ethiopia's war-torn region of Tigray, said only a fraction of the help given to Ukraine was given to humanitarian crises elsewhere.

The AFP news agency quoted him as saying:

"I don't know if the world really gives equal attention to black and white lives.

"The whole attention to Ukraine is very important of course, because it impacts the whole world.

"But even a fraction of it is not being given to Tigray, Yemen, Afghanistan and Syria and the rest. A fraction.

"I need to be blunt and honest that the world is not treating the human race the same way. Some are more equal than others."