Programmes and Clusters News

4 February 2021 | Cervical cancer Cancer

Spearheading cancer awareness drive in Nigeria

Early cancer detection improves the chances of successful treatment, which presupposes the availability of equipped facilities and health workforce. Yet without the right information on prevention and care, many patients are diagnosed late, reducing their chances of survival. In her home state of Niger in North-Central Nigeria, Dr Amina Abubakar Bello, also the state’s first lady, is spearheading a campaign to improve awareness and treatment of breast and cervical cancers – the most common cancers in women in Nigeria.

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28 January 2021 | Coronavirus (COVID-19) Vaccines

New COVID-19 variants fuelling Africa’s second wave

COVID-19 cases and deaths are surging in Africa as new, more contagious variants of the virus spread to additional countries.

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28 January 2021 | Sexual and Reproductive Health Maternal Health

Towards achieving the family planning targets in the African region: a rapid review of task sharing policies

This publication is the abstract of a scientific article, initially published in BMC Reproductive Health Background Expanding access and use of effective contraception is important in achieving universal access to …

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28 January 2021 | Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Ten steps to prepare for COVID-19 vaccine rollout in Africa

As African countries gear up for the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, it is crucial to lay a strong groundwork for what will be the continent’s largest-ever immunization campaign. The World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, are working with countries to shore up readiness using a 10-point assessment tool.

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22 January 2021 | Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Seven things to know about COVID-19 variants in Africa

New COVID-19 variants have emerged in Africa as the continent records a new peak in infections. While virus mutations are not unusual, those that are more infectious are worrisome. Professor Francisca Mutapi, Professor in Global Health Infection and Immunity, University of Edinburgh, explains the implications of SARS-CoV-2 variants and what African countries can do to respond.

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21 January 2021 | Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Africa needs timely access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines

While the development and approval of safe and effective vaccines less than a year after the emergence of COVID-19 is a stunning achievement, Africa is in danger of being left behind as countries in other regions strike bilateral deals, driving up prices.

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14 January 2021 | Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Africa COVID-19 cases top 3 million, first wave peak surpassed

As COVID-19 cumulative cases in Africa top 3 million and daily case numbers exceed the first wave peak, the continent is now confronted with emerging variants of the virus. Revamped public health measures are ever more critical to avert a runaway surge in infections that could stretch health facilities to the breaking point.

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30 December 2020 | Coronavirus (COVID-19)

WHO urges greater surveillance as new COVID-19 variants emerge

With the recent emergence in the African region of new COVID-19 variants which seem to have higher transmissibility, the World Health Organization (WHO) calls on countries to boost genomic surveillance and analysis through the African genome sequencing laboratory network to detect any new mutations and strengthen the efforts to curb the pandemic.

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