Eritrea News

Asmara, 25 February 2009 – In an effort to strengthen the primary health care of the country to effectively manage NCDs, WHO in collaboration with the MOH has conducted a four day training workshop for Health Workers to field test WHO Package of Essential NCDs intervention (WHO PEN).

Asmara, 23 February 2009 - In an effort to strengthen the primary health care and to effectively manage Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), WHO in collaboration with the MOH has conducted a two day training Workshop for two groups of health Workers from selected health facilities. The purpose of this training is to integrate WHO Package of Essential NCDs (WHO PEN) into the health system at primary level.

“Protecting our health facilities to remain functional during emergencies will surely save lives,” said Dr. Luis G. Sambo, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

Asmara, 7 April 2009 - The Ministry of Health in collaboration with WHO Eritrea commemorated World Health Day on the grounds of Halibet Hospital in Asmara on the 7th of April 2009 under the theme “Save lives. Make hospitals safe in emergencies.”

Eritrea Takes a Step Forward in Reducing Child Morbidity and Mortality Aimed at saving the lives of more children, a Pentavalent vaccine was officially launched by the Minister of Health, HE Mr Saleh Meky on the 18th of December at the Orota Referal Hospital Conference Hall in Asmara.

The Ministry of Health with the support of WHO and UNICEF is introducing the new vaccine to the routine Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in the efforts to reach the MDG 4. 

World Health Day was nationally commemorated under the theme “Urbanization and Health” on the 11th of April 2010 at the Bahti Meskerem Square, in the capital city, Asmara.

The message from the Minister of Health was delivered by Dr Mismay Gebrehiwet, Advisor to the Minister. Dr Mismay said that this year’s theme arises from the fast growing health hazards associated with the rapid urban growth. These demand for a timely and careful urban planning which have the potential to meet the needs of the growing populations’ for basic public health and other services.

n a further fight against the risks of Tobacco the government made a call to all smokers to be aware of the harmful effects of Tobacco and stop smoking, to the non smokers to be careful not to fall into its dangerous traps.

This call was made during the commemoration of World No Tobacco Day held in Asmara on the 31st of May 2010 under the theme “Let us be careful not to be victims of tobacco and its producers” adopted from the global them “Gender and tobacco with an emphasis on marketing to women”.

Eritrea celebrated World blood donor day on the 13th of June 2010 under the theme “Let’s Increase the Number of New Blood Donors” adopted from the global theme “New Blood for the World”.

Blood Donors Day was marked in Eritrea for the 6th time this year organized with the active participation of the donors clubs coordinated by the National Blood Transfusion Center (NBTC).

To scale up the national mental health services Ministry of Health has finalized the national mental health strategic plan of action for 2010 - 2014 with the support of WHO Country Office.

The consensus building workshop held from 6 to 8 July 2010 brought together stakeholders from Ministry of Labour and Human Welfare, Ministry of Education, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNAIDS, College of Health Sciences, BIDHO Association (People living with HIV/AIDS) and other partners in health.

Recent estimates of maternal mortality have shown that the WHO African region has made no important progress toward achieving the MDG target. To date 31 countries out of the 46 have a very high mortality ratio ranging from 550 to 100 per 100,000 live births. In Eritrea, there has been a marked reduction in maternal mortality from 998 per 100,000 live births in 1995 (EDHS) to 450 in 2005 (UN estimates).

This year’s theme, “Just 10 steps: The Baby Friendly Way”, emphasizes on the promotion of full practice of all the ten steps by all Maternity Services set out in the WHO/UNICEF joint statement for “Protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding: the special role of maternity services.”

The Innocenti Declaration in 1990 called upon the world to fully implement the Ten Steps in all maternities by 1995. Twenty years later, more than 150 countries have Baby-friendly hospitals that have implemented the Ten Steps.