Brazzaville, 28 February 2005 - The World Health Organization (WHO) has pledged accelerated action to help reduce the disease burden in Africa and to assist countries in the region to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The pledge was made Thursday in Brazzaville by the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, while handing over medicines, medical equipment and vehicles worth more than US$290,000 to the Congolese government.

Dr Sambo stated that the Brazzaville-based Regional Office would intensify its collaboration with WHO headquarters and development partners within and outside Africa in order to bring about an improvement in the health status of people in the region. " Among the specific things we are focusing on are reducing the disease burden in our region, and improving maternal and child health through the implementation of the health component of the New Partnership for Africa's Development, and by supporting Member States working towards the achievement of the MDGs", he said.

Dr Sambo announced that WHO would work with the Congolese government in the conception, development and implementation of people-oriented and district-based health programmes "which would serve as models of cooperation between WHO and the government".

Speaking at the occasion, the Assistant Director General of Family and Community Health at WHO headquarters, Mrs. Joy Phumaphi, re-iterated the "one-ness" of WHO and the need for continued contact and collaborative activities involving the Organization at the global, regional and country levels.

Receiving the donations, contributed by WHO and the African Development Bank among others, the Congolese Health Minister, Dr Alphonse Gando, pledged that the materials donated would be judiciously used. 

For further information, please contact:

Samuel T. Ajibola

E-mail: ajibolas [at] afro.who.int (ajibolas[at]afro[dot]who[dot]int)

Tel : + 47 241 39378