Addis Ababa, 20 November 2006 -- The first report to focus on the health of the people living in the 46 countries of WHO African Region was launched Monday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Simultaneous launches of the report, titled The Health of the People: The African Regional Health Report, were held at press conferences in London and WHO Headquarters in Geneva.

Launching the report at the opening of an international conference on community health in Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Health Minister, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, described it as ‘‘a refreshing departure from past gloomy reports on the African situation because while it acknowledges existing challenges, it offers practical, low-cost, affordable solutions which have worked in some countries in the region and could serve as models in others’’.

The 170-page report provides a panoramic view of key public challenges facing the African region, initiatives and programmes intended to tackle these and successes recorded to date.

It charts the progress made and prospects for the future of health in the region under six chapters: Health and development in Africa; Maternal, newborn and child health, Infectious diseases in Africa; Noncommunicable diseases in Africa; Health and the environment in Africa and National health systems.

Dr Gebreyesus endorsed the ‘‘clear and unambiguous message’’ in the report which is that ‘‘solutions to Africa’s problems are within the reach of African governments if they work in close collaboration with their development partners to build and reinforce national health systems; the stewardship role of governments needs to be strengthened to building on lessons learnt from successful health care interventions’’.

Speaking at the occasion, WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Luis Sambo said that the report was a milestone in the work of WHO in the region and thanked the African Union for its support in the preparation of the report.

In attendance at the launch were senior African health officials and personalities including the Minister of Health of Malawi, Mrs Marjorie Ngaunje; the Minister of Health of Niger, Mr. Mahmane Kabaou; the Minister of Health of Chad Mrs. Odjimbeye Ngarmbtina; former WHO Africa Regional Directors, Drs Ebrahim Samba and Gottilieb Monekosso; former Directors of Programme Management at the WHO Regional Office for Africa, Drs A. D’Almeida and Kone Diabi, and more than 300 participants in a conference on community health jointly organized by UNAIDS, UNICEF, The World Bank and WHO.

For more information contact: 

Addis Ababa : Sam Ajibola, Communications Officer, Regional Office for Africa

mobile +242 653 7022;in Addis Ababa + 251 11 (0) 911 532332 email ajibolas [at] afro.who.int

Geneva : Iain Simpson, Communications Officer, WHOmobile, +4179 475 5534 email simpsoni [at] who.int

London :, Judith Mandelbaum-Schmid, Communications Officer, WHO,mobile +41 79 254 6835, email: schmidj [at] who.int.

All press releases, fact sheets and other WHO media material may be found at www.who.int