Ebola – Rwanda completes the revision of its National Contingency Plan

Nyamata, MOH, WHO Country Office, Health Partners and Donors meeting to review and update the Rwanda EVD Contingency Plan
In the context of the ongoing complex Ebola outbreak declared on 1 August 2018 in the Congolese provinces of North KivuIn the context of the ongoing complex Ebola outbreak declared on 1 August 2018 in the Congolese provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, Uganda, South Sudan and Rwanda were declared as priority one countries and are currently undergoing Ebola Virus Disease readiness and preparedness. The Rwandan Ministry of Health, supported by partners, organized a transdisciplinary workshop in January 2019 in Nyamata (Bugesera District of the Eastern Province) gathering its’ Health Partners, Donors and United Nations Agencies to review and update the national Contingency Plan. Nyamata is a promising growing city and has an airport, the Bugesera International Airport (BIA) under construction since August 2017 and expected to be completed in 2019. 

WHO scales up Lassa fever response in affected states

Lassa fever sensitization campaign in a school in Taraba state, Northeast Nigeria.

Abuja, 1 February 2019 - The World Health Organization (WHO) is scaling up response to the Lassa fever outbreaks in states across Nigeria to strengthen rapid containment of the disease.  WHO is mobilizing experts to intervene in investigations, contact-tracing, risk communication and plans are underway to strengthen efforts to further assist Nigeria in controlling the Lassa fever outbreak. 

On 21 January 2019, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) declared an outbreak of Lassa fever following an increase in the number of cases.

WHO expresses sadness over the death of a colleague working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

WHO expresses sadness over the death of a colleague working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The World Health Organization was saddened to hear this morning about the sudden death of a dear colleague in Beni, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The colleague was deployed from a neighbouring country to Beni to work in the Ebola response, where he supported the administrative team. The exact cause of death is still under investigation, but a preliminary medical report has ruled out Ebola and violence. 

Currently, there are 500 WHO staff deployed in the DRC to support the Ebola response.

WHO Supports Botswana To Strengthen System Operations Towards Malaria And Other Vector Borne Disease Elimination

Group photo of participants at the Integrated Vector Management stakeholder engagement meeting in Botswana

The Government of Botswana has demonstrated commitment to accelerate malaria and other vector borne disease (VBD) elimination. WHO supported the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW) to develop a draft Integrated Vector Management (IVM) strategic plan 2019-2023. This strategic document is intended to facilitate better planning and implementation of vector control aiming at malaria and other VBDs elimination in the country.

South Sudan vaccinates health workers against Ebola

South Sudan vaccinates health workers against Ebola
The Ministry of Health of South Sudan, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other partners, today started vaccinating health workers and other front-line responders against Ebola as part of preparedness measures to fight the spread of the disease.

Uganda Launches Health Sector Integrated Refugee Response Plan 2019-2024

Prime Minister of Uganda Dr Ruhakana Ruganda signs on a dummy copy of the HSIRRP to launch the plan as government officials and partners look on

Kampala, 26th January 2019: - The Government of Uganda launched the Health Sector Refugee Response Plan 2019-2024, (HSIRRP 2019-2024). This is a five-year plan that advocates for the provision of integrated services for both refugees and refugee-host communities in all the refugee-hosting districts.

The HSRIIP is intended to address the needs of refugees and the host communities and ensure access to quality health services for both through improvement of staffing of refugee-hosting districts to 95% of the public staffing norms.