WHO and the Ministry of Health strategize for the next five years to improve the immunization system in South Sudan

Mr Kofi Boateng, WHO EPI focal point making a presentation
An effective, evenly targeted immunization programme and its ability to reduce the burden of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) will greatly contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goal 3 (ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages) that aims to end preventable deaths of newborns and children under 5 years of age to at least as low as 12 per 1000 live births and 25 per 1000 live births respectively.

South Sudan conducts Joint External Evaluation of Core capacities for International Health Regulation (2005)

The IHR JEE team visiting the Central Medical Stores to validate findings presented in the JEE Self-Evaluation report
As a strategy to strengthen the country’s capacity to prevent, detect, confirm, and rapidly respond to public health risks and save lives, South Sudan conducted a Joint External Evaluation (JEE) for International Health Regulations (2005) from 16-20 October, 2017 at Juba Landmark Hotel. This is in-line with the IHR monitoring and evaluation framework. South Sudan is the 26th country to conduct the JEE process in the WHO Africa Region.

WHO supports containment of rare virus on Uganda-Kenya border

WHO supports containment of rare virus on Uganda-Kenya border

20 OCTOBER 2017 | GENEVA - WHO is working to contain an outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) that has appeared in eastern Uganda on the border with Kenya.

At least one person is confirmed to have died of MVD and several hundred people may have been exposed to the virus at health facilities and at traditional burial ceremonies in Kween District, a mountainous area 300 kilometres northeast of Kampala.

WHO supports Bayelsa state to rapidly contain outbreak of Monkeypox virus.

WHO LGA Facilitator in sensitization meeting with teachers and pupils in a Yenagoa Primary school

Yenagoa, 20 October 2017-World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting the Bayelsa state to scale-up response and rapidly contain further spread as well as debunk rumours linking the Monkeypox outbreak to immunization activities.

 Since the report of the index case in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state on 22 September 2017, 22 additional suspected cases have been reported. Results of samples taken to WHO Regional Laboratory in Dakar, Senegal, confirmed Monkeypox from three (3) of the suspected cases while 46 contacts are being followed-up at  present.

Mental Health: Promote better workplace and well being

WR Kenya Dr Rudi Eggers, extreme right, with MOH colleagues during the launch of the World Mental Health Day in Kenya

World Mental Health Day 2017 was commemorated in Kenya with a call for changes at workplace to reduce risk factors for stress and policies that ensure work environment promotes wellbeing and productivity. Speakers at the commemoration event urged workplace communities to talk about depression and other mental health problems like substance abuse in order to promote best practice, decrease negative attitudes and empower individuals.

Namibia Continues to invest in Polio Eradication

Strengthening immunization services is at the heart of ending polio

 Today the national taskforce for poliovirus containment in the laboratory met as part of the country’s efforts to maintain its polio free status.  The committee members discussed findings from a field mission reviewing all biomedical laboratories for possible wild poliovirus infectious material while encouraging the destruction of all unneeded materials.  The Ministry aims to strengthen its surveillance system by developing an inventory of all laboratories that retain material which may have potential infectious material.

WHO and the Ministry of Health strategize for an integrated reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition approach in South Sudan

Group work to critically review the different thematic areas on RMNCAH
The Ministry of Health of the Republic of South Sudan with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), held a two-day consultative multi stakeholder meeting from 18-19 October, 2017 in Juba for the development of an integrated Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child, Adolescent Health and Nutrition (RMNCAH & N) strategic plan for South Sudan. The process is led by the Ministry of Health with technical support from the H6 partnerships including the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), UN Women and the World Bank.

WHO partners with UNIDO to close gaps in primary health care services in the Islands of Leer and Mayendit Counties, in the former Unity State of South Sudan

UNIDO clinical team carrying out health education
The conflict in South Sudan has caused a public health crisis, exacerbating underlying health vulnerabilities and weak infrastructure in the country. With the start of the current crises, a new set of challenges emerged that jeoparadized the very core foundation of the health system and its ability to meet the most basic health and nutrition needs of the population. Health systems challenges such as inadequate human resources, health care financing, essential medicines and medical supplies, among others still persist.