Polio eradication: Experts say Nigeria not ‘out of the woods yet’.

Dr Pascal Mkanda presenting 34th ERC preliminary findingd and recommendations

Abuja, 20 September 2017-The 34th session of the Expert Review Committee on Polio Eradication and Routine Immunization (ERC), cautions the Nigeria programme to guard against complacency as the country is ”not out of the woods yet”. The warning according to ERC is germane, given recent antecedents despite one year without any reported case of wild poliovirus (WPV) in Nigeria.

Protéger les burundais du paludisme : campagne nationale de distribution de moustiquaires imprégnées du 18 au 22 septembre

L'agent en charge de l'Information Education Communication (IEC) donne des conseils d'usage

Du 18 au 22 septembre 2017, le Ministère de la Santé Publique et de Lutte contre le Sida et ses partenaires organisent une campagne de distribution des moustiquaires imprégnées d’insecticides dans tous les ménages du Burundi.
 
En appui à cette activité d’envergure nationale, le Bureau de l’OMS a déployé des équipes de supervision de cette campagne sur plusieurs axes dont, Kayanza, Ngozi Kirundo, l’axe Rutana –makamba , sans oublier Bujumbura mairie.
 

One year after Nigeria emergency declaration.

Eight years of conflict and crisis in north-eastern Nigeria have left two-thirds of health facilities completely or partially destroyed and millions of people without access to healthcare. In August last year, when health teams managed to reach previously inaccessible areas, they found a critical situation. Functioning health facilities were overburdened and more than 40% of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps had no access to basic healthcare services.

WHO supports capacity building for enforcement of and compliance with tobacco control regulations in Zanzibar

Training in session
The government of Zanzibar recently endorsed tobacco control regulations in line with the Public and Environmental Health Act on 2012. These regulations are aligned to the provisions of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC). The WHO FCTC is the world’s most powerful tool to tackle the escalating epidemic of tobacco use and exposure to tobacco smoke and their negative impact on health, social and economic development. The FCTC sets out strategies that will lead to tobacco demand reduction and supply reduction while at the same time providing for international cooperation and monitoring of trends in the tobacco epidemic. These measures aim at reducing tobacco use while at the same time protecting non-smokers from second hand smoke.

WHO convenes experts to enhance capacity for schistosomiasis control across the sub-Sahara Region

Field worker demonstrating snail collection
Schistosomiasis also known as Bilharzia is an acute and chronic disease caused by parasitic worms. Transmission occurs when people suffering from schistosomiasis contaminate freshwater sources with their excreta containing parasite eggs, which hatch in water. The larval forms of the parasite – released by freshwater snails – penetrate the skin during contact with infested water. In the body, the larvae develop into adult worms that can cause progressive damage to organs.

Emergency cholera vaccination campaign kicks off in Sierra Leone

Children and adults are receiving the vaccine across disaster-affected areas

FREETOWN, 15 September 2017 – Sierra Leone’s first ever Oral Cholera Vaccination (OCV) campaign kicked off today, September 15th 2017. The emergency campaign targets communities affected by Western Area’s severe floods and landslides, which left over 6,000 people displaced and caused over 500 confirmed deaths.