Lusaka, 26 April 2017 – On 25 April 2017, which is the World Malaria Day, the government of the Republic of Zambia launched the National Malaria Elimination Strategy 2017-2021 and rebranded the National Malaria Control Centre to be the National Malaria Elimination Centre. The Minister of Health, Honourable Chitalu Chilufya who represented the President of the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency, Mr.

Jigjiga, April 27, 2017 - The World Health Organization delegation conducted a four day field visit to Dollo and Korahey zones from 22-26 April, 2017, as part of WHO’s interventions in the Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) outbreak emergency response, in the Ethiopia Somali Region. The aims of the visit are, among others, to effectuate a rapid assessment of the situation and to identify the needs and gaps so as to strengthen the response to the outbreak.

For many decades Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) have been used to protect people against malaria. Due to their effectiveness, the use of ITNs has increased substantially across the African region. WHO recommends that all people at risk of malaria sleep under ITNs particularly long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) every night [1]

25 April 2017, Rwanda joined the world to commemorate World Malaria Day. It is now time to highlight the need to sustain country efforts and commitment to control and eliminate this life- threatening disease. This year the world malaria day theme is:” Closing the preventive gap for Malaria.” It is thus very imperative to reflect on the achievements made so far, the challenges encountered and the way forward to end Malaria by 2030 in African Region and Rwanda in particular as recommended by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Abuja, 25 April 2017 - In response to the theme of the 2017 World Malaria Day (WMD), ‘End Malaria For Good’ and slogan ‘’What’s your role’, Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole is calling for increased resources from government and private sector for the rapid elimination of the deadly disease.

“We have made modest progress but still far from our dream of a Malaria-free Nigeria. I have no doubt we can do it together”, the minister stated at the commemoration of this year’s event in Abuja on 25 April 2017.

Rasesa Village, Kgatleng District – 24 April 2017: A high profile and well attended community African Vaccination Week commemoration was held in Rasesa Village in Kgatleng District. Among dignitaries in attendance was the representative of the Honourable Minister of Health and Wellness DR Haruna Jibril, including Kgosi Rasesa and other Kgosi from the district environs. The Honourable Member of Parliament for Mochudi North West Hon.

The Minister of Health and Wellness, Honourable Dorcas Makgato delivered the first of a series of lectures on Health and Development at the University of Botswana Conference Centre. Fittingly, the inaugural lecture was on the importance of inter-sectoral action on the social determinants of health. Honourable Makgato intimated that her Ministry will work with other sectors to identify and address their impact on health to enable them accentuate the positives and mitigate the negatives.

24 March 2017 – Geneva/Brazzaville/New York/Dakar:  More than 190 000 polio vaccinators in 13 countries across west and central Africa will immunize more than 116 million children over the next week, to tackle the last remaining stronghold of polio on the continent.

Zanzibar, 24 April 2017 : WHO and partners supported the Zanzibar Island to conduct a Joint External Evaluation (JEE) for IHR Core Capacities. The event was officiated by the Minister of Education and Vocational Training, Honorable Riziki Pembe Juma. Also present during the occasion were the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Ms. Asha Abdala, Directors from the Ministry of Health, Agriculture and Livestock, Disaster Risk Management, and, representatives of various sectors and agencies and the external evaluators.

Preparations are currently underway for a vast bed net distribution campaign in Sierra Leone. Planned for June this year, the campaign aims to distribute around 4.3 million insecticide-treated bed nets to households nationwide to help protect them against malaria, which remains one of the country’s leading causes of death and illness.