WHO Gambia engages local Church on NCDs
Banjul, 15 July 2016 - As part of its advocacy efforts to promote and strengthen partnership for health development, WHO Gambia Country Office in collaboration with the Ministry of Health recently engaged a local Church to discuss noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and their risk actors.
WHO celebrates more than 40 years of success in the control of onchocerciasis or "river blindness"
Ouagadougou, 15 July 2016 – WHO celebrates, from 14 to 15 July 2016, more than 40 years of success in the control of onchocerciasis or "river blindness", a parasitic disease whose vector is an insect that reproduces itself in water.
Nigeria commissions WHO-accredited National Polio laboratory in Maiduguri, Borno State
Maiduguri, 15 July, 2016 - A WHO-accredited Polio laboratory with the capacity to handle 15,000 stool samples per year within the polio eradication initiative from 10 states in the north of the country has been commissioned at the University of Maiduguri Teaching hospital (UMTH) on 14 July, 2016.
World Health Organization steps up response to rising health needs of internally displaced persons in Juba City, South Sudan
Juba, 14 July 2016 - In response to the growing humanitarian crisis that has caused deaths, high numbers of civilian injuries in Juba City and the displacement of thousands of residents fleeing from the conflict, WHO has donated to Juba Teaching Hospital accident and emergency unit trauma kits sufficient to conduct 500 surgeries and various intravenous infusions to save the lives of the increasing number of injured patients. In addition, WHO has provided 100 body bags and personal protective equipment (PPE) for dead body management.
Strong political commitment, equitable access, and active engagement of communities key to sustaining immunization gains in Africa
Brazzaville, 14 July 2016 -- Sustaining the gains that have been made in the drastic reduction of vaccine preventable diseases in the Region, strengthening immunization systems, and ensuring that everyone has access to immunization were some of the issues discussed at the Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group (RITAG) meeting which ended last week i
The many challenges to fighting yellow fever in Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo faces many challenges in responding to the yellow fever outbreak. Access to areas along the Angolan border is extremely difficult and there is a lack of essential resources, such as fuel to run electricity generators.
President Buhari and WHO Regional Director agree on the need to increase domestic funding for health
Abuja, 13 July 2016 - His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari has agreed with Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director (RD) for Africa, on the need for increasing domestic funding for health in Nigeria.
The President told Dr Moeti, who was accompanied by Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and WHO Country Representative, Dr Rui Gama Vaz; that his administration will continue to prioritize the health sector for government funding.
Ministers assure WHO Regional Director that health is a key priority for Nigeria
Abuja, 12 July 2016 - Nigeria’s Minister of Budget and Planning and his counterpart in the Ministry of Finance on 11 July, 2016 in Abuja, separately assured the visiting WHO Regional Director (RD) for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, that health remains a key priority of government.
Both ministers gave the RD their commitments towards increasing federal budgetary allocation for the health sector in 2017 in order to help the sector implement government's priority of revitalizing primary health care (PHC) and putting it at the base of health services delivery pyramid.
National Voluntary Counselling and Testing Day commemorated on 30th June in Zambia under the theme “HIV testing: Key to reaching 90-90-90 target”
Lusaka, 12 July 2016 – The National HIV Voluntary Counselling and Testing Day is commemorated each year in Zambia on 30 June since 2006. The VCT Day provides a platform for the whole nation, provinces and districts with the opportunity to create awareness about HIV and to increase access to information and HIV testing services.
WHO Regional Director promises to support Nigeria on primary health care revitalization
Abuja, 11 July, 2016 - Today in Abuja, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti says Nigeria’s vision of providing primary health care (PHC) and ensuring equity in accessing health services by all Nigerians aligns perfectly with the goals of the World Health Organization (WHO).