WHO Declares Polio Spread Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

Warder. 14 June 2014 – High-level officials from the Federal Ministry of Health, Somali Regional State, WHO and UNICEF visited Warder, the epicentre of the wild polio virus outbreak in Ethiopia, on 14 June 2014 and assured to strengthen support to Doollo Zone, Somali Region, to accelerate progress towards polio eradication.  

More than 124,000 refugees have fled South Sudan to Ethiopia since the outbreak of violence last December and they are staying in four camps in Ethiopia's western Gambella Regional State, run by the Administration for Refugee and Returnee Affairs (ARRA) and UNHCR. At Kule refugee camp, which is fast reaching its capacity of 40,000 refugees, the majority of the refugees are women and children in urgent need of improved medical care and sanitation.

Mariama Diallo, aged in her sixties, was diagnosed with diabetes ten years ago. Although she is very strict about following a healthy lifestyle, Mariama is always on the look-out for information and advice to help her manage her condition.

• "Drink one litre of water every morning before you begin fasting."
• "Take care not to overeat and watch out for foods high in sugar such as dates."
• "Ask your doctor to adapt the dose and timing of your diabetes medication before you fast."

Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe: 14 June 2014 - Zimbabweans were called upon to provide safe blood to save mothers as Zimbabwe joined the rest of the world to commemorate World Blood Donor Day at a high level event in Chinhoyi which was supported by the First Lady of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Amai Grace Mugabe and representatives from the different levels of the Government of Zimbabwe.

On the 9th – 12th June, 2014, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare with support from the World Health Organization, held a stakeholders’ workshop to discuss the Human Resource for Health (HRH) Production Plan in Dar es Salaam.

Harare, Zimbabwe: 11 June 2014 - WHO Representative for Zimbabwe, Dr David Okello met with representatives from the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) to discuss an upcoming water, sanitation, health and energy (WASHen) exhibition that is being planned for September 2014. Ms Stella Nkomo and Ms Nozipho Maphala from the Marketing and Public Relations unit of the ZITF met with Dr Okello in his Harare office to discuss the upcoming exhibition.

The Ministry of Health with support of the World Health Organization has launched the first National Malaria Strategic Plan, 2014 to 2021, at a well organized ceremony at the Independence Hall in Juba, South Sudan.

The WHO Country Representative, Dr Abdi Aden Mohammed, who represented all UN agencies, pledged that health partners will continue supporting the MoH of South Sudan to reduce the burden of malaria. He said that malaria remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the new nation, with the majority of the affected being children and pregnant mothers.

On the 9th of June, 2014, the WHO Country Office handed over to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, three ELISA Reader machines to strengthen new vaccine surveillance in the country. Tanzania currently has 7 new vaccine Sentinel Sites for surveillance of Rotavirus Gastroenteritis (RGS) and Paediatric Bacterial Meningitis which aim to monitor the impact of the new vaccines in reducing disease incidence. The 3 ELISA Reader machines handed over are worth a total of USD 24,000 equivalent to Tanzanian Shillings 39,912,000.

Brazzaville, 9 June 2014 – The 64th session of the Programme Subcommittee (PSC) of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the African region, began today in Brazzaville, Congo.