On the 11th of October, 2013, the WHO Country Office handed over to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare 17 computers to strengthen management of medicines in the 17 peer learning districts.

Malaria accounts for a high burden of morbidity and mortality in all parts of Mozambique especially among children. The disease is particularly prevalent in the rural areas, where almost 1 in 2 children under five have or have had malaria

To lower the high disease burden and reduce mortality rates, the Ministry of Health and WHO conducted a training course for a core team of malaria laboratory technicians from the National Reference Laboratory. 

Lichinga, Niassa, 30-31 Aug 2013 – The dirt road leading to the machamba in Machomane outside Lichinga city (22Km) is dry and dusty. Though the road is quiet, the machamba is very different that usually. The machamba is bustling with dancing women in colourful capulanas and men playing drums. The crowd is awaiting the arrival of the Vice-Minister for Health, Dr Nazira Vali Abdula. Among the participants is Dr Felisbela Gaspar, Director of the Institute for Traditional Medicine, in the Ministry of Health established four years ago in 2009. 

Addis Ababa, 3 October 2013 – Ethiopia on Thursday 3 October launched a campaign to immunize 13 million children under the age of five against polio following the outbreak of the disease in some neghbouring countries.

WHO and partners are supporting the country in carrying the excerice which wil last four days.

The World Health Organization with support from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has inaugurated the construction of a maternity complex in Yambio hospital, Western Equatoria state and a maternity waiting home in Wau hospital, Western Bahr el Ghazal state.

01 October, 2013, Juba – The Ministry of Health, Republic of South Sudan in collaboration with the World Health Organization announce the outbreak of measles in Malakal County, Upper Nile state.

This announcement follows reports of 44 suspected cases of measles reported from Malakal Teaching hospital pediatric ward since August 2013 in which 10 of the 15 samples collected from patients tested positive for the measles (IgM). Those affected are aged between 6 – 18 month of age and continue receiving treatment at Malakal Teaching Hospital.

30 September, 2013, Juba – The Government of South Sudan has decleared a polio outbreak in the country. This follows three confirmed cases among children – two in Aweil south, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State and another in Ikotos Eastern Equatoria State.

“We consider this a national health emergency,” the Under Secretary of Health said on Monday morning. We are mobilizing from the highest level of government to every community in the country in order to stop this disease.

Entebbe, Uganda, 30th September 2013 -- The managers of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) programmes from 38 countries in Africa and many partner agencies are meeting in Entebbe, Uganda from 30th September to 04th October 2013 to agree on priorities and coordinate plans and strategies to achieve the WHO 2020 NTD goals in the African region.

Inside this issue:

WHO donates vehicles to support emergency polio eradication efforts in the Somali Region

Evidence-based HIV and AIDS inter-vention scaled-up in Oromia Region

WHO supports the management of yellow fever outbreak in Ethiopia

Research is key to ensuring universal health coverage — Excerpt from the World Health Report 2013

In pictures: WHO follow-up mission to the Gambella Guinea Worm Eradication Programme

Kampala, September 2013 -- Uganda’s Ministry of Health hosted the 19th Joint Review Mission and 9th National Health Assembly from 23rd to 26th September 2013 during which progress was reported on the 26 core health indicators.