Ethiopia has endured multiple humanitarian situations recently, from conflict and displacement to disease outbreaks and climate shocks. These challenges have created a prolonged humanitarian situation, leaving over a million people displaced or in returnee status and straining access to essential health services.

Kilamba Kiaxi, Luanda –In the heart of Kilamba Kiaxi municipality in Luanda, the Zape Mbundu Medical Center, led by Director Pedro Zavelela, is playing an important role in Angola’s fight against the ongoing cholera outbreak. Opened in 2001, the private clinic is now home to one of the first Oral Rehydration Points (ORPs) established in Luanda with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and funding from the European Union through the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).

Lilongwe-As Malawi celebrates its first anniversary after officially closing its reimported wild poliovirus (WPV1) outbreak, the country is taking strategic steps to sustain hard-won gains and strengthen its broader health system. On 24 April 2025, health leaders, partners, and stakeholders gathered for the National Polio Transition Planning meeting, an important milestone in ensuring that the infrastructure built to eradicate polio continues to serve Malawi’s communities for years to come.

From Polio Response to Long-Term Resilience

Kenema, Sierra Leone – For Mariama Sankoh, a 36-year-old mother of two, visiting the Kenema Government Hospital for a routine health check turned out to be a life-changing experience.

"I went for the screening because I heard about it through community sensitization," Mariama explains. "The nurses were kind and explained the process. When they told me I had early signs of a problem, they treated me the same day. I am thankful I came."

Freetown, Sierra Leone – In a major boost to Sierra Leone’s health sector, the World Health Organization (WHO) has donated medical supplies and equipment worth over $640,000 to support the Ministry of Health and the National Public Health Agency (NPHA). 

Since late September 2024, the Afar region of Ethiopia—particularly Awash Fentale and Dulecha woredas in Zone 3—has experienced a significant increase in seismic activity. The situation reached a peak in December and intensified again in early 2025, with up to 14 earthquakes recorded in a single day, including a magnitude 5.8 tremor. The tremors, ranging from 4.4 to 6.0 on the Richter scale, have continued to shake communities across Afar and parts of Oromia, severely impacting lives, livelihoods, and essential services.

The Gambella region has successfully concluded a comprehensive Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) campaign, marking a critical milestone in the ongoing fight against the cholera outbreak that has impacted multiple districts.

Launched at the end of March, the campaign aimed to reach more than 990 communities, with strong coordination between federal and regional health authorities.

Freetown, Sierra Leone - Community engagement is visibly reshaping Sierra Leone’s response to mpox. Since the first confirmed case in January 2025, health workers and mobilisers have been moving steadily through affected areas, bridging information gaps, building trust, and helping people understand how to protect themselves and their families.

Nairobi—In 2025, as global health agencies adjusted to tighter budgets, WHO Kenya and the Ministry of Health transitioned to a virtual platform to train health records and information officers in Kenya.

The online format enabled broad participation, with over 1,000 health records and information officers from across all 47 counties registering and 875 successfully completing the month-long programme. The training focused on advanced data analysis and geospatial visualization using Microsoft Excel and QGIS.