President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Dr Ernest Bai Koroma has declared a national “humanitarian emergency” over the cholera outbreak that has resulted in 10, 734 reported cases and 181 deaths in 8 of the 13 affected districts by August 15, 2012.

Cholera situation in Sierra Leone - 15 August 2012

As of 13 August 2012, 9,910 cholera cases, with 171 deaths have been reported by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) since January 2012. The Case Fatality Rate (CFR) has remained at 1.7%. The numbers of cases & deaths reported continue to rise with formerly low reporting districts (Tonkolili and Port Loko) recording higher numbers of cases and deaths.

Cholera situation in Sierra Leone - 14 August 2012

On Wednesday, 1st August, WHO Lesotho Country Representative, Dr. Jacob Mufunda, undertook a press briefing session with the national media to inform them about the recent establishment of the African Public Health Emergency Fund(APHEF). He encouraged wide publicity and sustained advocacy in support of the implementation of the resolution. The purpose of the APHEF is to facilitate the mobilizing, managing and disbursing of additional resources from Member States for responding to public health emergencies in a most efficient and timely manner.

Luanda, 10 August 2012 - Today, Angola marks a year without a new wild poliovirus case, moving the world a step closer to the final global goal of eradicating this contagious crippling disease forever. After a concerted effort to stop polio transmission the number of polio cases dropped from 33 in 2010 to five in 2011 and no cases registered in 2012.  Laboratory results have confirmed that the last case of wild poliovirus was a 14 month old child from  Uige Province in the country's north west in July 2011. 

New cholera cases and deaths due to the ongoing outbreak, continue to be reported in 8 of 13 districts in Sierra Leone. By August 11, 2012, a total of 9,234 cholera cases and 160 deaths have been reported by the Directorate of Disease Prevention and Control (DPC) in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation. The Case Fatality Rate is 1.7% and the Attack Rate is 0.26%.

Cholera situation in Sierra Leone - 10 August 2012

10 August 2012,  Brazzaville - The Executive Director of Roll Back Malaria (RBM), Dr Fatoumata Nafo-Traore, ended a two-day official visit to the WHO Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo yesterday.
 

World Breastfeeding Week 2012 was observed in Eritrea under the theme, “Understanding the past – planning for the future.” It was nationally celebrated from 1 to 7 August.

The objective of the event was to raise awareness of the community on the advantages of breastfeeding. Various awareness activities were carried out in the country.

The event was officially opened by Dr Andebrhan Tesfatsion, acting Director General of Public Health Division. He elaborated on the successes and achievements Eritrea has made in breastfeeding.

Addis Ababa, 06-07 August 2012 -- Ethiopia observed the World Breast Feeding Week (WBFW) for the 4th time under the theme, “understand the past and plan for the future”. The WBFW, launched twenty years ago by the World Alliance for Breast Feeding Action (WABA), focuses on actions to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.

Articles in this edition include: 

1. Review of Early Infant Diagnosis of HIV in Sierra Leone
2. Sierra Leone and Liberia Undertook Joint Training on WHO OneHealth Tool 
3. Acute Malnutrition Situation in Children 1st Quarter 2012

WHO Sierra Leone Newsletter May June 2012

3 Aug. 2012, Mhondoro: World Breastfeeding week was launched in Mhondoro under the theme Understanding the past—Planning for the future. Celebrating 10 years of the Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding. The event, which was attended by the Mhondoro community, UN agencies, and other players in child health and nutrition, aimed to celebrate the successes and achievements of the past 10 years and to call for action to bridge the remaining gaps in policy and programmes on breastfeeding and infant and young child feeding.