The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) with support from SABIN Vaccine Institute, WHO and UNICEF, held a one day symposium to raise awareness of Members of Parliament (MPs) on the importance of vaccination and solicit their support for sustainable immunization financing (SIF).
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon Chukuma Johnson delivering the key note address said, “parliamentarians must not underestimate their critical role in achieving the goal of health care financing.”

Sierra Leone launched a National Cancer Registry and the Sierra Leone Cancer Charity on 12 June 2012 in Freetown. Mr Mamoud Tarawallie, Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation, launched the Registry and the Charity on behalf of H.E the President of the Republic.

Kigali, 11 June 2012 -- On the invitation of the Government of Rwanda, the WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Luis Gomes Sambo is paying an official visit to Rwanda from 11 to 13 June 2012.

6 June 2012 – Human African trypanosomiasis, also known as sleeping sickness, is currently on the rise in South Sudan. The disease is transmitted by tsetse fly and is 100% fatal without treatment. It is endemic in Greater Equatoria State. 

A person recently-affected by the disease may not feel any symptoms for months or may present with symptoms that mimic other common diseases such as malaria. 

Harare, 4 June 2012 -- In line with WHO’s call for people to adopt healthy lifestyles, WCO Zimbabwe held its annual wellness days for staff, their dependents, and partners at their Highlands complex.

World No Tobacco Day was nationally commemorated in Eritrea on the 2nd of June 2012 under the theme, “Tobacco industry interference.” The event was marked at the capital city in Asmara through an advocacy meeting that was organized by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Regional MoH office with the support of the WHO Country Office.

Inside this issue

1. Highlights
2. World TB Awareness Week, March 2012
3. World Health Day, April 2012
4. World No Tobacco Day, May 2012
5. The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare Launches Decentralization of Primary Health Care, May 2012
6. STEPS Survey, June 2012
7. UN staff support blood drive on World Blood Donor Day, June 2012

WHO Country Office Lesotho Bi-Annual Newsletter

Banjul, 1 June 2012 -- “Smoking kills” “By smoking, you are committing suicide” “Say No to tobacco”. These were some of the slogans teachers and students of Brufut Lower Basic School (BLBS) and the local community sang as they took to the streets of Brufut village to commemorate World No-Tobacco Day.

Uganda commemorated World No Tobacco Day with grand activities between 28 and 31 May, 2012, to raise public awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco and also advocate for the adoption of the Tobacco Control Policy and establishing tobacco control legislation.

Pretoria, 31 May 2012 -- The Acting World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative in South Africa, Dr Francis Kasolo, called on participants at the closing ceremony of the WHO Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control Regional Consultation, held in Pretoria, South Africa, to intensify action against cancer in their respective countries, in line with the 58th session of the World Health Assembly resolution on cancer prevention and control, that calls upon Member States to implement Cancer Control through: prevention (HPV vaccination and screening), early detection, diagnosis & trea