The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) and WHO held their joint monthly technical consultation meeting on Tuesday 8 May 2012. The meeting was co-chaired by the WHO Representative, Dr Alemu and the Chief Medical Officer of MoHS, Dr Kisito Daoh, and was attended by directors and programme managers of the MoHS and technical officers of the WHO Country Office.

In this Issue:

1. Ghana introduces Pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccines

2. 2nd Edition of African Vaccination Week launched in Ghana

3. Pre-launch visit at AYIKUMA CHPS COUMPOUND

4. Post-launch visit at MAMPONG, CHPS COUMPOUND

On 26 April, 2012 Ghana made history as the first African country to simultaneously introduce pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccines into its national immunization programme in a bid to fight pneumonia and diarrheoal diseases, each of which ac-counts for approximately 10 per cent of under-five deaths in the country.

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) with technical and financial support of WHO conducted a three day health sector Human Resource Working Group consultative workshop from 3-5 May 2012. The Working Group deliberated on the draft Human Resources for Health (HRH) Policy, Strategic Plan and Profile for Sierra Leone.

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) with technical and financial support of WHO conducted a three day health sector Human Resource Working Group consultative workshop from 3-5 May 2012. The Working Group deliberated on the draft Human Resources for Health (HRH) Policy, Strategic Plan and Profile for Sierra Leone.

One of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aims at improving maternal health - MDG 5. The two targets of this goal are reducing by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio; and achieving, by 2015, universal access to reproductive health.

According to a WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and World Bank 2012 report, “Trends in maternal mortality: 1990 to 2010”, the annual number of maternal deaths dropped from more than 543,000 to 287,000 – a decline of 47 per cent.

Over 500,000 children have been protected against eight killer but vaccine-preventable diseases -tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, measles and hepatitis B, and homophillus influenza B - throughout the country during the 2nd African Vaccination Week (AVW).

This was held integrated with other activities as a Child Health, Nutrition and Vaccination week from April 28 to May 02, 2012 in Eritrea.

The interventions of the campaign included:

In this issue:

Lead Poisoning in Zamfara State of Nigeria
Use of ARVs in HIV Prevention
WHO support introduction of Pentavalent vaccine
World Malaria Day 2012 Celebration in Nigeria
Healthy Ageing

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In this Issue:

1. Healthy Lifestyle

2. Strengthening Lab Database for Disease Surveillance

Introduction

Sierra Leone is faced with the double burden of communicable and Non-Communicable diseases (NCDs). Available hospital data indicate that in 2011 more cases of diabetes (352), hypertension (4207) and cardiovascular disease (284) were reported.

Pledges of commitment by government and partners and advocacy for malaria prevention and control characterized interventions made  during events organized to mark this year’s World Malaria Day (WMD) in Nigeria.

The weeklong celebration kicked off with a well-attended Ministerial press conference on 24 April 2012 at the Minister’s conference room in Abuja.

Accra, 26 April 2012 – Ghana today made history as the first African country to simultaneously introduce pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccines in its national immunization programme in a bid to fight pneumonia and diarrheoal diseases, each of which accounts for approximately 10 per cent of under-five deaths in the country.