Yaoundé, 2 September 2008 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed a strategy to prevent and control cancer, 582 000 cases of which were recorded in the Region in 2002.

Cancer of the cervix, breast, liver and prostate as well as Kaposi’s sarcoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma are the most common forms of cancer in the African Region. Incidence of these cancers are projected to double by 2020 if effective interventions are not intensified.

Gambia, 2 September 2008 -- Following his appointment as WHO Representative to the Republic of The Gambia barely six weeks ago, Dr Thomas Sukwa, today, presented his credentials to the Secretary of State (Minister) for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Omar Touray.

Yaoundé, 2 September 2008 -- World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, has called on African countries to prioritize “patient safety”, a concept that refers to processes or structures which, when applied, reduce the possibility of adverse events resulting from exposure to the health-care system across a range of diseases and procedures.

Yaoundé, 2 September 2008 -- “By virtue of their multiple roles, women constitute a key link in the chain of development, and efforts must be made by African countries to ensure that women are in a state of physical, mental and social well-being to be able to carry out their numerous responsibilities.”

This call for action was made on Tuesday in Yaoundé by the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, in a report to the fifty-eighth session of the WHO Regional Committee to Africa taking place in the Cameroonian capital.

Yaoundé, 2 September 2008 -- There is an urgent need to interrupt wild poliovirus in Northern Nigeria, sustain optimum involvement of communities in high-risk areas, and conduct independent monitoring and evaluation of immunization activities at all levels.

This key recommendation is contained in a report to be discussed today at the fifty-eighth session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa taking place in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Yaoundé, 1 September 2008 -- The fifty-eighth session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa opened on Monday in Yaoundé, with a call by Cameroonian Prime Minister, Mr. Ephraim Inoni, for concerted action by African countries to enable them achieve the Millennium Development Goals.

Opening the meeting, Mr. Inoni said that the complexity of the health challenge facing the Region called for “a real synergy of actions that cut across our respective borders.”

Yaoundé, 28 August 2008 -- The fifty-eighth session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa is scheduled to take place from 1 to 5 September in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

This year’s meeting of the Regional Committee, WHO’s Governing Body in the African Region, will take place in the context of change and reform, initiated by Dr Luis Sambo, since he was elected to the post of Regional Director four years ago.

KOFORIDUA, GHANA, 21 AUGUST 2008 -- In response to the prevailing neonatal mortality rates for Ghana which stands at 43 per 1000 live births, the first training of trainers to build the national capacity to carry out essential newborn care has been held in Koforidua, capital of the Eastern Region of Ghana from 21 - 25 July 2008.

Geneva, 19 August 2008 -- Rising flood waters across West Africa are intensifying health risks for millions of people, and adding to the impact of the food price crisis. International aid is needed as heavy rains forecast to last until September could exacerbate health threats for conditions including malaria, diarrhea and other potentially fatal communicable diseases.

1 August 2008 | Abuja - The Nigerian Minister of Health, Dr Hassan Muhammad Lawal, formally opened the country’s activities commemorating World Breastfeeding Week with a call for more support and empowerment for mothers to encourage breastfeeding. Noting its benefits he said, ‘the first suckle marks the beginning of the human stimuli and response process that is important for the survival and development of every human being’ adding that ‘breastfeeding enables babies to exhibit remarkable capabilities that last a lifetime’.