Brazzaville, 29 August 2007 -- The World Health Organization proposes to spend US$ 1.2 billion in its African Region during the 2008-2009 biennium, representing 28.2% of the WHO global budget of US$ 4.2 billion for the two-year period.

This is contained in a report presented today by WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, to the fifty-seventh session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa taking place from 27 to 31 August in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.

Brazzaville, 29 August 2007 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) African Region has registered significant progress in eliminating leprosy , with 44 out of the 46 countries reaching the leprosy elimination target in 2007.

This was disclosed Monday by the Organization’s Regional Director for Africa , Dr Luis Sambo , in a report to the region’s health ministers at their fifty-seventh session taking place in Brazzaville , Republic of Congo.

Brazzaville, 29 August 2007 -- World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, has proposed that, for the next decade African countries “substantially invest in implementing sustained multiple actions to ensure that the required health workforce is in place and functional” in the Region.

The proposal is contained in document presented by Dr Sambo to the fifty-seventh session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa which began Monday in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.

Brazzaville, 29 August 2007 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has proposed a strategy for the control of the dual tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS epidemic in the African Region.

The strategy, developed by the WHO Regional Office for Africa, outlines key interventions aimed at strengthening collaboration between TB and HIV control programmes, reducing the burden of TB among People Living with HIV/AIDS, and of HIV among TB patients.

Brazzaville, 29 August 2007 -- “The harmful use of alcohol in the African region is rising and the situation will worsen if appropriate action is not taken to address the problem.”

This is contained in a report by WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, to the fifty-seventh session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, taking place in Brazzaville, Congo.

“Episodic or binge drinking is a significant characteristic pattern of consumption in the Region”, Dr Sambo says in the report.

Brazzaville, 29 August 2007 -- WHO Regional Director Africa, Dr Luis Sambo has advised countries in the region endemic for onchocerciasis (river blindness) to establish control programmes with strong community participation using a primary health care approach as a way of ensuring sustainability.

Brazzaville, 28 August 2007 -- “ Food is central to the prosperity, health and social well-being of individuals and societies. Yet, foodborne and waterborne disease continue to cause preventable deaths and untold suffering in the African Region.

Indeed, the annual mortality rate due to diarrhea in Africans of all ages is estimated at 700,000. On the average, African children experience five episodes of foodborne and waterborne diarrhea every year.

Brazzaville, 28 August 2007 -- “The cholera situation is worsening in the African Region and concerted efforts are required to establish multisectoral plans to deal with this resurgence in a coordinated way”, The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.

This caution is contained in a report on the cholera situation in Africa by WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, to the fifty-seventh annual meeting of Health Ministers from the WHO African Region.

Brazzaville, 28 August 2007 -- The incidence of diabetes is high and growing in the African Region and governments need to take quick remedial action to check the killer disease, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director, Dr Luis Sambo, has warned.

“Diabetes is no longer rare in Africa as estimates and recent investigations indicate a prevalence of between 1% and 2%”, Dr Sambo told delegates attending the fifty-seventh session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa which opened Monday in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.

Brazzaville, 27 August 2007 -- WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan, said in Brazzaville on Monday that obstacles holding back Africa’s health development must be overcome “on the most urgent basis possible.”