Global Dialogue Meeting on the role of non-State actors in supporting Member States in their national efforts to tackle noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Intercontinental Hotel, Balaclava, Mauritius, 19-21 October 2016

WHO Director General, Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, said Tuesday in Harare that currently available evidence showed that genetically modified (GM) foods are "not likely to present human health risk", and that therefore "these foods may be eaten". She said that Southern African countries should consider accepting GM food aid in the face of the humanitarian crisis facing the region.

Addis Ababa, 20 August 2016 – Ministers of Health of the 47 countries in the African Region agreed on priority actions to step up actions towards implementation of the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health 2016–2030 during the 66th session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa.  The Ministers committed to ensure the implementation of the Strategy in line with the Sustainable Development Goals along each country’s health development plan and goals. 

The 63rd Session of the Regional Committee took place from 2 to 6 September 2013 in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo. During the meeting, a side-event on “Networking of public health research institutions in the African Region” was held on 3 September 2013.

Collaborative approach to speed distribution of AIDS treatment and reduce spread of tuberculosis in high HIV prevalence areas

21 January 2004 | GENEVA -- The World Health Organization (WHO) announced today a plan to expand collaboration between national tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS programmes to curb the growing pandemic of TB/HIV co-infection, with a principal focus on Africa where 70% of the world's 14 million people who are co-infected live.

New York -- United Nations Deputy Secretary General Louise Frechette has called on the international community to help in "addressing the needs of Africa where poverty and health challenges are the most acute."

Launching an international health exhibition organized by the World Health Organization in collaboration with the UN Department of Public Information at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday, Mrs Frechette said: "We (the international community) must provide support to Africa …let this exhibition be an inspiration to us all."

The African Region commemorates from 23 to 28 April 2012 the second African Vaccination Week. This year's AVW is "An Unimmunized Child is One Too Many. Give Polio the Final Push". The AVW is a unique opportunity to accelerate progress towards the eradication of polio. In 2011, the African Region recorded only 350 polio cases.

The new head of the UN health agency should carry on the reforms begun by outgoing chief Dr Margaret Chan and encourage Member States to prioritise funding to handle outbreaks and emergencies.

That's the view of Dr Matshidiso Moeti, Director of World Health Organization's (WHO) African Region, ahead of the vote for the new WHO Director-General by Member States in Geneva on Tuesday.

Changes implemented after the Ebola epidemic have already had a positive impact on the way new health crises are managed, Dr Moeti told Daniel Johnson.

A meeting of health ministers from southern African counties and senior officials of WHO ended Wednesday in Harare, Zimbabwe, with delegates from participating countries renewing their "political commitment for immediate actions with a view to mitigating the health consequences" of the humanitarian crisis facing the region.

A report issued at the end of the meeting said that the ministers "indicated the importance of a strategic response which recognizes the multi-dimensional nature of the current crisis, and which responds effectively to people's priority needs."

As this year's meningitis season comes to a close, Felicity Thompson reports on how a new vaccine that costs less than a soda pop is making inroads into a dreaded disease in Africa.

Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2011;89:550–551. doi:10.2471/BLT.11.020811