1 APRIL 2016 - Lassa fever has killed more than 160 people in West Africa, most of them in Nigeria, since November 2015. Many of these lives could have been saved if a rapid diagnostic test were available so that people could receive treatment early.

On the basis of the clear linkage between poverty and health, the WHO Regional Office for Africa has developed a strategy which explores the potential contribution of health to poverty reduction, economic growth and human development.

The overall objective of the strategy is to have the health sector, given its comparative advantage, contribute to poverty reduction by improving health. The strategy is to be discussed by the 52nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa scheduled for 8-12 October in Brazzaville, Congo.

It aims to :

The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti arrived in New York yesterday afternoon to attend a series of meetings of the United Nations.
Heads of State and Government are attending the high-level meetings at the UN headquarters, where they will make new commitments to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

As of 2 June 2016, a total of 1 947 567 people have been vaccinated against Yellow Fever in the provinces of Kinshasa and Kongo Central. The vaccination campaign began on 26 May 2016. Many people have rushed to get vaccinated including many people from districts that were not targetted for vaccination. This is good news because it means people understand the importance of vaccination. However, despite concerted efforts by WHO and partners and manufacturers, global vaccine stocks remain low.

22 April 2003 -- The Director of Medical Services for Kenya, Dr. Richard Muga, together with Roll Back Malaria partners, today briefed the media about the forthcoming Africa Malaria Day to be commemorated on 25 April 2003.

As part of the commemoration, the first progress report on malaria control and prevention in Africa will be officially launched.

Harare -- The 52nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa (RC52) is scheduled to take place from 8 to 12 October in Harare, Zimbabwe.

This year's meeting of the Regional Committee, WHO's Governing Body at the Regional level, will discuss a report on the work of WHO in the African Region during the 2000-2001 biennium, to be presented by the Regional Director, Dr Ebrahim M. Samba,

"Move for health." This is the slogan for this year's World Health Day (7 April 2002) celebration whose theme, physical activity, emphasizes the importance of physical fitness and an active lifestyle.

Why the choice of this theme at this point in time? The reason, according to WHO Director General, Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, is to draw the attention of policy makers, the public health community and civil society at large to the epidemiological shift in the global burden of disease and the factors fuelling the change.

Harare -- The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa has developed a strategy aimed at accelerating implementation of the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) activities over three years (2003-2005) in order to improve the health of children in the African Region. 

Mobile phones are becoming one of the world’s most important health tools, used in many countries to track exercise, ensure medicines are genuine, and even to read blood glucose levels. In Gabon, they’re being used to raise revenue for the national health system.