African Traditional Medicine Day 2026: Bridging ancient wisdom and modern healthcare
Kamhlushwa, Mpumalanga | 31 August 2026
Ready when the call comes: Uganda cuts emergency response from weeks to hours
Kampala - Dr Allan Mugarura had just completed a grueling night shift in the maternity unit at Mubende Regional Referral Hospital when his phone rang late in the evening of 15 May 2026. Uganda had declared an outbreak of Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus.
As a trained member of Uganda’s national Emergency Medical Team (EMT), Dr Mugarura was asked one question: Was he ready to deploy?
He agreed without hesitation, packed his bags and set off through the night for Mulago National Referral Hospital in Kampala.
Nigeria advances early childhood development through primary health care
Abuja – Every month at the Primary Health Care Centre in Ugbor, Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State, in southern Nigeria, mothers gather with their babies for routine immunization and growth monitoring services. Among them is Mrs Shegu Ritawaits who arrived one morning with her eight-month-old child expecting a routine clinic visit.
New equipment strengthens the capacity of Guinea-Bissau’s National Ophthalmology Service
Bissau—The initiative expands the resources available for eye examinations, diagnosis and treatment at Simão Mendes National Hospital.
The World Health Organization (WHO) handed over materials and equipment to the National Ophthalmology Service, based at Simão Mendes National Hospital in Bissau.
The equipment, valued at a total of US$151,863, was procured under the National Health System Strengthening Project, funded by the African Development Bank in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health.
WHO hands over emergency health supplies to strengthen Ghana’s post-floods health response
The World Health Organization (WHO) has handed over emergency health supplies to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to support ongoing public health preparedness and response following the floods that affected parts of Ghana on 29 June 2026.
In Kenya, more women and newborns die from poor-quality care than from lack of access to it
Kajiado - More Kenyan women and newborns are dying not because they can't reach a health facility, but because of the quality of care they receive once they get there. That is the finding underlying the governments 2024 Quality of Care and Human Resources for Health Assessment.
WHO donates mobile laboratory to strengthen Uganda’s outbreak preparedness
Kampala – TheWorld Health Organization (WHO), with funding support from the African Development Bank (AfDB), has handed over a Truck-Mounted Mobile Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory valued at over half a million US Dollars to the Government of Uganda, marking a significant investment in the country’s capacity to detect and respond to outbreaks of Ebola and other highly infectious diseases.
Mpox in Guinea-Bissau: community transmission remains active as surveillance is strengthened
Bissau— Two months after the first case was confirmed, the country has recorded 10 confirmed cases and no deaths. Health teams are intensifying active case finding and contact monitoring, with technical support from the World Health Organization.
Two months into the outbreak
Ethiopia's Health Minister Elected Chairperson of WHO Regional Committee for Africa
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 26 August 2026: Ethiopia's Minister of Health, Dr. Mekdes Daba Feyssa, has been elected Chairperson of the 76th Session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa (RC76), currently taking place in Addis Ababa.
Guinea-Bissau advances the validation of the National HIV Treatment Protocols
Bissau—The update aims to harmonize care practices, promote equitable access to treatment, and improve the care provided to people living with HIV.
The Ministry of Public Health of Guinea-Bissau, with technical support from the World Health Organization (WHO), is conducting the validation of the National HIV Treatment Protocols on 26 and 27 August.
The activity brings together health professionals, experts, and sector partners to review the technical content and reach a consensus before final approval.
Updated guidance to improve care