Lusaka, Zambia – The World Health Organization (WHO) in Zambia with assistance from WHO headquarters, and the Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) is supporting preparations for a national survey that will assess health system performance, with a particular focus on the availability and affordability of essential medicines for neurological and mental health conditions.

More than 300 regulators, pharmacovigilance experts, health professionals and development partners gathered in Windhoek for the 2026 Annual Meeting of the International Society of Pharmacovigilance Africa Chapter.

Hosted by the Ministry of Health and Social Services and the Namibia Medicines Regulatory Council, the meeting took place from 18–20 May under the theme “Patient Safety First: Uniting Pharmacovigilance Efforts under the Africa Medicines Agency.”

Tendaba, The Gambia – May 2026 – For many people in The Gambia, seeking help for mental health conditions is not always easy. In rural areas especially, access to specialized services often means travelling long distances, facing financial constraints, and overcoming stigma that discourages open discussion of mental health.

Lusaka, Zambia – As countries in the region respond to ongoing Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreaks in neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, Zambia continues to take proactive steps to strengthen its preparedness and response capacity through targeted investments in surveillance, digital tools, and pandemic planning.

Katsina – Before the sun rises over Bangel Gabas settlement in Katsina State, Amina Abubakar begins her day. Carrying her three month old son in a traditional striped cloth, she slips her immunisation card into the fold of her dress and starts walking towards the PHC.

The path to the Primary Health Care (PHC) centre in Debe Geri is sandy and uneven. The journey takes nearly an hour each way. With no reminders or announcements, her commitment alone drives her to ensure her child receives essential immunisation services.

Kagera — In a busy maternity ward at Kabyaile Health Centre in Misenyi District, Kagera Region, Happiness Kokuhumbya Tibaijuka, a midwife with 12 years of experience, begins her shift by checking on women in labour, monitoring progress and preparing for deliveries. But today, her work is different from just a few years ago.

“I used to rely on tools that were not always easy to follow. Now, with the Labour Care Guide, I can clearly track what is happening and act quickly when something is not right,” she says.

WHO Team, led by the WHO Representative to Ghana, Dr. Fiona Braka visited the Ashanti Region to engage with key actors in the health sector and gain firsthand insight into how the health system is functioning, from leadership structures to service delivery at the community level.

Ghana has taken a significant step towards transforming its health system with the launch of a joint programme by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), funded by the Government of Japan through the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS). The initiative will harness artificial intelligence (AI) to improve health outcomes, strengthen system resilience, and protect vulnerable populations.

Yaoundé, May 15, 2026. In response to concerns raised by the international media about a hantavirus outbreak, the Cameroonian government is calling for calm and vigilance. During a press conference held at the Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC) in Yaoundé, the Minister of Public Health, Dr. Manaouda Malachie, reassured the national public by stating that no cases have, so far, been detected in Cameroon and that the risk level remains low.

Bissau—Independent assessment recommends closure of the 2021 variant poliovirus type 2 outbreak, while calling for sustained immunization and surveillance.