Juba, 8 March 2024 – In South Sudan, driving has traditionally been perceived as a male-only profession. However, this stereotype has been challenged by three inspirational female drivers; Lucia Khamis, Jokudu Rejoice and Inna Medina - who are passionately dedicated to serving underserved communities by delivering healthcare nationwide.

Lucia Khamis, the first female driver at WHO South Sudan, said, "Women can accomplish anything that men can do." Despite the challenges she faces, Lucia takes great pride in contributing to the welfare of her community.

Banjul, The Gambia - In a poignant ceremony held at the State House in the country's capital, His Excellency President Adama Barrow bid farewell to Dr. Desta Tiruneh, the outgoing World Health Organization (WHO) representative in The Gambia. The event, attended with select WHO staff members, celebrated Dr. Tiruneh's transformative leadership during his tenure in the country.

The Multi-Country Assignment Team (MCAT) - South Africa Hub, covering South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Botswana, held a significant retreat from March 6-8, 2024. This event, hosted in South Africa, aimed to strengthen the coordination and operational modalities of MCATs to deliver strategic high-level technical assistance to these countries.

Ethiopia is stepping up its efforts to tackle the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) with a comprehensive approach involving government agencies, healthcare professionals, and international partners. Led by the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ethiopia Public Health Institute (EPHI), the country is implementing robust surveillance systems and collaborative initiatives to combat AMR.

Bindura – With Shamva experiencing an increase in cholera cases, the World Health Organization (WHO) supported the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) to establish an 8-bed capacity Cholera Treatment Centre (CTC) at Tafuna shopping centre.

The World Health Organization's most recent assessment of the coverage and functionality of the National Health Information Systems (NHIS) revealed that Angola should focus on improving the availability of information on key development indicators, such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for health, birth registration, the causes of death with medical certificates reported by the main hospitals by main diagnostic category (ICD-10/11), among others.

South Africa is facing a significant health challenge as Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are on the rise. In response, the National Department of Health (NDoH) launched a national campaign to raise awareness and promote prevention and control measures for NCDs. The first event was held in KwaZulu-Natal, focusing on one of the subdistrict of iLembe.

Monrovia, 29 February ‒ World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday donated a consignment of essential medical supplies to the Liberian Ministry of Health.