Dar es Salaam - This week, technical experts from the Ministry of Finance and Planning, Revenue Authorities, Ministries of Health in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar and WHO Country Office are meeting to deep dive into tobacco taxation - the most effective and most cost-effective measure to reduce tobacco consumption.

_{^{By Dr Tapfumaneyi Mashe}}

Kigoma - Kigoma region is among the five regions with the highest number of maternal deaths in the country. For the year 2022, the region reported 102 maternal deaths and 757 perinatal deaths. In the past three years maternal deaths fluctuated from 110 deaths in 2020, down to 75 in 2021 to 102 in 2022.

Maputo, 22 February 2023 – Senior representatives from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) today commended the Government of Mozambique for its ongoing polio response efforts to ensure that every child is protected from the devastating impacts of the virus.

Under the leadership of the Ministry of Health, with support from Rotary and other GPEI partners, a multi-round polio vaccination campaign is being implemented in Mozambique. Six rounds of vaccination were completed in 2022, covering all provinces of the country and reaching 8.7 million children.

Harare, Zimbabwe - Tuberculosis (TB) is the ninth leading cause of death worldwide, ranking above HIV/AIDS. Globally, 10.6 million people developed TB while an estimated 1.6 million people died of TB in 2021 alone. Despite progress made in the last two decades, the incidence of TB is not declining fast enough to end the disease. In Zimbabwe an estimated 29,945 people developed active TB in 2021 and only 16,541 were diagnosed and put on treatment.

African Heads of State and Government declared their commitment to increase domestic and external investments in routine immunization programs in Africa and consequently to promote, provide and protect health for all the people in Africa.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Mauritius Country Office handed over nine vehicles to the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW) on Saturday 17 February during a ceremony which took place at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam National Hospital. Four of these minivans will be converted into ambulances (including one for Rodrigues), while the remaining five will primarily be used for Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT), such as the transportation of patients suffering from diabetes and other chronic illnesses.