Osun, 22 May, 2023 - Summoning the courage to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, 49 years old Mrs Olatunji Kafayat, residing in Osogbo, Osun state, southwest Nigeria, closes her eyes as the syringe pierce her arm. 

Smiling after the vaccination, Mrs Olatunji says it was her first COVID-19 dose. 

“I took the COVID-19 vaccine because the sensitization team that came to my community to raise awareness was able to convince me about the importance of receiving it.

Zamfara, 19 May, 2023 -  Mr Ibrahim Mohammed, residing in Gusau, the capital of Zamfara State, northwestern Nigeria was 12 when he contracted the poliovirus. 

As a direct consequence, he developed a disability that paralyzed his left leg, affecting his mobility. He now uses crutches to aid his movement. 

Ibrahim could not recount the reasons why he did not receive the recommended routine immunization, especially the vaccines against polio, that would have prevented the disease he suffers now.

Abuja, 19 May, 2023 - At least 64 per cent of children between ages 12-23 months in Nigeria did not receive all recommended vaccines in 2021, but some caregivers are stepping up to ensure their children get protected through vaccination.

Amongst them is Mrs Joy Armstrong, cuddling her nine-month-old son Joel under a pavilion at the Kuje General Hospital, Kuje Area Council, located in Abuja, Nigeria, waiting to access Routine Immunization (RI) service.
Joel was scheduled to receive meningitis, yellow fever and the first dose of the measles vaccine. 

In line with its goal to achieve Universal Health Coverage, the World Health Organization (WHO) has urged the Government of Lesotho to refocus its efforts on prioritizing investment in government-funded public health functions and investing in primary health care.

The Ministry of Health and Social Service (MoHSS), with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centre for Disease Control (CDC), and other partners has developed and launched the Hospital Quality Standards (HQS) in 2021 and will conclude in 2024 with accreditation of the selected hospitals. The implementation of HQS aims to identify gaps in the functions, activities, processes, and structures that support healthcare provision, initiate continuous improvement interventions, and accredit healthcare facilities.

Ministry of Health together with WHO Botswana, commemorated World Malaria Day in Maun on the 12th of May. This event catered to a diverse audience, including local malaria survivors who have received life-saving malaria treatment. To mark this occasion, the event emphasized the need to bolster malaria response across the country, especially in malarious districts such as Bobirwa, Palapye, Mahalapye, and Okavango where cases of malaria continue to be reported. 

Luanda, Angola, 16 May 2023 - In a symbolic ceremony with the participation of crucial health partners, the Government of Angola and the World Health Organization (WHO) officially launched the WHO 75th anniversary celebrations with an eye on repositioning Primary Health Care to ensure that individuals, families, everywhere, can access affordable, equitable, good quality and sustainable health care, without having to face financial difficulties.

To deliver on its core mandate as the UN lead agency for health, WHO plays essential roles in supporting countries to prepare for, respond to and recover from disease outbreaks and emergencies with public health consequences. This critical role was boosted recently with funding support from ECHO, which enabled WHO to reach more than 166,637 eligible persons with vaccination against COVID-19 in Arusha region of the United Republic of Tanzania significantly raising the Arusha regional coverage from 55% in June 2022 to 102% in January 2023.