Launching of Mauritius-WHO Country Cooperation Strategy 2023-2026 for scaling up universal health coverage

Port Louis. 19 January 2023.  The third World Health Organization Country Cooperation Strategy was launched on 18 January 2023 by the Health Minister, Hon. Dr K. Jagutpal and the WHO Representative in Mauritius, Dr Anne Ancia in the presence of UN Resident Coordinator, Ms  Lisa Singh, other UN Agencies, European Union, Embassies, high level officials of the Ministry of Health and other ministries among others. This four-year Country Cooperation Strategy lays down the road map of how the three levels of World Health Organization (WHO) will work with the Republic of Mauritius to improve health and wellness of the population.  It has been harmonized with the national Vision 2030, the Government Programme, the Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP) 2020-2024, the UN Strategic Partnership Framework and WHO General Programme of Work-13.  It aims at progressing towards the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The document has been developed in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Wellness following consultations with key players. In his address, Dr the Hon Jagutpal acknowledged the ‘unflinching support’ received from the World Health Organization during the implementation of the first two country cooperation strategies but also during Covid-19 pandemic. “We are grateful to WHO for the valuable support provided during the pandemic, especially the active participation of the WHO Representative in the High-level committee chaired by the Prime Minister.  WHO provided valuable support for the elaboration of the guidelines and protocols to prevent and control Covid-19”.  WHO’s support has been crucial in the procurement of vaccines through the COVAX facilities and in setting up the laboratory testing facilities and Covid-19 testing centres.  WHO has provided support to the country for the elaboration of several national action plans and publication of the National Health Accounts, among other projects, said Dr Hon K. Jagutpal.  Under this new WHO country cooperation strategy, WHO will be providing funding amounting to 20.8 million USD to save lives and reduce sufferings.  Dr Anne Ancia, WHO Representative in Mauritius, said, “the overall goal of the Country Cooperation Strategy is to scale up universal health coverage and by implementing the 4 strategic priorities, Mauritius will contribute to achieving the three billion goals.” WHO will continue to work towards strengthening partnership of both health and non-health actors, she added.

Nigerian laboratory receives WHO full accreditation for fight against measles and rubella

Scientists performing experiment in the laboratory.

Abuja, 19 January, 2023 - A Nigerian laboratory, the Central Public Health Laboratory (CPHL), Lagos, recently attained a World Health Organization (WHO) full laboratory accreditation status in respect of its contribution to the fight against measles and rubella in the country. 

The CPHL is one of the laboratories under the Nigeria Centre For Disease Control (NCDC) Measles and Rubella laboratory network.

The WHO full accreditated status is the highest accreditation level that can be achieved by any laboratory.

Cholera-WHO supports Ebonyi State to curb the outbreak 

A recovering patient at a health facility.

It was noon at a health facility in Amaozanu Community, located at Ishielu Local Government Area (LGA), Ebonyi state. 

Lying on a bed at the cholera treatment unit (CTU) with a drip (intravenous fluid or IV) on his hand is Mr Onwe Godwin, a 56-year-old from Amuhu Village in Ishielu LGA, 

He had been admitted to the hospital for three days, but cannot recall or trace how he contracted the disease. 

Narrating his experience, he says “I was passing watery stool for about 24 hours but did not know how I got to the hospital. 

WHO Supports Training of Public Health Fellows in Uganda

Graduation of Epemiologists

Kampala. Fourteen fellows from the Uganda Public Health Fellowship (PHFP) graduated, on 13th January 2023, in field epidemiology offered at the Uganda National Institute of Public Health.

The fellowship program is a partnership between the Ministry of Health (MOH), the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH). This was the seventh cohort of the program.

In Borno, 4-month  cholera outbreak is over.

Dikwa HTR Mobile Health Team transporting a critically ill patient to CTC..jpg

Maiduguri, 12 January, 2023 - Residents of Borno State can finally heave a sigh of relief as the state government recently declared the cholera outbreak over. The state recorded 12,496 confirmed cases with 394 deaths (confirmed 288, suspected 106) from (17 September 2022 to 23 December 2022) in 17 out of 27 Local Government Areas (LGAs). 

Uganda declares end of Ebola disease outbreak

Uganda Ebola End

Brazzaville/Kampala – Uganda today declared the end of the Ebola disease outbreak caused by Sudan ebolavirus, less than four months after the first case was confirmed in the country’s central Mubende district on 20 September 2022.