Brazzaville/Maputo – Health authorities in Mozambique today declared an outbreak of wild poliovirus type 1 after confirming that a child in the country’s north-eastern Tete province had contracted the disease. This marks the second imported case of wild poliovirus in southern Africa this year, following an outbreak in Malawi in mid-February.

17 May 2022, Dar es Salaam - The United Nations and the government of the United Republic of Tanzania have launched the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF). Officiated by the Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, His Excellence Dr Philip Isdor Mpango, the event took place in Dar es Salaam on 17 May 2022.

Kampala – As a community educator on child abuse and gender-based violence, Amos Ojandu often responds to domestic violence incidents in his local district of Yumbe in northern Uganda.

“My neighbour used to fight with his wife every day because he suspected her of cheating on him. When she refused to have sex with him, he would beat her in front of the children and kick her out of the house,” he recalls, describing how he would plead with the husband to allow her to return home.

By Tatenda Chimbwanda

Abuja, 13 May, 2022 - In a bid to ensure that Nigerians have unhindered access to quality, qualitative and affordable diagnostic services, the Federal Government flagged-off and disseminated the first Nigeria National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL).

The policy document launched in Abuja on 9 May 2022, was develop with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Global Fund. Nigeria is the first country to develop her Essential Diagnostics List (EDL) in Africa.

By Tatenda Chimbwanda

Brazzaville – Southern Africa is facing an upsurge in COVID-19 cases for the third consecutive week as the winter season in the region approaches. The uptick has broken a two-month-long decline in overall infections recorded across the continent. 

The WHO Country office in São Tomé and Principe organized a 3-day retreat in April 2022 with all staff. The goal was to contribute to maintain an organizational climate conducive to the achievement of better health outcomes. The retreat aimed to highlight the Organization's values and mission, provide greater integration between the teams and the supervisors, promote internal commitment for achieving better health outcomes, review the previous year's performance, and project the objectifs and results to be achieved in the current year.

Arusha, Tanzania – Five East African countries have held their first simulation exercise since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to improve preparedness and bolster response to health emergencies.

The East Africa region faces recurrent outbreaks and disasters. In the past three years alone the region faced outbreaks of diseases including cholera, Ebola, Marburg, measles and Rift Valley Fever.