Accelerating COVID-19 vaccination uptake among People Living with HIV in Nigeria

John Audu after taking his first dose of COVID-19 vaccination.

Abuja, 21 December 2021- The emergence of the COVID 19 omicron variant, has continued to rage, with attendant consequences. The situation is posing an even greater strain on progress with ending AIDS, disrupting HIV prevention and treatment services, schooling, violence prevention programmes and more.

Bold action to stop COVID 19, mitigate its impact on the global agenda for ending AIDS while preparing for future pandemics is urgent. 

2021: A year in review

2021: A year in review
Africa is ending another challenging year. The COVID-19 pandemic continued to spread, fuelled by new variants, while vaccine deliveries to the continent stuttered before picking up, causing delays in vaccination drives amid intensified calls for equity. The region also faced a range of other major health emergencies, including cholera, Ebola, Marburg and meningitis.

WHO taps into Rwanda’s Home-Grown Solutions for daily miracles in COVID-19 Treatment Centres

Zipline delivery

Kigali - Dr. Otto Niyonsenga and Dr. Menelas Nkeshimana are two of the clinicians in the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) COVID-19 surge response team deployed to support Rwanda Biomedical Centre to manage COVID-19 cases at the sub-national level (provinces). In COVID-19 response, prompt and effective case management remains a critical intervention particularly for patients with severe symptoms and underlying medical conditions.

Caregivers and health workers brave difficult terrains to vaccinate children in hard-to-reach settlements of Taraba state    

Health workers returning from a riverine settlement.

Jalingo, 16 December, 2021  - For Ms. Ladi Jika, a 44-year-old housewife and a mother of five, vaccination and mobilization of people to let their children receive the vaccine is not negotiable.

“I know vaccination prevents some diseases such as yellow fever, measles,  meningitis and polio. That is why I visit every vaccination site with two of my children (19-month-old and four years old) to get vaccinated. I want to protect my family and I have mobilized my neighbours to receive the vaccines when the vaccinators come around”, Ms. Jika said. 

Democratic Republic of the Congo declares Ebola outbreak over

Democratic Republic of the Congo declares Ebola outbreak over
The Ebola outbreak that erupted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s North Kivu Province in October – the second in 2021 – was today declared over, the national health authorities announced after no new cases were reported at the end of a 42-day countdown, or two incubation periods after the last confirmed case was discharged.

Africa clocks fastest surge in COVID-19 cases this year, but deaths remain low

Africa clocks fastest surge in COVID-19 cases this year, but deaths remain low
An 83% surge in new COVID-19 cases during the past week in Africa, driven by the Delta and the Omicron variants, is causing fewer deaths than previous surges—but more waves could be building as updated forecasts warn that the continent may not reach 70% vaccine coverage until August 2024, a new World Health Organization (WHO) pandemic assessment finds.  

Tanzania launches a National Multi-sectoral Early Childhood Development Programme

WR administering a Oral Cholera Vaccine during the national campaign in Zanzibarctoral Early Childhood Development Programme

13 December 2021- Dodoma: Investing in the early years of life has a profound impact on brain development, affecting a child’s learning, health, behaviour, and ultimately, income. It is well recognized that targeted investments in Early Childhood Development (ECD) offer opportunities to address inequalities, break the cycle of poverty and improve outcomes in later life.

WHO boosts Sierra Leone’s COVID-19 response and disease surveillance with $600,000 worth of laboratory commodities.

Small quantity of the donated items on display
The World Health Organization has handed over a consignment of various laboratory commodities for COVID-19 as well as routine laboratory testing worth over $600,000 to the Ministry of Health and Sanitation. The donation is part of the Organization’s continued assistance to Sierra Leone to scale-up COVID-19 testing and confirmation of cases in communities and public health facilities at national and sub-national levels; heightened surveillance for Ebola; and, to ensure availability of critical laboratory testing services for appropriate patient management.

WHO provides 3,360 testing kits to Uganda for screening the COVID-19 Omicron variant of concern

COVID-19 vaccination in Uganda

Kampala, December 09, 2021: - As part of the prevention and rapid identification of a new COVID-19 variant in Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO) has provided the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) with a total of 3,360 test kits for the genotyping of variants of concern.

 "These PCR screening assay kits procured by WHO is a boost to the county’s existing capacity to identify the predominant Delta variant and indicate the presence of Omicron, the new COVID-19 variant of concern."- Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Uganda's Minister of Health.