COVID-19 spurs health innovation in Africa

COVID-19 spurs health innovation in Africa
The COVID-19 pandemic has galvanized the development of more than 120 health technology innovations that have been piloted or adopted in Africa, a new World Health Organization (WHO) analysis finds.

Accelerating the elimination of bilharzia in South Sudan amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Measuring height to determine the correct dose

On a busy Sunday morning at Rumbuol village in Aweil East County, Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, the bilharzia mass drug distributors started their daily house-to-house visit to ensure they reach eligible children, regardless of whether they are infected or not, to receive the treatment they need.
With a broad smile of hope on his face, Ateny Kuel, a 10-year-old received his first-ever dose of bilharzia treatment. He is among the over 700 000 children receiving treatment from mass drug administration.  

Update COVID-19 28 October 2020

COVID_19 Update Rwanda

28 October 2020 — Forty-five (45) new COVID-19 cases were identified out of 1619 samples tested today. This brings the cumulative number of confirmed cases to five thousand, one hundred, and twenty-nine (5129). To date, four thousand, eight hundred, and fifty-one (4851) patients have recovered, with no one in the past 24 hours. The number of active cases is two hundred and forty-three (243) and thirty-five (35) deaths.  

Update COVID-19 26 October 2020

COVID_19 Update Rwanda

26 October 2020 — Seven (7) new COVID-19 cases were identified out of 1736 samples tested today. This brings the cumulative number of confirmed cases to five thousand, and seventy-three (5073). To date, four thousand, eight hundred, and forty-eight (4848) patients have recovered, including eighteen (18) in the past 24 hours. The number of active cases is one hundred and ninety-one (191) and thirty-four (34) deaths.  


The new cases are in Kigali (5), and Nyagatare (1); heightened vigilance is required everywhere. 

Shoring up COVID-19 prevention in Nigeria’s border states

WHO and Ogun State Port Health Service staff address officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps on COVID-19 safety measures at the Idiroko border area in Ogun State. They also hand out protective materials including sanitisers and face masks/ WHO Nigeria

Lagos, 27 October, 2020 - Border security officers in Nigeria already contend with a raft of challenges in deterring illegal traffic and ensuring safety. In Ogun state in the country’s south-west where the country’s first COVID-19 case was detected, they are now also helping to curb the importation of COVID-19.

Ogun state borders Benin and has about five official border crossings. It is a priority region in the battle against the virus of which there have been over 58 000 cases nationwide since February.

First WHO interregional training workshop on ensuring the quality of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine (TCI) products, 14-16 October 2020

First WHO interregional training workshop on ensuring the quality of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine (TCI) products, 14-16 October 2020

To strengthen the role of Traditional, Complementary and Integrative medicine (TCI), WHO conducted its first interregional online training workshop on ensuring the quality of TCI products. The workshop was focused on ensuring quality of TCI products from patient safety perspective, through policy and regulation, and through research. The workshop, attended by 20 Member States (out of which around 50% were from the African region), commenced on Wednesday, 14th of October 2020 at 12:00noon CEST.

South Sudan conducts a vaccination campaign to protect 93 000 people from yellow fever

A vaccination campaign to protect 93 000 people from yellow fever

Juba, 26 October 2020 – It’s a busy Saturday morning and the second day of the reactive yellow fever vaccination campaign in Kajo-keji County, Central Equatoria State. At exactly 8:00 am, when the vaccination team opened the center, Mr Basenso Loro eagerly waiting to receive his first-ever dose of the vaccines walked in majestically with his four children and his wife to receive the vaccines they have longed for.

Update COVID-19 25 October 2020

COVID_19 Update Rwanda

25 October 2020 — Six (6) new COVID-19 cases were identified out of 1282 samples tested today. This brings the cumulative number of confirmed cases to five thousand, and sixty-six (5066). To date, four thousand, eight hundred, and thirty (4830) patients have recovered, including twenty-four (24) in the past 24 hours. The number of active cases is two hundred and two (202) and thirty-four (34) deaths.  


The new cases are in Kigali (5), and Nyagatare (1); heightened vigilance is required everywhere.