Inoculating against the ‘infodemic’ in Africa

Inoculating against the ‘infodemic’ in Africa
On entering Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport, visitors are greeted by posters on how to prevent COVID-19 transmission, even before having their temperatures taken by medical staff.  Video messages play in the departure and arrival lounges. So far, the number of people in Africa confirmed to have the virus is much smaller than other parts of the world. But as more health ministries in Africa have confirmed the presence of the virus in their countries, what was once a distant threat is now much closer.  

Nigeria launches the National Health Workforce Country Profile towards achieving universal health coverage

Honorable Minister of Health, OiC WHO, Rep Government of Canada, Dr Meribole State Commissioners of Health

Abuja, March 3, 2020 - In renewed efforts to strengthen health workforce towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) has successfully launched the 2018 Nigeria Health Workforce Country Profile and officially handed over of the Nigeria Health Workforce Registry. Support for the launch, was made possible with funding from the Government of Canada through the Global Affairs Canada (GAC).

WHO Ethiopia supported UN Ethiopia COVID-19 table top Simulation Exercise

WHO Ethiopia supported UN Ethiopia COVID-19 table top Simulation Exercise

March 3,2020- UN Ethiopia organizes a COVID-19 tabletop simulation exercise (SIMEX) for the UN agencies in Ethiopia with the support of World Health Organization Ethiopia Country Office. Over 60 participants from UN 25 agencies participated in the exercise. The simulation exercise aims to strengthen preparedness and response capacity for a potential COVID-19 outbreak in the UN system in Ethiopia. 

The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s last Ebola patient discharged 

The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s last Ebola patient discharged 
The last Ebola patient in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was discharged today from a treatment centre in the north-eastern town of Beni. With no more confirmed cases, a 42-day countdown to declaring the end of the world’s second-deadliest Ebola epidemic began on 2 March.

Senegal reports first COVID-19 case

COVID-19
Senegal today reported its first case of COVID-19, becoming the fourth country in Africa to confirm the virus. The patient is a French national and a resident of Senegal who returned to Dakar on 26 February.

Ministry of Health evaluates its emergency response capacity from lessons from the November 2019 upsurge of Lassa fever cases in Tonkolili District

L-R: the Director of Health Security and Emergencies, the Chief Medical Officer of the Mnistry of Health and Sanitation and the WHO Country Representative in Sierra Leone
In November 2019, a health care associated Lassa Fever infection in Tonkolili District led to the onset of cases of the disease and death including healthcare workers. The event occurred when two patients presented at the Masanga Hospital with fever and other complications and were treated for their conditions but subsequently died. The cause of their deaths proved to be Lassa Fever, which later spread to three other people including healthcare workers with one additional death

Making school environment healthy and conducive for learning in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone has commenced the process of developing a National School Health Policy and Strategy to create a safe, healthy school environment for learning with the aim to improve social inclusion and sustainable human capital development. The process is being coordinated by an interministerial core group led by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation. The World Health Organization in collaboration with other United Nations agencies are providing strategic technical assistance to the government for the development of these national documents with funding from the British Government through DFID.

Nigeria targets nearly 12 million in Yellow fever vaccination across two high risk States

01 Children displaying YF cards as proof of vaccination

Abuja, 28 February 2020 – Determined to protect the country against an outbreak of Yellow fever, the Government of Nigeria with support of the World Health Organization (WHO), and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is launching a Yellow fever preventive mass vaccination campaign to commence in Rivers State on the 28 February 2020, aimed at reaching nearly 12 million persons in Rivers and Anambra States.