Homa Bay, Kenya, 13 September 2019 – The World Health Organization (WHO) congratulates the Government of Kenya for launching the world’s first malaria vaccine today in Homa Bay County, western Kenya.
The malaria vaccine pilot programme is now fully underway in Africa, as Kenya joins Ghana and Malawi to introduce the landmark vaccine as a tool against a disease that continues to affect millions of children in Africa.

The Seventeenth African Traditional Medicine day was observed in Ghana on the 3rdSeptember 2019. The theme for the commemoration day focused on: “Integrating traditional Medicine in Health Sciences curricula in universities in the African Region” as part of mechanisms to integrate African Traditional Medicine in the national health system to achieve Universal Health Coverage. The 20th anniversary of traditional medicine week celebration in Ghana was also launched.

Abuja, 11 September, 2019 - As part of the activities leading to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to be held in New York on the 23 September 2019, the second edition of the Abuja Walk the Talk: “The Health for All Challenge” is being planned with the main aim of raising awareness about Universal Health Coverage (UCH). 

Homa Bay, Kenya, 13 September 2019 – The World Health Organization (WHO) congratulates the Government of Kenya for launching the world’s first malaria vaccine today in Homa Bay County, western Kenya.

The malaria vaccine pilot programme is now fully under way in Africa, as Kenya joins Ghana and Malawi to introduce the landmark vaccine as a tool against a disease that continues to affect millions of children in Africa.

Following confirmation of circulating vaccine derived polio virus type 2 (cVDPV2) in the environmental sample from Tamale Metropolis and also detection of Polio in a two (2) years, (9) nine months old child from Chereponi district of the North East Region, the Ministry of Health /Ghana Health Service declared the event a Public Health Emergency of National Concern.  Again on 25th August 2019, the National Polio Laboratory further notified the Ghana Health Service of confirmation of Polio in environmental surveillance sample taken from a drain at Agbogbloshie in Accra Metropolis in

With over half of the global population now living in urban settings, cities and their leaders play a critical role in developing, implementing and enforcing policies to create healthy environments for populations. Their engagement is especially critical for tackling noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries, which together kill almost 46 million people globally each year – 80% of all global deaths.

Brazzaville, 12 September 2019 – The World Health Organization (WHO) is aware of a rumour related to the death of a person due to an unknown illness in the United Republic of Tanzania. We have reached out to Ministry of Health officials for further details and have offered our support. 

In line with our responsibility under the International Health Regulations, WHO regularly receives and investigates numerous rumours of public health events.

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has launched series of vaccination campaigns against polio outbreak to prevent the spread of the virus in high risk areas among children under five.
The first phase which is termed ‘round zero’ would ensure that children in all districts in Greater Accra who are eligible, are vaccinated from September 11 to 14th.
The polio outbreak response campaign comes after the health sector confirmed three events of circulating vaccine derived polio virus type 2 (cVDPV2) from 8 July this year.

Sierra Leone launches a comprehensive five-year National Action Plan for Health Security in compliance with International Health Regulations.

Today, Pagume 6 is the last day of Ethiopian year 2011; Ethiopia will enter the New Year 2012, Enkutatash, on September 12th.

As a Land of Origin Ethiopian calendar, unlike the Gregorian’s calendar is composed of 13 Months. While the 12 months have 30 days each, the 13th month named Pagume has regularly five (5) days but changes to  six (6) days every leap year, this year it has six (6) days.
As such, the Ethiopian New Year starts in September, or Meskerem in the local language, not in January.