Ministerial gathering to shape Africa’s health agenda opens in Brazzaville

Group photo
The annual ministerial gathering shapes Africa's health agenda. During the five-day meeting ministers agreed to important decisions on improving disease surveillance and response, reducing malnutrition, obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases, controlling vector-borne diseases and strengthening district health systems.

South Sudan conducts a full scale simulation exercise

During the SIMEX - health workers evaucate suspected Ebola patient at Juba International Airport

Juba, 15 August 2019 – The Ministry of Health of South Sudan, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), the United States’ Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), UNICEF, International Medical Corps (IMC) Consortium (Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA), Concern and GOAL International) and other partners, conducted a one day full scale simulation exercise (SIMEX) on 14 August 2019 in Juba, Nimule and Yei.

Malaria- Over 7.3 million long lasting insecticide treated nets distributed in Taraba and Kaduna States

The Governor of Taraba State Distributing LLINs to citizenry.png

Taraba, 13 August 2019 –  With support from the Global Fund (GF), the National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP) and the World Health Organization (WHO), Taraba and Kaduna State Governments distributed a total of over 7.3 million long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN) to indigenes across 39 Local Government Areas (LGA).  From 19 to 23 July 2019, over 2.1 million LLINs were distributed across all 16 LGAs of Taraba State while in Kaduna, at least 5.2 million nets were disseminated to citizenry across 23 LGAs of the state from 02-07 August 2019. 

WHO donates Information Communication and Technology equipment to improve the availability of good quality data at all levels in South Sudan

Dr Olu handing over the ICT equipment to Dr  Makur, Undersecretary, Ministry of Health

Juba, 15 August 2019 – With funding from Gavi, the Vaccine alliance, WHO donated Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) equipment this week (Wednesday, 14 August) to the Ministry of Health of the Republic of South Sudan.

The ICT equipment will support the expanded programme on immunization (EPI) data management and the roll-out of District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS 2) both at national and state levels including Abyei Administrative area of South Sudan.

WHO collaborates with Nigerian Government to update the country health workforce profile

Dr Clement Peter (OiC) making in Speech at the Validation event

Abuja, August 15, 2019 - The Department of Health Planning, Research and Statistics of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) in collaboration with The World Health Organization(WHO) has successfully updated and validated Nigeria’s health workforce profile from 2012 to 2018 with funding from the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada (GAC) under the “Enhancing the Ability of Frontline Health Workers to Improve Health in Nigeria” project. 

Neighbouring countries to the Democratic Republic of Congo join forces to halt potential Ebola transmission at their borders

Neighbouring countries to the Democratic Republic of Congo join forces to halt potential Ebola transmission at their borders
Given the massive numbers of people moving across the borders between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and its neighbouring countries and that four of those countries are at high risk of imported Ebola virus disease, more than 35 of their government representatives met in Goma this week to forge stronger collaboration to keep a potential case from crossing over.

Borno State launches first Malaria Operational Plan, reawakens fight against malaria 

Group photograph during launch of Borno Malaria MOAP.jpg

Maiduguri, 13 August 2019 - Following recommendations from malaria interventions in Borno State Nigeria, the Malaria Annual Operational Plan (MAOP) was developed and launched on 08 August 2019 with technical support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners. Aligned to the National Malaria Strategic Plan (2014 -2020), MAOP was developed through a broad-based stakeholders workshop involving malaria stakeholders, reviewed on different thematic areas and endorsed by the Commissioner for Health and Permanent Secretary, Borno State Ministry of Health. 

WHO and partners step up preparedness to Ebola threat in two regions

Exercise Management Team conducting onsite training
The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo remains precarious, with infection transmissions continuing to occur in communities and health facilities. As of 23 July 2019 a total of   2,612 and 1, 756 deaths have been recorded. Although the number of cases have remained constant its geographical spread to Goma is of concern.  As such, the United Republic of Tanzania remains at risk of cross-border transmission of Ebola, because it borders and has significant human traffic with the DRC

Turning Communities into Partners in the Fight Against Ebola

Community engagement in the Ebola Virus Disease response

Bundibugyo, 14 August 2019:- Kambayaya Tembo lives in the Bundibugyo District, Uganda. He rushed to his family when his wife, Florence, called with the terrible news that his brother had died in their house. His first instruction to her was to keep the children away from the body – no one should touch it.

His greatest fear was that his brother could have died of Ebola because the young man worked at a town close to the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) where the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak has entered its second year.