WHO South Africa sets the organizational and staff objectives for 2019 in alignment with the Thirteenth General Programme of Work (GPW-13)

WHO South Africa Staff
To commemorate the WHO global initiative “Goals Week: Connect your PMDS to the triple billion goal, 4-8 February 2019”, the Country Office in South Africa conducted a strategic workshop “Goals Week: Aligning WHO South Africa’s work towards GPW-13 priorities” from 7-8 February in Pretoria. The workshop involved all staff to update them on the latest developments regarding GPW-13 and Programme Budget 2020-21 and catalyze strategic deliberations through group work in clusters on means for achievement of priority GPW13 outcomes at the country level and identify individual staff PMDS objectives for 2019 clearly linked to GPW-13 output(s). The WHO Representative Dr Akpaka Kalu provided strategic direction to the discussion through transparent and open dialogue. He made it clear that UHC would be central to WHO programmes in South Africa and encouraged staff to think beyond specific programmes and contribute to resource mobilization and leadership functions of WHO which are traditionally considered as functions of the WR’s office. Working as team, multiple staff can select a given GPW13 output but still have no duplication of functions. After group work presentation on PMDS objectives and their alignment to GPW13 outputs, the Programme Management Officer presented preliminary analysis of overall contribution of the office to the GPW13 outputs, as planned in the PMDS for 2019.

Imo State Health Insurance Scheme on course to achieving universal health coverage 

Biometric registration of Governor Rochas Okorocha during the launch of the ISHIS

Owerri 04 April 2019 –  In Imo, indigenes are hopeful that the recently introduced State Health Insurance Scheme (ISHIS) will fast-track Universal Health Coverage (UHC). 

This year’s commemoration of World Health Day (7 April) with the theme, Universal Health Coverage: everyone, everywhere, every time, shines a spotlight on the advantages UHC can bring to all people and in all places and why it is needed so much.

Eritrea Developed Healthy Ageing Action Operational Plan

Elderly people are a blessing
This photo is one that everyone is familiar with, in every community there is such a one. It was therefore because of this that WHO in collaboration with MOH held an advocacy meeting on ageing and health from 26 to 28 March 2019 at Orotta Conference Hall.

Zimbabwe Launches Mental Health Strategy

Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Obadiah Moyo, the Deputy Minister of International Relations for UAE, and Dr Munongo with the Strategy

The Ministry of health and Child Care (MOHCC) launched a Mental Health strategy to cover the period 2019- 2023. This comes at a time when the Ministry of Health and Child Care is moving with the global thrust to promote early identification, treatment, rehabilitative and palliative services in non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Tobacco use ‘snuffs’ out life of over 16,000 annually in Nigeria. 

Stop tobacco use.

Abuja 31 March 2019 - Abubakar Salau is only 16 years old but receiving treatment at Karu General Hospital Psychiatry ward for his addiction to ‘snuff.’ 

“I used to mix liquid glue with old tobacco to make my snuff. Whenever I sniffed it, the feeling was surreal,” he says. “Snuff destroyed my life though. I lost so much weight, dropped out of school and hurt members of my family. When I recover fully, I plan to educate teenagers like myself on the dangers of tobacco,” he claims.

Botswana takes bold steps to address health and wellbeing of the older population

Gaborone, Botswana - 29 March 2019: The Botswana Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW), with technical support from the World Health Organization has commenced the development of its National Healthy Ageing strategic programme that will ensure comprehensive public-health response to meet the needs of older population in line with universal health coverage (UHC) direction of the sustainable development goals (SGDs).

WHO scales up health response to Cyclone Idai in Mozambique

Dr Matshidiso Moeti (2nd from left) in Mozambique
Today the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, took a first-hand look at response efforts to save lives and protect health for the people in Beira, the city hardest hit by Cyclone Idai in Mozambique.