Improving Reporting Rate from Private Health Facilities is Key for SDGs Monitoring
The Rwanda Health Management Information System (R-HMIS), based on the District Health Information System (DHIS-2), has been successfully rolled out in all public health facilities since 2012, with completeness and timeliness rates as high as over 90 per cent.
However, although about 70 per cent of private health facilities report through the routine HMIS, there was still a need to improve completeness of their reporting through the system in order to improve HMIS data quality, which is critical to monitor the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Ethiopia’s effort in fighting against Tuberculosis (TB) is progressing: TB still predominates in the younger population
Ethiopia commemorated World TB Day on 24th March 2019 in Afar region Samara town. The theme of World TB Day for 2019 is ‘It is time to end TB’ that puts the accent on the urgency to act on the commitments made by global leaders to scale up access to prevention and treatment; to build accountability; to ensure sufficient and sustainable financing including for research; to promote an end to stigma and discrimination, and promote an equitable, rights-based and people-centered TB response. TB is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide and the leading cause from a single infectious agent (above HIV/AIDS). Millions of people continue to fall sick with TB each year. In 2017, TB caused an estimated 1.3 million deaths among HIV-negative people and there were an additional 300 000 deaths from TB.
WHO Mobilizes Urban-based Congolese Refugees in Uganda for Ebola action
Life as a refugee is never easy. This is especially true if one lives in settlements where access to social services such as health, education or economic opportunities to earn a living may not be readily available.
Nigeria study confirms that TB is utterly impoverishing for many in the country
Abuja, 25 March 2019- The Nigerian Federal Minister of Health on 25 March 2019 launched a report of a catastrophic cost survey on TB concluded in 2018.
Ebola Virus Disease preparedness assessment in Tanzania
Two outbreaks of Ebola virus disease (EVD) have occurred in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the past 6 months.
Zanzibar commemorates World Hearing Day
On World Hearing Day 2019, WHO draws attention to the importance of early identification and intervention for hearing loss. Many people live with unidentified hearing loss, often failing to realize that they are missing out on certain sounds and words. Checking one’s hearing would be the first step towards addressing the issue. This year, the day was marked in Zanzibar under the theme "Check Your Hearing”.
It was frustrating to be diagnosed with Drug Resistance Tuberculosis (DR TB) but I Survived
“My name is Kitaw Teklemariam. My daughter was only two years old while I was diagnosed as a TB patient at the age of 40. The problem I had been dealing with was not only my health; I was also confronted by the stigma from my family and the community. That touched me very deeply. Thank you I am alive now because of the affordable care I found in the country and the improved management of Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (DR TB) cases that provided me a good quality of care to save my life. I am grateful for doing the sensitization in different regions by sharing my story as a survival and promoting the TB program that benefits TB patients and the communities with little cognizance.
The Africa Health Agenda International Conference in Kigali precedes the second WHO African Health Forum taking place in Praia Cabo Verde, 26-28 March 2019
AMREF Health Africa and Rwanda Ministry of Health co-hosted the First-Ever Global Conference Focusing on universal health coverage in Africa, and on health for all to the elimination of gender-based violence, which is a WHO top priority. The conference brought together 1 200 participants from 35 countries, including health ministers, private sector leaders, civil society and representatives from multilateral organizations to chart a road map to achieve universal health coverage across Africa by 2030.
Empowering community health providers to tackle lung diseases
The Ministry of Health in Tanzania conducted orientation workshops on integrated screening, referral and follow up for Tuberculosis and other Chronic Lung Diseases to 20 Community Health providers in Tanga region. This initiative is supported by the World Health Organization and aims to embody the leverage of resources in addressing community needs in primary health care delivery. As most of the other Chronic Lung Diseases are not infectious in contrast to Tuberculosis, the implementation of the initiative is done jointly by the National TB and Leprosy Programme and Non-Communicable Diseases department of the Ministry of Health in the country.