Article by Dr Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Representative for South Sudan

As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary on 24 October under the theme “Building Our Future Together,” South Sudan also stands at a defining moment. This young nation holds immense potential, yet one still carrying the weight of recurring crises. In such moments of uncertainty, health becomes more than a service, it becomes the foundation for peace, resilience, and hope.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the world’s gravest health threats, undermining progress in treating infections, threatening lives, livelihoods, and economies. In Ghana, where AMR touches human health, agriculture, and the environment, translating research into action is critical. Yet too often, valuable scientific findings remain locked in journals, inaccessible to those who shape policies and practices.

As cholera continues to threaten lives and livelihoods across the African Region, government representatives from water and health sectors, scientists, and partners are gathering in Livingstone, Zambia, from 20–22 October 2025, to chart a renewed path toward ending the disease.

The Regional Expert Consultation on Cholera Prevention and Control, convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa, marks a pivotal moment in the continent’s collective drive to eliminate cholera by 2030.

Bulape – The last Ebola patient in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was discharged today, marking an important milestone in the efforts to end the outbreak. The recovery kicks off a 42-day countdown to declaring the outbreak over if no further cases are confirmed.

A total of 19 patients have recovered from the disease. No new cases have been reported since 25 September. In total, 64 cases (53 confirmed and 11 probable) have been reported since the outbreak was declared on 4 September in Bulape health zone, in Kasai Province.

The Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) convened a high-level Partners Coordination Platform meeting, co-chaired by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The meeting brought together EPHI development partners to strengthen coordination and collaboration and advance Ethiopia’s public health system.

Freetown—As part of the commemoration of International Adolescent Health Week (IAHW) 2025, the Ministry of Health, through its National School and Adolescent Health Programme, with technical and financial support from the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office in Sierra Leone, hosted a one-day symposium on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and Substance Abuse Prevention in Freetown on 17 October 2025.

Lélia Bartolomeu, aged 12, witnessed firsthand the suffering of her grandmother, a cervical cancer survivor. “If the vaccine had been available in my time, I wouldn’t be going through this,” her grandmother told her as she battled the disease. This sentence marked Lélia’s life and reinforced her desire to contribute to change.

Nigeria is accelerating its efforts to eradicate AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. Until recently, HIV prevention primarily depended on daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The introduction of long-acting injectable PrEP is expected to broaden access, provide more options, and help bridge prevention gaps — supporting both national and global HIV objectives.

Mwanza, Tanzania – The President’s Office – Regional Administration and Local Government, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Health of the United Republic of Tanzania  in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), today officially launched the Pandemic Fund Project in Mwanza.