WHO Supports Botswana To Strengthen System Operations Towards Malaria And Other Vector Borne Disease Elimination

Group photo of participants at the Integrated Vector Management stakeholder engagement meeting in Botswana

The Government of Botswana has demonstrated commitment to accelerate malaria and other vector borne disease (VBD) elimination. WHO supported the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW) to develop a draft Integrated Vector Management (IVM) strategic plan 2019-2023. This strategic document is intended to facilitate better planning and implementation of vector control aiming at malaria and other VBDs elimination in the country.

South Sudan vaccinates health workers against Ebola

South Sudan vaccinates health workers against Ebola
The Ministry of Health of South Sudan, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other partners, today started vaccinating health workers and other front-line responders against Ebola as part of preparedness measures to fight the spread of the disease.

Uganda Launches Health Sector Integrated Refugee Response Plan 2019-2024

Prime Minister of Uganda Dr Ruhakana Ruganda signs on a dummy copy of the HSIRRP to launch the plan as government officials and partners look on

Kampala, 26th January 2019: - The Government of Uganda launched the Health Sector Refugee Response Plan 2019-2024, (HSIRRP 2019-2024). This is a five-year plan that advocates for the provision of integrated services for both refugees and refugee-host communities in all the refugee-hosting districts.

The HSRIIP is intended to address the needs of refugees and the host communities and ensure access to quality health services for both through improvement of staffing of refugee-hosting districts to 95% of the public staffing norms.

Humans vs. mosquitos: Communities are taking the upper hand in Cabo Verde

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Preparing for potential Zika outbreaks and other vector-borne diseases in Cabo Verde means vigilantly hitting the mosquitos where they breed and interrupting their human contact. The small island state experienced Africa’s first Zika outbreak in 2015.

 

Ebola - Following a full simulation exercise, a joint monitoring mission is deployed in Rwanda

Joint monitoring mission at a point of entry, with WHO Rwanda

Following the full simulation exercise conducted in Rwanda at the beginning of January 2019 to assess Ebola virus disease readiness, preparedness and response capacity in the country, an external joint monitoring mission team, comprising World Health Organization (WHO) specialists and partners relevant to the preparedness efforts in Rwanda, was deployed in the country.
The scope of the joint monitoring mission was to provide additional support to the Republic of Rwanda to:

Experts caution against stagnation of immunization coverage in Africa

Experts caution against stagnation of immunization coverage in Africa
Global immunization experts attending the biannual Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group (RITAG) meeting urged African countries to strengthen their routine immunization. Over the past five years, immunization coverage in sub-Saharan Africa has stagnated at 72%, exposing populations to vaccine-preventable diseases and outbreaks.

United Nation agencies launch “UN wellness week” in Addis Ababa

WHO Ethiopia Representative, Dr. Rufaro Chatora on checkup at the health expo in the UNCC exhibition area
Addis Ababa 22 January 2019: United Nations agencies in the premises of Economic Commission for Africa (ECA)  launched today the UN Wellness Week under the theme; “Embraces your health built by you!”.  The launch was kicked off in the morning by a Zumba exercise class that saw UN staff joining in to flex their muscles before heading off to the office.