Strengthening Health Literacy for Adolescent and Youth

Participants of Strengthening Health Literacy for Adolescent and Youth workshop
17 May 2018, Addis Ababa: Strengthening Health Literacy for Adolescent and Youth Organizations workshop which is part of the activity planned to support the implementation of the WHO-Flagship programme for adolescent health in Africa is conducted in Ethiopia from 15-17 May 2018.The workshop aimed to strengthen youth leadership and meaningful participation in promoting health to adolescents who may be left behind from the mainstream development.

Ebola vaccine provides protection and hope for high-risk communities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ring vaccination is a new and vital tool in the control of Ebola. Photo: WHO/S. Oka

It’s been ten days since Jean René* lost his brother to Ebola virus disease (EVD).

"My brother’s wife has come to live with my family," said Jean René, who lives in a community about 20 kilometers north of Mbandaka, the first urban centre in the Democratic Republic of Congo to have confirmed cases of EVD during the current outbreak.

Though mourning the loss of his brother, Jean René is comforted because his sister-in-law and the rest of his extended family have received the vaccine against Ebola.

WHO enhances real-time surveillance in resource limited and hard to reach areas of South Sudan using a mobile-based reporting system

Dr Wamala Joseph helping the participants during the practical session on editing and deleting reports

Juba, 25 May 2018 – Disease outbreaks and other emergencies constitute a serious threat to public health security worldwide. Delayed and incomplete indicator and event-based reporting limits health managers’ ability to initiate timely event investigation and response. This reporting delay further constrains rapid event containment thus increasing the risk of extensive international disease spread and excess morbidity and mortality.

Global HEARTS’ Manual Adoption workshop held in Ethiopia

Global HEARTS’ Manual Adoption workshop participants
Addis Ababa, 18 May 2018: The Global heart manual adoption workshop conducted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 15-18, May 2018. The workshop was aimed to adopt a Global HEARTS tools and protocols for Ethiopia. In Ethiopia primary health care is prioritized and valued by the government However, the health care delivery system is predominantly framed to address acute communicable, maternal neonatal and nutritional problems. Non-communicable disease services like Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) management and risk assessment is almost non-existent at primary health care. According to IHME 2015 data, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including ischemic heart disease, stroke, and hypertensive heart disease are Ethiopia’s second leading cause of premature death and disability (6,458 per 100,000 age-standardized disability-adjusted life year (DALYs).

The Mother and Child Health Week integrated with World malaria Day in Rwanda

Launching of MCH Week, Minister of Health, Dr Diane Gashumba administering a deworming tablet to a child

Rwanda has organized from 14 to 18 May 2018 its annual Integrated Mother and Child Health Week. The Mother and Child Health week takes place twice a year and serves as an opportunity to catch up with health services provision, particularly to the hard to reach, the drop out and the most vulnerable. The Mother and Child Health Week was integrated in the African Vaccination Week and the World Malaria Day celebrations.

South Sudan launches an Ebola sensitization and awareness campaign to enhance preparedness in the country

Minister of Health, Dr Riek Gai Kok and WHO Representative a.i.for South Sudan, Mr Evans Liyosi addressing a joint press conference in Juba.

Juba, 22 May 2018 - Following the Ebola outbreak that has been declared in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a high level mission comprised of Ministry of Health (MOH) in the Republic of South Sudan and WHO visited Yambio, former Western Equatoria State on a sensitization campaign.

The sensitization campaign against Ebola followed an earlier press conference held in Juba to enhance efforts to prevent Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the country.