Uganda launched the second universal coverage campaign for Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs) with the aim of reducing the overall malaria parasite prevalence to below 7% nationally.

The campaign estimated to cost USD 120m, including procurement of LLINs and distribution costs, was launched by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uganda The Right Honourable Dr Ruhakana Rugunda who represented President Yoweri Museveni at a colourful ceremony held in Apac district, northern Uganda under the theme “Consistent use of LLINs”.

Medical teams supported by WHO set up mobile clinics in hard to access areas of north-eastern Nigeria. The teams are called “hard-to-reach” teams (HTR) because their mission is to reach remote and insecure areas to provide urgently needed care to populations deprived of essential health services. The 8-year conflict has caused widespread forced displacement and acute food and nutrition insecurity. Large areas of Borno state, the most-affected state, remain inaccessible to humanitarian assistance.

Abuja, 16 February 2017 - Today, the Executive Governors of Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Kebbi and Sokoto joined the Honorable Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole in signing a 70 million Euro European Union grant to support the health sector in Nigeria.

Brazzaville, 17 February 2017 - The World Health Organization (WHO) and the African Union Commission (AUC) held a bilateral meeting at the WHO Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) Secretariat in Brazzaville on 16-17 February 2017 to take stock of progress in implementing their partnership agreement, discuss lessons learnt and map out the way forward. The meeting was attended by Senior Management from the African Union Commission, WHO AFRO and the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern and Mediterranean Region (WHO EMRO).

No-one is more vulnerable than a new born baby, and more in need of quality care. They are totally dependent on their mothers, who in turn rely on skilled doctors and nurses with working equipment in decent buildings. In Malawi, as in other countries in this region, we urgently need to improve the quality of this care, or place these fragile lives in danger.

The Governments of Malawi and eight other countries from Africa and South East Asia have committed to halve maternal, new-born and stillborn births. The commitment comes at a time Malawi and eight other countries launch the Network on the improvement of quality of care for maternal, neonatal and child health.

14 February 2017, Juba, South Sudan - Despite the ongoing complex humanitarian crises in South Sudan, the World Health Organization (WHO) in partnership with the Ministry of Health and partners are responding to the latest cholera outbreak in the former Jonglei and Lakes States. The outbreak of cholera was first detected in June 2016 and since then 5 006 cholera cases and 99 deaths (CFR 1.98%) have been reported from 12 Counties in nine states countrywide.

Today, 9 countries – Bangladesh, Cote d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda – committed to halving preventable deaths of pregnant women and newborns in their health facilities within the next 5 years.

09 February 2017, Juba, South Sudan – WHO in partnership with Ministry of Health are strengthening capacity to provide comprehensive HIV prevention, care and treatment services to populations of humanitarian concern in the Greater Upper Nile region, that is heavily affected by the current crisis. Health workers including medical doctors/ clinical officers, nurses, counselors, pharmacist and data clerk are equipped with the necessary skills and supplies on HIV treatment and prevention. 

Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, attended the 18th General Assembly of the Organization of African First Ladies Against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA) on the sidelines of the 28th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 31 January 2017.

This year’s OAFLA General Assembly coincided with the commemoration of its anniversary, and was marked under the theme, “Building on 15 years of engagement to harness the demographic dividend of Africa through promoting the needs of adolescents and their access to youth-friendly health services.”