BAHIR DAR, 25 April 2014. The past decade has seen unprecedented progress in malaria control. Cases and deaths have declined dramatically worldwide, but most especially in sub-Saharan Africa. World Malaria Day, 25 April 2014, highlighted the progress to date and joint efforts to defeat malaria under the theme "Invest in the Future, Defeat Malaria". In Ethiopia, the main commemoration was held in Bahir Dar, Amhara Region, which is a malaria endemic area where great progress has been achieved to control malaria. 

Brazzaville, 24 April 2014 –- The regional launch of the 4th African Vaccination Week (AVW) took place on Thursday in Brazzaville, although celebration of the week began in countries across the continent on Tuesday 22 April, and extends through Sunday, 27 April.

Gondar. 23 April 2014 – The fourth African Vaccination Week (AVW) kicked off with the theme "Vaccination – a shared responsibility" in Gondar, Amhara Region, on 23 April 2014. The goal of AVW, which runs from the 23rd until the 29th of April, is to strengthen the immunization programme by drawing attention to the importance, the need and the right of all persons to be protected against vaccine-preventable diseases. 

H. E.

The African Vaccination Week kicked off in Ethiopia on the 23rd of April 2014 with a colourful event in Gondar, Amhara Region. Click on the images below for a full view of images from the event.

Above:

01: African Vaccination Week 2014 kicked off with a colourful launch ceremony in Gondar, Amhara Region, Ethiopia.

Juba, South Sudan, 23 April 2014 -- More than 2.4 million children will be vaccinated in a nation-wide measles, polio and Vitamin A campaign, launched today by the Ministry of Health with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. The integrated Immunization Campaign for Measles, Polio and Vitamin A supplementation in South Sudan aims to reduce the incidence of measles to less than five cases per million and to boost the population’s immunity against Polio. South Sudan has been polio free since June 2009 – almost five years.

South Sudan commenced implementation of integrated Measles, Polio vaccination and vitamin-A supplementation campaign on 23 April 2014 targeting 2.4 million children below five years. The campaign will be implemented in seven of the country’s ten states to administer measles vaccines and vitamin A capsule to children aged 6-59 months and Oral Polio vaccine to children aged 0-59 months. 

Brazzaville, Congo, 21 April 2014 -- African Vaccination Week 2014 will see an unprecedented effort to vaccinate millions of African children and adults of all ages against deadly and debilitating diseases.

Monrovia, 22 April 2014 - The WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti has underscored the importance of involving the communities in the fight against Ebola.

Monrovia, 22 April 2014 - The WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti has underscored the importance of involving the communities in the fight against Ebola.

In 2013, Nasarawa and Niger States in the North Central region of Nigeria commonly referred to as the ‘Middle Belt’, given their geographical location on the map, had importation of the wild polio virus (WPV) each from endemic states after several months of stopping transmission. Since then, political commitment in the area has been rekindled with relentless personal commitment of State governors to protect states in the axis from re-infection through high-profile activities to create visibility for the Polio Eradication Initiative.