When more than 3.5 tons of protection material arrived in Conakry, the capital of Guinea, on 30 March, WHO immediately started distributing it to health facilities in different locations dealing with outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD).

Since the beginning of the year 2014, Kebbi State in North Western Nigeria has been experiencing an outbreak of Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis (CSM). Laboratory tests have shown that the Neisseria meningitides Type C serogroup is circulating. As of week 12, 2014, a total of 288 cases reported with 43 death (Case Fatality Rate, CFR=14.9); 36 cases have been confirmed positive, notably in Jega, Aliero, Gwandu, Augie, Suru and Zuru LGAs.

March 2014 - From more than 650 000 cases in 1988 to zero today, Nigeria has successfully stopped transmission of guinea-worm disease, also known as dracunculiasis. Thousands of volunteer polio vaccinators helped to check every household nationwide to ensure that there were no remaining cases before the country could be certified free of guinea-worm disease in December 2013.

30 March 2014 – The Ministry of Health (MoH) of Liberia has provided updated details on the suspected and confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease in Liberia.  As of 29 March, seven clinical samples, all from adult patients from Foya district, Lofa County, have been tested by PCR using Ebola Zaire virus primers by the mobile laboratory of the Institut Pasteur (IP) Dakar in Conakry.  Two of those samples have tested positive for the ebolavirus.

The Minister of Health and Sanitation Madam Miata Kargbo has briefed partners about the Ebola Situation in Sierra Leo- ne and the preparations for any outbreak. She explained about national task force and technical commitees on coor- dination, case management, communications, laboratory and surveillance.

During the briefing meeting the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr Brima Kargbo explained that Sierra Leone does not have any suspected or confirm case of Ebola. Further- more he briefed about the stepping up of surveillance and efforts to calm the public.

Presentation of credentials to Minister of Foreign Affairs - Dr Magda Robalo, on Wednesday 12 March 2014, presented her credentials to the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms Hannah Tetteh to officially assume office as the World Health Organization Representative (WR) to Ghana. During their interaction WR mentioned the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as the key item on the WHO agenda; specifically MDG4 and MDG5 together with the support to strengthen the Health Systems in Ghana.

Chitungwiza: 27 March 2014 - Zimbabwe held a belated World TB Day Commemoration under the theme “Reach the 3 million” and the slogan “Find. Treat. Cure TB”. The belated commemoration was held at Chitungwiza Town Centre in the dormitory town of Chitungwiza, about 30km from Harare. Mem- bers of the public from the town, partners and government officials were part of the well-attended commemoration.

26 March 2014, Nairobi – Today makes another historical day in Kenya by the launch of the National Guidelines for the Management of Epilepsy. The event was graced by Ministry of Health Principle Secretary Prof. Fred Segor and attended by other dignitaries including the WHO Country Representative Dr Custodia Mandlhate.

Background

The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) is the first international health treaty negotiated under the auspices of the WHO and was adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2003. It has since become one of the most widely and rapidly embraced treaties in the history of the United Nations, with 176 Parties to date.

The Republic of Sierra Leone ratified the WHO FCTC on 22 May 2009 as the 165th country to do so. The Convention entered into force for Sierra Leone on 20 August 2009.

The Honourable Minister of Health, Prof C.O.Onyebuchi Chukwu, has through the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), hosted a 4-day Annual Review Meeting (ARM) of Malaria Programme managers from 17th – 20th March, with the theme; Sustaining the Push towards Malaria Elimination in Nigeria.