Brazzaville, 21 February 2014 -- The World Health Organization’s Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo has urged governments to accelerate efforts towards ensuring that all people are able to access quality health services - including the appropriate mix of preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative care, without suffering fi

Cluster RSU Management Officers, ISTs Management Officers and HR Officers, Operations Officers from DRC and South Africa, including HR Assistants from Angola and Kenya are attending a training workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa, to enhance their core competencies and develop skills and strategies for managing their work. It is expected that on completion the training, the attendants will have a more coordinated effort in: 

Banjul, 21 February 2014 -- The Ministry of Health & Social Welfare in collaboration with the World Lung Foundation in New York, and with the technical support of the WHO Country Office, launched on Wednesday, 19 February 2014, the first-ever national mass mediacampaign to warn people about the harmful effects of tobacco.

Libreville, 25 February 2014 – Ministers of Health of the  six-nation Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) met on 20 February in Libreville, Gabon, to launch the Common Pharmaceutical Policy of the regional economic grouping.

The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Health of Gabon, Prof.  Fidele MENGUE ME ENGOUANG, representing His Excellency Ali BONGO ONDIMBA, President of the Republic of Gabon.

A second study by World Health Organization suggests keeping vaccines at ambient temperatures during campaigns could cut storage and transportation costs in half

| GENEVA (19 February 2014) – The first mass vaccination campaign conducted in Africa with a vaccine that does not require constant refrigeration succeeded in providing complete coverage while ensuring the vaccine stayed viable even in ambient temperatures up to 39°C (102.2°F), according to a study published online today in the journal Vaccine.

Harare 19 Feb. 2014 -- A Social Determinants of Health Working Group Orientation Meeting was held in Harare. The meeting, which was attended by Focal Persons from 10 ministries in the Govern-ment of Zimbabwe, including the Office of the Presi-dent and Cabinet and the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), marks the birth of the Social Determinants of Health Working Group.

The Federal Ministry of Health in the presence of WHO Country representative and other key partners, launched today (18th February, 2014) the Malaria and Lymphatic filariasis co-implementation guideline. 

The document provides a broad guideline for the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the co-implementation of Malaria and Lymphatic Filariasis programmes at the National, state and local government levels. The guideline seeks to harmonize key vector control strategies for both programmes to produce synergistic effect in a cost effective manner. 

On 17th of February, 2014, the United Republic of Tanzania officially launched the review of the fourth (4th) National Tuberculosis Strategic Plan (2009-15) in Dar es Salaam.

On the 12th February 2014, the WHO Country Office hosted a briefing session on health financing and universal health coverage. The meeting held in Dar es Salaam and officiated by the Deputy Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Hon. Dr. Kebwe Steven Kebwe, gathered senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW), development partners, representatives from NGOs and CSOs and other health stakeholders.

On 11th February 2014, the Catholic Church in Tanzania launched the Test and Treat Project which will be implemented in Bugisi District in Shinyanga Region. The occasion which was a Catholic Holy Mass, was held at premises of the Catholic Church Headquarters in Tanzania and led by the Archbishop of Mwanza, Jude Thaddaeus Ruwa’ichi.