The WHO Deputy Regional Director for Africa Dr. Matshidiso Moeti has hailed the Centre for Tobacco Control in Africa (CTCA) and the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) for the commendable work they are doing in their respective areas of work.

Sierra Leone launched the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Initiative on 2 October 2012 in Freetown. The event was launched by the Vice President (VP) of the republic, Chief Samuel Sam Sumana on behalf of His Excellency Dr Ernest Bai Koroma, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone. The launch is a demonstration of the high-level commitment of the government and its leadership in the Initiative.

Nairobi, 02 October, 2012 -- Kenya’s Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation, WHO, UNICEF and other partners on Friday launched a US$9million national integrated follow up measles vaccination campaign to vaccinate nearly six million children between six and 59 months against measles from 3 – 7 October, 2012. This follow-up campaign is planned for every 3 years in Kenya in order to catch all the susceptible children who were either missed or who did not get protection from routine measles vaccinations.

The WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr. Luis Gomes Sambo has called for investment in knowledge and technologies that can deliver proven and cost‐effective interventions to avert the vast majority of health careassociated infections. According to Dr. Sambo, such interventions include implementing system‐wide surveillance, training, education and good communication, appropriate device use, following proper procedures and above all, ensuring optimal hand hygiene practices.

A cholera outbreak in Sierra Leone has killed almost 300 people and affected more than 20 000. Without support to sustain and expand the response operation, as many as 32 000 cases could be expected this year.

Addis Ababa, 24-28, September -- The 5 -day Regional consultation on Regional Agenda for Accelerating Universal Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health involving participants from 28 African countries kicked off on the 24th of September 2012.

World Rabies Day for 2012 was commemorated in Lesotho at Manthabiseng Convention Centre under this year’s global theme;

“Working Together to make Rabies History”.

The Government of United Republic of Tanzania on 24th–25th September, 2012, hosted the Third East Africa Conference on Alcohol in Arusha drawing participants from the five East African countries i.e. Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania and others from Malawi, South Sudan, Norway and Sweden.

As of 23 September 2012, the cumulative number of cases and deaths reported by the Ministry of Health were 19,674 and 278 deaths respectively.

The number of daily reported cases of cholera continues to show a downward trend. On 23 September 2012, Western Area continued to report the highest number of cases (77), followed by Kenema (15) and Bombali (8) . No case of death was reported from all the districts. It is noted that case management has improved in most districts.

24 September 2012, 11:40 A.M.

Visitor: Mrs. Guenet Guebre-Selassie, Program Director, Canadian International Immunization Initiative, and Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) met Dr. Khaled Bessaoud, Acting WHO Representative (WR) to Ethiopia at the WCO.

Present at the debriefing meeting were: Dr. Fiona Braka, Dr. Gavin Grant, and Dr. Kassahun Mitiku from WCO EPI Sub-Unit