« Fatality rate especially high in some countries »

Dakar/Brazzaville, 5 September 2012 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Children’s agency, UNICEF, are warning that the current cholera emergency in West Africa is set to get much worse as rains and floods create the conditions for the disease to spread faster and further.

The ongoing cholera outbreak in Sierra Leone is still on the increase with the Capital City and its suburbs (Western Area) accounting for more than 50% of the reported cases and about 34% of the deaths nationally. Kailahun remains the only district in the country without a confirmed cholera case. Active surveillance and social mobilisation activities are however underway in that district to prevent spread of the disease in case of an outbreak there.

In Sierra Leone, the situation with the current cholera outbreak is still critical. As of September 3, 2012, a cumulative of 15,838 cases with 251 deaths giving a case fatality Rate of 1.6% was reported by the Directorate of Disease Prevention and Control.

According to daily reports, district that reported the highest number of cases include: Western Area (169), Bombali (18) and Kenema (18). There is improvement in data collection from all districts. In the Western Area over 79% of facilities report daily.

03 September 2012, EHNRI, Addis Ababa -- The Third Round of the International Training Course on Planning and Management of Malaria Control Programs for Anglophone African Countries is underway, launched on the 3rd of September 2012, at Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute (EHNRI) in Addis Ababa. In attendance were Dr. Amha Kebede, Acting Director General of the EHNRI, Dr. Khaled Bessaoud, Acting WHO Representative to Ethiopia and Dr. Basimike Mulenda, WHO/AFRO Focal point for malaria capacity development.

Nairobi Kenya, 03rd September-12th October 2012 -- Tuberculosis remains a major public health problem in almost all the countries in the African region. Currently, the region accounts for almost 24% of all TB notifications globally and nine (9) out of the 22 TB high burden countries in the world coming from this region.

As of 2 September 2012, the cumulative number of cases and deaths reported by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation were 15,564 and 249 deaths respectively. Twelve (12) of the 13 districts in the country are now affected. On 2 September 2012, Western Area continued to report the highest number of cases (187), followed by Bombali (16), Tonkolili (12) and Kenema (11). No death was reported from all the districts. It is noted that case management has improved in most districts.

As of 29 August 2012, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation in Sierra Leone has reported a total of 14,521 cholera cases with 243 deaths since January 2012, affecting 11 of the 13 districts in the country. Western Area (where the capital city Freetown is located) have reported about 50% of the cumulative total case load followed by Port Loko 21% and Kambia district 9%. The overall case fatality rate is 1.7%. The daily reported number of cases is still high with Western Area reporting about 63 % of the cases.

Brazzaville, 30 August 2012 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, says the progress made in containing the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the last 30 years shows that “an AIDS-free generation in the future is possible.”

Nationally the cholera incidence continues to show an upward trend particularly in Western Area which accounts for the majority of cases (49%). As of the 28 August 2012 the national cumulative for all eleven districts is 14,225 cases with 235 deaths (CFR=1.7). Western Area(163), Bombali (35), Tonkolili (22) and Port Loko (22) reported the highest number of cases.

Cholera situation in Sierra Leone - 29August 2012

Addis Ababa, 29 August 2012 -- The “Evidence Informed Health Policy in Low and Middle Income Countries” Forum which is coorganised by the WHO Headquarters and the Country Office, the Evidence – informed Health Policy Network (EVIPNet), Supporting the Use of Research Evidence in African Health Systems” (SURE), the Regional East African Community Health (REACH) Policy, the Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute (EHNRI) and the European Commission kicked off yesterday in the presence of Dr. Amha Kebede, representing H.E. Dr.