Tanzania is committed to the global goal of polio eradication and will use its own resources and the support from the global community to move towards that goal. There has been no reported case of polio in the country since 1996, while polio surveillance indicators have been met. The support provided by the UN in this endeavour is most appreciated. This was said by Regional Commissioner Mwekipesile when he launched the SNIDS at Mbarali town outside Mbeya city in Mbeya Region, Tanzania.

As part of the commemoration of World No Tobacco Day 2011, there has been increased momentum in the campaign for tobacco control in Sierra Leone. The theme for this year's campaign is "The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control". The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) treaty aims to protect present and future generations from the devastating health, social, environmental and economic consequences of tobacco consumption and exposure to tobacco smoke.

WHO Country Office in Sierra Leone donated vehicles, motor bikes and various equipment and furniture to the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) as part of its continued support to the country’s health sector.

The items worth over US$400,000, were procured for different programmes including Blood Transfusion, Laboratory strengthening, Malaria Control, Disease Prevention and Control, Nutrition, Reproductive and Child Health, and Human Resources and Medical & Dental Council of Sierra Leone.

The Government of Tanzania, on 8th June 2011, acknowledged with appreciation the WHO support to health development being given to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

The Ag. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Gilbert Mliga made the statement on behalf of the Government of Tanzania during the handing over ceremony of three Land Cruisers worth US$154,223 to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare for immunization activities.

Lusaka 6th, June 2011 -- Zambia is hosting the 10th programme manager’s annual review and planning meeting for Lymphatic Filariasis Elimination (LFE), Schistosomias Control and Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis (STH) Control Programmes. The 5 day meeting which has brought together a total of 78 participants out of which 48 are programme managers will take place from 6-10 June 2011.

The Sierra Leonean Minister of Health and Sanitation, Mrs Zainab Bangura, and of Lands, Country Planning and the Environment, Rtd. Captain Allieu Pat Sowe, have signed the Luanda Commitment on the implementation of the Libreville Declaration on Health and Environment in Africa.

The two ministers signed the document to reaffirm the country’s interest and commitment to address health and environment linkages as they affect environmental risk factors to health.

Mbabane 1 June 2011 -- The Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) of the Kingdom of Swaziland Mr Themba Nhlanganiso Masuku with support from WHO and UNICEF launched the First African Vaccination Week today. As a demonstration of the highest political commitment and a call for the people of Swaziland to ensure that their children are routinely vaccinated, the launch was conducted by the Deputy Prime Minister himself under the slogan, “Vaccinated communities; Healthy communities”. He was flanked by the Hon.

Windhoek, 1 June 2011 -- With less than two weeks to go for Namibia’s National Immunization Days (NIDs) the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) with support from line Ministries and development partners are accelerating efforts to finalize preparations. Namibia will be conducting its 15th year of NIDs in June and July 2011 which aims to immunize 320,000 under five-year old children from childhood illnesses, such as blindness and polio. Namibia’s NIDs is estimated to cost N$14 million annually.

The WHO Regional Office for Africa, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health of Rwanda, organizes at Kigali, Rwanda, from 30th May to 3rd June 2011, a training workshop in two sessions, the first one on the programmatic management of Drug Resistant Tuberculosis, and the second on Drug Resistance Surveys (DRS) and Drug Resistant Tuberculosis recording and reporting for Program Epidemiologists, statisticians and data managers from selected participating countries.

31 May to 03 June 2011 -- Dr Luis Gomes Sambo, WHO Regional Director for Africa, concluded an important 2-day official visit to the headquarters of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle, Washington. Throughout the visit, information was shared on public health matters of regional concern and identification of areas of shared priorities and further collaborative actions in an attempt to coordinate improved support to countries in the African Region.