Usaka 25th October, 2010 -- The Regional Director for the World Health Organization, African Region, Dr. Luis Gomes Sambo arrived in Lusaka today for an official visit at the invitation of the Government of the Republic of Zambia. He is visiting the country from 25th to 28th October, 2010. Dr. Sambo was met at the Lusaka international airport by the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health Dr. Peter Mwaba, and other senior government officials, the WHO Representative, Dr. Olusegun Babaniyi and staff from the WHO Country Office.

Kumasi, Ghana, 24 october 2010 -- The 2010 measles supplemental immunization activities (SIA) in Ghana received a major boost last friday when a 28-member team from the UN Foundation led by the President of the Board of Directors, Mr. Ted Turner, joined health teams in two sub-districts in Kumasi capital city of the Ashanti region in preparatory activities towards the campaign scheduled from 3-6 November. Other members of the Board in the team include former UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, former Director General of WHO, Dr.

Banjul, 18 October 2010: “The Government of the Gambia recognizes that mental health is at the core of any health care delivery system including our own, and is in full agreement with WHO’s slogan – No health without mental health” These were the words of the Gambia’ Health Minister, Honourable Dr Abubacarr Gaye in a televised statement marking World Mental Health Day.

Brazzaville/Berlin, 11 October 2010 - The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo has pointed out that, the key to attaining the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) on reducing child deaths is by reaching every newborn and child with a set of priority interventions. These include appropriate breast feeding and infant and young child feeding practices; prevention of vaccine preventable diseases through effective immunization and prevention and management of common childhood illnesses such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, malnutrition and HIV infection.

Sierra Leone joined the global community in commemorating World Mental Health Day on the theme: mental health and Long Term Illnesses: The Need for Continued and Integrated Care. The day is commemorated annually to raise awareness on mental health issues. The day was observed with broadcast statement, a float parade and an a formal ceremony.

BANJUL, 04 October 2010 -- A four-day Research Capacity Strengthening proposal and protocol development workshop organised jointly by WHO/AFRO, WHO Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Disease (TDR) and in collaboration with the WHO Country Office (WCO) and the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOH&SW) opens in Banjul today.

Brazzaville/Washington, DC, 06 October 2010 - The World Health Organization’s Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo has called for greater private sector involvement to improve health outcomes.

He made this call while addressing delegates at the 2010 Biennial U.S-Africa Private Sector Health Conference, which is taking place from 4 -6 October 2010 in Washington, DC USA. The event is organised by the Corporate Council on Africa, under the theme: “Integrating Business Solutions for Expanding Access: Perspectives from Africa’s Leaders”

Matopos, 30 Sept. 2010. Zimbabwe commemorated a belated African Traditional Medicine Day at the Ndebele Cultural Village in the picturesque Matopos valley. The commemoration brought together traditional healers, the Traditional Medicines Practitioners Council (TMPC), and the Lushumbe community, who are some of the consumers of traditional medicine.

In a speech read on his behalf, the Deputy Minister of Health and Child Welfare, Dr D. Mombeshora appreciated the role played by traditional healers, especially in rural areas where health centers are few and far between. 

The ministry of health and sanitation has launched the Basic Package of Es-sential Health Services to improve health service delivery in the country espe-cially for women and children.

The package highlights the government’s pri-ority health interventions and provides guidance on the essential services re-quired by patients at each level of health care delivery. The Ministry devel-oped the document with support from health development partners including the UN country team (WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA etc).

Nairobi, 30 September 2010 -- There has been significant progress and positive development in increasing access to HIV/AIDS services. This was according to the latest progress report released in Nairobi on 28th September as part of the global launch of the report “Towards Universal Access”, also held in Geneva and Washington. The report by WHO, UNICEF and UNAIDS was the fourth annual report for tracking progress made in achieving the 2010 target of providing universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and care.