8 December 2008 -- The World Health Organisation(WHO) is currently coordinating the Health Sector response to the cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe in support of the countrys Ministry of Health and Child Welfare. From August to 5 December, 13 960 suspected cases of cholera have been recorded, including 589 deaths. WHO has deployed extra epidemiologists, a water and sanitation expert and a logistician to support ongoing cholera control efforts.

2 December 2008 -- Massive displacement of population, weak health services and a lack of safe water and proper sanitation facilities have put the health of hundreds of thousands of people at risk in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

24th November 2008. The Minister of State for Health Dr Emmanuel Otaala has called for strong cross-border surveillance for Guinea Worm disease saying it is one of the sure ways to eradicate the diseases. Speaking at the opening ceremony for the Inter-regional meeting for Guinea Warm eradication programmes held at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala, Dr Otaala said that “we cannot achieve eradication working as individual countries – we need to work as a group.”

24th November 2008. The First Lady of Uganda Hon Janet Museveni launched Uganda’s Roadmap to accelerate reduction of maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity calling on all partners and stakeholders to play their role in its implementation. The launch took place during the commemoration of the Safe Motherhood Day for 2008 held in Buwama, Mpigi district.

Bamako, 19 November 2008 -- WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, says countries should take urgent action to boost research for heath in order to bring about better health outcomes for their people.

Zimbabwe joined the rest of the world in commemorating the World Malaria Day on the 30th of May in Kanyemba, in Mashonaland Central Province.  WHO, UNICEF, PSI and Syngenta were some of the RBM partners that supported and participated during the commemoration of the first ever World Malaria Day.  Other Local partners from the province participated during the launch.

Bamako, 17 November 2008 -- The World Health Organization has called on governments to prioritize health research and echoed a proposal by the Commission on Social Determinants of Health for the inclusion of health in the policies of all government ministries and departments.

6 November 2008 -- WHO welcomes the consensus decision of the United Nations General Assembly to ban smoking and tobacco sales at UN headquarters in New York.

Brazzaville, 6 November 2008 -- The WHO Regional Office for Africa, in collaboration with WHO Headquarters, partners and the Kenyan Medical Research Institute organized a laboratory capacity building training workshop from 15 to 19 September in Nairobi for 46 participants