Pretoria – On the occasion of Africa Vaccination Week 2025, we join the continent and the global community in reaffirming our shared commitment to the power and promise of immunisation. This year’s theme, “Immunisation for All is Humanly Possible,” and the slogan “Vaccinated Communities, Healthy Communities” remind us that universal immunisation is not only a moral imperative, but a practical goal within reach.

Borno, On a recent Tuesday, Fatima Alhaji Mohammed and three other health workers arrived in Garmiri Village, Magumeri Local Government Area, Borno State.

They were part of the World Health Organization's (WHO) mobile, hard-to-reach health team dedicated to delivering essential healthcare services to underserved communities.

As the team were setting up, a man interrupted them,  pleading for help for his wife, who had been in labour for over a day. 

As countries around the world observed World Health Day on April 7, 2025, Botswana used the moment to reflect on its maternal health journey and renew its commitment to ending preventable maternal and newborn deaths. The national commemoration, jointly hosted by WHO Botswana and the Ministry of Health, brought together government officials, health experts, development partners, and citizens under the theme “Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures.

In an ongoing effort to strengthen public health, Angola is drawing up the new National Immunization Strategy (ENV), designed to consolidate the progress already made and tackle the persistent challenges in the field of immunization. This initiative, led by the Ministry of Health, has the support of the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), GAVI, the Global Alliance for Vaccines, and other strategic partners.

In September 2024, Rwanda experienced its first-ever filovirus outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease, a severe and often fatal illness with case fatality ranging between 24% to 88%. The outbreak was officially declared on 27 September 2024 following investigations into a cluster of unexplained illnesses and deaths in Kigali. The situation posed a formidable public health challenge, with healthcare workers among the most affected, highlighting critical gaps in infection prevention and control (IPC) measures within healthcare settings.

With a health workforce density that has more than doubled in the past two decades — rising from 16.56 to 41.92 per 10,000 people — Ghana continues to make important strides toward achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC). But in spite of these strides, serious challenges persist. Many qualified professionals remain unemployed due to fiscal constraints. Others, including experienced specialists, are leaving for opportunities abroad. At the same time, underserved areas continue to experience critical shortages.

Maria da Graça, who lives in the municipality of Chitato, remembers with sadness one of the most difficult moments in her life. In 2024, her eldest daughter, then four years old, fell ill with measles. "It started with a fever, then the spots appeared. She became very weak. I was afraid I was going to lose her," says Maria, her eyes watering. Although her daughter survived, the disease left deep scars and a fear that never left her.