Johannesburg, 30 March 2004 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed the South African government's commitment to African Traditional Medicine in the health care delivery system.

Speaking on Tuesday at the African Traditional Medicine Conference in Johannesburg , WHO country representative, Dr Welile Shasha, said that official recognition and respect of traditional medicine was the right step towards integration into national health systems and services.

17 March 2004, Ethiopia -- A high-level expert group set up by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the African Union (AU) is to meet in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 2 April to examine the high rates of maternal and newborn death in Africa and make recommendations to the AU on how to halt and reverse the trend.

This emerged during a meeting recently in Addis Ababa between the WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr. Ebrahim M. Samba and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mr. Alpha Oumar Konare.

Harare, 19 February 2004 -- Experts from various international agencies and Non Governmental Organizations attending a meeting on maternal and neonatal death reduction in Harare ended their deliberations on Wednesday with the development of a road map aimed at accelerating progress to reduce maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality in the African Region.

Harare, 18 February 2004 -- Neonatal morbidity and mortality rates in the African Region, currently estimated at 45 deaths per 1,000 live births, are among the highest in the world, and contribute about 50% of the infant mortality rate in the Region, according to a WHO-sponsored study made available at a regional workshop on improving maternal and neonatal health in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Harare, 17 February 2004 -- African governments should ensure improved access to emergency obstetric care (EOC) as this is key to reducing maternal and neonatal mortality in order to reduce the high maternal and neonatal mortality rate in the Region, a Reproductive Health expert said in Harare on Monday.

Harare, 17 February 2004 -- A greater involvement of men in caring for their spouses during pregnancy, basic education, improved health systems and the use of skilled birth attendants are key to reducing maternal and newborn mortality in Africa.

Harare, 17 February 2004 -- An African expert on reproductive health on Monday in Harare painted a grim picture of maternal and child health in the Region and warned that the situation could worsen in the next decade if no immediate remedial actions were taken by Africa's governments and development partners.

A meeting to develop a roadmap and common strategy for accelerating and monitoring the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) related to maternal and newborn health will be held from 16 to 18 February in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Brazzaville, 5 February 2004 -- The World Health Organization has re-iterated its call to Member States in the African Region to eliminate Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), often referred to as female circumcision."

The practice -- still prevalent in at least 27 African countries - comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injures to the female genital organs whether for cultural, religious or other non-therapeutic reasons.

New York, 3 February 2004 -- In observance of Africa Health Day, the World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with the African Medical Research Foundation (AMREF)1, Africare2 and Medilinks3, is organizing an exhibition and a panel discussion on 19 February 2004 in New York highlighting health and development issues in Africa.