1. WHO Africa

News Releases

International Women's Day 2021: Introduction

International Women's Day celebrates women's achievements. It is also an occasion to rally for women's equality, gender equity and human rights. The theme of this year “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world” is to recognize the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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First COVID-19 COVAX vaccine doses administered in Africa

As the global rollout of COVAX vaccines accelerates, the first COVID-19 vaccination campaigns in Africa using COVAX doses began today in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire. These campaigns are the among the first to use doses provided by the COVAX Facility’s Gavi COVAX Advanced Market Commitment (AMC). 
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Genome sequencing central to COVID-19 response

Brazzaville – Virus genome sequencing is playing a vital role in the efforts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic. Sequencing enabled the world to rapidly identify SARS-CoV-2. Knowing the genome sequence allowed rapid development of diagnostic tests and other tools for the response.

Continued genome sequencing is enabling health authorities, governments and researchers to monitor the evolution of COVID-19 and adjust response accordingly.

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Africa is getting ready to roll out COVID-19 vaccines

Africa marked the move from planning to action in the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines at a World Health Organization (WHO)-hosted African Health Ministers meeting on 17 February, as a rapid vaccine rollout is expected in the wake of the WHO listing of two versions of the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use.
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