1. WHO Africa

Photo Stories

Surviving cancer and helping others stay healthy

Conakry – Kadiatou Diallo feared she would not survive surgery to treat her cancer after she was diagnosed with the disease 12 years ago. Care provided at West Africa’s flagship Francophone Regional Centre for Training and Prevention of Gynaecological Cancers in Guinea’s capital Conakry has seen the 52-year-old Kadiatou overcome the cancer. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, essential health services such as cancer care and prevention have been disrupted across many countries in Africa.

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Curbing Ebola outbreak in Guinea

Huge efforts have been made to curb the Ebola outbreak in Guinea. Building on experience and expertise gained in the 2014–2016 outbreak, Guinean health workers have been at the forefront of the response with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and partner organizations.
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Rolling out COVID-19 vaccines in Rwanda

Forty-eight hours after Rwanda received shipments of COVID-19 vaccines, vaccinations began in earnest, with high-risk population given priority. The country plans to vaccinate a third of the population in 2021 and double that figure next year.
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Test and treat: Eswatini cuts back HIV infections

Mbabane – Eswatini has made significant progress in combatting HIV, one of the leading causes of death in the country. With concerted efforts on testing and treatment, the country has achieved the global targets of ensuring that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, that 95% of them are receiving treatment and that 95% of those receiving treatment have their viral load suppressed. Eswatini has become the first country in Africa to reach these global HIV targets, a decade ahead of the 2030 deadline set by Member State.

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Women at the forefront of Ebola response

Mbandaka - As the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC) Equateur province battled its 11th Ebola outbreak, women leaders were often at the forefront of the response, empowering other women with information on staying safe from Ebola. 
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Bolstering COVID-19 surveillance in Lagos

Nigeria, one of the African countries with high number of COVID-19 cases, is strengthening disease surveillance to help stem the spread of the virus. In Lagos, which accounts for almost half of Nigeria’s infections, the World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting the health authorities by mobilizing surveillance teams to help investigate and trace patients presenting COVID-19 symptoms at healthcare facilities.
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African women championing right to health

During this year’s International Women's Day, the world is celebrating the occasion under the theme “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women's Rights”. It is an opportunity to reflect on progress made, call for change and celebrate women who are playing a critical role in their communities and in the world.  
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Scaling up coronavirus outbreak readiness in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is strengthening surveillance, diagnostics and medical care and public health information in readiness for a potential coronavirus outbreak. The country is a major African airline gateway. Its national airline operates 34 flights a week to China.
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Overcoming the fear of Ebola in marginalised communities

Reaching out to all communities is vital for Ebola prevention. The Batwa people in the DRC are hunter-gatherers, who move around frequently and live in temporary camps in the forest. Their itinerant lifestyle and their outsider status keep them away from health facilities and leave them exposed to disease, and especially vulnerable to Ebola. WHO community engagement teams are working alongside the DRC Ministry of Health to ensure the Batwa people understand how to protect themselves from Ebola, and to encourage them to go to healthcare facilities at the first sign of any symptoms.
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