Our work in 2019

2019-01-11T13:00:00

Clinical trials of four Ebola drugs start in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The randomized trials aim to test the efficacy and safety of the treatments that are being offered on a compassionate basis.

UNAIDS, UNICEF and WHO urge countries in western and central Africa to step up the pace in the response to HIV for children and adolescents

2019-01-16T13:00:00

UNAIDS, UNICEF and WHO urge Western and Central African countries to step up efforts in cutting new HIV infections in children and adolescents at a high-level meeting in Dakar, Senegal.

Lassa fever contacts identification and line listing at UNTH Enugu by the Hospital Infectious Disease and Control Unit, and Rapid Response Teams from Enugu State (including SMOH and WHO) and Nkanu West LGA (source: Dr Ada Erinne, WHO State Coordinator)

2019-02-08T13:00:00

WHO sets up a regional coordination system to help stem Lassa fever outbreaks in Benin, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Togo. In Nigeria along there were 213 confirmed cases, including 42 deaths.

2019-03-04T13:00:00

Zimbabwe concludes an eight-day, mass typhoid fever vaccination. The campaign was the first of its kind in Africa and targeted 370 000 people, mostly children and adolescents.

Health-oriented innovations to meet Africa’s unmet health needs

2019-03-07T13:00:00

WHO announces 30 finalists in its first-ever Innovation Challenge from a field of more than 2 400 entries. More than a third of the submissions came from women.

The theme of the forum is: “Achieving Universal Health Coverage and Health Security: The Africa We Want to See.”

2019-03-13T13:00:00

Global leaders and health experts seek ways to strengthen African health services, deliver more effective health security and make progress towards achieving universal health coverage.

WHO sending urgent health assistance after Cyclone Idai displaces thousands of people in Southern Africa

2019-03-20T13:00:00

WHO provides urgent health assistance to thousands of people affected by heavy flooding in Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe following huge devastation in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Idai.

Diseases cost the African Region $2.4 trillion a year, says WHO

2019-03-27T13:00:00

Nearly 630 million years of healthy life were lost in 2015 due to diseases afflicting people in the African Region, according to a new report by the WHO Regional Office for Africa. This amounts to a yearly loss of over $ 2.4 trillion of the region's gross domestic product.

2019-04-15T13:00:00

In an effort to counter rising obesity, Seychelles introduced a tax on drinks with a high sugar content. WHO encourages countries to enact laws promoting healthier populations.

2019-04-16T13:00:00

Zimbabwe launches cholera vaccination campaign in communities affected by Cyclone Idai with the support of WHO and partners. The campaign targets around 480,000 people in the two worst-affected districts, where flooding heightened risks of waterborne diseases.

WHO Africa mourns the loss of a colleague killed in a hospital attack in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

2019-04-19T13:00:00

WHO mourns the death of Dr Richard Valery Mouzoko Kiboung, an epidemiologist deployed for the Ebola outbreak response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Dr Mouzoko was killed in an attack on Butembo University Hospital.

Malaria vaccine pilot launched in Malawi

2019-04-23T13:00:00

Malawi launches the world’s first malaria vaccine, becoming the first of three African countries in which the vaccine, known as RTS,S, will be made available to children up to 2 years of age. Ghana and Kenya followed weeks later.

2019-05-04T13:00:00

WHO officially recognizes Algeria as malaria-free. The certification is granted when a country proves that it has interrupted indigenous transmission of the disease for at least three consecutive years.

The second ordinary session of the fifth Pan-African Parliament took place in Midrand, South Africa from 6-17 May

2019-05-23T13:00:00

The Pan-African Parliament agrees to set up a caucus on immunization to steer its commitment on ensuring access to vaccines for all children across the continent. Every year, more than 30 million children younger than 5 years in Africa fall sick due to vaccine-preventable diseases.

Surveillance for ebola virus disease at the border between DR Congo and Uganda | Photo: Matt Taylor

2019-06-11T13:00:00

Uganda’s Ministry of Health and WHO confirm Ebola in a five-year-old boy who crossed the border with his family from neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The patient becomes Uganda’s first confirmed case in the ongoing outbreak in the DRC.

New WHO scorecard shows poor progress of the viral hepatitis response in the African region

2019-06-14T13:00:00

Only three of the 47 countries in WHO African Region are on track to eliminate viral hepatitis that affects one in 15 people in the region, according to a new WHO scorecard. Administration of the hepatitis B vaccination at birth and in early infancy is the most effective way to halt transmission, but only 11 countries are following this recommendation.

Ministers of Health agree next steps for Sahel Malaria Elimination Initiative

2019-07-06T13:00:00

Health ministers from the Sahel agree to work more closely to end malaria in the region by 2030 and proposed the creation of a fund to bridge critical gaps in essential medicines and supplies for malaria response.

Primary screening includes temperature measurement and visual observation of travelers to look for signs of illness. © WHO/Tania Seburyamo

2019-07-17T13:00:00

WHO declares the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

2019-08-19T13:00:00

The annual ministerial gathering shapes Africa's health agenda. During the five-day meeting ministers agreed to important decisions on improving disease surveillance and response, reducing malnutrition, obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases, controlling vector-borne diseases and strengthening district health systems.

2019-08-20T13:00:00

The 47 Member States of the WHO African Region nominate Dr Matshidiso Moeti to serve a second five-year term as Regional Director for Africa.

Strategic plan to reduce malnutrition in Africa adopted by WHO Member States

2019-08-21T13:00:00

The 69th session of WHO African Regional Committee adopts a strategic plan to reduce the double burden of malnutrition, particularly prevalent in countries undergoing “nutrition transformation” in which undernutrition and overweight or obesity coexist.

Africa today heads into the last mile to be free of wild polio

2019-08-21T13:00:00

Africa marks three years without a case of wild poliovirus, crossing a landmark that sets in motion a comprehensive evaluation to determine if the entire WHO African Region of 47 countries indeed can be declared to have eradicated wild poliovirus.

Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization's regional director for Africa, is interviewed at a hotel in Yokohama on Thursday | Photo: RYUSEI TAKAHASHI

2019-08-30T13:00:00

WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti makes the first official visit to Japan during the 28–30 August Tokyo International Conference on African Development.

WHO welcomes landmark UN declaration on universal health coverage

2019-09-23T13:00:00

World leaders adopt a high-level United Nations Political Declaration on universal health coverage, the most comprehensive set of health commitments ever adopted at this level. UN Member States commit to advance UHC by investing in four major areas around primary health care.

2019-09-28T13:00:00

The Democratic Republic of the Congo, WHO and partners launch emergency campaign to contain the world's fastest-growing measles outbreak, targeting infants and young children. There have been more than 3500 deaths, exceeding the number of deaths due to Ebola.

Kasereka Miyisa Jophet is an Ebola survivor from Butembo. Credit: UNEERO/Martine Perret

2019-10-04T13:00:00

United Nations agencies working to stop the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo commend the Government's strong leadership and the tireless efforts of thousands of health workers and partners that have led to 1000 people surviving the disease.

Cigarette prices double following tax revisions

2019-10-19T13:00:00

To curb smoking and the many diseases related to tobacco, Rwanda increased the tax on cigarettes. The country joins Benin, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal and Togo in implementing WHO-supported tax reforms on cigarettes.

Ten African countries endorse cross-border collaboration framework on Ebola outbreak preparedness and response

2019-10-21T13:00:00

The Democratic Republic of the Congo and its nine neighbouring countries endorse a joint framework to strengthen cross-border collaboration on preparedness and response to Ebola virus and other disease outbreaks.

Regional partnership promoting high-impact ideas for a healthier Africa is announced

2019-10-29T13:00:00

The African Academy of Sciences and WHO unveil strategic partnership to strengthen technology and innovations aimed at promoting good health and well-being in Africa.

2019-11-12T13:00:00

WHO prequalifies an Ebola vaccine for the first time, a critical step to speeding licensing, access and roll-out in countries most at risk of Ebola outbreaks. It marks the fastest vaccine prequalification process by WHO.

WHO and African Union ink deal to accelerate vital health goals

2019-11-18T13:00:00

The African Union Commission and WHO sign a Memorandum of Understanding to deepen collaboration on health development programmes.

WHO is spilling #TheTeaOnHIV for at least one million young Africans

2019-11-29T13:00:00

WHO Regional Office in Africa launches a social media campaign, #TheTeaOnHIV, that aims to better inform at least one million adolescents and young people about preventing HIV infection as well as living positively with the virus.

2019-12-04T13:00:00

WHO estimates that nearly 23 million voluntarily male medical circumcisions have averted some 250 000 HIV infections in 15 Eastern and Southern African countries between 2008 and 2018.

African island nations agree on consolidated medicines procurement

2019-12-04T13:00:00

Five small African island countries agree on a joint strategy to procure drugs and vaccines in an approach meant to improve quality and supply as well as cut costs and boost health services.

2019-12-05T13:00:00

Equatorial Guinea completes a joint external evaluation (JEE) of its capacity to prevent, detect and rapidly respond to public health risks. It is the 46th country in the African region to identify critical gaps and prioritize opportunities for better preparedness and response.

WHO unveils plan to tackle rising HIV drug resistance in Africa

2019-12-06T13:00:00

WHO and partners unveil a five-year plan to monitor, prevent and respond to growing HIV drug resistance in Africa. HIV drug resistance is threatening the significant progress made in the global fight against the virus.