Cotonou, Benin 5 November 2014 - The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, has called on countries in the WHO African Region to accelerate the progress of implementation of the African Public Health Emergency Fund (APHEF).

The Fund, established in 2012, has received US$3.6 million in contributions from Member States and provided financial assistance totaling US$1.3 million to seven countries in the Region to manage declared public health emergencies.

In a report to the 64th Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa taking place from 3 to 7 November in Cotonou, Republic of Benin, Dr Sambo says that the US$3.6 million so far received by APHEF represented 2.4% of the US$150 million expected to have been contributed by countries by the end of May 2014. 

With these contributions, the Fund supported life-saving activities in response to emergencies in some countries including Central African Republic for rehabilitation of the Bangui Paediatric Hospital and improving access to quality health care in some districts. Furthermore financial assistance from the Fund was used to support emergency surgical services in South Sudan, immediate health care for flood victims in Burundi and Zimbabwe and the control of the Ebola virus disease outbreak in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Regional Director proposes four actions to accelerate the implementation of APHEF. These include the establishment of flexible options for contributing to the Fund, widening the scope of contributors to include the private sector and wealthy and willing individuals, and increased advocacy to raise awareness of APHEF.

The African Union at its 19th Ordinary Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, endorsed the establishment of the African Public Health Emergency Fund (APHEF) initiated by the World Health Organization. APHEF’s principal aim is to mobilize, manage and disburse additional resources from Member States for responding rapidly and effectively to public health emergencies of national and international concern including epidemic and pandemic-prone diseases, the health impact of natural and man-made disasters and humanitarian crises.

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For further information contact:

Dr Youssouf Gamatié
Tel: + 229 301753 
Email:  gamatiey [at] who.int (gamatiey[at]who[dot]int)

Dr Francis Kasolo 
Tel+ 229 61694092
Email:  kasolof [at] who.int (kasolof[at]who[dot]int)

C. Boakye-Agyemang  
Tel: +229 60694057  +242 066142401 
Email:  boakyeagyemangc [at] who.int (boakyeagyemangc[at]who[dot]int)

François Agossou 
Tel : + 229 301753 ; + 229 97290254  
Email:  agossouf [at] who.int (agossouf[at]who[dot]int)

Samuel Ajibola  
Tel: +4724139174  
Email:  ajibolas [at] who.int (ajibolas[at]who[dot]int)

African Public Health Emergency Fund: accelerating the progress of implementation