Regional Director News

One of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aims at improving maternal health - MDG 5. The two targets of this goal are reducing by three quarters, between 1990 and 2015, the maternal mortality ratio; and achieving, by 2015, universal access to reproductive health.

Over 500,000 children have been protected against eight killer but vaccine-preventable diseases -tuberculosis, diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, measles and hepatitis B, and homophillus influenza B - throughout the country during the 2nd African Vaccination Week (AVW).

Abidjan, 23 July 2009 -- The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis G. Sambo had an audience with the Ivorian Minister of Health and Public Hygiene, Dr Allah Kouadio Rémi, at the Minister’s residence in Toumodi, about 220 kilometers north of the capital - Abidjan.

The surveillance of outbreaks of the Ebola disease in West Africa needs to be intensified if the deadly virus is to finally be beaten, according to the World Health Organization's (WHO) new Regional Director for Africa.

The new head of the UN health agency should carry on the reforms begun by outgoing chief Dr Margaret Chan and encourage Member States to prioritise funding to handle outbreaks and emergencies.