July 17
Africa: Forging Resilience - WHO Afro Establishes Independent Expert Body to Bolster Africa's Health Security
In a major step towards strengthening health security in the African Region, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) has established an Emergency… Read more »
June 27
Africa: Sierra Leone's Dedicated Polio Vaccinators Hit Roads to Reach Millions of Children
Using door-to-door vaccination and fixed vaccination centers in health facilities, the World Health Organization supported over 4000 vaccinators and healthcare workers in May to… Read more »
July 16
Africa: Road Traffic Deaths Rise in the African Region, but Down Globally, WHO Report
Road traffic death rates in the past decade have increased significantly in the African region, with almost 250 000 lives lost on the continent's roads in 2021 alone. Conversely,… Read more »
June 12
Africa: New Framework Launched to Eliminate Visceral Leishmaniasis in Eastern Africa
A new, comprehensive framework has been launched to guide health authorities, policy-makers and other stakeholders towards elimination of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) as a public… Read more »
June 13
Africa: African Health Leaders Begin Work On Roadmap to Reshape Global Health Financing On the Continent
More than 80 ministry of health experts, regional and global partners and civil society representatives have set in motion the development of a roadmap to catalyse action to… Read more »
June 19
Africa: WHO Africa Releases Groundbreaking Guidance to Boost Fight Against Sickle Cell Disease
World Health Organization (WHO) in the African Region today released groundbreaking new guidance to help strengthen efforts to address the growing threat of sickle cell disease in… Read more »
June 14
Africa: Zeroing in On Purposive Targeting in Oral Cholera Vaccination Campaign
In the midst of a raging cholera outbreak in Sorgin, Nsanje, Kaombe Sugar Company finds itself at the epicenter of a public health crisis. Field workers, including long-time… Read more »
May 14
Southern Africa: Timely Outbreak Response, Enhanced Surveillance Halts Wild Poliovirus Transmission in Southern Africa
Following thorough assessments in Malawi and Mozambique, an independent Polio Outbreak Response Assessment Team (OBRA) today recommended the closure of the wild poliovirus type 1… Read more »
May 06
Africa: African Region's First-Ever Health Workforce Investment Charter Launched
The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa and partner organizations today launched the region's first-ever health investment charter that aims to align and… Read more »
Africa: Namibia Reaches Key Milestone in Eliminating Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV and Hepatitis B
Namibia has become the first country in Africa - and the first high-burden country in the world - to reach a significant milestone on the path towards eliminating vertical… Read more »
April 30
Africa: Call for Experts - Regional Validation Committee (RVC) On the Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission (eMTCT) of HIV, Syphilis and Hepatitis B
The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking experts to serve as members one of the Regional Validation Committee (RVC) on the Elimination of Mother-to-Child Transmission (eMTCT)… Read more »
April 25
Africa: Pioneering Charter to Drive Up Investment in Africa's Health Workforce
A pioneering health investment charter, a first for the African region, is set to be launched at the African Health Workforce Investment Forum which will take place in Windhoek,… Read more »
April 24
Africa: Over 50 Million Lives Saved in Africa Through Expanded Immunization Programme
An estimated 51.2 million lives have been saved through vaccines in the African region over the past 50 years. For every infant life saved over that period, close to 60 years of… Read more »
March 23
Africa: Rate of TB Diagnosis, Treatment in Africa Increasing
About 70% of tuberculosis (TB) cases in the African region are now being diagnosed and treated, marking the highest case-detection rate in the region ever, thanks to concerted… Read more »
March 27
Africa: African Island States Take Fresh Step Towards Joint Medicines Procurement
In a further move towards pooled procurement of essential medicines and medical products, Ministers of Health from small African islands states established a secretariat and… Read more »
March 20
Africa: 8 Countries Reporting Active Yellow Fever Cases
Situation at a Glance Read more »
March 06
Africa: African Health Ministers Commit to End Malaria Deaths
Ministers of Health from African countries with the highest burden of malaria committed today to accelerated action to end deaths from the disease. They pledged to sustainably and… Read more »
March 01
Africa: Africa Immunization Advisory Group Urges Single-Dose HPV Vaccine Adoption to Advance Vaccination Efforts
Cervical cancer poses a significant burden in sub-Saharan Africa, with 120,000 cases annually out of the global total of 690,000, further exacerbated by the HIV epidemic. Read more »
February 20
Africa: Preventive Ebola Vaccination Safeguards Health Workers in Democratic Republic of the Congo
"Getting the Ebola vaccine has given me a deep sense of security and will allow me to concentrate fully on my work," says Chrysostome Kavusa Mwenderwa, a health care worker at… Read more »
February 09
Africa: Nearly 10 000 Children Vaccinated As Malaria Vaccine Rollout in Africa Expands
Nearly 10 000 children in Burkina Faso and Cameroon have now received the RTS,S malaria vaccine since being introduced this year. A wider malaria vaccine rollout is underway this… Read more »
December 06, 2023
Africa: WHO Africa Welcomes New Commitment By Global Partners to End Neglected Tropical Diseases
The fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) has received a major boost with a landmark commitment by donors and partners to invest over US$ 777 million boost efforts to… Read more »
November 15, 2023
Africa: Experts Step Up Efforts to Tackle Diabetes Trends in the African Region
In June 2021, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Emmanuella Selasi Hormenoo, an 18-year-old Ghanian university student, was teetering on the brink of death. "The doctors… Read more »
October 31, 2023
Africa: Building Momentum Against Diphtheria Outbreak in Nigeria
When his seven-year-old brother Jubrin was diagnosed with diphtheria in July 2023, Aminu Dayyabu Alharini had never heard of the disease, the latest outbreak of which has claimed… Read more »
October 21, 2023
Africa: Joint Statement by UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, WFP and WHO on Humanitarian Supplies Crossing into Gaza
A first, but limited, shipment of life-saving humanitarian supplies from the United Nations and the Egyptian Red Crescent entered Gaza today on 20 trucks, passing through the Rafah… Read more »
October 13, 2023
Africa: 'Closing the Care Gap - the Role of Families' in Breast Cancer Battle
The Ministry of Health, Cancer Unit has recorded 577 cases of cancer between January 2023 and June 2023, 33 of which are cancers of the breast. While many cancer patients in… Read more »