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WHO Regional Office for Africa
Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

African health ministers, partners urge equitable access to critical tools to curb cervical cancer threat

Of the more than 76 000 cervical cancer deaths globally in 2022, the most updated data available, nearly a quarter (23%) were in Africa

Inequitable access to vaccines and high-performance screening tools is hampering efforts to effectively reduce the growing burden of cervical cancer in the African region, which accounts for the highest rates of new cases and deaths due to the disease. Despite being preventable and treatable through human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and…

WHO Regional Office for Africa
Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

African health ministers kick off region’s top health forum

Key agenda items include a focus on mitigating high rates of child mortality and the need to urgently turn the tide on this significant threat to Africa’s children

African health ministers and government representatives gathering in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, today kicked off the Seventy-fourth session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa, the continent’s flagship health forum held annually to discuss and agree on measures to address health challenges and promote people’s well-being The…

WHO Regional Office for Africa
Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Scaling up response to curb growing mpox outbreak in African region

So far this year, more than 2100 laboratory-confirmed cases and 13 deaths have been reported from 12 countries

As the mpox outbreak that has affected the Democratic Republic of the Congo and spread to neighbouring countries continues to grow, World Health Organization (WHO) is intensifying support to countries to scale up measures to curb the virus and save lives. On the advice of independent experts of the International…

WHO Regional Office for Africa
Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

World Health Organization (WHO) Donates 65 Beds and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Supplies to Strengthen Tanzania’s Ongoing Cholera Outbreak Response

Since the current outbreak began in Tanzania September last year, over 4,000 cases have been reported, resulting in several deaths and a case fatality rate of 1.9%

The World Health Organization (WHO) has handed over 65 beds together with Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) supplies to the Government of Tanzania to strengthen the country’s ongoing response to cholera outbreaks in the country. Cholera remains a major public health emergency globally, particularly in the Africa Region. Tanzania, like…

WHO Regional Office for Africa
Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

African region faces an unprecedent surge in mpox cases

Fifteen African countries are currently reporting mpox outbreak, with a total of 2030 confirmed cases and 13 deaths so far this year

The African region is experiencing an unprecedented increase in mpox cases since the start of 2024, with more countries previously unaffected by the disease reporting cases in an expanding spread of the virus. World Health Organization (WHO) has elevated the mpox outbreak response to the highest-level requiring organization-wide mobilization and…

WHO Regional Office for Africa
Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Forging Resilience: World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) Establishes Independent Expert Body to Bolster Africa's Health Security

This independent body serves as the principal advisory group to WHO AFRO for strategic guidance on all matters pertaining to public health emergency preparedness and response

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 Preparedness & Response Technical Advisory Group (EPR-TAG). This independent body serves as the principal advisory group to WHO AFRO for strategic guidance on all…

WHO Regional Office for Africa
Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

World Health Organization (WHO) Africa releases groundbreaking guidance to boost fight against sickle cell disease

An estimated 240 000 children on the continent are born with sickle cell disease annually

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 the region. Significant for their integrated and holistic approach, the new technical documents offer detailed, actionable strategies and insights to support countries to…

WHO Regional Office for Africa
Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Environmental Health Workers on the Frontlines of Zimbabwe's Cholera Outbreak

At the peak of the outbreak in Manicaland Province, Lovemore Mudzingwa, an Environmental Health Practitioner (EHP) at Zvipiripiri Rural Health Centre, played a critical role

The number of cholera cases in Zimbabwe is declining thanks to the expanded and decentralized cholera response activities undertaken by the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC), supported by WHO and other partners. While current figures remain higher compared to the same period last year, this reduction is a…

WHO Regional Office for Africa
Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Timely outbreak response, enhanced surveillance halts wild poliovirus transmission in Southern Africa

To enhance polio surveillance, over the past two years, 15 new wastewater surveillance sites were established in the affected countries

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 (WPV1) outbreak in Malawi and Mozambique, marking a significant milestone in the fight against polio in the African region. The last WPV1 case in the…

WHO Regional Office for Africa

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Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Dr. Owen Kaluwa Assumes Office as World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Ethiopia

The Director General underscored WHO's substantial contributions to Ethiopia's healthcare system, emphasizing the anticipation surrounding Dr. Kaluwa's tenure

The recently designated World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Dr. Owen Laws Kaluwa, formally presented his credentials to H.E. Melaku Bedada, Director General of Protocol Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, marking the official commencement of his tenure in Ethiopia. Offering a warm…