Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Africa's largest polio vaccination drive since 2020 targets 21 million children

The multi-country initiative is supported by the World Health Organization (WHO), through the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI)

Africa’s largest polio vaccination campaign since 2020 kicks off today in three West and Central African countries, in a combined effort by national health authorities to immunise a total 21 million children under the age of five. The exercise, which will begin in Cameroon, Chad and Niger before being extended to the Central…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

A New Era of Redefining How Africa Deals with Health, Humanitarian and Climate Crises

Launch of Partnership between World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC)

From humanitarian crises triggered by conflict to climate-change induced disasters, Africa deals with over 100 disease outbreaks every year. To tackle these challenges, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) (www.Afro.WHO.Int) are pleased to announce the launch of a Joint Emergency Preparedness…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Launch of a Regional Initiative to Tackle Climate Change-related Health Challenges for Africa

The participating countries will strengthen multisectoral collaboration and coordination among relevant sectors to enhance the implementation of mitigation and adaptation measures aimed at reducing climate-related health risks

At the Seventy-sixthWorld Health Assembly, African governments represented by Ministers of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa (WHO) and Amref Health Africa have launched a regional initiative to tackle health impacts of climate change in Africa. This is an effort to harness the…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Low Awareness and Control Hamper Hypertension Fight in Africa

Hypertension is a major risk factor for stroke and heart attack—the cardiovascular diseases responsible for most deaths due to chronic illnesses in the African region

Fewer than a third of people living with hypertension in the African region are on treatment, and only about 12% have the life-threatening condition under control, an analysis by World Health Organization (WHO) shows. Globally, around 21% of adults aged over 30 years have hypertension under control, and 42% are…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Equipping Health Workers, Media to Fight Misinformation on Cholera

The World Health Organization (WHO)-led trainings such as the one Wanda attended provide skills to identify and debunk disinformation and rumours around health issues, especially during health emergencies or disease outbreaks

When Malawian journalist Suwira Wanda participated in a recent training to sensitize the national media organizations to misinformation, she learnt for the first time that it is possible to be asymptomatic for cholera, but still infect others through contaminated water. It was crucial training for the journalist at Zodiak, one…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

World Health Organization (WHO) 75th Anniversary: Eswatini Commits to the WHO Agenda of Improving Health for the People of Eswatini

In his keynote address, the PM said the Kingdom of Eswatini is proud of the public health successes that have improved the quality of life during the last seven decades

The government of the Kingdom of Eswatini and development partners have congratulated the World Health Organization on its 75th anniversary, and further committed to the agenda of HEALTH FOR ALL. Speaking during a high-level event to commemorate World Health Day and WHO’s 75th anniversary in Manzini City on 13 April…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Africa needs to vaccinate 33 million children to put progress back on track

Decreased vaccination levels have led to a surge in outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases such as measles, meningitis, diphtheria, polio and yellow fever

An estimated 33 million children will need to be vaccinated in Africa between 2023 and 2025 to put the continent back on track to achieve the 2030 global immunization goals that include reducing morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases, an analysis by World Health Organization (WHO) finds. The unprecedented impact…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Africa’s tuberculosis (TB) reduction rate falls short amid slowing global progress

The End TB Strategy also sets 2030 targets to cut TB deaths by 90% and cases by 80% for which the annual reduction progress must be accelerated to 17%

The African region is recording around 4% annual decline rate in tuberculosis (TB) cases. Although the rate is double the global pace, the region risks missing major milestones and targets to end the disease if efforts are not scaled up rapidly. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) End TB Strategy calls…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Cyclone Freddy deepens health risks in worst-hit countries

In Malawi and Mozambique the cyclone tore through amid cholera outbreaks

The devastation by Tropical Cyclone Freddy is exposing major health risks in the hardest-hit southern Africa countries where emergency response efforts are being ramped up to provide relief to affected communities. More than 300 health facilities have been destroyed or flooded in Madagascar, Malawi and Mozambique following the devastation by…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Equatorial Guinea confirms eight more Marburg cases

WHO is working with the national authorities to step up emergency response measures

Equatorial Guinea’s Ministry of Health has confirmed eight more cases of Marburg, bringing the number of confirmed cases to nine since the outbreak of the viral haemorrhagic fever was declared on 13 February. The new cases were confirmed following laboratory analysis of additional samples. So far, there are 20 probable…