Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Last Ebola patient in Democratic Republic of the Congo discharged

WHO deployed multidisciplinary teams to strengthen surveillance, clinical care, infection prevention and control, logistics, community engagement and other key response measures

The last Ebola patient in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was discharged today, marking an important milestone in the efforts to end the outbreak. The recovery kicks off a 42-day countdown to declaring the outbreak over if no further cases are confirmed. A total of 19 patients have recovered…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Cameroon: A beacon of hope for adolescents and young people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

The future of the HIV response in Cameroon depends on synergy between institutional, community, and international actors

At 14, Eugène learned he was HIV-positive. The diagnosis turned his adolescence upside down, marked by doubt, fear, and stigma. “At that age, you don’t understand everything, but you feel different. I was afraid of how others would see me, afraid of the future,” he confides. Now 20, he is…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Water supply system transforming life beyond the Ebola response in Democratic Republic of the Congo

A dual-flow mechanism delivers chlorinated water for clinical use and untreated water for household needs, ensuring both infection control and everyday supply

For years, the 20 000 residents of Bulape have lived with a harsh reality: to fetch water, they had to walk several kilometres through the forest, often at dawn or dusk, to reach stagnant and unsafe pools. “The water was often dirty, but we had no choice,” recalls Henriette Byongo, a…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Ebola: Congo on Alert to Contain the Risk

Aware of the risks posed by this serious and highly contagious disease, the Congolese government, with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), has taken urgent measures to anticipate and prevent any importation of the virus

As the Ebola outbreak resurfaces in the Kasaï province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), neighboring Republic of Congo is mobilizing in response to the health threat. Every day, boats cross the Congo River, connecting communities on both sides and transporting hundreds of passengers. This geographical proximity, combined with…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Strengthening mental health services in emergencies across Africa

Efforts are being made to scale up mental health services through training, system strengthening, and community engagement

In response to the growing mental health needs triggered by public health emergencies or natural disasters in the African region, World Health Organization (WHO) is working closely with countries to integrate mental health and psychosocial support into every stage of emergency response, aiming to have at least 80% of countries…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Mental health conditions affect 150 million in Africa amid insufficient care services

Despite growing recognition of mental health as a public health priority, services remain severely under-resourced, fragmented and inaccessible, particularly in rural and underserved areas

Nearly 150 million people in Africa are living with mental health conditions, with limited access to decentralized and integrated care, highlighting the region’s mental health challenges, a new mental health dashboard launched today by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa shows. Mental health conditions such as depression,…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) partners with AdVAncIng Clinical TRials Excellence in Africa (AVAREF) to boost clinical trial application reviews in Africa

AVAREF supports the countries by identifying subject matter experts from within the continent, as well as globally to support the scientific advice process

New funding to the AdVAncIng Clinical TRials Excellence in Africa (AVAREF) could help accelerate the development of life-saving vaccines to contain infectious disease outbreaks on the continent. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) is providing $1 million to AVAREF as part of a new two-year project to enhance the…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

African health leaders, partners call for greater investment in integrated Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) services

Advancements in strategic planning, healthcare infrastructure, workforce training, and—most importantly—equitable access to screening, diagnostic, and treatment services are essential

African health ministers and partners are calling for increased investment in integrated health services to address the growing burden of severe noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), particularly those affecting women and underserved populations across the region. At a high-level side event during the Seventy-fifth session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa,…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

World Health Organization (WHO) Africa, International Vaccine Institute sign agreement to boost vaccine production in Africa

The collaboration signals a bold step toward inclusive innovation and regional leadership in global health

The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen their strategic collaboration in support of vaccine equity, local production, and health innovation across the region. Signed on the sidelines of the Seventy-fifth Session of the…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

African health ministers call for urgent action as progress against malaria stalls

Over the past two decades, the gains made in malaria control and elimination have led to about 2.2 billion cases and 12.7 million deaths averted thanks to scaled up malaria control efforts

Progress against malaria in the African region has significantly slowed down, with cases declining by just 5% since 2015 and mortality by 16%, far short of the 75% reduction target that was to be achieved by 2025. Without intensified efforts, the region risks missing the 2030 targets under the Global…