WHO Regional Office for Africa / Press Release

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa | Jul 17, 2025

Sierra Leone moves closer to Universal Health Coverage with high-level engagement on draft Sierra Leone Agency for Universal Health Coverage (SLAUHC) Bill

Less than 1% of Sierra Leone’s population is covered by any social health protection scheme, exposing many to catastrophic health spending and pushing households further into poverty

Sierra Leone has taken a critical step toward advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) with the convening of a high-level policy dialogue on the draft Sierra Leone Agency for Universal Health Coverage (SLAUHC) Bill. Organized on 6 May 2025 by the Ministry of Health with support from the World Health Organization…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa | Jul 10, 2025

Zimbabwe undertakes second Joint External Evaluation to strengthen National Health Security

The JEE is a voluntary, collaborative process used globally to assess a country's readiness to manage infectious disease outbreaks and other health emergencies

From 29 June to 4 July 2025, Zimbabwe conducted its second Joint External Evaluation (JEE) to assess the country’s capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats under the International Health Regulations (2005). The JEE, coordinated by the Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) with support from…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa | Jun 20, 2025

Mobile clinics enhance access to health care services in Niger

Around 16 000 women were sensitized by community outreach teams on reproductive, maternal and neonatal health in the two districts

In Niger, West Africa’s largest country by land surface, access to health care services is a major challenge. Just one in two people has access to health services. One of the ways to bridge the gap is through mobile clinics in remote areas and deploying medical teams from health districts…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa | Jun 20, 2025

Community support boosts Angola’s cholera response

The Ministry of Health in Angola, with support from World Health Organization (WHO), has trained more than 8000 community mobilizers to support the response and around 4450 community leaders in early detection, oral rehydration solution preparation and household water treatment

In the heart of Boa Vista, a neighbourhood in Angola’s capital, Luanda, 48-year-old mother of three Maria Teresa da Silva is joining other community members to spread awareness of the ongoing cholera outbreak. When the first cases were reported in her community in mid-January 2025, she joined a group of…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa | May 28, 2025

Professor Mohamed Yakub Janabi appointed World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa

Professor Janabi expressed gratitude and pledged to intensify efforts to improve the health of the people of the African Region

The World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board today appointed Professor Mohamed Yakub Janabi as Regional Director of WHO African Region following his nomination during a Special Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa held on 18 May 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland. “I offer my warm congratulations to Professor Mohamed…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa | May 19, 2025

Professor Mohamed Yakub Janabi of Tanzania nominated as next director of World Health Organization (WHO) African Region

Professor Janabi’s nomination will be submitted for appointment by the 157th session of the WHO Executive Board, which takes place from 28 to 29 May 2025 in Geneva

Professor Mohamed Yakub Janabi was today nominated as the next Regional Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region during a Special Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa held in Geneva ahead of the World Health Assembly. The Special Session by Member States of the WHO African…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa | May 17, 2025

World Health Organization (WHO) Strengthens Field Presence and Support to Cholera Response During High Level Visit to Kwanza Sul and Benguela

The visit highlighted the importance of a whole-of-society response to cholera, one that not only treats the disease but addresses its root causes: lack of access to clean water, sanitation, and health services

As part of ongoing efforts to support Angola’s fight against the cholera outbreak and to reinforce regional health systems, the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative in Angola, Dr Indrajit Hazarika, conducted a field mission to the provinces of Kwanza Sul and Benguela this week. The visit served to strengthen collaboration…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa | May 05, 2025

Midwives in South Sudan provide a lifeline in times of calm and crisis

This is especially important as the country reports one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally, with 692 maternal deaths for every 100 000 live births

Midwives play a critical role in South Sudan, facilitating antenatal care, skilled birth attendance, and postnatal care for mothers and newborns to prevent death and promote a healthy future for both mothers and children. This is especially important as the country reports one of the highest maternal mortality rates globally,…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa | Apr 27, 2025

The end of Ebola outbreak in Uganda demonstrates World Health Organization (WHO)’s value in controlling and stopping diseases

With the international imperative to prevent cross-border transmission, health workers were rapidly reoriented, thermal scanners were deployed, and screening protocols were enforced at 13 key entry points, especially at Entebbe International Airport

Uganda has officially declared the end of the Ebola disease outbreak, which was confirmed on 30 January 2025 by Uganda’s Ministry of Health. The outbreak infected 14 people, two of whom were probable (not confirmed by laboratory tests) and caused four deaths (including two probable). Disease outbreaks, such as Ebola,…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa | Apr 25, 2025

Digitalization is revolutionising Mozambique’s malaria response

The country’s Ministry of Health faced an enormous challenge of dealing with large volumes of data from several different areas of its malaria control programme

Filipe Basílio, officer in charge of monitoring and evaluation in Mozambique’s malaria programme in the northern Nampula Province recalls the laborious task of data collection and analysis in his day-to-day work: "All record-keeping tools were manual and it used to take a long time for the data to reach the…

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