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

Enhanced control measures helping to control mpox outbreak in Africa

To strengthen the response, WHO is working closely with the Ghana Health Service to increase public awareness even further

More than 13 000 laboratory-confirmed mpox cases have been reported in the African region since the start of 2024, as of 17 November. Three countries – Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda - account for approximately 97% of all reported cases so far this year. From reinforcing outbreak…

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

World Health Organization (WHO) in Africa, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) bolster partnership for enhanced public health emergency response

The two organizations are leveraging their vast networks and presence on the continent to support governments in scaling up response at the community level

World Health Organization (WHO) in the African Region and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have endorsed a regional collaboration framework to strengthen public health emergency response, especially at the community level, and bolster health security. With the WHO in the African Region’s presence in…

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 |

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 |

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 |

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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    • Dr. Owen Kaluwa Assumes Office as World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Ethiopia (1)
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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…

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

Over 50 million lives saved in Africa through expanded immunization programme

These achievements have been possible under the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI)

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 life are lived, a new report by World Health Organization (WHO) finds. These achievements have been possible under…

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

Eritrea Observed World Tuberculosis (TB) Day 2024

This year’s theme is “Yes, we can end TB,” highlighting the need to ensure equitable access to prevention and care

World TB Day was commemorated on 24 March 2024 at Orotta Conference Hall in Asmara, capital city of Eritrea. This year’s theme is “Yes, we can end TB,” highlighting the need to ensure equitable access to prevention and care, in line with our drive towards the elimination of TB disease.…