Africa eradicates wild poliovirus

This marks the eradication of the second virus from the face of the continent since smallpox 40 years ago

The independent Africa Regional Certification Commission (ARCC) for Polio Eradication officially declared on Tuesday that the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region is free of wild poliovirus. This marks the eradication of the second virus from the face of the continent since smallpox 40 years ago. “Today is a historic…

Coronavirus - North East Nigeria: COVID-19 Situation Update (As at 1st August 2020)

As at 1 st August 2020, a total of 844 confirmed cases have been recorded including 52 deaths

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to gain infection traction in the North East states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, since the first index case was reported on the 18th of April 2020 in Borno State. With over 7.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis…

Coronavirus - Africa: WHO urges greater COVID-19 health services in Africa’s humanitarian settings

WHO advises that activities like food distribution or education be adjusted to limit mass gatherings and strengthen infection prevention and control

The World Health Organization (WHO) today called for greater access to COVID-19 detection, testing and care among vulnerable populations grappling with the impacts of protracted conflict and humanitarian emergencies across Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa is home to over 26% of the world’s refugees. Long-running conflicts in regions like the Sahel have…

Coronavirus - Africa: COVID-19 Emergency response team arrives in São Tomé & Príncipe

Last night, a COVID19 emergency response team arrived in São Tomé & Príncipe from WHO African Region to support national response efforts – despite ongoing difficulties in ensuring humanitarian access. More experts are to be deployed from Cameroon in coming days.

Coronavirus - Africa: World Health Organization (WHO), World Food Programme (WFP) and the African Union (AU) deliver critical supplies as COVID-19 accelerates in West and Central Africa

The medical cargo contains face shields, gloves, goggles, gowns, masks, medical aprons and thermometers, as well as more than 400 ventilators

Just over two months since COVID-19 was first detected in Africa, the disease has now spread to nearly every country, resulting in nearly 17 000 confirmed cases and around 900 deaths across the continent.  While South Africa has sub-Saharan Africa’s most severe outbreak, West and Central Africa are of growing…

Coronavirus - Africa: World Health Organization (WHO) urges African countries to scale up COVID-19 response

The African region is witnessing a rapid rise in the number of reported confirmed COVID-19 cases

The African region is witnessing a rapid rise in the number of reported confirmed COVID-19 cases, with a 25% daily increase over the past five days. Today, 39 countries reported a total of 216 cases in the past 24 hours, this a significant increase from a month ago, when one…

Polio-Nigeria leaves no stone unturned, targets over 55 million children in house-to-house nationwide campaign

The February 2020 four-day campaign, targeted children of 0 – 59 months of age to be reached in their houses, markets, schools, churches, mosques, and playgrounds

“My son Aliyu Abubakar is two months old, this is the first time he is receiving vaccination, going out there to take him was quite a hassle. I am glad the house-to house team is here to save us waiting time at vaccination post. My other children have taken complete…

Working with communities to end Ebola

Gaining community trust and acceptance has proven a critical armour in combatting the world’s second worst Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)

“In some places they threw stones at us, but in others community leaders became engaged and fought alongside us for the survival of their people,” says Dr Freddy Banza, an epidemiologist and public health specialist with World Health Organization (WHO). Gaining community trust and acceptance has proven a critical armour…

Weak Vaccine-Preventable Disease Surveillance Could Cost the African Region $22.4 billion over the next decade, World Health Organization (WHO) Warns

Vaccine-preventable disease (VPD) surveillance is a critical component of the integrated disease control strategies and an effective way to detect and respond early to outbreaks

In its newly launched Investment Case for Vaccine-Preventable Disease Surveillance in the African Region, 2020-2030, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa’s highlights the drastic consequences that could be in store for the region, if countries do not invest in disease surveillance efforts – including a US$22.4 billion economic burden…

Democratic Republic of the Congo Accelerates Training of Emergency Medical Units for Use in Epidemics

Based on previous and ongoing epidemic situations in the country, the Government is seeking to increase its response capacity

To efficiently provide treatment to people needing urgent medical care during epidemic situations, the Ministry of Health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are this week training inaugural members of the country’s first national emergency medical units for epidemics. The 30 Congolese…