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

Coronavirus: Southern Africa faces uptick in COVID-19 cases

The sub-region recorded 46 271 cases in the week ending on 8 May 2022, marking a 32% increase over the week before

Southern Africa is facing an upsurge in COVID-19 cases for the third consecutive week as the winter season in the region approaches. The uptick has broken a two-month-long decline in overall infections recorded across the continent. The sub-region recorded 46 271 cases in the week ending on 8 May 2022,…

WHO Regional Office for Africa

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    • Nurse Peace (right) counsels a patient before she gets screened for cervical cancer at the RAiSE Foundation office in Niger State on 24 February 2021
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Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Deaths from noncommunicable diseases on the rise in Africa

The rising burden of noncommunicable diseases will exert pressure on treatment and care services

Noncommunicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes are increasingly becoming the main cause of mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, where the diseases were responsible for 37% of deaths in 2019, rising from 24% in 2000 largely due to weaknesses in the implementation of critical control measures including prevention, diagnosis…

WHO Regional Office for Africa

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    • Coronavirus: African countries scale back on COVID-19 measures
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Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Coronavirus: African countries scale back on COVID-19 measures

Contact tracing is a key strategy for curbing the spread of the virus and reducing mortality

With new COVID-19 cases significantly dropping, many countries are increasingly curtailing COVID-19 surveillance and quarantine measures. While the need to reopen economies and resume social life is important, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for caution and consideration of the risks involved.  Contact tracing is a key strategy for…

WHO Regional Office for Africa

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    • Low funding, COVID-19 curtail tuberculosis fight in Africa
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Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Low funding, COVID-19 curtail tuberculosis fight in Africa

Every year the African region requires at least US$ 1.3 billion for TB prevention and treatment

Inadequate investment and funding for tuberculosis (TB) control in Africa is jeopardizing the efforts to meet the global target of ending the disease by 2030, while the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to roll back progress made so far in the continent, an assessment by World Health Organization (WHO) finds. Every year…

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

Africa on track to Control COVID-19 Pandemic in 2022

With the aim of controlling the pandemic, WHO is focusing on scaling-up COVID-19 vaccine uptake in countries

Almost two years after Africa identified its first case of COVID-19 (14 February 2020), the World Health Organization (WHO) finds that, if current trends continue, the continent can control the pandemic in 2022. However, WHO warned that continued vigilance is key. Over the last two years, the continent has witnessed…

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

Botswana is first country with severe HIV epidemic to reach key milestone in the elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission

Botswana has achieved the “silver tier” status, which moves it closer to eliminating mother-to-child HIV transmission

Botswana has become the first high-burden country to be certified for achieving an important milestone on the path to eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV by the World Health Organization (WHO). High-burden HIV countries are defined as those with more than 2% of pregnant women living with the virus. Botswana has…

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

WHO Stands with African Nations and Calls for Borders to Remain Open

Travel restrictions may play a role in slightly reducing the spread of COVID-19 but place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods

As a growing number of countries impose flight bans on southern African nations due to concerns over the new Omicron variant, World Health Organization (WHO) urges countries to follow science and the International Health Regulations (2005). Travel restrictions may play a role in slightly reducing the spread of COVID-19 but…

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

Stronger Governance Needed to Fight Superbugs in Africa: Antimicrobial Resistance threatens Africa’s Development

Addressing AMR requires an holistic and multi-sectoral approach

The leaders of six regional organizations in Africa are calling for stronger governance to fight antimicrobial resistance, or AMR, on the eve of World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (18-24 November). The emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance in Africa – where micro-organisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites are resistant…

WHO Regional Office for Africa

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    • An eligible child being administered with Seasonal Malaria drug
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Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

WHO supports Adamawa and Yobe States to administer Malaria drugs to over 1.9 million children

It is part of the larger efforts to eliminate the scourge in the states and the country in general

Maimuna Abdulraham a caregiver and four other women living in Yola South Local Government Area in Adamawa state sat patiently under a tree in front of their houses awaiting the turn of their children to receive the antimalarial drugs administered by a community health dispenser.  The drugs are administered as…

WHO Regional Office for Africa

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    • WHO unveils new analytical tools on the ESPEN data portal
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Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

WHO Unveils New Analytical Tools on the ESPEN Data Portal

The ESPEN Data Portal has expanded to include a comprehensive suite of data dashboards designed to help Neglected Tropical Diseases programmes better track rollout

The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa, through the Expanded Special Project for the Elimination of Neglected Tropical Diseases (ESPEN), is making available new analytical tools in the NTD Data Portal allowing Neglected Tropical Diseases programmes and stakeholders to better track rollout and impact of interventions, and make data-driven decisions on…