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

Tackling health impacts of plastic pollution in Africa

World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have collaborated to galvanize national efforts to reduce environmental threats to health

Every year more than 400 million tons of plastic are produced globally and an estimated 19–23 million tons end up in lakes, rivers and seas. However, less than 10% of the world’s annual plastic production is recycled. In Africa, which produces only 5% and consumes 4% of global plastic, growing…

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

Equipping Health Workers, Media to Fight Misinformation on Cholera

The World Health Organization (WHO)-led trainings such as the one Wanda attended provide skills to identify and debunk disinformation and rumours around health issues, especially during health emergencies or disease outbreaks

When Malawian journalist Suwira Wanda participated in a recent training to sensitize the national media organizations to misinformation, she learnt for the first time that it is possible to be asymptomatic for cholera, but still infect others through contaminated water. It was crucial training for the journalist at Zodiak, one…

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

Cyclone Freddy deepens health risks in worst-hit countries

In Malawi and Mozambique the cyclone tore through amid cholera outbreaks

The devastation by Tropical Cyclone Freddy is exposing major health risks in the hardest-hit southern Africa countries where emergency response efforts are being ramped up to provide relief to affected communities. More than 300 health facilities have been destroyed or flooded in Madagascar, Malawi and Mozambique following the devastation by…

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

Ensuring Access to Healthcare Services in Hard-to-reach Areas of South Sudan

As part of the response to meet the growing health and nutrition needs WHO delivered lifesaving treatments and supplies including trauma, pneumonia, and diarrhea kits

As a team of health workers from the State Ministry of Health in Western Equatoria and WHO arrived in Nadiangere village of Western Equatoria in June 2021, they were welcomed by cheering residents who gathered at Nadiangere Primary Health Care Unit. The team was distributing medicine and supplies delivered by…

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

Coronavirus - Uganda: WHO works with the Army to educate a fishing community about COVID-19 in Uganda

Overall, the WHO-supported intervention managed to reach over 150 army officers and men, 300 fishermen, community leaders and community members

At Rwenshama point of entry on the shores of Lake Edward in Rukungiri district, western Uganda, it’s a warm windy day and the place is bustling with activity. At one end, many sailors in groups of over eight are standing by their boats and preparing their nets for the day’s…

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

Coronavirus - Africa: Welcome Message of the Regional Director

As world faces one of its biggest challenges, COVID-19 pandemic, I would like to thank you and your governments for tireless efforts in the fight against COVID-19

By Regional Director It is my pleasure to welcome you to this Seventieth session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa and would like to thank the Government of Togo, for the preparatory work done in anticipation of hosting this session. Were it not for COVID-19, we would have been…

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

Coronavirus - Burkina Faso resumes Polio Vaccination Campaigns under strict COVID-19 prevention measures

The campaign is the first to be conducted since the government suspended all mass immunization on 27 March due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Burkina Faso today concluded a four-day mass polio immunization campaign, vaccinating 174 304 children under five years of age in two districts of the country’s Centre-East region, while observing COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures. The campaign is the first to be conducted since the government suspended all mass immunization…

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

Coronavirus - Tanzania: Drawing on Ebola readiness to tackle COVID-19

When the tenth Ebola outbreak erupted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2018, Tanzania trained 2400 health workers

Like many African countries now making use of Ebola and Influenza preparedness to step up their COVID-19 response, Tanzania is tapping into the skills of health workers already knowledgeable in infectious disease control, established influenza sentinel surveillance system and repurposing facilities to tackle the new virus. When the tenth Ebola outbreak…

WHO Regional Office for Africa

  • Multimedia content

  • Videos (2)
    • Hand washing with the tippy tap
    • Lavage des mains avec un Tippy Tap
  • All (2)
Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Watch a video demonstration of hand-washing using a tippy tap

The video below is copyright free and can be used at will, without asking for authorization

Hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. But not everyone has access to running water at all times. The tippy tap is one simple and safe way to wash your hands that is especially designed for areas with no running water.

WHO Regional Office for Africa

  • Multimedia content

  • Images (1)
    • Dr Edith NKWEMBE, Microbiologist of INRB DRC using laboratory reagents to identify COVID-19
  • All (1)
Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

First case of COVID-19 confirmed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The DRC is one of ten countries in Africa to have confirmed a case of COVID-19

The Ministry of Public Health in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported the country’s first case of COVID-19. Health authorities said tests found that a Congolese national, who had recently returned to Kinshasa from his residence in France had tested positive for the virus. The DRC is…