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…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Coronavirus - Zimbabwe: Enhancing capacity for laboratory diagnosis for COVID-19 at Beitbridge District Hospital

Beitbridge laboratory personnel recently received the Abbott platform

When WHO, National Microbiology Reference Laboratory (NMRL) and Medsure Healthcare teams reached Beitbridge, 640km from Harare, twelve laboratory personnel from Beitbridge Hospital had already tested more than 6000 samples for COVID-19. The tests were done using a GeneXpert machine with cartridges for COVID-19 testing and Real Time- Polymerase chain reaction…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Preventing HIV in high HIV burden settings through voluntary medical male circumcision

New guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) updates earlier recommendations on voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) for HIV prevention

Preventing heterosexually acquired HIV and achieving global HIV incidence goals require a combination of interventions. Voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) is one of these interventions in settings with a high burden of HIV. New guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) updates earlier recommendations on VMMC for HIV prevention. These…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Coronavirus - Zimbabwe: Environmental Health Technician (EHT) officers follow WHO guidelines for early detection of COVID-19 symptoms

COVID-19 prescreening at hospitals is mandatory for all health care facilities in Zimbabwe as per Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) regulations recommended by WHO

To all patients who visit Beitbridge District Hospital, Mmoloki Malemane seems like just any other person who checks people’s temperatures at the gate. To those not aware of his role, this might seem the case yet Mmokoli is an Environmental Health Technician (EHT) responsible for COVID-19 pre-screening at Beitbridge Hospital.…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Coronavirus - Africa: World Health Organization (WHO) concerned over COVID-19 impact on women, girls in Africa

Women are disproportionately affected by lockdowns and this is resulting in a reduced access to health services

Humanitarian crises, including health emergencies affect men and women differently. As COVID-19 continues to spread in Africa, there are concerns over its impact on women and girls, with vulnerabilities feared to worsen as the pandemic overwhelms health systems. Although overall in the African Region, women account for around 40% of…

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

Coronavirus - Africa: The Number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the African Region see an increase by 31%

There has been a 31% increase in the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the African Region in past week. Cases in Mauritania, Ethiopia, CAR, South Sudan & Zimbabwe grew the fastest. For more detailed analysis, read our most recent COVID-19 Report: https://bit.ly/2AjGo6m  

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

Coronavirus - Africa: Polio eradication expertise backs Africa’s COVID-19 response

A quarter of World Health Organization (WHO) polio staff are dedicating more than 80% of their time towards COVID-19 efforts

Expertise in polio eradication that has put Africa on the verge of being certified free of wild poliovirus has been brought to the frontlines of COVID-19 fight. A network of responders from the World Health Organization (WHO) Polio Eradication Programme and partner organizations is providing critical resources and skills to…

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

Coronavirus - Zimbabwe: World Health Organization (WHO) Zimbabwe’s Polio Team supporting Contact Tracing for COVID-19

In Zimbabwe, WHO Zimbabwe’s polio team is providing support to enhance contact tracing for COVID-19. Disease surveillance officers across the country are adapting software to list & trace contacts, with real-time updates.

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

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…

Source: WHO Regional Office for Africa |

“SHORRT” drug-resistant Tuberculosis (TB) treatment on cards

Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a form of TB caused by bacteria that do not respond to isoniazid and rifampicin

Zimbabwe is set to roll out a Shorter, Highly-effective, Oral Regimen for Rifampicin-resistant Tuberculosis (SHORRT therapy) which reduces the length of treatment for Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) from nearly two years, to, nine to 12 months and brings a major improvement in treatment outcomes and quality of life of patients.…