News Releases | Sixty-second session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa

Luanda, 22 November 2012 -- A report on the work of  the World Health Organization (WHO)  in the African Region  has been presented by its  Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo,  to the 62nd session of the WHO  Regional Committee for Africa taking place in Luanda, Angola.

Brazzaville, 21 November 2012 -- Health information is a key component of national health systems.  Better Health Information Systems means a healthier public.

What is a Health Information System? It is the collection, organization, use and transmission of quality and reliable information on human health that is used to shape policy, make decisions, and monitor health status and trends. In the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region, national health information systems have limited capacity to produce good quality and timely information. 

Luanda, 21 November 2012 -- On 15 June 2007, the new International Health Regulations (IHR) came into force. These regulations, agreed by all African countries, were designed to help countries and WHO to work together to detect and control the international spread of serious public health threats, like infectious disease.

The IHR aim to quickly identify an outbreak or any other public health threat, including chemical and radiological hazards that could have an international impact, so that a fast and effective response can be organized.

Luanda, 21 November  2012 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, has proposed a set of actions which African countries  should prioritize to strengthen their national health systems, drawing resources from the large number of existing global health initiatives (GHIs) operating in the Region. Global Health Initiatives are programmes targeted at specific diseases and are intended to bring additional resources to the health efforts of countries.

Luanda, 20 November 2012  -- The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa today presented an updated Regional HIV/AIDS Strategy  to the Sixty-second session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa currently taking place in Luanda, Angola. The strategy provides directions for implementing the WHO Global Health Sector Strategy (GHSS) adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2011, taking into account key regional specificities.  

Luanda, 20 November 2012 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated the Health Promotion (HP) strategy to address the growing burden of preventable public health conditions in the WHO African Region. 

The updated strategy, which covers a period of 10 years, is being discussed at the Sixty-second ses-sion of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa which is taking place from 19-23 November in Luanda, Angola. The Strategy highlights specific roles and responsibilities for Member States, WHO and other partners for an effective response.
    

Brazzaville, 20 November 2012 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) is proposing a strategy to address the negative health and economic impact of natural and man-made disasters frequently experienced in the African Region.
 
The strategy, developed by the WHO Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO), was today presented by the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, to the 62nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa which is taking place in Luanda, Angola.

Luanda, 20 November 2012 -- All Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the African Region are signatories to international and human rights treaties in which the right to health is enshrined. Yet, experts say, the health status of millions of people in the region remains poor. 

Why is this the case and how can the situation be improved?

Luanda, 19 November 2012 -- The Sixty-second session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa was officially opened at the Talatona Hotel Conference Centre, Luanda, Angola by the Vice-President of Angola, His Excellency Manuel Vicente.

Luanda 17 November 2012  - Health Ministers and heads of delegations from 46 countries in the WHO African Region have begun arriving in Luanda to attend the 62nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa. The meeting takes place from 19-23 November 2012.

The five-day event will also bring together senior officials of the Organization and Representatives of UN Agencies, Funds and Programmes, civil society, bilateral,  multilateral organizations, and other development partners.

Brazzaville, 16 November 2012 -- The 62nd session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa is scheduled to take place from 19 to 23 November in Luanda, Angola.