Angola News

21 June 2002 -- Luanda, Angola - 21 June 2002: Angola's first, nation-wide round of synchronised, cross-border Polio National Immunisation Days (NIDs) for 2002 will take place from 21-23 June. Targeting over 3 million children under 5 years of age, the Polio NIDs are led by the Angolan Ministry of Health with the full involvement of provincial governments and municipal administrations. Angola remains one of only 10 countries in the world in which the wild polio-virus is still present, while today, Europe is being declared polio-free.

Luanda, 28th June 2005 -- The Ministry of Health announced Tuesday in Luanda that one polio case has been detected in a one year old child girl living in Kikolo commune, in Cacuaco municipality, in the Luanda Province.

According to the Angolan Vice Minister for public health, Dr. José Van-Dunnem, this case was confirmed on 23th June 2005 by the laboratory of Johannesburg, South Africa, that had tested the case as positive for poliovirus.

Luanda, 26 July 2005 -- World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa Dr. Luís Gomes Sambo will visit his native country of Angola from July 27-29, 2005, accompanied by Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services for International Affairs Dr. William Steiger. The purpose of this visit is to bolster international support for the reconstruction of the Angolan health system, continue the fight against the most dangerous communicable diseases and conduct efficient epidemiological surveillance nationally.

WHO Regional Director for Africa urges immense effort to reduce the number of people infected with HIV in the African Region.Luanda, 2 December 2005 -- The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo stated in Luanda, last Friday that countries of the African Region can significantly reduce the number of people infected with HIV. However, he said that would require immense effort in terms of resources and organization, for prevention and treatment.

"These problems should be addressed promptly so that more lives can be saved", he added.

National Health Policy Would focus on the sustainable development of the health sector

Luanda, 9 February 2006 -- A team of international experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) is currently in Angola for a ten-day mission aimed at supporting the country in the process of elaboration of its National Health Policy. A special request in this regard has been made by the Ministry of Health which is willing to finalize a National Health Policy in the next two months, with the technical support of WHO.

Luanda, 19 April 2006 -- As part of periodic consultations with the Angolan Government, the WHO Representative, Dr Fatoumata Diallo, met with the Angolan Prime Minister, Mr. Fernando da Piedade Dias Dos Santos, on Wednesday 19th April 2006 to review intersectoral actions to be taken in order to address some important health issues.

WHO and other UN Agencies support Angola and Namibia in the prevention and control of common communicable diseases along their bordersOshakati, 23 October 2006 -- The health authorities from Angola and Namibia have elaborated a joint plan of action to reactivate the prevention and control of the common communicable diseases and other issues along their borders, on specially Malaria, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Polio, Epidemiological surveillance and social mobilization. This decision has been taken at the end of a meeting held in Oshakati, Namibia, from 17th to 19th October 2006.

Luanda, 7 April 2009 -- In the past three years, Angola has witnessed a sharp decrease in rainfall as a result of climate change at the global level. During the rainy season last year, 16 of the 18 Provinces of Angola were affected by floods. Consequently, 23 407 families had no shelter and 11 401 houses and 23 facilities including health centres and hospitals were destroyed. 

The celebration in Angola of the World AIDS Day on 1st December 2010 was an opportunity for the Government of Angola and partners to continue to raise awareness to the Angolan population about HIV/AIDS, it´s social and economic impact and improve solidarity face this pandemic.

The event is one of the most visible and gives the opportunity to increase public and private partnership in Angola to expand awareness about the status of the pandemic and encouraging progress in the HIV/AIDS Prevention, treatment and care interventions.

26th January 2011 Luanda -- Partners from the international polio coalition unanimously reaffirmed their full commitment to support the efforts of the Angolan government aiming at intensifying eradication of this dreadful disease within the country.