COVID-19 response monthly bulletins

With the pandemic no longer a Public Health Emergency of international concern, the World Health Organization is supporting countries to systematically integrate COVID-19 into routine immunization and primary health care(PHC) services. In this issue, we highlight efforts made by Member States to transition COVID-19 management into routine health care systems. The bulletin also throws light on Post COVID-19 conditions and the nuance behind herd immunity in the African region.

Themed 'From Emergency Response to Long-term COVID-19 Disease Management', this quarterly bulletin issue brushes over the past three years COVID-19 response efforts in Africa. This issue, highlights some of the achievements WHO has made as a region over the years with support from other health partners. It also brushes over the WHO AFRO Regional COVID-19 Strategic and Preparedness Plan, which has been developed to guide countries transition efforts. It also details Member States performance with focus on the transition.

This special edition of the WHO AFR COVID-19 monthly bulletin highlights the COVID-19 situation and response actions in Africa during the festive season and during the first months of 2023 when we witnessed an increasing number of cases and deaths in some countries of Western Pacific and America.

As public health emergencies begin and end in communities, this monthly bulletin details the community engagement dimension of our response. AFRO COVID-19 IMST launched the community based response initiative initially focused on conducting antigen rapid diagnostic testing in hot spot communities. This began in eight countries and was quickly extended to 19 countries.

The October issue of the COVID-19 Response Monthly Bulletin details a new framework developed by the IMST team at the Regional Office, to guide countries in their transition plans. This issue equally highlights the inaugural COVID-19 fellowship programme on Public Health emergencies in Africa for Masters, PhD and Public Health managers.

The September issue of the COVID-19 Monthly bulletin highlights the stable trend of the pandemic over the past months with limited implications in terms of hospitalizations and deaths in most countries. Focus is made on the high-level discussion which which occur during the WHO/AFRO Regional Committee 72 Lome at the end of August.

COVID-19 regional surveillance in Africa

Genomic-surveillance for better health

COVID-19 response operation in Africa

Reinforcement of clinical case management capacities including ICUs and EMTs projects in the region