Towards eliminating intestinal worms in primary school-going children in Botswana

Technical staff assessing a learner at Parakarungu Primary School in the Chobe district on MDA impact

Botswana is taking steps towards the elimination of intestinal worm infections or soil-transmitted helminths in school-going children. Between 12 and 18  September, technical WHO staff supported the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW) in Botswana to complete a survey in the Chobe District, for the mid-term evaluation on the impact of the mass drug administration (MDA) on Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH). This was one of the nine districts that were carrying out the survey that included a total of 60 schools.

Uganda Launches the Third Edition of the National Guidelines for Integrated Diseases Surveillance and Response

State Minister of Health in Charge of General Duties, Hon Anifa Kawooya signs to launch the IDSR guidelines, while CDC Country Director, Dr Lisa Nelson looks on.

Kampala 20th September 2021:- Uganda launched the Third Edition of the National Guidelines for Integrated Diseases Surveillance and Response (IDSR) at Golden Tulip Hotel in Kampala. The third edition highlights new methods of disease detection, reporting, and provision of real-time surveillance data using new technologies and platforms.

The platforms include event-based disease surveillance, community-based surveillance, one health approach, cross-border surveillance, and electronic IDSR to improve disease surveillance in Uganda at all levels.

Improving public health surveillance and response in South Sudan

A pool of national master trainers trained on the updated IDSR third edition technical guidelines and

Juba, 18 September 2021 – Timely information and appropriate response are vital for preventing and effective control of public health events, outbreaks, and pandemics. As a core requirement of the international health regulations (IHR (2005), countries continue to invest in building and maintaining robust surveillance systems to enable timely detection and public health response for enhanced national and international public health security.

WHO and the Government of Japan establish a port health facility at Juba International Airport to enhance public health security in South Sudan

Dr Fabian Ndenzako, the WHO Representative a.i. for South Sudan during the handover ceremony at Juba International Airport

17 September 2021, Juba -  to improve capacity for coordination and communication to mitigate the risk of cross-border spread of disease and other public health threats, WHO with support from the Government of Japan has established and handed over a port health facility at the Juba International Airport to the Ministry of Health in South Sudan.

WHO Botswana commemorates World Patient Safety Day in Maun

Health Workers including nurses and matrons during the World Patient Safety Day commemorations

The World Health Organization (WHO) in Botswana and the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW) commemorated the World Patient Safety Day 2021  "Safe maternal and newborn care" by organizing activities in Maun, which, with a population of 55,784 people is the fifth-largest town in the country.

Cholera outbreak-WHO supports Niger State to strengthen sanitation systems 

The Secretary to the Government of Niger State (SSG), Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, and members of the state Sanitation Steering committee

Minna, 17 September, 2021 - Most people do not know what happens to their excreta when they flush the toilet or passed it out into the environment. But, for some houses in Niger state municipal, the sewages are broken down or blocked leading to improper disposal of untreated human waste into the environment.

Africa faces 470 million COVID-19 vaccine shortfall in 2021

Africa faces 470 million COVID-19 vaccine shortfall in 2021
As the COVAX Facility is forced to slash planned COVID-19 vaccine deliveries to Africa by around 150 million this year, the continent faces almost 500 million doses short of the global year-end target of fully vaccinating 40% of its population. This shortfall comes as Africa tops 8 million COVID-19 cases this week.