The fourth-round national polio vaccination campaign with type two novel Oral Polio Vaccine (nOPV2) marked a milestone reaching over 26 million children in all regions, while in 22 zones in seven regions in Amhara, Oromia, Somali, South Ethiopia, Harari, Dire Dawa and Afar regions co-administered with bivalent oral polio vaccine (bOPV).

Nairobi—The World Health Organization (WHO) today launched the WHO Guidelines on Policies and Interventions to Create Healthy School Food Environments, providing countries with evidence-based recommendations to improve the quality, safety and nutritional value of foods and beverages provided, served or sold in schools.

Accra, Ghana 

The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohammed Janabi, will undertake an official visit to Ghana from 26 to 27 January 2026 for a series of high-level engagements aimed at advancing Ghana’s health sector priorities and strengthening Africa’s health sovereignty agenda.

Nairobi—Over two million people across Kenya are facing worsening food insecurity following one of the driest October to December 2025 rainy seasons on record. The prolonged drought has led to rising rates of malnutrition, increased risk of disease outbreaks, and disrupted access to essential health services.  

Dar es Salaam—More Tanzanians are gaining access to essential oral health services, which is bringing the country closer to its goal of 45% oral health service coverage by 2030 and strengthening Universal Health Coverage (UHC) at the primary care level.

Nairobi—The Government of Kenya has launched the National Cervical Cancer Elimination Action Plan 2026-2030, a five-year strategy developed with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) to accelerate the prevention, early detection and treatment of cervical cancer.

In 2025, the public health system in Angola was put under severe pressure due to public health emergencies, such as the cholera outbreak that affected the country, exposing structural vulnerabilities while also creating momentum for critical reforms and strategic investments.

Ethiopia is accelerating the implementation of its Tobacco Control Proclamation through strengthened enforcement systems and coordinated multisectoral action, with the World Health Organization (WHO) Ethiopia Country Office playing a central role in translating policy into practice and supporting national institutions to protect communities from the harms of tobacco use.