South Africa holds a Presidential Health Summit to guide policy reforms towards Universal Health Coverage

Dr Akpaka Kalu, WHO Representative to South Africa presents the Summary outcomes of the Presidential health Summit in presence of the Deputy President Mr David Mabuza and Health Minister- Dr Aaron Matsoaledi
As part of the South African Government’s commitment for ensuring Universal Health Coverage (UHC), draft National Health Insurance (NHI) Bill was recently passed by the cabinet; the goal of the bill is to facilitate health systems and financing reforms towards enhanced access to quality health services without financial hardship in the country. As a demonstration of the highest level political leadership for UHC, the President of South Africa hosted the ‘Presidential Health Summit’ on the 19th and 20th October 2018 in Johannesburg. The purpose of the Summit was to engage with stakeholders to deliberate on the challenges in the health sector and to collectively define the roadmap for South Africa’s journey towards UHC with the NHI as entry point.

National Polio day edition 2018 celebrated in the Huye district

On 24th October 2018 the Ministry of Health in Collaboration with WHO Country Office in Rwanda and the Rotary International celebrated together the National Polio day. Poliomyelitis (polio) is a devastating and highly infectious viral disease, which  mainly affects young children. The virus is transmitted by person-to-person spread mainly through the fecal-oral route or, less frequently, by a common vehicle (e.g. contaminated water or food) and multiplies in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system and can cause crippling paralysis.

Uganda Finalizes Plans to Vaccinate Front-line Health Workers against Ebola 

WHO Representative in Uganda, Dr Woldemariam addresses the press at the Uganda Media Center

Kampala, 3 November 2018:- Uganda has finalized plans to vaccinate frontline health workers in Uganda against Ebola virus-Zaire which is currently affecting parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). According to the Ministry of health, vaccination will start as soon next week in the high-risk districts bordering DRC.

Uganda's health sector grows despite challenges 

Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng addresses the delegates during the Joint Review Mission

Kampala, 2 November 2018:- The Ministry of Health convened a two day Joint Review Mission (JRM) conference to review and discuss the performance of the health sector for the Financial Year (FY) 2017/2018 which began from July 2017 to June 2018.

Health and Environment: Shaping a Better Future Together in Africa

Health and Environment: Shaping a Better Future Together in Africa
Aiming to identify emerging environmental threats to people’s health and agree on a strategic action plan for the region, African Ministers of health and environment will meet for the Third Interministerial Conference on Health and Environment from 6 to 9 November in Libreville, Gabon. The conference jointly organized by the government of Gabon, the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN Environment will discuss how to turn health and environmental policies into action.

WHO Representative hits the ground running and walks the organization’s talk

WR in Pietermaritzeburg meeting Minister Motsoaledi and KZN Health MEC Dr Dhlomo
Just under three weeks of having landed in South Africa as the new World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative in South Africa, Dr Akpaka Kalu, has already held a series of introductory meetings with United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator (RC), Ms Nardos Bekele-Thomas; South Africa’s Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi; Member of the Executive Committee for Health for the KwaZulu National Provincial Department, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo; KwaZulu Natal Province Head of Health, Dr Musa Gumede; and the University of KwaZulu Natal WHO Collaborating Centre for Educating Nurses and Midwives in Problem-solving. Beyond introducing himself, Dr Kalu also focused on learning about South Africa’s state of health from the key informants and share WHO’s mandate of supporting member states in improving their health outcomes; affirming that WHO would continue to support the national health system in three investment pillars: normative guidance; implementation support; and generation and use of evidence to support implementation and guide policies and strategies.

Zambia heightens its capacity for preventing and responding to the threat of an outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease

The Minister of Health, Dr. Chitalu Chilufya (centre) with participants at the Fairmount Hotel in Livingstone

Zambia has been classified by the World Health Organisation to be at very high risk of importation of cases of Ebola virus disease (EVD) from the ongoing epidemic of the disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo due to the heightened transmission of the virus in North Kivu and Ituri provinces. The WHO Regional Office for Africa is therefore supporting the 10 countries bordering the DRC to heighten vigilance by strengthening capacity for preventing, detecting, investigating and responding quickly to potential Ebola threats.