Countries Agree To Work towards Strengthening their Public Health Emergency Operations Centre

The Chief Medical Officer handing over Certificate of Participation to Dr Aschalen Workineh from the MoH Ethiopia
After five days of training and hard work, the first-ever East African Regional Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) and Incident Management Training Workshop concludes on a positive note. The workshop participants from the seven countries (Ethiopia, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Uganda) agreed on critical next steps to strengthen their national capacities for responding to emergencies.

Improving emergency care for sick children

Photo of a nurse attending to Moses while Ebie looks on. The child's health has improved considerably due to the quality of care he received at the hospital

Ebie Williams brings her grandchild, Moses, to the main government hospital in Kenema. She enters the hospital barefoot, having rushed from her home, in tears. She tells how the child fell into terrifying convulsions before finally losing consciousness.

Community engagement contributes to control of acute watery diarrhea in Ethiopia’s Somali region

A WHO/UNICEF Risk Communication team member explains AWD prevention and control to health workers and residents of Gabo Gabo Kabele using pictorial posters (Photo: Ms Tseday Zerayaco)

After months of prevention and response activities by the Government of Ethiopia, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other partners, the acute watery diarrhea (AWD) outbreak in Somali Region is showing signs of decline. Intensified risk communication, effective surveillance, and improvements in water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and case management contributed to the decline. 

The East African Regional Public Health Emergency Operations Centre and Incident Management Training Workshop kicks off in Tanzania

High level briefing in session
In today’s connected world, health insecurity is a global issue. We must all protect ourselves, and each other, from threats like infectious diseases, chemical, and radiological events. On hundred and ninety six countries including Tanzania have agreed to work together to prevent and respond to public health crises, in line with the International Health Regulations (IHR (2005)).

WHO supports a Multi-sectorial call for ‘Non-Communicable Diseases Action’ in South Sudan

Dr Riek Gai Kok Hon Minister of Health addressing the participants

31 July 2017, Juba South Sudan - The World Health Organization in collaboration with the Ministry of Health recently convened the first high level multi-sectorial Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) meeting for South Sudan attended by about 65 senior representatives from line government ministries, Civil Society, Non-governmental Organizations, academia, UN organizations and the private sector. An urgent ’Call for Action on NCDs Prevention and Control’ was endorsed in Juba, South Sudan by those representatives attending this meeting.

Nigeria’s Polio Laboratory Passes WHO Accreditation

Dr Gumede-Moeletsi at the Ibadan Lab.

Ibadan, 31 July 2017-The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) has declared the Ibadan Polio Laboratory fully accredited to continue performing its duties as a National Polio Laboratory for Nigeria.

WHO in collaboration with partners strengthens Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) to protect children from vaccine preventable diseases in South Sudan

Melisachew Adane WHO Consultant making a presentation
Despite the ongoing crisis in the country, the World Health Organization (WHO) continues to support the Ministry of Health of South Sudan and implementing partners to deliver immunization services and conduct disease surveillance activities across the country. Routine immunization and disease surveillance are key health interventions highly affected by the ever changing country context as they demand more logistics and human resource.