On 24 March 2016, Malawi joined the rest of the world in commemorating 2016 World TB Day whose theme is ‘Unite to End TB.’ The national launch took place on 24 March at Manica ground, in Balaka. Speaking to the audience the Honorable Minister of Health and guest of honor, Dr Peter Kumpalume, MP, acknowledged receipt of financial support from Global Fund. “We know that TB is a major public health problem but it is inexcusable that anyone should die of TB today because we know that it can be detected and cured for less than $100. The resources are now available.

2016 marks the beginning of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) era. Ethiopia is making progress in tackling tuberculosis (TB), the leading infectious disease killer along with HIV.

Abuja, 22 March 2016 -  In a bid to stem the resurgence of polio virus and stop importation of vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs), Nigeria is coordinating a comprehensive strategy with stakeholders in Cameroon, Niger and Benin Republics during the on-going National Immunization Plus Days (NIPDs) to provide services in border communities. The second round of the 2016 NIPDs is being implemented in 34 states from 19 to 22 March, 2016. The campaign was postponed in the Federal Capital Territory, Nassarawa, Adamawa and Rivers States to late March and early April.

Luanda, 23 March 2016 – Two months after the first yellow fever cases were confirmed in the Viana municipality, Luanda province, the Angolan authorities and health partners involved in the outbreak response are facing new challenges with reports of local transmissions in other Provinces of the country. In spite of all the efforts made since 21 January 2016, ten out of the eighteen provinces in Angola continue reporting yellow fever cases with a a total of 459 confirmed cases and 178 deaths to date.

Yei Town, 22 March 2016 - South Sudan’s largest ever immunization  campaign was launched  by the Minister of Health, Dr Riek Gai Kok amidst large crowd of youths in the presence of the State Governor, Parliamentarians, government sectors and cross-section of stakeholders including religious and community leaders and partners in Yei River State.

Juba, 19 March 2016 - WHO country office held a three-day workshop for state focal points from 17 to 19 March 2016 at Juba Regency Hotel.

The objective of the workshop was to strengthen the capacity of WHO state focal points and Health Cluster Coordinators to develop substantive knowledge in the overall WHO technical outputs as well as Coordination related skills that will improve the performance of WHO and Health Cluster operations in South Sudan in line with the smart technical focus of the WHO/AFRO Transformation Agenda.

Ethiopia commemorated World Cancer Day under the global theme “We can. I can.” by inaugurating a comprehensive cancer treatment center in Addis Ababa in Woreda Eight Health Center on 6 February 2016. The center is the first ever at woreda (district) level and second in the country Black Lion Specialized Hospital. 

At a landmark Ministerial Conference on Immunization in Africa held from 24-25 February 2016 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, African ministers of health and other line ministers signed a declaration to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases and to close the immunization gap by 2020.

At a lunch meeting organized by GAVI – the Vaccine Alliance on the Unfinished Business of Immunization during the Ordinary General Assembly of the Organisation of African First Ladies against HIV/AIDS (OAFLA), immunization partners and OAFLA came together to renew their commitment to complete the “unfinished business with child health in Africa”. 

Brazzaville, 18 March 2016 - The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti will begin a 4 day official visit to China from 22 to 25 March 2016 at the invitation of the Chinese government. The visit is aimed at further exploring areas of mutual interest in health with a view to having a more structured collaboration between WHO and the Chinese government.