Stronger Health Through Smarter Taxes in Mauritius

Meeting at WHO Mauritius on 20 June 2025 with key ministries to discuss the findings and drive actions against Non- Communicable Diseases in Mauritius
WHO has joined forces with VISA NGO and the University of Cape Town to assess the impact of increasing health taxes in Mauritius. Using a simulation tool, the study examined how tax hikes affect tobacco use, government revenues, and premature deaths. 📊 A 15% annual cigarette tax increase could: Boost excise revenue by 55% Reduce smoking prevalence from 18.1% to 17.4% Prevent 11,600 premature deaths by 2029 Even more ambitious action—a 25% annual increase—could: Double excise revenues Lower smoking prevalence to 16.3% Save 19,300 lives by 2029 On 20 June 2025, WHO convened high-level officials from the Ministries of Health and Finance to discuss the findings, presented by the University of Cape Town’s Research Unit on the Economics of Excisable Products and a WHO taxation expert.

WHO, KOICA, and Uganda’s Health Ministry convene high-level national policy dialogue on reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health in Busoga

WHO, KOICA, and Uganda’s Health Ministry convene high-level national policy dialogue on reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health in Busoga

Kampala, Uganda. The Ministry of Health, World Health Organization (WHO), and Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) convened a high-level national policy dialogue to mark the conclusion of the health system strengthening project for reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH) in Busoga sub region. The dialogue provided a platform to assess progress, share lessons, and chart the way forward for RMNCAH in Uganda.

Journée mondiale de lutte contre la drépanocytose : un plaidoyer fort porté par la Première Dame centrafricaine et l’OMS

La Première Dame de Centrafrique et la Représentante de l'OMS

Bangui, 25 juin 2025 - La République centrafricaine a célébré en différé la Journée mondiale de lutte contre la drépanocytose, sous le haut patronage de Son Excellence Madame Brigitte Touadéra, Première Dame de la République. La cérémonie s’est tenue au Centre de recherche et de traitement de la drépanocytose à Bangui, en présence de représentants du ministère de la Santé, de l’Organisation mondiale de la Santé (OMS) et de plusieurs partenaires techniques et financiers.

Namibia Strengthens Maternal and Neonatal Health Through High-Level Engagement and Surveillance

National Maternal Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Review Committee

Namibia is intensifying efforts to end preventable maternal and child deaths through strong leadership, robust data systems, and continuous quality improvement. In 2023, the country released the second edition of its National Guidelines for Reviewing and Responding to Maternal Deaths, Near Misses, Stillbirths, and Neonatal Deaths. These guidelines inform the work of the National Maternal Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Review Committee (NMSNDRC), which analyses avoidable deaths and recommends corrective measures to improve outcomes.

Strengthening safe blood supply to help save lives

Strengthening safe blood supply to help save lives

Juba - In line with this year’s theme marking the World Blood Donor Day celebrated on 14 June the South Sudan National Blood Transfusion Services (NBTS) conducted several activities. With support from World Health Organization (WHO) and the Red Cross, NBTS organized a blood donation campaign and drive to raise awareness of the life-saving role of blood and plasma donation and to encourage regular donation from first-time and long-term donors.

World No-Tobacco Day 2025: WHO joined Health Ministry, VISA NGO and University of Mauritius to unmask tobacco deadly products over a three-week long celebration

World No-Tobacco Day 2025 in Mauritius : Sensitizing nursing, medical and other university students on the harms of tobacco
In a compelling show of unity and determination, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Ministry of Health and Wellness, the NGO VISA, and the University of Mauritius came together for a vibrant, three-week-long campaign to commemorate World No-Tobacco Day 2025. The celebrations reached a wide cross-section of Mauritian society — from medical, nursing, and university students to vocational trainees, educators, and prisons officers — all united under one message: Say NO to tobacco, and YES to health. Through workshops, interactive sessions, and awareness activities, participants learned about the dangers of tobacco use, the latest Mauritius Public Health (Restrictions on Tobacco Products) Regulations 2022, and the cunning strategies the tobacco industry uses to hook a new generation — especially young people — through flavoured, attractive, and tech-driven products. "Don’t be fooled. Resist. Say ‘No’ to tobacco and nicotine addiction and ‘Yes’ to your health," urged Dr. Anne Ancia, WHO Representative in Mauritius, during the campaign’s launch at the University of Mauritius in Réduit. A proud highlight of the event was the celebration of Mauritius receiving the WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition Award for its pioneering tobacco control policies. The award was presented to Health Minister Hon. Anil Kumar Bachoo at the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva this May. "Mauritius is showing the world that bold tobacco control is not just possible — it's happening," Dr. Ancia declared. "But now is not the time for complacency. We must ensure the new tobacco law is widely known, properly enforced, and effectively save lives — especially those of our younger generations."

On the Front Line of Hope: Angola’s Fight Against Cholera

cólera

In the Angolan province of Huíla, where the Serra da Leba rises like a poem carved in stone and the mountainous plateau borders Namibe, home to one of the oldest deserts in the world, dozens of unsung heroes rise every dawn with a noble mission: to save lives from cholera.