“When communities are informed and empowered, they become the first and strongest line of defence in public health emergencies.” – Dr. George Ameh, WHO Country Representative in Sierra Leone.

Kampala, Uganda — The Ministry of Health, with support from World Health Organization (WHO), African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), and other stakeholders, has today officially launched the 2023 Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) report. The findings reflect Uganda’s progress in tobacco control while flagging emerging threats, especially among young people.

Butha Buthe—The Ministry of Health hosted a colourful national event in Butha Buthe District to commemorate World Blood Day, honouring voluntary blood donors, under the inspiring theme, "Give Blood, Give Hope - Together we save lives".

In the heart of Southern Africa, Malawi has taken a bold step in the fight against polio. After reporting its first case of Wild Poliovirus Type 1 (WPV1) after 30 years in 2022, the country responded with urgency and resolve. By May 2024, thanks to multiple vaccination campaigns, vigilant surveillance and strengthened immunization systems, Malawi was declared polio-free once again. But the journey didn’t end there.

Cuanza Sul, July 2025 - When José Domingos, a resident of the Panda neighborhood in the municipality of Gangula, began to feel pains in his stomach, followed by liquid diarrhea and vomiting, he thought it was just a bad mood. But within a few hours, his condition worsened. "I got really weak, I thought I was going to die. It was the neighbors who took me to the Gangula Health Center. There they said it was cholera," he said.

Antananarivo– A new state-of-the-art laboratory has bolstered Madagascar’s efforts to survey and detect polioviruses and effectively respond to the threat of the disease and protect children from its devastating impacts. 

The laboratory, which is fully accredited by World Health Organization (WHO), was handed over today to the national authorities. Hosted at the Institut Pasteur de Madagascar in the capital, Antananarivo, the laboratory reinforces the country’s position as a regional pillar in rapid poliovirus detection and outbreak response.

A high-level mission led by Pablo Torrealba, Head of the ECHO Regional Office for Southern Africa and the Indian Ocean, was successfully concluded in Angola following field visits and strategic meetings in Luanda, Namibe, and Huíla provinces. The mission, supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, focused on evaluating progress in the cholera emergency response and nutrition interventions supported by the European Union.

Lunda Norte, July 12, 2025 - A new round of the oral vaccination campaign against cholera was officially launched this Saturday in the municipality of Cafunfo, Lunda Norte province, an initiative of the Angolan government, through the Ministry of Health, with the support of GAVI - Global Alliance for Vaccines, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the European Union and other partners in the health sector.