Infographics

Celebrating the Lifesaving Generosity of Blood Donors

Abuja, When Kemi Adesina donated blood for the first time, she did not expect a call of appreciation. A colleague had shared an urgent request for O-negative blood on WhatsApp. Knowing her blood type matched, Kemi volunteered.

“I did it because it felt like the right thing to do,” said Kemi, a 28-year-old office assistant.

At the blood bank, the technician explained that her O-negative blood was rare and urgently needed to treat a man injured in a bus accident.

“I hate needles,” she said. “But I’m glad I went through with it. It saved a life.”

World Donor Day 2025: WHO Representative in Mauritius donated blood and called upon ...

“As the new generation, take the lead—donate blood! It gives hope and strengthens our nation’s heartbeat,” urged Dr. Anne Ancia, WHO Representative, on 12 June 2025 at Sir Leckraz Teeluck State Secondary School, during the national celebration of World Blood Donor Day. Dr. Ancia joined the Minister of Health and Wellness, Hon. Anil Kumar Bacchoo, in encouraging young people to step forward as blood donors. “One unit of blood can save up to three lives,” she told the students, appealing to them to commit to becoming lifelong donors. “Blood donation is far more than a symbolic act of solidarity—it saves lives every day,” Dr. Ancia emphasized. “It supports patients undergoing trauma care, orthopedic or heart surgeries, women suffering postpartum hemorrhage, and children living with conditions such as anemia, thalassemia, or hemophilia.” In his address, Minister Bacchoo highlighted the vital role of blood donation in maintaining a strong and responsive healthcare system. He called on the youth to donate regularly, reminding them that they are the future of Mauritius’ life-saving blood supply.

Improving cholera outbreak response in Angola’s hardest-hit regions

With the severe cholera outbreak in Angola, residents are understandably alarmed. “What can we do to avoid getting sick?” asked Maesso Damião, a resident of Zaire Province, to World Health Organization (WHO) public health experts who recently visited the province. The team responded with simple advice on food hygiene, water treatment, and seeking early medical treatment. “This information can save our lives,” said Damião. 

Together, Lesotho’s blood donors save lives

Maseru ‒ One afternoon in May 2025, 48-year-old Lebohang Pitso* from Lesotho’s capital, Maseru, felt her life slipping away. Weakened from a bout of severe bleeding caused by cervical cancer, she sought emergency care at the city’s renowned Senkatana Oncology Clinic. A few hours after being admitted and receiving a blood transfusion, she felt a powerful transformation take place in her body.

“It was like a heavy cover was removed from my face,” she says. “The blood gave me life.”

Sierra Leone deploys AVoHC-SURGE team to halt mpox outbreak

In a coordinated effort to curb the spread of mpox, the Government of Sierra Leone, working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO), Africa CDC, WAHO and partners has deployed 36 AVoHC-SURGE responders to the country’s hotspot districts. The responders, drawn from across multiple sectors, represent a powerful show of solidarity in a moment that demands speed, precision, and collaboration.

Tanzania strengthens healthcare associated infection surveillance to prevent future ...

Kagera Region – Tanzania is stepping up efforts to strengthen healthcare-associated infection (HAI) surveillance following a recent Marburg virus outbreak in the Kagera Region, which claimed two lives earlier this year.

With funding from the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, conducted a four-day training for 41 healthcare workers in Kagera. The initiative focused on improving the detection, prevention, and management of HAIs.

Lesotho leads Africa in health innovation: pilots AFFLU Influenza Surveillance Platf...

Maseru – Lesotho has become the first nation in the WHO African Region to pilot the Afro Influenza (AFFLU) surveillance platform, a cutting-edge initiative aimed at boosting the country's health surveillance system. This platform, developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the African region as an adaptation of the Eastern Mediterranean (EMFLU) Influenza surveillance version, is designed to enhance the collection, management, and analysis of both aggregate and case-based data on influenza and other respiratory viruses (ORVs).

WHO Donates Mobile Water Testing Kits to Boost Angola’s Water Safety Monitoring

Luanda, 10 June 2025 — The World Health Organization (WHO) today donated three mobile water quality testing kits to the Ministry of Health, through the Instituto Nacional de Investigação em Saúde (INIS), to strengthen Angola’s capacity to monitor and respond to waterborne disease risks—especially during health emergencies such as the ongoing cholera outbreak.