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Addis Ababa, 12 January 2026 – The United Nations welcomes a generous contribution of US$10.5 million (approximately ETB 1.62 billion) from the Government of Japan to support critical humanitarian response, recovery and sustainable development in Ethiopia.

This opinion piece was first published in Jornal de Angola, a copy of which c

Harare—Zimbabwe has taken a bold and historic step toward strengthening its health system with the creation of the National Public Health Institute (NPHI), aligned with global best practice and the African Union (AU) New Public Health Order. This science-driven, semi-autonomous institution is designed to enhance the country’s public health capacity and resilience.

Windhoek—During an engagement with media houses on responsible reporting of suicide and suicide attempts, the Ministry of Health and Social Services reported that 1474 Namibians had lost their lives by suicide over the past three years.

Brazzaville/Arusha—Today World Health Organization (WHO)’s Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) and the East, Central and Southern Africa Health Community (ECSA-HC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration in advancing health outcomes and resilient health systems across the East, Central and Southern African region.

Abuja, Nigeria’s efforts to interrupt circulating variant type 2 poliovirus (cVPV2) by 2026 gained renewed momentum as the World Health Organization (WHO) Polio Eradication Programme (PEP) held its annual strategic retreat. The two day meeting brought together WHO zonal and state coordinators to review progress, identify operational gaps, and refine strategies to better support government-led eradication efforts in the year ahead.

Dodoma—Tanzania has taken a major step toward strengthening its capacity to respond to public health emergencies and disasters through the successful completion of a three-day Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) Awareness Orientation Session. The high-level engagement brought together senior government officials, leaders, technical experts, and partners to advance the establishment of nationally coordinated EMTs in line with World Health Organization (WHO) standards.

Dodoma—Oral health remains a global concern, affecting approximately 3.7 billion people. Tanzania, like many African countries, had long faced persistent challenges in this area. While the prevalence of certain conditions, such as dental caries, was comparatively lower than in neighboring countries, periodontal disease remains widespread, impacting an estimated 57.4% of children and 62.8% of adults. These high rates are often linked to limited access to dental care.

The Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA) officially launched the National Strategy for Combating Substandard and Falsified (SF) Medical Products (2026–2030) at a high-level event attended by senior government officials and key stakeholders. H.E. Ms. Heran Gerba, EFDA Director General, delivered welcoming remarks, followed by an opening address from H.E. Dr. Mekdes Daba, Minister of Health. The event also featured H.E. Ms.

In Angola, schistosomiasis (SCH) and soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) remain significant public health challenges, affecting children's nutritional status, learning ability, and school performance, particularly in endemic regions.