1. WHO Africa

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Democratic Republic of the Congo declares Ebola outbreak over

The Ebola outbreak that erupted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s North Kivu Province in October – the second in 2021 – was today declared over, the national health authorities announced after no new cases were reported at the end of a 42-day countdown, or two incubation periods after the last confirmed case was discharged.
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Africa clocks fastest surge in COVID-19 cases this year, but deaths remain low

An 83% surge in new COVID-19 cases during the past week in Africa, driven by the Delta and the Omicron variants, is causing fewer deaths than previous surges—but more waves could be building as updated forecasts warn that the continent may not reach 70% vaccine coverage until August 2024, a new World Health Organization (WHO) pandemic assessment finds.  
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WHO boosts Sierra Leone’s COVID-19 response and disease surveillance with $600,000 w...

The World Health Organization has handed over a consignment of various laboratory commodities for COVID-19 as well as routine laboratory testing worth over $600,000 to the Ministry of Health and Sanitation. The donation is part of the Organization’s continued assistance to Sierra Leone to scale-up COVID-19 testing and confirmation of cases in communities and public health facilities at national and sub-national levels; heightened surveillance for Ebola; and, to ensure availability of critical laboratory testing services for appropriate patient management.
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WHO provides 3,360 testing kits to Uganda for screening the COVID-19 Omicron variant...

Kampala, December 09, 2021: - As part of the prevention and rapid identification of a new COVID-19 variant in Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO) has provided the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) with a total of 3,360 test kits for the genotyping of variants of concern.

 "These PCR screening assay kits procured by WHO is a boost to the county’s existing capacity to identify the predominant Delta variant and indicate the presence of Omicron, the new COVID-19 variant of concern."- Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Uganda's Minister of Health.

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COVID-19 pandemic slows progress against tuberculosis

The COVID-19 pandemic’s disruption to health services has seen an increase in tuberculosis deaths in Africa, the first such rise in more than a decade, while the decline in new cases slowed down, an analysis by World Health Organization (WHO) shows.
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WHO South Sudan conducts a consultation meeting with the Ministry of Health to revie...

6 December 2021, Juba -The World Health Organization (WHO) South Sudan Country Office held a consultative meeting with the senior management of the Ministry of Health on 6 November 2021. The aim of the meeting was to align WHO workplans for 2022-2023 biennium with country priorities. 

WHO plans in two-year cycles (biennium) with the current biennial plan 2020-2021 ending on 31 December 2021. 

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Namibia joins “Zero Malaria Starts With Me” campaign

Namibia joins 21 other African Countries with the recent launch of the ‘Zero Malaria Starts with Me’ campaign. 

This pan-African movement aims to accelerate prevention efforts against malaria and calls on individuals, communities, political leaders, and private sector to make a personal commitment towards malaria prevention.  

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Africa cuts HIV infections, deaths but key targets still elusive

Africa has made significant progress against HIV over the past decade, reducing new infections by 43% and nearly halving AIDS-related deaths. However, the continent is unlikely to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 with many countries falling behind key elimination milestones and COVID-19 aggravating challenges, an analysis by World Health Organization (WHO) finds.
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