Sierra Leone Evaluates Progress on International Health Regulations Requirements and Health Security Capacity

Joint External Evaluation Scorecard by Technical Area, Sierra Leone - March 2022
Sierra Leone has completed its annual health security capacity assessment and operational planning across various sectors aimed at strengthening implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) in the country.  The assessments and planning were carried out through a series of multisector workshops on global health security which culminated in the compilation of the 2021 IHR Joint External Evaluation (JEE) Self-Assessment Scorecard and development of the 2022 National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) Annual Operational Plan.

Africa’s COVID-19 vaccine uptake increases by 15%

Africa’s COVID-19 vaccine uptake increases by 15%
Africa’s COVID-19 vaccine uptake rose by 15% between January and February as several countries embarked on mass vaccination drives to expand coverage and protect populations against the adverse health impacts of the virus.

Nigeria, WHO partners to contain Lassa Fever Outbreak in the country

Vector control in Edo state

Benin, 17 March, 2022 - “Contracting Lassa fever was a very bad experience”, says 41 years old Marian Oyinbor, a resident of Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area (LGA), Edo state, who was treated for Lassa Fever – a haemorrhagic disease which has killed 98 people in Nigeria in 2022.
 
For Marian and her household, it is an experience she would not like to re-live because she and 4 of her children were infected with the virus and were hospitalized at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), in Esan LGA.
 

Tanzania marks two years since first COVID-19 case

Health workers' training on COVID-19 care and treatment in Zanzibar

Dar es Salaam, 16 March 2022 – Two years ago today, Tanzania recorded its first COVID-19 case. The virus was first declared in Arusha before spreading to other locations. So far, the country has recorded 33,773 cases and 800 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health report of 11 March 2021.

More than 21 million people have received at least one dose of vaccine as Ethiopia marks one year of COVID-19 vaccination

Campaign 2 COVID-19 vaccine

Addis Ababa, 16 March 2022—One year ago, Ethiopia received its first COVID-19 vaccine doses from the COVAX with a total of 2.2 million doses and lunched the COVID 19 vaccination on 13 March 2021. To date, more than 21.5 million people received at least one dose and more than 20.5 people have been fully vaccinated. Efforts are ongoing to increase vaccine uptake to reach a wider proportion of the population. 

Canada Funded ACT-A Health Systems Connector implementation supports WHO and MoH COVID-19 Response and Continuity of Health Services in Zambia

Canada Funded ACT-A Health Systems Connector implementation supports WHO and MoH COVID-19 Response and Continuity of Health Services in Zambia
On 14 March 2022, the High Commissioner of Canada to the United Republic of Tanzania, the Republic of Zambia, the Seychelles, and Ambassador of Canada to the Union of Comoros,  HE Pamela O’Donnell visited the World Health Organization (WHO) Zambia to learn about WHO’s work and discuss steps and achievements made in the implementation of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) program funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Canada.

Improving response as Liberia marks two years since first COVID-19 case

Team lead for mass vaccination campaign on COVID-19 vaccination at Nancy B. Doe market in Montserrado County

Monrovia, 16 March 2022 – Two years ago today, Liberia recorded its first COVID-19 case. The virus was first declared in Monrovia before spreading to other locations. So far, the country has recorded 7,397 cases and 294 deaths.

In the two years since, public health measures, including social distancing, mandatory mask wearing, improved testing, treatment, and surveillance have been crucial in curbing the spread of the virus. Vaccination is also being stepped up to help control the pandemic.

WHO delivers essential health supplies to the Ministry of Health in Liberia

WHO staff supervising the offloading of oxygen cylinders at the Ministry of Health

Monrovia, 16 March 2022 –The World Health Organization (WHO) has delivered health supplies to the Ministry of Health aimed at enabling Liberia address the health needs of the population, including the protection of front-line health workers.

The various supplies will help to improve technical capacities in Infection Prevention and Control(IPC), case management, data management, laboratory services, and water quality monitoring and treatment.