Ethiopia, Somaliland and Puntland jointly plan for the synchronized HoA cross-border polio response

cross boarder picture
The second synchronized Horn of Africa cross-border polio coordination and micro planning meeting which was organized for district level health officials of Ethiopia and Somaliland and Puntland held from 16-18, July 2019 in Jigjiga city of Somali region in Ethiopia. The first synchronized cross border micro planning meeting was held in Hargeisa Somaliland from 12 to 13 June 2019 with great success where the lower level staffs were fully involved and engaged in the process of cross-border micro plan.

WHO Representative to Botswana finishes tour of duty on re-assignment

His Excellency Dr Mokgwetsi E.K. Masisi, President of the Republic of Botswana (left) meeting with Dr Martins Ovberedjo, the outgoing WHO Representative to Botswana (right)

Gaborone, Botswana - 25 July 2019: This morning, His Excellency Dr Mokgwetsi E.K. Masisi, President of the Republic of Botswana, hosted Dr Martins Ovberedjo, the WHO Representative to Botswana (WR), who was bidding him farewell as he completes his tour-of-duty in Botswana. Dr Ovberedjo has served in Botswana since January 2016 and he is leaving on re-assignment to Eritrea.

Zambia Commemorates World No Tobacco Day

The WHO Representative, US Ambassador, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education senior officials were part of the WNTD function

On 11 July 2019, Zambia commemorated the World No Tobacco Day to advocate for effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption and to engage stakeholders across multiple sectors in the tobacco control.

Seychelles engages on ways to redefine bringing health for all at first ‘National Primary Health Care Conference’

Delegates at the PHC Conference

In Seychelles, every Seychellois is entitled to basic health care as enshrined in its Constitution. In the early 1980s, the country adopted the primary health care approach, where all Seychellois, irrespective of their living circumstances, receives primary health services free of charge at the point of use in the public sector. Close to forty years down the line, with the technical support of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Ministry of Health (MoH) held a national conference to take stock of the country’s primary health care system.

SIDS Pooled Procurement Initiative to Improve Access To Quality Medicines

SIDS countries attending WHO First Technical Meeting on Pooled Procurement in Mauritius from 16-18 July 2019
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) of the WHO Africa Region discussed Pooled Procurement Programme to reduce costs and improve access to quality medicines during a First Technical Meeting held in Mauritius from 16 to 18 July 2019. Directors Pharmaceutical Services, Heads of regulatory and procurements agencies, finance experts and other key stakeholders from SIDS countries of the African Region, namely Cabo Verde, Comoros, Mauritius, Sao Tome and Principe and Seychelles participated in this important meeting. Madagascar also joined the meeting which aimed at building consensus towards the effective implementation of the SIDS Pooled Procurement Program in line with the Seychelles Declaration of September 2017 wherein Health Ministers expressed interest to implement a Pooled Procurement mechanism.

Renewed impetus to achieve universal access to immunization by 2030

Renewed impetus to achieve universal access to immunization by 2030
As the Global Vaccine Action Plan GVAP) 2011-2020  nears its conclusion in 2020, a regional consultation was held this week by the WHO Regional Office for Africa to shape a new immunization strategy for the next decade with the aim that everyone, everywhere, at every age, fully benefits from vaccines for good health and well-being.

Mixing it with the Motards: understanding the needs and concerns of crucial community communicators

Mixing it with the Motards: understanding the needs and concerns of crucial community communicators

Alloya, a town serving a gold mining district in North Kivu is a town that understands trade and business. It is also a town with deep mistrust of Ebola responders. All too often, the belief that the Ebola response is about ‘business’ rather than saving lives, has taken hold.

In late June, cases of Ebola began to reappear in Alloya, following reintroduction of the virus by an infected person who avoided surveillance and travelled to the area from the then epicentre, Butembo.