Public Health Emergency Operations Centres strengthened through training

In response to the more than 100 public health emergencies that occur in Africa each year, the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners held a ‘train the trainers’ capacity-building workshop in Addis Ababa recently. The nine-day workshop was designed to create a regional team of experts at Public Health Emergency Operations Centres (PHEOC) who will help with the establishment of new PHEOC as well as strengthen the capacity of WHO Member States to coordinate, prepare for and appropriately respond to public health emergencies. 

Ethiopia sets new standards for the management of acute malnutrition

Ethiopia sets new standards for the management of acute malnutrition
Ethiopia sets new standards for the management of acute malnutrition. The new guideline was launched on June 25th, 2019 by Dr Lia Kebede, State Minister of the Federal Ministry of Health, who noted that “nutrition is now getting the attention it deserves. We launched the first ever Food and Nutrition Policy in 2018, and today we are gathered here for another very important milestone, to launch the revised guideline for management of acute malnutrition; the guideline which is expected to benefit children and mothers greatly when properly implemented”.  The guideline replaces the 2007 protocol for management of acute malnutrition, and is based on the 2013 WHO global recommendation for the management of severe acute malnutrition. 

Students remain the main source of safe blood in Eswatini

United Nations Staff

Students as voluntary unpaid donors remain the main source of safe blood and blood products in the Kingdom of Eswatini. This was revealed during the World Blood Donor Day commemoration held on 14 June in Manzini. The theme for this year’s commemoration was “Safe blood for all”. The event recognised the noble gesture by regular blood donors in ensuring timely availability of sufficient and safe quantities of blood and blood products for the nation.

WHO Regional Director commends Uganda’s Ebola preparedness response

Dr Moeti (WHO Branded Jacket) observes immunization at Bwera Hopsital, Kasese district

Kampala, 26 June 2019 – After assessing one of the high-risk districts for Ebola virus disease in western Uganda today, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, commended the corps of health workers and Health Ministry officials for their sharpened preparedness to respond to an outbreak.