The Africa Health Agenda International Conference in Kigali precedes the second WHO African Health Forum taking place in Praia Cabo Verde, 26-28 March 2019

The Africa Health Agenda International Conference resumed with Rwandan traditional dance called Intore
AMREF Health Africa and Rwanda Ministry of Health co-hosted the First-Ever Global Conference Focusing on universal health coverage in Africa, and on health for all to the elimination of gender-based violence, which is a WHO top priority. The conference brought together 1 200 participants from 35 countries, including health ministers, private sector leaders, civil society and representatives from multilateral organizations to chart a road map to achieve universal health coverage across Africa by 2030.

Empowering community health providers to tackle lung diseases

Community health providers in a training session
The Ministry of Health in Tanzania conducted orientation workshops on integrated screening, referral and follow up for Tuberculosis and other Chronic Lung Diseases to 20 Community Health providers in Tanga region. This initiative is supported by the World Health Organization and aims to embody the leverage of resources in addressing community needs in primary health care delivery. As most of the other Chronic Lung Diseases are not infectious in contrast to Tuberculosis, the implementation of the initiative is done jointly by the National TB and Leprosy Programme and Non-Communicable Diseases department of the Ministry of Health in the country.

Accelerating attainment of Universal Health Coverage in Tanzania

UHC Scoping mission during consultation with the health partners
The world transitioned, in 2015, from the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The transition is aimed at ensuring a more integrated and sustained approach to development. This obliges all countries and sectors in developing people and improving the lives of the most vulnerable in societies. The Health sector is reflected in Goal 3, as “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”.

Fostering the China-Africa cooperation for the elimination of Malaria

Fostering the China-Africa cooperation for the elimination of Malaria

21-26 January 2019, Shanghai and Beijing China – The WHO Representative, Dr Tigest Menegstu led the country delegation to a workshop on ‘the China-Tanzania Malaria Prevention and Control Demonstration Project, ‘in Shanghai from the 21-24th January 2019 and a high level Coordination Management Committee (CMC) Meeting’ in Beijing on the 26th January 2019 to finalize the protocol for phase two of the The China-UK-Tanzania partnership Pilot Project.

The President of the Republic of Cabo Verde opens second WHO Africa Health Forum

The President of the Republic of Cabo Verde opens second WHO Africa Health Forum
H.E. Jorge Carlos de Almeida Fonseca, President of the Republic of Cabo Verde, today demonstrated his support for the World Health Organization’s (WHO) initiatives to transform health care throughout Africa by officially launching the three-day WHO Africa Health Forum in Praia. He told participants about the significant progress that Cabo Verde has made towards delivering universal health coverage.

Improving Reporting Rate from Private Health Facilities is Key for SDGs Monitoring

Workshop on R-HMIS in Private Health Facilities

The Rwanda Health Management Information System (R-HMIS), based on the District Health Information System (DHIS-2), has been successfully rolled out in all public health facilities since 2012, with completeness and timeliness rates as high as over 90 per cent.

However, although about 70 per cent of private health facilities report through the routine HMIS, there was still a need to improve completeness of their reporting through the system in order to improve HMIS data quality, which is critical to monitor the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Ethiopia’s effort in fighting against Tuberculosis (TB) is progressing: TB still predominates in the younger population

WHO TB Program Officer visiting St Paulos Hospital
Ethiopia commemorated World TB Day on 24th March 2019 in Afar region Samara town. The theme of World TB Day for 2019 is ‘It is time to end TB’ that puts the accent on the urgency to act on the commitments made by global leaders to scale up access to prevention and treatment; to build accountability; to ensure sufficient and sustainable financing including for research; to promote an end to stigma and discrimination, and promote an equitable, rights-based and people-centered TB response. TB is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide and the leading cause from a single infectious agent (above HIV/AIDS). Millions of people continue to fall sick with TB each year. In 2017, TB caused an estimated 1.3 million deaths among HIV-negative people and there were an additional 300 000 deaths from TB.