Brazzaville/Algiers, 10 October 2016 – Tobacco control experts from the WHO African Region have begun a 4-day meeting in Algiers, Algeria, to review progress in the battle against the devastating consequences of tobacco use.

October 10 2016, Nairobi – The government of Kenya today joined the rest of the world in commemorating this year’s World Mental Health Day under the theme: “Psychological First Aid: Preserving Dignity in crisis response”, at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi. The event was presided over by the Director of Medical Services (DMS), Dr. Jackson Kioko on behalf of the Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Cleopa Mailu. Also in attendance was the WHO Country Representative, Dr Rudolf Eggers.

Abuja, 07 October 2016 - Worried by the increasing malnutrition cases among children and adolescents girls in Kaduna state, the wife of Kaduna state Governor Hajiya Ummi El Rufai has sought for the assistance of World Health Organisation (WHO) to tackle the rising cases of malnutrition in the state.

Brazzaville, 7 October 2016 - The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, is urging countries in the African Region to train more people to be able to perform psychological first aid during emergencies. Her message comes as a critical call on the occasion of the World Mental Health Day commemorated under the theme: “Psychological First AID.”

Eritrea conducted the Joint External Evaluation as part of the county’s implementation of International Health Regulations (2005) from 3 to 7 October 2016 at Orotta Conference Hall in Asmara. Presiding over the official opening of the workshop, Honorable minister of Health, Mrs Amina Nurhussien stressed the main objective of the workshop to review and evaluate the status of implementation of IHR (2005) jointly with the external evaluators from WHO. Hon.

7 October 2016 - The World Health Organization is supporting the State Minsitry of Health in Borno State to deploy community resource persons (CORPs) trained on community integrated management of childhood Illness (cIMCI) and provision of integrated community case management of childhood illnesses (iCCM) to liberated areas of Borno.

WHO and partners are supporting the Borno State Government to respond to the humanitarian crisis in north-eastern Nigeria, where some 3.7 million people are in urgent need of essential health services. The actual numbers of people requiring life-saving help may be much higher as ongoing insecurity means many areas are still inaccessible.

6 October 2016, Borno, Nigeria – In response to the critical health needs of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno state, the World Health Organization (WHO) through the State Ministry of Health has delivered emergency medical supplies to Mafa and Dikwa IDP camps, two of the 15 areas liberated this year that host more than 75,000 internally displaced persons (IDP).

Francistown, Botswana, 17 September 2016 -- Concerned by the persistently high maternal deaths despite the high coverage of key maternal mortality reduction interventions (such as antenatal care, skilled birth attendance and postnatal care), the Ministry of Health convened a high level two-day national summit. Stakeholders in attendance, including MOH, DHMTs, all hospitals management and professional bodies, deliberated on the high levels of maternal and newborn mortality and to propose ways and means to accelerate their reduction.

High risk of spread to neighboring countries given the prevailing security situation, population movement and limited public health infrastructure in the affected areas.

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