Liberia introduces electronic reporting to detect disease outbreaks early

The eDEWS software can be used on mobile devices such as tablets (Credit: WHO)

Monrovia, 8 December 2015 - Liberia is introducing electronic reporting which will enable faster detection of disease outbreaks. Learning from experience gained during the 2014 Ebola outbreak, the country is beginning to use mobile technology to help health-care workers detect and communicate potential public health threats in a timely manner. 

South Sudan Launches Master Plan for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)

Some of the senior officials attended the NTD master plan (2016-2020) launching ceremony

Juba, 8 December 2015 - South Sudan took an important step in the global fight against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) with the launch of a new Five Year Implementation Plan (2016 – 2020) to control and eliminate all neglected tropical diseases endemic in the country.

Kenya Sustains Polio Eradication Efforts as Year Ends

Dr Jackson Kioko, head of Department of Preventive and Promotive Health, MOH, speaks during the Polio  Stakeholders meeting in Nairobi

Kenya’s effort to eradicate polio will this week be further boosted by a national campaign scheduled for December 5-9.

The campaign, targeting 8.7 Million children under 5, will be held nationwide to ensure the immunity of children against polio is sustained and the message for immunization reinforced.

Climate Change to Impact on Human Health in Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA, 16 November 2015 | Climate change is threatening to exacerbate health problems in Ethiopia, the World Health Organization warns in a new Climate and Health Country Profile 2015, published today. Increased temperatures, intense heatwaves, more extreme rainfall, floods and landslides, are expected to intensify existing challenges of communicable diseases, food insecurity and poverty unless timely action is taken.

Ethiopia Celebrates UN@70 in a Colorful Event

UN@70 in a human stamp drawn by students.

The United Nations in Ethiopia celebrated the 70th Anniversary of the United Nations in a series of events on 24 October 2015 in the presence of Government and United Nations high level officials, 
the diplomatic community, civil servants, representatives of the public, students, and the United Nations staff and family. 

The celebrations in Ethiopia were themed along the global theme: Stronger UN. Better World. The events highlighted the UN’s contribution to human rights, peace and security, development, health, gender equality, and protecting the planet. 

Ethiopia needs major health support to stop devastation from El Niño

0083ad189f09eec2e22b09886de748e5_XL.jpg4 December 2015 - With Ethiopia in the grip of its worst drought in 30 years due to El Niño, the World Health Organization (WHO) deployed an emergency response team to support the Ethiopian Ministry of Health and partners in coordinating the health sector response across the country. 

Highlights of the commemoration of the World Aids Day 2015 in Zambia: “Zambia’s future, Getting to Zero New HIV Infections.”

The First Lady, Mrs Esther Lungu receiving the salute from the marchers in Livingstone. ( Right) is the UNICEF Rep. Dr. Hamid Elbashir, Mrs Anne Mtonga, National Surveillance Officer and the WHO Rep. Dr. Jacob Mufunda

Lusaka, 4th December 2015 - Zambia joined the international community to commemorate the World AIDS Day under the theme “Zambia’s future, Getting to Zero New HIV Infections.” The WHO Country Office provided financial support towards the commemoration of this event and was part of the events in Livingstone, Southern province, which was the venue for the national commemoration. The national World AIDS Day commemoration was officially launched through a television broadcast by the Minister of Health on 30th November 2015.

Ethiopia Hosts International Training on Malaria Control Programme Management

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A six-week international training of trainers (ToT) on Planning and Managing Malaria Control Programmes for Health Workers of Anglophone African Countries got concluded successfully in Addis Ababa on 9 October 2015. The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) organized the training course that brought together 34 participants from 14 Anglophone countries in the WHO Africa Region.

Ghana hosts a three-day inter-regional workshop on Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking Water (GLASS) TrackFin Initiative

Ghana hosts a three-day inter- regional workshop on Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking Water (GLASS) TrackFin Initiative
A three-day inter –regional workshop on Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking Water (GLASS) TrackFin Initiative was held in Accra, Ghana from 01-03 December, 2015.  The purpose of the Workshop was to provide an overview of upcoming GLAAS cycle 2016; to present the outcomes of the implementation of TrackFin conducted in Morocco, Brazil and Ghana, share the lessons learned and opportunities for improvements; to plan, support and develop TrackFin country plans for newly engaged countries and others interested in being engaged in 2016/2017; to launch the TrackFin Global Coordination Platform.