N’Djamena, 24 November 2015 – Today, delegates at the 65thSession of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa endorsed the WHO Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO)’s Transformation Agenda, a vision and strategy that will ensure the Organization is better equipped to be the primary leader in promoting health in Africa.

N’Djamena, 23 November 2015 – Chadian President Idriss Deby Itno has called on African countries to demonstrate more active solidarity to provide appropriate responses to the many health challenges facing the Region.

Abuja, 23 November, 2015: Nigeria has launched the 2015 Measles campaign in Abuja, targeting the vaccination of 39 million children between 9 and 59 months of age across the country. The two-phase follow-up campaign is scheduled to be implemented in the 19 states of the North and the Federal Capital Territory from 21-23 November 2015, while 28 January-1 February 2016 are the dates reserved for the southern states.

Two years ago, Hamidou Samakan, chief of the village of Yarou Plateau in Mali, noticed significant changes in the neighbouring village of Gouna. The village was clean and there were no faeces to be seen. People were building affordable latrines, sweeping common areas, and chlorinating their drinking water.

Back in Hamidou’s village, people were still defecating in the open. Few households had latrines, and diarrhoea and under-nutrition were common.

N’Djamena, 19 November 2015 - The World Health Organization Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, has commended ongoing efforts in Chad to improve the health and wellbeing of the people. Dr Moeti made the remarks during a courtesy call on the Chadian Prime Minister Kalzeubé Payimi Deubet.

Harare, 19 November 2015:  Zimbabwe today launched the Zimbabwe National Food Fortification Strategy 2014—2018.  The strategy, which is aligned to the National Food and Nutrition Strategy for Zimbabwe, will serve as a guide at both policy and implementation levels to prevent micronutrient deficiencies. The strategy was developed to address the micronutrient deficiency burden in the country as revealed by the 2012 Zimbabwe Micronutrient Survey.

Abuja, 16 November 2015: Climate change is threatening to worsen health problems in Nigeria, the World Health Organization warns in a new Climate and Health Country Profile 2015, published today.  Increased temperatures, intense heatwaves, more extreme rainfall and  floods are expected to intensify existing challenges of communicable diseases, food insecurity and poverty, if action is not taken. 

Brazzaville, 16 November 2015 - In an ambitious move to strengthen national health securities and improve health outcomes, the World Health Organization (WHO) is initiating the introduction of the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) in the training curricula for students in pre-service and in-service health training institutions in the African Region.

A Meningitis A Phase III and Measles integrated campaign, launched on 26 October 2015 in Afar, Amhara, Dire Dawa, Hareri, Oromia (East Harerghe and West Harerghe) and Tigray regions, has been completed successfully. Preliminary administrative data in regions where campaign is completed revealed a total of 11,645,517 individuals vaccinated for Men A and 725,469 children vaccinated for Measles showing coverage of 96% and 88% respectively. The campaign was planned for 10 days, but was extended to 2 days in some zones for mop-up activities for reaching children unreached during 10 days.

16 November 2015 ǀ GENEVA – As the World Health Organization (WHO) ramps up its fight against antibiotic resistance, a new multi-country survey shows people are confused about this major threat to public health and do not understand how to prevent it from growing.