Finding Every Last Poliovirus

Amina Ismail, a surveillance officer in Kenya, visits health care centres, schools, community leaders and traditional healers to build their knowledge of how to identify and report cases of polio.

Surveillance Officers like Amina Ismail in Kenya spend their days chasing the poliovirus to its final hiding places, so that it can be stopped forever.

Down to zero – Nigeria on the path to polio eradication

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Abuja, 11 September 2015 - There’s starting to be a breath of fresh air for parents in Africa, and around the world, as Nigeria approaches being removed from the notorious polio-endemic list. From more than 1122 cases in 2006 to zero today, Nigeria has made tremendous progress in polio eradication with no children being paralyzed in more than one year.

Over 11,000 people received first dose of Oral Cholera Vaccine at Kasinthula in Chikwawa district – Malawi

A young child taking in the Oral Cholera Vaccine during the first dose campaign in Chikwawa

Lilongwe: The Ministry of Health and World Health Organization in collaboration with the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) implemented the Oral Cholera Vaccine campaign in the area around Kasinthula area in Chikwawa district from 10 to 15 August 2015. A final report produced by the District Health Office on 15 August shows that 11,474 people received the first dose of the Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) in Kasinthula area representing 93% coverage.

Polio outbreak confirmed in Mali

Bamako, 7 September 2015 – A case of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) has been confirmed in Bamako, the capital and largest city of Mali. The country is on high alert after national authorities detected a paralysis case with onset 20 July 2015. The patient is a 19-month old child of Guinean nationality whose paralysis occurred 7 days prior to the child’s arrival in Bamako to seek health care. The last case of wild polio virus (WPV) in Mali dates back to June 2011 in Goundam, Timbuktu Region.

Uganda Commemorates World Accreditation Day 2015

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Kampala, 4th September 2015; Uganda commemorated World Accreditation Day 2015 under the theme ‘Delivering Confidence in Health and Social Care’ with a focus on Laboratory Services and launched the National Accreditation Policy, 2014 at the Metropole Hotel in Kampala.

UN Secretary-General commends immunization efforts in Nigeria

Assisted by the Executive Director of the NPHCDA Dr Ado Muhammad, UN Secretary General administers oral polio vaccine to a child in a WHO supported health facility

On Monday the 24th of August 2015, the United Nations Secretary-General (UNSG) Ban Ki-Moon visited Family Health Clinic, a primary Health Care facility located in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) which offers routine immunization on a daily basis. The clinic is among those benefiting from the Routine Immunization Intensification project aimed at reducing the number of unimmunized children in AMAC, with support from WHO.

Cholera outbreak threatens four regions in Tanzania

WHO Representative, Dr. Rufaro Chatora, interacting with the school children from affected communities to gauge awareness on cholera prevention measures.

Dar es Salaam, 4 September 2015 – An on-going large-scale cholera outbreak has left thirteen people dead and affected 815 people in Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, Pwani and Iringa regions in Tanzania. WHO has ramped up its emergency response to support Tanzania's Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW) to prevent more cases and treat people who have contracted the water-borne disease. But additional resources are urgently needed to contain further spread of the disease.