The Government of Ethiopia plans to deploy 200 volunteer health professionals to Ebola affected countries in West Africa along with USD 500,000 of financial support. Ethiopia’s support to West Africa will focus on strengthening case management, surveillance and organization of community care.

A campaign to vaccinate 27 million Ethiopians between one and 29 years of age against Meningococcal Meningitis A began in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR), Oromia Region and Addis Ababa in October; the campaing will be completed by 7 November 2014.

WHO, APOC and Ethiopia strengthen efforts to eliminate Onchocerciasis

A high-level joint mission led by Dr Kebede Worku, Ethiopian State Minister of Health with Dr Pierre-M’pele-Kilebou, WHO Representative to Ethiopia, Dr Jean-Baptiste Roungou, Director of the Africa Program for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) and team leaders and technical officers from the three entities visited the Onchocerciasis Program in Assosa, Benishangul-Gumuz Regional State.

Cotonou, Benin 5 November 2014 - The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, has called on countries in the WHO African Region to accelerate the progress of implementation of the African Public Health Emergency Fund (APHEF).

The Fund, established in 2012, has received US$3.6 million in contributions from Member States and provided financial assistance totaling US$1.3 million to seven countries in the Region to manage declared public health emergencies.

Cotonou, Benin. 5 November 2014 - Countries in the WHO African Region have resolved to stop the spread of polio, and eliminate measles, tetanus in newborn babies and control other vaccine preventable diseases. It is estimated that over three million children under five years old, die each year in the WHO African Region and a significant number of these deaths could be prevented by vaccines.

Cotonou, Benin, 5 November 2014 - Dr Matshidiso Moeti of the Republic of Botswana was today nominated to be the next World Health Organization's Regional Director for Africa. Health Ministers from the 47 Countries that constitute the WHO African Region nominated her at their annual meeting, which is taking place in Cotonou. Dr Moeti is scheduled to take up her new post on 1 February 2015, succeeding Dr Luis Sambo, whose mandate ends on 31 January 2015 after having served as the Regional Director for the past 10 years

Cotonou, 5 November 2014 – The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Director for Africa,  Dr Luis Sambo, has proposed key actions to be implemented by countries in the African Region to tackle the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak currently occurring in some West African countries.

The actions include strengthening national capacity to detect EVD outbreaks, providing care to patients and ensuring the effective infection prevention and control measures are in place at all health facilities.

Cotonou, 3 November 2014 – President Boni Yayi of Benin has urged African countries to strengthen their fragile health systems to respond to the epidemics that plague the continent.

Cotonou, 3 November 2014 – Countries in the WHO African Region have made progress in improving the health of the people in the past decade, but much remains to be done. This is highlighted in a report released today in Cotonou at the meeting of the 47 health ministers and high ranking health officials from the WHO African Region.