Lesotho commemorated World Mental Health Day on 10 October 2012 at Mohlomi Hospital under this year’s theme “Depression, a global crisis”.

The theme offered the opportunity to focus on how Lesotho can best work together to reduce the burden of mental illness and individual sufferings resulting from depression. The celebration included a fun walk, drama and singing by staff and patients.

Ambrose Ganshanga, a 29-year-old occupational therapist in western Uganda, works with children with spina bifida. Spina bifida is a congenital anomaly (commonly referred to as a birth defect) in which the spinal column does not develop normally during the first weeks of pregnancy. This causes permanent damage to the spinal cord and nervous system, and can result in paralysis of the lower limbs or problems with bowel and bladder function.

Pretoria, 11 October 2012 -- South Africa’s State President, His Excellency Mr Jacob Zuma, has launched the government’s Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP) planned to reach twelve million pupils in a phased approach. “We will start with the no-fee schools which include the most disadvantaged schools in the country that serve our poorest communities.”

THE REGIONAL MINISTER FOR UPPER WEST REGION AS SPECIAL GUEST of honour at the lauching ceremony of MenA Campaign! This happened on 5th October, 2012 at Tendamba Junior High School Park.

“The objective of such customized launching was to ensure adequate public awareness for the Meningitis type ‘A’ Mass vaccination campaign in the region”, explained WHO EPI Focal Point, Mr Stanley Diamenu who has been supporting the region from the start of preparation.

The Ministry of Health in Lesotho, recognizing the importance of focusing at the district level for vaccination service delivery has, in partnership with WHO Lesotho, began conducting training of health facility nurses on the RED Approach strategy to strengthening vaccination coverage for the districts with the largest numbers of unvaccinated children.

The first training was conducted in Leribe from the 08th -11th October 2012. The training was facilitated by Mrs. Perpetua Kububa, a WHO consultant and Mrs. Selloane Maepe the EPI focal person in WCO Lesotho.

SCHOOLS, YOUNG BOYS AND YOUNG GIRLS FIRST! The message was clear enough for all vaccinators and supervisors. This had been one of the key recommendations made by WHO Officers supporting the campaign with Mr Stanley Diamenu in Upper West Region, Dr Vincent Ahove in Upper East Region and Dr Pierre Bwale, MenA Consultant based at Tamalé, the Capital City of Northern Region.

In effect, vaccinations sites had been established in all those areas. Young vaccinators made up of males and females wearing their yellow aprons were ready for the service.

Sierra Leone launched its National Mental Health Policy and Strategic Plan at the commemoration of World Mental Health Day on 10 October 2012. The documents and the commemoration were launched by the First Lady of Sierra Leone, Mrs Sia Nyama Koroma in a function attended by government functionaries and non-state actors including UN agencies and other development partners, mental health advocates, the civil society and the media.

Currently in Lesotho there are challenges facing the health sector, one of which is a declining vaccination coverage.

Tamalé, 9 October, 2012 -- About 2,999,293 Ghanaians aged between one and twenty-nine years including pregnant women and lactating mothers within the age brackets are to be immunized from 9-18 October, 2012 against Meningococcal type “A” also known as Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) in a vast campaign involving the three northern regions of Ghana which include Northern region, Upper East and Upper West. The vaccination is free of charge to the public and will take the form of an injection.

Lusaka, 9th October, 2012 -- The Minister of Health, Hon. Dr. Joseph Kasonde has commissioned a National vaccine cold chain store for the Expanded programme on Immunisation with a total capacity of 200,000 litres to serve as a central storage facility and distribution point for vaccines for all the ten provinces in the country.