Accra, 25 June 2012 -- Ghana's Health Minister, Mr. Albin Bagbin, has called on African countries to support interventions to address Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) and improve coordination among all stakeholders in implementing NTD programmes.

With a view to improving child health, the Nigerian government has introduced pentavalent vaccine into her routine immunization schedule. Pentavalent vaccine is a combination of five vaccines-in-one that prevents diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis b and haemophilus influenza type b, all through a single dose.

With this introduction, nearly 400,000 cases of haemophilus influenza type B would be prevented with about 27,000 lives saved annually in Nigeria.

Brazzaville, 20 June 2012 -- More than 100 experts, policy-makers and health leaders will gather in Accra, Ghana, from 25 to 27 June to discuss ways of scaling up interventions to control or eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in the African Region of the World Health Organization (WHO).

In this issue:

- WHO donates to the New School of Medicine at the Copperbelt University

- WHO supports a demonstration course on the Afro Generic Training Package on Focused Antenatal Care (FANC)

- World No Tobacco Day in Zambia 31st May 2012

WHO News Zambia, June 2012

Harare, 18 June 2012 -- The Honourable Minister of Health and Child Welfare Dr. H. Madzorera, in conjunction with City Health Departments, UNICEF, WHO, and other partners, launched the National Immunization Days (NIDs) on 18th June in Harare.

NIDs are selected days when measles and polio vaccines as well as vitamin A supplements are given to children between the ages of 0 – 59 months and are extra doses which supplement and do not replace the doses received according to routine immunizations.

Banjul, 15 June 2012 -- The WHO Country Office (WCO) concluded a two-day staff retreat at Seaport Residence Hotel in Bijilo, yesterday. The retreat, better described as a workshop, was held on 13 - 14 June 2012, and was attended by the WR, programme officers and two staff from the Country Support Unit (CSU).

The main objectives of the meeting were:

Brazzaville, 14 June 2012 – Countries in the African Region of the World Health Organization (WHO) should intensify their efforts to raise public awareness on the importance of blood donation and the recruitment and retention of new donors in order to ensure availability of blood in a sustainable way in national blood transfusion services.

Kigali, 14 June 2012 - The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo, paid an official visit to the Republic of Rwanda at the invitation of the Government.

The visit took place from 11th - 13th June 2012

This year, the World Blood Donor Day was commemorated nationally in the northern region of Tanzania, Kilimanjaro.

The occasion was officiated by the Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner, Hon. Leonidas Gama on behalf of the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Hon Dr. Hussein Mwinyi and attended by the Lordship Mayor of Moshi Municipal, regional officials, ministry of health officials, WHO staff, CDC, DANIDA and other partners, voluntary blood donors, the media and the Kilimanjaro community members.

Major events on WBDD, 2012

Mutare, 14 June 2012 -- Zimbabwe’s young “blood heroes” were acknowledged and honored as the country joined the rest of the world in celebrating world blood donor day under the theme “Every Blood Donor is a Hero”.

This year’s commemorations were held at Sakubva 2 High School in Mutare. Sakubva 2 High School donated the highest number of blood units in the Manicaland province and nationally in 2011. For coming out tops, the school received a floating shield, certificate, and a top of the range PC and Color Printer.