Avian influenza - situation (birds) in Nigeria

8 February 2006

The confirmation of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in domestic birds in northern Nigeria marks the further geographical spread of this virus. Although all evidence to date indicates that the virus does not spread easily from birds to humans, careful monitoring of the situation is warranted.

27 January 2006 -- Abdullahi Wamzan, a community leader, watched with satisfaction as Attahiru Mohammed Chidawa, a trained health worker, vaccinated the children of Unguwan Magaji Lagan, a Kamberi Settlement in the Magama local government area (LGA) of Niger State. It was the first time ever that the community was hosting such an exercise to boost immunity in hard to reach areas among people who may not otherwise access immunization and other health services.

Located 730 km north-east of Kinshasa, Mbandaka is the capital of Equateur Province. Over 200 000 people live in Mbandaka. There is no electricity and no piped water. There are also no taxis, buses, trains or ambulances in the town. Transport to and from Kinshasa is either by one of the six weekly flights to the small airport, or by boat on the Congo river – a journey taking around one week each way.

Regional Director for WHO African Region urged to Member States in the Region to urgently ensure that their national plans include laboratory components for both human and animal aspects.

Brazzaville, 12 January 2006 --The first conference on preparedness and response to pandemic influenza in the African Region has been inaugurated by the Regional Director for WHO African Region, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo, in the presence of the gathering of outstanding specialists, development partners and representatives of Member States from veterinary and public health sectors.

Abuja, 6 December 2005 -- In order to achieve scaling-up universal access to HIV prevention, care and treatment, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that countries adopt a policy of free access at the point of service delivery to HIV care and treatment, including antiretroviral therapy. The recommendation, according to the UN Agency is based on the best available evidence and experience in countries. It is also warranted as an element of the exceptional response needed to turn back the AIDS epidemic.

WHO Regional Director for Africa urges immense effort to reduce the number of people infected with HIV in the African Region.Luanda, 2 December 2005 -- The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo stated in Luanda, last Friday that countries of the African Region can significantly reduce the number of people infected with HIV. However, he said that would require immense effort in terms of resources and organization, for prevention and treatment.

"These problems should be addressed promptly so that more lives can be saved", he added.

Brazzaville, 21 November 2005 -- The WHO Regional Office for Africa has convened the Fifth Meeting of the WHO Regional Expert Committee on Traditional Medicine which is taking place in Brazzaville, Congo, from 21 to 25 November. The 12-member committee was set up in May 2001 by the WHO Regional Director for Africa in response to a resolution promoting the role of traditional medicine in health systems adopted by health ministers at the fiftieth session of the Regional Committee for Africa, held in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

17 November 2005 - His may be a family of nine with three cripples – including himself and his wife, but Aminu Ahmed Tudun-Wada, Chairman, Polio Victims Trust Association (PVTA), is determined to ensure that polio cripples in Kano live respectably, and that no other child in Kano State is again disabled by the disease. At the Katsina Road secretariat of the 26-year old Physically Handicapped Association of Nigeria (PHAN) under which is PVTA (established in 1990) and the Para Soccer Team (since 1980), the cripples have a place to call home .

Brazzaville, 8 November 2005 -- Seven United Nations Agencies, meeting in Brazzaville last week, adopted a ten-point Declarationto support countries in the African Region to accelerate HIV prevention.