Theme: “Towards a Polio-free Africa.”

The specific objectives of this conference are:

Epidemiology and surveillance

The World Health Organization (WHO) continues to monitor the evolution of the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria. The Ebola epidemic trend in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea remains precarious, with continuing community and health-facility transmissions of infection.

Between 28 and 30 July 2014, a total of 117 new cases (suspect, probable, and laboratory-confirmed cases) as well as 97 deaths were reported from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Nigeria.

Senior members of the Gavi Secretariat visited the WHO Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) on 14 and 15 February to discuss with the Leadership of WHO AFRO on further enhancing WHO and Gavi’s joint efforts to effectively support countries within the African region towards strengthening their immunization and health systems.  

The WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti paid an official visit to the Centres for Disease Control in Atlanta, USA. She was met on arrival by Dr Tom Frieden and other senior executives of the CDC.
Their discussions focused on further strengthening collaboration between both organisations towards health development in Africa. Dr Moeti was accompanied by Dr Soce Fall, Director of Health Security and Emergencies. Dr Felicitas Zawaira, Director of Family and Reproductive Health and Dr Jean-Bosco Ndihokubwayo, Regional Advisor for Laboratories.
 

Harare -- Governments in the WHO African Region have been urged to ensure the strengthening of health systems by improving their stewardship role, and the role of development partners and stakeholders, in implementing health sector reforms.

The call is contained in a report to be presented by the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Ebrahim M. Samba, to the 52nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa taking place from 8 to 12 October in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Harare , 8 October -- Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe has appealed to the 52nd Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa to step its fight against Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs). 
Opening the session at the Harare International Conference Centre Tuesday, President Mugabe said unless they were prevented NCDs could take an increasingly heavy toll on the Region.

In an effort to interrupt further spread of the Ebola virus in the shortest possible time, the World Health Organization convened a special meeting of Ministers of Health of eleven (11) countries and partners involved in the Ebola outbreak response in Accra, Ghana from 2-3 July 2014 to discuss the best way of tackling the crisis collectively as well as develop a comprehensive inter country operational response plan

Objective