New York -- United Nations Deputy Secretary General Louise Frechette has called on the international community to help in "addressing the needs of Africa where poverty and health challenges are the most acute."

Launching an international health exhibition organized by the World Health Organization in collaboration with the UN Department of Public Information at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday, Mrs Frechette said: "We (the international community) must provide support to Africa …let this exhibition be an inspiration to us all."

The surveillance of outbreaks of the Ebola disease in West Africa needs to be intensified if the deadly virus is to finally be beaten, according to the World Health Organization's (WHO) new Regional Director for Africa.

More than 8,700 people have died from Ebola mainly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, but now the number of cases is dropping.

Daniel Johnson has been speaking to the new WHO chief, Dr Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti, about her priorities for dealing with the epidemic