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News Releases

Nigeria targets nearly 12 million in Yellow fever vaccination across two high risk S...

Abuja, 28 February 2020 – Determined to protect the country against an outbreak of Yellow fever, the Government of Nigeria with support of the World Health Organization (WHO), and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, is launching a Yellow fever preventive mass vaccination campaign to commence in Rivers State on the 28 February 2020, aimed at reaching nearly 12 million persons in Rivers and Anambra States.

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WHO pledges to support African countries on joint coronavirus disease preparedness a...

As the threat of coronavirus disease looms over the continent, the World Health Organization (WHO) promised to support African Union Member States on a common preparedness and response strategy. WHO joined Health Ministers in an Emergency Meeting on the Coronavirus Disease Outbreak, which was convened on 22 February by the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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Polio-Nigeria leaves no stone unturned, targets over 55 million children in house-to...

Abuja, 20 February, 2020 - “My son Aliyu Abubakar is two months old, this is the first time he is receiving vaccination, going out there to take him was quite a hassle. I am glad the house-to house team is here to save us waiting time at vaccination post. My other children have taken complete doses of vaccine and are very healthy,  this is the reason my husband insisted Aliyu gets vaccinated upon seeing your people”, says  Hauwa Mohammed, a mother of three children at Wassa Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp, Federal Capital Territory (FCT). 

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Ethiopia passes landmark smoking excise bill

The Ethiopian Parliament has passed landmark legislation with the express aim of curbing smoking in the country.  As a result of the legislation, Ethiopia has now introduced a mixed-excise system on cigarettes in line with the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO).  This involves a 30% tax rate of the cost of producing cigarettes, in addition to a specific excise rate of eight Ethiopian Birr (ETB) (USD$ 0.25) on each individual packet.
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The African region reinforces preparedness for novel coronavirus

Brazzaville, 5 February 2020 – While there are no confirmed cases of novel coronavirus reported in the African region, the World Health Organization (WHO) is strengthening its support to countries in the detection and management of suspect cases and in ensuring a robust response, should a first case be detected.

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WHO ramps up preparedness for novel coronavirus in the African region

The World Health Organization (WHO) is scaling up novel coronavirus preparedness efforts in the African region and supporting countries to implement recommendations outlined by the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee, which met in Geneva, Switzerland on 30 January. On the advice of the Emergency Committee, the WHO Director-General, declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). 
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Three African countries halt polio outbreaks

Kenya, Mozambique and Niger have curbed polio outbreaks that erupted in different episodes over the past 24 months, allowing them to regain their polio-free status, World Health Organization (WHO) announced today.
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