Annual report of the Regional Director on the work of WHO in the African Region | July 2022 - June 2023
In a year when our work focused on building responsive and inclusive health systems and saw an end to COVID-19 as a global health emergency, the Secretariat supported Member States in the African Region to transition to new working methods.
This report presents the results of the work of the WHO Secretariat in the African Region during the period 1 July 2022–30 June 2023. We supported countries in the Region to recover and address the losses engendered by the COVID-19 pandemic, respond to health emergencies resulting from infectious disease outbreaks and effects of climate change, and build strong primary healthcare foundations for national health systems. Multisectoral action to promote health and well-being was also supported.
As part of the Transformation Agenda, we continued to take action to ensure a fit-for-purpose organization that is responsive to the needs of its Member States.
I acknowledge with gratitude the immense efforts of governments, healthcare workers, partners, communities, and other stakeholders who, together with WHO, responded to the health needs of the people.
We cherish our partnerships with the African Union (AU), the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, bilateral and multilateral partners, including UN entities, financial partners, civil society, academia, and the private sector.
Maintaining these hard-fought victories will require more sustainable investments, strong partnerships including with the private sector, effectively engaging communities and addressing social and economic determinants of health.
As WHO commemorates her 75th Anniversary this year, it is an important opportunity to reflect on the important lessons that we have learnt over the years and use them to adopt innovative strategies that will accelerate progress towards universal health coverage, health security and sustainable development.
