Source: World Health Organization (WHO) |

World Health Organization (WHO) congratulates Benin and Mali for eliminating trachoma as a public health problem

Both Benin and Mali implemented the WHO-recommended SAFE strategy to eliminate trachoma with the support of WHO and partners

WHO has validated Benin and Mali as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, making them the fifth and sixth countries in WHO’s African Region to achieve this significant milestone.  Countries that previously received WHO validation for trachoma elimination are Ghana (June 2018), Gambia (April 2021), Togo (May 2022)…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) |

mRNA Technology Transfer Programme moves to the next phase of its development

The meeting participants include biomanufacturing partners from 15 countries in the Programme, leading experts, industry, civil society representatives, and funders

Inauguration of the mRNA technology Hub facility at Afrigen, South Africa; partners gather in Cape Town to discuss the next phase of the mRNA vaccine development and knowledge sharing. Over 200 international participants working with the mRNA Technology Transfer Programme met in Cape Town this week for their first face-to-face…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) |

Beyond the numbers: the real-world impact of the malaria vaccine in Kenya

Caregivers, health leaders and community health volunteers reflect on malaria vaccine implementation and how the new tool is reaching children at risk with life-saving malaria prevention

Africa’s Lake Victoria is the world’s second largest freshwater lake and its largest tropical lake. This awe-inspiring ecosystem supports a stunning variety of bird, aquatic and animal species. Unfortunately, the same ecosystem is also an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes that carry malaria. Malaria experts refer to the areas around…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) |

Marburg Virus Disease - United Republic of Tanzania

As response measures, Rapid Response Teams have been deployed to investigate and implement interventions in the affected areas

Situation at a glance On 21 March 2023, the Ministry of Health (MoH) of the United Republic of Tanzania declared an outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) in the country. As of 22 March, a total of eight cases, including five deaths (case fatality ratio [CFR]: 62.5%) have been reported…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) |

Disease Outbreak News: Marburg virus disease - Equatorial Guinea

WHO assesses the risk posed by the outbreak as high at the national level, moderate at the regional level and low at the global level

Situation at a glance Since the first Disease Outbreak News on this event was published on 25 February 2023, eight additional laboratory-confirmed cases of Marburg virus disease (MVD) have been reported in Equatorial Guinea. This brings the total to nine laboratory-confirmed cases and 20 probable cases since the declaration of the outbreak in…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) |

Countries Begin Negotiations on Global Agreement to Protect World from Future Pandemic Emergencies

WHO Member States will continue negotiations of the zero draft of the pandemic accord at the INB’s next meeting, to be held over 3-6 April, with a view to collecting all inputs necessary to develop the first draft

Countries of the World Health Organization have begun negotiations on a global accord on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, using the “zero draft” as a basis for negotiating an agreement to protect nations and communities from future pandemic emergencies. Ending Friday, discussions on the draft pandemic accord took place during…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) |

Disease Outbreak News: Marburg virus disease - Equatorial Guinea

WHO assesses the risk posed by the outbreak as high at the national level, moderate at the regional level and low at the global level

Situation at a glance  On 7 February 2023, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of Equatorial Guinea reported the deaths of a number of individuals with suspected hemorrhagic fever. On 12 February 2023, one sample was confirmed positive for Marburg virus by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), at the…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) |

Africa emerges from holiday travel season with low number of COVID-19 cases

COVID-19 vaccination remains critical in protecting against severe illness and death, as the virus remains in circulation and continues to mutate

Africa is emerging from the New Year travel season without a significant upsurge in COVID-19 for the first time since the start of the pandemic. A total of 20 552 new cases were recorded in the first three weeks of January 2023, a 97% slump compared with the same period…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) |

Despite continued impact of COVID-19, malaria cases and deaths remained stable in 2021

Seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) is recommended to prevent the disease among children living in areas with highly seasonal malaria transmission in Africa

New data released today by the World Health Organization (WHO) show that countries around the world largely held the line against further setbacks to malaria prevention, testing and treatment services in 2021. According to this year’s World malaria report, there were an estimated 619 000 malaria deaths globally in 2021 compared…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) |

Tackling Emerging Antimalarial Drug Resistance in Africa

In recent years, there have been reports from Africa of emerging parasite resistance to artemisinin – the core compound of the best available medicines to treat malaria

WHO is launching today a new strategy to respond to the urgent problem of antimalarial drug resistance in Africa. The strategy is being released during World Antimicrobial Awareness Week, a global annual campaign to improve awareness of the growing threat of resistance to antibiotics and other medicines. In recent years,…