Source: World Health Organization (WHO) |

Coronavirus - Africa: Commemorating Smallpox Eradication – a legacy of hope, for COVID-19 and other diseases

The declaration marked the end of a disease that had plagued humanity for at least 3 000 years, killing 300 million people in the 20th century alone

On 8 May 1980, the 33rd World Health Assembly officially declared: ‘The world and all its peoples have won freedom from smallpox.’ The declaration marked the end of a disease that had plagued humanity for at least 3 000 years, killing 300 million people in the 20th century alone.  It was…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) |

Coronavirus - Africa: Situation update for the WHO African Region, External Situation Report 9 (29 April 2020)

As of 28 April 2020, a cumulative total of 22 376 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 899 deaths (case fatality ratio 4.0%) have been reported across the 45 affected countries in the region

A steady increase in the number of cases has been observed in the WHO African Region since the first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was reported on 25 February 2020 in Algeria. All Member States have since been affected, with the exemption of Comoros and Lesotho where there have…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) |

Restoring people’s trust in medical facilities an essential prescription for achieving universal health coverage

The delegates to the annual WHO meeting in Brazzaville recommended including universal health coverage as a standing item on the agenda of every Regional Committee

Populations across the 47 Member States of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) African Region only utilize an average 48% of their available health services. But only an average 34% of those same populations even has access to essential services. And health systems in those countries only perform, on average, at…