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The World Health Organization (WHO) and the African Union Commission (AUC) through its Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) deepened their ties today by endorsing an ambitious action plan that aims to tackle health security challenges facing the continent. The two organizations signed an agreement outlining clear mechanisms for collaboration that will maximize existing synergies.

Polio is a highly infectious, debilitating disease which affects children and causes permanent paralysis. Polio is not curable, and can only be prevented by vaccination. Families and communities must ensure their children are vaccinated both during polio campaigns and through routine immunization. The Horn of Africa is currently in emergency with imported poliovirus of circulating vaccine derived polioviruses placing polio eradication as unfinished business. Circulating vaccine Derived-Polio Virus (cVDPV) outbreak was reported recently from Somaliland and the first-round quick response has been conducted in July 2019. Since then four more cases have been reported in Puntland in Somalia, one in Bosaso district, one in Ufyan district, one on the border with Somali region in Ethiopia and one in Dollo Zone Bokh Wareda in Somali Region of Ethiopia.

Africa marks three years without a case of wild poliovirus, crossing a landmark that sets in motion a comprehensive evaluation to determine if the entire WHO African Region of 47 countries indeed can be declared to have eradicated wild poliovirus.

The 69th session of WHO African Regional Committee adopts a strategic plan to reduce the double burden of malnutrition, particularly prevalent in countries undergoing “nutrition transformation” in which undernutrition and overweight or obesity coexist.

With an acute public health event reported every four days on the continent, it is more important than ever before for African countries to be able to respond to health emergencies. African health ministers today adopted a 10-year regional strategy that aims to strengthen integrated disease surveillance and response and mitigate the devastating impact of outbreaks, such as Ebola.