News Releases

Africa is one-step away from wild polio eradication verdict

The African region completes a critical step towards wild polio eradication as the independent commission to decide on the African Region’s wild poliovirus-free status has concluded its final field visit to Nigeria today, after conducting critical analysis to verify the documentation presented by the Nigerian Government. 

South African Development Community unites to tackle COVID-19

Ministers of Health from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) this week agreed to harmonize and coordinate their efforts to respond to COVID-19 in the region.  South Africa – a member of the SADC – confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on 5th March, the first country and so far only country in southern Africa to do so.

Pioneer UN volunteers at WHO Regional Office for Africa

Today, 8 March 2020, the world is celebrating the International Women Day. The theme this year is "I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights”. It is a call to address inequities. The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa committed to achieving gender parity among its staff. Women now account for 33% of WHO workforce, up from 27% in 2015. 

WHO and key health partners join forces to fight COVID-19 in Africa

With confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Algeria, Senegal, Nigeria and South Africa, the World Health Organization (WHO) and key health partners are strengthening cooperation to better coordinate readiness and response efforts across Africa. WHO convened a meeting in Nairobi this week, with representatives from the Kenyan Health Ministry, the African Union and key United Nations partner agencies in attendance.  A parallel meeting was also taking place in Dakar with Francophone partners, also led by the WHO Regional Office for Africa.

Inoculating against the ‘infodemic’ in Africa

On entering Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport, visitors are greeted by posters on how to prevent COVID-19 transmission, even before having their temperatures taken by medical staff.  Video messages play in the departure and arrival lounges. So far, the number of people in Africa confirmed to have the virus is much smaller than other parts of the world. But as more health ministries in Africa have confirmed the presence of the virus in their countries, what was once a distant threat is now much closer.  

Senegal reports first COVID-19 case

Senegal today reported its first case of COVID-19, becoming the fourth country in Africa to confirm the virus. The patient is a French national and a resident of Senegal who returned to Dakar on 26 February.

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.