News Releases

Scaling up country support for NTD eradication

In 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) unveiled the neglected tropical diseases (NTD) roadmap 2021-2030, initiating a decade dedicated on controlling, eliminating, and eradicating NTDs. The WHO Regional Office for Africa is stepping up support for countries on the implementation of the roadmap to bolster the fight against NTDs and accelerate progress towards attainment of the roadmap targets and goals.

Accelerating action for HPV vaccination in Africa

Lusaka – In an effort to reinforce the fight against cervical cancer in Africa, World Health Organization (WHO) and partners are supporting countries to scale up vaccination against the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is responsible for nearly all cases of cervical cancer.

Shipments to African countries herald final steps toward broader vaccination against...

  • More than 330,000 doses of WHO-recommended RTS,S malaria vaccine arrived last night in Cameroon – a historic step towards broader vaccination against one of the deadliest diseases for African children
  • Malaria burden is the highest on the African continent, which accounted for approximately 95% of global malaria cases and 96% of related deaths in 2021
  • With several African countries now finalizing rollout plans, an additional 1.7 million doses are set for delivery to Burkina Faso, Liberia, Niger and Sierra Leone in the coming weeks
  • These shipments signal t

Malawi ‘s ratification of WHO’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control comes into e...

Lilongwe, 16 November 2023 ‒ Today the Government of Malawi’s ratification of the World Health Organization (WHO)’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) came into effect. With this historic decision, Malawi joins a community of 182 other Parties to the Convention, affirming the country’s high-level political commitment to combatting the global tobacco epidemic and prioritizing public health and well-being. 

Immunizations conference ends with consensus to advance immunization goals in Africa

Brazzaville – With one in five children currently missing crucial immunizations, African Immunization experts have pledged to address the pressing issue of vaccine access and equity. Following an intensive and collaborative meeting of the Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Group (RITAG) in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, over 150 immunization experts in the African Region committed to enhancing access and accelerating efforts to protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases.

Transitioning from BU-LABNET to Skin NTD LABNET

The network of Buruli ulcer PCR laboratories (BU-LABNET) in the WHO African Region concluded its fifth annual meeting held at the esteemed Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in Accra, Ghana on 23–25 October 2023.