Nairobi—Over two million people across Kenya are facing worsening food insecurity following one of the driest October to December 2025 rainy seasons on record. The prolonged drought has led to rising rates of malnutrition, increased risk of disease outbreaks, and disrupted access to essential health services.   The 2025 short rains, which normally bring seasonal

In 2025, the public health system in Angola was put under severe pressure due to public health emergencies, such as the cholera outbreak that affected the country, exposing structural vulnerabilities while also creating momentum for critical reforms and strategic investments. One such investment is the  national Public Health Emergency Operations Center (PHEOC), which was launched

Yeumbeul – In less than a decade, Senegal has reduced its maternal mortality rate by more than 50%, from 392 deaths per 100 000 live births in 2015 to 153 in 2023. Behind this progress, however, a more complex reality persisted: in many health facilities, women continued to experience childbirth marked by fear, lack of information

NAIROBI, 15 January 2025 – The Government of Kenya has launched the National Cervical Cancer Elimination Action Plan 2026-2030, a five-year strategy developed with support from the World Health Organization (WHO) to accelerate the prevention, early detection and treatment of cervical cancer. Cervical cancer remains the second most common cancer among women in Kenya, with

Ethiopia is accelerating the implementation of its Tobacco Control Proclamation through strengthened enforcement systems and coordinated multisectoral action, with the World Health Organization (WHO) Ethiopia Country Office playing a central role in translating policy into practice and supporting national institutions to protect communities from the harms of tobacco use. As part of this effort, WHO

Over 275,000 women screened, target exceeded by 103%, and thousands of precancerous lesions treated on the spot. Addis Ababa, 14 January 2026 – Ethiopia has celebrated the successful closure of an unprecedented month-long cervical cancer screening and treatment campaign in six selected regions, achieving and surpassing almost every target set just 30 days earlier. Launched

Dodoma — Oral health remains a global concern, affecting approximately 3.7 billion people. Tanzania, like many African countries, had long faced persistent challenges in this area. While the prevalence of certain conditions, such as dental caries, was comparatively lower than in neighboring countries, periodontal disease remains widespread, impacting an estimated 57.4% of children and 62.8%

Dodoma — The Government of Tanzania is taking bold steps to strengthen services for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) by embracing the WHO package of essential NCD interventions (PEN) and Regional PEN-Plus Strategy. This initiative builds on the momentum created during the first Regional Conference on PEN-Plus, held in Tanzania in April 2024, which reflected the country’s

Dodoma — Tanzania has taken a major step toward strengthening its capacity to respond to public health emergencies and disasters through the successful completion of a three-day Emergency Medical Teams (EMT) Awareness Orientation Session. The high-level engagement brought together senior government officials, leaders, technical experts, and partners to advance the establishment of nationally coordinated EMTs

Monrovia — The Government of Liberia has taken a key step towards implementing the 2024 amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) following the signing of a national declaration of commitment after a three-day national technical workshop held in Monrovia from 15–17 December 2025, with support from World Health Organization (WHO). The workshop brought together

Zimbabwe has taken a bold and historic step toward strengthening its health system with the creation of the National Public Health Institute (NPHI), aligned with global best practice and the African Union (AU) New Public Health Order. This science-driven, semi-autonomous institution is designed to enhance the country’s public health capacity and resilience. What began as

During an engagement with media houses on responsible reporting of suicide and suicide attempts, the Ministry of Health and Social Services reported that 1474 Namibians had lost their lives by suicide over the past three years. The media dialogue was a response to what appeared to be a suicide contagion following media reports of suicide