The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that an increase in malaria vaccines in Africa will boost access to malaria prevention and save many more lives, particularly of pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young people. A WHO official in Ekiti State, Dr Isaac Adedayo, also advocated an increase in the coverage of insecticide-treated nets to win the battle against the …

Nigeria has become the first country to roll out a new meningitis vaccine (Men5CV) recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). According to WHO, this is especially important for countries like Nigeria where multiple serogroups are prevalent. The new vaccine uses the same technology as the meningitis A conjugate vaccine (MenAfriVac®), which wiped out meningococcal A epidemics in Nigeria. The …

The largest-ever global deployment of cholera rapid diagnostic tests got underway on Friday, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and its partners said, boosting the fight against surging infections. Malawi received the initial shipment of tests, kicking off a global diagnostics programme aimed to speed up the detection of outbreaks. In total, more than 1.2 million tests will be distributed to …

In a significant step forward for mental healthcare, Nigeria has become the first country to contextualise the newest version of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Mental Health Gap Action Programme (MHGAP 3.0). Led by the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP), the initiative demonstrates the government’s dedication to bridging the vast mental health gap in Nigeria. Mental health conditions pose a …

The Regional Director for Africa, World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, said about 2.5 million individuals contracted Tuberculosis (TB) in 2022 in Africa, equating to one person every 13 seconds. Moeti also said the number of TB deaths in 2022 reached 424,000, resulting in the loss of one life every minute – even when TB is preventable and treatable. …

The World Health Organisation (WHO), on Tuesday, voiced alarm at the rapid spread of measles, with more than 306,000 cases reported worldwide last year – a 79-per cent increase from 2022. The WHO Technical Adviser on Measles and Rubella, Natasha Crowcroft said: “We in the measles world are extremely concerned.” Measles is a highly contagious, serious airborne disease caused by …

The World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) has restated its commitment to combat illicit tobacco trading across the globe. The WHO FCTC arising from a three-day Third Session of the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products which closed in Panama on Thursday, noted important decisions were taken to …

The Beninese government has received 215,900 doses of malaria vaccine at the Cotonou International Airport and will begin administering in February. Speaking at the handover ceremony, Beninese Minister of Health, Benjamin Hounkpatin, said the doses of vaccine were acquired by the government with the support of its partners in the health sector. The partners included the World Health Organisation (WHO), …

The World Health Organisation (WHO), on Wednesday, warned that the coronavirus disease is still a major threat despite partially passing under the radar. The United Nations agency noted that almost 10,000 COVID-19 deaths were reported in December, saying data from various sources pointed to increased transmission last month, fuelled by gatherings over the Christmas holiday period and by the JN.1 …

World Health Organisation (WHO), has approved the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Yaba Laboratory, as the Central Drug Control Laboratory (CDCL). The director-general of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who disclosed this on Thursday, said that the approval of the laboratory for the agency was a significant milestone in its dedication to ensuring the safety and …