Angola has taken a strategic step toward strengthening public health communication by holding a national training session dedicated to the role of the media in responding to health emergencies.
The training, promoted by the Ministry of Health (MINSA) and the Ministry of Telecommunications, Information Technology, and Social Communication (MINTTICS), with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), was funded by the European Union and brought together more than 100 journalists and communicators from 13 provinces of the country, reinforcing the central role of the media in protecting public health.
The training marked the beginning of the creation of the Health Communication Network in Angola, a collaborative platform designed to strengthen the link between media outlets, local authorities, and international partners, promoting a more effective and coordinated response in crisis situations.
For the Secretary of State for Media, Nuno Albino, responsible journalism is essential in this process, because when “practiced responsibly, it contributes directly to health literacy, social cohesion, and the protection of life.”
Through debates, practical exercises, and the sharing of tools, participants reflected on the importance of combating misinformation and building bridges between health and communication. In this regard, UNICEF Deputy Representative in Angola Louise Moreira Daniels stressed the importance of the press in guaranteeing the right to health, stating that it is necessary to ensure “everything from access to reliable sources of information to the creation of narratives adapted to the Angolan reality.”
In a context where Angola continues to face challenges such as maternal and infant mortality, epidemic outbreaks, and the impacts of climate change, clear, accessible, and fact-based communication is an essential pillar of public health.
With this initiative, the country reaffirms its commitment to ensuring that everyone has access to accurate and timely messages that can strengthen the population’s confidence in the health system.
“We firmly believe that investing in communication means ensuring that, in the face of an epidemic, a climate emergency, or a vaccination campaign, the population will have access to useful information to adopt healthy behaviors,” said Dr. Tomás Valdez, WHO Acting Representative in Angola.
– on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Angola.
Government representatives from Egypt, Libya, Sudan and Tunisia — major countries on migratory routes in North Africa — convened in Cairo from 18–20 August for a 3-day table-top simulation exercise (SimEx) organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The 4 countries share porous borders. Displaced people often face overcrowding, inadequate shelter, poor sanitation and limited access to timely, quality health care services. These conditions create public health risks for migrants, refugees and host communities. When health care services are not accessible to all, it fuels inequity and undermines health security.
The SimEx brought together delegates from Ministries of Health, Interior and Transport to test preparedness for cross-border population movements in line with the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005). Focused on ensuring access to health services for refugees, migrants and other people on the move while reinforcing national health security, it involved interactive and practical exercises on stakeholder coordination for public health event prevention, detection and response, aiming to improve compliance with IHR 2005, enhance communication between sectors and identify gaps to strengthen cross-border public health management, including access to health care services.
At the conclusion of the exercise, the multisectoral government representatives recommended standardizing public health procedures across borders to promote consistency and coordination. They called for sustainable dialogue and follow-up exercises to refine and scale-up bilateral and regional cross-border collaboration mechanisms and for formal collaboration frameworks and legal agreements between neighbouring countries to be established, building on mechanisms already in place.
Participants underscored the importance of strengthening technical capacity at national and cross-border levels, including real-time cross-border collaboration and communication during active outbreaks, and managing population movement and joint public health risks in line with the IHR 2005.
On the first day, on the sidelines of the SimEx, WHO, the Italian Embassy in Egypt and IOM co-hosted a reception to brief on WHO and IOM projects supporting migrant health. At the event, Dr Mohamed Jama, Senior Adviser to the WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, stressed: “We bring together the governments of Egypt, Libya, Sudan and Tunisia alongside our partners because the challenges we face are shared – and so too must be our response. Together, we can help alleviate the suffering of people on the move by providing essential, dignified health care to millions in transit who are escaping conflicts and instability across our Region.”
Justin MacDermott, IOM Deputy Regional Director for Operations, added: “Migrants are too often exposed to undignified conditions that erode well-being, resilience and human dignity. We must act now to expand lifesaving services, strengthen health systems and protect vulnerable migrants and host communities.”
The Eastern Mediterranean Region comprises 22 countries and territories, from which nearly 50% of the estimated 45 million refugees and asylum seekers in 2024 originated. An estimated 33% of them remain in the Region.
Speaking to participants and partners, the Italian Embassy in Cairo emphasised Italy’s strong support for inclusive health care, saying: “Health is not a privilege but a foundational right, a human right. Our approach combines political will with strong humanistic efforts to support stability, equity and resilience, particularly in the face of global challenges and the constant challenge to the multilateral rules-based order.”
The table-top simulation exercise is part of a broader joint regional initiative by WHO and IOM to strengthen cross-border health security in North Africa, supported by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in collaboration with Africa CDC. Two previous workshops in Tunisia brought together Algeria, Libya and Tunisia to design a regional workplan for improving border health preparedness and coordination. This SimEx scaled up the scope and expanded the geographic coverage.
The simulation exercise marks a crucial milestone in advancing regional health security in North Africa, where migration and mobility are defining features of public health dynamics. By strengthening preparedness and coordination, governments in the Region reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the health of migrants, refugees, host communities and all populations at risk.
– on behalf of World Health Organization – Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean.
This week, experts, policymakers, and international partners meet in Lusaka, Zambia, for the Regional Stakeholders’ Meeting on the Establishment of a Buffer Zone in the Southern African Development Community (SADC). This is a key moment in the fight against Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), a highly contagious viral disease that affects sheep and goats. The three-day meeting, taking place from August 25 to 27, 2025, brings together veterinary authorities from SADC member states, SADC, the EU Representative to Zambia, AU-IBAR and technical partners; World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and FAO, involved in the implementation of the EU Support for the Eradication of Peste des petits Ruminants (PPR) from Africa Programme (2023-2026) to develop a coordinated plan to protect Southern Africa from the threat of PPR while also helping to end the disease worldwide.
The meeting was formally opened by the Zambia Minister of Livestock, Honourable Kapala, who emphasised in his opening remarks that livestock in Africa are not merely a food source, but a source of dignity, wealth, and social stability. He outlined Zambia’s commitment to strengthening surveillance systems and investing in buffer zones along its borders, while also acknowledging the persistent challenges of limited resources and overstretched veterinary services. “Eradication is only possible if we work together- sharing best practices, harmonising our approaches, and supporting one another with the necessary resources,” he stressed.
The Lusaka meeting comes at a time when the international community has reaffirmed its ambition to eradicate PPR globally by 2030. During the opening technical sessions, the FAO-led PPR Global Eradication Programme (GEP) Secretariat delivered a comprehensive update on the status of the disease and the progress made toward the target. Despite important advances, PPR continues to affect over 70 countries across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, threatening the livelihoods of more than 300 million smallholder farmers whose dependence on sheep and goats is not merely economic, but also cultural and social. The presentation underscored that the disease imposes annual global losses estimated at USD 1.5 to 2.1 billion, making its eradication not just an animal health priority but also a developmental imperative tied to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 2: Zero Hunger). Encouragingly, several countries have advanced through the Progressive Control Pathway, with some achieving official PPR-free status. Yet the road ahead is fraught with challenges: weak veterinary systems, limited funding for vaccination campaigns, porous borders facilitating cross-border spread, and competing priorities from other transboundary animal diseases.
The FAO concluded that eradication by 2030 remains feasible, but only if regional bodies intensify their coordination, pool resources, and prioritize risk-based surveillance and vaccination in vulnerable areas. The estimated global cost of eradication, around USD 1.93 billion, is considered an investment with transformative returns, unlocking food security, economic stability, and resilience for millions of rural households.
Southern Africa: A Region at Risk but Still PPR-Free
For Southern Africa, the meeting has highlighted both progress and vulnerability. Five SADC countries, as well as one zone in Namibia, are already officially recognised as PPR-free by WOAH. Most Member States have developed National Strategic Plans for PPR control, aligning themselves with continental and global frameworks. However, the region’s proximity to endemic zones in East Africa poses significant risks of incursion. Borderlands and shared grazing areas—where small ruminants move freely across national frontiers remain hotspots for potential introduction and re-infection. Zambia’s Minister of Livestock, Honourable Kapala, emphasised in his opening remarks outlined Zambia’s commitment to strengthening surveillance systems and investing in buffer zones along its borders, while also acknowledging the persistent challenges of limited resources and overstretched veterinary services. “Eradication is only possible if we work together- sharing best practices, harmonising our approaches, and supporting one another with the necessary resources,” he stressed.
Contribution of the Meeting to the Current PPR Programme
The Lusaka meeting is directly tied to the PPR Global Eradication Programme (PPR GEP) and continental initiatives championed by the African Union and AU-IBAR. Its purpose is to translate continental and global commitments into region-specific action, ensuring that SADC countries not only remain free of PPR but also contribute actively to the 2030 eradication goal.
Over three days, the meeting provides a structured platform for technical planning, policy alignment, and political commitment. The first day set the context with global updates, regional risk assessments, and country reports. The second day allowed working groups to develop practical action points on surveillance, vaccination logistics, animal movement control, and stakeholder engagement. The final day focuses on validating a regional action plan, agreeing on a SADC buffer zone map, and adopting a resource mobilization strategy to secure donor support.
Importantly, the meeting reinforces the notion that establishing buffer zones requires institutionalising regional resilience. By synchronising vaccination campaigns in border areas, harmonising surveillance protocols, and creating real-time data-sharing platforms, the SADC region aims to transform buffer zones from weak points of vulnerability into strongholds of protection.
A Shared Responsibility
International partners, particularly the European Union, have underscored their readiness to provide financial and technical support. The EU Representative to Zambia, Stefanescu Bogdan announced that it has already invested EUR 8 million in governance mechanisms through AU-IBAR and has proposed a further EUR 50 million in grants, along with up to EUR 40 million in blended financing, contingent on strong political commitment from African governments.
The meeting, therefore, stands as a critical test of collective resolve. While the technical roadmaps are clear, what will determine success is the political will of governments, the mobilisation of sustainable funding, and the sustained involvement of farmers and local communities. As the FAO’s presentation noted, the eradication of PPR is not just an animal health goal; it is a development goal.
Conclusion
The Lusaka gathering represents a significant milestone in Southern Africa’s involvement in the global campaign against PPR. The SADC region is positioning itself as a beneficiary of international efforts as well as an active contributor to the worldwide eradication of the disease by 2030 by aligning its strategies with the PPR GEP and AU frameworks.
It is anticipated that the discussions, plans, and commitments that are established over the course of these three days will result in a specific Regional Action Plan that will safeguard Southern Africa from the threat of PPR, enhance food and economic security, and reinforce Africa’s involvement in one of the most ambitious animal health campaigns of our era. The meeting in Lusaka follows previous regional meetings that have already taken place for Western and Central Africa. A regional meeting for Eastern Africa is scheduled for 1-3rd September 2025.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR).
Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi met with Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, Deputy Prime Minister for Industrial Development and Minister of Industry and Transport Lieutenant General Kamel Al-Wazir, President’s Advisor for Financial Affairs Lieutenant General Ahmed El-Shazly, Director General of the National Service Projects Organization of the Armed Forces Major General Magdy Anwar, and Head of the Financial Affairs Authority Major General Khaled Ahmed Abdullah.
The Spokesman for the Presidency, Ambassador Mohamed El-Shennawy, said the President was briefed on the latest developments pertinent to the construction, modernization, operation and management of ports across the country, including the master plan for Gargoub Seaport and Gargoub Special Economic Zone, the master plan for Abu Qir Seaport, and the liquid bulk terminal for storing and mixing petroleum products at East Port Said Port. This is in addition to the management, operation, marketing and maintenance of Al Galala Marina, and the management, operation and redelivery of the superstructure of Berenice Seaport. The expected returns from these projects and the new jobs they will offer were reviewed. President El-Sisi gave directives to continue the development of the Egyptian port network to achieve integration with the infrastructure completed over the past years as well as enhance the state’s ability to maximize its benefits.
The meeting also tackled the latest pertinent to the implementation of transportation projects, particularly the railway system. The meeting reviewed developments relevant to the construction of the East-West Nile Monorail, the related passenger stations, ways to ensure integration between the East Cairo Monorail and the BRT, and progress in the efficiency upgrade of roads adjacent to the monorail route. It was noted that the East Nile Monorail is scheduled to open in November 2025.
Developments in the implementation of the first line of the high-speed electric train (Sokhna – Alexandria – El Alamein – Marsa Matrouh) were reviewed, scheduled to open in June 2026. This is in addition to the high-speed train line between Salam City, 10th of Ramadan City, and the New Administrative Capital, scheduled for completion in March 2026. The President stressed the importance of adhering to the designated timetables, given that these projects represent a pillar of urban, industrial, and tourism development.
The meeting reviewed opportunities for expansion in industrial zones to implement the state’s plan to advance national industry through the establishment of new plants that meet local market needs, support the policy of localizing industry, and provide production supplies locally.
The minister of industry and transport highlighted the state’s interest in the iron, steel, and cement industries, while reviewing developments in the work of the Suez Steel Company and El-Areesh Company for Cement. He emphasized the state’s keenness to attract investments and forge strategic partnerships that would expand the scope of local manufacturing and joint manufacturing with friendly countries, and thus reduce the import bill, increase production directed for local consumption and export, and create more jobs.
President El-Sisi emphasized the need to adhere to the timelines set to complete projects, conduct a comprehensive review of road network maintenance and improve its efficiency, and accelerate the implementation of integrated development logistics hubs that link production areas to the seaports currently under construction. The President stressed the importance of exerting efforts to attract the largest global maritime lines and operators, in support of the state’s goals of industrial development and comprehensive economic growth.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Effort to control the prevalence of non-communicable diseases including the increasing prevalence diabetes and hypertension is being conducted in Anseba Region.
Mr. Michael Teklay, head of non-communicable diseases control at the Ministry of Health branch in the region, said that with proper follow-up the diseases that cause disabilities and death could be put under control.
Noting that main causes of the diseases are associated with smoking, alcohol and environmental pollution and others, Mr. Michael said that these diseases have grave impact on the economic and social condition of individuals, society and country. He also called for behavioral change and frequenting sports activities and with a view to stay healthy as well as frequenting visit to health facilities to known one’s health condition.
In related news, popular campaign in collaboration with the public and Government employees has been conducted in Adi-Quala sub-zone to control the prevalence of malaria.
The popular campaign included clearing dump areas and wastes that susceptible for breeding malaria mosquitos.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
Regarding the “JICA Africa Hometown” announced by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) at the TICAD 9, there have been reports and statements both domestically and internationally that contain information contrary to the facts. The facts regarding this matter are as follows:
At the TICAD 9, JICA announced the launch of the “JICA Africa Hometown”, which aims to strengthen exchanges between African countries and Japanese local governments based on the experience gained through its previous projects. Under this program, four cities in Japan are designated as “home towns” for four African countries.
Under this program, JICA plans to promote exchanges between the four Japanese cities and the four African countries through various activities, including the organization of exchange events involving JICA overseas cooperation volunteers.
On the other hand, there are no plans to take measures to promote the acceptance of immigrants or issue special visas for residents of African countries, and the series of reports and announcements concerning such measures are not true.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan will continue to make efforts to ensure that appropriate reporting and statements regarding this matter are carried out.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Caroline Séquin, Associate Professor of Modern European History, Lafayette College
Desiring Whiteness is an award-winning book by historian Caroline Séquin. It explores the intertwined histories of commercial sex work and racial politics in France and the French colonial empire, particularly in Senegal. We asked her five questions about her study.
How was sex work regulated in France?
A new system controlling commercial sex developed during Napoleon’s Consulate in the early 1800s. It was first implemented in Paris, then across France. Known as regulationism, it tolerated, rather than banned, commercial sex. But under specific conditions.
Cornell University Press
It licensed brothels, so long as the women who sold sex (it was assumed men didn’t) were registered with the vice police. They had to undergo a regular gynaecological exam to detect any sexually transmissible infections (STIs) they might inadvertently pass to their clients.
At the time syphilis was a serious public health threat. Doctors didn’t know how to treat it. Women caught with an STI or who broke the regulationist rules were interned in hospitals or prison without proper trials.
Historians have shown how regulationism was an arbitrary and flawed system. It unfairly targeted mostly working-class women for the benefit of male heterosexual desire.
What form did it take in the colonies like Senegal?
After the abolition of slavery in 1848, French colonial authorities adopted the regulationist regime that had been developed in France.
The French empire at the time included Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Reunion, and some coastal regions of Algeria. In addition were French trading posts in Senegal and India, and several protectorates in the Pacific.
So, in Senegal regulationism was adopted in Saint-Louis and Gorée Island. There the French had built trading posts which they converted into colonial territories around the same time.
Regulationism became a way to control the bodies of formerly enslaved women. Colonial authorities saw them as a public health threat to the French men present in the region. They feared that, after abolition, women would resort to commercial sex as a means of survival. This would contribute to the spread of STIs. They extended these policies to all of colonial Senegal a year after abolition.
How did Senegal’s sex workers respond?
Not in the way that colonial authorities would have hoped. Many of the African women who were accused of engaging in commercial sex evaded the mandatory health checks or police registration. For example, they relocated to other areas to avoid detection.
And although the new colonial decree allowed for the creation of brothels, it appears none existed in the colony until the early 1900s. Authorities routinely lamented how the African women who sold sex did so “clandestinely”. Meaning outside licensed brothels and colonial control.
One shouldn’t dismiss the reality that some of these women were likely wrongly accused of being sex workers. Gender and racial bias shaped how medical and colonial authorities viewed Black women.
I haven’t found any evidence of brothels staffed with African women in Dakar or across colonial Senegal. All licensed brothels were staffed with European women and their services were reserved exclusively for European men.
The sexual reputation of white women greatly mattered to colonial authorities as it was supposed to reflect French moral superiority. Nonetheless, they tolerated their sexual activity because brothel keepers denied African male clients access to their businesses. This helped prevent interracial sex.
Sex with a white sex worker was preferrable to sexual or conjugal relationships developing with African women. Given the widespread assumption at the time that men had natural sexual needs, brothels were perceived as a “necessary evil” to maintain the social, moral, and racial order.
So, the regulation of commercial sex became an essential tool for the upholding of colonial rule. This increasingly relied on strict racial hierarchies and the preservation of French whiteness.
How does this play out today?
The regulationist regime was legally abolished in France – and colonial Senegal – in 1946. However, a few years after decolonisation and Senegal’s independence in 1960, a new law was established by Senegalese authorities. It required sex workers to be registered (with medical authorities, rather than police) and regularly checked for STIs. Those who failed to comply risked being jailed.
This is strikingly similar to the regulationist system established during the colonial period and it still stands to this day.
This was a different path than that taken by other African countries formerly under French colonial control, which associated regulationism with colonial oppression. They moved to eliminate it after independence. Some scholars, however, have lauded Senegal’s regulationist style laws as one of the main reasons why the country has the lowest reported HIV rate in the continent.
What do you hope readers will take away from your book?
The regulation of commercial sex was not simply about controlling women’s bodies and sexuality. It was also about policing racial relations.
As colonial discourses about race shifted and interracial sex and intimacy became increasingly frowned upon from the late 1800s, French authorities relied on commercial sex to limit the development of more sustained forms of intimacy across racial and colonial boundaries. In their view these threatened to dilute the myth of French whiteness by creating multiracial offspring.
What this meant for who could sell and buy sex in brothels differed in colonial Senegal and France. But, in the end, the racial logic that undergirded metropolitan and colonial brothels was the same.
So, my book contributes to an ever-growing scholarship that has debunked the myth of France’s colour blindness, by uncovering how the regulation of commercial sex was just one of the many ways in which racial difference and hierarchies were produced and upheld in the century following the abolition of slavery.
In that sense, France was not exceptional but rather similar to other imperial nations like the United States, where the control of sex and conjugality became crucial for the racial project of white supremacy in the aftermath of the abolition of slavery.
– Sex workers in colonial Senegal were policed by France – book explores a racist history – https://theconversation.com/sex-workers-in-colonial-senegal-were-policed-by-france-book-explores-a-racist-history-262999
Ministers of Health, partners, and global health leaders convening on the sidelines of the Seventy Fifth WHO Regional Committee for Africa (RC75) have issued an urgent call to accelerate Africa’s malaria response amid a “perfect storm” of challenges threatening to erode hard-won gains.
Despite major progress, including a 16% reduction in malaria incidence between 2000 and 2023, the WHO African Region carries more than 95% of the global malaria burden and now faces growing risks due to shrinking budgets, resistance to medicines and insecticides, and invasive mosquito species. At the same time, climate shocks and severe weather are shifting transmission patterns, humanitarian crises are heightening vulnerability, and funding cuts from traditional donors are placing additional pressure on already stretched programmes.
“Malaria is at the frontline of Africa’s health security. We must respond with agility to emerging threats and overcome this perfect storm, otherwise, we risk reversing hard-won progress,” said Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “We need renewed political will, increased domestic financing, strong country leadership, and well-coordinated partnerships to continue with the delivery of impactful interventions that safeguard communities and accelerate the path to elimination.”
Echoing this call, Dr Michael Adekunle Charles, CEO of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, emphasised the critical need for financing.
“Current resources cover less than half of what is required globally. To accelerate malaria elimination, we must close the funding gap through bold domestic investment and continued global support. Malaria financing saves lives, strengthens health systems, and enhances Africa’s readiness to confront future pandemics.”
The ministerial side-event further saw the unveiling of the Malaria Ministerial Champions commitments and the Champions’ Accountability Scorecard. The Champions Initiative empowers Ministers of Health to champion malaria elimination by mobilising resources, driving cross-border collaboration, and scaling up innovations, while the Scorecard provides a common tool to track progress, share best practices, and hold leaders accountable.
“Malaria is more than a health issue, it is a development challenge. Through the Ministerial Champions Initiative, we are mobilising action, strengthening accountability, and ensuring malaria remains at the top of Africa’s development agenda,” said Joy Phumaphi, Executive Secretary of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA). “Earlier this year, 10 Ministers of Health were appointed as Champions, and during this Regional Committee meeting, additional leaders are expected to join the growing cohort, which is proof that there is a strong momentum and demand for political leadership in the fight against malaria,” she added.
Honourable Lawrence Ookediste, Assistant Minister of Health of Botswana, emphasized the need for collective action.
“As champions, our role is to open political space, mobilise resources, break silos, and help embed malaria into national and regional development agendas,” he said. “I am pleased that we now have a Ministerial Malaria Champions Accountability Scorecard to help us track the commitments we are making as champions. It gives us a common reference point, with clarity, accountability, and the full weight of political leadership behind this collective effort,” he added.
Honourable Dr Elijah Muchima, Minister of Health of Zambia and Chair of RC75, reaffirmed Zambia’s commitment and leadership in advancing malaria elimination, citing already ongoing efforts.
“Through our End Malaria Council, Zambia has mobilised public and private resources to sustain vector control, procure essential commodities, and support community health workers (CHWs) through initiatives such as the Buy a Bicycle campaign, equipping over 18,600 CHWs with transport to reach rural communities.” “Ending malaria must be a priority that we own and fund beyond the support we receive from global partners,” he added while asserting the need to continue to sustain global mechanisms such as the Global Fund through full replenishment.
Committed to tackling malaria’s “perfect storm”, leaders pledged to act together-rallying political will, accountability, and sustainable financing to protect hard-won gains and reignite Africa’s momentum toward malaria elimination.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.
African ministers of health gathering in the Zambian capital Lusaka today opened the Seventy-fifth session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa, the highest decision-making body on health on the continent.
The ministers from the 47 countries of the WHO African Region, meeting from 25 to 27 August 2025, will deliberate on measures to address challenges as well as endorse key resolutions to improve and promote people’s health.
Opening the meeting, Zambia’s President Hakainde Hichilema pointed out that lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic were crucial in “strengthening health diplomacy to address inequalities” and called on regional leaders to position health “as a driver of regional trade and industrialization”, as well as to harmonize public health regulations across countries.
The president also called for “collaboration and a commitment to humanity in making decisions that enhance health and well-being across the region.”
On his part, Zambian Minister of Health Dr Elijah Muchima called for united action and deeper collaboration to address the continent’s health challenges.
“The complexities of today’s health threats demand that we stand united. No single nation can overcome these challenges in isolation,” said Dr Muchima. “We must deepen regional collaboration, share best practices, harness African expertise and innovation, and build long‑term resilience across borders. The outcomes of this Session will guide our collective action towards a more secure, equitable, and sustainable future for all.”
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the Seventy-fifth session of the WHO Africa Regional Committee “comes at a vital time for the continent and WHO as we chart a more sustainable future for the health of all people in Africa.”
“WHO is working in lockstep with African nations to overcome the financial and security challenges many face and to capitalize on the great potential Africa offers in health. Our goal is clear: to support our Member States in Africa in their drive to build robust national health systems, built on self-reliance, efficacy and a commitment to deliver health for all,” said Dr Tedros.
Faced with a challenging global financial landscape, WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, underscored the importance of collaboration among countries to lead the transformation of the health architecture to be “accountable, transparent and responsive to African realities”, and called for robust health systems to serve the needs of the people.
“We must reframe health not as a cost, but as a cornerstone of prosperity,” said Dr Janabi. “We must build systems that are efficient, inclusive and sovereign and we must place people – especially the most vulnerable – at the centre of every policy, programme and partnership.”
Over the next three days, the ministers will deliberate on priority issues. They will adopt a resolution to fast-track progress on oral health, long neglected despite affecting millions, to ensure improved services across the region by 2030. Delegates will also debate how to end chronic blood shortages that endanger mothers, children and patients with sickle cell disease, with a new plan to modernize supply systems and expand voluntary donations.
The meeting will consider strategies to expand access to rehabilitation services, which remain unavailable to two-thirds of Africans in need, and to transform care for women, children and adolescents—an area where the region still accounts for 70% of global maternal deaths. Ministers are expected to review proposals to accelerate progress against malaria, which continues to claim thousands of lives in Africa, and to close the continent’s critical health workforce gap, currently less than half the global standard.
Health security will also be under the spotlight, with new plans to strengthen early detection and crisis preparedness in a region that recorded more than 250 public health events in 2024 alone.
Decisions taken in Lusaka this week are expected to set Africa’s health agenda for the future, laying the foundations for stronger systems, healthier communities, and a more resilient continent.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of WHO Regional Office for Africa.
The eThekwini Municipality has seen a resurgence in tourism, with both international and domestic visitor numbers showing exceptional growth and economic impact from January to May 2025.
This performance signals a strong recovery for the sector and reaffirms Durban’s position as one of South Africa’s most attractive and dynamic travel destinations.
According to the latest data, international tourism has rebounded impressively, with over 186 000 additional arrivals, compared to the same period last year.
This influx generated a combined spend of more than R750 million, driven by robust card transactions and cash withdrawals.
The data was presented by the Research and Data Unit of South African Tourism during a two-day Strategic Planning Workshop of the eThekwini Presidential Working Group (Workstream 4), held last week.
The data showed that during the Easter period in April alone, the tourism sector contributed R115.9 million, reflecting a 48% year-on-year increase.
Leading international source markets include Mozambique, the United Kingdom, and the United States, highlighting Durban’s global appeal.
Domestically, Durban welcomed 2.8 million trips, resulting in a remarkable R4.8 billion in combined spend.
The Easter holiday period saw a 52% increase in domestic spend, while May outperformed April, reaching R844 million, a 50% growth, compared to the previous month.
A notable highlight is the surge in visitors from Cape Town, alongside Johannesburg and Tshwane, reinforcing Durban’s status as a preferred leisure destination for South Africa’s major metros.
Spending trends reveal that retail and dining are the top-performing categories, driven by leisure travel.
While traditional hotel stays remain relevant, the date showed that many domestic travellers are increasingly choosing shared or self-catering accommodation options, reflecting evolving travel preferences.
EThekwini City Manager, Musa Mbhele, said this performance underlines the importance of continued investment in tourism marketing, seasonal campaigns, and infrastructure that supports both leisure and business travel.
“These results are not just encouraging – they are a clear signal that our strategic investments in tourism are paying off. Durban is not only bouncing back; we are setting the pace for tourism recovery in South Africa.
“We remain fully committed to enhancing visitor experiences, expanding our offerings, and ensuring that Durban continues to thrive as a world-class destination for both leisure and business travel,” Mbhele said. – SAnews.gov.za
