University hospital physician and public health specialist, Professor Palokinam T. PITCHE, has assumes office as the new Director-General of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), the specialised institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in charge of health issues,. Professor PITCHE who formally assumed office today,...
Health News
A renowned traditional medicine practitioner in Maiduguri, Borno State, Garba Maidawa, has called for greater recognition and acceptance of traditional medicine, arguing that herbal healers have continued to play a vital role in treating various ailments despite what he described as widespread misconceptions about the practice. Maidawa, popularly known...
By VICTOR CHIAHEMEN, Abuja The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched a three-day regional workshop in Abuja to strengthen Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) systems across West Africa, reinforcing the region’s preparedness and response to public health emergencies amid growing health, environmental and socio-economic threats....
..Says health crises do not wait To better address public health emergencies, West Africa must immediately strengthen its prevention and response mechanisms through more robust and resilient health systems. The Executive Director of the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control (RCSDC), Dr. Mamadou Diarrassouba, made this call...
Choosing a dentist in Lagos is rarely as simple as picking the nearest option. Between HMO restrictions, traffic across the Mainland and Island, and the sheer number of clinics now advertising “world-class” care, patients are often left comparing marketing copy rather than substance.Over the past decade, Lagos has also...
By TOM CHIAHEMEN – The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) has launched a renewed regional initiative to strengthen health knowledge management and promote seamless information sharing across ECOWAS Member States, marking a significant step towards building stronger, evidence-based health systems in West Africa. As part of the initiative, WAHO...
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has reported that Lassa fever has claimed 214 lives nationwide, with the fatality rate increasing to 25 per cent. According to the agency’s Lassa Fever Situation Report for Week 23 (June 1–7, 2026), the figure is higher than the 18.9 per...
Federal Government has disclosed that unsafe food causes nearly 50 million illnesses and more than 53,000 deaths annually in Nigeria, underscoring the urgent need to strengthen food safety systems across the country. The Honourable Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, made this known at...
World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed the first recovery of a patient infected with Ebola in the ongoing outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Speaking on Friday, WHO official Anais Legand disclosed that the patient recovered on May 27, tested negative twice, and was subsequently discharged from...
By TOM CHIAHEMEN, Abuja – The West African Health Organization (WAHO), and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), have been commended for their unwavering commitment to strengthening regional health security and enhancing the collective capacity of the member-nations to prevent, detect, and respond to public health threats....
A major push to confront one of Africa’s fastest-growing—yet often overlooked—health threats was unveiled today on the sidelines of the World Health Summit Regional Meeting in Nairobi, Kenya. Amref Health Africa, in partnership with the Novo Nordisk FoundatEast Africaion, announced a US$13.2 million expansion of the Partnership for Education...
…Also adopt regional framework to accelerate Malaria elimination The 27th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Health Ministers of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), concluded on 25 April 2026 in Freetown, Sierra Leone, with the adoption of major strategic decisions aimed at accelerating malaria elimination, reducing...
By TOM CHIAHEMEN – Officials of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), are currently participating in the technical Experts’ Meeting taking place in Banjul, Republic of The Gambia, ahead of the Forum of First Ladies of SWEDD+ countries on zero tolerance of gender-based violence. The meeting brings together...
A historic Memorandum of Agreement signals renewed commitment to tackling SRHR, SGBV, and adolescent health challenges The Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN), and the Media, Health and Rights Initiative of Nigeria (MHR), have signed a landmark Memorandum of Agreement (MoA), uniting two of Nigeria’s foremost public...
The Regional Community Health Policy of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), was formally launched by the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), in Cotonou, on March 24, 2026. Held at the Sofitel Hotel in the capital of Benin Republic, the ceremony brought together government representatives, technical and...
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), through the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), will officially launch the ECOWAS Regional Community Health Policy (RCHP) on March 24, 2026 at the Sofitel Hotel in Cotonou, Benin. This high-level event will bring together political and health authorities, representatives of ECOWAS...
The West African Health Organisation (WAHO), a specialised institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has organised a five-day Regional Workshop on the Implementation of the Automated Sharing of Routine Health Information Data – Phase 1. Currently holding in Cotonou, Benin Republic, the regional workshop brings...
A high-level working meeting was held in Abidjan between the Director-General of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), Dr Melchior Athanase Joël Codjovi AÏSSI, and Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Health, Public Hygiene and Universal Health Coverage, Mr Pierre N’Gou DIMBA. This meeting, as learnt, is part of the implementation...
The West African Health Organisation (WAHO), organised a validation workshop for the ECOWAS Regional Digital Health Strategic Plan (2026–2030) and the operational plan covering the first two years of implementation. Held in Dakar, Senegal, from 19 to 23 January 2026, the meeting brought together representatives of Member States, regional...
The Pasteur Institute of Côte d’Ivoire (IPCI), launched a workshop on Thursday dedicated to the links between climate change and health, within the framework of the international CHINNOVA project. This gathering of researchers, institutional leaders, and international partners aims to structure a national research network to anticipate and mitigate...