WHO Stories

WHO urges global action as medicalised FGM puts millions of girls at risk
Rachael Mutabasi  |  Apr 28, 2025

An estimated four million girls are still at risk each year, underlining the urgent need for global action to end this harmful tradition once and for...

Malaria scorecard: battles have been won and advances made, but the war isn’t over
The Conversation  |  Mar 27, 2025

Mosquitoes have also developed mechanisms to resist the effects of insecticides. Malaria vector resistance to certain insecticides used in malaria con...

Explainer: Why your child needs that polio vaccine
Charity Kilei  |  Apr 27, 2025

The WHO emphasises the importance of providing the polio vaccine to all children under five years old, starting at birth. The vaccine is typically adm...

Global immunisation campaigns struggle as funding cuts, outbreaks threaten progress
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Apr 26, 2025

Despite the success of vaccines in saving over 150 million lives over the last five decades, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus warned that f...

Billions lost as taxpayer-funded markets lie incomplete, vandalised
Lucy Mumbi  |  Apr 20, 2025

This comes even as President William Ruto continues to launch new market initiatives, including recent projects in Nyandarua and Laikipia counties, ra...

Tanzania launches diplomatic push for Prof Mohamed Janabi to head WHO Africa office
Mwangi Maina  |  Apr 17, 2025

To spearhead the lobbying effort, President Samia Suluhu Hassan has deployed former President Jakaya Kikwete as a special envoy, highlighting the high...

WHO members reach deal on global pandemic preparedness after 3 years of talks
Reuters  |  Apr 16, 2025

The agreement is widely seen as a victory for the global health agency at a time when multilateral organisations like the WHO have been battered by sh...

WHO launches first-ever global guidelines to combat meningitis and save lives
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Apr 15, 2025

While meningitis can affect anyone, the disease burden is particularly high in low- and middle-income countries and areas experiencing large-scale epi...

Katwa Kigen quits race for IEBC commissioner job, citing suitability concerns
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Apr 10, 2025

His withdrawal comes amid concerns raised from various quarters about the independence and fairness of the electoral body if a close associate of the...

Aid cuts could leave more women dying in pregnancy and birth, UN says
Reuters  |  Apr 08, 2025

Even before the aid cuts led by the United States, things were backsliding in some countries, and progress has slowed globally since 2016, the report...

Five dead as cholera outbreak hits Nairobi, Kisumu and Migori counties
Lucy Mumbi  |  Apr 05, 2025

Kenya Red Cross, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Nairobi County Health Team, has intensified sanitation and hygiene campaigns in...

Trump slaps 10% tariffs on Kenyan goods in new "economic independence" blitz
Mwangi Maina  |  Apr 03, 2025

The move was part of a dramatic trade policy overhaul he dubbed "Liberation Day," announced in a fiery address from the White House Rose Garden on Wed...

Born too soon: The crisis of premature births in Kenya
Charity Kilei  |  Mar 30, 2025

The rising cases of preterm births are becoming a major global health concern, with devastating consequences for newborns and their families.​

WHO proposing to cut jobs and slash budget by a fifth, memo shows
Reuters  |  Mar 29, 2025

Trump's administration withdrew from the WHO upon taking office in January, saying the global health agency had mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic and o...

Voice of America staff put on leave after Trump directive
Reuters  |  Mar 16, 2025

Michael Abramowitz, Voice of America's director, said nearly his entire staff of 1,300 journalists, producers and assistants had been put on administr...

Details of five candidates shortlisted for WHO Africa leadership position
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Mar 15, 2025

Following the death of Dr Ndugulile, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus formally submitted the names of five candidates for considera...

Health Ministry seeks Sh140 million to digitise HIV care, Sh5 billion to counter USAID cuts
Lucy Mumbi  |  Mar 13, 2025

The ministry argues that the move aims to integrate HIV-related health records into Kenya’s digital health superhighway, ensuring data accessibility a...

920,000 children in high-risk counties vaccinated against polio, says WHO
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Mar 11, 2025

The vaccination campaign took place between February 21 and 25, 2025, as part of the second phase of mass polio immunisation in regions deemed at high...

Kenya HIV patients live in fear as US aid freeze strand drugs in warehouse
Reuters  |  Mar 11, 2025

The 90-day foreign aid freeze, ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump after taking office on January 20, has upended the global supply chain for medic...

UN food agency shuts Southern Africa bureau during drought, citing low funding
Reuters  |  Mar 04, 2025

The agency would consolidate its eastern and southern African operations and run both from Nairobi.

Marsabit senator calls for state intervention as kala-azar spreads in the region
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Feb 28, 2025

Mohamed also sought to know whether the county government of Marsabit had requested support from the national government and, if so, whether the reque...

Two clusters of unknown illness kill 50 in Democratic Republic of Congo
Reuters  |  Feb 26, 2025

As of February 16, there have been 431 cases and 53 deaths in two outbreaks in remote villages in separate health zones in Equateur province, the WHO...

Threat of disease in DRC "multiplied" by conflict, WHO says
Reuters  |  Feb 09, 2025

Vaccination programmes were partially restored on February 5, after the M23 declared a ceasefire, however, the situation remains "tense and volatile",...

Kenyan professor selected by WHO for maternal health task force
Amina Wako  |  Feb 06, 2025

With over two decades of experience, Prof. Kaura has championed primary care integration to improve maternal health outcomes

SC Johnson opens Sh1.3 billion mosquito repellent production line in Nairobi
Maureen Kinyanjui  |  Feb 04, 2025

Spatial repellents release chemicals into the air to prevent mosquitoes from biting people, which helps in reducing the spread of malaria.

Somalia implements mandatory vaccination for travellers
Abdirahman Khalif  |  Feb 02, 2025

Under the new rule, all travellers, regardless of nationality or age, must present a valid Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate when entering or exiti...

New treatment procedures for drug-resistant TB to replace painful injections
Lucy Mumbi  |  Feb 02, 2025

The new regimens included combinations of newer drugs such as bedaquiline and delamanid, along with repurposed drugs like clofazimine and linezolid.

No ARV shortage expected despite US funding cuts, government says
Lucy Mumbi  |  Jan 29, 2025

Health officials said they are confident that there are enough ARVs to cater to over 1.4 million patients in the country.

WHO says US HIV funding cut threatens lives of millions in low-income nations
Rachael Mutabasi  |  Jan 29, 2025

WHO has called on the United States government to grant additional exemptions to maintain the uninterrupted supply of HIV treatment and care.

WHO chief urges end to attacks on Sudan healthcare after 70 killed in drone strike
Reuters  |  Jan 26, 2025

The conflict has produced waves of ethnically driven violence blamed largely on the RSF, creating a humanitarian crisis.

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