ReliefWeb

This weekly bulletin focuses on selected public health emergencies occurring in the WHO African region. The WHO Regional Office is currently monitoring 49 events: three Grade 3, six Grade 2, two Grade 1, and 38 ungraded events.

This weekly update focuses on key ongoing events in the region, including the grade 3 humanitarian crises in South Sudan and Nigeria, the grade 2 acute watery diarrhoea outbreak in the context of the humanitarian situation in Ethiopia, the grade 2 outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the grade 2 meningitis outbreak in Nigeria, the grade 2 cholera outbreak in Tanzania and the ongoing impact of the cyclone in Madagascar.

For each of these events, a brief description followed by public health measures implemented and an interpretation of the situation is provided.

A table is provided at the end of the report with information on all public health events currently being monitored in the region.

Major challenges to be addressed include:

• The implementation of response plans for diseases with a seasonal pattern
• The establishment of formal and informal data sharing mechanisms between neighboring countries