On 6th February 2026, the African Union, through the Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, convened a Continental Virtual Event to commemorate the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) under the theme: “Towards 2030: No End to FGM Without Sustained Commitment and Investment.” The high-level event brought together Member…
Every year, rabies silently kills children across East Africa, even though it is one of the few infectious diseases that is 100% preventable. Globally, rabies causes approximately 59,000 deaths a year, mainly in Africa and Asia. In Kenya, 99% of human cases are attributed to dog bites/ scratches. In our region, children are the most…
UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK – During the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Spotlight Initiative co-hosted a high-level side event to mobilize new commitments towards gender-based violence prevention and response. ‘Full Speed Ahead: A Global Partnership to Eliminate Violence Against Women and Girls’ was co-hosted with the European Union (EU) and African Union (AU),…
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa region, in collaboration with African Union Member States, have launched a Continental Cholera Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan for 2025-2026. The plan, announced by Africa CDC in a LinkedIn post on Friday, seeks to reduce cholera deaths by…
A call to Action has emerged from a High-Level Ministerial Conference on Triple Elimination of HIV, Syphilis, and Hepatitis B, held in Kampala, Uganda. African Ministers of Health, development partners, and civil society organisations committed to a united front to end vertical transmission of the three infections by the year 2030. At the heart of…
Health ministers from African Union (AU) member states, along with development partners and civil society organisations, have called for urgent and coordinated action to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B by 2030. The call was made at the conclusion of the High-Level Ministerial Conference on Triple Elimination, held in Kampala from July…
