Kigali, 26 August 2009 -- The 59th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa will take place from 31 August to 4 September at the Conference Centre of Serena Hotel in Kigali, the Rwandan capital.

The Regional Committee, WHO's Governing Body in the African Region, will consider a report on the work of WHO in the Region in 2008 to be presented by the Regional Director, Dr Luis Sambo. read more

As of August 27, 2009, 17H30 GMT, 21 countries have officially reported 3872 laboratory confirmed human cases of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 including 11 deaths.
Breakdown of confirmed cases by country

Johannesburg, 11 August 2009 -- The emergence of the Influenza A (H1N1) 2009 Pandemic puts an additional pressure on health systems of African countries already stretched with other competing public health priorities, said Dr Luis Gomes Sambo, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Regional Director for Africa.

He was addressing delegates at the Regional Conference on Pandemic Influenza, which commenced today (11 August) in Johannesburg, South Africa, organized by the World Health Organization. read more

Abidjan, 27 July 2009 -- The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Gomes Sambo (RD) gave an interview on 23 July 2009 to the United Nations Radio in Cote d’Ivoire (ONUCI FM), the ECOWAS television station (ATM) and the Ivorian National Television (RTI). The interview took place in Dr Sambo’s office at the Fondation Felix Houphouet-Boigny pour la recherché de la Paix of Yamoussoukro. read more