The head of the World Health Organisation on Monday concluded his visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo by briefing the president on the response to the Ebola outbreak, which an aid agency warned was likely much larger than official figures show. …
… There have been 282 confirmed cases in Congo, including 42 deaths, and around 1,100 suspected cases, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organisation. …
… The World Health Organisation says indoor radon levels above 100 becquerels per cubic metre pose a health risk and should trigger action to reduce exposure. …
… The aggressive mobilisation comes on the heels of the World Health Organisation (WHO) declaring the rare, highly virulent Bundibugyo Ebola strain a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. …
… The funding will help the World Health Organisation, UN, international and NGO partners respond rapidly to the outbreak by strengthening disease surveillance, supporting frontline health workers, improving infection prevention and control, and helping affected communities access …
… White, who flew from Manchester Airport on Sunday as part of an international relief effort, said: “It really reinforces the need to make sure that we have all of the protective measures in place.” The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently said the disease may be spreading fas …
… The World Health Organisation has declared the outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain a public health emergency of international concern, and said the risk of a national epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo is “very high”. …
… According to a landmark 2025 joint report by the World Health Organisation and six UN partner agencies, an estimated 840 million women, almost one in three globally, have experienced physical or sexual violence at least once in their lives. …
… n’s eleventh annual awards ceremony held in Spain on Thursday, an event that celebrates individuals and organisations dedicated to combating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) conditions that affect more than one billion people globally, according to the World Health Organisation …
Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development Ghana has called for a comprehensive overhaul of Ghana's excise tax regime, urging the government to increase taxes on tobacco products, alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages to curb the growing burden of non-communicable diseases while boosting domestic revenue mobilisation.
Why it matters
VAST Ghana's call for higher excise taxes on tobacco, alcohol, and sugary drinks addresses non-communicable disease burden and revenue.
Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development Ghana has called for a comprehensive overhaul of Ghana's excise tax regime, urging the government to increase taxes on tobacco products, alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages to curb the growing burden of non-communicable diseases while boosting domestic revenue mobilisation.
Congo's Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak has the largest number of confirmed cases within the first month of any outbreak on record, according to WHO. The surge is attributed to rapid spread to urban areas like Bunia and Mongbwalu, though the virus had been circulating for months before official detection on May 15.
The Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG) has endorsed the government's newly launched Free Primary Healthcare initiative, calling it a bold and transformative policy toward Universal Health Coverage. CHAG's Executive Director said the association would actively champion implementation through its nationwide network of health facilities.
The Founder of Focus on Sickle-Cell Foundation has called on the government to integrate genotype and inheritance education into the national curriculum to equip young Ghanaians with knowledge before starting families, saying education is the cheapest and most sustainable prevention tool available.
A four-day free eye care outreach in Bono Region screened 867 people but could not attend to over 500 others due to limited capacity, prompting calls for the National Health Insurance Scheme to extend coverage to prescription glasses and low-vision aids.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is making $107 million in emergency funding available to strengthen its response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The outbreak has grown to 875 confirmed cases and 202 deaths, and less than 10% of pledges from international donors have been received so far.
Work-related stress, driven by job demands, work environment structure, and colleague interactions, is a major concern for employee well-being and organisational productivity. The World Health Organisation estimates that stress-related conditions cost the global economy about 1 trillion US dollars annually through lost working hours, with stressed employees reporting fatigue, poor concentration, reduced motivation, anxiety, depression, and burnout.
The Ghana Health Service will conduct a Mass Drug Administration campaign from June 20 to July 3, 2026, targeting nearly eight million eligible people across multiple regions to prevent onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, and schistosomiasis. The initiative is part of Ghana's strategy to eliminate neglected tropical diseases as a public health threat by 2030.
A six-year-old Ebola patient and her mother were removed from Wanamahika Hospital in Butembo by armed men with knives; authorities are searching for them and urging them to return to a health centre. The incident reflects ongoing suspicion and attacks on treatment facilities during an outbreak that has confirmed almost 200 deaths and 840 cases.
Midfielder Thomas Partey and Ghana's Black Stars conducted a community engagement event at Bryant University in Rhode Island, participating in the FIFA-WHO 'Be Active' campaign, which encourages young people to exercise at least 60 minutes daily through football. Partey led drills and skills sessions with children aged 10–14, promoting physical activity and healthy living ahead of Ghana's World Cup opener.
An overcrowded passenger bus veered off a mountain road in northern Ethiopia's Amhara region and plunged into a deep ravine early Monday, killing at least 31 people and injuring 33 others. Delayed emergency response due to lack of ambulance services in the rural area complicated rescue operations.
Air pollution is Ghana's second-leading risk factor for death after high blood pressure, with vehicle pollution a major contributor in urban centres; national estimates attribute 28,000–32,000 deaths annually to air pollution, representing about 14 percent of all deaths in Ghana.
The Health Minister says Ghana needs 300,000 units of blood annually but collected only 200,000 units last year, creating a significant deficit. The government plans to support the National Blood Service with equipment for screening, processing, and storage at regional blood centres to address the shortage.
Air pollution, driven largely by vehicle emissions, is now Ghana's second-leading risk factor for death after high blood pressure. The WHO, UNICEF, and State of Global Air report estimate air pollution causes between 28,000 and 32,000 deaths annually—about 14 percent of all deaths in Ghana—with PM2.5 pollution from vehicles contributing to approximately 2,800 deaths yearly in Greater Accra alone.
The WHO Director-General has strongly condemned renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa, describing them as a "tragic betrayal" of the country's historic struggle for freedom. The violence has killed at least five Ethiopians and five Mozambicans, displaced thousands of families, and sparked mass demonstrations.
Ghana's National Vaccine Institute has been admitted to the WHO-managed Global Clinical Trials Forum, a network that supports stronger clinical trial systems globally. The membership provides Ghana with technical support and collaboration opportunities at no financial cost.
Ghana's National Vaccine Institute has been admitted to the WHO-managed Global Clinical Trials Forum, a network supporting the development of stronger clinical trial systems globally. The membership provides Ghana with technical support and collaboration opportunities at no financial cost to the institute.
The government has activated surveillance and isolation systems at key border posts to detect and prevent the spread of Ebola, following an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Deputy Health Minister Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah toured the Elubo and Aflao borders to assess Ghana's response strategy, with President Mahama directing the ministry to ensure readiness for a potential outbreak.
The WHO director-general said Uganda should reconsider its temporary closure of its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo over an Ebola outbreak, stating that blanket travel restrictions don't work. Uganda has reported 19 confirmed Ebola cases, mostly from people who entered from Congo, where the outbreak has 544 confirmed cases.
Epidemiologists in Washington, D.C. will monitor wastewater and social media to detect infectious diseases during the World Cup, where more than 6.5 million soccer fans from over 100 countries are expected to travel to matches in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
On World Food Safety Day 2026, the Director of the Metro Public Health Department at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly warned that unsafe food can cause up to 1.52 million deaths annually worldwide and called for practical actions to protect public health and strengthen food systems in Ghana and across Africa.
The World Health Organisation announced a $518 million, six-month plan to combat an Ebola outbreak affecting the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The outbreak, involving the Bundibugyo strain for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment, has recorded 381 confirmed cases and 62 deaths in Congo, and 19 cases and two deaths in Uganda.
DR Congo's final World Cup warm-up game against Chile will be played behind closed doors in Orleans, France, on Tuesday, after a local Spanish mayor's decree prevented it from taking place in Cadiz due to concerns about the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo.
A pre-World Cup friendly between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chile scheduled for June 9 in southern Spain has been cancelled by the mayor of La Línea de la Concepción due to public health concerns over an active Ebola outbreak in the central African nation.
Ghana has activated its Ebola preparedness and response plan in response to outbreaks in the DRC and Uganda, strengthening surveillance, laboratory testing, and case management systems. As of June 3, 2026, the DRC had recorded 344 confirmed Ebola cases and 60 deaths, while Uganda had recorded 15 confirmed cases and one death.
The Senate has passed a bill to establish the National Agency for Malaria Elimination, aimed at coordinating efforts to prevent, control, and eventually eradicate malaria in Nigeria. The proposed agency will shift the country's response from treatment-focused interventions to prevention and eradication strategies, with zonal and state offices to drive implementation.
The World Health Organisation said Wednesday that the world is "catching up" with the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where there have been 344 confirmed cases and 60 confirmed deaths. The outbreak, linked to the Bundibugyo strain, has spread to neighbouring Uganda with 15 confirmed cases including one death.
Ghana's Health Minister Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has cautioned youth that flavoured and electronic cigarettes still cause cancer and death, noting that tobacco-related diseases cost Ghana an estimated 600 million dollars annually with about 6,000 preventable deaths. He said about 13.6 per cent of youth smoke shisha and 2.2 per cent smoke e-cigarettes, with nearly 450,000 adults in Ghana smoking regularly.
The mayor of La Linea de la Concepcion in Spain has cancelled a World Cup preparatory friendly between DR Congo and Chile scheduled for 9 June, citing health concerns over an Ebola outbreak in the eastern DR Congo. DR Congo are based in Belgium and no players have recently visited their homeland, though some support staff and fans have travelled from there.
The Democratic Republic of Congo and the World Health Organisation are intensifying containment efforts for an Ebola Virus Disease outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain affecting Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces. While no licensed vaccine or specific treatment exists for this strain, health authorities emphasise that early detection, prompt medical care, and preventive measures such as hand-washing and avoiding contact with infected individuals' bodily fluids remain effective in controlling transmission.