Also known as: WHO
International health organization that issues public health warnings and guidance, including on disease outbreaks and self-care practices in Africa.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Joy Online
… The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends “safe and dignified burials” for Ebola victims, with trained teams using protective equipment to handle bodies. …
Angry crowd sets Ebola hospital tents on fire in DR CongoThe Ghanaian Times
… The World Health Organization has declared it a public health emergency of international concern. …
Congo cancels 3-day World Cup fan farewell in Kinshasa over Ebola fearsJoy Online
… A statement issued by the Ministry and copied to the Ghana News Agency said recent updates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) confirmed suspected and confirmed Ebola cases in the two countries. …
Ghana intensifies Ebola preparedness amid outbreaks in Uganda, DR CongoJoy Online
The World Health Organization (WHO) says it could take up to nine months before a vaccine against this particular species of Ebola is ready. …
Ebola vaccine could take nine months as death toll rises further, WHO warnsJoy Online
The Ministry of Health has congratulated Health Minister, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, following his election as Chairman of Committee B of the World Health Organization (WHO). …
Health Ministry congratulates Mintah Akandoh on election as WHO Committee B ChairmanJoy Online
The World Health Organization (WHO) says it could take up to nine months before a vaccine against this particular species of Ebola is ready. …
Ebola vaccine could take nine months as death toll continues to rise, WHO warnsJoy Online
The Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has raised alarm over the growing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, warning that the epidemic poses a serious regional threat amid rising suspected cases and deaths. …
WHO warns Ebola outbreak in DR Congo and Uganda could worsen as suspected deaths hit 139Joy Online
… On Sunday, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, after confirmed cases were reported on 15 May. …
‘Ebola has tortured us’: Fear grips eastern DR Congo as deadly virus spreadsJoy Online
The Ministry of Health has urged Ghanaians to remain calm but vigilant following the declaration of the recent Ebola Virus Disease outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by the World Health Organization (WHO) over fears of cross-border transmission …
Health Ministry issues Ebola alert after WHO declares global public health emergencyJoy Online
… Previous figures from the epidemic, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared an international health emergency, were 91 people dead out of 350 suspected cases. …
WHO to hold emergency committee meeting as Ebola death toll rises to 131Ghana's youth are increasingly falling into substance abuse, a threat to individual futures and the country's social and economic progress, according to concerns raised by the Narcotics Control Commission, WHO, and UNODC. The growing misuse of drugs such as marijuana, tramadol, shisha, and synthetic drugs is destroying lives across communities.
3 hours ago · Joy Online →
Ghana's youth are increasingly falling into substance abuse, a threat to individual futures and the country's social and economic progress, according to concerns raised by the Narcotics Control Commission, WHO, and UNODC. The growing misuse of drugs such as marijuana, tramadol, shisha, and synthetic drugs is destroying lives across communities.
3 hours ago · Joy Online →
As Ghana marks World Breastfeeding Week (1–7 August), researchers are investigating how nutrition in a baby's first months may influence health throughout life. Breast milk provides essential energy, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, antibodies, and other biologically active substances that support infant development and protect against infections.
19 hours ago · Joy Online →
The Ministry of Health is developing a comprehensive National AI Health Policy and Guidelines to provide a legal, ethical and operational framework for safe and equitable adoption of AI across Ghana's healthcare system. The policy aims to strengthen governance, data protection, digital infrastructure, workforce readiness and regulatory oversight to ensure AI supports improved healthcare delivery while safeguarding patient rights.
21 hours ago · Joy Online →
Congolese authorities are screening all 255 passengers aboard the Yingfeng 2, a Chinese-operated boat intercepted on the Congo River near Kinshasa, after a passenger with fever and diarrhoea died in hospital; health teams have found no positive cases so far as a precautionary measure, with the vessel quarantined offshore.
6 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to ending preventable maternal deaths by 2030, designating Kumasi as a key intervention area. Ghana records an estimated 300 deaths per 100,000 live births, and the Ashanti region saw a 51% surge in maternal deaths with 232 fatalities in the first half of 2025.
3 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak has risen to 3,532 cases and 1,556 deaths, making it the world's second-largest on record, outpaced only by the 2014–2016 West African outbreak. The Bundibugyo strain has spread faster than any previous Ebola epidemic, killing five times as many people in the same timeframe, while insecurity and resource constraints hamper containment efforts.
3 August 2026 · Joy Online →
A public lecture marking World Brain Day 2026 (July 31st) discusses the World Federation of Neurology's theme "Brain Health: Access for All," noting that over 3.4 billion people live with neurological conditions. The speaker addresses three preventable threats to brain health: poor sleep hygiene, depression, and excessive consumption of carbohydrate-rich foods.
1 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Former US health official Anthony Fauci refused to answer questions at a Senate hearing on Covid-19 origins, invoking the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times and citing concerns that Republicans might use his testimony to prosecute him for perjury. Fauci has previously denied Republican accusations that he concealed pandemic information and lied about its dangers, calling the allegations "simply preposterous."
30 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Former US health official Anthony Fauci refused to answer questions at a US Senate hearing about Covid-19's origins, invoking the Fifth Amendment to protect against potential perjury prosecution. Fauci cited advice from his attorneys and expressed concern that Republican Senator Rand Paul intended to use his testimony against him.
29 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana AIDS Commission will begin installing condom vending machines across the country by the last quarter of 2026 at strategic public locations including lorry stations, mosques, stadia and shopping malls as part of its effort to improve access to condoms and strengthen HIV/AIDS prevention.
27 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Acting Head of Research at the Ghana Mental Health Authority says cultural expressions like "men do not cry" prevent men from discussing stress, depression and other mental health challenges, and he has called on men to seek professional help when experiencing emotional distress.
24 July 2026 · Joy Online →
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned at an African Union health summit in Accra that Africa risks losing decades of progress against diseases like HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria unless governments increase domestic health financing. He noted that while Africa has recorded significant gains—including a 40% reduction in new HIV infections since 2010—declining external support threatens those achievements across multiple health areas.
22 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Deputy Minister of Health Professor Grace Ayensu-Danquah called on African countries to increase domestic health financing as external donor support becomes less certain, noting that official development assistance and long-standing funding models are changing and programmes many health systems have relied on can no longer be taken for granted.
22 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak has killed at least 930 people with at least 2,344 confirmed cases as of Saturday, spreading faster than any previous outbreak in the country; the WHO noted the outbreak reached 2,000 confirmed cases in two months, compared to over 10 months for the 2018–2020 outbreak, and is now the third-largest on record.
21 July 2026 · Joy Online →
World Self-Care Month, observed annually from 24 June to 24 July, highlights how self-care—defined by the WHO as the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, and manage illness—complements professional healthcare by empowering people to make informed everyday decisions about their health and wellbeing.
20 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Uganda's last confirmed Ebola patient has been discharged, leaving the country with no active cases of the Bundibugyo species. The country must now go 42 days without new infections before it can be officially declared Ebola-free.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's Environmental Protection Authority has warned that one in every two children could be vulnerable to brain damage and reduced intelligence from lead exposure, following a study that detected lead in commonly used children's toys. The EPA called for regulators, manufacturers, importers and consumers to work together to ensure products meet safety standards.
16 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Trump administration is blocking American citizens in the Democratic Republic of Congo from traveling to the U.S. on commercial flights, placing them on a "do-not-board" list until they have spent at least 21 days in a third country, citing a widening Ebola outbreak that has confirmed 1,926 cases and 702 deaths.
15 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Air quality experts from more than 40 countries gathered in Pretoria for the Africa Clean Air Forum 2026, held under the theme "Investment Case for Clean Air and Healthy Cities," as African countries face a mounting air pollution crisis. According to the Clean Air Fund's State of Global Air Quality Funding 2025 Report, the African region received less than 1% of global air quality funding despite experiencing high levels of pollutant exposure that caused 1.2 million premature deaths across the continent in 2023.
14 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Musician Okyeame Kwame has claimed he is the Ghanaian artiste most available to support national development initiatives, citing his advocacy on made-in-Ghana products, hepatitis, mental health, and climate change. He plans to release a song on climate change later in the year.
14 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The University of Oxford has begun the first human trial of a vaccine against Bundibugyo ebolavirus, testing the ChAdOx1 BDBV vaccine in 50 healthy adults aged 18 to 55 in response to an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The Serum Institute of India has manufactured and stockpiled about 620,000 doses of the vaccine candidate and supplied 4,000 investigational doses for the early-stage study.
13 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Public health advocacy group VAST-Ghana has urged the government to overhaul the national alcohol policy framework following international scientific evidence showing severe health risks from even low levels of alcohol consumption, with recent research establishing that health risks escalate progressively with consumption and rise sharply after just one drink per day.
13 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra launched its 2026 Green Stay Initiative to promote healthy nutrition, sustainable food systems and workplace wellness, with backing from the Ministries of Health and Food and Agriculture. The initiative brings together government officials, policymakers, health professionals and private sector leaders to explore strategies for healthier workplaces and sustainable food environments.
10 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Ministry of Health has backed the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra's Green Stay Initiative, urging organisations to make healthy food standard in workplaces to reduce non-communicable diseases and boost workforce productivity. The Health Ministry is implementing several interventions including Ghana Food-Based Dietary Guidelines and nutrition labelling policies to improve nutrition and reduce the burden of chronic diseases.
10 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Patients have been enrolled in the PARTNERS trial in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, testing two treatments—the antibody MBP134 and the antiviral remdesivir, given alone and in combination—to determine whether either can improve survival odds from Bundibugyo virus disease. The trial, a joint effort between institutions in Kinshasa, Antwerp, and Oxford with WHO sponsorship and DRC Ministry of Public Health involvement, was built before the outbreak occurred, allowing it to be deployed quickly rather than invented during the emergency.
8 July 2026 · Joy Online →
Research involving 150,000 adults in the UK, US and Scandinavia found that small increases in physical activity, including just five minutes of exercise per day, can bring long-term health benefits and reduce the risk of premature mortality. The study also found that reducing daily sitting time by 30 minutes was linked to a 7% reduction in early death.
6 July 2026 · The Chronicle →
The WHO Director-General said the hantavirus outbreak is nearing its end, with all contacts of identified cases having completed their follow-up periods and no additional cases reported; the total remains 13 cases, including three fatalities.
2 July 2026 · Joy Online →
A 42-year-old from Carmarthen contracted neurocysticercosis after a 2007 trip to India, eventually developing 38 pork tapeworm larvae in her brain that caused severe headaches, seizures, and psychosis. She is one of only a handful of people in the UK diagnosed with the condition annually.
1 July 2026 · Joy Online →
A three-year-old boy named Klieber Morán was pulled alive from rubble six days after devastating earthquakes in Venezuela with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5. The death toll has risen to 1,943 with more than 10,000 injured, tens of thousands unaccounted for, and satellite data indicating approximately 58,870 buildings damaged or destroyed.
1 July 2026 · Joy Online →
The Ashanti Regional Health Directorate has begun a mass drug administration campaign to eliminate river blindness and bilharziasis across nine endemic districts in the region. The campaign, scheduled for June 20 to July 3rd, 2026, aims to interrupt transmission of these neglected tropical diseases in communities near rivers and water bodies.
22 June 2026 · Joy Online →