Progress on the Health-related MDGs in the African Region

Progress towards the achievement of the health-related MDGs in the African Region is slow. Currently six African countries are on track to achieve the MDG target of reducing child mortality. There is no progress on the MDG target on reducing maternal mortality. Eleven countries have started to observe declines or stabilization in HIV prevalence trends among the 13 countries that have complete trend data. A third of the population with advanced HIV infection had access to antiretroviral drugs in 2007. There were increases in the proportions of children under fi ve sleeping under insecticide treated bednets between 1999 and 2006 in all 18 countries with trend data; although coverage rates were lower than 50. Few countries have shown suffi cient progress on targets related to reducing hunger; use of improved water and sanitation facilities. Countries and their partners should increase resources significantly to strengthen health systems; maternal and child health services; combat HIV/AIDS; malaria; and TB; tackle the broader determinants of health. Measures to monitor country progress towards the MDGs should also be improved by a major effort at strengthening data sources and capacity for data management

The background to the Algiers Declaration and the Framework for its Implementation to Improve Health Systems

The Algiers Declaration on Narrowing the Knowledge Gap to Improve Africa's Health was adopted during a Conference held in Algiers; Algeria; in June 2008. The Conference; which brought Ministers from the African Region together with researchers; nongovernmental organizations; donors; and the private sector; renewed commitments to narrow the knowledge gap in order to improve health development and health equity in the Region. This paper describes the background to the Algiers Declaration and the Framework for its implementation and their signifi cance in assisting countries' eff orts to strengthen health systems in the Region

HIV/AIDS: Strategy for the African Region

More than 30 years into the pandemic; HIV/AIDS remains a long-term development challenge in the WHO African Region which bears 69 of the global burden and has accounted for more than 70 of the world's AIDS-related deaths. While there has been a decline in the number of new HIV infections; prevalence in the Region remains unacceptably high; estimated at 4.8 in 2011 but much higher in southern Africa. There has been unprecedented political and financial commitment globally and in the Region towards the HIV response. This has led to scaling up of HIV/ AIDS prevention; treatment and care interventions in all countries. The results are encouraging as the number of new infections is decreasing in some countries and there is a reduction in HIV-related mortality as reported in 2010. To consolidate these gains; the Region will need to intensify efforts in HIV response by mobilizing domestic resources; optimizing the synergies between HIV and other health programmes and contributing to health system strengthening. A new WHO Global Health Sector Strategy (GHSS) on HIV/AIDS was adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2011. The regional HIV/AIDS strategy provides directions for implementing the GHSS in the WHO African Region; taking into account the key regional specificities. The interventions proposed include scaling up prevention; eliminating new HIV infections in children; and expanding access to HIV testing and treatment. It is expected that this strategy will contribute to eliminating new infections among children; reducing new infections among young people and reducing HIV-related deaths. Strengthening health systems and reducing co-morbidities such as TB/HIV will be crucial to achieving the targets set in the regional strategy