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Benin is deploying all its resources until June 23, 2025, to combat the remaining pockets of the disabling and deadly poliovirus. The Minister of Health, Professor Benjamin HOUNKPATIN, officially launched the polio vaccination campaign. The official ceremony took place on Friday, June 20, 2025, at the Djègan-Kpèvi Youth Center in Porto-Novo. The event was attended by the Prefect of the department, Dr. Marie AKPOTROSSOU, the Mayor of the municipality, Mr. Charlemagne YANKOTY, as well as various political and administrative authorities.
Benin is mobilizing all its efforts until June 23, 2025, to eliminate the last strongholds of the disabling and deadly poliovirus. Following the launch by the Minister of Health, health workers are already going from cities to remote villages to bring the life-saving two drops of vaccine to children aged 0 to 5 years, which will block this pernicious virus.
In his speech, Minister HOUNKPATIN praised the combined efforts of all stakeholders that have led to a significant reduction in polio cases. Benin’s performance in the fight against this disease has been commendable thanks to the coordinated actions carried out as part of the vaccination programs.
“The results achieved in the fight against polio are satisfactory. Polio cases have significantly decreased,” stated the Minister of Health. While congratulating the stakeholders, he urged everyone to continue their efforts to eradicate the remaining pockets of resistance identified in some municipalities through vaccination.
At the forefront of this effective response are the vaccination agents, particularly the community health workers. Addressing them, the Minister provided final guidelines to ensure a successful proximity strategy: “Your role is crucial. You are responsible for the quality of this vaccination campaign. Every household in your area must be visited. All children must receive the two vaccine doses, except for sick children, those born with low birth weight, and malnourished children. Engage with the families, ask the necessary questions before administering the vaccine,” he emphasized.
For his part, the UNICEF Resident Representative in Benin, Mr. Ousmane NIANG, stated that routine vaccination remains the only sustainable way to ensure good vaccination coverage and reduce child morbidity and mortality. While stressing the need to remain mobilized against polio, Mr. Ousmane NIANG highlighted the fight against misinformation, which continues to be a major obstacle to community engagement. “To address this, we need the involvement and participation of all stakeholders: religious leaders, local elected officials, civil society actors, health workers, wherever they may be,” he urged.
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Lusaka — African health ministers and partners are calling for increased investment in integrated health services to address the growing burden of severe noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), particularly those affecting women and underserved populations across the region. At a high-level side event during the Seventy-fifth session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, delegates emphasized the urgent need for equitable access to prevention, screening, treatment, and rehabilitation across the continuum of care for NCDs. Disparities are especially pronounced in rural areas, where health infrastructure and services remain inadequate. Breast and cervical cancers are among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among women in sub-Saharan Africa—particularly cervical cancer, which is both preventable and treatable. It remains the most common cause of cancer death for women in the region. In 2022, Africa accounted for nearly a quarter (23%) of the 76 000 global cervical cancer deaths. Meanwhile, severe NCDs such as Type 1 diabetes, sickle cell disease, and heart conditions claim more than half a million lives annually, including among children, adolescents, and young adults in some of the continent’s poorest communities. Inequitable access to health services continues to hinder efforts to reduce this burden. To improve cervical and breast cancer care in the region, urgent investment is needed in leadership, governance, and financing. Strengthening these foundations is critical in the current funding landscape. Advancements in strategic planning, healthcare infrastructure, workforce training, and—most importantly—equitable access to screening, diagnostic, and treatment services are essential. To address these challenges, WHO and its partners showcased successful integrated models such as the Women’s Integrated Care for Cancer Services (WICS), the BEAT Breast Cancer Project, and the PEN-Plus Strategy. WICS strengthens early detection, treatment, and integration of women’s cancer services into primary health care systems in Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, and Zimbabwe. The BEAT Breast Cancer Project is a transformative multi-year initiative aimed at reducing breast cancer mortality among women in Tanzania and Ghana through early detection, timely diagnosis, and comprehensive treatment access. “PEN-Plus, WICS and the BEAT Breast Cancer Initiative are models for a new standard of care, rooted in equity, access and health justice. I urge countries to prioritize policies that embed these models into broader health system strengthening, said Dr Mohamed Janabi, WHO Regional Director for Africa”. Côte d’Ivoire offers a compelling example of progress, combining high HPV vaccination coverage—reaching over three million girls (91.4%)—with WICS-supported community-based screening campaigns to strengthen cervical cancer prevention. In Kenya, cervical cancer screening has been successfully integrated into national health services. “This gathering marks a pivotal moment to accelerate action for breast cancer prevention in Africa. We deeply value the leadership of the Ministries of Health of Ghana and Tanzania, and the steadfast support of the Pfizer Foundation in helping us achieve this milestone. The side event builds momentum for the policy prioritization of women’s cancers, partnerships to strengthen the broader women’s cancer ecosystem, and advance a health-systems approach to breast cancer prevention and management”, said Dr Somesh Kumar, Senior Director, Jhpiego. PEN-Plus expands access to care for severe NCDs at the district hospital level. Since its implementation, 20 countries in Africa have increased access to services for severe NCDs. Over 15 000 people are currently receiving treatment for chronic conditions such as sickle cell disease and Type 1 diabetes through PEN-Plus clinics.
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