AGP Executive Report

Ebola Preparedness in Eritrea: Eritrea’s Ministry of Health says it has launched integrated efforts to control Ebola risk from the Bundibugyo virus affecting parts of the DRC and Uganda, including public information campaigns, airport temperature screening, travel checks for arriving passengers, lab readiness, and training for health workers, with calls for Eritreans in Uganda and South Sudan to follow local guidelines and for people in the DRC to avoid highly affected areas. Public Health Leadership in Eritrea: The Eritrean Public Health Association held its 4th Scientific Conference and Congress in Asmara under “Empowering Public Health Professionals, Improving Population Health,” featuring research on adolescent smoking, school absenteeism linked to menstrual problems, public health practices, quality of life among glaucoma patients, and home delivery, plus plans to define job roles for public health professionals in coordination with the Ministry of Health. Mental Health Signal for Africa: WHO data highlighted South Africa’s high suicide rate (21.1 per 100,000), alongside the region’s top rates, underscoring the need for stronger mental health support. Health Equity via Stem Cell Drives: A UK campaign by a Burton-on-Trent health psychology graduate helped trigger a 1,600% surge in stem cell donor sign-ups from Black communities after her mother’s acute myeloid leukaemia diagnosis. Food & Nutrition Culture: A roundup explains how tef flour is used across Eritrea and Ethiopia—from injera and genfo to kita—linking traditional diets with nutrition benefits.

Ebola preparedness in Eritrea: The Ministry of Health says it has launched integrated efforts to control Ebola (Bundibugyo virus) by distributing disease information to hospitals, adding temperature screening at airports, checking travelers’ recent routes, setting up lab capacity, and training health practitioners—urging Eritreans in Uganda and South Sudan to follow local guidelines and advising people in the DRC to avoid highly affected areas. Public health leadership: The Eritrean Public Health Association held its 4th Scientific Conference and Congress in Asmara, featuring research on adolescent smoking, school absenteeism linked to menstrual problems, glaucoma quality of life, and home delivery—plus plans to define clearer job descriptions for public health professionals in coordination with the Ministry of Health. Community health & harmful practices: In Logo-Anseba (Barentu), 22 villages across 13 administrative areas were declared free of female genital mutilation, with local committees and partners supporting ongoing monitoring and sustainability. Nutrition culture: A feature highlights how tef flour is used across Eritrea and the wider region, from Eritrean kita to Ethiopian injera and genfo, linking staple foods to nutrition and everyday health. Mental health context in the region: WHO data cited in a South Africa-focused report shows high suicide rates (with Eritrea listed at 20.2 per 100,000), underscoring the broader mental health burden across the Horn and beyond.

Ebola Preparedness in Eritrea: Eritrea’s Ministry of Health says it has launched integrated efforts to control Ebola (Bundibugyo virus), including a national task force, public information through media, temperature screening at airports, passenger checks, lab readiness, and training for health workers—plus guidance to Eritreans in Uganda and South Sudan to follow local precautions and to avoid highly affected areas in the DRC. Public Health Leadership: The Eritrean Public Health Association held its 4th Scientific Conference and Congress in Asmara, featuring studies on adolescent smoking, school absenteeism linked to menstrual problems, glaucoma quality of life, and home delivery—along with plans to define job roles for public health professionals. Anti–FGM Progress: In Logo-Anseba (Barentu area), 22 villages across 13 administrative areas were declared free of female genital mutilation, with local committees and partners supporting ongoing monitoring. Health System Capacity (Animal & Plant Health): Eritrea’s National Animal and Plant Health Laboratory reported major growth since independence, including expanded disease diagnosis, vaccine production (millions of doses since 2023), and strengthened regional lab services. Stem Cell Donor Drive: A UK campaign tied to a mother’s acute myeloid leukaemia diagnosis triggered a 1,600% surge in Black stem cell donor registrations, highlighting the need for matched donors for rarer genetic types.

Ebola Preparedness: Eritrea’s Ministry of Health says it has launched integrated efforts to control Ebola risk, including a national task force, hospital guidance, airport temperature screening, passenger travel checks, lab readiness, public messaging, and training for health workers, urging Eritreans in Uganda and South Sudan to follow local guidelines. Public Health Leadership: The Eritrean Public Health Association held its 4th Scientific Conference and Congress in Asmara, with research presentations spanning adolescent smoking, school absenteeism linked to menstrual problems, glaucoma quality of life, home delivery, and public health practice—plus plans to define job roles for public health professionals. Mental Health Signals (Regional): WHO data highlighted South Africa’s high suicide rate (21.1 per 100,000) and listed Eritrea among the higher-rate countries (20.2), underscoring the need for stronger mental health support. Health System Capacity (Animal Health): Eritrea’s National Animal and Plant Health Laboratory reported major gains since independence, including scaling diagnostics and producing millions of vaccine doses since 2023. Health & Safety in Communities: A fire in India’s Hauz Rani area exposed widespread B&B fire-safety and licensing violations, with medical patients among those forced to relocate.

Ebola Preparedness: Eritrea’s Ministry of Health says it has launched integrated efforts to control Ebola risk from the Bundibugyo virus, including a national task force, hospital guidance, airport temperature screening, passenger checks, lab readiness, public information through media, and training for health workers. Public Health Leadership: The Eritrean Public Health Association held its 4th Scientific Conference and Congress in Asmara, featuring research on adolescent smoking, school absenteeism linked to menstrual problems, glaucoma quality of life, home delivery factors, and public health practices, and discussing a revised constitution and clearer job descriptions for public health professionals. FGM-Free Communities: In Logo-Anseba (Gash Barka), 22 villages across 13 administrative areas were declared free of female genital mutilation, with local committees, awareness work since 2018, and support from health and social welfare partners including UNICEF and UNFPA. Animal & Plant Health Capacity: Eritrea’s National Animal and Plant Health Laboratory reports major growth since independence—rising from limited diagnostics to diagnosing up to 16,000 samples per year, producing over 3 million vaccine doses since 2023, and strengthening regional lab services.

Ebola Preparedness in Eritrea: The Ministry of Health says it has launched an integrated national effort to control Ebola risk from the Bundibugyo virus, including public information through media, temperature screening at airports, passenger travel checks, lab readiness, and training for health workers—plus guidance for Eritreans in Uganda and South Sudan to follow local precautions. Public Health Capacity Building: The Eritrean Public Health Association held its 4th Scientific Conference and Congress in Asmara, sharing research on topics like adolescent smoking, school absenteeism linked to menstrual problems, glaucoma quality of life, and home delivery—while discussing a revised constitution and plans to define roles for public health professionals. Anti–FGM Progress in Logo-Anseba: Twenty-two villages in 13 administrative areas of Logo-Anseba were declared free of female genital mutilation, with local committees and partners supporting awareness and ongoing monitoring. Animal & Food Safety Lab Gains: Eritrea’s National Animal and Plant Health Laboratory reports major growth since independence, now diagnosing far more samples annually and producing millions of vaccine doses since 2023, alongside animal feed and food safety testing. Mental Health Regional Focus: Eritrea is listed among countries participating in a WHO-supported East and Southern Africa mental health workshop, aimed at sharing best practices and developing rapid mental health landscape analyses.

Ebola Preparedness: Eritrea’s Ministry of Health says it has launched an integrated national effort to control Ebola risk from the Bundibugyo virus, including a task force, hospital guidance, airport temperature screening, passenger travel checks, lab readiness, public messaging, and training for health workers. Public Health Leadership: The Eritrean Public Health Association held its 4th Scientific Conference and Congress in Asmara, with research presentations ranging from adolescent smoking and school absenteeism linked to menstrual problems to quality of life in glaucoma patients and home delivery, plus plans to define public health professionals’ roles with the Ministry of Health. Mental Health Focus: A WHO-backed regional mental health workshop in Johannesburg will bring Eritrea and other countries together to share mental health progress and develop rapid mental health landscape analyses ahead of a global summit in Kigali. Animal & Food Safety Gains: Eritrea’s National Animal and Plant Health Laboratory reports major growth since independence—diagnosing far more samples than before, producing millions of vaccine doses since 2023, and expanding work on animal and plant disease diagnosis and feed/food safety. Community Health & Rights: In Logo-Anseba, 22 villages were declared free of female genital mutilation, with local monitoring and support plans involving regional authorities, UNICEF, and UNFPA.

Ebola Preparedness: Eritrea’s Ministry of Health says it has launched an integrated national task force to monitor Ebola risk linked to the Bundibugyo virus in the DRC and Uganda, including hospital guidance, airport temperature screening, passenger travel checks, lab readiness, public information via media, and training for health workers. Public Health Leadership: The Eritrean Public Health Association held its 4th Scientific Conference and Congress in Asmara, featuring research on adolescent smoking, school absenteeism tied to menstrual problems, public health practices, quality of life in glaucoma patients, home delivery, and broader public health priorities, plus plans to define roles for public health professionals. FGM-Free Communities: In Logo-Anseba, 22 villages across 13 administrative areas were declared free of female genital mutilation, with local monitoring and support urged to keep the gains sustainable. Animal & Plant Health Capacity: Eritrea’s National Animal and Plant Health Laboratory reported major growth since independence, now diagnosing far more samples annually and producing millions of vaccine doses since 2023, supporting animal disease control and food safety. Mental Health Focus: Eritrea is listed among countries participating in a WHO-backed regional mental health workshop in Johannesburg, aimed at sharing best practices and developing a rapid mental health landscape analysis.

FGM-Free Communities: In Logo-Anseba (Barentu area), 22 villages across 13 administrative areas were declared free of female genital mutilation after a 30 May ceremony, with local monitoring urged to keep the gains. Public Health Leadership: The Eritrean Public Health Association held its 4th Scientific Conference and Congress in Asmara on 30 May, featuring research on adolescent smoking, school absenteeism linked to menstrual problems, quality of life in glaucoma patients, home delivery, and more—plus plans to define job roles for public health professionals. Mental Health Focus (Regional): South Africa’s suicide rate is reported as the 4th-highest in Africa (WHO data), while a WHO-supported mental health workshop in Johannesburg is set to help countries—including Eritrea—produce rapid mental health landscape analyses. Snakebite Risk: A WHO-led study warns snakebite risk may rise as venomous snakes expand into new areas due to climate disruption, with millions of cases and significant deaths and disabilities globally. Animal Health Capacity: Eritrea’s National Animal and Plant Health Laboratory marked 35 years of progress, including much higher diagnostic capacity and vaccine production (millions of doses since 2023).

FGM-Free Communities: In Logo-Anseba (Gash Barka), 22 villages across 13 administrative areas were declared free of female genital mutilation, with local monitoring urged to keep the gains sustainable. Public Health Leadership: The Eritrean Public Health Association held its 4th Scientific Conference and Congress in Asmara, featuring research on adolescent smoking, school absenteeism linked to menstrual problems, home delivery, quality of life in glaucoma patients, and public health practices—plus plans to define roles for public health professionals with the Ministry of Health. Animal & Plant Health Capacity: Eritrea’s National Animal and Plant Health Laboratory reported major growth since independence, now diagnosing up to 16,000 samples per year and producing millions of vaccine doses since 2023, including Newcastle disease, Gumboro, and PPR vaccines. Mental Health Focus (Regional): A WHO-supported mental health workshop in Johannesburg will gather Eritrea and other countries to develop rapid mental health landscape analyses ahead of a global summit in Kigali. Snakebite Risk: A WHO-led study warns that climate-driven habitat shifts may increase human contact with venomous snakes, raising snakebite risk in more places.

Eritrean Public Health: The Eritrean Public Health Association wrapped its 4th Scientific Conference and Congress in Asmara on 30 May, under “Empowering Public Health Professionals, Improving Population Health,” with presentations ranging from adolescent smoking and school absenteeism linked to menstrual problems to quality of life in glaucoma patients and home delivery determinants. Health Workforce Planning: Association leaders said they are developing clear job descriptions for public health professionals at all levels, to align roles with the Ministry of Health framework. Animal & Plant Health Capacity: Eritrea’s National Animal and Plant Health Laboratory marked 35 years of progress, expanding from limited diagnostics to handling up to 16,000 samples per year and producing over 3 million vaccine doses since 2023, including Newcastle disease, Gumboro, and PPR. Regional Mental Health Focus: Eritrea is also listed among countries participating in a WHO-led East and Southern Africa mental health workshop, aimed at sharing best practices and building country mental health landscape analyses.

Public Health Leadership: The Eritrean Public Health Association held its 4th Scientific Conference and Congress in Asmara on 30 May, focusing on “Empowering Public Health Professionals, Improving Population Health.” Presentations covered adolescent smoking patterns, menstrual-related school absenteeism, public health practices, quality of life in glaucoma patients, home delivery determinants, and why public health matters. The meeting also reviewed the association’s report and revised constitution, with plans to align a new job description for public health professionals with the Ministry of Health. Health Milestones & Capacity: Eritrea’s National Animal and Plant Health Laboratory marked 35 years of progress, expanding from limited pre-independence diagnostics (about 600 samples a year) to diagnosing up to 16,000 samples annually and producing over 3 million vaccine doses since 2023, including Newcastle disease, Gumboro, and PPR vaccines. Independence & Health Foundations: As Eritrea marked its 35th Independence Day, coverage highlighted investments over the years in water and soil conservation, education, health, and other sectors as key foundations for future social and economic goals.

Public Health Congress: Eritrean Public Health Association held its 4th Scientific Conference and Congress in Asmara, with talks on adolescent smoking, school absenteeism linked to menstrual problems, home delivery, and quality of life for glaucoma patients. Leaders say the meeting will help shape the future of Eritrea’s health system and align a new job description for public health professionals with the Ministry of Health. Animal & Plant Health Lab Gains: Eritrea’s National Animal and Plant Health Laboratory marked 35 years of progress, expanding from limited disease testing to diagnosing up to 16,000 samples a year and producing over 3 million vaccine doses since 2023, supporting animal and food safety. Mental Health Focus: Eritrea is set to take part in a WHO-backed East and Southern Africa mental health workshop in Johannesburg, aimed at sharing country progress and building a rapid mental health landscape analysis. Independence & Health Context: Independence Day coverage highlights ongoing investment in health and social services as part of Eritrea’s resilience narrative, alongside public events and messages from partners abroad. Snakebite Risk (Global): A WHO-led study warns climate change may increase venomous snake encounters, with higher risk for communities as reptiles shift closer to people.

Independence Day health & wellbeing angle: On the eve of Eritrea’s 35th Independence Day, celebrations in Asmara highlighted youth resilience with the slogan “I am Greater than I Was,” a reminder that wellbeing is also about confidence, education, and community support. Public health systems: Eritrea’s National Animal and Plant Health Laboratory reported major growth since independence—ramping up disease diagnosis capacity, expanding plant and feed testing, and producing millions of vaccine doses since 2023—work that supports safer food and healthier livelihoods. Mental health focus: Eritrea is listed among countries participating in a WHO-led East and Southern Africa mental health workshop, aimed at building country mental health plans ahead of a global summit in Kigali. Snakebite risk: A WHO-led study warns that climate change may increase snakebite encounters as venomous species shift toward more populated areas, raising the need for prevention and rapid care. Diplomacy with health links: India’s foreign minister renewed ties with Eritrea, noting cooperation that includes health and education capacity building.

Animal & Plant Health Lab Boost: Eritrea’s National Animal and Plant Health Laboratory reports major gains since independence—ramping from about 600 samples a year to diagnosing up to 16,000 annually, with capacity above 12,000 samples per month. It now covers animal and plant disease diagnosis, feed and food safety testing, vaccine production, and support for regional lab networks; since 2023 it has produced over 3 million vaccine doses, including Newcastle disease, Gumboro, and PPR. Independence & Health Investment: Eritrea’s 35th Independence Day events in Geneva highlighted “Our Resilience: Our Guarantee,” with speakers pointing to long-term investment in water and soil conservation, education, health, and other sectors as a foundation for future goals. Mental Health Regional Push: Eritrea is listed among countries taking part in a WHO-led East and Southern Africa mental health workshop, focused on sharing country progress and building a rapid mental health landscape analysis. Snakebite Risk Ahead: A WHO-led study warns snakebite risk may rise as venomous snakes shift habitats with climate change and human pressure—potentially increasing encounters in areas not previously affected.

Mental Health Focus: South Africa’s Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi opened a regional mental health workshop, highlighting the scale of depression, anxiety, and alcohol-use disorders across East and Southern Africa and calling for country mental-health landscape plans. Snakebite Risk: A WHO-led study warns that climate change and habitat shifts are increasing human contact with venomous snakes, with millions of cases and major death and disability burdens expected to rise. Neglected Tropical Disease: WHO and Gilead Sciences renewed a five-year push to eliminate visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar), including large medicine donations and support to expand diagnosis and treatment access, with East Africa in focus. Eritrea Independence & Health System Building: Eritrea marked 35 years of independence under “Our Resilience: Our Guarantee,” with UN and national messages emphasizing institutions like schools and clinics and continued nation-building. Regional Health & Governance Context: An Ethiopia situation update reported forced conscription of youth in Tigray, underscoring how conflict disrupts health and protection for children.