WHO director-general Tedros Ghebreyesus gave the update to journalists on the sidelines of the 79th World Health Assembly on Wednesday.
Measles vaccinations have saved nearly 20 million lives in Africa since 2000, and more than 500 million children have been protected through routine immunisation.
Mr Janabi noted that in 2024 alone, tuberculosis killed 378,000 people in Africa and infected 2.7 million others, representing about one quarter of the global TB burden.
Mr Janabi said, “The WHO remains committed to supporting Member States in integrating oral health into national health systems, and advancing equitable access to care.”
WHO has urged African countries to take urgent and sustained measures to confront the growing diabetes crisis threatening millions of lives across the continent.
He revealed that as of 2021, only 32 per cent of WHO member states had developed a national policy specifically addressing vision loss and blindness.
Mr Janabi described Nigeria’s recent health sector reforms as timely and commendable.
The World Health Organisation says Mohamed Janabi has been nominated as the next African regional director.
