WHO South Africa

Season’s Greetings from WHO South Africa. Thank you for working with us throughout the year to advance health for all. Wishing you peace, good health, and well-being during the festive season and into the year ahead.

Festive celebrations should be joyful, not risky to our health.

In a recent Botswana’s Mmegi newspaper interview, World Health Organization (WHO) South Africa Representative Ms Shenaaz El-Halabi speaks about hypertension, everyday lifestyle pressures, and the importance of routine screening and healthier habits to protect our hearts.

A timely reminder that small, consistent choices can make a big difference during the holidays and beyond.

WHO joined the National Department of Health (South Africa) and partners today to commemorate Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Day 2025 in Pretoria,under the theme: “Unaffordable health costs? We’re sick of it!”

The high-level engagement convened the Minister of Health, MECs, policymakers, civil society, researchers and development partners to advance dialogue on financial protection, affordability and the phased implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI).

World Health Organization (WHO) commits to supporting evidence-based reforms that ensure equitable access to quality health care without financial hardship.

Universal Health Coverage is a promise of equity and protection. Health systems must shield people from hardship, especially those most at risk.

On , we reaffirm the call to build health systems that protect everyone.

Global leadership united in South Africa this weekend for the G20 Leaders’ Summit, the first ever held on African soil. A historic moment for the continent and the world, strengthening political commitment to healthier, safer and more resilient societies.
Representing the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus engaged Heads of State, ministers and partners to emphasize that investing in health systems, primary health care, innovation and pandemic preparedness is not only a moral imperative, it is foundational to economic stability, social protection and global security.

The Summit concluded with the adoption of the G20 Leaders’ Declaration, reaffirming solidarity, equality and sustainability as shared global priorities.

Ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, The Global Fund held its 8th Replenishment gathering in South Africa and secured a historic US $11.34 billion pledge to combat HIV, tuberculosis and malaria and to strengthen global health security, signaling strong momentum for collective action.
As the world continues to navigate converging crises, WHO remains committed to supporting governments and working alongside communities, civil society and international partners to advance Health for All, leaving no one behind.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is in South Africa ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit.

Today he joined global leaders and partners at the Global Fund Replenishment Summit in Johannesburg convening heads of state and government where over US $11.3 billion was pledged to strengthen the fight against AIDS, TB and malaria.

For the first time, the world marks the commemoration of .

Cervical cancer remains the fourth most common cancer in women, despite being both preventable and curable when detected early.

This week, experts from the Eastern & Southern Africa Region are meeting in Cape Town to advance HPV vaccination for people living with HIV and strengthen evidence-based strategies to protect girls and prevent cervical cancer. A step toward safeguarding women and girl's health and accelerating progress toward elimination.