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[Vanguard] The World Health Organisation, WHO, and COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access, COVAX on Wednesday announced that Nigeria and other lower-income countries will get approximately 1.2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines in 2021.
A November 26 letter from the presidency asked the head of Uganda's national drug authority to 'work out a mechanism' to clear the importation of the vaccines.
China has about five COVID-19 vaccine candidates at different levels of trials. It was not clear what vaccine was being imported into Uganda.
One of the frontrunners is the Sinopharm vaccine developed by the Beijing Institute of Biological Product, a unit of Sinopharm’s China National Biotec Group (CNBG).
On Wednesday, the United Arab Emirates said the vaccine has 86% efficacy, citing an interim analysis of late-stage clinical trials.
China has used the drug to vaccinate up to a million people under its emergency use program.
On Tuesday, Morocco said it was ordering up to 10 million doses of the vaccine.
Record cases
Uganda on Monday registered 701 new COVID-19 cases, the highest-ever daily increase, bringing its national count to 23,200.
The new cases were out of the 5,578 samples tested for the novel coronavirus over the past 24 hours, the country's health ministry said in a statement.
Tuesday's tally was 606, the second-highest ever number of new infections, bringing the cumulative number of confirmed cases in the east African country to 23,860.
Health authorities have blamed ongoing election campaigns which have drawn huge crowds for the rise in infections.
In light of a warning by the World Health Organisation with regard to the reopening of schools while Covid-19 is approaching its peak, President Cyril Ramaphosa says the matter is currently under discussion.
Health is important for the development of any nation. In essence, health and development are symbiotic hybrids. guest column:Johannes Marisa So many people have lost confidence in the public health system in Zimbabwe with the private medical sector also being blamed for exorbitant charges which are beyond the reach of many. Many people blame the government for lack of hospital equipment, medicines and sundries that are required for a robust health service delivery. In 2007, World Health Organisation (WHO) came up with a framework describing health systems in terms of six core components or building blocks and these are leadership, medicines, health workforce, information systems, financing and service delivery. The Health and Child Care deputy minister, John Mangwiro, on Sunday at a Kadoma conference for private medical practitioners pointed out that the popularity of Karanda Mission Hospital was because of the attitude of its staff. I visited Karanda at one time, the reception even from the gate keeper was warming, the receptionists were always smiling, nurses and doctors were always mingling with patients in a jovial way. In contrast, government hospitals were labelled death traps. We need to know the other side of the coin if we are to unearth the real cause of public hospital service disintegration in our beautiful country. A lot of people have often rushed to blame the government or the Health ministers for the poor service being offered at some government hospitals. What I witnessed on Sunday at Chegutu Hospital exposes preventable staff failure. Some of these hospitals are dying today because of maladministration, poor attitude and being inconsiderate on the part of medical staff. If a hospital like Chegutu District Hospital, which is along a major highway, is allowed to run without emergency preparedness yet we are approaching the festive season, then our country is doomed. The events I am narrating will tell you who to blame for some of the medical mishaps in a lot of public hospitals. Bad attitude, maladministration, arrogance, lack of consideration and empathy have slaughtered our health sector. An accident occurred on Sunday just 7 kilometres after Chegutu Hospital. Two people lost their lives and the injured were rushed to Chegutu Hospital. When we got to the scene of the accident on our way from a conference in Kadoma, it was already 2 hours after the incident. My sixth sense told me to drive back to Chegutu Hospital to check on the state of the survivors. Upon arrival in the casualty department, we introduced ourselves and then asked for gloves, suture material and other things to use because the three patients were groaning in pain and two of them were bleeding from lacerations. To my surprise, the following is what we discovered: • The injured were yet to be attended to, three hours after the accident • There was no single pair of gloves available • There were no available suture packs, what was only available was vicryl, an absorbable suture • No surgical blade • No painkillers for emergency cases
A GROUP of academics have published a paper exploring whether the government could make a COVID vaccine compulsory. They suggest that such a step may be necessary. They advise that COVID vaccination could be a condition of release from lockdown and related restrictions.
Major African stats: May 31 at 7:00 GMT:
\t
\t\tConfirmed cases = 141,599
\t\tNumber of deaths = 4,070
\t\tRecoveries = 59,191
\t\tActive cases = 78,338
SUGGESTED READING: rolling coverage of the coronavirus outbreak in Africa I
\t\tLesotho confirms index case
\t\tComoros records first case
\t\tUS support for Kenya, South Africa; Africa’s equipment crunch
\t\tAfrica case increase worries experts
May 31: China to support Africa with virus logistics
\tChina will give Africa 30 million test kits per month, as well as 10 000 ventilators and 80 million masks, South African president Cyril Ramaphosa disclosed on Sunday during a virtual meeting with top editors in the country.
Back in South Africa, Ramaphosa who is the chairperson of the African Union also defended the decision to reopen the economy of Africa’s most industrialized nation despite being the most impacted and the having carried out the most tests.
The South African president is also current chairperson of the African Union, AU; he is leading Africa’s most impacted country and the continent’s effort to get international support to fight the pandemic.
Africa dangerously behind in global race for virus gear
\tAs Africa braces for a surge in coronavirus cases, its countries are dangerously behind in the global race for scarce medical equipment.
AP
April 23: Africa’s 43% jump in virus cases in 1 week worries experts
\tAfrica registered a 43% jump in reported COVID-19 cases in the last week, highlighting a warning from the World Health Organization that the continent of 1.3 billion could become the next epicenter of the global outbreak.
[SAnews.gov.za] The devastating reality of COVID-19 continues to batter the country as South Africa reported a record of 13 674 new cases on Thursday, bringing the total to 238 339 infections.
So far, Africa has recorded more than 1,8 million cases of the coronavirus. The death toll is inching closer to 45 000 while 1,535,747 people have managed to recover
The Department of Social Development in the Western Cape is offering a vast range of services for those with disabilities.
In a message to African leaders to mark the \"Africa Day 2020,\" commemorated by the African Union Commission in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), President Buhari said Africa has given the world a new hope by choosing the theme\"Silencing the Guns in the context of the COVID-19\" for this year's Africa Day.
Mr Buhari stressed the need for African leaders to ensure that every effort is made to ensure the success of silencing the guns on the continent, emphasising the need to sensitize Africans about the inseparable connection between peace and development.
\"Peace, security, unity and harmony are prerequisites for development in Africa,\" the Nigerian leader said, urging citizens all over the continent to innovate on how\"Silencing the Guns\" can be used to achieve peace and grow African economies.
He also urged regional economic groups, civil society organisations and the private sector in Africa to take full ownership of the theme of this year's celebration to strengthen collaborative efforts among member-countries of the African Union.
Africa Day is observed annually on 25 May, to commemorate the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the precursor of the African Union, which was created on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Kenya’s leading research institute has begun exploring efficacy of one of its herbal and traditional medicines likely to treat Covid-19.
Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) has identified Zedupex, an in-house herbal medicine used in the treatment of genital herpes -- a common viral disease that causes sores on the mouth and genitals.
“Kemri has commenced exploring efficacy of its in-house product (Zedupex) and other natural products against Covid-19,” Prof Kombe said.
But as Kenya tries to explore the treatment of the virus with traditional medicines, the African Union said it will now start testing the controversial herbal remedy for Covid-19 from Madagascar.
The WHO announced on Tuesday evening that it held a virtual meeting with 70 traditional medicine experts from African countries on the role of traditional medicine in Covid-19 response.
For example, in less than two weeks, Bank of Kigali's (BK), \"Turikumwe,\" a special salary loan product, has recorded more than 2,000 online applications and 150 loan approvals.
I&M Bank Rwanda reduced its base lending rate from 16.5 per cent to 16 per cent, as the bank moves to give its customers relief on their loan repayment burden during this time when the pandemic has dealt shocks to a number of sectors.
The lender has over Rwf170 billion in loans and advances to customers, and the reduction is expected to cost the bank between Rwf80 million and Rwf100 million in the initial months.
Following the central bank's directive that banks ease loan repayment by facilitating loan restructuring for their clients, banks have already done so for many of their customers, while others are still receiving and processing applications.
For customers who want to continue servicing their loan facilities, BK has waived all late payment penalties on term loans, including BK quick loans and credit card penalties for the months of March, April and May.
South Africa expects to receive its first batch of Covid-19 vaccines from the global vaccine distribution scheme, Covax, in the second quarter of 2021.
[East African] A waiver on patents and other intellectual property-related rights to Covid-19 drugs, vaccines, diagnostics and other technologies -- lasting the duration of the pandemic -- has been delayed by at least nine developed countries.
More than 2,000 registered to listen to the nation’s top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci engage with religious leaders in Roxbury via Zoom on a potential coronavirus vaccine and the need to get vaccinated.
The post Fauci, Walsh urge Bostonians to get vaccinated appeared first on The Bay State Banner.
Botswana has signed an agreement with the global vaccine distribution scheme co-led by the World Health Organisation, giving it the option to buy coronavirus vaccines for 20% of its population, a senior health official told Reuters
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to threaten health and food systems in Africa and around the world, the 2020 Global Nutrition Report calls on governments, businesses and civil society to step up efforts to address malnutrition in all its forms.
As inequalities and malnutrition continue to sweep the world and Africa, the 2020 Global Nutrition Report stresses that the need to address malnutrition in all its forms by tackling injustices in food and health systems is now more urgent than ever.
Of 37 countries that struggle with three forms of malnutrition – childhood stunting, anaemia in women of reproductive age and overweight among women – 27 were in Africa.
Venkatesh Mannar, Co-Chair of the Report and Special Adviser on Nutrition to the Tata Cornell Agriculture Nutrition Initiative, said: “At a time when COVID-19 has further revealed the gaps in our food systems, we now have a unique opportunity to act in coordination to address them and ensure that healthy and sustainably produced food is the most accessible, affordable and desirable choice for all.”
Renata Micha, Co-Chair of the Report and Research Associate Professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, said: “Good nutrition is an essential defence strategy to protect populations against epidemics, release the burden on our health systems, deliver Universal Health Coverage and ultimately save lives.
Thailand is conducting tests on macaque monkeys as it races to produce a cheaper, alternative coronavirus vaccine it hopes will be ready by 2021, a top researcher said Monday.
More than 100 candidate vaccines are currently in various stages of development around the world, at least eight of which are in clinical trials with humans, according to the World Health Organisation.
Oxford University researchers are considered the frontrunners in the race, starting clinical trials last month on a version based on a different virus that causes infections in chimpanzees.
At least two other companies -- pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and US-based Moderna -- are developing vaccines using the same technology, with the latter reporting positive preliminary results last week from clinical trials.
If the tests on the macaques go well, human trials should start in October, said Dr. Kiat Ruxrungtham, chair of the Chula Vaccine Research Center at Chulalongkorn University.
The administration has shared limited and often confusing information about its strategy, making it difficult for overwhelmed state and local officials to plan.
Health workers responding to an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo have gone on strike over unpaid salaries.
Habit Kenya has highest prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa but registers decline.
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank, today approved an €188 million loan to support the Government of Kenya’s efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate the related economic, health and social impacts.
The loan will extend additional resources to Kenya as the country takes steps to contain the spread of the pandemic and deal with its unprecedented impact.
“We are very pleased to join other development partners in supporting the Government of Kenya’s efforts in mitigating the financial impact of the pandemic, especially in terms of the country’s expenditure in the health, social and economic sectors.
In April, the Bank extended an emergency grant to help countries in the East and Horn of Africa, including Kenya, that are contending with swarms of locusts that are threatening food security.
He added that the government recognizes truck drivers and their counterparts in the transport industry for their continued support to ensure adequate supplies of goods across the East African countries and for enduring long journey and waiting times at border points as each country tries to be vigilant in their containment measures against COVID.
With a total of 221 COVID-19 deaths, Nigeria, with estimated population of 205.5 million recorded a total of 7,526 confirmed cases which is equivalent to one death per million population according to data from the Johns Hopkins University of Medicine, JHU, released on May 23rd, 2020.
From the data, Nigeria has lower death burden per million population when compared to the 7 deaths per million population recorded by South Africa (59.2 million) with 21, 343 cases and total of 407 deaths and Egypt (102.1 million) with 16,513 cases and total of 808 deaths.
In terms of the death burden per million population, Africa's most populous country, ties with less populous countries like Ghana (31 million) 6,617 cases and total of 198 deaths; Algeria (population 43.7 million) with 8,113 confirmed COVID-19 cases and total of 31 deaths; Ivory Coast (26.3 million) with 2,366 cases and total of 30 deaths and Togo (8.2 million) with 373 cases and total of 12 deaths.
From the data, Africa recorded a total of 107,747 confirmed cases and 3,257 deaths, and of the total 1.5 million COVID-19 tests so far conducted in the continent, Nigeria conducted a total of 43,328 tests, which is 2 percent of the total, compared to South Africa that has carried out 564,370 tests (37.6 percent); Ghana, 193,705 (12.9 percent); Cameroun, 161, 882 (10.7 percent); Egypt, 135,000 (9 percent); Morocco, 133,561 (8 percent); Kenya, 76,692 (5 percent), and Ethiopia, 57,650 (3 percent).
Although the case fertility rate for Nigeria is currently about 3 percent, Tomori, in a chat with Vanguard, said there was need to also compare the number of confirmed cases each month to be able to state clearly if the number of deaths are rising or not.
KENYA IS the last country in East Africa to reopen schools for students after closing...
The post Schools in Kenya reopen after nine-month COVID-19 closure appeared first on Voice Online.
This articles lead section may not adequately summarize key points of its contents. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of all important aspects of the article. Please discuss this issue on the articles talk page. (March 2010)
The Organisation of African Unity (OAU; French: Organisation de lunité africaine (OUA)) was established on 25 May 1963 in Addis Ababa, with 32 signatory governments.[1] It was disbanded on 9 July 2002 by its last chairperson, South African President Thabo Mbeki, and replaced by the African Union (AU).
The OAU had the following primary aims:
To co-ordinate and intensify the co-operation of African states in order to achieve a better life for the people of Africa.[1]
To defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of African states.
The OAU was also dedicated to the eradication of all forms of colonialism and white minority rule as, when it was established, there were several states that had not yet won their independence or were white minority-ruled. South Africa and Angola were two such countries. The OAU proposed two ways of ridding the continent of colonialism and white minority rule. Firstly, it would defend the interests of independent countries and help to pursue the independence those of still-colonised ones. Secondly, it would remain neutral in terms of world affairs, preventing its members from being controlled once more by outside powers.
A Liberation Committee was established to aid independence movements and look after the interests of already-independent states. The OAU also aimed to stay neutral in terms of global politics, which would prevent them from being controlled once more by outside forces – an especial danger with the Cold War.
The OAU had other aims, too:
Ensure that all Africans enjoyed human rights.
Raise the living standards of all Africans.
Settle arguments and disputes between members – not through fighting but rather peaceful and diplomatic negotiation.
Soon after achieving independence, a number of
This makes it imperative for governments to apply social assistance programme for the poor and vulnerable .
According to the World Bank, per capita spending on social assistance programmes is lower in low- and middle-income countries (less than $1,000) than in high-income countries ($4,000-$5,000).
It reports that Nigeria's total spending on social assistance programmes is 0.28% of GDP and covers only 7% of the population.
This is aimed at financial support for the poor and vulnerable whose incomes or livelihoods are at risk due to natural, human or economic crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated lockdown.
Others include youth employment and community social development projects, like the home-grown school feeding programmes to address poverty and hunger.
A new United Nations report released here Wednesday shows the territorial inequality of malnutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean.
\"There are over 123,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases on the African continent - with more than 50,000 recoveries and 3,600 deaths,\" it said.
The figures show that South Africa, Algeria and Nigeria have the highest reported cases in the continent.
According to the report, South Africa has 25,937 cases and 552 deaths, followed by Algeria with 8,857 cases and 623 deaths, while Nigeria has 8,733 confirmed cases and 254 deaths.
It said that Lesotho had only two confirmed cases with zero death.
Seychelles had 11 reported cases and zero death, while Namibia recorded 22 confirmed cases with no death.
BY MOSES MATENGA THE ruling Zanu PF and opposition MDC Alliance yesterday said they were going ahead with preparations for by-elections despite the recent poll ban imposed by Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga. In announcing the ban, Chiwenga, who doubles as Health minister, cited COVID-19 fears, but his decision has been widely dismissed with the World Health Organisation last week saying elections could still be safely held as long as authorities enforce certain safety measures. Some voters have challenged the ban in court, with constitutional law experts saying they stood a greater chance of winning the case. At the weekend, both parties were in the trenches holding primary elections in various parts of the country, saying they were confident the ban would be reversed soon. Several constituencies are without representation in Parliament after Thokozani Khupe recalled 32 MDC Alliance MPs accusing them of defecting from her MDC-T party. Zanu PF national commissar Victor Matemadanda said his party was on the ground for any eventuality, insisting that the people needed representation “at all times”. “The ban doesn’t have anything to do with the preparation because COVID-19 will come to an end and elections will be there, but meanwhile, people want service, so we can’t have a time we say politics is on leave in a constituency where there are people,” Matemadanda said. “Therefore, we are preparing until elections are called for so we remain prepared.” Zanu PF held primary elections in Epworth where Kudakwashe Damson emerged victorious. This was the second primary election after Chiwenga’s declaration, with the one held in Kwekwe Central to replace the late National Patriotic Front MP Masango Matambanadzo being aborted due to intra-party violence. The Epworth seat fell vacant following the recall of MDC Alliance MP Ethenrige Kureva by Khupe. The MDC Alliance also held primary elections in Kuwadzana to choose a candidate to replace Miriam Mushayi who passed on in September. Party secretary-general Chalton Hwende said the ban was unconstitutional and by-elections would be held anytime. “We held a primary election for Kuwadzana where we lost Honourable Mushayi. We are not doing primary elections for the recalled MPs because we have maintained that the move was unconstitutional,” Hwende said. Hwende is one of the 32 MPs recalled by the MDC-T. “We have maintained that the ban on by-elections is unconstitutional and Parliament has weighed in and also stated that it is unconstitutional. “We insist the law must be upheld and that is why we are busy preparing and also Zanu PF is preparing because they know that they cannot violate the Constitution. Zanu PF is also holding primary elections and it means they are preparing for elections anytime.” Last month, Chiwenga announced postponement of the by-elections indefinitely before Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda told Parliament on Thursday that Statutory Instrument 225A of 2020 had been deemed unconstitutional by the Parliamentary Legal Committee. He, however, appeared to make a
