Africa – KMAUPDATES

Jul132020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Nigeria Rugby Football Federation (NRFF) partners Rugby Outreach UK

Sports

Nigeria Rugby announced yesterday its partnership with Rugby Outreach UK to provide Rugby fitness, strength and conditioning advice to local teams across Nigeria. Technical Director; Abubakar Yaro says the partnership will help local teams across the country improve their fitness and conditioning required in the game. The Rugby Outreach Project is a global charity that provides Rugby fitness, strength and conditioning advice. The project operates on every rugby playing continent and assists teams from the grassroots level all the way up to international. This includes Union, League and 7s rugby. Teams can receive free training programs that focus on areas such as speed, power development, strength and endurance, all focused specifically for rugby. The programs are tailored to ...

Jul122020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Coronavirus – South Africa: Provincial Governments and Municipalities urged to continue the fight against Covid-19

CORONAVIRUS

Cape Town, Parliament, 12 July 2020 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Ms Faith Muthambi, expresses her full support and deep concern following the positive Covid-19 tests for the Premier of Gauteng David Makhura, Job Mokgoro, from North West, and Alan Winde, from the Western Cape. “As we approach the peak of the corona pandemic it is clear that no one is safe in the country” says Ms Muthambi. On behalf of the committee, Ms Muthambi, called on all South Africans to adhere to the lockdown regulations as these are aimed at protecting the people of South Africa. With more than 250 600 cases of Covid-19 across the country and 3,860 fatalities Ms Muthambi is calling on all organs of state and frontline workers to ensure th...

Jul122020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Coronavirus – Sierra Leone: International Organization for Migration (IOM) Water Facilities Help Resettled Communities Fight COVID-19 in Sierra Leone

HEALTH

FREETOWN, Sierra Leone, July 12, 2020/ -- Amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, handwashing remains among the most difficult preventive measures for millions of Sierra Leoneans to follow. In fact, access to clean water is still a challenge for many crowded urban settlements across Sierra Leone, a small country in West Africa where an estimated 2.9 million people live without clean and potable water. So, how do you wash your hands if you cannot access water? Despite the COVID-19 outbreak in a country still traumatized by some 4,000 deaths caused by the Ebola virus, flood survivors living in camps often forsake lockdown measures as they search for clean water for their households. To support these disaster-affected communities, the In...

Jul112020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Coronavirus – Africa: Taming post-harvest losses can boost food security in Africa, say church leaders

CORONAVIRUS

GENEVA, Switzerland, July 11, 2020/ -- African Church leaders are highlighting the need to tame the continent’s persistent post-harvest losses, as organizations point at rising food insecurity due to the coronavirus pandemic. Although some regions have registered bumper harvests following improved rains, concerns for loss of food in the processes of harvesting, transport, and storage have also emerged.In the past, such losses seen to occur from the farms to dining tables have been a major cause of hunger among rural communities, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, according to church officials and agricultural experts.“A look at what is harvested and how it’s handled, it is visible that post-harvest food losses in Africa are high,” said Ven. J.W Kofi deGrant Johnson, a Ghanaian Anglican ...

Jul112020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Coronavirus – Africa: UNESCO and UNHCR on improving refugee youth education in the post-Covid context, a roundtable debate

CORONAVIRUS

PARIS, France, July 11, 2020/ -- UNESCO and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are convening an online round table on Monday 13 July from 4 to 5.30 pm (2.00—3.30 pm, UTC) to examine ways to optimize schooling and learning for young refugees in the future post-epidemic context. The discussion will be moderated by UN Special Envoy and actor Angelina Jolie, a refugee advocate of longstanding. The meeting is co-sponsored by Canada, the United Kingdom and the global fund Education Cannot Wait, which has earmarked its second Covid emergency allocation for refugees. Exchanges will take place in English with simultaneous translation into French.The meeting will be opened by UNESCO Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, the High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo...

Jul102020 by Kayongo Brian TimothyNo Comments

UGANDA: Oxfam Warns of Hunger escalating amid the Pandemic.

AFRICA, CORONAVIRUS, UGANDA

KAMPALA – Oxfam has warned that hunger linked to COVID-19 could kill as many as 12,000 people a day by the end of the year, potentially claiming more lives each day than the disease itself. ‘The Hunger Virus,’ reveals how 121 million more people (globally) could be pushed to the brink of starvation this year as a result of the social and economic fallout from the pandemic including through mass unemployment, disruption to food production and supplies, and declining aid. In the Horn, East, and Central Africa (HECA) region, over 47 million people were already food insecure due to the triple crises of floods, locust infestation, and now COVID-19. Lydia Zigomo, Oxfam’s HECA Regional Director said: “DRC, Ethiopia, Sudan, and South Sudan were all already facing humanitarian emergencies...

Jul102020 by Kayongo Brian TimothyNo Comments

AFRICA: President Kenyatta has Ordered Registration of All Pregnant Teens for Natal Care

AFRICA, KENYA

President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed that all pregnant schoolgirls be registered to ensure they access free pre and post-natal care, Education Chief Administrative Secretary Zack Kinuthia has revealed. He told the Nation the directive is contained in a presidential directive issued recently, including an order that the national crime research centre come up with a report on high incidence of child abuse in the country. "All the chiefs and their assistants have been directed to register all the pregnant schoolgirls and ensure they do not fail to access maternal healthcare," he said, adding that the presidential communication to that effect has since been relayed to all County Commissioners. Mr Kinuthia said the president is worried that due to the social stigma most of girls in t...

Jul102020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Coronavirus – Africa: WHO calls for equitable access to future COVID-19 vaccines in Africa

CORONAVIRUS

BRAZZAVILLE, Congo (Republic of the), July 10, 2020 --The World Health Organization (WHO) in Africa joined immunization experts in urging the international community and countries in Africa to take concrete actions to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, as researchers around the world race to find effective protection against the virus. “It is clear that as the international community comes together to develop safe and effective vaccines and therapeutics for COVID-19, equity must be a central focus of these efforts,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Too often, African countries end up at the back of the queue for new technologies, including vaccines. These life-saving products must be available to everyone, not only those who can afford to pay.” ...

Jul102020 by Kayongo Brian TimothyNo Comments

CORONAVIRUS: Africa begins collaboration for Covid-19 vaccine trial

CORONAVIRUS

The African Union Commission has launched a consortium for Covid-19 vaccine clinical trials aimed at securing more than 10 trials as early as possible. The new consortium will be headed by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. It will bring together global vaccine developers, funders, and African organisations that facilitate clinical trials to ensure that sufficient data on effects of vaccine candidates on the African population is generated. This will enable vaccines to be confidently rolled out in Africa once approved. The AU Commission says rolling out a vaccine in Africa is key to “limiting transmission, preventing deaths and laying the foundation for socio-economic recovery that should bring Africa’s integration agenda back on track”. “Success in develop...

Jul92020 by Kayongo Brian TimothyNo Comments

Coronavirus – Africa: UNHCR and WFP warn refugees in Africa face hunger and malnutrition as COVID-19 worsens food shortages

AFRICA, CORONAVIRUS, HEALTH

ROME, Italy, July 9, 2020/ -- UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the World Food Programme (WFP) are warning that severe underfunding, conflict and disasters – as well as supply chain challenges, rising food prices and loss of income due to COVID19 - threaten to leave millions of refugees across Africa without food.“Millions of refugees throughout Africa are currently reliant on regular aid to meet their food needs,” said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees. “Around half are children, who may develop life-long difficulties if deprived of food at vital stages in their development.”Unless urgent action is taken to address the situation, levels of acute malnutrition, stunting and anemia are expected to rise. In refugee camps in Ethiopia, 62% of children are experiencing critical ...

Jul92020 by Kayongo Brian TimothyNo Comments

Coronavirus – Uganda: The Minister of Health commissions Donations East African Community (EAC) Secretariat

CORONAVIRUS, UGANDA

KAMPALA, Uganda, July 9, 2020/ -- The Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng commissioned 2 mobile laboratories, 4 vehicles, laboratory test kits and other consumables donated by EAC Secretariat. This was an initiative by Govt of Germany and is a great boost to the COVID Response and other potential disease outbreaks

Jul92020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Coronavirus – Seychelles: New COVID-19 cases detected on board Spanish fishing vessel

CORONAVIRUS

VICTORIA, Seychelles, July 9, 2020/ -- 10 new positive cases of COVID-19 were detected on board two of the Spanish fishing vessels during a scheduled assessment of the fleet by the Public Health Authority on Sunday 5th July 2020. The assessment is setup as a routine to verify the status of the mariners who have been in contact with other seafarers who tested positive for the virus. The positive crew members are all well, without any symptoms of the infection and are in isolation on the respective vessels. Initial tests on board the two ships revealed 6 cases of COVID-19. Of these 6 crew members, 4 have now tested negative for the virus, while 2 are still positive. The number of positive COVID-19 on board all the vessels totals 80.

Jul92020 by Kayongo Brian TimothyNo Comments

BREAKING: Ivory Coast Prime Minister Amadou passes on.

AFRICA, IVORY COAST

The Ivorian government has confirmed the death of Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly. He died at the age of 61 in the capital Abidjan. Multiple news sites including Jeune Afrique reported the death late Wednesday citing multiple official sources. The deceased returned home last week (July 2) after a two-month absence during which period he was receiving medical treatment in France. Coulibaly is a close ally of Ouattara and has held the Prime Minister portfolio since 2017. He was the presidential candidate of the ruling Rally of Republicans party in upcoming polls meant to choose a new president as incumbent Alassane Ouattara leaves office after two terms. The party elected him as flag bearer in March 2020 for the October polls. “I am back home to take my place at the President’s...

Jul92020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Coronavirus – Sudan: Workshops and lectures on COVID-19 for the Mission’s health care professionals and paramedics

HEALTH

ZALINGEI, Sudan, July 9, 2020/ -- UNAMID Pakistani peacekeepers at the Mission’s Team Site in Kabkabiya, North Darfur, conducted a series of workshops and lectures on COVID-19 for the Mission’s health care professionals and paramedics. These efforts are part of the Mission’s ongoing preparedness activities to prevent and control the spread of COVID-19 in its area of operation.

Jul92020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Coronavirus – Africa: Refugees are 60% more likely to be financially impacted by COVID-19, new research finds

CORONAVIRUS

NEW YORK, United States of America, July 9, 2020/ -- Refugees are more likely to work in sectors financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and refugee-hosting countries are projected to experience slower growth in 2020, new analysis released by the Center for Global Development, Refugees International, and the International Rescue Committee finds.In this analysis, authors calculated and compiled estimates from eight large refugee-hosting countries with available representative data: Colombia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Peru, Turkey, and Uganda. The data analyzed are largely from 2015-2018, where researchers could extract comparable statistics across countries. This paper represents the largest quantitative cross-country comparison of refugees: 10.64 million, or 37 percent of al...

Jul82020 by Kayongo Brian TimothyNo Comments

Coronavirus – Africa: Over 50,000 health workers across Africa have received infection prevention & control training from WHO since the COVID19 outbreak began

CORONAVIRUS, HEALTH

BRAZZAVILLE, Congo (Republic of the), July 8, 2020/ -- Over 50,000 health workers across Africa have received infection prevention & control training from WHO since the COVID19 outbreak began. This is keeping health workers safe as they save lives from COVID-19 & other threats to public health.

Jul82020 by Kayongo Brian TimothyNo Comments

Coronavirus – Africa: A conflict without borders continues to play out in the Sahel

AFRICA, CORONAVIRUS

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria, July 8, 2020/ -- When the outbreak of COVID-19 led to a global ceasefire, the fighting in the Sahel region continued unabated. In the Liptako Gourma region, which straddles Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, the security situation and humanitarian crisis have deteriorated significantly in recent months. The front lines are constantly changing, which means people are always on the move in search of safety.Conflict is not the only danger they face; climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic are also affecting the lives of millions. Patrick Youssef, the ICRC’s regional director for Africa, underlines the urgent need to help those people whose situation has become desperate, and to create a space that is conducive to development.Escalating violenceIn the Sahel, armed violence, fo...

Jul82020 by Kayongo Brian TimothyNo Comments

CORONAVIRUS: Africa’s coronavirus cases cross half-million mark

AFRICA, CORONAVIRUS

Africa now has more than a half-million confirmed coronavirus cases. The continent-wide total is over 508,000, according to figures released Wednesday by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, after South Africa recorded another day of more than 10,000 confirmed cases as a new global hot spot. The true number of cases among Africa’s 1.3 billion people is unknown as its 54 countries continue to face a serious shortage of testing materials for the virus. “A tremendous problem, a real crisis of access,” the World Health Organization’s Africa chief, Matshidiso Moeti, said last week. So far most testing has been concentrated in capital cities, but infections in many cases have spread beyond them. Africa’s health systems are the most poorly funded and thinly staffed ...

Jul82020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Coronavirus – Africa: World Bank Provides $425 Million to Support the Provision of Infrastructure Financing in Eastern and Southern Africa

CORONAVIRUS

WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, July 8, 2020/ -- The World Bank Board of Directors approved today a total amount of $425 million in International Development Association (IDA)* financing to support the provision of infrastructure finance in Eastern and Southern Africa. The Regional Infrastructure Financing Facility project (RIFF) aims to expand long-term finance to private firms in selected infrastructure in the power sector, as well as in the transport, logistics and social sectors. This is the first regional facility of this kind in Africa. Eastern and Southern Africa suffers from ailing infrastructure, especially in the power sector. Effective power generation in the region is less than the installed capacity by 20-30 percent due to drought, lack of maintenance, a...

Jul82020 by KATENDE SHARIFNo Comments

Global experts call for a radical health policy shift in post COVID-19 Africa

CORONAVIRUS

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, July 8, 2020/ -- Global health experts and practitioners at a policy webinar hosted by the African Development Institute (ADI) called for a “Marshall Plan on Inclusive Health in Africa.” There is an urgent need for inclusive health policy in Africa – one that can detect and interpret warning signs and rapidly mobilize to isolate threats, absorb and adapt to shocks, and organically innovate new strategies to maintain its core functions, the delegates said. “There must be a radical shift in Africa’s health policy from one that focuses on medical outcomes, to one that focuses on the broader concept of inclusive health – ensuring quality health from conception to end of life, to all people and all the time,” according to a summary document on the webinar’s outcom...