HEALTH - The African Mirror

Jul

21

2021

Senegal’s COVID-19 surge forces difficult Eid al-Adha decisions

COVID-19

NGOUDA DIONE and COOPER INVEEN WITH COVID-19 cases surging across Senegal, Pape Gueye made the difficult decision to spend the first Eid al-Adha of his life apart from his 88-year-old mother. "I know a lot of people who had it," said Gueye, 43, mixing a cup of green tea as he sat with masked friends in front of his flat in the capital, Dakar. "Some of them got through it, and some of them died," he said on Monday, the day before the Muslim holiday to mark the feast of sacrifice, known in Senegal as Tabaski when families gather together…

Jul

21

2021

By The African Mirror

‘Kenya plan to help poor plagued by irregularities’

COVID-19

GEORGE OBULUTSA A Kenyan government programme intended to help the capital's poorest citizens weather the pandemic was crippled by irregularities including cronyism and benefited just a fraction of those in need, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Tuesday. President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the 10 billion-shilling ($92.51 million) cash transfer programme in May 2020, two months after the East African nation entered a strict lockdown. A report by the U.S.-based rights group found that officials in charge of enrolment frequently ignored eligibility criteria "and directed benefits to their relatives or friends, even in cases where they did not meet the criteria".…

Jul

21

2021

By The African Mirror

Zimbabwe orders COVID-19 vaccination for all civil servants

COVID-19

ZIMBABWE’S government has ordered that all its workers should receive a COVID-19 vaccine and only 10% of civil servants report for duty, with the rest working from home in a bid to curb the spread of the pandemic. The head of the public commission, Jonathan Wutawunashe, said in a circular to government departments that all civil servants - about 250,000 - were considered frontline workers who should get COVID-19 shots. More than 1.1 million people have received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Zimbabwe has recorded 85,732 infections, a quarter of them since the end of June and 2,697…

Jul

21

2021

By The African Mirror

Tunisian health minister sacked

COVID-19

THE Tunisian prime minister has sacked the Health Minister Faouzi Mehdi, amid an exchange of accusations over performance in the fight against a COVID surge and the slow pace of the vaccination campaign. A government statement said the minister of social affairs will serve as an acting minister of health.

Jul

21

2021

By The African Mirror

FACTBOX-COVID-19 outbreaks at the Olympics

COVID-19

THE Tokyo 2020 Olympics, postponed for a year because of the coronavirus pandemic, will be held under unprecedented conditions including tight quarantine rules to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infections. Nevertheless, a number of cases have emerged among athletes and other people involved with the Games. Following is a list of cases, in chronological order. JUNE 20 - A coach with Uganda's squad tests positive on arrival at Narita airport and is quarantined at a government-designated facility. The rest of the team heads by bus for their host city, Izumisano, near Osaka in western Japan. JUNE 23 - A Ugandan…

Feb

23

2021

By The African Mirror

W.H.O agrees to compensation fund

COVID-19

KATE KELLAND THE World Health Organization has agreed on a no-fault compensation plan for claims of serious side effects in people in 92 poorer countries due to get COVID-19 vaccines via the COVAX sharing scheme, resolving a big concern among recipient governments. The programme, which the WHO said was the first and only vaccine injury compensation mechanism operating on an international scale, will offer eligible people "a fast, fair, robust and transparent process", the WHO said in a statement. "By providing a no-fault lump-sum compensation in full and final settlement of any claims, the COVAX programme aims to significantly reduce…

Feb

23

2021

By The African Mirror

Students in France wait for food handouts as COVID-19 destroys part-time jobs

COVID-19

MANUEL AUSLOOS EVERY Tuesday evening, Moroccan student Chaimae Irfaq hands out food parcels to dozens of hard-up students in the foyer of her Paris university residence, and takes one home for herself. Irfaq arrived in France in October to complete her business studies degree and had expected to work part-time jobs to supplement the 700 euros a month her father gives her. But she said the coronavirus crisis meant there were few jobs going, with bars and restaurants closed and businesses feeling the pinch from COVID-19 restrictions. "If I had work I wouldn't need the (handouts)," she said as she…

Feb

23

2021

By The African Mirror

Oman bans arrivals from 8 African countries

COVID-19

OMAN’S supreme committee for dealing with COVID-19 said yesterday it was suspending entry for arrivals from Sudan, Lebanon, Brazil, South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana, Ethiopia, Guinea, Sierra Leone for 15 days from February 25, state media reported. The decision also includes arrivals from elsewhere if they have passed through any of those countries in the 14 days prior to applying to enter the sultanate. Omani citizens, diplomats, health workers and their families are exempt from the suspension, the committee said.

Feb

22

2021

By The African Mirror

W.H.O. rings Tanzania COVID-19 alarm bells

COVID-19

THE head of the World Health Organization has urged Tanzania to share information on its measures to combat the coronavirus pandemic, saying the authorities there had repeatedly ignored his requests. President John Magufuli's sceptical approach towards COVID-19 has caused alarm among WHO officials. A government spokesman told Reuters on February 12 that Tanzania had "controlled" the outbreak, but it stopped reporting new coronavirus infections and deaths in May last year. At the time it had registered 509 cases and 21 deaths. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said yesterday that Tanzanians testing positive for COVID-19 abroad underscored "the need for Tanzania…

Feb

22

2021

By The African Mirror

Why Ebola is back in Guinea and why the response must be different this time

HEALTH

NEW reports of Ebola in Guinea are causing anxiety given the history of the West Africa outbreak of 2014-2016. This was the largest Ebola outbreak reported to date – 28,000 cases were recorded, including 11,000 deaths. It originated in Guinea and then spread to Sierra Leone and Liberia. The confirmed cases this time have been reported from the southeast of Guinea about 800km by road from the capital, Conakry, but only about 100km from various border points with Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire. The concern is that the virus could spread to other locations in Guinea as well as neighbouring countries…