HEALTH - The African Mirror

Nov

09

2020

Algeria says President Tebboune’s treatment nearing completion

COVID-19

ALGERIAN President Abdelmadjid Tebboune is about to complete medical treatment and his condition is improving, his office said, 13 days after he was flown to a hospital in Germany. Authorities last week said Tebboune, 75, had tested positive for COVID-19. He had stayed at a military hospital in Algiers before being transferred to Germany. Elected last December, Tebboune has pushed for changes to the constitution as part of attempts to turn the page on mass protests that forced his predecessor to resign in April 2019. The constitution was backed in a referendum last weekend with 66.8% of votes but with…

Nov

09

2020

By The African Mirror

Easing COVID-19 impact on key health services

COVID-19

THE COVID-19 pandemic has strained health systems and disrupted essential health services in Africa. Countries are working to restore and strengthen key services to better withstand shocks and ensure quality care. Regina Kamoga, the Executive Director of Uganda’s Community Health and Information Network and Chairperson of the Uganda Alliance of Patients Organizations, speaks about the impact of COVID-19 and solutions to restore essential health services. Regina Kamoga What is the impact of COVID-19 on patients seeking services for other diseases? Many governments in Africa took measures to combat the spread of COVID-19. However, some of the measures totally disrupted the…

Nov

09

2020

By The African Mirror

Reinforcing key health services amid COVID-19

HEALTH

THOUSANDS of vaccinators fanned through villages and towns across 73 districts in Ghana, immunizing more than 4.6 million children against vaccine-derived poliovirus. Mass immunization campaigns, like many key health services, have suffered a heavy jolt dealt by the COVID-19 pandemic. Health authorities in Ghana are now reviving and reinforcing essential services to not only better withstand disruption in case of a new COVID-19 wave but also improve quality. The latest rounds of polio vaccinations carried out in October had been scheduled for April and May but were shelved in the face of rising COVID-19 cases that overstretched the health system,…

Oct

20

2020

By The African Mirror

Sister Sledge singer to donate ‘We Are Family’ cover proceeds to WHO

COVID-19

KIM Sledge of the band Sister Sledge will donate proceeds from a cover of the band's classic song "We Are Family" to the World Health Organization Foundation, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has announced. "I would like to thank Kim Sledge for her kind offer to donate proceeds from the sale of her special edition cover of We Are Family," said Tedros, adding that the money would be used to support the COVID-19 response and strengthen health services around the world. Kim Sledge joined Tedros at a news briefing. - Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Oct

20

2020

By The African Mirror

South Africa trims high-risk country list, but adds Germany

COVID-19

SOUTH Africa has reduced the number of countries on its high-risk COVID-19 list by more than half to 22 from 60, the government has announced, although Germany was among the notable additions to the register. The only people from high risk countries allowed entry are business travellers, holders of critical skills visas, investors and people on international missions in sports, arts, culture and science, or people visiting for a minimum of three months. South Africa opened its borders to international travellers at the beginning of October after a six-month ban that hit tourism and the broader economy hard. The initial…

Oct

19

2020

By The African Mirror

Lots of support for South African Health Minister infected with COVID-19

NEWS, COVID-19

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER THERE has been an outpouring of support for South African Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize, who has gone into quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19. World Health Organisation Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and South African president Cyril Ramaphosa have led a torrent of good wishes for Mkhize, who has tested positive together with his wife May. Ghebreyesus wished the Mkhize’s swift and easy recoveries. Ramaphosa also wished the couple a speedy recovery. “The President wishes the Mkhizes a safe and restful recovery and joins the Minister in calling on all South Africans to remain careful…

Oct

19

2020

By The African Mirror

Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech to begin trial of intranasal COVID-19 vaccine

COVID-19

SERUM Institute of India and Bharat Biotech are expected to pursue late-stage clinical trials of intranasal COVID-19 vaccines in the coming months once they receive regulatory approval, India's health minister has announced. Dr Harsh Vardhan said the late stage trial generally involves thousands of participants, sometimes 30,000 to 40,000. Of the vaccines currently in Phase 3 trials, all are administered by injection, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). On Saturday, India's Dr Reddy's Laboratories Ltd and the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) said they have received renewed approval to conduct late-stage clinical trials in India of the Russian COVID-19…

Oct

19

2020

By The African Mirror

Ghana football stars test positive for COVID-19

COVID-19

AFRICAN MIRROR REPORTER JORDAN Ayew, Ghana’s international and Crystal Palace striker has tested positive for COVID-19 and has gone into self-isolation. Ayew has become the third Ghana international to rest positive after spending the international break at home. Bernard Mensah, who plays for Turkish side Besiktas and Gideon Mensah, who turns out for Spanish side Vitoria Guimares, also tested positive. Ayew confirmed on his Twitter handle that he would be out of action for a while. “Sadly, I have tested positive for Covid-19 & have begun my quarantine in line with health guidance. Thankfully, I am feeling fine & do…

Oct

18

2020

By The African Mirror

Divided world is failing COVID-19 test, says frustrated

COVID-19

SERGIO GONCALVES A divided world has failed to rise to the challenge of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said and warned concerted action was needed to prevent millions of people being pushed into poverty and hunger. The former Portuguese prime minister said far more could have been done if countries had worked together to combat the disease, which has killed more than one million people. "The COVID-19 pandemic is a major global challenge for the entire international community, for multilateralism and for me, as secretary-general of the United Nations," Guterres told Portuguese news agency Lusa. "Unfortunately…

Oct

18

2020

By The African Mirror

Remdesivir questioned by WHO trial; women take virus more seriously than men

COVID-19

NANCY LAPID THE following is a roundup of some of the latest scientific studies on the novel coronavirus and efforts to find treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Large WHO trial casts doubt on remdesivir and other drugs In a blow to one of the few drugs being used to treat COVID-19, the World Health Organization (WHO) said interim trial results suggest that Gilead's remdesivir was no better than a placebo at limiting severely ill patients' need for mechanical ventilation, the length of their hospital stay, or their risk of death. The trial involved 11,266…