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Jul
15
2021
By The African Mirror
Risk of ‘catastrophic’ surge in Middle East

Risk of ‘catastrophic’ surge in Middle East

COVID-19
A surge of coronavirus cases in several Middle Eastern countries could have dire consequences, aggravated by the spread of the Delta variant and low vaccine availability, the World Health Organisation has warned. After a decline in cases and deaths in the WHO's Eastern Mediterranean region for eight weeks, the agency said there had been significant increases in cases in Libya, Iran, Iraq and Tunisia, with sharp rises expected in Lebanon and Morocco. (Graphic on global cases and deaths) Next week countries across the region will mark the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday, which traditionally includes religious and social gatherings where infections…
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Jun
11
2021
By The African Mirror
9 in 10 countries to miss vaccination goal

9 in 10 countries to miss vaccination goal

COVID-19
ABOUT  90% of African countries will miss a September target to vaccinate at least 10% of their populations against COVID-19 as a third wave of the pandemic looms on the continent, a World Health Organisation (WHO) official said yesterday. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa, said the continent required an extra 225 million doses to be able to vaccinate a tenth of its people by September this year. Africa has hit 5 million COVID-19 cases, with the southern Africa region the worst affected, accounting for 37% of total cases, according to a Reuters tally. South Africa is the worst…
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May
31
2021
By The African Mirror
Tobacco control: South Africa must do more to help people quit smoking

Tobacco control: South Africa must do more to help people quit smoking

HEALTH
EACH year on 31 May, the World Health Organisation (WHO) hosts World No Tobacco Day. The day aims to spread awareness about the risks of tobacco use and to encourage governments to implement effective tobacco-control policies. This year’s theme challenges current smokers to “Commit to Quit”. SAM FILBY, Research Officer, Research on the Economics of Excisable Products,, University of Cape Town CORNÉ VAN WALBEEK, Professor at the School of Economics and Principal Investigator of the Economics of Tobacco Control Project, University of Cape Town The health benefits of quitting smoking are well-documented. Smokers who quit smoking can avoid premature death,…
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May
22
2021
By The African Mirror
Low trust in authorities affects vaccine uptake: evidence from 22 African countries

Low trust in authorities affects vaccine uptake: evidence from 22 African countries

HEALTH
IN a time when the world is focusing on COVID-19 vaccines, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has highlighted the importance of routine immunisations for diseases such as measles, tetanus and polio. JEAN-FRANCOIS MAYSTADT, Professor, Lancaster University KALLE HIRVONEN, Senior Research Fellow, The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) NIK STOOP, Post-doctoral researcher, University of Antwerp Although immunisation saves millions of lives each year, progress in vaccine coverage remains highly uneven, both between and within countries. Despite considerable progress over the past two decades, the situation is particularly worrying in Africa. Nearly half of the world’s unvaccinated and under-vaccinated children live…
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May
08
2021
By The African Mirror
Ghana to start second vaccine doses

Ghana to start second vaccine doses

COVID-19
GHANA received 350,000 doses of the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine yesterday, which will enable it to start offering second doses of the shot after it nearly ran out, the health ministry said. The West African country was the first to receive vaccines from the World Health Organisation-backed COVAX global vaccine sharing scheme in February and kicked off its vaccination campaign in early March. Unlike other countries where vaccine hesitancy and funding problems slowed delivery, Ghana has administered more than 900,000 doses, according to the health ministry, including the 600,000 doses it received from the COVAX scheme, and others obtained through bilateral…
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Apr
24
2021
By The African Mirror
What Nigeria must do to eliminate malaria: three researchers offer insights

What Nigeria must do to eliminate malaria: three researchers offer insights

HEALTH
Nigeria accounts for nearly a quarter of deaths from malaria in the world – in 2018 the numbers stood at 95,000. Three of the country’s top malaria researchers reflect on why the numbers remain so high. WALE FATADE, Commissioning Editor: Nigeria, The Conversation What does Nigeria need to do to eliminate malaria? Olukemi K. Amodu: research and innovate Malaria remains an important public health hazard globally. It is responsible for high disease and death rates especially among children under five and pregnant women. The malaria burden in Nigeria is high – 25% of cases globally. The causes include the climate,…
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Apr
10
2021
By The African Mirror
New research shows South Africa’s levy on sugar-sweetened drinks is having an impact

New research shows South Africa’s levy on sugar-sweetened drinks is having an impact

HEALTH
THREE years ago South Africa introduced Africa’s first major tax on sugar-sweetened beverages based on grams of sugar. The tax now stands at about 11% of the price per litre. KAREN HOFMAN, Professor and Programme Director, SA MRC Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science - PRICELESS SA (Priority Cost Effective Lessons in Systems Strengthening South Africa), University of the Witwatersrand We assessed the impact in recently published research. We found that the health promotion levy coincided with large reductions in purchases of taxable beverages, in terms of both volume and sugar quantities. We didn’t find significant changes for non-taxable…
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Apr
02
2021
By The African Mirror
Egypt gets 854,400 doses of vaccine

Egypt gets 854,400 doses of vaccine

COVID-19
EGYPT has received 854,400 doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine as part of the global COVAX agreement, the health ministry said. COVAX was established by the Geneva-based GAVI vaccine alliance and the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the equitable distribution of vaccines. The shipment is part of 40 million doses that Egypt is set to receive via GAVI. The AstraZeneca vaccine has received approval for emergency use from WHO and the Egyptian Drug Authority, the ministry spokesman said in a statement. The shipment will be tested in the authority's labs before the vaccination of medical workers, the elderly, and eligible groups…
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Mar
21
2021
By The African Mirror
Kenyan vaccine offer to diplomats draws ire

Kenyan vaccine offer to diplomats draws ire

NEWS
DAVID LEWIS and MAGGIE FICK KENYA has offered free COVID-19 vaccines to all diplomats based there, including thousands of United Nations staff, even though it has not completed inoculating its own health workers, other frontline staff or elderly, drawing criticism from local medics. The offer was made in a March 18 letter sent by the Ministry of Foreign affairs to diplomatic missions and seen by Reuters. Macharia Kamau, the foreign ministry's principal secretary, said the shots being offered had been supplied via the World Health Organization (WHO) co-led COVAX vaccine access scheme. Kenya, where nearly 2,000 people have died of…
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Mar
16
2021
By The African Mirror
No vaccine yet, for “careful” Ugandan leader

No vaccine yet, for “careful” Ugandan leader

COVID-19
UGANDA’S President Yoweri Museveni has said he has not yet been vaccinated against COVID-19 because he is "careful" and is still weighing which jab to take, days after the East African country began its inoculation campaign. The apparent hesitation may fuel already significant vaccine scepticism in the country, which is in the earliest stages of its roll out of the jab. Many African countries have struggled to get doses and have not administered a single shot. Uganda began vaccinating health workers and the elderly last week after receiving 864,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from COVAX, the World Health Organisation-backed programme…
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