<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">Topline</h2>



An undiagnosed disease outbreak in southwest Congo causing flu-like symptoms has now infected more than 400 people since October, health officials said Sunday, and reportedly killed 143 people since October, disproportionately affecting children under the age of five—as health officials have struggled to address the disease in the remote Kwango province.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">Key Facts</h2>



Between Oct. 24 and Dec. 5, the World Health Organization&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2024-DON546" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">recorded</a>&nbsp;406 cases of the disease, which causes fever, headache, cough, running nose and body aches, particularly affecting children under the age of five and females, the WHO said Sunday.



Local officials said the disease has killed 143 people,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/unknown-disease-kills-143-southwest-congo-local-authorities-say-2024-12-03/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Reuters reported</a>&nbsp;Tuesday, much higher than the 31 deaths recorded by the WHO.



The most severe cases are among people who are severely malnourished, according to the WHO, which reports acute pneumonia, influenza, COVID-19, measles and malaria are considered potential causal factors.



The remote Panzi health zone, where the outbreak is located, takes 48 hours to reach by car from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital city of Kinshasa, hindering access to treatment and supplies, as well as diagnosis and response efforts, circumstances exacerbated by the rainy season, according to the WHO.



Early diagnostics indicate it could be a respiratory disease, Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director-General Jean Kaseya told&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congo-mystery-flulike-disease-who-panzi-kwango-7960f7cfcb78a42ccffafecdb6c9e704" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">the Associated Press</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-crucial-quote">Crucial Quote</h2>



It’s “really important not to panic until we have more information,” University of California, Los Angeles epidemiologist Ann Rimoin told&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/mysterious-disease-congo-kills-dozens-rcna182804" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">NBC News</a>. “It could be anything . . . it could be influenza, it could be Ebola, it could be Marburg, it could be meningitis, it could be measles. At this point, we just really don’t know.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-big-number">Big Number</h2>



64%. That’s the share of cases among children under the age of 14, according to the WHO, which also reported 60% of cases are among females.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">Key Background</h2>



Local officials and the WHO have deployed rapid response teams to the Panzi health zone to conduct surveillance, epidemiological analysis and strengthen healthcare access. Meanwhile, food insecurity has worsened in the Kwango province, increasing from a level 1, “acceptable” integrated food security phase classification in April to a crisis level 3 in September, the WHO reported. The disease appears to be transmissible as cases have been reported among family units. The WHO assesses a “high” risk level in the affected communities, but a moderate level nationally as the outbreak is localized within the Panzi health zone. The WHO has called for strengthened coordination at the national and local levels, including enhanced communication infrastructure as there is limited network coverage in the affected areas.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">Further Reading</h2>



<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/unknown-disease-kills-143-southwest-congo-local-authorities-say-2024-12-03/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Unknown disease kills 143 in southwest Congo, local authorities say</a>&nbsp;(Reuters)



<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congo-mystery-flulike-disease-who-panzi-kwango-7960f7cfcb78a42ccffafecdb6c9e704" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">A mystery illness has killed dozens of people in Congo. UN experts are now investigating&nbsp;</a>(Associated Press)



<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/who-sends-experts-help-congo-diagnose-mystery-disease-2024-12-06/" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">WHO sends experts to help Congo diagnose mystery disease</a>&nbsp;(Reuters)

World Health Organization – WHO

Mystery Disease Kills Over 100 In Southwest Congo: Here’s What To Know

<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-topline">TOPLINE</h2>



Non-communicable diseases like heart disease, diabetes and cancer are responsible for nearly three-quarters of deaths worldwide but are often “overlooked and underfunded” because few understand their true impact, according to a new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/teams/noncommunicable-diseases/invisible-numbers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a>&nbsp;from the World Health Organization published Wednesday, which urges countries to tackle the issue with proven and cost-effective interventions that are readily available.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are one of the most significant public health and development challenges of the century and kill more than infectious diseases due to inaction, the WHO said in the report, which was released at the UN general assembly in New York.&nbsp;



NCDs are responsible for the premature death of some 17 million people each year and kill someone under the age of 70 every two seconds, the report said.



The vast majority of these premature deaths, 86%, are in low and middle income countries, the report found, and many could have been “prevented with investment in proven, cost-effective interventions,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/21-09-2022-heads-of-state-commit-to-noncommunicable-disease-global-compact-to-save-50-million-lives-by-2030" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>U.S. billionaire Michael&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/michael-bloomberg/?sh=34cef3721417">Bloomberg</a>, who is the WHO’s ambassador for NCDs.



While all UN member states have committed to slashing premature deaths from NCDs by a third by 2030—it is one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals—few nations are on track to achieve this, the report said.



While the risk factors of many NCDs are well-understood—tobacco use and unhealthy diets each kill more than 8 million each year, alcohol consumption another 1.7 million and physical inactivity 830,000, the WHO estimates—the report said little is being done because many simply do not understand the scale of the problem.&nbsp;



The organization estimates at least 39 million NCD deaths could be prevented by 2030 if “every country were to adopt the interventions that are known to work.”&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">BIG NUMBER</h2>



41 million people. That’s how many people NCDs kill worldwide each year, the WHO estimates. Cardiovascular diseases—a collection of diseases affecting the heart and blood vessels—are the world’s biggest killer and are responsible for 17.9 million deaths a year, the report found. The other leading NCDs, some of the world’s top killers, are cancer (9.3 million deaths each year), chronic respiratory diseases (4.1 million) and diabetes (2 million). Beyond deaths, each NCD can have a huge impact on the quality of life for those affected and also make them more vulnerable to other ailments. This was illustrated during the Covid-19 pandemic, the WHO said, where people living with NCDs faced worse outcomes than those without. Covid has been the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2022/05/18/here-is-what-one-million-covid-deaths-in-the-us-looks-like/?sh=516565ac7b16">third-leading cause</a>&nbsp;of death for the past two years, behind heart disease and cancer.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h2>



Public health advances in recent decades mean infectious, or communicable, diseases no longer dominate the leading causes of premature death around the world. The issue, which has been well known in many affluent nations for decades, is now reaching worrying levels in fast-developing countries like&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/21/chinas-hidden-epidemics-the-preventable-diseases-that-could-reshape-a-nation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">China</a>, though these health emergencies are often more hidden than outbreaks of infectious disease. The invisible nature of NCDs is illustrated by the fact that they generally do not receive funding and public health effort in line with their impact, despite much more being known about what causes them. This holds true across all countries, not just less affluent ones, and the report says all countries could improve. It stresses that big gains can be made with relatively little investment in NCD prevention and treatment. “The data paint a clear picture,” the WHO report said. “The problem is that the world isn’t looking at it.”



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">TANGENT</h2>



WHO chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organization had renewed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/michael-bloomberg/?sh=34cef3721417">Bloomberg’s</a>&nbsp;appointment as its global ambassador for NCDs and injuries for another two years. Bloomberg, a billionaire who co-founded financial information and media company Bloomberg LP in 1981 and served 12 years as the mayor of New York City, was first appointed to the role in 2016. “As we continue to respond to this pandemic and prepare for the next, we have seen the critical importance of addressing a major risk factor in Covid-19 hospitalizations and deaths – noncommunicable diseases,” Bloomberg said. NCDs “are the world’s biggest silent killers – but they can often be prevented with investment in proven, cost-effective interventions,” he added.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FORBES VALUATION&nbsp;</h2>



$76.8 billion. That’s Bloomberg’s estimated net worth, according to&nbsp;Forbes’&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/michael-bloomberg/?sh=34cef3721417">real-time tracker</a>. That makes him the 13th richest person in the world at the time of writing. Bloomberg has donated billions to charity, a great deal of which has gone towards initiatives designed to address risk factors driving NCDs, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bloomberg.org/public-health/reducing-tobacco-use/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reducing</a>&nbsp;tobacco use.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h2>



<a href="https://www.who.int/teams/noncommunicable-diseases/invisible-numbers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Invisible Numbers: The true scale of noncommunicable diseases</a>&nbsp;(WHO)



<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/21/chinas-hidden-epidemics-the-preventable-diseases-that-could-reshape-a-nation" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">China’s ‘hidden epidemics’: the preventable diseases that could reshape a nation</a>&nbsp;(Guardian)



By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff

Son holding father’s hand at the hospital

These Diseases Cause 74% Of All Deaths But Lack Necessary Funding, WHO Says

TOPLINE: The number of new Covid-19 cases around the world fell for the fifth consecutive week last week, the World Health Organization <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update---16-february-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>, dropping 16% to 2.7 million new cases, though infectious new variants of the virus continue to spread to new regions of the world. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>In the space of five weeks, the number of new Covid-19 cases reported around the world has almost halved, the WHO said in its weekly epidemiological report Tuesday. </li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Of the six regions the WHO divides the world into, only one, the Eastern Mediterranean, reported a (7%) rise in cases last week, with all others reporting double digit declines.   </li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>The number of new deaths reported around the world also fell 10% from last week to 81,000, the WHO said, which used figures up to Sunday.</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>WHO chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus <a href="https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1361401367743655942?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a> Monday the global progress “shows that simple public health measures work, even in the presence of variants.” </li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>“What matters now is how we respond to this trend,” he said, stressing that the “fire is not out… (and that) if we stop fighting it on any front, it will come roaring back.”</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>The agency is still monitoring the spread of numerous Covid-19 variants—including those first identified in South Africa, the U.K. and Brazil—which have each spread to new countries.  </li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">This shows that simple public health measures work against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a>, even in the presence of variants. What matters now is how we respond to this trend. The fire is not out, but we have reduced its size. If we stop fighting it on any front, it will come roaring back.&mdash; Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1361401367743655942?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h3>



By a substantial margin, the United States recorded the highest number of new cases (673,670) and deaths (21,412) from the virus last week, although these figures were down 23% and 5% from the previous week respectively.&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h3>



Many countries around the world are starting to ramp up vaccination drives, with Israel and the United Arab Emirates having&nbsp;<a href="https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">inoculated</a>&nbsp;a significant portion of the population. There are fears that poorer countries will be left without supplies as the rich hoard them—something Tedros has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2020/10/26/who-warns-of-dangerous-moment-amid-spike-in-covid-19-cases/?sh=4cd61d56244c">termed</a>&nbsp;vaccine nationalism—though the WHO’s recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/02/15/astrazeneca-oxford-covid-19-vaccine-gets-emergency-approval-from-who/?sh=4bc5cd3c3953">approval</a>&nbsp;of AstraZeneca’s shot, a much cheaper and more easily transported product, is cause for optimism.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h3>



The WHO is keeping an eye on new variants of the novel coronavirus, though warned that approximately 70% of its genomic sequences come from just three countries (U.S., U.K. and Denmark).



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h3>



<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/17/new-global-covid-cases-fell-16-last-week-says-who" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New global Covid cases fell 16% last week, says WHO</a>&nbsp;(Guardian)



<a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update---16-february-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Weekly epidemiological update &#8211; 16 February 2021</a>&nbsp;(WHO)



<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/02/14/why-coronavirus-cases-are-dropping/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Four reasons experts say coronavirus cases are dropping in the United States</a> (Washington Post)



By Robert Hart,Forbes Staff

SWITZERLAND-VIRUS-HEALTH-FOUNTAIN

New Covid-19 Cases Around The World Dropped 16% Last Week, World Health Organization Says

TOPLINE The World Health Organization team investigating the origins of Covid-19 has not been able to uncover the source of the virus or meaningfully change our understanding of the pandemic, the group said Tuesday, though it did rule out the idea commonly touted by former President Trump that the virus escaped from a Wuhan laboratory. 



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h4>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>In a joint press conference led by members of WHO and Chinese delegations, experts said their two weeks in the field had uncovered new information but had not dramatically changed the picture of the pandemic. </li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Peter Ben Embarek, who chaired the WHO team, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/09/wuhan-laboratory-leak-covid-origin-theory-unlikely-says-who-team" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a> the theory that the virus escaped from a Wuhan lab is “extremely unlikely” and does not merit further study, pointing to a lack of work on similar viruses “anywhere in the world” and a strong set of lab procedures making it “very unlikely that anything could escape from that place.”</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Embarek said the most likely hypothesis remains the virus entering humans through an intermediary species—evidence suggests this could be bats or pangolins—but said the group was unable to identify a natural animal reservoir for the virus and further research would be needed.  </li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Embarek said further work was also needed to evaluate two other theories, such as whether the virus could have entered into humans from an animal reservoir directly or if frozen products were involved “in the introduction of the virus over a distance”. </li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>According to the Guardian, the Chinese delegation, which spoke first, heavily emphasized the latter theory, in fitting with ongoing efforts by officials to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/29/a-year-after-wuhan-alarm-china-seeks-to-change-covid-origin-story" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">relocate</a> the virus’ origins overseas.  </li></ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-we-don-t-know">WHAT WE DON’T KNOW</h4>



After months of tense buildup and diplomatic back and forth to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/01/11/china-finally-green-lights-who-investigation-into-coronavirus-origins-as-daily-covid-19-cases-spike-to-five-month-high/?sh=3f87ad3b6511">greenlight</a>&nbsp;the WHO investigation, the origins of Covid-19 remain a mystery. It is unclear whether further investigations will receive approval from the authorities, and despite its continued claims of cooperation for the mission, China repeatedly refused to authorize a visit and even&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/01/06/who-chief-very-disappointed-as-china-blocks-entry-of-experts-studying-origins-of-covid-19/?sh=7ee973c347d4">blocked</a>&nbsp;the team’s arrival as they were leaving their home countries. It now says its side of the investigation is over, adding that this is just the “first part” of the WHO’s “global origin tracing work.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



Amid manifold failures and mounting criticism, China became a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/04/25/republicans-see-attacks-on-china-as-a-winning-strategy-for-2020/#52bc901a3473">target</a>&nbsp;for Trump and Republicans looking to cast blame for the Covid-19 crisis in the United States. Beyond the virus being first detected there, the former President and his officials repeatedly pushed, without evidence, the idea that the virus also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2020/05/10/a-timeline-of-the-covid-19-wuhan-lab-origin-theory/?sh=7589d49b5aba">leaked</a>&nbsp;from a lab in Wuhan. Trump once said he had a “high degree of confidence” in the Wuhan lab theory, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said there was “enormous evidence” the claim was true.&nbsp;



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h4>



<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/09/wuhan-laboratory-leak-covid-origin-theory-unlikely-says-who-team" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wuhan laboratory leak Covid origin theory &#8216;unlikely&#8217;, says WHO team</a>&nbsp;(Guardian)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2020/05/10/a-timeline-of-the-covid-19-wuhan-lab-origin-theory/?sh=7589d49b5aba">A Timeline Of The COVID-19 Wuhan Lab Origin Theory</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/01/11/china-finally-green-lights-who-investigation-into-coronavirus-origins-as-daily-covid-19-cases-spike-to-five-month-high/?sh=3f87ad3b6511">China Finally Green Lights WHO Investigation Into Coronavirus Origins As Daily Covid-19 Cases Spike To Five-Month High</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff

CHINA-HEALTH-VIRUS

Wuhan Lab Theory ‘Extremely Unlikely’ Covid-19 Source, WHO Concludes—Correcting A Trump White House Claim

While most cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus have been reported in the U.S. , Europe, and China, the virus is spreading rapidly across the African continent. 



The confirmed worldwide cases for the virus have surpassed 50 million with the current figure being at 86,979,718.



The increase in newly reported cases around the world has led the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the coronavirus a global pandemic. 



The death toll continues to rise globally now surpassing <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/current-affairs/2020/09/29/coronavirus-claims-the-lives-of-more-than-1-million-people-worldwide/">one million</a>. It is currently at 1,878,992.



The U.S. leads with 365,740 deaths. Brazil comes second with 197,777. India&#8217;s deaths are at 150,151; Mexico is with 128,822 deaths, and The U.K is with 76,329.



China, where the virus originated from, maintains that the country&#8217;s death toll is at 4,634.



The figure of the global recoveries stands at 61,684,121.



The African continent now has a total figure of 2,895,592 confirmed cases of Covid-19, while the death toll stands at 68,872. The continent has made 2,388,345 recoveries. 



Here are the country-wide numbers for Africa:



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-regular"><table><tbody><tr><td>Country </td><td>Confirmed Cases </td><td>Confirmed Deaths</td><td>Confirmed Recoveries</td></tr><tr><td>Algeria</td><td>100,873</td><td>2,782</td><td>68,185</td></tr><tr><td>Angola</td><td>17,756</td><td>410</td><td>11,376</td></tr><tr><td>Benin</td><td>3,304</td><td>44</td><td>3,185</td></tr><tr><td>Botswana</td><td>15,440</td><td>45</td><td>12,481</td></tr><tr><td>Burkina Faso</td><td>7,342</td><td>86</td><td>5,443</td></tr><tr><td>Burundi</td><td>842</td><td>2</td><td>687</td></tr><tr><td>Cameroon</td><td>26,848</td><td>448</td><td>24,892</td></tr><tr><td>Cabo Verde (Cape Verde)</td><td>11,983</td><td>113</td><td>11,608</td></tr><tr><td>Central African Republic (CAR)</td><td>4,963</td><td>63</td><td>1,924</td></tr><tr><td>Chad</td><td>2,289</td><td>105</td><td>1,876</td></tr><tr><td>Comoros</td><td>995</td><td>13</td><td>759</td></tr><tr><td>Congo</td><td>7,107</td><td>108</td><td>5,846</td></tr><tr><td>Cote d&#8217;Ivoire (Ivory Coast)</td><td>22,855</td><td>138</td><td>22,154</td></tr><tr><td>Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) </td><td>18,248</td><td>599</td><td>14,723</td></tr><tr><td>Djibouti </td><td>5,854</td><td>61</td><td>5,752</td></tr><tr><td>Egypt</td><td>144,583</td><td>7,918</td><td>115,414</td></tr><tr><td>Equatorial Guinea</td><td>5,286</td><td>86</td><td>5,154</td></tr><tr><td>Eritrea</td><td>1,445</td><td>3</td><td>740</td></tr><tr><td>Eswatini&nbsp;(formerly Swaziland)</td><td>10,338</td><td>252</td><td>6,094</td></tr><tr><td>Ethiopia</td><td>126,241</td><td>1,963</td><td>112,813</td></tr><tr><td>Gabon</td><td>9,605</td><td>66</td><td>9,415</td></tr><tr><td>Gambia</td><td>3,812</td><td>125</td><td>3,677</td></tr><tr><td>Ghana</td><td>55,168</td><td>335</td><td>53,928</td></tr><tr><td>Guinea</td><td>13,845</td><td>81</td><td>13,199</td></tr><tr><td>Guinea-Bissau</td><td>2,455</td><td>45</td><td>2,398</td></tr><tr><td>Kenya</td><td>97,398</td><td>1,694</td><td>79,966</td></tr><tr><td>Lesotho</td><td>3,206</td><td>65</td><td>1,496</td></tr><tr><td>Liberia</td><td>1,779</td><td>83</td><td>1,406</td></tr><tr><td>Libya</td><td>102,880</td><td>1,546</td><td>77,435</td></tr><tr><td>Madagascar </td><td>17,767</td><td>262</td><td>17,298</td></tr><tr><td>Malawi</td><td>7,110</td><td>199</td><td>5,753</td></tr><tr><td>Mali</td><td>7,349</td><td>284</td><td>5,070</td></tr><tr><td>Mauritania</td><td>14,981</td><td>367</td><td>12,639</td></tr><tr><td>Mauritius</td><td>531</td><td>10</td><td>513</td></tr><tr><td>Mayotte</td><td>6,045</td><td>56</td><td>2,964</td></tr><tr><td>Morocco</td><td>445,439</td><td>7,581</td><td>416,708</td></tr><tr><td>Mozambique</td><td>19,542</td><td>171</td><td>17,069</td></tr><tr><td>Namibia</td><td>25,887</td><td>222</td><td>21,777</td></tr><tr><td>Niger</td><td>3,557</td><td>112</td><td>2,152</td></tr><tr><td>Nigeria </td><td>92,705</td><td>1,319</td><td>76,396</td></tr><tr><td>Réunion</td><td>9,173</td><td>42</td><td>8,706</td></tr><tr><td>Rwanda</td><td>8,955</td><td>110</td><td>6,878</td></tr><tr><td>Sao Tome and Principe</td><td>1,024</td><td>17</td><td>987</td></tr><tr><td>Senegal</td><td>20,156</td><td>433</td><td>17,782</td></tr><tr><td>Seychelles</td><td>354</td><td>1</td><td>224</td></tr><tr><td>Sierra Leone</td><td>2,724</td><td>76</td><td>1,924</td></tr><tr><td>Somalia</td><td>4,714</td><td>130</td><td>3,612</td></tr><tr><td>South Africa</td><td>1,127,759</td><td>30,524</td><td>920,879</td></tr><tr><td>South Sudan</td><td>3,589</td><td>63</td><td>3,131</td></tr><tr><td>Sudan</td><td>23,316</td><td>1,468</td><td>13,524</td></tr><tr><td>Tanzania</td><td>509</td><td>21</td><td>183</td></tr><tr><td>Togo</td><td>3,770</td><td>69</td><td>3,515</td></tr><tr><td>Tunisia </td><td>147,061</td><td>4,934</td><td>110,324</td></tr><tr><td>Uganda</td><td>36,407</td><td>290</td><td>12,387</td></tr><tr><td>Western Sahara</td><td>10</td><td>1</td><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>Zambia </td><td>23,495</td><td>417</td><td>19,672</td></tr><tr><td>Zimbabwe</td><td>17,194</td><td>418</td><td>11,813</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>







Note: The numbers will be updated as new information is available.

KENYA-HEALTH-VIRUS

[IN NUMBERS] Coronavirus Update: COVID-19 In Africa

Amid a global surge in Covid-19 cases, the only way to fully recover is by working together and ensuring poorer countries have fair access to a vaccine, the head of the World Health Organization said Sunday, stressing that “vaccine nationalism will prolong the pandemic, not shorten it.”



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h4>



WHO head Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1320448429571538946" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;a virtual World Health Summit that the northern hemisphere faces a “dangerous moment” amid a surge of new Covid-19 cases.&nbsp;



Tedros said outbreaks around the world are being seen as a result of lifting economic and social restrictions too soon, adding that we know fundamental public health measures — like testing, isolating and contact tracing — work.&nbsp;



While recognizing the natural instinct of countries to protect their own citizens first, Tedros warned against “vaccine nationalism,” noting that if and when the world has an effective vaccine it must be used “effectively.”



&nbsp;“And the best way to do that is to vaccinate some people in all countries rather than all people in some countries,” he said.



For emphasis, Tedros repeated his claim that “vaccine nationalism will prolong the pandemic, not shorten it.”



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">KEY BACKGROUND</h3>



Many countries have been seeing new spikes in Covid-19 cases after strict lockdown measures enacted to control the spread of the virus are relaxed. Europe has been especially&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/10/24/covid-19-spike-in-europe-leads-to-resurrecting-restrictions/#7beff26a6e9f">hard hit</a>, with France reporting record new infections for the fourth consecutive day..



With the global race to develop a vaccine entering its final stages, there is worry among the international community&nbsp; that wealthy countries will hoard available supplies. In September, Oxfam&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/small-group-rich-nations-have-bought-more-half-future-supply-leading-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">found</a>&nbsp;that wealthy countries — representing just 13% of the world’s population — had already secured more than half of the expected supply of leading vaccine candidates.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Beyond questions of fairness, such hoarding could, as Tedros notes, prolong the pandemic for everyone, including those in wealthy countries. WHO itself is leading the COVAX initiative to tackle this problem, set up with a goal to ensure equitable access to vaccines around the world.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">FURTHER READING</h3>



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-25/u-s-adds-more-than-85-000-cases-in-one-day-record-virus-update?srnd=premium-europe" target="_blank">Cases Top 43 Million; WHO Sees ‘Dangerous Moment’: Virus Update</a> (Bloomberg)



By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff

WHO Warns Of ‘Dangerous Moment’ Amid Spike In Covid-19 Cases

We inherently believe that if we had a chance to change the world, we would do something dramatically different. In reality, when people get into positions of power, they get bogged down with the mundane and eventually become conformists; it’s easier to adapt than to change. Having lived through five economic cycles over the last 30 years, I asked myself what I would do differently if I had control of the world at a time when the world economy is gutted by the pandemic and the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that the worst is yet to come. With these onerous terms of reference, one is compelled to think of extreme measures to provide relief to the dire and helpless situation that the majority of people around the world find themselves in.



In any crisis, what becomes most critical is the availability and flow of money within our economies particularly to the small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It’s recognized that almost 70% of employment comes from the SME sector. However, in difficult times, the cash-tap dries up and money flows to this all-important sector dries up. Commercial banks are best known for the adage “offer an umbrella when there is no rain” and as entrepreneurs in the SME sector will validate this as banks ask for 100% cash collateral when things get tough. That is risk mitigation 101.



When unemployment is at 30% and when almost 70% of the global population is at risk, there is this select group of institutions that continue to do well. These are a majority of the listed companies and the financial services sector in general. I am quoting from my Publisher’s Note in FORBES AFRICA in June 2020: “Continuing to look at our magical numbers, global GDP is flirting around $100 trillion and total global debt is around $250 trillion (give or take a few trillion). The market capitalization of the 60 main exchanges in the world is around $70 trillion. In terms of profitability, just the S&amp;P 500 companies were projected to deliver approximately $1.5 trillion in profits in 2020, the global banking sector would deliver profits of $250 billion to $300 billion and the technology sector approximately $356 billion. These numbers are larger than the GDPs of most countries. The numbers for Africa are not as high but there are thousands of businesses that are doing well and will continue to do so after the pandemic is over. It’s, therefore, clear that while we have problems from time to time, we also have the resources to fix them; many times over. Hence, it’s time for us to go back to the drawing board and start from zero by redefining our purpose, the difference we need to make and the legacy we will leave.”



Let’s also put two other terms of reference on the table relating to banks. Bank closures and failures on account of bad debt write-offs, non-performing assets or over leveraged balance sheets, seldom come from bad loans to the SME sector or to farmers in the agricultural sector. History is a witness (as Google can validate) that the majority of causes come from lending to large corporates, poor governance and through fraud. Secondly, even in crisis, as central banks reduce interbank rates, commercial banks seldom pass this on to the SME sector; beneficiaries are once again people who can afford the higher interest rates.



Rather than rearticulate, I want to quote from the same note in June: “If we are to be truly reincarnated, the script must be rewritten and inequality must be the first value for rehabilitation. In reality, even though resources are abundant, the gaps have continued to widen and the levels of poverty have increased. This is largely because of how we have developed the economic value chain; people that make the most money are the financial engineers who are trading stocks and not those sweating in the field manufacturing products and delivering services. The cocoa bean, sugar or chicken farmer make 6% of the amount that the retailer makes selling the finished products, who in turn, makes 50% less than the equity trader, who makes the most money trading on the stock. Anna, the tea lady in our office in Johannesburg, was charged an annual interest rate of 26% by one of the top banks to pay the college fees for her only son; no recourse. This is exploitation and needs to change through radical reforms of our entire banking system and the capital markets to harbor on making them very efficient but not for profit; the profit needs to be reinvested at the grassroots level. We need more farmers ploughing the fields, as, at the end of the day, we cannot eat “paper stock”.”



Let’s agree that governments cannot be the answer to all the problems. Governments can provide stimulus, change policies and even print money (if that is indeed a solution), but at the end of the day, the real cash that is available is in the financial system to include capital markets. Even when the entire world economy has come to a standstill, the people who continue to make profits are those that are feeding off the financial services trough. &nbsp;



My over-simplified list of actions, as radical as they may sound, are mild in contrast to what is needed today. I would increase the capital of all multilaterals and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) by pro rata contributions from the wealthy nations, but ensure that in turn they (including the World Bank and IMF) reduce lending rates significantly and waive interest for three years on all national debt for developing countries. Secondly, to shut all capital markets and exchanges for two years, stop all exits from private investments for two years (rather invest in venture and growth capital), no dividends are paid by listed companies for two years, ensure all cash raised in funds goes into growth capital, interest cap on loans to individuals at the lowest income bracket, and 100% of profits from banks, insurance, credit card, listed companies, investment banks, audit firms, consultancies and property development companies is channeled back to government coffers to support the core sector industries particularly agriculture, healthcare, SMEs and infrastructure (including low-cost housing). To plug some loopholes, no increases in salaries or any bonuses or incentives provided to any employee (other than the lowest income groups) for two years. It may put a small percentage of people through minor but endurable inconvenience but 70% of the world will see some measure of improvement.



The Greek physician <a href="https://www.yourdictionary.com/Hippocrates">Hippocrates</a>, is known to have said: “For extreme diseases, extreme methods of cure, as to restriction, are most suitable.” This, when translated by many people in history, has led to a common phrase “desperate times call for desperate measures”. Well, the time for procrastination is over and it is time to act. If I had the reins of the world, I most certainly would take draconian measures for better good.



– The writer is the Founder and Publisher of FORBES AFRICA

Rakesh Wahi 035

Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures: What Could Be Done For The Greater Good

With only four months to go this year, what is the inevitable uncertainty that awaits us? With a still-increasing Covid caseload, how must Africa and its battered economies learn to co-exist with the virus? A half-year report. 



With the world attempting to return to normalcy in the second half of the year, global experts suggest the worst is not over yet.



Mid-year, globally, there had been over 15 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 with more than 600,000 deaths. 



Speaking from Geneva, in June, World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus insisted we’re not out of the woods yet.



“Although the situation in Europe is improving, globally, it is worsening,” he warned.



With North America having, cumulatively, the highest incidence of Covid-19, globally, with over six million infections mid-year, Africa was at the bottom of the ranks, comparatively, with almost 600,000 confirmed cases as of July. But with fast-surging figures, the impact of the virus on the continent continues to have dire effects.



“Looks like the month of August will be the most devastating in terms of new cases and deaths,” says Dr Titus Divala, a medical doctor and epidemiologist based in Malawi.



This spike in cases will no doubt worsen the current burden on Africa’s already ailing public health systems, and in particular, will limit the attention on all other diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.



As a result, this may lead to an unprecedented increase in preventable death, which Divala calls “Covid-19 collateral damage”.



In July, WHO acknowledged there was evidence emerging that Covid-19 is airborne. However, the organization emphasized that more research was “urgently needed”. Airborne transmission means that new infections could accelerate farther and faster.



“Until now, airborne transmission has never been on the cards. Our understanding from Chinese Covid-19 transmission dynamics data, supported by a body [of] evidence from SARS, MERS, and [previous] coronaviruses has always been that the virus spreads [via] droplets which are way bigger than aerosols [necessary for airborne transmission],” Divala says.



Experts like him caution that the emerging evidence must be taken seriously to re-orient prevention messaging before it’s too late. Particularly in Africa, where many socio-economic issues exist.



The Africa Covid-19 Community Vulnerability Index (Africa CCVI), developed by American development body, Surgo Foundation, outlines the 10 most vulnerable regions across the continent, identifying hotspots in six countries. They include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has four of Africa’s most vulnerable regions, and then, Malawi, with two, along with Ethiopia, Uganda, Cameroon, and Madagascar. 



South Africa has emerged as one of the world’s top hotspots for the virus.



By the third week of July, the country recorded well over 350,000 cases and 5,000 deaths with 180,000 recoveries. The continent’s second biggest economy is currently on Level 2 of lockdown restrictions.



And then, there are the myriad unanswered questions: how long before a vaccine is developed?



At the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, Shabir Madhi, Professor of Vaccinology, says Africa may likely see a Covid-19 vaccine in the first quarter of 2021.



In July, Madhi, who is also leading a vaccine trial at the university, told Reuters that the ‘ChAdOx1 nCoV-19’ experimental vaccine is one of 19 currently being tested on humans, globally. The vaccine is also being trial-ed in Brazil by scientists from Oxford University in the United Kingdom.



While trials are still in the early stages, business must go on. The second half of 2020 may see more firms attempting to return to normal operations. In terms of the education sector, South Africa has decided to continue with the academic year with some pupils going back to school as others continue classes online.



In July, via Presidential Address, Kenya announced that the 2020 academic year has been completely lost. Schools are expected to resume only in early 2021.



In terms of industry, the challenge that remains is how to rebuild business over the next few months. All businesses will need to become more agile while adopting new technology and online marketplaces. But there are opportunities in the chaos and Covid-19 has accelerated change in building a new reality and navigating the risks as the pandemic rages on.



Undoubtedly, Covid-19 may be with us longer than we anticipate. However, there is hope that African experts will offer new solutions on how to co-exist with the virus, minimize transmissions, and keep our economies and societies running. For now, corporate Africa is preparing itself.



Tshandu Ramusetheli, a Senior Specialized Finance Transactor at Investec in Johannesburg, reiterates that to co-exist with the virus, businesses will need to re-engineer their offerings and adapt to new ways of doing work.



“Most companies (in the services sector) are realizing that their employees can work effectively from home. The downtime that employees would have spent traveling to and from work, coffee breaks in the office, lunches, and general ‘chats around the floor’ have all been replaced by employees spending more uninterrupted time in front of their computers in the comfort of their homes,” he says. “The effect of this is that employees tend to be more productive working from home. Smart employers will capitalize on this and introduce employee incentives for productivity, such as flexi-work where employees work four business days out of five.”



With more focus on the home, hospitals are also now gearing towards the home-based model of treatment for milder cases. FORBES AFRICA 30 Under 30 entrepreneur and list-maker Ogutu Okudo from Kenya resorted to exercising and making her own home-based treatments when she tested positive for Covid-19. She ate foods such as onion soup, wasabi, fruits, and took Vitamin C. In five days, she had fully recovered and got tested again with negative results.



“They say corona isn’t ‘real’ until you know someone who has gone through it, and in my case, that person happened to be me,” she tells FORBES AFRICA. With nations exiting lockdowns and lifting restrictions around the world and Covid-19 continuing on its unwavering rampage, the second wave of the pandemic may soon be upon us. The question is: how much longer before a well-conceived tested cure that is available to all?



&#8211; By Karen Mwendera

IMG_7010

The Corona Conundrum

<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/UN-Avenue-1024x460.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-45196" width="902" height="404" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/UN-Avenue-1024x460.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/UN-Avenue-300x135.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/UN-Avenue-600x270.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/UN-Avenue-768x345.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/UN-Avenue.jpg 1179w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 902px) 100vw, 902px" /><figcaption>UN Kenya/Newton Kanhema The usually busy UN Avenue in Nairobi, Kenya where traffic is bumper to bumper on the best of days, is almost empty as people stay at home to avoid spreading the coronavirus. March 2020</figcaption></figure></div>



We live in a different world to the one we inhabited six short months ago.



With more than 4 million people infected and over 290,000 dead globally by mid May 2020, Covid-19 has ruthlessly exposed the vulnerability of a globalised world to pandemic disease. People are slowly coming to terms with the frightening and heartbreaking death toll, and we are still not out of danger.



The Greek philosopher Herophilus said, “When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless and intelligence cannot be applied.”&nbsp;



The bio-threat has already upended our notions of community interaction, with face masks, latex gloves and physical distancing becoming the new normal. Science has been challenged and experts in various fields struggle to understand the short and long-term consequences of the pandemic.



Lack of robust global public health systems has proven to be a chink in the world’s armour. It has also revealed a truth that we ignore at our peril: healthcare systems around the world have been sorely tested in managing this outbreak, and without substantial reprioritisation of investment in health and research globally, we will be no better equipped when the next pandemic strikes.



Describing&nbsp;<a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/05/1063022">COVID 19 as a threat multiplier</a>, the UN Deputy Secretary General, Ms Amina Mohammed said, “We have a health emergency, a humanitarian emergency and now a development emergency. These emergencies are compounding existing inequalities”.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/AJM.Tedros-1024x461.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-45200" width="672" height="302" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/AJM.Tedros-1024x461.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/AJM.Tedros-300x135.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/AJM.Tedros-600x270.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/AJM.Tedros-768x346.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/AJM.Tedros.jpg 1178w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px" /><figcaption>UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe Leading UN reforms &amp; ensuring the UN is fit for purpose in the countries they serve, the Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed (centre), at the first-ever high-level meeting on the fight against tuberculosis. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (left), Director- General of World Health Organization (WHO) and María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés(right), President of the 73rd&nbsp;Session of the UN General Assembly. September 2018, New York, USA</figcaption></figure>



While no country has been spared, the impact upon families and individuals has varied around the world, exposing huge global and local inequalities.&nbsp;



The consequences of high uninsured rates and high out-of-pocket health costs are being revealed. Even before the Covid-19 outbreak,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/health_financing/topics/financial-protection/key-policy-messages/en/">more than 100 million people per year risked being plunged into poverty by a ‘shock’</a>&nbsp;in terms of unanticipated expenditure on medical treatment.



World Food Programme analysis shows that, due to the Coronavirus, an additional 265 million people are marching towards the brink of starvation by the year end because of the virus’s effects on jobs and family finances.



The social and economic upheaval we face today has changed the world and will go on changing it for many years. Behind the headlines of an economic decline that might rival the&nbsp;<a href="https://blogs.imf.org/2020/04/14/the-great-lockdown-worst-economic-downturn-since-the-great-depression/">Great Depression of the 1930s</a>&nbsp;are families separated by closed international borders, some mourning relatives they never managed to see and comfort and millions who no longer have jobs.



What must we do to prevent the next pandemic striking the world.



Like rain that exposes a leaking roof, the coronavirus crisis has revealed unanticipated problems inherent in our dependence on global supply chains and amplified longstanding structural deficiencies in health systems around the world. We can see now that under-investment in public health in one country is a threat to global health security everywhere. Responses to health emergencies cannot succeed if any part of the world is left behind.&nbsp;



The central importance of universal health coverage and&nbsp;ensuring healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages, as manifested in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/sdg/targets/en/">Sustainable Development Goal 3</a>,(SDG3) by 2030, is clear.



With Africa&#8217;s population expected to grow to 2.3 billion by 2050, for Africa to reap a <a href="https://news.trust.org/item/20170810142204-j0nwd/">demographic dividend,</a> as well as prevent disease outbreaks, Governments should:



<ol class="wp-block-list" type="1"><li>Reassess policy priorities and direct greater funding to health.</li><li>Invest more in disease prevention.</li><li>Improve working conditions for medical staff.</li><li>Offer fit-for-purpose health insurance to their people.</li><li>Harness big data, technology, and innovation to <a href="https://news.trust.org/item/20180209112650-s1njv/">leapfrog universal health coverage.</a></li><li>Forge public private partnerships to <a href="http://daghammarskjold.se/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/UNDG-CountryStudy-Kenya.pdf">address the gaps to attain SDG 3.</a></li><li>Create an army of community health workers.&nbsp;</li></ol>



The WHO Chief, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, a public health champion, who as Minster of Health in Ethiopia, a country once notorious for the highest maternal and child mortality in Africa, ensured the country achieved the health related&nbsp;<a href="https://www.afro.who.int/news/making-ethiopian-people-healthier-through-mdgs">Millennium Development Goals</a>,&nbsp;by unleashing the full potential of community health workers. He said that, “By fully harnessing the potential of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/hrh/community/guideline-health-support-optimize-hw-programmes/en/">community health workers</a>, including by dramatically improving their working and living conditions, we can make progress together towards universal health coverage and achieving the health targets of the Sustainable Development Goals.”



Doctors, nurses, carers and paramedics around the world are facing unprecedented workload in overstretched health facilities. The heroism, dedication and selflessness of medical staff allow the rest of us a degree of reassurance. In fact health workers are the frontline soldiers battling the pandemic.&nbsp;They deserve the same recognition and respect as women and men from the Armed Forces who are sent into battle in service of their country.



Additionally, the creation of robust health surveillance infrastructure in low-income countries will benefit the whole world in terms of early warning of disease outbreaks, and the ability to focus resources where and when they are needed.



To achieve this,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/coronavirus/2020/04/17/multilateralism-through-public-private-partnerships-are-key-to-flattening-the-covid-19-curve/">new models of multilateral and public private partnerships&nbsp;must develop</a>, as well reform, invest and give greater power to the&nbsp;World Health Organisation to protect the world from disease.



As citizens of the world we depend on one another. We are linked by trade and migration and the fact of our humanity as much as we are sometimes divided by politics and faith.



Consider this. Maria Branyas is a 113 year old <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/spains-oldest-woman-113-year-old-maria-branyas-beats-coronavirus-sbjtjc6z3">COVID 19 survivor from Spain.</a> It means she has lived through the flu pandemic of 1918-19, the two World Wars, the 1936-39 Spanish Civil War and now the coronavirus. When asked what was the secret of her long life, she said, “good health”.



In a post-Covid-19 world, global health must be seen as a key component of national and global security as well as of the global economy.



SDG 3 must become pivotal in our post COVID 19 response or we may be sitting ducks,&nbsp;when another pandemic&nbsp;strikes, whose velocity and virulence could surpass what we are witnessing now.



Siddharth Chatterjee is the United Nations resident coordinator to Kenya. He has served in various parts of the world with UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDP, UNOPS, UN Peacekeeping and the Red Cross Movement. A decorated Special Forces veteran, he is an alumnus of Princeton University. Follow him on twitter-<a href="https://twitter.com/sidchat1?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@sidchat1</a>



The views expressed in this article are the author’s own.​​​​​

WITHOUT UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE WE ARE SITTING DUCKS WHEN THE NEXT PANDEMIC STRIKES

President Donald Trump’s <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattperez/2020/04/14/president-trump-putting-a-hold-on-funding-to-the-world-health-organization/#fb6a30f63ee6">announcement</a> that the U.S.—the largest sponsor of the World Health Organization—will halt payments to the body in the midst of a pandemic because of its “mismanagement” of the coronavirus crisis has been slammed by the U.N., global leaders and Bill Gates as “dangerous”. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">KEY FACTS</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Trump <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattperez/2020/04/14/president-trump-putting-a-hold-on-funding-to-the-world-health-organization/#4964eb3d63ee">announced</a> he would hold payments in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, while a “review” is carried out to assess what he said was the WHO “severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus.”</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>In response, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2020-04-14/statement-the-secretary-general-the-world-health-organization" target="_blank">statement</a> that now is “not the time to reduce the resources for the operations of the World Health Organization or any other humanitarian organization in the fight against the virus.&#8221;</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Microsoft founder Bill Gates, whose philanthropic Gates Foundation is one of the WHO’s <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.who.int/westernpacific/about/partnerships/donors" target="_blank">biggest</a> voluntary donors, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/BillGates/status/1250292126643941376?s=20" target="_blank">criticised</a> the move as being “as dangerous as its sounds…the world needs WHO now more than ever.”</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>House speaker Nancy Pelosi blamed Trump “<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/41420-0" target="_blank">ignoring warnings</a>” about the pandemic for causing “unnecessary deaths.”</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>She tweeted: “Now more than ever, we need the truth. And the truth is that Donald Trump dismantled the infrastructure handed to him which was meant to plan for and overcome a pandemic, resulting in unnecessary deaths and economic disaster.”</li></ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>World leaders have urged Trump to rethink the decision, with China calling for the U.S. to fulfill its obligations, Germany and New Zealand calling for unity, while Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the WHO was not immune from criticism.</li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Halting funding for the World Health Organization during a world health crisis is as dangerous as it sounds. Their work is slowing the spread of COVID-19 and if that work is stopped no other organization can replace them. The world needs <a href="https://twitter.com/WHO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WHO</a> now more than ever.&mdash; Bill Gates (@BillGates) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillGates/status/1250292126643941376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Additional info: Trump’s decision comes as nearly 2 million people to date have contracted the coronavirus, 600,000 of them in the U.S., while 126,000 people have died.



Crucial comment: Guterres added: &#8220;Now is the time for unity and for the international community to work together in solidarity to stop this virus and its shattering consequences.&#8221;&nbsp;



The Geneva-headquartered body is the part of the U.N. in charge of global public health and has coordinated the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;



Big number: $400 million. That’s how much the U.S. contributed to the WHO budget in 2018-2019, the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-52289056" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>. The U.S. makes up about 15% of payments to the WHO and is the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2020/04/08/which-countries-are-the-biggest-financial-contributors-to-the-world-health-organization-infographic/#57d07d0f494c">largest</a> financial contributor. The WHO is funded through membership payments from its 194 member states, as well as voluntary contributions.



Key background: Trump has threatened to pull out from funding the WHO in recent weeks, despite the U.S. becoming the centre of the global pandemic with the most cases and deaths. Trump accuses the body of being China-centric, declaring a pandemic late, and “opposing travel restrictions to China,” he said on Tuesday. But the WHO has also suggested that the U.S. largely failed to acknowledge the severity of the disease and its potential. The tension between the U.S. and the WHO is just one example of the struggle to implement a global response to the pandemic as individual states grapple with it in their own, unique and sometimes contradictory ways.



Tangent: Donald Trump is not the first U.S. President to defund a U.N. body but this tactic of withholding funds, or withdrawal, has become a hallmark of his administration. The U.S. will cease to be a member of the Paris Climate Agreement this year after Trump formally pulled the U.S. out in 2019, and he has also pulled out of the Iran Nuclear Deal and the UN Human Rights Council, among other agreements.



&#8211;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/isabeltogoh/">Isabel Togoh</a>, Forbes Staff, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/business">Business</a>

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‘Dangerous As It Sounds’: Bill Gates, World Leaders And U.N. Condemn Trump’s Decision To Halt WHO Funding

As the COVID-19 coronavirus makes its way around the world, it’s increasingly likely that people will be exposed to the virus, which can resemble other flus and colds but — becomes increasingly dangerous as it gets more severe.&nbsp;



Here’s a quick guide to COVID-19 symptoms, what to do if you have symptoms, and when you should see a doctor. It can take 2-14 days for symptoms to actually appear after exposure to the disease,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to the Centers for Disease Control</a>, and when symptoms do appear, they tend to start gradually and become worse.



The main symptoms to look out for are:&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Fever</li><li>Shortness of breath</li><li>Coughing, usually dry (meaning little or no phlegm)</li></ul>



The World Health Organization adds that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">less common symptoms</a>&nbsp;may also include “aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



As you may have noticed, these symptoms apply to many other diseases as well. It’s impossible to tell whether you have COVID-19 without a test, and in some areas, there’s a shortage of tests. In the United States, the CDC is&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/clinical-criteria.html" target="_blank">currently advising doctors</a>&nbsp;to give tests to:



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Patients already hospitalized who are showing symptoms</li><li>Patients showing symptoms who have other chronic illnesses that put them at higher risk, such as lung disease, heart disease, or diabetes</li><li>Patients showing symptoms who, within the past 14 days, had been exposed to someone who has a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19&nbsp;</li></ul>



If you have mild symptoms and aren’t at risk, the CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">advises against</a>&nbsp;seeing a doctor.&nbsp; Instead, it recommends that you:&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Stay home and avoid public areas.&nbsp;</li><li>Try to separate yourself from the people you’re living with, even to the point of using a different bathroom, if possible</li></ul>



If you belong to a high-risk group, you should call your doctor to discuss what you may need. More advice about what to do when you’re home sick, including tips on cleaning and other care, can be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">found here</a>.



If you have more severe symptoms such as a high fever, shortness of breath, chest pain, bluish lips or a bluish hue in your face, you should see a doctor immediately. If possible, call ahead to your healthcare provider and let them know you’re on your way and suspect the symptoms are related to COVID-19. That enables them to adequately prepare for you and protect both employees and other patients from possible exposure.&nbsp;



One thing to note: right now researchers think it’s possible for people to be contagious with COVID-19 before showing any symptoms. The World Health Organization also notes that some people who are infected never appear to show symptoms or feel unwell, yet are still able to pass on the disease.&nbsp;



So even if you’re feeling healthy, it’s good to follow your local health authority’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2020/03/14/with-covid-19-coronavirus-here-are-10-ways-to-social-distance-yourself/#2caf43e9606c">guidelines about social distancing</a>&nbsp;in order to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tarahaelle/2020/03/13/why-everything-is-closing-for-coronavirus-its-called-flattening-the-curve/#1cef0c656e2b">decrease the risk</a>&nbsp;of spreading the disease further. Also, don’t forget to regularly and thoroughly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ninashapiro/2020/03/15/soap-and-water-1o1-why-its-best-for-covid-19-and-every-day/">wash your hands with soap and water</a>.&nbsp;



&#8211;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/">Alex Knapp</a>, Forbes Staff, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/science">Science</a>

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What Are The Symptoms Of COVID-19 Coronavirus, And When Should You See A Doctor?

It is 2015, the deadline for the WHO Millennium Development Goal 5 (MDG5) to reduce 1990s’ maternal mortality by 75%. On May 23, the world will observe United Nations International Day to end obstetric fistula (a breakdown of the birth canal caused by obstructed labour, leaving women incontinent, infection-prone and ostracized). 2015 is also the deadline for WHO MDG4 to reduce 1990s’ under-five child mortality by two-thirds.
A London-educated obstetrician gynaecologist and fetal medicine specialist, I’ve just returned to South Africa after 14 years. I’m delighted to be joining the WITS Maternal and Fetal Medicine Centre at Morningside Mediclinic in Sandton in Johannesburg and with the extra day I’ll spend every week as an Honorary Consultant at Chris Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto.
As a Ugandan-Rwandan, I also return as a sub-Saharan African, fully aware that sub-Saharan Africa made the slowest progress (under 20%) in reducing maternal mortality, that its share of the world’s maternal deaths actually grew from 42% in 1990 to 62% in 2013, and that the projection is it will fail to meet the MDG5 target. I’m also aware that nearly three million women and girls, mostly sub-Saharan African, live with obstetric fistula. Sub-Saharan Africa also has the highest under-five child mortality – 16 times that of developed countries, with more of the 6.6 million child deaths (44% in 2012 compared to 37% in 1990) occurring in the newborn period, clearly linked to a deficit in safe maternity care.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-30046 alignleft" src="http://www.forbesafrica.com/app/uploads/2017/05/Opinion-Olivia-Barigye-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Opinion-Olivia-Barigye-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Opinion-Olivia-Barigye-300x450.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Opinion-Olivia-Barigye.jpg 555w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" />
Coming from a UK system, my conscience is heavy. I have worked within clinical governance frameworks where maternity health workers manage obstetric emergencies in multidisciplinary teams, have unrestricted access to updated evidence-based protocols, emergency drugs, blood products and broad spectrum antibiotics and are regularly appraised and supported through enforced emergency drills and continuous professional development. In sub-Saharan Africa, there will be an isolated traditional birth attendant dealing with a post-partum haemorrhage on her own, an unknown expectant mother walking in labor to get help, and I can remember the midwife I met traveling through rural Uganda in 2013 who, when I asked about clinical audit in her unit, responded saying “we are too demoralized by what we face everyday to be dealing with audits”.
However, against the bleak backdrop of sub-Saharan Africa’s high maternal and under-five child mortalities, I’m hopeful. The speed of mobile phone penetration in sub-Saharan Africa over the last decade, faster than anywhere else in the world, points to Africa’s potential. In 2007, mobile subscriptions were already three times faster than in Europe, and in 2009, there were 10 times as many mobile phones as fixed-lines, Kenya being a shining example.
Aside from clear evidence that GDP increases with mobile phone penetration in developing countries, the possibilities are countless.
Relevant to me are the growing number of mHealth projects. Programs and applications that provide real-time intelligence, monitoring and response to disease outbreaks (Nigeria’s ‘EOCs’), provide remote diagnoses (Botswana’s ‘Kgonafalo’), prompt patients to take their medication (South Africa’s ‘Cell-Life’), and prevent drug counterfeiting (Ghana’s ‘mPedigree’). I’m excited by the mHealth projects in maternal health – Nigeria’s ‘mCBS’, South Africa’s ‘MAMA’ and Uganda’s mobile electronic fetal heart monitor ‘Winsenga’.
I owe something to the 800 women and 25,000 children under five who die every year, from preventable causes.
The United Nations has called for accelerated interventions and prioritization in maternal and child health and we await political will, sound strategies and adequate resources. I’ve decided I must take advantage of the great strides Africa is taking in mobile infrastructure and have taken to mHealth, developing a mobile App targeted at safer childbirth as most maternal deaths are due to complications occurring around pregnancy.
Mismanaged labour is also a direct cause of obstetric fistula and newborn deaths. The App will prompt community birth attendants on timely assessments during labour and detect deviation from normality for both mother and fetus. These remote assessments will be electronically visible through a real-time location-based platform for skilled obstetricians and midwives.
Pre-existing medical conditions are another cause of maternal death. The App will therefore in the first instance, perform a risk-assessment to guide on the safest venue for delivery. Patient data and outcomes will be captured into an electronic system to facilitate audit and accuracy of maternal mortality estimates for central monitoring.
I can’t be a bystander as Africa goes through this historic boom in technology while women are evicted from our world simply because they are deprived the safe experience of childbirth. I have to do this because my heart is heavy knowing that with every hour, 33 women die in childbirth from preventable causes. Investing in maternal health will not only improve a mother’s health and her family’s, but will increase women’s numbers in the workforce and promote the economic wellbeing of their countries. I have to do this because women hold up half the sky.

Tag: WHO

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