#uganda ebola free

[gorillawalkingsafaris]

Uganda is Ebola Free Travel Destination

"I now confirm that all transmission chains have been fully interrupted and take this opportunity to declare that the outbreak is over, and Uganda is now free of active Ebola transmission". Ministry of health

THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA MINISTRY OF HEALTH Declaration of End of Ebola Outbreak in Uganda was in the middle of 2022, this brought about a lot of confusion and mistrust in travelers coming in uganda.By the time of confirmation the number of people infected where not many and this led to the government containing and locking down the districts that had Ebola. According to the ministry of health…

[afeelgoodblog]

1. Girl with incurable cancer recovers after pioneering treatment

A girl’s incurable cancer has been cleared from her body after what scientists have described as the most sophisticated cell engineering to date. Alyssa, whose family do not wish to give their surname, was diagnosed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in May 2021.

Scientists at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London gave her pre-manufactured cells edited using new technology to allow them to hunt down and destroy cancerous T-cells without attacking each other. Less than a month after being given the treatment, she was in remission, and was able to have a second bone marrow transplant.

Can I get a fuck cancer?

2. The UK has made gigabit internet a legal requirement for new homes

Updated regulations require new properties to be built with gigabit broadband connections and make it easier to install into existing blocks of flats across the UK. Connection costs will be capped at £2,000 per home, and developers must still install gigabit-ready infrastructure (including ducts, chambers, and termination points) and the fastest-available connection if they’re unable to secure a gigabit connection within the cost cap

3. US cancer death rate falls 33% since 1991

The rate of people dying from cancer in the United States has continuously declined over the past three decades, according to a new report from the American Cancer Society.

The US cancer death rate has fallen 33% since 1991, which corresponds to an estimated 3.8 million deaths averted, according to the report, published Thursday in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. Partly due to advances in treatment, early detection and less smoking, report says

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4. Lab-grown retinal eye cells make successful connections, open door for clinical trials to treat blindness

Retinal cells grown from stem cells can reach out and connect with neighbors, according to a new study, completing a “handshake” that may show the cells are ready for trials in humans with degenerative eye disorders.

Over a decade ago, researchers from the University of Wisconsin–Madison developed a way to grow organized clusters of cells, called organoids, that resemble the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. They coaxed human skin cells reprogrammed to act as stem cells to develop into layers of several types of retinal cells that sense light and ultimately transmit what we see to the brain.

5. The ozone layer is on track to recover in the next 40 years, the United Nations says

The Earth's ozone layer is on its way to recovering, thanks to decades of work to get rid of ozone-damaging chemicals, a panel of international experts backed by the United Nations has found.

The ozone layer serves an important function for living things on Earth. This shield in the stratosphere protects humans and the environment from harmful levels of the sun's ultraviolet radiation. In the latest report on the progress of the Montreal Protocol, the U.N.-backed panel confirmed that nearly 99% of banned ozone-depleting substances have been phased out.

6. Uganda declares an end to Ebola outbreak

The Ugandan government has declared an end to its Ebola outbreak, less than four months after cases were first reported. Since 20 September, 56 people have died from the virus, which is spread through body fluids, and there have been 142 confirmed infections.

The country has reported no new infections in more than 42 days – twice the maximum incubation period of the virus, a World Health Organization benchmark for a country to be declared Ebola-free.

7. Doggy ‘daycare’ bus in Alaska goes viral on TikTok

Check them out here:

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[hicginewsagency]

Uganda’s Fifth Ebola Outbreak That claimed 55 Lives Comes to an End

By Brenda Namugenyi Updated at 14:40 EAT by HICGI News Agency on 11th Jan 2023 A burial team from Uganda Red Cross Society buries a victim of Ebola in Mubende in October. Courtesy Image / Uganda Red Cross Society. The world health Organization has declared Uganda free from the Ebola virus almost four months since the first case was reported.  On 20th September 2022, Ebola, Sudan variant was…

[sounmashnews]

[ad_1] Sixty-three confirmed and possible instances have been reported within the Ebola outbreak in Uganda, together with 29 deaths, the World Health Organisation mentioned Wednesday.WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus mentioned the vaccines used to curb current outbreaks within the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo weren't efficient towards the kind of Ebola virus circulating in Uganda.And he mentioned the Uganda outbreak was taking a toll on well being employees."So far, 63 confirmed and probable cases have been reported, including 29 deaths," Tedros advised a press convention in Geneva."Ten health workers have been infected and four have died. Four people have recovered and are receiving follow-up care."He mentioned the WHO was supporting the Ugandan authorities in its response to the outbreak, which has been reported in 4 districts.The UN's well being company has launched $2 million from its contingency fund for emergencies and is working with companions to help the well being ministry by sending extra specialists, provides and sources, Tedros mentioned."When there is a delay in detecting an Ebola outbreak, it's normal for cases to increase steadily at the beginning and then decrease as life-saving interventions and outbreak control measures are implemented," he mentioned."The vaccines used successfully to curb recent Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo are not effective against the type of Ebola virus that's responsible for this outbreak in Uganda." We reside in a world the place details and fiction get blurred In occasions of uncertainty you want journalism you possibly can belief. For 14 free days, you possibly can have entry to a world of in-depth analyses, investigative journalism, high opinions and a variety of options. Journalism strengthens democracy. Invest sooner or later at this time. Thereafter you'll be billed R75 per thirty days. You can cancel anytime and for those who cancel inside 14 days you will not be billed.  [ad_2] Source link

[medhave]

The #Ebola epidemic in #Uganda, #Africa is raging. Since the Uganda Ebola epidemic is caused by a rare virus strain called #Sudanese, the vaccine💉 that has recently successfully helped Congo to control the epidemic cannot be effective.

To treat patients suspected of having Ebola or already suffering from Ebola, medical staff (including those around the patient) must take strict and comprehensive protective measures, including #medicalcaps, #goggles, #masks of #respirator, #protectiveclothing , #gloves, etc., keep away from the patient's excrement.

---------------------------------------------------------------------- 👉To learn more about medical knowledge and medical supplies about Ebola, please leave your contact information in the comment👇 or contact me directly. 🎁Follow @me for a chance to get free samples. 🔎https://www.medhave.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 👍Medhave is committed to providing ONE-STOP product solutions for medical devices and consumables, including customization and consumables combinations. You can also give us your specific requirements to confirm the products you need finally. In terms of price💰, Medhave will give you unexpected surprises🎇.

[themedicalstate]

Booster shots ‘make a mockery of vaccine equity,’ the W.H.O.’s Africa director says.

The Africa director at the World Health Organization, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, criticized the decisions by some wealthy nations to start administering coronavirus booster shots, saying the decisions “make a mockery of vaccine equity” when the African continent is still struggling to get vaccine supplies.

African countries continue to lag far behind other continents in inoculations, with only 2 percent of the continent’s 1.3 billion people fully vaccinated against Covid-19 so far. Though vaccine shipments have accelerated in recent weeks, African nations are still not getting nearly enough to meet their needs, Dr. Moeti said.

Instead of offering additional doses to their already fully vaccinated citizens, she said, rich countries should give priority to poor nations, some of which are being ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Moves by some countries globally to introduce booster shots threaten the promise of a brighter tomorrow for Africa,” Dr. Moeti said in an online news conference on Thursday. “As some richer countries hoard vaccines, they make a mockery of vaccine equity.”

The World Health Organization has called for a moratorium on booster shots until the end of September to free up vaccine supplies for low-income nations. But several wealthy nations have said they would not wait that long. In the United States, the Biden administration said on Wednesday that it would provide booster shots to most Americans beginning as soon as Sept. 20. France and Germany also said they plan to offer shots to vulnerable populations, and Israel has already given third shots to more than a million residents.

President Biden said in a television interview broadcast on Thursday (August 19, 2021) that he and his wife, Jill Biden, plan to get booster shots themselves, assuming federal regulators give the go-ahead. Mr. Biden defended offering Americans an additional shot when many countries were struggling to deliver initial doses to their populations.

“We’re providing more to the rest of the world than all the rest of the world combined,” Mr. Biden said in the interview on ABC. “We’re keeping our part of the bargain.”

Africa has so far reported more than 7.3 million cases and 184,000 deaths from the coronavirus, according to the W.H.O. The virus is now surging in about two dozen African nations, pushing many governments to impose lockdowns, extend overnight curfews, close schools and limit public gatherings.

Health experts say the more contagious Delta variant, first detected in India, is responsible for most of the current spread on the continent. “While it took eight months for Alpha to spread to 30 countries, Delta has done so in half that time — only four months,” Dr. Moeti said, comparing Delta to a variant first detected in Britain.

Several African countries are also dealing with outbreaks of other diseases. This week, Ivory Coast confirmed its first Ebola case in almost 30 years. Guinea reported a case of the Marburg virus, the first ever found in West Africa. Uganda, which just emerged from a 42-day coronavirus lockdown, announced a polio outbreak.

Dr. Moeti urged wealthy nations to “rethink the idea of boosters” because of the danger that more dangerous variants will arise as the virus spreads in unvaccinated populations.

“Failure to vaccinate the most at-risk groups in all countries will result in needless deaths,” she said. “We say this every week, and it cannot be repeated enough.”

By Abdi Latif Dahir (The New York Times). Michael D. Shear contributed reporting. Image: Baz Ratner/Reuters. 

[libertariantaoist]

News Roundup 3/23/21

by Kyle Anzalone 

China

NATO sees China as an opportunity to strengthen the alliance. [Link]

US, UK, EU, and Canada slapped joint sanction on China. [Link]

The White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki says the US could levy further sanctions on China. [Link]

Myanmar

The US and EU issued joint sanctions on Myanmar. [Link]

Myanmar’s Arakan Army denounces the coup. [Link]

Afghanistan

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US would consult with NATO partners about the future of troops in Afghanistan. [Link]

Middle East

Israel hold its fourth election in two years. [Link]

Only 4% of households in Gaza have access to safe drinking water. [Link]

Unnamed US officials claim Iran is considering an attack on a DC naval base. [Link]

A Saudi official twice said he would have the UN Khashoggi investigate “take care of” if the UN didn’t rein in her investigation. [Link]

Turkey arrested 150 people for alleged ties to Gulan. [Link]

The Saudis offer a ceasefire in Yemen. The ceasefire does not include a lifting of the blockage of Yemen. The Houthi have been committed to the demand that any ceasefire must include lifting the blockage. [Link]

Africa

The UN is calling for an investigation into sexual assault crimes in Tigray, Ethiopia. [Link]

The death toll from an attack on a village in Niger on Sunday has been increased to 137. [Link]

The Congo was declared Ebola free. [Link]

Uganda says it has detained an American national for subverting the state. [Link]

Read More

[pierrehardy]

COVID-19 x Poor Countries

This is a short post on the effects of the Covid-19 on poor countries. This is an essential focus because even though richer countries are being ravaged, historically, it is the poorest that gets the worst of it. Poor countries cannot whip out $2 trillion [1] like what the US did. As John Nkengasong said, the director of Africa CDC,  for poor countries, this is a “national security crisis first, an economic crisis second, and a health crisis third.”

I’ll keep it short and concise so you can get a clear picture quickly, but I’ll include sources at the end to serve as a reading list if you want.

First, I will enumerate the problems that the pandemic is causing in poor countries. Second, I will TRY to look at the “bright side” of things. Third, the possible solutions. And lastly, I’ll end with two examples of doing their part in taking this seriously. 

Problems

Poor people cannot social distance. It’s simply impossible if you live in the slums. [2]

Hand washing is a difficult habit to form if you live in a place with no running water. [3]

The poor cannot isolate themselves at home. These are people who live day to day, and without going out to work, they will not have food to eat. If the government forces them to stay at home, a riot is bound to happen. What the virus can’t kill, hunger will. [4]

Some countries, usually the better off, are becoming nationalists and shutting down their exports. The last thing a global pandemic needs is for global trade to get gummed up. [5][6]

The spread of fake news. Most notably, the two kinds: religious fake news and quack cures. For example, Tanzania’s president refuses to close down churches because he believes the virus is Satanic and cannot survive in a place of worship. [7] He is not alone in thinking this way. Another is the false information that garlic, ginger, and lemon can cure the virus. This is false and does nothing but drive up the prices for these goods. [8]

There has been a rise in xenophobia among countries as they start to attack foreigners and immigrants. [9]

There have been opportunistic autocratic wannabees that are taking advantage of this mess. They will use the virus as an excuse to ban political rallies, postpone elections, and increase the surveillance of its citizens. [10]

Several companies and businesses cannot survive this and would need credit to stay alive. [11] This can mean a lot of lost jobs. 

Lastly, which is the worst problem, is the fact that poor countries are, well, poor. The healthcare system of poor countries can barely function without a crisis, the pandemic makes it worse [12]. And for a quarantine to work in a poor country with a population that needs to work every day to feed their families, they require social safety nets in the form of food or allowance from the government. Similarly to businesses affected by this, they need a lifeline of credit from the government to stay alive.  In short, it is expensive, and poor countries can’t afford it. [13]

To make it worse, the sources of income of poor countries are taking a hit too. Many of these countries rely on tourism [14], which is obviously dwindling [15]. They count on commodities like raw materials and oil, whose prices are fallings. [16] (To clarify, the low price of oil is not primarily caused by the virus but by the price war that Saudi Arabia and Russia are having. [17] It is likely that this will last beyond this pandemic). Remittances can also get affected, as overseas workers can’t work too [18]. To top it off, foreign investors are fleeing from developing countries and into safer investments, aka richer countries [19]. This caused a depressing outcome of making credit cheaper in wealthier countries and more expensive to poorer countries. This pandemic is shaping up to be worse than the 2008 financial crisis.

Bright Sides (there is none, really)

Most poor countries have younger populations (only 5% of Africa is old while in Europe, it’s 24%). So if you’re morbid, you may find comfort in this. But not too much since most of the youth in poor countries are malnourished and don’t have a robust immune system. 

Most people in poor countries are in rural areas, where it is less dense and is better for social distancing. But again, a caveat is that it’s only a matter of time before the virus arrives in rural areas.  

Most poor countries are hot, and the infection spreads slower in warm countries. Then again, findings for this are inconclusive at worst, and the effects are modest at best. [20]

Nations hit with a health crisis tend to keep the excellent hygiene habits they were forced to form. 

Possible Solutions

The simplest one that is absolutely necessary is transparent information. That means no cover-ups, no downplaying, no arresting of people exposing unsavory news. [21]

There’s no going around it. The richer countries must help the poorer countries, either through credit or forgiving debt. [22] Three main motivations for rich countries: (1) Compassion, (2) if you leave the poor to deteriorate, the poor will inevitably reinfect you, and (3) whoever helps the poor now will dictate their allegiance in the future. The poor will remember who helped them. 

Positively, the rich world is doing just that. The IMF readied $1 trillion in aid. [23] The G20 pledged to inject $5 trillion to the world economy. [24] China has been active in giving assistance [25], and so is its richest man, Jack Ma, in donating testing kits, protective suits, and masks. [26] 

Positive Examples: Brazil and Africa

The president of Brazil does not take the Covid-19 seriously. Nonetheless, congressmen ignored the president’s downplaying of the virus and declared a state of calamity anyways. LGUs have locked down several cities and turned football stadiums into hospitals. Universities and private labs have dedicated their efforts to producing testing kits with private companies supplying the required materials for free. A brewery in Brazil has also started manufacturing hand sanitizer. Activists have been roving around with loudspeakers, telling people to stay in their homes. They have also proposed turning empty schools into quarantine centers and with renting mansions to house the elderly in a far off district. Even the gangs of organized criminals have imposed curfews in their territories and stopped selling drugs in open-air markets. They’re doing all of this while being heckled by their president, whose approval ratings have tanked as a result. [27]

In Africa, the governments’ actions were much swifter compared to Europe. Sierra Leone declared a state of emergency for the whole year, even before confirming a single infection. Uganda locked down schools even before being infected. South Africa locked the country down earlier than most European countries. They also immediately beefed up testing facilities. They now have 40 countries capable of testing, from only 2. This can all be attributed to Africa’s experience with epidemics (like Ebola). [28]

To summarize: basically, poor countries are especially vulnerable to the pandemic. They would likely require the assistance of wealthier nations to survive this and still have a livelihood afterward. Keep in mind the nine main problems we face so that we can form a more informed solution. Thanks for reading, I hope you learned something new today.

References

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/25/world/coronavirus-news-live.html 

[2]https://www.rediff.com/news/special/how-can-there-be-social-distancing-in-slums/20200324.htm 

[3] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-51929598 

[4] https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/03/28/social-distancing-is-a-privilege/ 

[5]https://www.politico.eu/article/coronavirus-eu-limit-exports-medical-equipment/ 

[6] http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-03/25/c_138913230.htm 

[7]https://www.voanews.com/science-health/coronavirus-outbreak/tanzanian-president-criticized-refusing-close-places-worship 

[8]https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/04/who-pushes-back-on-coronavirus-misinformation-and-bogus-cure-claims.html 

[9]https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/03/coronavirus-covid19-xenophobia-racism/607816/ 

[10]https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-and-autocrats-never-let-pandemic-go-to-waste-11585400400 

[11]https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/16/business/economy/coronavirus-business-credit-access.html 

[12] Personally visited the Philippine General Hospital in the past. 

[13]https://www.wsj.com/articles/coronavirus-is-advancing-on-poor-nations-and-the-prognosis-is-troubling-11585149183 

[14]http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20130320-how-tourism-can-alleviate-poverty 

[15] https://www.unwto.org/tourism-covid-19-coronavirus 

[16] https://www.fastmarkets.com/commodities/coronavirus 

[17]https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-03-18/the-saudi-crown-prince-s-plan-to-win-the-global-oil-war 

[18]https://think.ing.com/snaps/philippines-remittance-growth-hits-4.1-in-2019/ 

[19]https://www.wsj.com/articles/emerging-markets-take-hit-as-investors-flee-for-safety-11584529200 

[20]https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/12/asia/coronavirus-flu-weather-temperature-intl-hnk/index.html 

[21]https://www.euractiv.com/section/coronavirus/news/commitment-transparency-pay-off-as-south-korea-limits-covid-19-spread/ 

[22]https://www.ipsnews.net/2020/03/rich-countries-must-protect-developing-nations-coronavirus-pandemic/ 

[23]https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/16/imf-says-its-ready-to-mobilize-its-1-trillion-lending-capacity-to-fight-coronavirus.html 

[24]https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/business/g20-leaders-pledge-usd-5-trillion-united-response-to-coronavirus-crisis/articleshow/74835666.cms 

[25] https://time.com/5812015/china-medical-aid-pakistan/ 

[26]https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/16/africa/jack-ma-donate-masks-coronavirus-africa/index.html 

[27]https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2020/03/26/brazils-president-fiddles-as-a-pandemic-looms 

[28]

https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2020/03/26/africa-is-woefully-ill-equipped-to-cope-with-covid-19

[jessiewre]

Day 14

Sat 18th Jan


The hotels buffet breakfast was a tasty enough combo of potato and beans and at 7:58am I decided to try and call Hillary 2. Two minutes early...

He answered nearly straight away thank FOOK.

‘Good morning friend! We will be with you in 15 minutes’

Sweeeeeeet that was a good start. God Hillary’s are GREAT in Uganda!

The car arrived, we had a whole seat each, and we left the hotel, soon pulling over to drop off Hillary 2 who had only come along to make sure the pick up had happened smoothly it seems. We stopped the car and a man walked over to it and I swear to god you’ll never guess who it was.

Its starting to become like a lie isn’t it. How can he possibly be everywhere we go.

We tried to hide our faces before he noticed us, and then he put his head in like ‘Hi guys, do you remember me?’ And we were like ‘YES of course we do, you are EVERYWHERE WE GO’.

We suddenly thought Oh my god, they are going to swap drivers and we’ll have to get out and say we refuse.

But THANKFULLY we drove off and hopefully we won’t see him again cos honestly the sight of his face makes me annoyed.

The drive to the border was about 2 hours and was pretty comfortable! There were 5 of us in a car for 5 people, unorthodox for Uganda, so to level things out of course, at one point a woman got in. And where better to sit than WITH the driver of course. Bizarre.

The border was super quiet so no queuing required, just had to wash our hands before coming in (maybe cos of Ebola?) then we waited for Phil’s visa to be processed cos Irish rules are different for entry. Don’t know the reason but he was free to get into Uganda but 50$ for Rwanda. Probably easier for Phil cos they bloody love Irish potatoes and Guinness.

The moment we arrived into Rwanda and left the immigration area, the taxi guys spotted us and a minibus taxi ZOOMED backwards down the road towards us as men ran alongside it trying to hustle us into this minibus. It was comical, like a game they played. We got in and told them we’d pay 1000 each maximum which they eventually accepted.

I believe it may have been the worst bus in East Africa. It was a true hunk of rattling whistling junk, ready to fall apart any minute. Based on the way it looked and sounded, I do not know how it didn’t just sink to the floor and collapse onto itself leaving the drivers feet running in mid air like the Flintstones. But low and behold we made it to Musanze, even though it stopped like 40 times, and then we decided we would not stop there but continue travelling to get to Gisenyi, considering we’d already broken up the journey once the night before. If we went all the way to Gisenyi then we wouldn’t have to move again before our quick 48 hour trip into the Congo (casual live volcano trip lets not make a big deal out of it ok).

We got to petrol station in Musanze and spotted an empty nice bus that said Virunga Tours, so Philly went to speak to the driver to explain we were heading to Virunga. Before I knew it, we had moved onto the bus with the promise that they would get us onto the 11:30 bus to Virunga (bearing in mind it was 11:21 at the time).

Thought we’d maybe made a mistake as the guy wasn’t super friendly and we weren’t actually 100% sure who these people were, but somehow it worked out and we pulled into the bus station and made this 11:30 bus. I think the man took the 1000 francs for himself that he’d said was a bus fee ‘for the bags’ but I struggled to care considering it was worth 1 dollar and we were planning on tipping him anyway.

Got to Gisenyi about 1pm woop woop and got ourselves to Cafe Cafalia which I’m sure is owned by a Muzungu, as the menu is all like ‘California Veggie sandwich and Goats Cheese eggplant sandwich. But the main giveaway was that James friggin Blunt was playing the whole time god help us.

Checked into Musanto hotel, no vibe but fine.

Naturally, Phil went on an 11km run and ended up trying to take a shortcut that took him to a Rwanda army base. They politely told him he’d need to turn around a take another route, but I’d still say it was better he went in that direction rather than the DRC border 2km the other way. Meanwhile I chilled watching football in the comfort of our room which was niiiiiiiice #wattot

Phil came back and sat in the bar to watch more footie while cooling down, and the barman who’s from the CONGO starting asking him about Brexit. FFS.

Phil was like ‘How was your relaxing?’, then he suddenly said ‘Omg I’ve just worked it out, you are relaxing not doing loads as a pure tactic, so that you don’t have too much you have to write about for the blog!’. Proper thought he was some sort of CSI agent who’d solved a mega mystery.

Yeah, like that’s the reason I didn’t run to an army base and back. UPHILL

Dinner was pasta napolitana again, avocado salad, pommes frites as Phil insisted on saying repeatedly in a fantastic French accent (has Phil even mentioned, he got an A in French GCSE), croque mousiur sans le jambon (so basically a cheese sandwich).

I spotted the raw onion on the salad at the same time as Phil and he launched straight into it

‘I know what you’re going to say and you’re going to say I can’t eat that raw onion cos it stinks and I’ll tell you what, I WANT to eat it ok so if I want to eat it then I will eat it. I’m going to eat the onion’

So I started to take if off his plate.

He kicked off royally and I may have used the word repulsive and then he said his cheese sandwich was rubbish and I said maybe onion in it would improve it and that was about it on that.

Got back to the room and remembered I’d turned the bin into a laundry bucket and there was underwear and socks soaking in it that needed sorting and hanging up. LONG. Rinsed them out and fashioned together a drying rack for the underwear by bending a wire hanger into a square and balancing it between a chair and table and honestly sometimes I even surprise myself with my inventive problem solving skills. The hotel had conveniently fitted bars to the window and door which perfectly suited for a sock drying rack.

[mckitterick]

Earth, sick of our sh*t, accelerates human extinction

Congo has confirmed at least one case of Ebola in Mbandaka, a city of 1.2 million people, marking the first urban case in the latest outbreak - now the most serious since the epidemic raged across West Africa in 2014 that reached epidemic proportions, infecting more than 28,000 and killing more than 11,000.

The disease causes internal bleeding and spreads rapidly. Its early symptoms are not obvious, and the worst effects can take weeks to show. Ebola easily jumps across species, transmitted to humans through the consumption of contaminated meat, close contact with an infected person or animal, or any kind of contact with small amounts of infected bodily fluid.

Ebola is wildly difficult to contain in urban areas, so this development compounds the risk of contagion. The World Health Organization’s lead response official called the new confirmed case “a game changer.”

Since health workers identified this new outbreak in Congo in August, they've confirmed at least 130 cases of the deadly plague, including 74 deaths.

Safe burials are critical in stopping the spread of the disease. The Red Cross has carried out 162 in North Kivu since the outbreak began.

But in addition to the danger inherent in working with the infected, security in the unstable region is a major challenge for health workers, who are seeing rising attacks against them as they try to help slow the spread of the disease - some health workers are currently in hospital.

Several armed groups active in the heavily populated region near Uganda have carryied out attacks, displacing an estimated one million people in North Kivu province alone, driving them toward the outbreak epicenter.

The World Health Organization has confirmed Ebola cases near the Uganda border, including at least one confirmed case in the “red zone” - a highly insecure area controlled by armed groups, where the disease has free rein to spread.

The WHO director general told a UN security council meeting on Wednesday that the chance of the virus spreading over Congo’s border was “very high,” adding that the outbreak had reached a “critical point.”

“We are very concerned about the potential for the virus to spread into Uganda, but also into Rwanda, South Sudan, and Burundi. We are working very closely with those governments on operational readiness for Ebola.”

“This is a major development in the outbreak,” said the WHO deputy director. “We have urban Ebola, which is a very different animal from rural Ebola. The potential for an explosive increase in cases is now there.”

Sources: CDC, Guardian and Washington Post

well that's horrifying

[transparentranchmoneynickel-blog]

News update, Thursday 10/02/2022 **Declare state of emergency on ritual killings —Reps to FG **Senate confirms Ekanem, Magaji as members of judicial commission **Reps block bill to bar doctors, others from embarking on strike **Wike brokers truce between Jang, Useni **Sanwo-Olu commissions Senator Oluremi Tinubu Primary Health Care Center in Amuwo Odofin **Marwa seeks drug tests for varsity students, NDLEA campus outposts **Imo police launch manhunt for killers of seven community leaders **Alleged N5.7bn Fraud: Stop further action on Okorocha, Court orders EFCC **Igboho is innocent, free him now, Gani Adams warns Benin Republic Govt **2023 Presidency: Any party that fields a Northern candidate will lose, Akeredolu warns **NSCDC critical to Nigeria’s security – Air force **2023: Nigerians battling with incompetent leaders, says IBB **Oyo shuts IBEDC offices for disconnecting power supply ro Gov’s Office, others **We disconnected Oyo State Secretariat for owing N450 million, now sealed off our company – IBEDC **Kogi poly to commence exchange programme with US varsity **NDLEA arrests 36 suspects for alleged illicit drug trafficking in Edo **LASG monthly rental scheme to kick-off Jan 2023 – Awoyinka **Again, terrorists attack Kaduna villages, kill seven **Adulterated fuel: There’ll be a major probe, says minister **Gridlock in Ibadan as fuel scarcity worsens **OAU 200-level student falls inside soakaway, dies **Uganda appoints US-blacklisted spy to top police job **2021:16,000 people commit suicide over indebtedness in India Court **Burkina army chief vows ‘new impetus’ in jihadist fight **King of Spain tests positive for Covid-19: royal palace **UK records two cases of Ebola-like virus **Finally, D’Tigress arrive Serbia for World Cup qualifiers amid NBBF crisis **Why I didn’t take Super Eagles job -Peseiro **Ziyech announces retirement from Morocco National Team after AFCON **AFCON: Senegal president rewards each player with $87,000, land https://www.instagram.com/p/CZzKDJ_q8Ox/?utm_medium=tumblr

[hicginewsagency]

UNDP Supports KCCA Efforts to Fight Ebola

By KCCA-PCA KCCA Boss Dorothy Kisaka, UNDP Uganda Resident Rep Elsie Attafuah and UG Government officials – KCCA Photos The battle to end Ebola virus is registering tremendous success in Kampala city and the country at large and there is hope that the virus will be history soon. In Kampala it’s now day 18 since a case was reported in the city. However, to be declared epidemic free, the city…

[doctorshouseandhorrible-are-in]

More than three weeks into the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 61 people have died ― making this eruption among the nine largest Ebola outbreaks since the deadly hemorrhagic fever was first identified in the 1970s. And global health experts are concerned this may be just the beginning of the fight in an already embattled region.

The northeast region of North Kivu has now identified 105 cases of Ebola since Aug. 1 ― nearly double the count of the previous outbreak in Congo that made headlines this spring.

North Kivu is home to about 1 million displaced people due to the ongoing threats from armed rebel groups in the area. The United Nations has its largest peacekeeping mission there and considers the region a U.N. Security threat level 4 (on a five-level scale).

Global health experts are also worried about other factors contributing to the rapid spread of the disease, including a high infection rate among health care workers, porous international borders and other geographical difficulties, resistance from local communities to ceasing unsafe burial practices and an impending rainy season that could hamper logistical efforts.

“We are on an epidemiological precipice,” Peter Salama, the World Health Organization’s emergency response chief, warned last week.

Citing Salama’s comments, Dr. Thomas Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, told HuffPost, “We don’t know how this is going to go.”

While the current public health risk posed by the Ebola outbreak at the regional and national levels is high, according to the WHO, the global risk is low. The latter may be thanks to the international community’s swift intervention and investment, which could cost up to $43.8 million.

And yet experts say this battle is far from over.

“We are truly at the crossroads,” Salama said at a WHO briefing on Friday. “On one hand, the response is scaling up really well. ... However, due to the trajectory of the initial set of cases and the likely amplification from health care facilities, we’re very likely to continue to see at least one additional wave of cases.”

Local Clinics Could Become Transmission Hotspots

Infection among health care workers is always a concern in major outbreaks because those people come into close contact with many others, easily passing along the infection. With 14 health care workers infected so far, local clinics in North Kivu are at risk of becoming transmission hotspots and expanding the outbreak, Salama said Friday.

“Health care facilities and workers seem to be driving the epidemiology and its amplification,” Salama said.

The infections among health care workers may be due to two factors, said Dr. Mesfin Tessema, senior director of health for the International Rescue Committee.

Since most of the region in northeast Congo where this outbreak is taking place had never seen Ebola before, many health workers were not equipped to recognize the symptoms and protect themselves and others, Tessema told HuffPost. In addition, the vast majority of health care clinics in the area do not have electricity or running water, which meant instruments and hands were being washed in a common bucket ― a recipe for further infection.

“The stories that we’re hearing about potential exposure in the health care settings and people having extended periods of illness in their home make us concerned that we will see another wave of infection,” said Dr. Inger Damon, the director of the Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

When It’s Dangerous Even To Track Cases

In order to track people who might be exposed to Ebola, health teams need to go deep into a community to find potential cases ― and then monitor them twice a day for three weeks over the possible incubation period. That can be difficult in places where an armed escort is needed for even the simplest travel.

Salama called the “red zones” ― the areas of highest security concern where health workers are now required to travel with armed military escorts ― blindspots for the Ebola response.

“I don’t believe ... that we are likely to be missing a large cluster of cases [in the red zones] ― that’s highly unlikely,” he said at the WHO briefing. “But what I cannot rule out is that there are a small number of cases in those security blindspots that we are missing or perhaps will be delayed picking up for a few days because of security issues.”

Salama detailed how his worst fears were realized when a doctor in the town of Oicha, whose access road is controlled by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), was confirmed to have Ebola. The violent rebel group has a practice of taking hostages ― including priests, nonprofit workers and government personnel ― which amplifies the security risk.

The threat that health care workers could be kidnapped for ransom or to treat insurgent members was one of the reasons that many community health care workers don’t identify themselves as such publicly, said Tessema, who was in the North Kivu city of Beni last month for a separate health project.

“Despite the fact that WHO and others have appealed to fighting forces for access for health care workers to resume their work, we haven’t heard from any groups that they have welcomed anyone,” Tessema said. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for free and secure access on Aug. 12.

Salama said that while there had been no direct contact between the ADF and the WHO, indirect contact had been made.

Meanwhile, the start of the rainy season is throwing a wrench in some of the preparations for Doctors Without Borders’ second Ebola treatment center in the outbreak zones in North Kivu, experts said. It’s also making travel more challenging as the rain floods dirt roads.

The Threat of Community Pushback

Another great concern for Inglesby and Tessema was the news that people in Mangina ― which is considered the epicenter of the outbreak ― have been resistant to adopting safe burial practices. That kind of community pushback can be deadly, Tessema warned, and led to some of the more severe outbreaks during the 2014-2016 Ebola epidemic, which killed 11,300 and infected 28,600 more in West Africa.

“The success in all Ebola outbreak response is dependent on identifying cases and isolating them and preventing the spread to their close contacts either in the hospital or in their communities,” Inglesby explained. “If unsafe burial practices are going on, then family members or friends of victims of Ebola are going to be exposed and potentially spread it further in the community.”

Authorities were alerted to the current outbreak after the July 25 death of a 65-year-old woman with hemorrhagic fever symptoms and the subsequent deaths of seven of her family members after her burial.

“Despite our best intention, people might decide to hide bodies, which is an epic risk,” Tessema told HuffPost.

Community pushback hasn’t been limited to burial practices, either. A group of youth burned down a health center and slightly injured an Ebola vaccinator in the village of Manbango, which is outside Beni, after learning of the death of a villager, Salama said.

A ‘New Normal’

For Inglesby, the occurrence of Ebola outbreaks so close to each other is highly concerning, especially at a time when the world is seeing a rising number of outbreaks of the worst kinds of pathogens.

“If you track major international outbreaks, there’s a real staccato,” he said. “And I think we should presume that this is the new normal given the pattern of the last 5 to 10 years.”

Never before has Ebola struck in an area with [such] a scale of chronic insecurity and humanitarian crisis. A spokesperson for the White House’s National Security Council

Global health experts were heartened to see WHO Director General Ghebreyesus and CDC Director Robert Redfield in Congo last week alongside that country’s health minister, Dr. Oly Ilunga. Their presence indicated high-level investment in combating the outbreak.

Redfield could be key in lobbying for higher U.S. engagement if it’s needed, Inglesby said. He credited then-CDC Director Tom Frieden’s firsthand visit to West Africa in August 2014 as critical to influencing heavy American involvement in fighting that epidemic.

As for U.S. aid in the current outbreak, eight experts from the CDC have been deployed to Congo, while nine more have been sent to Uganda to monitor the situation at the two nations’ border. The U.S. Agency for International Development has sent 20,000 personal protection equipment kits (which include full-body coverage, heavy-duty gloves and goggles) and 50,000 universal care kits (which include surgical masks, face shields, gloves and disinfection materials).

“Never before has Ebola struck in an area with [such] a scale of chronic insecurity and humanitarian crisis,” a spokesperson for the White House’s National Security Council told HuffPost. “We recognize that insecurity and access constraints and continued population displacement ― and movement across nearby international borders ― will make this outbreak challenging to control.”

[sounmashnews]

[ad_1] The demise toll from an Ebola outbreak in Uganda has risen to seven, the well being ministry mentioned Friday, after President Yoweri Museveni dominated out a lockdown to comprise the extremely contagious virus.Authorities declared an outbreak within the central district of Mubende final week, the East African nation's first Ebola fatality since 2019.On Friday, the well being ministry shared a graphic on Twitter displaying that the cumulative deaths have been now seven, up from 5 on Wednesday, whereas the full variety of confirmed instances had reached 35.In a televised press briefing on Wednesday, Museveni mentioned some 19 others categorised as possible Ebola instances had additionally died, however mentioned they have been buried earlier than they might be examined for an infection. Since the preliminary outbreak was found in Mubende, infections have been present in three different districts - Kassanda, Kyegegwa and Kagadi - however Museveni vowed to not cordon off the affected areas."We decided that we shall not have lockdowns. It is not necessary," the 78-year-old chief mentioned, telling Ugandans that there was "no need for anxiety".Ebola is an often-fatal viral haemorrhagic fever named after a river in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) the place it was found in 1976.Human transmission is thru physique fluids, with the primary signs being fever, vomiting, bleeding and diarrhoea. We dwell in a world the place details and fiction get blurred In occasions of uncertainty you want journalism you may belief. For 14 free days, you may have entry to a world of in-depth analyses, investigative journalism, prime opinions and a spread of options. Journalism strengthens democracy. Invest sooner or later at present. Thereafter you'll be billed R75 per thirty days. You can cancel anytime and in the event you cancel inside 14 days you will not be billed.  [ad_2] Source link

[khalilhumam]

Unequal Burdens: The Impact of Shocks on Household Education Spending

New Post has been published on http://khalilhumam.com/unequal-burdens-the-impact-of-shocks-on-household-education-spending/

Unequal Burdens: The Impact of Shocks on Household Education Spending

This post is part of CGD’s education finance series, where we examine how the pandemic and subsequent economic crisis may impact resources to fund education. In our fourth post, we look at the potential consequences of the economic crisis on household finances, what that means for the education sector, and the ways it will disrupt children’s education in the coming years. In the face of already stretched household budgets, evidence shows that shocks like the Global Financial Crisis or past epidemics increase the financial burdens families face in sending children to school, particularly in places where households must make up for cuts to government spending. The economic consequences of COVID-19 are likely to squeeze household budgets even further and reduce families’ capacity to fund their children’s education, or, in some instances, force them to make other difficult sacrifices (including cutting back on food or other necessities) to afford education. It is too early to tell how this crisis will impact education spending at the household level, but past experiences and the expected magnitude of the current economic shock should make us cautious. Families are a major contributor to education spending and there is a substantial risk that this source of funding will be hit hard by the pandemic. While discussions of education finance often focus on government spending and donor money, fluctuations in household spending can have more immediate consequences and could have long-term consequences, including millions of children dropping out of school.

Before the crisis, households were an important source of education finance in many developing countries, including in places with fee-free policies

In some countries, families pay school fees to send children to school particularly at the secondary level, and even when schooling is technically free, complementary costs like parent-teacher association fees, supplies, transportation, and uniforms can make education expensive. Figure 1 shows that, in low-income countries, the cost per student of secondary education for families is close to 15 percent of the average income per capita and can be as high as 25–30 percent in some of the poorest countries in Africa. This is a considerable expense for many parents and can make the schooling of multiple children at the same time challenging to afford.

Figure 1. Cost of education to families as share of GDP per capita by income group

LIC: low-income countries, LMC: lower-middle-income countries, UMC: upper-middle-income countries, HIC: high-income countries.

In some contexts, household spending accounts for a large share of total education spending. In Nepal and Uganda, for instance, household contributions make up more than half of total national education spending. Across other developing countries, they typically account for 25–35 percent of total education expenditure. This means that shocks to household budgets could lead to substantial funding gaps, particularly in the poorest countries.

For the poorest families, the supplementary costs of schooling can already be prohibitive in non-crisis times

For example, evidence from Rwanda—a country which offers universal free education through secondary school—finds that 70 percent of the students who failed to transition from primary to secondary school cited the supplementary costs of schooling as the top reason. Children who are not able to pay supplementary fees are often sent home, disproportionately disadvantaging the poorest students and exacerbating socioeconomic gaps in access to secondary education. Figure 2 shows that in all regions of the world and across every level of education, there is a clear relationship between household wealth and the likelihood of children going to school. In low-income countries, primary-school-aged children from the poorest quintile are over three times more likely to be out of school than children from the wealthiest quintile.

Figure 2. Percentage of out-of-school children by income group, levels of education, and wealth quintiles

The pandemic’s economic shocks will squeeze household budgets, but the distributional effects—and effects on education—are not yet clear

Now, as we enter the most severe global recession since the second world war, household budgets are already being squeezed. The IMF and the World Bank predict developing country GDP will fall by 3.3 percent this year. Early evidence illustrates the scope of this economic crisis: according to phone surveys from 28 countries in 2020, more than 60 percent of households have experienced a decrease in their family income. Poorer countries seem to have been hit harder, with more than 80 percent of households in Senegal or Malawi reporting loss of income (see figure 3).

Figure 3. Percentage of households reporting a loss in income in 2020 and GDP per capita

There is not yet clear evidence of the distributional impacts of the crisis within countries: for instance, data from phone surveys do not show whether rural areas are more affected by the crisis. Workers in the informal sector may be more likely to lose income, and those in the industries most directly affected by the pandemic like tourism, retail, or hospitality—all sectors which typically employ many low-wage workers—may be disproportionately impacted. Which households are most at risk also varies within and across countries and regions. For example, in the UK, people in the lowest wealth quintile have experienced the worst labour shocks. In Latin America, Nora Lustig and co-authors predict that, in some countries, households in the middle of the income distribution will be the most affected by the crisis because they are not covered by social assistance. Similarly, results from a microsimulation model in South Africa show a decline in inequalities between the poorest and the middle-class because the poorest people are already covered by social assistance, thus easing the impact of the shock for them. In low-income countries where most people are not covered by social assistance, it is likely that economic impacts will be dire for the poorest households.

But we do know that the simultaneous tightening of household and government budgets caused by macroeconomic and health shocks can increase the financial burden on families of sending children to school

As household budgets tighten, evidence from past crises suggests that shocks are likely to increase the financial burdens families face in sending children to school, particularly if governments reduce public education spending. Graham Slater argues that public crisis recovery often falls to schools and education systems. If government resources and support don’t follow, the burdens of a macro-level financial shock can land with parents.

How this crisis will impact education spending for households remains to be seen and will likely vary within and between countries

Evidence from past crises suggests that household responses are likely to vary based on whether the shock has an income or substitution effect— that is, whether it creates a surplus or shortage of time or money—at the household level as well as on household perceptions of the role of education in overcoming the shock. For example, in higher income countries, we might expect to see an increase in graduate school applications during recessions in which labour markets are more constricted. Francisco Ferreira and Norbert Schady find that in richer countries, shocks have counter-cyclical impacts on education spending (i.e., households spend more on education during recessions). In some countries, middle- and upper-class households may increase expenditure on education during the current crisis as the need for private tutoring, distance learning materials, and other complementary costs rise. However in poorer countries, economic shocks are likely to result in less household spending, which can negatively impact education and health outcomes, especially for the poorest.

And we may see some pre-existing inequalities deepen as a consequence, which may disproportionately impact girls

In some cases, girls’ are disproportionately affected by household income shocks, with the risks increasing as they get older. However, differential impacts between boys and girls are not consistent across studies, suggesting that baseline differences in school participation and gender norms may be important contextual factors influencing whether girls are at greater risk following household shocks. Evidence from the East Asian financial crisis in 1997 finds that the recession deepened pre-existing gender and rural-urban disparities in education and found that poor households reduced spending on education more than wealthier households, but that the recession did not consistently lead to new disparities where they were not previously salient. For example, we were not likely to see gender gaps in education emerge if they were not there before, but we were likely to see pre-existing gender gaps deepen. In an earlier CGD post, our colleagues Amina Acosta and Dave Evans find that health shocks coupled with household economic shocks can disproportionately impact girls, particularly if they need to become caregivers for sick family members. It can also put girls in the position of needing to earn income: following the Ebola crisis, adolescent girls often became the primary income earners in Liberia. In Sierra Leone, heighted economic needs led to greater risks of early marriage and transactional sex for adolescent girls.

A closer look at growth projections and education spending habits can tell us what we might expect in the coming years

In order to have a better sense of the magnitude of the effects on household education spending, we have modelled the income effects of the crisis on household budgets. We took the average of the IMF and World Bank growth forecasts for 2020 and 2021 released in October and adjusted by future population growth to predict changes in average incomes per capita in 2020 and 2021. Data on household education spending come from the World Bank Global Consumption database, which include data on level and shares of consumption by sector for 90 developing countries. We assume that after the crisis households will maintain their spending on education as a share of consumption. This means that all the changes in household expenditures on education will be due to changes in per capita income. In developing countries, we find that household spending on education is expected to decrease by 1.8 percent in 2020 and increase by 4.3 percent in 2021 (as a percentage of 2019 levels). Despite the bounceback in 2021, household education spending will still be lower in 2021 than in 2019 in most regions, except East Asia and Pacific (see the teal bars in figure 4). In Latin America, South Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa, the drop in household education spending could be between 6 and 10 percent, assuming households manage to maintain their share of spending on education. Household spending growth will partly recover in 2021 in South Asia but in Latin America and sub-Saharan Africa it could remain at a similar level to 2019.

Figure 4. Forecasted changes in household education spending compared to 2019

As household incomes contract, the share of spending allocated to education is likely to fall That scenario assumes households maintain the proportion of their spending on education, but it’s not clear that will be the case. In most countries, richer households tend to spend a larger proportion of their budgets in education, suggesting a positive income-elasticity of education spending (i.e., as income increases, spending increases). See Figure 5. Thus, as household incomes contract, the share of income allocated to education is likely to fall. To simulate this second scenario of household response to economic shocks, we estimated the income-elasticity of education spending based on the data from the Global Consumption database disaggregated by income groups for each country. When we take these potential changes in the proportion of spending into account instead of simply holding it constant, we find household education spending at the global level could decrease by as much as 3.1 percent in 2020 (the grey bars in figure 4). That’s followed by an increase of 3.9 percent in 2021 (as a percentage of 2019 spending). Similar to the previous scenario, the relatively positive global trend in household education spending is driven by East Asia, notably China, which is the only region with positive forecasts. South Asia has the largest drop, 17 percent, in this scenario because spending on education there tends to be most elastic as income changes. Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America have large forecasted declines of 7 and 12 percent respectively in 2020.

Figure 5. Share of income spent on education by consumption quintiles

The distributional effects of the economic crisis are still unclear, and the average decreases in education spending could be much larger for some groups if they are hit harder by the crisis. Our very simple model actually predicts a larger decrease in education spending for the richest quintiles, as their share of education spending tends to decrease more rapidly due to income elasticity.

A decline in household education budgets could have severe consequences for students and schools

Dropouts will likely rise

With less money to spend on education, households will have to make tough choices and more students are likely to drop out of school. Based on data on the relationship between dropout rate and income elasticity and what we knew at the time about the depth of the recession, in June the World Bank forecast that 6.8 million additional students, mostly aged 12 to 17, would drop out because of the COVID-19 economic crisis. But that forecast was based on the assumption that the recession in developing countries would be less severe, a 1 percent drop in GDP rather than the 3.3 percent drop now forecast. It’s likely that the number of dropouts will be even larger.

Countries in which household spending makes up a larger share of education finance may have more severe funding gaps

The second impact will be to stretch education budgets even more. In countries where households are a large contributor to total education spending, the decrease in household spending will compound expected drops in government spending. The countries most at risk are those where a larger economic shock is predicted and where households contribute a larger share of education spending. These countries that rely more heavily on household spending will experience additional challenges because households, unlike governments, will struggle to maintain their level of spending by borrowing. Moreover, in these countries governments will need to account for the losses in household funding by mobilizing extra resources to ensure the functioning of their education sector. There is a risk that if countries ignore this source of funding in their budgetary forecasts, schools could be left with large funding gaps as a result of parents not being able to pay schooling fees or contribute to the supplement costs of education.

Figure 6. Forecast economic growth and share of household funding of total education spending

We are grateful to Justin Sandefur and Lee Crawfurd for helpful comments.