May 27, 2021

Eri-Diaspora celebrate Independence Day anniversary

Eritrean nationals in Sweden, Qatar, Angola, and Zimbabwe celebrated the 30th Independence Day anniversary enthusiastically under the theme “Resilient: As Ever”.

At the celebratory event conducted in Stockholm, Sweden, on 23 May, Mr. Yonas Mana, Charge d’affairs at the Embassy of Eritrea in Scandinavian countries underlining the precious price paid to secure independence and safeguard the national sovereignty said that this year’s Independence Day anniversary is unique for it is celebrated at the time of new developments prevailing in the Horn of Africa.

He further called for renewing pledge to reinforce participation in the national development endeavors and commended all that contributed to realize the event.

Indicating that the 30th Independence Day anniversary celebration is the outcome of the achievements registered in the past 30 years, the chairperson of the National Holidays Coordinating Committee, Mr. Alem Teklegergish on his part lauded the heroic feat and resilience the people of Eritrea demonstrated before and after independence.

The celebratory event featured cultural and artistic performances, a general knowledge contest, as well as carnival and flag-waving activities.

The 30th Independence Day anniversary was also similarly celebrated in other cities of Sweden.

In related news, Eritreans residing in Qatar celebrated the 30th Independence Day anniversary on 26 May in the city of Doha.

At the celebratory event conducted with limited participation in compliance with the guidelines issued for controlling the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, the Ambassador of Eritrea in Qatar, Mr. Ali Ibrahim said that the past 30 years are an epitome of our resilience, struggle and victories of the Eritrean people and congratulated the people of Eritrea and its Defense Forces.

Mr. Hussien Mohammed-Saleh, chairman of the Eritrean community in Qatar on his part said that the 30th Independence Day anniversary is being celebrated at the time in which Eritrea has emerged victorious foiling various hostilities and challenges. Similarly, nationals residing in Angola and Zimbabwe celebrated 30th Independence Day anniversary respecting the guidelines issued in their respective countries of residence aimed at controlling the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea

May 27, 2021

Uganda Sees Sharp Rise in COVID-19 Cases

Uganda is seeing a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases, forcing its health officials to take stern emergency measures. From 200 cases per day in April, the East African country is now recording over 1,000 cases per day amid a looming vaccine shortage.

At the Ministry of Health, hundreds of people line up standing, others sitting, as the line snakes its way to the vaccination tent.

Uganda’s COVID-19 cases stand at 44,594, with 361 deaths. Dr. Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam, the country’s representative at the World Health Organization, spells out the rate at which the coronavirus is spreading in Uganda.

“On the week starting from 25 April, Uganda reported 256 cases. The week starting 2nd May, that number went up to 411. The week of the 9th of May, the number went to 475. And the week of the 16 May, the number has already reached 1,060,” he said.

Kampala is among 10 districts that have recorded a high number of cases.

Odoi Paul, 39, is among the many who thronged to the Ministry of Health on Thursday to get their first jab.

“To make sure that I’m free from COVID-19. Like in India, people are dying, in USA. Like, that is why I say, let me also go and save my life before such a thing happens in our country,” said Paul.

Dr. Henry Mwebesa, the director of health services, notes that it has taken the country less than 10 days to get to a full-blown pandemic.

The most affected group is people between the ages of 20 and 39, and the number of severely and critically ill COVID-19 patients is higher than it was in the first wave.

Dr. Mwebesa says officials are making tough decisions to ensure that people in densely populated areas such as Kampala get the vaccine.

“To also note with concern that some districts, especially in the Eastern and Northern regions, have not performed as well. So, the strategic committee meeting of the Ministry of Health resolved that vaccines be withdrawn from the poorly performing districts, and that the exercise should commence 27th May, which is today,” he said.

In March, Uganda received 964,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine from the COVAX facility, with 100,000 doses coming from India. Since March 10, about 550,000 people have been vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.

A second batch of vaccines was expected starting this month. But Dr. Woldemariam says that is not guaranteed.

“The supply we were expecting in May hasn’t come, and it’s unlikely to come in June. So, we are working towards seeing where we can get an alternative supplier other than India. Globally, now there is a big effort for big countries which have excess to vaccines to donate, so, we are looking into whether we will benefit from that,” he said.

To show the full extent of the second wave, tonight the three major local television stations in Uganda will anchor a joint news bulletin under the theme, Act or Perish.

Source: Voice of America

May 27, 2021

Cameroon Clears Abandoned Mental Health Patients from Streets

Authorities in Cameroon are clearing the streets in the capital, Yaounde, of more than 300 psychiatric patients whom officials say have been abandoned by family members. The central African state says stress from Boko Haram terrorism, a separatist crisis in its English-speaking western regions and the increase in consumption of hard drugs are responsible for growing numbers of such patients.

Laure Mengueme is the director of mental health at Cameroon’s Ministry of Health. She speaks to a group of about 70 people at the central market in Yaounde on why psychiatric patients should not be left on the streets.

Mengueme says she is making it clear that mentally ill patients should not be removed from the streets as refuse. She says local councils in Cameroon have social affairs services that will assist in the treatment of all abandoned mental health patients in the company of family members.

Among those listening to Mengueme is 49-year-old secondary school teacher Theresia Mbiteh. Mbiteh says her 19-year-old son became violent in the English-speaking northwestern town of Bamenda in 2017. She says his son began taking illegal drugs when separatist fighters prohibited children from going to school.

“I have done a lot, many people can testify. He escaped from here (Cameroon} and trekked to Nigeria,” said Mbiteh. “A person picked (found) him in Nigeria, called me one day after six weeks of his stay there and then told me. I had to borrow money to go collect him from Nigeria. When I brought him back here I thought things were going to be better, but nothing changed.”

Mbiteh said she travelled from Bamenda to Yaounde when Cameroon state radio reported that the government was helping families take their loved ones off the streets.

The health ministry reported that the number of abandoned psychiatric patients increased from 50 to more than 300 in Yaounde within two years. At least 2,700 patients are on the streets all over Cameroon with more than 400 in the commercial capital city Douala. Cameroon counted 1,300 such patients in its territory in 2019.

Frankline Ngwen is supervisor of the mental health department of the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services. He says abuse and trauma from the various crises Cameroon faces has led to an increase in the number of psychiatric patients.

“There are several reasons why people who are developing mental illnesses are increasing,” said Ngwen. “Some of them are very eminent including the sociopolitical crisis in the northwest region, the southwest region and the Boko Haram crisis in the north. This has given an opportunity for a lot of abuses, violence and trauma and these traumas can result to the development of mental illnesses. We also have schools where teenagers are using a lot of drugs and all these drugs are contributing to the development of mental illnesses.”

Traditionally, many Cameroonians believe that mental health crises are divine punishment for wrongdoing. Some say witchcraft or spiritual possession are responsible for mental illness.

Fonbe Hedwick runs Living Vine Mental Health Center in the English-speaking northwestern town of Bamenda. He is part of the campaign to remove mental patients from the streets. Fonbe says some patients are escaping from the homes of African traditional healers and Pentecostal pastors who abuse them, claiming that they are chasing evil spirits.

“They should not be beaten. Patients with psychiatric conditions should not be tied up. Some kind of brutal force should not be meted on them,” said Fonbe. “We encourage families to avoid taking them to places where they think that they {pastors} will just pray for these patients and they get miracle healing or to traditional healers who will think that they will do some concoctions and these patients will get well. This is our message to all the families and all the communities.”

Fonbe said with the arrival of the coronavirus in Cameroon in March 2020, many families have lacked the resources to care for psychiatric patients at home, putting them on the streets.

The health ministry is asking family members to take relatives with mental health problems to hospitals for treatment.

Source: Voice of America

May 27, 2021

More messages of congratulations

President Paul Biya of the Republic of Cameroon, King Felipe VI of Spain, Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth of the Republic of Mauritius, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih of the Republic of Maldives, President Katerina Sakellaropoulou of the State of Greece, President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of South Korea, as well as Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations sent messages of congratulations to the people and Government of Eritrea in connection with the 30th Independence Day anniversary.

In their messages, the leaders wished good health to President Isaias Afwerki and peace and prosperity to the Eritrean people.

In his message, Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth of the Republic of Mauritius also expressed readiness to strengthen the cordial relations between Mauritius and Eritrea in the years ahead for the mutual benefit of the peoples of the two countries. He further called to working closely on issues of common interest at the level of the Eastern African Group and in other multilateral sectors.

Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Antonio Guterres on his part stating that in these challenging times the contribution of each country is essential to the global wellbeing, underlined Eritrea’s role in overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing the climate emergency, and advance efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as help strengthen the United Nations and build a better and more peaceful world for all.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea