Day: June 20, 2024

News reaching CNA confirmed the death of Nyuyki Hans, a beloved young man from Kumbo, in a shooting incident on Wednesday evening.

Hans was reportedly shot dead on his farm in Melim, a village 30 minutes from Kumbo. The perpetrators remain unidentified at this point.

The ongoing armed conflict in the Northwest and Southwest regions since 2017 makes it difficult to determine if the attackers were government soldiers or separatist fighters who have strongholds throughout the region.

The 30-year-old businessman was known for his positive attitude and generosity, readily helping those in need. He leaves behind a wife and children.

The lack of immediate identification of the perpetrators adds to the community’s tension and fear as both sides play the pontius pilate to suit their agenda.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Addis Ababa: The Government of Ethiopia is working on landscape restoration through various initiatives to combat deforestation, degradation and climate change, Ethiopian Forestry Development Director-General Kebede Yimam said today.

The nation has also developed policies, strategies and plans to protect foresters, he stated, recalling the Green Legacy Initiative as one of government efforts to combat environmental degradation, deforestation, and climate change.

Therefore, the director-general stressed that it’s important to work in collaboration with various stakeholders for effective land management and restoration in a research based and holistic manner.

Kebede made the remark at a workshop on disseminating research findings and policy implications of landscape approach and climate-smart agriculture.

The primary goal of the workshop organized by International Water Management Institute (IWMI) is to promote policy actions for eco-regional and landscape development approaches and climate-smart agricultur
e and to share important research findings in order to hasten Ethiopia’s transformation to a sustainable food system.

IWMI Principal Researcher, Amare Haile Selassie said the purpose of today’s workshop is dissemination of research findings on landscape and climate-smart agriculture for over one decade in Bale Zone and in Central Rift Valley area.

‘We have been collecting data, we have been analyzing those data and interpreting them in a way that gives lessons for development partners working on implementation of development activities, and to enable adaptive learning in this whole process of natural resource landscape and climate-smart agriculture implementation activities,’ he stated.

As a result, the workshop highlighted the pivotal role in promoting climate-smart agriculture, sustainable landscape management, and nature-based solutions for equitable sustainable development in Ethiopia.

The principal researcher further pointed out that IWMI is working with various development partners in implementing o
ne of its major interventions — the solar pump for irrigation initiative, that has been under implementation since 2016.

According to him, the solar pump irrigation system has been benefiting many small-holder farmers in different parts of the country.

‘There are so many activities that we are implementing with NGOs, as part of Bounty of the Basket (Ye Lemat Tirufat), Green Legacy as well as in climate smart agriculture. If you take the wheat irrigation, this is the government direction, we are complementing this very clearly.’

Farm Africa Ethiopia Country Office Director, Shewit Emmanuel said on her part that the organization has been working in different regions of Ethiopia to increase the production and productivity of farmers and pastoralists.

In doing so, ‘we have reduced deforestation by more than 59 percent just in Bale Zone and other regions. Now the community has a high awareness on what kind of forest friendly kind of livelihood they can implement and take ownership of the protection.’

Thus,
‘this workshop is about documenting what we have to document so that we can scale out.’

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

A staggering 6,000 children are born with sickle cell disease in Cameroon each year, according to the Association to Fight Sickle Cell in the West Region. This highlights the urgent need for increased awareness and preventative measures.

Love vs. Science?

Etienne Tabopda, President of the aforementioned association, emphasized the importance of premarital screening for hemoglobin genotype. He laments that many couples prioritize love over scientific compatibility, leading to a higher risk of having children with sickle cell disease.

Understanding Sickle Cell Disease

Dr. Claude Belanquale, a Medical Officer at the Bangang Medical Center, explains that sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disorder caused by abnormally shaped red blood cells. These misshapen cells struggle to carry oxygen effectively throughout the body, resulting in severe anemia.

Prevention Through Screening

Dr. Belanquale stresses the significance of premarital screening for both partners. Since the disease is hereditary, couples with
certain genotypes (SS or AS) have a higher chance of having children with sickle cell disease.

Management, Not Cure

While there’s no definitive cure for sickle cell disease, Dr. Belanquale outlines vital management strategies. These include iron supplements to aid red blood cell production, increased water intake, and regular checkups to prevent infections that can worsen anemia.

Early Diagnosis, A Matter of Life and Death

A critical shortfall in Cameroon, and many African countries, is the lack of standardized newborn screening protocols. This delays diagnosis, and tragically, many children with sickle cell disease don’t survive past the age of 5.

Hope Through Progress

The theme for World Sickle Cell Day 2024, ‘Hope Through Progress: Advancing Sickle Cell Care Globally,’ reflects the ongoing fight against this disease. While acknowledging challenges, it emphasizes advancements in research and the hope for a future with improved treatment options.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Fru Joseph is still not in a happy mood after gunmen set on fire his Taxi in Bamenda on June 18, 2024. That fateful day, his driver who set out for the daily hustle, called around 3 PM to inform him that some armed men had stopped him and were furious over the color of his taxi.

‘I was at home on Tuesday 18 of June when my driver called me and said unknown gunmen stopped him and removed him out of the car took everything that was with him asking him if he had not been warned not to use a taxi with yellow color,’ Fru told CNA.

Despite pleas for mercy, the armed men set the car on fire, before leaving the scene.

‘He pleaded, lying on the ground telling them to pardon him but they refused and set the taxi on fire

Then he called me and told me they had burnt my taxi.’

Fru Joseph who was seen shortly after the incident, crying uncontrollably, said this was the only source of his livelihood.

The separatist group, Ambazonia Governing Forces, ordered its fighters to destroy Taxis painted in Yellow said they are
unshaken and will continue the policy of no Yellow Taxis in the capital city.

Source: Cameroon News Agency