Category: Health

Hundreds of Zimbabweans protested Wednesday about a shortage of COVID-19 vaccines as the country awaits more doses from China. The government wants to inoculate at least 60% of Zimbabwe’s more than 14 million people by the end of the year but has struggled to get the necessary supplies.

Claudina Maneni brought her 60-year-old mother to get her second vaccine dose Wednesday at Wilkins Hospital, Zimbabwe’s main COVID-19 vaccination center.

She was among people who arrived at 4 a.m. but waited in vain for hours.

The crowd demanded to see authorities and began to protest but dispersed upon hearing police were on their way.

Maneni says she wonders why Zimbabwe’s finance minister, Mthuli Ncube, has not imported more vaccines to avert shortages.

“That’s the problem with freebies. Shortages must affect those who want their first jabs,” she said. “I hear some private points are selling it. I will pass through to check. It must be them — government officials — taking vaccines to those places. They are not ashamed at all. There will be chaos here. Why did they call us to come for vaccination?”

On Wednesday, Dr. John Mangwiro, Zimbabwe’s junior health minister, refused to comment. Tuesday, he told state-controlled media that government would redistribute COVID-19 vaccines from areas with lower demand to those where uptake has been high to avert current shortages.

He said Zimbabwe still had more than 400,000 doses from the 1.7 million COVID-19 vaccines it got from China, Russia and India since February.

Updating media Tuesday about Zimbabwe’s COVID-19 situation, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa was mum about the shortages.

“As of 31st May, 2021, a total of 675,678 people had received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and about 344,400 their second dose — this is across the country. Priority is being given to second doses,” she said.

After speaking, she did not field questions from reporters.

Calvin Fambirai, executive director of Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights, says his organization is worried about the COVID-19 vaccine shortages with winter season approaching the region.

“The vaccine shortages could have been avoided if there was proper planning on part of the government,” he said. “Although we understand the limited availability of vaccines on the market, we have some countries like South Africa, which entered into bilateral deals with manufacturers. We cannot afford to rely on donations, government must be proactive and secure the vaccines for all Zimbabweans.”

Last week, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization’s director for Africa, appealed for at least 20 million vaccines of second doses for everyone who received their first shots on the continent to curtail a potential third wave of COVID-19.

Zimbabwe has 38,998 confirmed coronavirus infections and just under 1,600 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University, which tracks the global outbreak.

Source: Voice of America

Aid agencies say 350,000 people affected by the eruption of Mount Nyiragongo near the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo are in need of urgent assistance.

Mount Nyiragongo erupted on May 22, turning the sky a fiery red and spewing lava into nearby villages. More than 30 people were killed.

Fears of a second volcanic eruption caused a mass exodus from Goma of most of its 450,000 residents on May 27. Around a quarter of that population fled to the neighboring town of Sake in the eastern province of North Kivu.

The U.N. refugee agency left behind a team of nine people in the area to evaluate the needs of the displaced. The agency and partners immediately began distributing plastic sheeting, water and other aid.

The head of the UNHCR office in Goma, Jackie Keegan, says she and her team since have returned to Goma. Speaking on a video link, she describes the situation in the city as one of uncertainty and unease.

“Yes. I am scared of the aftershocks, of course. Less scared now than I was when the windows were shaking every minute, which was happening about four days ago. But—yeah, it is scary. We are living on an active volcano… Like everybody else who ran away from the volcano, we are trying to figure out how to be as useful as possible in a challenging time,” she said.

The International Organization for Migration reports the eruption has displaced more than 415,000 people, nearly half of them minors. Most have travelled to towns in the eastern DRC, while roughly 52,000 have crossed the border into Rwanda.

IOM spokesman Paul Dillon says about a quarter of those who have fled Goma are very vulnerable and in need of special aid. These groups, he says, include breastfeeding women, the chronically ill, pregnant women, unaccompanied children, the elderly and the disabled.

“Should the displacement last, it is essential that we consider how we are going to prevent the spread of epidemics, facilitate humanitarian assistance and get kids back to school. IOM is particularly concerned by the health hazards linked to the eruption itself, the displacement to areas with pre-existing outbreaks, the lack of access to clean water and the increased burden placed on health facilities,” he said.

Aid agencies warn that people in Goma are at increased risk of cholera, which is endemic in the region and easily spread in areas with poor hygiene and sanitation and insufficient clean water.

The World Food Program reports it has started providing emergency food rations to thousands of people displaced from Goma. Based on assessments carried out over the past week, the WFP says it aims to reach 165,000 people in three cities of refuge. It says additional emergency food assistance is being provided to Congolese who have gone to Rwanda.

Source: Voice of America

Morocco and Spain traded new accusations on Monday in a diplomatic row triggered by the Western Sahara territorial issue that led this month to a migration crisis in Spain’s enclave in northern Morocco.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez described Morocco’s actions in appearing to relax border controls with the enclave of Ceuta as unacceptable and an assault on national borders.

Morocco’s Foreign Ministry meanwhile blamed Spain for breaking “mutual trust and respect,” drawing parallels between the issues of Western Sahara and Spain’s Catalonia region, where there is an independence movement.

The dispute was sparked by Spain admitting Western Sahara independence movement leader Brahim Ghali for medical treatment without informing Rabat.

“It is not acceptable for a government to say that we will attack the borders, that we will open up the borders to let in 10,000 migrants in less than 48 hours … because of foreign policy disagreements,” Sanchez said at a news conference.

Most migrants who crossed into Ceuta were immediately returned to Morocco, but hundreds of unaccompanied minors, who cannot be deported under Spanish law, remain.

The influx was widely seen as retaliation for Spain’s decision to discreetly take in Ghali.

Morocco regards Western Sahara as part of its own territory. The Algeria-backed Polisario seeks an independent state in the territory, where Spain was colonial ruler until 1975.

Describing Spain as Morocco’s best ally in the European Union, Sanchez said he wanted to convey a constructive attitude toward Rabat but insisted that border security was paramount.

“Remember that neighborliness … must be based on respect and confidence,” he said.

Morocco’s foreign ministry said in a statement that Spain violated good neighborliness and mutual trust and that migration was not the problem.

Rabat added that it has cooperated with Madrid in curbing migrant flows and in countering terrorism, which it said helped foil 82 militant attacks in Spain.

The case of Ghali “revealed the hostile attitudes and harmful strategies of Spain regarding the Moroccan Sahara,” the ministry said in a statement.

Spain “cannot combat separatism at home and promote it in its neighbor,” it said, noting Rabat’s support for Madrid against the Catalan independence movement.

Separately, Ghali, who has been hospitalized with COVID-19 in Logrono in the Rioja region, will attend a Tuesday high court hearing remotely from the hospital, his lawyer’s office said.

Morocco, which has withdrawn its ambassador to Madrid, has said it may sever ties with Spain if Ghali left the country the same way he entered without a trial.

Source: Voice of America

Eritreans in Riyadh-Saudi Arabia, as well as various cities of Canada and Germany, celebrated the 30th Independence Day anniversary in patriotic zeal under the theme “Resilient-As Ever”.

The celebratory event the nationals conducted in Riyadh at the premises of the Embassy of Eritrea in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a limited number of participants and via a virtual format that was live-streamed respecting the guidelines issued in that country to combat the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking at the celebration event that lasted 5 hours featuring artistic and cultural performances, Mr. Abdelrahman Imam, chairperson of the Eritrean Community in Riyadh and its environs stated that Independence is related to our existence and for that 24 May is colorfully celebrated. He further noted that this year’s Independence anniversary is unique for it is celebrated at the time of new developments prevailing in the region and congratulated the Eritrean people and its Defense Forces. Ms. Weini Gerezghiher, Charge d’Affairs at the Eritrean Embassy in Saudi Arabia, on herself stating that the prevailing peaceful and hopeful era is the outcome of the resilience of the Eritrean people, demonstrated in the last 30 years congratulated the Eritrean people and members of its defense Forces.

In the same vein, nationals residing in various cities of Canada celebrated the 30th Independence Day anniversary starting from 21 May featuring artistic and cultural performances.

The nationals in addition to the celebratory event conducted via a virtual format and social media conducted various activities including flag-waving and marching activities.

In the speeches delivered, Mr. Ahmed Iman, the head of Consular Affairs, Mr. Temesgen Haileab, chairperson of the Holidays Organizing Committee, as well as Ms. Danait Semere, chairwoman of the NUEW branch stated that the strong resilience the Eritrean people demonstrated in the past 30 years will work wonders realizing a developed and prosperous Eritrea.

Similarly, nationals in various cities of Germany colorfully celebrated the 30th Independence Day anniversary respecting the guidelines issued in that country with the view to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The celebratory event organized by the Holidays Organizing Committee was highlighted with various programs including cultural and artistic performances among others.

Source: Ministry of Information Eritrea