Category: Medical

Statistics published by the Ministry of Public Health indicate that the epidemiological situation of measles in Cameroon is beginning to call for concern.

“Of the 200 Health Districts in Cameroon, 100 are in measles epidemic, with 4,677 cases and 18 deaths. A situation which can be explained by insufficient vaccination coverage for several years, the growing number of unvaccinated children resulting, in part, from the vaccine hesitation amplified by Covid-19.” Revealed MINSANTE.

In a come together in the Ebolowa-South region recently, health stakeholders advanced the risks involved in nursing measles and the rubella epidemics at this point in time.

“Note that measles remains a very contagious serious viral disease which manifests itself by rashes, watery eyes, and fever. Although rubella and measles have similar symptoms, no treatment is currently available. The only means of prevention is vaccination.” Stressed a health expert.

To avoid crossing the red line, the health warriors are preparing for a national vaccination campaign in Cameroon against the measles and rubella epidemics starting from June 28 to July 2, 2023.

“During this operation, children from 09 months to 5 years will be injected in the shoulder, in hospitals and all places of regrouping (including localities with difficult access, refugee camps, nomadic camps).” The health team disclosed.

The national vaccination campaign has been organized by the Expanded Vaccination Program (EPI) and the Cameroon Red Cross. According to them, groundwork plans are being intensified for smooth and effective vaccination across Cameroon, in a bit to curb the spread of measles and rubella.

Nevertheless, the population (especially parents) is implored to collaborate with the health teams for the sake of their children.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Erongo Governor, Neville Andre Itope, has urged men to open up about mental health issues and seek help in an effort to better themselves.

Itope, whose speech was delivered on his behalf, made the sentiments at the second edition of the Men’s Conference held at Swakopmund over the weekend.

In his speech, Itope commended the event, noting that it is significant to provide a platform for pertinent issues such Gender Based Violence, suicide and mental health to be engaged and deliberated on and to equip the men in society with vital information.

“Many a time, men are confronted with the saying ‘man up’, insinuating that they should not be weak, show emotion and be vulnerable. This discourages men from opening up and talking about issues that hinder them and resolving challenges in a peaceful and amicable manner.

It is for this reason that men resort to anger outbursts that end in gender-based violence or domestic violence cases or suicide,” he expressed.

Statistics by the Namibian Police Force indicated that most of the suicides, GBV, murder cases recorded within the region are by men, who are afraid to speak up due to the pressure from expectations to perform from their partners or society as men.

According to Itope, this is worrisome and requires urgent intervention from all sectors in society.

“It is important to highlight at this juncture that morals, values and ethics play an imperative role in how men handle issues they have to face. Morals and values guide us to act on what is right and good for all, while ethics is the willingness to do the right thing despite the cost or effort involved,” Itope noted.

The governor encouraged all men to speak up, speak out and seek solutions in the right places and further called on the men to hold hands and do what is not only legally correct, but that which is morally correct as well to make society a better and safer place to live in.

The men’s conference was held under the theme: “Stop suffering in silence and speak out for solutions.”

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Ethiopia’s investment on health prevention services and information sharing using various tools is commendable, World Health Organization (WHO), Deputy Representative to Ethiopia said.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, the Deputy Representative Dr. Nonhlanhla Rose-Mary Dlamini said health prevention service is part of our Risk Communication Community Engagement (RCCE) and it has to be in languages that the ordinary person can understand.

“It is actually a very good investment to start with the prevention side. Ethiopia put in place that the preventive services and information sharing is strong. I even get SMS messages even though I cannot read the local language. The fact that reaching someone like me shows the penetration is actually very good.”

Regarding the commitment of WHO and other partners to support Ethiopian health system, the deputy representative said we develop tools for countries to adopt them based on researches fitting with the respective countries’ health system.

It is part of our plan that health preventive services should be in languages that the ordinary person can understand then you can get the message across in all platforms.

As WHO, we have access to all the researches all-over the world. We will take the researches and test and identify which one is fit for a respective country and adopt them as system.

Stressing that research and innovation is always very important in all the programs, she said as things are so dynamic and change all the time, researchers are key to show such dynamics.

For Dr. Dlamini, identifying the social structure of the society and those who are vulnerable is key to implement all the health strategies.

There is strong partnerships among key development partners in Ethiopia’s health sector, including COVID-19 response efforts.

Ethiopia’s government has been praised for the aggressive and effective tactics it has used to stem the outbreak of COVID-19.

Ethiopia is also currently digitizing the community health information system, called the electronic community health information system, or eCHIS.

This system is expected to bring tools and networks into place to digitize data, and automate workflows, enabling HEW performance management and supervision.

Recall that last March, 2023, Health Minister Dr. Lia Tadesse was recognized for her contribution as a female leader in the field of health development

The recognition is given to African women leaders who focus on tackling and solving challenges in health development, quality and fair access to health services, and universal health service coverage, as well as role models for future generations.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The South West Regional Assembly has this May 10th, donated a consignment of medical equipments and supplies to hospitals in the region.

This initiative which is in partnership with Medshare International is aimed at assisting the needy and those who cannot afford to pay for their treatment when sick.

According to the President of the South West Regional Assembly Bakoma Zaccheus Elango, Medshare International made a donation of a 40 feet container of medical supplies and medical equipment.

“We went to the U.S. in September last year and came back with two 40 feet containers. Our partners Medshare made a donation of a 40 feet container of medical equipment. One of our sisters in the diaspora equally offered us another 40 feet container of supplies and medical equipment free of charge,” he said.

“Our partners want to know what have become of the donations. So today we will donate and report back to them indicating that we have distributed to the needy communities and tell them what they have been used for. We have identified our 29 health units which we will distribute to,” he added.

The President has therefore encouraged and begged on the medical staff to collaborate with them when tangible information is needed especially on the needs of the hospital so as to be able to get assistance from partners.

Going by the Regional Delegate of Public Health in the South West, Dr Eko Eko Flibert medical supplies and medical equipment are not for sale, they are to be used for the needy population who cannot afford to pay for their treatment.

“Please we are not giving you to go and sell, we are giving you to go and use for the needy. There will be persons who will not be able to pay for anything. Use those commodities for them, it will help us to solve a lot of problems especially reduce the rate of maternal mortality,” he stated.

The Regional Delegate also highlighted that this donation is coming right on time as the Minister of Public health is embarking on a tour for the universal health coverage.

It should be noted that their partner MedShare is a national non-profit organization that recovers surplus medical supplies and equipment from the United States hospitals and manufacturers and redistributes them to needy hospitals in developing countries.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

The Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) on Thursday received a donation of medical equipment and general medical supplies from Support Ulm e.V, a non-profit organisation based in Germany.

The medical equipment and supplies were received by the Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Kalumbi Shangula in the capital.

The donation includes hospital beds, matrasses, bedside and treatment tables, infusion stands, bath lifts, wheelchairs, standing sling units, medicine trolleys, shower chairs and roller chairs as well as toilet chairs.

It further includes physiotherapy tables, drainage tanks, physiotherapy standing devices, operations tables and chairs, sterile boxes, walking aids and general medical supplies.

These equipment and general medical supplies which are valued at N.dollars 1.5 million, were donated to the ministry through the Ohorongo Cement factory which has a close relationship with Support Ulm e.V.

In a media statement on Thursday, Ohorongo said Support Ulm e.V. is under the management and guidance of Dr Heinz Maier, together with the Haussler Group in Ulm, Germany.

“Support Ulm e.V. was established by a group of medical doctors in Germany who made it their aim to support medical projects throughout the world by means of funding, humanitarian and donating equipment and medical supplies,” read the statement.

Ohorongo Cement Logistics Manager, Sion Amalovu handed the consignment to Minister Shangula, saying the donation is specifically aimed at improving the medical services within the health ministry for it to fulfil its obligation of providing basic health needs towards the nation.

Amalovu further explained that so far the Support Ulm e.V. since 2009 has spent over N.dollars 77 million in donations to the MoHSS, through this partnership.

Shangula on his part said the donated medical equipment and supplies will go a long way in improving service delivery to patients and clients who seek medical care in various health facilities across the country.

“The donation is considered an extension to the existing measures used to safeguard lives and enhance the ability to treat and care for our patients,” he said.

The Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services, Utjiua Muinjangue also attended the event.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Ministry of Health and the French government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today to support the health recovery efforts in Ethiopia, and specifically in rehabilitating and reequipping of Abala Hospital in Afar region.

The signing ceremony was attended by the Minister of Health, Dr. Lia Tadesse and the Ambassador of France to Ethiopia and to the African Union, Rémi Marechaux.

According to the press release, the embassy sent to ENA, France is also committed to supporting the rehabilitation of Adwa hospital in Tigray.

Ambassador Maréchaux stated “Following a field visit to Afar and Tigray in April and our support to Dessie Referral Hospital, I am happy to announce France is committed to support the rehabilitation of Abala and Adwa hospitals which will provide health support to 1.5 million people living in the surrounding areas.

“We hope that this reconstruction effort will be a prequel to further involvement from different partners in all areas affected by the conflict. The positive track towards peace and political dialogue must be solidified quickly and I hope this contribution can help foster reconciliation.,” he said.

The MoU on Abala’s hospital will strengthen health recovery initiatives in Ethiopia and represents the pursuit of a bilateral project aiming to provide support to ongoing stabilization efforts in the country, the ambassador said.

According to the press release, the 2.5million euro project is funded by the Crisis and Support Centre of France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and implemented by Expertise France, the French Public Agency for the design and implementation of international technical cooperation projects in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Afar Regional Health Bureau.

More specifically, Expertise France will strengthen conflict-affected communities’ access to health care through the rehabilitation and re-equipment of Abala’s hospital, through a set of activities based on two mutually reinforcing expected results.

First, Abala’s hospital is rehabilitated and upgraded to provide an accessible comprehensive health care to the most vulnerable populations affected by violent conflicts; second, the hospital will be provided with the necessary equipment to relaunch the provision of essential health care.

At the occasion of this signing ceremony, the Ambassador Maréchaux handed over a letter to Dr. Lia Tadesse Gebremedhin to inform France intends to support the re-equipment of Adwa’s public hospital with a 1.5 million Euro donation provided by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the press release said.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The African Union Commission (AUC) Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat has called for respect and extension of the ceasefire agreed upon on April 30, 2023, by the conflicting parties in Sudan.

The African Union, IGAD, and UN have discussed today about ways of developing a joint de-escalation plan to the conflict in Sudan.

During the occasion, the chairperson said the objective of the meeting is to have a collective action in Sudan and to avoid incoherence that would bring dispersed action.

“Our priority today is to have the ceasefire respected and extended; and then ensure humanitarian assistance,” Faki Mahamat stressed.

According to him, the health system is completely broken and there is no water and electricity.

The chairperson appealed to the international organizations and neighboring countries of Sudan to help the Sudanese people who are in distress.

He emphasized the need to intensify efforts for the resumption of political process, saying that “our conviction is that there is no military solution to this type of crisis.”

Faki Mahamat, therefore, urged the international community to work in unison in order to attain result in the peace process.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency