By Aimable Twahirwa
ADDIS ABABA, Sep 12 2024 – As the mpox virus continues to spread to new countries across Africa, triggering a continental health emergency, health authorities are sparing no effort in taking targeted measures to control the outbreak—and have called on funders to ensure that resources are distributed fairly.

Mpox (formally known as monkeypox) was declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa CDC on August 14 after the new strain, known as clade Ib, began to proliferate from the DRC to neighboring African countries, including Rwanda.

On September 6, the Africa CDC and WHO announced the launch of the Mpox Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan, a joint continental response plan for Africa to support countries’ efforts to curb the spread of the virus to save and protect lives.

Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (Africa CDC) director general, Jean Kaseya, said at the launch that this “unified strategy ensures that all partners are aligned on common objectives, eliminating duplication and maximizing impact.”

The overall estimated budget for the six-month plan, running from September 2024 to February 2025, is close to USD 600 million, with 55 percent allocated to mpox response in 14 affected AU Member States and readiness for 15 other Member States, while 45 percent is directed towards operational and technical support through partners.

“This is an important milestone for a coordinated action between our agencies to support countries by reinforcing expertise and mobilizing resources and capacities to swiftly and effectively halt the spread of mpox,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “By coming together, we can achieve more, and our collective strength will carry us further, ensuring that communities and individuals are protected from the threat of this virus.”

Mpox cases in Africa have increased at an unprecedented rate over the past three years. In addition to zoonosis-linked outbreaks, the intensified human-to-human transmission through sexual behaviors and other factors requires urgent attention and an enhanced response, according to the Africa CDC and WHO.

To address the ongoing mpox outbreaks, a comprehensive strategy is critical for effective management and mitigation.

It also needs equitable access to resources.

Africa CDC welcomed the Governing Board of the Pandemic Fund’s recent statement on funding, in which it agreed to fast-track support to countries affected by the crisis and to develop a special financing mechanism to support countries experiencing public health emergencies—but with a caveat.

“Africa CDC acknowledges and profoundly appreciates its continued support in strengthening pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response capacities across the continent,” it said, but it also called for “speed and efficiency in garnering resources for mpox, as well as the creation of a special financing mechanism to accelerate support for outbreaks, including mpox.”

Africa CDC and other health organizations on the continent are acutely aware that the playing field is often not even.

“It is the ardent desire and hope of Africa CDC that this transformative upcoming funding round will prioritize a more inclusive approach, increasing support to a greater number of African countries and regional entities, especially in light of the limited allocation in the previous round, where only five (5) of the fifty-five (55) African nations received funding,” it said in a statement released on September 11, calling for an end to delays in the interests of ensuring that health and lives of African populations are safeguarded and prevent the further spread of mpox.

“Together, we have the opportunity to avoid the repetition of past mistakes and build a more just and equitable global health architecture.”

The Mpox Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan emphasizes a community-centered, multisectoral approach tailored to the unique epidemiology and risk profiles of each member state. The plan bolsters surveillance, laboratory testing, and community engagement and ensures the availability of critical countermeasures while building resilient and equitable health systems.

Data from the Africa CDC indicates that there have been 37,583 cases and 1,451 deaths—affecting at least 15 African Union States, including Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, the Central African Republic (CAR), Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Egypt, Ghana, Liberia, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sudan and South Africa.

Health professionals consider a mutated strain of clade I, a type of mpox that spreads through contact with infected animals and has been endemic in the DRC for decades, to be the strain of greatest concern.

Kaseya said during the recent press briefing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, that the continental health organization was currently moving towards securing almost 1 million doses of the MX vaccine.

Africa CDC and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) announced on September 5 that the first shipment of 99,100 doses of the JYNNEOS mpox vaccine had arrived. This shipment is expected to launch a critical vaccination campaign aimed at curbing the rising epidemic in the DRC, the Africa CDC said in a statement.

On September 10, a further shipment of 15,460 doses of the mpox vaccine arrived in the DRC, donated to Gavi-eligible nations by the vaccine producer Bavarian Nordic. They add to the 215,000 vaccine doses that the European Union donated.

One major shortcoming often highlighted is that behaviors are directly implicated in accelerating the spread of mpox, impeding the behavioral change by people who already face challenges in accessing healthcare services in remote communities in Africa.

Prof. Jean Jacques Muyembe, a prominent African epidemiologist from the DRC who is also senior advisor to the Africa CDC’s director general, told IPS that for the specific case of his home country, mpox continues to spread through contaminated bushmeat, which a large part of local communities consume in quantities.

“Adopting and maintaining healthy behaviors is important for these communities where notable zoonotic diseases such as mpox are believed to be transmitted through bushmeat,” said Muyembe, who is also the chair of the DRC’s National Institute for Biomedical Research (INRB).

According to the findings released by the WHO, mpox can spread from animals to people in a few ways, such as through small wild animals in West and Central Africa, where the disease is endemic or with direct close contact with an infected animal, fluids or waste, or getting bitten or scratched.

While bushmeat in most parts of sub-Saharan Africa where mpox is endemic cannot be simply wished away, Muyembe points out that the administration of lifesaving vaccines to hundreds of millions of affected communities remains the best solution for Africa to defeat the outbreak.

“Randomized controlled trials will help us to measure the effectiveness of these health interventions,” said Muyembe.

Apart from bush meats, initial investigations conducted by the Africa CDC in the DR Congo and research elsewhere in Europe suggest that vulnerable populations, like sex workers and men who have sex with men, may be at risk.

“Well-organized standard care can reduce the mortality rate of mpox in Africa, but education is also critical to sensitize most families using the forest for hunting to abstain from bushmeat and also to practice safe sex,” the senior Congolese epidemiologist told IPS.

Kaseya points out that in addition to surveillance and diagnosis, African vaccine manufacturing seems to offer a promising and sustainable solution as the continent currently works hard to safeguard itself against future pandemics and disease outbreaks—and to ensure delays like the ones African nations faced in receiving COVID-19 vaccines never happen again.

“The only tool [for prevention] we have today in Africa is vaccine but for the diagnostic, we want to ensure that in some countries we move from the current 18 percent of testing up to 80 percent of diagnosed cases,” he said.

Since its inception, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology has been widely used in all stages of vaccine product development as a tool to assist in the evaluation of vaccine quality, safety and efficacy, especially in Africa.

“Capacity building is critical to support those who are conducting testing in the field,” Kaseya said of current efforts jointly conducted by Africa CDC and other strategic partners, including Global Fund and GAVI Alliance.

Drawing from the past experience of COVID-19, health experts are concerned about vaccine availability.

“Today with mpox we are in a similar situation (to COVID) where we need to look for vaccines because we don’t manufacture them,” he said.

Danish biotech firm Bavarian Nordic has concluded a deal with Africa CDC to ramp up production of its mpox vaccine and enable its vaccine to be manufactured in Africa in the future.

Through the concluded technology transfer deal, the African pharmaceutical industry will start manufacturing the mpox vaccines, according to Africa CDC officials.

Out of nine existing pharmaceutical industries in Africa, only one factory has the capacity to provide the mpox vaccine, it said.

Prof. Nicaise Ndembi, senior advisor to the Africa CDC’s DG, told IPS that the available evidence indicates that the mpox vaccine remains a safe and effective way to protect against symptomatic infection in high-risk close contacts.

“We need to build on current progress made to ensure that the African region is not left behind in efforts to control the mpox pandemic,” he said.

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By Oritro Karim
UNITED NATIONS, Sep 12 2024 – On Tuesday, an airstrike was carried out in Al-Mawasi, on a displacement camp situated on the Gaza Strip. According to the Gaza Civil Defense Agency, 40 people were killed and over 60 were injured. Despite being designated as a “safe zone” by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), this region has seen continual airstrikes and armed hostility since December 2023.

Prior to the eruption of hostilities in Gaza, Al-Mawasi was home to about 9,000 Palestinians. It was known as the “Basket of Food” due to its highly fertile conditions for agriculture. The region is relatively small, stretching for about 14 kilometers.

Late last year, Israeli authorities declared the Al-Mawasi settlement will be exempt from attacks during Israel’s occupation of Gaza. Thousands of displaced Palestinians flocked to this region, only to find that the camps were bereft of critical resources, such as food, water, healthcare, and sanitation.

“The use of heavy weapons in densely populated areas is unconscionable. Palestinians had moved to this area in Khan Younis in search of shelter and search of safety, after being repeatedly instructed to do so by the Israeli authorities,”  stated Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General, at a United Nations (UN) press briefing on Tuesday.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) estimates that over 1 million people are sheltering in this small region. The IDF claims that Al-Mawasi was the target for this recent bombing due to reports of the terrorist organization, Hamas, being situated in the settlements, stating that they “struck significant Hamas terrorists who were operating within a command-and-control center embedded inside the humanitarian area.”. Hamas denied these claims.

The IDF adds that only Hamas members were targeted in this recent airstrike and that they tried to mitigate harm inflicted on civilians by using “precise munitions.” They did not confirm or deny if civilians in the area were warned prior to the bombing.

However, the scale of the bombs used in this attack corresponds more accurately with previous indiscriminate attacks on displacement camps. Patrick Senft, a research coordinator at Armament Research Services (ARES), said, “The significant damage and the size of the craters align with the expected effects of aerial bombs weighing several hundred kilograms.”

“In an overcrowded camp where hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are scattered in makeshift tents, even the smallest bomb can cause immense damage and numerous casualties. Now, imagine the devastation when the Israeli occupation army uses 3 U.S.-made MK-84 bombs on them,” stated Maha Hussaini, strategy director at the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, in a post shared on X.

The explosions created three significant craters in the displacement camp, trapping several Palestinians under the debris. Gaza’s Health Ministry states, “A number of victims are still under the rubble, under the sand, and on the roads, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them and retrieve them, and they have not reached hospitals yet.”

The airstrikes on Tuesday have been one of the deadliest attacks that have taken place in Al-Mawasi since the beginning of the war last year. Despite prior notions that Al-Mawasi was exempt from hostilities, UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, stated that no place is safe in Gaza. A ceasefire agreement is imperative in preventing further loss.

Tor Wennesland, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, informed reporters that “international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precautions in attack, must be upheld at all times.”

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By Dima Al-Khatib
UNITED NATIONS, Sep 12 2024 – The annual United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation, commemorated annually on September 12, serves as a powerful reminder of the spirit of solidarity and cooperation that transcends geographic borders — a spirit that is crucial for securing a better and thriving future for all. In a world facing cross-cutting challenges, the importance of this South-South solidarity cannot be overstated.

We are now at a pivotal moment in our journey towards the 2030 Agenda. Regrettably, our progress has been far from satisfactory. Only 17 per cent of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets are on track to be achieved. Nearly half of the targets show minimal or moderate progress, and alarmingly, progress on over a third of them has stalled or even regressed.

These figures are not just numbers; they represent lives, futures, and the hope of billions around the world.

The global landscape is increasingly marked by a growing number of conflicts, escalating geopolitical and trade tensions, and the devastating impacts of climate change. These challenges have placed the SDGs in serious jeopardy, and it is the world’s most vulnerable populations who are bearing the brunt of these crises. In this context, the potential of South-South cooperation and triangular cooperation to catalyze progress towards the SDGs has never been more critical.

As we look ahead to the Summit of the Future, the commemoration of the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation offers us a timely opportunity to reflect on the progress we have made together through this modality. More importantly, it compels us to recognize the vast potential that South-South cooperation holds in building a more equitable and sustainable future.

South-South cooperation is no longer a peripheral concept; it is now widely recognized as a powerful vehicle that fosters inclusive growth, mutual learning, and shared success.

Across the developing world, we are witnessing remarkable strides in resilience building, innovation, and collaboration. These achievements demonstrate that by mobilizing international solidarity and forging global partnerships through South-South and triangular cooperation, we can accelerate the achievement of the SDGs.

Dima Al-Khatib, Director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation

This potential has been highlighted in numerous global discussions and summits, both within the United Nations and beyond. Whether the focus is on Least Developed Countries, Small Island Developing States, Middle-Income Countries, water, or trade, the message is clear: South-South cooperation is delivering results.

We are seeing incredible successes in the Global South, from improving health systems and enhancing agricultural productivity to advancing education and technology.

Consider the Republic of Congo, which is drawing on Brazil’s expertise in family farming and school feeding programs to improve food security and nutrition. Or Cuba, whose medical professionals have been on the frontlines, combatting disease across the South.

In the Pacific, UNESCO is facilitating exchanges among countries like Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu to build teachers’ capacities. These are just a few examples of how countries of the Global South are not only sharing knowledge and resources, but are also building enduring partnerships that transcend borders.

The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) plays a pivotal role in promoting, coordinating, and supporting these efforts globally and within the UN system. Our work involves identifying synergies and promoting collaboration between partners to attain all internationally agreed development goals.

One of the key tools we have developed in this endeavor is the South-South Galaxy — a digital platform that offers more than 950 Southern-grown SDG good practices. These practices are available to all countries for experience sharing and scaling up, providing a wealth of knowledge that has already lifted millions out of poverty and contributed to a more equitable world.

The South-South and Triangular Cooperation Solutions Lab, hosted on the same platform, is another innovative initiative. This Lab has begun incubating and testing scalable South-South and triangular cooperation solutions, driving forward new ways to tackle the complex challenges we face.

Our South-South Trust Funds are another testament to the solidarity of Southern partners. For example, the Government of India has channeled over $55.5 million into 63 projects that support sustainable development across more than 30 Small Island Developing States through the India-UN Development Partnership Fund.

Similarly, the IBSA Fund — supported by India, Brazil, and South Africa — continues to leverage the tried-and-tested power of South-South and triangular cooperation to bring tangible improvements to the daily lives of people across the globe. From providing safe drinking water to 12,000 people in Cabo Verde to developing a national universal health insurance program in Grenada, these initiatives showcase the impact of collaborative efforts.

Triangular cooperation – where South-South cooperation is supported by a developed country(ies) or multilateral organization(s) – also plays a critical role. For instance, the Republic of Korea and the Mekong River Commission are working together to share science and technology know-how, implementing the water, food, and energy nexus for vulnerable communities in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

Later this year, we will launch a dedicated Triangular Cooperation Window to optimize this modality of support and enhance the sharing of experiences among partners.

Despite these achievements, we recognize that significant work remains ahead. We are navigating a world shaped by new and complex global challenges — what some have called a poly-crisis.

Climate change, economic uncertainties, debt injustice, conflict, and the ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic continue to test our resilience. Yet, I remain confident that through South-South and triangular cooperation, we can turn these challenges into opportunities for transformative equitably change.

On this United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation, I call on all stakeholders — including governments, our UN family, civil society, academia and the private sector — to join hands in strengthening South-South cooperation. Let us commit to expanding partnerships, deepening our collaborations, and ensuring that no one is left behind.

Together, we can achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and build a future that is prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable for all.

Please join us!

Dima Al-Khatib is the Director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation. She took up her duties as Director of UNOSSC on 1 March 2023. She is a Sustainable Development Professional bringing more than 25 years of leadership and management experience in several duty stations to her role.

Ms. Al-Khatib holds a Diplome d’Etudes Approfondies (DEA) in Environmental Health from the Lebanese University and France University of Bordeaux II, and a Bachelor of Science and a Teaching Diploma in Environmental Health from the American University of Beirut. Dima Al-Khatib tweets at @dimaalkhatib1

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By Ifeanyi Nsofor
ABUJA, Sep 12 2024 – A recent study published in Journal Communications Medicine explores how people from different income levels and urban or rural backgrounds view the factors that influence health across eight countries: Brazil, China, Germany, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, and the United States.

It found that those with higher incomes are more likely to think genetics are the most important factor for health, while those with lower incomes value social support more. In contrast, urban residents prioritize healthcare, while those in non-urban areas place more importance on social support. This information can influence public health messaging.

Indeed, this study shows what the three most important perspectives are to consider in improving healthcare – social support, place of residence and genetics.

They are all important in predicting health disorders as well as providing quality healthcare. None should be viewed in isolation. Genetics helps predicts health conditions before birth or years before their occurrence, some health conditions are more prevalent in certain locations, and lack of social support can worsen the severity of different health conditions.

Genetics helps predicts health conditions before birth or years before their occurrence, some health conditions are more prevalent in certain locations, and lack of social support can worsen the severity of different health conditions

The three perspectives should also be interconnected when creating public health messaging around a disorder like sickle cell disease. This is why.

Genetics

Sickle cell disease is a genetic disorder that affects only Blackpeople. AS is the genotype for the sickle cell trait. It is an inherited disease, meaning one gets it from their parents if both carry the gene for sickle cell. A male and a female couple who have the AS genotype have a 25% chance of giving birth to a child with sickle cell disease (SS) in each pregnancy.

In sickle cell disease, the red blood cells that are usually round are shaped like sickles. This makes them sticky and makes it harder for them to move through blood vessels. They can get stuck, block blood flow, and cause pain, infections, and damage to organs. Caring for sickle cell disease warriors is very expensive because of the frequent pain crises and hospitalizations that could occur.

Public health messaging around sickle cell disease should focus on prevention, keeping in mind it is difficult to appeal to people’s emotions when they are in love. The messaging should be informed by families already caring for people living with sickle cell disease. It is the responsibility of health officials. However, there is an ecosystem of health advocate that can support.

In the event that a woman with the AS genotype becomes pregnant with a man who does too, the disease can be diagnosedin a fetus by sampling some of the amniotic fluid.

This test can help prepare parents for the birth of the child, learn more about sickle cell disease, its complications, how to prevent the complications to enable the child to live a life free from pains and the best way to care for the child.

It would also enable them to prepare financially to care for a sickle cell warrior. As heartbreaking as it may be, a couple knowing their genotype sometimes leads them to call off their wedding or decide not to have children of their own but instead opt for adoption. They need all the information necessary to make an informed decision for themselves.

Social Support

Family members are the primary and most important caregivers of sickle cell disease warriors. They are often not paid for their services; some give up their dreams while caring for sickle cell warriors and it takes a toll on their mental health too.

Government and non-profit organizations should push for policies on caring for caregivers. Such policies should provide financial compensation for carers, offer opportunities for continuous professional development for carers, provide paid alternate carers enabling family carers to get some rest.

Other social connections include organizations such as the Sickle Cell Foundation of Nigeria and the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America. These organizations contribute infundraising for care of warriors, research, policy development and advocacy. These organizations routinely host public awareness campaigns, working closely with public health authorities and healthcare providers. Families of sickle cell warriors can reach them by asking their healthcare providers and contacting these organizations via their websites.

Place of Residence 

Sickle cell disease is common in low- and middle-incomecountries. In those countries, there can be more severe complications because of widespread poverty, poor diagnostic capacities, and limited access to healthcare. Even in high income countries, poorer families bear a disproportionate burden of sickle cell disease.

A study in the U.S. found that 98% of cases with sickle cell disease are African-Americans and 42% had a family income at near federal poverty level. People in higher socioeconomic class also suffer from sickle cell disease though. Therefore, messaging must target everyone irrespective of social class.

To be sure, public health messages should be tailored to address the perspectives of different demographics. However, we should not lose sight of how interconnected they are. Indeed, it is crucial to understand the roles of genetics, social connections, and socio-economic status to design effective messaging strategies. That is how the findings of this research can benefit everyone.

Dr. Ifeanyi M. Nsofor, MBBS, MCommH (Liverpool) is a member of the Global Fellows Advisory Board at the Atlantic Institute, Rhodes Trust, Oxford