TOPLINE: The number of new Covid-19 cases around the world fell for the fifth consecutive week last week, the World Health Organization <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update---16-february-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>, dropping 16% to 2.7 million new cases, though infectious new variants of the virus continue to spread to new regions of the world. 



<h3 id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h3>



<ul><li>In the space of five weeks, the number of new Covid-19 cases reported around the world has almost halved, the WHO said in its weekly epidemiological report Tuesday. </li></ul>



<ul><li>Of the six regions the WHO divides the world into, only one, the Eastern Mediterranean, reported a (7%) rise in cases last week, with all others reporting double digit declines.   </li></ul>



<ul><li>The number of new deaths reported around the world also fell 10% from last week to 81,000, the WHO said, which used figures up to Sunday.</li></ul>



<ul><li>WHO chief Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus <a href="https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1361401367743655942?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a> Monday the global progress “shows that simple public health measures work, even in the presence of variants.” </li></ul>



<ul><li>“What matters now is how we respond to this trend,” he said, stressing that the “fire is not out… (and that) if we stop fighting it on any front, it will come roaring back.”</li></ul>



<ul><li>The agency is still monitoring the spread of numerous Covid-19 variants—including those first identified in South Africa, the U.K. and Brazil—which have each spread to new countries.  </li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">This shows that simple public health measures work against <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a>, even in the presence of variants. What matters now is how we respond to this trend. The fire is not out, but we have reduced its size. If we stop fighting it on any front, it will come roaring back.&mdash; Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1361401367743655942?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h3 id="h-tangent">TANGENT</h3>



By a substantial margin, the United States recorded the highest number of new cases (673,670) and deaths (21,412) from the virus last week, although these figures were down 23% and 5% from the previous week respectively.&nbsp;



<h3 id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h3>



Many countries around the world are starting to ramp up vaccination drives, with Israel and the United Arab Emirates having&nbsp;<a href="https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">inoculated</a>&nbsp;a significant portion of the population. There are fears that poorer countries will be left without supplies as the rich hoard them—something Tedros has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2020/10/26/who-warns-of-dangerous-moment-amid-spike-in-covid-19-cases/?sh=4cd61d56244c">termed</a>&nbsp;vaccine nationalism—though the WHO’s recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2021/02/15/astrazeneca-oxford-covid-19-vaccine-gets-emergency-approval-from-who/?sh=4bc5cd3c3953">approval</a>&nbsp;of AstraZeneca’s shot, a much cheaper and more easily transported product, is cause for optimism.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



<h3 id="h-what-to-watch-for">WHAT TO WATCH FOR</h3>



The WHO is keeping an eye on new variants of the novel coronavirus, though warned that approximately 70% of its genomic sequences come from just three countries (U.S., U.K. and Denmark).



<h3 id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h3>



<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/17/new-global-covid-cases-fell-16-last-week-says-who" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">New global Covid cases fell 16% last week, says WHO</a>&nbsp;(Guardian)



<a href="https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiological-update---16-february-2021" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Weekly epidemiological update &#8211; 16 February 2021</a>&nbsp;(WHO)



<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/02/14/why-coronavirus-cases-are-dropping/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Four reasons experts say coronavirus cases are dropping in the United States</a> (Washington Post)



By Robert Hart,Forbes Staff

SWITZERLAND-VIRUS-HEALTH-FOUNTAIN

New Covid-19 Cases Around The World Dropped 16% Last Week, World Health Organization Says

TOPLINE The World Health Organization team investigating the origins of Covid-19 has not been able to uncover the source of the virus or meaningfully change our understanding of the pandemic, the group said Tuesday, though it did rule out the idea commonly touted by former President Trump that the virus escaped from a Wuhan laboratory. 



<h4 id="h-key-facts">KEY FACTS</h4>



<ul><li>In a joint press conference led by members of WHO and Chinese delegations, experts said their two weeks in the field had uncovered new information but had not dramatically changed the picture of the pandemic. </li></ul>



<ul><li>Peter Ben Embarek, who chaired the WHO team, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/09/wuhan-laboratory-leak-covid-origin-theory-unlikely-says-who-team" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a> the theory that the virus escaped from a Wuhan lab is “extremely unlikely” and does not merit further study, pointing to a lack of work on similar viruses “anywhere in the world” and a strong set of lab procedures making it “very unlikely that anything could escape from that place.”</li></ul>



<ul><li>Embarek said the most likely hypothesis remains the virus entering humans through an intermediary species—evidence suggests this could be bats or pangolins—but said the group was unable to identify a natural animal reservoir for the virus and further research would be needed.  </li></ul>



<ul><li>Embarek said further work was also needed to evaluate two other theories, such as whether the virus could have entered into humans from an animal reservoir directly or if frozen products were involved “in the introduction of the virus over a distance”. </li></ul>



<ul><li>According to the Guardian, the Chinese delegation, which spoke first, heavily emphasized the latter theory, in fitting with ongoing efforts by officials to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/29/a-year-after-wuhan-alarm-china-seeks-to-change-covid-origin-story" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">relocate</a> the virus’ origins overseas.  </li></ul>



<h4 id="h-what-we-don-t-know">WHAT WE DON’T KNOW</h4>



After months of tense buildup and diplomatic back and forth to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/01/11/china-finally-green-lights-who-investigation-into-coronavirus-origins-as-daily-covid-19-cases-spike-to-five-month-high/?sh=3f87ad3b6511">greenlight</a>&nbsp;the WHO investigation, the origins of Covid-19 remain a mystery. It is unclear whether further investigations will receive approval from the authorities, and despite its continued claims of cooperation for the mission, China repeatedly refused to authorize a visit and even&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/01/06/who-chief-very-disappointed-as-china-blocks-entry-of-experts-studying-origins-of-covid-19/?sh=7ee973c347d4">blocked</a>&nbsp;the team’s arrival as they were leaving their home countries. It now says its side of the investigation is over, adding that this is just the “first part” of the WHO’s “global origin tracing work.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



<h4 id="h-key-background">KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



Amid manifold failures and mounting criticism, China became a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsolender/2020/04/25/republicans-see-attacks-on-china-as-a-winning-strategy-for-2020/#52bc901a3473">target</a>&nbsp;for Trump and Republicans looking to cast blame for the Covid-19 crisis in the United States. Beyond the virus being first detected there, the former President and his officials repeatedly pushed, without evidence, the idea that the virus also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2020/05/10/a-timeline-of-the-covid-19-wuhan-lab-origin-theory/?sh=7589d49b5aba">leaked</a>&nbsp;from a lab in Wuhan. Trump once said he had a “high degree of confidence” in the Wuhan lab theory, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said there was “enormous evidence” the claim was true.&nbsp;



<h4 id="h-further-reading">FURTHER READING</h4>



<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/09/wuhan-laboratory-leak-covid-origin-theory-unlikely-says-who-team" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wuhan laboratory leak Covid origin theory &#8216;unlikely&#8217;, says WHO team</a>&nbsp;(Guardian)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackbrewster/2020/05/10/a-timeline-of-the-covid-19-wuhan-lab-origin-theory/?sh=7589d49b5aba">A Timeline Of The COVID-19 Wuhan Lab Origin Theory</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/roberthart/2021/01/11/china-finally-green-lights-who-investigation-into-coronavirus-origins-as-daily-covid-19-cases-spike-to-five-month-high/?sh=3f87ad3b6511">China Finally Green Lights WHO Investigation Into Coronavirus Origins As Daily Covid-19 Cases Spike To Five-Month High</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff

CHINA-HEALTH-VIRUS

Wuhan Lab Theory ‘Extremely Unlikely’ Covid-19 Source, WHO Concludes—Correcting A Trump White House Claim

While most cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus have been reported in the U.S. , Europe, and China, the virus is spreading rapidly across the African continent. 



The confirmed worldwide cases for the virus have surpassed 50 million with the current figure being at 86,979,718.



The increase in newly reported cases around the world has led the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the coronavirus a global pandemic. 



The death toll continues to rise globally now surpassing <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/current-affairs/2020/09/29/coronavirus-claims-the-lives-of-more-than-1-million-people-worldwide/">one million</a>. It is currently at 1,878,992.



The U.S. leads with 365,740 deaths. Brazil comes second with 197,777. India&#8217;s deaths are at 150,151; Mexico is with 128,822 deaths, and The U.K is with 76,329.



China, where the virus originated from, maintains that the country&#8217;s death toll is at 4,634.



The figure of the global recoveries stands at 61,684,121.



The African continent now has a total figure of 2,895,592 confirmed cases of Covid-19, while the death toll stands at 68,872. The continent has made 2,388,345 recoveries. 



Here are the country-wide numbers for Africa:



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-regular"><table><tbody><tr><td>Country </td><td>Confirmed Cases </td><td>Confirmed Deaths</td><td>Confirmed Recoveries</td></tr><tr><td>Algeria</td><td>100,873</td><td>2,782</td><td>68,185</td></tr><tr><td>Angola</td><td>17,756</td><td>410</td><td>11,376</td></tr><tr><td>Benin</td><td>3,304</td><td>44</td><td>3,185</td></tr><tr><td>Botswana</td><td>15,440</td><td>45</td><td>12,481</td></tr><tr><td>Burkina Faso</td><td>7,342</td><td>86</td><td>5,443</td></tr><tr><td>Burundi</td><td>842</td><td>2</td><td>687</td></tr><tr><td>Cameroon</td><td>26,848</td><td>448</td><td>24,892</td></tr><tr><td>Cabo Verde (Cape Verde)</td><td>11,983</td><td>113</td><td>11,608</td></tr><tr><td>Central African Republic (CAR)</td><td>4,963</td><td>63</td><td>1,924</td></tr><tr><td>Chad</td><td>2,289</td><td>105</td><td>1,876</td></tr><tr><td>Comoros</td><td>995</td><td>13</td><td>759</td></tr><tr><td>Congo</td><td>7,107</td><td>108</td><td>5,846</td></tr><tr><td>Cote d&#8217;Ivoire (Ivory Coast)</td><td>22,855</td><td>138</td><td>22,154</td></tr><tr><td>Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) </td><td>18,248</td><td>599</td><td>14,723</td></tr><tr><td>Djibouti </td><td>5,854</td><td>61</td><td>5,752</td></tr><tr><td>Egypt</td><td>144,583</td><td>7,918</td><td>115,414</td></tr><tr><td>Equatorial Guinea</td><td>5,286</td><td>86</td><td>5,154</td></tr><tr><td>Eritrea</td><td>1,445</td><td>3</td><td>740</td></tr><tr><td>Eswatini&nbsp;(formerly Swaziland)</td><td>10,338</td><td>252</td><td>6,094</td></tr><tr><td>Ethiopia</td><td>126,241</td><td>1,963</td><td>112,813</td></tr><tr><td>Gabon</td><td>9,605</td><td>66</td><td>9,415</td></tr><tr><td>Gambia</td><td>3,812</td><td>125</td><td>3,677</td></tr><tr><td>Ghana</td><td>55,168</td><td>335</td><td>53,928</td></tr><tr><td>Guinea</td><td>13,845</td><td>81</td><td>13,199</td></tr><tr><td>Guinea-Bissau</td><td>2,455</td><td>45</td><td>2,398</td></tr><tr><td>Kenya</td><td>97,398</td><td>1,694</td><td>79,966</td></tr><tr><td>Lesotho</td><td>3,206</td><td>65</td><td>1,496</td></tr><tr><td>Liberia</td><td>1,779</td><td>83</td><td>1,406</td></tr><tr><td>Libya</td><td>102,880</td><td>1,546</td><td>77,435</td></tr><tr><td>Madagascar </td><td>17,767</td><td>262</td><td>17,298</td></tr><tr><td>Malawi</td><td>7,110</td><td>199</td><td>5,753</td></tr><tr><td>Mali</td><td>7,349</td><td>284</td><td>5,070</td></tr><tr><td>Mauritania</td><td>14,981</td><td>367</td><td>12,639</td></tr><tr><td>Mauritius</td><td>531</td><td>10</td><td>513</td></tr><tr><td>Mayotte</td><td>6,045</td><td>56</td><td>2,964</td></tr><tr><td>Morocco</td><td>445,439</td><td>7,581</td><td>416,708</td></tr><tr><td>Mozambique</td><td>19,542</td><td>171</td><td>17,069</td></tr><tr><td>Namibia</td><td>25,887</td><td>222</td><td>21,777</td></tr><tr><td>Niger</td><td>3,557</td><td>112</td><td>2,152</td></tr><tr><td>Nigeria </td><td>92,705</td><td>1,319</td><td>76,396</td></tr><tr><td>Réunion</td><td>9,173</td><td>42</td><td>8,706</td></tr><tr><td>Rwanda</td><td>8,955</td><td>110</td><td>6,878</td></tr><tr><td>Sao Tome and Principe</td><td>1,024</td><td>17</td><td>987</td></tr><tr><td>Senegal</td><td>20,156</td><td>433</td><td>17,782</td></tr><tr><td>Seychelles</td><td>354</td><td>1</td><td>224</td></tr><tr><td>Sierra Leone</td><td>2,724</td><td>76</td><td>1,924</td></tr><tr><td>Somalia</td><td>4,714</td><td>130</td><td>3,612</td></tr><tr><td>South Africa</td><td>1,127,759</td><td>30,524</td><td>920,879</td></tr><tr><td>South Sudan</td><td>3,589</td><td>63</td><td>3,131</td></tr><tr><td>Sudan</td><td>23,316</td><td>1,468</td><td>13,524</td></tr><tr><td>Tanzania</td><td>509</td><td>21</td><td>183</td></tr><tr><td>Togo</td><td>3,770</td><td>69</td><td>3,515</td></tr><tr><td>Tunisia </td><td>147,061</td><td>4,934</td><td>110,324</td></tr><tr><td>Uganda</td><td>36,407</td><td>290</td><td>12,387</td></tr><tr><td>Western Sahara</td><td>10</td><td>1</td><td>8</td></tr><tr><td>Zambia </td><td>23,495</td><td>417</td><td>19,672</td></tr><tr><td>Zimbabwe</td><td>17,194</td><td>418</td><td>11,813</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>







Note: The numbers will be updated as new information is available.

KENYA-HEALTH-VIRUS

[IN NUMBERS] Coronavirus Update: COVID-19 In Africa

Amid a global surge in Covid-19 cases, the only way to fully recover is by working together and ensuring poorer countries have fair access to a vaccine, the head of the World Health Organization said Sunday, stressing that “vaccine nationalism will prolong the pandemic, not shorten it.”



<h4>KEY FACTS</h4>



WHO head Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1320448429571538946" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">told</a>&nbsp;a virtual World Health Summit that the northern hemisphere faces a “dangerous moment” amid a surge of new Covid-19 cases.&nbsp;



Tedros said outbreaks around the world are being seen as a result of lifting economic and social restrictions too soon, adding that we know fundamental public health measures — like testing, isolating and contact tracing — work.&nbsp;



While recognizing the natural instinct of countries to protect their own citizens first, Tedros warned against “vaccine nationalism,” noting that if and when the world has an effective vaccine it must be used “effectively.”



&nbsp;“And the best way to do that is to vaccinate some people in all countries rather than all people in some countries,” he said.



For emphasis, Tedros repeated his claim that “vaccine nationalism will prolong the pandemic, not shorten it.”



<h3>KEY BACKGROUND</h3>



Many countries have been seeing new spikes in Covid-19 cases after strict lockdown measures enacted to control the spread of the virus are relaxed. Europe has been especially&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/10/24/covid-19-spike-in-europe-leads-to-resurrecting-restrictions/#7beff26a6e9f">hard hit</a>, with France reporting record new infections for the fourth consecutive day..



With the global race to develop a vaccine entering its final stages, there is worry among the international community&nbsp; that wealthy countries will hoard available supplies. In September, Oxfam&nbsp;<a href="https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/small-group-rich-nations-have-bought-more-half-future-supply-leading-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">found</a>&nbsp;that wealthy countries — representing just 13% of the world’s population — had already secured more than half of the expected supply of leading vaccine candidates.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Beyond questions of fairness, such hoarding could, as Tedros notes, prolong the pandemic for everyone, including those in wealthy countries. WHO itself is leading the COVAX initiative to tackle this problem, set up with a goal to ensure equitable access to vaccines around the world.



<h3>FURTHER READING</h3>



<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-10-25/u-s-adds-more-than-85-000-cases-in-one-day-record-virus-update?srnd=premium-europe" target="_blank">Cases Top 43 Million; WHO Sees ‘Dangerous Moment’: Virus Update</a> (Bloomberg)



By Robert Hart, Forbes Staff

WHO Warns Of ‘Dangerous Moment’ Amid Spike In Covid-19 Cases

The United Nations’ World Food Programme has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its work to combat hunger around the world, beating favorites Greta Thunberg and the World Health Organization.



<h4>KEY FACTS</h4>



The Norwegian Nobel Committee said it was awarding the prize to the UN body “for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict-affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.”



Announcing the award, chair of the Norwegian Nobel committee Berit Reiss-Andersen said it was an obligation of states around the world to “ensure that people are not starving” and called on the international community to not underfund the World Food Programme.



The committee praised the organization’s ongoing work around the world during the Covid-19 pandemic, which has hit food supply chains hard, especially in areas already struggling.&nbsp;&nbsp;



The WFP&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/WFP/status/1314500332702101504?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;it is “deeply humbled to receive” the award “in recognition of the work of WFP staff who put their lives on the line every day to bring food and assistance to more than 100 million hungry children, women and men across the world.”&nbsp;



It is the 101st time the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded.



The Nobel Peace Prize is the fifth of six awarded this year — on Monday the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences will be awarded.&nbsp;



<h4>KEY BACKGROUND</h4>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="681" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/GettyImages-1228973226-1024x681.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48294" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/GettyImages-1228973226-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/GettyImages-1228973226-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/GettyImages-1228973226-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/GettyImages-1228973226-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/GettyImages-1228973226-2048x1363.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/GettyImages-1228973226-600x399.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>(Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP via Getty Images)</figcaption></figure></div>



The World Food Programme is the world’s leading humanitarian organization fighting hunger and promoting food security. Founded in 1961, the UN branch&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wfp.org/overview" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">aided</a>&nbsp;97 million people around the world in 2019. It leads the charge in realizing one of the UN’s sustainable development goals — ending hunger and achieving food security by 2030. In June, the organization&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wfp.org/news/world-food-programme-assist-largest-number-hungry-people-ever-coronavirus-devastates-poor" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>&nbsp;it was seeing a “massive rise” in hunger around the world as the coronavirus pandemic threatened food security. “The frontline in the battle against the coronavirus is shifting from the rich world to the poor world,” said David Beasley, WFP’s executive director.&nbsp;



<h4>CRUCIAL QUOTE</h4>



When revealing the winner, Berit Reiss-Andersen, who chairs the Norwegian Nobel committee took time to address the impact the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has had on food and hunger. &#8220;The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to a strong upsurge in the number of victims of hunger in the world,&#8221; she said. &#8220;In the face of the pandemic, the World Food Programme has demonstrated an impressive ability to intensify its efforts.”



&#8220;As the organization itself has stated: until the day we have a vaccine, food is the best vaccine against chaos.&#8221;



<h4>SURPRISING FACT&nbsp;</h4>



Alfred Nobel, who left the endowment and instructions to fund the prizes that now bear his name, does not have as peaceful a legacy as one might expect. In his lifetime, he was well known as an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/magazine/2017/07-08/Alfred_Nobel_Founder_Prize/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">inventor of weapons</a>, the most noteworthy of these being dynamite. After reading his own obituary — which followed a case of mistaken identity by a french journalist — that described him as “the merchant of death,” he reflected on the kind of legacy he wanted to leave. The Nobel Prizes are the result of that.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



<h4>FURTHER READING&nbsp;</h4>



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2020/10/07/french-and-us-scientists-win-nobel-in-chemistry-for-work-in-genome-editing/#1a7b923118e0">French And U.S. Scientists Win Nobel In Chemistry For Work In Genome Editing</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2020/10/06/scientists-who-made-landmark-discoveries-about-black-holes-win-nobel-prize-in-physics/#5fd06e5e3e11">Scientists Who Made Landmark Discoveries About Black Holes Win Nobel Prize In Physics</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2020/10/05/nobel-prize-in-medicine-awarded-to-trio-of-scientists-who-discovered-hepatitis-c-virus/#7d5015be2362">Nobel Prize In Medicine Awarded To Trio Of Scientists Who Discovered Hepatitis C Virus</a>&nbsp;(Forbes)



<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2020/10/08/us-poet-louise-gluck-wins-nobel-prize-in-literature/#4097547214e5">U.S. Poet Louise Glück Wins Nobel Prize In Literature</a> (Forbes)



-By Robert Hart,Forbes Staff

YEMEN-CONFLICT-AID

World Food Programme Wins The Nobel Peace Prize

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="720" height="405" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/WHO.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-46685" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/WHO.jpg 720w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/WHO-300x169.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/WHO-600x338.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /><figcaption>Flags fly at the World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Photo Eric Bridiers/ <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/us-mission/14195612051" target="_blank">U.S. Mission Geneva</a>/ <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-ND</a></figcaption></figure>



The World Health Organization (WHO) has been under attack- efforts being made to defund it, ridicule it, undermine it. The world is fighting a major pandemic which rivals the flu of 1918, which killed over 50 million people.



The Coronavirus pandemic may well be a precursor of what is to come in the future. This for sure is not the last pandemic the world will grapple with, <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/opinion/2020/05/13/without-universal-health-coverage-we-are-sitting-ducks-when-the-next-pandemic-strikes/">so let’s brace for impact</a>, as the velocity and virulence of the next contagion may be far more fierce and destructive than COVID-19.



A recent remark that “WHO has been bought by China” is painful to hear. Coming from a senior leader of a country which is the beating heart of the UN’s multilateral system, and has been at the vanguard of improving lives and livelihoods of populations all over the world, is puzzling.



Words matter, and by promoting a number of incorrect and insinuating statements, such language may damage the overall pandemic response and undermine an organization that is doing its best – under the extraordinary circumstances – to save lives across the globe.&nbsp;



I live in Kenya, and on a day to day basis I see the WHO working with countries across the continent to strengthen health systems and tackle health crises. These African countries, like many others especially in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, rely on WHO for guidance, expertise and often for human resources, particularly around disease responses like Ebola, Marburg, Zika or the plague.&nbsp;



I myself have been a beneficiary of the organization’s work, having been immunized as a child through one of the WHO immunization programs, and <a href="http://www.ipsnews.net/2013/09/qa-we-need-a-decisive-win-against-polio/">surviving polio</a> thanks to these efforts. Small pox would not have been eradicated without WHO. Billions more have benefited from WHO’s work, and humanity as a whole stands to gain from a well-funded, highly operational institution not only during this pandemic, but for years to come to prevent the next pandemic and build robust health systems.



Currently, there have been more than 15 million confirmed coronavirus cases and over 600,000 deaths around the world. But this tiny microbe has impacted far more than just the global health system. It has pressure tested our political, economic, social and cultural institutions, attacking not only our bodies but the very threads of humanity that hold us together. What’s clear already is that the virus mercilessly exploits any chinks in national unity or global solidarity, making it an enemy far more formidable the modern world has seen in recent history.&nbsp;



At a pivotal time for tackling the pandemic, the global response needs solidarity, not politicization. The attacks against WHO threatens to derail global efforts to bring this pandemic under control.



Over the course of the next few months, governments will determine not only how they tackle COVID-19, but they will set a precedent that will guide the world for tackling future global threats.&nbsp;No country can overcome this pandemic on its own, no matter how advanced its economic systems are or how mighty its military is.



This pandemic is threatening lives, livelihoods, social and economic systems that have taken decades to build. It is an enemy that is threatening to reverse the gains the world has made in healthcare, education, poverty reduction, eradicating hunger and strengthening political unity.



For the sake of humanity, we must stand united against it, and this means supporting institutions that are playing a key role in the pandemic response.



From the climate crisis to inequality, antimicrobial resistance to the threat of a meteor hit, global challenges need global solutions, and these solutions cannot be developed if we focus on demonizing institutions rather than addressing the real issues at hand.



In terms of COVID-19, we have seen examples from around the world that clearly show that no matter how bad the outbreak, leaders can get a grip on the virus. By working with a whole of government and whole of society approach, the virus can be brought under control. Countries that have done this successfully, including New Zealand and Vietnam, which stand out as exemplars of how to tackle the pandemic, have shown us that a singular focus on preventing transmission and keeping their populations safe – not engaging in politics, blame games and blatant denial of science – is what is needed to ultimately flatten the curve.



WHO continues to provide valuable leadership in navigating the pandemic, helping the world deal with this crisis by distributing much-needed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and diagnostics, providing technical guidance for health workers, leading efforts to find a vaccine and disseminating&nbsp;information that is playing a critical role in keeping people safe. Reducing support for WHO at this time is therefore tantamount to saying that we are all on our own. But we are not.



At the conclusion of the 73rd World Health Assembly on 19 May 2020, the WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “COVID-19 has robbed us of people we love. It’s robbed us of lives and livelihoods; it’s shaken the foundations of our world; it threatens to tear at the fabric of international cooperation. But it’s also reminded us that for all our differences, we are one human race, and we are stronger together.”



Let’s take a moment to look at the value WHO brings to the world. It may not be a perfect institution, but it is providing global leadership at a time when it is needed most.



What WHO has achieved in 72 years is remarkable, and undeniable. To accelerate the science, find solutions to the COVID-19 challenges and build global solidarity; now more than ever, the world needs WHO.



Siddharth Chatterjee, is the United Nations resident coordinator to Kenya. He has served with the UN and the Red Cross Movement in various parts of the world affected by conflicts and humanitarian crisis. He is also a decorated Special Forces veteran and a Princeton University alumnus. Follow him on Twitter&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/sidchat1?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor">@sidchat1</a>



The views expressed in this article are the author’s own.​​​​​

Attacking WHO is Unhelpful-Let’s Focus on Defeating The Virus

<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/UN-Avenue-1024x460.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-45196" width="902" height="404" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/UN-Avenue-1024x460.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/UN-Avenue-300x135.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/UN-Avenue-600x270.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/UN-Avenue-768x345.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/UN-Avenue.jpg 1179w" sizes="(max-width: 902px) 100vw, 902px" /><figcaption>UN Kenya/Newton Kanhema The usually busy UN Avenue in Nairobi, Kenya where traffic is bumper to bumper on the best of days, is almost empty as people stay at home to avoid spreading the coronavirus. March 2020</figcaption></figure></div>



We live in a different world to the one we inhabited six short months ago.



With more than 4 million people infected and over 290,000 dead globally by mid May 2020, Covid-19 has ruthlessly exposed the vulnerability of a globalised world to pandemic disease. People are slowly coming to terms with the frightening and heartbreaking death toll, and we are still not out of danger.



The Greek philosopher Herophilus said, “When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless and intelligence cannot be applied.”&nbsp;



The bio-threat has already upended our notions of community interaction, with face masks, latex gloves and physical distancing becoming the new normal. Science has been challenged and experts in various fields struggle to understand the short and long-term consequences of the pandemic.



Lack of robust global public health systems has proven to be a chink in the world’s armour. It has also revealed a truth that we ignore at our peril: healthcare systems around the world have been sorely tested in managing this outbreak, and without substantial reprioritisation of investment in health and research globally, we will be no better equipped when the next pandemic strikes.



Describing&nbsp;<a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/05/1063022">COVID 19 as a threat multiplier</a>, the UN Deputy Secretary General, Ms Amina Mohammed said, “We have a health emergency, a humanitarian emergency and now a development emergency. These emergencies are compounding existing inequalities”.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/AJM.Tedros-1024x461.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-45200" width="672" height="302" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/AJM.Tedros-1024x461.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/AJM.Tedros-300x135.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/AJM.Tedros-600x270.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/AJM.Tedros-768x346.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/AJM.Tedros.jpg 1178w" sizes="(max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px" /><figcaption>UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe Leading UN reforms &amp; ensuring the UN is fit for purpose in the countries they serve, the Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed (centre), at the first-ever high-level meeting on the fight against tuberculosis. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (left), Director- General of World Health Organization (WHO) and María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés(right), President of the 73rd&nbsp;Session of the UN General Assembly. September 2018, New York, USA</figcaption></figure>



While no country has been spared, the impact upon families and individuals has varied around the world, exposing huge global and local inequalities.&nbsp;



The consequences of high uninsured rates and high out-of-pocket health costs are being revealed. Even before the Covid-19 outbreak,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/health_financing/topics/financial-protection/key-policy-messages/en/">more than 100 million people per year risked being plunged into poverty by a ‘shock’</a>&nbsp;in terms of unanticipated expenditure on medical treatment.



World Food Programme analysis shows that, due to the Coronavirus, an additional 265 million people are marching towards the brink of starvation by the year end because of the virus’s effects on jobs and family finances.



The social and economic upheaval we face today has changed the world and will go on changing it for many years. Behind the headlines of an economic decline that might rival the&nbsp;<a href="https://blogs.imf.org/2020/04/14/the-great-lockdown-worst-economic-downturn-since-the-great-depression/">Great Depression of the 1930s</a>&nbsp;are families separated by closed international borders, some mourning relatives they never managed to see and comfort and millions who no longer have jobs.



What must we do to prevent the next pandemic striking the world.



Like rain that exposes a leaking roof, the coronavirus crisis has revealed unanticipated problems inherent in our dependence on global supply chains and amplified longstanding structural deficiencies in health systems around the world. We can see now that under-investment in public health in one country is a threat to global health security everywhere. Responses to health emergencies cannot succeed if any part of the world is left behind.&nbsp;



The central importance of universal health coverage and&nbsp;ensuring healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages, as manifested in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/sdg/targets/en/">Sustainable Development Goal 3</a>,(SDG3) by 2030, is clear.



With Africa&#8217;s population expected to grow to 2.3 billion by 2050, for Africa to reap a <a href="https://news.trust.org/item/20170810142204-j0nwd/">demographic dividend,</a> as well as prevent disease outbreaks, Governments should:



<ol type="1"><li>Reassess policy priorities and direct greater funding to health.</li><li>Invest more in disease prevention.</li><li>Improve working conditions for medical staff.</li><li>Offer fit-for-purpose health insurance to their people.</li><li>Harness big data, technology, and innovation to <a href="https://news.trust.org/item/20180209112650-s1njv/">leapfrog universal health coverage.</a></li><li>Forge public private partnerships to <a href="http://daghammarskjold.se/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/UNDG-CountryStudy-Kenya.pdf">address the gaps to attain SDG 3.</a></li><li>Create an army of community health workers.&nbsp;</li></ol>



The WHO Chief, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, a public health champion, who as Minster of Health in Ethiopia, a country once notorious for the highest maternal and child mortality in Africa, ensured the country achieved the health related&nbsp;<a href="https://www.afro.who.int/news/making-ethiopian-people-healthier-through-mdgs">Millennium Development Goals</a>,&nbsp;by unleashing the full potential of community health workers. He said that, “By fully harnessing the potential of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/hrh/community/guideline-health-support-optimize-hw-programmes/en/">community health workers</a>, including by dramatically improving their working and living conditions, we can make progress together towards universal health coverage and achieving the health targets of the Sustainable Development Goals.”



Doctors, nurses, carers and paramedics around the world are facing unprecedented workload in overstretched health facilities. The heroism, dedication and selflessness of medical staff allow the rest of us a degree of reassurance. In fact health workers are the frontline soldiers battling the pandemic.&nbsp;They deserve the same recognition and respect as women and men from the Armed Forces who are sent into battle in service of their country.



Additionally, the creation of robust health surveillance infrastructure in low-income countries will benefit the whole world in terms of early warning of disease outbreaks, and the ability to focus resources where and when they are needed.



To achieve this,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbcafrica.com/coronavirus/2020/04/17/multilateralism-through-public-private-partnerships-are-key-to-flattening-the-covid-19-curve/">new models of multilateral and public private partnerships&nbsp;must develop</a>, as well reform, invest and give greater power to the&nbsp;World Health Organisation to protect the world from disease.



As citizens of the world we depend on one another. We are linked by trade and migration and the fact of our humanity as much as we are sometimes divided by politics and faith.



Consider this. Maria Branyas is a 113 year old <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/spains-oldest-woman-113-year-old-maria-branyas-beats-coronavirus-sbjtjc6z3">COVID 19 survivor from Spain.</a> It means she has lived through the flu pandemic of 1918-19, the two World Wars, the 1936-39 Spanish Civil War and now the coronavirus. When asked what was the secret of her long life, she said, “good health”.



In a post-Covid-19 world, global health must be seen as a key component of national and global security as well as of the global economy.



SDG 3 must become pivotal in our post COVID 19 response or we may be sitting ducks,&nbsp;when another pandemic&nbsp;strikes, whose velocity and virulence could surpass what we are witnessing now.



Siddharth Chatterjee is the United Nations resident coordinator to Kenya. He has served in various parts of the world with UNFPA, UNICEF, UNDP, UNOPS, UN Peacekeeping and the Red Cross Movement. A decorated Special Forces veteran, he is an alumnus of Princeton University. Follow him on twitter-<a href="https://twitter.com/sidchat1?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@sidchat1</a>



The views expressed in this article are the author’s own.​​​​​

WITHOUT UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE WE ARE SITTING DUCKS WHEN THE NEXT PANDEMIC STRIKES

President Donald Trump’s <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattperez/2020/04/14/president-trump-putting-a-hold-on-funding-to-the-world-health-organization/#fb6a30f63ee6">announcement</a> that the U.S.—the largest sponsor of the World Health Organization—will halt payments to the body in the midst of a pandemic because of its “mismanagement” of the coronavirus crisis has been slammed by the U.N., global leaders and Bill Gates as “dangerous”. 



<h2>KEY FACTS</h2>



<ul><li>Trump <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/mattperez/2020/04/14/president-trump-putting-a-hold-on-funding-to-the-world-health-organization/#4964eb3d63ee">announced</a> he would hold payments in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, while a “review” is carried out to assess what he said was the WHO “severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus.”</li></ul>



<ul><li>In response, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statement/2020-04-14/statement-the-secretary-general-the-world-health-organization" target="_blank">statement</a> that now is “not the time to reduce the resources for the operations of the World Health Organization or any other humanitarian organization in the fight against the virus.&#8221;</li></ul>



<ul><li>Microsoft founder Bill Gates, whose philanthropic Gates Foundation is one of the WHO’s <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.who.int/westernpacific/about/partnerships/donors" target="_blank">biggest</a> voluntary donors, <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://twitter.com/BillGates/status/1250292126643941376?s=20" target="_blank">criticised</a> the move as being “as dangerous as its sounds…the world needs WHO now more than ever.”</li></ul>



<ul><li>House speaker Nancy Pelosi blamed Trump “<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.speaker.gov/newsroom/41420-0" target="_blank">ignoring warnings</a>” about the pandemic for causing “unnecessary deaths.”</li></ul>



<ul><li>She tweeted: “Now more than ever, we need the truth. And the truth is that Donald Trump dismantled the infrastructure handed to him which was meant to plan for and overcome a pandemic, resulting in unnecessary deaths and economic disaster.”</li></ul>



<ul><li>World leaders have urged Trump to rethink the decision, with China calling for the U.S. to fulfill its obligations, Germany and New Zealand calling for unity, while Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the WHO was not immune from criticism.</li></ul>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-twitter wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Halting funding for the World Health Organization during a world health crisis is as dangerous as it sounds. Their work is slowing the spread of COVID-19 and if that work is stopped no other organization can replace them. The world needs <a href="https://twitter.com/WHO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WHO</a> now more than ever.&mdash; Bill Gates (@BillGates) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillGates/status/1250292126643941376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Additional info: Trump’s decision comes as nearly 2 million people to date have contracted the coronavirus, 600,000 of them in the U.S., while 126,000 people have died.



Crucial comment: Guterres added: &#8220;Now is the time for unity and for the international community to work together in solidarity to stop this virus and its shattering consequences.&#8221;&nbsp;



The Geneva-headquartered body is the part of the U.N. in charge of global public health and has coordinated the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.&nbsp;



Big number: $400 million. That’s how much the U.S. contributed to the WHO budget in 2018-2019, the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-52289056" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>. The U.S. makes up about 15% of payments to the WHO and is the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/niallmccarthy/2020/04/08/which-countries-are-the-biggest-financial-contributors-to-the-world-health-organization-infographic/#57d07d0f494c">largest</a> financial contributor. The WHO is funded through membership payments from its 194 member states, as well as voluntary contributions.



Key background: Trump has threatened to pull out from funding the WHO in recent weeks, despite the U.S. becoming the centre of the global pandemic with the most cases and deaths. Trump accuses the body of being China-centric, declaring a pandemic late, and “opposing travel restrictions to China,” he said on Tuesday. But the WHO has also suggested that the U.S. largely failed to acknowledge the severity of the disease and its potential. The tension between the U.S. and the WHO is just one example of the struggle to implement a global response to the pandemic as individual states grapple with it in their own, unique and sometimes contradictory ways.



Tangent: Donald Trump is not the first U.S. President to defund a U.N. body but this tactic of withholding funds, or withdrawal, has become a hallmark of his administration. The U.S. will cease to be a member of the Paris Climate Agreement this year after Trump formally pulled the U.S. out in 2019, and he has also pulled out of the Iran Nuclear Deal and the UN Human Rights Council, among other agreements.



&#8211;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/isabeltogoh/">Isabel Togoh</a>, Forbes Staff, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/business">Business</a>

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‘Dangerous As It Sounds’: Bill Gates, World Leaders And U.N. Condemn Trump’s Decision To Halt WHO Funding

As the COVID-19 coronavirus makes its way around the world, it’s increasingly likely that people will be exposed to the virus, which can resemble other flus and colds but — becomes increasingly dangerous as it gets more severe.&nbsp;



Here’s a quick guide to COVID-19 symptoms, what to do if you have symptoms, and when you should see a doctor. It can take 2-14 days for symptoms to actually appear after exposure to the disease,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to the Centers for Disease Control</a>, and when symptoms do appear, they tend to start gradually and become worse.



The main symptoms to look out for are:&nbsp;



<ul><li>Fever</li><li>Shortness of breath</li><li>Coughing, usually dry (meaning little or no phlegm)</li></ul>



The World Health Organization adds that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/q-a-coronaviruses" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">less common symptoms</a>&nbsp;may also include “aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea.”&nbsp;&nbsp;



As you may have noticed, these symptoms apply to many other diseases as well. It’s impossible to tell whether you have COVID-19 without a test, and in some areas, there’s a shortage of tests. In the United States, the CDC is&nbsp;<a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/clinical-criteria.html" target="_blank">currently advising doctors</a>&nbsp;to give tests to:



<ul><li>Patients already hospitalized who are showing symptoms</li><li>Patients showing symptoms who have other chronic illnesses that put them at higher risk, such as lung disease, heart disease, or diabetes</li><li>Patients showing symptoms who, within the past 14 days, had been exposed to someone who has a confirmed or suspected case of COVID-19&nbsp;</li></ul>



If you have mild symptoms and aren’t at risk, the CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">advises against</a>&nbsp;seeing a doctor.&nbsp; Instead, it recommends that you:&nbsp;



<ul><li>Stay home and avoid public areas.&nbsp;</li><li>Try to separate yourself from the people you’re living with, even to the point of using a different bathroom, if possible</li></ul>



If you belong to a high-risk group, you should call your doctor to discuss what you may need. More advice about what to do when you’re home sick, including tips on cleaning and other care, can be&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/steps-when-sick.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">found here</a>.



If you have more severe symptoms such as a high fever, shortness of breath, chest pain, bluish lips or a bluish hue in your face, you should see a doctor immediately. If possible, call ahead to your healthcare provider and let them know you’re on your way and suspect the symptoms are related to COVID-19. That enables them to adequately prepare for you and protect both employees and other patients from possible exposure.&nbsp;



One thing to note: right now researchers think it’s possible for people to be contagious with COVID-19 before showing any symptoms. The World Health Organization also notes that some people who are infected never appear to show symptoms or feel unwell, yet are still able to pass on the disease.&nbsp;



So even if you’re feeling healthy, it’s good to follow your local health authority’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucelee/2020/03/14/with-covid-19-coronavirus-here-are-10-ways-to-social-distance-yourself/#2caf43e9606c">guidelines about social distancing</a>&nbsp;in order to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tarahaelle/2020/03/13/why-everything-is-closing-for-coronavirus-its-called-flattening-the-curve/#1cef0c656e2b">decrease the risk</a>&nbsp;of spreading the disease further. Also, don’t forget to regularly and thoroughly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/ninashapiro/2020/03/15/soap-and-water-1o1-why-its-best-for-covid-19-and-every-day/">wash your hands with soap and water</a>.&nbsp;



&#8211;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/">Alex Knapp</a>, Forbes Staff, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/science">Science</a>

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What Are The Symptoms Of COVID-19 Coronavirus, And When Should You See A Doctor?

People carry some ailments for decades before symptoms
manifest and it’s too late for treatment. Those who do get diagnosed must
grapple with expensive medical costs. What then is the solution?



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



How do you test for a virus when you don’t know you have it?




Hepatitis B is one such. Often times, it remains undetected
until it is viral, at which stage, it is often too late. 



It leads to an infection of the liver that can cause both
acute and chronic disease. When chronic, it attacks the liver, eventually
causing scarring (cirrhosis) of the organ, liver failure, and cancer. 



There are various types of hepatitis viruses including types
A, B, C, D and E. Types A, B, and C are the most common. All five hepatitis
viruses can cause acute disease, but the highest numbers of deaths result from
liver cancer and cirrhosis that occur after decades of chronic hepatitis B or C
infection.



According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an
estimated 257 million people are living with the hepatitis B virus (HBV)
infection, however, the rate of diagnosis is extremely low, at approximately 9%
of all HBV-infected persons.



In February, Abbott Laboratories announced, “the world’s
most sensitive rapid diagnostic test for the detection of hepatitis B surface
antigen… This highly-sensitive, easy-to-use, rapid lateral flow test enables
identification of those with the virus and facilitates linkage to care in every
healthcare setting”.



This is a monumental victory for healthcare practitioners,
who are working on the ground to eradicate the virus, says Dr Andrew Scheibe, a
medical doctor who focuses on HIV, viral hepatitis and infectious diseases
among key populations, specifically people who use narcotics.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="464" height="509" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/hepatitis-4.png" alt="" class="wp-image-40223" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/hepatitis-4.png 464w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/hepatitis-4-300x329.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/hepatitis-4-273x300.png 273w" sizes="(max-width: 464px) 100vw, 464px" /><figcaption> Dr Andrew Scheibe, a senior technical advisor for TB and HIV Care. Picture: Supplied </figcaption></figure></div>



“What’s useful about it is that it’s very easy to use and
you get results in 15 minutes. Compared to the previous test, you’re able to
detect more people who are infected… [as] it detects more hepatitis B surface
antigen (HBsAg) in the blood… this is very useful in the field as it is a rapid
test,” he says.



Scheibe is a senior technical advisor for TB and HIV Care
and has research affiliations with the University of Pretoria’s Department of
Family Medicine and the Urban Futures Centre at the Durban University of
Technology. 



The rapid diagnostic test by Abbott Laboratories is likely
to empower health practitioners to fight a battle that has seemed
insurmountable on the continent.&nbsp;&nbsp; 



A report released by WHO states that the organization “has
set baseline targets to diagnose 30% of HBV-infected individuals by 2020 and
90% by 2030. In order to reach these targets, rapid testing is imperative.
Testing and diagnosis of HBV is the gateway for access to both prevention and
treatment services and is a critical component of an effective response to the
hepatitis epidemic”. 



From an economic perspective, it is imperative that
hepatitis B mortality rates be reduced because a significant number of the
people who become symptomatic manifest from middle to late life. 



“Those are people who should be economically active, so that
has a huge economic consequence. And the treatment of people who have liver
failure is very expensive,” Scheibe says.&nbsp;




In sub-Saharan Africa, the overall hepatitis B carrier rate
in the general population is 5%-20%, which is amongst the highest in the world.
Viral hepatitis is also a growing cause of mortality among people living with
HIV. 



“About 2.3 million people living with HIV are co-infected
with hepatitis C virus and 2.6 million with hepatitis B virus,” according to
WHO. 



There are other socio-economic factors that make the virus
endemic in sub-Saharan Africa, these are dictated by lack of basic resources,
as well as population density.&nbsp; 



“A lot of the factors are linked to socio-economic and
environmental factors. With hepatitis B in particular, it’s transmitted through
bodily fluids, so if there aren’t good personal and public hygiene practices,
that can foster an environment where these infections are spread,” Scheibe
says. 



“If you are in an area where there’s a high population
living with an infection, it means that the likelihood of people contracting it
is higher… This is a concept we call the community viral load. If, in
sub-Saharan Africa, there already is a lot of hepatitis B, people will
automatically be at a higher risk of contracting it, because they are more
likely to come into contact with people who have the infection.”



The virus is transmitted through contact with the blood or
other body fluids of an infected person. 



“The virus is a hundred times more infectious than HIV. It’s
one of those conditions that people can live with without knowing they are
infected… a proportion of those people will go on to develop live cancer, which
we have few treatments for,” Scheibe says.



In South Africa, the lack of political will to meet the
goals set out by WHO has been criticized by medical practitioners who feel
dealing with the virus decisively would be beneficial for all.&nbsp;&nbsp; 



“I think a lot of work needs to be done to get government to
put it on their political agenda, particularly, if it’s affecting people who
are at high-risk, that government may not want to deal with. 



“For example, [these are] men who have sex with men,
sex-workers and people who take drugs. In many contexts, those are politically
sensitive topics, but it would be very important for government to embrace,”
Scheibe says.



Happy Phaleng, the MSM (men who have sex with men) Programme
Coordinator at OUT-LGBT Well-Being in Pretoria, South Africa, says the rapid
diagnostic test serves as a much-needed form of assistance for a queer
community that, at times, is not prioritized because of stigma. 



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="927" height="617" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Hepatitis1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-40224" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Hepatitis1.png 927w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Hepatitis1-300x200.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Hepatitis1-600x399.png 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Hepatitis1-768x511.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 927px) 100vw, 927px" /><figcaption> Happy Phaleng, the MSM Programme Coordinator at OUT-LGBT Well-Being in Pretoria, South Africa. Picture: Motlabana Monnakgotla</figcaption></figure>



Phaleng, who was vaccinated as a result of a study that was
taking place at work, says his hepatitis B awareness was scant prior to the
vaccination. He says in some cases, people resist getting vaccinated.



“I remember when they started the study, it was quite a
struggle to get people vaccinated… You look at things like PrEP (Pre-Exposure
Prophylaxis), you still find people who say, ‘let me go think about it,’ even though
it’s free and on-the-go.”



However, on the day he meets FORBES AFRICA, he is armed and
ready with the hepatitis B and C pamphlets that are laid out in front him as he
has a frank conversation about risky lifestyles. 



He says there’s a certain demographic of people who are
privy to information as a result of being privileged to access, he also says
there are cost implications to purchasing certain news items and money is not
easy to come by.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



“Class plays a role. There’s a certain class of people, in
this case, the medical space, who would know about medical developments. Some
people don’t read, and those who do, won’t take it in because it doesn’t affect
them directly,” he says. 



Phaleng also frankly states that people tend to be their own
worst enemies as a result of unfounded fears that prevent them from accepting
help.&nbsp; 



“We are too resistant to new things and we also have the
notion that, ‘I’ve lived before without this vaccine. Why am I complicating my
life with medications and vaccination?’ This ties in with the concept that,
‘what you don’t know, won’t kill you’.”



Innovations are good and well, however, studies and pilots
defeat the purpose of what they are intended for as they are, at times,
exploitative and not reciprocal. He alludes to the idea that citizens tend to
be treated like guinea pigs by those who work on the ground on fact-gathering
missions. 



“In South Africa, we have had so many piloted studies and,
as people, we get tired… I’ve worked with people who conduct studies can’t
enter our communities and urge us to try new things and, the next thing you
know, the medication no longer exists because of the outcomes of the study.” 



“They just want to use our bodies to get their PhDs and
launch their products.”



Scheibe, who has been working in the field of harm reduction
and substance use for the past eight years, says that more people in high-risk
groups may acquire the infection and they should also be vaccinated. 



According to NCBI, these include, but are not limited to,
people who frequently require blood or blood products; people interned in
prisons; persons who inject drugs; and people with multiple sexual partners.



Duncan Tsegula, who is a peer outreach team leader for the
Harmless Project at OUT-LGBT Well-Being, is a recovering drug user who used to
share needles while homeless in the streets of Pretoria. 



The Project, which has been running for four years, focusses
on reducing the risk of harm, with particular focus on homeless (needle) drug
users. Tsegula has been a leader for two years.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="411" height="528" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/hepatitis-5.png" alt="" class="wp-image-40225" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/hepatitis-5.png 411w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/hepatitis-5-300x385.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/hepatitis-5-234x300.png 234w" sizes="(max-width: 411px) 100vw, 411px" /><figcaption> Duncan Tsegula, a peer outreach team leader for the Harmless Project at OUT-LGBT Well-Being. Picture: Motlabana Monnakgotla </figcaption></figure></div>



“Before I became a member, I was a client of the same
project. They were giving out needles, to us, guys using on the street. It got
to a point where people were discarding them on the street. We came up with a
solution which was a needle exchange,” Tsegula says.



“If we give you 10 needles this week, we come back next week
to give you more, and you return the old ones. That’s when we are sure that you
are not discarding them on the streets. So far, for the past year-and-a-half,
it has been working and the city council has stopped complaining.”



He confirms that he’s witnessed people sharing and
repurposing needles. Some of the sharing of needles was due to desperation
because homeless people are profiled and turned away from many businesses even
when they are purchasing products.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 



“I was one of the people sharing needles. It was not easy to
access a needle even if you had money because of the way you look.&nbsp; 



“About 12 years ago, when my boss needed a needle to inject,
the pharmacy refused him and he eventually broke a window. He was withdrawing
and because of anger, he broke a window and was arrested.



“Our project is peer-driven and people who were there and
used drugs have links with the clients, so it’s easier for them to communicate
with us, but it’s not easy. 



Along with the clean needles, the project provides homeless
clients with toiletries, condoms, lubricants, showers, haircuts, water, a
weekly meal of choice and a weekly movie of choice. 



They also provide alcohol swabs to prevent infection when
users inject. “Some of the guys go through bins while they collect litter for
recycling, they might cut themselves while doing that. The swabs are used to
clean the surface area where they are going to inject,” Tsegula says.



Along with drug users, sex-workers are also profiled and are
not afforded equal rights. 



Phaleng says, “there are many people who take drugs for
their own reasons but what we’re saying is, ‘even though you’re using for your
own reasons, do it the safe way.’ Because, you can imagine if I’m injecting
drugs and I still have that I’m going to – I might infect that person with a
range of things.



“Sex-work is work. Everybody has the right to health. They
also deserve to be treated fairly and access medication.



“A healthy society is a very productive society. If we get
to a point where we succeed in preventing illness rather than treating them,
will save large amounts of money,” Phaleng says.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="914" height="601" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Hepatitis-3.png" alt="" class="wp-image-40226" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Hepatitis-3.png 914w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Hepatitis-3-300x197.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Hepatitis-3-600x395.png 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Hepatitis-3-768x505.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 914px) 100vw, 914px" /><figcaption> Along with the clean needles, Harmless Project at OUT-LGBT Well-Being provides homeless clients with toiletries, condoms, lubricants, showers, haircuts, water, a weekly meal of choice and a weekly movie of choice. </figcaption></figure>



Scheibe echoes his sentiments.



“We must understand that we need to move away from
criminalization because that has very negative public health consequences
which, in turn, have very negative financial implications.”



For his work with hepatitis, he’s the light at the end of
the tunnel, but he is cautiously optimistic. 



“It’s important to be optimistic that progress can happen,
should happen and is already happening. It’s very clear that we have the tools,
and we know what needs to be done. 



Scheibe says very little will change, “unless there is a
recognition that policies that criminalize sex work and drug use, or are
discriminating on women, are re-evaluated. There needs to be a lot of focus in
addressing those, or we will never be able to eliminate hepatitis or HIV.”

hepatitis

A Hundred Times More Infectious Than HIV

My uncle died after drowning in the bathtub during one of his epileptic fits. Four high school students were crossing a river in a canoe on their way to school at the beginning of the year. The canoe tipped over and the children fell out. An elderly man nearby managed to save one, but the other three drowned. A day before, Mufaro Matemba, an 8-year-old boy, disappeared during their school break-time. The teachers searched the school desperately, but it was only much later when someone finally inspected the swimming pool when they realized what happened. On the edge of the pool was his little pile of clothes as his body lay motionless in the water. These are different stories with the same tragic outcomes. All could have been prevented.
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In 2014, the World Health Organization created the first-ever Global Report on Drowning dedicated exclusively to drowning. The statistics will shock you:
<ul>
<li>372,000 people die from drowning every year</li>
<li>there are approximately 42 drowning deaths every hour</li>
<li>the drowning death toll is almost two thirds that of malnutrition and well over half that of malaria</li>
<li>Drowning is one of the 10 leading causes of death for people between the ages of one and 24 in every region of the world</li>
<li>Globally, over half of all drowning deaths are among those under the age of 25</li>
<li>Males are twice as likely to drown as females</li>
<li>Drowning rates in low- and middle-income countries are over three times higher than in high-income countries</li>
<li>Alcohol use around water is an important risk factor for drowning in many countries, especially for adolescents and adults</li>
</ul>
According to the World Health Organization, the main risk factors are: the lack of physical barriers between people and water, a lack of (or inadequate) supervision of children, unprotected water crossings, lack of water-safety awareness and therefore risky behavior around water, overcrowding on water transportation and poor maintenance of vessels, and flood disasters.
These statistics are concerning, even more so because these numbers are only based on reported cases. In Zimbabwe, the drowning rates have increased year on year between 2010 and 2013. We set up the Kirsty Coventry Academy to address this drowning issue. With the support of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, we were able to provide swimming lessons to over 350 children in 2015 and more than 400 received water-safety instruction. Drowning prevention needs to involve all stakeholders, including government, schools, clinics, police, NGOs and the general public. The World Health Organization lists 10 actions we can take to prevent drowning:
<ol>
<li>Install barriers controlling access to water</li>
<li>Provide safe places away from water for pre-school children, with capable childcare</li>
<li>Teach school age children basic swimming, water safety and safe rescue skills</li>
<li>Train bystanders in safe rescue and resuscitation</li>
<li>Strengthen public awareness and highlight vulnerability of children</li>
<li>Set and enforce safe boating, shipping and ferry regulations</li>
<li>Build resilience and manage flood risks and other hazards locally and nationally</li>
<li>Coordinate drowning prevention efforts with those of other sectors and agendas</li>
<li>Develop a national water safety plan</li>
<li>Address priority research questions with well-designed studies</li>
</ol>
When my husband was two-years-old, he nearly drowned in a swimming pool at his home. His father was standing nearby talking to a friend while the rest of the family were playing in the garden. He slipped into the water without a sound and without anybody seeing. It was only when he was unconscious that his father saw him and pulled him out. Thankfully, his father knew CPR and Tyrone was resuscitated. Too many victims of drowning are not so lucky.
“Swimming is the only sport that can save a life,” says Prince William in a video about school swimming in Britain.
The Kirsty Coventry Academy will save lives, empower individuals and uplift communities through water-safety and drowning prevention programs, as well as other current health and education issues.
&nbsp;

Why must there BE deaths in  The Depths

The Ebola virus is spreading across Africa, taking fear with it.
“They say Ebola has no cure. The unknown has arrived. Nobody knows how to deal with this Ebola, not even the government!” John-Thomas Mensah, an Accra-based taxi driver tells FORBES AFRICA in the Ghanaian capital.
The Ebola scourge has spawned new social rules, with people being told they are not allowed to hug or shake hands. New superstitions have arisen, with some believing that drinking or bathing with salty water and eating the West African plant, bitter kola, will treat the disease. Some businesses are cashing in on the rush for disinfectants, soaps and hand sanitizers.
In August, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the West Africa Ebola outbreak a public health emergency. It triggered global alarm as countries stepped up precautions and testing. It is the largest Ebola outbreak to date and began in Guinea in March. Liberia has been the worst hit, with 70% of the casualties. Ebola has infected nearly 2,500 and claimed 1,427 lives, mostly in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Nigeria recorded 5 deaths as at the end of August.
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Beyond medicine, the epidemic has dampened business and left the informal economy, that fuels West Africa’s cross-border commerce, in a coma. Millions of West Africans are traveling traders and workers who crisscross the region’s porous borders for their daily bread.
Nigeria, which accounts for around 168 million of West Africa’s 260 million people, has not shut its borders, but almost every other country in the region has stopped border traffic, all in a bid to restrict the spread of Ebola.
Airlines discontinued flights to and from Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and neighboring countries. Freight rates to West Africa are expected to rise as ship owners avoiding the region are choosing to berth at alternative ports. In mid-August, a Chinese-flagged ship heading out of Sierra Leone to Cape Verde had its crew quarantined in Sao Vicente.
The Ebola scare has also reared its ugly head in South Africa. The most worrying was a patient in August who displayed low risk symptoms and was admitted to the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital as a precaution. Luckily, the patient tested negative for Ebola at the special diseases ward at the hospital.
&#8220;The patient is in isolation and there is no need for the general public to panic. He will not be put in contact with another patient. He is in isolation, in a special ward that deals with hemorrhagic fever,&#8221; says Joe Maila, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health.
Eleven hospitals across South Africa were issued with protective gear in preparation for any possible outbreak, says Maila.
East Africa is also taking precautions.
The health sector there is poorly funded and all member states agree that they need to coordinate efforts to keep Ebola at bay. Little of this is evident on the ground.
Uganda has suffered from Ebola in the past and claims it is well prepared. Together with Rwanda and Burundi, Uganda borders the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has confirmed strains of the virus.
The region is on high alert and any slight indication of the virus in these countries may lead to the type of isolation experienced in West Africa. Business, including East Africa’s fledging oil and gas sector, will be hit hard.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-3118" src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/454132450-300x205.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="205" />
WHO classified Kenya as a high-risk area because of the number of flights from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport to the infected countries. Kenya Airways, the third largest carrier on the continent, is feeling the pinch after suspending some of its flights to West Africa. RwandAir and Ethiopian Airways are yet to follow suit but promise stringent surveillance.
Help has come from far and near. The United States’ (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has about 60 disease detectives and other health experts in the region. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has reportedly committed $14.5 million. The Wellcome Trust and Britain’s Department for International Development (DFID) have also announced a joint $10.8-million emergency research fund.
Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, through his Dangote Foundation, has given $3.2 million to the Ebola Emergency Operation Centre in Lagos, where the nation’s first case of Ebola was diagnosed in Liberian-American national Patrick Sawyer who died in a Lagos hospital four days after arriving from Liberia.
Despite these measures, and assurances by the WHO and local authorities, sections of the international community continue to fear that Ebola could spread across the vast African continent. With multinationals placing travel restrictions to West Africa, trips to Africa are either being postponed or canceled. The tourism sector in East and Southern Africa has been the hardest hit.
Ebola is not going away in a hurry.

Our Worst Nightmare

As a former South African Olympic swimmer, what qualities did you develop from the sport?
I started swimming when I was eight and trained every day for six hours until the age of 27, so I think that made me a determined person with a strong spirit.
&nbsp;
What does an aspiring athlete need to succeed, and did these qualities serve you well in life?
I wouldn’t be who I am today without my swimming and sport. Every athlete needs to understand the true values of sport, such as discipline, respect for oneself and others, as well as learning to make an effort and instil team spirit. I learned what duty means during my time as an athlete, as well as responsibility towards the country I represented. I think this prepared me well for my current role.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-6136" src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/FWA-2014-Apr-May-042-044-ENTR-Monaco-TW-001-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" />
There must have been challenges, such as learning French and Court Protocol, when transitioning from your life as a South African Olympic swimmer to Princess and wife of Prince Albert?
Yes of course, and I embraced these changes with the help of my husband, who has always been my strongest support.
&nbsp;
You are passionate about children being water safe.
The Princess Charlène of Monaco Foundation was established in December 2012 and our primary aim is to save children’s lives. It is something I am very passionate about. So many children die every year because they can’t swim. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 400 children and more than 1,000 people drown every day. Some three million children are rescued from drowning every year, with some suffering severe injuries as a result. These figures are terrible. It’s so important to raise public awareness of the dangers associated with water and to teach life-saving techniques to children. The skill of swimming can also be a gift that a person passes on to the next generation.
&nbsp;
What are the foundation’s current projects and what projects do you have in the pipeline?
This year will see a continuation of activities in Morocco and South Africa, where our projects have been set up. There’s a busy year ahead as we’re also considering some ambitious projects in India, Bangladesh, Thailand and Mauritania. These are all countries where the number of deaths by drowning is particularly high.
In France, we will be holding a ‘Learn to Swim’ program for 350 under-privileged children, with another water safety day planned in Dinard for 150 children. We are also planning a ‘Swim to Survive’ program in Quebec for more than 3,000 underprivileged eight-year-olds and a ‘Water Safety’ day for young children in Tustin, California.
In Monaco, we will be partnering with the Sea Rescue and First Aid Training Center to train children in first aid and the rules and basic skills of life-saving. This is in addition to swimming lessons, which are already part of the school curriculum.
We are also currently studying low-cost easy-to-instal portable pools that could be the solution for places that lack the financial means to build the traditional concrete or fiberglass pools.
These are all the main projects, but we are studying many more.
There is no way I could do any of this without help and the foundation also has a network of ambassadors in different countries to set up projects and look out for young talent. It would be wonderful if the media supported me in increasing world awareness on the importance of water safety for children and such support would be a good start to enable us to save children’s lives.
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-6137" src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/FWA-2014-Apr-May-042-044-ENTR-Monaco-TW-002-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" />
What work has the foundation undertaken in South Africa?
In July last year, we established our first ‘Learn to Swim’ program in Durban under triathlete and sports coach, Dominique Donner-Rodd. Already over 130 children have taken part, including children from two orphanages. The foundation also helps promising young sports talents who lack means, mostly financial, to realize their sports potential. We currently have two brilliant young South African swimmers – 12-year-old Khwezi Duma who has represented South Africa in the junior category at the age of 10. She has already won seven gold medals during her short career. Our other star is 11-year-old Zoe Frank, a member of the South African women’s team, who has already broken six records in her category and is training for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
&nbsp;
What other organizations are you involved with, apart from the foundation?
I am very proud to be a member of the board of the Princess Grace Foundation USA and I am also Honorary President of Monaco Against Autism. I think it’s very important to support and encourage disabled people and I am Ambassador for the Special Olympics, as well as Peace and Sport. I have also been appointed co-patron of the Giving Organization Trust, a group of South African charities that deal with issues ranging from AIDS among underprivileged children to the protection of the environment. So I’m pretty busy.
As Monaco’s first lady, you also preside over the Principality’s National Day celebrations, the Monaco Grand Prix, the Rose Ball and the Annual Red Cross Ball, and attend many social events with the Prince, such as the recent Winter Olympics. Any tips for coping with such a hectic schedule?
If someone has a tip for me… it will be much appreciated!
&nbsp;
Do you follow fashion trends or favor specific designers?
I don’t follow trends and I never wear something to try make a statement.
What is the ‘must have’ item of clothing or accessory in your wardrobe?
Jeans and a white t-shirt.
&nbsp;
Where is your favorite holiday destination in Africa?
Anywhere the sun is shining.
<div id="attachment_6135" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-6135" decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-6135" src="/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/FWA-2014-Apr-May-042-044-ENTR-Monaco-TW-004-300x221.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="221" />Cap Town Decembre 2011 Prince Albert of Monaco and Princess Charlene of Monacos meet the Desmond Tutu at the Desmond Tutu Foundation</div>
Lastly, having successfully taken your place on a tough global stage under the glare of the world media, what advice do you have for young women starting out in the business world?
To be themselves always, and to remember the words of Nelson Mandela: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”

The Olympic Princess From Johannesburg

The idea came on an errand. The grandparents of Sizwe Nzima asked him to walk to the clinic to collect chronic medication for them. It was not far from their home in Khayelitsha, 35km outside Cape Town in South Africa. The trip changed his life.
The errand was a symptom to the problem that faces many public hospitals and clinics in South Africa. They are choked by long queues.
Nzima thought to himself, on that day, how a team on bicycles could deliver medication faster and more efficiently.
The World Health Organization says that of the 36 million people in the world, who died from chronic disease in 2008, nine million were younger than 60. Ninety percent of them were premature deaths that occurred in low- and middle-income countries, such as South Africa.
“We did some research at the clinic. We asked the Khayelitsha Health District to find out what people think of the introduction of the new service,” says Nzima.
This was the birth of Iyeza Express, a medicine delivery business that opened in Khayelitsha last year. Nzima completed a six-month entrepreneurship course at the Raymond Ackerman Academy of Entrepreneurial Development. Ackerman is the founder of South Africa’s second largest supermarket, Pick ‘n Pay, and is on the FORBES list of the continent’s 40 richest people.
Nzima was rejected the first time he applied to the academy in 2011, but he kept applying and was accepted in 2012 and won R10,000 ($1,000) for the best entrepreneur.
“I bought those two bicycles I started off with and bought a few t-shirts. I bought a phone, printed a few business cards and a few pamphlets. I saved the rest of the money for transport and for traveling and started using it for repairs,” says Nzima.
“I combined the experience I had in having to wait in those long queues, waking up early in the morning and going through that whole process at the hospital and leaving late.”
Nzima delivered medication to doorsteps for clients, who were too busy to collect them or too weary to stand. He charged them R10 ($1) for the service.
In one year, he has grown his customer base from his grandparents to more than 200 clients. He has four people pedaling with him thanks to seed capital from the South African Breweries Innovation Awards.
“I won a R100,000 grant that helped me buy more bicycles, buy more uniforms, buy bags and build my apartment, where I can live here and keep my bikes,” says Nzima.
For now the headquarters are a little corrugated iron shack in his grandparents’ backyard, where he keeps the bicycles safely and does the books.
He is buying more bicycles and needs people to pedal them. Nzima hopes to gain a subsidy from the health department after reading the objectives in the government’s 2020 health plan booklet. For now, every day Nzima and his four-man team flits through Khayelitsha’s alleys and roads with a backpack filled with goods that will ease the pain and may save the lives of their customers.
Right now, they are far from making a fortune from their daily runs but their name Iyeza means it’s coming.

Tag: World Health Organization

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