Tag Archives: #COVID19'

AMA, Business, Technology

‘State of the African Consumer’ Report Issued by Kasi Insight

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NAIROBI, Kenya, 14 June 2022 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- According to earlier data released by the World Bank, Sub-Saharan Africa experienced its first recession in 25 years when the Covid-19 pandemic struck. This has resulted in a difficult recovery for the region and has also brought to the fore new economic growth challenges, compounded by the Russia Ukraine war.

In a recently released State of the African Consumer report by Kasi Insight, Africa’s leading decision intelligence company, consumer sentiment highlighted two main concerns directly impacting consumer’s pockets, and the future of their businesses, while Gen Zs (born late 1990s and early 2010s) emerged as optimistic about continent’s future.

The report examines the current state of the African consumer as concerns around inflation, supply chain disruptions and geo-political risks increase. 

Africa’s economy post COVID-19 recovery threatened by rising inflation

Post the pandemic, inflation costs on the continent are surging upwards with fears of an impending recession on the cards. Less than half of respondents (48%) expect economic conditions to improve over the next six months, with remaining respondents fairly evenly split between optimists who expect it to improve (27%) and pessimists who expect it to worsen (24%). The main concerns relate to inflation, with the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) forecasting prices of necessities such as food and oil prices to increase by 28% this year. 

Consumers in Africa face uncertainty about their economic future

The Covid-19 pandemic’s impact on the economic performance of African countries varied, leaving many consumers on the fence about the future. The uncertainty arises primarily because the dip in the economy is hitting consumers where it hurts most – household purchasing power. This has resulted in the majority of consumers feeling unsure about their ability to buy necessities (food, utilities, etc.) and discretionary items (furniture, appliances, etc.).

Half of the respondents (48%) believe that their respective country’s economic conditions will stay the same over the next 6 months. The same sentiment is also shown when looking at expectations around household income. Majority of the consumers surveyed (45%) expect their household income to remain unchanged over the next 6 months.

When examining the financial impact further, households are finding it difficult to find a job (52%) and earn money (38%).

Gen Z most optimistic about the future

Gen Zs, the world’s largest generation cohort, accounting for one third of the global population, are the most optimistic about the direction of the economy with 36% expecting an improvement over the next 6 months in comparison to 26% of Baby Boomers. 

Gen Z are the most optimistic about their household income with 42% expecting an improvement compared to 34% of Baby Boomers. Baby Boomers are the most optimistic about having enough money to buy necessities (48%) compared to 23% of Gen Z. The same is true for discretionary spending with 28% of Baby Boomers looking to make large purchase compared to 18% of Gen Z. 

On the job market and business front, there are shared difficulties with 11% of Baby Boomers finding it easy to source a job compared to 5% of Gen Zs. When it comes to making money, 8% of Gen Zs and Baby Boomers are finding it easier – the only thing they seem to agree on.

To win in the world’s fastest-growing market, business and financial leaders need to have better visibility on the realities of Africa’s economies, markets, and communities through the lens of consumers.

“Africa is evolving fast, and the data must match this for business leaders to remain competitive, in touch with consumer challenges, interests and needs and make informed business decisions. Our portal allows clients immediate access to real time data on a local, national and regionalised basis,” explains Kasi Insights CEO Yannick Lefang. “Every month, we listen to Africans and turn the data into actionable insights.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Kasi Insights.

About Kasi Insight

Kasi Insight is Africa’s leading decision intelligence company empowering business leaders and entrepreneurs to make crucial decisions with confidence. The company pairs its proprietary high-frequency survey capability with the latest advancements in statistics, data analytics and storytelling to inform better decisions on what Africans think, do and why. With over 120,000+ interviews conducted every year across 20+ African countries, Kasi is the largest aggregated and trended dataset on consumer changing habits, needs and aspirations. Its customers include the largest consumer facing companies in the world (FMCG, Food & Beverages & Financial Services). The company is headquartered in Toronto (Canada) and Nairobi (Kenya). To learn more, visit https://www.kasiinsight.com

Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

AMA

Botswana, South Africa deepen probe into new Omicron sub-variants

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GENÈVE, Suisse, 14 April 2022, /African Media Agency (AMA) /–Researchers in Botswana and South Africa have detected new sub-lineages of the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 and are carrying out further investigations to fully understand crucial traits such as infectivity and virulence.

The identified sub-lineages variant are BA.4 and BA.5. World Health Organization (WHO) experts are working with scientists and researchers in the two countries to deepen analysis of the sub-lineages which have so far been identified in four people in Botswana and 23 in South Africa. Outside Africa, the BA.4 and the BA.5 have been confirmed in Belgium, Denmark, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Currently there is no significant epidemiological difference observed between the new sub-lineages and known sub-lineages of the Omicron variant, which include BA.1, BA.2 and BA.3 sub-lineages.

“There is no cause for alarm with the emergence of the new sub-variants. We are not yet observing a major spike in cases, hospitalizations or deaths,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

“We are working with scientists in Botswana and South Africa to gain complete behavioural knowledge of these sub-lineages and supporting African countries enhance genomic surveillance to detect potentially dangerous variants and stay ahead of the virus,” Dr Moeti said.

WHO calls on countries to enhance genomic surveillance to better understand circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, submit complete genome sequences and associated metadata to a publicly available database and report initial cases or clusters of cases linked with a variant of concern to infection to WHO.

Additionally, countries should undertake field investigations and laboratory assessments to improve understanding of the potential impacts of variants of concern on COVID-19 epidemiology such as severity, effectiveness of public health and social measures, diagnostic methods, immune responses, antibody neutralization or other relevant characteristics.

The Organization also recommends that countries sequence at least 5% of all positive samples. With support from WHO and other partners, Africa has made strides in ramping up sequencing capacity, having sequenced six times as many samples in the first quarter of 2022 compared with the same period in 2021.

Distributed by African Media Agency on behalf of World Health Organisation.

For Additional Information or to Request Interviews, Please contact:

Meenakshi Dalal

Communications Consultant
Email: dalalm@who.int
Tel: + 1 (682) 812 2306 (WhatsApp)Saya Oka

Communications Officer, WHO Africa Health Emergencies Programme
Tel: +242 06 508 1009 
Email: okas@who.int 

Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

AMA, Education

COVID-19: Education risks becoming ‘greatest divider’

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NEW YORK, USA, 30Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of UN News. March 2022 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/-Now entering its third year, the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to hold back some 405 million school children worlwide from a full return to the classroom, according to a new report released on Wednesday by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

And as 23 countries have yet to fully re-open schools, many children are at risk of just dropping out.

“When children are not able to interact with their teachers and their peers directly, their learning suffers,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “When they are not able to interact with their teachers and peers at all, their learning loss may become permanent.

“This rising inequality in access to learning, means that education risks becoming the greatest divider, not the greatest equalizer. When the world fails to educate its children, we all suffer.”

2 trillion hours, gone 

The report entitled, Are children really learning?, features country-level education data on the impact that COVID-19 school closures are having on children along with an updated analysis of the state of learning before the pandemic.

The study points out that 147 million children missed more than half of their in-class instruction over the past two years – amounting to two trillion hours of lost in-person education, globally. 

Africa case study

In addition to data on learning loss, the report highlights emerging evidence that many children did not return to school when their classrooms reopened, including in Liberia, West Africa, where 43 per cent of public-school students remained out of the classroom after schools reopened in December 2020.

And between March 2020 and July 2021, the number of children out of school in South Africa, tripled from 250,000 to 750,000. Around one in 10 Ugandan students did not report back to school in January 2022 after two years of school closures.

Meanwhile in Malawi, the dropout rate among girls in secondary education increased by 48 per cent, between 2020 and 2021, and in Kenya, a survey of 4,000 adolescents aged 10-19 years found that 16 per cent of girls and eight per cent of boys did not return when schools reopened.

 “When the world fails to educate its children, we all suffer,” said the senior UN official.

Vulnerable and marginalized

Out-of-school children are some of the most vulnerable and marginalized youth in society – least likely to read, write or do basic math.

Moreover, they are cut off from the school safety nets – putting them at even greater risk of exploitation and a lifetime of poverty and deprivation.

“Even before the pandemic, the most marginalized children were being left behind,” reminded Ms. Russell.

“As the pandemic enters its third year, we can’t afford to go back to ‘normal’. We need a new normal,” the UNICEF chief spelled out, “getting children into classrooms, assessing where they are in their learning, providing them with the intensive support they need to recover what they’ve missed, and ensuring that teachers have the training and learning resources they need.”

“The stakes are too high to do anything less”.

Learning slowdown

Although out-of-school children suffer the greatest loss, pre-pandemic data from 32 countries and territories highlighted an already desperately poor level of learning that has only been exacerbated by the COVID-triggered education crisis.

In the countries analysed, the current pace of learning is so slow that it would take seven years for most schoolchildren to learn foundational reading skills that should have been grasped in two years, and 11 years to learn foundational numeracy skills.

Furthermore, there is no guarantee that schoolchildren have learned the basics at all, in many cases.

A quarter of eighth graders, who are around 14-years old, did not have foundational reading skills and more than half lacked the numeracy skills expected of seven-year-old in second grade, according to the data.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of UN News.

 

Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

AMA

African PR Industry emerges from pandemic in position of strength

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LONDON, 24th March 2022 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/- The majority (67%) of African PR professionals believe the reputation of PR in business and society has improved since the beginning of the pandemic, according to PRCA Africa’s inaugural research.

The State of the African PR Industry Report – conducted by Reputation Matters – examined the perception of PR, attitude towards ethics, developing talent, and the challenges and opportunities facing the industry in the future.

The study, which surveyed more than 550 practitioners from 27 countries across Africa, paints a picture of a vibrant, growing industry that has emerged in a position of strength despite the disruption from the past two years. In fact, 33% of respondents said their strategic counsel is valued more than ever by business leaders, and a further 27% said they feel valued at board-level.

However, the pandemic has created significant challenges for the African PR industry, with 36% of respondents having had their employment affected. And despite the growing overall optimism, 62% believed reduced budgets still posed the greatest threat to the PR industry’s future.

The importance of ethical, effective communications has never been more evident than today as the world grapples with disinformation across various media. Encouragingly, the majority of PR practitioners feel the profession is viewed as ethical. 13% of respondents said they had been asked to act unethically within the past 12 months.

Other Key Findings:

– The research revealed the scale of the challenge facing the industry’s attempts to adopt more rigorous measurement and evaluation methods to prove the power of its work. Troublingly, the universally discredited Metric Advertising Value Equivalent (AVE) remains the most common form of measurement.

– Nearly half (47%) of PR professionals say that they will be back in the office full-time once COVID-19 restrictions are fully lifted. Many will spend at least some of their time working from home, while a small number are still unsure.

– Poor measurement and evaluation, and reduced budgets, are the biggest concerns on threats to the PR industry in the immediate future. While recruitment and retention, and technology and innovation, are also substantial risks.

– Digital and social media is a clear leader in terms of increased importance during the past two years. It was closely followed by reputation management and crisis management, both of which have been particularly relevant during the pandemic.  

Read PRCA International Director Melissa Cannon’s conversation with Samuel Bekele, Joint East Africa Chair and the CEO of consultancy Spotlight, and Soni Kayinamura, Joint East Africa Chair and the Founder and CEO of Clarity.

PRCA Africa Chair Jordan Rittenberry said:

“The pandemic’s impact has been felt differently in different parts of Africa, and elsewhere in the world, but what all geographies have in common is a heightened appreciation of the value of good communications.

“Whether through public health campaigns promoting COVID-19 safety measures, to reassuring crisis communications from companies facing unexpected incidents, those organisations able to effectively connect with key audiences and stakeholders have been more effective and resilient during the pandemic.

“Meanwhile, those without proper comms capacity have suffered. These trends are confirmed in this report, with the majority (67%) of African PR professionals feeling that the perception of PR has improved since the start of the pandemic. This, and 33% of respondents saying that business leaders are increasingly reliant on PR counsel, with another 27% feeling valued by their board, shows that the future is bright.” 

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of PRCA.

About PRCA

The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) is the world’s largest professional PR body.

We represent more than 35,000 PR professionals in 82 countries worldwide. With offices in London, Hong Kong, Dubai, Singapore, and Buenos Aires, we are a global advocate for excellence in public relations.

Our mission is to create a more professional, ethical, and prosperous PR industry. We champion – and enforce – professional standards around the world through our Professional Charter and Code of Conduct. The Code compels members to adhere to the highest standards of ethical practice.

We deliver exceptional training, authoritative industry data, and global networking, and development opportunities.

We also manage the International Communications Consultancy Organisation (ICCO) – the umbrella body for 41 PR associations and 3,000 agencies across the world, and LG Comms – the UK’s national body for local government communicators. Additionally, we support the delivery of the Motor Industry Communicators Association (MICA).

Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

AMA, Health

Ramping up COVID-19 vaccination among Kenya’s hard-to-reach communities

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GENEVA, Switzerland, 24 February 2022 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/- When Kenya’s Ministry of Health set its sights on reaching 10 million people with the COVID-19 vaccination by the end of 2021, many people like Lilian Anyango were not afraid of the myths circulating about the harm it could cause.

She feared missing out.

“We are often forgotten in any plans,” said Anyango, a resident of Kisumu County in western Kenya who lives with a disability. Kenyans with disabilities, Anyango explained, often are overlooked and unreached with social assistance generally. “We live in poverty and depend on handouts to fend for our families or roam in the streets as we eke out for a living. We have no time to visit the hospital to get the COVID-19 vaccination.”

In a 10-day campaign targeting 11 of Kenya’s 47 counties that had some of the lowest vaccination coverage, World Health Organization (WHO) along with the county governments, non-governmental organizations and other partners were determined that no one would be missed. Location would make a difference. Rather than meet people in health facilities only, outreach campaigns were set in different locations where beneficiaries would be reached such as markets, bus parks and other social settings. Additionally, different groups including women and youth groups, motorcycle taxi drivers and religious leaders were engaged to help reach many of the people who tend to get overlooked.

During the December campaign, WHO provided technical and financial support in the 11 counties to help accelerate the coverage of COVID-19 vaccine through strategic risk communication, community engagement and vaccination outreach teams. WHO experts worked with county health teams to coordinate operations at the grassroots so that local authorities took ownership of the efforts to boost COVID-19 vaccination. These efforts included public health information campaigns (printed messages and public addresses) to dispel vaccine myths misconceptions such as concerns that it affects fertility, male libido, or that it causes death. In addition to public education, the teams would announce the location and dates where the community could access the vaccination. 

In Kisumu County in western Kenya, one of the 11 counties targeted, WHO teams and the County Department of Health also worked with an association for people living with disabilities and a street families consortium to register members of these groups to leave no one behind.

Vaccination sites were set up where people could easily access them. To help make sure that marginalized people were not neglected, a church in Kisumu offered its backyard for setting a one-day vaccination site. The business community donated facemasks, a tent, snacks and a vehicle for bringing people with disabilities or other vulnerabilities to the site. 

By the end of that particular day, 321 people were vaccinated at the church site. Among them were 132 people living with a disability and 189 people without a home.  

“As the county health team, we shall continue to work with partners in increasing access to COVID-19 vaccination and support this noble idea in ensuring that all segments of the population are vaccinated, including the vulnerable and marginalized persons,” said Florence Aketch, Kisumu County Coordinator for the Expanded Programme on Immunization.

In Wajir County in northern Kenya, the vaccination uptake campaign was also driven by working with political, religious and community leaders as well as through messages relayed via community radio, which is effective among the nomadic herder communities predominantly living in northern Kenya. Taking vaccines to these communities also meant that vaccination teams would set up vaccination stations at watering points.

“It takes a lot of commitment and resources to vaccinate people living in sparsely populated regions,” said Dr Adam Haji, a WHO medical officer. “It is not enough to send them messages, it must be accompanied with a lot of hard work like driving many kilometres on a bad roads to get people vaccinated.”

Engaging local communities to support the COVID-19 response and accept the vaccine has been a core part of how the government, with WHO inputs, has worked to protect the country.

“Beyond COVID-19 risk communication, WHO in Kenya has invested resources in community engagement to better understand the facilitators and barriers that people experience in observing public health and social measures. Through dialogues with different groups, we have been able to secure their commitment in accepting the COVID-19 vaccine” said Dr Juliet Nabyonga, acting WHO Representative in Kenya.

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of World Health Organization.

Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

AMA, Health

Being vaccinated against Covid-19 opens doors

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Collected By Carême Kouamé

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, 21st February 2022 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The Covid-19 pandemic has undermined economies and dramatically changed the way we work, disrupting labour markets both across the continent and globally.

What the pandemic has done is push both organisations and consumers to adopt new behaviours – some of which are likely to persist. The big question is the extent to which remote working will continue to be adopted.

While remote working was at first highly appealing in the early days of the pandemic and national lockdowns, the cracks soon started to appear as boredom and monotony set in.

The reality is that humans are social creatures and the workplace is, amongst other things, a social environment. Face-to-face engagements and chats around the coffee machine provide a sense of belonging that the digital world of Zoom and Skype just cannot replace. There is an energy found in the workplace that is not replicated when working from home and a level of creativity that results from spontaneous collaboration.

As restrictions have been eased, many organisations have allowed their employees to return to work. Others have adopted a hybrid system of both in-office and remote working. However, key to any return to work has been the need for staff to be vaccinated, to protect both themselves and their colleagues.

Some countries have ruled that being vaccinated against Covid-19 is mandatory for employees working in certain sectors. Kenya, for example, ruled in 2021 that public service employees must have had at least one vaccination. Other countries, including Ghana, have ruled that health workers must be vaccinated.

As employees return to the workplace, opportunities to attend conferences and events, for example, will only be accessible to those who are fully vaccinated. International travel has already opened up for those who are fully vaccinated.

Bertrand from Cote d’Ivoire was working on a large-scale climate project for an international African organisation when the client requested that he attend COP26. “Fortunately, I had already had two doses of the vaccine and was able to attend,” he explains. “The trip proved to be a great opportunity to meet people who are crucial to my career and business. I’m very relieved that I did not miss out on attending this event – as I would have done had I not been vaccinated.

“The lesson I learned from this experience is that it’s better to be proactive. Work opportunities aside, the Covid-19 vaccine protects against severe forms of the disease and offers the best and most reliable way to eradicating the pandemic and getting life back to a semblance of normality,” he says.

Distributed by African Media Agency(AMA).

This article is part of a series on vaccination in Africa brought to you by Africa CDC in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation under the Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative — a $1.5 billion partnership that is enabling access to Covid-19 vaccinations, and long-term health security, for Africa.

Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

AMA, Health

Covid-19: Pharmaceutical companies’ failure on equal vaccine access contributed to human rights catastrophe in 2021

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LONDON, United Kingdom, 15 February , 2022,-/African Media Agency (AMA)/-Despite urgent calls to ensure the equal distribution of Covid-19 vaccines in 2021, pharmaceutical companies tragically failed to rise to the challenge of a once-in-a-century global health and human rights crisis. Instead, they monopolized technology, blocked and lobbied against the sharing of intellectual property, charged high prices for vaccines and prioritized supplies to wealthy countries, said Amnesty International today in a new assessment of the leading Covid-19 vaccine developers.

Ten billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines were produced last year, more than enough to reach the 40% target of global vaccination set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the end of 2021. Yet Money Calls the Shots: Pharma’s response to the Covid-19 vaccine crisis – an update on Amnesty International’s September 2021 report  A double dose of inequality: Pharma companies and the Covid-19 vaccines crisis – reveals that just over 4% of those living in low-income countries had been fully vaccinated by the end of last year.

“More than 1.2 billion people in low and lower-middle income countries could have been vaccinated by the end of 2021 if high-income countries and vaccine makers took their human rights obligations and responsibilities to heart,” said Rajat Khosla, Amnesty International’s Senior Director of Research, Advocacy and Policy.

“While high income countries hoarded vaccines, callously choking supply to poorer parts of the world, pharma companies played a pivotal role in this unfolding human rights catastrophe – leaving those most in need to cope on their own. These companies could have been the heroes of 2021. Instead, they turned their back on those who needed vaccines the most and just continued with business as usual, putting profits before people. If we want 2022 to be the last year of this pandemic, we need to shift course now to reach the 70% WHO-target by July of this year.”

In 2021, Pfizer, BioNTech and Moderna projected revenues of up to US$54 billion, yet supplied less than 2% of their vaccines to low-income countries. Chinese companies Sinovac and Sinopharm delivered just 0.4% and 1.5% respectively of their vaccines to low-income countries.

Johnson & Johnson’s and AstraZeneca’s records on distribution were better – with 50% of their stock reaching low and lower-middle-income countries (with many of these doses provided as “donations” from upper-income countries, not as part of sales agreements). However, both companies still refuse to share their technology and intellectual property through World Health Organization-coordinated initiatives and are now abandoning their not-for-profit pricing model.

“Despite billions in public funding, these companies are continuing to put their own greed before their human rights responsibilities. It’s deeply concerning that profits are being prioritised over people – even in the face of more than 5.6 million people dead from Covid-19 to date. How many more variants do we have to live through before high-income countries and pharmaceutical companies realize that those in low-income countries must have access to vaccines – not just those living in rich ones?” said Rajat Khosla.

Further findings provided by Airfinity, a science and analytics company, up to 31 December 2021, include:

  • AstraZeneca produced just under 2.4 billion vaccine doses in 2021 and supplied 1.7% of these to low-income countries and 70% to lower-middle income countries, an increase on the previous assessment.
  • Johnson & Johnson produced just over 300 million doses in 2021 and delivered 20% of these to low-income countries and 31% to lower-middle income countries, a significant increase on the previous assessment.
  • Moderna produced 673 million doses in 2021 and delivered 2% of these to low-income countries and 23.5% to lower-middle income countries, a significant increase on the previous assessment, but still short of what is required.
  • Pfizer/BioNTech produced 2.4 billion doses in 2021 and delivered 1% of these to low-income countries and 14% to lower-middle income countries, a slight increase on the previous assessment, but well below Amnesty International’s 50% target.
  • Sinopharm produced just over 2.2 billion doses in 2021, most of which were supplied domestically within China. The company delivered 1.5% of its doses to low-income countries and 24% to lower-middle income countries, short of what is required for a fair distribution of its vaccines.
  • Sinovac produced over 2.4 billion doses in 2021, most of which were supplied domestically within China. It delivered 0.4% of its doses to low-income countries and 20.5% to lower-middle income countries.

Amnesty’s report also shows how these companies don’t share their intellectual property, knowledge and technology, putting in place obstacles to fair vaccine access, as well as actively lobbying against the relaxation of intellectual property rights.

“The fight for equitable vaccines is far from over,” said Rajat Khosla. “We will continue to call on pharmaceutical companies to prioritise delivery to low-income countries in order to meet the WHO’s target of 70% global vaccination before mid-2022. Everyone deserves a fair shot at a vaccine and as we enter our third year of the pandemic, it’s time that indeed everyone, living anywhere in this world, has immediate access.”

Amnesty International is also calling on companies to share intellectual property by issuing open and non-exclusive licences or participating in the Covid-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP), established to support the sharing of open and non-exclusive licences, publicly disclose all terms and conditions, and price vaccine doses so profit does not stand in the way of access to Covid-19 vaccines.

“Investors have also played a huge role in this global crisis. Their lack of meaningful action shows that while Covid-19 unleashed unimaginable suffering on millions around the world, they thrived, but did nothing to ensure their investments did not result in human rights harm on account of the profit-driven approach taken by pharmaceutical companies,” said Rajat Khosla. “We’re calling on investors to face up to their actions immediately and use their considerable leverage to pressure pharmaceutical companies to lift obstacles to fair access to vaccines, as well as promote accountability and transparency.”

Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Amnesty International.

Notes to editors:

To coincide with last year’s report, A double dose of inequality: Pharma companies and the Covid-19 vaccines crisis, Amnesty International launched the “100 Day Countdown: 2 Billion Vaccines now!” urging vaccine developers to deliver at least 50% of vaccines produced by the end of the year to low- and lower-middle income countries. The campaign also called for states hoarding vaccines to redistribute surplus doses to countries that needed them the most.

Source : African Media Agency (AMA)

AMA, Business, Education, Politics

Start Network offers emergency assistance to displaced people in Somaliland conflict

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MOGADISHU, Somalia, 1 November 2021 -/African Media Agency(AMA)/- Start Network has made £150,000 available to help over 10,000 victims of ongoing civil unrest in Somaliland provinces of Baidoa, Gaalkacyo, and Beledweyneare.

Start Network which is made up of a consortium of NGOs including ACTED, Concern, Relief International, Save the Children and Plan International have channeled the funds as an emergency response to the internally displaced persons – particularly women, children, persons with disability and households with chronically ill persons.

Early in October, Somaliland authorities in Sanaag issued a statement calling for people from other parts of Somalia to leave Ceerigaabo town and surrounding villages by 21 October. This followed the prior displacement of hundreds of families from Laas Caanood into Puntland earlier in the month. These forced displacements, which Somaliland government officials say are being instituted due to security concerns stemming from intercommunal violence and an ongoing territorial dispute in Sool and Sanaag between the authorities in Somaliland and neighbouring Puntland. The forced displacements resulted in inhabitants forced to flee without belongings, leaving livelihoods behind.

The £150,000 funding will support the immediate lifesaving needs of around 1500 households in three locations: Baidoa, Gaalkacyo, and Beledweyne. According to Serena Suen, Start Fund Programme Manager, the fund is will go a long way in helping the affected families in the crisis. “It is of utmost importance that our members are able to access funds rapidly to meet the most pressing needs of those affected by crises. We are pleased that ACTED and Save the Children will be able to support displaced families in Somalia through cash and protection interventions via the Start Fund,” Serena noted.

In a region grappling with the effects of drought, constant failed rains, flash floods, clan conflict, the desert locust crisis, and more recently the Covid-19 pandemic this forced displacement is a significant cause for alarm. According to UNOCHA, most affected families are originally from Southwest and Hirshabelle States and Banadir, while some are also from Ethiopia.

Distributed by African Media Agency for Start Network.

Notes to editors

For further information contact:
Helen James, Head of Communications & Digital, Start Network
Helen.James@startnetwork.org

Julius Odera, Media & Client Service Director
jo@amediaagency.com

Meganne Boho, Media and Client Relations Manager
mb@amediaagency.com

Start Network: www.startnetwork.org @startnetwork | Start Network is a global network of non-governmental organisations, made up of more than 50 national and international aid agencies from five continents. Its mission is to create a new era of humanitarian action that will save even more lives through innovation, fast funding, early action, and localisation. Start Network believes that pre-emptive climate risk financing could revolutionise the aid sector and catalyse a new way of preparing for crises, helping to create more resilient communities. Visit our website to see a full list of members.

Source : African Media Agency (AMA)