COVID-19 Updates

Beijing, China | Xinhua | A Chinese spokesperson on Thursday rebuked some Western politicians for questioning the impartiality of the recent coronavirus origin-tracing study by a World Health Organization (WHO) mission in China. Being impartial should not mean the presumption of guilt aimed at China, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said …

Nairobi, Kenya | Xinhua | The World Health Organization (WHO) has mobilized financial resources and technical expertise to boost the war against Ebola and COVID-19 in Africa amid threat to the continent’s public health system, an official said on Thursday. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa said that boosting the …

COMMENT | Xinhua | China is continuing expanding its aid and support for other countries, especially the developing and least developed ones, in getting access to COVID-19 vaccination. A shipment of 200,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines donated by China arrived in Zimbabwe Monday. Peru received 700,000 more doses of …

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT  |  Fifteen airlines have said an agreement with UNICEF to support its   ‘Humanitarian Airfreight Initiative’,  to secure transport for COVID-19 vaccines with the the onset of vaccination in different countries across the world.  The airlines are backing the landmark initiative to prioritize delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, essential …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A section of the Ugandan public is wearing facemasks that no longer protect from the dangers of contracting COVID-19. Instead, the masks they are using are riskier than not using one mostly because of prolonged use and irregular washing. Because COVID-19 spreads mainly from person …

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT  |  The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed two more versions of the AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, giving the green light for them to be rolled out globally through the COVAX facility, set up to ensure equitable access to the drug across the world. …

On Jan.27, Winnie Byanyima, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, spoke during the opening plenary at this year’s virtual HIV Research for Prevention (HIV R4P) Conference. Byanyima who spoke under the theme, “Where will we be in 2025?” detailed plans for a new UNAIDS …

Lilongwe, Malawi | XINHUA |  Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera has fired the commissioner for the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) and a co-chairperson of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 for failing to demand accountability on funds spent on fighting the pandemic. Chakwera has also ordered an immediate overhaul …

Educationalists maintain pre-school is critical in children’s physical, mental and psycho-social development Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | How do you home-school a three year old without going nuts? Maximum respect to kindergarten teachers,” a young Ugandan mother posted on her Facebook page on Feb.11. Thousands of Ugandan parents have …

  Regional Integration amidst a Pandemic: Covid-19 and the East African Community COMMENT | Prof. Kasaija Phillip Apuuli | The 2019 United Nations Economic Commission for Africa’s (UNECA) Africa Regional Integration Index (ARII) ranked the East African Community (EAC) as the most integrated Regional Economic Community (REC) in Africa with a …