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Kenya, WHO launch Africa’s first medical emergency hub

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The Kenyan government is teaming with the World Health Organization to launch a medical emergency hub in Nairobi.

The hub, which is the first in a network of African centres, was launched on Saturday.  It is expected to hasten responses to regional emergencies.

According to WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, the health body wants to help create these quick response teams in every African country.

“We see the continent expressing in very practical terms its determination to be better prepared for the next pandemic… this is going to be our contribution to helping countries build their capacity to be much better prepared and better able to respond.” Moeti said.

“All of this needs very solid preparations so that when things happen that are going to trigger an increase in vulnerability to disease and illness, the national systems are ready to manage that,” Moeti said.

With WHO’s commitment to start work on helping countries identify and train national emergency responders immediately, it’s latest collaboration with Kenya, the East African powerhouse is likely to become a regional hub for medical equipment, which will help neighbouring countries get required medicines faster.

A world bank report says “health system investments in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have historically focused on primary health care to address the high rates of communicable diseases. However, with increasing rates of road trauma along with other life-threatening conditions such as non-communicable diseases like cardiac arrest and stroke that require urgent medical attention, many countries must now also look to develop functional Emergency Medical Services (EMS).”

 

Metro

Egypt’s population growth declines by 1.4%

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Egypt’s planning ministry has announced that the country’s population went down to its lowest rate of population increase in decades in 2023, at 1.4%.

 

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt frequently emphasizes the need to control population growth, saying the country’s budget and services are being overburdened by the country’s high birth rate.

 

 

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt frequently emphasizes the need to control population growth, blaming the country’s budget and services for being overburdened by the country’s recent high birth rate. The population is currently estimated by Egypt’s official statistics office to be just over 106 million.

 

It is believed that 60% of the population lives below or near the poverty line in a nation plagued by a shortage of water, a dearth of employment possibilities, and congested hospitals and schools.

 

World Bank data from 1961 indicates that Egypt’s population growth peaked in 1984–85 at 2.8%, declined to 1.9% in 2006, and then increased to 2.3% in 2014. It has progressively decreased since then, reaching 1.6% in 2022.

 

Sisi has started many massive projects that critics claim waste money and add to Egypt’s debt load, but he claims will create jobs and infrastructure for the country’s expanding population.

 

Egypt started a family-planning campaign called “Two Is Enough” in 2019 intending to question the customs of large families in rural areas.

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Zambia, Botswana sign cooperation instruments to enhance trade

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Zambia and close neighbours, Botswana, have signed 10 instruments of cooperation aimed at enhancing trade relations between the two countries.

The signing of the agreements has been hailed by many, including President Hakainde Hichilema, who noted that the cooperation between the two countries would contribute to the improvement of the livelihood of the citizens for both countries.

The 10 instruments of cooperation included agreements on political consultation as well as in the field of livestock, apiculture and aquaculture, crop production and science and technology.

The instruements which were signed in on Wednesday in Livingstone during the state visit of Bostwanan President, Dr Mokqweesti Eric Masisi, will also take in other agreements in Geo-Science, mining, minerals and value chain development and an agreement between the Zambia Development Agency and Botswana Investment and Trade Centre.

The two countries also signed an agreement on the establishment of the Kazungula Bridge Authority (KBA), as well as Addendum number two to the “Agreement to Sponsor the Construction and Operation of the Kazungula Bridge.”

During the meeting the two eastern African nations, they also signed “sponsors agreement” for the bankable feasibility study and the construction of the infrastructure for the railway link from Mosetse in Botswana to Livingstone in Zambia through the Kazungula Bridge.

The two countries would also embark on the establishment of the Bi-National Commission (BNC), which will elevate the bilateral cooperation framework between the two countries from the Joint Permanent Commission on Cooperation and Joint Permanent Commission on Defence and Security.

While speaking during the epoch-making event, President Hichilema said “Zambia must prioritize what is produced in Botswana, and Botswana must also prioritize what is locally produce in Zambia.”

He also advised technocrats from both countries to ensure that what was contained in the signed documents are implemented and not “gather dust in the shelves.”

“Kazungula Bridge is an asset valued to Zambia and the region as it promotes regional integration through trade among countries like Botswana and Zambia,” Hichilemq added.

In his response, the Botswanan leader expressed his gratitude to the Zambian people and government for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to him and his delegation during their stay in Zambia.

Masisi, thereafter, extended an invitation to Hichilema to pay a state visit to Botswana on dates to be mutually agreed through diplomatic channels.

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