Tag: Africa CDC

John Nkengasong, Africa C.D.C chair, appointed to lead global AIDS fund PEPFAR

Frank

USA – The USA administration is expected to nominate John Nkengasong, a virologist and director of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to lead the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). PEPFAR is a US$7 billion operation that funds and sets goals for AIDS care in many nations, most of them in Africa. Dr. Nkengasong, who was born in Cameroon, is the first person of African origin to head the program, which is housed in the Department of State. “This is a huge leap forward for the…

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Restrictions relaxed as South Africa scales down from alert level 3

Frank

SOUTH AFRICA – South Africa will move from the Adjusted Alert Level 3 to an Adjusted Alert Level 2 with immediate effect, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced. South Africa will move from the Adjusted Alert Level 3 to an Adjusted Alert Level 2 with effect from Monday, September 13th, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Sunday. In the new measures, the country’s nighttime curfew will begin at 11:00 p.m. local time and end at 4:00 a.m. Under the new eased restrictions, non-essential establishments like restaurants, bars and fitness centres will be…

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AU urges rich nations to send vaccines to Africa, ditch booster shots

Frank

AFRICA – Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) director John Nkengasong has urged wealthy countries to send vaccines to Africa to help fight the global COVID-19 pandemic rather than hoarding them for third-dose booster shots that scientific evidence does not back. Wealthy countries such as Germany, France and Israel are planning to administer third shots, over concerns that immunity from the standard two-shot regimen is waning. French President Emmanuel Macron said France was working on rolling out third doses to the elderly and vulnerable from September. Germany…

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APHF receives US$2.75 million grant to support equitable COVID-19 vaccinations

Frank

KENYA – Africa Public Health Foundation (APHF) has announced reception of US$2.75 million from the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation to help expand the effective and timely roll-out of safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19 in Africa through the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The grant from the Hilton Foundation to APHF is the first commitment from a group of foundations committed to combining funding and expediting the equitable delivery of vaccinations in Africa. Through this support, vaccination centres will be established, personnel and volunteers trained, and…

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Africa CDC and IFRC ramp up COVID-19 response in Africa as tourism takes a hit

Frank

ETHIOPIA – The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have launched a new collaboration to strengthen community resilience and response to public health emergencies at community level. The two institutions have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to ramp up pandemic response, including testing support to countries; community mobilization; advocacy and scaling up of contact tracing. In addition to COVID-19, the collaboration includes other areas of public health. Africa CDC and IFRC will strengthen investments in…

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Kenya receives close to one million Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses

Frank

KENYA – Kenya has received 880,460 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, the first time that Moderna vaccines have been received in Kenya and widens the portfolio of COVID-19 vaccines available for the national vaccination rollout. The vaccines, which form the first of two shipments totaling 1.76 million doses, were donated by the United States Government via the COVAX facility and transported by UNICEF. “This donation builds on the United States partnership with the Government of Kenya in response to COVID-19. These life-saving vaccines will fill an important need at…

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Africa CDC to host the inaugural annual conference on public health

Frank

ETHIOPIA – The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has announced that the 1st International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA), which was postponed earlier this year due to COVID-19, will now take place virtually 14-16 December 2021. The conference offers a unique platform for African researchers, policymakers and stakeholders to share scientific findings and public health perspectives and collaborate on research, innovation and public health across the continent. The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over in Africa. With 7 million infections and almost 175,000 lives…

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Africa Trade Insurance Agency gives Africa CDC US$250,000 to bolster COVID-19 response in Africa

Frank

AFRICA – As a partner in Africa’s response to the pandemic, The African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI) has provided financial support of US$250,000 to the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The contribution will assist the efforts of the public health agency to bridge the gap in vaccination against COVID-19 across Africa. The donation is being made as part of ATI’s social investment in Africa. The contribution will be part of a pool of other donations backing up the socioeconomic initiatives in Africa, as the continent continues…

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COVID-19 cases rise 19% as fatalities jump 2% in Africa, record weekly high

Frank

AFRICA – COVID-19 cases rose by 19% to over 278,000 in the week ending on 1 August while over 6,400 deaths were recorded, a 2% rise compared with the previous week, with South Africa and Tunisia accounting for over 55% of the fatalities. The death toll marks the highest seven-day toll since the onset of the pandemic in the continent, new data from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows. Mortality trends are on the rise in 15 countries, and 12 have reported higher case fatality rates than the African average…

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Kenya receives additional doses of AstraZeneca to bolster immunization activities

Frank

KENYA – Kenya has received 410,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from the British government in yet another boost to ongoing efforts to vaccinate its adult population. The consignment is the first batch of the 817,000 doses for Kenya by Britain, with a further donation of 407,000 doses from the UK expected in the country via the COVAX facility. Speaking at JKIA after receiving the consignment, on behalf of Health CS Mutahi Kagwe, Health Chief Administrative Secretary Dr. Mercy Mwangangi said the donation will go a long way towards bolstering Kenya’s…

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