A group of scientists, physicians, funders, and policy makers from over 70 institutions from over 30 countries have launched an international coalition to respond to COVID-19 in resource-poor settings. The COVID-19 Clinical Research Coalition aims to accelerate desperately needed COVID-19 research in those areas where the virus could wreak havoc on already-fragile health systems and cause the greatest health impact on vulnerable populations. Three institutions from Ethiopia, Addis Ababa University, CDT-Africa from Addis Ababa University and University of Gondar joined the coalition.
In a comment published in The Lancet, the members of the coalition argue that international research collaboration and coordination is needed urgently to support African, Latin American, Eastern European, and certain Asian countries to respond effectively to the worsening pandemic and speed up research adapted to resource-limited settings.
The coalition brings together an unprecedented array of health experts, including public-sector research institutes, ministries of health, academia, not-for-profit research and development organizations, NGOs, international organisations, and funders all committed to finding COVID19 solutions for resource-poor settings.
One important research response to COVID-19 has been launched already, the World Health Organization (WHO)-led SOLIDARITY trial, an unprecedented global effort. But the authors found that out of almost 600 COVID-19 clinical trials registered, very few trials are planned in resource-poor settings. The authors commit to sharing their technical expertise and clinical trial capability to accelerate COVID-19 research in these settings.
The scale of the challenge is clearly beyond the scope of any single organization. The coalition will facilitate a coordinated approach, so that all data from all regions can be collected in a similar fashion, pooled and shared in real-time. This will help countries and the WHO to make rapid evidence-based decisions on policies and practice.
“We welcome the launch of this coalition, which takes advantage of existing multinational and multidisciplinary expertise in running clinical trials in resource poor settings, and will help the World Health Organization (WHO) in its coordinating role in the global response to COVID-19,” said Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Chief Scientist, World Health Organization. “Although the epicentre is today elsewhere, we must prepare now for the consequences of this pandemic in more resource-constrained settings or we stand to lose many more lives.”
Members of the Coalition call for specific commitments to ensure access, so that effective new treatments are made available as soon as possible in resource-poor settings and are affordable and readily accessible.
So far more than 70 organizations have joined this coalition, with a call made to other organizations ready to contribute existing capacity to join.
Coalition launched to accelerate research on the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in low and middle income countries
Association battling price increment
Water bottlers association denounces unreasonable price increment of the product by retailers meanwhile there is no change at the factory.
Ethiopian Bottled Water, Soft Drink, Fruit and Vegetable Manufacturing Industries Association (EBSFMIA) that met with media on Thursday April 2 stated that members of the association do not make any price increment on their products.
The association said that it has learnt that price increment on products is observed in the past few weeks in relation with the outbreak of coronavirus at the retail market.
“We have confirmed that the price of bottled water is sold with a higher profit margin at retail markets, which is totally unacceptable,” the association said.
“It called relevant government body to control those who illegally hike the price of basic needs,” the association stated.
It recalled that based on EBSFMIA code of conduct the manufacturer selling price range is set by the association and is revised every one or two months. Currently the price of manufacturing product price range is reduced in relation with the recently revised excise tax, production increment and lower demand observed recently, according to the information that Capital obtained from the association.
At the same time the distribution rate that is handled by separate distributing agents is also going well but the price at the final sellers has extraordinary profit margin, which is baseless, the association claimed.
The government disclosed that the price of some basic commodities have shown increment in the past couple of weeks after the announcement of the first COVID 19 case in the country. Bottled water is one of the products that shows unreasonable price increment.
It has also taken nationwide measures on illegal traders. On Thursday April 2 the number of illegal traders penalized by the government has reached over 15,000.
Ashenafi Merid, General Manager of EBSFMIA, said bottlers are responsible to follow their agents.
“Currently bottlers have ample supply and due to that any price increment is not acceptable,” he told Capital.
Consumer Protection and Trade Competition and Ministry of Trade and Industry are expected to control retailers.
Getnet Ashenafi, legal expert at Consumer Protection and Trade Competition, appreciated the initiative of the association to protect their consumer and said that other sectors should follow the same. He stated that measures are continuing on illegal actors.
Solomon Tadele Director General of Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical Industry Development Institute, which is under Ministry of Trade Industry, disclosed that despite public transports suspension to regions, food items continue to reach the market.
EBSFMIA has more than 120 members and most of them are water bottlers.
Vulnerable countries face 3 times the risk of COVID-19 exposure, yet have 6 times lower access to healthcare services
CARE’s analysis of INFORM Global Risk Index data has found that the world’s ‘highest risk’ countries have three times higher exposure to epidemics, such as COVID-19, but also have a six times higher risk in terms of their access to healthcare compared to the world’s lowest risk countries. Somalia, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan, Chad, Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Sudan, Niger, Haiti and Uganda are all considered ‘Very High Risk’ by INFORM and are amongst the countries with the weakest capacity to cope with the added stress of a pandemic such as COVID-19.
“While even wealthy and better prepared nations are struggling to cope at this time, the impact on the countries highlighted in this analysis shows how people living in insecure environments, with extremely weak health infrastructure, are going to be far worse off. Countries such as South Sudan and Syria are in the midst of conflict. Many countries on this list are already food insecure, with large parts of their populations reliant on international aid for survival. Add on COVID-19 and it is not only national health systems that will struggle to cope, but the entire infrastructure and basic services. This is a truly terrifying thought for all of us working in the humanitarian sector,” says Sally Austin, CARE International’s Head of Emergency Operations.
As Tue Jakobsen CARE Turkey’s, Assistant Country Director – Humanitarian notes “in Northwest Syria, there is no functioning government and the health system has been destroyed over the past nine years. Hundreds of thousands of people are not able to do basic preventative measure, such as wash their hands. With no testing capacity, it is highly likely that the virus has been spreading around without our knowledge, so we might be weeks behind in our response. An outbreak will cause mayhem in an area that has already gone through so much suffering. We are currently at a stage where only around 900 testing kits have been made available this week in Idlib and there is only one lab that can that can handle about 20 tests per day. Since this is a global crisis, countries are prioritizing their own responses and Syria has been completely neglected. There is an urgent need to scale up the health response and increase health supplies going into Northwest Syria.”
On top of poor access to healthcare these countries also face the highest levels of food insecurity, displacement and socio-economic inequality. All of which increase they vulnerability to COVID-19 and the likely levels of devastation the virus will have in a given country.
CARE’s analysis found that in comparison to the 36 ‘very low risk’ countries, including Norway, UK and New Zealand, the 14 most vulnerable and ‘very high risk’ countries are at over 4 times (336%) higher risk of food insecurity, almost 9 times (756%) higher risk of socioeconomic vulnerability, and over three times more likely to be providing refuge for displaced and uprooted people (210% greater risk level)
“This data shows a stark and chilling picture of what we can expect as we start to see the COVID-19 pandemic spread to many Asian, Africa and Middle Eastern countries. In order to try and best prepare, at CARE, where possible, we are scaling up our activities to ensure that clear guidance on risk, prevention and awareness of symptoms are available in the communities where we work. We are scaling up water supply activities to facilitate good personal and household hygiene,” Austin said.
“But this alone is clearly not enough. We need strong commitments from all national Governments to immediately respect the global cease fire called for by the UN Secretary General earlier this week and we need to ensure humanitarians are seen as essential workers and supported to have unimpeded access to continue to deliver lifesaving assistance to already highly vulnerable communities. We also call on all major donors to show solidarity and contribute to the global appeal that was launched on 25th March,” says Austin.
Austin adds “if coronavirus has shown us one thing it is that we are all in this together. The sense of community this pandemic has created is truly heart-warming. We are asking people to go one step further and not just care for their local communities, but also to think about their global community, and those likely to be affected even worse.”
Korean companies donated medical masks
On April 3, the Korean Business Association and a Korean NGO, Good Neighbors, distributed a total of 40,000 medical masks to the federal government including the office of the Prime Minister, Airports, Office of the Addis Ababa City Administration and Regional governments. It is expected that the masks distributed to Addis Ababa and regional governments will be effectively delivered to workforces who are directly fighting against COVID-19 in Ethiopia.
In addition, Supporter’s Association for Korean War Veterans will donate masks to 138 elderly Korean War veterans and their families.
Taking this donation as a momentum, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Ethiopia said that Korea appreciates the partnership which Ethiopia showed as the only country in Africa that dispatched a ground troop to the Korean War. It was also mentioned that both countries have been currently in a joint effort to fight the new enemy, COVID-19, to emerge victorious. It was also added that in order to prevail over COVID-19, it is required to have global alliance at an unprecedented level to coordinate activities and the Republic of Korea will be ready to share all relevant information and experiences with international partners.
The Embassy is also planning to provide Ethiopia with customized assistances including the provision of testing kits and quarantine equipment.
