Ministers of Health of Cameroon, the Central African Republic and Chad have pledged to scale up efforts to eradicate Guinea-worm disease by 2030 in line with the road map to end neglected tropical diseases by the end of the decade.

Meeting on 17 September 2024 at an international high-level meeting to advocate and mobilize resources for the eradication of Guinea-worm disease, the ministers signed the N’Djamena Declaration on interrupting the transmission of Guinea-worm disease or dracunculiasis in the subregion. The N’Djamena meeting was organized by the Government of Chad, in collaboration with World Health Organization (WHO) and The Carter Center.

The meeting highlighted the need to scale up community-based surveillance, while maintaining and increasing domestic funding for national programmes to stop transmission. The discussions also identified the need to strengthen advocacy for access to drinking water and for implementing legal and regulatory measures to control dog and cat populations with a view to halting the spread of Guinea-worm disease and rabies within communities. The final point focused on strengthening synchronized cross-border interventions in endemic districts.

“The holding of this international meeting in N’Djamena takes on special significance, as only five countries in the world are currently endemic to this disease, including our own,” said H.E Allah-Maye Halina Mahamat, the Prime Minister of Chad. “As a signatory to the Abu Dhabi Declaration in March 2022 in the United Arab Emirates, Chad is committed to strengthening its leadership with a view to improving the health and well-being of its people. That commitment has been given tangible expression. In line with its steadfast commitment, Chad will continue to strengthen its strategies and actions to combat Guinea-worm disease.”

Chad accounts for over 50% of human cases of infection with Guinea-worm disease, and over 80% of animal infections recorded worldwide each year. The global incidence of the disease has dropped steeply, from around 3.5 million cases in the 1980s to just 14 in 2023, including nine in Chad. The human cases reported by Cameroon and the Central African Republic in 2019 and 2022 respectively are strongly suspected of having been imported from Chad, given the population movements on both sides of the border.

“Just as the people of Chad no longer face the threat of African trypanosomiasis, so today we stand on the threshold of freeing Chad – and the world – from Guinea-worm disease,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This achievement is not just about numbers; it is about lives transformed and communities empowered.”

Significant progress has been made to eradicate Guinea worm in the African region with over 99 % reduction in cases from 843 640 when the eradication campaign was launched in 1989, to just 14 cases in 2023. Forty-two countries have been certified as having eradicated the disease; five remain to be certified (Angola, Chad, Ethiopia, Mali and South Sudan). The last mile to eradication faces huge challenges such as animal transmission creating spill-over infections to humans, inadequate safe water supply, dwindling funding, insecurity, cross border population movements, and climate change impacting water river basins.

“I encourage Governments to prioritize Guinea-worm disease surveillance across borders, integrate its eradication interventions into other disease control interventions and expand financing network through domestic resource mobilization,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, congratulating Chad on its progress towards the elimination of neglected tropical diseases, notably the elimination of human African trypanosomiasis as a public health problem by 2024.

WHO recommends maintaining active dracunculiasis surveillance for at least 3 consecutive years in countries and/or areas that have recently interrupted transmission. Such surveillance is essential to ensure that no human or animal cases of the disease go undetected, and to prevent any recurrence.

The Organization advocates for eradication, provides technical guidance, coordinates eradication activities, ensures the implementation of surveillance in dracunculiasis-free areas, monitors the situation and tracks progress.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Chad.

A week of collaboration and learning came to a close in Fiji, as key delegates from Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and Fiji gathered to explore new ways of financing the agricultural value chains for the kava and coconut industries.

The Agricultural Financing Model Exhibition Tour, held from 5 to 9 August, was a transformative event, bringing together stakeholders to share insights, discuss challenges, and formulate strategic action plans.

Organized by the Pacific Community (SPC) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) under the ACP Business-Friendly programme, funded by the European Union and the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States, the event let participants discover innovative financing models that could be tailored to their industries.

This was a critical moment for strengthening the agricultural value chain in both PNG’s coconut sector and Vanuatu’s kava industry.

Building knowledge and solutions: Workshops and expert sessions

A highlight of the event was a workshop on Agri Value Chain Finance, led by Simon Thompson, a specialist on inclusive and innovative finance at the Asian Development Bank. He provided vital insights into financing models that could support the growth of agriculture in the Pacific.

These models are designed to help smallholder farmers and cooperatives improve access to finance, boosting their ability to invest in farms, increase productivity, and enhance the value of their agricultural products.

Florence Rahiria, Deputy Director of SPC’s Land Resources Division, underscored the essential role of agriculture in sustaining livelihoods, ensuring food security, and driving economic growth. ‘Today, we are here to tackle these challenges and find innovative solutions,’ she said in her opening address.

She emphasized the importance of sharing knowledge and experiences to overcome the significant barriers that smallholders face in accessing financial resources.

‘This is a unique opportunity for us to learn from one another and build stronger collaborations,’ she added. ‘Our collective knowledge can drive transformative change and create lasting impacts for farmers, cooperatives, and communities across the Pacific.’

Learning from success: Best practices in agri-lending

Throughout the tour, delegates engaged in meetings that offered valuable insights into agricultural finance.

A key session with the Fiji Development Bank and the Fiji Sugarcane Growers Fund highlighted the challenges and best practices in agri-lending, particularly for sugarcane. They showcased successful models that could be adapted for the coconut and kava value chains.

A visit to the Fiji Sugar Corporation (FSC) allowed delegates to delve deeper into the company’s innovative farmer contracting system, managed through the Sugar Industry Tribunal. The FSC’s robust farmers’ database and record-keeping systems showed the benefits of transparent and effective relationships between farmers and financial institutions.

Delegates also visited key production facilities such as Lami Kava, Fiji Kava, and Punjas and Sons Limited’s Ocean Soap and Biscuit factories. These visits provided hands-on insights into the challenges and innovations in farming and manufacturing, offering a unique perspective on how businesses are navigating the modern agricultural landscape.

Shaping the future: Collaborative action plans

As the tour came to a close, delegates from Vanuatu and PNG synthesized their key takeaways during a debriefing session. Together, they developed action plans to implement an Agri Value Chain Finance Facility aimed at boosting the coconut and kava industries in their home countries.

A key outcome of the tour was a business-to-business meeting between Punjas and Sons Limited and Coconut Resources Limited (CRL). This meeting opened discussions on the potential for CRL to supply virgin coconut oil from PNG to Fiji, presenting new avenues for trade and collaboration.

The ACP Business-Friendly programme, implemented by ITC’s Alliances for Action, is dedicated to promoting inclusive commercial alliances and investments, enhancing value addition and competitiveness, and strengthening farmer support services.

Through initiatives like this, the programme works towards building a resilient network of smallholder farmers and processors, ensuring they can thrive in the global market.

This transformative week demonstrated that with the right financial tools, knowledge sharing, and collaboration, the future of agriculture in the Pacific can be brighter and more prosperous for all.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Trade Centre.

The World Health Organization (WHO) in partnership with the Government of Japan supported the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) to conduct a three-day workshop in Swakopmund. Held from 09 – 11 September 2024, the workshop aimed to sensitize and orient the media on ethical reporting on health-related matters including promoting nutrition, emergency response reporting, addressing gender-based violence (GBV) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC). A total of 15 journalists and media practitioners participated and were eager to enhance their understanding of health reporting. The initiative is part of MoHSS’s ongoing commitment to enhanced public health awareness and promoting informed health journalism.

As Namibia advances in the development of its UHC policy, it recognizes the importance of equipping journalists with the knowledge and skills to report on UHC effectively. Providing this orientation is crucial, as the media plays a vital role in shaping public understanding of health policies and services. By properly reporting on UHC, journalists can raise awareness about its goals, such as ensuring that all citizens have access to quality healthcare without financial hardship.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Veronika Haimbili, a Public Relations Officer at MoHSS, underlined the importance of media engagement in health discussions. She encouraged participants to actively engage in conversations throughout the workshop, emphasizing that such interactions are vital for enhancing media coverage and accurate reporting in the health sector. Ms. Haimbili highlighted that informed journalism not only educates the public but also holds health authorities accountable, ultimately contributing to better health outcomes for all. 

Journalists were encouraged to develop story ideas that align with upcoming health initiatives, thereby fostering a proactive approach to health reporting. The discussions also addressed the identified challenges faced by journalists in covering health topics, including issues of sensitivity and the need for accurate data representation. To strengthen ongoing collaboration, a media calendar will be developed by MoHSS and WHO. The calendar will facilitate timely media coverage of major health initiatives and events, ensuring that relevant information reaches the public effectively. 

Throughout the workshop, participants engaged in presentations and interactive discussions aimed at providing them with essential skills in ethical reporting practices, data interpretation, and combating misinformation. The sessions empowered media professionals to advocate effectively for necessary health reforms, ensuring their contributions to public health discourse are both impactful and responsible. Zinia Mbororo, a reporter from Radio Energy, expressed her appreciation for the workshop, noting that it significantly enhanced her knowledge of health reporting. She stated, “As Radio Energy, we would like to collaborate more with MoHSS on public health campaigns to reach a broader audience”.

The workshop marked a significant step in strengthening the relationship between the health sector and the media in Namibia. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Namibia.

Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi spoke by phone with President of the Union of Comoros, HE Azali Assoumani, to inquire about his health following the assassination attempt he endured. President El-Sisi condemned the heinous attempt on President Assoumani’s life, emphasizing Egypt’s solidarity and full support for the security and stability of the Comoros. President Assoumani expressed his deep appreciation for this kind gesture, confirming that Egypt’s supportive stance demonstrates the strong bonds between the two brotherly countries.

The two Presidents agreed to continue joint action to forge closer bilateral relations across various fields, in light of the growing cooperation between their countries and Egypt’s role in supporting the Comoros’ developmental needs and capacity building.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Presidency of the Arab Republic of Egypt.