Cecilia Achuwor, a 38-year-old mother of six children, is one of the hundreds of thousands of refugees and returnees who have crossed the border into South Sudan since the beginning of the conflict in neighbouring Sudan 16 months ago. “My husband remains in Khartoum,” she says. “We separated from him without any communication. He doesn’t know where we are and we also don’t know where he is. I am here alone with the children, and they are all sick,” she says.

Achuwor, a South Sudanese national, is at a transit centre near Renk, a small town that borders Sudan to the north. Since the beginning of the Sudanese conflict, almost 60% of the 600 000 refugees and returnees who have entered South Sudan have done so through two points of entry near Renk.  More recently, a new conflict has begun just to the east of Renk, and humanitarian workers have reported people arriving on foot through the bush.

“Rather than coming from an area like, say, Khartoum that had good access by road, now we’re seeing people literally walking into South Sudan for care and protection,” says Dr Brendan Deenan, World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Preparedness and Response Officer in South Sudan. “So, the situation is worse than it was previously, and we are seeing many health challenges, humanitarian challenges, and protection challenges on a daily basis.”

Refugees and returnees often present with a range of infectious diseases, as well as chronic diseases. “At least 50% of the cases are communicable diseases. Malaria is on top of the list, followed by acute respiratory tract infections and we are seeing a rise in acute watery diarrhoea,” says Dr William Nazario, a doctor with International Medical Corps.

Meanwhile, Dr Ayuel Deng, Medical Officer for Renk County highlights that more and more people are presenting with hypertension, diabetes and cancers and require chronic medication and specialist services.

WHO is supporting county health authorities to coordinate the health response for returnees and refugees. At two transit centres near Renk, the Organization is providing supportive supervision to three health agencies ‒International Medical Corps, Relief International and World Vision International ‒ who deliver primary health care services to 4000 refugees and returnees a week.

This has helped to ensure better access to health services for these vulnerable populations, who have to endure difficult conditions at the transit centres. “The service here is good” says Nailla Elhadi Hamid, a 40-year-old refugee from Sudan. “I even brought my son here, who is sick with malaria, and the medicine is available. Before that, my sister had eye pain and she found the medicine was also available.”

 Following a cholera outbreak in Sudan in September 2023, WHO has trained around 92 health care workers from health facilities around Renk in cholera surveillance, prevention, treatment and control. The Organization has established a cholera screening centre at the Wunthou point of entry. Since December 2023, 320 000 people have been assessed by health workers here, not only for cholera, but also other infections diseases and health conditions. “We also provide oral rehydration solution because where people have come from, they are weak.” says John Toch, a clinical nurse at the centre.

Since the start of the conflict, WHO has also distributed 119 metric tons of medical supplies and equipment to treat 680 000 people, including kits for a range of infectious diseases and malnutrition. As part of its cross-border collaboration, WHO South Sudan country office in partnership with the WHO Sudan country office delivered 51 metric tons of emergency health kits to reach 830 000 people living in conflict-affected communities near the border. “We really appreciate WHO, because they support us a lot in terms of supplies to our partners,” says Deng.

“WHO, health authorities and implementing partners are collaborating daily to deliver health services to refugees and returnees hoping for a better life,” says Dr Humphrey Karamagi, WHO Representative in South Sudan. “Without our donors this would not be possible. So, working together with others, WHO will continue to support the health emergency response in South Sudan.”

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

The Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi, has said that telecommunication companies will be investigated, with a view of putting heavy sanctions over the continued use of unregistered mobile phone sim cards. 

In 2013, Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) was mandated to ensure mass registration of sim cards, with a view of curbing crime. 

“I have engaged the telecommunication companies and they keep giving assurance that it is only authorised numbers that are in circulation, whereas such experiences indicate the reverse. 

He added, “What I can pledge is that I am going to engage the telecommunication companies once again because it is evident that some people access unregistered numbers. They have been claiming that may be they are using numbers of dead people.”

The Minister’s remarks followed a matter of national importance raised by Butebo district woman Member of Parliament, Hon. Sarah Ameede, during plenary sitting on Thursday, 19 September 2024. 

Ameede said that residents in Butebo district have severally fallen victims of fraudsters who use unregistered sim cards. 

“There are persons registering and extorting money from people from Butebo district, purportedly as agents of the association of Teso war victims with a promise that they are working on their forms to benefit from government compensation,” she said.

Amede asked for an explanation on the legality of such activities and also urged government to put an end to extortion of unsuspecting people. 

Minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Jacob Marksons Oboth agreed with Baryomunsi, saying that the Uganda Communications Act can be reviewed to penalise telecommunication companies found culpable of circulating unregistered sim cards. 

“We can look at the law again and come back here. This Parliament can save the situation through legislation, to create liability on the service providers,” Oboth said.

He added that the matter needs to be addressed because use of unregistered sim card also poses security risks.  

“Criminals in Uganda, like any other country, are using phones.  This is not a small matter, people have been killed, people have been robbed while criminals coordinate this using unregistered numbers,” he said.

Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, welcomed the proposal to institute punitive measures against telecommunication companies. 

“You need to comb into the law to see how you can have punitive measures, in other countries that is what they have done. It is like banks, you facilitate money laundering, you find that you have been fined US$500 million and now they even close them down,” Tayebwa said. 

The matter attracted debate from several lawmakers, who said they have been victims of fraudsters who use unregistered sim cards, and they called for a lasting solution to the issue. 

Hon. Andrew Ojok (NRM, Omoro County) urged the Minister of ICT to consider a countrywide data awareness campaign with a view of enlightening the population on how to detect fraud. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

Saudi Ministry of Health supports December launch event in Riyadh; Event to highlight Saudi Arabia’s ambitious pharma goals, with over 400 exhibitors and more than 30,000 visitors anticipated; Industry trends, challenges&opportunities to be explored across four stages 

Tahaluf, Saudi Arabia’s fastest-growing business event organiser, has launched the latest in its vertical industry shows – CPHI Middle East, the region’s premier pharmaceutical event – marking a significant milestone for the Middle East’s rapidly expanding pharma sector. 

Set to take place at the Riyadh Front Exhibition&Convention Center from December 10-12, 2024, this landmark event has garnered the support of the Saudi Ministry of Health and is held in partnership with the Events Investment Fund.  

The event comes as Saudi Arabia emerges as a global leader in biotechnology, with an ambitious plan to achieve self-sufficiency in vaccine production, biomanufacturing, and genomics. Further, the country’s pharmaceutical market, the largest in the Middle East, is expected to reach US$11.5 billion by 2032, exhibiting a compound annual growth rate of 2.52 per cent, according to market researcher IMARC Group. 

Mohaned El Mahgoub, Group Director, at Tahaluf said, “The MENA region, which is the world’s fifth largest pharma market, makes Saudi Arabia an important international meeting hub for the pharmaceutical community. It is a hugely attractive region for multinational pharma companies, with projected double digit annual market growth until 2032. CPHI Middle East&Africa will be where the future of pharma unites to forge long-lasting partnerships that stretch across the Middle East, Africa and around the world.” 

Healthcare and life sciences are among Saudi Arabia’s most significant sectors and key focuses of Saudi Vision 2030. Of the US$333bn 2024 budget allocation, healthcare and social development expenditures account for roughly US$57bn, the third-largest segment after general and military spending. 

Adam Andersen, Executive Vice President, Pharma, at Informa Markets said, “Our venture into the Middle East is a significant milestone as we celebrate 35 years of CPHI this year. Given Saudi Arabia’s strategic location, coupled with an increasing demand for high-quality healthcare products, we’re confident CPHI Middle East will deliver exceptional value to our stakeholders, exhibitors and attendees as we bring the heart of pharma to  the Kingdom. This inaugural event also aligns with a key goal of Saudi Vision 2030 to double domestic manufacturing from 20 per cent to 40 per cent. With several international pharmaceutical companies have already committed to setting up operations in Saudi Arabia and CPHI Middle East will build on that by drawing a number of key international brands eager to explore Saudi Arabia as a potential regional hub.” 

Tahaluf expects the event to spread across 30,000 sqm of exhibition space, attract 30,000 visitors, over 400 exhibitors, and more than 100 participating countries, and points to strong early-day support. Major regional industry names are among early sponsors and exhibitor signings, including Sudair Pharma, Tabuk Pharmaceuticals, Hikma Pharmaceutical, Pioneer Company for Pharmaceutical Industries, SPIMACO and Julphar, EIPICO. Dallah Pharma, MS Pharma, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Zeta Pharma, and Dietrich Engineering Consultants.  

Designed as an experiential event, CPHI Middle East will feature four dedicated stages – The Future, Innovation, Next-Gen Bio and Discovery – where experts will help delegates examine the latest industry trends, challenges and opportunities. A headline speaker platform is already taking shape with global industry leaders signing up to address the gatherings including Anil Kane, Executive Director, Global Head of Technical&Scientific Affairs, Thermo Fisher Scientific; Zakiya Al-Kurdi, Public Policy and Regulatory Affairs, US Pharmacopeia; Claudia Palme, Senior Executive Advisor Strategy& Middle East, PwC; Faisal Bin Dail, Chairman, National Committee for Pharmaceutical Industries and Baxter; Musaed Al Kholief Saudi, Commissioner, Health Specialities Strategy Advisor Secretariat General; Bikash Chatterjee, President and Chief Science Officer, Pharmatech Associates, A USP Company as well as Hala Audi, CEO, Unizima. 

CPHI Middle East is the latest in a raft of new vertical events to be launched in Saudi Arabia by Tahaluf – the strategic collaborative venture between Informa PLC, the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming, and Drones (SAFCSP) and the Events Investment Fund. The launch of CPHI is part of Tahaluf’s major expansion strategy – the biggest single events expansion in Saudi Arabia’s history – in which the company is introducing over 20 new B2B and B2C titles into the Kingdom by the end of 2025, bringing more than US$1 billion in economic impact to Riyadh. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of CPHI Middle East.

About CPHI 
CPHI creates connections and inspires partnerships across the global pharma community. The event champions innovation at the heart of pharma through its international events, granting attendees access to endless opportunities. Its powerful digital solutions help attendees stay connected with the industry at every step of their journey. The exhibition has a long standing history with 10 events spread across Europe, Asia, North America and the Middle East. 

September 20, 2024 – Three organizations, Jamiii Forums, Smart Foundry Ltd., and The Launchpad Tanzania were today named the winners of the U.S.-Tanzania Tech Challenge, which brought together leading technologists, government officials, civil society, academia, and media professionals to address critical challenges and explore innovative solutions in the realms of civic participation, media literacy, and information integrity.

Through the program, Jamii Forums will receive US$100,000, Smart Foundry will receive US$80,000, and The Launchpad will receive US$70,000.

Guest of Honor Jerry Silaa, Minister of Information, Communication, and Technology, provided opening remarks at the event, which was also attended by Michel Toto, UNESCO Head of Office, U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Andrew Lentz, and Daniel Kimmage, Principal Deputy Coordinator of the Global Engagement Center.

“Partnering like we are today – government officials, private sector entrepreneurs, tech innovators, and consumers – can inspire the next great innovation and collaborative effort to shape our shared future,” said U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania Dr. Michael A. Battle.  “Together we can strengthen the free and open global information infrastructure.”

Launched in June, the U.S.-Tanzania Tech Challenge sought innovative solutions to promote information integrity, fostering greater participation and involvement in civic activities, and strengthen the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate and interpret information in the digital age.

More than 100 entries were received and evaluated, and eight finalists were selected. These eight finalists then presented how their technologies can tackle pressing issues in the information space to a panel of judges from the United States and Tanzania on September 18.

On September 19, finalists, participants, business and technology leaders, and government officials gathers to engage in a series of meaningful panel discussions and presentations centered around the themes of the Tech Challenge, as well as discussing the future of technology in Tanzania, the influence of artificial intelligence, and how to monetize and gain access to capital for technology businesses.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Embassy in Tanzania.