IEA News

 At the request of the government of Uganda, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) has approved the reinvestment of US$850,683 to enhance the country’s capacity to prevent, detect and respond to the current mpox outbreak by procuring laboratory items essential for diagnosis. Some of the funding will also support diagnostics through wastewater surveillance.

The Global Fund’s long-standing support to Uganda’s laboratory services and the National Health Laboratories and Diagnostic Services (UNHLDS) supported the country to develop one of the best national laboratory networks on the continent, with experience in quickly identifying and stopping disease outbreaks. Further reinforced by additional investments during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ebola outbreak in 2022, the service quickly confirmed two mpox cases on 24 July when a rapid response team with a mobile testing lab was deployed to Kasese district near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. To date, there are 24 confirmed cases in the country.

“We are grateful for this timely and important offer from the Global Fund. Given our geographical, historical, social, economic and security interactions with the regional epicenter on the west, Uganda is at a greater risk for rapid and sustained transmission of mpox than any other countries in the region,” said Dr. Henry Kyobe Bosa, an epidemiologist and Incident Management Team (IMT) Commander leading the government’s response for mpox, as well as the government’s response to COVID-19 and Ebola. “Our main aim is to limit fast spread of mpox to preserve the health system and avert death amongst the most vulnerable communities.”

The Global Fund has invested US$36 million in Uganda’s laboratory systems since 2020.

“If there’s one thing that we have learned even more clearly from COVID-19, it is that rapid diagnosis is the first line of defense against any infectious disease outbreak,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund. “There is a cross-cutting benefit of lab investment. A system that can diagnose COVID-19, Ebola and mpox quickly can identify HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria quickly and vice versa.”

Uganda’s extensive laboratory network

The UNHLDS reaches into even the most remote areas of the country with mobile laboratories and is now extending its services to nearby countries. Today the UNHLDS is a vast, interconnected digital network so that health care providers and their patients can send samples for testing and receive results almost in real-time.

When COVID-19 struck, the sample transportation network formed the basis of UNHLDS’ response: a built-in system to reach and test patients and monitor infections nationwide. The global pandemic ushered in a wave of research and technological innovations, building upon existing infrastructure and expertise. The UNHLDS also set up a mobile laboratory equipped with portable biosafety equipment, so that laboratory technicians can travel quickly to the site of an outbreak and safely test and identify dangerous pathogens such as COVID-19, Ebola and now mpox.

In close collaboration with the Global Fund, mpox capacities will also be incorporated into ongoing pandemic preparedness and response activities such as risk communications skills, health care provider training and transportation of samples to testing laboratories.

Wastewater surveillance

In addition to boosting laboratory capacity, US$121,818 of the reallocated funding will support wastewater surveillance, another important early warning tool that provides a community snapshot of health in a non-invasive, comprehensive and unbiased way. Wastewater surveillance was piloted with support from Project STELLAR during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is now expanding to support the mpox response.

“We need to expand the scope,” says Dr. Susan Nabadda Ndidde, Commissioner and Executive Director of National Health Laboratories. “With emerging and re-emerging diseases and the changes that we are seeing for patients – we need to have very strong lab and surveillance systems that are able to respond.”

COVID-19 investments benefitting mpox response

The Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM) is a funding mechanism specifically created to help countries fight COVID-19, mitigate the impact of that pandemic on programs to fight HIV, TB and malaria and reinforce health systems.

Investments through C19RM contributed significantly to the successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda and have also been strengthening the related health systems.

C19RM funding of US$232 million since 2020 has contributed to strengthening:

• disease surveillance systems;
• expanded laboratory systems.
• oxygen supply systems;
• community system strengthening;
• health care waste management systems;
• case management systems (including ambulances/dispatch centers);
• country coordination and planning (which is now the forefront team responding to the mpox outbreaks);
• infection prevention and control (including personal protective equipment and isolation rooms);
• capacity building and training of health staff for pandemic preparedness and response.

The investment in pandemic prevention and response during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond also played an important role in the effective response to the Ebola outbreak in 2022 and is now also contributing to the national response to mpox. 

By MIKE OMUODO

Huawei has underscored the transformative impact of Big Data and cutting-edge technologies in fast-tracking the development of smarter, more sustainable, and human-centric cities. 

Speaking at the 41^st International Association of Science Parks and arears of innovation (IASP) World Conference 2024 held in Nairobi, Steve Kamuya, Executive Director at Huawei Kenya, highlighted the transformative potential of data-driven solutions in urban development. 

Kamuya stressed the importance of a human-centric approach to city planning, adding that technology should be used to enhance the quality of life for all residents, making cities more livable, inclusive, and sustainable. 

“By leveraging data, we can better understand the needs of diverse populations and address challenges such as traffic congestion, pollution, and resource management. As urban populations grow, data and technology will play an even greater role in ensuring cities remain sustainable, resilient, and adaptable to future needs," he said. 

He further noted that technologies such as 5G, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud Computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT) were already being integrated to fast-track development of smarter cities like Konza Technopolis and at the same time were being used to optimize critical city operations like transportation, energy management, and public safety, globally. 

“Overall, smart cities rely on a combination of cloud computing, robust networking, edge computing, and date aggregation to optimize urban operations. These technologies not only increase efficiency but also reduce environmental impact, a key pillar in creating sustainable urban environments. Huawei's vision aligns with the broader goals of smart cities worldwide - creating cities that are not just technologically advanced but also prioritize the well-being and inclusivity of their inhabitants,” he added. 

Huawei Kenya’s Director for Government Affairs and Policy, Adam Lane, provided a focus talk presentation to kick-off the session on Transformative Models in Sustainable Development. He focused on the large opportunities available from even simple interventions such as using microphones in forests to detect deforestation as well as making advanced AI solutions easier for communities to develop through Huawei Cloud’s Pangu Models, many of which are already pre-trained and easily applicable to different industry uses. 

Lane provided further details on how Integrated Operations Centers can transform coordination, management, and governance through integrating data from multiple sources and thus improving public service delivery, efficiency and sustainability. Huawei’s exhibition stand at the conference provided opportunities for participants to interact with these tools and solutions and discuss with Huawei experts. 

Huawei is the Platinum Sponsor of IASP World Conference 2024, which is being hosted by Konza Technopolis on behalf of the Kenya Government. The conference has brought together global leaders, innovators, and stakeholders in the science park and innovation district sectors from more than 50 countries, to explore how demographics, entrepreneurship, and technology are shaping future global economies. 

The conference is also featuring discussions on how innovation hubs like Konza Technopolis are pioneering digital transformation in Africa, offering a glimpse into the future of urban development. The 42^nd IASP World Conference will be held in Beijing, China, between September 9-16, 2025.

The High court has declared the Privatization Act signed into law by President William Ruto unconstitutional and void for lack of adequate public participation.

Justice Chacha Mwita on Tuesday agreed with the submissions made by the Orange Democratic party that filed the case, saying the Act made it easier to sell state enterprises to private companies without allowing the public to give its views.

“The National Assembly failed to discharge its obligations to conduct public participation that met both quantitative and qualitative thresholds. The six memoranda received, coupled with a few stakeholders, could not effectively represent the views of the people as required by Articles 10 and 18 of the Constitution,” said Mwita.

Mwita said KICC is a national heritage and privatizing it goes against article 11(2) of the constitution and the Monument and Heritage Act.

“KICC is a national monument that needs to be protected and the decision to privatize it is unconstitutional, null and void,” he said.

This ruling follows the ODM Party in December 2023, filing a petition challenging the Act stating that the proposed sale of some of the parastatals, like Kenya Pipeline Limited, the Kenya Seed Company, and the Kenya Literature Bureau, were key to the country’s national security and needed to stay under the control of the government for the same reasons.

ODM argued that President Ruto’s plan to privatize some of the parastatals contravened the constitution and that the said organizations were the state’s assets financed by the public.

On November 2023, the National Treasury announced plans to privatise 11 entities on grounds that some of the parastatals made losses despite immense funding by the government.

Apart from the KICC, the government announced the sale of the National Oil Corporation of Kenya, Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers Limited, Mwea and Western Kenya Rice Mills, Rivatex East Africa, and the Numerical Machining Complex, among others. 

Ruto signed the Privatization Act which was aiming to give the Executive power to dispose of public assets, prompting the opposition to move to court to challenge it.

The Act provided that if a decision to ratify the sale of a public parastatal is not made by the National Assembly in 90 days, then the decision would be deemed ratified. By Sharon Resian, Capital News