The Humanitarian Coordinator for South Sudan, Ms. Anita Kiki Gbeho, has released US$8 million from the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund to support the multisectoral response to the cholera outbreak in six priority locations across the country: Renk, Malakal, Maban, Aweil East, Rubkona and Jamjang. “People in these high-risk locations face elevated risks due to significant population movement and limited access to critical health and sanitation services. This allocation will address their most urgent health and water, sanitation and hygiene needs to mitigate the impact of cholera,” explained the Humanitarian Coordinator.

The $8 million allocation by the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund comes at a critical time, prioritizing urgent multisectoral interventions in health, water, sanitation and hygiene, logistics and multisector refugee response in the six hotspot areas to curb the spread of cholera. The multisectoral response will focus on early detection, treatment, infection control measures, and the provision of clean water and improved sanitation for approximately 730,000 people in Renk, Malakal, Maban, Aweil East, Rubkona and Jamjang, where fragile health systems and population movements exacerbate the impact and spread of cholera.

Since the declaration of cholera in Renk on 28 October, over 5,900 cases of cholera have been reported  from seven out of ten states in South Sudan. Rubkona, Unity State accounts for 47 per cent of all reported cases, followed by Malakal, Upper Nile State at 20 per cent. The vaccination campaign that was rolled out in Renk on 10 December targeting 105,000 people has been completed. Additional vaccination campaigns are planned for Malakal, Juba, Aweil West and Canal/Pigi counties to contain the outbreak.

In her visit to Malakal on 17 December, the Humanitarian Coordinator underscored the importance of coordination between the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization and partners for an effective, multisectoral response to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with cholera and prevent the spillover to other areas. “We sincerely thank our donors for their generous contributions, which enable us to provide life-saving assistance to those in critical need. We appeal for their continued support to sustain our efforts in saving lives and building the resilience of vulnerable communities,” said Ms. Gbeho.

The South Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SSHF) is a multi-donor humanitarian financing mechanism.  Under the leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, the SSHF is managed by OCHA. The donors to the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund in 2024 are: The Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Ireland, Sweden, Canada, Norway, Luxembourg and Jersey. Ocha

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - 18 December 2024: Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) and the African Union (AU) have signed a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on addressing Africa’s critical housing and urban development challenges. 

IEA News 

The partnership which confers Shelter Afrique an Observer Status at the African Union, aligns with Agenda 2063 and underscores a shared commitment to ensuring a high standard of living, quality of life, and well-being for all African citizens. 

The MOU outlines key areas of cooperation aimed at tackling Africa’s housing deficit, promoting sustainable urban development, and advancing capacity-building efforts. 

With approximately 53 million housing units required across the continent and a $1.4 trillion financing gap, this partnership will leverage innovative solutions, resource mobilization, and policy development to create lasting impact. 

Scope of Collaboration 

The MOU emphasizes strategic collaboration in the following areas:

 ·       Sustainable Housing and Urban Development: Joint initiatives to support environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient communities.

·       Addressing the Housing Deficit: Development of strategies to reduce Africa’s housing gap and improve urban settlements.

·       Capacity Building: Training programs and workshops for policymakers, developers, and stakeholders in housing and urban development.

·       Resource Mobilization: Coordinated efforts to secure financial and technical resources, including partnerships with regional and international financial institutions.

·       Policy Development and Advocacy: Development of conducive policies and advocacy to elevate housing and urban challenges on national, regional, and international agendas.

·       Research and Technological Innovation: Collaboration on research, data collection, and the adoption of innovative technologies in housing and urban planning.

·       Environmental Sustainability: Initiatives to enhance climate resilience in housing and urban infrastructure. 

The agreement also includes provisions for cooperation with AU sub-bodies such as AUDA-NEPAD and the African Union Peace Fund to harmonize efforts across the continent. 

Operationalization of the MOU

To ensure effective implementation, ShafDB and the AU will develop a Joint Action Plan (JAP) outlining specific activities, timelines, and review mechanisms. The collaboration may also include staff secondment arrangements and supplementary agreements to address emerging areas of mutual concern. 

Ambassador Albert Muchanga, AU Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals (ETTIM) remarked: “We warmly welcome Shelter Afrique Development Bank as one of our strategic collaborators. Together, we shall enhance efforts to unlock Africa’s investable wealth and mobilize it towards meeting the continent’s housing deficit anchored on inclusive and sustainable urbanization.” 

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr. Thierno-Habib Hann, Managing Director of ShafDB, said: “This MOU marks a significant step forward in our shared vision of sustainable housing and urban development in Africa. As a pan-African multilateral development bank focused on housing and urban development, we are confident that this collaboration with the African Union will scale our ability to create transformative solutions that address the housing deficit and enhance the quality of life for millions.”

Established in 1981 in Lusaka, Zambia, Shelter Afrique Development Bank (ShafDB) is a Pan-African Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) dedicated to promoting and financing sustainable green housing, urban development and related infrastructure. It operates through a shareholding of 44 African governments and two institutional shareholders: African Development Bank (AfDB) and African Reinsurance Corporation (Africa-Re). 

The institution is involved in financing housing and related infrastructure across the value chain, both on the demand and supply sides, through its four (4) business lines: Financial Institutions Group (FIG), the Project Finance Group (PFG), the Sovereign and Public-Private partnerships (PPP) Group, and the Fund Management Group (FMG). 

The African Union is a continental organization that aims to promote unity and cooperation among African countries.  Established in May 1963 as the Organization of African Unity (OAU) and later became The African Union in July 2002, the organization’s primary purpose is to achieve peace, security, and prosperity for the people of Africa.  The AU has 55 member states and is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Like many other East African countries, Ethiopia has long faced significant shortages of essential medications, including large-volume infusions, primarily due to the lack of domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing. For Africa at large, the lack of medical supplies left it particularly vulnerable to epidemics like malaria, cholera and smallpox. 

 At Lancet General Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, a nurse is expertly administering a saline drip to a patient, who is visibly relieved as the treatment takes effect. Such scenes are quite common at the hospital, where dedicated healthcare workers strive to provide quality care under challenging conditions.

Like many other East African countries, Ethiopia has long faced significant shortages of essential medications, including large-volume infusions, primarily due to the lack of domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing. For Africa at large, the lack of medical supplies left it particularly vulnerable to epidemics like malaria, cholera and smallpox. 

In recent years, however, an increasing number of Chinese pharmaceutical companies have set up factories across the continent, boosting local medicine production and strengthening healthcare autonomy for African countries.

In 2018, Chinese company SanSheng Pharmaceutical set up a factory in Ethiopia. With an average annual output of approximately 10 million IV bags, 300 million injection vials, and 5 billion solid tablets, the factory significantly reduced Ethiopia’s reliance on imported essential drugs. Inaugurated in the Eastern Industrial Zone on the outskirts of Addis Ababa, the factory primarily produces essential medicines in tablets, capsules, large-volume infusion, small-volume injectables, and oral solid dosage forms, said Jiang Zhiwen, general manager of Sansheng Ethiopia Pharmaceutical, in an interview with Xinhua. 

“Previously, the country was importing a significant percentage of large volume parenterals while the current national demand is fully covered by local producers where Sansheng is taking the largest portion”, said Kassahun Alemu, technical manager of the company.  “The company produces the medicines Ethiopians truly need,” Jiang said.

“Previously, most of these medicines had to be imported, but now there’s no need to source them from abroad. This not only saves foreign reserve for the country but also gradually helps Ethiopia develop its basic industries.”

Sansheng is among several Chinese pharmaceutical companies that have invested in and established factories in Africa in recent years to localize the manufacturing of medicines and medical supplies. In 2015, Chinese company Humanwell Africa Pharmaceutical established a factory in Bamako, Mali’s capital, the first localized drug factory in Mali, and a modern pharmaceutical factory in West Africa with high standards. 

Former Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita said the project would help the country produce drugs independently. “Humanwell put an end to the history that Mali couldn’t make medicines, and will benefit Malians,” Keita once said. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese biotech firm BGI Genomics set up diagnostic reagent factories in multiple African countries, including Ethiopia, Togo, Angola, Gabon and Botswana. It also established laboratories across Africa to support COVID-19 detection efforts. 

In October, Chinese company Jijia International Medical Technology signed a memorandum of understanding with Zambia’s Industrial Development Corporation for the construction of an oral cholera vaccine plant in the country. The agreement will make Zambia the first African country to manufacture the cholera vaccines, said Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema. “This partnership will save lives, boost productivity, and serve humanity,” he said.

At the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, China unveiled 10 partnership action plans, one of which focused on health, where China pledged to “encourage Chinese businesses to invest in the production of medicines and vaccines in Africa to increase local medicine production capacity.” 

Fosun Pharma, the Chinese pharmaceutical company that introduced Artesun — an innovative injectable artesunate malaria treatment — to Africa over a decade ago, has started construction of its first industrial park on the continent, with the first phase of the project to be completed in 2025. 

The park, located near Abidjan, the largest city of Cote d’Ivoire, is expected to produce 5 billion tablets per year once all three phases are completed, benefiting the entire West African region, said Su Li, vice president of Fosun Pharma. “Once completed, Ivory Coast Industrial Park will bring nearly 1,000 job opportunities to the Grand-Bassam area east of Abidjan,” she said.

In addition, Chinese pharmaceutical companies, including Fosun and Sansheng, have launched training programs and provided scholarships and internships for healthcare workers and pharmacy students from African countries, cultivating more local talent for the African pharmaceutical industry. In August, Africa Bio Chem, a Chinese pharmaceutical firm, signed an agreement with Tanzania’s Zanzibar government to produce advanced innovative medicines and set up a bio-vaccine production base. 

“The Chinese have brought in a lot of medicines, they have trained our people, they have built the capacity of our people, so we are very thankful for that, and we are hoping to continue this cooperation,” said Tanzania’s Zanzibar President Hussein Ali Mwinyi. 

“We have to ensure that Africans can start to manufacture their vaccines and medicines thanks to the support we are getting from China,” said Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in an interview with Xinhua.

Noting the importance of promoting local manufacturing of medical products and building strong healthcare systems in Africa, Kaseya emphasized that working with China enhances the ability of the Africa CDC in particular and African countries in general to achieve their priority goals. 

“My vision of Africa is that Africans have to take the lead on their development. They need technical support on specific topics like the development of local manufacturing. The idea is to strengthen and reinforce local skills,” said Jean-Marc Bouchez, executive president of Tridem Pharma, a subsidiary of Fosun Pharma. “Chinese pharmaceutical companies share this vision of ‘producing in Africa, for Africa’,” he said. Xinhua

The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has raised concerns over the growing trend of minors accessing alcoholic beverages, particularly from dispensing outlets situated in petrol stations in some of Nairobi’s upscale neighbourhoods.

In a statement on Tuesday, NACADA stated that the alarming pattern has been observed in estates such as Lavington, Kileleshwa, Kilimani, and Ngong Road, where minors are reportedly purchasing alcohol without age verification.

NACADA attributed the trend to the increased reliance on mobile money transactions, which inadvertently allow minors to bypass identification checks.

“There is a dangerous assumption that anyone with access to mobile money services is above 18 years old, which is simply not the case,” Anthony Omerikwa, NACADA’s Chief Executive Officer said.

Omerikwa reminded alcohol outlets and the public of the strict provisions under The Alcoholic Drinks Control Act, 2010 designed to curb underage drinking.

As the festive season approaches, NACADA has vowed to intensify nationwide enforcement operations in collaboration with other government agencies.

The crackdowns aim to ensure compliance with alcohol control laws and protect vulnerable populations, particularly minors.

Omerikwa reiterated the Authority’s commitment to safeguarding youth from the harmful effects of alcohol abuse.

“We will not tolerate any establishment that disregards the law, especially those endangering our children by selling alcohol to minors. The responsibility to protect our youth lies with all of us,” said Omerikwa.

NACADA has urged members of the public to remain vigilant and actively report any incidents of alcohol sales to minors.

To report violations or seek assistance regarding alcohol or drug-related concerns, Kenyans are encouraged to use NACADA’s toll-free helpline 1192.

“Together, we can safeguard our youth and ensure a responsible and safe festive season for all,” said Omerikwa. Capital News