Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Improving preterm birth outcomes: WHO launches new guidance



















World Prematurity Day is a day on which countries around the world seek to raise awareness of the devastating consequences of preterm birth. Every year, around 15 million babies are born preterm, that is to say born before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. Complications of preterm birth are the leading cause of death amongst children under five years of age, responsible for nearly one million deaths in 2013. Without appropriate treatment, survivors of complications of preterm birth are at increased risk of lifelong disability and poor quality of life.
We can save many more babies with effective interventions. We must focus our efforts on how to improve the outcomes for babies that are born preterm.
Dr Femi Oladapo, Department of Reproductive Health and Research
New guidance
WHO’s new guidance WHO recommendations on interventions to improve preterm birth outcomes has been launched to help prevent the complications and consequences of preterm birth. Adding to efforts worldwide to further reduce child mortality, the guidance offers recommendations on interventions which can be provided to the mother when preterm birth is imminent and to the preterm infant after birth, with the aim of improving outcomes for preterm infants.
Key interventions
A set of key interventions are included in the new guidance, which can improve the chance of survival and health outcomes for preterm infants. It includes interventions provided to the mother – for example steroid injections before birth, antibiotics when her water breaks, and magnesium sulfate to prevent future neurological impairment of the child – as well as interventions for the baby – for example thermal care (keeping the baby warm), safe oxygen use, and use of surfactant (a specific medicine) to help infants breathe more easily.

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Tanzanians spend 173bn/- abroad for NCDs treatment



Tanzanians spend between US$70 million (about 151,5bn/-) and US$80 million annually (about 173.2bn/-) on specialized treatment abroad, a prominent Indian hospital has said in a note on its relationship with the country.
 
According to Apollo Group of Hospitals, the money is mostly spent on the treatment of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which are increasingly becoming a huge burden on the shoulders of the national healthcare system.
 
“The country’s current capacity to treat heart diseases, open heart surgery, cancer, kidney problems and neurosurgery is very low, and many people are choosing to travel abroad to Indian hospitals such as Apollo Hospitals,” its Chief Executive Dr Hari Prasad said in the note.
 
Heart disease is the second leading cause of death in Tanzania after malaria, claiming 287 lives a day or 104,755 lives a year, according to the Tanzanian Cardiac Hospital Foundation. 
 
The organization has it that 20 per cent of all the deaths in the country stems from lack of medical facilities and poverty. NCDs account for 124,930 (31 per cent) of the 403,000 deaths that occur in the country annually.
 
According to the latest WHO non-communicable disease country profiles, global mortality due to NCDs continues to rise. The report says 38 million people die each year of NCDs. People aged between 30 and 70 comprise nearly half of those who die of these diseases in developing countries.
 
“Apollo Hospitals is a well-known group amongst Tanzanians, as several top government officials, businessmen and women, and hundreds of heart patients are known to have received specialized treatment from the facilities,” the note released recently reads in part.
 
Tanzanians are the second most medical tourists to India from Africa after Nigerians. Africa’s largest economy leads the chart with 42.4 per cent of the 34, 522 Nigerians, who visited India, going there for medical treatment.
 
According to the New Delhi-based Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), out of the 23,345 Tanzanians who visited India in 2013, 4,319 were medical tourists.
 
RIS says in a report that most of these were treated at facilities of Apollo Hospitals. 
 
Immediate former President Jakaya Kikwete visited the hospital during his state visit to India in June. During the June 17 to June 21visit, Mr Kikwete reaffirmed Tanzania’s commitment to partner with the group.
 
“Offering world renowned medical services at a fraction of other leading international centres has been Apollo Hospital’s drive for medical tourism. Apollo has today grown into the premier destination for various Tanzanians seeking advanced health care solutions,” the group said in the note.
 
“Recent noteworthy achievements include the successful surgery separation of Tanzanian conjoined twins,” it added.
 
Apollo Hospitals specialists often visit Tanzania for medical camps to provide their expertise and medical assistance to locally-based patients. Specialist doctors at Apollo have also offered training services to many Tanzanian doctors and nurses over the last few years.

Woman’s risk of dying from pregnancy-related causes nearly halved over 25 years – UN report

Maternal mortality has fallen by 44 per cent since 1990, United Nations agencies and the World Bank reported, giving fresh impetus to efforts to reach by 2030 the virtual elimination of women’s chances of dying from pregnancy-related causes as part of the new UN Sustainable Development Goals.
“Maternal deaths around the world dropped from about 532,000 in 1990 to some 303,000 this year, according to the report by the World Health Organization, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN Population Fund, the World Bank Group and the UN Population Division, which is part of the UN Secretariat.
The analyses contained in Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990 to 2015 – Estimates by WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, World Bank Group and the United Nations Population Division, are being published simultaneously in the medical journal The Lancet.
Maternal mortality is defined as the death of a woman during pregnancy, childbirth or within six weeks after birth, according to the report.
“Over the past 25 years, a woman’s risk of dying from pregnancy-related causes has nearly halved,” said Dr. Flavia Bustreo, WHO Assistant Director-General, Family, Women’s and Children’s Health. “That’s real progress, although it is not enough. We know that we can virtually end these deaths by 2030 and this is what we are committing to work towards.”
A new Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health, launched by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in September 2015, aims to help achieve the ambitious target of reducing maternal deaths to fewer than 70 per 100,000 live births globally, as included in the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs).

Friday, October 16, 2015

Govt rolls out birth registration by mobile phone

Tanzania has launched a nationwide drive to help parents register their children's births by mobile phone so the government can better plan health, education and other public services.

The new system being rolled out across the country over the next five years allows a health worker to send the baby's name, sex, date of birth and family details by phone to a central data base and a birth certificate is issued free of charge in days.

The initiative is run by the government registration agency RITA, UNICEF and telecommunications company Tigo.

RITA's acting head Emmy Hudson said the project had accelerated birth registration after years of stagnation.

The country has one of the lowest rates of birth registration in eastern and southern Africa. Some 80 percent of Tanzanians - and more than nine in 10 under-fives - do not have birth certificates, according to the 2012 census.

Parents have to pay 3,500 Tanzanian shillings ($1.6) if they request a birth certificate within 90 days of a child's birth, or 4,000 shillings afterwards, as well as travel costs - a high price in a country where many rural people live on less than $1 a day.

The government expects to register about a million children under the age of five before the end of this year, and 90 per cent of all newborns within the next five years.

Anna Mbelwa, who gave birth to a baby boy at Mbalizi Hospital in the southern Mbeya Region this month, said the initiative made a big difference.
"I was very impressed because it usually takes a long time to get a birth certificate," Mbelwa told Reuters news agency.

"It was very inconvenient before since parents had to travel a long distance to the district registrar only to be told their children's files were missing." Mbelwa added.

Most parents in rural areas of Tanzania do not register their children because of the steep cost, long distances to registry offices, cumbersome process and lack of awareness of the benefits.

Globally, around 290 million children do not possess a birth certificate, according to UNICEF.

RITA was officially launched on the 23rd June 2006 and replaces what was known as the Administrator Generals Department in the Attorney Generals Chambers, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

It is an Executive Agency under the Attorney Generals Chambers in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

The history of RITA dates back in 1917 when the German Colonial power enacted a law for registration of births and deaths (Proclamation No.15 of 1917 (Civil Area).

When the British took over the administration of Tanganyika (Tanzania Mainland) from the Germans retained the Register of births and deaths established under the Germans law by saving it under the Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, 1920 (Cap.108).

It should be noted that under both colonial powers registration of births and deaths was not compulsory for Africans.
 

Saturday, October 3, 2015

WHO backs 'treat-all' HIV drug plan

Everyone who has HIV should be offered antiretroviral drugs as soon as possible after diagnosis, the World Health Organisation says.
This latest policy removes previous limits suggesting patients wait until the disease progresses.
The WHO has also recommended people at risk of HIV be given the drugs to help prevent the infection taking hold.
UNAIDS said these changes could help avert 21 million AIDS-related deaths and 28 million new infections by 2030.
The recommendations increase the number of people with HIV eligible for antiretrovirals from 28m to 37m across the world.
But the challenge globally will be making sure everyone has access to them and the funds are in place to pay for such a huge extension in treatment. Only 15m people currently get the drugs.

What are antiretrovirals?

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a combination of medicines used to treat HIV. It is not a cure, but can control the virus so that patients can live a longer, healthier life and reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to others.
The drugs prevent HIV from multiplying, which reduces the amount of the virus in the body.
Having less HIV in the body gives the immune system a chance to recover and fight off infections and cancers.
By reducing the amount of HIV, the medicines also reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to others.
Mark Dybul, executive director of the Global Fund, a private-public initiative which is one of the biggest funders of HIV research and treatment, said: "The recommendations are critically important to moving us towards the fast-track treatment and prevention goals.
"We must embrace the ambition if we are going to end HIV as a public health threat."
Michel Sidibe, of UNAIDS, added: "Everybody living with HIV has the right to life-saving treatment. The new guidelines are a very important steps towards ensuring that all people living with HIV have immediate access to antiretroviral treatment."
The WHO announcement comes after extensive research into the issue.
Source: BBC News

Thursday, October 1, 2015

The Global Goals, Journey towards Sustainable Livelihoods









Across the globe, world leaders are getting ready to adopt the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are essentially an agreed vision to put people and planet on a sustainable path by 2030. This will form the bedrock of a new development agenda that can set the world on a course of action to end poverty, transform lives and protect the planet.
In the United Republic of Tanzania we’re looking forward to the launch of the second phase of the United Nations Development Assistance Plan (UNDAP) and these new Global Goals will help us achieve that. The Goals spell out how we work together to promote dignity, equality, justice, shared prosperity and well-being for all, while protecting the environment. We are the first generation that can end poverty and the last one that can avoid the worst effects of climate change.
I’ve learned from my work with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) that setting goals and targets work. For example, UNDP Tanzania is in the process of designing its Country Programme Document (CPD - 2016-2021) i.e. a development assistance strategy in line with government’s priorities and UNDP’s mandate, also the Government of Tanzania is formulating phase two (2) of the Five Year Development Plan (2016/17 -2021/22). We are delighted that both processes have come at an opportune time in line with the adoption of the Global Goals. We look forward to continuing our work in the years to come.
Millions of people’s lives have improved due to concerted efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which serve as the foundation for the next global development agenda. MDGs targets have already been met on reducing poverty, increasing access to improved drinking water sources, improving the lives of slum dwellers and achieving gender parity in primary school. Tanzania is on track to meet three of the seven MDGs: reducing infant and under-five mortality, combating HIV/AIDS and malaria and addressing gender equality. With more effort on the MDGs which are off-track in particular poverty, Tanzania can eliminate extreme poverty by 2030.   
Over the past 20 years, the likelihood of a child dying before age five has been nearly cut in half. Globally, the maternal mortality ratio dropped by nearly half. More people than ever before are receiving antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infection. More than six million deaths from malaria were averted due to substantial expansion of malaria interventions. Enormous progress has been made, showing the value of a unifying agenda underpinned by goals and targets. Yet despite this progress, the indignity of poverty has not been ended for all.
That’s why these 17 new Goals will continue this journey towards progress for everyone that aims to go even farther to focus the world on ending poverty, hunger and major health problems, as well as break new ground by setting goals and targets on inequalities, economic growth, decent jobs, energy, climate change, and peace and justice, among others.
I believe we will achieve substantial results by taking on the many interconnected challenges we face together. Taking action to achieve the Global Goals and building greater shared prosperity is in everybody’s best interest and provides enormous investment opportunities that will benefit all people and the planet. Success in this new ambitious agenda for global action will be driven by leaders, governments and people, especially at the local levels. The Goals should matter to all of us, and we all have a shared responsibility for our future.
Let’s focus on our shared problems and work on overcoming the common problems all countries face. With new, interconnected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that apply to all, we can go much further to end all forms of poverty, ensure no one is left behind, tackle unsustainable practices and chart a dignified future for all people in all countries.
UNDP stands ready to support the Government of Tanzania as it develops its plans for making the SDGs a reality. We will work closely with the government, private sector, civil society and many other partners in Tanzania to strive to achieve lasting results for people and planet.
Statement by Mr. Alvaro Rodriguez, United Nations Resident Coordinator, UNDP Resident Representative.

Saturday, September 26, 2015

Govt earmarks 3bn/- seed money for Aids trust fund

The government has set aside a total of Sh3bn for the establishment of an AIDS Trust Fund (ATF) as earlier proposed by Parliament aimed at reducing dependency on donor aid.
 The fund basically aims at increasing country‘s domestic resource allocation to the national HIV and AIDS response.   The decision to establish the fund was proposed in the last parliament where MPs underscored the importance for the country to build its capacity to serve its HIV patients instead of depending solely on donor aid.  In an interview with The Guardian yesterday in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Commission for AIDS (TACAIDS) Director for Finance and Administration, Yassin Abbas, said the process for establishment of the fund had started under the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with TACAIDS. “When the fund will be in operation, 50 per cent of the funds will be allocated to medication,” Abbas noted.   “We are now at the stage of forming a board of trustees which will be composed of eight members, four from the government and the other four from the private sector, along with coming up with guidelines which will oversee the operation of the fund,” he said.  
According to him, it was no longer certain to obtain funds from donors for HIV/AIDS prevalence because its prevalance in the country had decreased to a large extent and hence it was no longer a priority for their funding.    “Therefore, we can no longer depend on their support as it was not guaranteed,” said the director. “The government is not ready to see its citizens suffer from HIV/AIDS due to lack of funds to purchase medicines. We will make sure we are able to serve our people,” Abbas maintained. He added that the government, the private sector and individuals would be major contributors to the fund under a mechanism to be established soon.  Among other thing, the fund will focus on impact mitigation for both children and women to ensure that effective medication is constantlly available to them.  Abbas also assured the public that, there would be no shortage of ARVs for patients as the Global Fund (GF) was still supplying the medicines to Tanzania. “The government always renews the contract with GF after every two years for them to proceed rendering the services to us, hence we are sure that the society should not fear for their heath,” the Tacaids official said.  Abbasi noted that they planned to conduct a fund-raiser that will include stakeholders from private sector, GF and Tacaids, civil society organizations (CSOs) and the government. SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Germany grants $34m for EAC health plans

The Federal Republic of Germany has inked an intergovernmental agreement with the East African Community (EAC) to support regional health programmes.

In total, euro 30m ($34m) will be invested in vaccines and the health supply chain management.

Speaking at the signing event mid this week in Arusha, Ambassador Dr. Richard Sezibera, Secretary-General of the EAC and member of the intergovernmental alliance for immunisation (GAVI) board welcomed the contribution, saying it was timely and needed.
 “We are very happy with new and existing projects that are being financed by the government of the Federal Republic of Germany,” he said.

“This assistance for the health sector in the EAC reaffirms Germany’s status as a true friend of the people of East Africa,” he declared.
In his comments, German Ambassador Egon Kochanke said this new commitment underlines Germany’s commitment to supporting Tanzania and the rest of the EAC.

“Germany continues to be a strong partner for the EAC, contributing to an integration process that puts the people in the centre," the envoy said.

Accompanying Amb. Kochanke were Lena Thiede, Counsellor/Head of Regional Cooperation at the German Embassy in Dar es Salaam, Katrin Brandes of KFW, a development bank and Bernd Multhaup, Programme Manager for GIZ, an international development agency.

Others at the function were EAC Deputy Secretary General (Planning and Infrastructure) Dr. Enos Bukuku, Lake Victoria Basin Commission Deputy Executive Secretary Patrice Niyongabo, Counsel to the Community, Dr. Albert Kafumbe, and the GAVI Special Adviser to the EAC Secretary General, Stephen Karengera.

In the contribution, German Development Cooperation will provide 20 million euros for the procurement of vaccines against different diseases affecting children in the EAC zone.

The programme will be implemented in collaboration with GAVI. This new commitment will bring Germany`s contribution to regional immunisation programmes with the EAC to 60 million euros since 2012.
Earlier in 2015, Germany hosted the record replenishment of the global vaccination alliance GAVI. As a result, an additional 300 million children will receive live-saving vaccines, including in the EAC.

Inappropriate cooling systems result in high volumes of vaccines being wasted before they reach the people that need them, a dilemma to be addressed by a grant of 10 million euros to support the establishment of the EAC regional centre of excellence for health supply chain management.

The centre, slated for Kigali, will strengthen capacities and support the management of complex supply systems for health products, such as vaccines that need to be kept cold at all times.

GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, is a public-private global health partnership committed to increasing access to immunisation in poor countries.GAVI brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry in both industrialised and developing countries, research and technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other philanthropic organisations.

Since 1998, Germany development cooperation contributes to the capacity development of the Secretariat of the EAC and regional integration in East Africa through a variety of programmes and projects. Germany's funding for technical and financial cooperation with the EAC has totalled about 176 million euros. It similarly provides substantial support for health sectors in EAC member states.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Saturday, September 19, 2015

Friday, September 11, 2015

People with disabilities decry ‘inequality’ on election issues


Tanzania Albinism Society (TAS) Chairman Ernest Kimaya.

The federation of people with disabilities has voiced concern over lack of equality for persons with disabilities in the ongoing political elections calling on the National Electoral Commission (NEC) to ensure availability of tactile ballots during the October polls.
 
Notably, since the introduction of multiparty elections in 1995, people with disabilities, notably the blind, were only assisted by their helpers, increasing risk of cheating in the voting due to lack of tactile ballot at polling centres.
 
Addressing an ongoing workshop organised by the Foundation for Civil Societies in Tanzania yesterday in Dar es Salaam, Felician Mkude, secretary general of Tanzania Federation of Disabled People’s Organisations (Shivyawata), lauded NEC for expressing interest to introduce tactile ballot for the first time in history.
 
He said the initiative would allow the underprivileged to exercise their constitution rights and increase  their participation in political elections.
 
“It’s good that NEC has accepted our proposal for ensuring we allocate tactile ballot at polling centres for the person with disabilities,” he said.
 
The workshop brought about representatives from various dignitaries to provide a platform for information sharing and discussion of issues with vital importance to the political and elections rights to persons with disabilities.
 
“Its in our expectations that NEC shall issue sample tactile ballot before end of this month,” Mkude said at the workshop Wednesday.
 
He went on to highlight that the commission will also release sign language interpreters at election centres for deaf people.
 
Currently they are collaborating with NEC find out which areas have deaf and blind people. The data will be helpful for the group during the October polls.
 
Tanzania Albinism Society (TAS) Chairman Ernest Kimaya, was of the view that: “currently there is no such budget since during the just ended national budget debate the matter was not highlighted.”
 
He said “we need tactile ballot and sign language experts and should not be compromised in any way with budget deficit.”
 
He said the government should consider it as a matter of urgency, thus it must look for money for enabling free and fair elections.
 
Executive director of the Foundation for Civil Society, Francis Kiwanga, noted that due to previous efforts, including civic education and introduction of persons with disabilities Act, this year will see an increased participation of the group in the elections.
 
Government figures show that people with disabilities account for six per cent of total population of about 45 million people. According to data collected in 2004, there are about 350,000 blind people in the country.
 
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Govt urged to subsidise nursing training fees

In order to increase the number of health workers the government has been advised to subsidise nursing and midwifery training colleges owned by individuals so they would have more students.
 
The advice was made by the Acting Head of Massana College of Nursing and Midwifery, Horeselina Magesa, during the eighth graduation ceremony for  diploma certificate holders and that of the third certificate of nursing and midwifery graduates in Dar es Salaam last weekend.  
 
He said once private colleges receive subsidies from the government the number of students would increase as studies could be offered at affordable fees. This is because at present only colleges owned by the government and religious sects get subsidies, he said.
For his part, the Director of the College, Prof Richard Lema, said most students fail to join colleges as they lack funds for paying fees. 
 
“With the small number of students we experience difficulties in expanding and running the college…funds from the central government would help us enroll many students and improve service provision,” he said.
 
However, he said the new entrance qualifications announced by the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare have resulted in students decreasing in number. He said previously the college used to enroll students according to qualifications it has set.
 
Nine students graduated with diploma certificates in nursing and midwifery taking three years. Other 59 got certificates in nursing and midwifery.

SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Acacia gold mine funds project for free mobile medical clinic in Mara


Acacia gold mine of the North Mara has funded a project aimed at providing free mobile medical clinic to women and children from eleven villages surrounding the mining area.

The gold mine has teamed up with the Mara Regional Hospital, Marie Stopes Tanzania and Medical Women Association of Tanzania (MEWATA) and other professional medical practitioners that will provide free medical check-ups mainly to rural women as the investors cooperate social responsibilities to her neighbours.

Speaking yesterday to inaugurate the project here acting Mara regional medical officer, Dr  Omary Gamuya said last year 1000 women were diagnosed with advanced symptoms of cervical cancer and said most cases went unreported thus a call for urgent measures to curb the situation.

He said they have teamed up with other stakeholders to provide free medical check-ups in the villages surrounding the mine and expressed gratitude to the mining company for providing over 200m/- this year to fund the initial stages of the project.

 Other non-communicable diseases that will be encountered during the first week of the implementation include diabetes, eye-operation, mouth impairment and HIV/AIDS and also counseling.

''In some male dominated culture most fathers are ignorant to keep a close supervision of their spouses during and after pregnancies and as a result the non-communicable diseases are not diagnosed at initial stages to be treated as early as possible'', he said.

MEWATA lake zone chairman, Dr Rehema Yona said the institution has also started other similar projects in Mwanza, Shinyanga and Geita in collaboration with Acacia company aimed at supporting most vulnerable patients who cannot easily access better distant clinics.

She said good quality health services can be reached by starting with mobile clinics due to the recent experienced medical and drug scarcity in public health centres and asked other stakeholders to follow suit.

Acacia mine manager Garry Chapman said the mine has an obligation to return back investment in the fields of education and health to help local communities get better social services. He said their utmost vision is to attain a win-win situation between the mine and local people to help them feel the fruits of investment that can easily be brought back through their basic social needs and  health being the priority.

Source: Guardian

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Civil society must be ‘equal partners’ in implementing UN sustainability agenda, Ban tells parliamentarians


With speakers of parliament meeting at United Nations Headquarters at a moment when the world is gripped by multiple crises – displacement has soared to all-time highs and the threat of climate change grows by the day – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the legislators to help drive forward the new UN sustainable development agenda and ensure that civil society are equal partners in “building the future we want.”
“We are being challenged to strengthen our collective resolve to promote peace and security, sustainable development and human rights around the world,” said Mr. Ban, telling the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament that, earlier this month, UN Member States took a bold step in this direction by concluding negotiations on the “ambitious and transformative” agenda for the next 15 years.
The global parliamentary summit is held every five years. The current meeting will run through 2 September in New York and today’s opening session features addresses from Mr. Ban, IPU President Saber Chowdhury, UN General Assembly President Sam Kutesa and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation Forest Whitaker.
In his remarks, the Secretary-General said that the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that form the basis of the new UN agenda are people-centred and planet-sensitive. They provide a plan of action for ending poverty and hunger, and a roadmap for building a life of dignity for all and they promise to “leave no one behind.”
Commending the parliamentarians of the world, and the IPU, for the valuable role they played in shaping the new framework, Mr. Ban underscored that their contribution to its implementation will be equally critical in ensuring that the agenda is translated from the global to the national.
“People will look to you to hold your governments accountable for achieving the goals, and to write the laws and invest in the programmes that will make them a reality,” he said, noting that while democratic principles also run through the entire document “like a silver thread,” Sustainable Development Goal 16 addresses democracy by calling for inclusive and participatory societies and institutions.
At the same time, the UN chief said the task of implementing and monitoring these goals is huge. It requires States to work in strong and close partnership with civil society of all stripes. This has never been more important.
And yet, for civil society, freedom to operate is diminishing – or even disappearing. Dozens of Governments have adopted restrictions that limit the ability of NGOs [non-governmental organizations] to work, or to receive funding, or both.
“As we embark on this new agenda, the State and civil society can and should be partners in building the future we want,” he said, emphasizing that the declaration the parliamentarians will adopt at the conference outlines their responsibilities in translating the voices of the people into meaningful action.
For his part, General Assembly President Kutesa said given their role as pillars of democratic governance, parliaments will have an important role in the implementation of the new development agenda.
“Parliamentarians should continue to ensure that the voices of the people are heard and included in the development process. This will enhance ownership of the new agenda and its implementation on the ground, which will be vital for its success,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kutesa said, it will be essential to carry forward the unfinished business of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which have been incorporated in the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs. In particular, greater attention will be needed in the areas of education, health, water and sanitation, advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment, and creation of employment, among others.
Parliamentarians will be essential to that effort, the Assembly President said, also spotlighting the critical role they must play in the protection and preservation of the environment, including through enacting appropriate legislation.
“As we work toward reaching a new, universally-binding climate change agreement at the Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP 21) in Paris this December, bold commitments that will protect our planet for generations to come are needed,” said Mr. Kutesa, stressing that parliamentarians and other stakeholders should remain actively engaged in collective efforts towards this noble goal.

Cybercrime law takes effect


Prof Makame Mbarawa, Communication, Science and Technology minister.

The Cybercrime Bill President Jakaya Kikwete assented to in April comes into effect today.
 
The government has said the timing of the enactment and application of the much-contested piece of legislation is well-intended and not meant to interfere with the run-up to the October 25 General Election.
 
Tanzania is not the first country to have a cybercrime law, but media stakeholders, activists and donors say it will infringe on the freedom of the press and expression.
 
However, the government maintains that the Act will help address new forms of crime not covered under existing laws.
According to the government, the Cybercrimes and Electronic Transactions Acts will not infringe on democracy and the freedom of people to access information.
 
Addressing journalists yesterday in Dar es Salaam Communication, Science and Technology minister Prof Makame Mbarawa said the government has completed “essential preparations”, including providing civic education and capacity building to the law enforcers, ready for the two laws to take effect.
 
He said the law on cybercrime had nothing to do with elections, adding: “It was just the timing of the enactment and application of the Act. The Act is well-intended and is not meant to interfere with the October 25 General Election.” 
 
“I would like to call upon the citizenry to consider the correct and safe use of communication and computer network services for individual benefits and national development. The proper use of the networks has a number of profits to the public,” he said.
 
Prof Mbarawa said the two Acts were relevant and useful to the public, “especially at this time when cybercrime is on increase”, noting that the absence of cybercrime and electronic transaction laws “has made people face difficulties, especially when they are victims of cybercrimes”.
 
“The Cybercrime Act makes provisions for criminalising offences related to computer systems and information communication technologies; to provide for investigation, collection and use of electronic evidence and for matters related therewith,” said the minister.
 
Section 16  state, in part: “Any person who publishes information or data presented in a picture, text, symbol or any other form in a computer system knowing that such information or data is false, deceptive, misleading or inaccurate, and with intent to mislead the public or counselling commission of an offence; commits an offence.”
 
Section 11(1), on computer-related forgery, meanwhile states: “A person shall not intentionally and unlawfully input, alter, delay transmission or delete computer data, resulting in unauthentic data, with the intent that it be acted upon as if it were authentic, regardless of whether or not the data is readable or intelligible.”
 
Under sub-section (2), a person who contravenes subsection (1) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of not less than 20 million/- or three times the value of undue advantage received, whichever is greater, or to imprisonment for a term of not less than seven years or to both.
 
Section 20 (1), on unsolicited messages, stipulates: “A person shall not with intent to commit an offence under this Act (a) initiate the transmission of unsolicited messages.”
 
Sub-section (3): “For the purpose of this section, ‘unsolicited messages’ means any electronic message which is not solicited by the recipient and, shall on conviction be liable to a fine of not less than five million shillings or to imprisonment for a term of not less than three years or to both.” 
 
Meanwhile, the Electronic Transactions Act provides for the legal recognition of electronic transactions, e-Government services, the use of Information and Communication Technologies in collection of evidence, admissibility of electronic evidence, to provide for the facilitation of use secure electronic signatures, and to provide for other related matters. 
 
In April, after the National Assembly has passed it, the respective bill came under scathing criticism particularly from human rights activists. They said it violated freedom of the press, expression and the right to access information as provided for under Article 18 of the Tanzanian Constitution of 1977.
 
The activists threatened to demand that courts of law intervene by examining and adjudicating on the legality and constitutionality of both the Cybercrimes Act, 2015 and the Statistics Act, 2013.
 
President Kikwete has since said the law would be amended to accommodate stakeholders’ concerns and that, until such time that it is amended, Internet users must observe it to the letter.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN

Monday, August 17, 2015

Africa moves a step closer to polio eradication, but more work to be done – UN

















Africa has made great strides towards eradicating polio but the job remains to be finished through strengthened immunization campaigns and surveillance measures, according to the United Nations.
Observing yesterday the one year mark since the last case of wild polio was confirmed on the African continent, the world body has recalled that despite such laudatory progress, the milestone could not yet be considered “official” by the Organization’s strict standards.
Nigeria, the last endemic country in the African region, marked one year without a case of wild polio on 24 July 2015. If continued lab results in the coming weeks confirm no new cases in Nigeria, and if the UN World Health Organization (WHO) African Region then goes two more years without a case of wild polio in the face of strong surveillance, it could be certified polio-free by the Africa Regional Certification Commission. Similarly, transmission in Kenya and Ethiopia has also been interrupted.
“Globally, we are on the verge of totally eradicating a disease for only the second time in history,” remarked Peter Crowley, the head of the UN Children Fund’s (UNICEF) Polio unit, on his blog. “As we approach the General Assembly’s endorsement of the Sustainable Development Goals, what a wonderful time to be able to encourage the global community to set ambitious goals and to know that such goals can be met – if we believe.”
According to the UN, African leadership has been instrumental in reaching the milestone and pushing towards wider eradication through the African "Kick Polio out of Africa" campaign. Likewise, the support of the international community has also been key to success and continued support remains essential to achieve a polio-free Africa through improved vaccination campaign quality and surveillance, particularly in the Horn and Central Africa.
“With Africa now on track, we are left with only two countries where polio transmission has never been interrupted: Pakistan and Afghanistan,” Mr. Crowley continued. “Here too, despite enormous challenges, communities, governments and partners are working with courage and determination to end polio once and for all.”
Polio is a virus transmitted by person-to-person contact and spread mainly through the faecal-oral route or, less frequently, by a common vehicle (e.g. contaminated water or food) and multiplies in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system and can cause paralysis.
Initial symptoms of polio include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, stiffness in the neck, and pain in the limbs. In a small proportion of cases, the disease causes paralysis, which is often permanent. There is no cure for polio, it can only be prevented by immunization.
If eradication in Africa is achieved, there would be only two countries where polio transmission has never been interrupted: Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Tanzania tops six countries in food surpluses

Tanzania has done a remarkable progress on food production which had put the country among the top three SADC member states with food surpluses that could be used in trading with the rest of countries within the region. 
 
The Director of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources  (FANR) for SADC, Margaret Nyirenda, revealed this yesterday when briefing journalists on the status of food security in the region, prior to the 35th heads of state and government in Gaborone, Botswana.
 
 Nyirenda noted that the other 11 SADC member states failed to access food surplus due to the impacts of climate change, drought and floods, and therefore insisting on the need  for its mitigation.
 
 Apart from Tanzania which had surpluses of 0.81 million metric tonnes, Nyirenda pointed out the other SADC member states were South Africa with 0.31 million metric tonnes as well as Zambia that holds 0.88 million metric tonnes.  
 
She noted that the situation could be used as an opportunity for Tanzania, South Africa and Zambia to trade on agricultural crops with other countries within the SADC regional integration. 
 
Nyirenda said the SADC was taking necessary measures to provide food and non-food reliefs to the 27.41 million vulnerable people within the entire region and support them to recover from the disasters. 
 
However she expressed that the SADC had promoted and scaled up appropriate climate smart technologies on agriculture, energy, water and other relevant areas which mitigate against the impact of climate change, hence improve food security in the region.
 
 Admittedly, the 2014/15 rain session was generally poor in most parts of the SADC region with prolonged drought spells in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Angola, Zimbawe, Madagascar, Malawi na Mozambique. 
 
According to Nyirenda, the poor rainfall would lead to an unsatisfactory overall regional food security in  2015/16 with general cereal deficit of 6.33 million tonnes compared to a surplus of 1.2 million tonnes in 2014/15.
 
 The availability of cereals which comprise  maize, wheat, rice, millet and sorghum within the region was estimated at 40.23 million tonnes, representing a drop of 22per cent from 45.62 million tonnes last year. She emphasized that this year’s availability of maize which usually makes up more than 75 per cent of total cereals production was forecasted at 31.73 million tonnes compared to the last year’s 36.79 million tonnes.
 
 However, the cassava production within six SADC member states had dropped from 48.06million tonnes last year to the current 44.80 million tonnes.

Source: The Guardian