If COVID-19 spreads across Africa, it would not only be a human catastrophe for the continent, but one that threatens the Northern Hemisphere with future outbreaks and further human and economic losses. What is true in the United States, where people in poor and minority neighborhoods are dying in disproportionate numbers, is true for the … Continue Reading
Earlier this week, the Corporate Council on Africa’s Health Working Group hosted a World Bank presentation of The Global Financing Facility (GFF), a broad $4 billion facility that aims to promote reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) in low- and middle-income countries. The GFF–which was announced in September 2014 and currently consists of … Continue Reading
Well-known as a destination for experiencing some of the world’s most breathtaking natural assets, the Sub-Saharan African region is making progress in staking a larger claim to the multibillion dollar medical tourism industry and is the fastest growing region for wellness tourism. Strategic trade and investment policies have played a significant role in these advancements. … Continue Reading
On December 9, 2014, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan signed into law the National Health Bill, which was approved by the Nigerian Senate earlier this year. The new law is intended to provide a framework for the regulation, development, and management of a national health system in Nigeria. What the Act does The National Health Act … Continue Reading
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) published a declaration today under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (“PREP”) Act covering activities relating to three Ebola vaccine candidates that are currently in development. The declaration went into effect on December 3, 2014 and extends liability protection to manufacturers, distributors, program planners, and qualified persons who … Continue Reading
During the African Leaders Summit in August, Brookings convened the panel discussion, “Africa’s Image and U.S. Perceptions in the 21st Century,” that included leading journalists and Africanists such as Helene Cooper of The New York Times, William Wallis of the Financial Times, Amadou Mahtar Ba of AllAfrica Global Media, John Prendergast of the Enough Campaign and the recording artist … Continue Reading
This post was authored by Anne Pence. Well before Ron Klain was named as the U.S. Ebola czar, the USG was urging the international community to confront the fact that the world is not ready for a deadly pandemic of any sort, much less one as daunting as Ebola. Aware that Ebola alone could kill over … Continue Reading
IBM and Metropolitan Health–one of South Africa’s largest financial services and healthcare companies–recently announced Africa’s first commercial application of IBM’s Watson Engagement Advisor (“Watson”). Watson is a potentially revolutionary cognitive computing application that can “comprehend” a question posed to it in natural language, process relevant data equivalent to about one million books, and provide a … Continue Reading
This week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (“CDC”) reported that the outbreak of Ebola in Nigeria could be coming to an end, with no new Ebola cases since August 31, and the last patient under surveillance released on September 23. In light of this positive development, the CDC has reduced its travel alert for … Continue Reading
The Obama Administration has mobilized a number of government agencies to respond to the Ebola crisis in West Africa and to prevent its spread into the U.S. At the frontline of the Administration’s response is the Pentagon, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Center for Disease Control, the U.S. Agency for International development … Continue Reading
President Obama recently announced that approximately 3,000 U.S. troops will deploy to West Africa in an effort to combat the Ebola epidemic, which has struck more than 4,985 people and resulted in over 2,461 deaths. The U.S. Africa Command will establish its Joint Force Command headquarters in Monrovia, Liberia to coordinate regional assistance to Guinea, … Continue Reading
According to the U.S. Department of Defense, December 30, 2013 was epidemiological week 1 for the current Ebola crisis in West Africa. Since that date, more than 4,985 cases — 2,461 of which have resulted in death — have been confirmed or suspected. Today, nine months after the epidemic’s outbreak, President Obama has made an … Continue Reading
Over the past six months, the Ebola virus has killed approximately 2,100 people in West Africa, creating an international health crisis and terrorizing communities in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. The race to develop, produce and disseminate Ebola vaccines has proven to be immensely challenging. Experimental but potentially life-saving drugs were produced in insufficient quantities … Continue Reading
The United States has issued aid, police, travel, and military sanctions against Uganda in response to its Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), which President Obama has criticized as being contrary to human rights. The Act was signed into law on February 24, 2014. It imposes a life sentence for certain homosexual conduct and criminalizes the “promotion,” “aiding” … Continue Reading
For decades, a significant public health challenge in Africa has been the delivery of vaccines to rural locations where refrigeration is not readily available. Maintaining the so-called “cold chain” to keep vaccines viable has been a longstanding challenge to vaccination campaigns in such areas, and is one of the reasons that millions of people worldwide … Continue Reading
Electrical and electronic waste (“e-waste”), which includes discarded technology equipment and parts, contains contaminants that are hazardous to human health and the environment. E-waste management is a growing concern for a number of African countries which, in addition to generating e-waste domestically, also receive millions of tons of (often illegally) exported foreign e-waste. In light … Continue Reading
