Day: June 10, 2022

This technical brief was developed to support specialists in countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to select which early detection tools best fit their needs and context by comparing various tools that have been used in the region and lessons learned in using and adapting those tools to local contexts.

Background

Early detection of developmental delays and disabilities in children followed by early childhood intervention, can greatly help children with better outcomes throughout their life course. Since formal screening is essential to initiate early interventions, there are various tools that exist and are being used in the world for detecting developmental delays and disabilities and that target various professionals both working at facilities and in the community, and for parents and caregivers to ensure that children have the essential support needed to develop and thrive.1 While early detection and intervention are crucial for a child’s development, it is also important to be aware of the risks of screening and the followings need to be considered to mitigate risks: 1) review of tools and protocols by an authorised body, 2) accuracy and validity of tools, 3) referral pathway, and 4) protocols for the users on how to address specific situation such as critical health and nutrition issues, violence and abuse.

Current research globally suggests that detection of developmental delays and disabilities is lower than their actual prevalence, meaning that actions undertaken in detection of developmental delays are not sufficient. In MENA, there is late detection of developmental delays due to (1) the lack of policies and strategies on early detection, (2) the lack of data on developmental delays and disabilities to build evidence-based policies and strategies, (3) the scarcity of validated screening tools in the languages used in the region including Arabic2 , Farsi and French, (3) the scarcity of socially and culturally adapted tools according to contexts 2 3 , and (4) the gaps in availability and capacity of specialized services and trained service providers to support children and families with early diagnosis and intervention once a delay and a disability have been identified.

Source: UN Children’s Fund

The Forces for Freedom and Change (FFC) Friday reiterated they do not seek to restore partnership with the military component but to end the October 25th coup.

For the first time after the coup, delegations from the FFC and the military component held a meeting brokered by Molly Phee U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs and Ali bin Hassan Jaffar Saudi Ambassador to Khartoum.

The FFC delegation held a press conference on Friday to inform the Sudanese about the purpose and the outcome of the meeting, which was strongly criticized by discussion groups and social media.

“(The meeting) was not a step for the partnership, but to end it,” said one of the three-member FFC delegation that met the coup delegation together with Al-Wathiq Albreir of the National Uma Party and Taha Ishag of the Sudanese Professionals Alliance.

“We have not gone in search of a new partnership, but to establish a new relationship between the regular forces and the people,” Arman further stressed,

The SPLM-N deputy chairman said there were divergences within the FFC leadership meeting on Wednesday over the proposal made by the US and Saudi diplomats to meet the military leaders because of the continued bloody repression against protesters

However, they decided to meet the coup leaders because they felt it is in the interest of the Sudanese people and because the United States supports the right of Sudanese to civil transition and to reach a solution to end the military coup.

“Our people should not be isolated from the great international solidarity. Also, Saudi Arabia, which is an important and active country in the region, often expressed a willingness to support the Sudanese,” he added.

Saudi Arabia and the U.S. are part of a Quartet supporting the restoration of the civilian-led transitional government. However, the UAE which is part of the group is perceived by the Sudanese as a backer of the junta.

“Our demand is to end the coup and open a new page. If they want to end it, we are here but if they do not want the Sudanese people will continue to resist,” he stressed.

“We don’t want a manipulation of the civilian power. The Prime Minister should belong to the people and does not take his instructions from the army,” further said Arman who served as the political adviser of the former prime minister.

The FFC groups say they do not want to take part in the new civilian government which should be formed of independent and competent people.

The U.S. embassy in Khartoum said the meeting meant to “Exchange views on how to solve the current political crisis, as well as on a process that leads to a democratic transition”.

The two sides named Lt Gen Shames al-Din Kabbashi and Taha Ishag as a point of contact between them, according to Arman.

Al-Wathiq Albreir told reporters that the meeting focused on how to end the coup, why the civil democratic transition had been suspended and the security and socio-economic impacts of the coup.

“We conveyed the aspirations and dreams of the Sudanese people for justice and freedom and affirmed the unity of the revolutionary forces,” further said the secretary-general of the National Umma Party.

He further added they sent a message to the international community that they are not intransigent but seek a peaceful and credible solution leading to genuine and fruitful civilian-led transition.

Ishag, for his part, lambasted the process led by the Trilateral Mechanism saying it was designed to legitimize the military coup and create a new political majority for them.

“We will not be part of any political process aiming at forging a political base supporting the coup d’état. We and the masses of our people stand with a political process that produces full civilian authority, achieves street slogans and gets the military establishment out of political life,” he said.

Source: Sudan Tribune

Honorable Ministers, Excellencies, dear colleagues and friends,

Good morning, good afternoon and good evening to all Member States, and thank you for joining us once again.

Globally, the number of reported COVID-19 cases and deaths continues to decline.

This is an encouraging trend, but the Secretariat continues to urge caution.

Globally, there is not enough testing, and not enough vaccination.

On average, about three-quarters of health workers and people aged over 60 globally have been vaccinated.

But these rates are much lower in low-income countries.

Vaccine supply is now sufficient, but demand in many countries with the lowest vaccination rates is lacking.

The perception that the pandemic is over is understandable, but misguided. This is not the time to let down our guard.

A new and more dangerous variant could emerge at any time, and vast numbers of people remain unprotected.

It has now been two-and-a-half years since we first identified cases of this novel coronavirus.

We do not yet have the answers as to where it came from or how it entered the human population.

Last year, WHO established the Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens, or SAGO, to outline the studies needed to identify the origins of SARS-CoV-2, and to create a global framework for studying the origins of emerging and re-emerging pathogens.

Understanding the origins of the virus is very important scientifically, to prevent future epidemics and pandemics.

But morally, we also owe it to all those who have suffered and died, and their families.

The longer it takes, the harder it becomes. We need to speed up, and act with a sense of urgency.

All hypotheses must remain on the table until we have evidence that enables us to rule certain hypotheses in or out.

This make it all the more urgent that this scientific work be kept separate from politics.

The way to prevent politicization is for countries to share data and samples, with transparency, and without interference from any government.

The only way this scientific work can progress successfully is with full collaboration from all countries, including China, where the first cases of SARS-CoV-2 were reported.

For example, WHO established a collaboration with Italy to verify results from samples from 2019. We thank Italy for willingly sharing data and samples for independent verification.

This collaboration never became a political issue, because of the transparent way in which Italy cooperated.

SAGO needs the best scientific evidence to make the most robust assessment possible.

Its work will provide vital clues for predicting and preparing for future epidemics and pandemics.

I ask all Member States to cooperate fully with SAGO, for the good of all of us, and of future generations.

Yesterday, Member States received SAGO’s first report. In a few moments you will be briefed on SAGO’s work so far and the key findings of the report by Dr Mike Ryan, Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, and the SAGO Chair, Professor Marietjie Venter of the University of Pretoria, South Africa.

I’m also pleased to welcome the Vice-Chair, Professor Jean-Claude Manuguerra, of the Institute Pasteur, France.

A warm welcome to both of you, and thank you for your leadership and work.

Following their briefing, Dr Mariângela Simão will provide an update on the COVID Technology Access Pool, or C-TAP.

Two years ago, following Costa Rica’s former president, President Alvarado, , WHO and our partners established C-TAP to promote voluntary mechanisms to share intellectual property, know-how, and data.

I thank Costa Rica, former President Alvarado and the 43 Member States that co-sponsored the Solidarity Call to Action establishing C-TAP.

I also thank Unitaid and the Medicines Patent Pool, along with UNDP, UNAIDS, and Open COVID Pledge.

I am especially grateful to public research institutes like the Spanish Research Council and the US National Institutes for Health, for sharing their technologies and helping us to prove that C-TAP works. My thanks also to Spain and Belgium for their financial support.

As always, we are grateful for your engagement with today’s presentations, and we look forward to your questions, comments and guidance.

Jude, back to you.

Source: World Health Organization

The Vatican announced on Friday the cancellation of Pope Francis’s scheduled visit to South Sudan due to knee problems.

The papal visit was slated to take place in early July. He was expected to be accompanied by the two other heads of Anglican and Presbyterian churches.

A statement from the Holy See on Friday afternoon announced that Pope Francis would not undertake Apostolic Journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan, which was originally scheduled for early July.

“Pope Francis has been forced to postpone his upcoming Apostolic Journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan to a later date, which is yet to be determined,” partly reads a statement seen by Sudan Tribune.

The trip to the African continent was originally scheduled to take place in the first week of July.

Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office, made the announcement on Friday.

“At the request of his doctors, and in order not to jeopardize the results of the therapy that he is undergoing for his knee, the Holy Father has been forced to postpone, with regret, his Apostolic Journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo and to South Sudan, planned for 2 to 7 July, to a later date to be determined,” he said.

The Apostolic Journey to Africa was to include two stops in the DRC – in the capital, Kinshasa, and the city of Goma – and a visit to Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

The latest decision to defer the visit comes amid near-complete preparation for his reception. The South Sudanese government and the office of the president had prepared for a high-level reception.

President Salva Kiir’s office and officials from the host state of central Equatoria had drawn and put in place strategies and security measures aimed at providing protection to the pope and those accompanying him on the religious and pastoral visit. Officials had divided roles in preparation for reception.

Previous visits were cancelled in part for security purposes.

The latest decision is attributed to health as his doctors advised him to follow his treatment. Pope suffers from sciatica, a condition that has left him limping when presiding over pastoral functions and events.

It has caused him to use a wheelchair during recent events. At an audience at the Vatican in May, Francis was seen struggling to stand on his feet, resulting in him relying on the support of the aides to get out of the wheelchair and onto his seat.

Suffering from severe pain in his right knee, the Argentine pontiff has been in a wheelchair since the beginning of May and has announced that he will have to undergo infiltrations and injections of corticoid-based anti-inflammatory drugs.

No official statement was released from neither the office of the president nor the office of the governor of Central State.

?Also, it remains unclear whether preparations including beautification of some areas and naming of some streets and places in Juba town in honour of the Pope would continue to be undertaken or if a decision will be made to halt such activities.

The office of the president had dedicated a budget in preparation.

Analysts are keen to stress that the visit would have bolstered the standing of president Salva Kiir who has been wishing it to take place while still in power.

Source: Sudan Tribune