Africa should step up own vaccines, says cholera-hit Angola
Luanda: Africa should step up production of its own vaccines to deal with a range of health issues, Angola, battling hundreds of cholera deaths this year, said Wednesday.
"To enable a strong and sustainable response to this crisis and future crises, it is essential to put production of medicines and vaccines on our continent," Angolan President Joao Lourenco, who also heads the African Union, told a videoconference with other African leaders, his office said.
"Total dependence on external imports limits our ability to respond and compromises our health sovereignty," Lourenco said during a conference which included
World Health Organization
(WHO) director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
More than 90 percent of vaccines, medicines, medical tests, and other essential health supplies used in Africa are imported, according to a report by the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (ACDCP) published in April.
Several African countries are battling cholera outbreaks with Sudan, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola among the worst hit.
As of June 2, Angola had recorded more than 24,530 cases this year, with 718 deaths, according to the Angolan presidency.
On May 27, the Sudanese health ministry reported 172 deaths from the disease in a single week in the war-torn country.
Africa's dependence on imported health products has proven disastrous during previous epidemics, including Covid-19, Ebola, Marburg and mpox, the ACDCP report said.
That leaves the continent at the mercy of global trade tensions, geopolitical disruption and logistical delays, it said.
Public health emergencies have significantly increased in Africa, rising from 152 in 2022 to 213 in 2024, the report added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
United News of India
22 minutes ago
- United News of India
No need to panic because of rising Covid cases, just be cautious: Dr Wali
New Delhi, June 7 (UNI) The Covid cases are rising rapidly and the deaths have alerted us but there is no need to panic, prominent doctor Mohsin Wali has said. Dr. Wali, who has had the unique privilege of serving three Presidents of India -- R. Venkataraman, Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, and Pranab Kumar Mukherjee -- said most of the people infected with the virus will have mild to moderate respiratory illness and will not require special treatment. While the potency of the current strain of the Covid virus has increased slightly, there is no need to panic, he says, adding people should, instead, be cautious about its transmission and follow Covid-appropriate behavior. 'This is a respiratory virus, a sars virus, and the current variant is a sub-variant of Omicron. Its spike protein has changed, and it has increased its ability to bind to cells. However, we need to fear not the virus itself but its transmission," he said. 'Fearing transmission means we need to wear masks, use sanitizers, maintain social distancing, and follow covid-appropriate protocols. We should not go directly to (interact with) small children or elderly people after coming home from outside," he suggested. "If you have cough, cold, and fever for more than three days, get tested for covid. If the test is positive, don't panic. Isolate yourself and follow the doctor's advice," he added. People with asthma, cold, and fever along with heart or kidney disease should be cautious and those who have undergone kidney or liver transplant should also be careful. "We don't need to do anything more than this. The government is monitoring it, and whenever there is another variation, it will be caught," he says. UNI AM AKK BM
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Reports of 11 under lens negative; active Covid cases at 4 in city
Bhopal: The reports of 11 samples from suspected Covid-19 patients were received on Saturday; all tested negative. Overall, a total of 9 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Bhopal since April this year. In April, there was 1 case, in May 3 cases, and in June 5 positive cases were identified. Currently, there are 4 active cases. One patient was hospitalised due to other illnesses and tested positive for COVID during those examinations. Three individuals, who were asymptomatic, were advised to stay at home and take precautions. Five individuals recovered and are symptom-free, said official sources. Continuous monitoring is being conducted to ensure the infrastructure and delivery of health services, sources said. Recently, mock drills were organised in health institutions to evaluate the supply of medical oxygen and the efficiency of oxygen plants. Dr Prabhakar Tiwari, CMHO Bhopal, stated that health institutions have been instructed to follow protocols based on symptoms. Free consultations are available at all govt health institutions. The public is urged to seek medical advice for testing and treatment if needed. Avoid self-diagnosis and self-medication. There is no need to fear COVID, but caution is necessary. COVID can be dangerous for individuals with low immunity, such as cancer patients, dialysis patients, and those with co-morbidities like diabetes, so they should take special precautions, he said.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Ayurvedic & herbal products manufacturers in Indore ramp up production as Covid cases increase
Indore: As Covid-19 cases are witnessing an uptick, manufacturers of Ayurvedic and herbal products in Indore have ramped up their production capacities, anticipating a surge in demand for immunity-boosting products. Usually, summers remain the lean season for immunity booster syrups and tablets, but the resurgence of Covid-19 cases led to a jump in enquiries, prompting many units to prepare for increased production ahead of their usual season. Ayush Nirmata Sangh secretary Ashish Dubey said, "We are anticipating a surge in demand for immunity boosters as cases of Covid-19 again started to increase. Many units started preparations and are gradually increasing production." Another manufacturer owner of a local Ayurvedic firm Ravi Kumar said, "We saw an increase in enquiries for our immunity products. To meet this demand, we are expanding our operations to ensure we can deliver quality products to our customers promptly. Also, monsoon and winters are main demand period of Ayurvedic products when demand rises." Industry insiders noted that if the consumption of these products would not meet their expectations, they would still find a market during the monsoon and winter seasons when the demand for syrups and immunity boosters typically spikes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo Ayurvedic products produced in Indore are distributed across various states in India, including Delhi, Punjab, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand, according to local manufacturers. In response to the heightened demand, many manufacturing units are transitioning to automatic production processes, while others are opting for semi-automatic configurations to enhance efficiency. Indore is home to around 240 Ayurvedic medicine manufacturing units, with the total market size exceeding an impressive Rs 1000 crore, as reported by Ayush Nirmata Sangh.
