Uganda Polio mass vaccination roll out: vaccine carriers, cults and health workers

About 270 health workers were trained to roll out the vaccination against Polio for six days in Arua City.

The Wild Polio 2 virus was detected from two samples last year at two sewage treatment sites. This type of polio can lead to permanent paralysis or even death in some cases.

Uganda was named free of Wild Polio 2 virus in 2015 and it was removed from the routine immunization schedule in 2016. As such the country doesn't store vaccines for it anymore. 

As a result the government through the Ministry of Health decided to roll out mass vaccination for children below five years targeting to vaccinate at least 8.7 million children, countrywide scheduled three days.

7.2 million children were targeted to be vaccinated by Monday 17, leaving a deficit of 1.5 million children yet to receive the vaccine. But due to limited vaccine carriers the Ministry of Health extended the date for the mass polio vaccination to Wednesday, 19th.

Vaccine carriers are insulated containers where vaccines are kept cold during transportation.

In Arua, City Health officials extended days for Polio vaccination over a shortage of vaccine carriers forcing health officials to conduct the campaign in two phases from Monday up to Wednesday.

According to Peter Aziku the Deputy Health Officer Arua City, they needed 890 cold boxes but they received 469. 

Aziku said they have decided to divide the health staff into two with the first one starting vaccination in the areas of Pajulu, Adumi, and Ayivuni all in Ayivu West while the second group of health workers will resume on Monday in the areas of Arua Hill, Oli Division, Oluko Dadamu, Manibe, and Aroi.

Pader district had a target of 50,777 children under five to be vaccinated but only 45,780 received the vaccine.

Justine Ocen the LCV Vice-Chairperson, said that the district received fewer vaccines because the Ministry of Health relied on the district report about the target population, yet the figure is now different. 

Ocen said the district is liaising with other neighboring districts to get vaccines and vaccinate the remaining children.

In Mukono district, the lack of medical workers stalled the polio vaccination campaign. The district dispatched 108 medical workers to carry out the exercise in the entire district with each parish receiving one medical worker. Mukono district target was to vaccinate 147, 000 children. 

Sarah Nassaka, a health worker said that during the previous mass vaccination exercises, four medical workers were allocated to Bagala zone but this time round only one was assigned for the polio vaccination.

Stephen Mulindwa, the District Health Officer-DHO advised parents with busy schedules to take their children to the district general hospital and health center IVs where were designated immunization centers and enough staff.

The issue of lack of vaccine carriers:

As the government rolled out the national mass polio vaccination, vaccine carriers stalled the process. The exercise which was slated to commence on Thursday January 13th, 2022, and end on Sunday, 16th January was extended for three more days. 

According to a Ministry of health survey carried out prior to commencement of the exercise only 24,000 cold chain carriers were available in the country. Hence, about 56,000 out of the 80,000 teams deployed to conduct the polio vaccination exercise nationwide didn’t get carriers to safely carry the vaccines. 

The ministry then used a staggered approach, where vaccination teams shared the carriers. Dr. Immaculate Ampaire, the deputy program manager of the Uganda National Expanded Programme on Immunization (UNEPI) said the campaign exposed the need of investing in door-to-door cold storage equipment. 

"When it comes to other cold storage equipment we are okay but we do not have enough vaccine carriers. In this ongoing campaign, we had a shortfall of over 50,000 and that is why districts were asked to do passed implementation," Ampaire said.

Extension of the campaign was a necessity and the Ministry of Health also halted COVID-19 vaccination from taking place to free up cold chain boxes that would otherwise have been used to store COVID-19 vaccines. 

The Health Ministry Spokesperson, Emmanuel Ainebyoona, said that the ministry is in the long term working towards increasing the capacity of cold chain storage equipment in the country. Recently the health ministry received equipment worth US$ 8.3million. 

Using the sub-country approach: 

As a means to reach all the children the government changed to a sub-county approach from the district approach. The door to door also consists of teams visiting each household and school which will achieve the target of reaching every child. 

On Friday, Luwero district embarked on the door-to-door immunization campaign against polio among children aged five years and below.  The district targeted to immunize 106,000 children within six days and 65 centers were gazetted to coordinate the campaign.

The health workers kicked off by immunizing children in daycare and nursery schools before they move door to do together with LCI Chairpersons.

According to preliminary data released by the immunization program, Busoga has emerged as the best performing region in this campaign with 484,809 children vaccinated followed by South Central with 450,260 children. 

Ampaire attributes Busoga's excellent performance to a change in the models used. Figures from the health ministry show that the region normally scores less than 50 percent vaccine coverage on average when it comes to routine immunization. 

“This time around we had a plan that catered for all parishes. We used village teams to move from one village to another and parish to parish. This helped us plan for all hard-to-reach areas like mountains, islands, and even some cities," she said.

"We are urging parents and school administrators to go and get children under five vaccinated. This vaccine was removed from the routine immunization schedule. We got resources from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative to carry out this campaign and parents must take up this opportunity," Ampaire said.

The health officials have also involved the cultural, religious, and local council leaders in addition to the VHTs to popularize the vaccination campaign. 

Hellen Alimo a Village Health Team-VHT Officer in Luwero said parents responded positively to the exercise although there was a challenge of inadequate health workers.

Ismail Tuku the Prime Minister of Lugbara Cultural Institution said the government should consider sharing polio vaccines with the Neighboring DRC and South Sudan because of the eminent polio risk in these countries.

Cult culture inhibit uptake of polio vaccines;

Luwero district health officials are facing a challenge to reach children of cult members that are against any form of immunization. Over 50 children could be affected.

When Luwero district embarked on the door-to-door immunization campaign, parents of children who belong to the Abajiri Christian cult in Luwero rejected it.  The families are spread at villages of Kakoola, Makokonyigo, Kikandwa, and Nakasejjere village in Kamira sub-county.

Local Leaders say the cult believes that the immunization campaign is satanic and a plan to enforce the new world order.

Abdullatif Serugo the LCI Chairman of Makokonyigo village said that during the registration of families whose children are eligible for immunization, 10 families that follow the cult in his area indicated that they won’t participate in the campaign and hence refused to volunteer any information.

He said that in the past parents have been arrested and jailed for rejecting government programs but this has not deterred their beliefs.

Ronald Mulumba the LCI Chairman of Nakasejjere village said that whenever cult followers learn about such campaigns, the children are hidden in makeshift houses in the swamps until the exercise ends.

Ponsiano Kabaale the LC 1 Chairperson of Kakoola village said he was secretly gathering information about the total number of children in the families and they intend to round them for immunization during their prayers on Saturday.

The Chairpersons have since asked the District Leadership to take up the matter and force the parents to surrender the children for immunization.

Doctor Innocent Nkonwa the Luwero District Health Officer said they were privy to information on the existence of the group and they intend to use security personnel to ensure they access children for immunization.

Erastus Kibirango the LCV Chairperson of Luwero said they would visit the villages to persuade and sensitize communities to participate in the campaign.

Sheikh Ramadhan Mulindwa the Chairperson of Inter-Religious Council in Luwero district said that immunization is not against religious faiths and parents should embrace it. It's believed that the followers of the cult have also shunned COVID 19 vaccination exercise.

In 2014, more than 300 followers of Abajiri cult in Luwero and Nakasongola districts fled their homes to evade arrest after rejecting the national population and housing census.

In 2010, the same cult followers were arrested and jailed for blocking their children from attending school but their attitude didn’t change. It is believed that they're over 500 followers of Bajiri cult in Luwero and Nakasongola districts. 

Polio hit Uganda hard in 1983 and left many children who are now aged 30 years plus maimed with its scars. Since then vaccines have been rolled out to eliminate the disease. 

Uganda had already excluded the vaccines for Wild Polio 2 virus from its immunization routine programs in 2016, following the WHO declaration in 2006 that Uganda was Polio free since it had not reported a case of polio for a decade. But porous borders continue to derail these efforts.    

 

Instead of coercing, nudges prove their effectiveness

Our choices are not only determined by our ability to reason, but are also influenced by certain biases such as our emotions, our memories, the opinions of others or the configuration of our environment.

This is based on a  theory termed as  «nudging» developed by American economist Richard Thaler in the late 2000s. Focusing on these elements can therefore be more effective in getting us to change certain behaviours than a ban or an awareness-raising campaign.

In the behavioral sciences, researchers call this a modification of the 'choice architecture'. This is done, for example, when in a company cafeteria the healthiest dishes are deliberately placed at the top of the menu to encourage customers to select the option that is most beneficial to their health, without infringing on their freedom to choose. 

As a result, this type of intervention is attracting increasing interest from both the scientific community and public authorities.

Over 450 strategies analyzed
Despite the growing popularity of nudges, their performances had not yet been studied in their entirety. By performing a meta-analysis (a statistical approach aimed at synthesizing the results of numerous studies), a research team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has succeeded in demonstrating the effectiveness of “nudges” and identifying the areas in which they are most relevant. 

"We have collected more than 200 scientific articles published over the last 15 years on the subject, which represent more than 450 ‘nudge’ strategies," says Stéphanie Mertens, the study’s first author and a researcher at the Consumer Decision and Sustainable Behavior Laboratory of the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences at the UNIGE.

Inciting instead of coercing, «nudges» prove their effectiveness

A team from the UNIGE demonstrates that certain soft incentive techniques, known as «nudges», are effective in getting people to change their behaviour. To get through challenges such as the pandemic or the climate change, citizens must change their habits and behaviors. 

But how can this be achieved without resorting to coercive measures? The answer to this question may be the «nudges» that have been gaining popularity over the last decade. By making small changes in our environment, these interventions aim to encourage changes in our behaviour, while preserving our freedom of choice. 

From adding informative labels to reorganising the food offer in a cafeteria, the overall effectiveness of these interventions has now been demonstrated by a scientific team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE). 

Their results can be found in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. To carry out this study, the researchers classified the nudges described in this scientific literature into three groups: «information», «structure» and «assistance». 

In the first set, they grouped interventions whose objective is to inform individuals in order to motivate them to make certain choices, such as the «nutri-score» labels found on certain food products. In the second set, they grouped techniques that deal with the structure of an environment. This is the example (cited above) of highlighting certain meals in a cafeteria menu.

In the third set, they classified nudges involving a form of commitment, as in the case of a person who stops smoking and informs those around him or her. When informed, the people around him or her take on the function of a 'safeguard' in the choice architecture of the abstinent smoker.

Highly effective for food choices

The scientific team concluded that all three groups of nudges are effective. They note, however, that the techniques in the second group («structure») are the most effective. 

"Within these groups, we also compared different areas of application, such as health, finances or energy consumption. In the end, we found that nudges work best in the area of food", explains Tobias Brosch, Director of the Consumer Decision and Sustainable Behavior Laboratory. 

Tobias Brosch and his team have also observed disparities in the quality of the studies produced on the subject over the years. "It is imperative that the overall study quality increases because of the impact that nudges can have on the daily lives of citizens," he explains. 

All of the synthesized data is now available to researchers. But this study is also intended to become a reference document for policymakers who wish to implement these new practices. 

"However, it is important to bear in mind that nudges are powerful tools, as our research shows. Nudges must therefore be used wisely and within the framework of democratic and transparent processes," concludes the researcher.

ends

World Mobile plans to launch balloons across Africa to connect hundreds of millions of people

World Mobile, the first mobile network built on blockchain and run by the people has partnered with Altaeros, developers of the world’s first autonomous aerostats, to connect the unconnected. 

World Mobile and Altaeros have united to bring internet to unconnected areas in Africa,  leading to mass digital inclusion.  

Through this partnership, Altaeros and World Mobile will provide low-altitude aerostats (tethered balloon platforms) with a coverage area of approximately 8,000 km^2 each, forming part of World Mobile Dynamic Network. 

World Mobile plans to launch these balloons across Africa to connect hundreds of millions of people. Several aerostats will launch in Zanzibar anchoring the network and delivering connectivity near to 100% of the island. 

Each aerostat will connect hundreds of thousands of subscribers and each subscriber on the network will create a blockchain wallet. World Mobile will be deploying thousands of aerostats across the continent.

The aerostat system consists of a helium-filled envelope and stabilising fins. The unique 3-tethered architecture limits the aerostat's movement in the air (pitch, roll and yaw), which is essential in stabilizing telco coverage so connectivity doesn't drop in and out. 

The aerostat is attached to a movable mooring platform with built-in software that adjusts the balloon's position depending on wind conditions. The onboard communication system, using beam forming technology (a technique that focuses a wireless signal towards a specific receiving device) will allow 3G, 4G and 5G handsets to connect directly and will also connect WM AirNodes in the vicinity via traditional and alternative spectrums.

“We’re on a journey to bring modern infrastructure to billions of un-served and under-served people around the world. We’re driven by a belief that business and technical innovation are the keys to creating a positive, scalable impact. World Mobile is the perfect partner to work with to deliver our vision as they strive to connect the unconnected, everywhere,” says Altaeros CEO/CTO Ben Glass.

“World Mobile is on a mission to connect the unconnected and build the first mobile network powered and run by the people. Working with leading tech partners who share our values will make us stronger, says World Mobile Founder and CEO Micky Watkins.

World Mobile is the first mobile network powered and run by the people. Their fearless commitment to community, the environment, and technology will help them go where no telecom has gone before. 

By joining forces with their users, they’ll connect billions of unconnected people worldwide—allowing everyone the freedom to explore the world. 

Altaeros is on a mission is to help bring connectivity to those who need it most. Founded at MIT in 2010, Altaeros is focused on developing and deploying innovative real-world infrastructure solutions to bring affordable services anywhere needed, helping businesses and communities access the basic building blocks to allow for prosperity. 

Altaeros is headquartered in Somerville, MA.

Total Uganda: the French Supreme Court recognizes the jurisdiction of the civil court

Press Release

The Court of Cassation (French Supreme Court) issued its ruling on the case against the oil giant Total, led by six French and Ugandan civil society organizations (CSOs) - Friends of the Earth France, Survie, AFIEGO, CRED, NAPE and NAVODAThis is the first legal action based on the law on the duty of vigilance of transnational corporations. 

Putting an end to a nearly two years long procedural battle, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the CSOs, rejecting the jurisdiction of the commercial courts (1). As the violations continue and intensify in Uganda and Tanzania, the case will now return to the civil court of first instance, which will finally examine it on the merits.

After a ruling by the Nanterre civil court in January 2020, which considered that this dispute fell under the jurisdiction of the commercial court, and which was upheld in December 2020 by the Versailles Court of Appeal (2), Friends of the Earth France, Survie and their four Ugandan partners had decided in early 2021 to file an appeal to the Supreme Court. 

On this question of jurisdiction they were supported by three other civil society organizations - ActionAid France, CCFD-Terre Solidaire, Collectif Éthique sur l'étiquette -, and one trade union - CFDT. For the claimants, today's ruling by the Court of Cassation, giving jurisdiction to the civil court, is an important victory. The Court ruled in favor of the civil society organizations by recognizing the "right to choose" (‘droit d’option’) that they enjoy as non-commercial claimants (3). 

By entrusting the case to the civil court, this decision makes it possible to fulfil the objectives of the law on duty of vigilance. The purpose of this law is to hold companies liable for the impacts of their activities on third parties, such as employees of subsidiaries, suppliers and subcontractors, local communities and the environment.

While the commercial courts draw their legitimacy from their knowledge of the business world, cases brought under the duty of vigilance law relate to the protection of human rights and the planet, and cannot therefore be reduced to a purely commercial dispute.

Moreover, this decision is coherent with the provision recently adopted by French Parliament in a new, soon to be enacted procedural law, which gives jurisdiction to the Paris civil court for all cases based on the duty of vigilance law (4).

For Juliette Renaud, of Friends of the Earth France, "We are relieved by this decision of the Court of Cassation, which finally closes nearly two long years of procedural battle. However, we are very concerned about the impact of the delays this procedural issue has caused: in the meantime, according to our investigations, more than 100 000 people are still totally or partially deprived of their land and livelihoods in Uganda and Tanzania (5). Action is urgently needed, and we hope that the upcoming decision on the merits of the case will order Total to finally take concrete measures to stop these violations”.

For Thomas Bart of Survie, "This decision is a first victory in the long legal battle we have launched against this transnational corporation. We will finally be able to focus on the substance of the case. Despite repeated warnings from civil society, the project continues at full speed without any concern for the repression of people on the ground: our partners and community members who dare to raise their voices against this oil megaproject are subject to increasing intimidation, and arbitrary arrests are multiplying (6)”.

This ruling of the Court of Cassation sends back the case to the civil court of Nanterre, where a hearing, finally dealing with the merits of the case, should be held in the coming months.

REF :

1. (1)  The decision of the Court of Cassation  .

2. (2)  See our press release from December 10, 2020 : "Total Uganda case: the Versailles Court of Appeal remands the case to commercial court". To learn more about the previous steps of this lawsuit, read the briefing from Friends of the Earth France and Survie (October 2020): Total Uganda – A first lawsuit under the duty of vigilance law: An update.

3. (3)  According to the right to choose (‘droit d’option’), if the claimants are a non-commercial entity, as is the case for our organizations, they can choose to bring a dispute against a commercial entity before either the civil court or the commercial court. In November 2020, this principle was reaffirmed by the Court of Cassation in the "Uber" ruling (available here in French only), even in a case where the subject matter of the dispute has a direct link with the company’s internal management. This decision was relied upon by the Nanterre court in the "Total climate" case, also based on the law on the duty of vigilance.

4. (4)  See our press release from October 21, 2021: Attribution de la compétence à un tribunal judiciaire : les parlementaires sauvent l’esprit de la loi sur le devoir de vigilance !

5. (5)  See Friends of the Earth France and Survie report (October 2020): A nightmare named Total - An alarming rise in human rights violations in Uganda and Tanzania

6. (6)  See the news report by Le Monde, published on November 26, 2021: "En Ouganda, le pétrole de Total impose le silence et la peur" (In Uganda, Total's oil imposes silence and fear)

Tanzania kids edutainment 'Akili and Me' wins TZ 19 Million Prize

Ubongo, a Tanzania-based nonprofit social enterprise and Africa’s leading producer of kids’ edutainment, is this year’s winner of the prestigious Rotman Innovation of the Year Award, worth $10,000 Canadian dollars (approximately 19 million Tanzanian shillings)

Ubongo was recognized for its transformative innovation of offering evidence-based programming that improves developmental outcomes for children, while using broadcast technology to reach a wide breadth of children across Sub-Saharan Africa.

The accolade is presented annually by Grand Challenges Canada, a Canadian not-for-profit organization that invests in local innovations that address critical global health, humanitarian and Indigenous community challenges in Canada and low-resource countries.

Ubongo’s flagship Akili and Me programming is currently translated in nine languages. Since receiving Grand Challenges Canada support in 2018, more than 1.37 million children (pre-primary and primary school) across Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Nigeria, Uganda and Ghana have benefitted from watching Akili and Me. 

The multimedia platform—the first in Africa to integrate resource caregivers and other stakeholders—is easily accessible through television, radio and mobile phones.

According to a study, exposure to Ubongo’s Akili and Me program for 30 minutes per day for a month led to significantly improved child development scores, compared to those in the control group, including counting (24%); English skills (12.5%); number recognition (11.7%); shape knowledge (9.7%); and drawing skills (8.2%).

The project aims to positively impact the development, learning and life trajectory of over 100 million kids in Africa by 2030.

The Rotman Innovation of the Year Award was created in honour of the late Joseph Rotman, Founding Chair of Grand Challenges Canada, and his family, in recognition of their unfailing support for global health innovation. The Award honours innovation that has had the largest sustainable increase in lives saved or lives improved over the past year.

Ubongo Co-Founder and Chief Executive Nisha Ligon, who leads a strong, women-led team said the prize money will help with their goal of adapting content to more languages and contexts; the organization is determined to broadcast programming across Africa. 

“We are so honoured to receive this award. GCC’s support over the past three years has enabled us to expand our reach into many new markets and languages to reach millions of more kids. They have challenged us to think critically and strategically about our growth and have been essential in enabling Ubongo’s success,” she said.

“My father’s firm belief was that business has a critical role to play in building a better society. His vision is well embodied in Ubongo’s exceptional approach: the coordinated application of science and entrepreneurialism for the benefit of children. The Rotman Family congratulates Ubongo on being named the second annual winner of the Award,”Janis Rotman, President of the Rotman Family Foundation.

“Ubongo has brought a science-backed Early Childhood Development model into homes of children, many of whom otherwise don’t have access to quality education, through fun, localised and multi-platform educational content," said Jocelyn Mackie, the Grand Challenges Canada Co-CEO.

"To date, we have proudly financed Ubongo for a total of 1 million Canadian dollars under our Saving Brains program (with funding provided by Global Affairs Canada). Leveraging the reach of broadcast media, Ubongo has the largest breadth of impact in our Saving Brains portfolio.” 

“This very unique and successful idea that uses media for child development is helping to change the lives of the next generation of Africans, especially girls, so that they can live healthier lives, realize their potential, and prepare for active involvement in their communities,"said Her Excellency Pamela O’Donnell, High Commissioner for Canada in Tanzania.

The Government of Canada is investing in organizations, like Grand Challenges Canada, that support innovative solutions to save and improve the lives of people in low- and middle-income countries. "More than ever, we need new, creative solutions to build a sustainable future that leaves no one behind,”said O’Donnell. 

Last year, the inaugural Rotman Innovation of the Year Award, created as part of Grand Challenges Canada’s 10th anniversary, went to Hewatele, a Kenyan-owned social enterprise with a mission to address the lack of access to medical grade oxygen for rural and regional healthcare facilities by producing, delivering and servicing an eco-friendly, low-cost, safe and reliable oxygen solution.

£500,000 Hydrogen Training Academy to fight against climate change

A revolutionary project based in Ballymena, has received more than half-a-million-pounds of funding (£511,000) from the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund (CRF) to start a new Hydrogen Training Academy, which they say will help in the fight against climate change.

With hydrogen emerging as a leading sustainable energy solution, the first-of-its-kind project for Northern Ireland will enable and develop a dynamic, skilled workforce that can take full advantage of hydrogen and clean tech opportunities.

The Hydrogen Training Academy is one of 31 projects across Northern Ireland set to benefit from a total of £12million CRF funding – all focusing on skills, education, local business and employment.

Led by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, the Academy will be driven by a public-private partnership that includes Queen’s University, Ulster University, the University of Birmingham, Northern Regional College and Belfast Metropolitan College.

A consortium of key industry players also involved already includes Wrightbus, Energia, Translink, Firmus and EPUK with opportunities for other partners to come on-board as the project develops.

Professor David Rooney, Dean of Internationalisation and Reputation in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Science at Queen’s University, comments:

“With COP26 taking place, sustainability is very much at the forefront of all of our minds. At Queen’s, we have been prioritising this as an area of research for many years and our world class experts have been working on many initiatives in the fight against climate change.

“Working in partnership with other institutions we will continue to use our expertise to develop cutting edge research and technology to drive forward change. I am also pleased that we will play an integral role in training our future leaders and the next generation of experts in the hydrogen economy.”

The development of the academy began earlier this year with the formal procurement of a new state-of-the-art training pod to support the practical training through the Hydrogen Training Academy. The training pod is being built by BSH Limited and will be delivered early in 2022.

The Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor William McCaughey, commented: “As all eyes around the world turn to COP26 and the urgent focus on environmental sustainability continues to gather pace, news of this funding really is very timely and very welcome indeed.

“Mid and East Antrim is uniquely placed in Northern Ireland in terms of the key strengths and assets we boast in energy and cleantech that align with zero carbon targets. Through this revolutionary Hydrogen Training Academy, our Borough will continue to build upon its reputation as centre of excellence and the main focal point of the emerging Northern Ireland wide hydrogen economy.

“I commend Council’s Elected Members and officers who, in collaboration with our public and private sector partners, have invested a huge amount of time and effort in bringing the project to this stage. I very much look forward to seeing the plans come to fruition in the coming months and witnessing the longer-term economic impact the Academy will undoubtedly have in the coming years.”

Graham Whitehurst MBE, Chair of Mid and East Antrim’s Manufacturing Task Force, explained how the Academy will play a “critical role” in training and upskilling both existing employees and new trainees to a recognised professional competence standard required for the hydrogen sector.

“The Hydrogen Training Academy will deliver a range of crucial entry-level introductory training for industry across a number of sectors, including energy, transport, gas, manufacturing and engineering,” he said.

“This training will be delivered via a combination of online, classroom and practical training with initial focus on two key areas of hydrogen – hydrogen gas basics and safety and hydrogen production.”

According to Mr Whitehurst, an initial pilot phase at the Academy will see 30 participants take part in a ‘Train the Trainer’ course, delivered by academics from the University of Birmingham, who have already successfully delivered their ‘KnowHy Training’ to over 1,000 participants.

Queen’s University and Ulster University will collaborate to develop a Level 7 postgraduate certificate in Hydrogen Power. Northern Regional College and Belfast Metropolitan College will draw upon the learning from participation on the Train the Trainer Programme to develop and accredit two Level 3 courses for delivery to young people and employees across the hydrogen industry.

“This Hydrogen Training Academy has been developed using a unique partnership approach involving Council, Further Education, Higher Education and industry. Their contribution has been, and will remain, critical to the overall success of the project and the future commercialisation of activity for the clean growth sector in Northern Ireland,” said Mr Whitehurst.



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Africa’s death rates from COVID-19 infections are significantly higher in patients with diabetes

By World Health Organisation

Africa’s sharp increase in diabetes is clashing with the COVID-19 pandemic and poor access to vaccines. Africa’s death rates from COVID-19 infections are significantly higher in patients with diabetes, according to a preliminary analysis which the World Health Organization (WHO) presented today in advance of the World Diabetes Day on 14 November.

“COVID-19 is delivering a clear message: fighting the diabetes epidemic in Africa is in many ways as critical as the battle against the current pandemic,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

“The COVID-19 pandemic will eventually subside, but Africa is projected in the coming years to experience the highest increase in diabetes globally. We must act now to prevent new cases, vaccinate people who have this condition and, equally importantly, identify and support the millions of Africans unaware they are suffering from this silent killer.”

Diabetes impairs the body’s ability to produce or process insulin, a substance essential to counteracting a dangerous rise in blood sugar. The disease causes inflammation and poor blood circulation, both of which increase the risk of complications, including death, from COVID-19.

A recent WHO analysis evaluated data from 13 countries on underlying conditions or comorbidities in Africans who tested positive for COVID-19 revealed a 10.2% case fatality rate in patients with diabetes, compared with 2.5% for COVID-19 patients overall. 

The case fatality rate for people with diabetes was also twice as high as the fatality rate among patients suffering any comorbidity. In addition to people with diabetes, the three most frequent underlying conditions included patients with HIV and hypertension.

The countries contributing data to the analysis were Burkina Faso, Chad, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Eswatini, Guinea, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sao Tome and Principe and Uganda.

An estimated 24 million people are living with diabetes in Africa in 2021 according to the International Diabetes Federation and the continent is expected to experience the highest increase in diabetes globally, with the number of Africans suffering from the disease predicted to rise to 55 million by 2045, an increase of 134% compared with 2021. 

Africa is the region with the highest number of people who do not know their diagnosis – an estimated 70% of people with diabetes do not know they have the disease.

“Health officials in Africa should take advantage of the growing availability of low-cost rapid diagnostic tests to routinely test patients in diabetes centres to ensure early detection and proper care,” said Dr Benido Impouma, Director, Communicable and Noncommunicable Diseases Cluster at WHO Regional Office for Africa. “These centres also can be key venues for vaccination.”

Since the early days of the pandemic, people with diabetes in countries around the world have been prioritized to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. Africa has faced challenges in this strategy.

Access to vaccines remains poor. Thus far, only 6.6% of the African population is fully vaccinated against COVID-19, compared with about 40% globally. Data from 37 countries indicates that since March 2021, over 6.5 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have gone to Africans with comorbidities, representing 14% of all doses administered so far. 

Efforts to prioritize people with comorbidities, like diabetes, are accelerating with about half of those 6.5 million doses administered in just the last couple of months. However, there is still a lot more work to be done to ensure people at high risk receive the vaccines they need.

“Nine months since COVID-19 vaccination campaigns began in Africa, we are still nowhere near where we need to be with protecting our most vulnerable,” Dr Moeti said. “There is an urgent need to step up vaccination and other key services to people at high risk, including those with diabetes.”

There are two main types of diabetes: type 1 caused by a condition early in life that damages the pancreas and impairs insulin production; and type 2—which is linked to poor diet, obesity and lack of exercise—where the body struggles to process insulin. 

About 90% of diabetes cases globally, and the vast majority in Africa, are type 2, with rising rates in Africa attributed to the same poor diets and sedentary lifestyles causing a surge in type 2 diabetes around the world. 

In addition to COVID-19 risks, diabetes can also increase risk of heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, lower limb amputation, visual impairment, blindness and nerve damage, including erectile dysfunction.

“All Africans at risk of diabetes must have access to testing,” Dr Moeti said. “We can also stop diabetes from claiming more lives by promoting healthy, affordable diets and regular exercise.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, access to diabetes care has been severely disrupted in the African Region. Lockdowns to limit the spread of COVID-19, for example, have impeded access to health care and the basic elements of proper disease management, such as routine glucose monitoring and eating a healthy diet.

To improve equitable access to quality diabetes care, WHO launched the Global Diabetes Compact in April 2021. This builds on work in recent years to rollout the WHO Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease (WHO PEN) interventions for primary health care in low-resource settings. 

So far 21 African countries have started using this package. Benin, Eritrea, Eswatini, Lesotho and Togo have achieved national expansion covering all primary health care facilities.

WHO held a virtual press conference facilitated by APO Group. Dr Impouma was joined by Professor Maïmouna Ndour Mbaye, Head of the Internal Medicine unit, Cheikh Anta Diop University of Dakar and Director, National Diabetes Centre, Senegal, and Mr Greg Tracz, Chief Executive Officer, Diabetes Africa.

Also on hand to respond to questions were Dr Phionah Atuhebwe, New Vaccines Introduction Officer, WHO Regional Office for Africa, Dr Thierno Balde, Regional COVID-19 Incident Manager, WHO Regional Office for Africa, and Dr Jean-Marie Dangou, Coordinator, Noncommunicable Diseases Programme, WHO Regional Office for Africa.



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