By Kester Kenn Klomegah* MOSCOW (IDN) – Amid multifold theories and disinformation spreading around the COVID-19 in Africa, it is important for African governments to consider strengthening the existing health systems and infrastructures, and allocate substantial funds for health research and production of basic equipment, for attaining sustainable development goals set in the African Agenda […]
COVID-19: Brazil Implements Basic Income Policy Following Massive Civil Society Campaign
By Pedro Telles The writer is 2018-19 Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity at the International Inequalities Institute, London School of Economics. SÃO PAULO (IDN) – Tens of millions of Brazilians have begun receiving basic income payments aimed at addressing the economic impact of COVID-19, following Congress’ approval of a bill prompted by a […]
COVID-19: Bio-Warfare Conspiracy Theories Need Investigation
Viewpoint by Kalinga Seneviratne SYDNEY (IDN) – With the new coronavirus now known as COVID-19 becoming a global pandemic affecting countries around the world, with epicentres in western countries, various conspiracy theories have emerged and are gaining traction both in social media and the mainstream. Rather than dismissing these, all such theories may need close […]
China Heeds Global Demand for Anti-Coronavirus Masks
By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network NEW YORK (IDN) – As much of the world attempts to source much-needed face masks, Africa has been offered 5.4 million masks, more than a million testing kits and other items in a donation from Chinese billionaire Jack Ma. Massive medical supplies donated by the Jack Ma Foundation to […]
COVID-19: UN Agencies Working Round the Clock to Ensure Humanitarian Support
By Daniel Johnson of UN News GENEVA (IDN) – United Nations agencies are working round the clock to provide all the necessary aid to vulnerable sections of the society to combat the Coronavirus pandemic at diverse levels: ensuring meals to millions of children affected by the closure of schools, airlifting relief to Sudanese refugees in […]
China Shows Novel Coronavirus Can Be ‘Stopped in Its Tracks’
By UN News BEIJING (IDN) – China’s experience in containing the spread of the new coronavirus could serve as a lesson for other countries now facing the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior official with the World Health Organization (WHO) has told UN News in an in-depth interview. While more than 153,00 cases of the respiratory illness […]
Veteran Mental Health Charity Leaves Thousands at Risk
By J W Jackie RENO, Nevada, USA (IDN) – A UK-based mental health charity that provides treatment to around 2,000 military veterans every year has announced that it will no longer be accepting new referrals. Combat Stress has helped veterans for more than 100 years but says that a lack of funding means that they […]
Accelerating Actions Towards Zero Female Genital Mutilation
By Caroline Mwanga NEW YORK (IDN) – While significant progress in eliminating the practice has been made in the last 30 years, approximately 200 million girls and women alive today have had their genitals mutilated. This can lead to long-term physical, psychological and social consequences, warns a joint statement by UN Women, UNFPA, UNICEF and […]
WHO Initiates a Two-Pronged Move to Combat Coronavirus
By Jaya Ramachandran GENEVA (IDN) – Two important steps have been taken to combat further spread of the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak in China and globally. On the one hand, the international community has launched a US$675 million preparedness and response plan covering the months of February through to April 2020. On the other, the […]
Urgent Health Challenges Facing the World
By Sean Buchanan GENEVA (IDN) – A list of urgent, global health challenges released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) at the beginning of 2020 reflects deep concern that leaders are failing to invest sufficient resources in core health priorities and systems. This, says the Geneva-based UN agency, is putting lives, livelihoods and economies in […]