COVID-19

Photo: Chinese Emergency Medical Teams at Wuhan. Credit: World Health Organization.

COVID-19: The Trump Administration's Attack on China and the WHO Is Unfounded

Viewpoint by Vijay Prashad*

This article was produced in partnership by Indian Punchline and Globetrotter, a project of the Independent Media Institute where it first appeared. This is the first part of a two-part series. The second is available here.

‎KOLKATA‎, India (IDN) – On April 14, 2020, U.S. President Donald Trump addressed a news conference at the White House, where he said that his administration would “halt [all] funding” for the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO, founded in 1948, is the principal United Nations agency tasked with the improvement of the health of the world; it is also widely acknowledged as an agency that is best suited to deal with health emergencies.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 27 April 2020

Photo: WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (left) and Australian PM Scott Morrison (right) who is spearheading an international enquiry into China's lack of transparency and the WHO's mistakes in regard to COVID-19. A collage of pictures from Wikimedia Commons and Spotlght Nepal.

COVID-19: This Is No Time to Start A Coronavirus Blame Game

Viewpoint by John McCarthy *

MELBOURNE (IDN) – Australia's decision to spearhead an international enquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic — read China's lack of transparency and the WHO's mistakes — is a nice hoary bellow from the domestic political ramparts, but it is a policy mistake.

The Australian opposition's support for the decision does not bathe the policy in divine light. It merely doubles the weight of the mistake.

Whichever country had decided to initiate such a policy, it would have been a bad idea.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 26 April 2020

Photo: During a press conference about the coronavirus pandemic on March 20, Dr. Anthony Fauci was caught on camera putting his hand over his face as Donald Trump ranted about the “deep state.” Source: PoliticalDig

Who Should Be in Charge: Doctors or Politicians?

Viewpoint by Jan Zielonka*

This article was originally published on open Democracy. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of IDN-InDepth News.

VENICE (IDN) – Our lives currently seem to be in the hands of doctors, and this concerns not only those who have caught the corona virus. New regulations on quarantine, social distancing and borders have been dictated to governments by their medical advisors.

: Phil Harris; OPINION; 25 April 2020

COVID-19: Strengthen WHO for Systemic Change of Health Systems

Viewpoint by Dr P. I. Gomes

The writer is former-Secretary-General of the African, Caribbean & Pacific Group of States (now known as Organisation of Africa, Caribbean & Pacific States - OACPS)

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (IDN) – As the curve flattens in the trajectory of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in some countries, or the peak is claimed to have reached in others, allowing limited economic activities as in Wuhan, China or shopping for household necessities in Germany, widespread commentary and debate focus on economic, social, commercial and political impacts of the pandemic.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 24 April 2020

Image credit: UN Economic Cooperation for Africa

COVID-19: Should You Believe What ECA Is Saying About Africa?

Viewpoint by Azu Ishiekwene *

ABUJA, Nigeria (IDN) – In one of his bestsellers, The Zahir, Paulo Coelho said there are two major problems in life: knowing when to begin and knowing when to stop.

If, for example, Nigeria had closed its borders early on and enforced quarantine for all returning Nigerians, whoever they are, things might have been different today. I’m sure many others would say the same for their own countries as well.

: Africa & ME Editor; THE WORLD; Africa; 24 April 2020

Photo: Syrian refugee camp on the Turkish border for displaced people of the Syrian civil war. Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Many Facets of Pandemic Vulnerability

Viewpoint by Alison Mountz*

This article was originally published on openDemocracy. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of IDN-InDepth News.

WATERLOO, Ontario (IDN) – We are living a sudden, seismic acceleration of bordering. This acceleration unfolds not only along national borders but within them: between states and provinces, around cities, care homes, apartment buildings, hospitals, cruise ships, apartments, bodies – two metres, to be precise.

: Phil Harris; OPINION; 23 April 2020

Photo: UCA's undergraduate curriculum is designed in partnership with top tier global universities in growing industry fields. Credit: The University of Central Asia (UCA),

CENTRAL ASIA: Turning COVID-19 Calamity into an Opportunity

By Hamid Ali Khan Eusafzai

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan (IDN) – The University of Central Asia (UCA), along with many other universities across the globe, suffered the effects of COVID-19. Being forced to close the campus and send students back home, for the health and safety of both students and staff, it also opened a new opportunity for the university to develop digital learning. But, with most students coming from remote rural mountain communities, the challenges were more daunting.

: Kalinga Seneviratne; THE WORLD; Central Asia; 22 April 2020

Collage of coronavirus affected Africa and animated video by INPS-IDN.

The Impact of COVID-19 Stalks Africa – Animated Video Tells Children About It

By Lisa Vives, Global Information Network

NEW YORK (IDN) – While Africa, like the international community, on the whole, is engaged in a tough fight against the coronavirus, a World Health Organization (WHO) expert has called into question frightening estimates of those affected by COVID-19. At the same time, Ghana in a surprise move has ordered a partial lift of the lockdown. The pandemic virus is luring Rwanda into massive 'loans' under the garb of debt reduction.

: Global Information Network; THE WORLD; Africa; 22 April 2020

Photo: Bill and Melinda Gates have committed funds to research the disease and manufacture a vaccine when one becomes available. Credit: Kjetil Ree, CC BY-SA 3.0

COVID-19: Why We Should Be Sceptical of the Benevolence of Billionaires

Viewpoint by Gwilym David Blunt*

LONDON (IDN) – The coronavirus pandemic has produced a surge in philanthropic giving from some of the world’s wealthiest people. Bill and Melinda Gates, longstanding champions of global health, have committed funds to research the disease and manufacture a vaccine when one becomes available. Jack Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter, has pledged one billion dollars for “global COVID-19 relief”. Then there are Jack Ma, Li Ka-Shing, George Soros, Giorgio Armani and Jeff Bezos – other examples of billionaires giving staggering amounts of money to help alleviate the suffering caused by this global crisis. It is not surprising that they have enjoyed widespread praise and acclaim.

: Phil Harris; OPINION; 22 April 2020

Image credit: Independent Online (IOL), South Afruca.

New Initiative to Fight COVID-19 with Information Technology

By J Nastranis

NEW YORK (IDN) – With support from UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations specialized agency for information ((ITU) are set to work with telecommunication companies to text people directly on their mobile phones with vital health messaging to help protect them from COVID-19.

These text messages, as part of the joint 'WHO-ITU Be initiative', will reach billions of people who are not in a position to connect to the internet for information, said a joint statement on April 20.