“Livestock play a crucial role in our lives. Our animals provide the means to feed our families and educate our children,” says Mary Mayen Dut, from Marial Ajidth of Marial Bai in Jur County.

She and other animal breeders in the region were recently scared when an outbreak of disease caused significant suffering and countless deaths among their herds. In a bid to alleviate their fears, Bangladeshi peacekeepers stationed in Wau and serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) organized a free veterinary camp to keep their prized assets healthy.

“Our primary goal is to help people secure an income but also to build trust within communities. That is an essential part of our mandate to protect civilians and to advance peacebuilding initiatives throughout the country,” said Lieutenant Colonel Md Golam Mustofa Phil, one of the Blue Helmets involved in the operation.

At the vet camp, devoted peacekeepers and local animal healthcare practitioners from the Ministry of Animal Resources, Fisheries, and Tourism treated more than 300 animals for a variety of conditions, including parasites, abscesses, diarrhea, anemia and pneumonia.

“I’m full of praise for the way the peacekeeping mission has consistently supported us for years. This camp attracted many cattle keepers and greatly benefitted both them and their livestock, said Dr. Paul Anjello Rizig Faragalla from the Ministry, who expressed his hope that similar activities will be conducted in other parts of the state.

The beaming smile of animal farmer Mor Mor Deng said everything about his mood when his ailing beasts enjoyed the love, care and medical expertise offered by the Bangladeshi veterinarians.

“I am thrilled to witness their almost instant relief from pain. Just look at them and you’ll notice that they are as happy and genuinely grateful as I am!”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS).

UCAA’s Finance Director, Hassan Musinguzi explained that the contention is in the new rent figure of US$15 per square metre following a valuation by the Chief Government Valuer.

“When they [ENHAS and DAS] occupied in 2022, we gave draft agreements which figure they contested and at that point, we sought guidance from Chief Government Valuer who lowered the value from US$15 to US$8.

Musinguzi added that, ‘we disputed that because the previous figure was US$7. We cannot have an increment for the new facilities of US$1 only’.

He said that the two handling companies also disputed the US$15 and appealed.

“However, they have concession agreements. We billed the companies and MENZIS paid at the old rate of US$7 as we wait for further guidance from the chief government valuer,” Musinguzi said.

UCAA’s Director General Fred Bamwesigye justified the increment of rent saying that the new cargo centre eases the business of the companies.

“We asked the Chief Government Valuer to review but when he returned the figure, it was disappointing and we could not accept.  We have a meeting with the Chief Government Valuer and the companies and we want the valuer to give us valuation based on how the new facilities eases their businesses,” said Bamwesigye.

This prompted Committee Chairperson, Hon. Medard Sseggona to question the parameters used by the Government Chief Valuer to reduce the rent amount.

“Can you share with us the valuation from the Chief Government Valuer and the final returns because it is really disturbing. In the meantime, on what terms are they [ENHAS and DAS] occupying? They should not have moved from the old to the new without having agreed on the amount,” said Sseggona.

He added that once the committee reviews the necessary documents, a decision will be taken, which may include interfacing with the Chief Government Valuer.

“We will decide whether the Chief Government Valuer comes here to tell us how you value because there is what we call a margin of error, but a margin of error cannot go to US$7,” Sseggona said adding that, ’the Chief Government Valuer is an internal government officer who guides you when you are negotiating; nothing stops you from charging even US$30 as long as you are not charging below what the government valuer has returned’.

Hon. Yusuf Nsibambi (FDC, Mawokoto County South) pointed out that the law does not mandate the Chief Government Valuer to fix prices for cargo handling services.

“You can do it independently with the companies or you go out to seek further guidance, which is okay. You cannot go back to the valuer to review; you cannot go back to the person who gave a lower figure,” he said.

The new Cargo terminal is a self-contained facility approximately, 6,700 square metres and has capacity of 100,000 tonnes with parking apron, landside and airside access roads and cooling facilities.

According to the allocation, EHNAS and DAS occupy 80 percent of the cargo terminal building.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda.

To improve the sensitivity of polio detection and response, the Ministry of Health with technical support from the World Health Organisation(WHO), recently established established Environmental Surveillance(ES) for the country.

Environmental Surveillance is the regular collection of sewage or wastewater that is contaminated with human faecal matter and testing the samples for the presence or absence of poliovirus. Environmental Surveillance can detect poliovirus transmission even in the absence of polio cases among humans and can provide additional justification for the elimination and certification of poliovirus transmission.

“Going by the recent upsurge in the outbreak of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus in the region, the WHO is determined to improve polio surveillance for early detection and response. Lesotho has become the 44th country in the region to initiate Environmental Surveillance”, says Dr. Hamisu Walla, Environmental Surveillance (ES) Consultant and ES focal point at WHO AFRO.

Malekhetho Motenalapi, National Surveillance Officer at the Ministry of Health said this new system will complement the existing Acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance.

“The Ministry of Health is excited that ES has finally been established in Lesotho. Given that many tourists are visiting Lesotho from Polio endemic countries, the ES will complement (AFP) surveillance by increasing the sensitivity of poliovirus detection. The system can be upgraded later to detect other pathogens of importance”, says Motenalapi.

The African region started implementing ES in Nigeria in 2011 and with gradual expansion, the number of countries implementing ES by the end of 2023 was 42 out of the 47 countries in the region. In April 2024, ES was established in Lesotho with two functional sample collection sites.

The World Health Organization (WHO) aims to improve polio surveillance for early detection and response. Lesotho has become the 44th country in the region to initiate Environmental Surveillance.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Lesotho.

On 20 June 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Namibia, Dr. Richard Banda paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Health and Social Services, Honorable Dr. Kalumbi Shangula. The meeting aimed to cement the existing partnership between the Ministry of Health and Social Services and WHO under the new leadership and affirm commitments to ensuring health for all.    

Honorable Dr. Shangula warmly welcomed Dr. Banda to Namibia, highlighting the close partnership between the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) and WHO. He applauded WHO for its unwavering support to the ministry, saying that “as a ministry, we are actively engaged and participating in WHO work. We participate in various consultations with WHO regarding the review of the International Health Regulations and the drafting Pandemic Accord among others”.

During the meeting, Dr. Banda commented the Government of Namibia for the tremendous progress in addressing to public health issues. “We have seen remarkable progress in the HIV response, with the country achieving the 90-90-90 targets. We are now aiming for the 95-95-95 target. If kept on track, Namibia will be able to end AIDS by 2030 and be among the first countries to do so” he remarked. Additionally, he congratulated Namibia for its key milestones achievement in eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV and Hepatitis B. 

Minister Shangula noted the challenges posed by conspiracies in the HIV response within the community. He emphasized the government’s commitment to implementing effective health programs, starting with the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, which was fully funded by the government and supported by partners.  “The results achieved by the program are promising, but we are still striving to meet the elimination targets” he added.

The discussion further highlighted the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCD) and the need for increased investment in NCD and reduction in risk factors. Currently, WHO is supporting MoHSS in reviewing the Tobacco Products Control Act of 2010, to ensure a comprehensive legal and policy framework for tobacco control.

 Additionally, the two leaders noted the success in polio eradication with reference to the successful management of the 2005 polio outbreak. The country’s progress in improving Tuberculosis (TB) indicators was also highlighted. 

WHO reiterated its commitment to supporting the Government of Namibia in addressing public health challenges and enhancing the Ministry’s efforts to ensuring universal health coverage.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization (WHO) – Namibia.