Children are particularly vulnerable to the new strain of the deadly mpox virus that is spreading globally after being declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization. 

The most recent data shows that about two-thirds of infections in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – which currently has about 90% of reported cases – are in people under the age of 15 with more than 321 children dying. 

Here are five ways the virus is affecting children: 

1) Children are at higher risk than adults of contracting mpox –  with 70% of DRC’s 14,901 cases in children under 15 – and nearly four times more likely to die from mpox than adults [1] [2].  WHO data shows that the case fatality ratio for children under the age of one is 8.6%, compared to 2.4% in people aged 15 and over.  

2) Transmission might be driven by children’s weaker immune systems and/or the fact that children might have more physical contact interactions through play and at school. The virus can spread by any skin-to-skin contact, airborne contact, and even from contaminated surfaces and objects such as bedding, clothing, and cooking utensils. 

3) Children may end up at higher risk due to the close resemblance of some of the signs and symptoms of mpox to other common childhood illnesses – such as scabies and chickenpox – leading to late recognition and treatment and delayed diagnosis and treatment. 

4) Mpox causes fever, rash and lesions all over the body, severe headaches and fatigue. In severe cases, mpox can lead to sepsis, a life-threatening response to infection that requires immediate specialist medical attention. Some children also develop respiratory problems and have difficulty swallowing, and are at higher risk for secondary bacterial infections. 

5) With just a few weeks before children in many countries across the world go back to school, lockdowns or school closures to curb the spread of the virus will have a hugely detrimental impact on children’s learning.

Earlier this week Save the Children said that newborn babies are contracting the virus in DRC’s overcrowded hospitals.  

Dr Revati Phalkey, Global Director of Health and Nutrition at Save the Children said: “It’s clear from the data: children are more at risk of both contracting and dying from mpox. We know from decades of experience that it is the most vulnerable children who will be worse off – like undernourished children and those living in crowded refugee camps with limited access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene. 

“The World Health Organization has said this is an emergency of international concern. It is critical that authorities and donors ramp up control measures, especially efforts to get vaccines to those who need them, in order to save children’s lives.” 

In DRC, Save the Children is responding to the mpox outbreak in North Kivu and South Kivu through water, sanitation and health services support, including providing PPE and training leaders in engagement, communication, and community alert systems for identifying and reporting suspected cases. The outbreak is exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis, with over 7 million people displaced, primarily due to conflict and a collapsed health system. 

Save the Children is also working with the national government in Burundi on a national response plan to the rising number of infections.   

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Save the Children.

The Ngwenyama (king) of Eswatini, His Majesty Mswati III who is on a state visit to Uganda, spent his second day (Thursday 15th August 2024) in Busoga Kingdom, visiting and appreciating cultures and several key development initiatives.

His Majesty Mswati III flanked by his wife, Queen Inkhosikati Make Lamashwama and a high-level delegation from the Kingdom of Eswatini visited the Kingdom of Busoga and was welcomed by the Kyabazinga, His Majesty William Wilberforce Kadhumbula Gabula Nadiope IV and Queen Jovia Mutesi, the Katukiro (Prime Minister) of Busoga, Dr. Joseph Muvawala.

Other dignitaries who welcomed the Eswatini King included; the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Affairs, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, the Minister for Presidency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda, the Minister for Works and Transport, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala, the Minister for General Duties- Office of the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon Justine Kasule Lumumba, among others.

King Mswati III held fruitful discussions with his host to further strengthen their relationship.

“We would like to say that our coming here is also to strengthen cooperation, to build ties between ourselves because as members of the African Union which is in dire need of improving lives of our people, our obligation is to work together through several areas of cooperation. We are here to look at the possible opportunities on both sides of the two kingdoms and to work together,” said His Majesty the King of Eswatini adding that his visit was to not only reciprocate the visit paid by the Kyabazinga recently but also to celebrate strong cultures.

“I’m very happy on behalf of the people of the kingdom of Eswatini to be here to pay a visit. I’m happy that when I come here to see the king, we are well received by all of you and you’re showing us the cultures of Busoga kingdom. When the king came to the kingdom of Eswatini, we also showed him a little bit of our culture of what Eswatini is and he told me that he was so happy to see that. I was myself looking forward to coming and seeing this particular culture that you have prepared for us,” His Majesty noted after witnessing the different cultural norms and their meaning.

King Mswati also thanked President Museveni for the invitation to come for a state visit which he said will go a long way in furthering the good relations between Uganda and Eswatini.

“I’m happy to come here and very pleased to be received by His Majesty the Kyabazinga and his delegation. Thank you very much for the hospitality and warm reception. We have really enjoyed our stay here and we will take many happy memories of this place,” King Mswati stated.

On the other hand, His Majesty Mswati called upon their subjects on both sides to always welcome and appreciate rain as a blessing to prosperity but not a disturbance to such ceremonies.

“We are so happy that when we come here, we can see that our ancestors and our God Almighty are with us. I’m glad that coming with rain is a sign that there will be prosperity because when you have enough rain that’s a sign of prosperity. We’re talking about food security where we need rain especially to irrigate our crops. So, when I see this rain here, it makes me very happy that the Busoga kingdom will definitely have a lot of blessings,” he stated.

At the same function, His Majesty Mswati III gifted land to the Kyabazinga in Eswatini to keep the cattle he was given last month upon his maiden visit.

“When the king visited us, I gave him a gift of Eswatini cows to strengthen our brotherhood. But when I come to Busoga, I realise he’s coming from very far away. So, I invite him to Eswatini so that I can get him land to keep his cattle,” King Mswati said.

On his part, the Kyabazinga of Busoga His Majesty William Wilberforce Kadhumbula Gabula Nadiope IV welcomed his guest and the royal family of Eswatini kingdom at Igenge royal palace and conveyed greetings of the people of Busoga kingdom. He expressed gratitude to President Museveni for creating a strong bond between Eswatini and Uganda.

“Today is a special day in the history of Busoga as we continue to strengthen our relationship with the mighty kingdom of Eswatini through embracing unity of purpose, brotherhood and safeguarding the present and future generations through promoting our culture and heritage. I thank the President of Uganda, H.E Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for establishing strong bilateral relations between our two countries; Uganda and the kingdom of Eswatini from which we can tap important brotherly and cultural relationships that have got great potential of uniting us as Africans and for the development of our people,” the Kyabazinga noted.

In a special way, he commended the King of Eswatini for honouring his invitation-on short notice to attend the grand Busoga Royal wedding in November 2023 by sending a 10-man powerful delegation to represent him. This was led by Eswatini princes Sicalo Dlamini and Bandzile Dlamini, both sons of King Mswati III.

In the same vein, the Kyabazinga thanked King Mswati for the hospitality during their 4-day official visit to the Kingdom of Eswatini in July 2024 where he attended the esteemed Ingwenyama Cup gala, also known as the King’s Cup, a prominent annual football competition in Eswatini.

“Your Majesty, the people of Busoga kingdom whom I lead have great admiration and good wishes for your kingdom. And in particular your exemplary and steadfast leadership that has preserved the original African culture and heritage,” the Kyabazinga stated, adding that, the two kingdoms have a lot in common like having a predominantly young population, the respect and love for culture and heritage, reliance on agriculture, tourism and a lot more but also diversity which gives greater meaning to brotherhood which has culminated into opportunities that the two kingdoms shall pursue and have joint development programs through unity of purpose.

The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Affairs, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga appreciated King Mswati III for accepting to visit Uganda and Busoga Kingdom in particular.

“We want to thank our king (the Kyabazinga) for building the bridges and visiting Eswatini. We thank you (King Mswati) for hosting him because this was the beginning of our long journey which we hope will be a fruitful one and a long relationship between the people of Busoga and the kingdom of Eswatini,” Rt Hon.  Kadaga who is also the Woman MP for Kamuli said.

The ceremony was also graced by Members of the royal family of the kingdom of Eswatini and Obwa Kyabazinga bwa Busoga, members of the Chiefs’ royal council comprising of the chiefs from the 11 chiefdoms of Obwa Kyabazinga bwa Busoga, clan leaders, Members of Parliament, service chiefs, Political leaders, Civil servants, among others.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of State House Uganda.

On August 13, Eswatini’s Supreme Court overturned a 2016 High Court decision that declared several repressive provisions of the 1938 Suppression of Terrorism Act (STA) and 2008 Sedition and Subversive Activities Act (SSA) invalid.

The 2016 High Court decision had declared that several sections of SSA and STA violated the rights to freedom of association, expression, and assembly, guaranteed in Eswatini’s Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to which Eswatini is party.

The 2016 decision combined four separate applications to the High Court brought by six activists.

The activists, who included the late human rights lawyer Thulani Maseko, Mario Masuku, leader of the banned People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), and Maxwell Dlamini, leader of PUDEMO’s youth wing, had been separately charged under the SSA for allegedly making subversive statements and sedition. They had also been charged under the STA for allegedly “chanting slogans of a terrorism nature,” “wearing t-shirts which bore terrorist demands at the back,” and participating in a demonstration calling for a boycott of elections.

The activists argued that the STA, which criminalizes support for a proscribed entity and prevented individuals from challenging that label, infringed on their right to due process and administrative justice.

Political parties have been banned in Eswatini since 1973.

The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the High Court’s ruling will embolden the government to ramp up its ongoing crackdown on opposition, human rights, and pro-democracy activists and weaponize the criminal justice system. This ruling is the latest in a worrying trend of authorities employing vague and overly broad provisions of terrorism laws to suppress freedom of association, expression, and assembly. In July, two former members of parliament, Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube, were sentenced to prison terms of 25 and 18 years respectively for participating in and supporting pro-democracy protests in 2021.

This week, the Southern African Development Community (SADC), of which Eswatini is a member, will hold its 44th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State in Harare, Zimbabwe. The SADC should prioritize the deteriorating human rights crisis in Eswatini and take decisive action. It’s imperative the Eswatini government repeal these repressive laws and ensure full respect for fundamental freedoms and human rights.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Human Rights Watch (HRW).

At the 5th anniversary celebration of the Council on Foreign Relations Ghana, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo delivered a powerful speech emphasizing the need for Africa to prioritize economic self-sufficiency and reduce dependency on external aid.

Speaking on the theme “The Limits of the Current Development Co-operation Framework for Africa’s Transformation,” the President outlined the limitations of the existing development cooperation framework and proposed strategies for achieving sustainable development across the continent.

President Akufo-Addo expressed concern about Africa’s continued reliance on external aid, which he described as a significant barrier to the continent’s progress. “Whilst aid has helped meet some immediate needs and supported various development projects, it has also created a dependency syndrome that undermines domestic ownership and self-reliance,” he stated.

To overcome this challenge, the President called for a focus on strategies that stimulate economic self-sufficiency. He highlighted the importance of amplifying domestic resource mobilization, nurturing entrepreneurship, and creating an enabling environment for indigenous private sector investment. These measures, he argued, would help build resilient economies and reduce Africa’s dependence on external aid, paving the way for sustainable development.

In his speech, President Akufo-Addo also addressed the issue of fragmented aid efforts, which he said often lead to inefficiencies and duplication. He advocated for greater harmonization and alignment of aid efforts with national development priorities, urging development partners to work collaboratively with African governments to ensure that aid, if requested and granted, is delivered in a coordinated and coherent manner.

Furthermore, the President underscored the importance of structural transformation for Africa’s economies. He pointed out that while short-term projects and interventions are necessary for immediate needs, they do not necessarily lead to long-term, sustainable development. To achieve Africa’s transformation, President Akufo-Addo called for a shift towards long-term investment in critical sectors such as agriculture, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and industrialization.

The President cited his government’s flagship One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) initiative as an example of a policy aimed at addressing the root causes of underdevelopment and championing inclusive growth. He stressed that by prioritizing structural transformation, Africa can build resilient economies capable of withstanding external shocks and driving sustainable development.

In conclusion, President Akufo-Addo called for a new paradigm in development cooperation, one that is centered on partnership, mutual accountability, sustainability, and local ownership. He emphasized that African countries must take the lead in defining their development priorities, with development partners supporting these efforts in a collaborative and respectful manner.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.