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Merck Partner Kenya On Improving Access to Cancer Care

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Merck Partner Kenya On Improving Access to Cancer Care

Nairobi (Kenya) — Merck, a leading company for innovative and high-tech products in healthcare, life science and performance materials, in partnership with Kenya Ministry of Health, has kicked off its first e- diagnostic and consultation clinics at both Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi and Machacos Hospital.

This is part of their e-health initiative in Africa – Merck e-health is a new initiative of Merck’s 5 year Capacity Advancement Program (CAP).

The CAP has been launched by Merck in 2012 to expand healthcare capacity in the areas of research and development, supply-chain integrity and efficiency, pharmacovigilance, medical education, and community awareness in Africa and developing countries.

Merck e- diagnostic and consultation clinics will allow patients and healthcare providers in remote areas through using the power of IP and video conferencing to interact with Cancer specialists at Kenyatta Hospital, the largest national referral and teaching hospital in Kenya in order to extend the reach of healthcare into remote areas.

During the launch ceremony, Frank Stangenberg- Haverkamp, Chairman of Family Board and Executive Board of E-Merck KG said “Merck e-Health initiative demonstrates our commitment to building healthcare capacity and improving access to innovative and equitable healthcare solutions and disease awareness for patients in rural areas across Kenya.”

At the launch of the Merck e-health Initiative at Kenyatta National Hospital, Cabinet Secretary of Health, Dr James Macharia, stated “we are happy to partner with Merck to support Kenya national telemedicine program which will enable patient consultations with specialists in referral hospitals to help earlier diagnosis, quicker and better care.

“Video conferencing technology takes into consideration the reality of Africa in which majority of poor population live in rural set-up with inadequate health facilities and less developed road infrastructure which are barriers to better healthcare specially in Cancer early detection and treatment” he added

Rasha Kelej, Vice President and Head of Global Business Responsibility and Market Development of Merck’s biopharmaceutical business Merck Serono said “Merck e-health initiative will contribute to bringing healthcare to underserved populations, improving the quality and reducing the cost of healthcare delivery; improving the effectiveness of public health programs and research in order to promote prevention and better managing of non- communicable diseases specially cancer ,diabetes and cardiac diseases”

“Merck will actively engage in dialogue with Governments and local stakeholders in Africa to inform the expansion of their e-Health initiative to improve access to Cancer healthcare across Africa” she added.

“The next phase will also include upgrading of the telemedicine to facilitate the sub-specialists examine the patient at the county hospital in real time by availing digital patient examination equipment,” said Dr Macharia.

Merck Capacity Advancement Program Roadmap in Kenya:

Merck CAP has provided since 2012 more than 2000 medical and pharmacy students with medical education about clinical diabetes and hypertension management in Kenya and we are aiming to reach more than 15000 medical students across Africa by the end of 2018.

“Merck has also announced in May 2015, the start of Merck Cancer Control Program-MCCP in partnership with Oxford University and University Of Nairobi to educate the students and healthcare providers about Cancer early detection and prevention, the program will be augmented by community awareness campaigns to contribute to reducing cancer incidence and improve its survival rates. The program has been kicked off in Uganda in April and will be provide the medical education program in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania starting from June 2015” Rasha Kelej said.

“Merck has developed tailored patient materials to raise awareness about cancer early detection and prevention among African communities to help controlling the disease and improving cancer survival rate in Africa.” She added.

Moreover, Merck African Supply Chain Forum has been launched in April 2015 in partnership with University of Nairobi, KEMSA (Kenya medical supplies authority) and PSK (Kenya Pharmaceutical Society) in order to contribute to improving supply chain efficiency in Kenya by providing training and technical support to help developing and applying (GDP) Good distribution practice and (GSP) Good Storage Practice international guidelines in the country.

Merck e-Learning solutions to help fight diabetes in Africa:

Merck previously partnered with African Ministries of Health, Universities and Patient Diabetes Association to carry out nationwide diabetes awareness (SMS) text messages to healthcare providers and community members in Kenya, Uganda and Ghana.

They have also introduced e-Learning platform, where medical and pharmacy students and healthcare providers in rural areas can have free access to all medical educational materials and lectures on a dedicated website that has been developed by EXCEMED
http://www.managediabetesonline.org/

About Capacity Advancement Program (CAP)

Merck CAP is a 5 year program aiming to expand the professional capacity in developing countries in the areas of research and development, advocacy building, supply-chain integrity and efficiency, pharmacovigilance, medical education, and community awareness.

As part of the CAP, by end of 2015, more than 5,000 medical students in partnership with African universities such as University of Nairobi, Makerere University, Namibia University and University of Ghana, in addition to Asian universities such as Maharashtra university, India and University of Indonesia will benefit from European-accredited clinical chronic diseases management training, which is seeking to equip them with skills to better manage and prevent these diseases.

Merck is planning to target more than 15,000 students by the end of 2018 expanding to more African, Asian, Latin American and Middle Eastern countries with special focus on non –communicable diseases such as Diabetes, Cancer, Thyroid Dysfunction and Fertility Management.

The program will also kick off initiatives on building research capacity and improving supply chain in order to improve patient safety in Africa.

Source: African Press Organization

Jonathan Signs Violence Against Persons, Immigration Bills

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Jonathan Signs Violence Against Persons, Immigration Bills

By Olalekan Adetay

Abuja (Nigeria) – President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday signed two bills, earlier passed by the National Assembly, into law.

The bills, which have now become Acts, are the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015 and the Immigration Act 2015.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, confirmed the development to State House correspondents.

Jonathan signed the bills into laws barely four days to the expiration of his tenure.

The President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, is billed to be inaugurated as the country’s next President on Friday.

The Senate had on May 4 passed the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015 into law.

The Act seeks to prohibit female circumcision or genital mutilation, forceful ejection from home and harmful widowhood practices.

It also prohibits abandonment of spouse, children and other dependents without sustenance, battery and harmful traditional practices.

It also intends to eliminate violence in private and public life and provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims of violence, and punishment of offenders.

The law also prohibits economic abuse, forced isolation and separation from family and friends, substance attack, depriving persons of their liberty, incest, indecent exposure, among others.

The bill was sponsored by the Leader of the Senate, Victor Ndoma-Egba.

In his remarks, Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided at the session where the bill was passed, said the passage of the bill would provide adequate protection for the vulnerable in the society and punish those who take advantage of them.

Curled from the Punch Newspaper

PDP Blasts Buhari, Says He Must Fulfil His Promise Of Paying N5,000 Monthly To 25m Poor Nigerians

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PDP Blasts Buhari, Says He Must Fulfil His Promise Of Paying N5,000 Monthly To 25m Poor Nigerians

The peoples Democratic Party (PDP) views with disappointment the apparent snub by the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the handover programme lined up by the Federal Government to transmit power to him by Friday, May 29, 2015. The PDP said such behavior was a measure of lack of democratic discipline.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh in a statement on Sunday said the President-elect owes Nigerians explanations on why he snubbed the prayer sessions scheduled for Friday and Sunday for Muslims and Christians respectively to usher in four years of his in-coming administration as well as the embarrassing protocol gaffe and low-down treatment that characterized his visit to British Prime Minister David Cameron last Saturday.

The PDP said it was disgraceful that due to poor coordination and crass ineptitude in the handling of issues, the President-elect was left almost stranded while waiting for about thirty minutes before he was received by the British leader and wondered if such is a foretaste of the muddling to be experienced under the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s administration.

“Nigerians, as citizens of a sovereign nation were thoroughly embarrassed when they saw their President-elect cheapened and kept waiting at the door of 10 Downing Street to see the British Prime Minister due to shoddy arrangements by his handlers.

“Indeed, they are becoming increasingly worried about the frightening unpreparedness of the APC for governance and the huge embarrassments they have been attracting to our nation.

We know that the APC has been lying over issues. We also know that the APC and the President-elect have been flip-flopping and reneging on their campaign promises; but to embarrass the nation by embarking on such a sensitive visit without adequate preparations is shameful and completely unacceptable.

“We share the fear of well-meaning Nigerians on how a party which cannot adequately handle a simple task of organizing a diplomatic outing will effectively administer a country as complex as Nigeria.

“The APC has continued to give signals that it lacks capacity to face the challenges of governance. Such has been evidenced in the uneasiness of the President-elect who in apparent loss of confidence in himself has started reneging on his promises of quick fixes while confessing in a meeting with APC governors-elect on May 5, 2015 that he has ‘started nervously to explain to people that Rome was not built in a day’.

“Instead of settling down for governance and working out how to fulfill its promises of making the naira the same in value with the dollar, paying N5, 000 monthly to 25 million poor Nigerians, providing electricity on 24/7 basis, providing free meals for school children and allowances for discharged but unemployed youth corps members among others, the APC is busy inventing excuses for failure and blaming everyone else but themselves.

We hope they will not blame the PDP for their Saturday’s embarrassing outing at 10 Downing Street.

“Furthermore, we find it curious and more than a co-incidence that the nation is experiencing an acute shortage of fuel and electricity supply at this point in time, when such has not been the case under the current PDP-led administration.

We ask, are there some forces sabotaging the system to create an impression that the APC is inheriting poor infrastructure and complete system breakdown?

“Is this also part of the larger plot to embarrass and defame the PDP-led administration in an attempt to justify APC’s excuses for failure”, the PDP probed.

The party insisted that despite the challenges of insecurity and global economic recession that negatively affected many other nations, its administration had in the last 16 years worked very hard in repositioning critical sectors of the polity and laying strong infrastructure backbone that that any prepared and result oriented in-coming administration can comfortably leverage on.

It therefore asked the APC to get ready to apply its much-mouthed manifesto or be bold to apologize to Nigerians for presenting false messianic posture and making false promises to them.

Curled from Today.ng

You Lied To Nigerians: Okonjo-Iweala Tells Osinbajo – Jonathan’s Administration Incurred Only $21.8B Debt.

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You Lied To Nigerians: Okonjo-Iweala Tells Osinbajo – Jonathan’s Administration Incurred Only $21.8B Debt.

Nigeria’s Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Saturday put the nation’s total debt stock at $63.7 billion, which encompasses multilateral as well as domestic loans by successive federal and state governments since 1960. She said that of this figure, $21.8 billion was incurred under the outgoing government of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Her disclosure is contrary to statements issued by Vice President-elect Yemi Osinbajo that the outgoing administration of President Jonathan will be leaving a huge debt of $60 billion for the incoming administration of Muhammadu Buhari.

Dr. Iweala She said it amounted to falsehood to blame the Jonathan administration for the huge debt stock which she said was accumulated over a long period of time by several administrations. Giving insight into the $21.8 billion debts incurred under the Jonathan government the minister said the debts were made up of $18 billion domestic component and $3.7 billion external component.

According to her between 2007 and 2011, a debt of $17.3 billion was recorded while between 2012 and 2015, the debt incurred stood at $18.1 billion. She explained that the leap in the debt profile between 2012 and 2015 was triggered off by the 53 per cent wage increase implemented by the late Umaru Yar’Adua administration in a fell swoop. This, she said, skyrocketed government’s borrowing from N524 billion to over N1 trillion in order to meet the salary increase, adding that the country’s domestic debt increased by $18.1 billion mainly because of the 53 per cent increase in the pay of civil and public servants.

The minister stated that at the time of the salary increase, she was still with the World Bank, adding that she had written and warned on the consequences of acquiescing to such a huge increase. Absolving the Jonathan administration of blame, the minister said the government had indeed taken a careful and meticulous approach to managing the nation’s debt, noting that the present administration, for the first time in the nation’s history, retired a domestic debt of N75 billion in 2013.

Commenting on the $63.7 billion debt stock, the minister said $9.7 billion or 15 per cent is external while $54 billion or 85 per cent represents domestic debt. She added that the states’ share of the $9.7 billion external debt is 33 per cent while the states’ share of the $54 billion is 20 per cent.

Okonjo-Iweala pointed out that Nigeria still has one of the lowest fiscal deficits in the world with debt to GDP ratio of about 1.5 per cent of the budget, adding that the government has used the right tools to manage the economy and has only borrowed at very low concessionary rates to fund important infrastructure initiatives in agriculture, aviation, power, roads, health, and water resources, among others.

The minister added that where the country should watch carefully is the debt service to revenue, which is at 22 per cent.

She argued that it was wrong to characterise the Jonathan administration as leaving $63 billion debt since the country’s debt stock was accumulated over a long time by several administrations.

Commenting on the lingering fuel scarcity, the minister said most of the marketers were blackmailing the government and by extension, Nigerians. According to her, Nigerians should rise up and ask questions why the marketers reneged on their promise a fortnight ago after they openly told the entire country that they had sorted out their differences with the government and that they were going to end the scarcity.

She said soon after that open declaration, the marketers went back and shut down their supply chains, noting that they had requested her to sign that government was going to pay them N159 billion as foreign exchange differentials out of the N200 billion claims they were making.

The Finance Minister stated that the marketers, who had earlier agreed with the setting up of an ad hoc committee made up of their representatives, those of Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Debt Management Office (DMO), and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to verify their claims suddenly backed out.

According to her, she could not sign off monies that she would find difficult to explain to Nigerians later, urging the populace to rise up and challenge the marketers. While applauding some marketers that have demonstrated patriotic disposition to this current crisis, the minister noted that many marketers had resorted to black market operations and had kept on fleecing Nigerians and smiling to the bank. The minister, who said she had no regrets serving Nigeria, noted that it was a privilege serving one’s fatherland. According to her, in spite of personal attacks on her from some quarters, she has no regrets as her service to the country has been guided by utmost patriotism and altruism.

She noted that the records of service were there for all to see, adding that a 50 per cent fall in oil revenue did not amount to mismanagement of the economy as this was not caused by the government.

The Jonathan administration, she said, was leaving “positive economic legacies behind which nobody can wish away because history cannot be rewritten”.

Such legacies, she said include 1.4 million jobs created yearly out of 1.8 million jobs required as confirmed by the National Bureau of Statistics; the Development Bank of Nigeria which she added, will make affordable loans of up to 10 years available to Nigerian businesses. The list, according to her include the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company which is spearheading a range of reforms which will vastly increase the number of mortgages in the country and 3600 Nigerians that were given multi million naira grants to finance their business and the 22000 direct jobs created and over 80,000 indirect jobs thru YOUWIN, among others.

Curled from Voices Nigeria

Nigeria: Plateau Commissions Permanent NYSC Orientation Camp

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Nigeria: Plateau Commissions Permanent NYSC Orientation Camp

Longtong Ibrahim

Jos (Nigeria) – Governor of Plateau State, in Central Nigeria, Jonah Jang has charged members of the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) the in the State to maintain and preserve the infrastructure at the Permanent site of the NYSC orientation camp in the state.

Jang said over 40 years of NYSC, its orientation activities in the state has been carried out at the temporary site which is regrettable.

The Governor stated this at the commissioning of the Plateau State NYSC Permanent orientation camp and closing ceremony of the 2015 batch ”A” orientation course in Mangu.

The governor stated that the building of the camp was in the support toward achieving the goals and objectives of the scheme initiated by Gen Yakubu Gowon which has further made the country more United.

The deputy governor, Ignatius Longjan, who spoke on behalf of the governor during the closing ceremony, urged corps members to accept their postings in good faith and see it as an opportunity to impact on their immediate community.

He charged them to take the state as their second home; stressing the need for the to respect constituted authorities and be of good conduct.

He employed them to put aside sentiments especially as they go to their places of primary assignments, assuring them of their safety and well being which is paramount to the state.

“Today I have no doubt that you have been equipped through various training activities of the orientation course, and you are better prepared to face the challenges of the service year. Your predecessors have made indelible impact, their contributions in the area of education, health care delivery and infrastructural development in rural areas, I urge you not just to emulate them but strive to surpass their achievement. ”

“in its 42 years of existence, the NYSC scheme has deepened it’s relevance as a vehicle for fostering national unity, integration and development.

Earlier in his welcome address, State Coordinator of the Scheme, Abdulrazak Salawu, said, 2921 corps members successfully completed the three weeks orientation course and have all participated actively in camp activities, adding that they have also received training in various skills like fashion, makeup and photography among other skills.

He enjoined them to be good ambassadors in their places of primary assignment.

He commended Plateau state government for its efforts and support, especially in building of the Permanent orientation camp, which he said stands out as one of the best in the country, adding that the camp would be named after him.

He also thanked the military and other paramilitary organizations for their support towards a successful orientation camp and also called on both public and private organizations to welcome corps members so as to give in their best.

In a remark, the Commissioner for Rural and Urban Development, Sylvanus Dongtor said the project cost 2.90 million which has reached 95 percent.

He added that the buildings constitute both male and female hostels, water system with well constructed overhead tank, sport complex and offices among others.

Boko Haram: Bring Perpetrators to Justice, UN Scribe Tells Nigeria

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Boko Haram: Bring Perpetrators to Justice, UN Scribe Tells Nigeria

By Abimbola Akosile

The United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon has called on Nigeria to bring to justice perpetrators of these despicable acts of forced imprisonment and sexual violence, which were done by the outlawed Boko Haram sect.

In a statement attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on Boko Haram attacks and the impact on civilian populations, which was released in New York at the weekend, the scribe called on the Government of Nigeria to scale up the provision of medical and psychosocial support to the survivors.

The Secretary-General expressed deep concern at the continuing indiscriminate and horrific attacks by Boko Haram against civilian populations in Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria, and expressed regret that in spite of the military gains made by the affected countries, Boko Haram continues its wanton destruction and killing of civilians.

“The Secretary-General is appalled by the continued abductions and use of children as ‘human bombs’, as well as by testimony that many of the girls and women held by Boko Haram were repeatedly raped while in captivity and compelled to marry their captors as part of a campaign of forced imprisonment and sexual violence.

“The Secretary-General is also deeply concerned over the further displacement of some 40,000 civilians in Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria in the last three weeks. He urges members of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin to advance the operationalisation of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), and create a secure environment for the safe and voluntary return, resettlement or integration of displaced persons and refugees”, the release noted.

The Secretary-General again urged the states involved to ensure that all measures taken to address the terrorist threat of Boko Haram are conducted in line with international humanitarian, human rights and refugee law.

“To be remotely effective, the response to this threat has to go beyond a purely military one. Legitimate grievances, past and current human rights violations, and the root causes of the conflict must also be addressed”, he added.

Curled from Thisdaylive.com

Nigerian Military Kills Boko Haram Members, Rescue 20

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Nigerian Military Kills Boko Haram Members, Rescue 20

Nigerian Defence Headquarters says its troops have killed scores of Boko Haram insurgents and rescued 20 women and children abducted by the group in an offensive inside Sambisa forest.
A statement by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade reads: “Despite continuous encounter with large number of land mines which still litter the Sambisa forest, troops have forged ahead with the ongoing offensive operations as scores of the terrorists died in the assault on their bases on Friday.
The statement says one soldier was killed and 10 others sustained injuries as a result of landmine explosions.
“Over 10 soldiers were however wounded while one died following explosions of land mines along the routes of advance. Some equipment were also damaged or affected by the detonation of land mines in several points in the forest.
“A total of 20 women and children were rescued at the end of the Friday operation. They have all been airlifted out of the forest. The wounded soldiers have also been moved out for necessary treatment.
“Two major ammunition dumps maintained by the terrorists in the forest were also destroyed, along with the 4 additional terrorist’s camps that were smashed in the operation of Friday.
“An armoured tank and over 10 vehicles of various types being used for their operations as well as 70 motorcycles and 15 tricycles of the terrorists also perished during the operation.
“Air and artillery bombardment of identified terrorists camps and locations in various aspect of the forest including the Alafa aspect, is still ongoing as troops continue the offensive action on terrorists in the forest.
“In another development, cordon and search around Bitta have been intensified following an incident where two young boys were wounded after picking up a grenade from a refuse dump. “The weapon is believed to have been abandoned by terrorists that fled the town which is not too far from Sambisa forest.
“Aggressive patrols and surveillance by land and air are also being maintained in the general area”.

Egypt: Coptic Coalition Demands Maspero Killings Case Reopening

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Egypt: Coptic Coalition Demands Maspero Killings Case Reopening

By Mahmoud Mostafa

A report has been filed to the new Justice Minister, demanding the reopening of investigations into the case of the Maspero killings in 2011.

The move comes after the investigations judge assigned to the case stepped down.

Egypt’s Copts Coalition filed a report to newly-appointed minister Ahmed Al-Zind, demanding the referral of the case to the Urgent Matters Court, instead of assigning a new investigations judge to revisit the case.

On 9 October 2011, Egyptian military forces attacked Coptic protesters in front of Cairo’s Maspero state television building, killing 27 and injuring at least 300 more.

A fact-finding committee formed by the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR) said army forces used excessive violence by running over protesters with APCs. This led to the deaths of 12, critically injuring five, after “unknown civilians” attacked the Coptic protesters and the army personnel.

The then-prosecutor general Abdel Meguid Mahmoud referred the Maspero case to an investigations judge after the case was investigated by both the military and State Security prosecutions.

After a year, two military police soldiers were sentenced by military court to two years in prison, with a third soldier sentenced to three years.

In February 2013, the North Cairo Criminal Court sentenced two Copts to three years in high-security prison for stealing weapons from the military in the incidents.

“After more than three, years the investigations judge didn’t get anywhere,” said coalition founder Fady Youssef.

Youssef told Daily News Egypt there are accusations against the military police leadership, and the investigations judge could not call military leaders in for investigations.

He explained that the Urgent Matters Court can include the investigations of the military prosecution that convicted the three soldiers.

“It is now in the hands of the minister to refer the case to the Urgent Matters Court to reach a quick resolution,” Youssef added.

Curled from dailynewsegypt.com

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