The Managing Director of Uganda Funeral Services Ms Regina Mukiibi has succumbed to #Covid-19 while in transit to Nairobi.
Ms Mukiibi died at Entebbe International Airport as the handling services where finalising her departure. “She was being flown to the Kenyan capital for better management”.
Ms Mukiibi has been a household name in funeral management ever since her and others started UFS in 1996. It was the first of its kind in Uganda.
Government has terminated operating licences for eight labour exporting companies.
The termination of their licences and permits come at the time when there have been complaints from youth who have been conned by managers of those companies without providing them the promised jobs.
The Ministry of Internal through Immigration Directorate has released a list of eight companies which have completely lost licenses and some suspended.
The companies whose operating permits have been cancelled/ suspended are Top Notch Recruitment Services (U) Limited, Fly International Jobs (u) Ltd and Sahara Recruitment Agency Limited, Al-Saud Agency Limited Kibuye, Salama Road, Middle East Consultants Limited – Plot 21/31 Tank Hill Road, Muyenga, Al-Saud Agency Limited Kibuye, Salama Road, The Eagles Supervision Limited – Plot 728, Mengo, Kampala, and Forbes Enterprises Limited, P.O Box 10924, Kiwatule, Kampala
Companies like Middles East Consultants has featured prominently in the previous scandals involving similar schemes but it always finds its way back to business.
However, a source at Ministry of Internal Affairs told Eagle Online some of the reasons they have recalled and cancelled the permits is due to extortion by managers of the companies in several dubious claims and advertising of non existing jobs to con the job seeking members of the public.
President Yoweri Museveni has said that the current unequal distribution of #Covid-19 vaccines in the world by the big powers is bad but again good for the sleeping African continent.
He said the Africans haven’t helped themselves but rather are waiting for the rest of the world to come to their rescue like it happened during the slave trade era.
“Selfishness in the world is bad but good, I like it because it wakes up Africans. It is a shame that the whole of the African continent is just asleep just waiting to be to be saved by others. If they don’t save us, we shall die like it happened with slave trade and how can this be? Slave trade went on for 400 years and these idiots chiefs were here just putting on monkey skins and so on looking like clowns” President Museveni said
Museveni said this while officiating at the first African edition of World Health Summit which kicked off this at Speke Resort Hotel, Munyonyo.
The summit brings together experts from around the world and especially many African countries to discuss diverse topics of great importance for global health and Africa in particular. The summit runs from today 27th to 30th June 2021.
Due to surging cases of #Covid-19 pandemic in the country, the summit has been held virtually. Keynote sessions, panel discussions and workshop will be broadcast live on various social media platforms and televisions channels.
The panelist are scheduled to discuss #Covid-19 pandemic in Africa, stemming Non communicable diseases in low and middle income countries, Universal health coverage, global health security and infectious diseases, advancing health technology for health in Africa And intersectoral action for health.
Speaking about the summit, Charles Ibingira, the international President of World Health Summit 2021 and former Principal of College of Public Health at Makerere University said; “we are extremely delighted to be hosting the first ever first African edition of World Health Summit. with health professionals and other stakeholders in government and the private sector coming together. I am optimistic that the meeting will stir us all to think better and work harder to achieve the sustainable Development Goals”
The World Health Summit Regional Meeting takes place every year in different parts of the world in addition to annual World Health Summit in Berlin and brings regional topics to the forefront. Each regional meeting is hosted by M8 Alliance member holding the world Health International presidency which rotates every year.
The M8 Alliance of Academic Health Summit. it is a growing network and consists of 30 members in 20 countries, including the Inter Academy partnership(IAP) which represents the national academies of medicine and science in 130 countries.
Makerere University has been M8 Alliance member since 2013 and is one of the oldest and most prestigious center of learning in Africa. It is home to a staff of over 4,000 and more than 40,000 students.
world health summit is one of the world’s leading strategic forums for global health with participants onsite and online, 3,00 speakers from 100 nations and 50 sessions.
The Senior pastor at United Christian Center (UCC) and the propietor of Inner Man FM, Bishop Stephen Senfuma has passed on at Nakasero Hospital where he was admitted over difficult in breathing.
Africa is facing a fast-surging third wave of #Covid-19 pandemic, with cases spreading more rapidly and projected to soon overtake the peak of the second wave the continent witnessed at the start of 2021.
#Covid-19 cases have risen for five consecutive weeks since the onset of the third wave on 3 May 2021. As of 20 June day 48 into the new wave Africa had recorded around 474 000 new cases a 21% increase compared with the first 48 days of the second wave. At the current rate of infections, the ongoing surge is set to surpass the previous one by early July.
The pandemic is resurging in 12 African countries. A combination of factors including weak observance of public health measures, increased social interaction and movement as well as the spread of variants are powering the new surge. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda that are experiencing #Covid-19 resurgence, the Delta variant has been detected in most samples sequenced in the past month. Across Africa, the variant first identified in India has been reported in 14 countries.
“The third wave is picking up speed, spreading faster, hitting harder. With rapidly rising case numbers and increasing reports of serious illness, the latest surge threatens to be Africa’s worst yet,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa. “Africa can still blunt the impact of these fast-rising infections, but the window of opportunity is closing. Everyone everywhere can do their bit by taking precautions to prevent transmission.”
WHO is deploying more experts to some of the worst-affected countries, including Uganda and Zambia as well as supporting South Africa-based regional laboratories to monitor variants of concern. WHO is also boosting innovative technological support to other laboratories in the region without sequencing capacities to better monitor the evolution of the virus. In the next six months, WHO is aiming for an eight- to ten-fold increase in the samples sequenced each month in Southern African countries.
The #Covid-19 upsurge comes as the vaccine supply crunch persists. Eighteen African countries have used over 80% of their COVAX vaccine supplies, with eight having exhausted their stocks. Twenty-nine countries have administered over 50% of their supplies. Despite the progress, just over 1% of Africa’s population has been fully vaccinated. Globally, around 2.7 billion doses administered, of which just under 1.5% have been administered in the continent.
As many high-income countries vaccinate a significant proportion of their populations, proof of vaccination is leading to fewer movement restrictions. Globally,16 countries are waiving quarantine for those with a vaccination certificate. Measures to prevent #Covid-19 transmission are crucial, but with many African countries having limited access to vaccines, it is important that vaccines be only one of the conditions countries use to open borders and increase freedom of movement.
“With high vaccination rates it’s shaping up into a summer of freedom, family and fun for millions of people in richer countries. This is understandable and we all long for the same joys,” said Dr Moeti. “Vaccine shortages are already prolonging the pain of #Covid-19 in Africa. Let’s not add injury to injustice. Africans must not face more restrictions because they are unable to access vaccines that are only available elsewhere. I urge all regional and national regulatory agencies to recognize all the vaccines Emergency Use listed by WHO.”
In the European Union, a #Covid-19 passport system for vaccination, testing and recovery will take effect from 1 July. However, only four of the eight vaccines listed by WHO for emergency use are recognized by the European Medicines Agency for the passport system.
WHO and the European Medicines Agency use the same standards in assessing vaccines. Manufacturers may choose not to apply to the European Medicines Agency if they do not intend to market their products in countries in the European Union or European Economic Area. But the safety and efficacy of all WHO emergency use listed vaccines has been proven globally in preventing severe #Covid-19 illness and death.
In Africa, a WHO survey of 45 countries show that their borders are open for air travel and only Mauritius will require proof of vaccination for international travellers from 15 July 2021. Most countries do not give quarantine exemptions for travellers who are fully vaccinated against #Covid-19 and require a negative #Covid-19 Certificate.
The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in parliament who double as the MP for Nyendo-Mukungwe, Mathias Mpuuga has appointed members of the Shadow Cabinet.
President Yoweri Museveni who is also the Commander in chief of armed forces has made changes in the army naming Deputy Chief of Defence Forces Lt.Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi as the new CDF and promoted him to the rank of general.
He replaces Gen. David Muhoozi who was named State Minister for Internal Affairs.
In the changes, Gen. Museveni further has moved the commandant of Special Forces Command, Lt.Gen Kainerugaba Muhoozi to head Land Forces as the Commander Land Forces. Gen. Muhoozi replaces Lt. Gen. Peter Elwelu who has been the Commander Land Forces is named new Deputy Chief Defence Forces replacing Gen.Mbadi.
Maj. Gen. Leopold Kyanda who has been the Chief of Staff Land Forces has been elevated and made the Joint Chief of Staff replacing Lt.Gen. Joseph Musanyufu.
Also appointed are Brig. Bob Ogik who was appointed Chief of Staff Land Forces replacing Gen. Kyanda. Brig. Daniel Kakono is appointed Commander Field Artillery Division, Brig. Peter Chandia appointed Acting Commandant Special Forces Command, Brig.Felix Buszisoori is appointed Deputy Commandant SFC.
Former Deputy CDF and current Deputy Coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation, Lt.Charles Angina has been posted to Foreign Affairs awaiting deployment. Maj. Gen. Sam Kavuma has been posted to OWC replacing Gen. Angina as Second in Command.
Former Joint Chief of Staff, Gen. Musanyufu and Maj. Gen. Kasura Kyomukama have been deployed/posted to public service awhile Brig. Charles Kisembo has been named Commandant Kyankwanzi political school.
