Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

March 27, 2023 – With total cases past 90 thousand in this outbreak Mpox is still a public health emergency of international concern according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).  The organisation has elected not to remove the designation from the disease which spread across the globe late 2022 in an unprecedented outbreak.

Despite acknowledging that most of the over 110 affected countries had cured their outbreaks and brought cases under control Technical lead for Mpox, formerly Monkey Pox, and the WHO Rosamund Lewis said there were still areas of concern mainly the Americas.

Over thirty countries are still reporting cases with the bulk coming from Central and Latin America and a few still occurring in Europe and Africa.  Once again the WHO is warning men who have sex with men to take precautions against the disease as they are most at risk.

Regardless Lewis says everyone should remain cautious especially in the coming spring and summer seasons where activities, outdoor concerts and more may increase, increasing risk. 

Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer 

March 24, 2023 – Without immediate and widespread efforts at curbing salt intake, 7 million lives will be lost by 2030 according to the World Health Organization.  The warning follows the first-ever Global Report on Sodium Intake Reduction, which revealed that the world would not meet its sodium intake reduction target of 30 percent by 2025 on its current path.

With only 5% of WHO Member States protected by mandatory and comprehensive sodium reduction policies, the rest of the world must immediately implement ‘highly cost-effective sodium reduction policies to protect against some of the most common non-communicable diseases.

No Caribbean country was mentioned in the group of nine countries with comprehensive salt laws, but Barbados is currently set to make effective stringent regulations to govern food consumption and food quality. 

Tedros Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General said: 

“Most countries are yet to adopt any mandatory sodium reduction policies, leaving their people at risk of heart attack, stroke, and other health problems. The WHO calls on all countries to implement the ‘Best Buys’ for sodium reduction, and on manufacturers to implement the WHO benchmarks for sodium content in food.” 

North America and the Caribbean have the highest child diabetes statistics in the world, with the second highest prevalence in adults as well. In Turks and Caicos in particular, over 300 hundred residents have failing kidneys, a number described as ‘alarming’ by experts. Kidney disease is fueled in most cases by diabetes and hypertension. 

The WHO is then advising Governments to do four things:

• Reformulating foods to contain less salt, and setting targets for the amount of sodium in foods and meals. 
• Establishing public food procurement policies to limit salt or sodium-rich foods in public institutions such as hospitals, schools, workplaces, and nursing homes.
• Front-of-package labelling that helps consumers select products lower in sodium.
• Behaviour change communication and mass media campaigns to reduce salt/sodium consumption.

With these measures in place, the salt reduction target can still be achieved, according to the WHO. 

Dana Malcolm 

Staff Writer

#UnitedKingdom, March 23, 2023 – To the chagrin of human rights activists, the UK is moving doggedly ahead with its plan to send refugees to Rwanda and is increasing the scope of the initiative following an introduction of the Immigration Bill in Parliament and a recent visit to the African nation by Suella Braverman, UK Home Secretary. 

The plan now applies to ‘all categories of people who pass through safe countries and make illegal and dangerous journeys to the UK’ it will mean that anyone who comes to the UK illegally – who cannot be returned to their home country – will be relocated to Rwanda according to a Government debrief.

The UK has repeatedly described Rwanda as “safe” over the course of this deal. 

It is an about face from several years prior, where the United Kingdom rated Rwanda poorly on its human rights record.   Posted to the official government website is a July 2021 statement from Ambassador Rita French criticising Rwanda for ignoring recommendations by the UK to conduct transparent, credible and independent investigations into allegations of human rights violations and to screen, identify and provide support to trafficking victims, including those held in Government transit centres. 

Yet months later this plan, announced by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, is endorsed.

Home Secretary Braverman said in a recent statement posted to the same website: “Rwanda is a progressive, rapidly growing economy at the forefront of innovation – I have thoroughly enjoyed seeing first-hand the rich opportunities this country can provide to relocated people through our partnership.”

Braverman met with Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Dr. Vincent Biruta, last weekend (March 18 to 19) to discuss and expand the plans which have already cost the UK 140 million pounds.  It will now ship desperate migrants to Rwanda; a country repeatedly condemned for its human rights violations with the possibility of cultural and language barriers to boot.  

Rwanda, which is being paid for its part in this plan, will be able to take as many refugees as they like as the program is uncapped and the country is promising it can fit thousands there.  It is said the deal will net them hundreds of millions of pounds from the UK. 

The plan is the UK’s solution to its illegal migration challenges.  Only time will tell if it will work to dissuade migrants who will find themselves relocated to Rwanda “where they will be supported to rebuild their lives.”

While the atrocities of the 1994 genocide of over half a million people remains an unresolved stain on the reputation of Rwanda; the country has worked hard to re-invent itself.  Now, considered one of the safest in Sub Saharan Africa, with a mixed economy.  Still, the landlocked country sitting in the centre of Africa, is ranked as among the lowest for standard of living and quality of life on the continent.

The US describes Rwanda as a country operating with extreme restrictions on free speech, politically motivated killings, politically motivated threats, harassments and surveillance and sustained allegations of torture. 

The UK court must now consider these factors and decide whether the plan is legal and humane.