“Malaria is as previous as Egyptian civilisation itself, however the illness that plagued pharaohs now belongs to its historical past and never its future,” mentioned Tedros Adhanom-Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-Common.
“This certification of Egypt as malaria-free is really historic, and a testomony to the dedication of the folks and Authorities of Egypt to rid themselves of this historic scourge.”
Egypt’s success story represents a major victory within the world battle in opposition to malaria, particularly for a rustic with a inhabitants exceeding 100 million.
Rising listing
Within the WHO Japanese Mediterranean area, Egypt turns into solely the third nation to obtain this certification, following the United Arab Emirates and Morocco.
Egypt joins a gaggle of 44 international locations and one territory worldwide which have achieved this standing.
Tedros emphasised the broader implications of this achievement.
“I congratulate Egypt on this achievement, which is an inspiration to different international locations within the area, and exhibits what’s potential with the best sources and proper instruments.”
UN able to help Cuba, as tens of millions left with out energy
The UN Country Team in Cuba stands able to help the Caribbean nation and mobilise technical help amidst studies of rolling energy outages and a slow-moving tropical storm which threatens flooding in each city and rural areas.
Cuba’s energy grid reportedly failed on Friday after weeks of rolling outages, leaving an estimated 10 million with out electrical energy. There have been three different crashes as much as Monday, all of which is being compounded by Tropical Storm Oscar, which made landfall on Sunday.
In response to information studies, the Cuban Authorities has mentioned the weeks of worsening blackouts are as a result of infrastructure issues, gasoline shortages and rising demand, along with the affect of the US commerce embargo and an incapability to accumulate spare elements for Cuba’s oil-fired gasoline crops, ensuing from financial sanctions.
Important rain
“The sturdy however slow-moving storm has generated vital rainfall within the japanese and central elements of Cuba over the previous few days,” mentioned UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq, on the common press briefing in New York on Monday.
“The gradual motion of the storm at solely 4 kilometres an hour will compound the state of affairs with extra rainfall and potential flooding within the coming hours.”
He mentioned the UN was conscious of the reported ongoing outages including that beneath the management of the Resident Coordinator in Cuba Francisco Pichon, “we stand able to help and mobilise technical help if wanted. The UN Emergency Technical Staff is activated and in contact with nationwide counterparts.”
Mr. Haq mentioned the storm was additionally impacting the Bahamas the place the UN is working along with native and regional authorities to reply as obligatory.
Guterres requires swift probe into killing of opposition figures in Mozambique
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has appealed for calm in Mozambique following the killing of two opposition figures amid a dispute over elections held earlier this month.
Elvino Dias, authorized advisor to presidential candidate Venâncio Mondlane, and Paulo Guambe, the authorized consultant of the political celebration PODEMOS, have been gunned down within the capital, Maputo, on Friday evening.
PODEMOS rejected provisional outcomes of the 9 October presidential elections which confirmed that the FRELIMO celebration, which has dominated Mozambique for almost 50 years, was within the lead.
Secretary-Common Guterres urged the authorities to swiftly examine the killings and produce the perpetrators to justice.
He referred to as on all Mozambicans, together with political leaders and their supporters, to stay calm, train restraint and reject all types of violence forward of the official announcement of the electoral outcomes.
He additionally reaffirmed the UN’s unwavering help to peace and stability in Mozambique throughout this essential part within the nation’s historical past.
WHO helps South Sudan amid extreme flooding
The World Well being Group (WHO) is working with authorities and companions in South Sudan because the nation faces a number of the worst flooding in many years, affecting 42 out of 78 counties and impacting some 890,000 folks.
Though heavy downpours through the wet season between April and November usually set off floods, they’ve grow to be more and more extreme as a result of local weather change, WHO mentioned.
To date, greater than 226,000 folks have been displaced, and roads and key infrastructure have been submerged. This consists of 58 well being services, whereas almost 90 others are inaccessible.
The floods have exacerbated the already dire humanitarian state of affairs within the nation, which is internet hosting nearly 800,000 refugees and returnees fleeing the warfare in neighbouring Sudan.
Most refugees and returnees cross by means of Renk county in Higher Nile state, the place two suspected cholera circumstances have been detected. In the meantime, malaria is on the rise, with greater than 120,000 suspected circumstances and 31 suspected deaths as of late September.
WHO has distributed about 88 metric tonnes of emergency well being kits to Renk and different key areas to help flood-affected communities. The kits can deal with over 870,000 folks and embody vital medical provides such cholera remedy and antimalarial medicine.