Africa awareness campaign and advocacy on the COVID-19

[Congo]

Concerned about the global security of the young people with whom it has worked for a long time and of local communities, but also fearing that disasters may happen to local populations due to lack of reliable information, Africa Reconciled plans to launch an awareness campaign and advocacy on the COVID-19 in the coming days. The objective of this approach is to raise the awareness of young people, grassroots managers and all local communities on the risks posed by coronavirus and the necessary measures to be taken to protect themselves against this pandemic disease. The beneficiaries are made up of the populations of the provinces and targeted areas estimated at more than two million five hundred thousand individuals.

These are mainly the populations of Goma, Rutshuru, Masisi, Bukavu, Katana and Uvira in the provinces of North and South Kivu.

Among the expected results of this campaign, which is estimated to last 3 months, two advocacy notes produced and shared with local, national and international authorities, around 2.5 million people made aware of the risks of Covid-19 and the measures protection needed, as well as an awareness spot and song produced and broadcast in the media and social networks.

Africa Reconciled which is an organization under Congolese law with a cultural, social and educational character, is concerned about the rapid spread of covid-19 on the continent, despite the measures adopted by various African governments including the Democratic Republic of Congo, in particular confinement, respect for hygiene, reduction of inter-human contact and prohibition of theft.

Also, she regrets, a large part of the population, under-informed, is trivializing this pandemic. This explains the need to start with mass awareness using very diverse channels such as radio, television, telecommunications networks and posters in public places. With such an action, Africa Reconciled believes that it will reduce the risk of contamination and death to which the communities of North and South Kivu are already exposed.

Concretely, it will be a question of advocating for the reinforcement of individual and community hygiene by various materials aimed at disinfection, advocacy contacts with health authorities and opinion leaders, but also to collect the recommendations of young people for better protection of local populations against covid-19 for decision-makers at local, national and international levels.

Tighten preventive measures

Africa Reconciled commissioned, from April 5 to 9, a team of three investigators in certain districts of Goma to verify whether the prevention and protection measures against Covid-19 were actually taken into account by the urban population. The report is bitter. The survey revealed that despite all the efforts made by health experts and the country’s authorities, the population does not yet have enough information about the existence of the pandemic.
In some markets, personal greetings and eating food without washing your hands are going as usual.

In front of shops and other businesses, a hand washing device is placed there, but often without water and when the water is there, it is not chlorinated. A real sham, all the same worrying.

Also, almost all of the children are not in confinement. Many wander the streets of the neighborhood and play in groups as if the pandemic did not exist.

During the day, the drivers of the Urban Taxis Bus somewhat respect the distancing measure of two people per seat in order to avoid contamination with covid-19, but during evening hours, the load becomes again that of before the epidemic.

Africa Reconciled investigators also found that after the city of Goma was isolated from rural areas last week, several people use the small tracks in Virunga National Park to get food in Masisi territory neighbor, and those here do the same to reach the City of Goma.

In the face of all these data, Africa Reconciled requests the central government to tighten the preventive measures against the Covid-19 and to ensure rigorous, sincere and permanent monitoring by law enforcement agencies. This will allow everyone to take ownership of all the standards established for the eradication of the pandemic.

And humanitarian organizations to develop training and information programs for all sections of the population on covid-19, the existence of which remains subject to discussion in several neighborhoods.

They are also invited to come to support overly vulnerable households, pregnant and lactating women and children left behind in this fight.

Goma residents in turmoil

Among the flagship measures put in place by the country’s authorities to deal with the coronavirus is the isolation of the cities of Goma, Butembo and Beni where the pandemic has been declared from the rest of the territories comprising the province of North Kivu. A decision came two weeks after the city of Goma was cut off from Rwanda and Uganda and even from the sister city of Bukavu.

Asphyxiated and having no income that could allow them to remain confined to their homes during the 14 days of isolation, some residents of Goma have chosen to flee to rural areas where life is still affordable.

In this influx into the countryside, respondents say they prefer to spend the time of confinement in their homelands than in Goma. However, before this surge to rural areas, these displaced persons did not pass any Coronavirus test and it is therefore not impossible that the potential patients among them contaminate the host population. This is what Africa Reconciled fears, which, in turn, calls for the strengthening of pandemic protection systems in campaigns where the risks of contamination are becoming more and more evident.

In addition, faced with a series of questions that illustrate the breakdown of young people and their daily lives, Africa Reconciled advocates in particular for an effective online education system for all young people at a time when all educational activities are suspended. But also a very significant reduction in the cost of internet access to allow young people to explore the world of knowledge.

[Congo]

COVID-19 Disinfection Operation in Bukavu

The provincial environmental coordinator launched Monday, April 13, the disinfection operation of public places and buildings in the city of Bukavu, from COVID-19.

This operation aims to kill viruses including the coronavirus if it is found in the places concerned.

This operation was officially launched in the provincial governorate where the offices were pulverized by agents of a company called Reply Service in Action RSA.

Provincial Minister of the Environment Venant BURUME indicated that this operation would be extended to other public places as well as to private homes to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

“You are aware that South Kivu has covid 19. At the provincial level, we have decided to block the road to Corona, which is why we launched today the disinfection operation of all the buildings and public buildings to slow or stop this virus.

First, we target all public buildings frequented by the population, the provincial assembly, the prosecution, the municipalities, the town hall and others. “Said the provincial Minister of the Environment.

RSA Honoré MALINGANE, managing director of the company, reassured that his team has a sufficient number of subject matter experts who use products approved by the World Health Organization WHO, including chlorine derivatives.

Note that this operation will extend to markets and other public places in the city of Bukavu.

[Congo]

14 new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Kinshasa.

In its report of April 14, 2020 on the epidemiological situation of the coronavirus, the multisectoral committee for the response to this pandemic reports that 14 new cases have been confirmed in Kinshasa.

Since the start of the epidemic on March 10, the cumulative number of confirmed cases has been 254 across the country.

After 6 consecutive days, the Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded a new case of death from confirmed cases. This brings the total of deaths to 21.

However, a new person was cured of the disease. The number of healed now stands at 21.

In addition, the response committee reports that 120 suspected cases are under investigation.

As a reminder, the response teams will carry out door-to-door activities in the commune of Gombe, the epicenter of the coronavirus in Kinshasa, for, among other things, the detection of suspected cases.

[Congo]

Jeanine Mabunda met Félix Tshisekedi on COVID-19

The head of state Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo received this Tuesday April 14, 2020 in Nsele in Kinshasa, Alexis Thambwe Mwamba and Jeanine Mabunda, respectively presidents of the Senate and the National Assembly.

Jeanine Mabunda who confided in the presidential press after the exchanges, said that the question of the judgment of the Constitutional Court, in connection with the controversy born following the state of emergency decreed by the President of the Republic to block COVID-19 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was also mentioned.

For Jeanine Mabunda, the country is fighting against COVID-19 and all the institutions must come together and work to support, effectively, the measures taken by the President of the Republic to fight against the coronavirus.

The President of the National Assembly also stressed that it is not a question of going back on what is said or what has been done, we must rather look forward

“It is not useless political battles that will distract us at this crucial moment,” said Jeanine Mabunda.

She persists and signs that the most important thing is to look in the same direction and see together how to move forward. Jeanine Mabunda also stressed that the priority remains the eradication of the coronavirus which has already killed 20 people in the DRC.

[Congo]

COVID-19 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

COVID-19 has been present in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for almost two months, the covid-19 pandemic is struggling to be brought under control, like almost everywhere in the world. The number of cases is now increasing at high speed and the State is putting great resources into the effective management of this epidemic. This exiles the visit of the President of the Republic, Félix Tshisekedi, this Thursday, May 7, 2020, in the hospitals of the city of Kinshasa where the patients suffering from coronavirus are interned. On the spot, the Head of State took the temperature regarding the development of the patients, but also the various concerns both on the side of the medical staff and the patients, themselves.

Concerned about the situation of his compatriots with Covid 19, Félix Tshisekedi, accompanied by his wife, Denise Nyakeru, began his visit to the Ngaliema Clinic, where he obtained further explanations on the care of the sick in this center from from Dr. Kongo, the Director Doctor.

In front of Pavilion 6 dedicated to Covid patients, the presidential couple attended the discharge of 16 patients cured of the coronavirus. They will join other patients who have recovered from this pandemic.

The Minister of Public Health, Dr Eteni Longondo, symbolically presented a certificate of healing to the father of a family of 9, among the 16 healed at this clinic.

The first hospital center to receive covid 19 patients, the Ngaliema Clinic treated 113 patients. The medical staff conveyed the gratitude to the Head of State for his personal involvement, the regular monitoring and the disbursement of funds for the efficient care of the sick.

The President of the Republic then went to the Kinshasa Medical Center (CMK), in the commune of Gombe. The presidential couple inaugurated a specialized pavilion for the treatment of patients with covid 19. With a capacity of 60 beds, this pavilion offers suitable conditions for efficient care.

At the Cinquantenaire Hospital, the third stage of the tour, the Head of State, Tshisekedi Tshilombo and the Distinguished First Lady visited the patients interned in this center. Several of them show encouraging signs but await confirmation of their serological status by the INRB before their release. Informed of this situation by the patients themselves, the President of the Republic promised to do everything possible so that the INRB increases its capacity for action.

A few days ago in this hospital, patients declaring themselves cured of covid-19 castigated them through videos that went around on the web, the poor care to which they are subjected. The presence of the Head of State today was, in fact, the occasion or never to submit their concerns. Again Felix Tshisekedi promised improvements.

It should be noted that a dozen patients recovered from covid-19 were released from this hospital training.

The Head of State spent nearly an hour at the National Biomedical Research Institute (INRB), the national public health laboratory in the DRC. Guided by Dr Jean-Jacques Muyembe, its director and coordinator of the technical secretariat for the response to covid 19, the presidential couple was informed of the operating mode of this laboratory and the challenges it faces. On the spot, the President said not to skimp on the means in order to allow the INRB to have sufficient means of functioning. The President of the Republic presented a batch of the Covid organics product, a gift from Madagascar to the DRC.

At the Sino-Congolese Friendship Hospital in N’djili, the President of the Republic was also informed by medical staff of the good progress of the patients interned there. Overall, we are on a good prospect.

Returning from this visit, in a light rain, the President of the Republic became aware of the progress of work on the grade separations at Debonhomme and at the Mandela roundabout where the site is almost completed. He spoke with officials from the Office of Highways and Drainage (OVD).

Despite the unpacking, on all sites, the work is proceeding to the great satisfaction of the population.

Note that the ministers of health and interior were present, but also the governor of the city of Kinshasa and the provincial commissioner of the national police / city of Kinshasa.

[Congo]

doses of Sinovac vaccines offered by China To DR Congo

HE Mr. Zhu Jing and HE Mr. Mbungani Mbanda Jean-Jacques, Minister of Public Health, Hygiene and Prevention and HE Vice-Minister Kilumba Nkulu Veronique participated in the ceremony of handing over and receiving 400,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines offered by China To DR Congo.

[Author]

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