Together, we must tackle growing hunger, urges Guterres  

WHO/Europe releases report on mechanisms for improving transparency of markets for medicines, vaccines and health products

Two years after World Health Assembly Resolution 72.8 was agreed on improving the transparency of markets for medicines, vaccines and other health products, WHO/Europe has released a report identifying and summarizing the current evidence on the implementation of transparency measures in the WHO European Region. This follows intense debate over the roles and responsibilities of the public and private sectors in the development of vaccines for COVID-19.

The review identified 2 mechanisms in place to improve the transparency of markets – price transparency and greater transparency of research and development costs. The review highlights the importance of transparency, among other recommendations such as price and cost monitoring. It also explains that the public interest should be considered when countries are deciding whether to enter into pricing-related confidentiality agreements with pharmaceutical companies.

The report is part of the Health Evidence Network synthesis report series and was written by researchers from Medicines Law and Policy, based on a scoping review of 50 publications.

High cost of medicines

The high prices of medicines, vaccines and other health products can prevent access to treatments that are critical to care. For governments, the high cost of medicines may risk overburdening health budgets or resulting in inequities among certain population groups.

In some instances, patients may have to pay “out of pocket” for medicines, if they are not covered by existing schemes. The high cost of medicines can lead to financial hardship, which in severe cases is known as catastrophic health spending. The WHO Barcelona Office for Health Systems Financing undertakes regular monitoring of the cost of health care, including out-of-pocket payments.

WHA resolution 72.8

In both the public and private sectors, a lack of transparency over many aspects of the markets for pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health products prevents robust decision-making. Member States have long had concerns that they are not well-equipped to make fully informed decisions when negotiating the purchasing of such products. In 2019, this led to the World Health Assembly passing resolution 72.8, which calls for improved transparency across multiple aspects of the market – including pricing, patent status, clinical trial results, mark-ups and research and development costs.

Policy considerations

The report offers policy considerations for Member States when negotiating prices for medicines, vaccines and other medical products, as follows:

• be aware that Member States do not have to enter into confidentiality agreements with pharmaceutical manufacturers if doing so is not in the public interest;
• take steps to implement legislation that ensures transparency of prices across the pharmaceutical supply chain in line with WHO recommendations;
• adapt existing laws and policy mechanisms on the disclosure of prices of medicines;
• implement consistent price regulation, monitoring and reporting;
• enact legislation to improve transparency on research and development investments and costs, drawing on examples of European Union and national legislation;
• review national access to data about prices and costs to ensure informed price negotiations.

Oslo Medicines Initiative

Discussions about the transparency of markets will take place as part of the Oslo Medicines Initiative. Developed by WHO/Europe, the Norwegian Ministry of Health and Care Services and the Norwegian Medicines Agency, the initiative provides a neutral platform for the public and private sectors to jointly outline a vision for equitable and sustainable access to effective, novel, high-cost medicines.

Tajikistan completes second round of immunization campaign against circulating poliovirus

Over 1.2 million children in Tajikistan received oral polio vaccine in the second round of the supplemental immunization campaign completed on 5 July 2021. The immunization campaign was conducted in response to the identification of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) in the country.

Since March 2021, the Tajik government and health-care workforce have been working tirelessly on planning the campaign and ensuring access to vaccines for every child under 6 years of age. WHO, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and other Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partners have been supporting the country’s efforts in surveillance, vaccine procurement, capacity-building in vaccine management, communications and community engagement.

Monitoring of the 2 rounds of the immunization campaign showed that meticulous preparation had paid off, with impressive results – all eligible children in the country had access to much-needed protection against polio, including those traveling or living in remote areas. Despite the challenges imposed by a surge in COVID-19 cases in the country starting in June, Tajikistan reported 99.2% coverage in the first round and 99.1% coverage in the second among the children targeted by the immunization campaign.

Enhanced surveillance will continue in the coming months to ensure that no polio cases go undetected. The formal external outbreak response assessment, which is planned for late August 2021, will guide activities in the months ahead.

About polio in Tajikistan

The first cVDPV2 case with onset of acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) was reported on 22 November 2020 in Khatlon Province. As of 13 July 2021, the total number of AFP cases confirmed to be caused by cVDPV2 in Tajikistan is 15. All detected cases are linked to a virus strain currently circulating in Pakistan.

St. Charles library again accepting book donations

The St. Charles Public Library is again accepting donations of books and other items at its new facility.

With the library back at its original location at 1 S. Sixth Ave., small quantities of items in good condition can be dropped off in the main lobby behind the self-checkout area. Among the acceptable items are fiction, nonfiction and children’s books, recent bestsellers, CDs and DVDs.

The library does not accept textbooks, magazines, encyclopedias, VHS tapes or damaged items.

Larger donations, packed in boxes or sturdy bags, can be made at the library’s loading dock with advance notification. A maximum of 10 boxes or bags are allowed at one time.

Donations may be tax-deductible, although library staff does not provide a valuation. Receipts can be obtained at the library welcome desk.

A light book about serious things

Book Review

By Derryll White

Scrimger, Richard (2016).  Lucky Jonah.

This is a Canadian novel with the main character, Jonah, 13 in Grade 8 in a small Ontario town.  Jonah is given a disposable camera with 12 shots left in it.  Gord, the older fellow who gives it to him, is considered a little challenged but he calls Jonah “Lucky” and tells him he has 12 wishes.

Scrimger has a nice light hand.  He gets the language right for the 10-14 age group without speaking down to anyone else. There are some allusions that relate well to young readers but which may pass older readers by, but it won’t ruin the story for them.  Jonah explores the world he is locked into by his birthright and the world that surrounds him as defined by others.  He walks in their shoes. It is definitely something we all should do.

Are you different?  Everyone is; some more than others.  Jonah learns to accept and even enjoy some of his differences.  Richard Scrimger has managed to write a light book about serious things. What is more, he has done it in a way that has meaning for readers from 10 to 100.  I am happier and more open to life for having read “Lucky Jonah.”

********

Excerpts from the book:

COORDINATION – I’ve never felt so in control of my body.  For me, running has always involved a lot of flailing around, arms and legs going in different directions.  Last year Miss Wideman said that when I sprinted, I looked like a building collapsing sideways.

PERCEPTION – It’s amazing how easily we can accept total weirdness.  Walking on the moon.  Talking across a continent.  Things that would have astonished our great-grandparents are totally normal to us.  Drone attacks?  Sure, we think.  Internet shopping, five hundred TV channels, phone apps that make a fart sound.  Lung transplants.  Sour cream and jalapeno-flavored potato chips.  None of these things make sense but we nod and say okay.

– Derryll White once wrote books but now chooses to read and write about them.  When not reading he writes history for the web at www.basininstitute.org.

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Religious Sisters organise a Day of Prayer for eSwatini and South Africa. – Vatican News

Sr Phatsimo Ramokgwebana, SC – Mochudi, Botswana.

In conjunction with Radio Veritas, the Leadership Conference of Consecrated Life in Southern Africa (LCCLSA) recently organised an online Day of Prayer for Southern Africa. This was in response to the social unrest that engulfed parts of South Africa and eSwatini in the last few weeks.

Praying for healing

According to Sr Nkhensani Shibambu, CSA, a member of the Companion Sisters of St Angela, who is also President of the Leadership Conference of Consecrated Life (LCCL SA), the objective of the day was to pray for peace, healing, and an end to violence in Southern Africa.

“The day of prayer was conducted virtually and was live on radio, Facebook as well as other social media platforms. Bishops, Priests, Religious Sisters and Brothers, Lay Catholic Sodalities from South Africa, eSwatini and Botswana, participated in the day of prayer.  This was done in the form of scriptural readings, reflections, prayers and sharing,” Sr Shibambu told the Vatican News collaborator based in Botswana.

Traumatised by the violence and looting

During the Day of Prayer, testimonies were shared by some of those directly impacted by the widespread violence.

“Bishop José Luís Gerardo Ponce de León, I.M.C., of Manzini Diocese, shared his experience of the violence in eSwatini and how it left him traumatised.  Ms Fikile Motsa, a board member of the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO) also from eSwatini shared how two of her businesses were looted and burnt down.  Ms Margaret Hirsch of Kwa-Zulu Natal, the province hit the hardest by the violence and looting in South Africa, also shared how she lost over 50 million Rands worth of stock from the looting,” Sr Shibambu narrated.

A glimmer of hope

Sr Shibambu added, “Though painful and sad to listen to, the testimonies proved to be inspiring and gave a glimmer of hope in the midst of the hopelessness that people are feeling. Many people were moved and touched by the initiative and felt inspired to begin the rebuilding of the country from the ashes that had surrounded them in the past weeks,” she said.

Unprecedented looting in South Africa and eSwatini

Large scale and widespread looting of businesses broke out early this month, in parts of South Africa, following the jailing of former South African President Jacob Zuma. President Zuma has been found guilty of contempt of court and sentenced to 15 months in prison for defying a court order to appear before a commission of inquiry. The government said 337 lives had been lost as a result of the protests and ensuing violence.

Similarly, authorities of eSwatini (formerly known as Swaziland) have had to contend with unprecedented pro-democracy popular discontent in Africa’s only remaining monarchy. Protesters in eSwatini have been agitating for political reforms. There are no official records, but reports said at least 40 people died as police clashed with angry protesters.

Pope prays for victims of flooding in China and blesses Olympics – Vatican News

Pope Francis expressed his closeness with the people of the Chinese city of Zhengzhou and Henan Province in China, struggling after torrential rains in recent days caused devastating flash floods. The Pope said, “I pray for the victims and their families, and express my sympathy and solidarity with all those suffering from this calamity.” 

The number of victims is increasing day by day and some people are still missing. Chinese state television reports more than 3 million citizens affected by the torrential rains and 376 thousand evacuated. The city of Zhengzhou, capital of Henan Province, has been hard hit with as seen in shocking media footage showing avenues transformed into rivers and the subway passengers struggling to break free of submerged cars. 

May the Olympics be a sign of Hope

The Pope also recalled the opening, on Friday, of the 32nd Olympics in Tokyo. He said “In this time of pandemic, may these Games be a sign of hope, a sign of universal brotherhood marked by a healthy spirit of competition.”

And he offered a benediction: “God bless the organizers, the athletes and all those who collaborate for this great festival of sport”.

10 years after independence, world’s newest nation has ‘little to celebrate,’ says South Sudan churches’ leader

South Sudan came into existence 10 years ago, but there is little to celebrate for the world’s newest nation, says Father James Oyet Latansio, general secretary of the South Sudan Council of Churches.

“Now COVID-19 is taking a bitter toll,” said Latansio in an interview, noting the council is constantly striving to drive forward actions and prayer to bring about peace and stability.

The churches’ leader said, despite a lack of progress, he believes there is hope for South Sudan.

“I believe it will come through the church, to which two-thirds of the population belongs, with the Catholic, Anglican, and Presbyterian Churches as the largest,” he said in the an interview with the World Council of Churches.

Almost from the moment of its independence from Sudan on July 9, 2011, the country had suffered from constant conflict, hunger, and sexual violence, he said.

“It is deeply disappointing that after decades of struggle, the creation of South Sudan has not brought the peace we so desired.

“Almost immediately, the president and vice president who took office at independence fell out with each other, leading to confrontation between the country’s two main ethnic groups,” said Latansio.

The decision of South Sudan to secede can be traced to a consistent policy of marginalization by the northern Sudanese government part of the southern part since Sudan became independent in 1956.

The people of the South, who are non-Arab, the majority are Christians and animist, and they felt oppressed by their neighbors in the Arab and Muslim north.

A civil war was fought between 1983 and 2005 and then it ended a signed North-South peace deal granted southerners the right to a self-determination vote after six years and the outcome was supported by Western nations.

Since then, however, persistent violence has displaced more than 1.6 million people within South Sudan, and more than 2 million have fled for neighboring countries.

The coucil of churches has played a persistent role in trying to get the warring parties to allow real peace.

Latansio recalled the journey to South Sudan’s independence in 2011 when the nation was consumed with memories of flag-waving and jubilations.

‘WASTED DECADE’

The council says “a wasted decade” has passed due to the “self-destruction and self-sabotage of our collective future and prosperity that occurred in 2013 and 2016.”

Latansio noted the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, signed in September 2018, was the most viable framework for peace and a beacon of hope for South Sudanese.

“Unfortunately, it’s slow and inconsistent implementation is very worrying and shattering all hopes to restore stability through the peace agreement, and there appears to be a lack of political will.

“In this uncertainty, ‘the Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of Truth’ (1 Timothy 3:15) and reconciliation, has continued to stand strong and engage with the South Sudanese political actors in advocating for sustainable peace, justice, healing, forgiveness, and reconciliation in the land,” said Latansio.

Inter and intra-communal conflicts have flared up despite the churches’ commitment, challenging the implementation of the agreement, making it slow and inconsistent, he said.

Genuinely ecumenical, the South Sudan Council of Churches includes Anglican, Orthodox, Pentecostal, and a broad swathe of Protestant traditions and Roman Catholics.

A Catholic, Latansio works with a network of faith leaders, civil society organizations, and development partners.

“There are opportunities for peace through dialogue and evidence-based advocacy.

“The South Sudan Council of Churches focuses on facilitation, dialogue with non-signatories to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan, consultations, shuttle diplomacy, and prayer accompaniment,” said Latansio.

The council arranges solidarity visits to bring together parties in areas with escalating conflict and inter-communal violence.

LOCAL-LEVEL CONFLICT RESOLUTION

“It supports local-level conflict resolution in many areas through consultations and dialogue. These culminate in the development of peace agreements and action plans and are often accompanied by anti-hate speech campaigns,” Latansio said.

In addition, the South Sudan Council of Churches supports third-party mediation and engagement of the South Sudan Opposition Movement Alliance through the Rome peace process under the auspices of the Community of Sant’Egidio, a partner.

The council meets other non-signatories to the Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan to build trust and confidence among the political leaders and push for peace in South Sudan.

“The church is almost the only institution that people trust. If this conflict and the pandemic is to be overcome, and South Sudan rebuilt, it will be to a large extent through the efforts of the church and the global ecumenical fellowship,” said Latansio.

These include the World Council of Churches, All Africa Conference of Churches, and the church-based organizations – specialized ministries such as ACT Alliance, Caritas Groups, and others.

Padmini of Malwa book review: The queen speaks

Express News Service

The retelling of an old tale is, at best, an onerous task. Especially if you are going to rewrite one of the best known love stories: the beloved queen of Baz Bahadur, the last independent sultan of Malwa, before the region was annexed by the Mughals. She was a well-known poetess, musician and singer of her time, who came to be known as the composer of raga Bhoop Kalyan. She was almost 21 years old when she decided to pull the curtains on her life. The author begins a frantic search for material. He stumbles on the 16th century book but it is written in Persian by Ahmad ul-Umari. An English translation from 1926, by LM Crump—with the rather long-winded title of The Lady of the Lotus, Rup Mati, Queen of Mandu: A Strange Tale of Faithfulness—serves as his guide.

Soon after this discovery, a miracle unfolds; a dream comes true as she appears to him in person—Rani Rupmati, the Queen of Malwa—the legendary definition of Beauty Itself, for whom men went to war. He can barely believe it is really happening to him. Is he dreaming? Is it a ghost or an apparition?

That illusion lasts only till she begins to speak. The author turns into a scribe (albeit, a gifted one) who will henceforth tell this story as told to him by the queen in her own words. You find in these pages, Rupmati reveals all—everything that the usual history books forget to tell you or leave out of their pages. It begins with the fading memories of her mother and the abandonment which goes on revealing the lost years of a magical childhood. You find her growing up among strangers in a desolate fortress, trying to sieve friend from foe. Baz, the future Sultan of Malwa, bursts on the scene as a welcome change in her humdrum life. They fall in love or perhaps it is their shared passion for music that pulls them together? But enemies lurk in every corner and are on the prowl. Their spellbinding dream has got to come to an end.

This is no run-of-the-mill autobiography of an enigma from the past. This is a well-told tale that chronicles the events, both big and small, that encompass Padmini’s brief life and times. It remains an enduring love story that turns into a riveting account of a conflict that was personal to start with and at the same time turned into a religious and political one. Of course, the last two happen to be in equal measure, as myth and history combine to weave a  music that resounds bringing her back to life  again. Small wonder that the poets and minstrels of Malwa keep her legacy alive today in their of songs. You can hear them as the sun bids goodbye to the day or as you sit down to read this book.

Padmini Of Malwa    
By: Priyadarshi Thakur Khyal
Publisher: Speaking Tiger
Pages: 97
Price: Rs 350

Klara and the Sun book review: If robots could feel

Express News Service

Klara is a unique Artificial Friend (AF) with unusual insight and outstanding observational qualities. Companions for the youth, AFs get their nourishment from the sun’s rays. They are meant to help encourage in children empathy as well as a conscientious and studious attitude. Unlike most AFs, Klara carefully watches and absorbs the actions of passersby from the place where she is displayed inside a store. Often what she notices about human nature and the world outside disturbs and puzzles her. She tries to make sense of mortal concepts, and struggles to comprehend convoluted emotions, which she routinely encounters on the streets outside through the store window.

When an unwell, 14-year-old girl, Josie, purchases Klara, she begins to adjust to her new life in the family’s home. At the house, she finds a spot from where she loves to watch the last part of the sun’s journey for the day. It is while living with Josie that Klara further unravels several mysterious truths about human beings.

While Klara is programmed to think and feel like a human, human beings around her seem to be confused about whether to treat her as a person or simply a gadget. At an interaction meeting, young people give Klara commands as they would to a machine, mishandle her and test her coordination as they would with an object. She realises that youngsters can be erratic, fickle and hurtful; and they may make promises that they do not necessarily keep.

Further, Klara observes the extent to which humans, in their wish to escape solitude, make manoeuvres that are “very complex and hard to fathom”. Moreover, when lonely persons bare their hearts and vent their emotions to Klara, they little realise that she has sentiments of her own too. Ironically, Klara finds that individuals often experience a need to “prepare a side of themselves to display to passersby”—just as they might in a store window.

When the family asks Klara to “learn” Josie in all her entirety so that she may “inhabit” the body of an AF they are creating of their daughter—in order to “continue” her once she is gone, Klara realises that simply an impersonation of her mannerisms will not do the trick. In this context, the book brings up a relevant ethical debate: While science has proved beyond doubt that there is nothing more that “our modern tools can’t excavate, copy, transfer,” it involves something very deep to learn someone’s heart—and what makes each person special and individual. It is then that Klara makes a secret pact with the sun, seeking its special nourishment to cure Josie.

With eight acclaimed works of fiction to his credit, Japanese author Kazuo Ishiguro has been a recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Booker Prize. His work has been translated into over 50 languages, and he was honoured with a knighthood in 2018 for Services to Literature. In this, his latest book, Ishiguro writes brilliantly in the first person of an AF—imagining what everyday occurrences, such as seeing the outdoors for the first time, sitting in a car and figuring out human beings, must feel like to a robot.Through Klara’s sophisticated understanding, he makes stark and poignant interpretations about the complicated behaviour of humans from the perspective of an outsider.   

In many ways, the book is also a realistic prediction about the increasingly isolated world that we live in. Needless to say, it’s disconcerting to envision a future where we will resort to technology to seek companionship and keep loneliness at bay. With Alexa and Siri already household names that many cannot do without, AFs are very well a potential possibility, especially in a post-Covid world where young people find themselves increasingly secluded and in need of camaraderie—whether authentic or simulated.

Klara and the Sun
By: Kazuo Ishiguro
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Pages: 307
Price: Rs 699

Summit on COVID-19 impacts on mental health

Statement by Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe (Athens, Greece, 22 July 2021)

Your excellencies,

Prime Minister of Greece, Mr Mitsotakis,

First Vice President of the Hellenic Parliament, Mr Kaklamanis,

Vice President of the European Commission, Mr Schinas,

Minister Kikilias, excellencies, ministers of health, Madame Messimeri, Father representing His Beatitude, friends and colleagues,

“Kathe nossos ksekina apo tin psyche” (“Κάθε νόσος ξεκινά από την ψυχή”) – “Every disease starts from the soul,” said Hippocrates, 2500 years ago.

The father of medicine, he was the first to introduce to the world, a holistic approach to health, highlighting the important link between body and soul. This approach was also adopted by the World Health Organization in 1948, when health was defined as: “A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity,” in its constitution.

With more than 1.2 million registered deaths in the WHO European Region, countless livelihoods ruined, families and communities driven apart, opportunities lost and businesses bankrupted, COVID-19 has shaken us all. This pandemic came to disrupt our lives and our health, both physical and mental. Our “psyche”, defined as our soul and mind; our deepest feelings, emotions, thoughts, attitudes and relationships were hit hard. This “psyche”, that Hippocrates made the epicentre of human well-being, is the focus of our discussion for the next 2 days. For the “psyches” of almost 1 billion people living in the 53 countries for which we are responsible as WHO/Europe and for the actions required to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and service delivery systems, to protect our “psyche” in the harsh times of this pandemic and to be prepared for similar catastrophic events in the future.

Events that shake us to the core, profoundly and collectively change us. Among those ongoing changes, is the general perception of mental health and what it means – a question which, now due to COVID-19, has become a top priority.

This pandemic provides an opportunity to rethink services, heal the fractures in society that have been exposed and the gaps that have been magnified. This is an opportunity no country can squander – and today marks a turning point in our effort.

Hosted by the Hellenic Republic, today we are here to discuss what’s needed to address the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and service delivery in the WHO European Region.

I am very much pleased that we are having this conference in Athens, following the successful completion of the joint rapid review assessment of mental health, conducted by WHO and the Greek Ministry of Health. This review produced a series of recommendations, which will soon materialize into the National Action Plan for Mental Health, here in Greece, as an example for the rest of the WHO European Region. I believe this is a great example of how we can make the best of the opportunity presented by this pandemic, in order to promote meaningful reforms in mental health, and for this, I would like to personally thank the Prime Minister of Greece, Mr Mitsotakis, the Minister of Health, Dr Vasilis Kikilias, and the Deputy Minister responsible for Mental Health, Ms Zoe Rapti, for not allowing the challenge of the pandemic to stand in the way of your reform-oriented approach to mental health and for continuing to place mental health at the top of your agenda, before, during and after the pandemic.

During my campaign for the post of the Regional Director for Europe – prior to the pandemic, I already identified mental health as a priority. It is a flagship of our European Programme of Work, endorsed by the Regional Committee a year ago.

Back then, after listening carefully to all 53 Member States, I recognized the importance of mental health for multiple reasons. Among those reasons, a critical one is that challenges related to mental health are the largest contributor to disability in our region. Every single day, millions are subjected to stigma and discrimination due to mental health. Yet, reforms to services remain far too slow and fragmented and the quality of care often remains insufficient.

This begs two questions:

One: If this is so evident, why haven’t we been able to bring about the desired change before?

And two: what must we do differently now?

To understand the scale of the impact of COVID-19 on mental health, WHO/Europe established a Technical Advisory Group, composed of professionals and advocates from across the Region. The wealth of evidence and the complexity of their recommendations is the basis of our work today and tomorrow.

The European Mental Health Coalition that’s being launched in September – together with the Queen of all Belgians, Queen Mathilde – is another important vehicle for change. The Coalition will seek to:

• address stigma and discrimination;
• build accessible, multidisciplinary mental health services in the community;
• revamp primary health care;
• strengthen investment for a fit-for-purpose mental health workforce;
• address structural and environmental determinants of poor mental health.

Here we cannot underestimate the quality of mental health services. I would like to express my deep appreciation to the Government of Greece once again for the unique opportunity through the new WHO Athens Office on Quality of Care, which will help all countries. Our agenda is a very ambitious one. WHO will rely on its trusted, resourceful expert partners, established as champions of mental health across the Region; partners like all of you, sitting here with us today, physically or virtually. But we also wish to bring on board those who never realized that they too can and should contribute: employers, trade unions, cultural and sports organizations, players who have not been utilized to the maximum before, but who have a lot to contribute to this effort.

The sheer fact that so many health leaders from the Region are gathered today – among them the Vice-President of the European Commission, the Regional Director of UNICEF, the OECD, gives me hope and signals a commitment, backed by action and investment. The presence of all of you, bringing experience, expertise, leadership and resources – to produce policies and legislation, trigger action and invest in better services – signals a change in tide.

Today, we are taking stock and shaping an opportunity in societies that are increasingly aware of mental health and well-being. Aware of how vital it is to foster resilience, preparing for future health emergencies, for the future of our children.

Mental health and well-being should be seen as a fundamental human right, as a fight in which, if we succeed, everyone wins. Not only do we mitigate the impact of COVID-19 – we also contribute to the economic recovery, and to the achievement of universal health coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals.

As health leaders, the responsibility is ours. I trust in your participation today being a manifestation of a long-term commitment to go beyond catchwords – and grasp the unique opportunity to do better. We owe it to ourselves and, most importantly, we owe it to the people we serve.

My thanks to our host, the Greek government and the Ministry of Health for staunchly advocating for mental health with WHO/Europe.

Although it is the right thing to do, it will still take a lot of courage and steadfastness to continue to put mental health at the top of the reform agenda – before, during and after the pandemic. I now ask all of you to do the same and all together approve the Athens Summit Declaration later on this morning, which will be presented in the opening plenary – to give mental health prominence, and invest in reformed, accessible, community-based and qualitative services. I urge you to rise to the challenge, mobilize your networks and start building the future we want.

Thank you.

Alexey Miller: “Gazprom has always approached Nord Stream 2 as an economic project”

IOM Assists 113 West African Migrants to Return Home from Algeria

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) facilitated this week the voluntary and safe return of 113 Gambian, Liberian, Sierra Leonian and Senegalese migrants (5 women, 87 men, 1 girl, 20 boys) from Algeria through two special return flights.

The voluntary returns flights organized in close collaboration with the governments of Algeria, The Gambia and Liberia, departed on 18 and 19 July from Algiers to Banjul and Monrovia respectively. Thanks to a joint and coordinated effort, migrants were able to return home before the Eid Al Adha and spend the holidays with their families.

From Banjul International Airport, Sierra Leonian migrants continued their travel on commercial flights while Senegalese migrants continued their trip home using land transportation. Liberian migrants departed from Algiers directly to Monrovia. IOM has supported the migrants with airport formalities such as check-in, verification of documents and exit procedures.

Prior to departure, the returnees underwent health checks and got tested for COVID-19 (PCR). IOM has also provided them with pre-departure counselling services, protection screening and transportation assistance. IOM offered targeted assistance to migrants with specific situations of vulnerability such as unaccompanied migrant children, victims of trafficking and migrants with medical conditions.

“Due to the sanitary crisis, I decided to return home. I contacted IOM to benefit from a safe return to my country,” said Mohamadou, one of the returnees.

Throughout the return process, COVID-19 prevention measures were carefully followed in line with international standards. All returnees were also provided with prevention kits that include masks, hand sanitiser, information materials on COVID-19 prevention measures in different languages.

Upon arrival in their countries of origin, IOM staff received and supported the migrants. To ensure the sustainable reintegration of the returnees into their communities of origin, eligible returnees will receive reintegration assistance which may include economic, social and psychosocial support following the development of tailored reintegration assistance plans based on their needs.

The voluntary return movement was made possible thanks to the efforts and coordination between IOM offices and both government and consular authorities in Algeria, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and The Gambia. All beneficiaries, except Senegalese, were assisted with remote identity verification through interviews and subsequent issuance of emergency travel documents. IOM staff in The Gambia provided crucial support through transit assistance to migrants that arrived throughout the night from 18 to 19 July prior to their onward travel by air in the morning to Sierra Leone, as well as by land to Senegal, while IOM Liberia was able to complete necessary administrative arrangements thanks to the generous support of Liberian government.

The return movements were made possible with financial support from the European Union, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the US Department of State, and the Kingdom of Denmark. Since the onset of the COVID-19, IOM assisted over 1500 migrants to safely return to their countries of origin from Algeria. 
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Messages from CEC General Secretary

To connect with CEC Member Churches across Europe, CEC general secretary Dr Jørgen Skov Sørensen brings highlights from significant CEC activities in a video update each month. Dr Sørensen comes from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark (ELCD) with background in theology, mission, ecumenism, leadership and communication.

Theological Reflections: Exploring Church in Mission

“Coming together with our differences, opens our eyes to others, as well as to ourselves.” CEC general secretary Dr Jørgen Skov Sørensen speaks about CEC’s Theological Reflections series “Communion in Crisis: The Church during the COVID-19 Pandemic” Watch here.

Safer and Stronger Communities in Europe

“Freedom of religion and belief, its promotion and protection, remains at the heart of CEC.” CEC general secretary Dr Jørgen Skov Sørensen speaks about CEC’s engagement with the Safer and Stronger Communities in Europe (SASCE) project. Watch here

Learn more about CEC General Secretary

CEC activities – what we do

SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant now dominant in much of European region; efforts must be reinforced to prevent transmission, warns WHO Regional Office for Europe and ECDC

One brave family’s story of working to prevent drowning and why

“I shook his hand and said see you on Friday.” Those were the last words Ian Jones said to his son Tom after dropping him back at his dormitory at the University of Worcester in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Through a sequence of tragic consequences and unanswered questions, his drowned body was pulled from the River Severn 9 days later.

Tom, an avid football fan, aware of the chronic shortage of positive male role models, had just started studying to become a primary school teacher. Joining hundreds of other university students starting a new chapter in their lives, Tom celebrated his first week at university with friends and roommates. The coronial inquest finding that Tom drowned, suspected to have occurred while trying to help someone else in difficulty, was one of over 19 000 such deaths that occur in the WHO European Region every year.

Tom’s mother Vicki holds her head as she recounts the moment that police family liaison officers called and asked if she was sitting down. “That’s when my whole world just fell apart.”

“Tom was an athletic boy and a strong and confident swimmer, but in hindsight I would have talked more about cold water shock, about what to do if he inadvertently fell in the water, about how to float until he reached safety, about how alcohol and water don’t mix,” she said. Such a reaction, from a devoted parent, is as natural as it is heart-breaking that she believes she could have done more for her son.

Tom’s parents, Vicki and Ian, made a promise to each other: “I won’t let you fall apart, and you will do the same for me.” It was that commitment that would lead these brave parents to share their story, advocating for more awareness of drowning and how it can seemingly happen to anyone. Vicki and her family have become active volunteers with the Royal Life Saving Society, the United Kingdom’s drowning prevention charity and leading provider of water safety education. “I will do whatever I can to prevent another family from having to going through the same horror we do,” says Vicki of her driving motivation.

The new World Day on Drowning Prevention

This year, 25 July marks the inaugural World Day on Drowning Prevention. This latest addition to the United Nations calendar of official days was adopted by all Member States of the United Nations in a resolution earlier this year – calling for greater attention and action on a public health disaster that globally claims a life every 2 minutes worldwide, or 235 000 people every year.

In leading the United Nations negotiations for this resolution, Ireland together with Bangladesh highlighted a key message about drowning and prevention in the European Region. “Relative to the rest of the world, our numbers are low, but regionally drowning is still a leading cause of death in countries of Europe. We must do even more because so many people are still senselessly lost,” said Martin O’Sullivan, Chairman of Water Safety Ireland, the government organization tasked with preventing drowning.

WHO’s related work with Member States and stakeholders is not new. The first global report was published in 2014 and followed up in 2017 with further guidance and recommendations on evidence-based strategies to prevent and respond to drowning. Further technical support, specifically on swimming skills and supervision programmes, will be released during the commemoration.

“The epidemiology of drowning in the WHO European Region is different to the rest of the world,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe. “In Europe, drowning most commonly occurs in middle-aged males and is predominantly associated with recreational activities. But as we have seen from the recent devastating floods in western Europe, climate change presents a new and frightening level of risk for a range of health consequences, including drowning, that have not been properly recognized,” warned Dr Kluge.

Recognizing that drowning in Europe has specificities that need to be properly addressed, WHO/Europe Programme Manager for Injury Prevention, Jonathon Passmore, said, “WHO will continue to build the technical guidance and evidence-based strategies that can inform prevention of drowning wherever and to whomever it occurs.”

For families like the Jones, a wider understanding of drowning, how it occurs and, most importantly, how it can be prevented are a small comfort.

“It would be like Tom didn’t die for nothing,” says Vicki with a forced smile.

Integral Secures Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Exclusive Free to Air Media Rights Package from Infront

Integral (www.Integralsande.com), Nigeria’s leading sports marketing and management company, has secured the exclusive rights to broadcast the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 on free-to-air television.

This sub-license deal from Infront, a Wanda Sports Group company and the IOC’s exclusive rights holder for free-to-air distribution rights in Sub-Saharan Africa, is in addition to Integral’s existing Premier League sub-license free-to-air media rights agreement on NTA.

The exclusive package includes TV broadcast of live events as well as repeats and highlights from the Olympics. Integral will once again work with Nigeria’s most popular broadcaster the NTA Network, to deliver all content on its free-to-air-platform.

Over 200 hours of content will be available on the NTA Network with 6 to 9 hours of daily content throughout the period of the Games from July 23rd to August 8^th, 2021

Christophe Van Rothem, Infront Associate Director Media rights said: “Our objective is to maximize the reach of the Olympic Games 2020 and this partnership with our trusted partner Integral, will ensure we are able to bring this unique and thrilling event to millions of households in Nigeria.”

Speaking on the deal, the Managing Director of Integral Abimbola Ilo: “Following our partnership for the Premier League free-to-air rights, we are pleased to be working with Infront again to deliver high-quality sports moments to Nigerians. This is an important avenue to showcase the talents and tell the stories of exceptional athletes as they compete on the world’s biggest stage in Tokyo”.

Also speaking on the deal, Mallam Yakubu Ibn Mohammed, the Director General of NTA stated: “As Nigeria’s most popular broadcaster, we are committed to delivering quality content to our viewers and proud to be partnering with Integral again on what promises to be yet another exciting sports event. With this partnership, we will once again be bringing the best of premium sports to the widest distribution in Nigeria”.

Chichi Nwoko Integral’s Associate Director, Sports Rights and Media Partnership added: “We are happy to partner with Infront to bring another exciting major sports event to passionate Nigerian fans. As we add to our growing media rights catalogue, Integral is delighted to be at the centre of delivering live sports content to Nigerians yet again”.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Integral.
For more information, please contact: Deolu Lamikanra deolu@integralsande.com

About Integral: Integral, based in Lagos, Nigeria, is a leading sports marketing and management practice. Known for its high standards of delivery, the company has varied expertise and works in all aspects of the industry – events, corporate hospitality, sponsorships, media rights and athlete representation. Integral’s track record includes hospitality experience specific to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, 2014 FIFA World Cup™ and more recently, as exclusive sales agent in Nigeria of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ and the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019 ™ Official Hospitality Programme delivering first class solutions to a variety of individuals and blue-chip companies in Nigeria. Integral is the current rights holder of the Premier League sub-license free-to-air media rights in Nigeria.

About Infront: Connecting fans and consumers to the greatest sports events, Infront, a Wanda Sports Group company, offers everything an event or commercial partner needs to be successful. With a team of over 1,000 experts working from 45 offices across more than 16 countries around the world, Infront is equipped to tackle any challenge – be it innovative digital solutions, world-class event operations, international media rights distribution, sponsorship sales and activations or cutting-edge media production. Headquartered in Switzerland, Infront is passionate and AllAboutSports. @infrontsports www.infront.sport.

GUEST COLUMN: A gripping new book about the KKK

Although Curtis Wilkie’s new book is mostly about the Ku Klux Klan in Jones and Forrest counties in the 1960s, Pike County and a well-known Klansman of the McComb area are included.

Wilkie, who grew up in Summit and went on to become a nationally-known journalist and author, is gifted at turning research and interviews into highly readable narratives, and this book is no exception.

“When Evil Lived in Laurel” — “The ‘White Knights’ and  the Murder of Vernon Dahmer” offers a gripping insight into the inner workings of the Klan in the turbulent 1960s, as well as FBI tactics that, at times, seemed to cross the line of legality.

The main character in the book is Tom Landrum, a former coach, then youth court  counselor,  who was persuaded by an FBI agent to join the White Knights and  become an informer.

Needless to say, it was dangerous and stressful work. Landrum often heard at Klan meetings threats to kill any  informers detected.

Before he died at age 87 in 2019, Landrum made available to Wilkie journals he kept while he secretly reported to the FBI. Landrum and his wife Anne submitted to extensive interviews with the author who also drew on other research for the book.

The White Knights in  Jones County was  an extremely violent group, its leaders considering the rival United Klans that operated in nearby Forrest County and also in the McComb area as not tough enough.

It was White Knights from Jones County who ventured into Forrest County to burn out and murder Vernon Dahmer, a voter registration leader in the Hattiesburg area.

Two years before the Dahmer raid, however, members of the United Klans were doing violence in  the McComb area in 1964.

Wilkie’s book notes: “it seemed as though sticks of dynamite were being tossed about as casually as July fireworks. The violence earned the region the unwanted title of ‘Church Bombing Capital of the World.’”

By 1966, the violence had subsided in McComb, following the arrest of some bombers and a stand by many citizens for law and order.

That year the House UnAmerican Activities Committee conducted a hearing in Washington, D.C., on Klan activities.

Sam Bowers, the leader of the White Knights in Laurel, stonewalled the committee, invoking the Fifth Amendment, as did  others.

But, as reported by Wilkie, Emmett Thornhill, described by then as “a former member of the United Klans klavern in Pike County,” was more forthcoming.

Thornhill was an uneducated man who made millions of dollars by securing oil leases. I remember him well, and I was always under the impression that he often was in partnership with leading businessmen and professionals in the area in securing the oil leases. They put up the money for the leases. He did the leg work.

He made no bones about being in the Klan in 1964 when hundreds of people attended an open to the public United Klans rally featuring  a speech by its national leader Robert Shelton at the Pike County Fairgrounds.

I recall attending that along with Enterprise-Journal reporter Charley Gordon. We both agreed Shelton made a long-winded and boring speech.

By the time he testified in Washington, Thornhill claimed he no longer was a member of the Klan, saying he was disturbed by the violence.

As quoted in the book Thornhill said: “They was doing some things I didn’t approve of, so I thought maybe I would get out…Everybody knew that I was in the Klan and they thought I was head of it…I didn’t know a thing about what was going on…Everybody was accusing me of doing it anyway, and I said well, I would just get out of it.”

However, Thornhill characterized  the United Klans as a benevolent  group that had committees to care for the sick and needy as well as a committee to screen public school libraries to make sure they had no “sex books.”

I was a pretty good reporter in the 1960s, but I missed anything good the Klan did.

In my opinion, what made Klansmen so dangerous was that, although some were just thugs, others truly believed they were preserving Christianity by participating  in or condoning violent acts, even murder.

Misguided “true believers” can be more dangerous than criminals who are just in it for the money.