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<p>Nigeria&#8217;s Monetary Policy Committee has commenced its two-day meeting, at a time the world is facing a significant health and economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Recently, Central Bank of Nigeria adjusted the FX rate at the I&#038;E window to N380 per dollar and adjusted its official Naira peg for converting government revenue to 360  from N307. Dipo Ajayi, Head of Fixed Income and Forex at Chapel Hill Denham joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


How will Nigeria’s MPC respond to COVID-19?

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Over the weekend around 400 leaders from local government, parastatals and the private sector headed to the Rwanda Defence Force Combat Training Centre for the 16th annual National Leadership Retreat dubbed, Umwiherero. The four day retreat, which was chaired by the President, ended yesterday and addressed topics ranging from accountability, to health, education, agricultural productivity, exports and investments. Journalist and Researcher, Lonzen Rugira joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Rwandan leaders meet at ‘Umwiherero’ to discuss country’s development

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Over the weekend some 400 leaders from local Government, parastatals and the private sector headed to the Rwanda Defence Force Combat Training Centre for the 16th annual National Leadership Retreat dubbed, Umwiherero. The four day retreat, which is chaired by the President of the Republic, will address the quality of health and education, agricultural productivity, exports and investments and will reportedly feature a presentation on the implementation status of the 2018 leadership retreat recommendations. New Times Journalist, Julius Bizimungu joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Here’s what to expect from the 4-day Rwanda National Leadership Retreat

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The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group predicted Kenya&#8217;s 2020 GDP to grow at 6 per cent this year, boosted by favourable weather conditions and big-ticket investments around the Big 4 agenda on health, housing, manufacturing and agriculture. Also, Kenya’s private sector activity fell for the first time in nine months to January, largely due to weak consumer demand, pointing to poor cash flow in the country. Rodney Omukhulu, Assistant Investments Analyst at Cytonn joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Here’s how Big 4 agenda is expected to grow Kenya’s GDP by 6%

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<p>The World Economic Forum (WEF) says closing the overall gender gap across politics, economics, health and education narrowed for the first time in three years. This was in their latest Global Gender Gap report, where Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is reported to have closed 68 per cent of the gender gap so far. Roberto Crotti, Lead for the Centre for the New Economy and Society at the World Economic Forum joins CNBC Africa from Geneva for more.</p>


WEF: Overall gender gap narrows for first time in 3 years

WEF: Overall gender gap narrows for first time in 3 years, here’s how African countries fared

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By <span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/agnes-binagwaho-397402">Agnes Binagwaho</a>, <em><a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-global-health-equity-3205">University of Global Health Equity</a></em> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/miriam-frisch-843046">Miriam Frisch</a>, <em><a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-global-health-equity-3205">University of Global Health Equity</a></em></span>

<p>Seven countries around the world – three of them in Africa – have made faster than expected progress over the past 15 years in reducing <a href="https://data.unicef.org/topic/child-survival/under-five-mortality/">deaths among children younger than five</a>. These seven countries, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Nepal, Peru, Rwanda and Senegal, were selected because they have all performed unexpectedly well in improving childhood health relative to their <a href="https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.KD.ZG">economic growth</a>. </p>

<p>There are many factors at the root of their achievements, most notably, a strong integrated and coordinated health system built on primary health care. However, one cross-cutting factor stands out that we believe allowed them all to achieve significant health gains but which, so far, tends to be always overlooked: trust.</p>

<p>This is clear from a <a href="https://wellcome.ac.uk/sites/default/files/wellcome-global-monitor-2018.pdf">report</a>, published by the Wellcome Trust and the Gallup Institute earlier this year. It surveyed 140,000 people in 140 countries to find out how they felt about science and health. </p>

<p>A study on public attitudes to science and health on a global scale, the survey covered topics such as whether people
trust science, scientists, and information about health; the levels of understanding and interest in science and health; the benefits of science;
the compatibility of religion and science; and attitudes to vaccines. </p>

<p>There’s a remarkable overlap between countries that have achieved progress in health goals such as reducing under-5 mortality, and those that ranked high in the trust survey. All seven were among the highest ranked globally when it came to their populations’ belief in the importance of vaccines while six out of the seven ranked highly in their trust in hospitals and health clinics. </p>

<p>There’s logic in this. With greater population trust in health systems, health uptake and health outcomes improve. People are more likely to understand the benefits of health services and place a high value in receiving these services. This includes trusting in vaccinations which would lead people to placing a high value on vaccinating their children.</p>

<p>Rwanda in particular has done well in building population trust. According to the survey, the country reports the highest levels of confidence in hospitals and health clinics in the world, and the largest proportion of the population who agree that vaccines are effective. Rwanda also comes out on top in the world in terms of how much of its population believes that vaccines are important for children and in <a href="https://data.unicef.org/resources/immunization-coverage-estimates-data-visualization/">the percentage of children who are vaccinated.</a></p>

<p>This is the result of the work the Rwandan government has done over the past 25 years to build a strong health system and foster an inclusive approach to health coverage, starting at a community level. These actions can serve as a model for other countries to replicate.</p>

<h2>Crucial steps</h2>

<p>It is 25 years since Rwanda was destroyed by the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=S/1999/1257">1994 genocide</a> against the Tutsi. Since then, the country of more than <a href="http://www.statistics.gov.rw/statistical-publications/subject/population-size-and-population-characteristics">12 million</a> people has developed a <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(14)60574-2/fulltext?rss=yes">strong, decentralised health system</a> and addressed many of the major financial and geographic barriers that vulnerable populations face in accessing healthcare services. </p>

<p>Some of the steps have included:</p>

<p><strong>Prioritising programmes that leave no one out</strong></p>

<p><strong>Building a decentralised health system:</strong> There are 15,000 villages in Rwanda. By 2018, each one had <a href="http://www.rbc.gov.rw/index.php?id=19&amp;tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=447&amp;cHash=c95bbbc0655d12b71c9ccdc675ab2313">four community health workers</a>. These community health workers are elected by their peers and are highly respected, trusted members of their communities who are spending sleepless night to keep their peers healthy. </p>

<p>The trust that’s been built between community health workers and the people they represent has provided a strong foundation in developing broader trust in health systems and in the government that created the system.</p>

<p><strong>Promoting the uptake of health services and vaccination service delivery</strong>: Community health workers, among other tasks, ensure that all pregnant women in their village attend antenatal clinics and deliver in a health facility, that every child gets vaccinated, and that community members are educated about the importance of vaccines and other preventive and curative treatments.</p>

<p><strong>Offering universal access to a range of treatments:</strong> For example, HIV prevention care and treatment services, including the use of antiretroviral treatment.</p>

<p>All these measures contributed to growing population trust in the health system. People feel more comfortable in seeking out healthcare at health facilities and trusting the advice given to them by health professionals.  </p>

<h2>More work remains</h2>

<p>There have been <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(14)60574-2/fulltext?rss=yes">tangible benefits</a> to this rebuilding. Life expectancy has doubled. Immunisation coverage rates also increased from less than 30% in 1995 (with five kinds of vaccines administered) to 94% in 2015, with <a href="http://www.nitag-resource.org/uploads/media/default/0001/03/ff28cb2c2cb72344d4d7416d8178b25407d57cbb.pdf">10 vaccines administered to boys and 11 administered to girls, including the HPV vaccine</a>.</p>

<p>This is not to say that Rwanda doesn’t have more work to do. That’s also true of that the other six countries that performed well in the Wellcome Global Monitor.</p>

<p>Education remains a critical gap. The Wellcome Global Monitor <a href="https://wellcome.ac.uk/sites/default/files/wellcome-global-monitor-2018.pdf">reported</a> that the seven countries had some of the highest population proportions with little to no knowledge of science, especially among older people.</p>

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  <em>
    <strong>
      Read more:
      <a href="http://theconversation.com/rwanda-university-sets-out-to-teach-doctors-medicine-and-management-110527">Rwanda university sets out to teach doctors medicine and management</a>
    </strong>
  </em>
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<p>A lack of science education is a major barrier to improving health outcomes and achieving and sustaining <a href="https://www.who.int/health_financing/universal_coverage_definition/en/">universal health coverage</a>. Strong education systems that are training our scientists, clinicians and health professionals are crucial to ensuring countries have enough skilled professionals to provide high quality care to everyone. </p>

<p>This is a gap we are trying to fill at the <a href="https://ughe.org/">University of Global Health Equity</a> in the rural north of Rwanda: to train future clinicians to have the tools to effectively address inequities in healthcare and to build and maintain health systems that leave no one out.<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/124183/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important"></p>

<p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/agnes-binagwaho-397402">Agnes Binagwaho</a>, Vice Chancellor, <em><a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-global-health-equity-3205">University of Global Health Equity</a></em> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/miriam-frisch-843046">Miriam Frisch</a>, Research Associate to the Vice Chancellor, <em><a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-global-health-equity-3205">University of Global Health Equity</a></em></span></p>

<p>This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/lessons-from-rwanda-on-how-trust-can-help-repair-a-broken-health-system-124183">original article</a>.</p>

Here are lessons from Rwanda on how trust can assist in repairing a broken health system

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<p>AXA Mansard has reported a 24.6 per cent rise in its half-year gross premium. The insurer has a string of independently run businesses in the health, pensions and investment space. To unpack the half-year numbers, Ngozi Ola-Israel, Chief Financial Officer of Axa Mansard joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Axa Mansard CFO: How to look at the half-year results

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<p>Last week saw the Kigali Global Dialogue where thought leaders came together to discuss global contemporary issues of development and growth. The talks centered around human policy, technological transformation of society, public health and climate change and sustainability. One of the key speakers on these topics, Joyce Msuya joins CNBC Africa for more.</p>


Joyce Msuya on achieving sustainable development in East Africa

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<p>The government of Rwanda and the Kingdom of Belgium through the Belgian Embassy in Rwanda signed a new Belgo-Rwandan cooperation agreement that will focus on health, agriculture and sustainable urbanization. CNBC Africa was on ground for a comment.</p>


New 5 year Belgo-Rwandan deal signed

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<p>Mint Innovations is a start-up that has come up with solutions for health using robotics and assistive technologies. CNBC Africa had a conversation with Founder and CEO Benjamin Nortey on this and the role of technology in accelerating Africa’s bid to achieve universal health coverage by 2030.</p>


This is how technology can accelerate universal healthcare in Africa

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<p>Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS says a government-driven approach will not make access to healthcare universal to Africans at such a coalition like the African Business Coalition for health is needed. He joins CNBC Africa’s Wole Famurewa to discuss the impact of poor healthcare on quality of life in Africa.</p>


Impact of Africa’s poor healthcare on quality of life

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<p>Nigeria&#8217;s former Finance Minister and Board chair of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisations Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala says economically, for every dollar invested in health, you get twenty dollars in return. She discussed the rate of return on investments in health and how the cost of delivering health care services to families in Africa can be reduced.</p>


How we can to reduce the cost of Africa’s health care delivery

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<p>The African Business Coalition for Health was launched on the sidelines of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa. The coalition aims to mobilise a core group of private sector players through a coordinated platform to advance health outcomes. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Co-Chairman of Global Business Coalition for health and Founder of the African Business Coalition for Health joined CNBC Africa’s Wole Famurewa to discuss his vision for ABC-Health.</p>


GBC-Health launches the African business coalition for health

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<p>At the launch of the African Business Coalition for Health in Addis Ababa, CNBC Africa’s Wole Famurewa caught up with Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and they explored ways to build sustainable healthcare systems in Africa.</p>


How to build sustainable healthcare systems in Africa

<figure><img decoding="async" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/240415/original/file-20181012-119144-mkc6vv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="File 20181012 119144 mkc6vv.jpg?ixlib=rb 1.1" /><figcaption>Kenya is ill-prepared for the environmental, health and safety impacts that accompany oil production.<br />
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<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/melba-k-wasunna-441896">By Melba K. Wasunna</a>, <em><a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/strathmore-university-2081">Strathmore University</a></em></p>
<p>After decades of failed attempts, Kenya finally <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/03/2012326174456726672.html">struck oil six years ago</a>. <a href="https://nationaloil.co.ke/pdf/NOCK_Newsletter.pdf">Commercially viable</a> reserves were discovered in Turkana – the northwest of the country– by British oil company, Tullow Oil. The basin is estimated to contain about <a href="https://www.tullowoil.com/operations/east-africa/kenya">560 million barrels of oil</a>.</p>
<p>While commercial production is a few years away, there’s <a href="http://extractives-baraza.com/assets/content/PDF/epwg/EHS-Discussion-Paper-Policy-Dialogues.pdf">growing</a> concern that Kenya isn’t ready for the environmental, health and safety risks that accompany oil production.</p>
<p>A <a href="http://extractives-baraza.com/assets/content/PDF/epwg/EHS-Discussion-Paper-Policy-Dialogues.pdf">recent forum</a> involving key stakeholders – community, civil society organisations and the Ministry of Health – outlined some of these concerns. These<br />
include that; workers aren’t well protected, waste isn’t being well disposed of and water sources could be <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/water-quality-quantity-versus-turkana-oil-production-daniel-lagat/">contaminated</a>. Other problems identified included the fact that those regulating these issues don’t have clear mandates and that policies and standards that deal with managing risks don’t exist or aren’t clear.</p>
<p>Kenya has several state agencies that try to regulate the industry. This means that there’s an uncoordinated approach and a great deal of uncertainty. A framework is needed that speaks specifically to environment, health and safety for the oil sector. It must have a clear division of roles and responsibilities, ensuring the sector is efficient, and encouraging investment.</p>
<h2>Oil spills and pollution</h2>
<p>A key concern for communities in the Turkana area is how waste and pollution will be managed. This includes; the disposal of drill cuttings, reduced air quality due to flaring of gas and negative impacts on human and animal health.</p>
<p>There’s also concern over the technology used to handle hazardous waste as it doesn’t meet the standards of those in other countries. For instance, <a href="http://extractives-baraza.com/assets/content/PDF/Publications:%20Government/Final%20SESA%20Report%20March%202017.pdf">most</a> waste oil treatment facilities don’t meet international standards and are run by the informal sector.</p>
<p>Trying to deal with these risks is challenging and there are significant gaps in policies and laws.</p>
<p>For example, there’s a general <a href="http://kenyalaw.org/kl/fileadmin/pdfdownloads/bills/2017/Petroleum_Exploration_DevelopmentandProductionBill_2017.pdf">requirement</a> that contractors be prepared in case of an emergency – like a fire. But there’s no direction of who is responsible for what and the procedures that must be followed. Kenya’s National oil Spill Contingency Plan is meant to make this clearer, but it has been in draft form for over four years.</p>
<p>There also needs to be clarity on who is responsible for damage incurred as a result of oil spills or other pollution. Currently the <a href="https://kma.go.ke/index.php/marine-environment/oil-spill-response">Kenya Maritime Authority</a> is responsible for coordinating this, but they are a maritime agency – authority should rest with the National Environment Management Authority.</p>
<h2>Worker safety</h2>
<p>There also need to be more policies that protect the health and safety of workers. An <a href="http://www.kenyalaw.org/klr/fileadmin/pdfdownloads/Acts/OccupationalSafetyandHealth(No.15of2007).pdf">occupational safety and health act</a> in on the statute books. But there are no policy guidelines that look at how health and safety is monitored. These are needed to govern the industry’s hazardous work operations like; rigging safety, flaring of gas, drilling or chemicals handling.</p>
<p>Policies should be created by the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining in collaboration with the other relevant ministries – like environment and health.</p>
<p>Other policies that need to be reviewed include those related to reducing the risk of fires – <a href="http://kenyalaw.org/lex/sublegview.xql?subleg=No.%2015%20of%202007#KE/LEG/EN/AR/O/NO.%2015%20OF%202007/SUBLEG/HC_17">current legislation</a> only deals with small workplace fires – and those related to first aid.</p>
<p>Regulations must also be drawn up to cover community health and safety. These don’t exist yet the impact of oil and gas operations goes beyond the workplace.</p>
<p>Finally, there are <a href="http://extractives-baraza.com/assets/content/PDF/Publications:%20Government/Final%20SESA%20Report%20March%202017.pdf">not enough</a> health facilities and emergency service providers should accidents occur.</p>
<h2>Regulation issues</h2>
<p>Three key bodies are meant to regulate environment, health and safety issues in the sector. These are the <a href="https://www.erc.go.ke/">Energy and Regulatory Commission</a>; the <a href="http://www.labour.go.ke/directorate-of-occupational-safety-and-health-services-doshs/">Directorate of Safety and Health Services</a> and the <a href="https://www.nema.go.ke/">National Environmental Management Authority</a>. But their activities aren’t coordinated. This means that companies aren’t being held to proper enforcement and compliance regulations.</p>
<p>Regulations can also clash. For instance, the <a href="http://www.kenyalaw.org/klr/fileadmin/pdfdownloads/Acts/OccupationalSafetyandHealth(No.15of2007).pdf">occupational safety and health laws</a> require workplaces that use or produce toxic substances to <a href="http://extractives-baraza.com/assets/content/PDF/Publications:%20Government/Final%20SESA%20Report%20March%202017.pdf">ensure</a> they’re safely collected, recycled or disposed of. But there isn’t currently a body that can actually process waste coming from the oil and gas sector. The closest facility is in <a href="http://www.oilinuganda.org/features/environment/uganda-gets-its-first-oil-waste-treatment-plant.html">Uganda</a>.</p>
<h2>Developing policy</h2>
<p>There are attempts to improve on policy. Kenya’s occupational safety and health act, for example, is <a href="http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/862581530195474639/pdf/Plan-Archive-14.pdf">under review</a>. But it’s not easy.</p>
<p>Developing policies, and ensuring they’re adhered to, is a major challenge as government regulatory bodies lack skills and manpower. The Directorate of Safety and Health Services, for instance, <a href="https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@ed_protect/@protrav/@safework/documents/policy/wcms_187632.pdf">has</a> 71 professional officers to inspect about 140,000 workplaces. This is a huge challenge for inspectors working in the remote areas where oil exploration is taking place. They <a href="http://extractives-baraza.com/assets/content/PDF/Publications:%20Government/Final%20SESA%20Report%20March%202017.pdf">can take</a> one to two years before they visit, leaving most workers exposed to hazards.</p>
<p>The goods news is that steps are being taken. the <a href="http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/862581530195474639/pdf/Plan-Archive-14.pdf">environmental and occupational health and safety</a> policies are under review by two different set of consultants to establish more robust policies and guidelines.</p>
<p>Legally, efforts are also being taken to coordinate an approach. The <a href="http://kenyalaw.org/kl/fileadmin/pdfdownloads/bills/2017/Petroleum_Exploration_DevelopmentandProductionBill_2017.pdf">new bill is</a> being considered by the Senate. Among other things it proposes a new Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority.</p>
<p>Over the last three years, a technical assistance project has also <a href="http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/531591529359535996/pdf/Disclosable-Version-of-the-ISR-Kenya-Petroleum-Technical-Assistance-Project-KEPTAP-P145234-Sequence-No-07.pdf">trained</a> 220 government officers in lead agencies responsible for enforcement of environment, health and safety regulations.</p>
<p>These developments are all encouraging. But it’s important that policymakers don’t adopt a one-size-fits-all approach but rather develop methods that adequately address the specific needs and priorities of the oil industry and the risks it brings.</p>
<p><em>Laura Muniafu, of Strathmore University’s Extractives Baraza, assisted in the writing of this article</em><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/103845/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/melba-k-wasunna-441896">Melba K. Wasunna</a>, Director and Lecturer, Extractives Baraza, <em><a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/strathmore-university-2081">Strathmore University</a></em></p>
<p>This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-kenya-needs-to-do-to-better-protect-those-working-in-the-oil-sector-103845">original article</a>.</p>

Is Kenya doing enough to protect workers in the oil sector ?

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<p>Providing adequate financing to the health sector in Africa will help address numerous health challenges confronting the continent. Amina Muhammed, Deputy Secretary General United Nations said this on the side-lines of UN General Assembly where a high-level dialogue discusses pathways to improving Africa&#8217;s health and prosperity.</p>


UN’s Amina Muhammed talks on improving Africa’s health

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<p>What is the role of the private sector in driving global healthcare in Africa? CNBC Africa&#8217;s Wole Famurewa discussed this with William Roedy, Board member of GBC and former CEO MTV Networks International, on the side-lines of UN General Assembly where a high-level session focused on pathways to improving Africa&#8217;s health and prosperity.</p>


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How will Nigeria’s MPC respond to COVID-19?

Rwandan leaders meet at ‘Umwiherero’ to discuss country’s development

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Here’s how Big 4 agenda is expected to grow Kenya’s GDP by 6%

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Here are lessons from Rwanda on how trust can assist in repairing a broken health system

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New 5 year Belgo-Rwandan deal signed

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Impact of Africa’s poor healthcare on quality of life

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GBC-Health launches the African business coalition for health

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Is Kenya doing enough to protect workers in the oil sector ?

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The role of private sector in improving Africa’s healthcare

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