By James Wakahiu
More funding is required to control communicable diseases particularly in Africa and other developing countries which host refugees.
Dr Santino Severoni, Director of World Health Organization’s (WHO) Department of Health and Migration, is calling on the international community to channel more resources to such countries that are facing financial challenges.
He spoke during the opening of an international conference on economic transformation for Africa at Mount Kenya University’s (MKU) main campus in Thika, Kiambu County.
The 8th annual international conference of the Centre for African Research on Enterprise and Economic Development (Careed) is being held under the theme, “Fostering Economic Transformation in African Ecosystems: The Impact of Trade, Infrastructure and innovation.”
“There is an ongoing discussion on health and immigration especially now that there are new infective vectors and the lack of essential protection where communicable diseases might appear like in the case of tuberculosis which is associated with poverty and living conditions. This is another area of concern,” said the WHO official.
While observing that there have been major improvements in the control of communicable diseases like malaria, chronic ailments remain a major health challenge globally.
Dr Severoni expressed concern that there is rising mortality from lifestyle ailments like cardial-vascular diseases, diabetes and hypertension, among others.
“These diseases emerge from our personal choices of life like smoking and drinking hence the need to invest in health promotion education for populations on nutrition, risk factors and other unhealthy behaviours like lack of exercise and how to avoid them.
Dr. Vincent Gaitho, Chairman of Council and Pro-Chancellor Mount Kenya University said the seven previous conferences of the Careed took place in Scotland, Europe, at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) and it was the first time it has been held in an African country.
He noted that Careed’s five key areas of interest, namely, commodities and exporting; logistics and supply chain management; enterprise and entrepreneurship (including gender enterprise); enterprise and entrepreneurship, governance and ethics” as shall be reflected in the conference proceedings, should also be well ear-marked as areas of future research and development in Africa by Africans.
Photo/The MKU Chancellor Prof John Struthers who opened the international conference. By James Wakahiu
The Pro-chancellor appreciated the WHO’s migration health discourse guided more specifically, by the International Organization for Migration and the Center for Health and Migration as significant entities in international movements of goods and people and related logistics.
“We look forward to receiving recommendations from this conference that will be used in reaching out to more stakeholders to take advantage of the conference proceedings and publications as tangible, action areas in driving the future of the African Continent for the overall good of the African people,” he said.
He also called on African governments to promote policies that discourage migration of their populations.
The MKU Chancellor Prof John Struthers, who is also Director at Careed for University of the West of Scotland (UWS), Professor John Struthers, said this year’s conference is also noteworthy because of the number and range of papers being presented and the many African countries represented.
He added that proper communication has been lacking on issues of migrants who are not just in Africa but all over the world including Europe.
MKU Vice Chancellor, Prof. Deogratius Jaganyi said the University of the West of Scotland and MKU have continued to enjoy a synergetic partnership, exemplified by the recently concluded Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project. The project is funded by Innovate UK and partnered with Farmtrack Consulting, a private company in Kenya.
Appreciating the delegates and speakers participating in the conference, Prof Jaganyi said these key themes are instrumental in supporting livelihoods and promoting economic prosperity across sub-Saharan Africa and further establishing partnerships across the globe..
More than 70 papers from renowned global scholars will be presented during the two-day conference t kicked on Thursday ending today June 28,2024
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