COVID-19

Photo: Now we are chasing behind oxygen to save lives; next would be chasing behind precious freshwater for survival. South America's Amazon River. CC BY-SA 2.0

If Lessons Are Not Learned, Eternal Abnormality the New Normal?

Viewpoint by Jayasri Priyalal *

SINGAPORE (IDN) — The new normal has become a famous phrase with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This new normal could become an eternal abnormality if lessons learned about inequality in the globalized world economy exposed by the COVID-19 are not recognized and acted upon.

Today, people feel frustrated about adjusting to the health crisis's eternal uncertainties with looming confusions and contradictions between the normality of the past and not the usual present.

: Kalinga Seneviratne; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 11 June 2021

Photo: The writer who just turned 80. Source: www.jonathanpowerjournalist.com

'Maintaining A Sense of Hope' In A Time of Corona

Viewpoint by Jonathan Power*

LUND, Sweden (IDN) — There’s hardly a person alive who doesn’t know that the Third World continents of Africa, Asia and Latin America are having a desperate struggle fighting the Coronavirus. At a time when the richer countries are winning the fight against the virus many Third World countries—like Brazil, India and South Africa—are overwhelmed by it.

: Jonathan Power; OPINION; 10 June 2021

Photo: UNICEF Teachers and students were able to return to school in Lao Cai, Vietnam, in May 2020. Credit: UNICEF

Make People’s Vaccine Top Priority to Fight a Mutating Virus

Viewpoint by Nicolas J. S. Davies*

PORTLAND | USA (IDN) — A recent Yahoo News/YouGov poll found that worries about the COVID pandemic in the United States are at their lowest level since it began. Only half of Americans are either “very worried” (15%) or “somewhat worried” (35%) about the virus, while the other half are “not very worried” (30%) or “not worried at all” (20%).

But the news from around the world makes it clear that this pandemic is far from over, and a story from Vietnam highlights the nature of the danger.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 08 June 2021

Photo: Risk of COVID-19 surge threatens Africa’s health facilities. Credit: WHO Africa

WHO Warns of the Risk of COVID-19 Upsurge Threatening Africa’s Health Facilities

By Jamshed Baruah

GENEVA | BRAZZAVILLE (IDN) — The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned of the threat of a third wave of COVID-19 in Africa threatening Africa's health facilities, and advised them to urgently boost critical care capacity to prevent health facilities from being overwhelmed. At the same time, vaccine shipments to the continent are grinding to a near halt.

: Jamshed Baruah; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 06 June 2021

Photo: Timorese health staff carrying out swab tests for covid-19 in Dili. Image: Tatoli News.

Timor Government May Punish Public Officials Who Refuse Covid Vaccination

By Antonio Sampaio

The writer is the bureau chief of Lusa News Agency in Dili, the capital and largest city of East Timor. This report first appeared on the website of Lusa News Agency and was carried by our partner on May 27, 2021. It is being republished with permission.

DILL (IDN | APR) — The Timor-Leste government may apply disciplinary action to public officials doing face-to-face work who refuse to take the vaccine while maintaining that vaccination against covid-19 is not mandatory.

: Asia Editor; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 03 June 2021

Photo: Compared with continuing smokers, the hazard ratios for death were lower among quitters than those who continued smoking. Source: pulmonologyadvisor.com

WHO Urges 'Commit To Quit Smoking', Slates Tobacco Transnationals

By Jamshed Baruah

GENEVA (IDN) — The COVID-19 pandemic has led to millions of tobacco users saying they want to quit. On May 31, WHO/Europe celebrated 'World No Tobacco Day'. Under the tagline “Commit to Quit”, the aim of this year’s campaign was to support 100 million people worldwide in their attempt to give up tobacco through a range of initiatives and digital solutions.

: Jamshed Baruah; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 01 June 2021

Image: Nigerian children. Source: LEADERSHIP.

Nigerian Child Faces a Double Whammy of Corona and Violence

Viewpoint by Azu Ishiekwene

The writer is the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of LEADERSHIP newspaper based in Abuja, Nigeria.

ABUJA (IDN) — It all seems like memories from a distant past. But it’s not. This time last year we were in a lockdown. The world was under the monstrous grip of the Coronavirus. Rumours and speculations about the origin and nature of this invincible foe were rife, leaving data and science in the dust. Fear ruled the world.

: Africa & ME Editor; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 29 May 2021

Photo: (From Left to Right) Manish Uprety F.R.A.S. Mr. Bimalendra Nidhi, Ex-Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal and Jainendra Karn.

Nepal Is the Boat of Democracy on The Road Ahead

Viewpoint by Manish Uprety F.R.A.S. and Jainendra Karn

Manish Uprety F.R.A.S. is an ex-diplomat & ALCAP’s Special Advisor for Asia & Africa and Jainendra Karn is a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of IDN-InDepth News.

KATHMANDU (IDN) — What a sombre way to start one’s day by going through the newspapers and realize the dystopian times we live in. It’s just like listening to Paint It Black by the Rolling Stones or pondering about what Ayn Rand had said: There is no difference between Communism and Socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: Communism proposes to enslave men by force, Socialism—by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide.

: Opinion Editor; OPINION; 26 May 2021

An Effective Global Health Architecture Needs Investment in Pandemic Prevention

By Martien van Nieuwkoop and Monique Eloit

The text below is from the World Bank blogs 'Voices'. Martien van Nieuwkoop is Global Director, Agriculture and Food Global Practice, World Bank and Monique Eloit is Director-General of the World Organization for Animal Health.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN) — In the case of pandemics, billions of dollars in prevention are worth trillions of dollars for the cure. But how do we translate that simple insight into effective action that saves lives?

: UN Bureau; SUSTAINABILITY; Health & Well Being; 23 May 2021

Photo: As directed by the Sri Lanka President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, together with authorities in the Health Ministry and the Ministry of Defence, the Army has thrown its full weight behind this national priority. Credit: Sri Lanka Army.

From Battlefield to Fighting COVID — Sri Lankan Armed Forces Fight Invincible Terrorism

Viewpoint By Sugeeswara Senadhira

COLOMBO (IDN) — Today marks an important landmark in Sri Lankan history. Twelve years ago, when the three-decade-old conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was brought to an end, the members of the Armed Forces were widely respected and honoured for the valiant role they played in defeating one of the most ruthless terrorist outfits in the world.