Public Health Wednesdays (PHW)- Africa & Asia Health Check

ASIA 

INDIA SAYS YES TO LABELS

“About 6 million people die of tobacco use globally every year and India accounts for 1/6th of the total deaths. ”

— Sanchita, Sharma Health & Science Editor for Hindustan Times

The Independent

 A solid blow but not a final one from India’s Supreme Court. The Supreme Court decided to put some much-needed brakes with the issue of larger health warnings on cigarettes sold in India, like the picture below. A lower court had ruled in favor for Tobacco Hero, Phillip Morris International to not increase the current surface available for health warnings. They will be back in court on March 12th.

THE PHILIPPINES

“In 2016, Obesity cost the Philippines between $500 million and $1 billion, or equivalent to between 4 percent and 8 percent of its health-care spending. ”

— Business Mirror, 2016

The Philippine government will impose higher taxes on sugar sweetened drinks as a way to target obesity. 

JAPAN APPROVES COCA-COLA FOR LAXATIVES

Nope, Japan has a better answer for your constipation needs

The Japanese government has approved of this new Coca Cola has a healthy laxative. It helps to suppress fat and make you do the number 2. We should note here it is for the elderly, but you guess right, young people are consuming the beverage. Anyway, if you drink more than one a day, you can guess the consequences 

Dr. David Machiels, product development director, R&D, Coca-Cola Asia Pacific

Coca-Cola has released a laxative-enhanced and purportedly healthy cola beverage in Japan.

THAILAND UPDATE ON WHITENING THE PENIS TREND

So about the Whitening of the Penis situation, the Minister of Health relesed a Twitter statement few days ago

““Dr Thongchai Keeratihuttayakorn of the Thai Health Ministry said: “Penis laser whitening is not necessary, wastes money and may give more negative effects than positive ones.””

— Twitter

AFRICA

South Sudan is starting the year with suspected cases of (VHFs)Viral Haemorrhagic Fever, Nigeria with Meningitis and Necrotizing Fasciitis in São Tomé and Príncipe. 

“Viral haemorrhagic fever is a general term for a severe illness, sometimes associated with bleeding, that may be caused by a number of viruses. The term is usually applied to disease caused by Arenaviridae (Lassa fever, Junin and Machupo), Bunyaviridae (Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, Rift Valley Fever, Hantaan haemorrhagic fevers), Filoviridae (Ebola and Marburg) and Flaviviridae (yellow fever, dengue, Omsk haemorrhagic fever, Kyasanur forest disease).”

— World Health Organization

Google this word  "Necrotizing Fasciitis" for photos, be warned the photos are VERY GRAPHIC

ZAMBIA

CHOLERA

What is cholera? What are the symptoms? Is there a vaccine? Watch the video and find out more information.

Day 10 into 2018, Zambia has a cumulative total of 2905 cholera cases and a total of 67 deaths. The Zambian government has placed curfews, banned meetings at public gatherings such as churches and schools. In addition to these reactive methods to the Cholera public health emergency, the Zambian government has stopped issuing Zambian passports and birth certificates.
 

“Over 124 infections were documented in 24 hours from January 8th- January 9th.”

Meanwhile lack of sanitation is causing a cholera crisis in Zambia. The government has taken extraordinary measures in the capital Lusaka to wipe out the disease. And as Mutuna Chanda reports, the outbreak isn't just affecting people's health.

Economic consequences to the reactionary behaviors of Zambia’s lack of dealing with the issues and not the symptoms, is neighboring country of Namibia banning all food imports from Zambia. Zambia is one of Namibia’s top four trading partners, exports to Namibia totaled around $322 million in 2016.

THE REAL ISSUE

 

UPDATE ON MADAGASCAR AND THE PLAGUE

We touched on Madagascar and the plague some months back, you can catch up here

Director General of WHO, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus has included an outline for a plague free Madagascar that includes a request for an added $4 million in funding.

See you next PHW

Mulday Monday: Out of the Office

Friday Ramblings: The One About, OMG I am seriously sick here, Living Inconvieniences, What now?

Friday Ramblings: The One About OMG I am seriously sick here, Living Inconveniences, What now?

Rambling is defined by Webster as:

·      passing from one topic to another

·      using or containing more words than necessary to express an idea

Reality is defined by Webster as:

·      the quality or state of being real

·      a real event, entity, or state of affairs

·      totality of real things and events

·      something that is neither derivative nor dependent but exists necessarily

-Isms are just my own colloquialisms .

OMG I am Seriously Sick.....

I entered the New Year sick and feeling all versions of gross. I still have cold, a disgusting version of the cold. My nose is blocked, I have a sore throat and I felt like this feeling of the clip below. 

My nose, head and my bloody nose was draining of mucus. So, I caved and walked to the pharmacist with one nostril capable of breathing, sounding like a goat… I begged for medicine.  oh, how I miss my juicer!...

“Just some ginger, garlic, lemon, and cayenne pepper …..”

— Said every Juicer

The pharmacist instructed me to eat some food before I take the medicine. I am not sure how to say this calmly, MY THROAT WAS HURTING…..

I had three slices of French bread and popped those pills. Oh, but the side-effects…... I cannot express how high and dazed I felt. I was completly out of my ever-loving mind.

Okay, I will be honest, I literally was .....

“Oh God are you there? Where is my Dad and am I Dying?? I did have a craving for Whole Foods fresh cut fruit, Kombucha and some butternut squash with roasted Salmon maybe some Gelato Ice cream”

— My Body and Mind chunked deuces

This was not the High, I experienced

This was the kind of High, I experienced 

Look, I crashed around 4pm one day and woke up 9am the next day. So, I did reach out to my father, who was so kind to remind me that “yes that’s why they call them drugs”. Over the counter medicine, I THINK NOT….

I am grateful for mates that checked up on me and even the one that laughed asking, Fatimaah you never got high huh? I told him, my father simply told me try it and see. I did not want to meet my maker anytime soon, so I never tried Mary Jane, even in college. Oh, I also woke up needing a good 5 minutes. Five minutes to realize, What Country was I in? Again, I simply wanted Whole Foods.

THIS IS HEAVEN FROM WHOLE FOODS

My happy place

This is my local Whole Foods Market in Houston, Texas

Living Inconveniences

I need to move out by February 16th and I can not tell you how stressed I feel. I mean my back hurts; my head feels heavy. It is the 5th day of the year, I simply refuse to dwell on this. I am grateful that right now I have shelter.  

What Now?

I have narrowed it to three universities in the E.U and may be 4 in the U.K? I must wait till the 10th on the U.K confirmation.  I am working on the presumption that I must leave Seoul.  Again, it is day 5 of the new year, I am just grateful. I am also going to bed, but I will stop and get cookies. I will have 4 White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies.

I will also listen to this very loudly

See you next Friday Rambling!

Public Health Wednesdays (PHW)- Africa & Asia Health Check

        Join us at Water & Cassva in observing Cervical Health Awareness Month

Actress Cote de Pablo talks about her own cervical cancer scare and shares advice for other women. Comments on this video are allowed in accordance with our comment policy: cdc.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/CommentPolicy.html This video can also be viewed at cdc.gov/wcms/videos/low-res/NCCDPHP/2015/cote_video_english_60_925629.mp4

This public service announcement encourages women to learn the symptoms of gynecologic cancer and pay attention to what their bodies are telling them. Comments on this video are allowed in accordance with our comment policy: cdc.gov/SocialMedia/Tools/CommentPolicy.html This video can also be viewed at cdc.gov/wcms/videos/low-res/NCCDPHP/2015/ayl_video_english_30_925657.mp4

Hello, World!

WHO WEEKLY REPORT-AFRICA

Zambia ended the year fighting Cholera. South Africa is still struggling with Listeriosis .

“ Botswana, Congo, Gabon, Eritrea, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea and Algeria ended 2017, with no PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES. ”

— WHO-AFRICA

RWANDA AND TANZANIA-DRONE TECHNOLOGY "UBER-ING BLOOD"

Both countries start 2018 with applying new technology towards healthcare access for all. Drone deliveries of blood to hospitals within the network are 45 minutes compared to the normal 4 hours. Zipline International has partnered with Tanzania to deliver 2,000 lifesaving deliveries to over 1,000 health facilities, that is about 10 million people.  

To know more about Zipline International

ASIA

MALAYSIA AND A CASE OF MERS-CoV

Malaysia started 2018 with the case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (Mers-CoV).  A man returning from Saudi Arabia tested postive for the virus, he was reported to be in stable condition. 

“Sexual Health is part of Public Health. ”

— Water & Cassava

THAILAND- WHITE PENIS ENVY

The first read is comical but then it gets sad. I mean of all the needs in Thailand, A White Penis? Questions come to mind such as: What can a white penis do that a colored penis cannot carry out? Then you must go back to the space of Orientalism!

“What power does the white penis hold in global south spaces?”

— Water & Cassava asking our Asian Brothers, WTH?

It is troublesome that a Thai Penis does not feel as loved compared to a White Penis. But  that there is a technology to whiten the penis, I just kept saying......

does the asian penis speak?

Therefore, we need more Sex Therapist of Color from Asian spaces and African spaces as well. There is an obvious need to deconstruct the Asian Penis and this platform can only go so far into the Orientalism stereotypes that have historically hunted Asian men.

However behind this blog, is a by-product of the West. I can say, Asian men are often viewed through western media has either the Geek or Kung Fu hero. In addition, I am not so sure on just how this happened, but western media has desexualized Asian men.

Asian Media has also fueled this complex of whiteness in their spaces as well. Hallyu to Bollywood, we have a colored problem and we need to talk.
 

FRANTZ FANON NEEDS YOU TO KNOW

Post Colonial Theorist, Psychiatrist Frantz Fanon.

Frantz Fanon spoke of this penis issue and complexes in White Society. Brother Frantz expressed that white men see not a black man but a black penis. There is nothing more to the Black man just a penis. I am afraid with our Asian brothers, there is no penis. Penis is only visible if it is white. 

Seriously love your sexual organs as they are, good grief we need to decolonize our beds as well!

To read more about Brother Frantz and the Black Penis in Society "Black Skin, White Masks"

To read more on this article on Whitening of the penis in Thailand. 

To learn more on Asian Sexuality and Narratives from an Academic lens, check out The Intersections Journal: Gender and Sexuality in Asia and the Pacific.
 

To learn more on Black Sexual Narratives from an Academic lens, check out the Journal of Black Sexuality and Relationships.

See you next PHW!

Cassava Tuesdays: Where is Morna in the Cabo Verde Brand?

“The thread to the fibers of the Green Cape

The heart beat of cape verdean people ”

— Morna Music

SIDE BAR #1

My younger years, this was the flag of Cabo Verde. The current flag came to be in 1992 but this flag below shares the familiar colors we associate with Pan African Colors.

Pan-Nationalism is quite a common theme throughout Africa. Western Asia and North Africa States sometimes labeled as Pan-Arab States share similar flag colors. Think of the following countries and the colors of their flags: - Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, Syria, and United Arab Emirates.

the current flag of cabo verde

“The (10)gold stars represent the (10) islands of the country.

Dark blue represents the Atlantic Ocean

The Red Stripe - Represents the road to economic progress.”

— Cape Verde

“ On a scale of 0 (Highly Corrupt), 100 (Very Clean)

Cape Verde scores 59 ”

— Corruption Perception Index by Transparency International

Capital: Praia
Languages Spoken: Portuguese, Creole
Religion: Christianity, Islam(Very small minority)
Population: 539,560

Prime Minister, Ulisses Correia e Silva

President Jorge Carlos Fonseca

“Depending on which Island, Self- Identity/Cultural Identity can be tricky. The countries listed below influence Identity Politics and Cultural Hertiage:
Brazil
Portugal
United States
Netherlands”

— Struggles of Colonialism- Water & Cassava

“Cabo Verde scores 56.24/100 on the ease of doing business.
”

— The World Bank Group (Doingbusiness.org)

Cape Verde currency...Does that face look familiar??? Look Below.... She sang with no shoes in solidaritary  of poor women that could not afford shoes.

“Do you know your phones?
Lusophone- Portuguese
Arabophone-Arabic
Francophone- French
Anglophone-English
Hispaniphone-Spanish
Rusophone-Russian”

— Behind Water & Cassava (Half Anglophone/ Half Francophone)

THE PAST

Amílcar Lopes da Costa Cabral, (G.O.A.T).  (1924-1973)

OUR BROTHER IS ALWAYS OUR BROTHER

Amílcar Lopes da Costa Cabral, we shall call him (Grande Irmao) of African Lusophone spaces. He is credited to be the architect of freeing Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde from Portugal.  He founded and lead the organization, Partido Africano da Independência da Guiné e Cabo Verde (PAIGC). This is the reason for the still close relationship between Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde. Both countries still consider each other as brother countries because of their joint colonial past in fighting for independence. He is also one of the founding fathers of the Angolan political party, MPLA (Movimento Popular Libertação de Angola). I hope to touch on the other founder Agostinho Neto on another Cassava Tuesday for my take on Angola. All two were close to Mozambique’s Eduardo Mondlane a force to be reckoned with on his own right. Our three musketeers were mates at the University of Lisbon.  All three men are very important to the Lusophone political narratives in Africa.

Unfortunately, as most of our stories go with fighters of colonialism in Africa, Mr. Lopes was murdered by some disgruntled PAIGC members with the help of the Portuguese police and never lived to see an independent Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde. I should note that American Intelligence deny any intervention of the Portuguese and claim that this as an issue of Creoles(Mulattos) not wanting him to be leader of the party and president of the country.

“Our Lusophony brothers and sisters are passionate about him as the Francophones feel about Patrice Lumumba and Thomas Sankara. The Anglophones on Steven Biko and Kwame Nkrumah. The Arabophone on Gamal Hussein.

All those phones in a sentence.. go use a phone today..”

— Water & Cassava

A song for our Lusophony friends by the Cape Verdean Queen of Morna, Cesaria Evora. That is the lady on the currency above this text. This song could be an ode to Angola during the time of civil war about still seeing and loving the beauty of Angola. This song also has some Cape Verdean Creole, which makes it a bit difficult to translate. It is still such a beautiful song, I hope you enjoy.

COUNTRY BRANDING EXAMPLES

  A country that is: Clean, Modern, Secure, (Outside)
   
Safe/Attractive Airline Carrier, Culturally Seductive, Positive Reputation and Behavior (Inside)

Benefits: Media and Tourists love you and it feels like this

Uploaded by Be_ Gentel on 2016-04-03.

Let's take a look at the Republic of Mauritius through the lenses of Air Mauritius

Description

now

A country that is: In-War, Transitioning out of War, High Crime, Severe Poverty(Outside)
Corruption, Citizens abuse Tourists, Poor or Inadequate Infrastructure (Inside)

Expectations: No Tourists and the Media will show more of this below. 

 Let's look at Libya through Libyan Airlines just in case the media is biased. 

أكثر من نصف قرن من العطاء ،، ليس الافضل و لكن من هنا البداية نحو الأفضل ..

Do you see yourself excited for that trip to Tripoli? Libya or Mauritius?

“Cape Verde Scores

72.2- Overall Governance Score

76.1-Safety & Rule of Law

78.0- Participation & Human Rights

60.6-Sustainable Economic Opportunity

74.0-Human Development”

— Ibrahim Index of African Governance

cape verde or cabo verde or green cape or .......

This is the importance for branding your country correctly.  This issue was so important that the country asked the United Nations to formally recognize a name change to Cabo Verde.

WHERE IS THE MORNA IN BRANDING?

There is something missing in the brand of Cabo Verde.  There are tools in their branding box, but the government is not investing in the box to promote the brand effectively. We will go through problems and opportunities for Cabo Verde in this section. 

The lack of appreciation towards country branding and working on investments that support the brand of the country thoroughly is the norm with some African countries. This is not to bash our Cape Verdean friends, few African countries truly invest in their brand and even their soft power, which we refer here to as Cassava Diplomacy. Interesting enough, despite the lack of investing in infrastructure that supports brands and soft tools, there are no issues with enjoying tools and brands from China and from former colonial countries. 

Branding examples and Soft Tools IN AFRICAN SPACES

• My use of all those phones
• Francophone countries in Africa that still view boulangeries to be of upper class but the local bakery to be for the locals. They can say Merci to Napoleon, his goal of francophonising the world down to cuisine is still effective.
• Lusophones are you Latin, Hispanic or Lusitanic? Please do not bring this up among people who identify as Lusophone unless you want to feel all their passion and love for all that is Portuguese. Please take my word for this, speaking to Mozambicans, Angolans, Brazilians you shall just be passion-ed to death.
•  The Anglophones in Africa  proudly say: My English name is…
   

BRANDING PROBLEM #1

COUNTRY CARRIER (NO LONGER AVAILABLE AS OF 3/18)

As discussed earlier with our Cassava Tuesday entries, part of the country brand must include a country carrier. The role of a country carrier is not just for quick safe transportation but to sell the country. This separates countries that are Developed, Underdeveloped and “the other”.

Inflight Magazines and Infight Entertainment highlight key players and areas of your destination. They are purposely designed to promote: Investment Opportunities, Culture, and Tourism, they are tools found in the country brand box. In this age of International Relations or state play, never forget that if the global community does not eat like you, drink like you, watch your entertainment, vacation with you, wear you as fashion. You do not matter, you are other and fair game to push other states’ soft tools or brand.

TACV Cabo Verde Airline is the country carrier of Cabo Verde but have you seen this airline before? They fly to ten destinations in North America, South America, and Europe, still does not ring a bell?

You can have a country carrier but if you do not market your brand effectively, you might as well not have one. It becomes an expense and not an asset for the country brand. Speaking of expenses, as of last year Loftleidir Icelandic will take over all marketing and business operations as the new strategic management partner of TACV. In return Loftleidir Icelandic, will have “right of first refusal” to own majority stake in TACV and Cabo Verde will be a minority holder. TACV is currently in the red of about $100 +million and as of last month, Cape Verde has decided to privatize the airline by March 2018.

SIDEBAR #2: COOL NORTH DIPLOMACY

Icelandair Group owns Loftleidir Icelandic which is the largest corporation in Iceland. So, let us say Thank you to Cabo Verde for pushing the country brand of Iceland. One country's lack of understanding in branding is another's soft power. In case you were curious, the Nordic country is part of a collective in diplomacy known as Cool North Diplomacy. 

OPPORTUNITY  #1

BLUE TOURISM- ACTIVE SPORTS TOURISM

At the coast of west Africa, there is a serious business of fun in the sun. From nearly nothing just a few years ago, water sports have taken off in Cape Verde. It's even been named one of the world's best places to surf. Now the government is trying to catch the wave.

“Cabo Verde’s (Cape Verde’s) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) increased by 4.9% year-on-year in the third quarter of 2017, compared to 3.0% in the previous quarter”

— MacuHub

OPPORTUNITY #2

Attracting new markets and adding variety to its tourism package -- that is what Cape Verde chamber of tourism believes can help boost an already lucrative sector. Tourism is the highest foreign exchange earner in the country, which is made up of 10 islands off the West African coast.

“More Cape Verde Citizens stay in Brazil, Portugal, United States and Netherlands”

BRANDING PROBLEM #2-HUMAN CAPITAL FIGHT

Cape Verde is a collection of 12 islands off the coast of North-west Africa. Here, foreigners outnumber locals, and 9 percent of the country's GDP comes from expatriates. Cape Verde has few natural resources, little arable land and is prone to drought - just some of the reasons why many residents are desperate to move to greener pastures.

OPPORTUNITY #3- NEIGHBOR APPEAL

The Ghanian Company, Trasacco group purchased land in Sal Island for the purpose of tomato production. 

““We expect an investment of approximately 140 million euros, employing 3,600 workers, providing housing for most of them, to export approximately 150,000 tons of tomato per year, worth approximately 300 million euros”

— CEO of the FOISal company, Ronald Quist

OPPORTUNITY #4- GLOBAL APPEAL 

“Tourisim accounted for 44 % of the GDP in 2016.”

— World Travel & Tourism Council

The country will exempt all E.U citizens from visas to visit the country in hopes to boost tourism by 7%. This is excellent in promoting the brand because European tourist make for a huge chunk of visitors. It would be much better if this was extended to all African states, like other African countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, and the island country of Seychelles dropping visa requirements for other African countries. Global Appeal is only believable if your neighbors do the boasting for your brand. 

SIDEBAR #3: THE CASE OF CHINA  

The “Belt and Road” Initiative is about China Soft Power in African Spaces. This is not about economic and social development for Cabo Verde. This is China playing the game of Power and Engagement. Be CAUTIOUS of state to state “friendship” in which one state has HARD AND SOFT POWER. Former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton called this Smart Power, that was the approach of Uncle Sam’s interaction with China during her term.

China is playing and Cabo Verde is getting played, you would have to go back on our MulDay entry on Africa Blue Economics and Overfishing to understand this piece. 

Cape Verde's leaders said they support the China-proposed Belt and Road initiative during Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's trip. Both countries plan to deepen bilateral cooperation. Wang Yi said Cape Verde is one of China's most important partners in Africa -- and that their bilateral friendship sets an example for large and small countries on mutual respect and treating each other equally.

The Brand of Cabo Verde must invest and work on diversifying the economy and even focusing on entrepreneurship.

Institute of Surfing-Cabo Verde, Do not laugh at me. There is a Cannabis University in the states making millions in revenue. To know more about Oaksterdam University and their subjects that include Business Courses, Cannabis Laws and Raising the best bud

Europe makes up for the largest trading partner and foreign investment for Cabo Verde. This is highly problematic and feeds into the poverty rate of the country. Cabo Verde needs to work with more African countries in this area not Europe. Reach out to Mauritius perhaps?

We shall leave you with the Princess of Morna, see you next Cassava Tuesday!