Youth Engagement – 4SD Foundation https://4sdfoundation.org Skills, Systems & Synergies for Sustainable Development Wed, 10 May 2023 12:36:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://4sdfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Group-420-36x36.png Youth Engagement – 4SD Foundation https://4sdfoundation.org 32 32 Understanding COVID-19 in school settings https://4sdfoundation.org/covid-19-narratives/understanding-covid-19-in-school-settings/ https://4sdfoundation.org/covid-19-narratives/understanding-covid-19-in-school-settings/#respond Sun, 23 Aug 2020 11:59:34 +0000 https://4sd.info/?p=3106 .avia-image-container.av-klc8v8km-eb8e3a99f208e05193d5633aa42dd042 img.avia_image{ box-shadow:none; } .avia-image-container.av-klc8v8km-eb8e3a99f208e05193d5633aa42dd042 .av-image-caption-overlay-center{ color:#ffffff; }

Photo: Sergey Kolomiyets via Unsplash

UNDERSTANDING COVID-19 IN SCHOOL SETTINGS

By Dr David Nabarro and Katherine DeLand.

Educational continuity is essential to long term social cohesion and economic success. That is why in the context of COVID-19, we must better understand what it might mean to reopen schools so students can continue their education, whilst staying ahead of the virus.

Schools are a unique setting in society: they educate and protect children and create the foundation for a generation’s successes. This is particularly true when girls are educated. Schools provide children with not only education, but are also important sources of mental well-being, security, social well-being and – particularly in poorer communities – food. For many primary and secondary students, schools are also a key location for vaccine campaigns.

Communities around the world are conducting risk assessments to determine whether and how to reopen schools. Drs Mike Ryan and Maria Van Kerkhove from the World Health Organization (WHO) have said: A safe return to school can be managed only at the local level and only if local disease transmission is low.

This means that overcrowded schools with the fewest resources and most socio-economically disadvantaged students will be at a disproportionately high risk for outbreaks.

Going back to school depends on the local epidemiology, the local transmission, the local profile of schools, the size of schools, the density of schools, the resources that schools have.

Dr Mike Ryan, Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme

The age of the children in a given school will help tailor the risk calculus: younger children will have a harder time complying with precautionary measures (e.g. masking in under 10s), while older children will likely have more inclination to socialize without physical distancing.

The WHO/UNICEF/International Pediatrics Association guidance recommends that:

  • children aged up to 5 years should not wear masks for source control;
  • for children between 6 and 11 years of age, a risk-based approach should be applied to the decision to use of a mask; and,
  • children and adolescents 12 years or older should follow the WHO guidance for mask use in adults.

There is no ”one size fits all” for individual family decisions on returning children to schools – all families will have their own risk profiles, including elderly or vulnerable family members living in the house, that must be considered.

The greatest risk for schools re-opening is for employees who are exposed to people each day they work on campus. These school employees, regardless of the level of educational institution, are at an increased risk of contracting and transmitting COVID because of their contact with a high number of people every day. This includes teachers, administrators, professors, aides, janitorial, grounds, maintenance and security staff.

Many schools are implementing creative, innovative re-opening strategies such as staggering start times, reducing student movement around the school, requiring masks and hybrid approaches (i.e. part in-person learning, part virtual learning environments). However, the decision to or not to reopen schools is complex, depending tremendously on local context and virus transmission rates, and is an obvious source of worry for parents, teachers, and students. Importantly, schools don’t operate in isolation; if there is transmission in communities, there can be transmission in the schools that operate in those communities.

Importantly, testing is no guarantee of a safe return to school because of the high rate of false-negative results with currently available tests. The challenge with false-positives isn’t that the test is inaccurate, but instead in interpreting what the test results might mean: it could mean that one did not have COVID-19 at the time of testing, but developed it later, or that the sample was not collected properly or collected too early in the infection. A negative test doesn’t prevent subsequent infection, so testing provides only a point in time understanding of COVID in a population.


Primary school

Younger children will have greater challenge complying with prevention measures like masking, hand washing, etc., without substantial oversight.

However, case investigation indicates that child to child transmission in schools is uncommon, particularly in preschools and primary schools. Nonetheless, it is useful to note that surveillance strategies that only test symptomatic children will not identify children who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms and recent data indicates that up to one-fifth of children are asymptomatic.  As leaders and parents move forward in taking decisions about children and schools, it is particularly important that they remain mindful of the rates of transmission in the local community and tailor their approaches accordingly.

A large new study from South Korea offers an answer: Children younger than 10 transmit to others much less often than adults do, but the risk is not zero. And those between the ages of 10 and 19 can spread the virus at least as well as adults do.

The findings suggest that as schools reopen, communities will see clusters of infection take root that include children of all ages, several experts cautioned.

Secondary school

Older children are better able to comply with prevention measures like masking, hand washing, etc., but may find oversight difficult.

As social habits change and peers become more important, physical distancing becomes particularly challenging.

Secondary schools tend to be larger than primary/elementary schools. As in any circumstance, increased population density increases the risk of spreading COVID.

NB: Secondary boarding schools will have concerns similar to those at universities because of the dormitory living quarters.

Universities

Universities are particularly challenging because students often live in dormitories, where mitigation and prevention measures can be difficult to maintain.

Snippet about the University of North Carolina, United States of America:
On Monday, Aug 10: The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill started classes.
On Friday, Aug 14: Two clusters of COVID cases (defined as 5 or more cases in close proximity) were identified, one in a residence hall and one in a student apartment building near campus.
On Saturday, Aug 15: A cluster was discovered in a college fraternity.
On Sunday, Aug 16: Another cluster was found in a residence hall. Within a week of the start of classes, 130 students had tested positive, 13.6% of those tested. Visit the live dashboard: UNC-Chapel Hill COVID-19 Dashboard
On Monday, Aug 17: A week after the start of classes, with 177 students in isolation and 349 in quarantine, UNC announced it will shift to all remote undergraduate instruction on Aug 19 and attempt to greatly reduce dormitory occupancy.
Source: UNC University News

Adult learning

The recommendations for children are being considered by school and, if masking is appropriate in schools for 12-18 year olds and they are to be considered as adults for this purpose, then it is reasonable that masks also be considered for adult students of all ages.

WHO, UNICEF and the International Paediatric Association have recently recommended that children over 12 follow the same masking guidance as adults. Adults are advised to wear masks as part of a comprehensive package for prevention that also includes hand washing, physical distancing and avoiding crowded spaces.

In settings where people are speaking with raised voices, it may also be appropriate for visors to be warn by the speaker for the protection of others. Virtual options for teaching continue to be an important option.


The question on whether or not to go back to school must not be made in isolation. Schools should be considered part of their community, with transmission risk prevention decisions taken in the context of local virus transmission rates.

Being ready to reassess decisions when the number of cases in the community changes, is the best way to stay on top of the virus and provide students and their families with opportunities to continue education with low risk.


WHO, UNICEF and the International Paediatric Association jointly reviewed the available evidence to develop guidance on the use of masks for children. In the absence of strong scientific evidence, consensus among these groups forms the main basis for this guidance.


The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control published an overview of the epidemiology and disease characteristics of COVID-19 in children (0-18 years) in EU/EEA countries and the United Kingdom (UK), and an assessment of the role of childcare (preschools; ages 0-<5 years) and educational (primary and secondary schools; ages 5-18 years) settings in COVID-19 transmission.

]]> https://4sdfoundation.org/covid-19-narratives/understanding-covid-19-in-school-settings/feed/ 0 The challenge of learning to live with COVID-19 from a Public Health Perspective – 4SD https://4sdfoundation.org/reflections/the-challenge-of-learning-to-live-with-covid-19-from-a-public-health-perspective/ https://4sdfoundation.org/reflections/the-challenge-of-learning-to-live-with-covid-19-from-a-public-health-perspective/#respond Wed, 01 Jul 2020 10:05:31 +0000 https://4sd.info/?p=3255

By Dr Carlos Madrigal- Iberri

During this Open Online Briefing with Dr. Nabarro, I realized that local efforts are crucial in order to stop and overcome this pandemic. My opinions of this session will address one main topic: What can we learn from governments that are successfully controlling the virus and how to implement those learnings in developing countries?

According to WHO statistics, COVID-19 is affecting 213 countries and territories around the world, and the number of new cases are rising at an astonishing rate. So far, we have learned many lessons but probably, one of the most important is that we are just at the beginning of this sanitary crisis.

Different strategies had been taken from some countries where they really took on board many communities’ members, such as heads of states and business, civil societies, universities, local entrepreneurs, etcetera and this is how they could put themselves ahead of the virus.

New Zealand for example, has declared itself as a COVID-19 free country. Aware that they cannot close the borders and live forever in the lock down, they teach every citizen in the country about the threat that this virus represents to their lives.  The Public Health Department focused on preparing the entire population to know what to do in case someone gets sick and explained the importance of how these measures can get them ahead of the virus.

Germany and Ireland are other good examples of how the adequate organization and straightforward communication between government and society truly works. The measures taken by these countries are focused on assure to their citizens that if there is a new outbreak they are prepared to stop it as soon as possible and they can offer protection to the most vulnerable people, the older and the factory workers.

So far, we have learned that strong leaderships and deep commitment to face this crisis is the more solid strategy to overcome the pandemic that is going to live with us from now on. Unfortunately some other countries, are not dealing with the situation by these learnings. USA, Mexico and Brazil are three particular cases where their leaders had diminished the danger of this virus to their population and by not setting a clear direction, the amount of cases continues peaking every week. Because of not having a nationwide effort to make citizens conscious of what this threat means to their lives, these three countries are some of the most deadly places where you can get sick of Coronavirus. It still does not seems like they can stop the transmission soon.

Despite the beliefs and non-logical declarations that had been made for these three leaders of state, the COVID crisis will not disappear from one day to another a huge effort is needed between governments, academia, healthcare systems and citizenship in order to reduce the risk of infection. The message must be sent loud and clear: The virus will not magically evaporate; we need to increase the physical distancing and adequate hygiene measures. Continuous education and disease awareness are imperative to isolate contagious persons, particularly in very dense populated areas if we want to stop deaths due to coronavirus.

The virus is becoming almost endemic in many places and also the economic crisis is arising, by being certain that the population really understands the nature of the disease, we are closer to reduce the transmission and adapting ourselves to a new reality. We must recognize that this condition affects specially people living in poverty and we need to keep a constant and intensive effort to clear away the barriers that endangers these minorities.

Against presidential obstruction, local communities can and empowering themselves to defeat this condition, we do not need government permission to change our behavior, to getting organized, to keep physical distance and frequently wash our hands. Being part of the change is a personal decision and spreading the adequate information should be our responsibility. If we want to make a sustainable change, we must start by ourselves and to involve our communities.

Follow Salvando Latidos on Social Media @salvandolatidos

Follow One Young World on Social Media @OneYoungWorld

About this 4SD Reflection

This article is a reflection by Dr. Carlos Madrigal- Iberri following the COVID-19 Open Online Briefing of Dr David Nabarro on 9 June 2020. It forms part of a collaboration between 4SD and One Young World to inspire greater systems leadership amongst youth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Carlos is a Medical Doctor & One Young World ambassador who is deeply committed to Global Health. He serves on the Board of Salvando Latidos a non-profit organization, which provides free medical care to low income populations; during this pandemic, they are fundraising to provide protective personnel equipment for hospitals facing COVID-19 in Mexico. He has also been actively working for Novartis Mexico to bring to public agenda Chagas Disease, which is one of the 17 Neglected Tropical Diseases determined by World Health Organization and the second cause of heart failure in Latin America.

Carlos states, “In order to make a difference in public health, the world needs people that are willing to join forces to make this problem a part of our past, and not a new threat to our future”.

COVID-19 Open Online Briefing #23
Tuesday, 9 June 2020
17:00 – 18:00 CEST

The views and opinions expressed in these reflections form part of the collaboration between 4SD and One Young World to inspire greater systems leadership amongst youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of 4SD as an organisation or it’s associated personnel. Any content provided by authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything.

One Young World (OYW) is the global forum for young leaders. OYW identifies, promotes and connects the world’s most impactful young leaders to create a better world, with more responsible, more effective leadership. The annual OYW Summit convenes the brightest young talent from every country and sector, working to accelerate social impact. Learn more about OYW at https://www.oneyoungworld.com/

]]> https://4sdfoundation.org/reflections/the-challenge-of-learning-to-live-with-covid-19-from-a-public-health-perspective/feed/ 0 El reto de aprender a vivir con COVID-19 desde una perspectiva de Salud Pública – 4SD https://4sdfoundation.org/covid-19-narratives/el-reto-de-aprender-a-vivir-con-covid-19-desde-una-perspectiva-de-salud-publica/ https://4sdfoundation.org/covid-19-narratives/el-reto-de-aprender-a-vivir-con-covid-19-desde-una-perspectiva-de-salud-publica/#respond Wed, 01 Jul 2020 09:58:22 +0000 https://4sd.info/?p=3250

By Dr Carlos Madrigal- Iberri

En esta sesión con el Dr. Nabarro, terminé de comprender que los esfuerzos locales son de vital importancia para detener y superar esta pandemia. Mis opiniones de esta sesión se centrarán alrededor de una pregunta medular: ¿Qué podemos aprender de los gobiernos que están controlando el virus de manera exitosa y cómo implementar estos aprendizajes en los países en vías de desarrollo?

Acorde a las cifras de la OMS, el COVID-19 afecta a 213 países y territorios alrededor del mundo y el número de casos nuevos siguen aumentando a una tasa alarmante. Hasta ahora hemos aprendido muchas lecciones, pero probablemente una de las más importantes es que estamos apenas empezando esta crisis sanitaria. Múltiples estrategias se han tomado por diversos países en los que se comprometieron con miembros de sus comunidades como jefes de estado y negocios, sociedades civiles, universidades, emprendedores locales, etcétera y así fue como estos lugares pudieron ponerse por delante del virus.

Tomemos a Nueva Zelanda como un ejemplo, ellos se han declarado ya como un país libre de COVID-19. Conscientes de que no pueden cerrar sus fronteras y vivir permanentemente en encierro, para evitar de esta manera que el virus ingrese nuevamente a su comunidad, ellos se han enfocado en enseñar a cada ciudadano en el país el riesgo que este virus representa para su salud. El Departamento de Salud Pública concentró los esfuerzos en que la población sea consciente de las acciones que deberá tomar en caso de que alguien se enferme y explicó detalladamente la importancia de porqué estas medidas les ayudarán a salir adelante de la crisis.

Alemania e Irlanda son otros dos ejemplos de cómo la organización adecuada y la comunicación consistente entre el gobierno y la sociedad verdaderamente rinde frutos. Las medidas tomadas por estos países se centraron en asegurarle a los ciudadanos que, si existe un nuevo brote, ellos están preparados para intentar contenerlo tan pronto como sea posible y que ofrecerán protección a la población más vulnerable como los adultos mayores y los trabajadores de fábricas.

Hasta ahora, hemos aprendido que los liderazgos fuertes y el compromiso real para enfrentar esta crisis la estrategia más sólida para superar esta pandemia que existirá entre nosotros por un tiempo indeterminado. Desafortunadamente algunos otros países, no están lidiando con esta situación basados en estos aprendizajes. EUA, México y Brasil son tres casos particulares en los que sus líderes han menospreciado el peligro que este virus representa y ya que no han marcado una directriz estricta para sus ciudadanos, los casos continúan alcanzando cifras históricas cada semana. Por no hacer un esfuerzo nacional para que la ciudadanía sea consciente de lo que esta amenaza representa para sus vidas, estos tres países son los que tienen el mayor número de muertes por coronavirus y no parece que vayan a poder detener la transmisión pronto.

A pesar de las creencias y las declaraciones poco lógicas que han hecho en algún punto estos tres líderes de estado, la crisis ocasionada por COVID no desaparecerá de un día para otro, se necesitan grandes esfuerzos entre gobiernos, academia, sistemas de salud y la ciudadanía para poder reducir el riesgo de infección. El mensaje debe ser enviado fuerte y claro: El virus no se va a evaporar mágicamente, es por ello que necesitamos incrementar la distancia física y las medidas adecuadas de higiene. Educación continua sobre el tema y concientización de la enfermedad son imperativos para aislar de manera temprana a personas contagiosas, particularmente en áreas muy densamente pobladas si de verdad queremos detener las muertes por coronavirus.

El virus se está volviendo casi endémico en muchos lugares y también la crisis económica se está agravando. Si logramos hacer que la población verdaderamente entienda la naturaleza de esta enfermedad, estaremos más cerca de reducir la transmisión del virus y de adaptarnos a una nueva realidad. Debemos reconocer que esta condición afecta especialmente a las personas viviendo en pobreza y por esta razón debemos mantener un esfuerzo constante e intensivo para eliminar las barreras que ponen más en riesgo a estas minorías.

Sin importar la obstrucción presidencial, las comunidades locales pueden empoderarse a sí mismas para derrotar esta situación. No necesitamos un permiso presidencial para cambiar nuestros comportamientos, o para organizarnos y mantener una sana distancia y lavarnos frecuentemente las manos. Ser parte del cambio es una decisión personal y compartir la información adecuada deberá ser responsabilidad de todos nosotros. Si realmente queremos hacer un cambio sustancial, debemos empezar por cambiar nosotros mismos y envolver a nuestra comunidad.

Sigue a Salvando Latidos en las redes sociales @salvandolatidos

Sigue a One Young World en las redes sociales @OneYoungWorld

About this 4SD Reflection

Este artículo es una reflexión del Dr. Carlos Madrigal- Iberri tras la sesión informativa abierta en línea de COVID-19 del Dr. David Nabarro el 9 de junio de 2020. Forma parte de una colaboración entre 4SD y Un Mundo Joven para inspirar un mayor liderazgo de los sistemas entre los jóvenes durante la pandemia de COVID-19.

Dr Carlos Madrigal- Iberri: Consejo Directivo de Salvando Latidos, una Asociación Civil sin fines de lucro que brinda atención médica para pacientes de bajos recursos. Durante esta pandemia se han dedicado a recaudar fondos para brindar equipo de protección personal a los hospitales que están haciendo frente al COVID-19 en México.

Además, trabaja de manera activa para Novartis México para traer a la Agenda Pública la enfermedad de Chagas, una de las 17 Enfermedades Tropicales Olvidadas declarada por la OMS, que es además la segunda causa de Insuficiencia Cardíaca en America Latina.

“Si queremos hacer una diferencia en salud pública, el mundo necesita gente dispuesta a sumar esfuerzos para hacer de estos padecimientos un problema del pasado y no una nueva amenaza para nuestro futuro”.

COVID-19 Open Online Briefing #23
Tuesday, 9 June 2020
17:00 – 18:00 CEST

Los puntos de vista y opiniones expresados en estas reflexiones forman parte de la colaboración entre 4SD y Un Mundo Joven para inspirar un mayor liderazgo de los sistemas entre los jóvenes durante la pandemia de COVID-19. No reflejan necesariamente la política oficial o la posición de 4SD como organización o su personal asociado. Cualquier contenido proporcionado por los autores son de su opinión y no pretenden difamar ninguna religión, grupo étnico, club, organización, compañía, individuo o cualquier cosa.

One Young World (OYW) es el foro mundial de jóvenes líderes. OYW identifica, promueve y conecta a los líderes jóvenes más impactantes del mundo para crear un mundo mejor, con un liderazgo más responsable y efectivo. La Cumbre anual de OYW convoca a los jóvenes talentos más brillantes de cada país y sector, trabajando para acelerar el impacto social. Más información sobre OYW en https://www.oneyoungworld.com/

]]> https://4sdfoundation.org/covid-19-narratives/el-reto-de-aprender-a-vivir-con-covid-19-desde-una-perspectiva-de-salud-publica/feed/ 0 Optimism, Inequalities, and Hope in the COVID-19 Pandemic – 4SD https://4sdfoundation.org/covid-19-narratives/optimism-inequalities-and-hope-in-the-covid-19-pandemic/ https://4sdfoundation.org/covid-19-narratives/optimism-inequalities-and-hope-in-the-covid-19-pandemic/#respond Mon, 22 Jun 2020 09:20:59 +0000 https://4sd.info/?p=3259

I attended Dr David Nabarro’s debrief session of 18 June from Bangalore, India. As an admirer of strong leaders in public health through my work at GE Healthcare, trying to conceal my ‘fan-boy’ face was quite a challenge.

Dr Nabarro opened with discussing different facets of the pandemic and the manner in which the world should navigate a gradual opening of its social and economic systems. He mentioned of the cases steadily declining in Europe, on the contrary cases are increasing towards the East and in the USA. This strengthens the correlation between higher population and higher population densities to the number of infections. This correlation also poses a question, what would be the extent of damage caused to human life before countries with a higher population can flatten the curve, since there is never a shortage of people who could be infected.

Behaviour change is needed

While governments over the world over are doing their best (lockdowns, contact tracing, etc.) to manage the pandemic, there are a set of behavioural changes every individual has to exercise to manage the pandemic. These behavioural changes could be summarized as physical distancing of at least one meter and face protection when in public. These behavioural changes not only reduce the likelihood of exposure to the virus, they also reduce the amount of virus (viral load) one could be exposed to.

Emerging epidemiological and clinical aspects

There is also research towards patients suffering from lingering COVID and their identifying features. This research would help improve treatment protocols and improve patient outcomes. Amidst the various research efforts towards improving chances of recovery, dexamethasone’s efficacy towards helping patients recover from extreme inflammatory immune response due to COVID is being looked at as a wonder drug. The drug’s efficacy in reducing mortality was especially noted in patients in the late stages of disease progression. Another plus point of dexamethasone is its affordability.

Clinicians mention, an important feature worth tracking in COVID patients is blood oxygen saturation via SpO2 meters. Monitoring SpO2 early on can help clinicians undertake remedial actions timely (ex: Oxygen therapy), thus improving patient outcomes. To facilitate this effort, WHO has taken up in provisioning oxygen to several hospitals, particularly in developing countries. Such findings are important not only in reducing COVID mortalities, but also to uplift the general public sentiment.

It has been found that the virus spread is not uniform across regions. The avenues of high transmissibility often lie at the intersection of ability to physically distance in a region, ventilation of the region, and most importantly, prosperity of the region. Inequity of various forms, such as prosperity, gender, ethnicity, or age determine access to quality healthcare and consequently recovery. Governments must focus localized efforts towards identifying such areas of high incidence of patients and address the root cause for the virus spread.

A community-led public health response

The most recent demand in reaction to the pandemic is to increase public health spending. This is where I found Dr Nabarro’s suggestion very interesting. He suggests that models of public healthcare must be formulated that go outside the hospitals and to the communities. In my personal opinion, the advantage of such a system is that it would be agnostic to socio-economic inequalities and meet its intended purpose. I believe governments and corporations would be willing to implement such out-of-hospital public healthcare models for several reasons such as:

  • Reduced inventory cost (beds, equipment, etc.) in hospitals.
  • Improved employment prospects (nurses, facilitators, etc.) that aren’t always centred around big cities.
  • Improved outreach.
  • Improvement of technical infrastructure to meet the out-of-hospital public healthcare model, which in turn would create more employment and revenue.

Question and answers from participants

One of the attendees, Katherine, raised a question on the accessibility of the drug dexamethasone. It sparked an interesting discussion. While the drug is certainly very cheap, it should only be administered in qualified healthcare settings, which may not be available to socio-economic disadvantaged groups. This comment underscored the importance of equal healthcare access.

Another attendee, Anthony Zwi raised an interesting point of view that individuals are only as empowered as the local community organizations that lend to them that power. Horizontal empowerment and facilitation by the local organizations to the citizen is very important to ensure success of community initiatives.

Karin Wiedenmayer brought an interesting situation to notice. She mentions the ignorance of some governments towards remedying the pandemic situation and feeding misinformation to their people. WHO intends find any measure possible to rectify the situation, even if it means bypassing those governments.

I had my fan-boy moment soon after where I asked Dr Nabarro’s take on the following situation. Currently, some cities (ex: New Delhi) are admitting only symptomatic cases and not pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic COVID cases. I asked, “Is the WHO looking at issuing homecare guidelines to pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic patients so that their disease progression is slowed and it gives hospitals the required bandwidth to cater to critical cases?”. The good news was that issuing such guidelines is in active discussion within the WHO. Given my line of work (healthcare technology, software development, and AI), Dr Nabarro discussed with me the role of AI in COVID, which is promising, especially towards screening COVID patients.

Annie and Jonathan raised an interesting point where the correct use of language and managing mental health by the leadership helps to handle the public during the pandemic.  A simple example of this would be using the phrase ‘physical distancing’ over ‘social-distancing’. Nendirmwa’s story brought us back to ground reality. She lost her job amidst this pandemic since her employer couldn’t empathize with her challenges of working from home. Sadly, this is an issue faced by many.

Such a discussion brought to light the fact that while the pandemic is a grave situation, we must use this as an opportunity to identify and improve our areas of socio-economic inequalities as we remedy the pandemic.

Follow One Young World on Social Media @OneYoungWorld

About this 4SD Reflection

This article is a reflection by Sehaj Sharma following the COVID-19 Open Online Briefing of Dr David Nabarro on 18 June 2020. It forms part of a collaboration between 4SD and One Young World to inspire greater systems leadership amongst youth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sehaj is a One Young World Ambassador active in the space of healthcare technology and Artificial Intelligence. He is passionate about the Sustainable Development Goals of Quality Education, Good Health and Wellbeing, and Reduced Inequality. He represented these causes at the One Young World Summit 2019 in London.

 

 

COVID-19 Open Online Briefing #25
Thursday, 18 June 2020
08:30 – 09:30 CEST

The views and opinions expressed in these reflections form part of the collaboration between 4SD and One Young World to inspire greater systems leadership amongst youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of 4SD as an organisation or it’s associated personnel. Any content provided by authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything.

One Young World (OYW) is the global forum for young leaders. OYW identifies, promotes and connects the world’s most impactful young leaders to create a better world, with more responsible, more effective leadership. The annual OYW Summit convenes the brightest young talent from every country and sector, working to accelerate social impact. Learn more about OYW at https://www.oneyoungworld.com/

]]> https://4sdfoundation.org/covid-19-narratives/optimism-inequalities-and-hope-in-the-covid-19-pandemic/feed/ 0 The state of the Pandemic: where the virus is, what impact it has, and how that can be tackled https://4sdfoundation.org/covid-19-narratives/the-state-of-the-pandemic-where-the-virus-is-what-impact-it-has-and-how-that-can-be-tackled/ https://4sdfoundation.org/covid-19-narratives/the-state-of-the-pandemic-where-the-virus-is-what-impact-it-has-and-how-that-can-be-tackled/#respond Fri, 19 Jun 2020 11:08:30 +0000 https://4sd.info/?p=3062 .avia-section.av-kfyai04g-0680df8b5846769a03d92e9f9cbe5ee4{ background-repeat:no-repeat; background-image:url(https://4sdfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/NARRATIVES-HEADER-1.png); background-position:50% 50%; background-attachment:scroll; } .avia-section.av-kfyai04g-0680df8b5846769a03d92e9f9cbe5ee4 .av-section-color-overlay{ opacity:1; background-color:rgba(0,0,0,0.3); }

THE STATE OF THE PANDEMIC: WHERE THE VIRUS IS, WHAT IMPACT IT HAS, AND HOW THAT CAN BE TACKLED

By Dr David Nabarro, 19 June 2020

State of the Pandemic and Impact:

The numbers of new cases are (in general) reducing in Western European countries at this time: it is likely that they will start to grow again as the movement of people increases. The current experience of Beijing, China is an indicator of what can happen even when authorities and people are on high alert.

Transmission can be limited through people adopting COVID-ready behaviour (distancing, face protecting, hygiene and protecting those who are vulnerable). Outbreaks can quickly be suppressed through effective community-based public health services. Will these elements be prioritized by decision-makers in local and national government, businesses and civil society? They should be as they are critical for successful re-opening of economic and social life.

Statistics show that the numbers of people with COVID-19 – and the associated mortality – is increasing rapidly in the world’s poorer regions. Even though the actual numbers of cases and deaths are likely to be far greater than the official figures, yesterday’s epidemic curve from the World Health Organization (figure 1) shows that the numbers of cases and deaths are on the increase in Central and Latin America, South Asia, and the Middle East: Africa is not far behind.


Figure 1: World Health Organization COVID-19 Global Epidemic Curve 14 June 2020


Communities and governments are responding intensively but they face massive challenges because they have limited capability within health sectors and beyond. This is a global crisis: poor people and poor nations needs support now and for the foreseeable future to avert a profound mega-catastrophe.

There are three global priorities NOW:
a) accompanying all the People of our world as they make sense of the shifts in personal behaviour that are needed for COVID-ready societies and work out how to implement them in ways that minimise the risks for themselves and their communities;

b) going local with a focus on the Places where people live, work and come together: this means ensuring access to locally specific information and coordinated actions, to interrupt transmission when it starts and suppress outbreaks quickly before they explode; and

c) ensuring that Public Health services to support comprehensive responses for surveillance, testing-tracing-isolating, triage and treatment, protecting those who are vulnerable, and responding rapidly and robustly to outbreaks, are in place everywhere.

There is one other principle to which we should all adhere: the need to act for equity at all times, in a unified way. This means focusing on equitable opportunities, related to people’s assets, sex, ethnicity, class, nationality and more, when it comes to:

  • reducing people’s risks of illness and mortality,
  • availability of protective equipment to those who need it the most,
  • people’s access to care and treatment for COVID and non-COVID conditions,
  • the access to social protection for people affected by containment measures (especially women and children),
  • people’s protection against redundancy, and

The need for equity also applies to opportunities for small and medium enterprises and others to access protection (including debt forgiveness) when facing bankruptcy and hardship, as well as opportunities for countries to receive support when they have difficulties with balance of payments, fiscal space etc.

—

Watch the Open Online Briefings of 16 and 18 June 2020

COVID-19 Open Online Briefing #26
Thursday, 18 June 2020
08:30 – 09:30 CEST

COVID-19 Open Online Briefing #25
Tuesday, 16 June 2020
17:00 – 18:00 CEST

Related Data and Visualisation links

Visualisations using COVID-19 data serve as additional tools to understand the situation in different ways. These include:

  • The World Health Organisation (WHO) Dashboard features choropleth and bubble world maps with new and confirmed cases and death by country, region and day – this data matches that of the global epidemic curve shared above.
  • The Johns Hopkins University (JHU) dashboard by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering is often used as source for other dashboards. It provides a frequently updated repository including the latest numbers and includes United States data by state.
  • The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) includes both global and European data. This data is used for the European Dataportal which provides additional features such as the day-on-day difference in terms of new infections and deaths per country.
  • Our World in Data is a free open access and open source site with visualisations presented in many different ways.
  • The COVID visualiser is a spinning globe which was developed by two students of Carnegie Mellon University. Data is refreshed every two minutes using data from Worldometer which combines data from multiple sources.
  • The site information is beautiful shares the COVID-19 data stunningly, consistent with the understanding that beautiful, easy to understand factual visualisations can help decision making.

Download Narrative as PDF (274kb)
]]> https://4sdfoundation.org/covid-19-narratives/the-state-of-the-pandemic-where-the-virus-is-what-impact-it-has-and-how-that-can-be-tackled/feed/ 0 A Health and Social Issue: Two Sides of the COVID Coin – 4SD https://4sdfoundation.org/reflections/a-health-and-social-issue-two-sides-of-the-covid-coin/ https://4sdfoundation.org/reflections/a-health-and-social-issue-two-sides-of-the-covid-coin/#respond Wed, 17 Jun 2020 11:11:46 +0000 https://4sd.info/?p=3263

I attended Dr David Nabarro’s debrief session on the ‘State of the Pandemic’ from Mumbai, India. As I reflect on the session, I am reminded of his comprehensive picture of the global pandemic today and how it relates to my home country. I take this opportunity to share the images that stayed with me.

Not without my data

The session began with what my professors of Health Policy would lose no chance of drilling in us – what does the evidence say? As Dr Nabarro explained, the latest WHO evidence of cautiously conservative figures on COVID-19 tells us that the infection in various nations is picking up faster today than it was at the start of the pandemic. Though earlier the global North dominated news cycles with its high number of cases, countries like India and Brazil have come up now, indicating that lockdown measures were successful merely in buying time. Similar inferences from the data on deaths cannot be drawn due to its poor reporting and the varying definitions of deaths attributable to COVID-19 across nations.

Despite these ambiguities, the resounding message of the data from countries in various stages of the pandemic has been to test, trace, treat, and isolate. As has become increasingly clear, this feat is all but impossible without able leadership and robust community participation. I need not look further than my own country where the state of Kerala has shown grit in early intervention, allowing it to come ahead of this pandemic, while the big cities of Mumbai and New Delhi continue to struggle with rising cases. Governments across the world are refraining from extending lockdown measures in light of the massive aftermath on vulnerable populations (ex. migrant workers, pregnant women, transplant patients, survivors of violence) which means that learning to prepare and fight the virus is the only plausible solution.

Social movements meet health priorities

In the spirit of fighting health problems plaguing the world, an important question related to systemic issues which affect health outcomes was raised by a member of the session. In my experience of attending dozens of webinars in this period, Dr Nabarro was one of the few hosts who passionately answered a question about the role of social movements (such as #BlackLivesMatter) in advancing achievements in public health.

Of the three key points he made, first was that all movements against any form of inequity or inequality are interconnected. Echoing that, I believe the inclusion of intersectionality of the oppressions faced by marginalised populations (Blacks in America, Dalits in India, LGBTQI persons everywhere) is necessary for any health initiative to make lasting change. Second, he drew attention to the power of networks in bringing movements together. The importance of this is reflected in the understanding of racism as an issue of lives, livelihoods and public health, all together. Third, he brought focus to the people who will live with the legacy of this planet and this pandemic, the youth of the world. Taking the streets and social media by storm, evidently, the youth want to speak about the issues that affect them. Health policies and programmes must listen.

The way forward, for good

If one goes back in time to 2012, to the birth of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), they will find a resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly called ‘The Future We Want’, where nations committed to eradicating various levels of inequality. Eight years on now, as the COVID-19 crisis is carried on the backs of the same inequalities of the past, the glaring call for social justice cannot possibly be ignored. Another eight years in the future, global health policy and systems must be compelled to eradicate all forms of inequity and inequality, while also being prepared for ‘The Future We Didn’t Anticipate’.

Follow Surbhi on Social Media @surbhi_ihbrus

Follow One Young World on Social Media @OneYoungWorld

About this 4SD Reflection

This article is a reflection by Dr Surbhi Shrivastava following the COVID-19 Open Online Briefing of Dr David Nabarro on 16 June 2020. It forms part of a collaboration between 4SD and One Young World to inspire greater systems leadership amongst youth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Surbhi is a Senior Research Associate at the Centre for Enquiry into Health and Allied Themes (CEHAT), a non-profit organisation in Mumbai, India.

A dental surgeon and public health researcher by qualification, she works on issues of gender equity and women’s health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she has been managing a rapid-assessment of essential health services in 11 municipal hospitals of Mumbai for dissemination among various communities.

She is a scholar of AstraZeneca’s Young Health Programme and a One Young World Ambassador.

COVID-19 Open Online Briefing #25
Tuesday, 16 June 2020
17:00 – 18:00 CEST

The views and opinions expressed in these reflections form part of the collaboration between 4SD and One Young World to inspire greater systems leadership amongst youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of 4SD as an organisation or it’s associated personnel. Any content provided by authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything.

One Young World (OYW) is the global forum for young leaders. OYW identifies, promotes and connects the world’s most impactful young leaders to create a better world, with more responsible, more effective leadership. The annual OYW Summit convenes the brightest young talent from every country and sector, working to accelerate social impact. Learn more about OYW at https://www.oneyoungworld.com/

]]> https://4sdfoundation.org/reflections/a-health-and-social-issue-two-sides-of-the-covid-coin/feed/ 0 El impacto de seguir las recomendaciones internacionales y la imperiosa necesidad de compartir responsabilidades – 4SD https://4sdfoundation.org/reflections/el-impacto-de-seguir-las-recomendaciones-internacionales-y-la-imperiosa-necesidad-de-compartir-responsabilidades-4sd/ https://4sdfoundation.org/reflections/el-impacto-de-seguir-las-recomendaciones-internacionales-y-la-imperiosa-necesidad-de-compartir-responsabilidades-4sd/#respond Wed, 27 May 2020 09:26:01 +0000 https://4sd.info/?p=3276

By Dr Carlos Madrigal- Iberri

Después de una intensa reunión, con múltiples e inteligentes ideas, quiero compartir mis aprendizajes de la sesión del 19 de mayo en las narrativas de COVID-19 con el Dr. Nabarro. Las opiniones que expreso en este texto, están particularmente enfocadas hacia dos puntos medulares: La importancia de seguir las recomendaciones de la OMS contra la crisis del COVID-19 y el impacto de cuidar a los más vulnerables. (países, personas, trabajadores)

Seguir las recomendaciones de la Organización Mundial de la Salud contra el COVID-19.

La 73a Asamblea Mundial de Salud se llevó a cabo de manera virtual. Múltiples líderes mundiales que afirmaron la necesidad de obtener una solución que permita la unión del mundo para enfrentar esta pandemia. Durante esta sesión, los países aplaudieron a la OMS por su rápida respuesta para emitir guías sobre cómo enfrentar la crisis, también lo hicieron por conseguir equipos esenciales para países pobres y por los esfuerzos hechos en temas de investigación y desarrollo para una vacuna efectiva y nuevas terapias. A pesar de la buena voluntad y el sentido de colaboración entre todos los países, un país en particular mostró su descontento hacia la OMS e hizo acusaciones falsas.

Como profesional de la salud pública, creo que es vergonzoso para el mundo entero que uno de los países más ricos del mundo, decidiera iniciar una investigación en lugar de seguir e implementar las recomendaciones de la OMS para proteger a sus ciudadanos. Este tipo de acciones realizadas por un líder mundial, hicieron eco en otros países que decidieron adoptar estas mismas posturas y las consecuencias de estos países son catastróficas. Mexico, Brasil y el Reino Unido están enfrentando los peores tiempos de esta pandemia debido a la terquedad de sus mandatorios y a causa de esto, muchas personas están muriendo por seguir las recomendaciones de sus jefes de estado. Pongamos a México como ejemplo; sin importar las recomendaciones del Dr. Tedros de hacer tantas pruebas como fueran posibles, el gobierno mexicano decidió implementar el modelo centinela para la vigilancia de sus casos. Hoy día, México es último lugar en la lista de países de la OCDE en cuanto a pruebas diagnósticas realizadas por habitantes. A causa de esto, el país está enfrentando una crisis humanitaria con datos insuficientes, en el contexto de un país con tasas exorbitantes de obesidad y diabetes. Condiciones subyacentes que ponen a esta población en un riesgo más alto de muerte. Además de esto, más de la mitad de la población en México vive en la pobreza. Negocios informales o ventas callejeras, trabajos de plomeros, jardineros y taqueros son piedra angular de la economía del país. Ante estas adversidades, el 21 de mayo de 2020 México batió su propio récord de muerte con más de 454 decesos confirmados por COVID-19 en un solo día.

El hecho abrumador es que mientras el mundo está empezando a aplanar la curva de mortalidad, México, Brasil y el Reino Unido están aumentando sus números de muerte por las deficientes acciones de sus gobiernos.

Impacto de cuidar a los más vulnerables.

Las Naciones Unidas se están sobreponiendo al virus en muchos países que si siguieron las recomendaciones de la OMS. Singapur, Colombia, Costa Rica o Corea del Sur son perfectos ejemplos de sociedades que enfrentaron la pandemia con una adecuada organización y una guía clara. En este punto de la crisis, las economías de estos estados están prosperando nuevamente porque de manera temprana concentraron todos sus esfuerzos en atender al consejo más elemental: Reducir la probabilidad de que el virus se transmita de persona a persona. Sabedores de que sus sistemas de salud no estaban preparados para una crisis sanitaria de semejante magnitud, usaron todas las estrategias que tenían a su alcance para involucrar a todos en sus comunidades y hacerlos conscientes de que esta amenaza necesitaba cambios en el comportamiento actual. Principalmente en temas de distancia social y adecuada higiene. Además, redoblaron los esfuerzos en la detección temprana de síntomas y el aislamiento prematuro, así como, rastreo de contactos de los pacientes infectados para detener la transmisión.

El aprendizaje principal que nos dejaron estos países es que: ¡Esta pandemia se trata de la gente! Por eso, los líderes mundiales al igual que todos los empleadores deben proteger a toda costa las vidas de las personas en riesgo, especialmente la gente pobre. Aquellos que no pueden mantener la distancia fácilmente, como los que viven en espacio confinados o trabajan en lugares muy reducidos. Todos debemos cuidar de los trabajadores de la salud, de las mujeres y de los ancianos. El cese de actividades deberá realizarse tan rápido como sea posible y con extremas precauciones, especialmente en países pobres, de otra manera la gente no tendrá dinero, la comida será insuficiente, la desnutrición aumentará y la violencia será insostenible.

Toda vez que las medidas de aislamiento terminen, el mundo entero deberá estar preparado para tener una nueva mentalidad en la que las personas deberán estar en el centro de toda ecuación. Tenemos que apoyar a los científicos; los empleadores necesitan reforzar las medidas de protección en los trabajos, para que sus empleados no se contagien de COVID-19. A pesar de tomar todas las medidas pertinentes, hemos de ser conscientes que el virus no desaparecerá pronto y, por tanto, mucha gente morirá. Ante esta situación, tendremos que ser comprensivos para apoyar una larga evolución de la enfermedad y la depresión asociada al duelo por la muerte de seres queridos. Además, tenemos que caer en cuenta que las personas recuperadas de la infección por COVID-19, tendrán algún grado de daño pulmonar y tendrán falta de aire crónica durante algún tiempo. El mundo después de esta pandemia, necesita ser un mundo mejor en donde todos nos cuidamos y estamos dispuestos a ayudar a los más necesitados.

Para sobreponernos a esta adversidad, tenemos que aprender a trabajar como una célula. No hay lugar para retirar fondos, para dudar en los esfuerzos o para anteponer los intereses personales sobre la vida de los demás. Los países pobres no pueden fortalecer sus sistemas de salud, a menos que los países ricos los ayuden. La humanidad no puede mejorar si seguimos peleando por razones ideológicas o por partidos políticos. Necesitamos liderar para la gente y detener el divisionismo y necesitamos empezar pronto. Necesitamos actuar ya.

Follow Salvando Latidos on Social Media @salvandolatidos

Follow One Young World on Social Media @OneYoungWorld

About this 4SD Reflection

Este artículo es una reflexión del Dr. Carlos Madrigal- Iberri tras la sesión informativa abierta en línea de COVID-19 del Dr. David Nabarro el 19 de mayo de 2020. Forma parte de una colaboración entre 4SD y Un Mundo Joven para inspirar un mayor liderazgo de los sistemas entre los jóvenes durante la pandemia de COVID-19.

Dr Carlos Madrigal- Iberri: Consejo Directivo de Salvando Latidos, una Asociación Civil sin fines de lucro que brinda atención médica para pacientes de bajos recursos. Durante esta pandemia se han dedicado a recaudar fondos para brindar equipo de protección personal a los hospitales que están haciendo frente al COVID-19 en México.

Además, trabaja de manera activa para Novartis México para traer a la Agenda Pública la enfermedad de Chagas, una de las 17 Enfermedades Tropicales Olvidadas declarada por la OMS, que es además la segunda causa de Insuficiencia Cardíaca en America Latina.

“Si queremos hacer una diferencia en salud pública, el mundo necesita gente dispuesta a sumar esfuerzos para hacer de estos padecimientos un problema del pasado y no una nueva amenaza para nuestro futuro”.

La sesión informativa abierta en línea de COVID-19 del Dr. David Nabarro el 19 de mayo de 2020.

17:00 – 18:00 CEST

Los puntos de vista y opiniones expresados en estas reflexiones forman parte de la colaboración entre 4SD y Un Mundo Joven para inspirar un mayor liderazgo de los sistemas entre los jóvenes durante la pandemia de COVID-19. No reflejan necesariamente la política oficial o la posición de 4SD como organización o su personal asociado. Cualquier contenido proporcionado por los autores son de su opinión y no pretenden difamar ninguna religión, grupo étnico, club, organización, compañía, individuo o cualquier cosa.

One Young World (OYW) es el foro mundial de jóvenes líderes. OYW identifica, promueve y conecta a los líderes jóvenes más impactantes del mundo para crear un mundo mejor, con un liderazgo más responsable y efectivo. La Cumbre anual de OYW convoca a los jóvenes talentos más brillantes de cada país y sector, trabajando para acelerar el impacto social. Más información sobre OYW en https://www.oneyoungworld.com/

]]> https://4sdfoundation.org/reflections/el-impacto-de-seguir-las-recomendaciones-internacionales-y-la-imperiosa-necesidad-de-compartir-responsabilidades-4sd/feed/ 0 Appreciating Global Guidance and the Need for Shared Responsibility – 4SD https://4sdfoundation.org/covid-19-narratives/appreciating-global-guidance-and-the-need-for-shared-responsibility/ https://4sdfoundation.org/covid-19-narratives/appreciating-global-guidance-and-the-need-for-shared-responsibility/#respond Tue, 26 May 2020 09:53:58 +0000 https://4sd.info/?p=3282

May 10, 2023/inCOVID-19 Narratives, Reflections

By Dr Carlos Madrigal- Iberri

After a deep, thoughtful and intelligent meeting, here are my insights regarding the COVID-19 narrative sessions with Dr. Nabarro, from 19th May, 2020. The opinions expressed in this text will appoint to two main topics: The importance of following the WHO recommendations against COVID-19 crisis and the significance of look after the most vulnerable ones (countries, persons, workers).

The 73rd World Health Assembly took place virtually with many world leaders working towards a resolution to bring the world together to fight the current pandemic. Over the session, countries were praised for the quick response to face the crisis, for mobilising essential equipment to poor countries and to support new ventures for research & develop an effective vaccine and new therapies.

Despite the willingness and sense of collaboration shown by most countries, one particular country showed disagreement with WHO along with accusations, making intergovernmental progress extremely difficult.

As a medical professional dedicated to public health, I find it embarrassing for the entire world that one of the richest countries in the world, decided to start an investigation instead of following and implementing the WHO guidance to protect their citizens. The actions of one world leader will have a massive effect in other countries and the consequences are, in my view, scandalous.

Mexico, Brazil and the UK are facing the worst time of this pandemic due to what appears to be stubbornness of their leaders, and we can assume many people are dying unnecessarily due to their figureheads´ recommendations and decisions. Let’s take Mexico as an example, whilst Dr. Tedros’ recommendations are to test as many people as possible, the Mexican government implemented the Sentinel surveillance model, leading it to be the last country in the OECD regarding the number of diagnostic tests per habitants. I believe this has contributed to why the country is facing a major health crisis and insufficient data. Especially in the context that the Mexican population has high rates of obesity and diabetes, underlying conditions, which put people at major risk of death and complications from COVID-19. On top of this, about half of the population lives in poverty and rely on the informal economy through street sales, working as plumbers, gardeners, and taco vendors. As of May 21st, Mexico reached 454 new confirmed COVID-19 deaths in one day.

While the entire world is flattening the curve, Mexico, Brazil and UK are rising in the number of deaths due to what I would describe as, their governments’ inefficient actions.

Significance of look after the most vulnerable ones.

Nations are getting ahead of the virus, particularly in places that have been able to follow the WHO recommendations. Singapore, Colombia, Costa Rica and South Korea are great examples of societies that faced the pandemic with an adequate organised response using clear guidance. At this point of the crisis, the economies of these states look to be thriving again because they concentrated all the efforts to the first piece of advice: Make it hard for the virus to transmit from person to person. Knowing that their healthcare systems were not prepared to face this sanitary emergency, they used every strategy available to get everybody involved and aware that this threat needed changes in the current behavior regarding social distancing and adequate hygiene. They also put many efforts in early detection of symptoms and prompted the isolation of cases and tracing of contacts in order to stop transmission.

The main learning of these countries is that: this pandemic is about people! That is why the world leaders and employers need to protect the lives of people at risk, especially poor people. Those who cannot keep distances, those who lives in confined spaces, and those who work in small places. Everyone should take care of healthcare workers, women, and older people. The cessation of movement should be done as quickly as possible and with extreme precautions, particularly in poor countries, otherwise people will not have money, the food will be insufficient and malnutrition will increase.

Once the lockdown is over, the entire world needs to be prepared for a new mindset where people are at the center of the equation. We need to support scientists; employers need to reinforce practices in works so their employees will not get COVID-19.

Despite all the measures taken, the virus will not disappear soon, therefore we must deal with the idea that many will die and we need to be comprehensive enough to support the long illness, the depression associated with grief and the fact that persons who recovered from COVID-19 will have some sort of lung damage, so they will be short-breathed for some time.

The world after this pandemic needs to be a better place where we take care of each other and provide support to those who need it most.

In order to overcome the adversity, we need to work as one; there is no place to withdrawn funds, to hesitate in efforts, to put personal interests over people lives. Poor countries cannot strengthen their health systems unless the rich countries provide help. Humanity cannot improve if we still fight for ideological reasons or political parties. We need to lead for people and stop to create divisionism, and we need to do it fast. We need to do it now.

Follow Salvando Latidos on Social Media @salvandolatidos

Follow One Young World on Social Media @OneYoungWorld

About this 4SD Reflection

This article is a reflection by Dr. Carlos Madrigal- Iberri following the COVID-19 Open Online Briefing of Dr David Nabarro on 19 May 2020. It forms part of a collaboration between 4SD and One Young World to inspire greater systems leadership amongst youth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Carlos is a Medical Doctor & One Young World ambassador who is deeply committed to Global Health. He serves on the Board of Salvando Latidos a non-profit organization, which provides free medical care to low income populations; during this pandemic, they are fundraising to provide protective personnel equipment for hospitals facing COVID-19 in Mexico. He has also been actively working for Novartis Mexico to bring to public agenda Chagas Disease, which is one of the 17 Neglected Tropical Diseases determined by World Health Organization and the second cause of heart failure in Latin America.

Carlos states, “In order to make a difference in public health, the world needs people that are willing to join forces to make this problem a part of our past, and not a new threat to our future”.

COVID-19 Open Online Briefing #17
Tuesday, 19 May 2020
17:00 – 18:00 CEST

The views and opinions expressed in these reflections form part of the collaboration between 4SD and One Young World to inspire greater systems leadership amongst youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of 4SD as an organisation or it’s associated personnel. Any content provided by authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything.

One Young World (OYW) is the global forum for young leaders. OYW identifies, promotes and connects the world’s most impactful young leaders to create a better world, with more responsible, more effective leadership. The annual OYW Summit convenes the brightest young talent from every country and sector, working to accelerate social impact. Learn more about OYW at https://www.oneyoungworld.com/

]]> https://4sdfoundation.org/covid-19-narratives/appreciating-global-guidance-and-the-need-for-shared-responsibility/feed/ 0 RISKS AND VITAL STEPS TOWARDS COVID READINESS IN GHANA – 4SD https://4sdfoundation.org/reflections/risks-and-vital-steps-towards-covid-readiness-in-ghana/ https://4sdfoundation.org/reflections/risks-and-vital-steps-towards-covid-readiness-in-ghana/#respond Fri, 15 May 2020 10:41:46 +0000 https://4sd.info/?p=3290

By Abdul Samed Zurak

Following the debrief session with Dr. David Nabarro, I would like to deliver my insights based on the thematic areas of the debrief session. The thematic areas will be relative to the interventions of lower-middle-income countries such as Ghana. Ghana is one of the leading countries in coronavirus testing through the Enhanced Contact Tracing & Testing program by the Ghana Health Service. As of today, 14th May 2020, the coronavirus cases in Ghana are 5,408 confirmed cases, 514 recoveries, and 24 deaths. During the debrief session, Dr. David Nabarro listed Massive Risks, Vital Steps, False Choices, Inequities Revealed, and Real Opportunity as the thematic areas and I will be discussing my insights on the thematic areas with Ghana as an example.

Massive Risks

In Ghana, coronavirus has posed a massive risk to individuals who lack access to healthcare. During the discussion, Dr. David Nabarro indicated coronavirus is stealthy and risky. However, in our setting in a lower-middle-income country in Ghana, the risk is higher due to the lack of access to healthcare, poor living conditions, and poverty. Other communicable diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS are at risk of rising as the health systems are focused on tackling the disease. Also, coronavirus patients with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and asthma are at a higher risk of death from the disease.

Vital Steps

During the early days of the disease in Ghana, the Government imposed a 3-week lockdown to keep infection levels down and interrupt transmission of the virus. The Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service launched the Enhanced Contact Tracing & Testing program to trace, test, isolate, and treat the virus. The initiative has proven to be very reliable. The government also absorbed utility bills for 3 months and provide other incentives to the citizenry to reduce financial burdens during the pandemic. The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology in collaboration with Incas Diagnostics developed a rapid test kit that detects coronavirus antibodies within 20 minutes. Ghana is also using drones through Zipline to transport samples to testing centers across the country.

False Choices

For a country like Ghana, decision making between Public Health and the Economy and Surveillance and Liberty were critical and vital. Initially, the decisions were “Public Health versus Economy” and “Surveillance versus Liberty”. These decisions were in place during the 3-week lockdown by the government and it is evident in the statement of the President of Ghana where he stated: “We know how to bring the economy back to life but what we do not know is how to bring people back to life”. However, the government had to succumb to the pressure and use a non-binary approach where the current situation is “Public Health and Economy” and “Surveillance and liberty”.

Inequities Revealed

The coronavirus has revealed inequities in different aspects of our lives. It is very worrying for people living in inner cities, densely populated areas, and prisons. In Ghana, the government is using the Enhanced Contact Tracing and Testing initiative to trace, test, isolate, and treat people living in appalling conditions. Also, there have been calls by the minority and opposition to decongest prisons in the country. Frontline workers are declining to step forward without adequate protective equipment and recently in the Presidential update, it was revealed 533 employees of a fish processing plant were infected with the virus.

Real Opportunity

In Ghana, the pandemic has created a huge opportunity as the government is investing heavily in the Health System. The government has stepped effort to improve access to healthcare by unveiling plans to construct 88 district hospitals and 6 regional hospitals within a year. There are several incentives for frontline workers including a 50% increment in salary, tax holidays and free transport. Young leaders have stepped up effort in the fight against the virus through education, awareness programs, and donations. Also, this pandemic has presented a unique opportunity for the use of technology in different aspects of the Ghanaian economy including education. I am very much intrigued by the suggestions of Dr. David Nabarro concerning education. I believe it is a great opportunity for the government to start engaging parents on ways to reopen the education system. Already, Ghana is practicing the shifting system up to the secondary level of education. Stakeholder engagement has to be made to discuss ways to reopen the education system during the pandemic.

Follow Abdul on Social Media @abdul_zurak

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About this 4SD Reflection

This article is a reflection by Abdul Samed Zurak following the COVID-19 Open Online Briefing of Dr David Nabarro on 15 May 2020 as part of a collaboration between 4SD and One Young World to inspire greater systems leadership amongst youth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abdul is the Chairman of the Board of Zurak Cancer Foundation; a non-governmental organization working on improving access to oncology healthcare service at the primary point of healthcare in the slum, rural and hard to reach communities in Ghana. He has served on government panels and committees to develop policies regarding oncology healthcare delivery in Ghana.

He is a Johnson & Johnson Fellow, a British Council Active Citizen Leadership Fellow, Obama Leader, a Goalkeeper with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and One Young World Ambassador.

COVID-19 Open Online Briefing #16
Thursday, 15 May 2020
08:30 – 09:30 CEST

The views and opinions expressed in these reflections form part of the collaboration between 4SD and One Young World to inspire greater systems leadership amongst youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of 4SD as an organisation or it’s associated personnel. Any content provided by authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything.

One Young World (OYW) is the global forum for young leaders. OYW identifies, promotes and connects the world’s most impactful young leaders to create a better world, with more responsible, more effective leadership. The annual OYW Summit convenes the brightest young talent from every country and sector, working to accelerate social impact. Learn more about OYW at https://www.oneyoungworld.com/

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