NEW YORK –  The economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic could push up to 86 million more children into household poverty by the end of 2020, an increase of 15 per cent, according to a new analysis released today by Save the Children and UNICEF. The  analysis  highlights that, without urgent action to protect families from the financial hardships caused by the pandemic, the total number of children living below the national poverty line in low- and middle-income countries could reach 672 million by year-end. Nearly two-thirds of these children live in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Countries across Europe and Central Asia could see the most significant increase, up to 44 per cent across the region. Latin America and the Caribbean could see a 22 per cent increase. “The coronavirus pandemic has triggered an unprecedented socio-economic crisis that is draining resources for families all over the world,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. “The scale and dept...

Europe :  After months under strict lockdowns, Europeans have finally begun to enjoy a sense of newfound freedom in recent days — drinking at cafes, visiting museums and spending time outdoors with friends and family. The slow resumption of daily life represents a milestone in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. But it also raises concerns about a second wave of infections, scientists warn.  “The fear of a second wave is there, the risk of it coming is high,” epidemiologist Pier Luigi Lopalco told HuffPost Italy . If infection rates start to tick upward again, recent images of people gathering together at bars and in parks could seem less like a sign of life returning to normal, and more like a harbinger of another deadly catastrophe. The question of a second wave is “when and how big,” Andrea Ammon, director of the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, told The Guardian. “I don’t want to draw a doomsday picture, but I think we have to be realistic. That...

Nigeria -  The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila has intervened in the planned strike action by the Joint Health Sector Union and the Assembly of Healthcare Professionals (JOHESU), FCT chapter, over issues of irregularities in salary payment, among others. The Speaker, at a meeting with the officials of the union at the National Assembly, Abuja on Monday, pleaded with the health workers to extend the ultimatum they gave the FCT Administration on the matter. The JOHESU leadership had on May 7, given the government up to May 28 to address the issues of irregularities in salary payment since January, non-payment of arrears of promotion from 2016, 2017 and 2018, delay in the release of conversion and proper placement of some of the workers, among others. But Gbajabiamila, while pleading with the FCT health workers to tarry a while on the issue, promised them that the House would deliberate on the matter at plenary on Tuesday, May 19, 2020, and come up with...

Welcome to The Town Square, an online space for people of Nigerian / African descent in diaspora to connect on life issues affecting our community in these challenging times. I, and Sade Ogunlana will be hosting the first in a series of talks as we bring you amazing speakers who are experts in their field to share insights to help move our community forward.  We kick off with the topic: Balancing Health & Wellbeing on Tues 19 night. Our speaker is the Amazing Tola Olanlokun Wendy Olan a community pharmacist. Tola will be sharing her insights into the topics as highlighted in the poster. This is a good opportunity to ask those questions,  learn practical tips, gain confidence and begin to make intentional decisions on your health & wellbeing beyond the global health crises.  We look forward to you joining us and do SHARE this post with your my network.  Registration is FREE but we encourage all to please register using the link in my bio for Zoom meeting ...

Nigeria -  Malam Rabiu Musa, Head of Communications in the Kano Field Office of the United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF), is dead. His son, Musa Rabiu, who confirmed the death to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Saturday, said that the UNICEF official died at the age of 60. “My dad died at about 3.00 a.m on Saturday after battling with a sickness for a few days. “Although, we noticed symptoms we suspect to be of coronavirus, but the result of the test conducted is not yet out. “A week ago, he complained of sore throat and malaria, but after few days of medication, he became normal. A few days later, he complained that he was finding it difficult to breath. “He also complained that no matter how short he walked, he lost breath. So, he was taken to the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Dala on Friday where he gave up,” the son said. At about 2.00 p.m. when NAN contacted the son, he said: “We are now at the hospital with the officials of the Nationa...