Marginalised groups in Rwanda, Malawi and Zambia to benefit
Support to make quality education accessible to all in Rwanda, Malawi and Zambia has been strengthened with funding of £356,000 from Scottish Government for the Inclusive Education Policy Academy.
The Academy forms part of the World Bank’s Foundational Learning Compact (FLC) programme and is a hands-on professional development programme designed to improve access to education for some of these countries’ most marginalised groups, such as learners with additional support needs and women.
The launch marks the Scottish Government’s first participation in a World Bank programme and underlines the Programme for Government commitment to fostering inclusive education practices globally and supporting its partner countries in achieving equitable access to quality education.
International Development Minister Kaukab Stewart said: “We’re committed to supporting inclusive education worldwide and the World Bank’s FLC programme will help us take a significant step towards providing quality education for all in Rwanda, Malawi and Zambia, including marginalised groups.
“By providing resources into this transformative initiative, we will empower educators in our Global South partner countries to create environments where every learner can thrive.
“We look forward to seeing the positive impact the Academy will have on the lives of millions of people across the world, and particularly in our partner countries through our new partnership and funding.
“The support fits with our broader commitment to education programming as we strive towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals, particularly with increasing access for marginalised groups, which include girls and learners with additional support needs.”
Luis Benveniste, World Bank Global Director for Education, said: “We are thrilled that the FLC is the first World Bank fund to receive support from the Scottish Government.
“Children everywhere will welcome this new ally in the fight to strengthen and improve inclusive access to quality education. We look forward to working with our Scottish partners on this critical initiative.”
International Development Minister Christina McKelvie has pledged £500,000 to help contain a deadly cholera outbreak in Zambia.
The funding comes in response to an emergency appeal from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies (IFRC) for funding to support measures including contact tracing, vaccination and the supply of safe drinking water.
As of 27 January, 14,900 confirmed cases and 560 deaths have been recorded as a result of the outbreak, with all 10 of Zambia’s provinces reporting cases.
The IFRC reports this rapid escalation has put a strain on local health services and schools throughout the country have been closed in attempt to stop further spread of the disease.
International Development Minister Christina McKelvie said: “The next few weeks will be crucial to prevent this severe and rapidly growing cholera epidemic from escalating further.
“Particularly ahead of Zambia’s rainy season, as the majority of vulnerable communities have no access to clean water and sanitation facilities, which are essential to prevent the spread of cholera.
“This funding reflects the Scottish Government’s ongoing commitment to ensure Scotland fulfils its role as a good global citizen through international development and humanitarian work, as well as our longstanding partnership with Zambia.”
Rob Murray, Director for Scotland, British Red Cross, said: “Volunteers and staff from the Zambian Red Cross Society are leading the response to the cholera outbreak in the country, alongside the Zambia Ministry of Health, and this funding will help to carry out vital training for volunteers who will be at the forefront of the response in the affected communities.
“Speed is critical in dealing with an outbreak such as this therefore we are extremely grateful for the swift response and leadership the Scottish Government has shown in providing these funds.”
Thousands of children in Zambia now have better access to safe surgery with the opening of six new paediatric Operating Rooms courtesy of global health charity Kids Operating Room (KidsOR).
KidsOR, a Scottish global charity with bases in Edinburgh, Dundee and Nairobi, works to ensure that all children around the world have access to safe surgery. The charity also funds training of paediatric surgeons and anaesthesia providers, and estimates that more than 43,000 children have accessed life-changing or life-saving care via one of the 35 Operating Rooms they have installed since 2018.
The six new Operating Rooms in Zambia are located at University Teaching Hospital (UTH), in Lusaka, and in Arthur Davison Children’s Hospital (ADCH), in Ndola, with each hospital hosting three separate Operating Rooms.
The Scottish Government provided £45,000 of funding to assist with the refurbishment, re-equipping and retraining of staff at the paediatric surgical facilities at UTH.
David Cunningham, CEO of KidsOR, said: “I am proud that KidsOR has installed and equipped six Operating Rooms across the two hospitals. This is our largest project in a single country at the one time, and will ensure that surgeons have the right equipment to save thousands of children’s lives for years to come.
“With around 45 per cent of Zambia’s population being children, this is a country that will particularly benefit from these facilities.”
KidsOR collated data on surgical cases in the past 24 months at UTH so that it could track the difference made once the Operating Room was installed.
The charity identified that in the past two years, almost one in five of the operations that went ahead did so without the necessary surgical equipment and 40 per cent went ahead missing the necessary anaesthetic equipment.
These issues will be rectified as soon as surgeons start using the newly installed Operating Rooms to treat children.
Mr Cunningham added: “This latest project forms an important part of the KidsOR ‘Africa to 2030’ plan which will see us create 120 centres of excellence across Sub-Sahara Africa, each with world-class, state-of-the-art dedicated Operating Rooms for children.
“We aim to ensure that every child can access safe surgery when they need it.”
Dr Bruce Bvulani, Consultant Paediatric Surgeon at University Teaching Hospital, said: “The renovations and re-equipping of the theatre suite is not only timely but also momentous.
“These new Operating Rooms will put a smile not only on the faces of the children but the surgeons as they use their new wares in a refurbished centre. On behalf of the children of Zambia, we are truly grateful to KidsOR, and we promise to make full use of the equipment for the betterment of the children.”
Senior Medical Superintendent and Consultant Paediatrician at Arthur Davison Children’s Hospital, Dr Mwansa J Kaunda, also extended his gratitude. He added: “There will be an increased capacity and ability to care for more paediatric patients considering the hospital serves the northern part of the country. This means expanded services and more treatment options at the hospital, hence improved quality of health for children.
“What’s more, the new equipment and set up of theatre will improve efficiency in procedures, reduce the risk of post-operative wound infections. I am so excited as I never imagined that our Operating Room could look so nice. The last time it got a touch up was in 1978 and we have recently had to carry out operations using a phone torch light rather than proper operating lamp.”
International Development Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “The Scottish Government’s investment in this project will help benefit thousands of children who require life-changing and life-saving care.
“As well as contributing to the new paediatric Operating Rooms, our support will also enhance the skills and knowledge of the surgical teams that carry out these vital procedures. We are proud to work with KidsOR on a project that will change the lives of children and their families and strengthen the capacity and resilience of the health care system in Zambia.”
Africa has the greatest unmet surgical need in the world. Half of Africa’s population (1.3 billion) are children. It is also estimated that 85 per cent of children in Africa will require some kind of surgical care by the age of 15.
Two of the six Operating Rooms in Zambia have been achieved courtesy of KidsOR’s partnership with cleft-focused organisation Smile Train.
Stocks of personal protective equipment (PPE) are to be donated to Africa to aid their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The PPE equipment, worth £11.2 million, will be distributed by Kids Operating Room (KidsOR), a Scottish-based global health charity.
This distribution will be supported by £250,000 from the Scottish Government, which will fund the transport of 25 shipping containers of material to Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia.
KidsOR raised a further £1 million to support the transport of the PPE from the Wood Foundation, Pula Limited, Postcode Trust and Delta Philanthropies.
The supplies include masks, goggles, and visors and the shipment, made available through the NHS Scotland Global Citizenship Programme, is due to arrive in partner countries in late September.
International Development Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “COVID-19 knows no borders. I am pleased that the Scottish Government has been able to support this assistance to Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia – particularly as they look to plan for an expected fourth wave of COVID-19 in the coming months.
“This contribution builds on our recent supply of oxygen concentrators and ventilators, and we hope it will go some way to easing the current stress on health services.
“As the global pandemic continues, we firmly believe this is precisely the moment that Governments across the world should be stepping up to help those most in need.
“This donation underlines that the Scottish Government remains fully committed to playing our part in tackling the shared global challenge that the pandemic represents. I would like to thank KidsOR for supporting us to make it possible to distribute this PPE equipment along with the recent supply of oxygen concentrators and ventilators.”
Chief Executive of NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) Mary Morgan said: “The battle to beat COVID is truly a global effort. We are pleased that PPE secured by NSS is being donated to help those who need it most in Africa.
“We will continue to work with partners to identify further opportunities to support countries and communities who need our help.”
Co-Founder of KidsOR Garreth Wood said: “I would like to thank our donors for stepping up to help support the distribution of so many millions of items of PPE that will prove vital for countries in Africa battling the ongoing COVID pandemic.”
Vital equipment on it’s way to fight Covid-19 crisis in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia
A grant of more than £270,000 from the Scottish Government’s International Development Fund will fund the supply of 300 items of vital equipment to treat Covid-19 patients in Africa.
The funding will allow Kids Operating Room, a Scottish-based global health charity, to distribute 100 oxygen concentrators each to Malawi, Rwanda, and Zambia.
Covid-19 cases in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia are rising quickly, with the health system in Zambia especially under severe stress.
One of the biggest impacts of the rise in Covid-19 cases is a shortage of oxygen, and oxygen concentrators are easy to use, are suitable for patients of all ages, and can be used throughout the health service.
External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson said: “The Covid situation in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia has become very serious, very quickly, and we know that the pressure on health services are putting great stress on their infrastructure, especially in relation to the delivery of oxygen to patients.
“This funding for oxygen concentrators will go some way to help ease the current stress on the health services in our three African partner countries, and we are delighted to work with Kids Operating Room to make sure this vital equipment is put to use as soon as possible.
“Scotland remains fully committed to playing our part in tackling shared global challenges, and we are committed to increase the International Development Fund (IDF) by 50% to £15 million.
“As the global pandemic continues, we firmly believe this is not the time to turn our back on the poorest and those in dire need – instead, this is precisely the moment when we should be living up to our core values.”
David Cunningham, the chief executive officer of Kids Operating Room, said: “Our model is to listen to doctors, then give them what they need – right now, the message is coming back loud and clear that what they need is access to more oxygen to fight Covid-19.
“Oxygen concentrators are key pieces of equipment that are needed to meet the region’s critical oxygen shortage. They are suitable for all ages and durable for years to come post-Covid, making them incredibly essential to support the health services in the long-term.”
Kids Operating Room is a Scottish global health charity with bases in Edinburgh, Dundee and Nairobi. It works directly with local surgeons and their teams across Africa and South America to transform hospital spaces into dedicated operating rooms for children’s surgery.
Oxygen concentrators provide a sustainable and cost-effective source of medical oxygen – they draw air from the environment and then concentrate that room oxygen to therapeutic levels for delivery to patients.
The charity will coordinate the distribution of the oxygen equipment. They will arrange for delivery to doctors in Lusaka, Lilongwe and Kigali, and have the equipment distributed to the most in-demand hospitals.
