The minister wished the ambassador success in his duties and bilateral relations further development and growth. Photo via Gulf Times
Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation of Rwanda Dr Vincent Biruta received a copy of the credentials of HE Misfer Faisal Mubarak al-Ajab al-Shahwani, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Qatar to Rwanda. The minister wished the ambassador success in his duties and bilateral relations further development and growth. - Gulf Times
NAIROBI, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Friday urged African countries to collaborate in managing to emerge and re-emerging long-standing healthcare threats in the continent.
Mutahi Kagwe, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Health noted that regional collaboration should be established to help stop the spread of the diseases in the continent.
"We have to come together to share knowledge and harness Africa's public health resources to inform countries and development partners in their effort to enhance regional disease control systems across Africa," Kagwe said during the launch of Africa CDC regional collaboration center in Nairobi.
Kagwe observed that the current situation underscores the importance of strengthening regional disease surveillance systems and emergency response capabilities across the continent.
He added that the COVID-19 pandemic is an illustration of how the undetected transmission of pathogens across borders can quickly transfer a local disease outbreak into a regional and global health emergency.
The official noted that as African countries recover from the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is growing pressure on governments and regional bodies to safeguard the health of populations.
He added that the challenge of regional disease surveillance and control is now at the forefront of policy around global public health.
Kagwe urged governments to put policies in place to ensure the continental CDC regional collaboration center swiftly detects and effectively addresses disease outbreaks before they become a threat.
He called for the gathering of quality information and data as well as knowledge and information at all levels. - Xinhua
President Muhammadu Buhari. Photo via International Centre for Investigative Reporting
The country joins Kenya, Mauritius, and a few other countries in Africa that have allowed men engaged by the government to support their wives at home after giving birth.
While other African countries approved between five and ten days for their workers, the Nigerian government gave 14 days for paternity leave.
Head of Civil Service of the Federation Folasade Yemi-Esan announced the decision on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the weekly Federal Executive Council Meeting.
She said the leave would enable fathers to unite with their babies shortly after they are born, adding that allowing fathers to stay with their wives and newborns would improve bonding and increase support for mothers.
The approval came after the House of Representatives had in 2018 rejected a bill that sought paternity leave for married men.
The Federal Government had in June 2018 increased maternity leave from three months to four.
Meanwhile, nursing mothers got six months leave through Governor Seyi Makinde in November 2020. The state government also promised to grant paternal leave.
The Lagos State government had in 2014 approved ten days paternity leave.
Similarly, Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had in 2015 approved three weeks paternity leave for the state civil servants.
Multiple news platforms report that Kenya, Mauritius, Gabon, Cameroun, Chad, Ivory Coast, Madagascar and Togo have paternity leave for married men.
Kenya approved two weeks, but the employer must recognize the wife.
Mauritius gives five successive working days leave.
Paternity leave in the remaining countries is covered in family allowance leave or what is considered ‘family events concerning the worker’s home.’ Married men in these countries can take up to ten days of paid leave.
In Ethiopia, married men can take up to unpaid five-day leave.
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the amended Labour Relation and Labour Amendment Act in November 2018, enabling married men to proceed on a ten-day unpaid leave. The law, however, came into effect in November 2019.
The World Atlas shows that countries with the longest-paid paternity leave are South Korea (52.6 weeks), Japan (52 weeks), France (28 weeks), Luxembourg (26.4 weeks), Netherlands (26.4), Portugal (21.3), Belgium (19.3), Norway (14 weeks), Iceland (13 weeks), Sweden 10 weeks)
“A year’s worth of paid paternity leave ensures ample development of the child physically and mentally before their fathers return to work,” the platform says of South Korea. - Marcus Fatunmole, International Centre for Investigative Reporting
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