LONDON: Ghanaian Woman Dies At Home Following Two-Hour Wait For Ambulance

 

A mother died after waiting nearly two hours for an ambulance, before her nine-year-old daughter spent hours desperately trying to wake her up.

Victoria Louisa Maame Yamphet, 40, died at home in Dagenham, east London, last week after complaining of stomach pain as her terrified daughters, aged nine and 18, watched on.

Her daughter Emmanuela, 18, said her mother came home with a flu on Sunday, January 8, before her condition rapidly declined.

‘My mum complained about her ribs and belly hurting. I offered to call an ambulance because she isn’t really a sick person and I knew it was bad,’ Emmanuela said.

Victoria Louisa Maame Yamphet, 40, died in her home in Dagenham, east London, last week, in front of her terrified daughters aged 9 and 18

Her daughter Emmanuela (right), 18, said her mother came home with a flu on Sunday, January 8, and rapidly declined (pictured from right: Emmanuela, nine-year-old Emily, her mother Maame and her half-sister Priscilla)

During the night, Maame, as she was known to friends and family, became sicker, and at 6.09am on Tuesday, January 10, her daughter called for an ambulance.

Emmanuela (pictured) called the ambulance service four times before paramedics reached her mother, but it was too late. She said: ‘She just stopped breathing in front of me and my little sister. ‘I put her in a recovery position, I did CPR on her. I called the ambulance screaming and crying for them to get here quicker’

Emmanuela was initially told the ambulance was six to ten minutes away, but 20 minutes later there was still no sign of it.

The nationwide ambulance strike began the next day on January 11.

‘I called again and all of a sudden it was an hour wait’, she said.

‘I told them my mum can’t wait that long. I was in distress because I didn’t know what to do.’

She was told at 7.15am – more than an hour after her first call – that a taxi would be sent to her house to take her mother to the hospital.

‘Before the taxi got to us, her pain got worse. She just stopped breathing in front of me and my little sister,’ Emmanuela said.

‘I put her in a recovery position. I did CPR on her. I called the ambulance screaming and crying for them to get here quicker.

‘They literally got here within a minute, and it made me feel like when I really need them to come, they can, but they didn’t until I started screaming and crying.

‘When they came, they did everything they could but it was a bit too late. Because my mother was left for an hour and 45 minutes to be in pain, sadly … she didn’t make it.’

Emmanuela believes her mother suffered cardiac arrest and could not breathe properly.

Maame worked as a support worker for over 20 years. Her daughter said: ‘It’s very unfair. My mum was a support worker, she always looked after people, but when it was her turn, she wasn’t taken care of’

Maame worked as a support worker for more than 20 years. Her daughter said: ‘It’s very unfair. My mum was a support worker, she always looked after people, but when it was her turn, she wasn’t taken care of.’ 

There have been three ambulance strike days already in recent weeks. Last month, they took place on December 21 and 28, and this month on January 10.

The next strikes have been announced for January 23, February 6, February 20 and then again on March 6 and March 20.

The dispute between the unions (Unison and GMB) and the Government concerns pay, staffing and retention of staff in the health service.

Ambulance workers have been offered a 4 per cent pay increase by the Government – amounting to an additional £1,400 per head a year – but the unions have rejected it, with inflation at 10.7 per cent.

The unions do not believe the current pay offer increase is acceptable.

On top of her disappointment in the ambulance service, Emmanuela said she was very distressed when her mother’s body was left at the house with her and her nine-year-old sister Emily for six hours.

She said: ‘My little sister was on the floor next to our mum the whole time. She was crying, shaking her and trying to wake her up.’

Their father, who works in the NHS, rushed home to his children. When he was told his partner Maame ‘didn’t make it, he literally started breaking down’, his daughter said.

Maame’s daughters, who are both receiving counselling via their schools, are currently staying with their aunt Sally Andrews in south London.

Maame’s death comes after ambulance services announced further walkouts in February that are due to bring further chaos amid long NHS waiting times.

Dr Fenella Wrigley, chief medical officer for London Ambulance Service, said: ‘We are deeply sorry for the delay in responding to Mrs Yamphet.

‘We are investigating our response to this 999 call and the care provided, and as part of this thorough review, will contact Mrs Yamphet’s family to understand the circumstances of this incident.

‘On behalf of London Ambulance Service, I offer my sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Mrs Yamphet.’

The cause of Mrs Yamphet’s death is yet to be determined. In the meantime, her daugher Emmanuela has set up a fundraising page for her mother’s funeral: ‘We want to give her a befitting burial’, she said.

Source: dailymail

…………………………………………

China’s Population Falls For The First Time Since 1961

 China’s population has fallen for the first time in 60 years, with the national birth rate hitting a record low – 6.77 births per 1,000 people.

The population in 2022 – 1.4118 billion – fell by 850,000 from 2021.

China’s birth rate has been declining for years, prompting a slew of policies to slow the trend.

But seven years after scrapping the one-child policy, it has entered what one official described as an “era of negative population growth”.

The birth rate in 2022 was also down from 7.52 in 2021, according to China’s National Bureau of Statistics, which released the figures on Tuesday.

In comparison, in 2021, the United States recorded 11.06 births per 1,000 people, and the United Kingdom, 10.08 births. The birth rate for the same year in India, which is poised to overtake China as the world’s most populous country, was 16.42.

Deaths also outnumbered births for the first time last year. China logged its highest death rate since 1976 – 7.37 deaths per 1,000 people, up from 7.18 the previous year.

Earlier government data had heralded a demographic crisis, which would in the long run shrink China’s labour force and increase the burden on healthcare and other social security costs.

Results from a once-a-decade census announced in 2021 showed China’s population growing at its slowest pace in decades. Populations are also shrinking and ageing in other East Asian countries, such as Japan and South Korea.

“This trend is going to continue and perhaps worsen after Covid,” says Yue Su, principal economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit. Ms Su is among experts who expect China’s population to shrink further through 2023.

“The high youth unemployment rate and weaknesses in income expectations could delay marriage and childbirth plans further, dragging down the number of newborns,” she added.

And the death rate in 2023 is likely be higher than what it was pre-pandemic due to Covid infections, she said. China has seen a surge of cases since it abandoned its zero-Covid policy last month.

China’s population trends over the years have been largely shaped by the controversial one-child policy, which was introduced in 1979 to slow population growth.

Families that violated the rules were fined and in some cases, even lost jobs. In a culture that historically favours boys over girls, the policy had also led to forced abortions and a reportedly skewed gender ratio from the 1980s.

The policy was scrapped in 2016 and married couples were allowed to have two children. In recent years, the Chinese government also offered tax breaks and better maternal healthcare, among other incentives, to reverse, or at least slow, the falling birth rate.

But these policies did not lead to a sustained increase in the births. Some experts say this is because policies that encouraged childbirth were not accompanied by efforts to ease the burden of childcare, such as more help for working mothers or access to education.

In October 2022, Chinese President Xi Jinping made boosting birth rates a priority. Mr Xi said in a once-in-five-year Communist Party Congress in Beijing that his government will “pursue a proactive national strategy” in response to the country’s ageing population.

Apart from dishing out incentives to have children, China should also improve gender equality in households and workplaces, said Bussarawan Teerawichitchainan, director of the National University of Singapore’s Centre for Family and Population Research.

Scandinavian countries have shown that such moves can improve fertility rates, she added.

“They are not in a doomsday scenario right away,” says Paul Cheung, Singapore’s former chief statistician, adding that China has “plenty of manpower” and “a lot of lead time” to manage the demographic challenge.

Observers say merely raising birth rates will not resolve the problems behind China’s slowing growth.

“Boosting fertility is not going to improve productivity or increase domestic consumption in the medium term,” said Stuart Gietel-Basten, a public policy professor at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. “How China will respond to these structural issues would be more crucial.”

Source: BBC

………………………………………………………

SLAVE TRADE: Church of England apologises for ‘shameful past’, sets up £100m fund

“I am deeply sorry for these links. It is now time to take action to address our shameful past,” Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, said.

Member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom & the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury.

The church made the announcement on Tuesday following research that showed that the church’s commissioners through the Queen Anne’s Bounty, a fund established in 1704, invested in the South Sea Company which traded in chattel slavery.

Chattel slavery is enslaving and owning human beings and their offspring, forcing them to work without wages.

In its response to the findings, the church commissioners’ board said it would try to address some of the past wrongs through the fund.

Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury and chair of the church commissioners, said the church would do whatever was necessary even though resources are “stretched”.

“I am deeply sorry for these links. It is now time to take action to address our shameful past,” Welby said.

“It is hard to do this at a time when resources in many parishes are so stretched, but by acting rightly we open ourselves to the blessing of God.”

The church said the fund would be delivered over the next nine years and would be dedicated to programmes on investment, research and engagement.

“The church commissioners will also continue to use its voice as a responsible investor to address and combat modern slavery and human rights violations, and to seek to address injustice and inequalities,” the statement reads.

The church added that a new oversight group would be formed with “significant membership from communities impacted by historic slavery”.

“This group will work with the church commissioners on shaping and delivering the response, listening widely to ensure this work is done sensitively and with accountability,” the statement added.

Source: towncrier

………………………………………………………

German defence minister resigns after months of criticism

 Christine Lambrecht has been blamed for failing to modernise the army and denounced over Berlin’s response to the Ukraine war.

Germany’s embattled defence minister, who was criticised over the pace of a massive project to modernise the military and for Berlin’s stuttering response to the Ukraine war, has resigned.

Christine Lambrecht said in a written statement on Monday that “months of media focus on my person” had stood in the way of a factual debate about the military and Germany’s security policy.

The valuable work of the soldiers and many people in my department must stand in the foreground,” she said.

Pressure on Lambrecht mounted recently after an ill-judged New Year’s video message.

Posted on Instagram, it showed a barely audible Lambrecht speaking as New Year’s Eve revellers celebrated with fireworks behind her on a Berlin street.

“A war is raging in the middle of Europe,” she said. “And connected with that for me were a lot of special impressions that I was able to gain – many, many meetings with interesting, great people.”

A spokesperson for Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he had accepted Lambrecht’s resignation and a replacement would be announced soon.

The 57-year-old had been in her post since Scholz became chancellor in December 2021. Both are members of Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD).

Al Jazeera’s Dominic Kane, reporting from Berlin, described Lambrecht’s resignation as a “headache” for the chancellor and said her replacement would likely be picked from within the SDP.

“That person is going to have to get up to speed pretty quickly in so far as the war in Ukraine and Germany’s contributions to Ukraine are concerned,” Kane said.

“There are lots of things in the in-tray for whoever emerges as the new minister, but it is unlikely that there will be a profound change in German policy brought about solely by whoever replaces Christine Lambrecht,” he said.

Critics have long portrayed Lambrecht as out of her depth.

She was blasted for a string of incidents, including describing Germany’s delivery of 5,000 military helmets to Ukraine in January last year as “a very clear signal that we stand by your side”.

Three months later, she took her 21-year-old son along on a military helicopter flight. The trip became a scandal after he posted a photo to Instagram that the minister had taken.

Lambrecht’s ministry said she had applied for permission and paid the costs herself, but critics said it showed poor judgement.

She resigned at a sensitive moment as Scholz faces mounting pressure to make another significant step forward in German military aid to Ukraine by agreeing to deliver Leopard 2 battle tanks.

Berlin has already provided substantial military support to Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion last February and earlier this month agreed to provide 40 Marder armoured personnel carriers and a Patriot air defence missile battery to Kyiv.

But critics, some inside Germany’s governing coalition, have accused Scholz of being hesitant to step up aid.

As the former justice minister and minister for families and women, she was respected in those roles but was widely viewed as one of the Scholz government’s weakest links at the defence ministry.

The notoriously unwieldy department has a history of diminishing ministers’ reputations.

Its importance increased with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. That prompted Scholz to announce a special 100bn-euro ($108 billion) fund to upgrade the German military, the Bundeswehr, which has suffered for years from neglect and in particular from aging, poorly functioning equipment.

Last month, Lambrecht dismissed suggestions that the government had been too slow to get going on its spending drive.

She said officials have moved fast but that “such projects must be carefully negotiated – this is tax money.”

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

……………………………………………………………

Lack of infrastructure causes Africa to lose 30% of agricultural production Economy

 Luanda - The African continent annually loses about 30% of its agricultural production due to lack of conservation infrastructures, the commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union (AU), Josefa Sacko has told ANGOP.

According to the AU commissioner, this 30% of agricultural goods which are lost due to the lack of conservation would serve to feed the continent's populations very well.

 

In addition to the loss of agricultural produce due to the lack of conservation infrastructures, Josefa Sacko also pointed to the problems of the soil and the lack of fertilisers in Africa.

 

Regarding the problem on the soil in Africa, she said that they are being used a lot, but their health is not being taken care of in order to increase productivity.

 

According to the official, at this time, to treat soils and increase productivity, Africa uses an average of 18 kilograms of fertilisers per hectare, which is very little, but in 2006, in Abuja, Nigeria, at an extraordinary AU summit called “Abuja 1”, the heads of African states decided to reach 50 kg per hectare, “unfortunately they were not successful”.

 

She explained that the Abuja 1 summit has designed the Abuja Declaration whose contents forecast until 2030, to increase the use of fertiliser to 50 kilograms per hectare.

 

“Up to now we have done evaluation and concluded that Africa only uses 18 per hectare. That does not increase productivity or guarantee food security. Those are the factors that we have to look at and accelerate if we want to have food sovereignty”, she warned.

 

Josefa Sacko said that to find solutions to the need for fertilisers, in June this year, the African Union will hold a summit in Senegal to look at soil issues, as well as the supply of fertilisers to peasants at affordable prices.

 

Impact of war, financing and solutions

 

Ms Sacko went on to stress that Russia, currently at war with Ukraine, is a major supplier of fertilisers and grain to the African continent.

 

The AU commissioner, who also talked about this war's effects on Africa, pointed Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania and Kenya as the main affected countries, as Africa imports 30% of their wheat needs from these countries in conflict.

 

Due to the various shocks the continent has suffered, including those caused by Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia/Ukraine war, the impacts of which are visible, Josefa Sacko advocates “African solutions to African problems”, which is an AU slogan.

 

The commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union (AU), took opportunity to report that they already have USD 1.5 billion available which were granted by the African Development Bank (AfDB) for the increase of food production as well as USD 3.4 billion funded by the World Bank (WB) to combat climate change, particularly drought, and ensure food resilience in the East and Southern African regions.

 

According to Josefa Sacko, taking into account the funding, which has already started to be distributed to the countries, it is expected to alleviate hunger in the continent as from the end of the first half of the current year.

 

Food production on the agenda

 

Regarding the problem of food production and hunger in the continent, Josefa Sacko stressed that the core of the issue is the lack of investment, political will and training.

 

To her, these factors are very important because, as she defends, anyone who wants to prepare food sovereignty has to create these conditions.

 

While quoting the President of the United States of America, the commissioner noted that at the recent US/Africa Summit, Joe Biden´s concern in cooperation with the African continent is food security.

 

“He said it is not acceptable for an individual to wake up in the morning and not have what to eat. That is against human rights”, quoted the US President,

 

When asked if she believes that Africa can still be the world´s food reserve, as it was said years ago, she said yes. “I think we can still count on it, but there must be political will”, she stressed.

 

The Angolan diplomat added that there are crisis that bring opportunities such as the 2020 Covid-19 crisis and in 2022, the Russia/Ukraine war, which showed the vulnerability of the agricultural sector in Africa.

 

The leader believes it is necessary to dream and transform the continent because otherwise it will be a shame not to leave a good legacy to the generations that follow.

 

“I finish my term at the AU in two years’ time, in 2025, and I have to leave a legacy. I may not do everything, but I have to leave something. It is those projects that we have to hold on to that are benefiting our countries. It must be ensured that productivity has improved. I hope the fertiliser summit will bring fruits and concrete actions”, she said.

 

She stated that she believes in concrete actions, but does not believe in speeches.

 

“I believe in actions that show that this is what I have done, because time is short. We have a mandate of four years and one cannot do everything, but taking advantage of the current situation, what is the solution to resolve this”, she questioned.

 

To her, Africa can be the world´s food reserve if there is political will and good advocacy, because for the first time food security is a matter that is on the table and scheduled.

 

Angolan Josefa Sacko is an agricultural engineer, economist and ambassador to the AU. She has previously served as Secretary-General of the Inter-African Coffee Organisation for 13 years. In 2017, she was elected Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Economy by the African Union.

Angolan president witnesses ADSW 2023 opening ceremony

 Abu Dhabi - Angolan head of State João Lourenço attended the opening ceremony of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2023, held at the National Exhibition Centre on Monday.

João Lourenço arrived Sunday in Abu Dhabi, at the invitation by local authorities, to participate in the 15th Edition of the Forum dedicated to the environment.

Tuesday João Lourenço is expected to address the clean energy production in Africa.

Also attended the ceremony the Presidents of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan,  Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, and South Korea Yoon Suk-yeol.

Heads of State of Uganda Yoweri Museveni, Mozambique Filipe Nyusi, the Seychelles Wavel Ramkalawan, as well as the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also witnessed the event.

Zayed Sustainability Award

During the session, the organisation delivered the Zayed Sustainability Award.

The Angolan head of State João Lourenço was among the entities who handed over the distinction to the winner of one of the categories.

The Zayed Prize recognises the excellence of the world's sustainability pioneers and provides a platform to drive transformation in this segment.

The Prize's jury comprises former heads of State, UAE government ministers and entrepreneurs.

So far, more than 100 awards have already been delivered in the categories of health, food, energy, water, and high schools.

Head of State João Lourenço talks about clean energy in Africa

 Abu Dhabi – The Head of State, João Lourenço, will speak Tuesday in the panel on Clean Energy in Africa, within the framework of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2023.

In this regard, the Angolan minister of Foreign Affairs, Téte António,

considered the presence of Angola in the mentioned panel to be of “great interest”, as it is an opportunity for the country to express its vision on the subject.

 

Téte António, who was speaking to the press in Abu Dhabi, on Monday, highlighted the fact that President Lourenço will take part of the panel with his counterparts of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema, Uganda, Yoweri Museveni as well as Tanzania, Ms Samia Suluhu.

 

The official, noted that the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week includes the holding of the Hydrogen Summit, which will happen for the first time.

 

Téte António recalled that this year, the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) is to prepare the United Nation (UN) ´s Climate Change Conference “COP28”, which will take place in Abu Dhabi, November this year.

 

ADSW is an initiative of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that is held every year in January.

 

It is the second time that João Lourenço is invited to visit Abu Dhabi in order to Express his ideas about a more sustainable world.

 

The first gathering took place in January 2019.