A mass vaccination campaign against the human papillomavirus, commonly known as HPV, kicks off this Tuesday in Nigeria.
The country is particularly affected by this sexually transmitted virus, which notably causes cervical cancer.
According to the Nigerian Minister of Health, each year in the country, at least 12,000 women are affected by this type of cancer at an advanced stage. In 2020, 8,000 women died from it.
The objective for the authorities is to vaccinate more than 16 million girls aged 9 to 14 by the end of 2025.
This age group would, according to experts, make vaccination more effective.
However, for several years, in many countries around the world such as Colombia, Japan and France, this vaccine has faced resistance, due to potential side effects.
Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in sub-Saharan Africa, followed by breast cancer.
New Zealand calls for a humanitarian truce in Gaza and the establishment of safe zones
New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said that his country calls for the imposition of an immediate humanitarian truce in Gaza and the establishment of safe corridors and areas to protect civilians.
He added: “New Zealand calls on all parties concerned to act in accordance with international law, as well as to demonstrate basic humanity. Food, water, fuel and shelter must be provided to innocent civilians living in Gaza, as well as to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, and this is a commitment that must be implemented immediately. We call on all parties to the conflict To join the humanitarian truce, we call on Israel and Egypt to use the cessation of hostilities to quickly and unhindered provide humanitarian assistance to the population residing in Gaza.
The New Zealand Prime Minister pointed out the need to immediately establish humanitarian corridors in the conflict zone, to allow sufficient amounts of aid to be delivered regularly to Gaza.
“In addition, safe areas must be created, protected from military operations, which will become a refuge for innocent people,” he said.
For her part, New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta stated that "New Zealand supports Israel's right to defend itself against terrorist attacks," but stressed the importance of proportionality in these defense measures.
She said: "Israel must respect international law, exercise restraint, and give priority to the protection of civilians."
She stressed that there is no military solution that leads to a just and lasting peace for Israelis and Palestinians.
Israel is subjected to much criticism and condemnation due to its continuous bombing of civilians in the Gaza Strip, and it is also being asked to open safe corridors for humanitarian aid to arrive.
The legal battle continues around the removal of Ousmane Sonko
The state judicial agent filed his appeal on Monday to annul the decision of judge Sabassy Faye at the Ziguinchor district court. As a reminder, this judge from the city where the leader of Pastef is mayor had demanded on October 12, the reinstatement of the candidate Ousmane Sonko on the electoral lists.
The General Directorate of Elections (DGE) refused for the third consecutive year to its representative, Ayib Daffé, deputy of the African Patriots of Senegal for Labor, the sponsorship forms which should allow him to stand in the elections scheduled for February. The body says it is waiting for the judicial decision of the appeal trial in the case relating to the removal of Ousmane Sonko from the electoral register to know whether or not to hand over the sponsorship forms to his representative.
Faced with this blockage, on Tuesday, the Collective of Ousmane Sonko's lawyers officially contacted the president of the Autonomous National Electoral Commission (CENA) to ask him to require the General Directorate of Elections (DGE) to re-register Ousmane Sonko on the lists electoral pursuant to the decision rendered by the Ziguinchor District Court.
" If the administrative authority does not comply, the CENA has the power to divest and substitute action in the context of electoral and referendum operations with regard to the agent responsible, notwithstanding its power to refer the matter to the courts competent ", write the lawyers in their letter.
The F24 platform of active forces organized a press conference on Monday, during which it also vigorously denounced injustices which are already tainting the electoral process.
“The inadmissibility opposed by the electoral administration to an enforceable order is the paroxysmal form of the reign of lawlessness erected as a mode of governance by Mr. Macky Sall,” declares this organization bringing together political parties and worker unions.
In the meantime, Ousmane Sonko, according to his lawyer Mr Ciré Clédor Ly, has decided to be brought back to prison "despite his criticized state of health". The opponent resumed his hunger strike which he had stopped at the beginning of September.