News

Africa - July 20, 2010

July 20, 2010 Edition 2

Zambia mass-immunisation drive

Zambia plans to immunise 1.6 million children against measles this week, as the country suffers the worst outbreak of the disease in seven years.

"Our aim is to eradicate preventable diseases," Health Minister Kapembwa Simbao said yesterday, adding: "We also aim to vaccinate 1.2 million against polio, and we shall administer vitamin A supplements to 2.3 million children." An outbreak of measles has killed 88 people in Zambia over the past two months.

Bombings 'fail to stop AU summit'

African leaders are gathering in Uganda for the opening of a major AU summit only a week after twin bombings killed 76 people in the capital, Kampala, during the World Cup final.

Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa told delegates from 49 nations yesterday their arrival "shows that terrorists cannot defeat us". The summit, which begins on Sunday will focus on peace and security, infrastructure, energy and food security.

Dead protester fell, police say

Senegalese police beat to death a man who took part in a demonstration against frequent power cuts in a suburb of the capital, Dakar, an African rights group said.

The African Encounter for the Defence of Human Rights, based in Dakar, said in a statement Abdoulaye Wade Yinghou was "tortured to death by police" on July 14. A police spokesman denied this, saying Yinghou "fell and banged his head somehow".