
Zimbabwe: CSRO – Press Statement (01.04.2019)




“Pay attention to where you are going because without meaning you might get nowhere.” – A.A. Milne
Prime Minister Theresa May whose career has gone towards this day, this important day of leaving the European Union. The deadline day for leaving, which was set for today. The final votes today in the House of Commons on her deal with the EU. Which she and her cabinet has used two years negotiating and the best things her people was able to pull through. That has been voted down for the third time today. Also, any other sort of amendment. So, on deadline day, the Tories, Labour, SNP, DUP or anyone else roaming in Parliament couldn’t agree upon anything.
As this is happening, the President of the European Commission Donald Tusk has issued an Crisis Meeting in Brussels with EU27 and the possible end of the Brexit with a “No-Deal” on the 12th of April 2019 instead of today the 29th March 2019. That is two weeks over time. The milk is spilt by being on the counter for that long. The same is happening to the Brexit too.
The longer this is prolonged with the Tories and PM May at the helm. It is only getting spoiled. The results are watered down. The engagements of the government and the diplomacy is failing. Whatever, PM May though would happen today. Didn’t happen, her Molotov Cocktail and sweet offering of resignation didn’t get the troops behind her. She couldn’t even muster the whole Tories to stand by her deal on this Brexit Day.
This is a wimpy and wobbling government, a cabinet and party, which is commonly known for losing in Parliament. Who is not having the majority or even getting enough rebels above from the other party lines to vote for their agenda or in this manner, the Withdrawal Agreement. That is the weakness of this government. PM May is like a boat, who doesn’t know where to find safe harbour of even a safe haven in the midst of storm. She is caught out at see, cannot see land or even see lights to save herself or her boat. That is who she is at this very moment.
That she was trying to do a kamikaze move of jumping on the sword, so that the other leaders in her party could take over and salvage whatever that was left. Certainly, the Tories must feel the fatigue and the lack of clarity. Three times voting for the same thing and it has resulted in the same thing. A resounding loss for the government. Now, it is clear, that the UK and EU are going into hardships. As the UK and Tories cannot decide how to move forward. They could never get into a way, which complies with EU laws and regulations, an the internal infighting within the Tories, their marginal but needed coalition member the DUP; And than being able to get majority for that plan.
Now, we can await the verdict of the EU. As the UK leaps into a possible NO-DEAL territory, which means hardships, lack of control and congestion. Also, lots of new regulations, more hampering movement and who knows what. Since they are an Third Country to the EU without measured statutes or agreements put in place. This will clearly be hurting the economy of the UK. The elites of the Tories will not mind, but the public of UK will feel it on their pocket and prices on goods.
Well, this is the grand, stable and steady leadership of Theresa May, the Tories had two years time to finish it and still couldn’t find ways to settle it. It never would be easy, because there is all alliances, all stakeholders and the also the outside forces of the EU, which the UK has to follow in some way or another.
Let see how this goes to 12th April 2019. Expect a devastating no-deal. Don’t expect a General Election or a new Referendum. Because, there is only the MPs of the Tories who are allowed to be asked about the “No Confidence” in the PM more than ones and the MPs themselves, who are allowed to vote for the same deal three times. However, public is only allowed to vote ones for the most costly and self-harming ballot in their life-time. Alas, there is a double-standard there, you can cherry-pick that one.
This is all made by the PM and her party, who could have fixed it. They could have negotiated and tried other avenues. But seemingly they didn’t, the David Davis, Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab and so on. Has all played their part, but not delivered anything significant. Peace.





Brussels, 29 March 2019
The Commission regrets the negative vote in the House of Commons today. As per the European Council (Article 50) decision on 22 March, the period provided for in Article 50(3) is extended to 12 April. It will be for the UK to indicate the way forward before that date, for consideration by the European Council.
A “no-deal” scenario on 12 April is now a likely scenario. The EU has been preparing for this since December 2017 and is now fully prepared for a “no-deal” scenario at midnight on 12 April. The EU will remain united. The benefits of the Withdrawal Agreement, including a transition period, will in no circumstances be replicated in a “no-deal” scenario. Sectoral mini-deals are not an option.

Response teams are facing daily challenges in ensuring timely and thorough identification and investigation of all cases amidst a backdrop of sporadic violence.
GENEVA, Switzerland, March 29, 2019 – The ongoing Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the North Kivu and Ituri provinces saw a rise in the number of new cases this past week. At this time, response teams are facing daily challenges in ensuring timely and thorough identification and investigation of all cases amidst a backdrop of sporadic violence from armed groups and pockets of mistrust in some affected communities. Despite this, progress is being made in areas such as Mandima, Masereka and Vuhovi, where response teams are gradually able to access once again and acceptance by the community of proven interventions to break the chains of transmission is observed.
During the last 21 days (6 – 26 March), a total of 125 new cases were reported from 51 health areas within 12 of the 21 health zones affected to date; 38% of the 133 health areas affected to date (Figure 2). The majority of these cases were from remaining hotspot areas of Katwa (36), Butembo (14), and three emerging clusters in Mandima (19), Masereka (18) and Vuhovi (17), in addition to a limited number of cases in other areas (Table 1). All cases link back to chains of transmission in hotspot areas, with onward local transmission observed in a limited number of towns and villages within family/social networks or health centers where cases have visited prior to their detection and isolation.
As of 26 March, a total of 1029 confirmed and probable EVD cases have been reported, of which 642 died (case fatality ratio 62%). Of 1029 cases with reported age and sex, 57% (584) were female, and 30% (307) were children aged less than 18 years. The number of healthcare workers affected has risen to 78 (8% of total cases), including 27 deaths.
Community engagement efforts to encourage greater local participation and ownership of the outbreak response is ongoing and has yielded some success in many areas. In Butembo and Katwa this past week, a total of 4171 households have been visited by community health volunteers and Red Cross volunteers. This past week also saw the establishment of nine community committees to enhance direct dialogue with healthcare workers and empower community members to partake in the decision-making process of the local response. Special dialogues are being held in the communities where there have been the most frequent incidents. Herein, an anthropologist first meets with the community to ascertain their concerns, then arranges for communal meetings where these concerns can be discussed, including amongst local youth leaders, women’s associations, traditional practitioners, and healthcare providers.
As of 26 March, 324 EVD patients have recovered and been discharged from Ebola Treatment Centres. In Beni, local NGOs and international teams are currently conducting eye care training for ten ophthalmologists and establishing dedicated eye care clinics to provide screening and eye care for EVD survivors. To date, 145 survivors have been screened in these clinics and a total of 293 survivors have enrolled in the survivor’s programme.
Notable strides have also been made in improving IPC capacities in healthcare facilities. Since January, IPC field teams have decontaminated over 250 healthcare facilities and households, provided over 100 supply kits, and trained over 3000 healthcare workers in IPC. A recent National IPC workshop has been completed to aid the implementation of new IPC strategies, while the establishment of an IPC task force has further improved partner communication and coordination at all levels. The work is, however, is ongoing and IPC teams continue to respond to new instances of nosocomial transmission with the emergence of clusters in previously unaffected communities and health facilities.
These local successes do not come without its challenges. When visiting communities in high risk areas, Ebola response teams sometimes face security challenges. Though no major security incidents have been reported over the last 10 days, the overall situation remains fragile. WHO and partners have recently established operational analysis and coordination centres to both gain a more holistic understanding of how we can engage communities more effectively, as well as further increase operational awareness of the day to day operations to ensure the safety of frontline healthcare workers and the communities they are aiding. WHO and partners have also strengthened physical security in the treatment centres and accommodations of healthcare workers.
Finding a balance between providing adequate operational protection to community members at risk of Ebola and healthcare workers while simultaneously winning the trust of communities remains an iterative learning process. WHO is constantly evolving the response efforts to address these operational challenges and will continue to step up collaboration with communities to increase acceptance on the ground.
*Data in recent weeks are subject to delays in case confirmation and reporting, as well as ongoing data cleaning
**Total cases and areas affected based during the last 21 days are based on the initial date of case alert, and may differ from date of confirmation and daily reporting by the Ministry of Health.


