For COVID19 updates, please Visit sacoronavirus.co.za 

Overview

Ports2Arms (P2A) is a public health accountability mechanism that uses a Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) approach to monitor and document barriers and enablers on the ground to COVID-19 vaccine, testing, and treatment access and uptake. Hence, we are better prepared for and able to respond to future pandemics. This project is being piloted in South Africa by the African Alliance, funded by and in partnership with the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) and the National Department of Science and Innovation (DSI). We have also successfully tested the engagement tool’s practicality in Zambia, Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi, South Africa, and DRC.

 

Goal

Communities in African countries co-lead the design, testing, and implementation of the P2A Tracker and, using a community-led monitoring approach, generate and share real-time data to hold relevant stakeholders to account and inform and support the delivery of equitable national COVID-19 vaccine rollout programs that respond to barriers and spotlight good practices.

 

While the project’s initial testing and piloting were primarily focused the COVID-19 pandemic, it is envisaged that this community-led intervention can be adapted for other public health crises and enable African communities to be best prepared to respond to the current pandemic and prepare for the next.

Objectives

  • Provide relevant stakeholders with access to contextually relevant, real-time information about the barriers to vaccine distribution and spotlights good practices and lessons learned through the Tracker.
  • Ensure local leadership (state and community) to better be held to account for equitable vaccine access through the development of evidence-based, contextualised advocacy strategies based on real-time Tracker data.
  • Ensure the Tracker’s sustainability as a tool to a) generate evidence for multi-level advocacy for accountability and b) be adapted for other public health crises is promoted through key reflection and learning initiatives at regional and cross-country levels.
  • Advance continental efforts for urgent and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments through regional bodies by sharing insights with key stakeholders.  [1]

Since the inception of Ports2Arms, the objectives have remained the same. However, key lessons and insights from the tools testing, pilot, and the evolving context of the COVID-19 pandemic have informed strategic thinking around the best approach for the implementation of Ports2Arms.

The Ports2Arms Team

PERRYKENT NKOLE

STRATEGIST

Perrykent is a communication strategist trained in diplomatic practice, protocol, and public relations at the Zambia Institute of Diplomacy and International Relations. He has worked with different international organisations in the last ten years: UNICEF, Save the Children International SCI, SRHR Africa Trust SAT, and the Media Network on Child Rights and Development MNCRD. He has vast experience in Media Management, Communication Strategy Development, and Organisational Programming.

ivy maina

COORDINATOR

Ivy is an accomplished Strategic Program Coordinator and Administrator based in Nairobi, Kenya. She is passionate about community development work and driving positive change in Africa. Ivy’s educational background is in International Business Administration, which has honed her skills and abilities to fit into any environment and participate in activities that positively impact society. With vast experience managing donor-funded projects and non-profit organisations, she has developed a unique…

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…ability to improve structures and implement systems within various organisations. She is dedicated and committed to using her skills and experience to create sustainable development solutions that promote community empowerment, inclusion, and resilience in Africa. Furthermore, she strongly believes in fostering active and representative citizen participation and ensuring that community members can meaningfully influence decisions that impact their situation.

WILLIAM MUTUA

RESEARCHER & TRAINER

William is on a mission to bring better learning experiences to the world. He has most recently been a consultant with the School of Wildlife Conservation in Rwanda, where he led the efforts in learning experience design on the Conservation leadership program and coordinated the delivery of the same program mainly focused on Anglophone Africa. Over the past 12 years, he has worked with many organisations in the roles of facilitator and content development for different programs…

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…and some of the companies he has worked with include Spire Education, Pamoja Life, Jumia Kenya, and ALX/TheRoom. At TheRoom, he worked on delivering a mid to senior-level leadership program, and one of the beneficiary organisations was The Mastercard Foundation Senior Leadership team. In addition, he is a corporate trainer, workshop moderator, and speaker and holds an MBA in Entrepreneurship and a B.A. in Integrated Community Development.

NATASHA SEKETA

ADMINISTRATOR

Natasha is a dedicated young professional with over 6 years of experience in coordinating, facilitatingand implementing HIV/AIDs, Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health and Youth Advocacy project activities. She is passionate about the health and well-being of young people, which has led to her engagement with various organisations such as SRHR Africa Trust (SAT Zambia) in the dissemination of Sexual and Reproductive Health information, education and counselling…

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Natasha holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Administration with Development Studies from The University of Zambia with knowledge in Human Resource Management, Occupational Safety and Health Management and Public Policy Analysis. Furthermore, she is also a Mentorship in A Box (MIAB) graduate and certified Social Behavioral Change Mentor from the MIAB Training Institute under Set Apart International, workshop Trainer, Moderator and Event host.

The Ports2Arms Countries of Operation

South Africa is considered a middle power in international affairs, maintaining significant regional influence as a member of international organisations such as the Commonwealth of Nations and the Group of Twenty (G20). It has been classified by the World Bank as a newly industrialised country and has the third-largest economy in Africa, ranking 109th on the Human Development Index. Like many African countries, South Africa has a young population, constituting 37% of its total population (19.1 million). However, young people struggle in the labour market, with unemployment reaching 63.9% for youth aged 15-24 and 42% for those aged 25-42 in 2022. The national rate stands at 34.5%. Although graduate unemployment remains low, the general unemployment rate, irrespective of education, remains high.

 

South Africa’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak has been described as a standout within the continent. Its first cases were confirmed in March 2022, and both local and national channels were utilised to attempt to provide information to reduce the spread of the virus. The State’s initial response was to impose a nationwide lockdown and put in place comprehensive local public health response mechanisms. The President announced a state of disaster in line with the Disaster Management Act and formulated a risk-adjusted strategy with five levels, which determined the intensity of transmission within the country, with the fifth representing the highest form of local-to-local transmission.

Malawi is landlocked in Southern Africa, sharing its borders with Mozambique, Zambia, and Tanzania. Despite making significant economic and structural reforms to sustain economic growth, it remains one of the least developed countries, ranking 166 out of 184 in 2019 on the UNDP Human Development Index. As of 2022, Malawi has a population of about 19.9 million people. Women constitute 50.7% of the population, while men make up 47.3% of the population. About 18.0% of people live in urban areas, as against 82% living in rural areas; almost half (50.7%) live below the poverty line, and 70.9% live on less than US$1.90 a day. The population growth rate is about 3.1%, and projections estimate that the population will reach 43 million by 2050.

 

Malawi announced a nationwide emergency in response to the global COVID-19 outbreak in March 2022 and recorded its first confirmed coronavirus case on 2 April 2020. Malawi’s pandemic response was multisectoral and executed through 15 thematic working groups named ‘bunches. The response, guided by these working groups, identified vital policies, including an international travel ban, school closures at all levels, cancellation of public events, decongesting workplaces and public transport, mandatory face coverings, and a testing policy covering symptomatic people. Supportive interventions included risk communication and community engagement in multiple languages and over various mediums, efforts to improve access to water, sanitation, nutrition, and unconditional social-cash transfers for poor urban and rural households.

Zambia is landlocked in the centre of southern Africa, sharing its borders with eight countries (Botswana, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Malawi). Zambia maintains friendly relations with its neighbours through trade and as a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa. With a population of about 20.29 million (females represent 50.7% and males 49.3%), Zambia is considered one of the world’s most youthful. Its youth account for over 80% of its population, with 53.4% below 18 and the median age at 17.2. However, the youth contend with various socio-economic challenges like poverty, unemployment, access to education, political instability, and access to skills.

 

On March 18, 2020, Zambia recorded its first two cases of COVID-19, and by August 2020, the numbers had increased, reaching their peak. The second wave began in December 2020 and peaked in January 2021, with the third wave starting shortly after at the end of May 2021. Before the first case was diagnosed, the government had already shut down businesses and schools and banned public gatherings. A Public Health Act, Chapter 295 of the Laws of Zambia, was invoked to prevent and suppress diseases. The Act made provisions concerning matters affecting public health in Zambia, including prevention and suppression of infectious diseases. Part IV of the Act provided for preventing and suppressing contagious diseases, while Part V made a special provision regarding formidable epidemic diseases. To aid suppression of this virus, containment measures such as social distancing and movement restrictions, bans on all non-essential travel to all countries, and controls on the movement of people and products across borders were enforced by law enforcement agencies.

Burundi is a landlocked country in East Africa, bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the west. As of 2022, the estimated population of Burundi is approximately 12.5 million people. The country has faced significant political and social instability in recent years, including a civil war that lasted from 1993 to 2005. The ongoing political tensions have led to limited economic growth and development, and Burundi is currently one of the poorest countries in the world. In 2019, the country ranked 185 out of 189 on the UNDP Human Development Index. The majority of Burundi’s population lives in rural areas, with around 90% of people engaged in subsistence agriculture. The poverty rate is very high, with an estimated 65% of the population living below the poverty line. Additionally, Burundi has one of the highest population densities in Africa, with an average of 445 people per square kilometre.

 

The Burundian government initially downplayed the severity of the pandemic and took little action to prevent its spread. President Pierre Nkurunziza, who was in power at the time, publicly dismissed the virus as a “hoax” and encouraged citizens to rely on prayer and traditional medicine to protect themselves. The government also expelled World Health Organisation (WHO) officials in May 2020, accusing them of “interference” in the country’s affairs. Despite these challenges, health officials in Burundi have worked to implement measures to control the spread of the virus. These measures include border closures, mandatory quarantine for travellers, and restrictions on public gatherings. However, there have been reports of limited testing and a lack of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers, which have hindered efforts to contain the virus. As of April 2023, Burundi has reported over 12,000 cases and 400 deaths from COVID-19. However, given the limited testing and healthcare infrastructure in the country, experts believe that the actual number of cases and deaths is likely much higher. The government of the day, has taken a more proactive approach to addressing the pandemic, including securing vaccines for the population and working with international organisations such as the WHO.

Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is highly elevated, giving it the soubriquet “land of a thousand hills”, with its geography dominated by mountains in the west and savanna to the southeast, with numerous lakes throughout the country. The climate is temperate to subtropical, with two rainy and two dry seasons each year. Rwanda has a population of over 12.6 million living on 26,338 km2 (10,169 sq mi) of land. It is the most densely populated mainland African country; among countries larger than 10,000 km2, it is the fifth most densely populated country in the world. One million people live in the capital and largest city Kigali.

 

Rwanda reported the first case of COVID-19 on 14 March 2020, and since then, of 1,466,941 tests performed, 27,211 individuals have been confirmed positive, and 1.3% have succumbed to the disease as of 9 June 2021. Following the WHO declaration of the pandemic, the Government of Rwanda immediately adopted and implemented several public health and social measures aimed at slowing down the spread of the pandemic. These measures included countrywide lockdown, border closure, banning unnecessary travel, prohibiting public gatherings, the use of face masks in public places, the closure of schools, churches and non-essential services, and setting up hand hygiene facilities in all public places. The Rwanda Joint Task Force for COVID-19 was established to coordinate and monitor the implementation of these measures. Pre-existing rapid response teams, including the case management workforce, which were initially set up to tackle the spread of Ebola, are now operational from the lowest level of the Rwanda health structure, i.e., from health centres to the national referral hospitals. Case management and infection control teams as part of the task force are mandated to coordinate the clinical aspects of the disease at all levels of the healthcare system.

The Ports2Arms Community Reference Group

Ms. Lizzie Otaye

COUNTRY: Kenya (East Africa)

ORGANISATION: Networks of Aids and Health Service Organisations – EANNASO

ROLE: Communications Consultant

Liz played a key role in organising Africa Health Business AHB’s high-level advocacy and networking events. She is currently taking her thesis journey under development communication at St. Paul’s University. Having completed a double major degree in Communication majoring in Public Relations and Development Communication at the same university. She holds a Certificate of Proficiency in Insurance- from the College of Insurance, certificates in four +Acumen courses (Leadership 101, Social Entrepreneurship, Hate & Bias, and Social Impact Analysis): and a certificate of acknowledgement from KEPSA- KYEP program funded by the World Bank. She has more than 10 years of vast knowledge and experience in Executive Administration work within the Private Sector. Lizzie also volunteers as an advisor at the Youth Initiative Development Program- in Kenya and the Breakthrough AIDS Foundation in Uganda.

Omowonuola Akintunde, ACA.

COUNTRY: Nigeria (West Africa)

ORGANISATION: Special Needs Initiative for Growth (SNIG)

ROLE: Financial Director and Board of Trustees as the Secretary

As a founding member of the Special Needs Initiative for Growth, she advocates for an inclusive environment for the equitable empowerment of persons living with disabilities through workshops and seminars for training, motivating, and networking potential beneficiaries for imminent employment/ entrepreneurship opportunities. She is a chartered accountant with over 8 years of experience in audit and advisory, financial management, and consultancy. She offers her professional competence as the Financial Director of SNIG where she also sits on the Board of Trustees as the Secretary.

MacDonald Kaluwa

COUNTRY: Malawi (Southern Africa)

ORGANISATION: Campaign for Health Education, Sanitation and Hygiene (CAHESH)

ROLE: Executive Director

MacDonald Donnie Kaluwa: MacDonald Kaluwa is a Public Health and Logistics specialist with professional background in Public Administration, Public Health, and Logistics. Since 2015, he has been the Executive Director for a disability rights campaigner national Local NGO, Campaign for Health Education, Sanitation and Hygiene, CAHESH. CAHESH strives to achieve an ALL-inclusive provision of services and resources among people with disabilities on matters of Public Health. Other engagements have been as a Health, Safety and Environmental Officer for Nacala Corridor Railway Project from 2012 to 2014. For the period from 2014 to 2015 has developed and successfully implemented Disability Friendly WASH projects, implemented Sexual Reproductive Health (SRHR) programs, and implemented a Health and Safety program with the informal sector in Malawi.

Jonas Habimana Seruvugo

COUNTRY: Democratic Republic of Congo (Central Africa)

ORGANISATION: BIFERD ONG – Le Bureau d’Informatios, Formations, Echanges et Recherches pour le

ROLE: Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Jonas holds a bachelor’s degree in rural development with a specialisation in the WASH sector. Jonas has followed leadership and management of the Humanitarian sector training from the BIOFORCE Institute.  As Founder and now Chief Executive Officer at BIFERD ONG – Le Bureau d’Informatios, Formations, Echanges et Recherches pour le, a national organisation based in DR Congo. Jonas has experience of more than 17 years in the Humanitarian field, especially in the WASH sector, Food and Nutrition, Education, and Child Protection sectors. Other engagements has been with International NGOs such as World Vision International, Tear Fund, Solidarité International, Action Aid and Save the Children and Christian Aid, and Medesins Sans Frontiere. Has great experience in presenting the abstracts he has written for international conferences on humanitarian work in DR Congo. He is bilingual as he speaks English, Swahili, and French.

Ayman Sabae

COUNTRY: Egypt (North Africa)

ORGANISATION: Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights

ROLE: Right to Health Researcher

Ayman graduated from Cairo university medical school then completed his master’s degree in International Healthcare Systems Management in Innsbruck, Austria. Through his work as Right to Health researcher at EIPR, he is leading a number of research and advocacy efforts that aim at guaranteeing the realisation of the right to health to Egyptians, giving them access to universal healthcare coverage and ensuring their rights are protected.

Ayman Sabae is the co-founder and CEO of the Egyptian social enterprise “Shamseya”, a problem solver of challenges facing healthcare that creates participatory, technology-enabled solutions putting patients and their needs front and center.  He is the current principal researcher at Right to Health and the CEO of Shamseya for Innovative Community Healthcare Solutions. 

Ayman studied strategic litigation to achieve the Right to Health at the Harvard School of Public Health and has a professional diploma in Total Quality Management for Healthcare Reform. He currently teaches at the International Health and Social Management Masters degree at the Management Center Innsbruck and was awarded the Obama Foundation Fellowship for the year 2019.

CRG Alternative Members

Lina Ezzat

COUNTRY: Egypt  (North Africa)

ORGANISATION: Tatweer Misr

ROLE: Associate Operations Director

Lina is a certified professional trainer who enjoys working as a content developer and moderator with different international development corporations. She has worked on projects with GIZ, USAID, National Council for Women, UNFPA, UN Women, World Food Program, Communication 4 Development, IECD, and the EU Commission. The fields of work she collaborated on varied from professional or human skills capacity-building programs to health promotion interventions. Lina is passionate about health promotion and making evidence-based knowledge accessible to all. She has had the privilege of delivering health-awareness workshops that presented important and sensitive topics. For example, maternal health and obstetric morbidity, child nutrition, gender-based violence and gender rights, sexual and reproductive health, family planning and conception, eating disorders and healthy eating, and the gut-brain axis and holistic nutrition for mental and physical wellness.

Ojooluwa Ibiloye

COUNTRY: Nigeria (West Africa)

ORGANISATION: RuralPro Nigeria

ROLE:  Founder

Ojooluwa is the Founder of RuralPro Nigeria, a non-partisan organisation that focuses on promoting local governance rooted in citizen participation. He holds a Master’s degree in Political Economy and Development Studies, a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Abuja, and a certification in public management from the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University.  He has seven years of experience in policy management, focusing on public policy communication to increase public understanding and participation in decision-making processes. He is a Fellow of the U.S. Government’s Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, a Participant of the Alumni Enrichment Institute in Amherst, Massachusetts, a Reciprocal Exchange awardee, and a Fellow of the International Republican Institute’s McCain Fellowship for Freedom. In his role at RuralPro Nigeria, he leads the Citizens at the Centre project to build a culture of productive relationships between local government and underrepresented groups, including women, children, persons with disabilities, and the youth. He is the Convener of the Write the Future project and the co-organiser of Youth Civic Activism in Nigeria (YouthCAN). He volunteered as a Global Youth Ambassador at A World at School, UK, from 2017–2021 and is a member of the International Leadership Association (ILA). He participated in the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Open Minds Youth Activists Program in 2018 and was among the IRI Youth Delegation to the National Endowment for Democracy’s World Movement for Democracy 11th Global Assembly in Taipei, Taiwan.

Fazili Buhazi Elvine

COUNTRY: Democratic Republic of Congo (Central Africa)

ORGANISATION: Communauté des Eglises de Pentecôte en Afrique Centrale (CEPAC) FIDA International

ROLE: Assistant Coordinator

Fazili is a graduate from  Great Lakes Institute for Development in National and Regional planning faculty.  She holds a position as an Assistant Coordinator for Communauté des Eglises de Pentecôte en Afrique Centrale (CEPAC) FIDA International and has been working for them since 2018. Her experience includes being an ambassador for menstrual health management and sexual and reproductive health for two years. She has also worked  as a disability officer and officer for menstrual and reproductive health management for one year.

Tendai Chidzero

COUNTRY: Malawi (Southern Africa)

ORGANISATION: HEALTHWISE (HW)

ROLE: Founder and Executive Director

Tendai is a Malawian advocate with a promising career in Child Protection and girl’s rights. She started her carrier as a child protection personnel at Plan International, where she was involved in child protection and health advocating projects. Tendai successfully managed projects that were promoting the safety and well-being of children in the communities as well as schools in Malawi. Tendai’s most striking achievement during her time at Plan was to see children in their homes when it was deemed safe, and being able to provide them with a safe environment when they were determined to be at risk. Tendai holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Nutrition and Food Science, currently studying Master of Arts in Health & Behaviour Change Communication. Tendai is currently the Founder and Executive Director for Healthwise. It is a Non- Governmental organisation that is empowering children, young people, and girls to live a long, healthy and creative life through education, HIV&AIDS prevention, and community empowerment programs. So far the organisation has reached more than 500 young

Fitsum Lakew Alemayehu

COUNTRY: Ethiopia (East Africa )

ORGANISATION: WACI Health

ROLE: Emerging Development Practitioner

Fitsum from WACI Health Organisation in Ethiopia is an emerging development practitioner with a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit organisational management. She is skilled in management, proposal writing, leadership, and strategic planning. Fitsum is an experienced policy researcher with a Bachelor of Science on Rural Development and Family Science from Hawassa University. Fitsum is pursuing an MA in Environment and Sustainable Development at Addis Ababa University.

[1] Arab Maghreb Union (UMA), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Community of Sahel–Saharan States (CEN–SAD), East African Community (EAC), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS),  Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Southern African Development Community (SADC), African Vaccine Delivery Alliance (AVDA), African Medicines Agency (AMA), etc.