wfn.org | ALL AFRICA NEWS AGENCY BULLETIN No. 45/02 (a)

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

November 18, 2002

AANA Bulletin is an ecumenical initiative to highlight all endeavours and 
experiences of Christians and the people of Africa.  AANA Bulletin is 
published weekly and, together with the French Edition - Bulletin APTA - is 
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60 Million Children To Be Vaccinated Against Polio

NEW YORK/GENEVA (AANA) November 18 - With West African countries in the 
midst of  vaccinating  millions  of  children  against	polio, the world's 
largest vaccine manufacturer, Aventis Pasteur, has donated 30 million doses 
of oral polio vaccine to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

Last week, 16 West African countries united to vaccinate all children under 
five within their borders. Immunization campaigns over the past two 
years  have  driven  the  number of polio-endemic countries in Africa to an 
all-time  low.

In  1999, 20 African countries were polio-endemic, but to date this year, 
only three are considered endemic. This  success  is  due  to the Global 
Polio Eradication Initiative, a broad partnership forged to deliver polio 
vaccine to every child under five.

The Aventis  Pasteur  donation is already making a difference, with almost 
three of the  30  million  of the doses bound for the polio immunization 
campaign in
Liberia.

"We are further strengthening the solidarity which has brought us to the 
cusp of a polio-free world, and will indeed push us to full success," said 
Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, Director-General of the World Health 
Organization, at a recent signing ceremony at the United Nations in New York.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative is spearheaded by the World Health 
Organization, Rotary International,  the US Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention  and  UNICEF.

Aventis Pasteur, the longest standing corporate 
partner  in  the  Global  Polio  Eradication  Initiative -  has donated 120 
million  vaccine  doses  since	1997  and targeted its donations to African 
countries  affected  by  conflict,   including	Sierra Leone and the Sudan, 
which now appear to be polio-free.

"We  are  so  close  to  beating  this	crippling  disease  in	Africa	and 
worldwide,"  said Carol Bellamy, Executive Director of UNICEF.	"But we are 
not there yetWe have to stay focused and committed and encourage support 
from  all  corners - from endemic countries, donor countries and the health 
industry  -  so  all  children	can be immunized".

David  J.  Williams,  President  and  Chief  Executive	Officer  of Aventis 
Pasteur,  the  largest	company  in the world devoted entirely to vaccines, 
signed	a banner pledging its commitment to end polio.	"The Initiative has 
already  made tremendous progress and we admire the remarkable work done by 
WHO, Rotary  International,  CDC, UNICEF and millions of volunteers around 
the  world,"  Williams said

SOURCE: Global Polio Eradication Initiative/WHO

Deadly Disease Threatens Southern Sudan, Says MSF

NAIROBI (AANA) November 18 - A serious bout of the deadly kala azar disease 
(symptomised by acute fever), which hit parts of southern Sudan about six 
weeks ago, is now reaching alarming levels.

According to an international medical relief organisation, Midecins Sans 
Frontihres (MSF), more than 1,000 patients are currently undergoing 
treatment, and the figure is likely to increase.

A press statement from MSF says its projects in Eastern Upper Nile State 
are treating 406 and 210 patients in Lankien and Malakal towns 
respectively, while another programme in Umm el Kher in Gadaref State is 
taking care of 414 cases.

"The number of admissions continue at a rate of 100 per week in Lankien 
alone," Dr Yoseph Melaku, who had just arrived from the affected areas told 
AANA last week.

Melaku described the outbreak as severe, saying in previous cases, the 
number of patients hardly exceed 200 at high season, while during low 
season, only about twenty people suffer serious attacks.

He noted that malnutrition, displacement and poor access to health care 
reduce people's natural immunity and that such conditions are responsible 
for widespread outbreaks of such infections.

Prior to a recent ceasefire agreement between Sudan government and the 
Sudan Peoples' Liberation Movement/Army SPLM/A, humanitarian organisations 
have had difficulties in accessing war-torn areas in the Sudan.

The second phase of peace talks between Sudanese Government and rebel 
movements, SPLM/A being held in Kenya have since yielded a ceasefire 
agreement banning all military activity for as long as the talks are going 
on. MSF is now optimistic that they would be able to access most of the 
affected zones.

"The ceasefire agreement may mean that we can soon get into areas that we 
have not been able to reach until now," said MSF's Operational Director, Dr 
Antonio Bastos.

Kala azar, which is medically referred to as visceral leishmaniasis, is a 
parasitic disease transmitted by the sand fly. If left untreated, the 
illness can be fatal.

The disease is endemic in parts of Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia and usually 
peaks during this time of the year.

Melaku said there are a lot of sand flies in southern Sudan and control of 
the disease may be complicated due to the wide area covered by the flies.

Residents are advised to sleep under mosquito nets in order to avoid being 
bitten by the fly.

MSF said the major setback for medical relief organisations is the high 
cost of drugs and the need for more research and development efforts to 
realise effective treatments.

Reported by Joyce Mulama

ECUMENICAL  SPECIAL

'A Society Without God Is Heading Toward Disaster'

PORTO-NOVO, Benin (AANA) November 18 - The Community of Churches in Mission 
(Cevaa) concluded its General Assembly here on November 8 during which 
various messages, each inspired by the theme of the meeting and the 
missionary programmes of the organisation, underlined the difficulties 
which African countries and Churches are experiencing in the context of 
their struggles against poverty, corruption, absence of liberty, among
others.

  It is in a context marked by two political crises in the Ivory Coast and 
Central Africa that the second General Assembly of Cevaa was being held 
during October 31-November 8 here.  The theme is "Get up and stand in the 
middle" (Luke 6:8).

The official opening took place in a ceremonial worship service in the 
"City of Grace" protestant church in Porto-Novo in the presence of several 
political and religious personalities of Benin, including five Ministers of 
government and the Roman Catholic Bishop of Porto-Novo.

The General Secretary of Cevaa, Rev Alain Rey, made his remarks under the 
sign of the return to sources, compassion and solidarity. The holding of 
this General Assembly in Benin is a pilgrimage in the trail of pioneers who 
began, before the creation of Cevaa in 1971, the first apostolic actions in 
common at Bohicon, Benin, and in the Poitou region of France.

It is also, he asserted, a witness of compassion for the Church of Benin 
for all it has suffered because of the division which has shaken it in 
recent years. Finally, it is solidarity manifested towards the continent 
and all the Churches of Africa.

In his capacity as moderator of the Assembly, Pastor Frank Adubra (Togo) 
said: "Today none of the inhabited continents of the globe can claim an 
absence of crisis. Whether the rise of many kinds of violence, the spread 
of poverty or identity crisis of certain societies, these are populations 
towards which our Churches are called to witness, who suffer, who agonize 
and despair".

"Our churches receive every day the calls for help from children, women, 
and men who turn their faces and extend their hands towards us. They do 
this in search of a new word, a liberated justice, and a salutary hope".

Taking her turn to speak, the interim president of Cevaa Madame Christiane 
Agboton-Johnson (Senegal) recalled the difficulties raised by the unequal 
sharing of resources, ever more ostentations.

This phenomenon creates in Africa as well as in rich countries situations 
of extreme poverty. She said that "a society without God is a society 
heading toward disaster" and was indignant over the proliferation of arms 
in the sub-region.

Eight to ten million weapons circulate, according to her, in the sub-region 
or one weapon for every twenty-five persons. She did not omit highlighting 
the poverty of women and their exploitation, and the slavery of children, 
unemployment of young people, the difficult installation of democracy on 
the continent, good governance.

In this context, she remarked to be disciple is to be able of hearing anew 
this word of Jesus addressed to the man with the crippled hand: "Arise and 
stand in the midst." Standing to care, to heal, and to give hope again.

"To hold this General Assembly of Cevaa at Porto-Novo takes on for the 
church and the state of Benin an historic character", said with joy and 
thanksgiving Pastor Simon Dossou, president of the Protestant Methodist 
Church of Benin whose members showed a great capacity of organization in 
preparing and welcoming this General Assembly.

Finally, it is worth noting the implication of the Benin government in the 
preparation and receiving he participants by supporting the efforts of the 
Protestant Methodist Church of Benin by making available the structures of 
the State.

About 2,000 people attended this opening worship service thanks to the 
special measure by the government of giving a holiday from work for members 
of the church so that they could participate in this highly valued event.

Prepared by Anani Kuadjovi-Ayedewou, Communication Cevaa

New President For Community Of Churches In Mission

PORTO-NOVO, Benin (AANA) November 18 - "The ways of the Lord are 
unfathomable. I have often wondered how young David felt when they went to 
fetch him among his sheep to lead the people of Israel to victory over the 
Philistines".

These were the first words of Mrs Christiane Agboton-Johnson upon her 
election as President of Cevaa for two years by its General Assembly here 
on November 5.

This election confirms her in this position which she has actually filled 
in the interim since the death of  Polynesian President Ralph Teinaore, in 
April 2001. Mrs Agboton-Johnson placed her new office under the sign of 
God's grace.

Originally from Benin, she is a dental surgeon, and now lives in Senegal 
with her husband and three children. Having been involved in the 
Scholarships and Defence of Women's Rights commissions in the Senegal 
Protestant Church, she represented women at the Cevaa Conference of 
Torre-Pellice in July 1996.

The General Secretary of Council for World Mission said the question of the 
enlargement of the Community is one that often comes up. "I have therefore 
great expectations on your reflections and resolutions. I am happy to see 
that we share a common concern for Mission".

Since then, she has been a member of the Scholarships and Training 
Commission of Cevaa till her nomination in 2000 as Vice-president of the 
Community. In Africa, she is well known in ecumenical circles for her 
commitment for peace and non-violence.

She is a member of several associations, such as movement against weapons, 
an international action netxork against small arms (Malao) and the All 
Africa Conference of Churches AACC where she is involved in the struggle 
against the proliferation of light weapons in Africa and in the world.

As new President, she is conscious of her new responsibilities, and says 
that she can fulfil her mission "only with the support of her colleagues in 
the Council and in the Churches, and with each member of the General 
Assembly and the Secretariat".

She notes that	"we must step ahead of our divisions in order to gather all 
the Community's energies and be mobilised by God's mission".

Another election was that of Rev Franck Mawuli Adubra, General Secretary of 
the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Togo, to replace Mrs Agboton-Johnson 
in the Executive Council.

The new Executive Council also includes Rev  Franco Tagliero (Vice 
President, from Italy) and Rev Etienne Roulet (Treasurer, from Switzerland).

During the assembly, several ecumenical partners were welcomed. The General 
Secretary of CWM (Council for World Mission) said he rejoices in the 
partnership of the two Communities. According to him, this relationship is 
deepening and becoming more concrete every day.

Concerning the theme of the General Assembly, he says: "This theme of 
healing and faith, in the present context of globalization and violence, is 
also one of CWM's major concerns".

He said the question of the enlargement of the Community is one that often 
comes up. "I have therefore great expectations on your reflections and 
resolutions. I am happy to see that we share a common concern for Mission".

The representative of the VEM (United Evangelical Mission) in Germany said 
he rejoices to see Cevaa sharing the same vision as VEM as expressed in its 
Missionary Programmes.

Rev Jean-Samuel Hendje Toya expressed his gratitude for the existing 
collaboration between the two organizations.

Other ecumenical partners were heard, such as the Bremen Mission and the 
AACC (All Africa Conference of Churches) ; they addressed messages of 
brotherliness and expressed their common concern for Mission and 
co-operation with Cevaa.

Prepared by Anani Kuadjovi-Ayedewou, Communication Cevaa