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WORLD NEWS Thursday 16 February 2017

7 Kenya medics

unionists freed; British FM: Gambia to return to Commonwealth
strike continues election loss to Barrow.

TOM ODULA Jammeh, who seized con-
Associated Press trol in a bloodless coup in
1994, is accused of over-
NAIROBI,Kenya (AP) — A seeing an administration
Kenyan court on Wednes- that tortured and impris-
day released seven doc- oned opponents.
tors who are officials in the Barrow’s new government
medics’ union and who promises democratic re-
were jailed earlier this week forms, freeing political pris-
for not calling off a strike by oners and a truth commis-
doctors working in public sion.
hospitals and other institu- Johnson said after meeting
tions. with Barrow that the coun-
About 1,000 doctors out- tries would “build on long-
side the court celebrated standing friendship and
the officials’ release and partnership.” He said key
held a peaceful march to areas such as education,
Parliament and Nairobi’s health and security would
Freedom Park. More than take center stage.
5,000 doctors from public Last week, the European
hospitals are on strike for a Union announced an $80
180 percent pay raise and million package of sup-
to protest Kenya’s dilapi- port for Gambia as nations
dated health care system. warm to the new govern-
At least a dozen people ment.
have died due to lack of Britain’s Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson speaks to media before meeting with Gambian President The United Nations has re-
medical care since the Adama Barrow for talks in Banjul, Gambia, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017. ceived the Gambia gov-
strike started early Decem- (AP Photo/ Kuku Marong) ernment’s formal notice
ber over the government’s ABDOULIE JOHN leader of 22 years. “We are here to help. The reversing the country’s
fail to implement a collec- Associated Press Barrow has vowed to re- United Kingdom has a close withdrawal from the Inter-
tive bargaining agreement BANJUL, Gambia (AP) — verse actions taken by his relation with The Gambia,” national Criminal Court,
it agreed upon in 2013. Gambia will soon return to predecessor, Yahya Jam- British Foreign Secretary Bo- deputy U.N. spokesman
The decision to free the the Commonwealth un- meh, who announced last ris Johnson said after his pri- Farhan Haq announced
seven was made by three der its new government, year that Gambia would vate meeting with Barrow. earlier Tuesday.
judges of the appellate Britain’s foreign secretary withdraw from the Interna- The visit comes after long- Gambia was one of three
court. Health minister Dr. said this week after meet- tional Criminal Court. Three time ruler Jammeh flew into African countries that in-
Cleopa Mailu told the Sen- ing with President Adama years earlier Jammeh with- exile last month under inter- formed the U.N. chief last
ate committee for health Barrow and pledging Lon- drew Gambia from the national pressure and the year that they were with-
that he supported their re- don’s support for this small Commonwealth, a 52-na- threat of a regional military drawing from the court.
lease to encourage nego- West African nation fol- tion group made up mostly intervention after refusing The others were South Af-
tiations to end the strike. lowing the departure of its of former British colonies. to accept his December
Pressure had been mount- rica and Burundi.q
ing on government after
the seven doctors were WHO declares end to yellow fever outbreak in Congo, Angola
jailed Monday. A peace-
ful vigil by their colleagues CARLEY PETESCH suspected cases in both the two neighboring coun- responses are taken “to
was dispersed by paramili- Associated Press countries, the WHO said in tries, which have among vaccinate the population
tary police. Doctors from DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — The a statement Tuesday. Nei- the world’s weakest health at risk across the region.”
private hospitals protested World Health Organization ther country has reported a systems. There is no known cure for
the imprisonment of the has declared an end to the new confirmed case in the “This unprecedented re- the mosquito-spread virus,
seven by calling a 48-hour yellow fever outbreak that past six months. sponse exhausted the which is easily prevented
strike that started Wednes- killed about 400 people in Angola in late December global stockpile of yellow with vaccines. Once infect-
day and has paralyzed Congo and Angola, call- declared an end to its out- fever vaccines several ed, people often fall ill with
Kenya’s health care. The ing it “one of the largest break, and Congo made its times,” the WHO statement fever and muscle pain, but
Kenya Medical Association and most challenging” in announcement Tuesday. said. many recover after several
de-registered the health recent years. The global health agency Regional Emergency Direc- days. The more toxic phase
minister and the principal The outbreak, first detect- said more than 30 million tor Dr. Ibrahima Soce Fall includes possible bleeding
secretary in the health min- ed in Angola in late 2015, people were vaccinated warned such outbreaks from the eyes, ears and
istry for a year for “disgrac- caused 965 confirmed in emergency campaigns could become more fre- nose, jaundice and organ
ing the organization.”q cases and thousands of to control the outbreak in quent unless coordinated failureq