August 1, 2022

AOP Health Starts Research for Leukemia Treatment

AOP Health signed an agreement with Leukos Biotech for the further development of a newly discovered chemical substance. With this agreement AOP Health expands the hemato-oncology research area even further and provides additional treatment options for certain leukemia patients in the longer term.

Agnes Kohl, Chief Business Officer, AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Member of the AOP Health Group

Photo credit: Studio Koekart: Natascha Unkart & Isabelle Köhler

VIENNA, Austria, Aug. 01, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The AOP Health Group (AOP Health) is a European pioneer for integrated therapies for rare diseases and in critical care headquartered in Vienna, Austria. The company focuses on research, development and global sales of innovative treatment solutions and specializes in therapies for rare diseases and intensive care. In early July, AOP Health signed an agreement with Leukos Biotech, a spin-off company founded by the Barcelona-based Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute. The agreement signed by AOP Health covers the option for developments of the newly discovered chemical substance within any treatable indication, not limited to oncological or rare diseases.

Luis Ruiz-Avila, Chief Executive Officer Leukos Biotech

Agreement sets basis for new areas of therapy

At first, AOP Health will focus on the development of treatment options for Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS). Both are special disease types of leukemia that often start in the bone marrow. Agnes Kohl, Chief Business Officer of AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Member of the AOP Health Group explains: “Based on positive data, our plan is to expand the development for further orphan indications even outside of AML and MDS at a later stage. With this agreement, we may be able to broaden the portfolio within our therapeutic areas offering even more treatment options for patients.”

Development in cooperation with Leukos

As AOP Health focuses on rare, hemato-oncological cancers and has many years of experience in the development and commercialization of hemato-oncological treatments, the company will drive the further development of the substance in cooperation with Leukos based on a new mode of action. This could potentially turn into a milestone in the treatment of many blood cancer and other cancer patients. Luis Ruiz-Avila, Chief Executive Officer of Leukos Biotech: “We focus on developing new treatments for a wide variety of tumors. We were born to transform excellent science from the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute into valuable products for cancer patients in need, and this agreement is a very significant step in that direction. We are convinced that AOP Health is the right partner to turn this promising, novel mechanism of action into a clinical reality for the benefit of patients in a wide variety of unmet medical needs”.

About AOP Health

The AOP Health Group incorporates several companies including AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals GmbH with its seat in Vienna, Austria (“AOP Health”). The AOP Health Group is the European pioneer for integrated therapies for rare diseases and in critical care. Over the past 25 years, the Group has become an established provider of integrated therapy solutions operating from its headquarters in Vienna, its subsidiaries and representative offices throughout Europe and the Middle East, as well as through partners worldwide. This development has been made possible by a continually high level of investment in research and development on the one hand and a highly consistent and pragmatic orientation towards the needs of all its stakeholders on the other – especially the patients and their families as well as also the healthcare professionals treating them.

About Leukos

Leukos Biotech, SL (Leukos) is a spin-off company from the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute incorporated in Barcelona in 2015. The company is developing new treatments and diagnostic tools for a wide variety of tumors targeting the serotonin receptor HTR1B, which antitumoral potential was first described and patented by Leukos’ founder Dr. Ruth Risueño in her laboratory at the Josep Carreras Research Institute. Leukos’ main financial support is from private and institutional investors. The main shareholders are Inveready, CDTI Innvierte and the Josep Carreras Foundation. Besides investors’ support, Leukos has received non-dilutive grants and loans from the Catalan Government, the Spanish Government and the European Union in various programs.

About the Josep Carreras Foundation

The Josep Carreras Leukaemia Foundation was established in 1988 with the intention of contributing to finding a definitive cure for this disease. Its efforts are concentrated on four basic areas: administering the Spanish Bone Marrow Donor Registry (REDMO), scientific research, carried out by the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, patient guidance through an online patient consultation channel, and reception apartments for patients who need to undergo treatment and have to spend a long time far from home.

About the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute

The Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, a public centre pertaining to the Generalitat de Catalunya’s CERCA network, was established in 2010 with the aim of furthering biomedical research and personalised medicine in the field of leukaemia and other onco-hematological diseases. It is the first research centre in Europe exclusively focussed on leukaemia and malignant blood diseases, and one of the very few in the world. The Josep Carreras Institutes has three coordinated but independent scientific campuses: University of Barcelona Hospital Clínic Campus, The Catalan Institute of Oncology/Germans Trias i Pujol Campus, and the Sant Pau – Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) Campus

About Inveready

Inveready is a leading alternative asset manager in Spain – investing in early-stage VC, growth VC, venture debt, strategic equity in listed companies, infrastructure and private equity – providing financing solutions to companies throughout their life-cycle. Founded in 2008, Inveready counts on 200 active companies, and more than €1bn of assets under management. Inveready has been investing in companies in the Life Sciences sector since 2008. Notable investments in this vertical are Atrys Health (listed on the Spanish market), EDESA Biotech (listed on Nasdaq), AVX Pharma (sold to Aerie Biotech) and PaloBiofarma (licensing agreement with Novartis). Inveready is headquartered in San Sebastian, and has other offices in Barcelona and Madrid. It has been recognized on multiple occasions by ASCRI and Preqin for the return on its funds and transactions (For more information, visit www.inveready.com).

Mag Nina Roth, MAS
nina.roth@aop-health.com

AOP Health
Needs. Science. Trust.

AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals GmbH
Member of the AOP Health Group

Leopold-Ungar-Platz 2, 1190 Vienna, Austria
aop-health.com

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f096650f-dbfc-4165-854b-63345d24a713

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9aa481fe-91da-4609-8570-2e9a1012c392

August 1, 2022

AOP Health commence la recherche d’un traitement pour la leucémie

AOP Health a signé un accord avec Leukos Biotech pour la poursuite du développement d’une substance chimique récemment découverte. Avec cet accord, AOP Health élargit encore davantage le domaine de la recherche sur l’hémato-oncologie et propose des options de traitement supplémentaires à certains patients atteints de leucémie sur le long terme.

VIENNE, Autriche, 01 août 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — AOP Health Group (AOP Health) est un pionnier européen des thérapies intégrées pour les maladies rares et les soins intensifs basé à Vienne, en Autriche. La société se concentre sur la recherche, le développement et la vente mondiale de solutions de traitement innovantes et se spécialise dans les thérapies pour les maladies rares et les soins intensifs. Début juillet, AOP Health a signé un accord avec Leukos Biotech, une société dérivée fondée par l’institut de recherche sur la leucémie Josep Carreras, basé à Barcelone. L’accord signé par AOP Health couvre l’option de développement de la substance chimique récemment découverte dans le cadre de toute indication traitable, non limitée aux maladies oncologiques ou rares.

L’accord établit la base de nouveaux domaines thérapeutiques

Dans un premier temps, AOP Health se concentrera sur le développement d’options de traitement pour la leucémie myéloïde aiguë (LMA) et le syndrome myélodysplasique (SMD). Les deux sont des types particuliers de leucémie qui commencent souvent dans la moelle osseuse. Agnes Kohl, directrice commerciale d’AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals GmbH, membre du groupe AOP Health, explique : « Sur la base de données positives, notre plan est d’étendre le développement d’autres indications orphelines même en dehors de la LMA et du SMD à un stade ultérieur. Grâce à cet accord, nous pourrons peut-être élargir le portefeuille de nos domaines thérapeutiques en offrant encore plus d’options de traitement aux patients. »

Développement en coopération avec Leukos

Comme AOP Health se concentre sur les cancers hémato-oncologiques rares et possède de nombreuses années d’expérience dans le développement et la commercialisation de traitements hémato-oncologiques, la société pilotera le développement ultérieur de la substance en coopération avec Leukos sur la base d’un nouveau mode d’action. Cela pourrait potentiellement devenir une étape importante dans le traitement de nombreux cancers du sang et autres patients atteints de cancer. Luis Ruiz-Avila, PDG de Leukos Biotech : « Nous nous concentrons sur le développement de nouveaux traitements pour une grande variété de tumeurs. Nous sommes nés pour transformer l’excellente science de l’Institut de recherche sur la leucémie Josep Carreras en produits précieux pour les patients atteints de cancer dans le besoin, et cet accord est une étape très importante dans cette direction. Nous sommes convaincus qu’AOP Health est le bon partenaire pour transformer ce nouveau mécanisme d’action prometteur en une réalité clinique au profit des patients présentant une grande variété de besoins médicaux non satisfaits. »

À propos d’AOP Health

Le groupe AOP Health comprend plusieurs sociétés, dont AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals GmbH, dont le siège se trouve à Vienne, en Autriche (« AOP Health »). Le groupe AOP Health est le pionnier européen des thérapies intégrées pour les maladies rares et les soins critiques. Au cours des 25 dernières années, le groupe est devenu un fournisseur établi de solutions de thérapie intégrées opérant depuis son siège social à Vienne, ses filiales et ses bureaux de représentation à travers l’Europe et le Moyen-Orient, ainsi que par l’intermédiaire de partenaires dans le monde entier. Ce développement a été rendu possible par un niveau d’investissement continu élevé dans la recherche et le développement, d’une part, et par une orientation très cohérente et pragmatique vis-à-vis des besoins de toutes ses parties prenantes, d’autre part, en particulier les patients et leurs familles, ainsi que les professionnels de la santé qui les prennent en charge.

À propos de Leukos

Leukos Biotech, SL (Leukos) est une société dérivée de l’Institut de recherche sur la leucémie Josep Carreras, créée à Barcelone en 2015. La société développe de nouveaux traitements et outils de diagnostic pour une large variété de tumeurs ciblant le récepteur de la sérotonine HTR1B, dont le potentiel antitumoral a été décrit pour la première fois et breveté par le Dr Ruth Risueño, fondateur de Leukos dans son laboratoire à l’Institut de recherche Josep Carreras. Le principal soutien financier de Leukos provient d’investisseurs privés et institutionnels. Les principaux actionnaires sont Inveready, CDTI Innvierte et la Fondation Josep Carreras. Outre le soutien des investisseurs, Leukos a reçu des subventions et des prêts non dilutifs du gouvernement catalan, du gouvernement espagnol et de l’Union européenne dans le cadre de divers programmes.

À propos de la Fondation Josep Carreras

La Fondation Josep Carreras Leukaemia a été créée en 1988 dans le but de contribuer à la recherche d’un remède définitif pour cette maladie. Ses efforts se concentrent sur quatre domaines fondamentaux : l’administration du Registre espagnol de donneurs de moelle osseuse (REDMO), la recherche scientifique menée par l’Institut de recherche sur la leucémie Josep Carreras, l’orientation des patients via un canal de consultation des patients en ligne et des appartements d’accueil pour les patients qui ont besoin de subir un traitement et doivent passer beaucoup de temps loin de chez eux.

À propos de l’Institut de recherche sur la leucémie Josep Carreras

L’Institut de recherche sur la leucémie Josep Carreras, centre public appartenant au réseau CERCA de la Generalitat de Catalunya, a été créé en 2010 dans le but de promouvoir la recherche biomédicale et la médecine personnalisée dans le domaine de la leucémie et d’autres maladies onco-hématologiques. Il s’agit du premier centre de recherche européen exclusivement dédié à la leucémie et aux hémopathies malignes, et l’un des rares au monde. Les Instituts Josep Carreras disposent de trois campus scientifiques coordonnés mais indépendants : le Campus clinique de l’Hôpital de l’Université de Barcelone, le Campus de l’Institut catalan d’oncologie/allemands Trias i Pujol et le Campus de Sant Pau – Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB).

À propos d’Inveready

Inveready est un gestionnaire d’actifs alternatifs de premier plan en Espagne ; il investit dans le capital-risque en phase de démarrage, le capital-risque de croissance, la dette à risque, les actions stratégiques dans des sociétés cotées, les infrastructures et le capital-investissement privé. Il fournit des solutions de financement aux entreprises tout au long de leur cycle de vie. Fondée en 2008, Inveready compte sur 200 sociétés actives et plus d’un milliard d’euros d’actifs sous gestion. Inveready investit dans des entreprises du secteur des sciences de la vie depuis 2008. Les investissements notables dans ce secteur sont Atrys Health (cotée sur le marché espagnol), EDESA Biotech (cotée au Nasdaq), AVX Pharma (vendue à Aerie Biotech) et PaloBiofarma (accord de licence avec Novartis). Le siège social de la société se situe à San Sebastian et elle possède d’autres bureaux à Barcelone et Madrid. La société a été reconnue à plusieurs reprises par l’ASCRI et Preqin pour le rendement de ses fonds et de ses transactions (Pour plus d’informations, veuillez consulter le site www.inveready.com).

Mag Nina Roth, MAS
nina.roth@aop-health.com

AOP Health
Besoins. Science. Confiance.

AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals GmbH
Membre du groupe AOP Health

Leopold-Ungar-Platz 2, 1190 Vienne, Autriche
aop-health.com

Des photographies accompagnant ce communiqué sont disponibles aux adresses :

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f096650f-dbfc-4165-854b-63345d24a713

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9aa481fe-91da-4609-8570-2e9a1012c392

August 1, 2022

Zenas BioPharma Obtains IND Approval in China for Phase 1/2 Study of ZB001 for the Treatment of Thyroid Eye Disease

WALTHAM, Mass and SHANGHAI, China, July 31, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Zenas BioPharma, a global biopharmaceutical company committed to becoming a leader in the development and commercialization of immune-based therapies for patients in need around the world, announced that it has received approval of its Investigational New Drug (IND) application from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China for the initiation of a Phase 1/2 clinical study of ZB001 for the treatment of Thyroid Eye Disease (TED). The main objective of the Phase 1/2 is to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary efficacy of ZB001.

TED is a debilitating vison-threatening autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and fibrosis within the orbit of the eye. With no approved therapies for TED patients in China, treatment options are limited and often involve high doses of steroids associated with serious side effects or surgical intervention. ZB001 is a differentiated humanized monoclonal antibody targeting insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) intended for the treatment of TED.

“We are proud that the IND application for ZB001 was approved by the NMPA about two months following its submission, highlighting our team’s unique ability to efficiently execute on our development programs,” said Hua Mu, MD, PhD, Chief Executive Officer at Zenas. “We are excited to work with leading clinical experts in China to accelerate the development of ZB001 to address the significant unmet clinical need in thyroid eye disease.”

Zenas BioPharma licensed the exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize ZB001 (Viridian VRDN-001) and other compounds targeting IGF-1R in non-oncology indications in the greater China area from Viridian Therapeutics, Inc. (Viridian) in October 2020. After submitting an IND for VRDN-001 to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in October 2021, Viridian initiated a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in December 2021 to evaluate proof of concept in TED patients in North America and released encouraging interim healthy volunteer data suggesting robust activity with excellent safety and tolerability of the candidate product.

About Zenas BioPharma

Zenas BioPharma is a global biopharmaceutical company based in the USA and China committed to becoming a leader in the development and commercialization of immune-based therapies for patients in the US, China and around the world. Zenas is rapidly advancing a deep pipeline of innovative therapeutics that continues to grow through our successful business development strategy. Our experienced leadership team and network of business partners drive operational excellence to deliver potentially transformative therapies to improve the lives of those facing autoimmune and rare diseases. For more information about Zenas BioPharma, please visit www.zenasbio.com and follow us on Twitter at @ZenasBioPharma and LinkedIn.

Investor and Media Contact:
Joe Farmer
Zenas BioPharma
IR@zenasbio.com

August 1, 2022

Pat Carroll, Emmy Winner and Voice of Ursula, Dies at 95

Pat Carroll, a comedic television mainstay for decades, an Emmy-winner for “Caesar’s Hour” and the voice Ursula in “The Little Mermaid,” has died. She was 95.

Her daughter Kerry Karsian, a casting agent, said Carroll died at her home in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, on Saturday. Her other daughter Tara Karsian wrote on Instagram that they want everyone to “honor her by having a raucous laugh at absolutely anything today (and everyday forward) because besides her brilliant talent and love, she leaves my sister Kerry and I with the greatest gift of all, imbuing us with humor and the ability to laugh…even in the saddest of times.”

Carroll was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1927. Her family relocated to Los Angeles when she was 5 years old. Her first film role came in 1948 in “Hometown Girl,” but she found her stride in television.

She won an Emmy for her work on the sketch comedy series “Caesar’s Hour” in 1956, was a regular on “Make Room for Daddy” with Danny Thomas, a guest star on “The DuPont Show with June Allyson” and a variety show regular stopping by “The Danny Kaye Show,” “The Red Skelton Show” and “The Carol Burnett Show.”

Carroll also played one of the wicked stepsisters in the 1965 television production of “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella” with Lesley Ann Warren.

In addition, she also played one of the wicked stepsisters in the 1965 television production of “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella” with Lesley Ann Warren. Plus, she won a Grammy in 1980 for the recording of her one-woman show “Gertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein.”

A new generation would come to know and love Carroll’s voice thanks to Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” which came out in 1989. She was not the first choice of directors Ron Clements and John Musker or the musical team of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, who reportedly wanted Joan Collins or Bea Arthur to voice the sea witch. Elaine Stritch was even cast originally before Carroll got to audition. And her throaty rendition of “Poor Unfortunate Souls” would make her one of Disney’s most memorable villains.

Carroll would often say that Ursula was one of her favorite roles. She said she saw her as an “Ex-Shakespearean actress who now sold cars.”

“She’s a mean old thing! I think people are fascinated by mean characters,” Carroll said in an interview. “There’s a fatal kind of distraction about the horrible mean characters of the world because we don’t meet too many of them in real life. So when we have a chance, theatrically, to see one and this one, she’s a biggie, it’s kind of fascinating for us.”

She got the chance to reprise the role in several “Little Mermaid” sequels, spinoffs and even theme park rides.

Carroll was also the voice of Granny in the English-language dub of Hayao Miyazaki’s “My Neighbor Totoro.”

Source: Voice of America

August 1, 2022

Spanish Government’s Body Positivity Campaign Goes Awry

The Spanish government maybe had a good idea, but the execution of the body positivity campaign has gone horribly wrong.

The idea was to encourage women to come out and enjoy the beaches – without any worries about how they looked in their swimsuits.

But three of the five women whose photographs were used in the campaign said they had not given permission for the images to be used.

Arte Mapache the campaign’s creator, has apologized for failing to obtain permission to use the images.

“Given the – justified – controversy over the image rights in the illustration, I have decided that the best way to make amends for the damages that may have resulted from my actions is to share out the money I received for the work and give equal parts to the people in the poster,” the artist said.

Two of the women in the campaign’s artwork are professional models. One has a prosthetic leg that was airbrushed out of the campaign artwork.

Sian Green-Lord told The Guardian, “It’s one thing using my image without my permission, but it’s another thing editing my body, my body with my prosthetic leg … I don’t even know what to say but it’s beyond wrong.”

Juliet FitzPatrick, a cancer survivor, told the BBC that the face of a woman who had a mastectomy may be based on a photograph of her. However, while the woman in the Spanish government photo has had a single mastectomy, FitzPatrick had a double mastectomy.

She told the BBC that using her likeness without her permission “seems to be totally against” the theme of the campaign. “For me it is about how my body has been used and represented without my permission.”

British photographer Ami Barwell who had taken photos of Fitzpatrick told the BBC that she believes Fitzpatrick’s photo was a composite of photos that she had taken of Fitzpatrick and another woman.

Barwell told the BBC, “I think that the person who created the art has gone through my gallery and pieced them together.”

Another model, Nyome Nicholas-Williams, who wears a gold bikini in the photo, said her image was taken from her Instagram account without her permission.

Source: Voice of America

August 1, 2022

Elections2022: First summary of the eighth day of campaign

Luanda – The eighth day (Sunday) of the election campaign across the country was marked by some mass events, door-to-door awareness raising and the usual airtime on Angola National Radio station (RNA) and in the Angola Public Television (TPA).

PHA

The president of the Humanist Party of Angola (PHA), Bela Malaquias, promised Sunday to change the Land Law by eliminating the rules that attribute the original property of the land to the State, if she wins the elections on 24 August.

The rules that determine land as the State´s original property are in articles no. 2 and 4 at paragraph a) of the Land Law, and according to the PHA candidate, the intention of the repeal is to improve citizens´ access to construction and to carry out agricultural activity.

According to the candidate, who expressed this claim during her ten minutes of airtime on RNA station, if she wins the elections the land will no longer belong to the State but to the citizens, in order to avoid concerns about expropriation.

P-NJANGO

According to the Nationalist Party for Justice in Angola (P-NJANGO) at least 1,489 delegates on the list are registered to supervise the general elections on 24 August in Bié Province.

Speaking to ANGOP on Sunday, the party’s spokesperson José Manuel da Costa said that the registration has been carried out in eight municipalities and that there are difficulties in certain roads to reach other localities in the province.

The P-NJANGO candidate for the general elections, Eduardo Chingunji, wants to bet on family farming in Cuanza Sul Province, if his party wins the 24 August election.

For the politician the area in question, which he visited last week for three days as part of his election campaign, has agricultural conditions, including land and rivers, to become self-sustainable.

He made these remarks during his ten minutes airtime on Angola National Radio (RNA) station.

UNITA

The head of UNITA´s monitoring group in Lunda Sul Province, Virgílio Samussongo, called on the population, militants and friends of the party, to place their trust in his party on 24 August, which will allow development plans in the pipeline to be materialized.

The politician made such considerations during a door-to-door campaign “vote hunting” in Saurimo City, having reiterated that one of his party’s priorities will be the training of human resources and a serious focus on agriculture, to fight hunger and poverty.

With the same aim, activities were carried out in Muconda Municipality.

FNLA

The National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA) advocates the reorganization of fishing activity in the country, if it wins the general elections.

The party also intends to pay attention to the imports of fishing products, due to the fact that the party considers fishing to be an activity of great importance.

According to the party´s programme, presented Sunday on its ten minutes of airtime on RNA station, FNLA plans to rehabilitate factories that process fish products, increase the level of inspection, promote artisanal fishing and encourage river fishing.

CASA-CE

The Broad Convergence for the Salvation of Angola-Electoral Coalition (CASA-CE) on Sunday devoted its ten minutes of airtime on RNA to interviewing some citizens and ask them about the social and economic situation in the country.

Issues related to health, education, employment, housing and electricity were the most addressed.

APN

The National Patriotic Alliance (APN) continues to work in Zaire Province, having Saturday held a rally in the city of Mbanza Kongo, where it highlighted the bet on education, with free education from primary level to higher education.

The programme of the APN is also aimed at fighting poverty and increasing the number of jobs, as well as agricultural production.

PRS

If the Social Renewal Party (PRS) wins the general elections in August, it plans to increase the subsidy to former soldiers and veterans of the homeland, so that they can have a “more dignified life”.

During his ten-minute airtime on RNA, the party’s president, Benedito Daniel, noted that it is laughable the current subsidy of “18,000 kwanzas monthly” to cover the cost of living of the former soldier to support their families.

The current subsidy for former combatants (participants in the clandestine struggle, political prisoners and guerrillas) is 23.500 kwanzas, according to official data.

MPLA

The construction of more infrastructures in the education, health and road sectors in Moxico Province is part of MPLA´s governance programme for the five-year term (2022-2027), in case of winning the general elections on 24 August.

This information was provided on Sunday in the municipality of Léua (Moxico), by the party’s first provincial secretary, Gonçalves Muandumba, during a political act as part of the electoral campaign that began on 24 August.

The MPLA government programme aims to reduce the deficit of urban infrastructures, promoting the continuity of the construction of integrated projects in main cities of the country, encouraging the public-private partnership model.

In Lunda Sul, the MPLA´s first provincial secretary, Daniel Neto, said Sunday in Saurimo that the party needs the confidence vote of the people and of the militants in order to continue with the many development programmes underway, ensuring the wellbeing of Angolan families.

Daniel Neto said that one of the programmes was the extension of public and home electricity, drinking water, construction of more houses, as well as the promotion of agriculture.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

August 1, 2022

Elections 2022: Second summary of the ninth day of campaign

Luanda – The ninth day of the electoral campaign on Monday is being marked by the mobilisation of voters and mass political rallies across the country, ahead of the general elections of 24 August.

PHA

The Humanist Party of Angola (PHA) pledged to work to ensure everybody’s access to healthy diet, clothing, housing, drinking water, health, work and education “in order to improve the Angolan people’s living standards.

The pledge was made by the leader of the PHA, Florbela Malaquias, who met the sovereign of Bailundo, Ekuikui IV, on Monday. PHA leader is working in the province of Huambo, where she will hold a march followed by a mass rally to attract the voters in the Angola’s central Huambo region.

P-NJANGO

The Nationalist Party for Justice in Angola (P-NJANGO) announced for this week his party’s door-to-door campaign in the outskirts of several provinces.

The spokesperson for the party José Manuel da Costa told ANGOP that in the second week of the electoral campaign, the activities will focus on the provincial and municipal headquarters.

UNITA

UNITA on Monday in the municipality of Cacuaco in Luanda held a door-to-door voter mobilisation campaign followed by a mass rally that brought together supporters, sympathizers and friends in Cacuaco municipality in Luanda.

The activities aimed at raising voters’ awareness on the importance of exercising the right of citizenship and the advantages as well as convincing the voters.

FNLA

The National Front for the Liberation of Angola (FNLA) pointed out that agriculture, education; health and public security are the four axes that make up its government programme, if it wins the general elections.

The four pillars were announced on Monday in Mbanza Kongo, northern Zaire province, by the party’s president and candidate for President of the Republic, Nimi Simbi.

CASA-CE

The President of the Broad Convergence for the Salvation of Angola, Electoral Coalition (CASA-CE) Manuel Fernandes promised in Soyo, northern Zaire province, to turn the municipality into a tourist hub in the next five years.

Addressing a mass political rally, as part of his coalition’s electoral campaign, Fernandes said that the municipality of Soyo had the cultural and historical potentials to deserve that status.

If the coalition wins the elections, he proposes to rule with more social justice and a fair distribution of the country’s wealth.

APN

The President of the APN (National Patriotic Alliance), Quintino Moreira, worked on Sunday in the border commune of Luvo, Mbanza Kongo municipality, Zaire, as part of his canvassing day for the 24 August elections.

The candidate for vice-president of the Republic for APN, Noé Mateus, said in Luanda that his party was aiming to expand community sports so that the country would once again have the “stars” that it once had.

PRS

The leader of the Social Renewal Party (PRS), Benedito Daniel, will lead a mass political event in Lunda Sul.

MPLA

MPLA leader João Lourenço said on Monday that the youth vote could actually sway the elections outcome as they (young people) make up a large portion the voting-eligible population.

Delivering his speech at the opening ceremony of the National Holiday Camp of University Students (Canfeu), underway from 1- 4 August in Luanda, João Lourenço reiterated MPLA’s commitment to improving the quality of education to ensure the country’s development and the need for students to learn the key foreign languages and handle new technologies.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

August 1, 2022

Elections2022: CASA-CE pledges to turn Soyo into tourist hub

Soyo – Broad Convergence for the Salvation of Angola – Electoral Coalition (CASA-CE) has announced plans to turn the municipality of Soyo, northern Zaire province, into a tourist hotspot in the next five years.

The pledge came from the coalition’s leader, Manuel Fernandes, while addressing a mass political event in Soyo on Sunday, as part of electoral campaign underway in the country.

CASA-CE president said that the municipality of Soyo has the cultural and historical potentials that deserve such a status.

He added that the transformation of Soyo into a tourism hub by CASA-CE, if it wins the 2022 elections, will contribute to the diversification of the national economy and development of the locality.

Manuel Fernandes also promised to allocate to Zaire province 15% of tax revenues from the oil exploration, as well as building a higher institute for oil in the region.

CASA-CE also reiterated its focus on policies to boost national production to reduce imports of consumer goods, as well as creating more jobs.

The politician also highlighted the implementation of local elections in the country in a short period of time in order to give more powers and autonomy to the municipalities.

For the 24 August polls, Zaire province has 321,781 registered voters, who are expected to cast their ballots

Source: Angola Press News Agency

August 1, 2022

Elections 2022: Over 16,000 polling station staff attend training

Huambo – At least 16, 972 polling station members started a training session on Monday, ahead of the general elections set for 24 August.

Benefitted from the five-day training are staff from the provinces of Huambo, Lunda Norte, Cunene, Zaire and Uíge

Of this number, 7,800 are attending the training in Huambo, 4,676 in Lunda Norte, 3,700 Cunene, 720 Zaire and 76 Uíge.

The course will also address issues such as constitution and composition of polling station, delivery of election equipment, identification and composition of kits, ballot papers, among others topics.

Some 14.3 million voters are expected in the August 24 general elections.

Overseas voting will take place in 12 countries and 25 cities.

Source: Angola Press News Agency

August 1, 2022

Malawi marks World Breastfeed Week with commitment to step up breastfeeding

1 August 2022, Lilongwe- In solidarity for the World Breastfeeding Week, Malawi through the Ministry of Health, held a special event to launch a campaign to raise awareness about the importance of breastfeeding and its need in the lives of babies and mothers. The launch of the campaign, which will run from 1 to 7 August 2022 took place in a rural community of Chimutu in Lilongwe. Participants at the launch included the Minister of Health, Honorable Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, government officials, the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Malawi, Dr Neema Rusibamayila Kimambo, UNICEF Malawi Representative, Rudolf Schwenk and other partners.

WHO recommends that children initiate breastfeeding within the first hour of birth and be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life – meaning no other foods or liquids are provided, including water. However, according to Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 2019-2020), only 6 of 10 infants are breastfeed within the first hour of life in Malawi, leaving them more vulnerable to disease and death.

Addressing the participants at the launch, the Minister of Heath, Honorable Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda said even though the performance of exclusive breastfeeding in Malawi is above the targeted 50 percent, it is important for government and partners to continue to support and protect breastfeeding.

“We are still facing challenges in initiating breastfeeding soon after delivery in some hospitals. We still have inadequate support for our working lactating mothers. For Malawi to accelerate and maintain a good score in optimal breastfeeding, we need greater investment in breastfeeding support policies and programmes.”

WHO Representative to Malawi, Dr Neema Rusibamayila Kimambo, said “WHO is committed to supporting countries with implementation and monitoring of the ‘Comprehensive implementation plan on maternal, infant and young child nutrition’, endorsed by Member States in May 2012. WHO is currently supporting Malawi in training health workers to provide skilled support to breastfeeding mothers, help them overcome problems, and monitor the growth of children.”

UNICEF Malawi Representative Rudolf Schwenk revealed that performance of breastfeeding indicators is signaling a regression in infants that are breastfeed within first hour of life; from 8 out 10 in 2016 (MDHS 2015/6) to 6 out 10 infants (MICS 2019/2020). Likewise, exclusive breast feeding among children under 6 months dropped from 72 percent in 2010 to 64 percent according to the MICS 2019/2020.

“Breastfeeding must be considered as a child development priority that requires investment at all levels. The rise in exclusive breastfeeding rates has been a success because of joint efforts from various stakeholders supporting this agenda at national, community and health facility levels. Our interventions should therefore continue being strengthened at all levels.” Said UNICEF Malawi Representative Rudolf Schwenk.

Joint statement by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell and WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on World Breastfeeding Week 2022 is calling on governments, donors, civil society and the private sector to step up efforts to:

• prioritize investing in breastfeeding support policies and programmes, especially in fragile and food insecure contexts;

• equip health and nutrition workers in facilities and communities with the skills they need to provide quality counselling and practical support to mothers to successfully breastfeed;

• protect caregivers and health-care workers from the unethical marketing influence of the formula industry by fully adopting and implementing the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes, including in humanitarian settings; and

• implement family-friendly policies that provide mothers with the time, space and support they need to breastfeed.

This World Breastfeeding Week, under its theme Step up for breastfeeding: Educate and Support, UNICEF and WHO are calling on governments to allocate increased resources to protect, promote and support breastfeeding policies and programmes, especially for the most vulnerable families living in emergency settings.

Source: World Health Organization. Africa