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Month: February 2023

Digital-Payment Systems Could Revolutionize Health Care

Posted on by Tizita S.

A woman with diabetes living in a rural area with a shortage of healthcare workers must manage her condition. To whom or what does she turn? Her smartphone. In just two years, the delivery of healthcare – and many other services – could look very different than it does today.

Technologies such as artificial intelligence and the “Internet of Things” could enable a woman to access healthcare by pressing a few buttons. A wearable sticker could use sweat to monitor her blood glucose levels. That data would then be sent by a microchip in her phone to her blockchain-secured electronic health record in the cloud. She could then order her insulin through Amazon, to be delivered to her doorstep by a drone, or request that her local pharmacy 3D print her metformin pills and verify their authenticity via text message.

To screen for diabetic retinopathy, which damages the eye and can cause blindness if untreated, she could also use her smartphone to take her own retinal image, selfie-style. An AI algorithm would analyze it and book an appointment with a doctor if the findings were abnormal. It could even order an Uber to take her there, deducting the cost from her mobile wallet. Before the woman arrived at the office, the doctor could test the laser therapy on her digital twin to determine which treatment works best.

This may sound like science fiction, but each solution exists in isolation today. And given the likelihood of exponential growth in computing power, associated increases in deep learning and neural networks, and breakthroughs in intelligent machines, robotization, and 3D printing, as well as wearable technology, these systems will become even more prevalent – and powerful – over time.

If it is technically possible to build an end-to-end digital primary healthcare system tailored to the needs of low-resource settings, why has no one stitched together these components?

Private companies have no financial incentive to link standalone technologies and no appetite within national healthcare systems, which are often underfunded.

Realizing the potential of this digital transformation requires looking outside the health sector – specifically, to digital-payment systems, which, given their widespread adoption, could usher in a new age of healthcare delivery. Re-engineering health systems to integrate digital data and technology is no longer merely a job for government ministries. It is increasingly being undertaken by financial institutions, organizations experimenting with new technologies, and online retailers.

During the three years I served as the chairperson of Ehsaas, Pakistan’s largest social safety and poverty alleviation program, I observed the infrastructure required to facilitate digital payments. Gateways and switches form the backbone of these systems, but so do policies, standards, and regulatory frameworks.

Ehsaas itself is currently in the process of developing a one-of-a-kind digital ecosystem that could serve millions of families. It includes the Ehsaas Saving Wallets initiative, implemented under the “One Woman, One Bank Account” policy, and allows beneficiaries of the Ehsaas Kafaalat program, which gives monthly cash stipends to the country’s poorest women, to withdraw or save their money. The new ecosystem also includes the Ehsaas Rashan Riayat program, a technology-led effort to disburse subsidies.

Using the Rashan app, eligible families receive discounts on select food items at registered kiryanas, or small general stores. These initiatives could increase financial inclusion and accelerate the transition from cash to digital payments when coupled with the right fiscal incentives.

Even in the world’s remotest parts, fast-food chains and taxi companies harness the power of mobile technologies to deliver goods and services. Theoretically, the same technological capabilities could form the basis of innovative public-sector digital ecosystems that are transparent, accountable, and responsive. The Ehsaas ecosystem represents one step in the right direction.

An end-to-end digital primary healthcare system could mitigate or even surmount systemic problems such as absenteeism, haemorrhaging supply chains, institutionalized theft, low quality of care and responsiveness, rent-seeking behavior, informal payments, and structural inefficiencies. The use of blockchain alone – a multipurpose technology – can safeguard security, increase transparency, potentially prevent fraud and minimize losses in health systems.

COVID-19, the inflation crisis, and the climate catastrophe have underscored the need to reshape public institutions and healthcare delivery. Investing heavily in digitalization, modernizing payment systems, and formulating policy and regulatory frameworks are all crucial to realizing a future where a woman with diabetes can treat her condition using a constellation of medical technologies. The technology already exists. The task now is to harness it for all.

 

A Calling to Build Better Visions

Posted on by Tizita S.

Several young students I met a little over a year ago had incredible stories to tell about their teacher Senait Gebretsadik who currently works at Character Hallmark Academy. She has been teaching for over two decades in various schools building strong bonds and lasting connections with her students.

They testified to her tireless work to create a nurturing environment where they were able to learn mutual respect and teamwork. To date, I have had the opportunity to witness their progress in life and attest to them internalising individual responsibilities and supporting one another to excel, a threat they attribute to their beloved teacher.

Senait inspires students to have diversified skills through her passion for learning. She constantly educates herself on the quest to provide the latest and quality education to students instilling the same drive in them.

Her students seek not only concerning academic challenges but for guidance in their personal lives. They believe she listens with compassion void of judgment, going out of her way to address the issue and make things better. They were in awe as she never fails to treat them with a pleasant attitude even on her bad days.

Senait treats the students as her own. A year ago when one of her students died in a car accident and she mourned as if she lost her own child. She cared enough about teenagers to take them out of drug addictions and the associated behaviours that came with them. The students open up about their mistakes and failures as they feel safe around her.

I was eager to meet this remarkable woman who influenced many young people’s lives. To my surprise, the woman who had been impacting generations for over two decades looked 20 years old herself. She is warm, and polite with an incredible memory. She remembers all her students not just by name but including their life history.

Her colleagues speak highly of her, affirming what her students told me. Senait is kind and humble but also a firm disciplinarian. Her classroom management techniques serve as a hallmark to other teachers. She considers teaching as a calling to make a difference in the lives of students. The ones that join universities all over the world send her gifts of gratitude when they reach a milestone and seek her usual advice on the challenges they face.

A person might have a strong bond with a teacher or be indifferent. A good number of students spend their days in academic institutions hoping for a respite day when they no longer have to deal with emotionally distant teachers.

Teaching is a calling. A professional needs to be concerned with the overall lives of students helping them use their full potential. It is impressive to find one that has a practical impact on student’s life enabling them to weigh options and consider the moral implications of their choices.

One of the qualities that set Senait exceptionally apart from others is she does not give up on her students however long it takes to bring them to the right track. The students she helped get sober through her persistent involvement. They usually do not have enough words to thank her. But for Senait the only reward is seeing these students thrive in life.

I did not just walk out with a great story of her influence on students and teachers but also learned a lot after I got the privilege of meeting her in person. She is a woman of great calibre who leaves others better than she found them.

Confessions of Helicopter Mom

Posted on by Tizita S.

One of the days last week, my two and three-year-old children were playing on the bed as if it was a plain field situated for running. Afraid they would fall off and hurt themselves, I tried everything I could think of to get them off the bed, even yelling but they did not budge. Then I ended up gently smacking them on their bottom. The little one started crying hysterically while her brother left the bedroom in disbelief and with a disappointed look on his face.

I felt bad. A few minutes later as I was holding my daughter, she said “mommy why did you hit me here?” while rubbing her lower back. I was almost in tears. Although I am not sure if it made sense to her, I told her it was because I feared she was going to fall from the bed and hurt herself if I did not stop her.

It was not the first time I did this in the name of protection, each time justified by my fear. But this was the first time my daughter asked me the reason. In this case, my worry is not with the act itself but rather with how young my kids are to receive such disciplinary measures. I believe the smacking would not hurt them more than the falling or bumping of heads.

I recall having a constant fright that my kids will get hurt and trying not to be around them when they were playing. Parents of toddlers would understand. Whenever my kids are having fun partaking in activities that could potentially harm them, I am stressed out because if I blink they might be onto something but if I watch them I am constantly yelling ‘stop’, ‘don’t do that’, ‘don’t go there’, ‘don’t touch that’ with the words losing power each time. Even the gentle smack backfires as they tend to mimic and try to smack back thinking it is a form of play. Then I end up stopping them from playing altogether to be at peace.

The last thing I want is to keep my children from experiencing the world autonomously and yet my overprotective nature would not let me do that. I know that I cannot save them from everything and soon enough they will explore the world and face far worse threats than falling from the bed but I cannot help myself.

While doing some research, I learned that in our quest as parents, we can inadvertently do more harm than good in the name of ceaselessly watching and protecting our children to give them the best possible start in life. We allow our anxieties to affect our parenting decisions. Overprotective parenting is a common way agitation manifests. Parents who are constantly worried about their child’s safety and well-being may become overbearing and controlling, limiting their child’s freedom and autonomy, and derailing their maturity.

While overprotection may seem like a good way to keep children safe, it limits their opportunities to explore and take risks. It prevents children from developing important life skills such as problem-solving, decision-making, and self-reliance. Children are like sponges, they absorb everything around them.

By projecting our fears onto the children, we unintentionally perpetuate a cycle of anxiety and stress even in situations where there is no real danger. It may have lasting effects on their mental health and well-being. Instead, Parents should be observant and understand their emotions so as to bring up a child independently with a unique set of skills.

We should be models of calmness and resilience. When parents are fearful, they set unrealistic expectations that put pressure on children leaving them to always seek approval which grows into low self-esteem, anxiety and depression.

I come across useful steps to change this behaviour. The first step in overcoming fears is to recognise and acknowledge them. After identifying the sources, we then begin to work through them and find ways to manage them.

Giving children the freedom to explore and take risks is essential for their development. It is important to set realistic expectations, helping them develop a sense of self-worth and achievement.

“Undeniable.”

Posted on by Tizita S.

Tsadikan G. Tensae (Lt. Gen.), one of the chief negotiators of the Pretoria Accord, said the composition of a committee formed to facilitate the formation of an interim government in Tigray Regional State lacks legitimate representation. He contended that the TPLF leaders handpicked the members, marginalizing other interests.

FOLK TALE

Posted on by Tizita S.

Vendor offers high school auxiliary books for sale around the Mexico area. Less than thirty thousand students passed university entrance exams this year out of close to a million examinees. Government books have yet to be properly distributed for most secondary and primary school students who comprise the next generation of university entrants. The new wave of reforms ushered by the current Ministry of Education has introduced a remedial program for a year, offering general courses.

 

CONCRETE GARDEN

Posted on by Tizita S.

Fresh greenery dawns in the middle of the recently formed Lemi Kura district around Ayat. The construction sector battered by runaway inflation falters in delivering finished construction projects. The capital’s landscape fuses half-finished project sites with lush greenery reflective of budgetary allocation stretched to uncomplimentary angles. Negative real interest rates over 26pc, absence of bank loans, and diminishing performance guarantees collude to diminish the capacity of the sector.

COMMERCIAL CLASS

Posted on by Tizita S.

Old Volkswagen around Bole Airport serves a new purpose as a kiosk for residents in the area. The airport around Bole is the second home to Ethiopian Airlines as the first one was around the current African Union headquarters. The country’s first airline was established 1945 by Emperor Haile Selassie in December 1945. It has now grown to acquire ownership stakes in other African airways with its latest ownership and a stake of 49pc back in September for a Nigerian national carrier, yet to be realised.

Central Bank Rolls Out $150m License Fee for Mobile Money Operators

Posted on by Tizita S.

International mobile money operators will be required to pay a staggering 150 million dollar license fee as the National Bank of Ethiopia (NBE) put forth a draft proposal signed by the director of the Payment and Settlement System.

According to the draft, the fee is an investment protection cost for foreign nationals investing in businesses that are open only to local investors or the government.

The status of Safaricom’s application to introduce mobile money services is now open for discussion.

The Kenyan telecommunications service provider Safaricom has expressed its interest in expanding the use of its mobile money service, M-Pesa, in Ethiopia. Unfortunately, it was prohibited from providing money-remittance services due to legal restrictions.

Allowing for bigger electronic account balances and higher transaction limits, the new regulation raises the amount that can be stored in digital wallets. A maximum daily electronic account balance of 10,000 Br and a daily transaction cap of 20,000 Br apply to level one accounts, while a 300,000 Br cap and a maximum electronic balance of 100,000 Br is allowed for level two accounts.

CDC Africa Appoints a New Director

Posted on by Tizita S.

Jean Kaseya, a Congolese medical doctor, has been assigned to head the Africa Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). His appointment came among 180 nominees, during the African Union summit, held on February 19, 2023.

Jean has decades of experience in public health working at both international institutions and under the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He also served as a global team leader at UNICEF before becoming a senior advisor at World Health Organization (WHO).

As the new chief of the CDC Africa, he will be responsible for establishing surveillance to detect potential disease threats, as well as assisting member States to address gaps in International Health regulation compliance. He will also be responsible for supporting public health emergencies.

Headquartered in Nifas Silk Lafto District, Africa CDC was inaugurated last month that saw the attendance of Chinese Foreign Minister, Qin Gang and the AU Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat. The construction project was carried out with the support of the Chinese government.

The headquarter hosts an emergency operation, data and training centres, offices, and expatriate apartments.

Aviation Calls to Private Sectors

Posted on by Tizita S.

Private companies looking to invest in air transportation, infrastructure and management have an opportunity that opened up after the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority calls for interested partners officiating the directive put forth in September.

The Authority has set a directive enabling private investors and regional states to participate in the Aviation sector. Getachew Mengiste, CEO of the Authority said the new directive allows private investors and regional states to build airstrips and heliports independently.

Airport facilities have paramount significance in ensuring the overall development of the aviation industry.

Misrak Tilahun, aviation regulator and acting deputy of the Authority said eight companies have shown interest, including Red Star Aviation, under the significant shareholder Worku Aytenew, which has already started construction in Dire Dewa City and Sebeta town in Oromia Regional State.

According to Misrak, four of the 22 airports meet international standards.

Historical Structure Undergo Restoration

Posted on by Tizita S.

The late-19th-century structure situated in the capital’s district, Merkato commonly referred to as “American Gibbi” underwent cultural heritage restoration work.

In the 1930s, the structure housed the US Legation. The conserved American Gibbi has served Yemeni and Ethiopian people as a community school for the past 80 years but has degraded in 2018.

A year later, the US Embassy in Addis Abeba in partnership with the World Monuments Fund granted 240,000 dollars for the preservation.

Tracey Jacobson, US ambassador opened the conserved building last week, with the State Minister for Tourism, Sileshi Girma, and Yemen, Turkey, the UK and Sweden ambassadors in attendance.

Tracey described the structure as a tangible representation of both the history that underlies US-Ethiopian relations while a panel of historical and architectural heritage experts discussed the significance of the building in the inauguration.