Everyone should have the chance to visit Africa
By Susan Ellis
Washington File Staff Writer
Washington — Everyone should have the chance to visit Africa, says Chris Johns, editor in chief of National Geographic magazine. Recalling his countless visits to the continent, he says: “I always get up in the morning, exhilarated, to explore the new day. Africa is a million sights.”
Reflecting that fact, he has devoted the entire September 2005 issue of National Geographic to Africa. On the cover, instead of a photo, is the earth-brown-colored word “Africa.” Below it: “Whatever you thought, think again.”
“Africa is a million voices,” Johns said in an August 24 interview with the Washington File. “That’s why we didn’t put one photo on the cover. We took 100,000 photos over two years to prepare this issue. Then another two years to select what we would put in the issue to do justice to the diversity and complexity of this continent. (more…)
Africa calls for more budget from WHO
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) budget for Africa was too small, South African Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said in Maputo on Tuesday.
In a statement received in Johannesburg, her office said the 55th session of the WHO-Afro Regional Committee was told the WHO budget for Africa for 2006/07 that amounted to 949.5 million dollars was not sufficient when compared to the high incidence of diseases in the continent. (more…)
Soaring number of hungry in Africa
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The number of people in sub-Saharan Africa facing serious hunger has soared from 88 million in 1970 to more than 200 million in 1999-2001, an international policy group said in a report.
The International Food Policy Research Institute said that while the percentage of malnurished in the general population has been steady at around 33-35 percent over the same time, booming population growth has meant the number suffering has more than doubled. (more…)