Month: July 2018

As part of the strengthening of the professional integration of graduates, the Graduate Integration Commission (CID) has just held a first VIP Workshop (Towards Professional Inclusion) for Guidance Counsellors and the Centre for Professional Development of the National Education Information Service (CIEN).

Muriel Bubbio, in charge of the integration of graduates into the workforce, said: “Developing a partnership with the National Education, Youth and Sports Department and more particularly with those involved in professional guidance is essential in order to enable future graduates to prepare their professional integration in Monaco.”

A forthcoming VIP Workshop is already planned in October to update the expertise of the career advisers in the various high schools in Monaco.

The annual session of the Board of Directors of the World Food Programme opened on June 18 with a high-level meeting on the Sahel, in the presence of the President of the Republic of Niger, HE Mr. Mahamadou Issoufou, also chairman of G5 Sahel, where WFP declared a level-3 emergency.

Martine Garcia-Mascarenhas, Second Secretary at the Embassy of Monaco in Italy, Deputy Alternate Representative to FAO and WFP, made a statement honouring the 10th anniversary of the partnership between the Principality and WFP and the 2018-2020 Development Assistance Strategy of the Prince’s Government, which makes food security one of its four priorities.

She announced the launching of a new partnership with the WFP on food fortification in Niger as part of the Nigerian President’s 3N “Nigerians feed Nigerians” Initiative, which responds to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

On the sidelines of the session, on the occasion of the centennial celebration of President Nelson Mandela’s birth ‘Be the Legacy,’ Ms. Garcia-Mascarenhas met with Sory Ibrahim Ouane, Director and Representative of the WFP Office in Niger, who welcomed Monaco’s growing commitment to children suffering from malnutrition – 43 per cent of children under five in Niger.

Although sickle cell disease is the most prevalent genetic disease in the world with 50 million carriers, mainly in the countries of the tropical belt, very few doctors and nurses are trained to treat it.

The common guide for the management of sickle cell disease in Africa is the result of a close collaboration with the referring doctors and the patient associations of the sickle cell network of the Monegasque Cooperation, operating in Burkina Faso, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal.

A collection of the know-how and good practices of long-standing doctors working against this disease, this guide is a practical tool for all practitioners, whether in urban hospitals or rural health centres.

Each of the six ministries has drafted an introductory word for the edition of the guide to be distributed in their own country, commending the initiative and the remarkable progress in the fight against the disease.

Monaco’s Direction of International Cooperation, the firm STEPS Consulting, which coordinated the work over three years, and the contributing doctors will make an evaluation of the use of the guide and its impact on those affected.

The fight against sickle cell disease has been a flagship programme of the Monegasque cooperation for more than 10 years. It is based on three pillars: caring, training and creating a dynamic network for treatment.

PHOTO: Official delivery of the guide by Anne Poyard-Vatrican, Assistant Director of International Cooperation to Professor Mamy Lalatiana Andriamanarivo, Minister of Health of Madagascar, in the presence of Professor Olivat Rakoto Alson and Pascale Jeannot, President of the NGO ‘Fight Against Sickle Cell Disease’ in Madagascar. © DCI

With temperatures forecast to rise into the low thirties by the middle of July, the Government has issued a warning about potential dangers and offers advice to reduce the health risks.

Beyond the fatigue that high temperatures always cause, extremely hot weather can lead to serious results including dehydration and heat stroke. Moisture, like air pollution, exacerbates the effects of heat. Pregnant women, the elderly, and those on sone prescriptions are most at risk.

The Government suggests a number of simple precautions. These include to avoid going out during the hottest hours, from 11:00 until 17:00. Rest in a cool place and take an afternoon nap; avoid outdoor activities that require excessive energy expenditure, such as gardening, and do-it-yourself, as well as physical efforts; wear a hat, light clothing (cotton), loose and light in colour; keep your home cool (close the windows and shutters/blinds during the day, open them at night and in the evening if it is cooler); and hang a damp cloth in front of an open window; water, if possible, your terrace or balcony, especially those facing west, in the evening after sunset; check the operation of your refrigerator..

If the temperature inside exceeds 32C, a fan does not act against the oppressive heat because it brews the air without cooling it and accelerates the dehydration.

Cool off: take regular showers or baths (but not cold); moisten your body several times a day with a fogger or washcloth; spend two to three hours a day in a cool place, such as department stores, cinemas, and other public places with air conditioning.

Drink and continue to eat: drink at least 1.5 litres of water a day; drink water regularly without waiting to be thirsty; avoid drinking alcohol, coffee, tea, soda and sweet drinks as these
drinks promote dehydration; eat in sufficient quantity following a cold diet, rich in water such as raw fruits and vegetables; avoid staying near a heat source, such as an oven.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for any medication, even if they are on sale without a prescription, in the event of any unusual symptoms.

Do not hesitate to give regular news to your loved ones and as soon as necessary; dare to ask for help if you need it; help the elderly, children and infants to hydrate themselves.

Finally, contact, for yourself or someone who needs it, the Emergency Department of the
Princess Grace Hospital at the following telephone number 97 98 99 00.

The Prince’s Government launched an experiment with school uniform in the form of a dress code at the start of the school year 2017/2018.

The Condamine School was selected for a pilot programme for students in the C.E.1. and C.E.2. classes.

During this school year, parents of students were given the opportunity to provide feedback by answering two questionnaires, the results of which showed that families were mostly satisfied with the implementation of a dress code while suggesting improvements, particularly in terms of colour, quality, cut and finish. Parents accepted an increase in the prices of the articles on offer, reflecting their suggested improvements

For the 2018/2019 school year, the Prince’s Government has decided to continue this experiment by extending it to all the students of the Condamine School (CP to CM2), and integrating almost all improvement points highlighted during these satisfaction surveys. A call for tenders was launched in April.

Parents of the Condamine School students were invited on Thursday, June 28, to an information meeting in the presence of the Minister of the Interior, Mr. Patrice Cellario, as well as representatives of the Directorate of National Education, Youth and Sports and the Estates Administration.

The parents were able to discuss on the subject and ask all the questions they wanted from the perspective of understanding more about the back to school process in September.