WHO nominates Sisi, other leaders to take ‘Safe Hands’ challenge

CAIRO – 23 March 2020: World Health Organization’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on his Twitter account has invited a number of world leaders including Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to participate in a hand hygiene challenge.

This new video Safe Hands Challenge was started by WHO on social media to encourage people to keep their hands clean, amid the global coronavirus crisis.

The novel virus has so far infected over 353,000 cases and killed over 15,000, according to media reports.

Ghebreyesus has also nominated Pope Francis, Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong, Japan’s Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, President of El Salvador Nayib Bukele, President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari and Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley, as well as many other leaders.

Earlier, he nominated Hala Zayed, the Egyptian Minister of Health, as well as health ministers of many states to take the challenge.

WHO asked many public figures to take the challenge including American actor Leonardo DiCaprio and environmental activist Greta Thunberg. Many others participated in the challenge including American singer Selena Gomez and Indian actress Anushka Sharma.

View this post on Instagram

Alright, here’s my #SafeHands Challenge 🧼 thanks @ariannahuff! I now challenge @iamcardib, @gigihadid and @oliviawilde 😘 hope everyone is staying safe inside! PS -I had to redo this video so many times. 🙄 best I got

A post shared by Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) on Mar 21, 2020 at 4:05pm PDT

Sisi gave his first official comments on coronavirus crisis on Sunday since it started in Egypt, calling on citizens to show “further discipline” and to comply by health instructions while dealing with the issue. Egypt has so far reported 327 coronavirus cases and 14 deaths.

In a meeting with a number of Egyptian women as Egypt celebrates its own Women’s Day, as well as some of the ministers including Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli, Sisi asked citizens to stick to instructions and stay at home for two weeks, to overcome the current health crisis and help limit infection.

The president ordered the Ministry of State for Information to raise awareness among people about the coronavirus, including medical instructions.

Sisi reveals details of economic plan in face of coronavirus crisis

CAIRO – 22 March 2020: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sunday announced in full the country’s economic plan, in face of the novel coronavirus, as he read out loud a number of economic decisions, while marking the national Women’s Day.