South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa goes into isolation after testing positive for COVID-19; Ethiopians testify on the impact of the war between the military and the Tigrayan forces; drought in Madagascar leaves millions of Madagascans experiencing hunger and malnutrition.

With vaccine hesitancy and logistical problems in Kenya, Penda's Tassia Medical Centre is now delivering the vaccine to the people's doorsteps, And, Nigeria is planning to close camps in Maiduguri city amid concerns that it is not safe for refugees to go home.

BioNTech and Pfizer have said a three-shot course of their COVID-19 vaccine was able to neutralize the new Omicron variant in a laboratory test - and, they could deliver a vaccine targeted at it in March 2022 if needed.

Reporter Francis Maguire will have more details

Up to one million COVID-19 vaccines are estimated to have expired in Nigeria last month without being used. Also, experts say Africa needs to make its own vaccines to avoid a repeat of its supply problems - but faces big obstacles.

South Africa’s Religious Forum Against COVID-19 has been campaigning for religious followers to help ease vaccine hesitancy, and an interview with Daniel Were, Project Director with Jhpiego Kenya, to discuss challenges and opportunities in the fight against HIV in Kenya.

Today on #Africa54, Britain adds Nigeria to its travel "red list", which already includes 10 Southern African countries, due to the new omicron coronavirus variant.

VOA’s Saqib Ul Islam reports on the hurdles travelers are facing, and the controversy over the new restrictions.