IYANDA'SBLOG

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Pastor Rich Vera is among a minority in America who say it’s appropriate to gather to worship.

Two officers of the Nigerian Army and two policemen have tested positive for Coronavirus in Borno State.

The four are among the 30 confirmed cases in the state.

A source told SaharaReporters that two of the cases were recorded at the 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital in Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri, the state capital, while the remaining cases were at Pulka, a town under Gwoza Local Government Area.

“On April 21, one Nigeria Police personnel, Cpl Yola Emmanuel (NPF500251) serving under 22 Bde, reported at 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital in Maimalari Cantonment, a test was run on him and the result turned positive.

“On April 26, a soldier, Sergeant Michael Ahmadu (97NA/45/6722) and Mrs Rahab A. Augustine, who are both staff of 7DMSH, tested positive to the COVID 19. Contact tracing has been activated.

“Families of the confirmed patients and all 7DMSH staff who came in contact with the patients are been quarantined. 

“More isolation wards to hold suspected cases are being provided,” the source said.

SaharaReporters gathered that another soldier and a policeman also tested positive for COVID-19 in Pulka.

The two, who are presently being treated in the town, are likely contact of the state index patient that died of the virus.

The index case, a 56-year-old nurse working for Medicine Sans Frontier in Pulka, died on April 19.

“With this development, I think it’s time for the management of 7DMSH to adequately train it's personnel on handling of COVID-19 patients and this should be escalated to the level of the NAMC.

“HQ TC should ensure enforcement of preventive measures in all units across the theatre. Comds/COs should ensure social distancing for troops on parade or in operation,” the source added.

Military Police PUBLIC HEALTH Breaking News News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2RJTu1V

Two officers of the Nigerian Army and two policemen have tested positive for Coronavirus in Borno State.

The four are among the 30 confirmed cases in the state.

A source told SaharaReporters that two of the cases were recorded at the 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital in Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri, the state capital, while the remaining cases were at Pulka, a town under Gwoza Local Government Area.

“On April 21, one Nigeria Police personnel, Cpl Yola Emmanuel (NPF500251) serving under 22 Bde, reported at 7 Division Medical Services and Hospital in Maimalari Cantonment, a test was run on him and the result turned positive.

“On April 26, a soldier, Sergeant Michael Ahmadu (97NA/45/6722) and Mrs Rahab A. Augustine, who are both staff of 7DMSH, tested positive to the COVID 19. Contact tracing has been activated.

“Families of the confirmed patients and all 7DMSH staff who came in contact with the patients are been quarantined. 

“More isolation wards to hold suspected cases are being provided,” the source said.

SaharaReporters gathered that another soldier and a policeman also tested positive for COVID-19 in Pulka.

The two, who are presently being treated in the town, are likely contact of the state index patient that died of the virus.

The index case, a 56-year-old nurse working for Medicine Sans Frontier in Pulka, died on April 19.

“With this development, I think it’s time for the management of 7DMSH to adequately train it's personnel on handling of COVID-19 patients and this should be escalated to the level of the NAMC.

“HQ TC should ensure enforcement of preventive measures in all units across the theatre. Comds/COs should ensure social distancing for troops on parade or in operation,” the source added.

Military Police PUBLIC HEALTH Breaking News News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2RJTu1V

The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People has lamented the impact of the outbreak of Coronavirus on Ogoni communities, describing it as very severe.

The group also decried the distribution of palliatives by the government, saying it was not being evenly distributed.

President of MOSOP, Fegalo Nsuke, also condemned the lack of testing in the region. 

He said, "Although we understand the impact of the lockdown on the people, we seem not to have any choice than to avoid contacts with people and our people must understand how much this can help save lives amid severe hunger now being experienced.

“It is a good thing that there are currently no cases of the infection in Gokana and no kingdom has reported any case but there is no testing going on so we cannot rule out any possibilities."

Nsuke stated that the approach used in the distribution of relief materials in the state was capable of spreading the virus as there might be some cases amongst those, who assemble for the food items.

He added, “The current approach where crowds gather under the sun for loaves of bread and noodles is not only derogatory but can also aid the spread of the virus.

"Rather than encouraging crowds in the distribution centres, the government can consider supplying the foodstuff to designated retail outlets at controlled prices. 

"It is therefore important that whatever intervention at this time should be done with consideration for the dignity and safety of our people."

PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2W4VIu9

The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People has lamented the impact of the outbreak of Coronavirus on Ogoni communities, describing it as very severe.

The group also decried the distribution of palliatives by the government, saying it was not being evenly distributed.

President of MOSOP, Fegalo Nsuke, also condemned the lack of testing in the region. 

He said, "Although we understand the impact of the lockdown on the people, we seem not to have any choice than to avoid contacts with people and our people must understand how much this can help save lives amid severe hunger now being experienced.

“It is a good thing that there are currently no cases of the infection in Gokana and no kingdom has reported any case but there is no testing going on so we cannot rule out any possibilities."

Nsuke stated that the approach used in the distribution of relief materials in the state was capable of spreading the virus as there might be some cases amongst those, who assemble for the food items.

He added, “The current approach where crowds gather under the sun for loaves of bread and noodles is not only derogatory but can also aid the spread of the virus.

"Rather than encouraging crowds in the distribution centres, the government can consider supplying the foodstuff to designated retail outlets at controlled prices. 

"It is therefore important that whatever intervention at this time should be done with consideration for the dignity and safety of our people."

PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2W4VIu9

The Peoples Democratic Party has raised the alarm over alleged looting of funds at the Niger Delta Development Commission.

The party also called for investigation of those responsible for diverting funds meant for developmental projects to personal use.

In a statement on Monday by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said NDDC, under the current management, had become an automated teller machine for corrupt individuals and their cronies. 

He noted that the development had completely crippled the commission from delivering on its mandate to the people of the region.

The statement reads, "The PDP noted that the public space is already awash with allegations of looting of billions of naira in NDDC meant for the development of the area through shady contracts, diversion of funds and sleazy procurement deals by officials in a manner akin to earlier exposed looting in the National Health Insurance Scheme.

“The party rejects the attempt by the NDDC management to divert attention from the issues at stake, particularly by alluding to faceless detractors while at the same time opting for internal investigation on the N5.5bn COVID-19 contract allegation, instead of referring the matter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

"Our party therefore urges the National Assembly to commence an investigation into the books of the NDDC under the present management, recover the looted funds and channel the money to the projects meant for the well being of Nigerians as contained in the budget of the commission." 

Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/3aJeHQq

The Peoples Democratic Party has raised the alarm over alleged looting of funds at the Niger Delta Development Commission.

The party also called for investigation of those responsible for diverting funds meant for developmental projects to personal use.

In a statement on Monday by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said NDDC, under the current management, had become an automated teller machine for corrupt individuals and their cronies. 

He noted that the development had completely crippled the commission from delivering on its mandate to the people of the region.

The statement reads, "The PDP noted that the public space is already awash with allegations of looting of billions of naira in NDDC meant for the development of the area through shady contracts, diversion of funds and sleazy procurement deals by officials in a manner akin to earlier exposed looting in the National Health Insurance Scheme.

“The party rejects the attempt by the NDDC management to divert attention from the issues at stake, particularly by alluding to faceless detractors while at the same time opting for internal investigation on the N5.5bn COVID-19 contract allegation, instead of referring the matter to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

"Our party therefore urges the National Assembly to commence an investigation into the books of the NDDC under the present management, recover the looted funds and channel the money to the projects meant for the well being of Nigerians as contained in the budget of the commission." 

Politics News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/3aJeHQq

The full and partial lockdown in many states in Nigeria is taking its toll on farmers across the country, SaharaReporters has learnt. 

The farmers, in separate interviews with our correspondent, are urging government to relax the lockdown for them so they can have a fair share of the market during harvest. 

Land preparation should be completed before the first week of May runs out but this is impossible as many of them are stuck at home.  

“There would be a food crisis,” Rufina Nyalang, a rice processor in Kaduna State, told SaharaReporters. “The rainy season is about to set in, if people don’t go out to clear their land and do the necessary things, they would lose time,” she added.

Fate has dealt Nyalang a bad hand. She was prevented from cultivating five hectares of maize and rice last year, owing to the insecurity in Southern Kaduna. She switched to rice processing but the pandemic has made it impossible for her to access paddies to mill in her plant.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation, the World Health Organisation and the World Trade Organisation, warned in a joint statement earlier in April that uncertainty about food availability could spark a wave of export restrictions, creating a shortage on the global market.

In the event of such a possibility, as exhibited by Russia, which placed an export restriction on its wheat, a rice farmer in Kaduna, Asma Merza, believes that Nigeria will not be able to feed its people. 

“I look at us as a nation, what is going to happen after a few months? There is going to be no food. Think about it! Think of it now,” he said.

In a policy document on the Nigerian Government’s plan post-COVID-19, the Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Godwin Emefiele, said 75 countries had ordered 102 export restrictions as of April 10. This, he said, was influenced by a report from the Global Alert Trade team at St. Gallen University in Switzerland. 

A policy like this is propelling Mubarak Gbadamosi to scamper round to see Farm 360 through the COVID-19 crisis.

Farm 360 is an integrated agriculture firm owned by Gbadamosi. Last Saturday, his retail outlet in Surulere, Lagos, was buzzing with buyers, a different picture to what he painted when he spoke to SaharaReporters on phone. 

“I know that after all this is over, there would be a food crisis,” Gbadamosi said.

Pamela Hamilton, Director of the Division on International Trade and Commodities in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and her colleague, Janvier Nkurunziza of the Commodity Research and Analysis Section, are concerned about food insecurity in countries affected by COVID-19.

“It is now feared that the COVID-19 pandemic could have a devastating effect on food security if major cereal exporters adopt trade barriers or export bans as experienced during the 2007-2008 food crisis, or if Coronavirus’ effects on the labour force and logistics become important,” they stated in a piece entitled, ‘COVID-19 and food insecurity in vulnerable countries.

Before COVID-19 gained enough attention to prompt restriction on the movement of labour, insecurity had discouraged farmers in Uboma, a community in Imo State, from accessing their farms.

"Farmers are no longer going to farm because of the fear of being killed,” Chief Michael Ire, a traditional leader in the community told SaharaReporters.

“During this time last year, it was cows that were destroying food and crops on people’s farms. Coronavirus is now inhibiting movement; this is going to cause a serious restriction on food supply,” he said.

Ire said food supplies to his community had been largely restricted to big trucks from the North, where Asma is based.

“Now, I am in panic mode, I have land I want to cultivate but there is no way I can access the seeds, or the fertilisers, or the person that should come in and do the ‘tractorisation’.

“Last year, I cultivated 30 hectares. This year, I was making plans for 100 hectares,” she said. 

According to her, the 30 hectares were divided into five hectares of maize and 25 hectares of rice. Asma said she earned a yield of 5.2 tonnes per hectare, which is equivalent to 2,600 bags of 50kg rice.

At the same yield rate, Asma should produce 520 tonnes of rice or 520,000kg of processed rice, which should see her make a maximum of 10,400 bags of edible rice available.

Asma and many other farmers might not be able to do that this year. Nyalang is already losing out on business.

She says, “Somebody called me last week for this relief palliative that they are giving people. They needed many thousand bags of rice. I don’t even have anything. The factory has been shut now for a couple of months because I don’t have access to paddy.” 

Much of the Nigerian Government’s focus has been on distributing food items but Nyalang feels there may be no food to distribute if the fate of farmers is ignored during this pandemic.

Mubarak is still able to keep a third of his business running though.

“I am stocking birds today. I have been able to get 17,000 chickens from my supplier today. I have been able to get all the logistics of feeds and day-old cheeks sorted out a hundred per cent.

“I know that in a week from now, I will have serious issues with sawdust availability,” Mubarak said.

Mubarak has no problems with getting supplies for his poultry into the farm. By-products like charcoal and sawdust, which come from the informal market, are no longer available because the government considers the sources of these essential materials for breeding domestic beds inessential.

The sawdust serves as bedding for the poultry while the charcoal is used to regulate the temperature of their coop.

Mubarak, who is only able to send one out of three trucks weekly into the Lagos market, is unwilling to calculate his present and projected losses.

“I’ve not sat down to do it, because I don’t want to think about it. I deliberately overlooked it,” he said.

Asma holds a similar view. “It’s very dangerous to talk about money,” she says.

She has between 10 to 15 full staff that should be working to cultivate her hundred hectares.

Last year, she worked with three busload of labourers from Kano State. She hoped to work with more than that this season.

Nyalang is not keeping up appearances; she has frozen the payment of her staff.

“I have nine people in the factory as processors and one security person. I’ve told them I’m not paying anybody anything, where would I get the money to pay you?” she said.

In 2019, the United Nations said 820m people across the world had little or no access to food. About 2.6m of them were in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria.

In a food assistance fact sheet done by the United States Agency for International Development, 7.7m persons in the same region would need some form of feeding hand out in 2020.

According to Cadre Hamonisé, a consensual analysis of food insecurity situations published in November 2019, 3.6m people in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe will require food aid between June and August 2020.

The data on the outlook for the whole country is not in the public domain and may not be available, as the Federal Government has a weak posture towards generating or publishing data.

This is reflected in the absence of unemployment figures in the country since Q3 2018.

“They are not multitasking, they are not thinking,” Nyalang said while reacting to what the Kaduna State Government was doing to help rice farmers within her sphere

“As the Nigerian Government are strategising for hand sanitisers, they should go to the drawing table and know what they want to do with farmers.

“I think what we farmers can do is to organise ourselves into groups. We minimise contact from anybody outside the group and go and work on our farms,” Asma suggests.

Mubarak has some dire predictions.

“I cannot afford to sever relationships now,” he said, while predicting the fate of his employees.

“If things are not looking up in the next two weeks, I will have to sever the relationship after paying April’s salary,” he added.

This month, entrepreneurs will bear it, not 80 per cent of them will be able to continue after April if nothing is done.

Recall that in 2014, 12 per cent of the Liberian population suffered food insecurity by the time Ebola had come and gone.

During the reign of the pandemic, food prices skyrocketed.

Food costs are on the increase daily in Nigeria and many citizens are constantly on a day’s wage away from having no food before President Muhammadu Buhari announced restrictions on movement on March 30.

“I am also directing the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, the National Security Adviser, the Vice-Chairman, National Food Security Council and Chairman, Presidential Fertiliser Initiative to work with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to ensure the impact of this pandemic on our 2020 farming season is minimized, “President Muhammadu Buhari said when he extended the lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and the FCT two weeks ago.

Last Friday, Chairman of the Presidential Tax Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, said farmers needed to return to their farms as the planting season had already started. 

He said this would be done urgently to avert a food crisis but how the team hopes to avert a food crisis has not been well communicated.

However, experts urge the government to consider the farmer’s plight to avert a devastating humanitarian disaster nationwide.

Agriculture Food PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2KDUpx1

The full and partial lockdown in many states in Nigeria is taking its toll on farmers across the country, SaharaReporters has learnt. 

The farmers, in separate interviews with our correspondent, are urging government to relax the lockdown for them so they can have a fair share of the market during harvest. 

Land preparation should be completed before the first week of May runs out but this is impossible as many of them are stuck at home.  

“There would be a food crisis,” Rufina Nyalang, a rice processor in Kaduna State, told SaharaReporters. “The rainy season is about to set in, if people don’t go out to clear their land and do the necessary things, they would lose time,” she added.

Fate has dealt Nyalang a bad hand. She was prevented from cultivating five hectares of maize and rice last year, owing to the insecurity in Southern Kaduna. She switched to rice processing but the pandemic has made it impossible for her to access paddies to mill in her plant.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation, the World Health Organisation and the World Trade Organisation, warned in a joint statement earlier in April that uncertainty about food availability could spark a wave of export restrictions, creating a shortage on the global market.

In the event of such a possibility, as exhibited by Russia, which placed an export restriction on its wheat, a rice farmer in Kaduna, Asma Merza, believes that Nigeria will not be able to feed its people. 

“I look at us as a nation, what is going to happen after a few months? There is going to be no food. Think about it! Think of it now,” he said.

In a policy document on the Nigerian Government’s plan post-COVID-19, the Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Godwin Emefiele, said 75 countries had ordered 102 export restrictions as of April 10. This, he said, was influenced by a report from the Global Alert Trade team at St. Gallen University in Switzerland. 

A policy like this is propelling Mubarak Gbadamosi to scamper round to see Farm 360 through the COVID-19 crisis.

Farm 360 is an integrated agriculture firm owned by Gbadamosi. Last Saturday, his retail outlet in Surulere, Lagos, was buzzing with buyers, a different picture to what he painted when he spoke to SaharaReporters on phone. 

“I know that after all this is over, there would be a food crisis,” Gbadamosi said.

Pamela Hamilton, Director of the Division on International Trade and Commodities in the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and her colleague, Janvier Nkurunziza of the Commodity Research and Analysis Section, are concerned about food insecurity in countries affected by COVID-19.

“It is now feared that the COVID-19 pandemic could have a devastating effect on food security if major cereal exporters adopt trade barriers or export bans as experienced during the 2007-2008 food crisis, or if Coronavirus’ effects on the labour force and logistics become important,” they stated in a piece entitled, ‘COVID-19 and food insecurity in vulnerable countries.

Before COVID-19 gained enough attention to prompt restriction on the movement of labour, insecurity had discouraged farmers in Uboma, a community in Imo State, from accessing their farms.

"Farmers are no longer going to farm because of the fear of being killed,” Chief Michael Ire, a traditional leader in the community told SaharaReporters.

“During this time last year, it was cows that were destroying food and crops on people’s farms. Coronavirus is now inhibiting movement; this is going to cause a serious restriction on food supply,” he said.

Ire said food supplies to his community had been largely restricted to big trucks from the North, where Asma is based.

“Now, I am in panic mode, I have land I want to cultivate but there is no way I can access the seeds, or the fertilisers, or the person that should come in and do the ‘tractorisation’.

“Last year, I cultivated 30 hectares. This year, I was making plans for 100 hectares,” she said. 

According to her, the 30 hectares were divided into five hectares of maize and 25 hectares of rice. Asma said she earned a yield of 5.2 tonnes per hectare, which is equivalent to 2,600 bags of 50kg rice.

At the same yield rate, Asma should produce 520 tonnes of rice or 520,000kg of processed rice, which should see her make a maximum of 10,400 bags of edible rice available.

Asma and many other farmers might not be able to do that this year. Nyalang is already losing out on business.

She says, “Somebody called me last week for this relief palliative that they are giving people. They needed many thousand bags of rice. I don’t even have anything. The factory has been shut now for a couple of months because I don’t have access to paddy.” 

Much of the Nigerian Government’s focus has been on distributing food items but Nyalang feels there may be no food to distribute if the fate of farmers is ignored during this pandemic.

Mubarak is still able to keep a third of his business running though.

“I am stocking birds today. I have been able to get 17,000 chickens from my supplier today. I have been able to get all the logistics of feeds and day-old cheeks sorted out a hundred per cent.

“I know that in a week from now, I will have serious issues with sawdust availability,” Mubarak said.

Mubarak has no problems with getting supplies for his poultry into the farm. By-products like charcoal and sawdust, which come from the informal market, are no longer available because the government considers the sources of these essential materials for breeding domestic beds inessential.

The sawdust serves as bedding for the poultry while the charcoal is used to regulate the temperature of their coop.

Mubarak, who is only able to send one out of three trucks weekly into the Lagos market, is unwilling to calculate his present and projected losses.

“I’ve not sat down to do it, because I don’t want to think about it. I deliberately overlooked it,” he said.

Asma holds a similar view. “It’s very dangerous to talk about money,” she says.

She has between 10 to 15 full staff that should be working to cultivate her hundred hectares.

Last year, she worked with three busload of labourers from Kano State. She hoped to work with more than that this season.

Nyalang is not keeping up appearances; she has frozen the payment of her staff.

“I have nine people in the factory as processors and one security person. I’ve told them I’m not paying anybody anything, where would I get the money to pay you?” she said.

In 2019, the United Nations said 820m people across the world had little or no access to food. About 2.6m of them were in the North-Eastern part of Nigeria.

In a food assistance fact sheet done by the United States Agency for International Development, 7.7m persons in the same region would need some form of feeding hand out in 2020.

According to Cadre Hamonisé, a consensual analysis of food insecurity situations published in November 2019, 3.6m people in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe will require food aid between June and August 2020.

The data on the outlook for the whole country is not in the public domain and may not be available, as the Federal Government has a weak posture towards generating or publishing data.

This is reflected in the absence of unemployment figures in the country since Q3 2018.

“They are not multitasking, they are not thinking,” Nyalang said while reacting to what the Kaduna State Government was doing to help rice farmers within her sphere

“As the Nigerian Government are strategising for hand sanitisers, they should go to the drawing table and know what they want to do with farmers.

“I think what we farmers can do is to organise ourselves into groups. We minimise contact from anybody outside the group and go and work on our farms,” Asma suggests.

Mubarak has some dire predictions.

“I cannot afford to sever relationships now,” he said, while predicting the fate of his employees.

“If things are not looking up in the next two weeks, I will have to sever the relationship after paying April’s salary,” he added.

This month, entrepreneurs will bear it, not 80 per cent of them will be able to continue after April if nothing is done.

Recall that in 2014, 12 per cent of the Liberian population suffered food insecurity by the time Ebola had come and gone.

During the reign of the pandemic, food prices skyrocketed.

Food costs are on the increase daily in Nigeria and many citizens are constantly on a day’s wage away from having no food before President Muhammadu Buhari announced restrictions on movement on March 30.

“I am also directing the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, the National Security Adviser, the Vice-Chairman, National Food Security Council and Chairman, Presidential Fertiliser Initiative to work with the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to ensure the impact of this pandemic on our 2020 farming season is minimized, “President Muhammadu Buhari said when he extended the lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and the FCT two weeks ago.

Last Friday, Chairman of the Presidential Tax Force on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, said farmers needed to return to their farms as the planting season had already started. 

He said this would be done urgently to avert a food crisis but how the team hopes to avert a food crisis has not been well communicated.

However, experts urge the government to consider the farmer’s plight to avert a devastating humanitarian disaster nationwide.

Agriculture Food PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  Saharareporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2KDUpx1

Mr Raymond Dokpesi Jnr., son of the founder of DAAR Communications Plc, has tested positive for Coronavirus.

The younger Dokpesi, who is now chairman of the organisation, disclosed this in a short message to members of staff in Abuja on Monday.

He said, “I got a call this morning confirming the result is COVID-19 positive. I am leaving now to the Gwagwalada Isolation Centre for treatment and hope to be back in two weeks.

“Many of you may have interacted with me during our various meetings and I would advise you to get tested as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, the contact tracing team of the NCDC is to begin a test of persons, who may have had contact with Dokpesi in the past two weeks as well as all other members of staff.

 

PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2xdbMBM

Mr Raymond Dokpesi Jnr., son of the founder of DAAR Communications Plc, has tested positive for Coronavirus.

The younger Dokpesi, who is now chairman of the organisation, disclosed this in a short message to members of staff in Abuja on Monday.

He said, “I got a call this morning confirming the result is COVID-19 positive. I am leaving now to the Gwagwalada Isolation Centre for treatment and hope to be back in two weeks.

“Many of you may have interacted with me during our various meetings and I would advise you to get tested as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, the contact tracing team of the NCDC is to begin a test of persons, who may have had contact with Dokpesi in the past two weeks as well as all other members of staff.

 

PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2xdbMBM

The Citizen Quest for Truth Initiative has said it would be taking up the responsibility of investigating alleged corrupt activities going on within the Niger Delta Development Commission.

SaharaReporters had exposed a multi-billion naira fraud involving the board and top management members of the agency over the purchase of Personal Protective Equipment and sanitisers to tackle Coronavirus in the nine states making up the region.

The commission had approved N5,474,647,125.00 for procurement of PPE to be delivered within 15 days but no equipment was delivered.

 

Also, there has been claims and counter-claims by the NDDC and some contractors on the situation of contracts issued for the development of the region.

Overwhelmed by the number of petitions against the NDDC, the group said it was determined to verify the true state of things in the commission. See Also Exclusive EXCLUSIVE: N5bn COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment Fraud Uncovered In Niger Delta Development Commission 0 Comments 2 Days Ago

In a statement jointly signed by Chief Oby Ndukwe, National President; and Francis Ndimkoha, National Publicity Secretary, the group lamented that while the world was in search for the cure of COVID-19, some individuals were concerned with looting funds meant to combat the virus. 

The statement reads partly, “The attention of Citizens Quest For Truth Initiative has been drawn to what is almost beco ming a constant in the Niger Delta Development Commission which includes a flurry of petitions and allegations of widespread fraud especially as it concerns the recent N4bn (Four billion naira) contract for Lassa Fever and maternal kits amongst others.

“Again, Citizens Quest is concerned about the alleged N5bn ( Five billion naira) contract for COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment, which the commission had disowned in a press please of 25th April, 2020 where the Head of Corporate Affairs, Charles Odili, stated that no such contract has been awarded.

“As a non-governmental organisation which has been in the forefront of the campaign for good governance as well as accurate reportage of issues, we are determined to verify the veracity of the spurious claims, allegations and counter allegations rocking the commission for a long time now.

“In the light of the above, we have concluded plans within the confines of the law for the compliance to the orders of the government to go in search of the truth.”

Citizen Quest urged the cooperation and support of stakeholders to help in the fight to clean the NDDC of corruption for the development of the region.

Corruption Niger Delta News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2li2G0A

The Citizen Quest for Truth Initiative has said it would be taking up the responsibility of investigating alleged corrupt activities going on within the Niger Delta Development Commission.

SaharaReporters had exposed a multi-billion naira fraud involving the board and top management members of the agency over the purchase of Personal Protective Equipment and sanitisers to tackle Coronavirus in the nine states making up the region.

The commission had approved N5,474,647,125.00 for procurement of PPE to be delivered within 15 days but no equipment was delivered.

 

Also, there has been claims and counter-claims by the NDDC and some contractors on the situation of contracts issued for the development of the region.

Overwhelmed by the number of petitions against the NDDC, the group said it was determined to verify the true state of things in the commission. See Also Exclusive EXCLUSIVE: N5bn COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment Fraud Uncovered In Niger Delta Development Commission 0 Comments 2 Days Ago

In a statement jointly signed by Chief Oby Ndukwe, National President; and Francis Ndimkoha, National Publicity Secretary, the group lamented that while the world was in search for the cure of COVID-19, some individuals were concerned with looting funds meant to combat the virus. 

The statement reads partly, “The attention of Citizens Quest For Truth Initiative has been drawn to what is almost beco ming a constant in the Niger Delta Development Commission which includes a flurry of petitions and allegations of widespread fraud especially as it concerns the recent N4bn (Four billion naira) contract for Lassa Fever and maternal kits amongst others.

“Again, Citizens Quest is concerned about the alleged N5bn ( Five billion naira) contract for COVID-19 Personal Protective Equipment, which the commission had disowned in a press please of 25th April, 2020 where the Head of Corporate Affairs, Charles Odili, stated that no such contract has been awarded.

“As a non-governmental organisation which has been in the forefront of the campaign for good governance as well as accurate reportage of issues, we are determined to verify the veracity of the spurious claims, allegations and counter allegations rocking the commission for a long time now.

“In the light of the above, we have concluded plans within the confines of the law for the compliance to the orders of the government to go in search of the truth.”

Citizen Quest urged the cooperation and support of stakeholders to help in the fight to clean the NDDC of corruption for the development of the region.

Corruption Niger Delta News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2li2G0A

President of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman, has said that Islamic clerics are backing his move to pray for people infected with COVID-19 in Nigeria despite criticisms from Christians against the move.

Suleman is being criticised after he visited the General Hospital in Auchi, Edo State, to encourage healthcare workers on the frontlines of the fight against the virus.

The cleric claimed that COVID-19 was overrated and urged the government to allow him visit isolation centres to heal infected persons.

Suleman had come under fire for his request but he continues to defend his intention. 

In a tweet on Sunday, he revealed that despite criticisms from Christians on his decision to pray for COVID-19, Muslim leaders have shown support and will be joining his prayers.

He said, “Muslim leaders have called me that they support me in faith and will be praying too for the healing of the world.

“Yet some who say they are Christians are muttering gibberish. Shame. I stand by my words, we are starting prayers from Tuesday and God will heal.”

His recent comment has continued to generate mixed reactions on social media especially on Twitter.

For example, one user @jimmyjohnsonzoe, said, “Stop deceiving the lots; you've been shouting for years with your bad voice and the country is still the same.

“If it’s by prayers and religious leaders, I am sure Nigeria would be the greatest nation in the world. Allow scientists do their job and shut up.”

@yinkanubi tweeted, “Unnecessary grandstanding. No Nigerian Government will stop you from volunteering to care for COVID-19 patients.

“Just go to the isolation centres in Yaba, Onikan and Landmark and present your request. If I were the NCDC, I will fast-track your accreditation after all what have we got to lose?”

@mrseunlawal said, “Your prayers should be potent enough to get to them from your office.

“Please don’t come back when it’s all gone and say “oh if the Nigerian Government had allowed me, I would have healed a lot.”

@seunolash tweeted, “There is no distance in the spirit. If the Nigerian Government is not giving permission, prayers can be said anywhere and God who heals will listen and heal the sick.

“As it is written, 'He sent His word and heals them.' By the way, we need prayers that will destroy COVID-19 and its spread. It is well.”

Speaking in support of Suleman, @babatundeoluwa6 said, “God had given them to reprobate mind because they fail to allow the spirit of God in them. Time will tell if God is powerful or not.”

@kesty_okums said, “Thank you very much sir. You are an epitome of God's knowledge and wisdom. God bless you as you keep blessing us.”

@MamokeMarioghae said, “The gates of hell shall not prevail. We are standing in faith praying along with you papa.

“More grace and greater glory in Jesus name. Jehovah the doctor will glorify His name.”

PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/3cWcR0b

President of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman, has said that Islamic clerics are backing his move to pray for people infected with COVID-19 in Nigeria despite criticisms from Christians against the move.

Suleman is being criticised after he visited the General Hospital in Auchi, Edo State, to encourage healthcare workers on the frontlines of the fight against the virus.

The cleric claimed that COVID-19 was overrated and urged the government to allow him visit isolation centres to heal infected persons.

Suleman had come under fire for his request but he continues to defend his intention. 

In a tweet on Sunday, he revealed that despite criticisms from Christians on his decision to pray for COVID-19, Muslim leaders have shown support and will be joining his prayers.

He said, “Muslim leaders have called me that they support me in faith and will be praying too for the healing of the world.

“Yet some who say they are Christians are muttering gibberish. Shame. I stand by my words, we are starting prayers from Tuesday and God will heal.”

His recent comment has continued to generate mixed reactions on social media especially on Twitter.

For example, one user @jimmyjohnsonzoe, said, “Stop deceiving the lots; you've been shouting for years with your bad voice and the country is still the same.

“If it’s by prayers and religious leaders, I am sure Nigeria would be the greatest nation in the world. Allow scientists do their job and shut up.”

@yinkanubi tweeted, “Unnecessary grandstanding. No Nigerian Government will stop you from volunteering to care for COVID-19 patients.

“Just go to the isolation centres in Yaba, Onikan and Landmark and present your request. If I were the NCDC, I will fast-track your accreditation after all what have we got to lose?”

@mrseunlawal said, “Your prayers should be potent enough to get to them from your office.

“Please don’t come back when it’s all gone and say “oh if the Nigerian Government had allowed me, I would have healed a lot.”

@seunolash tweeted, “There is no distance in the spirit. If the Nigerian Government is not giving permission, prayers can be said anywhere and God who heals will listen and heal the sick.

“As it is written, 'He sent His word and heals them.' By the way, we need prayers that will destroy COVID-19 and its spread. It is well.”

Speaking in support of Suleman, @babatundeoluwa6 said, “God had given them to reprobate mind because they fail to allow the spirit of God in them. Time will tell if God is powerful or not.”

@kesty_okums said, “Thank you very much sir. You are an epitome of God's knowledge and wisdom. God bless you as you keep blessing us.”

@MamokeMarioghae said, “The gates of hell shall not prevail. We are standing in faith praying along with you papa.

“More grace and greater glory in Jesus name. Jehovah the doctor will glorify His name.”

PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/3cWcR0b

Doctors at the Specialist Hospital, Edo State, have been accused of abandoning their duty posts over fears of contracting Coronavirus while attending to some patients.

A video seen by SaharaReporters showed officials telling patients that doctors were not available to attend to them.

A patient, who was visibly angered by the situation, said, "They are telling us that there is no doctor, this is the card room but they are not giving us card, the place is locked up. 

Doctors Abandon Patients At Government Specialist Hospital In Edo For The Fear of Covid-19 WATCH VIDEO: Doctors Abandon Patients At Government Specialist Hospital In Edo Over COVID-19 Fear

“There is emergency here. We are not going anywhere."

A source disclosed that many of the patients with medical conditions, who thronged the facility, were having minor cases.

He added that their cases were not related to COVID-19 but wondered why the doctors decided to stay away from their duty post.

SaharaReporters had recently reported how Nigerians have been resorting to self-medication following the reluctance of doctors and hospitals to attend to patients over fears of contracting the deadly virus.

 

PUBLIC HEALTH VIDEO NEWS News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/3eTGSPP

Doctors at the Specialist Hospital, Edo State, have been accused of abandoning their duty posts over fears of contracting Coronavirus while attending to some patients.

A video seen by SaharaReporters showed officials telling patients that doctors were not available to attend to them.

A patient, who was visibly angered by the situation, said, "They are telling us that there is no doctor, this is the card room but they are not giving us card, the place is locked up. 

Doctors Abandon Patients At Government Specialist Hospital In Edo For The Fear of Covid-19 WATCH VIDEO: Doctors Abandon Patients At Government Specialist Hospital In Edo Over COVID-19 Fear

“There is emergency here. We are not going anywhere."

A source disclosed that many of the patients with medical conditions, who thronged the facility, were having minor cases.

He added that their cases were not related to COVID-19 but wondered why the doctors decided to stay away from their duty post.

SaharaReporters had recently reported how Nigerians have been resorting to self-medication following the reluctance of doctors and hospitals to attend to patients over fears of contracting the deadly virus.

 

PUBLIC HEALTH VIDEO NEWS News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/3eTGSPP

The Kaduna State Government has announced five new COVID-19 cases in the state.

Commissioner for Health, Amina Mohammed Baloni, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, said some almajiri kids from Kano were part of the new cases.

Baloni however, did not give the number of kids, who tested positive for the virus. 

She said, “The new cases are among almajiri who were recently repatriated from Kano.

“The contacts of the new cases are being traced so that they can be monitored and tested if they meet the case definition.

“The new patients have been moved to the Infectious Diseases Control Centre, the state’s premier isolation centre.

“Our medical professionals are treating them with high standards and we wish all our nine active cases speedy recovery.”

 

PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/34VdRPp

The Kaduna State Government has announced five new COVID-19 cases in the state.

Commissioner for Health, Amina Mohammed Baloni, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday, said some almajiri kids from Kano were part of the new cases.

Baloni however, did not give the number of kids, who tested positive for the virus. 

She said, “The new cases are among almajiri who were recently repatriated from Kano.

“The contacts of the new cases are being traced so that they can be monitored and tested if they meet the case definition.

“The new patients have been moved to the Infectious Diseases Control Centre, the state’s premier isolation centre.

“Our medical professionals are treating them with high standards and we wish all our nine active cases speedy recovery.”

 

PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/34VdRPp

How exactly is the lockdown helping to halt the spread of coronavirus in Nigeria? Or put another way, how is the Buhari regime which announced the lockdown in three locations, Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), ensuring that the measure unleashed is at least achieving a reasonable percentage of the purpose for which it was declared? 

Has there been any thorough audit of the exercise? Who is also undertaking such an assessment in the various states that are equally on lockdown? What is the level of compliance at the various places and what percentage of the anticipated gains has so far been achieved?     

One may never get a coherent answer.  That is the problem a people must learn to live with when they are stuck with a regime that appears to derive some kind of strange animation from maintaining an icy distance from the people it claims to be governing, a leadership that seems to have become incurably estranged from the people, their problems and feelings, and appears to be trapped in abject lack of the capacity to muster any empathy and fellow-feeling either when speaking to the populace or taking actions that are sure to harshly affect their lives.  Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye

What discerning Nigerians see out there are mere perfunctory and aimless exercises by a regime that appears to be mainly interested in demonstrating that it is also doing or has done something. Whether the measures undertaken eventually achieve the desired results or not do not seem to be among the things that bother it. What appears to matter only is that the government’s megaphones are now armed with “strong evidences” of some actions undertaken by the regime and are using them to torment the ears of a terribly famished and frustrated populace by broadcasting them on rooftops and equally deploying them to great effects to launch ferocious attacks on those who try to call attention to the howling inadequacies and failures of the authorities. 

Despite locking down Lagos, Ogun, the FCT and some other states for some weeks now, the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 is still rising. Due to the lockdown, the people cannot go out to work to earn a living in one of the harshest economies in the world, but is that all that is required to be done to combat the virus? What sincere efforts are being deployed to cushion the effects of the stay-at-home order so that people who are prevented from working to earn a living are not allowed to die of hunger? Has the government tried to identify with the people’s suffering in order to attract sufficient sympathy and cooperation from them for its strategy for halting the spread of the virus? Is the movement-restriction order, which most of the populace may just be seeing as punitive, helping to achieve the required “social distancing” which has been proved to be the most effective measure for the containment of coronavirus? 

As I move about, I see groups of people in large numbers, gathered here and there, sitting or standing very close to each other, holding lively discussions – often almost speaking into each other’s face. From the few words you could pick from their discussions, you would see immediately that government and what is widely perceived as its uncaring nature is usually the topic of discourse.  Obviously, these people are tired, hungry and angry. These gatherings, therefore, have become some kind of tranquilizer, a way of relieving tensions and removing attention from the biting problems associated with the action of a government they believe merely emerged from its seclusion, imposed a lockdown on them, and returned to its hideout without caring about the searing effects of the policy. 

But, these gatherings, sadly, only serve to sabotage the very purpose of the restriction of movements and stay-at-home order. How many of the people attend these gatherings uninfected, but go home eventually carrying the virus? So, what then are we achieving? Is it just to keep the people starving at home so that the rest of the world can see that the Nigerian government is also doing something to contain the spread of the virus, even though all the efforts being clumsily and aimlessly undertaken appear like pouring water in a basket? 

I have been saying it for some years now that Nigeria presents the best picture of how a country could look like and exist in the absence of any form of government. The average Nigerian has learnt to exist without expecting anything good, edifying or exciting happening to remind him about the existence of the government. Nigerians have learnt to endure the bad roads and dilapidated public infrastructures like hospitals and schools.  In most cases, they help themselves by making the roads that lead to their homes, providing potable water for themselves and generating their own electric power – by spending so much on petrol daily and polluting the atmosphere with ear-splitting noise and thick, harmful smokes. Even security which should be the most basic obligation any government owes its people since it controls the instruments of force and violence is almost non-existent. People are left at the mercy of criminals and bandits. So, in order to safeguard their lives, Nigerians spend so much to arrange for their own security.   

Many Nigerians, therefore, have grown to see government as some irrelevant, indifferent or even a perennially absent entity. Government only compels them to remember that it exists when it constitutes a nuisance to their lives like coming to extract taxes from them without giving anything beneficial in return or demolishing structures and displacing many people who have managed to find shelters for themselves in the absence of any viable housing policies for the masses, or even like the imposition of a movement-restriction order  on the people and callously abandoning them to their fate as is currently being experienced in the country. 

The people feel that their leaders are too immersed in their business of primitive accumulations to have any time left to seek to make them happy or try to attract their friendship and sympathy. And so, even though the restrictions are inevitable, the people are not able to buy into it. And so, the objective is largely defeated. 

Even the government that is preaching “social distancing” is seen everywhere often flagrantly observing it in the breach. For instance, shortly after the Bauchi State Governor, Mr. Bala Mohammed, was released from isolation following his recovery from Covid-19, pictures of an event he featured in were released and people were scandalized that they should convoke such a crowd where people interacted very closely and “social distancing” requirements were flouted with outrageous impunity.      

All over the country, the people are witnessing top government functionaries brazenly failing to lead by example by obeying the very restrictions they had imposed to check the spread of the virus. As they do this, they deemphasize the importance and seriousness of those measures before the people. The worst example was egregiously advertised during the recent burial of the late Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Abba Kyari. First, the corpse was flown from Lagos to Abuja, thereby endangering the lives of those who were obligated to convey and receive it. The burial was aired on television and the crowd was not, in my estimation, less than 200. This was a brazen violation of the extant crowd regulation policy of the government which stipulates that no gathering should exceed 20 people. Every requirement about “social distancing” was rudely flouted with utmost impunity. It was as if there was a deliberate effort to spread the coronavirus. Many Nigerians must have wondered at the kind of government we have that honours the dead at the expense of the safety of the living, and makes a law with one hand only to flout it with the other?  

Has anybody seen where the often very miserable palliatives are shared to hungry Nigerians? Because the people are conscious of the fact that what is being distributed are not always enough for everyone to get some bit, the fight in the usually intimidating crowd can only fill any decent person with great disgust and dread. And the videos of these shameful displays are all over the social media embarrassing and further diminishing Nigeria before the rest of the world. 

So, it is not possible to, for once, treat “ordinary” Nigerians like human beings, undertake the distribution of these food items a little more decently and avoid the sorry spectacle of people fiercely fighting, wounding themselves and falling over each other to get the items being thrown at them by officials as though they were animals? 

How many healthy people come for those food items only to go home infected with coronavirus? So, why the lockdown if the sharing of palliatives only help to further spread the virus? Unless the government undertakes a comprehensive audit of the gains of the lockdown, adopts a more creative and humane approach to its implementation, people will only be kept at home dying of hunger while the number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 keeps increasing. Instead of assessing the gains of the four weeks people have already endured and design a better way of achieving the desired results, what we are hearing is that the president and governors have resolved to impose another two weeks of restrictions! 

I will keep hoping that there is nothing in the corridors of power that makes those there incapable of realizing when they have become confused, overwhelmed and totally bereft of any workable ideas! 

So far, the government has got so much money from donations from Nigeria and abroad. It is not enough to just sit somewhere in Abuja and announce the billions you claim to have shared out to people. Please, come down from your high horse, face reality and do the right thing. You are merely preparing a time bomb by keeping people at home and refusing to financially empower them so they can feed themselves and their families. If other countries, even in Africa, can successfully do it, Nigeria can. Let the cash disbursements go round. Let the food items reach everyone that is in need of them. 

If leaders hope to succeed, they must strive to connect with the people and see them as human beings who have genuine needs and feelings, and not as mere statistics. Please, this is the 21st Century! This also is not an election season, so let all the propaganda end. They neither change the price of fish in the market nor fill the stomach of the starving. They are simply exasperating and nauseating. The Buhari regime should endeavour to puncture by practical actions the growing impression that it is helplessly overwhelmed. That is, if it is not!

Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye is a Nigerian journalist and writer (scruples2006@yahoo.com)    

Opinion AddThis :  Original Author :  Ugochukwu Ejinkeonye Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/3e5QlmF

Experts in the health sector have said that the outbreak of Coronavirus was already threatening the immunisation of millions of children in Africa to various diseases.

The pandemic is said to have caused a significant disruption to vaccination efforts and surveillance of vaccine-preventable diseases on the continent.

Already, the Africa Vaccination Week has been put on hold as a result of the outbreak in most countries on the continent.

The exercise was expected to kick off last Friday but had to be suspended due to the lockdown of most countries including Nigeria. 

The World Health Organisation had before the disease outbreak underscored the importance of maintaining essential health services such as immunisation.

WHO noted that interruptions of vaccination activities would make the outbreaks more likely to occur, putting children and other vulnerable groups at risk of life-threatening diseases.

It said, “Africa has been experiencing a resurgence of measles. Measles preventive mass vaccination campaigns in Chad, Ethiopia, Nigeria and South Sudan have been suspended because of COVID-19, leaving around 21 million children who would have been vaccinated unprotected."

Director of Disease Control and Immunisation of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Bassey Okposen, said the organisation had completed the development of eight guidelines for public health care workers and community members.

He said, "We started online training of facilitators who will train our health personnel at the sub-national level using the above materials.

"Again, there is an ongoing PSA from the agency with regards ongoing immunization and other PHC services at the PHC facilities."

He said the material were aimed at improving the knowledge of health workers and community members to reduce community level COVID 19 infection spread. 

PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2SbL4AU

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
The president says he takes no responsibility for a reported spike in calls to emergency hotlines.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Aviation industry groups warn that the move puts at risk more than 300,000 jobs in the country.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Simple cloth masks are now mandatory on public transport and in shops within most states.

We have never experienced a phenomenon similar to COVID-19 in our lifetime. In a matter of weeks, the virus has spread to 210 countries and territories and has rocked global economies in its wake.

To curb the spread of the virus, governments encouraged, and eventually mandated that people remain at home, effectively shutting down productivity. Over the last five weeks, 26.5 million Americans have filed for unemployment.

There are current estimates that this year alone, the pandemic could push about 49 million people into extreme poverty. Five million of these people will come from Nigeria. Already the poverty capital of the world, it would cripple our economy to add this to the 87 million Nigerians that already live on less than $1.90 a day.

The struggle in deciding between adhering to public health recommendations to lock-down and the economic pressures to re-open are not peculiar to Nigeria. This has commonly become known as decision to protect lives or livelihood and many countries have grappled with this decision over the last month. Even within countries, state and federal governments have argued on the right approach.  Dr Ayobami Olufadeji

A nation’s ability to hold out on re-opening is determined by its social security net for its vulnerable populations. This has been evidenced by the different variations of economic stimulus packages released by countries over the last few weeks. Unfortunately in Nigeria, our ability to absorb shocks to the economy is limited and will only become debilitated in the coming months as the price of oil is expected to continue to drop.

In a viral video last week, a Nigerian told a CNN reporter “I prefer to die by corona virus, than to die by hungry virus.” Even though our government has made an attempt to provide food for our poor, it is clear that there is still an unmet need and inevitably, the balance will tip in favor of re-opening to protect the livelihoods of Nigerians. However, here are 4 things we need to put in place before that time comes.

Expand testing capacity

At the time of this article, we have tested 10,918 samples in Nigeria. While I suspect that this data point does not reflect the number of individuals tested (patients need to provide multiple samples before discharge), even if it did, it would mean that we have only tested 0.0057% of our population. I think it is safe to extrapolate that we do not have a good grasp of the coronavirus burden of disease in Nigeria at this time.

I appreciate that the NCDC has done a lot of work with scaling up our ability to test in Nigeria but we are still only able to run 400 - 600 samples a day. If we were to look to South Korea who have been touted as an example of a country that has managed the pandemic well, we’d need to improve our testing capacity by 25 times to get us up to the 15,000 samples they run a day. This is impressive considering that they have a population that is approximately 25% of ours.

Considering the significant social economic and cultural challenges to adhering to social distancing in our context, mass testing allows us to quickly identify new cases and isolate them so that we can limit the spread of the virus.

Mandate mask wearing

If you’re confused about whether or not people should wear masks, what kind of masks they should wear, how efficacious they are, you’re not alone. There’s a reason why COVID-19 is referred to as the novel coronavirus. Health systems around the world are grappling with all the new information daily and trying to adjust their recommendations.

In order for us to re-open Nigeria, we need to mandate mask wearing for all individuals as a baseline irrespective of symptomatology. A key transmission route of coronavirus is via droplets that come out of mouths and nostrils, not just when we cough or sneeze, but even when we speak. What’s even more concerning about this virus in particular is that we know that people that have no symptoms can carry this virus and infect others. Multiple studies have shown that a substantial number of transmissions may have originated from pre-symptomatic individuals; as high 24 – 44% in these studies out of Shenzen and a multi-site study in Asia.  This means that 1 out of 3 people that contract the virus get it from someone who has had no symptoms. Even more worrisome, studies show that 10 – 15% of test results are false negative. This means that 1 in 10 people who have tested negative for COVID-19 actually have the virus and can continue to spread it to others.

Although cloth masks do not do a great job of protecting healthcare workers, they do a good job of preventing egress of particles from the mouth of the wearer. Research has shown that blocking transmission of particles from the sick individuals is much easier, and cloth masks can fulfill that need. People point to South Korea’s extensive testing as one of the reasons they were able to get a hold on the spread of COVID-19. What most people don’t talk about is that as they expanded their testing capacity, they also began to provide a regular supply of masks for all citizens.

The graph below depicts a mathematical model that suggests that if most people wear a mask in public, the transmission rate can fall so much that we could effectively stop the spread of the disease. Source&Source

PPE for Healthcare providers

In the index case in Wuhan, 1300 health care workers became infected with the coronavirus. Their likelihood of infection was more than three times as high as the general population and they had to bring in doctors from elsewhere to help take care of their sick. Then they revamped their approach to PPE , and these methods ensured that no more healthcare workers were infected.

It is important that we provide PPE for our health care providers in Nigeria. With a ratio of 1 physician per 2,600 Nigerians we cannot afford to lose any healthcare workers lest we run the risk of totally crumbling our frail healthcare system.

Fund research

While there is no science to substantiate the many ludicrous claims in early February that black skin was protective against corona virus, there is no question that there will be differences in the way Nigeria is affected compared to other western countries.  Our population demographics are significantly different. Data from 2015 shows that the median age of the Nigerian population was 17.9 years. This suggests that most Nigerians have not developed the chronic conditions that have predisposed others to worse outcomes in available data sets around the world. Combine this with a life expectancy of 54 years, it is reasonable to assume that most of our population who have poor health at baseline have unfortunately passed away from other causes. This might explain why we have one of the lower mortality rates globally at 3%, although I am concerned about underreporting (see this story about Kano for example).

What can the 35 deaths (at the time of this writing) teach us about the pattern of mortality in Nigeria? Were the patients on ventilators before they died? How long did it take for them to be placed on ventilators? What was the management for those who could not be placed on ventilators? How many of the patients in the isolation centers have needed supplemental oxygen? Did they need nasal canula or high flow oxygen? Were they able to be weaned off the oxygen? Are there any patient characteristics that have predisposed Nigerians to worse outcomes? How long are patients staying in the hospital before they are discharged? Does hydroxychloroquine work in Nigeria? (current data suggests otherwise). Will proning patients work in Nigeria? (my anecdotal evidence from taking care of these patients suggests that it will)

Will ‘hitting the body with ultraviolet light’ work? (cue 45)

Researchers answer these questions. I have been impressed at our ability to raise money to expand testing, build field hospitals, purchase PPE, and develop a myriad of tech solutions. We need to devote that same energy to research institutions across the country. They give us our best chance at early pattern recognition and developing best practices for our local context in our battle against coronavirus.

A hard decision

It is difficult to predict the right time to re-open Nigeria. World leaders around the world are grappling with this same challenge and some have even described this decision as the most important of their careers. Our inadequate social safety net in Nigeria suggests that we will likely have to open before it is clinically safe to do so. To give our country the fighting chance, we need to put certain measures in place – expand testing, mandate mask wearing, protect our healthcare workforce with PPE, and fund research to identify solutions for our local context.

Dr Ayobami Olufadeji is an emergency physician and Clinical Instructor at Harvard Medical School. He can be reached via ayo.olufadeji@gmail.com

Opinion AddThis :  Featured Image :  Original Author :  Dr Ayobami Olufadeji Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2ScQpHY