Oluwatosin Oyeniran is a renowned researcher and academic in the department of Human Physiology, Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja. His research and teaching experience spans across cardiorespiratory physiology, public health, and medical education, with over twenty published articles on COVID-19 pandemic in top-rated international journals, which have attracted engagements and cited by hundreds of researchers globally.
He spoke with Bassey Anthony on the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria and the effectiveness of government preparedness and interventions. This interview highlights the critical findings from Oyeniran’s research on the multi-faceted impacts of COVID-19, emphasizing the need for systemic improvements in education, healthcare, and public health infrastructure in Nigeria.
As a researcher actively involved in studying the effects of COVID-19, what are some of the most significant impacts of the pandemic in Nigeria?
The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected various aspects of life in Nigeria, particularly in education and healthcare. One of the key issues is the disruption of traditional learning environments, which has forced a shift towards online education. Unfortunately, this transition has been challenging due to the lack of adequate ICT infrastructure across many institutions in Nigeria, leading to unequal access to education.
What about the healthcare sector? How has COVID-19 shaped the healthcare response in Nigeria?
The pandemic has exposed weaknesses in our healthcare system, particularly in the areas of emergency preparedness and response. The strain on healthcare resources and the need for rapid adaptation have highlighted the importance of strengthening our public health infrastructure. Furthermore, the pandemic has also emphasized the need for better health education and communication strategies to manage public health crises effectively.
Your research has also touched on the psychological and social effects of the pandemic. Could you elaborate on these findings?
Findings from my research showed that the pandemic has had significant psychological and social repercussions. The uncertainty and fear associated with the virus, coupled with economic hardships, have led to increased stress, anxiety, and other mental health challenges among the population. Additionally, the enforcement of social distancing measures has disrupted social support systems, further exacerbating these issues globally.
Based on your research, what steps should be taken to mitigate these impacts in the future?
My research findings suggest that mitigating the COVID-19 impacts demands crucial investment in digital infrastructure for education and development of comprehensive mental health support systems. Strengthening healthcare systems and improving public health education will also be key in managing future pandemics. Moreover, addressing the socio-economic factors that exacerbate these challenges is essential for building resilience in our communities.
Can you tell us about the impacts and contributions of your COVID-19 research?
My research on COVID-19 has significantly impacted Nigeria and global public health, highlighting key concerns, advocating for stronger systems, mental health support, and equitable resource access, and shaping a comprehensive response to future public health challenges. More so, my research has garnered global attention, particularly in academic and public health circles, and has significantly influenced discussions on the pandemic’s impact on education and healthcare systems, especially in Nigeria and Africa. The findings from my research have significantly impacted global understanding of the pandemic’s effects, as evidenced by the public engagements, phone interview from a New York Times reporter, and the scientific citation patterns, highlighting its relevance and importance in the field of human and public health.
Thank you, Oluwatosin Oyeniran, for your insights.
It was my pleasure. It is important that Nigeria and other African countries must continue to learn from this experience to better prepare for future public health challenges.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Tuesday warned security men against flouting the restriction order.
The FCTA said only those on official duties are allowed movement in the territory during the 14-day curfew imposed by the President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Chairman of the FCT Ministerial Taskteam on Traffic, Ikharo Attah, handed down the warning after monitoring the compliance level in the nation’s capital.
Attah put the compliance level at 85 percent but noted that many security operatives not on duty, including the military and police, abused their privileges.
He said henceforth, any security operatives caught violating the curfew would be arrested and prosecuted by the appropriate authority.
Attah said: “The virus wants to live on the body, when nobody picks it up, it dies. All security men should stay in their houses except those on official duties.
“If we are to allow all uniformed men to roam the streets, the restriction will have no impact. We want to quickly end this coronavirus pandemic so that we can return to normal lives.”
Attah urged residents to cooperate with the government by complying with the no-movement order and observe all precautionary measures rolled out by the government.
Motivated by its public service orientation, the Niger State Drugs and Hospital Consumables Management Agency is assisting citizens to manage the coronavirus challenge with lower prices on hand sanitizers that it produces. The Niger State agency produces and sells sanitizers at 100 per cent lower than current market prices.
“Before the coronavirus scourge, we had started producing sanitizers in small quantities but now we are producing in large quantities, enough to be distributed to markets and hospitals,” said Mathias Pmabi, the Head of the Central Medical Store in the Niger State Drugs and Hospital Consumables Management Agency.
Where 250 mls of sanitizers goes for N4000 in the market, the agency is producing and selling at N1,500 and, according to Pmabi, the agency would have been distributing it free but for the rise in the cost of the materials to produce the sanitizers. They also do not have adequate funds to pursue a free distribution policy.
Normally, the production of hand sanitisers and hand wash was not part of the responsibilities of the Niger state Drugs and Hospital Consumables Management Agency. The agency focused on storing drugs and consumables for the hospitals across the state.
However, their proactivity has made the Drugs and Hospitals Consumables Agency the go-to place in Niger state to get hand sanitizers at an affordable and pocket-friendly rate in a time when the price of sanitizers has skyrocketed.
Months ago before the advent of the coronavirus, the Niger State Drugs and Hospital Consumables Management Agency had decided they were going to also veer into the production of sanitizers and handwash especially in the wake of Lassa Fever across the country and the fact that the state has always been vulnerable to these diseases.
As pharmacists, officials thought they could do more than merely dispensing drugs. They could also produce., the Executive Director of the Agency told The Nation.
The Agency has produced about 1000 units of sanitizers in the last two months. It has capacity to produce in larger quantities but lacks the resources to do so.
“If you talk about the capacity, we have the capacity. For now, we have enough to go round but as the demand increases, we do not have enough raw materials to go round because the price keeps increasing.”
Speaking on the effectiveness of the sanitiser in preventing the spread of coronavirus, the Executive Director of the Niger state Drugs and Hospital Consumables Management Agency, Pharmacist Mohammed Audu said that the sanitizer is 99% effective as it contains Isoprophy Acholol (IPA) which is very effective in killing germs.
Audu said that the primary focus of the production of the sanitizers is to enable the people to be able to protect themselves from the coronavirus and enable them to get something affordable than the high rate it is currently being sold in the market.
“We have been producing in small quantities in the past but now, we have seen the need to scale up production because we need to rise to the challenge of the season. No one knows who has had it as confirmed and suspected cases are still coming up but we are working to get the people to protect themselves.
“We were fore-looking as we had procured equipment for fast production from Turkey last year but we have been unable to use it because the Engineer who was supposed to fix it up couldn’t come because his country had become affected by the coronavirus. We are working to get our local engineers to fix the equipment. When we are done, we can produce very large quantities in a go.”
The Executive Director believes that when this is done, the people in the state would be able to get sanitizers at an affordable rate stating that, “Sanitizers should not only be for the elites. Everyone should be able to get it.”
However, the quest for producing these sanitizers is being threatened by the indiscriminate rise of ingredients and materials needed for its production, “Right now, we are at the mercy of importers who have increased the price of the ingredients and materials for packaging the sanitizers overnight.
“Two weeks ago, one of the ingredients of the sanitizers which is very important have gone haywire. The IPA was N108,000 but now, it is N270,000 and the sellers are saying it may go higher. The containers are N800 as against N200. While the ingredients for the handwash is not expensive, the ingredients for the sanitizers have increased.
“The hand sanitizer is more preferable because once you use it, you won’t be required to wash your hands as is the case with the handwash. The hand sanitizer is alcohol and it kills viruses and bacteria within six seconds. We are trying to optimize this expensive ingredient with ethanol which is also alcohol-based”.
Audu said that the Agency is trying not to sell the sanitizers but to give it to those who will use it directly saying now is not about making money but about saving humanity.
He then called on the state government to mobilize resources for the agency to be able to produce quantities that can be distributed to every household in the state. He stated that most families cannot afford the high price of sanitizers.
“It is the government’s responsibility to produce these sanitizers and distribute it freely to the people but the resources are not just there. If we can get enough resources in this agency, I can assure you that every household in Niger state will have at least 250 ml sanitizer in their home. I am still trying to convince the Commissioner for Health to mobilize resources for us. If he can do so, then we are good to go.
“The high price of sanitizers worries me. You can imagine the stress faced by people just to get one of the sanitizers for their homes and themselves to keep safe.”
Water is life, goes the popular saying. However, in Nigeria, this might not be completely true because it has sent many out of this world into graves of various sizes after they consumed or had contact with it. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) experts say these deaths are untimely and needless.
However, in this report which is a part of an ongoing in-depth research about water in Nigeria by TOBORE OVUORIE, many more deaths may be recorded through Nigerians contracting the coronavirus while hustling to access water for their daily sustenance as the country is lagging behind in meeting the Sustainable Development Goal six which is to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by year 2030 through universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all, amongst others.
WASTED TIME
“I always get to the office very late. I am supposed to resume by 8am but the earliest I get to work is from 9.30am because of the water trouble in the community where I live. I am seriously praying that my boss would not get fed up and send me away.”
This is Mary Ajuwa, a sales officer who lives in Agboyi Ketu, a riverine suburb and slum in the heart of Lagos state. Mary, as she is fondly called by her family, friends, neighbors and associates begins her day with hunting for water and ends the day doing same.
This is because the water in the community where she lives is neither safe for drinking nor bathing. The house she lives has no borehole. Every resident in the community depends on public taps donated to the community by a major nonprofit organization.
“The water is yellowish and the few times I used it to bath, I had terrible skin infections,” the light-skinned 25- year-old explains why she reserves the water for just flushing toilets and washing certain kinds of clothes. “I don’t use this water to wash white clothes and other bright colored clothes.”
Though unmarried, she lives with two siblings and Mary spends a minimum of N3, 000 monthly on sachet water popularly called ‘pure water’ in Nigeria.
At Osaro, Akute, in Ogun state, another suburb, all houses do not have public water supply and depend on private boreholes, wells, open wells or water vendors known as Mai-ruwa.
“In my compound, we use electric pump for our borehole but due to poor electricity supply, we don’t have water every day. We join others to fetch water from compounds with borehole whose owners can afford to use generator to pump. But they sell the water,” Iya Emma, a trader and mother of three explains.
“I use the water from our borehole and other places where I fetch from to cook, bath, wash clothes and other house chores. My family drinks ‘pure water’ because we are not sure the water is clean for drinking,” she adds but cuts her talks with this reporter as she hurries to go look for water to fetch that late evening.
Many Nigerians still travel distances to buy water from untrusted sources as this. IMAGE BY: TOBORE OVUORIE
Except deliberate efforts are made, by the year 2030- when the Sustainable Development Goals five and six should have been achieved globally, more girls and women in Nigeria like Mary and Iya Emma will instead continue to waste so much time walking long distances to hunt for water.
Goal 5 is to achieve gender equality and empower girls and women by the year 2030 and this is to be achieved through various targets, which include recognition and value of unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate.
Goal 6 is to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by the year 2030. This is to be achieved through various targets, which include universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all; substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity and implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through trans-boundary cooperation as appropriate, amongst others.
WATER VENDORS
Unlike Mary and Iya Emma, Victor Umoh in Iyana Ipaja, another suburb of Lagos, says he relies entirely on water vendors.
The journalist spends about N7, 000 monthly on water from the vendors for other usages as well as sachet water for drinking. According to him, there is no borehole or well in the house he lives in.
“I rely on Mai-ruwa. I have three drums so they supply me water every two to three days. I have never drink the water because I don’t trust how these guys get the water. So, I drink only sachet water.”
Umoh says when the vendors are nowhere to be found, he simply packs a bag and heads for a family member’s house or to be with friends.
“I will have to walk a very long distance to fetch water, which I cannot do due to my extremely tight schedule. Also, as a television presenter, a fan may see me and a picture of me fetching water in public could end up on social media, which I don’t want.”
A part of a research carried out by this reporter exploring the sources of water for domestic use of 229 Lagos residents drawn from an on-ground survey indicates 75 percent of them consume sachet and bottled water as their drinking water.
Only seven percent of the respondents say they use sachet and bottled water for other water usages, while 18 percent consume water from boreholes as their drinking water.
Sources of water for domestic use in Lagos, Nigeria SURVEY BY: TOBORE OVUORIE
Lagos state, as at 2018 was supplying about 210 million gallons of water per day. This was disclosed at a media parley by Mr. Deji Johnson, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the Lagos Water Corporation ahead of the 2018 World Water Day celebrated on March 22nd, that year. He did not disclose the percentage of the population served by public water but admitted there is a huge gap.
According to Johnson, the water production in the state is poor because the population exceeds the corporation’s ability to meet demand.
WATER CART PUSHERS (MAI-RUWA) CAN SPREAD CORONAVIRUS COVID-19!
Portable water supply is a familiar challenge for many Nigerian households. Hence, their relying on external sources such as water vendors popularly known as Mai-ruwa. They often charge between N25 and N50 per keg. The environment they operate shapes the price.
Mr. Adebayo Adedeji, immediate past Director of Laboratory Sciences at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), however warns that the services of Mai-ruwa at a time as this when the country is battling with the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) could have dire consequences if not properly managed.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with this reporter, he says “If the Mai-ruwa is infected, there is a possibility of transmitting the virus to whosoever is buying that water. I have not heard about the possibility of the virus being transmitted through water, because it is by aerosol transmission.
“But if there is no good hygiene in proper place, I think the virus can be transmitted even through the container. If somebody infected is with the container and we don’t handle the container well, the virus would spread.
Portable water supply is a familiar challenge of many Nigerian households. Hence, their relying on external sources such as Mai-ruwa IMAGE BY: TOBORE OVUORIE
“We know the Mai-ruwas are not so much hygienic, however, I will advise that they need to be educated on the mode of the transmission of the disease and on the way to comport themselves and fetch water in a hygienic place.
“We are not only talking about coronavirus, only that the coronavirus is very topical now. But there are still some water transmittable diseases that could accompany the unhygienic collection of water from open source and among other issues.
“All of them are just working together. But coronavirus is topical and we now know that there could be possibility of community transmission; man-to-man transmission, through handling of contaminated handles.
“So, the community awareness is very essential now, the Mai-ruwas need to be told about what is happening because you don’t know what happens at where they go to fetch the water. If they are harbouring the virus, it would be easily transmitted to any other person”.
Dr. Aminu Magaji Garuba, a public health practitioner, says “clean and running tap water is Africa’s biggest challenge. If the water is dirty or not clean, the microbes will not be destroyed completely.”
NIGERIAN CONCERN
Investigations indicate many Nigerians still depend on open wells for their daily water sustenance and drink sachet water irregularly- only when they can afford such. Ongoing research findings by this reporter reveal such communities are not a dime in mega cities like Lagos state.
This class of Nigerians, it was discovered during the field survey for the research, cannot even afford to pay Mai-ruwa to get them a keg of water, so, they depend on available open wells, but travel long distances to access these unsafe sources of water.
Access and sources of water for households in Nigeria SURVEY BY: TOBORE OVUORIE
International standard practice states that nobody should travel more than 100 meters before accessing water. This is not the case in Nigeria at the moment as statistics from global agencies such as the United Nations and the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicate most people travel very long distances before they can access water.
The 2017 Multiple Indicator Cluster indicates Nigerian households depend mainly on external sources for their drinking water because most homes do not have potable water within their premises. Thus, putting to scrutiny the quality of water Nigerians drink as the country continually records outbreak of cholera.
Also, a 2017 report by the World Bank states Nigeria provided clean water to fewer than 10 percent of persons residing in cities in 2015. The 2017 Multiple Indicator Cluster survey indicates 68 percent of Nigerians buy or source water from locations outside their homes, Most Nigerians, according to the survey, drink sachet, bottle, taps, wells and borehole water. The location decides the drinking patterns.
Many Nigerians travel very long distances, especially girls and women, before they can access water. IMAGE BY: TOBORE OVUORIE
The survey states no fewer than 40 percent of women hunt for water for families in various societies in the country. It is an extreme case in the Northeastern part of the country as 83 per cent of homes have no drinking water on their premises. This is followed by the South-south with 71 per cent and the North-central with 70 percent with drinking water burden.
The burden, the MIC survey states, is also heavier on the rural areas with 74 percent, compared to 59 percent in the urban areas. In most cases, those who go looking for water spend no fewer than 30 minutes away from their homes.
In many neighborhoods in Nigeria, house owners- landlords and landladies, provide their own water through dug boreholes within their premises. They also sell the water but not in large commercial quantities. People often within and around their neighborhood simply come, buy and go. This class of water providers, the ongoing research findings reveal, simply sell raw borehole water with little or no level of quality to people.
GLOBAL CONCERN
World Bank statistics indicate about 2.1 billion people globally do not have access to safe drinking water, while 4.5 billion persons lack access to safe sanitation. WaterAid, 2018, on its twitter handle warned: “Unless we shift to more pragmatic WASH investment addressing people’s complex needs, many will still be drinking dirty water in 2030.”
Women Deliver, a global nonprofit organization in 2018, urged all countries to accelerate access to water as girls and women spend 73 billion hours fetching water. When access is accelerated, the global nonprofit says the health, education and livelihoods of girls and women globally will improve, hence their reclaiming the time lost in hunting for water.
IMPLICATIONS OF UNSAFE WATER
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says water safety and quality are crucial to human development and wellbeing as consumption of contaminated water have dire consequences on both short and long term. The global health agency says improving access to safe drinking water can result in tangible improvements to health.
According to WHO, provision of access to safe water is one of the most effective ways to promote health and reduce poverty as the quality of drinking water is a powerful environmental determinant of health.
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“Drinking-water quality management has been a key foundation for the prevention and control of waterborne diseases. Water is essential for life, but it can and does transmit disease in countries in all continents – from the poorest to the wealthiest.
“The most predominant waterborne disease, diarrhea has an estimated annual incidence of 4.6 billion episodes and causes 2.2 million deaths every year,” this is according to a report on drinking water quality on the WHO website.
The agency explains that there are several variants of the faecal-oral pathway of water-borne disease transmission. These include contamination of drinking-water catchments (for instance, by human or animal faeces), water within the distribution system ( through leaky pipes or obsolete infrastructure) or of stored household water as a result of unhygienic handling.
SOLUTIONS
Dr. Ipoade Omilaju, Chief Executive Officer/Principal Consultant, Sharry Moore Strategic Konsult with over two decades experience in Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) interventions, says a huge sum of money is actually required for Nigeria’s government to be able to provide potable water in order to meet the Sustainable Development Goals five and six.
In an exclusive interview, Dr. Omilaju advises Nigeria should embrace Public Private Partnership (PPP) although Nigerians are used to free water, for it is a fundamental human right that ought to be provided by the government as enshrined in the country’s constitution.
“But the fact remains that we are over 200 million now, or thereabout. And, at the same time, we do not have a responsive and accountable government. The fact needs to be told that there must be private sector involvement in potable water provision.
“Even the ones we are talking about that they get from Mai-ruwa, how clean are they? Are they suitable for consumption? Because most of the diseases that are recorded, for instance, about 80 percent of diarrhea that are recorded are water related.
“There are a lot of water related diseases. And, of course, women and under-five deaths are water related. In order for us to be able to tackle this, we need the involvement of private sector. And, the private sector is about business, so, how does the government work in partnership with the private sector so that the citizens are not left at the mercy of the private sector who will then determine their price just as we are having in the case of power supply presently? The government is to go about this by providing leadership and ensure that there is appropriate pricing,“ Dr. Omilaju explains.
Dr. Ipoade Omilaju, Chief Executive Officer/Principal Consultant, Sharry Moore Strategic Konsult.
The WHO recommends regular hand washing as one of the preventive measures for COVID-19. Medical and WASH experts say the need for improved access to water cannot be overemphasized.
Nigeria needs to invest about $8 billion in providing potable water for the country to achieve Goal 6 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
SDG Goal 6 aims at ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
An official of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Zaid Jurgi, in March, 2018 said over 60 million Nigerians still lack access to potable water and more funds must be invested to ensure the access.
He said if the country continues at the present rate of development in the water sector, only about 72 per cent of Nigerians will have access to potable water supply by 2030. Should this happen, Nigerian will not meet the SDG Goal five and six.
Jurgi said access to safe water can save most of the under five children who die from preventable diseases, as most of the diseases are caused by poor access to water.
He noted that about 88 per cent of diarrhea cases in Nigeria come from states that do not meet the WASH standard.
Addressing the findings about Nigerians who presently cannot even afford to pay Mai-ruwa to get them water, Dr. Omilaju advises the government should create cushioning effects for them through what he calls segregated pricing.
“The government must look at commercialization with them at the back of their minds. Segregated pricing will be needed for this class of persons who cannot even afford to pay per jerrycans of water at the moment. There is a need for partnership with the private sector but with the government negotiating between the people and the private sector in terms of appropriate pricing.”
For those who have water within their compounds and sell to the public, the WASH expert says the government should provide them with technical and financial support. He suggests the government could train them on water storage, and how to also put adequate amount of chlorine in the water, so that when they are selling the water, the people are not just buying raw borehole water, which in some cases have sewage very close by, but they are actually buying, to some extent, treated water.
“To leave it to government to do, honestly, it might not work. If we had a responsive and accountable government, yes, it would have been possible. The issue of health says it all.
“Abba Kyari tested positive to COVI-19 and there is already a proposal of him being transferred to Lagos, meanwhile this present government has spent billions of naira on Aso clinic all these years, yet, there is no single ventilator in the clinic to treat whoever and their principal that would need treatment there”, he concludes.
Editor’s Note: The surname of Mr. Victor Umoh was changed for his privacy.
This story is produced with grant and visualization support from Code For Africa’s WanaData Community Initiative.
International Breweries (IB) Plc has donated a primary healthcare centre in Oginigba, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The brewery giant said it built the ultra-modern health facility to further demonstrate its commitment to supporting the government and communities in healthcare and infrastructure delivery.
IB Plc., a member of the world’s largest brewer, Anheuser-BuschInbev (AB InBev), said it cost N44million to build and furnish the centre, which will be managed by the Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board.
The Oginigba Health Centre is equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities, such as infant incubators and warmer, nebuliser, anaesthesia machine, suction machine, delivery beds, X-ray new box, oxygen concentrator, facilities for the resident doctor, and auto clave machine, among others.
During the inauguration, which held at the Oginigba Primary School, IB ’s Legal and Corporate Affairs Director, Otunba Michael Daramola, said the event was another testament to the company’s commitment to an effective and efficient Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) system, which the company does in partnership with its host communities.
He noted that the dream of bringing people together for a better world drives the vision to support communities and the people of Nigeria in five CSR interventions areas: empowerment, education, health, infrastructural support and responsible drinking.
“The dream of bringing people together for a better world actually led to our vision of supporting the Rivers State government to provide this primary health care facility in Oginigba to cater for the people of the community and environs.
With today’s project, we are also demonstrating our contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 3 on Good Health and Well-Being; SDG 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation and SDG 9 which addresses the impact of Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.
“Before this project, we renovated the Oginigba Primary School borehole, which provides potable water to pupils, teachers and the community residents.
We are also supporting youth empowerment and employment as eight youth beneficiaries from Rivers State would be receiving N7, 970,000 as grants from the International Breweries Foundation under the Kickstart Youth Empowerment programme to start their businesses,” he said.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, commended IB for responding to the medical needs of the community after the government provided the location of the health centre.
Wike, who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Prof Kaniye Ebeku, assured that the government would continue to provide the enabling environment to support the business operations of corporations like International Breweries Plc that are complementing the state government’s efforts at improving the lives of its citizens.
The Paramount Ruler of Oginigba, Eze G. B. Odum, said the intervention recorded by the beer giant with the Oginigba Health Centre would serve as an example for other multinational companies in Oginigba kingdom to emulate.
“We are, indeed, overwhelmed with joy to witness the completion of this ultra-modern health centre, a project embarked upon and successfully completed by International Breweries Plc.
Words are not enough to convey how grateful we are to the management as we know that the company has left a great legacy on the sands of time. This landmark is one that will surely serve as an example to other multinational companies in Oginigba kingdom,” he said.
As coronavirus infections soar in Nigeria and many parts of the world, political and health authorities are nearing their wits’ end over how to restore calm to the restive public, reports Associate Editor ADEKUNLE YUSUF
Despite efforts to contain it, coronavirus pandemic is still spreading like harmattan fire in many parts of the world. As its infections soar, the virus is also altering lives. Going by recent profiles of some of those infected, the raging virus is also not a respecter of persons.
In Nigeria, governments at all levels have devised social isolation measures. President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo were declared negative. They have since begun self-isolation. The President’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, however, was not so lucky. He tested positive for the disease which precipitated the need to test the duo and others in the Presidency.
Kyari tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday after he had travelled to Germany on March 7 to meet with officials of Siemens in Munich on the electricity expansion programme.
When he returned seven days later, he did not show any symptoms. But 24 hours later, he showed symptoms, following which he submitted himself for testing. Three among his aides were not spared either.
Fear has gripped high-profile Nigerians, especially governors and ministers as Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, tested positive for COVID-19. The panic among the governors and the ministers was understandable. After his return from foreign trips, Kyari attended the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting last Wednesday; while Mohammed was at the National Executive Council meeting last Thursday. After Nigeria recorded the first coronavirus case on February 27, Kyari visited Germany and Egypt.
To avert mass infection, the Federal Government has announced some measures aimed at controlling the coronavirus pandemic. The new measures, which were released by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19, on border closures, a strong stay-away advice for residents of the administrative and commercial capitals and suspension of the weekly cabinet meeting.
All of Nigeria’s land borders, which have hitherto been under partial closure, have been closed for human traffic for four weeks effective 23rd March, 2020. All city dwellers haven strongly advised to stay at home, avoid mass congregation (including religious gatherings) of any kind as well as non-essential outings, until further advice is given.
The FEC meetings have been suspended until further notice, while the meeting of the Council of State scheduled for yesterday had been postponed. There is a ban on international travels – which is affecting travellers from 13 countries as a measure of controlling the coronavirus pandemic. The affected countries include China, the United States and the United Kingdom.
The Lagos State government has advised those who attended the African Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards to embark on self-isolation, suggesting a potential case of mass infection of coronavirus. A message posted on the state’s Twitter handle said a patient had attended the big entertainment event, which took place mid-March. The message gave guidelines to attendees to observe strict self-isolation and contact the authorities when they notice any symptoms.
“I hereby notify you that all participants at the African Magic Viewers’ Choice Award (AMVCA) held on 14th March at Eko Hotels may have come in contact with one of the confirmed cases in Lagos and are most likely to have been exposed to #COVID19 Infection.” The said hotel complex on Monday announced a partial closure which it called a scaling down of operations to minimise coronavirus risk.
Like Lagos, virtually all the states have placed restriction on social gatherings, closed schools and other avenues that allow mass gatherings. With these measures, Nigeria has joined a number of African countries who have announced travel bans on countries with high coronavirus cases. Some countries have used reported cases to activate the bans.
Ghana, for example, insists that travellers from countries with 100 or more cases will be refused entry. So far, Nigeria has 46 confirmed cases, two of which have been discharged after recovery. The index patient, an Italian, is one of them.
In the United States, $2 trillion stimulus bill is underway, as a deal has been reached by the White House and Senate leaders after tense negotiations. The deal will provide the much-needed help to Americans, as most people will get their full or nearly full salaries or can be furloughed.
Key points of the bill included $130 billion for hospitals, nursing homes, community health centers and other similar facilities, to help with the shortage of ventilators and equipment. The fund will help to provide equipment and supplies for hospitals and healthcare facilities during the coronavirus pandemic.
This “worker-friendly” deal will also assist people who are out of work to apply quickly for employment insurance or be furloughed. There are $150 billion in assistance for state and local governments as well as interest-free loans for small businesses.
President Donald Trump has approved an urgent request for a major disaster declaration for the state of Louisiana, which grants the state access to federal aid as it combats the spread of Covid-19. Louisiana became the fourth state for whom President Trump approved a major disaster declaration after state leaders asked the federal government to access extra resources to tackle the pandemic.
With more than 25,000 positive tests and 210 deaths, New York has become the epicenter of coronavirus cases in the US. Numbers in other states also have been skyrocketing.
Louisiana, which reported no cases until mid-March, topped the 1,000 mark and the state has seen more than 500 new cases reported since the weekend, with 1,388 cases and 46 deaths by Tuesday afternoon. New Jersey added more than 800 cases from Monday to Tuesday, for a total of 3,675 positive tests and 44 deaths.
That makes New Jersey the second-highest state case total in the nation. Last week alone, New Jersey cases increased tenfold. Many states are under a stay-at-home order, as more than 52,000 coronavirus cases were reported in the country, with nearly half in New York. At least, 701 people have died.
In the United Kingdom, Prince Charles has tested positive to the virus – though he continues to work after his coronavirus diagnosis. He was tested on Monday and got results on Tuesday. He is self-isolating at the Birkhall estate in Scotland, with a small number of staff keeping separate from him; while his wife, Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall, is self-isolating separately.
In Saudi Arabia, stringent measures haven put in place in order to curtail the spread of the virus, as inter-city travels between Riyadh, Medina and Mecca have been suspended and curfews tightened in the cities to start at 3 p.m. On Monday, Saudi authorities imposed a curfew across the country starting at 7 p.m. local time until 6 a.m.
for 21 days to curb the spread of the coronavirus. The tighter curfew came a day ahead of a virtual G20 leader’s summit, which will be chaired by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz “to advance a coordinated global response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its human and economic implications.”
In Italy, life is bleak with over 74,386 coronavirus cases and over 7500 deaths. Although over 9,000 people have recovered, the country still battles with more than 57,000 active cases, making the epicentre of the pandemic in Europe.
Italy has placed more than 16 million people under quarantine as it battles to contain the spread of coronavirus. Anyone living in Lombardy and 14 other central and northern provinces will need special permission to travel. Milan and Venice are both affected. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte also announced the closure of schools, gyms, museums, nightclubs and other venues across the whole country.
The measures, the most radical taken outside China, will last until April 3. Italy has seen the largest number of coronavirus infections in Europe, with the number of confirmed cases jumping by the day.
The strict new quarantine measures affect a quarter of the Italian population and centre on the rich northern part of the country that powers its economy.
The health system is under immense strain in Lombardy, a northern region of 10 million people, where people are being treated in hospital corridors. Under the new measures, people are not supposed to be able to enter or leave Lombardy, where Milan is the main city.
The same restrictions apply to 14 provinces: Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Rimini, Pesaro and Urbino, Alessandria, Asti, Novara, Verbano Cusio Ossola, Vercelli, Padua, Treviso and Venice. It’s believed the virus was circulating in Italy for weeks before it was detected.
And there have been cases in all regions of the country, forcing the government to take the most extensive containment measures outside of China. However, a slowdown in the rate of new infections has raised hopes in Italy that the peak of its outbreak could be within sight.
In Spain, coronavirus death toll has overtaken China’s, climbing to 3,434. After more than a week of lockdown in Spain, another 738 people died over 24 hours. Healthcare workers account for nearly 14 per cent of the country’s 47,610 cases. Amid reports of overwhelmed emergency wards, doctors and nurses have complained of a lack of basic protective equipment that has forced them to ration crucial supplies and craft protective shields out of plastic bags.
Indians are struggling to comply with the world’s largest lockdown after the prime minister, Narendra Modi, instructed the country’s 1.3 billion people to stay at home for the next three weeks. Modi warned citizens that if they did not act now, the virus could overwhelm the fragile healthcare system and set the country back decades.
Iran’s president, Hassan Rouhani, had said that social distancing measures and a crackdown on travel would be introduced in in a country with over 2,000 lives have been claimed by the coronavirus. There is seemingly little consensus as to how long these lockdowns could last.
The French government’s scientific advisers have recommended six weeks, while the Spanish government is expected to seek parliamentary approval to extend the country’s 15-day near-total lockdown to 11 April.
Also, Germany and France have faced criticisms over export bans on products such as masks and goggles. The European Union is expected to sign off on a “more ambitious and wide-ranging crisis management system” that will include a plea for the lifting of such bans. Officials in Spanish regions such as Madrid and Catalonia initially dealt with a shortage of testing resources by asking people with mild symptoms to simply self-isolate.
Around the world, the number of confirmed coronavirus cases has climbed to more than 423,000. The accelerating pandemic – it took 67 days to reach the first 100,000 cases and four days to hit the latest 100,000, according to the WHO – has led to an estimated 1.7 billion people being ordered to remain at home worldwide.
The Endometriosis Support Group Nigeria (ESGN), a non-profit organisation committed to raising awareness on endometriosis, has called for more awareness and early diagnosis of the disease.
The founder of ESGN and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nordica Fertility Centre, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, said endometriosis is a medical condition that occurs when tissue-like lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, grows in other places such as the fallopian tubes, ovaries or along the pelvis.
It causes severe menstrual cramps, chronic pelvic pain, pain during intercourse, increased menstrual bleeding and infertility. The cause of endometriosis is not known, but most theories centre on how cells, hormones and the immune system work.
As a leading cause of female infertility and debilitating pelvic pain, endometriosis affects an estimated 1 in 10 women during their reproductive years (i.e usually between the ages of 13 to 45). Those affected can experience great pain and severely diminished physical and emotional health – causing a negative impact on every aspect of a woman’s life, Ajayi said.
Endometriosis awareness takes place across the globe in the month to increase awareness and highlight the symptoms of this debilitating condition that affects an estimated 176 million women worldwide.
The main focus is to raise awareness critical to achieving better outcomes, educate and inform women and men alike about the disease, promote early diagnosis, access to treatment, funding, research and treatment programs.
The ESGN, which started in 2005 as a result of the findings from fertility research by Nordica Fertility Centre, has since embarked on various initiatives to raise public consciousness about the condition which affects some 10 per cent of women within reproductive age.
Ajayi said ESGN is positioned as the standard advocacy group for engaging, educating, empowering and effecting change in endometriosis support in Africa, bringing together the most specialised medical professionals in endometriosis care and women’s health in the world.
“Like we have been doing annually, activities have been outlined to mark the 2020 ESGN campaign. While we have had to postpone the walk for this year because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we would be having a “Hang Out”, where we would be taking the conversation online. During this Hang Out, which will take place on March 28, 2020 by 5 pm, we will be having experts and one or two sufferers join us to share their experience.
“On the same day, we will be announcing the Face of ESGN winner who will be our ambassador for the next year. The winner of our Fourth Secondary Schools Essay Competition, where we have over 45 entries from 17 schools, will be announced on May 15, 2020 during the African Endometriosis conference.
“The symptoms of endometriosis vary. Some women experience mild symptoms while others have moderate to severe symptoms.
The severity of your pain doesn’t indicate the degree or stage of the condition. You may have a mild form of the disease yet experience agonising pain. It’s also possible to have a severe form and have very little discomfort. The causes of endometriosis are uncertain, but it does tend to run in families.
“Since the symptoms of endometriosis are usually varied, depending on where the abnormal endometrium is located. It is not unusual for it to go undiagnosed for a long while. Delay in the diagnosis of about four to 10 years has been reported in the United Kingdom and other developed countries.
March is dedicated to raising awareness of endometriosis to reduce the delayed and missed diagnosis. There is still no cure for endometriosis, but the symptoms can be adequately managed through medical and surgical options,” he said.
Power outage and lack of clinical staff have crippled activities at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) in Akwa Ibom State.
Chief Medical Officer of the UUTH, Dr. EmemAbasi Bassey, said in an interaction with reporters on Monday .
He stated that the situation has hindered the expected output from the hospital.
He added that shortage of clinical staff have taken a toll on few available ones noting that its high time the concerned authorities employed doctors and nurses to the hospital.
He regretted that the hospital has been subjected to run diesel 24 hours since there are patients on Intensive Care Unit, who need uninterrupted power supply saying that, for the past two months they have not had power up to 20 hours cumulatively.
According to him: “The greatest challenge we have in this hospital is power. We run 24 hours on diesel, over two years we were not connected with PHEDC, even when we eventually did last two months, we’ve never had up to 20hours of power cumulatively.
“Due to constant running of our generators, wear and tear had set in as our 1000KVA generator that powered the entire hospital has broken down, and we need about N10-12million to fix the crankshaft, which is the engine of the generating set.
“What we actually need now is dedicated power line, the PHEDC had asked us to pay about N85 million to have it, because it will require a substation, we don’t have such money. We have written to the state government, NDDC and others for assistance. If we have power, there will be 50% improvement on the service we offer. We have people on life support, and anytime power goes off, the person is gone and that is why in that unit we cannot allow light to go off, even for a second.
“We are seriously short staffed especially the clinical staff , a lot of nurses in this hospital have retired, some gone abroad, some doctors are resigning to go to UK, many of the resident doctors are actually doing programmes and after sometime they leave.
“We don’t have staff quarters because in a classic teaching hospital, medic staff should live within the hospital premises as seen in other places such as in Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH and the teaching hospital in Ife. We neither have hostels for our students nor quarters for our interns.”
Dr. Bassey who also commended Akwa Ibom State government for the support so far given urged it not to relent in rendering support since over 95% of Akwa Ibom indigenes receive treatment in the hospital.
.”This is actually a Federal government owned hospital and the federal government is doing well in terms of payment of salary to staff. The state government is also trying in its capacity. The support from the state government is actually expected because we are serving Akwa Ibom people.
“The number of out patients we had in our clinics in 2019 was 149,886 we had over 13,800 admissions in our wards and over 95% of those patients are Akwa Ibom indigenes. That means we should be recognized and the state government should put us in their priority list because if this hospital closes downs, the state government may find it difficult to carter for the health needs of the people,” Dr. Bassey said.
It is possible to use bitter kola to improve several medical conditions for a short period. This might work for depressions, fatigue problems, atonic diarrhea, migraine, and other disease conditions.
Bitter kola serve as remedy for osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is the degeneration of joint cartilage and the underlying bone that causes pain and stiffness, especially in the hip, knee, and thumb joints. It is a common form of arthritis.
Bitter kola helps to combat sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
Bitter kola has also be deduced to be a potent antibiotic that could be effective in the treatment of HIV and AIDS due to its antibacterial, detoxification, and cleansing properties
Since the emergence of sexually transmitted diseases, reputable scientists have been battling day and night to bring a permanent solution to the disease.
Bitter kola helps to improves immune system
Bitter kola provide the immune system with all the needed supports in order to protect one from attacks of harmful toxins and effective immune response against strange particles.
This high amount of antioxidants found in bitter kola does not only help fight bacteria and other illnesses, it also helps the body to increase its immunity levels.
Bitter kola helps cure impotence
With bitter kola impotent is an history because studies have shown that when it comes to the improvement of sexual performance, especially among men, bitter kola is king among all other suggested herbs.
Bitter Kola does not only increase sex drive, it also improves the sexual performance of men who consume it. Research indicate that for the seed to be effective, it is advisable for the seed to be chewed some minutes before the intercourse.
Bitter kola aids proper functioning of the lungs
The fibers and lung tissues are not only strengthened when bitter kola is consumed regularly in a considerate amount, it also stabilises any other counter effect.
In addition, it helps in the maintenance of good respiratory tract as well as treating chest cold. It has a favourably high antioxidant content for a healthy body.
Bitter kola’s benefit to lung properties are attributed to its high antioxidant content.
Bitter kola assists with weight loss
Bitter Kola has been revealed to be a natural hunger suppressant and also increases the urge to drink more water. Regular use of bitter kola can help you reduce your weight faster than gym could.
People that are placed on a special diet and wish to lose some weight can add bitter kola nuts to their meals and experience fewer food cravings throughout the day; using nuts as a snack can also help reduce hunger between meals.
Bitter kola serve as anti-malaria agent
Kolaviron is an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory phyto-chemical. Kolaviron is a major constituent of garcinia seed which helps in treating malaria. Studies have also shown that chemical constituents in bitter kola have anti-malarial properties.
This is why traditional healers have for many years prescribed bitter kola for the treatment of malaria infections.There are no definite side effects of having this naturally occurring blissful plant.
Bitter kola fights Glaucoma (eye pressure)
Glaucoma, known as eye pressure is a condition of increased pressure within the eyeball, causing a gradual loss of sight. Glaucoma could result in permanent blindness if left untreated.
However, bitter kola has been found to be an amazing remedy for the eye. This is stated according to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital journal, “when bitter kola is eaten, at least twice a day, it could successfully reduce the eye pressure”.
Bitter kola helps reduce constipation
Kola nut functions as a dietary fibre in food as it helps in the prevention and treatments of health conditions that relate to the digestive system which includes but is not limited to bloating, constipation and other conditions that disrupt the bowel movement.
Bitter kola enhances cancer treatment
Bitter kola have been found effective in stopping growing of tumours and cancerous disease in human body. Researches show that the presence of a chemical compound known as phytoestrogens in bitter kola is used for cancer treatment and reduce the growth of tumour cells.
Bitter kola increases mental alertness
The caffeine content in bitter kola makes it a good stimulant or psycho-stimulants for the central nervous system; as it helps to improve awareness, mood and elevated mood.
Bitter kola boosts fertility
Nigerian women who experience infertility problems sometimes eat bitter kola to improve fertility.
Bitter kola helps staying awake
One of the things bitter kola is commonly abused of is its intake to prevent sleep which is possible because of its rich caffeine content, and when it’s taken regularly and in excess can at a point cause insomnia including other related problems such as stomach irritation, nervousness, restlessness, and more.
Bitter kola serves as natural therapy for cold
This is one of the ancient uses of bitter kola which extend till the recent times. These nuts have been found to be medicinal since the olden days as natural remedy for chest cold. Bitter kola help to enlarge the alveolar sac and duct thereby providing relief for chest cold and prevent the symptoms of cold.
The presence of caffeine in bitter kola also contribute to this effect but always consult the doctor before using this therapy because excess caffeine can cause adverse reactions.
Bitter kola can help balance blood sugar levels
Bitter kola isn’t just useful for treating malaria. It can also be effective for individuals who have type 2 diabetes as a means of keeping their blood glucose levels stable.
Studies have found that the seeds from the plant are capable of reducing elevated blood glucose levels. This makes it ideal for both treatment of type 2 diabetes as well as for any complications that can arise from the condition.
Doctors working in Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (AE-FUTHA) on Thursday embarked on a strike action following an assault on some of them a relative of a dead patient.
Under the aegeis of Association of Resident Doctors, they said, in a statement, the strike will continue until certain conditions that will ensure safety of members were put in place by management
Branch President, Chidubem Osuagwu, regreted that they are being forced to withdraw their services during the period the country is battling with the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the Osuagwu: ‘The assailant had gone further to threaten to burn down the hospital and stab to death any doctor he finds around the hospital”.
He said the incident is the third time doctors have been assaulted by patients relative in two months.
“Within this same period, there are four recorded cases of near assaults on doctors diligently carrying out their duties”, he said..
The President said the association had within this period adopted diplomatic approaches including reaching out to the Management of AEFUTHA, the police and other law enforcement agencies to see what can be done to stop this ugly trend but noted that this approach as at has not yielded the desired result.
“We as doctors working in AEFUTHA face very serious challenge in caring for Ebonyians and other patients from outside the state. Most of the time, the patients present very late to us when little or nothing can be done to save them.
“This is usually after they have spent several days in TBA homes, traditional medicine homes or even in their places of worship and are now at the point of death. Most of them come to hospital with no money and often times the doctors task themselves to contribute money to procure drugs to make sure these patients receive the appropriate treatment.
“Doctors in AEFUTHA are often called out in dare emergencies to donate blood to save the life of patients who were brought to hospital in shock from either vaginal bleeding or road traffic accident who require surgery and urgent blood transfusion to stay alive.
“Most of the relatives of these patients refuse donating blood to save them claiming either that they are not the patient’s husband or relative or that they will die if they donate blood.
“The hospital Management has also been very sympathetic to the plight of Ebonyians and has gone out of her way to approve the treatment of patients even when they present without money to ensure that lives are saved at all costs.
“With all these in mind, it becomes very worrisome why this same people who have received this level of care and compassion both from the doctors, other hospital staff and the hospital Management will turn around and pay back with assault on doctors and other health workers”, the statement said..
The Doctors expressed sadness at the ugly development adding that they no longer consider it safe to continue working in the face of glaring threats to their lives.
“Our lives are very important to our families who spent so much to bring us to where we are today and so even if the patients we lay down our lives to save do not want us to live and do not value us, it will be stupidity on our path to remain calm and allow them achieve their evil plans”.
They however noted that they have been in meetings with the Management of AEFUTHA with the aim of providing a lasting solution to this problem
Dr Osuagwu, who revealed that the assailant was arrested and will be charged to court to serve as deterrent to others, however said more measures need to be put in place to safeguard the Doctors.
“Other things to be done to improve security for doctors and other health workers in AEFUTHA have been outlined and Management has shown willingness and sincerity of purpose in getting these things done.
“As soon as these things are done and we consider it safe to return to work, we will gladly do so”.
“It is very unfortunate and sad that at this time when Corona virus has become a global challenge and health workers are doing their best to ensure the protection of the lives of citizens, we are forced to withdraw our services because our own lives are threatened by the very ones we lay down our lives for”
‘The public should know that doctors are trained to save lives and as human we can only do our best in caring for our patients. We are not God and so when a patient is brought in a moribund state and we do our best to save the patient and it fails, the relative should not think that the way to show their love for the one they lost is to attach the doctors and health workers that cared.
“We understand that many people who appreciate the efforts of doctors and other health care providers in Ebonyi state and beyond me be affected by this action. We however appeal to them to understand the situation we found ourselves in and give us the necessary support to overcome this challenge”.
The Chief Medical Director of the Hospital, Onwe Ogar, could not be reached for comments.
He did not respond to call and messages sent to him at the time of this report.
