Moses Emorinken, Abuja

The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that achieving Nigeria’s target to diagnose and treat one million tuberculosis (TB) cases by 2022 is very feasible.

The Country Representative of the WHO, Dr Walter Mulombo, who was represented by Dr Amos Omoniyi, said this in Abuja, during a virtual Pre-World TB Day press briefing.

He said: “I like to congratulate the TB program in Nigeria for the progress they made. Despite the pandemic in the year 2020 and the 3-month lockdown, the TB program in Nigeria recorded an increase in the number of cases detected. Last year, which was the year of the pandemic happened to be the year they had the highest number detected TB cases. We see the number increase from over 120,266 in 2019 to 138,573 in 2020. This means that we are on the right path.”

The National Coordinator of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme (NTBLCP), Dr Chukwuma Anyike, said: “We have also noticed that resistant cases of tuberculosis are increasing and our children are not spared. How can we move forward in terms of development as a nation if our children are affected?

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“This is a call to everyone – academia, civil Society, partners etc., to improve on our concerted efforts. It is also very important since our health system is based on primary health care and is also on the concurrent list. Therefore, I expect that while we are doing it here, the state and local government players and the private sector will play their part.”

The Board Vice-Chair of Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, Dr. Queen Ogbuji, added: “Now more than ever we need to double efforts to increase awareness about TB and mobilise the very needed resources so that we can achieve the UN high-level mission target for 2022.”

The Executive Director, KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation Nigeria, Dr Bethrand Odume, stated that KNCV works directly with the TB programs, and has programs running in 14 states, with 187 platforms used in testing for TB and covid-19.

By Emma Elekwa, Onitsha

Three schools in Anambra state have benefitted from the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities of the Lt. Col. Theophilus Danjuma’s Victims Support Fund (VSF), under the COVID-19 Emergency Intervention Programme.

The schools were Community Secondary School, Mbaukwu, Boys High school, Nteje and Community Secondary School, Igbakwu, Anyamelum drawn from the three Senatorial zones of Anambra Central, North and South.

Among the facilities donated were a solar-powered borehole, 4 handwash stations, 2000 pieces of reusable facemasks, 5 pieces of 4 litre hand sanitizers, 120 bottles of 500ml liquid hand wash and 5 cartons of bleach.

Speaking during the commissioning of the facilities, Chairperson, Victims Support Fund Taskforce on COVID-19, Mrs. Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, said the organisation decided to move from providing food and medicals to more enduring interventions that would outlive the pandemic.

She said the organisation liazed with the state government to select the schools where the facilities were needed most.

She said: “Victims Support Fund continues to work to provide relief to victims of insurgency and armed conflicts in Nigeria especially in the core areas of livelihood and recovery, education and protection, infrastructural developments, research and peace building.

“The project is part of the 3rd phase to 54 schools in 18 states across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.
“In southeast, we’ve handed over facilities to Enugu, Abia and Anambra. We’ve also donated to South West and other geopolitical zones of the country.

“We’re here for the commissioning of the project and we make bold to say that our intervention project is the first and most impactful because you cite our projects in core rural communities where people could hardly go to.

Akerele-Ogunsiji called on the school management and students to ensure proper usage and maintenance of the facilities.

“We’re not going to benefit from these facilities. So how much you demonstrate commitment to the maintenance of the facilities would determine what you’ll get in the future.”

Responding on behalf of the benefiting schools, the Principal of Community Secondary School, Mbaukwu, Mrs Anizoba Catherine expressed appreciation to the benefactor, promising proper maintenance of the facilities.

By Onimisi Alao, Yola

Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Adamawa chapter, Bishop Dami Mamza, has taken his jab of the COVID-19 vaccine.

His Muslim council counterpart, Mallam Gambo Jika, also got vaccinated.

The leading clerics took their vaccination amidst campaign by government and development partners to sensitise the public on the safety of the vaccine following doubts in some quarters.

The Christian and Muslim clerics led their respective executives to the vaccination centre at Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Yola with a charge to their followers the safest way out of the COVID-19 pandemic is vaccination.

Speaking to journalists, Mamza and Jika said the World Health Organisation (WHO) had certified the vaccines in use, assuring there should be no cause for alarm.

The vote of confidence of the religious leaders was viewed across Adamawa State as a huge advertisement for the Covid-19 vaccine.

At a one-day media orientation workshop, chairman of Adamawa State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Bashir Suleiman, said the government called the meeting to discuss public pessimism over the COVID-19 vaccine.

The workshop which was supported by WHO and UNICEF, produced a communique which said the meeting ascertained that the vaccines were safe enough not to have caused harm to many people despite the millions who have taken them so far across the world.

The communique advised media practitioners against placing too much prominence on ‘negative reporting’ but to promote the encouraging aspects of the COVID-19 vaccines.

By Onimisi Alao, Yola

The Pro-Chancellor of Adamawa State University, Awwal Tukur, has said he did not know how great Adamawa people were at doing worthwhile things until he became Pro-Chancellor of the university.

Tukur told newsmen close examination had revealed to him the deepness of thought and sincerity that went into the conception and building of the university, which is located in the northern Adamawa town of Mubi.

“I did not know we were such great people. When I got to the university and saw the quality of conception and of the establishment, I said that sincerely, some people have done a marvellous job here,” he said.

He added such realisation informed the decision to award a honourary doctorate degree to Boni Haruna, the man who was Governor and whose administration established the university in 2002.

Awwal recalled the university began to go downhill after a few years of its establishment owing mostly to internal crises, forced occupation and destruction of facilities by Boko Haram insurgents, resulting in inability to convocate eight consecutive sets of students.

Reinforcing his admission of how little he knew of the university and its conception until things began to go wrong, the pro-chancellor told newsmen at his residence in Yola all he knew about the university before he became its pro-chancellor, in 2019, was in the negative.

“Before I became Chairman of Council, I had never stepped into Adamawa State University. I was just hearing of problems and problems, of crises killing the university,” he recalled.

He said reviving the university had been a refreshing experience, explaining, “I went to a resoundly conceived place that was down. A lovely place that once thrived but had gone to the dogs.

“Through prudent management of resources and cooperation from everyone within the university and in government, we have got the place up and running again.”

Tukur spoke during the week a couple of days after ADSU held its 5th-13th combined convocation and certified over 11,000 students spread over nine graduating sets.

He said the convocation was a practical sign that things had largely stabilised.

Agency Reporter

Deputy Registrar Academics Yaba College of Technology, Mrs. Modupeola Osidipe, on Friday said arrangements had been concluded for resumption of normal academic activities in the institution on Monday.

Osidipe told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the decision was made at a meeting of the institution’s board on Thursday.

She said the college’s hostels would be opened from Sunday, adding that COVID-19 prevention protocols would be observed.

“The board had a meeting yesterday; after due considerations, it approved that the college should return to normal academic activities immediately.

“All staff and students are to ensure full compliance with all the directives to contain further spread of deadly COVID-19,” she said.

According to the official, staff and students must observe social distancing, washing of hands, use of hand sanitisers, wearing of nose mask as well as other safety measures.

The deputy registrar said that the school would not condone acts contrary to the directives.

She urged students and members of staff to ensure compliance. (NAN)

By Gbenga Omokhunu, Abuja

Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu on Friday said this administration cannot afford to have a healthcare system that is not affordable to all.

The minister disclosed this while flagging off the Pro Poor and vulnerable Person Social Health Insurance in Gwagwalada Area Council of the territory.

Aliyu said with the flag off, the Administration has once again demonstrated that its programmes and activities are geared towards improving the lives and wellbeing of every FCT resident especially the poor and vulnerable persons in rural communities.

The minister who was represented by the Acting Secretary of FCT Area Council Service Secretariat, Mrs. Omolola Olanipekun, noted that access to qualitative healthcare especially in hard-to-reach communities, remains a challenge to overcome.

He stressed that the FCT Administration cannot afford to have a healthcare system that is affordable to only a few, “just as we cannot afford to have a health insurance scheme that is accessible to only a few.”

Aliyu affirmed that the programme was a strategy for enhancing social inclusion, a demonstration of efforts to bring succor and hope to the poorest of the poor and vulnerable households, and a way to ensure that the FCT attains 100 per cent social health insurance coverage for all residents.

From Rosemary Nwisi, Port Harcourt

River State Deputy Governor Dr. Ipallibo Banigo-Harry yesterday kicked-off COVID-19 vaccination exercise at the Government House on behalf of Governor Nyesom Wike.

Dr. Banigo-Harry received the first dose of the vaccine at the event at the State House at about 1p.m.

A total of 150, 000 doses were deployed in the state.

Health Commissioner Prof. Chike Chikere was the next person to be vaccinated after the deputy governor and followed by other governor’s aides.

Also, the state chairman of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Ambassador Akawo, some UNICEF officials in the state as well as some Government House workers were also vaccinated.

Speaking to The Nation in a telephone interview in Port Harcourt, Prof. Chikere said the next group of people to take the jabs are the frontline health workers, including the gatemen and cleaners, the elderly and those with underlining health challenges, media practitioners and others.

He added that the state supposed to have 150,000 doses, “but there is a shortfall that would be made up later”.

From Nwanosike Onu, Awka and Emma Elekwa, Onitsha

ANAMBRA State government has declared that AstraZeneca COVID -19 vaccine benefits outweigh its risks, urging residents  to get themselves vaccinated against the dreaded pandemic.

Commissioner for  Health Dr. Vincent Okpala, who spoke yesterday in Awka, allayed fears over the perceived harmful tendencies of the vaccine, saying the benefits could not be compared with the risks involved.

Okpala spoke with reporters  on COVID-19 vaccine introduction organised by the State COVID-19 Action Team in collaboration with the State Primary Health Development Agency.

He said: “It is no longer news that on March 2nd, Nigeria took delivery of an estimated 4 million doses of the Oxford/Astra Zeneca COVID-19 Vaccine, out of which Anambra State received 78,810 doses.

“The vaccine we have received is the product of a rigorous scientific process. And has been certified as safe by multiple agencies abroad.

“What we’ve done in our response to the pandemic is to carefully follow the guidelines of WHO which has set the pace and NCDC.”

“As of today, they said the benefits of receiving the vaccines outweigh the risk of not receiving it. That means we’re good to go.

Read Also: Why Kogi has not received vaccines, by PTF

“We’ve developed an online tool in the state as a precautionary measure to monitor the adverse effects. When you get your vaccine, note your symptoms so it can be addressed.

“There’s no need to panic. I encourage the people of the state to consider the risk-benefit analysis of getting the shots or otherwise.

“We want to live. This is a virus that has dealt a heavy blow on the society. We continue to issue the vaccine at the same time monitor the side effects.”

According to the commissioner, the centres chosen for the exercise had the capacity and necessary infrastructure to serve as bases for the campaign.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary Anambra Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Chioma Ezenyimulu, said the vaccination would be carried out in four stages, beginning with the frontline health workers.

“Right now, we are conducting training for workers until Thursday when we will roll out the vaccination. We are happy Anambra has joined the rest of the world on rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine,” she added.

World Health Organisation State Co-ordinator Dr. Chukwumuanya Igboekwu praised the state government for joining the rest of the states in taking the Covid-19 vaccination.

By Olaitan Ganiu

Nigerian singer and poet, Beautiful Nubia has opined that there are only a few Nigerians with a clean sheet of records.

The leader of the Roots Renaissance Band, in a Facebook post, stated that there are only a few law-abiding citizens in Nigeria.

“Everyone likes to talk about how this is such a “shit country”, but how many can actually say that the wealth, position, or advantages they enjoy (or have enjoyed) came without cutting corners, bending rules? There are few clean hands over here. Want change? Come clean to reform,” he posited.

Born Segun Akinlolu on November 11, 1968, Beautiful Nubia hit the limelight in 2002 with the release of his third album, ‘Jangbalajugbu’ which has in it the hit single “Owuro L’Ojo (How D’You Do?)”.