The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Democratic Republic of Congo {DRC}.

  • We have Three million subscribers in Nigeria -StarTimes

    Mr William Masy, StarTimes Overseas Public Relations Director on Thursday disclosed that about three million Nigerians are subscribed to the organisation’s products and services across the country’s six geo-political zones.

    William disclosed this while receiving a Delegation of Nigerian Journalists at the StarTimes Corporate Headquarters in Beijing, China.

    According to him, Nigeria has been a big market for the company’s products and services in Africa.

    “StarTimes, which was founded in 1988, has now established subsidiaries in more than 30 countries, including Rwanda, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique, Guinea, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Africa and others.

    “Nigeria is currently the largest market for our products and services than other countries. We currently have three million subscribers in the whole of Nigeria.

    “On the whole, StarTimes currently has 10 million subscribers across these countries,’’ he said.

    The organisation’s public relations director said that StarTimes had been selected for the Access to the Satellite TV for the 10,000 African Villages’ project.

    Read Also: StarTimes unveils video streaming service

    He said that the company was prepared to assist the Federal Government of Nigerian in achieving its ongoing digitalization programme.

    William, who also announced the company’s plans to soon embark on knowledge transfer to young Nigerians, added that about 80 per cent of its employees were Nigerians.

    The company’s spokesperson also said that StarTimes was looking for a suitable place in Nigeria to establish its factory like it had done in Kenya and other countries.

    “As soon as we are able to secure location rights, we will definitely establish our factory in Nigeria, because Nigeria is our big market.

    “With a global vision, StarTimes began to expand its services to Africa in 2002, and has been working closely with African governments in promoting digitalization and information.

    “StarTimes has introduced more than 480 quality international channels, most popular African channels and Chinese mainstream media channels.

    “These programmes are broadcast in nearly ten languages, including English, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Swahili, Hausa  Yoruba and others,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • Ebola: DRC players to face screening before World Cup friendly

    The Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung on Monday said that arrangement has been put in place to screen the national players of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Leopards, of Ebola virus before playing World Cup friendly with the Super Eagles.

    The disease has recently broke out in some parts of DRC.

    Read Also:Ebola: FG bans transportation of corpses from DR Congo

    But speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, Dalung said that the outbreak of the disease will not stop the friendly match.

    According to him, the players will be screened before leaving DRC on flight and also screened on landing in Nigeria.

    He said that any player that refuses to come to Nigeria through the flight will not be allowed to play the match.

    Details Later…

  • Kenya issues alert on Ebola outbreak

    Kenya issues alert on Ebola outbreak

    Kenya’s health ministry on Tuesday released an alert on Ebola outbreak following the disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

    The Director of Medical Services at the Ministry of Health Jackson Kioko said the government has reactivated the rapid response teams for enhanced surveillance and follow up of travelers with elevated body temperatures and asymptomatic cases with history of travel from DRC.

    “We wish to assure Kenyans that there is no suspected case of Ebola virus in the country and they should remain vigilant.

    “They should look out for any such illnesses and report to the nearest health facility without delay for immediate verification and investigation,” Kioko said in a statement issued in Nairobi.

    He noted that travelers from the affected areas will be required to provide minimum package of information to guide investigations.

    Kioko noted that the government has an adequate stock of Personal Protective Equipment which is stored in strategic regional hospitals for use if needed.

    These include at least 5,000 special full body suits used in situations of highly infectious material.

    He said that the ministry has reactivated the multiagency outbreak coordination committee comprising of public health experts in government and development partners to assess the situation.

    He said holding rooms at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport have been reactivated to isolate Ebola virus disease suspected cases identified to be high risk while awaiting possible transfer to isolation facilities after thorough assessment.

    “The government will remain committed to ensure appropriate and effective measures are instituted in order to protect Kenyans and the general public from imported Ebola Virus,” he added.

    He however said that the outbreak has occurred in a remote zone in DRC and that with timely effective responses in place, the disease is unlikely to spread widely in the region.

     

  • Yellow fever spreads to DR Congo, kills 21

    Yellow fever spreads to DR Congo, kills 21

    The World Health Organisation {WHO} has announced the outbreak of yellow fever in the Democratic Republic of Congo {DRC}.

    According to WHO, yellow fever has claimed the live of 21 people and spreading to the neighbouring country of Angola.

    In a statement WHO, the deaths had occurred in January to March, with 151 suspected cases recorded and there  a serious risk of further spread of the disease in DRC.

    The acute, mosquito-borne viral disease has killed 225 people in Angola and infected about 1,600 there.

    The statement stated further that the DRC health authorities had set up a national committee to respond to the outbreak, including “screening and sanitary controls” on the country’s borders.

    People travelling to Angola will now be vaccinated against the disease, it added.

    The DRC’s health ministry has in addition activated a contingency plan which includes more community engagement to fight the disease and better training of health workers.

    is a virus that can cause bleeding, jaundice and kidney failure, It is spread by mosquitoes, usually the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the same species that spreads the Zika virus.

    It is endemic in tropical regions of Africa and South America.