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Tag: test

  • FG targets 2020 to eliminate malaria

    FG targets 2020 to eliminate malaria

    The Federal Government on Thursday renewed its resolve to eliminate malaria in the country by the year 2020.

    The National Coordinator, National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), Dr Nnenna Ezeigwe, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

    Ezeigwe said all hands must be on deck to achieve a malaria free country by the targeted year through the Test, Treat and Track (TTT) policy.

    She advised healthcare service providers to sacrifice a little time to test patients and urged patients to get tested before receiving treatment for malaria.

    She explained that the malaria policy states that every suspected malaria case must be tested and confirmed before treatment can be administered on patients.

    According to her, the TTT policy has been in force for many years in the country with little or no compliance.

    “But we (FG) discovered that it has not been complied with. After looking carefully at the problem, we discovered that over 60 per cent of the Nigerian population go to the pharmacists and patent medicine dealers for treatment of malaria and other ailments.

    “This is why we decided to work in collaboration with the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) and we are working together with the Lagos State Government, Association of Patent Medicine Vendors to make sure that it is achieved.

    “We have discussed with PCN and we agreed that pharmacists and patent medicine vendors can test for malaria after been properly trained.

    “The programme is aimed at implementing the policy that has been on ground. The process might take time but it would be worth it at the end because it would be saving so many lives,’’ she said.

    She noted that there were no strict enforcement mechanism for defaulters nor would they be arrested or charged to court, but that there can be sanctions.

    “But if we discover that PPMV continues to treat without testing and there is evidence for it, then such persons will not be registered.

    “This is part of the agreement we have with the PCN that it should be part of their registration criteria, they will be properly trained and then implement it this is what we expect,‘’ she said.

    Ezeigwe said that since 2009 chloroquine has not been the drug of choice after several studies.

    “It was beneficial at some point but then at some point resistance sets in, the parasite we were fighting developed resistant to the drug (chloroquine) and then it became useless as a malaria drug.

    “So the current treatment that has been proven to be very effective is the Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT) and we are also monitoring the ACT to check if there is any resistant at any point.

    “But for now we are comfortable to say that ACT is still very efficacious in this country.

    “Although in some places like South East Asia they have noticed some resistance, but in Nigeria right now we do not have any such issues so ACT remains the drug of choice, chloroquine is not recommended.

    “Those that claim they get relieved after taking chloroquine are getting relieve from other things because every fever is not malaria there could be other causes.

    “It could be viral infection or ordinary fatigue, sometimes when you are stressed out you can have fever, chloroquine can cure any type of fever, it has what is called anti-piratic effect, meaning that it can reduce fever.

    “It also has anti-inflammatory effect meaning that if you have inflammation in any part of your body that would also make you sick. And chloroquine has the ability to bring the inflammation down.

    “But when it comes to killing plasmodium parasites which is the parasite that causes malaria it does not have any effect on it.

    “So if you have a viral infection that might burn out itself within a short period of time, like within 5-7 days without any treatment.

    “And you take chloroquine within that period and get better; you will now attribute your relief to chloroquine whereas it was not the drug that cured you,” she said.

    Ezeigwe said that chloroquine has been banned for the treatment of malaria and that it should not be bought or sold at the counter in any pharmacy or shop.

    She said that the disease that they claim that chloroquine was been used for has to be diagnosed by a qualified medical doctor.

    She also said that the Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT) training that was been conducted for health workers was mostly negative and that makes her happy.

    “It shows the effectiveness of the RDTs because they are able to dictate positive and negative cases of malaria.

    “If the RDT reads negative then it is negative, because the RDT is 100 per cent effective.

    “It is only when it starts coming out positive, that you can begin to get worried and you can start doubting if the positivity was correct, so it is good news.’’

    However, the coordinator pointed out that some lab technicians in Nigeria lack the skills to see and dictate result correctly.

    “As soon as they see that fever was the case of a patient they just conclude that it is malaria without seeing anything through the micro-scope.

    “When you look under the micro-scope, you will see a lot of things like the white and red blood cells you will see the parasite plasmodium.

    “You will also see what we call artifact which can be like air bubble.

    “So when they don’t see anything and do not know what to attribute the sickness to, they just write malaria which is the easiest and most common thing for anyone to believe.’’

    She said that the RDT was accurate and urged people to have confidence in it because it was 100 per cent tested and confirmed.

    Ezeigwe noted that if the RDT reads positive the patient would be treated with the right drug, which is the ACT, and then get okay.

    She added that the test was necessary before treatment because if the drugs continue to be taken without malaria being positive in the body, it would start developing resistance.

    “And that will take us back to the case of chloroquine, and that is what we are trying to avoid.

    “And if the parasite becomes resistant to the drugs then we would not have drug to treat it with and it will be increasing.

    “And if it is increasing we would not make any progress towards elimination so it is going to aid it by making sure that the ACTs remain efficacious.

    “The Global fund is supporting the private sector mechanism and they have subsidised the cost of anti-malaria when you request for ACT with the green leaf, it is been sold at a very cheap rate for about N200 or N150 per pack.

    “So for those thinking that it would be expensive I am here to say that they are very cheap and affordable.

    “And am advising the pharmacists and PPMVs that any patient that walks into the pharmacy and refuse to get test before requesting for treatment should not be attended to.

    “The person can stay home with his/her fever because by the time they try as many shops as possible they will decide on what is best for them.

    “The pharmacists should know that this will bring them more customers because when your patients know that when they come to you, you will run the test on them before treatment they will tend to have more trust in your shop.

    “The goal standard in any healthcare is that you must test before you treat and malaria has been neglected for a while and has killed so many people ignorantly that is why we are doing this to save Nigerians.

    “We are covering 10 states in Nigeria in this particular exercise and Lagos is just one of them.

    “The country is very large and we have about 24 states to cover, we are been supported by the Global Fund and they are supporting the 24 states,’’ said the coordinator.

  • PR industry report faces reliability test

    PR industry report faces reliability test

    Black House Media (BHM) has released Nigeria’s first Public Relations Report. The report is, however, facing a reliability test amid commendation, writes ADEDEJI ADEMIGBUJI.

    The newly launched Nigeria PR Report, a first of its kind in the public relations industry is eliciting cheers and jeers in the marketing communication industry. The 106-page book is a compendium of quantitative and qualitative research augmented by industry-wide perspective and knowledgeable commentary on PR practice in the country.

    It was released in collaboration with the group’s research arm – BHM Research & Intelligence (BRI), digital agency ID Africa, and Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), notable dignitaries from the PR, advertising and academic sectors.

    They all converged on Protea Hotel, Ikeja where the report was made public for discussion and review.

    ”The inaugural Nigeria PR Report is an unbiased endeavour to depict the history, current state, existing challenges and prospects of the PR industry in Nigeria. Despite increasing intervention by PR to help communities, organisations and governments resolve problems they considered insurmountable, there is little data, if any, on the role of in-house PR teams and external consultancies in aiding local and international brands make sense of Nigeria’s chaotic business environment. This is the latest focus of BHM Research and Intelligence,” Founder and CEO BHM Group, Ayeni Adekunle said.

    However, such painstaking effort is facing a reliability test on certain premises.

    The CEO, Relics and Chief Brand Analyst-in-Chief at Brandish, Mr. Ikem Okuhu, who raised some posers on the report, said while it is a great intervention for an industry whose offerings have lost the respect of clients as because of dearth of data to back up their strategies, there are lots of loopholes that put the reliability of the report to question.

    The report is criticised on the premise that an industry rating and report should come from an independent body and not from a player.

    Secondly, the report is written in first person plural. Thirdly, most of the chapters (or sections) are signed off by the founder of this agency or in some instances, by his workers. Fourthly, generous doses of content were devoted to appealing to industry leaders, especially the Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN) (pages 34 to 44 of the report were exceptionally devoted for this purpose hence, coming out “obviously superfluous.”

    “I devoted an entire weekend to digest the ‘Nigeria PR Report 2015: Inside the Public Relations Industry in Nigeria’. It may have been the first of such reports on the industry in Nigeria, but I expected a lot more. I have never seen a report written in the first person. But no matter how much you re-invent a wheel, it must have to be round. “Brave effort but there was just too much about his company and his person to make the report an acceptable ‘industry Report.’ But that was the biggest error in the report released by BHM. You do not write such reports in the first person. But paragraph after paragraphs, chapter after chapter, page after page, I kept reading Adekunle Ayeni. But I wanted to read the Nigeria PR Report!”

    Okuhu noted that such reports are meant to be non-personal but based on facts and research.

    “But even with all the research, the moment you present it by using the pronouns of ‘I’, ‘We’, ‘Us’, the message you are sending out is that you are merely presenting your personal opinion. As knowledgeable as you may be, this will certainly send the wrong message. In the end, what we have are very strong opinions of the people that worked on the project than a dispassionate, depersonalised report,” he added.

    Reacting to Okuhu’s review, the Corporate Communication Director of Airtel, Mr. Emeka Oparah said: “As a practitioner from the clients’ side, I relate with most of the points raised. There’s a good point about an operator reviewing himself. Well, maybe he wouldn’t have, if there was someone out there looking at the industry and the practice critically.

    “So, he’s created a niche opportunity for research practitioners to cash in. It’s bothered me forever how and why marketing professionals have earned more respect by keeping records, building up data, investing in research and promoting their profession-than PR practitioners.

    “And by the way, PR practitioners, all over the world-not just in Nigeria, promote everyone else but themselves.”

    He said these are issues that must be engaged, challenged and confronted head on.

    Ayeni or BMH (what’s the difference, anyway) has got everyone thinking. I’m sure the report will spurn other reports and the second edition will be a vast improvement.

    Also, speaking, the President of Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN), Mr. John Ehiguese, said: “Like I said in my brief remarks, ideally it should have PRCAN preparing such a report, and I assure you that under my leadership we will take up that challenge in a practical way. Regardless of whatever perceived shortcomings in that report, we cannot deny that Ayeni has challenged us all, and it is up to us as PR practitioners to build upon what he has started. I mentioned to Ayeni in a telephone conversation that, at the very least, next time any Nigerian PR practitioner is attending an international conference, he/she can at least have something (from the report) to share with the world about Nigerian PR practice, beyond just talking about ‘opportunities’ and ‘potentials’. It’s definitely a good start, and I personally congratulate him for that.”

    Despite that, the report joins a host of groundbreaking initiatives executed by the BHM Group. In 2014, the company launched Nigeria’s first PR app, simultaneously recording over one billion social media impressions for its portfolio of client campaigns.

    The Brand Rating Index (BRI’s) report is an overview of public relations in Nigeria, its evolution, and an analysis of BHM’s #PrisDead campaign. For the campaign, about 200 Nigerians from three major cities (Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Abuja) were interviewed for the offline section of the research, with findings already presented in a series of videos, infographics, memes, blurbs and articles.

    Ayeni explained: “The aim is to shed more light on the workings of the PR industry in Nigeria and chronicle the public – and practitioners’ – perception of the industry, with a view to ensuring its development moves apace with global standards of practice and the changing consumer demographics and preferences Nigeria is experiencing.”

  • Urine test kit for malaria

    A 25-minute do-it-yourself Urine Malaria Test (UMT) kit has been unveiled in Lagos by Fyodor Biotechnologies Nigeria Ltd, a subsidiary of Fyodor Biotechnologies Corps, United States (US).

    The kit, marketed  by Geneith Pharmaceuticals Nigeria Ltd,  is the first- ever non-blood malaria test kit that will tell in less than 25 minutes if a fever is caused by malaria or not.

    The technology, according to the company, requires a few drops of urine without any reagent or equipment.

    The Chief Executive Officer, Fyodor Biotechnologies Corps, Mr. Eddy Agbo, said despite the huge success recorded in the fight against malaria, it remains the single most deadly disease across the world.

    Malaria, he said, affects about 3.2 billion people in 97 countries.

    Agbo said half a million people die of malaria yearly, stressing that most malaria deaths occur within 48 hours of fever onset and children under-five years are particularly vulnerable.

    “Fever is a sign of malaria, but many other diseases can also present with fever. So, prompt accurate diagnosis is critical before initiating treatment,” he said.

    He said the UMT was the first to have its clinical trial and validation done in the country.  ”It is a one step, no blood, no reagent, no equipment, read by eyes, which performs equivalently with malaria rapid blood tests.

    “The UMT is a simple dipstick test that uses immunochromatographic technology to detect malaria proteins shed in the urine of persons with fever due to malaria. The test process is simple: add patient urine into sample cup provided in kit; dip and leave UMT strip in the sample for 25 minutes; read result: one line indicates no malaria and two lines indicate malaria,” he said.

    Agbo said UMT will enable healthcare providers to follow national and international guidelines of test before treating malaria.

    Besides, it is suitable for public and private healthcare setting.

    “Fyodor has worked closely with many collaborators and partners to ensure that the UMT undergo full-scale pivotal clinical trial. Pre-clinical and clinical validation studies were conducted in partner with College of Medicine, University of Lagos; University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital; Johns Hopkins University United States; Duke University USA; the Federal Ministry of Health and National Malaria Elimination Program; Lagos State Ministry of Health and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control,” he said.

  • Will Saraki pass this test?

    Another opportunity has presented itself for Senate President Senator Bukola Saraki to make amends and respect President Muhammadu Buhari’s wish and that of their party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Towards bringing the desired change and moving the nation forward, President Buhari has submitted the first batch of 21 names of ministerial nominees to the Senate.

    The screening of the first batch of nominees is expected to begin at the red-carpet chamber headed by Saraki today.

    Two previous wishes of the party did not see the light of day in the 8th Senate.

    The first was the ‘James Bond’ style adopted by Saraki to emerge the Senate President in June against the wish of his party.

    His party then had wanted Senator Ahmed Lawan to emerge the Senate President.

    But with the support of the senators of the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the wish of APC was truncated in June in the Senate, which paved way for PDP to also produce the Deputy Senate President in the person of Ike Ekweremadu.

    As if that was not enough, the second wish of the APC was also blocked after Saraki emerged the Senate President.

    The APC’s candidates for the principal offices in the Senate did not get the positions.

    The Senate, under Saraki, rather settled for other candidates different from the wish of his party.

    Reflecting on practices under Saraki’s predecessor, Senator David Mark of the PDP, he did not fail at anytime to protect the interest of his party in such past elections and appointments.

    Some ministerial nominees, who were seen as less qualified for the job in some quarters, eventually got the Senate confirmation then.

    With due respect to the immediate past Minister of Women Affairs, Zainab Maina, the roles she had previously played in the PDP mainly paved the way for her to be a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    In the past two weeks, Saraki, no doubt, has been romancing with the number one and number two citizens of this country.

    His presence has been more felt in the last fourteen days in the Presidential Villa than all the past months of his tenure as Senate President.

    Nigerians, for the first time, had the honour of seeing Saraki attend an official function of Nigeria’s 55th independence anniversary celebration at the Presidential Villa on 1st of October.

    On the same day, he visited the seat of power the second time by having a private meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in his office after the ceremony.

    To mend the fences further, Saraki for the first time also led principal officers of the Senate along with Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and House leadership for a meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa last Wednesday night.

    It is hoped that all these new moves will be in the short and long term interest of the party in power and the nation.

    A test case for Saraki to prove his new love for his party is the screening of ministerial nominees scheduled to start today.

    Supporting his party will not necessarily mean working against the progress of his country.

    Given that the nominees are qualified for the ministerial job, the ball is now in Saraki’s court to ensure level playing ground for all the nominees and also prevent unnecessary politics on the floor of the Senate to discredit anyone of them.

    The focus should be on whether they have what it takes to bring about the desired CHANGE of the APC for the development and benefit of Nigerians.

    Saraki cannot afford to fail his party and the nation this time around.

  • Maiduguri’s explosion routine test, says military

    The 7 Division of the Nigerian Army in Maiduguri yesterday said the early morning explosion in the out skirt of Maiduguri emanated from routine testing of military equipment.

    Spokesman of the Division, Col Tukur Gusau, urged residents not to panic.

    “It is a routine test firing of our weapons to ensure that they are in a state of readiness,” he said.

  • Mass Comm. applicant emerges best in AAUA test

    A prospective student of Mass Communication, Fuad Oriloye, has emerged overall best candidate among 17,717 applicants that sat for the post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) organised by the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA in Ondo State.

    Fuad scored 259 in UTME and had 86 per cent in the entrance exam of the university.

    Mercy Akinmusire, a Direct Entry candidate, who applied to study English Education, came second, scoring 82 per cent.

    Other candidates who had high scores include Emmanuel Adeniji, a Direct Entry candidate of Mass Communication, Busayo Leramo, a prospective History and International Studies student, and John Bamidele, who also put in for History and International Studies. They all had 80 per cent.

    Reacting to the development, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Academic, Prof Oluyemisi Adebowale, expressed delight at the development, saying: “It is a toast and a reflection of the quality of the examinations conducted by the university and Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB).”

    She congratulated the outstanding candidates, saying the university would not only admit them but was also keen to see them joining list of its best students.

    About 5,513 of the candidates, who sat for the test, scored 45 per cent and above.

     

  • Lagos releases JSS1 placement test results

    Lagos State has released the result of the placement test conducted on July 11 for admission into the state’s public junior secondary schools.

    A statement by spokesperson of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Mrs. Adewunmi Okoh, directed head teachers of public schools to check results of their candidates at their Local Government Education Authorities (LGEA).

    She urged approved private schools to check the results at the State Examinations Board located at Iyana Ipaja.

    “Parents/guardians can check the results of their pupils/wards at their schools,” Mrs. Okoh said.

    The board has denied the rumour making rounds about recruitment into public primary schools and warned the public to beware of scam.

  • KSDT: two kids beat show host to test

    KSDT: two kids beat show host to test

    Although the 6th edition of Kids Say the Darndest Things (KSDT) which aired on AIT over the weekend revealed the daily chores of each of the three kids on the show, as much as their hidden talents, the show also tested the participants on credibility.

    At the Etisalat Experience centre, the three kids that opened the last edition; Munachi, Emmanuella, and Demilekan were asked to hold an EtisalatMiFi and ensure they gave it to no one. Being the ultimate trickster, Tony Okungbowa, the host of the show set out to test the children and see if they would relinquish the device for a stipulated amount. Two out of three children declined his offer while only one of them was willing to sell the device at the right amount.

    The television show afforded children the freedom to express their perceptions on daily routines, hobbies and beliefs, while reacting to posers thrown at them by Okungbowa.

    Munachi, a 6-year-old who says she wants to become a doctor, showcased her domestic side, and expressed with delight how she sets the table with her mother for dinner.

    4-year-old Emmanuella, an avid lover of Bible songs, gave a riveting version of how God died for our sins and the process of the crucifix of Jesus Christ by persons she described as ‘bad guys’, while 4-year-old Demilekan on the other hand was very happy to tell the audience that her favourite food was Amala.

    Episode six was not all about everyday life, at least not after the 7-year-old future pilot, Joshua took to the stage and blew the minds of the studio audience with his mesmerizing ability to play the piano. Joshua did not only impress his audience with his ability to play the organ, he also showcased his good ear for which keys were played when he was put to a blind test of guessing what chords were struck by Okungbowa with eyes closed.

    Commenting on the sixth episode, Head, Events & Sponsorships, Etisalat Nigeria, Modupe Thani said, “The dynamic and unpredictable nature of Nigerian children is truly magical to watch. Children generally are gifts to be cherished and treasured. However, with the show, we get to see the innocence, brilliance, and remarkable abilities of the Nigerian children.”

    Thani added: ‘’As such, Etisalat is delighted to sponsor this show because it enhances their overall development and growth. Through Cliqlite, we consistently demonstrate our philosophy of contributing towards the education of the Nigerian Child.”

    Sponsored by Etisalat, KSDT currently enjoys wide viewership in many countries including, Australia, Singapore, India and Italy and it runs every Sunday, 7pm on AIT and DSTV Channel 253.

  • Jega: The ultimate test

    One man I find very difficult to assess is the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He was heralded into office by high reputation garnered from years of struggle as a socialist, academic and unionist. When he replaced Professor Maurice Iwu in 2010, many had heaved a sigh of relief. At last, we’ve got it right, they said. While commending the choice back then, I challenged him to focus on building INEC as an institution based of cherished and enduring principles, processes and systems. I also pointed out that the real assessment would come at the end of his tenure.

    Now, his tenure is running to an end. In one month after inauguration of a new government, I expect the respected Political Scientist to bow out irrespective of the disposition of the government to his performance. It is almost certain that whatever the outcome of the presidential and legislative elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), if re-elected, would not want to be saddled with managing “the stubborn” electoral umpire. And, is the All Progressives Congress (APC), however tempting the offer of another tenure may be, I do not expect the former Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano to accept.

    What jega owes posterity, humanity and Nigerians now is conducting an election as free and fair as the June 12, 1003 presidential poll. We are tired of being told that someone emerged despite hitches and critical errors, but “would have won anyway if it were indeed credible. Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua told a stunned nation at his inauguration that he was the product of a flawed election. However, his principle did not dictate that the flaws should make him reject the result. Even the Supreme Court affirmed that the election was not credible as all the Justices confirmed that the electoral commission failed to meet up with the standards. A slim majority of 4:3 however said, the President who had already assumed power, should be allowed to hold on for the four year term. The other three called for a fresh poll.

    Professor Jega was a member of the Uwais Electoral Reform Committee that made far-reaching recommendation accepted only half-heartedly by the government. Jega went in to accept the offer to give Nigerians credible polls.

    To me, the 2015 elections would prove whether the encomiums showered rather prematurely on the INEC chairman in 2015 was deserved. He has introduced some new features into the election process. He has introduced electronic registration of voters, pleading that it would offer a credible platform for elections in the country. If he succeeds, I would not hesitate to congratulate him, but should he fail, he would deserve all the knocks he would get. I will not be satisfied with suggestions that he has so many men to work with and is not in full control of the. Neither would I be appeased by suggestions that he tried his best in the prevailing political environment. He had enough time to assess the process and take a decision to continue or ship out. Until February 7, he insisted that his commission was ready for the presidential election. Since then, more PVCs have been produced and distributed and the ad hoc staff trained on the use of the card readers.

    Should Professor Jega fail, I will not hesitate in recommending that the next President looks the other side in picking the election umpire. Top on the list of my nominees would be Deacon (sorry, Chief) Femi Fani-Kayode. Others are such accomplished Nigerians as Chief Chris Uba, Commodore Olabode George, Chief Emeka Offor, and Senator Joshua dariye, Government Tompolo, Diepreye Amamieyeseigha, Tafa Balogun, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, Lucky Igbinedion and the irrepressible Ayo Fayose. This is a winning team anytime, any day.

    Jega must not fail. If he does, he would have let down the progressives, the academic community and set the country back by many years. It could then prove the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo right that the transition to democratic government may yet take about one century or more.

  • Ideye, Anichebe face fitness test

    Ideye, Anichebe face fitness test

    West Brom coach, Tony Pulis, is sweating on the fitness of Brown Ideye ahead of Tuesday’s English Premiership clash away to Aston Villa.

    Before the 1 – 0 win over Southampton, the Nigeria international was given pain-killing injections, but failed to complete the game nonetheless, with the striker replaced two minutes from time.

    “Brown Ideye and Saido were both carrying knocks even before the game,” Tony Pulis was quoted as saying by Birmingham Mail.

    “It just shows they have got good spirit in the dressing room and people want to play.

    “Saido had an injection before the game and maybe he should have one before every game, scoring goals like that.”

    Also, 2008 Beijing Olympics silver medalist Victor Anichebe faces a late fitness test, ahead of the game at Villa Park.