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COVID-19: FG to develop innovative interventions to improve survival chances
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The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, says efforts are ongoing to develop innovative interventions to reduce COVID-19 case fatalities to below one per cent. Ehanire said this at the Presidential Tasks Force (PTF) on COVID-19 daily briefing on Monday in Abuja.
According to him, fatalities at present is at two per cent, especially for the elderly and those with co-morbidities. Ehanire said that PTF members were aligned in non-pharmaceutical key role interventions in controlling new infections, as the measures of wearing of masks and avoiding crowds were easy, cheap and proven to be effective.
Some 24,000 health workers in South Africa have contracted coronavirus, 181 of whom have died, since the pandemic hit the country in March, the health minister announced on Wednesday.
South Africa is the hardest-hit country in Africa with at least 521,318 infections diagnosed so far, accounting for more than half the continent's cases. Health Minister Zweli Mkwize told a news conference that the numbers of health workers who tested positive for coronavirus stood at 24,104 with 181 deaths. The tally translates to around five percent of the country's total caseload, compared to the global rate of some 10 percent, he said.
President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated Innocent Ujah on his election as President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). The president, in a statement by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Tuesday, also congratulated all the executive members for the zeal and diligence brought into the organisation within a short period.
According to him, the elected officers of the NMA have admirable profiles that will take the organisation to greater heights. He particularly acknowledged that Mr Ujah, a professor, has worked extensively with national and international institutions, and progressively contributed to the shaping of national policies on health in the country in different capacities.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said that it is working hard to ensure that Nigerians have access to the coronavirus vaccines when available. Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director-General of NCDC, gave the assurance during the Presidential Task Force (PTF) briefing on COVID-19 on Monday in Abuja.
Ihekweazu said that the centre was working with the global community to ensure access. He disclosed that data on research and development of a vaccine against COVID-19 by the global scientific community showed that results on a possible vaccine were expected in the fourth quarter of 2020.
COVID-19: Nigeria's total hits 44,433 as NCDC announces 304 new cases, 910 deaths
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Nigeria’s COVID-19 total cases have now reached 44,433 after the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) announced 304 new cases and 910 deaths from infections in the country.
The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle on Tuesday. Data from the health agency showed that the 304 new cases were spread across 18 states and the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT). According to it, as of Aug. 4, 14 deaths were recorded in the country.
VIOLENCE: NMA President apologises to Nigerians over conduct of Enugu doctors
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The President of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Prof Innocent Ujah has apologised to Nigerians over the reported clashes of violence during the Enugu State branch of the NMA election that held last week. Ujah, who spoke through a statement, said electoral violence in any form does not represent what the Nigerian doctor stands for.
It could be recalled that the election of the Enugu State branch of the NMA turned bloody on Thursday last week following the subsequent appointment of one of the Deputy Vice-Chairman Enugu East, Dr Kinsley Ugwuonye, as acting chairman by a faction of the state NMA which announced the suspension of the incumbent chairman,
The Lagos State Government has inaugurated an employee wellness centre to cater to the mental health of its workforce.Minister solicits COVID-19 vaccine as US presents 200 ventilators
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The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, has asked the United States to share the COVID-19 vaccine with Nigeria and other countries whenever it is available.
He noted that the speed and ease with which the virus had spread across the globe clearly showed that it was a threat to mankind, stressing that “the threat of COVID-19 to any part of the world is a threat to all.” The minister stated this on Tuesday during the presentation of 200 ventilators to the Federal Government by the US Ambassador to Nigeria,
The Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Wednesday revealed the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa surged to 1,064,546 as the death toll rose to 23,839. The Africa CDC Director, John Nkengasong, made the announcement in Addis Ababa on Wednesday.
The Africa CDC, in its latest situation update issued on Wednesday, said the number of COVID-19 cases across the African continent has risen from 1, 055, 964 on Tuesday to 1,064, 546 as of Wednesday. The Africa CDC also noted that the continent-wide COVID-19 related death toll registered an increase of 257 deaths compared to Tuesday’s 23,582 to reach 23, 839.
FEC approves N8.4bn for additional testing, diagnostic materials for 774 LGAs
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The Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday approved N8.49billion for the procurement of 12 items in various quantities for the testing of coronavirus pandemic by Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, disclosed this when he briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the 11th virtual meeting of the Council, held at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
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The Federal Government (FG), yesterday, said Nigeria had not placed order for any vaccines from Russia. It made the clarification following reports that about 20 countries had ordered billions of the controversial Russian vaccine, which were approved by the Russian authority.
Also yesterday, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and other medical experts commended Russia and her scientists for approving their COVID-19 vaccine.
Coronavirus: Nigeria records 453 new cases, zero deaths on Wednesday
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A total of 453 coronavirus cases were recorded in Nigeria on Wednesday. That brought to 47,743, the total number of infections recorded in the West African nation. No deaths were recorded in the past 24 hours, making the fatality to remain at 956, the figure reached on Tuesday after six people succumbed to the disease.
This was disclosed by the NCDC, the agency heading Nigeria’s national response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the dangerous pneumonia-like disease that has spread to over 200 countries, infecting more than 20 million. Nigeria has continued to report less than 500 daily coronavirus infections for about two weeks.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says it has targeted 2.1 million children for the 2020 Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) campaign in Borno. SMC is designed to prevent and protect children against malaria.
The National Consultant Malaria Emergencies in Nigeria, Iniabasi Nglass, disclosed this during the inauguration of the SMC programme at the Elmiskin Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Maiduguri. Ms Ngalss said that the targeted children aged between three and 59 months would benefit from the exercise in 25 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.
Despite various reforms to address the extensive issues in the health care system, the country’s healthcare space remains weak due to lack of sufficient health personnel, poor health infrastructure, and inadequate remuneration of healthcare workers among others.
Also, over the years, the incessant strike actions by health care workers across the country have cast a lot of doubt on the care system, hence lack of public trust in the healthcare space. Frequent healthcare workers’ strikes result in the closure of public healthcare institutions preventing Nigerians’ access to quality health services.
