African Drum Online: Covid-19

Showing posts with label Covid-19. Show all posts

ECWA denies media report that it lose 200 Missions supporters to COVID-19

09:20

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The Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) has denied media report that it has lose over 200 missions supporters to the COVID-19.

A statement by its Public Relations Officer, Rev. Romanus Ebenwokodi, a copy which is made available to this medium reads, "The attention of ECWA leadership has been drawn to a publication on some online platforms on 10th January 2021 that Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) lost 200 of her missions supporters to Covid-19.
"The truth is, 200 ECWA missions supporters did not die. Rather, over 200 missions supporters of Evangelical Missionary Society (EMS) of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) were affected by the economic hardships caused by Covid-19 pandemic. This in turn affected their ability to continue with missions support in ECWA.
"ECWA is happy to state that even in hardships and harsh persecutions, the work of reaching out to the world with the liberating gospel of Jesus Christ will not be abated".

ECWA losses 200 mission supporters to COVID-19 - President

09:16

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News

By Lovins Yakubu

The COVID-19 pandemic that has ravaged the world, has equally taken its toll on Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), as the disease is said to have claimed the lives of over 200 of the Church's mission supporters.

This was revealed by the President of ECWA, Rev. Dr Stephen Panya Baba during funeral service of Mr. Yakubu Abiri Kadiya at Kent Academy, Miango Bassa Local Government Area on Saturday. The President who was represented at the occasion by the Ag. Assistant Secretary-General of ECWA, Rev. Samuel Atu described as sad and unfortunate the rate at which staunch mission supporters were dying. He further described the deceased as rare gem who was committed to God's work during his life time and urged his children to follow after their father's footsteps.

He recalled with deep satisfaction how the deceased was highly committed to supporting mission works in general and his local Church, (ECWA Goodnews, 54 Ahmadu Bello Way Jos) in particular.

Yakubu Kadiya, a retired Director with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), died on December 28, 2020 of an ailment (not COVID-19) and was buried today, 9th January, 2021 at his country home Miango. Those who attended the funeral service include the Executive Governor of Plateau, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong (who was represented by the Hon. Commissioner of Commerce and Industry, Abbey Aku), the Senator representing Plateau North Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Istifanus Gyang and many other dignitaries.

NAFDAC Urges Herbal Medicines Practitioners to Collaborate with Researchers on Acceptable Products

09:52

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News

NAN

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has urged herbal medicine practitioners to collaborate with researchers to make herbal products internationally acceptable after clinical trials.

Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director-General of the agency, made the plea on Tuesday.

Adeyeye said in a statement that the African Traditional Medicines Day that holds every Aug. 31 should be a daily reflection of who we are as Africans.

She said that many Nigerians were using herbal medicine every day.

“NAFDAC has been focussing on making traditional herbal medicines prominent with regards to its activities.

“To this end, in March 2019, long before the advent of COVID-19 in Nigeria, we called for a meeting of all stakeholders including academia, herbal medicine practitioners and legal practitioners.

“The essence of the meeting was to engender a culture of collaborative efforts aimed at promoting research, discovery and production of herbal products,” she said.

According to her, herbal medicines renaissance in Nigeria had already begun.

She said the country has the biodiversity and complementary human capital to sustain herbal medicines production.

“The Federal Government, through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is making loans available to qualified manufacturers of pharmaceutical products.

“The CBN has also launched the Health Sector Research and Development Intervention Scheme to fund successful proposals on translational R&D and manufacturing of therapeutics, herbal medicines and medical devices for infectious diseases, including COVID-19.

“In addition, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) is funding COVID-19 related herbal medicines clinical trial research through NAFDAC administrative oversight.

“The agency currently has about 40 applications on COVID-19 related herbal medicines submitted by interested parties, many of these are for listing, while only very few are for clinical trials.

“It is important to note that while the listing of herbal product guarantees safety, it is for two years at the first instance.

“An herbal product that has successfully gone through clinical trials would receive NAFDAC full registration and the claims of efficacy and cure can then be made by applicants,” she said.

Adeyeye said that further step to enhance collaborative efforts between the various stakeholders in the herbal medicines industry was the institutionalisation of confidentiality agreement among the parties.

“NAFDAC Legal Services Directorate developed the document and will broker the agreement.

“This is necessary to assure traditional practitioners that intellectual property will not be lost in the process of collaboration.

“The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Trade Mark Office, National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion and patent legal practitioners in the area of protection of intellectual property were brought into discussions with the researchers and practitioners by the agency.

“NAFDAC development of modalities for registration of herbal products is to encourage the growth and standardisation of the sector,” the director-general said.

She said that the ultimate goal, with regards to traditional herbal medicines was to come up with products that were not only marketable in the country, but also acceptable globally.

Adeyeye said this could only happen when NAFDAC, as the regulatory authority, subjects products that were submitted for approval to global standards.

She, however, encouraged everyone with products to bring their applications forward.

According to her, registration procedures are already made simple through the published template of required documentation, guidance on registration and clinical trials and the agency’s online platform.

38,000 vulnerable households to benefit from CACOVID relief items in Zamfara

03:14

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News Tit-Bits

NAN

Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara on Thursday flagged off the distribution of assorted food items and relief materials donated by the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID) to 38,000 households across the state.

Matawalle, represented by his Deputy, Mahadi Aliyu-Gusau, commended the donors for the gesture, and described it as a timely and welcome development.

He said the gesture would go a long way in the state government’s effort of providing succour to the needy.

Matawalle called for judicious utilisation of the donation by the beneficiaries and appealed to well meaning individuals to also help government in supporting the needy.

In his remark, Chairman, Zamfara State Task Force on COVID-19 and Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Alhaji Nasiru Magarya, commended CACOVID for the gesture.

He said that the task force would ensure that the donation reached the 38,000 registered beneficiaries across the state.

Earlier, Mr Abdussalam Sani, the representative of CACOVID, said the items were provided by the funds raised by well meaning individuals.

He said the funds were to assist vulnerable individuals who lost their jobs and means of livelihood due to the pandemic.

Sani said each of the beneficiaries would receive six food items and relief materials.

Over 10, 000 health workers in Africa infected with COVID-19 – WHO

07:20

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Covid-19

NAN

World Health Organisation (WHO) says no fewer than 10,000 health workers in the 40 countries battling the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Africa are infected.

The organization’s Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville, Congo, stated this in a statement posted on its website on Friday.

The UN health agency, which warned of the threat posed by COVID-19 to health workers across Africa, added that “this is a huge challenge medical staff on the frontlines of the outbreak face.

“More than 10,000 health workers in the 40 countries which have reported on such infections have been infected with COVID-19 so far.

“This comes as COVID-19 cases in Africa appear to be gathering pace. There are now more than 750,000 cases, with over 15,000 deaths.

“Some countries are approaching a critical number of infections that can place stress on health systems and South Africa is now among the worst-hit countries in the world.”

The statement quoted Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, as saying: “the growth we are seeing in COVID-19 cases in Africa is placing an ever-greater strain on health services across the continent.

“This has very real consequences for the individuals who work in them, and there is no more sobering example of this than the rising number of health worker infections.”

According to the statement, about 10 percent of all cases globally are among health workers, though there is a wide range between individual countries.

In Africa, information on health worker infections is still limited, but preliminary data finds that they make up more than five percent of cases in 14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa alone.

“In four of these, health workers make up more than 10 percent of all infections.

“Inadequate access to personal Protective Equipment or weak infection prevention and control measures raise the risk of health worker infection.

“Surging global demand for protective equipment, as well as global restrictions on travel have triggered supply shortages.’’

In addition, it the statement noted, health workers could also be exposed to patients who do not show signs of the disease and were in the health facilities for a range of other services.

“Risks may also arise when health personnel is repurposed for COVID-19 response without adequate briefing, or because of heavy workloads which result in fatigue, burnout, and possibly not fully applying the standard operating procedures.

“In many African countries, control measures aimed at preventing infections in health facilities are still not fully implemented.

“When WHO assessed clinics and hospitals across the continent for these measures, only 16 percent of the nearly 30,000 facilities surveyed had assessment scores above 75 percent.

“Many health centers were found to lack the infrastructure necessary to implement key infection prevention measures or to prevent overcrowding.

“Only 7.8 percent (2,213) had isolation capacities and just a third had the capacity to triage patients.’’

The statement further quoted Moeti as saying “infection among health workers is one too many.

“Doctors, nurses, and other health professionals are our mothers, brothers, and sisters. They are helping to save lives endangered by COVID-19.

She said “we must make sure that they have PPE, skills, and information they need to keep themselves, their patients and colleagues safe.

“WHO had been working with health ministries to reduce infections since the outbreak began.

“The Organisation has trained more than 50,000 health workers in Africa in infection prevention and control, with plans to train 200, 000 more.

“It plans to provide guidance documents and guidelines on best care practices and the most up-to-date treatment regime for health workers.

“WHO has been helping to fill gaps in the supply of PPE. Currently, 41 million PPE is ready for China to cover the needs of 47 African countries.

“Shipment for an initial set of 23 African countries is planned to start this weekend.’’

She explained that as a result of efforts by WHO and partners, some African countries managed to reduce health worker infections considerably.

“For example, two months ago, over 16 percent of COVID-19 infections in Sierra Leone were among health workers.

“The figure has now dropped to nine percent. Cote d’Ivoire has reduced the proportion of infection among health workers from 6.1 percent to 1.4 percent.

“Scaling up prevention and control measures can further reduce infections among health workers.”

FG arranges 3 more evacuation flights from U.S.

06:32

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News

NAN

The Federal Government has arranged three more flights to evacuate Nigerians stranded in the United States due to the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the Consul General of Nigeria in New York, Mr Ben Okoyen, the third and fourth special flights are scheduled for July 17 and July 28.

Okoyen said both flights, operated by Ethiopian Airlines, would convey the evacuees from New Jersey to Abuja.

The fifth flight, operated also by the same Airlines, will airlift the passengers from Texas to Lagos on July 31, according to the Nigerian consulate in Atlanta.

So far, the government has evacuated 487 stranded Nigerians from the U.S. in two operations conducted on May 9 and July 3.

Meanwhile, the delayed flight from Canada has been rescheduled for July 18, according to a statement by the Nigeria High Commission there.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Canada operation has been shifted twice due to circumstances beyond the government’s control.

The first flight, slated for May 14, was cancelled after authorities denied over-flight and landing permits to Air Peace, the Nigerian carrier chosen then.

The second attempt was fixed on July 10 but had to be delayed on request from the intending evacuees.

According to the mission, the requests followed their inability to get the required COVID-19 test results and book the flight on time. (NAN)

COVID-19: Federal High Court Chief Judge, John Tsoho, goes on self-isolation

06:29

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Covid-19

The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court (FHC), Justice John Tsoho, has gone on self-isolation following a confirmed case of COVID -19.

Justice Tsoho, in a statement by acting Information Officer of FHC, Catherine Oby Nwandu, on Friday, also ordered some key staff in his office to do same, pending the results of screening tests conducted on him, members of his immediate family and close aids.

The statement reads in part: “The Federal High Court recognises that health and safety are paramount in the sphere of justice delivery.

“The Court is thus following medical protocols and all precautionary measures for the COVID – 19 prescribed by global and national health authorities.

“His lordship has further encouraged strict compliance with the precautionary medical protocols issued by national and international health authorities to curb the spread of COVID 19.”

Tsoho urged the staff of the court to go about their lawful duties, while ensuring that they are well protected.

“The Chief Judge is deeply moved by the prayers and well wishes of colleagues, staff, extended family and friends and appreciates them for keeping faith at this moment,” the statement said. (NAN)

FCTA seals Jabi Lake Mall for violating ban on social gatherings

03:43

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News tit bits

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Ministerial Task Team on COVID-19, on Sunday shut down the famous Jabi Lake Mall for violating Presidential ban on social gatherings.

Addressing newsmen shortly after the closure of the mall, Leader of the Task Team, Mr Ikharo Attah, said the management of the Mall had consistently violated the FCTA’s guidelines on COVID-19.

Attah lamented that the management of the mall encouraged and granted permit for a concert by Naira Marley in spite of several warnings by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19.