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  • COVID19 in Delta: What DG of NCDC told Gov Okowa during State visit

    COVID19 in Delta: What DG of NCDC told Gov Okowa during State visit

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has lauded the efforts of Delta Government at containing the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the state.

    Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, the Director General of the NCDC gave the commendation on Monday in Asaba, during a working visit to the state.

    Ihekweazu, who was accompanied on the visit by Dr. Fiona Braka, the Officer in Charge, World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office, Nigeria, observed that Delta had so far recorded few cases of the pandemic due to its deliberate efforts and urged the state to sustain the efforts.

    “We are in the state to get first hand information on the activities and challenges of the Delta State Emergency Operation Committee with a view to providing technical support,” Ihekweazu said.

    Earlier, the Delta Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mordi Ononye, expressed the state government’s appreciation to the NCDC for its assitance.

    During the visit, the team toured COVID-19 isolation and treatment centers at the Federal Medical Center and Specialist Hospital, both in Asaba.

    IIhekweazu told newsmen shortly after the tour that the role of the NCDC was to encourage and support states to curb the spread of the virus.

    He added that the NCDC also served and helped the whole country to prepare for the worst situation and at the same time encourage hope for the best.

    He said, “Borders are drawn for political reasons in order to provide governance for people and bacteria and viruses don’t recognise such.”

    On her part, Dr. Fiona Braka, Officer in Charge, WHO Country Office, Nigeria, appealed to the people to remain vigilant as the risks of the pandemic were still very high.

    “We are here to ensure that what is recommended globally is being done; we contextualise it to the country level, looking at capacities and risks.

    “We also scale up this process in a manner that the capacity in the country can manage. We are constantly working with the NCDC to see how we can ramp up this process.

    “Certainly, Delta State will be among the states that will be critically looked up for testing capacity,” Braka said.

  • No approved vaccine yet in Nigeria for COVID-19 – WHO

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday insisted that there was no approved vaccine in Nigeria or any part of Africa for COVID-19 saying researches are still ongoing on the deadly viral disease.

    WHO Immunisation Team Lead, Dr Fiona Braka, spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria on the efforts of the world body on the reported vaccines for the deadly virus.

    Braka said COVID-19, being a new disease, has no ready vaccines, adding that public safety was the key consideration of WHO campaign for now.

    “COVID-19 is a new disease, and as such, there are no ready vaccines available to be deployed for the control of the pandemic.

    “However, a lot of research and scientific works are ongoing to develop vaccines, but these usually take time to ensure that it is safe for use in the wider population and also effective for control of the pandemic.

    “Public safety is a key consideration in this process,” the WHO team lead said.

    Braka said that the claims of vaccines developed for the COVID-19 were untrue and not to the knowledge of the WHO.

    “WHO is not aware of vaccine for COVID-19 in Nigeria.

    “There is a large scientific study (clinical trial) involving many countries to review the effectiveness of some drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 going on at the moment.

    “The result of this clinical trial will help understand the efficacy of these drugs and may inform the review of the case management guidelines,” she said.

    On the assessment of Nigeria’s performance in curbing the spread of COVID-19, Braka said that the world health body partnership with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had been helpful.

    “Nigerian Government through the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and supported by WHO had developed a preparedness plan for COVID-19 and was implementing this plan when the first case was reported.

    “A network of five COVID testing laboratories was set up before the confirmation of the first case and has since been expanded to six additional laboratories over the past two weeks, making a total of 11 laboratories currently.

    “From the onset of the outbreak, WHO has developed clinical guidance with input from clinicians around the globe, including in Nigeria.

    “These resources include the updated Clinical Management Guidance for COVID-19, the Clinical Care training materials, and the Global COVID-19 Clinical Data Platform, the data tool which makes it possible for WHO to collect core clinical data from hospitalised patients to inform understanding of COVID-19.

    “The guidance is continually reviewed, as more evidence become available.

    The government has scaled up isolation facilities capacity at state level to ensure readiness to receive COVID patients,” she said.

    Braka said that there would be more close observation, while the guidelines of operations of all the agencies assisting in the curbing of COVID-19 would be updated.

    “The guidance of the clinical data platform will be continually reviewed, as more evidence become available.

    “The government has scaled up isolation facilities capacity at state level to ensure readiness to receive COVID patients and all these helped with the containment of the first cluster of cases.

    “With the return of more Nigerians from countries where the outbreak was reported, more cases have been reported and these have been more challenging to contain.

    “The government at national and state levels have provided leadership for the response and more needs to be done at the state level as the cases continue to increase,” she said.

    Braka, however, listed the key areas of interventions for curbing COVID-19 to include non-pharmaceutical, such as social distancing, surveillance, contact tracing, among others.

    “The key areas of interventions required now are the non-pharmaceutical interventions like social distancing, handwashing and respiratory hygiene.

    “Others, in addition to rigorous surveillance, are case identification, laboratory diagnosis, contact tracing and isolation and care for all confirmed cases.

    “Physical distancing is one of the recommended strategies for preventing human to human transmission.

    “The lockdown does facilitate physical distancing and is a welcome intervention.

    “However, physical distancing alone will not stop the spread, but needs to be combined with other recommended strategies: testing, isolation of patients, contact tracing and quarantine,” she said.

    The WHO official said the United Nation (UN) in Nigeria had launched a basket fund to help fight the deadly viral infection, adding that other donor agencies had also launched trust fund intervention.

    “The United Nations in Nigeria has set up a Basket Fund that was launched by the SGF (Secretary to the Government of Federation) last week. Resources from the Basket Fund are supporting critical aspects of the response.

    “Donor agencies and governments have been contributing to support WHO’s work in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic globally.

    “Funds have been made available to WHO Nigeria through the Regional Office and Headquarters in Geneva which is financing the WHO’s current support to the response in Nigeria.

    “We are also grateful to other partners who have supported WHO, Nigeria directly,” she said.

    Braka said that WHO had also deployed some team of experts to other African countries.

    “WHO is supporting countries globally with response to the pandemic. From the WHO Regional Office for Africa, four experts have been deployed to Nigeria currently.

    “There is also remote support provided by experts from the WHO Headquarters in Geneva and the Regional Office in Brazzaville.

    “These are in additional to an excellent team of public health experts who already work in all 36 states and the FCT, in the different WHO, Nigeria offices.

    “WHO’s extensive Polio Programme resources have already been re-purposed and deployed, and have been crucial in supporting all affected states to mount an initial response, she said.

    Braka said that states that had yet to report any confirmed case, there were resources engaged in preparatory activities and surveillance.

    “WHO will continue to support Nigeria throughout the response and even during the recovery phase, she said.

  • America’s pointless battles against WHO – Owei Lakemfa

    By Owei Lakemfa

    The World Health Organization (WHO) which is coordinating and leading humanity’s war against the Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic, is ironically under attack by the United States (US) itself, the country most devastated by the virus.

    US President Donald Trump sees the world as a stage in which he must play the lead role. In a quixotic manner, he proclaimed himself as a wartime leader commanding the forces against the virus. He is right, this is a war and the human race already has over two million infected and more than 136,000 deaths within the last fifteen weeks.

    However, it is not a war fought by the conventional forces in military fatigue or camouflage. In fact, modern troop carriers of the most advanced Navies each carrying thousands of troops, are being abandoned without a shot.

    This war is being fought and led by courageous men and women in white overall and nursing uniform, and coordinated by the WHO which was established in 1948 as the directing and coordinating authority for international health matters and public health. Its mission is to improve people’s lives, reduce the burdens of disease and poverty, and to stop the transmission of infectious agents in the world.

    Given the fact that the WHO is the Central Command against the Covid-19 War, the distracting, pointless and childish attacks against it by the US is like a mutiny at the war front. The WHO has led humanity against a number of pandemics such as the Asian Flu which claimed 1.1million lives, HIV/AIDS, Swine Flu and the Ebola and Zika Virus epidemics, and has the distinction of eradicating small pox from the world.

    The world was caught off guard when Covid-19 crept on her. The first hint was on December 30, 2019 when Chinese doctor, Li Wenliang raised the alarm. On January 20, 2020 China declared an emergency. That same month, the WHO in lightning speed, produced Covid-19 tests which it shipped to dozens of countries including the US. But the Trump administration declined to use these. Rather, it decided to produce its own. Unfortunately, the test kit it developed was faulty which led to a huge testing backlog. This delay, gave room for the virus to spread to the extent that by this Wednesday, it had infected 609,400 Americans and claimed some 28,300 lives in the country.

    Rather than blame itself for the spread, and for its lackadaisical attitude including claiming that the virus is not a serious threat and that the country should return to work, the Trump administration is accusing the WHO of being slow to act!

    Also, Trump claimed that the WHO had not quickly investigated early reports coming out of China which made China slack in containing the virus, thereby allowing it to spread across the world. Trump last week said based on this: “The WHO failed in its basic duty and must be held accountable.”

    I do not buy this narrative because in quickly alerting the world and providing Covid-19 test kits to dozens of countries within two weeks of China’s declaration of emergency, the WHO moved at supersonic speed.

    Trump’s claim that China was slack and the WHO was guilty in not getting that country to act fast enough to contain Covid-19, is bizarre. Trump himself had acknowledged China’s quick moves in containing the virus. In his January 24, 2020 tweet, Trump wrote: “China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!” How can a man lie against himself?

    Besides, the world generally acknowledges the fact that China was swift in tackling the virus; the reservation by some is that it used alleged undemocratic methods such as locking down some 500 million people.

    So it was not the WHO that was slack or sloppy, it is the American government. To cover its gross incompetence in handling Covid-19, and given the approach of presidential elections, the Trump tribe decided on a fall guy, who else can fit the bill but the WHO?

    The American moves against the WHO were first noticeable in February, 2020 when the Trump administration decided to cut its 2019 $452 million funding contribution to the WHO to $57.9 million. This 2019 contribution which is 15 percent of the WHO annual budget has been the traditional American funding for the organization.

    After muted attacks, in the last few weeks, it opened fire on the WHO and its Director General, the microbiologist, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. In hurling his own missile, American Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on April 8 announced that America was: “reevaluating our funding with respect to the World Health Organization. Organisations have to work. They have to deliver the outcomes for which they were intended.”

    There were also a lot of attacks and even death threats against the WHO boss who in an uncharacteristic move, on April 8, called a press conference to fight back. Tedros, an African revealed to the press: “I can tell you personal attacks that have been going on for more than two, three months. Abuses, or racist comments, giving me names, Black or Negro. I’m proud of being Black, proud of being Negro. I don’t care, to be honest … even death threats. I don’t give a damn.”

    He described European scientists who discussed on French television the possibility of testing Covid-19 vaccines on Africans, as relics of “colonial mentality.” Adding that they insulted: “the whole black community.”

    Tedros asked politicians in the world who are attacking him and the WHO to stop the diversions , pleading: “Please quarantine COVID politics. That’s what we want. We don’t care about personal attacks. We care about the life passing every single minute unnecessarily because we couldn’t unite to fight this virus.”

    Such pleas fell on deaf ears as President Trump this Tuesday announced that the US is cutting all funding to the WHO.

    In unison, the world including traditional American allies, Europe, reacted negatively to the American decision. One of the most logical responses was by the President of the American Medical Association, Patrice A. Harris who argued: “During the worst public health crisis in a century, halting funding to the World Health Organization is a dangerous step in the wrong direction that will not make defeating COVID-19 easier. Cutting funding to the WHO, rather than focusing on solutions, is a dangerous move at a precarious moment for the world.”

    In its silly and inane battles with the WHO, the Trump administration is behaving like a child who proclaims that because he is quarrelling with his head, he would henceforth wear his cap on his navel.

  • WHO confirms three fresh Ebola cases in Congo

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recorded three new cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

    After 52 days of not recording a case in the country, WHO confirmed a new case last Friday and 3 fresh cases on Thursday, April 16.

    Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, disclosed this in a statement issued from the agency’s headquarters in Geneva and posted on its website.

    “Three new cases have been confirmed – two people who died in the community and one person who was in contact with one of them.

    “The source of their infection is still under investigation.

    “Additional cases will likely be identified. Flare-ups are expected at the tail-end of Ebola outbreaks.

    “Our teams in Beni are experienced in responding to new cases and acted quickly to engage with affected communities, investigate alerts, identify and vaccinate contacts, decontaminate affected homes and health facilities, and send samples for sequencing,’’ he said.

    Ghebreyesus said the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee for Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) had met and advised him.

    He said their view on the Ebola outbreak in the DRC was that “it continued to constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and I have accepted that advice.

    “Tremendous progress has been made containing this outbreak in very difficult circumstances.

    “Up until Friday, 54 days had passed without a confirmed case being reported, and 40 days had passed since the last person known to have Ebola tested negative and was discharged from treatment.

    “The Committee noted that armed groups are active in the area where these cases were identified, a lack of funding is constraining the response and the COVID-19 pandemic is adding more challenges to an already complex operation.

    “We have to anticipate and be prepared for additional small outbreaks.

    “We need the full force of all partners to bring these outbreaks under control and to meet the needs of the people affected,’’ Ghebreyesus said.

  • Coronavirus: WHO chief bemoans U.S. decision to pull funding

    The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Wednesday that he regretted President Trump’s decision to pull funding for the organisation, but called on world unity to fight the new coronavirus pandemic.

    “The U.S. has been a long-standing and generous friend of the WHO and we hope it will continue to be so,” WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus told a news conference.

    “We regret the decision of the President of the U.S to order a halt in the funding to the WHO.”

    WHO was still assessing the impact and would “try to fill any gaps with partners”, Tedros said.

    But now was the time for the world to be united in its common struggle against the outbreak, which he described as a “dangerous enemy.”

  • COVID-19: Trump fulfills threats, cuts funding to WHO over alleged ‘China-centric’ policies

    COVID-19: Trump fulfills threats, cuts funding to WHO over alleged ‘China-centric’ policies

    U.S. President Donald Trump has stopped funding the World Health Organisation, blaming it for America’s coronavirus pandemic woes.

    Trump announced the move today at a Rose Garden press conference.

    The U.S. leader had mulled the idea before and dubbed WHO China-centric.

    “The reality is that the WHO failed to adequately obtain, vet and share information in a timely and transparent fashion,” Trump said.

    “With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have deep concerns whether America’s generosity has been put to the best use possible,” Trump added.

    The U.S. is the largest contributor to WHO. It paid more than $400 million to the WHO in 2019.

    China is the second largest contributor.

    It paid $44 million, according to Reuters.

    Trump last week accused WHO of not moving quickly enough to sound the alarm over COVID-19 and of being too China friendly.

    He attacked the agency for advising the U.S. against banning travel from China to other parts of the world amid the outbreak.

    “And the World – WHO – World Health got it wrong,” he said last week.

    “I mean, they got it very wrong. In many ways, they were wrong. They also minimised the threat very strongly and – not good.”

  • Coronavirus 10 times deadlier than swine flu – WHO warns

    Coronavirus 10 times deadlier than swine flu – WHO warns

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) says Coronavirus (COVID-19) is 10 times deadlier than swine flu which caused a global pandemic in 2009.

    WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, stated this at a virtual news conference in Geneva on Monday.

    He said that the virus could spread more easily in crowded environments like nursing homes.

    “We know that early case-finding, testing, isolating caring for every case and tracing every contact is essential for stopping transmission.

    “We know that in some countries, cases are doubling every three to four days,” he said.

    According to him, while coronavirus accelerates very fast, it decelerates much more slowly; in other words, the way down is much slower than the way up.

    “That means control measures must be lifted slowly, and with control. It cannot happen all at once.

    “Control measures can only be lifted if the right public health measures are in place, including significant capacity for contact tracing.

    “But while some countries are considering how to ease restrictions, others are considering whether to introduce them – especially many low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

    “In countries with large poor populations, the stay-at-home orders and other restrictions used in some high-income countries may not be practical.

    “Many poor people, migrants and refugees are already living in overcrowded conditions with few resources and little access to health care,’’ he said.

    Ghebreyesus added: “How do you survive a lockdown when you depend on your daily labour to eat.”

    He said news reports from around the world described how many people were in danger of being left without access to food.

    The director-general said that schools had closed for an estimated 1.4 billion children; this had halted their education, opened some to increased risk of abuse, and deprived many children of their primary source of food.

    “As I have said many times, physical distancing restrictions are only part of the equation, and there are many other basic public health measures that need to be put in place.

    “We also call on all countries to ensure that where stay-at-home measures are used, they must not be at the expense of human rights.

    “Each government must assess their situation while protecting all their citizens, and especially the most vulnerable,’’ he said.

    He said that to support countries in making these decisions, WHO would tomorrow be publishing its updated strategic advice.

    “The new strategy summarises what we’ve learned and charts the way forward. It includes six criteria for countries as they consider lifting restrictions:

    “First, that transmission is controlled; second, that health system capacities are in place to detect, test, isolate and treat every case and trace every contact.

    “Third, that outbreak risks are minimised in special settings like health facilities and nursing homes;

    “Fourth, that preventive measures are in place in workplaces, schools and other places where it’s essential for people to go; fifth, that importation risks can be managed.

    “And sixth, that communities are fully educated, engaged and empowered to adjust to the “new norm,” he said.

    He said every country should be implementing a comprehensive set of measures to slow down transmission and save lives, with the aim of reaching a steady state of low-level or no transmission.

    “Countries must strike a balance between measures that address the mortality caused by COVID-19, and by other diseases due to overwhelmed health systems, as well as the social-economic impacts.

    “As the pandemic has spread, its public health and socioeconomic impacts have been profound, and have disproportionately affected the vulnerable. Many populations have already experienced a lack of access to routine, essential health services.

    “Our global connectedness means the risk of re-introduction and resurgence of the disease will continue.

    “Ultimately, the development and delivery of a safe and effective vaccine will be needed to fully interrupt transmission,” he said.

    In addition, he said some countries and communities had now endured several weeks of social and economic restrictions.

    The director-general said some countries were considering when they could lift these restrictions; others are considering whether and when to introduce them.

    “In both cases, these decisions must be based first and foremost on protecting human health, and guided by what we know about the virus and how it behaves.

    “Since the beginning, this has been an area of intense focus for WHO.
    “As we have said many times before, this is a new virus, and the first pandemic caused by a coronavirus,’’ he said.

    Ghebreyesus added: “We’re all learning all the time and adjusting our strategy, based on the latest available evidence.
    “We can only say what we know, and we can only act on what we know.

    “Evidence from several countries is giving us a clearer picture about this virus, how it behaves, how to stop it and how to treat it.’’

  • COVID-19 not a death sentence, says WHO

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) Office in Nigeria, says Coronavirus (COVID-19) is not a death sentence.

    No fewer than 70 patients had been discharged so far.

    The UN health agency, in its official twitter account @WHONigeria, commended the country’s health workers for the feat.

    ”COVID-19 is not a death sentence. Thanks to all the health care workers serving tirelessly to ensure no lives are lost and more people discharged.

    ”Physical distancing is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of the COVID19,” it twitted.

    The agency also advised people to say no to hugging at Easter and adopt nodding as a way of greeting.

    ”Avoid hugging, limit close contact with others, especially if they are showing flu-like symptoms,” it said.

    As at 9. 30 p.m. Saturday, April 11, a total of 318 confirmed cases of the pandemic had been recorded in Nigeria, with 10 deaths.

    A total of 19 states currently have confirmed cases in Nigeria.

  • COVID-19: Consider these six conditions before lifting lockdown order, WHO tells world leaders

    COVID-19: Consider these six conditions before lifting lockdown order, WHO tells world leaders

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded a stern warning against lifting coronavirus restrictions too soon, saying it could lead to a deadly resurgence.

    WHO issued the warning on Friday as some of the European countries hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic are starting to see signs of slowing in infections.

    “In the past week, we’ve seen a welcome slowing in some of the hardest-hit countries in Europe, like Spain, Italy, Germany and France,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a regular press briefing.

    As “some countries are already planning the transition out of stay-at-home restrictions,” the WHO chief warned that “lifting restrictions too quickly could lead to a deadly resurgence.”

    “The way down can be as dangerous as the way up if not managed properly,” he said.

    The WHO chief stressed that decision of lifting restrictions should be made on the following conditions:

    * that transmission is controlled;

    *that sufficient public health and medical services are available;

    * that outbreak risks in special settings like long-term care facilities are minimized;

    *that preventive measures are in place in workplaces, schools and other places where it’s essential for people to go;

    *that importation risks can be managed;

    *that communities are fully aware and engaged in the transition.

    Globally, 1.7million confirmed cases of COVID-19 have now been reported to the WHO, as well as more than 100,000 deaths.

    He underlined that the WHO is working with affected countries on strategies for gradually and safely easing restrictions.

    Denmark is one of the countries planning to ease restriction.

    The Scandinavian country, has over 5,000 cases of coronavirus and a total of 237 fatalities.

    But it said it has seen deaths and hospital admissions stabilise in recent days.

    From Wednesday, it will reopen schools and day care centres.

    Remaining lockdown measures, such as the closure of bars, restaurants, shopping complexes and bans of public gatherings of more than 10 people, will stay in place for at least another month.

  • JUST IN: WHO breaks silence on COVID-19, 5G controversy

    JUST IN: WHO breaks silence on COVID-19, 5G controversy

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) says that viruses cannot travel on radio waves or mobile networks, saying COVID-19 is a respiratory disease.

    WHO through a statement on Friday, debunked the myth, adding that COVID-19 was spread through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes or speaks.

    “People can also be infected by touching a contaminated surface and then their eyes, mouth or nose,” it said.

    WHO added that COVID-19 was spreading in many countries that did not have 5G mobile networks.

    It also said being infected with the new Coronavirus did not mean that the person would be infected with the virus forever, adding that people recovered from the disease.

    “Most COVID-19 infected persons can recover and eliminate the virus from their bodies.

    “If you are infected by the disease, make sure you treat your symptoms.

    “If you have cough, fever, and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early, but call your health facility by telephone first.

    “Most patients recover thanks to supportive care,” WHO said.

    It added that exposure to the sun or to temperatures higher than 25C degrees would not prevent COVID-19.

    “You can be infected with COVID-19, no matter how sunny or hot the weather is. Countries with hot weather have reported cases of COVID-19,” the organisation noted.

    It said to be protected from the virus, people should ensure frequent and thorough hand washing and avoid touching eyes, mouth, and nose.