Nigerian Newspapers
Government must curb spread of tuberculosis
IT is alarming that health authorities have yet to effectively address the rising incidence of tuberculosis infection in Nigeria. The emergence of drug-resistant strains of the bacterium that causes the disease and the high incidence of reduced immunity caused by HIV/AIDS are usually quoted for this worrying upsurge. Every year, about nine million people worldwide develop the active disease, which is spread through the air by coughing and sneezing; and one in five will die as a result. Globally, the deadly curable infectious disease kills 1.4 million people annually and costs the world about US$ 20 billion a year. Stop TB Partnership, a non-profit organisation, cited figures from the World Health Organisation showing that 600,000 people died from tuberculosis in Africa alone in 2011, which was 40 per cent of the world’s total.
Although Nigeria dropped from fourth to 10th among the 22 countries of the world with a high TB burden, the 2012 figure of 97,799 infected persons, which was given last month by the Federal Ministry of Health during this year’s World TB Day, is a wake-up call to the Federal Government — and indeed every Nigerian — to develop an effective antidote to the killer disease. Not only is this figure high, the country is also said to harbour the more deadly multi-drug resistant TB strain, which is not treatable with the first line drugs, with a prevalence of 2,400 people, of which only a paltry 23 are undergoing treatment with the second line drugs. It is said that, although curable and preventable, TB requires a carefully followed regime of medication over a period of six months. Anything less leads to drug-resistant strains. One undiagnosed TB-infected person can infect 10 others in a year.
According to figures from WHO and the United States Embassy in Nigeria, states such as Lagos, Benue, Oyo and Kano have the highest rate of prevalence in the country. While this development is not comforting, the uncommonly high rate of prevalence in the states listed above can be attributed to the high population density in Lagos, Kano and Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. The disease, a bacterial infection of the lungs (Tubercle Bacillus), is easily spread in crowded environments, which are commonplace in those states.
TB in Nigeria is also driven by the high prevalence of people living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, with the country having a national HIV prevalence rate of 4.1 per cent. TB, an airborne communicable disease, spreads rapidly among the poor, especially in Africa and Asia. Health expert, Dr. Kevin Kelleher, says, “It is important to be aware of the symptoms of TB, which include fever and night sweats, cough (lasting more than three weeks), weight loss and blood in the sputum (phlegm) at any time.”
TB also successfully attacks “people with weakened immune systems due to disease or medication, people who have been in contact with a case of TB and those who for other reasons may be at high risk, for example, the homeless and intravenous drug users.” According to Akudo Anyanwu-Ikemba, the CEO/Founder of a health advocacy group, the Global Fund Africa, other factors aiding the spread of the disease are “drugs adulteration, patients’ preference for alternative or spiritual treatment and inaccessibility to treatment.”
Nigeria must remedy its current 10th position. The National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme is making some impact, but this is not enough. A study by Intergender Development Centre, Jos reports that health service providers as well as consumers lack knowledge about TB. It says stigma, discrimination, gender differences and cultural and religious beliefs affect TB control. Accurate diagnosis of the disease remains one of the biggest obstacles to global tuberculosis control. Experts say there are still unanswered medical questions: What is the best way to screen for TB? How can TB programmes best use this valuable new tool for detection and management of drug resistant strains? How can tests be effectively evaluated?
But there are no easy answers. The health authorities need to take a holistic look at the way the disease is being managed, and build upon what is on the ground. Since treatment is, officially, free in the country, sufferers should be encouraged to go for early treatment, while a multi-pronged national awareness campaign should be launched immediately.
The sensitisation campaign should focus on the ways the disease can be prevented: living in houses with well-ventilated rooms; neat environments; and early screening for those suspected to have the TB symptoms. Furthermore, the Federal Government and its partners need a sustained, vigorous enlightenment campaign among those being treated, which is that they must complete their drugs’ regimen that lasts for six months or risk developing the MDRTB, which could take up to two years to treat.
Since our prisons and detention centres are overcrowded and dirty, the Federal Government has to take its campaign to these vulnerable areas. Inmates have to be screened and those infected treated so that they not only avoid infecting their fellow inmates, but when they serve out their terms, and re-join the larger society, they would not infect others. With TB now a public health issue in Nigeria, the federal and state health authorities must move in unison to tackle the scourge, which is said to “pose significant challenges to developing economies as it primarily affects people during their most productive years.”
The enlightenment campaign should be sustained so that Nigerians can be aware that TB can lead to deadly complications for people who are suffering from diseases such as diabetes mellitus, a combination of which health experts see as a “marriage made in hell.” TB is preventable and curable, so, no effort should be spared in significantly reducing the incidence of the disease in Nigeria. We should take a leaf out of the book of Ireland, which had one of the lowest incidences of only 368 infections in 2012 among its citizens. In tackling the dreaded phenomenon, which was discovered by Dr. Robert Koch in 1882 when he announced Tubercle Bacillus as the cause, Ireland instituted a national awareness campaign, and did not relent in taking measures even when the rates of infection had dropped considerably.
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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly
Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.
There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.
The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.
Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.
The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.
But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.
THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.
More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.
Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”
It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.
“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.
National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.
The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.
Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.
Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.
PDP Demands State of Emergency
In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.
He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.
Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.
“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.
“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.
Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.
The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.
Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.
He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.
The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.
Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram
The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.
“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.
The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.
State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari
Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.
Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE
Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online
Sourced From: Tribune Online
By Olasunkanmi Akoni
The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.
Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.
Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.
Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.
Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents
He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.
While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.
He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.
He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.
Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.
Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.
Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.
According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.
“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.
“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.
Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.
“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”
Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”
“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”
The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.
Sourced From: Vanguard News
The government said that no worker should stay back beyond 6:00 p.m. within premises of buildings undergoing construction.
The post Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
Sourced From: Premium Times Nigeria
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack
UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal
Insecurity: Lagos bans occupation of abandoned buildings
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Evangelist Chris
May 9, 2014 at 3:30 pm
It speaks of your Ibo name. Marvellous music and worship from a humble spirit-filled vessel. I play and dance your music and feel the anointing. I look forward to when the Lord will permit me to invite you for the dedication of my ministry permanent building and HQ by His Grace. I cannot stop playing this music of the soul; so enriching and calm. You have touched the Master’s heart. Keep it humble continually, be inspired and may he favour you. You made me proud to be Ibo, hearing an Ibo language with voice in good worship for the Lord; calm and really beautiful. My Father bless you and your family in Jesus name. Husband please look after this gem for Jesus. Haleluyah!!!!!