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Condom shortage looms after coronavirus lockdown shuts world’s top producer

KUALA LUMPUR: A global shortage of condoms is looming, the world’s biggest producer said, after a coronavirus lockdown forced it to shut down production.

Malaysia’s Karex Bhd makes one in every five condoms globally. It has not produced a single condom from its three Malaysian factories in the past 10 days due to a lockdown imposed by the government to halt the spread of the virus.

That’s already a shortfall of 100 million condoms, normally marketed internationally by brands such as Durex, supplied to state healthcare systems such as Britain’s NHS or distributed by aid programmes such as the UN Population Fund.

“We are going to see a global shortage of condoms everywhere, which is going to be scary,” Karex Chief Executive Goh Miah Kiat told Reuters this week.

“My concern is that for a lot of humanitarian programmes deep down in Africa, the shortage will not just be two weeks or a month. That shortage can run into months.”

Malaysia is Southeast Asia’s worst affected country, with 2,161 coronavirus infections and 26 deaths. The lockdown is due to remain in place at least until April 14.

The other major condom-producing countries are China, where the coronavirus originated and led to widespread factory shutdowns, and India and Thailand, which are seeing infections spiking only now.

Makers of other critical items like medical gloves have also faced hiccups in their operations in Malaysia.

Goh said Karex was in the process of appealing to the government for an exemption to operate under specific conditions. Malaysia is approving other essential goods producers to operate with half of their workforce.

“The good thing is that the demand for condoms is still very strong because like it or not, it’s still an essential to have,“ Goh said. “Given that at this point in time people are probably not planning to have children. It’s not the time, with so much uncertainty.” — Reuters

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March 27, 2020
Sabah, Sarawak not excluded from Prihatin

PUTRAJAYA: The Federal government will cooperate with state governments, specifically in Sabah and Sarawak, to ensure all assistance announced under the people-centric economic stimulus package (Prihatin) reaches them as quickly as possible.

Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin (pix) said he was aware that those living in longhouses in Sarawak, Orang Asal settlements and in remote areas in every part of the country might worry that aid would reach them late.

“The Federal government will cooperate with state governments, specifically in Sabah and Sarawak, to ensure all assistance provided by the government will reach them fast,” he said in announcing the RM250 billion package on live television today.

Muhyiddin said besides ensuring the country’s economic activity continued, the government will also pay attention to domestic investment activities that had high multiplier effects and maintained employment.

For that purpose, the government has identified several small-scale projects such as improving road conditions, upgrading dilapidated schools in Sabah and Sarawak, cleaning places of worships and police stations as well as enhancing tourism facilities that would benefit G1 to G4 Grade contractors.

“For that, an allocation of RM2 billion has been set aside,” he said, adding that small-scale projects worth RM2 billion as announced in the previous package would be implemented this April.

He said these included the RM600 million infrastructure projects in Felda and other areas, RM350 million upgrading of dilapidated schools in Sabah and Sarawak and RM150 million upgrading of public housing for the hardcore poor. — Bernama

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March 27, 2020
TNB pledges RM150m to support tiered electricity rebate

KUALA LUMPUR: Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) has pledged RM150 million to support the government’s announcement of a tiered electricity rebate to assist affected Malaysians following the extension of the Movement Control Order (MCO) period until April 14.

TNB president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said the reduced electricity bills would be jointly subsidised by the government, TNB as well as funds from the Kumpulan Wang Industri Elektrik (KWIE).

“TNB is fully supportive of the government’s effort to provide some relief to the affected households as well as committed to channel funds towards initiatives that can directly assist the Malaysians,” he said.

He said TNB has also recently pledged RM10 million to the Ministry of Health to help replenish diminishing medical supplies at the front lines of the nation’s medical and healthcare institutions in the fight against Covid-19.

On Friday, the Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced a tiered rebate for electricity bills of between 15% and 50% for domestic users in Peninsular Malaysia, with almost 90% of residential consumers in Peninsular Malaysia would automatically receive the rebate effective on April 1 until Sept 30.

It said under the tiered rebate, three million domestic consumers with monthly consumption below 200 kilowatt hour (kWh) would receive 50% rebate, 1.5 million consumers with monthly consumption between 201kWh and 300kWh would receive 25% rebate and 2.2 million consumers with monthly consumption between 301kWh and 600kWh would be receiving 15% rebate.

Those among the B40 group would be benefiting from the highest rebate rate of 50% that would be reflected in electricity bills beginning May. — Bernama

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March 27, 2020
Schistosomiasis elimination: refocusing on snail control to sustain progress
Substantial progress has been made during the past decade to prevent and control schistosomiasis (also known as bilharziasis) globally. The disease affects more than 230 million people, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa.

Progress is mainly due to large-scale periodic treatment of affected populations with praziquantel, the only medicine recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) against all forms of schistosomiasis. Regular treatment cures mild symptoms and prevents
progression to severe, chronic disease.

“Through progressive scale-up of periodic large-scale treatment
to control morbidity in many endemic countries, we are closer to
achieving the minimum target of 75% global coverage of all school‐aged
children,” said Dr Amadou Garba Djirmay, who leads WHO’s global schistosomiasis control programme. “But
if we want to achieve elimination, we must go a step further to
introduce snail control in hot spots and in areas targeting elimination.
This is bound to increase impact and accelerate progress towards
interruption of transmission.”

Expansion of treatment is largely supported by donated praziquantel from Merck KGaA of up to 250 million tablets annually. In 2018, almost 78 million children were treated, representing 63% of all school‐aged children eligible for treatment.

Transmission: role of snails

Schistosomiasis is an acute, chronic parasitic disease caused by infection with trematode worms of the genus Schistosoma. It is prevalent in tropical and subtropical areas, especially in poor, rural communities that have little or no access to
safe drinking‐water and basic sanitation. Infection is transmitted when people suffering from schistosomiasis contaminate freshwater sources when evacuating urine and faeces containing the parasite’s eggs.

Once an egg comes into contact with fresh water, it releases miracidia (hatchlings) which enter a snail and produce hundreds of cercariae (larvae) daily. The cercariae enter the human body on contact with the skin and develop into adult worms.

Besides treatment with praziquantel, eliminating snail hosts and improving sanitation are important methods for sustainable prevention of the disease. Dam and irrigation projects are known to be potential sites for outbreaks of the disease. Snail management,
often achieved through mollusciciding, can help to reduce transmission by eliminating these intermediate snail hosts.

Vector control

In 2017, the World Health Assembly – WHO’s decision making body – adopted resolution WHA70.16 on the Global Vector Control
Response, calling on Member States to develop or adapt national vector control strategies and operational plans. The strategy aims to reduce by at least 40% the incidence of vector borne diseases, including schistosomiasis, by 2025.

In response, WHO is reinforcing snail control as part of its strategic approach to achieve the target of eliminating schistosomiasis as a public health problem and, ultimately, the goal of elimination of transmission. Snail control will complement mass
treatment campaigns and sustain the public health impact of this core intervention.

To facilitate implementation of snail control, in 2019 WHO published on specific, standardized procedures and criteria for efficacy
testing and evaluation and in 2017 a manual on the use of molluscicides in the field. WHO is also planning to strengthen capacities
of health staff in medical malacology in order to reinforce snail control activities in countries.

In the past, molluscicides (particularly niclosamide¹ based products) were widely used in schistosomiasis control programmes. For example, in China programmes largely relied on snail control for over 30 years to overcome the disease as a public
health problem. In other parts of the world, however, snail control programmes were gradually discontinued and competencies faded away.

“Snail control is a crucial component of the global schistosomiasis elimination strategy,” said Dr Rajpal Yadav, Scientist, WHO Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases. “It
is time we look for new snail control products that are cost–effective
and of low risk to humans and the environment. Some efforts are being
made to explore molluscicide compounds from plants, marine algae and
microorganisms.”

An integrated control strategy involving mass treatment with praziquantel, snail control and environmental modification, wider access to sanitation and safe water, economic and environmental development, health education and poverty-alleviation can greatly
contribute to sustainable control and elimination of schistosomiasis.

WHO’s new road map on neglected tropical diseases for 2021–2030, due to be launched later this year, advocates enhanced financial and political support to achieve the target of interruption of transmission. Additional research to address gaps,
develop tools and optimize the impact of existing programmes with snail control will complement the core strategic approach.

Schistosomiasis: forms of the disease

There are two major forms of schistosomiasis – intestinal and urogenital.

Intestinal schistosomiasis usually results in diarrhoea and blood in the stool; enlargement of the liver and of the spleen and portal hypertension are common in advanced cases.

Urogenital schistosomiasis is characterized by the presence of blood in the urine. Chronic infection results in fibrosis of the bladder and ureter that can evolve to hydronephrosis and create conditions for bladder cancer.

In women, urogenital schistosomiasis can cause vaginal bleeding, pain during sexual intercourse and nodules in the vulva, a condition now described as female genital schistosomiasis. In men, urogenital schistosomiasis can induce disease in the seminal
vesicles and prostate.

¹Limitations with the use of formulations based on niclosamide include restrictions on the usage of water immediately after application and temporary toxicity to non-target aquatic organisms including
fish, amphibians and invertebrates.
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March 27, 2020
Coronavirus: Stop Wasting Testing Kits On Politicians, AIED Tells NCDC

NCDC

The Advocacy for Integrity and Economic Development has urged the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control to stop wasting “limited testing kits” on political office holders and government officials.

In a statement on Thursday by its Director of Media and Publicity, Comrade O’Seun John, the organisation said the unchecked usage of the scarce testing kits for COVID-19 on government officials and politicians is appalling and a disservice to ordinary Nigerian, who deserve to be truly tested.

The statement reads, “We have noticed with utmost dismay the unending wastage of scarce testing kits for COVID-19 on politicians and political office holders at the detriment of the masses.

“We find this endeavour as a disservice to the people of Nigeria who should be the primary focus of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Ministry of Health.

“From several reports, the NCDC conducts an average of two tests on governors, senators, House of Representatives and Assembly members, Chief of Staff to the President amongst other influential figures in the country.

“These individuals have been solely responsible for the decades of decay and backwardness our health care system is facing. They stood aloof and budgeted billions of naira for frivolous expenses while the citizens suffer in penury, they do not deserve to enjoy the benefits from magnanimous philanthropists who have inconvenient themselves to help Nigerians.

“It is also on record that most, if not all, of the cases recorded or perceived in the corridors of power have been caused by the sheer refusal to submit to simple emergency protocols and checks at the airports. Nigerians should not then be the ones suffering for the ego and pride of these few ones.

“While we acknowledge that not every Nigerian will get tested for COVID-19, it is extremely important that these testing kits are kept safely for the primary use of the average Nigerian.

“The present statistics of less than 200 individuals who have received testing from the NCDC is disgraceful for a population of almost 200 million people. NCDC must channel its resources on improving the testing rates for Nigerians.

“The NCDC should leave the politicians alone and focus on Nigerians who are more in number and at a greater risk. If any politician feels the need to get tested, such politician can charter a flight to Europe, Asia or America where they get their routine medical check-up.”

PUBLIC HEALTH

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March 27, 2020
COVID-19: Should Education Hit A Pause Or Are We Just Unprepared In Nigeria? By Olabisi Deji-Folutile

Olabisi Deji-Folutile

Olabisi Deji-Folutile

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The world is facing its most trying and unprecedented times as the last few weeks have been most challenging for almost everybody. What started in Wuhan, China, as an epidemic, has put the entire world in disarray. Major streets across the globes have become empty. Both the rich and the poor are being ravaged by the plague of COVID-19, which the World Health Organisation has rightly described as a pandemic. Work places have been shut; religious and social gatherings banned and many countries are on total lockdown, in a bid to curb the spread of this viral disease. Expectedly, schools are also affected across board. Every day people are being told to embrace social distancing and suddenly things like human contacts, hitherto considered as free gifts of life, are becoming very expensive.

No one knows when this whole chaos will end, so people are making different kinds of adjustments to cope with the situation while it lasts. Many companies have shifted their operations online. Likewise, many schools have opted for e-learning, making use of available technology for teaching and learning.

Universities around the world are making use of communication technology to ease the effects of the global pandemic on their academic calendars.   In China, universities are going for online teaching instead of in-class teaching; the ones in Australia have moved their classes online just as UK universities have suspended face-to-face teaching.  Turkey started its remote university classes on March 23. In Kenya, universities have activated communication between lecturers and students via social media platforms and emails while classes have gone totally online in the Philippines and Kyrgyzstan. Teachers in France have been working with their students on Zoom.

Just a few days ago, Ghana’s President Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, directed the ministry of education to collaborate with the ministry of communications in rolling out open learning programmes in response to the closure of all educational institutions in the country. In the same vein, Mount Kenya University’s Vice-Chancellor Peter Wanderi, has announced the extension of online teaching platforms for regular students to facilitate the learning process. And to take care of the over six million students that have experienced disruption to their studies, ten North African and 12 Arab countries have begun work on an e-learning initiative to facilitate open and online education.

These are some of the steps being taken across the globe to bridge the gap created by school closure in the wake of COVID-19. Unfortunately, while all these activities are going on in other parts of the world, Nigerian government has not said anything about steps being taken to take care of its students’ community. Rather, the only message from the Federal Government was a total closure of all tertiary institutions and FG-owned unity schools till further notice. A statement issued by the National Universities Commission simply said universities would remain   shut   for one month while the Education Minister, Adamu Adamu, said tertiary institutions would remain shut indefinitely.

Assuming government has been overwhelmed by the burden of controlling the spread of COVID- 19, hence its silence on options for learning for its teeming student population, one would have expected the higher institutions themselves to at least say something, but as it is, they too are not helping matters. The silence in our universities has been deafening. To worsen the situation, the Academic Staff Union of Universities, decided to choose this time, of all times, to embark on an indefinite strike. One wonders how the academic body   manages to feel comfortable being on a strike at a time when researchers across the globe are busy looking for solution to a pandemic that is ravaging the entire world. This kind of action makes one query the essence of having Research and Development as a core component of tertiary education in Nigeria when researchers can be nowhere to be found at a critical time of societal needs.

By now, our researchers should be adding their voices to the various efforts being made towards developing a vaccine or cure for COVID-19. After all, universities are expected to proffer solutions to societal problems.  This is a wrong time for ASUU to embark on an indefinite strike. This should be a time of strategising and proffering solutions. This is really the time for everyone to get involved. Besides, I think Nigerian universities should also be more forthcoming on their responses to the challenges posed to their students by COVID-19.

As it is, religious organisations are doing far better in terms of their responses to the effects of this pandemic on their primary constituencies. Many of them have devised other means of getting the attention of   their members following several government directives prohibiting either gatherings or limiting the number of people allowed to congregate at a time. Almost all the churches have switched to online platforms for their services. How come religious organisations are working hard to keep their flocks and both government and higher institutions in Nigeria are just moving on as if all is well? No word on how to keep the students busy or keep them engaged using available online technology! Should teaching and learning be restricted to the classrooms alone in this 21st century?

Nigeria has always been described as a religious society. Corona Virus has further exposed the smartness of our religious bodies and the dullness of those in charge of our public educational institutions. This is not an attempt to blame any religious organisation for having the foresight to deploy technology in reaching their audiences. Instead, it is a wakeup call to managers of our educational institutions to adopt and use available technology to help their students at a time like this.

Apart from the National Open University of Nigeria, which basically runs online, I doubt if there is any other public university in the country that has capacity for online teaching. This is in spite of the launch of the Nigerian Communication Satellite known as NIGCOMSAT by the Nigerian Government first in 2007 and then NIGCOMSAT-IR in December 2011, to provide critical ICT backbone infrastructure to support e-learning, among others in the country.

What is the essence of investing so much money in a communication satellite if it cannot be deployed at a time of need?   Those in charge of NIGCOMSAT, the commercial arm of Nigeria’s space centre, have consistently claimed that the technology has the capacity to cover the entire Africa. If that is the case, why is the country still struggling to deploy internet connectivity facilities to its schools to aide e-learning? If we are truly a serious country, by now, all the schools in urban and rural areas should have been connected to the e-learning services.

No doubt, COVID-19 has exposed Nigeria’s unpreparedness for e-learning. But, we can’t afford to remain where we are. That is why it is important for every institution to start thinking of how to deploy available technology in the world for the good of their students at this critical period. Universities should as a matter of urgency migrate online. This shouldn’t be another season of waiting and probably wasting for the Nigerian student. There is no reason why any higher institution worth its name should suspend all academic activities until the end of Corona Virus with all the available resources and technology in the world today. The minimum expected of them is to upload teaching resources online for students to have access to them. At least this will give the students the opportunity to learn on their own.

This is also an opportunity for telecommunications companies like Glo, MTN and the rest of them to make a difference in Nigeria’s educational institutions. They can as part of their corporate social responsibility decide to boost internet facilities in universities and other educational institutions; or provide data at cheaper rates to help poor students have access to the internet for online learning.

I know there are obvious stumbling blocks to digital learning in Nigeria. Many students don’t even have access to devices while the cost of buying data is still high. These challenges and others have provided   telecommunications companies a huge opportunity of making a difference in Nigerian higher institutions by providing e-learning solutions and broadband connectivity to universities and other higher institutions.

They can as part of their corporate social responsibility decide to boost internet facilities in universities and other higher institutions; or help poor students who have limited or poor internet access to enhance online learning.

Olabisi Deji-Folutile is the Editor-in-Chief of Franktalknow.com and member of the Nigerian Guild of Editors. Email: bisideji@yahoo.co.uk

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March 27, 2020
KPDNHEP seize 223,000 face masks worth RM446,000

KUALA LUMPUR: The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs (KPDNHEP) have seized 223,000 face masks worth about RM446,000 which were hoarded and sold at over the maximum price in a raid in Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya, near here, yesterday.

KPDNHEP enforcement division director, Datuk Iskandar Halim Sulaiman said the three-layer face masks were surreptitiously sold at RM3.50 apiece, over the maximum price of RM2 a unit.

‘’The operation was conducted following a tip off on the sale on Facebook,’’ he said in a statement today.

The suspect used Facebook to advertise the sale via WhatsApp order and delivery via post or Cash On Delivery (COD) in the Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya area.

He said the suspect was found to have flouted Section 11 Price Control Act and Anti-Profiteering Act Act 2011 (AKHAP 2011) which provided a penalty not exceeding RM500,000 and could be fined not exceeding RM1 million for a second and subsequent offences.

The public could channel information concerning suspicious activities to KPDNHEP through the hotline 1-800-886-800 or via 03-8882 6088/6245 to the Enforcement Command Centre (ECC) or e-mel to http://e-aduan.kpdnhep.gov.my. – Bernama

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March 26, 2020
Penang rickshaw peddlers to receive three-month aid payout

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang government will issue full payments for April to June to rickshaw peddlers affected by the Covid-19 outbreak next month.

State Tourism Development, Arts, Culture and Heritage Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin said each rickshaw peddler would receive a sum of RM500, which included an allowance of RM300 and a one-off cash assistance of RM200.

“I have communicated with various sectors to understand the needs of the various parties and I have also conveyed the needs and recommendations to the state government to get the best help for them.

“The payout is expected to benefit about 318 peddlers,“ he said in a statement today.

The state government previously allocated RM100 a month to peddlers in the state to help those with no fixed income.

Yeoh said a total of 1,367 tour guides registered with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture would also receive a one-off cash assistance worth RM500 each.

“10,000 e-hailing drivers in Penang will also receive RM300 one-off assistance while 2,248 taxi drivers will benefit from an initial incentive payment of RM300 with an additional RM200 one-off.

“All of these assistance is part of the Penang People’s Aid Package announced by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow yesterday. I will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that the people and sectors that need the most help will benefit, ” he said.

Yesterday, Chow announced a RM75 million People’s Aid Package to be distributed to 15 target groups involving over 400,000 recipients who are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. – Bernama

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March 26, 2020
Muslims urged to perform hajat prayer simultaneously tomorrow

PUTRAJAYA: Muslims in Malaysia are encouraged to perform solat hajat (prayer of need) simultaneously in their respective homes after the Zohor prayer tomorrow in seeking protection and blessings in the face of the current situation in the country.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Seri Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri said the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah had urged that he proposed a plan for the prayer to be performed simultaneously nationwide.

“After much contemplation I have decided that the appropriate date and time for the prayer to be held simultaneously by Muslims wherever they may be, is on Friday, March 27, after zohor prayer,“ he said in a statement today.

Instead of the congregational prayer this Friday, Zulkifli called on Muslims to increase their zikr adding that this is the time for them to turn back to Allah in forgiveness, repentance and supplication.

In another development Zulkifli said the application for aid to those affected by the Covid-19 outbreak regardless of their race, religion, state or political affiliation, has been simplified to expedite distribution.

In fact he said to facilitate submission of application to the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Council, the required documents could be sent via WhatsApp without having to go to the office.

“I would like to emphasise that the aid which include other provisions is not only extended to Muslims but also to others who are in need,” he said adding the quantum from the related agencies and the number of beneficiaries would be announced soon.

Zulkifli added that since the #MUSAADAHCOVID-19 mission started on March 19 to date, RM29.01 million have been spent on the vulnerable groups.

He said donations which were given to those living in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Labuan as well as other states would continue until the MCO ruling ends,

The mission was the joint efforts of the Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation, Federal Territory Zakat Collection Centre, Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council, Waqaf Foundation Malaysia and the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Department. – Bernama

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March 26, 2020
Dino-killing asteroid choked whole world in dust within a few hours

When a large asteroid hit the Earth 66 million years ago, it sent huge curtains of dust flying tens of kilometres up into the air that quickly covered the planet

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March 26, 2020