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  • Remdesivir to be used in treatment of Covid-19: Health DG

    Remdesivir to be used in treatment of Covid-19: Health DG

    Remdesivir to be used in treatment of Covid-19: Health DG 1

    PUTRAJAYA: A brand new antiviral drug, Remdesivir, will be launched to deal with Covid-19 sufferers in the nation, stated Health Director-General Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah (pix).

    He stated the Ministry of Health (MOH) has acquired a number of purposes to convey in the drugs.

    “There have been purposes to convey in the Remdesivir drug and now we have accepted one or two purposes. Insya Allah, we’ll introduce this new drug to deal with Covid-19 sufferers,“ he stated at a day by day media convention on Covid-19 right here at present.

    Last March 28, Dr Noor Hisham was reported to have stated that the prevailing medication Clorokuin, Hydroxychloroquine and mixture of Lopinavir / Ritonavir which are used to deal with different ailments might be used in the treatment of Covid-19.

    Asked if the quantity of Covid-19 assessments carried out to date was sufficient, he stated MOH had met the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) benchmark.

    He stated primarily based on the share of 7.2% Covid-19 constructive circumstances from all samples taken, it’s under the 10% set by the World Health Organisation (WHO), therefore exhibiting that the nation has been performing sufficient assessments.

    “We have taken 43,462 samples and the (quantity of) constructive circumstances are 3,116, which means the speed of our constructive circumstances is 7.2%,,“ he added.

    Prior to this, medical specialists claimed that Malaysia remains to be behind in conducting the assessments for Covid-19, regardless of the rise in constructive circumstances two weeks in the past.

    Meanwhile, Noor Hisham stated the Covid-19 mortality fee in Malaysia, which is at 1.6 %, is taken into account nonetheless low, in contrast with the worldwide loss of life fee of round 4.5%.

    On the scarcity of private protecting tools (PPE), he stated, the issue has been resolved, however the concern now could be to ship the provides to hospitals and clinics concerned in the treatment of Covid-19.

    However, he stated, efforts had been being made to resolve the matter.

    “We hope inside this week the difficulty of distribution will be settled, now we have greater than 50,000 donated masks and PPE, in addition to half 1,000,000 masks from China for instance.

    “There is rather a lot of donations coming in and the difficulty now could be we try our greatest to handle the logistic to ship to Sabah and Sarawak for instance,“ he added. — Bernama

    Remdesivir to be used in treatment of Covid-19: Health DG
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  • Legal Issues Arising From Management Of Covid-19 Patients By Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem

    Legal Issues Arising From Management Of Covid-19 Patients By Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem

    Legal Issues Arising From Management Of Covid-19 Patients By Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem 2

    Legal Issues Arising From Management Of Covid-19 Patients By Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem 3


    A lot of legal issues are bound to arise as an aftermath of the outbreak of Coronavirus otherwise referred to as COVID-19.  There is therefore a need to shed light on some of the issues that may arise and how to navigate them. This article will x-ray the rights of patients, the rights of health workers and the basic minimum obligations of the government.

    The Code of Medical Ethics in Nigeria 2008 lists acts that constitute professional negligence. Rule 29.4 of the Code outlines some of these acts as follows:-

    a)      Failure to attend promptly to a patient requiring urgent attention when the practitioner was in a position to do so;

    b)     Manifesting incompetence in the assessment of a patient;

    c)      Making an incorrect diagnosis particularly when the clinical features were so glaring that no reasonable skillful practitioner could have failed to notice them; 

    d)     Failure to advise, or proffering wrong advice to  a patient on the risk involved in a particular operation or course of treatment, especially if such an operation or course of treatment is likely to result in serious side effects like deformity or loss of organ, or function;

    e)      Failure to obtain the informed consent of the patient before proceeding on any surgical procedure or course of treatment when such consent was necessary; 

    f)       Making a mistake in treatment e.g. amputation of the wrong limb, carelessness that results in the termination of a pregnancy, prescribing the wrong drug, or dosage in error for a correctly diagnosed ailment, etc;

    g)     Failure to refer, or transfer a patient in good time, when such a referral or transfer was necessary;

    h)     Failure to do anything that ought reasonably to have been done under any circumstance for the good of the patient;

    i)       Failure to see a patient as often as his medical condition warrants or to make appropriate comments in the case notes of the practitioner’s observations and prescribed treatment during such visits. It also includes failure to communicate with the patient or with his relatives as may be necessary with regards to any developments, progress or prognosis in the patient’s condition.

     

    Rule 11.2 of the 2008 Code of Medical Ethics in Nigeria provides that, “A physician shall preserve absolute confidentiality on all he knows about his patient even after the patient has died.”

                 Rule 44 of the Code of Medical Ethics has extensive provisions on Confidentiality and when disclosure of information can be made. The Rule provides in part that:

    “Disclosure of information on the patient by the doctor can only be made following an informed consent of the patient in writing. It is clear that the ethic covers even such information as induced abortion, venereal disease, attempted suicide, concealed birth and drug dependence but would exclude situations in which a discretionary breach of confidentiality is necessary to protect the patient or the community from danger and this must be made clear to the patient at the time of the confidential disclosure. Where statutory notification of disease is involved, the consent of the patient is not required.”            

                Confidentiality: To Disclose Identity Of Covid-19 Patients Or Not To Disclose?

    COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. Most people infected with the COVID-19 will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment.  Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer are more likely to develop serious illness.[1]

    The Federal Ministry of Health confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in Nigeria on the 27th of February 2020. It is the case of an Italian citizen who works in Nigeria and returned from Milan, Italy to Lagos, Nigeria on the 25th of February 2020. In reaction to the report, the social was divided between those who want the name of the Italian disclosed and those that preferred it remains confidential. The outcry was even more when the Chief of Staff to the President tested positive according to reports from various media houses[2], but the Minister of Health decided to keep mute on the identity of the President’s aide who contacted the virus, citing confidentiality.

    It will ordinarily be wrong to disclose the medical status of someone infected with COVID-19, for instancethe case of the Italian who was the index case. However in view of the proviso to Rule 44 of the Code of Medical Ethics 2008 which provides that a discretionary breach of confidentiality is necessary in order to protect the community from danger, I am of the view that the test results of popular figures who hold strategic offices like the Chief of Staff to the President or a Governor must be disclosed to guaranty public safety. This is necessary in view of the countless number of people from all works of life they come in contact with on a daily basis.  It will be correct to have made their status public in the overriding interest of the public, since it will enable those who have come in contact with them isolate, just like we have seen in the cases of the British Prime Minister, the Bauchi State Govenor, Prince Charles, the First Lady of Canada and many more. We must commend those who announced their status in public themselves-it is the best thing to do in the interest of humanity

    The World Health Organization (WHO) provides additional guidelines for the management of coronavirus patients specifically.[3]

    Health workers should:

    •follow established occupational safety and health procedures, avoid exposing others to health and safety risks and participate in employer-provided occupational safety and health training; 

    •use provided protocols to assess, triage and treat patients; 

    •treat patients with respect, compassion and dignity; 

    •maintain patient confidentiality; 

    •swiftly follow established public health reporting procedures of suspect and confirmed cases; 

    •provide or reinforce accurate infection prevention and control and public health information, including to concerned people who have neither symptoms nor risk;

    •put on, use, take off and dispose of personal protective equipment properly;

    •self-monitor for signs of illness and self-isolate or report illness to managers, if it occurs; 

    •advise management if they are experiencing signs of undue stress or mental health challenges that require support interventions; and 

    •report  to  their  immediate  supervisor  any  situation  which  they  have  reasonable  justification  to  believe presents an imminent and serious danger to life or health.

     

    Doctors and health workers in Nigeria must endeavor to digest the guidelines in the Code of Medical Ethics as well as the WHO Guidelines for management of Coronavirus victims and ensure they work strictly by their provisions. A breach of these duties have dire consequences. 

    Options Available To Covid-19 Patients Who Are Victims Of Medical Negligence

    A Coronavirus patient who has suffered medical negligence has a number of options:

    1. He could file a complaint with the regulatory body (e.g. the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, in the cases involving a Doctor). The Doctor will in the first instance be investigated by the Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigation Panel, after which he will be tried by the Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal. If found culpable,  the Doctor may be warned, suspended from practicing for a period not exceeding 6 months or in very serious cases, have his name can be removed from the Register of Medical Practitioners. The Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Disciplinary Tribunal does not award monetary damages.

    2. A suit can be filed against the Medical Doctor, the Hospital, Agency or Government in the High Court for Medical Negligence and monetary damages will be awarded if the Defendant(s) are found culpable.

          3.  If there is an element of Crime, a report could be made to the Police who would conduct Criminal Investigation and where the investigation reveals gross negligence, recklessness or wanton disregard for life of the victim, the police can prosecute or forward the case file to the office of the Attorney General of the State for possible prosecution in deserving cases.  

    A Need To Do More For Doctors And Other Professionals In The Health Sector

    Health workers are at the front line of any outbreak response and as such are exposed to hazards that put them at risk of infection with an outbreak pathogen (in this case COVID-19). Hazards include pathogen exposure, long working  hours,  psychological  distress,  fatigue,  occupational  burnout,  stigma,  and  physical  and  psychological violence. 

    During the outbreak of Ebola more than 500 health care workers died in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra-Leone alone. We also lost some of our finest doctors and health workers to the disease in Nigeria, the most prominent being Dr. Stella Adadevoh, who is credited with having curbed a wider spread of the Ebola virus in Nigeria by placing the index patient, Patrick Sawyer, in quarantine despite pressures from the Liberian  government. As we speak, The coronavirus is waging a war of attrition against health care workers throughout the world, but nowhere is it winning more battles at the moment than in Italy and in Spain, where protective equipment and tests have been in severely short supply for weeks. In Spain 13.6% (6500) of those affected with the coronavirus are health workers and in Italy 10% (7400) of those affected with the virus are health workers. [4] In New York dozens of health workers have been affected with the virus, while hundreds are in quarantine.[5] According to reports filtering in as the time of concluding this article, three health workers have been infected with COVID-19 in Abuja, Nigeria.[6]

    Human Rights Watch research into health system collapse in Hungary and Venezuela suggests the nations’ mismanaged, underfunded, and understaffed public healthcare system is poorly equipped to handle a COVID-19 outbreak. Patients and medical experts described a lack of basic hygiene protocol, lack of isolation rooms, and a shortage of health professionals, doctors and nurses, and medical supplies in general.

    The situation is not too different in Nigeria at the moment and except something drastic is done we might be witnessing a devastating effect of the pandemic. Nigeria’s, public health capacity has been diminished by large scale public sector corruption. Medical personnel lack surgical masks and local supplies have been diverted and shipped to other markets partly due to corruption. Many states are ill-prepared to combat the impeding surge in patients. A senior health worker with a government hospital in Abuja, in an interview with Sahara Reporters, lamented the lack of quality Personal Protective Equipment for them, adding that government must invest in the protection of health workers at the frontline of the battle against the virus. He said, “The unfortunate thing is that the government is not providing us with what to work with. It is sad that our PPE are not up to the world standard and can be penetrated by viruses. Some of us (health workers) have to use our personal funds to purchase gloves as we do not trust the ones government supplied. Nigerians should please remember us in their prayers and government should provide us with what we really need to work.” [7]

    There was report that in Bauchi State a Coronavirus patient rejected the isolation centre at the Bauchi Specialist Hospital and went back home while describing it as “too dirty”.[8]  

    It is disappointing to hear that the hazard allowance for doctors and health workers is N5,000 per month in Nigeria. The amount is very paltry compared to the risks and the attendant emotional and psychological stress suffered by the health-care workers (HWCs) particularly during monumental outbreaks like this. Unfortunately, when a patient is mismanaged, these doctors and health workers bear the burden of paying huge compensation and sometimes losing their jobs. More importantly, the brain-drain in the health sector is monumental, almost all my friends who are doctors, work abroad. Unfortunately, there are concerted efforts by the US Government to engage foreign Doctors to further fortify its health work force as COVID-19 ravages. Many young Nigerian doctors are already considering the offers because the Nigerian government has paid little attention to their welfare and the welfare of the general health workforce. To stop the exodus of our doctors, who are already in short supply, the government must act fast by improving their welfare packages in line with acceptable international standards.

    The psychological needs of doctors and health workers are also often ignored. Unsafe working conditions contribute to health worker attrition in many countries due to work-related illness and injury and the resulting fear of health workers of occupational infection, including from HIV and Tuberculosis. The 2006 World Health Report – Working Together for Health reported on a severe health workforce crisis in fifty-seven countries, most of them in Africa and Asia. [9]

    Protecting the occupational health of health workers is critical to having an adequate workforce of trained and healthy health personnel. Governments at the Federal and State levels are urged to do more by complying fully with the World Health Organization’s guidelines regarding the Rights of Health Workers while combating COVID-19. Some of the rights are:

    ·         assume overall responsibility to ensure that all necessary preventive and protective measures are taken to minimize occupational safety and health risks;

    ·         provide information, instruction and training on occupational safety and health, including; Refresher training on infection prevention and control(IPC); and Use, putting on, taking off and disposal of personal protective equipment(PPE);

    ·         provide adequate IPC and PPE supplies (masks, gloves, goggles, gowns, hand sanitizer, soap and water, cleaning supplies) in sufficient quantity to healthcare or other staff caring for suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients, such that workers do not incur expenses for occupational safety and health requirements;

    ·         not be required to return to a work situation where there is continuing orserious danger to life or health, until the employer has taken any necessary remedial action;

    ·         allow workers to exercise the right to remove themselves from a work situation that they have reasonable justification to believe presents an imminent and serious danger to their life or health. When a health worker exercises this right, they shall be protected from any undue consequences; 

    ·         honour the right to compensation, rehabilitation and curative services if infected with COVID-19 following exposure in the workplace. This would be considered occupational exposure and resulting illness would be considered an occupational disease,

    ·         provide access to mental health and counselling resources; and 

    ·         enable co-operation between management and workers and/or their representatives. Etc.

    In conclusion, professional care givers for COVID-19 patients should uphold four basic principles formulated by Beauchamp and Childress in their book ‘Principles of Biomedical Ethics’ in order to protect themselves from liability for negligence. The four basic principles are autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice.

    Autonomy: People have the right to control what happens to their bodies. This principle simply means that an informed, competent adult patient can refuse or accept treatments, drugs, and surgeries according to their wishes. People have the right to control what happens to their bodies because they are free and rational. And these decisions must be respected by everyone, even if those decisions aren’t in the best interest of the patient.

    Beneficence: All healthcare providers must strive to improve their patient’s health, to do the most good for the patient in every situation. But what is good for one patient may not be good for another, so each situation should be considered individually. And other values that might conflict with beneficence may need to be considered.

    Non-maleficence: “First, do no harm” is the bedrock of medical ethics. In every situation, healthcare providers should avoid causing harm to their patients. You should also be aware of the doctrine of double effect, where a treatment intended for good unintentionally causes harm. This doctrine helps you make difficult decisions about whether actions with double effects can be undertaken.

    Justice: The fourth principle demands that you should try to be as fair as possible when offering treatments to patients and allocating scarce medical resources. You should be able to justify your actions in every situation. For instance, it will amount to a professional misconduct for a Health-care Worker to remove a poor man from the ventilator because a Senator was rushed in. 

    Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem is a partner in Adetola-Kazeem Legal Practice and specializes in Medical and Health Law

    Email: aadetolakazeem@gmail.com;aadetolakazeem@gaklp.com

    [1] https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1(Accessed on the 28th of March 2020)

    [2] https://businessday.ng/coronavirus/article/abba-kyari-tests-positive-for-coronavirus-buhari-negative/

    https://www.channelstv.com/2020/03/24/buharis-chief-of-staff-abba-kyari-reportedly-tests-positive-for-coronavirus/ (Accessed on the 28th of March 2020)

    [3] Coronavirus Disease (Covid-19) Outbreak: Rights, Roles and Responsibilities Of Health workers, Including Key Considerations For Occupational Safety And Health”. https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/who-rights-roles-respon-hw-covid-19.pdf?sfvrsn=bcabd401_0   (Accessed on the 26th of March 2020)

    [4] https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/collapsing-virus-pummels-medics-spain-italy-69789413 (Accessed on 26th March 2020)

    [5] https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/covid-19-hits-doctors-nurses-emts-threatening-health-system/2020/03/17/f21147e8-67aa-11ea-b313-df458622c2cc_story.html (Accessed on 28th of March 2020)

    [6] http://saharareporters.com/2020/03/28/exclusive-two-nurses-one-doctor-infected-coronavirus-abuja-hospital

    [7] Supra

    [8] https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/coronavirus-patient-rejects-bauchi-isolation-centre-returns-home.html (Accessed on 28th March 2020)

    [9] https://www.who.int/occupational_health/topics/hcworkers/en/(Accessed on 26th March 2020)

     

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  • Nigerian Red Cross Calls For Support To Scale Up Coronavirus Response

    Nigerian Red Cross Calls For Support To Scale Up Coronavirus Response

    Nigerian Red Cross Calls For Support To Scale Up Coronavirus Response 5

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    The Nigerian Red Cross has appealed to members of the public to support its ongoing efforts at creating more awareness on the dangers of Coronavirus and how citizens can avoid contracting the pandemic. 

    In a briefing with journalists on Tuesday, the organisation said that support in form of food and other essential items were needed to distribute to households in order to help cushion the effect of the lockdown ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday. 

    The lockdown is to be observed in Lagos, Ogun and FCT.  

    Head of Communications and Advocacy of Nigeria Red Cross, Nwakpa O. Nwakpa, said they will continue to work with relevant stakeholders to help curtail the spread of the virus in the country. 

    Nwakpa said, “Following the first confirmed case in Nigeria, the Nigerian Red Cross Society trained and mobilised 100 volunteers in Lagos and Ogun states for intense mass mobilisation to create awareness on preventive measures through radio jingles, live radio shows, distribution of flyers, sensitisation in religious centres, markets, motor parks and streets for two weeks.

    “As we all are aware, number of confirmed cases is still rising, thus there is urgent need for the Nigerian Red Cross Society to scale up her response in all affected states and neighbouring states. 

    “Thus, the Nigerian Red Cross Society is planing to scale her response to 20 states including the Federal Capital Territory. 

    “The Nigerian Red Cross hereby calls on donor agencies, international agencies, well-spirited Nigerians to partner with it to be able to scale up the fight against COVID-19 spread and imminent hardship should the lockdown persist.

    “The Nigerian Red Cross therefore will be willing to receive support in cash, food, household items.

    “All Nigerians should adhere strictly to government’s directives at all times including staying at home and observing optimal personal hygiene.” 

     

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  • IGP, Police Spokesperson, 10 Others Test Negative For Coronavirus

    IGP, Police Spokesperson, 10 Others Test Negative For Coronavirus

    IGP Mohammed Adamu
    IGP Mohammed Adamu

    IGP, Police Spokesperson, 10 Others Test Negative For Coronavirus 7IGP Mohammed Adamu


    IGP, Police Spokesperson, 10 Others Test Negative For Coronavirus

    Nigeria’s Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has tested negative for Coronavirus. 

    The IGP received the result of the test on Tuesday after submitting samples on March 27, 2020. 

    Other officers, who also tested negative include Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, Principal Staff Officer to the IGP, DCP Idowu Owohunwa, Head of the Force Technical Intelligence Unit, DCP Lanre Ogunlowo, Personal Physician to the IGP, CSP (Dr) Nonye Welle, Medical Officer, Police Clinic, Force Headquarters, Abuja, CSP (Dr) Titus Adegbite, Secretary to the IGP, SP Moses Jolugbo, and five other close aides to Adamu. 

    While noting that policing was a high-contact job with its attendant risks, the IGP enjoined police officers nationwide to adhere strictly to all precautionary and safety measures in the course of their day-to-day activities.

    Adamu, according to a statement by Mba, equally enjoined members of the public to voluntarily obey all restriction orders put in place by government.

    Recall that Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Abba Kyari, who has tested positive for Coronavirus, earlier this month attended the wedding of the son of the IGP, thereby raising fears that all those he came in contact with including Adamu may have been infected.

    Three of Kyari’s staff were later confirmed to be infected with the virus, leaving several others concerned.

    Nigeria currently has 135 confirmed cases of Coronavirus and two recorded deaths.

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  • Losing Her Religion: Nigeria’s Faith Unveiled In The Face Of COVID-19 By R. Evon Benson-Idahosa

    Losing Her Religion: Nigeria’s Faith Unveiled In The Face Of COVID-19 By R. Evon Benson-Idahosa

    Me, circa 1984, in my choir uniform and what was possibly the now infamous tambourine.
    Me, circa 1984, in my choir uniform and what was possibly the now infamous tambourine.

    R. Evon Benson-Idahosa, Esq
    R. Evon Benson-Idahosa, Esq

    Losing Her Religion: Nigeria’s Faith Unveiled In The Face Of COVID-19 By R. Evon Benson-Idahosa 8R. Evon Benson-Idahosa, Esq


     

    I remember falling asleep at a Tuesday evening church service as a 9 year old child. I had a tambourine on my lap and as I fell to the floor, it reverberated thunderously throughout the hall, drawing the attention of everyone who had been attentively listening to the dynamic preacherman. I awakened to piercing stares and side eyes- particularly from my father- whose message I had disrupted. Every Nigerian child knows that stare, that glare that silently speaks a thousand words, cloaks you in debilitating fear and assures your quivering being that there will be consequences. Needless to say, it was a quiet ride home and for the rest of the revival week, I was ushered to the front row where I forced my eyes open, humming tunes to myself to stay awake.

    Losing Her Religion: Nigeria’s Faith Unveiled In The Face Of COVID-19 By R. Evon Benson-Idahosa 9Me, circa 1984, in my choir uniform and what was possibly the now infamous tambourine.


    Saying that I literally grew up in church would be an understatement. Week long revival services, such as the one I reference above, were customary. I was also in the choir, went to Sunday school before church services on Sunday, Agape Force Children’s meetings on Saturdays, mid-week services and the occasional 6:30 am morning prayer services, followed by our home bible study with Auntie B. And because my father was Archbishop Benson Idahosa, there were no negotiations. It just was.

    At the age of10, shortly after the infamous “tambourine experience,” the truth of those messages became real and I earnestly became a follower of The Way. And so, as news began to sweep the globe of the novel corona virus and its import, I found myself immediately turning to my faith as a source of comfort and peace. I also called my mother, who now heads CGMI, the global ministry my father left when he passed away 22 years ago. Her words of encouragement and the tone of her voice assured me that, as we like to say in Nigeria, ‘it is well.’

    And it will be.

    But for now, the pandemic continues to rage, as thousands succumb to its will. First China. Then South Korea. Japan. An epidemic. Then Italy, the UK, the US. Thousands upon thousands of cases were being reported and every day brought the reality closer to home. Then it became a global pandemic and as it stands, the WHO estimates that there are 719,700 confirmed cases globally, with almost 34,000 deaths.

    On February 28th, Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, confirmed its index case of the corona virus which arrived the country via an Italian businessman. As I write, her Centre for Disease Control is reporting a total of 135 confirmed cases and two deaths, having conducted just several hundred tests, even though thousands of passengers have arrived from varying countries since the index. Self isolation has been deemed an advisory, not mandatory measure.

    Nigeria has taken what some would consider drastic, yet in this writer’s opinion, insufficient and strikingly Western style measures to address what is likely to come in the absence of a miracle. In addition to finally closing her borders from international travelers, including Nigerians, schools have been shut down, civil servants are being asked to work from home, “social distancing” policies are being enacted and several states, including my home state of Edo, have prohibited religious, social and public gatherings of more than 20 persons.

    In a country where over 90% of her citizens profess to be religious, most Nigerians are accustomed to turning to their faith in times of crisis. The corona virus pandemic is no exception. Many who had strayed from God are now repenting of their sins and brandishing the sign of the cross as they leave their homes. Others are praying for a “Passover,” as CNN and other news outlets flood us with “end of the world,” doomsday messaging. As a result, many of us are yearning to collectively gather to pray.

    Whether the desire to collectively gather is buttressed by denial (“coronavirus is not here” — “the spirit of corona virus is dead in Nigeria”) or stems from a deep seeded longing for God to show mercy to a healthcare system that is wholly unprepared to handle the worst case scenario, the fact remains that Nigeria’s religious faithfuls are unaccustomed to missing gatherings for anything. Services are considered sacred times to commune with God and to be encouraged by the brethren. Others hang on to every word of their clerics who, in some cases, insist on serving as a religious crutch- intermediaries between their congregants and God. Many believers who engage with God on a transactional basis come bearing tithes and/or offerings in the hopes that God will hear their prayers. (He hears them regardless.)

    As such, the prohibition on religious gatherings of more than 20 (which essentially translates to a prohibition of services in general) has resulted in many Nigerian believers losing their ‘religion,’ i.e., left bewildered as to how to make the adjustment to a God who potentially exists outside the four walls of their churches; to a God who speaks directly to them in God’s long forgotten voice. Who, precisely, are Nigerian believers without our religions and religious houses of worship?

    Could it be that for the first time in a long time, Nigerian believers are being presented with a church-less opportunity to develop even more meaningful personal relationships with their God; to ‘lay hands’ on themselves and speak words of healing into their children from a God who has always heard them? Could this pandemic serve as an opportunity for believers to be what Murray Bowen describes as a ‘non-anxious presence’ to those who may be paralyzed by fear? Or as a practical example, to give our hired staff the much deserved paid time off to assuage the fears of their own elderly parents? As we creatively consider our individual responses, it is imperative that we recognise that our actions are a reflection of what we truly believe about our faith and the One who implores us to be salt and light.

    As the Church, however, it is unhelpful that some of our pastors are refusing to comply. The other day, I was tagged on a rather unfortunate video of a pastor irresponsibly screaming to congregants that the corona virus cannot withstand Nigeria’s “corrosive anointing.” However, even Jesus instructed us to obey the law of the land (render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s). This blatant refusal to consider the reality that may most aggressively affect those on the margins begs the question of why some churches are so adamant against temporarily closing their doors.

    Sure, we all need hope and encouragement in these perilous and uncertain times, but have we not, after all these years, fed the flock enough “meat” to trust that they can and will turn to God for themselves? Or are we, draped in our own egos, more selfishly concerned that they may not return to our fold and thus, affect our financial bottom line?

    It is not a lack of faith to use wisdom or to be practical. Even Jesus reached out his hand to save Peter when he could easily have let him drown and then used his “corrosive anointing” to raise him from the dead. Wisdom is profitable to direct and I believe my father, who I consider one of the greatest men of faith to ever walk this earth, would have done the needful to protect the sheep. My mother most certainly is.

    To this end, some larger churches are offering their services online. However, for the working poor who faithfully make up the backbone of most Nigerian churches, internet connectivity and/or live streaming of an entire service make that option impractical and/or unaffordable. They are the ones, who because they live day to day, cannot afford to practice social distancing, “stay at home” and for some, even “wash your hands,” because soap becomes a luxury when one’s ‘daily bread’ is devoid of the ‘daily.’ If our government does not step up to courageously seek support that is tailored to our unique realities and then provide that support to those on the margins, the import of the corona virus in our beloved Nigeria could be felt by generations to come.

    As such, could this pandemic present an opportunity for churches to fill the glaring gaps and practically serve the last and the least in a manner that reveals who we profess to be as followers of The Way? Might this be an opportunity for the church to put our egos aside and creatively heed Jesus’ instructions to ‘feed my sheep’, to apply the Balm of Gilead, by serving those who will be most physically, mentally and economically impacted? Practically speaking, could we convert our sanctuaries to temporary hospitals or food pantries where those in need can obtain essentials? Can we use the funds of those who have faithfully donated over the years to buy ventilators and personal protective gear for our hospitals and health workers on the front lines? Can we purchase hygiene products and distribute them to those who may be confined to their homes? This, I believe, is our mandate.

    At the end of the day, my faith in God runs deep. It has guided my life since I was 10 and I prayerfully trust that we will get through this. But as the Nigerian Church temporarily loses her ‘religion’ and her faith is unveiled in the face of COVID-19, she is presented with an opportunity to reverberate thunderously and rise up to be who she professes for such a novel time as this. After all, in the words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, ‘the church is the church only when it exists for others…not dominating, but helping and serving.’

    WRITTEN BY

    R. Evon Benson-Idahosa, Esq.

    Lead table turner and expert troublemaker at Pathfinders Justice Initiative (www.pathfindersji.org); creating more space for women at the table.

     

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  • WHO releases guidelines to help countries maintain essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic

    WHO releases guidelines to help countries maintain essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic

    The COVID-19 pandemic is straining health systems worldwide. The rapidly increasing demand on health facilities and health care workers threatens to leave some health systems overstretched and unable to operate effectively.

    Previous outbreaks have demonstrated that when health systems are overwhelmed, mortality from vaccine-preventable and other treatable conditions can also increase dramatically. During the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak, the increased number of deaths caused
    by measles, malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis attributable to health system failures exceeded deaths from Ebola
    [1,2]. 

    “The best defense against any outbreak is a
    strong health system,” stressed WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
    “COVID-19 is revealing how fragile many of the world’s health systems and
    services are, forcing countries to make difficult choices on how to best meet
    the needs of their people.”

    To help countries navigate through these challenges, the World Health Organization (WHO) has updated operational planning guidelines in balancing the demands of responding directly to COVID-19 while maintaining essential health service delivery, and mitigating
    the risk of system collapse. This includes a set of targeted immediate actions that countries should consider at national, regional, and local level to reorganize and maintain access to high-quality essential health services for all.

    Countries should identify essential services that will be prioritized in their efforts to maintain continuity of service delivery and make strategic shifts to ensure that increasingly limited resources provide maximum benefit for the population. They
    also need to comply with the highest standard in precautions, especially in hygiene practices, and the provision of adequate supplies including personal protective equipment This requires robust planning and coordinated actions between governments
    and health facilities and their managers.

    Some examples of essential services include: routine vaccination; reproductive health services including care during pregnancy and childbirth; care of young infants and older adults; management of mental health conditions as well as noncommunicable diseases
    and infectious diseases like HIV, malaria and TB; critical inpatient therapies; management of emergency health conditions; auxiliary services like basic diagnostic imaging, laboratory services, and blood bank services, among others.

    Well-organized and prepared health systems can continue to provide equitable access to essential service delivery throughout an emergency, limiting direct mortality and avoiding increased indirect mortality. 
     

    The guidelines stress the importance of keeping up-to-date information. This requires frequent transparent communications with the public, and strong community engagements so the public   can maintain trust in the system to safely meet their
    essential needs and to control infection risk in health facilities. This will help ensure that people continue to seek care when appropriate, and adhere to public health advice.

    1. Elston, J. W. T., Cartwright, C., Ndumbi, P., & Wright, J. (2017). The health impact of the 2014–15 Ebola outbreak. Public Health, 143, 60-70.

    2. Parpia, A. S., Ndeffo-Mbah, M. L., Wenzel, N. S., & Galvani, A. P. (2016). Effects of response to 2014–2015 Ebola outbreak on deaths from malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis, West Africa. Emerging infectious diseases, 22(3), 433.

     

    For interviews please contact:  Tarik Jasarevic

    To access the full guidance please visit: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/technical-guidance/maintaining-essential-health-services-and-systems

    For further information and guidance on COVID-19 please visit: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

     

     

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  • Muhyiddin visits MAEPS low-risk patient Quarantine & Treatment Centre

    Muhyiddin visits MAEPS low-risk patient Quarantine & Treatment Centre

    Muhyiddin visits MAEPS low-risk patient Quarantine & Treatment Centre 11

    SERDANG: Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin today visited the Quarantine and Treatment Centre for low-risk Covid-19 patients at the Malaysia Agro Exposition Park Serdang (MAEPS) here.

    The prime minister was accompanied by Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba, Ministry of Health (MOH) secretary-general Datuk Seri Dr Chen Chaw Min and Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah.

    Muhyiddin, who arrived at the centre at 5.45pm, spent almost an hour being briefed and touring the centre, which was successfully prepared for operations by various government agencies, under the coordination of the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma), within three days.

    Met after the visit, Dr Adham told reporters that the centre was the brainchild of the prime minister himself to prepare for any possibility of a drastic surge in the number of Covid-19 infections.

    “We will treat Covid-19 positive patients who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms here,” he said.

    The centre has the capacity to place up to 600 patients at any one time and it will be coordinated by Nadma with the cooperation of the MOH, the Armed Forces, the Fire and Rescue Department, the Civil Defence Force, the Social Welfare Department and the Public Works Department.

    Among others, it will provide clinical services, Covid-19 wards, resuscitation areas to stabilise patients during emergencies, as well as ambulance, pharmacy and pathology laboratory services.

    Facilities for patients include beds, tables and chairs, lockers, television, lounges, Wifi access, computers, surau, closed-circuit television (CCTV), toilets and baths, changing rooms and rest areas.

    For those on duty, there are nurse stations, treatment/resuscitation room, rest areas, changing rooms and baths, including for the ‘donning and doffing’ of personal protective equipment (PPE) as well as meeting and seminar rooms. – Bernama

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  • BREAKING: Buhari Bans Movement In And Out Of Lagos, Ogun, FCT Over Coronavirus

    BREAKING: Buhari Bans Movement In And Out Of Lagos, Ogun, FCT Over Coronavirus

    BREAKING: Buhari Bans Movement In And Out Of Lagos, Ogun, FCT Over Coronavirus 12

    BREAKING: Buhari Bans Movement In And Out Of Lagos, Ogun, FCT Over Coronavirus 13


    President Muhammadu Buhari has banned the movement of persons in and out of Lagos, Ogun and Federal Capital Territory as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak.

    He made the declaration on Sunday evening during a nationwide broadcast.

    According to the President, the decision was taken because Lagos and the FCT had recorded the most cases of the pandemic in the country due to the international airports in both cities, which had allowed travellers from high risk countries for the virus to come into the country.

    Buhari said Ogun State was included in the restriction because of its close proximity to Lagos and the fact that it bordered many other states in the South-West.

    The President asked Nigerians to put aside their personal comfort to help combat the pandemic, adding that citizens should stay at home to reduce the risk of the virus spreading further.

    Buhari said that security agencies would be drafted in to help government’s effort at tackling Coronavirus.

    Nigeria currently has 97 confirmed cases of the virus and one recorded death. 

    More to come…

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  • BSH recipients need not make new application for BPN

    BSH recipients need not make new application for BPN

    BSH recipients need not make new application for BPN 14

    PUTRAJAYA: Households and single individuals who have been listed as the Cost of Living Aid (BSH) recipients do not need to make a new application for the Bantuan Prihatin Nasional (BPN) cash handouts.

    The Ministry of Finance (MOF) in a statement today said the BPN payments would be made directly to them through their bank accounts registered under BSH.

    “Households earning RM4,000 or less will get BPN of RM1,600 while singles earning RM2,000 or less will receive BPN of RM800.

    For households earning between RM4,001 and RM8,000 and singles earning between RM2,001 and RM4,000 who are registered taxpayers under the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN), MOF said they also do not need to make a new application for BPN.

    BPN payments of RM1,000 for households and RM500 for eligible individuals under the category will be made directly to them through their bank accounts registered with LHDN, it added.

    For those who have not yet registered, new applications can be made starting April 1 via LHDN’s website at www.hasil.gov.my, it said.

    “The ministry wishes to remind the public to be wary of scammers who have become emboldened by the opportunity to commit fraud against those who need such assistance.

    “Recipients are advised to refer to official sources and not to disclose any personal information to any third party,” it said.

    For more information, the public can contact the MOF at 03-8882 9089/ 03-8882 9087/ 03-8882 9191/ 03-8882 4565/ 03-8882 4566 from 9am to 5pm (Sunday to Friday), through email at bsh@treasury.gov.my/ pre2020@treasury.gov.my or Telegram application PRE Prihatin or the MOF official Facebook page.

    Enquiries can also be forwarded to LHDN via calls from 9am to 5pm (Sunday to Friday) at 1-800 882 747 or 03-8911 1000. – Bernama

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