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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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March 31, 2020
Residents In Lagos, Abuja, Can Still Withdraw Cash During Lockdown, Minister Says

ATM withdrawal

ATM withdrawal

A joint statement by Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, and Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has said e-payment and ATM platforms will remain open during the restriction on movement in Lagos, FCT and Ogun State.

The monetary and fiscal policy heads said exemptions have been obtained from President Muhammadu Buhari to allow very skeletal operations in the financial system and money markets.

They directed that all relevant staff of affected outfits and agencies should look out for further instructions from their immediate bosses.

The statement reads, “To ensure that Nigerians can still perform online transactions and use ATMs whilst observing these restrictions, we will like to inform the general public and all affected stakeholders that we have obtained exemptions from the President to allow very skeletal operations in the Financial System and Money Markets in order to keep the system in light operations during this time.

“We are mindful of the difficulties these restrictions would bring on ordinary Nigerians and are grateful to the President for approving these exemptions, which should help ease some of these burdens.

“We urge all Nigerians to be patient, cooperative and united as all hands are on deck to defeat this virus.”

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March 31, 2020
Presidential Order Not Enforceable Without Legal Backing! By Femi Falana

Following the national broadcast of President Muhammadu Buhari on the COVID-19 pandemic on Sunday, some lawyers have questioned the constitutional validity of the restriction of locomotion of people in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states. No doubt, the President is empowered to adopt any measures deemed fit to combat the dangerous disease but such measures have to be spelt out in a Regulation made pursuant to section 305 of the constitution or under the Quarantine Act. Otherwise the presidential order on restriction of movement in the affected areas cannot be enforced by the police.

Even though civil rule was restored in the country 21 years ago the psyche of the political class has not been demilitarised. Hence, decisions taken by rulers are required to be obeyed “with immediate effect” without any legal backing. But in Okafor v Governor of Lagos State (2016) LPELR-41066 (CA) the Court of Appeal called on all authorities to appreciate the need to govern the country under the rule of law. Thus, the directive of the Governor of Lagos State restricting the movement of citizens and residents during the state’s monthly environmental sanitation exercise was struck down because of its unconstitutionality. It was the unanimous view of their lordships that the arrest of appellant for flouting the order or directive of the governor was completely illegal. According to Georgewill , J.C.A.

“It is my view, that democracy thrives more on obeying and promoting the rule of law rather than the whims and caprices of the leaders against the lead. I find the conduct of the Respondent in not only persecuting the Appellant, yes that is what in my view it amounts to when a free citizen of this great country such as Citizen Faith Okafor, is put through the rigours of criminal process for an offence not prescribed in any written law but merely on the directive of the governor of the Lagos State. An action which if allowed to thrive in a democracy such as ours could confer on such office holders infinite, absolute and autocratic powers contrary to the clear provisions of the constitution of the land, to which both the leaders and the led are subject. I refuse to allow such autocratic, absolute and infinite powers to fester upon our nascent democracy.”

Lawyers who are saying that the law should be completely relegated to the background in combating the coronavirus pandemic reminds me of the dissenting judgment of Lord Atkins in the case of Liversidge v Anderson 1944 UKHL 1. While accusing his learned brethren of being “more executive minded than the executive”, his Lordship said inter alia:

“In England, amidst the clash of arms, the laws are not silent. They may be changed, but they speak the same language in war as in peace. It has always been one of the pillars of freedom, one of the principles of liberty for which on recent authority we are now fighting, that the judges are no respecters of persons, and stand between the subject and any attempted encroachments on his liberty by the executive, alert to see that any coercive action is justified in law.”

However. while the nation’s armed forces should be commended for making their medical facilities available to members of the public in the fight against the highly dangerous virus the plan to dispatch armed soldiers to the streets to enforce the COVID-19 guidelines should be shelved because it is illegal. For the umpteenth time, I am compelled to draw the attention of the military authorities to the case of Yussuf v Obasanjo (2005) 18 NWLR (Pt ) where Salami JCA (as he then was) held that “It is up to the police to protect our nascent democracy and not the military, otherwise the democracy might be wittingly or unwittingly militarized. This is not what the citizenry bargained for in wrestling power from the military in 1999. Conscious steps should be taken to civilianise the polity and thereby ensure the survival of and sustainance of democracy.”

In the same vein, in the celebrated case of All Progressive Congress v Peoples Democratic Party (2015) LPELR 24349 Aboki JCA held that the President lacks the power to call on the Armed Forces to restore law and order in any part of the federation without the approval of the National Assembly as provided in sections 217(2) and 218(4) of the constitution as amended. His Lordship reminded the Federal Government of its legal obligation “to confine the military to their demanding assignments especially in these trying times of insurgencies and encroachment into the country’s territories…”

Finally, just last week the satanic Boko Haram force was reported to have massacred 47 Nigerian troops and 92 Chadian soldiers in two separate attacks. In view of such enormous challenge our patriotic armed forces should concentrate efforts on the counter insurgency operations being carried out in the north east region while the police and allied security agencies are allowed to enforce the COVID-19 regulations and guidelines.

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March 31, 2020
MRA Condemns Attacks On Journalists Covering COVID-19 Cases

Media Rights Agenda on Monday condemned the increasing cases of attacks by law enforcement and security agencies on journalists covering the Coronavirus pandemic and other issues in the country.

The group called on government to ensure respect for the fundamental rights of journalists and the media.

In a statement, MRA’s Programme Director, Mr Ayode Longe, said, “We are constrained to remind the Federal Government that it has obligations under various international instruments which it has voluntarily acceded to, particularly Article 66(c) of the Revised ECOWAS Treaty, to ensure respect for the rights of journalists.

“We are gravely concerned by the rampant cases of attacks by law enforcement and security agents on journalists carrying out their professional duties as well as the obstruction of such duties. This situation is unacceptable and will no longer be tolerated.”

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March 31, 2020
Coronavirus: Ogun Government Postpones Commencement Of Lockdown To April 3

Ogun State Government has shifted the commencement of the total lockdown of the state to April 3, 2020.

President Muhammadu Buhari had during his nationwide address on the outbreak of Coronavirus in the country on Sunday ordered the lockdown of the FCT, Lagos and Ogun states.

According to the President, the lockdown is to start at 11pm of today (Monday).

However, Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun has said that the lockdown had been shifted to April 3 to enable the state prepare for the period.

He said this while declaring open the Ogun State COVID-19 Isolation and Response Centre open for use.

The governor stated that international borders and inter-state movement would be closed down from 11pm of Monday.

He said, “After consultation with the Presidency, the inter-state and international borders would be closed by 11pm on Monday night.

“However, the total lockdown of the state would be effective from 11pm, Friday, 3rd of April 2020.

“I have been in consultation with the Presidency and I’ve requested that they graciously allow us in Ogun State to prepare for this lockdown in terms of ensuring that we have enough food banks across the three senatorial districts so that when eventually there is a lockdown, our people will have enough food supply and they graciously accepted.”

Governor Abiodun revealed that the lockdown would constantly be reviewed, adding that people were free to move around only in their neighbourhoods to get essential items.

“These decisions would be kept under constant review, we may lapse them if the evidence makes it compelling.

“The decisions are without prejudice to the need of people to reasonably move within their neighbourhood to buy essentials such as food and drugs,” Governor Abiodun said.

He appealed to the people to abide by the government’s order and advisory provided by the Ministry of Health on respiratory hygiene and social distancing.

Ogun State has recorded three confirmed cases of Coronavirus.

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March 31, 2020
Ogun Residents Reject Siting Of Coronavirus Isolation Centre In Community

Residents of Obasanjo Hilltop GRA, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, Ogun State, have rejected the proposed siting of an isolation centre in the area.

The residents, in a letter to Governor Dapo Abiodun, stated that siting an isolation centre in a residential area would put the health of the people under risk.

Mr Fola Adeola, businessman, politician and founder of Fate Foundation, had donated his private residence and property in Abeokuta for use as isolation centre for COVID-19 patients.

Apart from Adeola, ex-Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, as well as other persons have donated facilities to the state government to use as isolation centres.

The residents of Oke-Mosan stated that though they appreciated the kind gesture of Adeola, using the building as isolation centre would endanger their lives.

The letter reads, “We are particularly alarmed as individuals and as a community that a non-resident owner of an abandoned property by name Mr Fola Adeola has purportedly donated his property in the estate to be converted to isolation centre for the purpose of victims of COVID-19.

“The community is comprised of retired and aged residents and other vulnerable individuals whose health and well-being would be most negatively affected by the potential conversion or siting of isolation in the neighbourhood.

“We wish to state categorically that this complaint is not and should not be seen as a deliberate step to discourage a most charitable disposition of the donor to public health issues and related social concerns.

“It is essential to request that the facility be used or deployed for allied services such as storage and other non-hazardous uses.

“It is in view of the foregoing that we most humbly appeal to Your Excellency to use your good office as the Executive Governor of Ogun State to cause immediate stoppage of the use of the facility as “COVID-19 isolation centre” due to potential health-related disaster that it might cause to vulnerable residents and generality of the community.”

Nigeria currently has 111 confirmed cases of Coronavirus and two recorded deaths.

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March 31, 2020
JUST IN: Oyo Governor, Makinde, Tests Positive For Coronavirus

Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde has tested positive for Coronavirus.

Making the announcement on Twitter on Monday, he said, “I just received my COVID-19 confirmation test result. It is positive. I am asymptomatic and will continue to self-isolate.”

Earlier Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, Kaduna State governor, Nasir e-l-Rufai, had both tested positive for the virus.

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March 31, 2020
Coronavirus: Abuja Residents Flood Markets, ATMs Ahead Of Lockdown In City, Lagos, Ogun

Residents of Abuja on Monday thronged banking halls, shopping malls and supermarkets to make last-minute cash withdrawals and purchases of basic food items and toiletries ahead of a lockdown in the city.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Sunday ordered a total lockdown of activities in Lagos, Ogun and Federal Capital Territory for two weeks as part of measures to stem the spread of Coronavirus pandemic in the country.

As early as 7:00am, residents of Abuja had besieged premises of various banks to make cash withdrawals that would last them for the duration of the restriction.

Customers were seen at a branch of First Bank located in Kubwa struggling to gain access into the banking hall.

The situation was the same at the Automated Teller Machine point of many banks where dozens of persons gathered to collect cash.

Many business owners took advantage of the situation to make extra profit by inflating prices of basic items including foodstuffs following the surge in customers at most markets in Abuja.

Also, filling stations were not left out in the rush as many people were seen trying to buy petrol for domestic use.

Residents expressed mixed reactions on the lockdown order, describing it as a pain and sacrifice citizens had to make to help stop the spread of the virus.

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March 31, 2020
Graphics Designer Demands Compensation After Ogun State ‘Stole’ COVID-19 Awareness Design

A graphic designer in Nigeria, Jeremiah Olatinwo, has demanded compensation from Ogun State Government for using his graphics design to create awareness about Coronavirus without his permission.

Olatinwo had designed an image to raise awareness on the virus and how to stay safe from it.

He used the ‘End COVID-19 WITH SWAG’ to launch a media campaign on steps Nigerians can take to curb the spread of the virus.

He was however, left distraught when the Ogun State Government placed its official crest on it and uploaded it on its official website.

In a chat with our correspondent, Olatinwo expressed anger at the action of the state government without reaching out to him.

He said, “As a social media enthusiast and digital marketing expert, I designed a media campaign themed ‘END COVID-19 WITH SWAG’ and it was widely accepted and distributed on social media.

“I got a call from a friend who saw and also shared my creative work that the Ogun State Government had plagiarised my concept – word for word, colour for colour without giving due credit.

“To my amazement, the design was up on all social media platforms of the Ogun State Government – Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

“Due compensation is expected for the creative work and their plagiarism as the design got impressions on their page, people have seen it and some have done screenshot and shared on various platforms.”

He added that he attempted to reach out to the social media handler of the state government but was blocked.

Olatinwo tweeted the design on March 25 while the Ogun State Government tweeted the replica of the image three days later.

‘End COVID-19 with SWAG’ is a concept by me Jeremiah Olatinwo. I designed and uploaded on March 25… And @OGSGofficial plagiarised and posted today with the seal of the state. SOS pls @MBuhari @ProfOsinbajo @dabiodunMFR @who @billgates @realFemiOtedola @segalink @unilagnigeria pic.twitter.com/KKQNuBWcAI

— Jeremiah Olatinwo (@BrosJayNG) March 28, 2020

The image, which has now been deleted across the social media platform of the state government, was the same concept without little adjustment to Olatinwo’s design.

Efforts by our correspondent to get the comment of the Kunle Somorin, Chief Press Secretary to Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, was not successful as he refused to respond to calls and text messages sent to his mobile number.

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March 31, 2020
Nigeria Records Second Coronavirus Death

A second person in Nigeria has died from Coronavirus, SaharaReporters can confirm.

The victim is said to have died at Gwagwalada Specialist Hospital around 9:00pm on Sunday.

Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, confirmed the incident on Monday.

Ehanire said the victim, whose identity was not disclosed, had serious underlying health issues.

He said, “Majority of them are persons who came from overseas and the others have been traced as close contacts of such returnees.

“The high number of imported cases in Lagos and Abuja is directly due to their function as the country gateway for air travels.

“Till date, three persons have been discharged after successful treatments but sadly, another fatality was recorded over the weekend in the person of a patient who had severe underlying illnesses.”

The latest incident comes one week after a former Managing Director of Petroleum Products Marketing Company, Suleiman Achimugu, died of the virus.

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March 31, 2020