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Opinion:Coping With COVID-19 Is Becoming A Big Problem For Nigeria- Dr. Barth Ufoegbunam

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By Barth Ufoegbunam

The situation in Nigeria as at now, is that the fight against COVID-19 is becoming increasingly overwhelming and as a nation we are gradually becoming unable to cope with the very fast moving pandemic.

Here are my reasons for saying so:

Some of the past government protocols and guidelines have been “reformatted” to enable us prioritise our responses with the available resources and with respect to emerging information on COVID-19.

*For instance the most important factor in the discharge criteria some months back was that an infected individual receiving treatment in any of the government administered isolation centers needed to test negative twice before a discharge can be sanctioned.*

*After awhile it was dropped down to just one negative test*

*The new management protocol and guidelines for discharge from isolation centers are saying, there is no need anymore for patients undergoing treatment in isolation centers to wait until they get a negative test result before a discharge can be effected*

*Asymptomatic cases can say bye bye to isolation centers once they have spent 14 days from their first PCR positive test*

*While Symptomatic cases can be allowed to go after 10 days and 3 additional days without symptoms from their first positive PCR test while in isolation centers*

The above practice is obviously not the case in other countries like Nigeria battling COVID-19.

The practice of Mandatory Quarantine that was recently done for repatriated Nigerians cannot be sustained anymore and has been more or less staggered.

*Here is what is new;*

*The new returnee Nigerians, are expected to be tested abroad within a stipulated time before boarding an aircraft enroute Nigeria.*
*They must be made to sign an undertaking to comply with all the instituted government regulations for such exercise.*

They are equally expected to have made prior accommodation reservations in both Lagos and Abuja before landing in Nigeria.

They are to cater fully for the cost of their repatriation, accommodation and feeding in Lagos and Abuja for a period of 14 days.

Those that can’t shoulder such responsibilities on account of financial constraints, can be allowed to go home and self-isolate and will be followed up accordingly via telemedicine until a COVID-19 test is done towards the end of the 14 days before they can be “discharged” from their houses and hotels accordingly.

*Keep in mind that those that returned before now, benefited from government sponsored accommodations and feeding in Lagos and Abuja.*

*Such luxury can’t be enjoyed by the intending returnee Nigerians anymore*

The fight against COVID-19 is getting much more complicated by the day.

*It behoves on every individual to do all he or she can to ensure his or her self preservation.*

*Never you step into the public arena without a good facemasks be it fabric or medical facemasks and maintain social distancing and other prevention practices*

*For fabric or cloth facemasks, the composition must be made of at least three layers.*

*If you are 65 and above, WHO advises that you wear a medical facemask in areas of widespread community transmission.*

*If you’re nursing or close to a known infected person, the same applies to you with regards to the much talked about home based care, that will soon be commencing in Lagos state.*

*Don’t forget over 4,000 infected persons in Lagos have remained in their houses because there is no more available bed spaces for them in the designated government isolation centers*

With the foregoing, i will allow each and everyone of us here to make our independent conclusions.

*DO PLEASE STAY SAFE, COVID-19 IS REAL & HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS TOO.*

May God help Nigeria and all her people. Amen!!!

Dr. Barth Ufoegbunam.
Anchor, HEALTH MATTA ON WAP TV (TV Health Talk Show)

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Breaking: Wike Plans to Attend Thursday’s PDP NEC Meeting

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By Eric Elezuo

The immediate past Governor of Rivers State, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, may have concluded plans to attend the much advertised National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), billed to hold on Thursday, in Abuja.

Impeccable source, who is in the know, told The Boss that the minister, whose membership of the PDP is yet to be revoked even as he frolicks with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and serving in the President Bola Tinubu government as a minister.

The Source told The Boss that Wike’s impending presence at the NECeeting on Thursday is not unconnected with plans, already hatched with some governors, to weaken the opposition PDP.

“Yes, we have on good authority that FCT minister, Wike is planning to attend the NEC meeting tomorrow all in a bid to weaken the fabrics of the PDP, and pave the way for the continuation of the Tinubu administration come 2027, and by extension, relapse Nigeria to a full blown one party state.

“From every indication, Wike and his co-travellers, are bent on unleashing the same crisis ravaging the third force, Labour Party, and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso’s Nigerian National People’s Party (NNPP) on the PDP for the APC to remain the only political party in the country, and ensure that Tinubu has no challenger, come 2027,” the Source said.

It would be recalled that Wike has boasted over and again that there’s no opposition against Tinubu’s re-emergence in 2027, and that they have made sure of that. He has been compensated with the Ministerial job after he withdrew support for his party, and supported the APC and Tinubu to emerge as national government.

The Source further revealed that in the attempt to actualize the intended one party  state, a lot of funding is ongoing to ensure that concerned stakeholders are ‘settled’ handsomely.

Wike, prior, during and after the 2023 general elections, has been floating in between the two major political parties; the APC and the PDP. While he claim to still be a member of the PDP, he is functioning as a minister in an APC government, mocking the inability of his party to discipline him.

Political stakeholders have concluded that the outcome of Thursday’s PDP NEC meeting will determine the path Nigeria’s political trajectory will take, and that it may portend the end of multi-party system and political democracy if Wike succeeds in his plan.

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Bribery, Corruption: APC Suspends National Chairman, Ganduje

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The All Progressives Congress ward in Ganduje, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, has suspended the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.

The party ward legal adviser, Halliru Gwanzo, announced the suspension while addressing newsmen in Kano State on Monday.

Gwanzo cited allegations of bribery against Ganduje levelled by the Kano State Government as the reason for the suspension.

“We decided to suspend Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje from the party due to the seriousness of the allegations against him,” Gwanzo said.

Meanwhile, efforts to contact the Chief Press Secretary to the APC National Chairman, Mr Edwin Olufo, failed as his mobile phone was unreachable.

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Akpabio Commits to Collaboration with Tinubu, Governor Umo Eno

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The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has stated his commitment to working closely with Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Governor Umo Eno to ensure the delivery of democratic benefits to the people of Akwa Ibom State.

Akpabio stated this in his country home, Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, while briefing his constituents on the journey so far as their representative in the red chamber.

He assured the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District of his commitment to their welfare in appreciation of their total support for him, President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in last year’s election.

The Highpoint of the constituency briefing was the distribution of over 10,000 bags of rice and other essentials for his constituents from the wards, to the local governments.

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, quoted Akpabio as saying, “I am here once again, to thank you for standing by me, our President and the party, before, during and even after last year’s elections. I have come to say thank you and also bring Renewed Hope to you all.

“As the President is doing his own, the Senate President is also doing his bit and being complemented by the state governor, Akwa Ibom would be the better for it. We have finished elections and politics, we are now into governance. The governor of the state must touch you, because he is the governor of all the people in the state irrespective of political affiliation.

” As I am touching you now from the political angle, I will also touch the state without any political party affiliation. Most of the projects we are putting in place would be used by people resident in the state. Relax, things are getting better.”

The former Governor of the state, assured his constituents that his current position as the Senate President would be used for the development of the state in collaboration with the President and the Akwa Ibom State Governor.

Hear him: This Senate President is not the one that would be fighting the state government. I will collaborate with , I will collaborate with , to make the state better for us all. We cannot be out of government for a long time. You have to go to a government that carries you along”

Akpabio promised to work for his constituents and Nigeria with all his strength, noting that, “as the President of the Senate, I am for the Southern region and the entire country. I may not come here regularly to tell you what I have been doing for you, but you will be feeling the impact on way or the other. Our unemployed youths would be gainfully employed. I will construct a mini stadium in all the local governments in the district, for our youths to develop their sporting potentials. ”

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