COVID-19

Nigerian Minister Says “FG Can’t Handle High Surge in Coronavirus Cases”

Published

1 year ago

May 28, 2020

GiftUgbede

Stock Photo of - Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora with the President of Nigeria, Muhammady Buhari - Source Cred: Ships&Ports

FG Can’t Handle Increasing Number of COVID-19 – Minister

Minister of State for Health Made this Known – FG Can’t Handle High Rise in COVID-19 Cases

The Minister of State for Health, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora has disclosed a statement over the High rise in coronavirus cases in Nigeria.

Stock Photo of – Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora with the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari – Source Cred: Ships&Ports

This comes as a result of fewer bed spaces, less drug research, and the suspension of the evacuation of Nigerians from around the world.

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The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 revealed that the Federal Ministry of Health has shortlisted for further investigations, three Nigerian drugs, which have the potential to cure COVID-19 or treats its symptoms.

This was disclosed by Boss Mustapha, the Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on Wednesday at the PTF press conference in Abuja, where the ministry of health warned that Nigeria’s health system could not cope with increasing COVID-19 cases.

Boss Mustapha, FG | CORONAVIRUS CASE | presidential task force

SGF, Boss Mustapha – CORONAVIRUS CASE

But Mustapha said three shortlisted drugs would be subjected to further investigations by relevant health agencies.

According to PUNCH on Tuesday, The Federal Ministry of Health was screening 19 local firms for the production of herbal drugs that could possibly treat or cure COVID-19.

The Minister of State for Health, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, who confirmed the screening to The PUNCH, said the companies had been asked to submit samples of their drugs.

At the PTF press briefing on Wednesday, Mustapha disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Health had held a virtual meeting with some researchers and scientists who had made claims about COVID-19 cure and shortlisted three for further research.

He stated, “As a measure of the importance attached to research and development of local capacity for finding a cure to the COVID-19, the Federal Ministry of Health held a virtual meeting with a number of researchers and scientists with claims to cure for COVID 19 and out of the numerous claimants, three were found to deserve further investigation and have been forwarded to the relevant authorities for appropriate review.

“Similarly, efforts are being made by the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology to subject some locally manufactured COVID-19 equipment to verification and subsequent certification.”

The task force also backed the decision of the World Health Organisation to suspend clinical trials of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of the novel coronavirus.

The PTF Chairman, Mustapha, therefore cautioned the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and other relevant agencies to ensure that all claims to treatment by scientists and researchers were subjected to scientific certification protocols.

The WHO had on Monday suspended the hydroxychloroquine trials because of the high mortalities among patients the drug was administered on.

On Tuesday, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, said the agency would go ahead with the trial on the grounds that it had been effective in the treatment of COVID- 19 patients, especially those at the mild stage of the virus.

COVID-19

Nigeria to Receive 3.92 Million Doses of Covid-19 Vaccine in July

Published

1 day ago

June 15, 2021

Sandra Okoh

Nigeria to Receive 3.92 Million Doses of Covid-19 Vaccine in July

Nigeria’s Government on Tuesday said it is expecting a shipment of 3.92 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine by end of July or early August.

Speaking during a press conference in Abuja, the Executive Director, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Faisal Shuaib, said, “we now have information that Nigeria will get 3.92m doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca by end of July or early August”.

As we receive additional information on the exact dates in August, we will provide an update regarding timelines and details, he said.

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While working with Nigeria’s international partners to confirm the next shipment of vaccines to Nigeria, Shuaib stated that the federal government has commenced administering the first dose of the vaccine which was earlier halted due to shortages of vaccines.

Shuaib further added that the goal of government is to do everything possible to educate, combat misinformation and engender confidence in the safety and effectiveness of vaccines and ensure all Nigerians have clear information on how, where, and when to get the vaccine.

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COVID-19

COVID-19: NCAA Issues Guidelines to In-Flight Catering Services

Published

3 days ago

June 13, 2021

Onyebuchi Aniekeyi

COVID-19: NCAA Issues Guidelines to In-Flight Catering Services

The Nigerian civil aviation authority has issued guidelines for companies providing in-flight catering services to airlines operating domestic flights in Nigeria.

In a circular issued by the NCAA on its website on the resumption of domestic flight operations in the country, in-flight catering companies are required by the authority to carry out regular risk assessments of their operations, and put in place remedial actions to address any identified hazard to prevent the possible spread of Covid-19 virus to their customers through their products.

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According to the circular, domestic airlines will only serve pre-packed catering products in sealed containers to their passengers during disembarkation while catering products won’t be served or consumed in-flight by airlines or passengers respectively on any domestic flight.

It further urged all domestic airlines to comply with its directives in other to help curb the spread of the coronavirus disease.

COVID-19

EU to Ditch J&J Covid-19 Vaccines from U.S Factory After Contamination Reports

Published

4 days ago

June 12, 2021

Onyebuchi Aniekeyi

EU to Ditch J&J Covid-19 Vaccines from U.S Factory After Contamination Reports

Europe’s drug regulator said on Friday that batches of Johnson & Johnson’s covid-19 vaccine made for the region around the time when contamination issues were revealed at a U.S. manufacturing site would not be used.

The announcement came in the wake of reports, which said the U.S. Food & Drug Administration had asked Johnson & Johnson to discard 60 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine that were manufactured at the troubled Baltimore factory.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said it was aware a batch of the active substance for J&J’s Covid-19 vaccine had been contaminated in April, with materials for another vaccine made at the site in Maryland owned by Emergent Bio solutions.

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The production of J&J’s vaccine at the site was halted by U.S. authorities and J&J was put in charge of manufacturing at the plant.

The April error involved ingredients from AstraZeneca’s covid-19 vaccine, also being produced at the plant, contaminating a batch of J&J’s vaccine, developed by its Janssen unit.

However, EMA said the batches of the vaccine released in the region had not been affected by the cross contamination, based on the information it has.

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