Health and Life Style
COVID-19: Benue index case cries to Buhari, British govt to rescue her from Ortom
By Yemi Itodo
A 54-year old Susan Okpe, who was said to be the Benue index case of Corona Virus, has cried on President Muhammad Buhari of Nigeria and the British Government, to evacuate her from Benue state. adsbygoogle || []).push({});
Governor of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ortom had on Saturday, 28th March, announced that Mrs. Okpe was the Benue’s first recorded case of Corona Virus, also known as COVID-19.
Mrs. Okpe, a British Nigerian, arrived the country on Saturday, 21st March via Kenya Airway, for the burial of her mother slated to hold early next month.
According to a family source, Mrs. Okpe ran series of tests before leaving the United Kingdom with all results showing negative to COVID-19.
“When she arrived Benue State on the 23rd of March, she was running temperature, perhaps, due to the fatigue of traveling, an experienced Doctor was contacted and tests were conducted and she was being treated for malaria and typhoid.
“When the NCDC contacted me, on the invitation of the Benue State government, I gave my consent that she should be tested. But as I speak with you, none of us has seen the test result, not even the Medical Director of the Cottage Hospital who assisted the NCDC to get samples, has seen the result. We only got to see through the television where the Governor announced her name”, the source hinted our reporter.
Meanwhile, in a message sent via WhatsApp to our reporter, Mrs. Okpe appealed to the Federal Government and the UK Government to move her out of Benue State.
“I have kept my cool, but am now sick with swollen gums, being stooling throughout the night, no nurses or medical attention. My crime is that am a British who came into Nigeria, particularly Benue State; felt feverish, took myself for check up because I have travelled longer than usual.
“After examinations, I was told by the doctor my temperature was high and I said keep me for observations as I did not experience any before I left London, passed from Lagos to Abuja my temperature was like any other passenger was being monitored by the authorities.
“Back to my self presentation and request for isolation which was done, I was told by the doctors that the standard procedure was to call for a test from the state ministry of health of which two gentle men came to do a throat and nose swoop.
“After two days, by now my temperature has normalised from 38:2 to 36:4 the record are there to be verified. Only to be told by the Doctor after asking why am I still kept in the hospital, a friend now came in to tell me that a press conference is being done with my name that I have Covid-19, on air, on social media, without my knowledge.
“I went mad as a human being and demanded to see the Medical Director who told me he was fighting for me; how, why and for what and with who I don’t understand, still fuming the next thing was armed men, ambulance and a siege round the hospital for me to be removed for what I don’t know.
“As someone who knows the principles of the law (weather it works in Nigeria or not I can’t tell), I said I was not moving without a reason, I was surrounded and to stop the embarrassment to my family and poor junior sister who I think is not fair on, I went down to speak with the Deputy Governor for thirty minutes and he assured me I was safe, will be cared for, though not sick with any symptoms, also that the following day the health commissioner and medical doctors from the state will come and see me.
“I told him that if the state is insisting that am ill I should be taken to Abuja to be tested, I have never in my life seen a staged played drama with human life and politics like this before, I want the world, Nigerians, Benue state to hear my side and verify am not a Covid-19 positive, left my children behind in London they are healthy till this moment”, Mrs. Okpe cried out.
She pleaded with the authorities concerned to take her to any standard center and verify her claims, as there was no single facility in Benue to even handle or manage any case, should it be true that Benue had a case.
Already, our reporter gathered that, the Consulate General of the UK in Nigeria had been contacted by Mrs. Okpe, whose fundamental rights have been grossly breached and arrangements were underway to get the Presidency to help the British Embassy evacuate her citizen from Benue State, before it results to death.
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Health and Life Style
You may damage your eyes while using your computer if….
A Warri-based eye specialist, Dr Eugene Maxwell, has advised individuals who operate the computer to always wear protective gears to avoid eye complications.
The Optometrist during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025 in Warri also said that the Ultraviolet Rays (UVR) from the computers and cell phones could damage the eyes.
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According to him, people who roast yam and plantain on the streets are also prone to developing eye problems, and as such should wear hats and sunglasses.
The optometrist observed that cases of eye complications such as cataract and glaucoma were on the increase.
He attributed this to lack of awareness and advised people to carry out regular eye examinations for early detection.
“The eye lens is a fragile organ in the body which starts to degenerate at the age of 40, leading to pacification – a condition that causes part of the body to become opaque.
“Early detection of cataract is crucial in the treatment of the condition,” he said.
Maxwell described cataract as the cloudiness of the lens in the eyes that impedes vision, which could either be congenital or hereditary.
“Cataracts can occur as a result of systemic conditions such as diabetes and intake of toxic substances.
“People should practice regular eye check, avoid smoking, manage health conditions such as diabetes and eat healthy diets to prevent complications,” he said.
He advised members of the public to wear hats, sunglasses, reduce or avoid alcohol intakes, and take antioxidants such as vitamin A, C and E to stay healthy.
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Education
Kogi Governor Ododo’s Payment of WAEC Fees Excite Beneficiary
By Abah Benjamin Eneojoh
The Kogi State Executive Governor, Alh Ahmed Usman Ododo’s groundbreaking decision to pay the 2024/2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WAEC) fees of 18,734 students final-year students has sent waves of excitement and optimism across Kogi State.
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This bold move not only alleviates financial burdens on families of the beneficiaries but also reiterates the government’s commitment to quality education as a cornerstone of development.
Virally, it is trending that Governor Usman Ododo has approved immediate payment of 2024/2025 West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) fees of 18,734 students in public secondary schools in Kogi state.
The aim of this is not just to lessen the burden of fees on the parents of the beneficiaries, but also to reduce the out-of-school children in Kogi State. By this Gov. Ododo is timely executing the mandates of the Northern Governors Forum which is to reduce out-of-School Children in the Region.
By shouldering WAEC fees, Governor Ododo ensures that no child is denied access to quality education due to economic constraints. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to enhance teacher effectiveness, upgrade school infrastructure, and improve access to quality education. Kogi State has already seen a surge in student enrollment rates, kudos to programs aimed at improving access to learning resources
Beyond education, Governor Ododo has championed significant improvements in the health sector. The state has witnessed the establishment of new clinics and the upgrading of existing facilities, particularly in rural areas. The innovative SAVE A LIFE INITIATIVE provides free testing and screening for hypertension and diabetes patients, ensuring a healthier life for citizens
Infrastructure development remains a cornerstone of Governor Ododo’s achievements. Lokoja’s transformation is evident in road construction and rehabilitation, easing transportation and commuter challenges, and boosting economic activity . This gesture has thrown Kogi State into Infrastructure Hub.
The governor’s focus on economic growth, coupled with the recent approval of an international airport, will create jobs, stimulate business opportunities, and contribute to the state’s economy, reducing unemployment rates that will curb vices.
By prioritizing education, investing in health, boosting the economy, and improving infrastructure, Governor Ododo is paving the way for a transformative era in Kogi State, empowering every individual to reach their fullest potential.
Indeed, the citizens of Kogi State are enthusiastic about the rhetorical question “if not Ododo, who would have done all these for us?”
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Health and Life Style
Top 3 States Combating Neglected Tropical Diseases In Nigeria
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are viral, parasitic and bacterial diseases that mainly affect the world’s poorest people.
They are also regarded as a diverse group of communicable diseases that prevail in tropical and subtropical conditions in about 149 countries globally and affect more than one billion people across the world. js">
The governments of Ondo State, Ekiti State and Osun State are on top of the list of the governments working to tame this diseases as they are not complacent or leaving anything to chance in its preparedness or response to cases of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), its health officials have said.
The diseases to include Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis), Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis (STH), Onchocerciasis (River blindness), Trachoma (Granular Conjunctivitis) and Schistosomiasis (Bilharzia).
Others are: Rabbies, Leprosy, Yaws, Snakebites, Leishmaniasis, Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), Mycetoma and Fascioliasis.
Investigations by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in the states shows that the government and its international partners including Mithosath and UNICEF have sustained the response to NTDs through sensitisation of the populace, provision of potable water, treatment and ensuring clean environments.
The Ondo State Coordinator of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), Mrs Olanike Oladipupo, said that the state government was working assiduously with all stakeholders in addressing cases of NTDs across the state.
In an interview with NAN in Akure Oladipo said “there is collaboration with the Ministry of Water Resources to ensure that everybody in the state has potable water to drink and use.
“We do enjoin our people to avoid the use of stream or ocean water. People can easily contract infection or diseases such as schistosomiasis and onchocerciasis from such sources because black flies lay their eggs there.
“ Government is also working in earnest to clear drain channels across the state . There was a project carried out in recent time in collaboration with the University of Osun and Ondo State Government whereby some rivers in Ondo State were cleared.
“The aim of the project was to reduce black flies in some communities in the state. If there is reduction, the rate of bite and transmission will be reduced as well,” she said.
The NTDs coordinator said that the Ministry of Environment was also educating residents of the state on proper disposal of their wastes, saying there was aggressive campaign for adherence to environmental sanitation on regular basis to prevent outbreak of diseases in the state.
According to her, the state government is in partnership with Mithosath, a Non-Governmental Development Organisation and UNICEF in addressing NTDs in the state.
“ We have been collaborating with Mithosath, an NGO, and UNICEF so that there is proper dissemination of information about NTDs and the treatment across the 18 local government areas of the state.
“As it is known, government cannot do it all, other stakeholders should support.
“ The partnership enables us to get to people at the community level and they are in charge of NTDs programmes, so that no one will be left behind about NTDs and what they can do to prevent the diseases and the treatment.
“In that, Mithosath is helping the state to ensure that people have access to preventive chemotherapy like worm repellants and other necessary things.
“Those are the drugs given to people during mass campaign. Nobody is paying for the drugs and it’s for everybody.
“Before we distribute, we carry out powerful advocacy in all local government areas so that people will come out in large numbers to access the drugs. And they will use them in our presence, that is Directly Observed Therapy (DOT).
“ UNICEF is also doing a great job as regards this. It ensures hygiene promotion such as a programme called WASH, giving support to the government so that people will not bathe in rivers and streams nor defecate there. They also provide logistics,” she said.
Oladipupo explained that some of the NTDs could be prevented even without taking drugs, depending on one’s attitude to cleanliness and proper hygiene.
She said that through the partnership with the Mithosath many affected by NTDs across the three senatorial districts of the state had benefitted from surgical operations.
“There is Morbidity Management and Disability Prevention. This also goes to Mithosath in supporting the state. Some people that have hydrocele, that is swelling in their scrotum and those with lymphatic filariasis have access to free surgery.
“ The phase one was done in Idanre in the Central Senatorial District and the phase two was done in Okitipupa in the Southern Senatorial District of the state while the third phase is ongoing now as I speak with you in Ikare Akoko in the Northern Senatorial District.
“ The most common NTDs in the state are: schistosomiasis, which is a water-borne infection, lymphatic filariasis; onchocerciasis which is also known as river blindness and it is caused by black flies and soil transmitted helminthiasis, which is worm disease, and it is common among school age children.
“ The state government has intervention of distributing worm tablets to them so that their growth will not be stunted,” she said.
Also, the Ekiti Government says modern best practices at sustaining quick responses and preparedness to outbreak of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), among others, are being adopted by the state.
The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Oyebanji Filani made this known in an interview with the NAN in Ado-Ekiti.
He said Neglected Tropical Diseases, NTD’s are not new and as such are being tackled headlong.
“The state government therefore is doing everything humanly possible to prevent such diseases from escalating in identified communities.
“We are in collaboration with various multi-national agencies, among which is Mitosath, working with Ekiti State Primary Health Care Development Agency (ESPHCDA), to fight NTDs,” Filani said.
He assured that for now, Neglected Tropical Diseases are under control in the state
” Presently the state is distributing drugs, I mean mass distribution, to pre-school and school age children, to prevent transmission,” he said.
A community health doctor at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, Dr Ipinmoye Taiwo, identified poor awareness, especially among people in rural communities, as a challenge to ending the spread of the diseases.
“The diseases are called neglected because they tend to affect the world’s poorest, and yet, receive less attention than other diseases,” he said.
He called on governments at the national and state levels to get involved in ending NTDs and its spread across the country.
In Osun, the state government has put in place measures to fully monitor, combat and control any outbreak of diseases, Dr Abiodun Boladale, an official in charge of NTDs in the Ministry of Health, has said.
Boladale said that the department of public health in the ministry was on top of situation and highly prepared to respond to emergencies in the state.
“Lasa Fever and Covid outbreaks equipped the state for emergencies and presently we have emergencies operation centres in the state where diseases are monitored.
“NTDs are among the diseases we are monitoring on the dashboard of the centres.
“We also have ‘Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response Unit’, which form part of the team monitoring diseases relating to NTDs.
“We are working with Disease Surveillance Monitoring Officers and Disease Notification Officers at the local level to stay on top of diseases’ outbreaks in the state.
“We also have NTDs officers at the local level who keep the ministry informed and document diseases outbreaks.” he said
Boladale said in case of outbreak of NTD outbreak, the state would follow national guidelines in managing them.
He said some foreign partners and organisations, in conjunction with the Federal Government, had been providing drugs and other medical support to the state to handle NTDs.
The official said that the Osun State University recently received a research grant for Schistosomiasis, a major NTD peculiar to the state.
NAN
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