WHO launches COVID-19 alerts via WhatsApp

World Health Organization-WHO has launched a dedicated messaging services in Arabic, English, French and Spanish with partners WhatsApp and Facebook to keep people safe from coronavirus. This easy-to-use messaging service has the potential to reach 2 billion people and enables WHO to get information directly into the hands of the people that need it.

From government leaders to health workers and family and friends, this messaging service provides the latest news and information on coronavirus including details on symptoms and how people can protect themselves and others. It also provides the latest situation reports and numbers in real-time to help government decision-makers protect the health of their populations.

The service can be accessed by a link that opens a conversation on WhatsApp. Users can simply type “hi”, "hola", “salut” or "مرحبا" to activate the conversation, prompting a menu of options that can help answer their questions about COVID-19.

The WHO Health Alert was developed in collaboration with Praekelt.Org, using Turn machine learning technology.

Join WHO's Health Alert on WhatsApp:

Arabic

Send "مرحبا"  to +41 22 501 70 23 on WhatsApp

wa.me/41225017023?text=مرحبا

French

Send "salut" to +41 22 501 72 98 on WhatsApp

wa.me/41225017298?text=salut

Spanish

Send "hola" to +41 22 501 76 90 on WhatsApp

wa.me/41225017690?text=hola

English

Send "hi" to +41 79 893 18 92 on WhatsApp

wa.me/41798931892?text=hi

source: World Health Organization (WHO)

Ooni of Ife restricts activities at Palace

The Arole Oduduwa & Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II has urged Nigerians to stay at home as they obey all principles laid down by Federal and State Governments in a bid to curb spread of the global Coronavirus pandemic. He stressed, “the earlier the citizens believe in the abilities of the government to secure them during this challenging period the better for the entire country”.

The Ooni further stated that Nigerians must look beyond the current negativity attached and look at the lessons embedded in this challenging period of our lives. Coronavirus teaches high personal hygiene, let us be clean and embrace regular hand washing with clean water and soap.

“While staying at home, let us maintain a high level of decency and avoid rumor peddling because panic kills faster than the virus itself. We now have several fake news flying across, let us act responsibly by not instilling fear in one another and it shall be well with us.” The Ooni stated. 

Earlier in a statement signed by his Director of Media and Public Affairs, Comrade Moses Olafare, the Ooni who is the Co-Chairman of the National Council of Traditional Rulers has restricted movement in and out of the palace, saying only  visitors with essential mission will be allowed. 

source: Ooni's palace

COVID-19 Cases on the Rise in Nigeria, United Nations mobilizes $2 million support fund

Nigeria has 44 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of March 24, 2020, a sharp increase from 8 cases last week. There are currently eight cases in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, and 29 in Lagos, the country’s commercial hub. One death has been recorded, and 2 of the 44 patients have fully recovered. As in other parts of the world, the actual number of cases is most likely much higher, due to limited testing and the way the virus spreads, with many who may be carrying the virus not showing any symptoms.

Nigeria’s healthcare system is plagued with chronic under-funding and limited infrastructure. The government repeatedly falls short on its 2001 commitment under the Abuja Declaration to spend at least 15 percent of its budget on health. 

In 2018, only 3.9 percent was allocated, and in 2020, this marginally increased to 4.5 percent. According to the Nigerian Medical Association, the country has only about 40,000 doctors to provide care for an estimated population of almost 200 million.

With only five testing laboratories in the country, three of them in Lagos, the capacity for quick testing is limited and currently only available to those who have recently traveled internationally or had contact with those confirmed or suspected to have the virus.

The United Nations-UN in Nigeria has mobilized $2 million to help the Government’s efforts to contain the COVID-19 outbreak and care for those in the West African country stricken by the virus.

The funds will be used to procure essential medical supplies. Nigeria’s Minister for Health, Osagie Ehanire, thanked the United Nations system for its support. He said the Government will ensure that resources are deployed where they are needed most, and that his Ministry is prepared for both worst-case and best-case scenarios.

source: APO

Nigeria suspends travel from coronavirus impacted countries

As part of measures to stem the spread of the Coronavirus in the country, the Federal Government of Nigeria has announced the restriction of entry for travelers from 13 Countries that have recorded at least 1,000 domestic cases of the pandemic. Chairman of the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha announced this at a press briefing in Abuja.

Lagos, Nigeria

According to him, government has also suspended its visa on arrival policy. “The Federal Government of Nigeria is restricting entry into the country for travelers from the following thirteen (13) countries; China, Italy, Iran, South Korea, Spain, Japan, France, Germany, Norway, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Switzerland. These are all countries with over 1,000 case domestically; “All persons arriving in Nigeria who might have visited these countries prior to such arrival, will be subjected to supervised self-isolation and testing for 14 days.

The travel ban for Government officials will remain in place until further notice and until the situation of the pandemic nature of the Coronavirus abates. By this notice, any prior approval to travel abroad within this period is accordingly rescinded. With regards to the general public, we want to advise citizens in their own interest to cancel all non-essential trips abroad including business and vacation trips. “We urge everyone returning to Nigeria from any country to strictly self-isolate for 14 days in their homes.

All people returning from high community transmission rates especially countries that have recorded 1,000 cases and above will be effectively followed up”, he added. Members of the Taskforce are the Ministers of Health, Foreign Affairs, Interior, Aviation, Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Services, Education, Information and Culture, Minister of State Health and Minister of Environment. Others are the Director-General, Department of State Services, Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control; and WHO Country Representative/National Coordinator – Dr. Sani Aliyu.

Source: vanguardngr

Dangote donates N200m to fight Coronavirus in Nigeria

The Aliko Dangote Foundation has earmarked N124million that will support facilities to help prevent, assess and respond to health events at Point of Entry to ensure National Health Security

LAGOS, Nigeria - The Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) has pledged a whooping sum of N200million to support current effort of the Nigerian government towards curbing the spread of Corona Virus or Covid-19 in the country.

ADF’s intervention is considered the largest single donation by a corporate organization in the country to contain the spread of coronavirus since Nigeria recorded its first index case last month in Lagos, Nigeria.

Aliko Dangote

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Aliko Dangote Foundation Ms. Zouera Youssoufou, represented by the Health and Nutrition Programme Officer Maryam Shehu-Buhari, at a donor coordinating meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 said the donation was part of the Foundation’s cardinal objective of partnering with governments at all levels against the dreaded disease in Nigeria and the rest of Africa.

The Foundation is also the only Nigerian donor that attended the meeting and made monetary pledge.

To this extent, she said the Aliko Dangote Foundation has earmarked N124million that will support facilities to help prevent, assess and respond to health events at Point of Entry to ensure National Health Security.

Ms Youssoufou also highlighted other areas of intervention to include surveillance and epidemiology, where facilities worth N36million will be provided by the Foundation to support government’s effort.

According to her the ADF will also donate N48million for case management training of health workers.

Speaking at the meeting facilitated by World Bank, the Country Director represented by the Operations Manager Ms. Kathleen Whimp identified four thematic areas to tackling the spread of COVID 19. These are: Regular communication with the public, contact tracing, training of volunteers and international co-operations.

Speaking also, the Director, Health Emergency Preparedness and Response of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Dr. John Oladejo said some of the challenges, going forwarded include lack of enough isolation centres, contact tracing, training of volunteers, international cooperation, fake news and panic, among others.

Mr. Noel Chisaka of the Regional Disease Surveillance System Enhancement Project commended the Aliko Dangote Foundation for the contribution and encouraged others to join in the fight against Covid-19. Other donors invited to the meeting include: WHO, UNICEF, BMGF, RTSL, EU, USAID, US CDC, DFID, Public Health England, GIZ, JICA, Africa CDC, WAHO, PHI, MTN, Red Cross, IFRC and AFENET.

According to reports there are a total of 90,936 confirmed cases worldwide – although more than half of those (47,995) have already recovered. The biggest numbers are still by far in mainland China (80,151), followed by South Korea (4,812), Italy (2,036) and Iran (1,501). Japan has 274 confirmed cases, France 191, Germany 165, Spain 120, Singapore 108, US 106, and Hong Kong 100. There are also cases in South America, Africa and Australia.

The total death toll stands at 3,117 with 2,936 of those coming from China. The countries with the next highest numbers are Iran (66), Italy (52) and South Korea (29). Deaths have reported in Japan, the US, France, Australia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand.

It would be recalled that the Aliko Dangote foundation also committed N1billion in the fight against the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Africa, helping to build resilience and strengthen Nigeria’s health system in a manner expected to endure beyond the Ebola crisis period.

The foundation’s support during the Ebola crisis ensured the establishment of the National Ebola Emergency Operations Centre (EEOC) in Yaba, Lagos; provision of 12 units of thermal cameras across Nigeria's International Airports with training for 160 staff/personnel of the Federal Ministry of Health, Port Health Services Department, on the use of the thermal cameras; provision of W.H.O-certified Personal Protective Equipment, PPEs and comprehensive logistics support for the returnee volunteers on Ebola intervention across countries ravaged by Ebola.

President Muhammadu Buhari had then commended Mr. Aliko Dangote for what he described as “remarkable sacrifices in eradicating Ebola virus disease and polio in Nigeria.”

source: APO