UN Goodwill Ambassadors Idris and Sabrina Elba launch appeal for International Fund for Agricultural Development's (IFAD) $200 million coronavirus relief fund for rural communities

Actor, filmmaker and humanitarian Idris Elba and actress, model and activist Sabrina Dhowre Elba have launched a new global coronavirus relief fund on behalf of the United Nations’ International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to prevent economic shocks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic from triggering a global hunger and food crisis.

With US$40 million in seed money from IFAD, the multi-donor COVID-19 Rural Poor Stimulus Facility aims to raise at least an additional $200 million from governments, foundations and the private sector to lessen the impact of COVID-19 on rural small-scale farmers and producers.

The Facility seeks to help them continue to grow their crops, keep their businesses open and maintain access to financial services and markets as their countries go into lockdown and movements are restricted.

British actor Idris Elba and his wife, actress and model, Sabrina Dhowre Elba

The Facility is part of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ call for urgent and coordinated actions across the UN system in support of putting an end to the global pandemic and reducing its economic and social consequences.

IFAD has recently seen that food prices are already rising – even as productivity and household incomes are falling – in some countries affected by the pandemic.

In response, IFAD is already at work securing food supply chains in a number of countries by ensuring farmers can access seeds and other inputs; facilitating the purchase and storage of produce; and working with governments to keep transport routes open to farmers so they can sell their goods. It is hoped that these measures will help avert a potential food and hunger crisis – one that would have particularly harsh effects on vulnerable people in developing countries.

British actor Idris Elba

Most rural farmers depend on small family farms for their incomes and sustenance. Rural areas are home to nearly 80 per cent of the world's poorest people, as well as most of the world’s hungriest people. In the developing world, small-scale farmers, working on around 500 million small farms, produce half of the food calories consumed globally.

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Source: International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

Nigeria covid19 numbers by states as at April 15

As at 15th April, number of states with confirmed cases of #COVID19 in Nigeria are as follows:

Lagos - 232

FCT - 58

Osun - 20

Kano - 16

Edo - 15

Oyo - 11

Ogun - 9

Katsina - 7

Bauchi - 6

Kaduna - 6

Akwa Ibom - 6

Kwara - 4

Delta - 4

Ondo - 3

Enugu - 2

Ekiti - 2

Rivers - 2

Niger - 2

Benue - 1

Anambra - 1

Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire

SOURCE: Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)

Jobs available for coronavirus data clerks in Nigeria

The Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC) is recruiting for short term consultancy - Surveillance Data Clerks in 12 Molecular Laboratories. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) is the government agency with the mandate to coordinate the surveillance, detection and response to infectious disease outbreaks. Location: Osun, Lagos, Oyo, FCT, Sokoto, Kaduna, Kano, Ebonyi, Borno, Plateau, Rivers

Start Date: April 20, 2020

End Date: October 19, 2020

Employment type: Full time

Over the last three years, NCDC has deployed a new tool for disease surveillance. The Surveillance, Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System (SORMAS) is a system jointly developed between the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) to improve disease surveillance as well as detection and management of outbreaks and thus strengthen the public health service in Nigeria.

In addition, NCDC has also supported states in establishing Public Health Emergency Operations Centres for improved coordination of outbreak preparedness and response.

NCDC is investing resources in strengthening health security at the sub-national level including improving capacity to effectively prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks.

The Responsibilities of the NCDC Surveillance Data Clerk Include:

• Transfer all COVID 19, Lassa fever and other priority diseases data (clinical and laboratory data) into the SORMAS platform

• Daily follow up with result of all COVID 19, Lassa fever and other priority diseases case data sent for testing

• Liaise with the lab managers to ensure prompt release of result and update on SORMAS

• Real time update of SORMAS with result of COVID 19, Lassa Fever and other priority diseases samples after testing

• Send daily notification on status of sample testing

• Follow up with treatment Centre clinicians to ensure completion of COVID 19 and LF case management form

• Compile and upload Case management forms into SORMAS

• Verify all the treatment centre COVID 19 and Lassa fever data on the SORMAS platform by comparing it to source documents (i.e. Lassa fever case management form, COVID 19 case management form and IDSR 001B)

• Retrieve data from the SORMAS platform as requested

• Sort and organize paper forms (Lassa fever case management form, COVID 19 case management form and IDSR 001B) after entering data into the SORMAS platform to ensure it is not lost

• Send details of any record in the lab without case data in SORMAS platform to the NCDC Surveillance Support Officer to follow up with the LGA DSNO.

• Send weekly report of COVID 19 and Lassa fever cases in the treatment centre to the COVID-19/Lassa fever TWG

• Perform other tasks assigned

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Minimum experience:

At least 2 years’ experience with the use of excel or ODK for data collection

Minimum qualification:

First degree in any discipline.

Other requirements:

Proficiency in the use of Microsoft office suite

Good understanding of patient data confidentiality principles

Ability to pay attention and have a keen eye for detail

Good data collection and report writing skills required

Good verbal communication skills especially in the local language of the community and working knowledge of English

A team player with good interpersonal skills

HOW TO APPLY

Interested and qualified candidates should apply by sending their resume and a cover letter addressing the job requirements as per the advertisement by email to; info@ncdc.gov.ng before COB April 17, 2020 using the Job title and the preferred state as the subject of the mail e.g. ‘’Surveillance Data Clerk- Oyo State’’

*Note-only successful candidates will be contacted and may be assigned to any state of the federation.

SOURCE: Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)

Nigeria compiles list of intending returnees

Nigerian government has released guidelines for evacuation of Nigerians abroad. Sequel to requests by Nigerians stranded abroad in the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has directed all its missions abroad to compile lists of willing nationals who want to come back home.

As most Nigerian embassies and missions are closed due to covid19, a form for intending returnees is available on the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission-NIDCOM website. See below.

Note that cost of travels and other financial implications are to be borne by the prospective evacuees.

LINK TO FORM

Nigeria Minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama

Anti malaria drug to the rescue on covid19 pandemic

Doctors around the globe report that the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine seems the most effective treatment they've tried for coronavirus patients - but less than half as many doctors are prescribing it in the US as in other hard-hit countries like Spain.

READ MORE HERE

SOURCE: dailymail