Frontpage News (3256)
Safety Paramount In Vaccine Trials, Suspensions ‘Not Unusual’ — WHO
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Safety is paramount in vaccine clinical trials and temporary suspensions are not unusual to evaluate any unexplained illness in a participant, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday regarding the pause in an AstraZeneca COVID-19 trial.
AstraZeneca has suspended global trials of its experimental coronavirus vaccine after an unexplained illness in a participant, knocking the British drugmaker’s shares on Wednesday as prospects for an early rollout dimmed.
Resident Doctors Strike: FG Approves Additional N8bn For Hazard, Inducement Allowances
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The Federal Government has approved additional N8 billion to be released immediately for the payment of special/hazard allowances to resident doctors. The Federal Government also set two weeks timeline for the payment of the N4 billion Medical Residency Training for 2020 to striking resident doctors.
Also, the Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, has been given the task to effect the quick payment of the money to the doctors.
The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora, says the Federal Government has paid up to N20bn in COVID-19 inducement allowance to doctors and health workers in the country. The minister, who applauded all front-line health workers in the country amid the fight against the pandemic, made this known on Wednesday morning while featuring on Channels Television‘s programme, Sunrise Daily.
About 16,000 doctors have downed tools over the government’s inability to meet their demands including insurance package, payment of the outstanding COVID-19 inducement allowance as well as the payment of medical residency training funding.
The Lagos State Aids Control Agency on Tuesday said it conducted HIV/AIDS test for 500 residents in the Epe Local Government Area of Lagos. A statement said the outreach was in collaboration with the Oloja of Epeland, Oba Kamorudeen Animashaun, Arolugbade II, on the premises of the Epe council secretariat.
The Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Dr Monsurat Adekele, said the programme was aimed at achieving global epidemic control of HIV/AIDS by the end of 2020.
UCH Nurses, Pharmacists, Lab Scientists, Other Health Workers Join JOHESU Nationwide Strike
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Healthcare workers at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, on Monday, joined the nationwide strike called by the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU). The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that many essential places in the hospital, including the pharmacy, the medical records section and two of the main gates into the hospital were locked.
The JOHESU Chairman, UCH Chapter, Mr Adeolu Alli, said the strike became imperative after “a long period” — three years of waiting on the Federal Government.
The Ekiti State Commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani, has reiterated the state government’s commitment to improved health care indices as part of human capital development in the state.
Filani said the commitment was evident in the ongoing renovation of primary health care centres, the state government’s COVID-19 response and other interventions.
The Chief Medical Director, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, Prof Adekunle Ajayi, has called on philanthropists and groups to lend support to hospitals in form of cash, equipment and facilities donations to improve their services to humanity.
Ajayi, who said that FETHI had incorporated an indigent fund with which it intended to fund the health care needs of the poor patients
14-Month Salaries: Commissioner Feigns Ignorance As Abia Health Workers Protest
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The Abia State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joe Osuji, has said he was not aware that workers of the state Hospital Management Board were owed 14-month salary arrears.
Osuji, who was reacting to a protest embarked upon by the state HMB staff, explained that the state government would meet with the leadership of the unions with a view to resolving the matter. On the unpaid salaries, the commissioner said, “I don’t know about that.
COVID-19: 3,442 Recovery, 126 New Infections For Wednesday
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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said that 3,442 patients have been successfully treated and recovered from Coronavirus (COVID-19) within the last 24 hours, as it recorded 126 new infections in the country. The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle on Wednesday. According to it, the figure takes the number of successfully treated cases in the country to 47,872.
The public health agency noted that the 3,070 of the recoveries recorded were patients treated under its community case management guidelines. It disclosed that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) accounted for 2,967 of the recoveries, while Kwara State had 103 of the cases.
BOF-PSN Calls for Policy Framework for Drug Development
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The Board of Fellows (BOF), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has recommended a policy framework that will ensure development of drugs and health security are put in place in Nigeria.
This is even as the board is set to hold a virtual public lecture on Saturday September 19. Speaking during its mid-year meeting in Lagos recently, the Chairperson, BOF-PSN, Prof. Mbang Femi-Oyewo noted that the lecture will be addressing the need for policy framework for drugs and health security, among others via zoom.
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PCN Seals 439 Drug Shops in Akwa Ibom for Illegal Activities
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The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed 439 drug shops in Akwa Ibom State for various offences including dispensing unethical products, poor storage and sanitary conditions.
The Registrar of PCN, Pharm. Elijah Mohammed who disclosed this at a press briefing held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital weekend; said a total of 42 Pharmacies and 397 Patent Medicine Shops were affected in the exercise.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised that the world should prepare for the next pandemic together and now. The advice is part of the WHO’s three messages to an unprecedented virtual session of the 75th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA75), which opened on Tuesday, September 15, in New York, United States.
The global health body said: “COVID-19 has shown us that the world was woefully unprepared – despite the many warning signs and warnings.
NIGERIANS have expressed fears following confirmation by the Presidential Taskforce on COVID19 on Tuesday that some incoming air travellers presented fake COVID- 19 test certificates and that about 40 per cent of arriving passengers tested positive for the virus.
Some experts are afraid the situation may become like the yellow fever card scam that went on for years. They said the situation could get worse unless the PTF and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control ( NCDC) increase the test sites to include public laboratories for passengers travelling outside the country.
The National Industrial Court in Abuja on Wednesday ordered the members of the National Association of Resident Doctors to immediately end their industrial action which started on September 7 2020.
Justice Galadima issued the order in a ruling on an ex parte application filed by two civil society groups, the Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights, and Association of Women in Trade and Agriculture. Joined as respondents in the suit marked, NICN/ABJ/124/2020, are NARD, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, and the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige.
