*President urges Nigerians to vaccinate
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to disregard conspiracy theories claiming that the COVID-19 pandemic was created by foreign countries to depopulate Africa or to make money for Western pharmaceutical companies.
President Buhari gave the warning in his ‘get well soon’ message to the South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, who was recently diagnosed with the COVID-19 infection.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the President also warned that refusing to heed non-pharmaceutical instructions on staying safe from the virus is capable of setting government’s efforts at containing its spread back.
The President, therefore, advised Nigerians to come out fully and get vaccinated.
In the statement, he reminded Nigerians “to disregard the allegation that the pandemic is a foreign creation to depopulate Africa and boost the financial interests of western pharmaceutical companies through vaccine production”.
“Lack of attention to medical advice and apathy are damaging to the government’s efforts to contain the spread of this deadly viral disease,” he said.
In his message to President Ramaphosa, Buhari said: “My heart and prayers are with Mr. Ramaphosa of South Africa at this difficult moment of health challenge, and I pray for his speedy and full recovery.
“Mr. Ramaphosa is a friend of Nigeria and an important partner in our joint continental efforts to tackle Africa’s social, economic and political difficulties. “The coronavirus pandemic is a reality and no respecter of persons.”
South African President Ramaphosa tests positive
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday and is receiving treatment for mild symptoms, the presidency said in a statement.
Ramaphosa, who is fully vaccinated, began feeling unwell after leaving a state memorial service for former deputy president F W de Klerk in Cape Townearlier in the day, but was in good spirits and being monitored by doctors, it said.
He would remain in self-isolation in Cape Town for the time being and had delegated responsibilities to Deputy President David Mabuza for the next week.
On a recent visit to four West African states, the president and the entire South African delegation were tested for COVID-19 in all countries, the statement said.
“The president and the delegation returned to South Africa from the Republic of Senegal last Wednesday, after obtaining negative test results.
“The president also tested negative on his return to Johannesburg on December 8.”
The statement quoted Ramaphosa as saying that his own infection served as a warning to all citizens of the importance of getting vaccinated and remaining vigilant against exposure.
NYSC: no COVID-19 vaccine card, no orientation next year
TheNational Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has made the presentation of COVID-19 vaccination card compulsory for prospective corps members to attend orientation exercise from next year.
The scheme said from the next year, incoming prospective corps members must show evidence of vaccination before they will be allowed into the camp for registration.
NYSC Director-General Brig-Gen Shuaibu Ibrahim stated these in a nationwide virtual address to the 2021 Batch “C” Stream Two Corps Members and camp officials.
In a statement by the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations at the NYSC, Emeka Mgbemena, the DG said: “We want to ensure that we adhere strictly to the non-pharmaceutical protocols of COVID-19.”
Ibrahim advised corps members that would complete their orientation course tomorrow to add value to themselves by acquiring skills that would make thembusiness owners, instead of seeking the scarcely available jobs.
He said the scheme had partnered several institutions like the Central Bank of Nigeria, Access Bank, Bank of Industry, NYSC Foundation, Heritage Bank and others to provide soft loans to corps members with good business proposals.
But, a retired Professor of public health, Prof. Michael Asuzu and the President, Association of Residents Doctors, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan Chapter, Dr. Zakariyah Hussain, yesterday faulted the Federal Government over its decision to ban unvaccinated prospective corps members from accessing the orientation camps to participate in the scheme.
Speaking at the 53rd Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of UCH ARD in Ibadan, they stated that government could not force Nigerians to take the COVID-19 vaccination, but could only persuade them.
Prof. Asuzu noted that in medicine and health practice, people can refuse anything they don’t want because it’s their right, urging the government not to force Nigerians, but appealed to them to know the importance of the vaccination.
EFCC bars unvaccinated officials from entering office
Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday barred members of staff that were yet to vaccinate from the office premises in Ilorin, the state capital.
The anti-graft commission took the step to comply with the directive of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19.
The committee had mandated Federal civil servants to be vaccinated or have evidence of negative PCR test for COVID-19, effective from December 1, to access government offices.
Accordingly, EFCC Chair Abdulrasheed Bawa directed that the Federal Government’s directive be complied with, in all the commands of the commission, including its Head Office, Abuja. Deputy zonal commander of the command Mrs. Atinuke Akinroyeje led the enforcement.
WHO makes case for health fund
The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged the Federal Government to increase its investment in the health sector, especially now that the country is battling COVID-19 and other disease outbreaks.
It noted that aside from the COVID-19 pandemic, the country is faced with high burdens of HIV, Tuberculosis, Malaria, and respiratory tract infections; increasing cases of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including hypertension, diabetes and cancers and frequent disease outbreaks such as cholera, Lassa fever, yellow fever, meningitis, etc.
WHO Country Representative Dr Walter Mulombo stated these to commemorate this year’s global Universal Health Coverage Day.
First Omicron death confirmed in UK
United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed the death of one person from the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
He warned of a looming “tidal wave” of Omicron infections, with cases doubling every two to three days across Britain.
As the Delta variant continues to drive up coronavirus infections in the United States, Britain has now shifted its focus to Omicron, which officials warn is spreading at a “phenomenal rate”. The UK re-imposed some restrictions yesterday in a bid to slow Omicron’s spread and give scientists time to find out just how much more transmissible it is, how successful it will be at evading current vaccines, and whether it is any more severe than previous variants.
Ghana’s airport to fine airlines carrying unvaccinated passengers
The operator of Ghana’s main international airport will fine airlines 3,500 dollars for every passenger they bring in that is not vaccinated against the COVID-19 or that tests positive for the coronavirus on arrival.
The rules, announced by Ghana Airports yesterday, follow others introduced last week by the health ministry that require people entering Ghana to be vaccinated.
They come into effect for the Kotoka International Airport in the capital Accra today.
The requirements are some of the strictest in Africa where vaccine uptake has been slow due to lack of supply and logistical challenges, and come as the new Omicron variant raises concerns about quicker transmission of the virus.
Ghana, one of West Africa’s largest economies that runs on exports of cocoa, gold, and oil, has so far vaccinated a little over 5 per cent of its population of 30 million, data compiled by Reuters showed.
Its health service has recorded 131,412 infections and 1,239 deaths from COVID-19, according to the data.
Over the last two weeks, COVID-19 cases recorded at Kotoka airport accounted for about 60 per cent of total infections in the country, the health service said on Friday.
