Date: 22 May, 2020.

 

The Centre for Information Technology and Development as part of its contribution to stop the spread of Covid-19 in the country  organized a Twitter chat on Friday to enlighten the general public about Covid-19 pandemic; safety measures, government and citizens’ efforts, giving recommendations to government and ensure citizens needs are being cater for during the lockdown.

 

This week the Centre hosted Pharm Khalid Garba Muhammad, a Lecturer with Department of Pharmaceutical Technology BUK, and Guest Lecturer at University of Charleston, USA as Discussant. On today’s chat Mr. Khalid discussed on the “Impact of COVID-19 on Health Sector: Nigerian Perspective. The discussant emphasized on health policies that enhance human security and role of the community in the prevention and transmission of this deadly virus. He said, in Nigeria COVID-19 Pandemic has exposed the strengths and weaknesses of Health systems.

 

While discussing the topic, the guest lamented how many countries are still struggling to curtail the spread “He advised that NCDC needs to step up their testing capacity. Khalid further urges Federal government to focus and strengthen the health systems through capacity building and improved health infrastructure. He also advised that Nigerian government policy on COVID-19 should include community pharmacist in testing and referring patients with COVID-19 through appropriate capacity building and special training for pharmacists.

 

OBSERVATION:

 

The discussion was educative as the guest discussed the impact of COVID 19 on health Sector and how health policies enhance human security.

 

RECOMMENDATIONS:

 

CITAD should continue organizing programs like this so that public would be informed and enlightened about issues that matter to them.

 

ENGAGEMENT

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

Health systems across the globe are overwhelmed because of the novel nature of the COVID-19. Therefore, the need for novel diagnostics, treatment (vaccine and new therapeutics), and special training for healthcare personnel.

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

Health Systems includes all actors, institutions, and resources that undertake health actions. Health actions are all actions whose primary intent is to improve health.

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

Health Systems performance can be assessed by: 1. Outcomes/goals: Health coverage, Responsiveness (dignity, confidentiality, prompt attention, amenities), Fairness in financial contribution.

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

2. Inputs to the system (functions): Financing (revenue collection, pooling, and purchasing), Resource generation (human resources, facilities, and equipment, knowledge), and Stewardship.

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the strengths and weaknesses of Health Systems in different countries across the globe. In spite of the novel nature of the disease with no definitive treatment or vaccine available yet, many countries are able to contain the spread of the virus…

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

Through proactive social measures, and many have shown resilience in their Health System by treating active cases through drug repositioning and supportive treatments.

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

However, many countries are still struggling to contain the spread, and even to treat active cases especially in the developing countries with fragile Health Systems. In Nigeria, apart from the COVID-19 burden and uncertainties…

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

In Nigeria, apart from the COVID-19 burden and uncertainties, there is increased risk of unattended NCDs patients and other none COVID-19 related diseases due to the following factors:

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

1. Obscondment of some healthcare staff due to lack of sufficient personal protective equipment (during the onset of cases) 2. Psychological impact on healthcare staff and lack of sufficient healthcare workforce

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

3. Some patients refused to visit the hospital due to fear of contracting the disease in the hospital.

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

Thanks to the excellent work of the NCDC Director, he has been doing amazing work out there, and the entire NCDC staff. However, there are rising cases of the virus in many places, perhaps the sudden deaths recorded in Kano and other parts of the country can be attributed to:

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

1. Poor surveillance of the infected cases 2. Lack of coordination and proper monitoring at the isolation centers 3. Poor public awareness about the COVID-19 and dangers associated with it. 4. Public disbelief about COVID-19.

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

It is rather laughable and lamentable seeing some state government in Nigeria advertising seeking healthcare professional volunteers during this pandemic. We have thousands of fresh healthcare professional graduates searching for jobs…

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

 

And the space that needs their services across the country is not saturated. Why would someone risk his/her life volunteering? Let the government employ them, please (personal opinion).

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

Thanks to the excellent work of the NCDC Director, he has been doing amazing work out there, and the entire NCDC staff. However, there are rising cases of the virus in many places, perhaps the sudden deaths recorded in Kano and other parts of the country can be attributed to:

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

1. Poor surveillance of the infected cases 2. Lack of coordination and proper monitoring at the isolation centers 3. Poor public awareness about the COVID-19 and dangers associated with it. 4. Public disbelief about COVID-19.

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

It is rather laughable and lamentable seeing some state government in Nigeria advertising seeking healthcare professional volunteers during this pandemic. We have thousands of fresh healthcare professional graduates searching for jobs…

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

And the space that needs their services across the country is not saturated. Why would someone risk his/her life volunteering? Let the government employ them, please (personal opinion).

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

As of yesterday 21 May 2020, NCDC recorded a total of 7016 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria, with the only ¼ recovered, and 211 deaths so far.

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

In Nigeria with a population of over 200 million people, a total of 41,907 tests have been conducted by the NCDC to date, while South Africa for instance with a population of approximately 60 million, a total of 525,433 tests have been conducted.

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

So, I think, the NCDC needs to step up their testing capacity. I am sure Nigeria has the resources and the capability to do so. Because the faster you test, the faster to track active cases and initiate treatment interventions.

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

On the final notes: 1. Improved Health System capacity and concerted efforted between the Federal and State government are necessary for fighting COVID-19 in Nigeria.

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

 

2. The COVID-19 has taught us that NO medical trips for elites including government officials now, so the need to focus and strengthen our own Health System through capacity building and improved health infrastructure for all Nigerians.

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

3. The Federal and State government must be careful in easing the ongoing lockdown, because, according to international best practices, you ease the lockdown and social restrictions only when cases are winding down, not when the cases are rising.

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

4. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated to the entire world that pharmacists are indispensable in any healthcare system. i.e., many communities have turned to the pharmacists for their basic healthcare needs.

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

Moreover, the entire world is now waiting for COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutics from pharmaceutical companies that are largely controlled by pharmacists.

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

5. Nigerian government policy on COVID-19 should include community pharmacists in testing and referring patients with COVID-19 through appropriate capacity building and special training for the pharmacists.

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

Thanks to the excellent work of the NCDC Director, he has been doing amazing work out there, and the entire NCDC staff. However, there are rising cases of the virus in many places, perhaps the sudden deaths recorded in Kano and other parts of the country can be attributed to:

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

1. Poor surveillance of the infected cases 2. Lack of coordination and proper monitoring at the isolation centers 3. Poor public awareness about the COVID-19 and dangers associated with it. 4. Public disbelief about COVID-19.

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

It is rather laughable and lamentable seeing some state government in Nigeria advertising seeking healthcare professional volunteers during this pandemic. We have thousands of fresh healthcare professional graduates searching for jobs…

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

And the space that needs their services across the country is not saturated. Why would someone risk his/her life volunteering? Let the government employ them, please (personal opinion).

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

As of yesterday 21 May 2020, NCDC recorded a total of 7016 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria, with the only ¼ recovered, and 211 deaths so far.

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

In Nigeria with a population of over 200 million people, a total of 41,907 tests have been conducted by the NCDC to date, while South Africa for instance with a population of approximately 60 million, a total of 525,433 tests have been conducted.

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

So, I think, the NCDC needs to step up their testing capacity. I am sure Nigeria has the resources and the capability to do so. Because the faster you test, the faster to track active cases and initiate treatment interventions.

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

 

On the final notes: 1. Improved Health System capacity and concerted efforted between the Federal and State government are necessary for fighting COVID-19 in Nigeria.

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

 

2. The COVID-19 has taught us that NO medical trips for elites including government officials now, so the need to focus and strengthen our own Health System through capacity building and improved health infrastructure for all Nigerians.

 

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

 

3. The Federal and State government must be careful in easing the ongoing lockdown, because, according to international best practices, you ease the lockdown and social restrictions only when cases are winding down, not when the cases are rising.

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

4. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated to the entire world that pharmacists are indispensable in any healthcare system. i.e., many communities have turned to the pharmacists for their basic healthcare needs.

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

 

Moreover, the entire world is now waiting for COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutics from pharmaceutical companies that are largely controlled by pharmacists.

Khalid Garba Mohammed

@khalidgmk

5. Nigerian government policy on COVID-19 should include community pharmacists in testing and referring patients with COVID-19 through appropriate capacity building and special training for the pharmacists.

 Thursday, 28th May, 2020

 Amidst lockdown ease by state governments, the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has on Thursday 28th May, 2020 Organized a twitter chat to determine whether the lockdown is a bless or a curse in Nigeria.  The chat is the 15th twitter chat in the series organized by the centre and has Dr. Zainab Ibrahim Usman, Medical Doctor and Public Health Advocate as a discussant. In respond to the pandemic, if you could recall some months after the outbreak of the pandemic, Nigerian government announced a nationwide lockdown especially in Lagos, the capital city, Abuja and Ogun and later on across the country to contain the spread of Covid-19, closing schools and non-essential businesses, and suspending road, air and rail travels. According to the discussant, there is no clear answer whether the lockdown is a blessing to the country or not. While the lockdown has brought undue hardship to the citizens financially and health wise as many people died from non Covid 19 related cases then it curtailed the spread of the virus and reduces community transmission. It also stimulated government to add effort in primary healthcare services as the pandemic exposed the inadequacy of our healthcare facilities, force government to increase funding in healthcare system so as to provide basic equipment and employ more healthcare workers.  The lockdown also exposed lack of funding for research so that the country should be less dependent on foreign countries. 

 

Finally, she suggested that government should ignore the lockdown policy and encourage social distancing, use of face masks, regular hands washing and other strategies suggested by health practitioners as you cannot lock millions of people at home without providing them with basic necessity of life. 

 

ENGAGEMENT 

 Doctor, what lessons do you think people can learn from this pandemic? 

We are glad you are joining us Dr. @Zaiynabbb, can you please give us your thoughts on whether or not this pandemic season can serve as lesson to reposition the health sector to work better for people? 

 

Thus going forward what have we learnt. 

 

1. Govt needs to invest more on our primary healthcare services as the pandemic has exposed the inadequacy of our health care system
2. Increase funding of our health care system so as to be able to provide the basicequipmentand employ more healthcare workers 
3. The need to involve everyone and every sector as to promote and increasesensitizationof health issues 
4. Increase funding for research as we will be less dependent of foreign governments to provide drugs and vaccinesin caseof future outbreaks. 
5. Government should have a clear policy that takes incognizanceof our peculiarities such that it will prevent undue and untold hardship caused by the lockdown in case of future occurrences 

 

 

Even with D imposition of lockdown, D country still record new cases of Covid19 on a daily basis, will allowing people go about their normal businesses Vis-a-Vis adhering to D use of PPE’s & other safety measures stated by NCDC not proof better outcomes? 

 

Based on your experience as a medical practitioner, do you think people are learning anything from this pandemic? 

 

Many are of view that, ppl are dying with hunger. For instance, the high number of deaths in Kano occur after the enforcement of the T lockdown. Due to a No. of conditions, and covid19 seemed to have been ruled out. ur view, pls 

A 

 

 

The Educational sector has suffered immeasurable setbacks, perhaps some online classes are on but what then becomes of children in the rural areas who for the most part, have no access to television? 

A 

The danger of COVID-19 and Hunger which one is more dangerous. Because if you are force to stay at and no food what do you will happen. Your adverse to government. 

A 

 

 

Security forces enforcing lockdown orders across Nigeria had killed more people than the coronavirus. Pls, can this be fact that lockdown is a curse not a blessing in Nigeria? 

A 

 

 

 

Looking at the nature of lock downs in #Nigeria where citizens are locked at home for some days and allowed to go out for some days. 

Do you see wisdom behind allowing people to go out; resulting to more congestion especially in market and other public places? 

There’s no wisdom behind this actually. I think the best thing to do is to allow people to resume back to their normal activities with few limitations. Compulsory wearing of facemask, high risk people should stay at home (elderly and people with immunosuppression) 

 

 

Some Business owners take advantage of the present situation to inflate the prices of essential commodities, does this have the tendency of subjecting people into more hardship? What then is the way out? 

The Educational sector has suffered immeasurable setbacks, perhaps some online classes are on but what then becomes of children in the rural areas who for the most part, have no access to television? 

The parents of those children in rural areas cannot provide that for them and the government is not ready to do that. The best thing to do is to fumigate schools and reopen them while observing basic precautions. 

 

 

Sir what sustainable modality should government, NGOs and the general public put in place to prevent the reemergence of Covid19 after the pandemic has ended? 

Vaccine is the only solution to prevent reemergence of this disease 

Dr, do you think we are close to getting a vaccine, if not, what strategies can we deploy in order to live with virus? 

Reports from WHO and other private investors has shown that we’re not getting vaccine anytime soon. We need to learn how to live with the virus. By sharing facemasks and hand sanitizers and letting people go about and enforcing safety measures. 

 

 

Which is the best strategy for prevention of spread? Sharing of Palliatives to cushion the effect of lockdown on people and to encourage them to stay at home or sharing of facemasks and hand sanitizers/letting people go about and enforcing safety measures. 

The latter. Which is sharing of facemasks and hand sanitizers/letting people go about and enforcing safety measures. 

A 

Distributing face masks, hand sanitizers etc is more important if people will be allowed to go around with their day to day activities else sharing food stuffs is more important if the lockdown is still imposed. 

 

 

Though Africa is the least hit continent, can we continue depending on the WESTERN world for medical breakthrough. Or we should look inward and what are the basic step need to be taken 

2. Increase funding for research purposes
3. Our research labs should be upgraded andmodernizedto meet the latest standards 
4. Encourageyoung ones to focus more on inventions and not just to read and pass. 

 

 

But don’t you think the reason of it failure is because people refused to comply with order 100%, Doctor? 

How can a hungry man comply with policies on a virus that he’s not even sure it exist? So many people still believe it’s a hoax 

 

 

A lot has been said about what Nigeria does not have in combating the pandemic. What does it have at its disposal? 

Nothing. 

 

 

Which category of people did you think are more affected with the lock down (children, youth or the aged)? 

Youth 

 

 

 

What your opinion about easing of the lock down by some state government and the impact on the economy? 

We’re already heading into economic recession which is more deadly to us than covid-19. And it’s crystal clear that we can’t curtail the spread of this virus. I think it’s better for us to focus more on our economy by resuming back to work 

 

 

Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) had in the umpteenth time contributed immensely to the GDP growth of the nation, What becomes of the GDP with businesses locked down? 

The growth has taken a downward spiral since this pandemic and this is same for many countries. 

It will take a while for it to recover and not likely this year. 

Government will have to put in measures to help protect and uplift these SME’s 

 

Dr @Zaiynabbb can you please explain how helpful the lockdown is with regard to reducing the spread of the virus in our communities? 

It has not help in anywhere cos community transmission has already been established before the lockdown. 

 

 

Dr. @zainabbb, looking at the nature of lock downs in #Nigeria where citizens are locked at home for some days and allowed to go out for some days. 

Do you see wisdom behind allowing people to go out; resulting to more congestion especially in market and other public places? 

If you ask me the best thing is to dissolve this lockdown policy cos obviously it has failed. You can’t lock millions of people at home without providing basic necessities. 

 

 

@Zaiynabbb based on your experience as a medical practitioner, do you think people are learning anything from this pandemic 

Some are learning while some are not. But I belong must of us found out how inadequate our healthcare system is 

 

 

Thanks doc. U mentioned compulsory wearing of facemasks, considering the most commonly use mask in the community is Clothes mask, how effective is it in protecting the virus?? 

Not as effective as the surgical mask and N95. Less than 50% protection. Well it’s better to have some form of protection than to have nothing 

 

Comments 

@wisdombugaj 

I tend to agree with your suggestions, in fact Dr Zainab is amongst the few sensible doc that are advocates of this realistic guidelines. 

 

@bappafatimerh 

Distributing face masks, hand sanitizers etc. is more important if people will be allowed to go around with their day to day activities else sharing food stuffs is more important if the lockdown is still imposed.