16^th of June 2020

 

She started by responding to a question on the category of patients that can go to the hospital at this difficult time? She stated that as we know in this trying times, the health care system worldwide had received a major blow. Its weaknesses has been exposed, hospital capacity overwhelmed, and health care workers are falling ill from the current pandemic virus, COVID 19.

This simply tells us that not everyone can be treated now. It is important to note that in a pandemic certain, the standard rules of medicine does not apply anymore.

Therefore in response to the other question as well as the above, she said, health care system has created a rationing system. A.k.a triage system.

Though a bit flawed, this help us choose who gets priority in treatment. So people with emergency conditions such as asthma, heart attack, acute abdomen (eg appendicitis), women in labor, road traffic accidents etc get priority over others.

She further stated that not everyone can be treated now. It is important to note that in a pandemic certain, the standard rules of medicine does not apply anymore.

She also advise people to stay away from hospitals especially when going to treat certain (less threatening) ailments.

You see we developing countries are at a loss. The first world countries and other have already incorporated the telemedicine consulting scheme into their healthcare system. This telemedicine ranges from robots being the first line to charts and video consultations with doctors. This helps curb the load of patients in the hospital as well as reduces the risk for otherwise healthy patient with just minor ailments.

 

On the issue of neglecting or rejecting patient by health workers when they visited hospitals with other diseases.

The simple answer is lack of awareness. People don’t understand the burden that pandemics and disasters put on the hospitals as well as the healthcare workers. And it is not their faults.

In creating this awareness, there must be collaboration between the Ministry of health, education, information.

 

She stated dialogue has been long existing even before the immergence of the Ebola virus. The dialogue has included increase in manpower, equipment PPEs, to aid the smooth delivery of health services to patients.

To some extent success have been recorded.

 

Discussing on plans for what happens if the number of coronavirus patients exceeds the available space in intensive care units whether we have such plans in Nigeria do we have such plans.

Well I’m sure those countries you’re referring to are the first world countries. We cannot compare with them because their medicine has by far surpass ours.

But yes, plans are being made on how to create more ICUs.

It’s a good thing our numbers are not rising as fast as that of Italy. Although that does not mean we should relax

 

In her recommendations to Government, private sector and general public.

Recommendations to the government includes.

 

1. Government should learn from this pandemic and adjust to fully investing in the healthcare systems. We have seen them do it being their immediate action in creating isolation center

 

2. The infrastructure of the hospitals should be amended.
3. Health workers and other staffs working at the forefront should be fully equipped with the necessary equipment

 

4. Increase manpower.
5. Community awareness is also keys.

As for the private sectors, i would strongly recommend they also invest in our health system.

As for the general public, they should empathize with us doctors. We are also humans with families. And for every day we see a patient we put not just our lives but that of our loved ones at risk. That does not mean that we do not regard our patients of high importance.

Ali Sabo

@a_sabo12:

Good afternoon all, please welcome Doctor Fatima Zango, @ZaRaXaNg who will be speaking on how do Hospitals decide who gets treatment at this difficult time at @ICTAdvocates twitter chat

@YZYau

@ChiromaHope

@UsmanRx

@nissimase

@teemerh_beekay

@IsaKamilu

@kamalkano

@macfound

10

Retweets

2

Likes

 

 

Zahra 

@ZaRaXaNg:

Jun 16

Replying to

@a_sabo12

@ICTAdvocates

and 8 others

Good afternoon everyone. It’s a pleasure to be invited to partake in this discussion on this platform

@ICTAdvocates

 

 

kamal garba

@kamalkano:

 

Dr. @ZaRaXaNg, People want to know the category of patients that can go to the hospital at this difficult time?

@a_sabo12

@YZYau

@nissimase

@Mairo_Ado

@IsaKamilu

@ICTAdvocates

@HariraWakili

10

Retweets

4

Likes

Zahra

@ZaRaXaNg:

Replying to

@kamalkano

@a_sabo12

and 6 others

Well as we know in this trying time, the health care system world-wide had received a major blow. Its weaknesses has been exposed, hospital capacity overwhelmed, and health care workers are falling ill from the current pandemic virus, COVID 19.

2

10

4

 

Ali Sabo

@a_sabo12:

So who do you ensure people with other disease being treated at this difficult time?

@YZYau

@ChiromaHope

@MubarakEkute

@kamalkano

@HariraWakili

@Mairo_Ado

@teemerh_beekay

@nissimase

Welcome Dr.

@ZaRaXaNg. Pls. Who gets priority to treatment at this difficult time?

@ICTAdvocates

 

 

Ali Sabo

@a_sabo12

 

Replying to

@ZaRaXaNg

@kamalkano:

and 6 others

So who do you ensure people with other disease being treated at this difficult time?

@YZYau

@ChiromaHope

@MubarakEkute

@kamalkano

@HariraWakili

@Mairo_Ado

@teemerh_beekay

@nissimase

MUKHTY4

@mukhtars_s:

Okay Dr. @ZaRaXaNg,

What happens to children? Are there intensive care unit resources specifically for children in Nigeria? Bebause, a report shows that, in USA children have become critically ill with Covid-19.

@ICTAdvocates

3

Retweets

1

Like

Zahra 

@ZaRaXaNg:

 

Replying to

@mukhtars_s

and

@ICTAdvocates

Well owing to this pandemic we have seen that our health care system was indeed in shambles , but with the little the government officials has done in creating isolation centres, they are equipped with icu for children

elmubarak bin ekute

@MubarakEkute

@ZaRaXaNg

By ethics and code of practice, are hospitals in better position to decide who they attend to?

@Mairo_Ado

@ICTAdvocates

@a_sabo12

@abdullahi_ari

@YZYau

@ooomiiiii

@nissimase

7

Retweets

3

Likes

Zahra 

@ZaRaXaNg

Replying to

@MubarakEkute

@Mairo_Ado

and 6 others

Yes. They are. Each hospital is governed by a functioning body who sit with health care worker, technicians, public health workers and various core staff to design a pandemic/disaster triage scheme.

Ali Sabo

@a_sabo12

 

Doctor

@ZaRaXaNg

Many people are complaining about how they or their loved ones are being neglected or rejected by health workers when they visited hospitals with other diseases, what do you think is leading to this & what do u think can be done to solve the issue

@ICTAdvocates

 

 

4

Likes

Zahra 

@ZaRaXaNg

 

Replying to

@a_sabo12

@ICTAdvocates

and 10 others

The simple answer is lack of awareness. People don’t understand the burden that pandemics and disasters put on the hospitals as well as the healthcare workers. And it is not their faults

2

7

3

Ali Sabo

@a_sabo12

Who is responsible of creating this awareness, doctor?

1

6

1

Zahra 

@ZaRaXaNg

It is a collaboration between the Ministry of health , education, information.

Ali Sabo

@a_sabo12

Doctor, as we are coming to the end of this educative one hour engagement, what recommendations you have for gov’t, private sector and general public on situation like this, @ZaRaXaNg?

@YZYau

@MubarakEkute

@ChiromaHope

@ICTAdvocates

@kamalkano

@IsaKamilu

@Ashshaza1

@macfound

10

Retweets

4

Likes

Zahra 

@ZaRaXaNg

Replying to

@a_sabo12

@YZYau

and 7 others

I have already stated in my previous tweets what is demanded form the government. As for the private sectors, i would strongly recommend they also invest in our health system.

5

2Zahra 

@ZaRaXaNg

 

Replying to

@a_sabo12

@YZYau

and 7 others

As for the general public, they should empathize with us doctors. We are also humans with families. And for every day we see a patient we put not just our lives but that of our loved ones at risk. That does not mean that we do not regard our patients

1

6

2

 

Zahra 

@ZaRaXaNg

 

Of high importance.

MUKHTY4

@mukhtars_s

 

Dr.

@ZaRaXaNg. In some countries, hospitals and public health officials are working on plans for what happens if the numbe of coronavirus patients exceeds the available space in intensive care units. Pls, In Nigeria do we have such plans?

@ICTAdvocates, @YZYau, @MubarakEkute

9

Retweets

1

Like

 

Zahra 

@ZaRaXaNg

 

Replying to

@mukhtars_s

@ICTAdvocates

and 2 others

Well I’m sure those countries you’re referring to are the first world countries. We cannot compare with them because their medicine has by far surpassed ours. But yes, plans are being made on how to create more ICUs.

1

4

2

 

 

Zahra 

@ZaRaXaNg

 

It’s a good thing our numbers are not rising as fast as that of Italy. Although that does not mean we should relax

 

Ali Sabo

@a_sabo12

As we come to the end of today’s twitter chat, on behalf of our E.D  @YZYau & the entire @ICTAdvocates staff we extend our appreciation to our guest, Dr Fatima-Zarah Zango @ZaRaXaNg for the educative engagement, thank you so much doc.

@ChiromaHope

@IsaKamilu

@kamalkano

@nissimase

elmubarak bin ekute and 4 others

10

Retweets

5

Likes

 

 

Zahra 

 

@ZaRaXaNg

 

Replying to

@a_sabo12

@YZYau

and 10 others

Thank you so much for having me. I look forward to partaking in more discussions, that if you will have me.

1

8

4

 

 

Ali Sabo

@a_sabo12

 

Of course, it will be our honour, doc.

1

4

2

 

 

Zahra 

@ZaRaXaNg

 

That would be great. Thank you once more.

 

Now that Covid – 19 changed the registers we use daily to some limited words; isolation, PPEs, face mask and ventilators among others, Covid – 19 is continually becoming a daily routine on news headlines, bill boards, all media platforms and the prime prior concern of all the countries across the globe. Government of all nations, philanthropies and nongovernmental organizations stood firm in in developing strategies that will curb the spread of the pandemic looking at the adverse negative effects this deadly pandemic has on the world economy and the general livelihood of the people.

It is to this end that our organization, the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) which has ICT as its core mandate comes up with series of initiatives mostly ICT – related in its bid to support all other relevant stakeholders in the fight against Covid – 19. One of these initiatives is a twitter chat series that comes twice every week.

This week we hosted Dr. Abdulrahman Bello, Medical Officer, Maitama District Hospital who discussed on – Responding to Health Impact of Covid – 19: How will Covid – 19 Transform the Nigerian Health System Delivery. In the course of his conversation, he discussed in depth the deltas and plus of the government response in the fight against Covid – 19.

Questions and contributions were entertained as well.

Below is the copy of the chat as appeared on twitter timeline.

 

Dr Abdurrahman Bello (@thablu2th), how would you describe the response to #COVID19

Pandemic by different actors?

How effective or otherwise has the response been so far particularly from the healthcare delivery perspective?

 

2. Good afternoon! The response has been coordinated well. Noticed an increase in level of response from our Healthcare agencies and personnel in terms of awareness, diagnosis and prevention methods.

 

3. Good afternoon! The response has been coordinated well. Noticed an increase in level of response from our healthcare agencies and personnel in terms of awareness, diagnosis and prevention methods.

 

4. Which of the prevention method do think is good for the people living the rural area, so that when you to them we sensitize them.

 

5. Simple basic hand washing technique. Water, sanitation and hygiene. It goes a long way as a preventive strategy. Use of face masks and reporting any suspected case to any nearby health facility

 

6. Disposable (non-medical) mask, kn95 mask, N95 mask. We can do business from high price to high price and accept customization. There is no limit to the quantity, because we are factories.

What should be the future plans by government and private sectors to provide adequate health facilities to curb the spread of COVID 19 and any diseases that may pop up?

 

8. Develop a framework where all aspects of healthcare provision will key in especially access to PHC as it is closer to the populace. Healthcare financing is the key also in terms of budgetary provisions

 

9. What were some lapses initially observed in Nigeria’s response to the pandemic?

 

10. Closure of borders and ban on gathering in public spaces was not done immediately.

 

11. Dr what are the impacts of Covid19 to health sector particularly in Nigeria?

 

12. Well,the COVID19 situatn has exposed some of our vulnerabilities.

At the same time,Govt has stepped us in various ways to help the situation. Interventions by the CBN to improve the sector with 100billion Naira health care fund at low interest rates.

 

13. And do you think the money injected by CBN is enough and will be used for the purpose it has been released?

 

14. As a start, it’s enough. Main important issue is people to come up and request for loans dedicated for such purpose. It’s an intervention fund created by the CBN.

 

15. But the issue is why there be interest on the loans when other countries are helping their citizens and SMEs with

capital (free) in order to get them back to their feet we are here giving loan with 5% interest @cenbank

 

16. That should be an angle to explore. Interest free loans provided by Govt to start up healthcare industry.

These factors I think depends on the strength of the economy

 

17. @ICTAdvocates: @thablu2th, In your own opinion what are the strategies to put in place to reduce infection of health workers with COVID

 

18. Provision of readily available protective equipment. Provision of standard face masks which are scarce.

Development of management algorithms in terms of seeing a patient and referral system

Invitation to Participate in Online Training for Youth Leaders on Organizing Community Responses to COVID-19

In continuation of its educative programs on Covid19 in Nigeria, the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) held a twitter chat on the 2^nd of June, 2020. The guest was Dr. Abdullahi Lawal Kazaure who is a Medical Doctor, he discussed on the impact of COVID-19 Global Pandemic, the Management and Control of other deadly diseases: Steps other Health Care Facilities can take to prevent and control the spread of COVID 19 from unidentifiable patients to other patients via health care providers. Doctor Kazaure made it clear that the Pandemic is real and highly infectious and contagious.

 

Explaining the situation, Doctor Kazaure said “looking at how critical the situation is, government are now easing the lockdown which there is need to put all preventive measures in place”. He emphasized on the need for government to ramp up the health care systems and enforce policies which will further limit the spread of the virus.

In the course of the discussion, he made some recommendation to government and health workers. Stating that there is need for government to provide functional Health care system, essential humanitarian materials and maintain water sanitation facilities at strategic locations. Also. Medical Professionals should pay attention to other deadly diseases and they should ensure to make diagnosis before administering medications.

He further went ahead to advise citizens to build their immune systems and always ensure all the preventive measures are taken into consideration.

 

Engagement:

 

Doctor @AKazaure what do you think we need to know about this pandemic; its consequences and danger associated with it as some states and even the FG started easing lockdown in their states? First and foremost we have to believe this pandemic is real, and very highly infectious and transmissible, It affects all people of all age groups and ethnicity, and even tho the mortality rates are lower than other pandemics recorded, it is still a danger Well Governments with easing lockdown is a measure for the country to move forward, because all over the world countries are easing and putting measures for their respective nations. This doesn’t mean it has been defeated, it is now the government’s responsibility to put in and enforce measures for prevention of the spread of this disease and also arming the health care system to be ready for the surge of this outbreak It is also our own responsibility to protect ourselves using measures such as social distancing, hand washing, and face masks while we continue our daily activities

 

But don’t you think this will set us back in this fight, because I have seen many articles by health experts saying that the time to reopen the country is not yet done? What is your take on this? Well this is important really, I believe this is not the right time for us to ease the lockdown, because the fight for this is far from over, but still from the government point of view they are thinking of their citizen livelihood So it is the duty of the Government to ramp up our health care systems and also enforce policies and guidelines which can further limit the spread of the virus, the vaccine is still in research and treatment is still vague, I believe a surge in amount of cases is still waiting

 

The COVID-19 pandemic is considered as the most crucial global health calamity of the century and the greatest challenge that the humankind faced since the 2nd World War

 

Doctor what steps do you think health facilities can take to ensure that Covid19 has not interfere with treatment of other deadly diseases in the country? Well it is the responsibility of Every doctor and every health official to have a high level of suspicion for every disease out, it is our responsibility not to only concentrate on Covid 19 but also keep an eye on other diseases, Health facilities should produce isolation rooms for patients, provide personal protective equipments, face masks, gloves, hand sanitizers to every health care professionals, provide lectures and screening procedures for patients, Liaisons with the appropriate agencies for prompt sample taking, patient transport,

 

The COVID-19 pandemic is considered as the most crucial global health calamity of the century and the greatest challenge that the humankind faced since the 2nd World War

 

The COVID -19 outbreak has already disrupted the global economy, and the demand for hospital care is exceeding the capacity of many nations’ health care systems

 

But we must not forget that other diseases of Public health importance are still out there such as Ebola, Lassa fever, Measles, Cholera, Cerebral Meningitis

 

These diseases you have mentioned, how do you think they can be controlled amidst this pandemic, don’t you think the over stressed of health facilities by the covid19 pandemic will lead to health facilities to neglect this diseases?

 

These diseases have to be still be in our minds, not only should we concentrate on Covid 19 but the other infectious diseases, Public enlightenment should continue on these other diseases, Health care facilities and professionals should not also forget to keep in their minds that this is not the only infectious disease we are having problem with, they should always have a broad mind in making diagnosis, and differentials, Even tho our health caste system is not optimum it is our duty to do our best from every perspective starting from the individual to the highest tier of the government Just yesterday there was a new wave of Ebola virus in DRC in which 4 patients died, there fore we most not relent in our active search for other diseases of public importance

 

Functioning health infrastructure is scarce, and the capacity to refer patients is extremely limited. With so many people already vulnerable to outbreaks of disease, essential humanitarian assistance must be maintained; water and sanitation facilities

 

Doctor (@AKazaure), what information do you have for people that are above the age of 60, patient with BP, Diabetes, pregnant women and other people with health problems that will make them more vulnerable to Covid19? In addition to them, the children, these are the immunocompromised patients, and have a higher rate of mortality when infected, these patient should absolutely follow the preventive measures and avoid public spaces, continue taking their medications, take on immune supplements Such as Vitamin C , fruits, leave a healthy life and not sedentary lifestyle, avoid smoke, and always be in touch with their respective specialists. Because they are the most vulnerable

 

In general, Doctor (@AKazaure), do you think our health facilities are capable of providing us with all the necessary support we need ? I have to say all healthcare professionals are trying their best to give you the support we can but we have a below par system, equipments are not enough for both the professionals and the patients, we are understaffed, our hospitals are not enough for the country And access to healthcare is not available to every individual to the community, for the rural communities health care is expensive to them, We don’t have enough doctors, nurses , technicians , but in general the available ones are trying their best to support

 

As the chat is ending in just 2 minutes, what general recommendations can you give based on the topic discussed

 

As the chat is ending in just 2 minutes, what general recommendations can you give based on the topic discussed? Individuals should follow the guidelines WHO have provided, Health care professionals should be proactive in recognizing and management of Not only Covid 19 but other diseases of public importance, and government to support all of us It is our duty as an Individual to protect ourselves and the duty of the Government to protect us, let us not be ignorant and try to help out each other to fight this war

 

We will be stopping shortly, we are wondering if you have more recommendations you want to share here, Dr. @AKazaure? All in General I want us to believe this pandemic is real, but it is not a death sentence when you are diagnosed, we should try as much as possible to exercise social distancing, wear our face masks, disinfectants should be used and pray for a cure or vaccine should be out soon It is also a wake up call for the government to improve our healthcare systems, because even the countries with the best health care systems were overpowered, and encourage more healthcare professionals.

 

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. 

 

The Centre for Information Technology and Development, CITAD, on Sunday advised Kano state government to introduce stricter measures, to ensure compliance with the restriction order, to curtail the spread of coronavirus, #COVID19 in the state.

The advise is coming, especially following one confirmed case of the virus, announced by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, on Saturday.

A statement by Ali Sabo, Campaigns and Communications Officer of the Centre, issued on Sunday recalled that in spite of the state government’s closure of its borders with other states, denied people entry and exit in and out of the state and asked its workers to stay at home for fourteen days, on March 23rd, the order had not been followed.

CITAD further recalled that in spite of the state government’s order that all social gathering, including cinemas, viewing centers, and joints in the state be suspended until further notice, the same order was flawed.

According to it, a report from its assessment of compliance showed that all orders were flawed by citizens, in connivance with security operatives.

“Therefore, the Centre called on the concerned authorities to take tougher majors in containing the spread of the virus in the state, looking at how quickly the virus was spreading in the country.

“CITAD highlighted how travelers with the connivance of the security agencies are defying the directives given by the state government to stop all inter states movements at those borders which made the state to be at risk of importing the virus by those coming from other states.

“To prove that cross border movements is still ongoing in the state, on Saturday the 11th of April, 2020 the state recorded it first covid-19 case.

“The patient is confirmed to be a retired technocrat who returned to the state from Lagos.

“It is on this note that we are calling on the Kano state government to as a matter of urgency and of public safety to:

Direct the closure of all markets in the state as they are places where social distancing cannot apply and traders pay no hid o safety and preventive measures.

All religious gatherings including Friday prayers and church services to be suspended with immediate effect.

Re-enforce border closure and ensure total compliance.

The State Anti-Corruption Agency to deploy its staff to the borders to prevent security personnel from sabotaging the efforts of government by collecting bribes and allowing motorists to enter the state.

There is need to investigate how the index case crossed the closed border into Kano and that all found to played a role in this should be punished accordingly,” the statement read.

The propriety or otherwise of exposing the identity of COVID-19 infected or potentially infected persons which has become a big controversy in Benue State three weeks ago in the case of Mrs Susan Okpeh has received a curt rejection in a similar case in Kano in Northwestern Nigeria. The case in Kano is the circulation of the name, picture and status of the first person to die of COVID-19 in the state on social media.

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) which has been intervening at different levels in the management of the pandemic in Nigeria says that doing so is a threat to the fight against this deadly virus. Giving reason for saying so, CITAD said in a statement by Ali Sabo, its communication officer, that it could make people become skeptical to self-reporting themselves when they suspect they have been infected with virus for fear of being stigmatized and harassed.

CITAD said it observed that some people are using the name, picture and status of the first confirmed case of death from COVID-19 in Kano State on various social media platforms in a discriminatory and or negative way. This, it adds, is a clear breach of the ethics of the medical profession in relation to respect for confidentiality between medical personnel and the patient’s identify, no matter the nature of their illnesses, pointing out how the life of the patient and of his family are now being put at risk.

Arguing though that it is wrong for anyone who suspected contracting the virus or has a travel history to any place where there are confirmed cases of Covid-19 to be mingling with other people, CITAD, however, maintains that “it is also absolutely wrong for people to be victimizing and stigmatizing the victim which will set the fight against Covid-19 back in the country”. While urging people to continue to cooperate with authorities and adhere to prevention guidelines, it is also calling on the public to respect the privacy and rights of all individuals, regardless of their health status, saying that it is important for people to stop creating unnecessary panic in the society. It puts it to Governments to be more proactive in this fight and guarantee the privacy of every patient so as not to discourage people from self-reporting.

There is no knowing what impact the position of CITAD will have on the unresolved Benue State case where many people are grumbling about the exposure of the identity of Mrs Okpeh (whose status is still contested) but along individual heroism and a hint of ethno-cultural anger, without any NGO or a civil society organisation with national clout making a cogent argument. What CITAD has not said in its statement is whether confidentiality is sacred in spite of context, context being the argument of the Benue State governor, Dr Samuel Ortom for announcing that Mrs Okpeh, had become the index case three weeks ago. Mrs Okpeh is still protesting that. There seems to be no similar stories from around the country towards a comparative sense.

Email: ochima495@gmail.com

SMS: 08055001912

I have just read a situation report on “how people in Kano are responding to government directives against COVID-19” released by the Centre for Information Technology and Development, CITAD, Kano, April 7. Before I go into the report, let me confess that I am not familiar with the organisation. I am knowing about it for the first time. I am probably not alone because I do not think it is familiar to many of us outside Kano dtate. Still, its report should command public attention for the issue it raised about the containment policies on COVID-19.

From their report, my educated guess is that CITAD is a group of concerned Nigerians in Kano state who are alarmed by the wanton defiance of the restrictions imposed on intra- and inter- state movements by the state government as part of national efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, the killer virus that is sending hundreds of people into their early graves daily in Europe and the United States. It is holding the world by the jugular. It has exposed the hollowness in the health delivery systems in the advanced countries, making us all sitting ducks for its ravages. A virus this dangerous could not be toyed with. But we are doing just that in this country. A million pities.

According to CITAD, despite the restrictions, nothing has changed in Kano state. Life goes on because the “people have ignored the social distancing directives.” And so, “market activities are still going on as usual without any obvious precautions in place; and ceremonial gatherings are currently going on as usual…”  Young people are out there playing football; tricycle operators still carry four passengers and offer their passengers no precautionary measures such as hand sanitizers. And to put a fine point to it, says the report, “across the state, wedding ceremonies are being held in defiance of the directive against large gatherings.”

I find the report disturbing. We all should. We are talking about the lives of fellow Nigerians, the increasing threat to them by the virus, the inexplicable defiant attitude of people towards measures put in place by federal and state governments to try and save all of us. This attitude amounts to a criminal sabotage of the regime of restrictions on human and vehicular movements within and between states. And it reflects our rather laid back attitude towards the one stubborn virus that refuses all global efforts to halt it in its tracks.

Nigeria records new cases almost every week; evidence, if anyone needed some, that the gradual but steady rise of the coronavirus should not lull this country and its leaders into a false sense that its capacity to reduce our national population is exaggerated. According to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, there were 22 new cases this week bringing the total figure so far to 276. Six people have died from it. Compared to what the virus is doing to the Americans, the Italians, the Chinese and the Spanish, it would appear that our prayer warriors are doing a much better job of containing the virus than modern medical sciences in those advanced countries of the world. Don’t take my word for it.

It is easy to blame the stubborn Nigerians for their refusal to support health measures taken in their own interest. It seems to me, however, that the fault is not entirely theirs. The fault lies more with the federal and state governments. Neither of them has been particularly keen on policing the restriction orders imposed on the people. Nigerians being who they are, their capacity for exploiting loopholes is legendary. Within two days of the lockdown order coming into effect in Lagos and Ogun states, the federal government suddenly approved the opening of markets from 10 am to 2 pm. The Abuja Municipal Area Council ordered the opening of markets from 7.00 am to 1pm. That is a whole day.

These were essentially panic measures that has the profound effect of sabotaging the restriction policy intended to expose us less to the virus infection. I thought the federal government should have given itself at least one week to study the situation and, armed with a review, take some such measures as it deemed necessary to enforce the order and yet make it have the milk of human kindness.

Lagos state government is the most active in enforcing the restrictions; not because it is the worst affected in the country with 145 cases but more importantly because the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu is the most proactive political leader we have seen in our country in recent times. I am sure you saw the photograph of the gridlock at Lekki, the very highbrow city by the sea, sometime this week. The vehicles were going somewhere, of course. And sure, most of them belonged to men and women who have so much money that bothering to count it would make them sick. You would expect such people to support and co-operate with the restrictions because they have more to lose if the disease comes knocking at their doors. When those who ought to lead by example fail to do so because the weight of their pockets and their high social standing make them privileged men and women, they rub Agatu pepper in the eyes of the under-privileged.

Commercial Christians, sold on the lucrative nature of empty but alluring religiosity, continue to defy the restrictions. I understand that. It is the survival of the smart bible wielders. The lockdown or the restrictions deny them their weekly collections from the poor sold on the false hope that if their pastors are okay, they are okay and destined for heaven. This is a case of greed and irresponsibility rolled into one. It should make the pastors, including Bishop Oyedepo of Winners Chapel, ashamed of themselves. Dead people do not pay tithes. I thought that was elementary.

Since the imposition of the restrictions by federal and state governments, some state governors have obviously found themselves in the rather uncomfortable situation of being labelled anti-religion and, horror of horrors, risk being denied God’s favours and, of course, being barred at the gates of heaven. Those prospects are grim, to say the least. I am not surprised, therefore, that as of this writing two state governors have succumbed to the pressure to open up the places of worship. Katsina dtate government this week announced the immediate lifting of the ban on large gathering as it affects Muslim prayers in mosques on Fridays. Ondo state government has similarly lifted the ban on churches during the Easter period. The walls of social distancing are beginning to crumble. We can shake hands and hug again; coronavirus be damned.

I would be hard put not to defend the right of an authority to make a policy and, if it suits its purpose, review and even cancel it. But I would be hard put to believe that when the decision to restrict movements and limit the gatherings to a safe and manageable number, these governors did not take the sentiment of the religious communities into consideration. I am sure if they had done so and persuaded them to support the policy for the lives and the safety of their congregants, they would have been less fearful of the consequences of the policy should their names be taken before God.What is happening is that the policy makers are chipping away at the integrity of their own policies. Integrity matters to policies because without it, a policy is not policed and can only head for its eternal safe place on the shelf, there to gather dust. Our political leaders should worry about the fact that a systematic chipping away at the integrity of our public policies has been the bane of our national development. It is the reason we are given to the unimpressive development shuffle – one step forward, four steps backward.
Show quoted text.

As the number of confirmed cases increases day by day in the country, states started taking precautionary measures to stop it from spreading into their states where there is no confirmed case.  Kano state on the 23^rd of March closed all its borders with other states, denied people entry and exit in and out of the state and asked its workers to stay at home for fourteen days. Consequently, due to the number of cases that are being reported in the country every day, the state decided to increase the number of days of stay at home by its workers by another 14 days. In the same vain, the state government declared that all social gathering which include cinemas, viewing centers, and joints in the state are ordered suspended until further notice. Ceremonial gatherings were also banned in the state and religious were advised leaders to adhere to the advice given by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), most especially social distancing, but all these went to the deaf ears of the people in the state as people continue with their normal activities without taking any precautions. This is the reason why last week, CITAD issued a report of assessment of compliance to this preventive measures and drew addressed of stakeholders to the danger and consequences of these actions in which it called on the concerned authorities to take tougher majors in containing the spread of the virus in the state looking at how quickly the virus was spreading in the country.

In the report, CITAD highlighted how travelers with the connivance of the security agencies are defying the directives given by the state government to stop all inter states movements at those borders which made the state to be at risk of importing the virus by those coming from other states. To prove that cross border movements is still ongoing in the state, on Saturday the 11^th of April, 2020 the state recorded it first covid-19 case. The patient is confirmed to be a retired technocrat who returned to the state from Lagos.

It is on this note that we are calling on the Kano state government to as a matter of urgency and of public safety to:

1. Direct the closure of all markets in the state as they are places where social distancing cannot apply and traders pay no hid o safety and preventive measures
2. All religious gatherings including Friday prayers and church services to be suspended with immediate effect
3. Re-enforce border closure and ensure total compliance
4. The State Anti-Corruption Agency to deploy its staff to the borders to prevent security personnel from sabotaging the efforts of government by collecting bribes and allowing motorists to enter the state
5. There is need to investigate how the index case crossed the closed border into Kano and that all found to played a role in this should be punished accordingly

Ali Sabo

Campaigns and Communications Officers

It has been said that since the outbreak of Spanish Fluids, world has never seen a threat to human existence similar to this. World over is in lockdown, millions of people have been tested positive for the virus, thousands of people have lost their lives, many businesses have been crashed and countries are on the brink of falling into recession as announced by the IMF Chief. Countries, organizations and individual have been trying and playing their part on how and the ways to prevent the spread of the virus or to find a cure to it. In Nigeria, after the first recorded case of the virus in Lagos, the authorities are doing everything possible to ensure the virus has not done much damage to the country. Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the agency responsible for handling the situation has been providing information on the preventive measures against Covid-19 in the country, but one agency’s efforts will not be enough, that is why concerned organizations and individuals are coming up with other initiatives to compliment the government efforts. It is on this note that the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD)came up with many initiatives in order to reduce the spread of the virus among people. These initiatives include advocacy, online media campaigns (sharing of infographics and messages on Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp), and Twitter Chat with Health Professionals. The twitter chat which is being conducted twice every week (Monday and Thursdays) usually invites health professionals to discuss Strengthening Preventive Measures Against Covid-19. On the fourth round of the chat which was held on the 9th of April, 2020,CITAD hosted a United Kingdom based Doctor, Doctor Lawal Hassan Mohammed, Chase Farm Hospital, Royal Free London NHS Trust.

In the chat the guest took time to explain what Covid-19 is to the audience, its preventive measures and what people need to do to stay safe. The one hour chat was a participatory one where people asked questions and the guest provided them with answers. Finally, there were 17 tweet questions asked during the conversation and the guest was able to answer most of the questions asked. In addition, the tweets were re-tweeted 158 times with 37 likes reaching thousands of people in the process. Below are tweets and responses

Hello everyone, thank you for having me. For starters, I’m no public health specialist but we’ll do my best collectively to address our concerns accordingly.
S/N	TWEET QUESTION	DOCTOR’S RESPONSE	NUMBER OF RETWEET	NUMBER OF LIKE
1	@ICTAdvocates what is the likely chance of transport by air infection in comparison to infection via droplets?		5	2
2	Other viruses like seasonal flu (influenza) and coronoviruses which are benign do poorly in warm & moist weather. So it’s not an unreasonable assumption, however we’re seeing cases everywhere irrespective of the weather. Also, this is a new virus so we can’t count on it.		4	1
3	It has really been fruitful one hour with @dr_lawi , we are immensely grateful for your time. We are also grateful to everyone for participating in the chat. Thank you everyone @YZYau @sagiru_ado @a_sabo12 @Ashshaza1	Dr. L H Mohammed @dr_lawi · 19h Replying to @ICTAdvocates   @YZYau and 3 others It’s been my pleasure, thank you for having me. Please accept my apologies if I haven’t responded to all concerns, I’m happy to answer them later when free (my lunch break is over)	7	2
4	@ICTAdvocates   @dr_lawi good Evening Dr. Some people are advocating to uses salt, garlic with warm water for preventive measure against this covid-19. Is this proper? Thanks. @yzyau	2
5	Thanks @dr_lawi Pls. how  prepared is Govt. and responsible agencies  for COVID-19 here in Kano? @ICTAdvocates		3	2
6	@dr_lawi we were told that our weather is resistance to Covid19 especially here in northwestern Nigeria, that even if Covid19 affected us the hot weather will quarantine it, Doc. What is your take on this assertions? Is it true or otherwise? @YZYau @DrEOEhanire @ICTAdvocates	Other viruses like seasonal flu (influenza) and coronoviruses which are benign do poorly in warm & moist weather. So it’s not an unreasonable assumption, however we’re seeing cases everywhere irrespective of the weather. Also, this is a new virus so we can’t count on it.	4	1
7	Apart from public awareness that needs to be improved, is there anything that you @dr_lawi think should be done by either authorities or other actors in stopping the spread or addressing the virus? @YZYau @sagiru_ado @isahcitad @inuhu123 @Ado9ja1	Individuals have to do their own part by following ruled out guidelines by appropriate authorities. Govt can do more by testing more suspected cases, I don’t know what the criteria is by NCDC but I’ve read complaints of many people unable to get tested or even get in touch.	6
8	@dr_lawi , where people suspect a case of #COVIDー19, what action are they supposed to take first? @YZYau @Mairo_Ado @sagiru_ado @a_sabo12	Stay home / isolate self. Call the appropriate bodies; eg NCDC for advice. Monitor symptoms carefully and escalate accordingly. Rest and stay hydrated.	8	1
9	@Dr_lawi in a case of rural communities where they don’t have good portable drinking water, what are medical advice would you give to us to enlight them to protect themself against Covid 19. @ICTAdvocates @YZYau @hamzaish	Replying to @dahiruabubakar   @ICTAdvocates and 2 others It’d still be the norm as earlier outlined. Use whatever is available to them. Enlighten them about how it’s transmitted so they can adhere to the preventive measures.	13	2
10	@dr_lawi here in Kano its seem people dont understand  physical distancing what is it ? and why and how should I do it? A question by @mukhtars_s	By physical distancing; 1. Protect yourself 2. Protect others (esp vulnerable) if you have the virus unknowingly / asymptomatic	4
11	@dr_lawi good Day! Doc. Inspire the measures taking by both FG and states to curtail the spread of Covid19 in Nigeria, sir why the numbers is still skyrocketing? What should be the best ways 4 individuals?pls @YZYau @abdullahiabduji @ICTAdvocates @mukhtars_s @DrTedros	I think the gov’t as a whole is doing its best, some may say otherwise. But it certainly can’t do for all, so we have to play our own part as individuals in protecting ourselves and loved ones. Kindly go through my earlier tweets.	12	3
12	@dr_lawi , Why are medical workers getting sick with or dying from coronavirus if they’re wearing protective gear? @ICTAdvocates @a_sabo12 @Mairo_Ado @YZYau @IsaKamilu @hamzaish @sagiru_ado @nissimase @ChiromaHope	Replying to @kamalkano   @ICTAdvocates and 8 others PPEs can only help to prevent but can’t be certain it’s 100%. Are they using it properly? At all times? Generally, working at the frontline increases ones’ risk by many folds despite gears. Also, they’re still susceptible outside their work zone/life.	16	3
13	We specifically want clarification on this so that people who could not afford hand sanitizer can have alternative @dr_lawi .@YZYau @sagiru_ado @HariraWakili @Mairo_Ado @kblawanty @inuhu123 @rhamsys	Replying to @ICTAdvocates @YZYau and 13 others In fact, I prefer to advise use of soap and water. Sanitizers aren’t readily available and could be costly.	15	2
14	@ICTAdvocates Doctors in the country protested the idea of inviting your counterpart from China to strengthen your work in curtailing the spread of the virus. Why is argument? #COVID19 @YZYau @a_sabo12 @sagiru_ado @Mairo_Ado @HariraWakili	In fact, I prefer to advise use of soap and water. Sanitizers aren’t readily available and could be costly.	11	3
15	As efforts are mounted at preventing the #COVID19 in Nigeria, @dr_lawi observes that public awareness is still lacking. People need to know that this virus is real and many are dying by the day. @YZYau @NCDCgov @kamalkano @Ashshaza1 @sagiru_ado @a_sabo12 @HariraWakili @Mairo_Ado	Our religious and community leaders have a vital role to play .. People need to be educated. Fact that one or his/her relative isn’t affected doesn’t negate that the virus isn’t spreading.	15	3
16	@dr_lawi , will every soap be an alternative to hand sanitizer in maintaining personal hygiene? @YZYau @sagiru_ado @a_sabo12 @kamalkano @inuhu123 @thesheetng @ChiromaHope @isahcitad @houseknyt @UsmanRx @rhamsys @NCDCgov @WHO @Fmohnigeria	1.      Any plain/regular soap is able to annihilate the virus once hands are washed properly. There are steps in doing this, also for at least 20 secs. 2.      Replying to @ICTAdvocates @YZYau and 13 others In fact, I prefer to advise use of soap and water. Sanitizers aren’t readily available and could be costly.	12	2
	@dr_lawi , what mechanisms are most effective in preventing the spread of #COVID19? @YZYau @NCDCgov @a_sabo12 @Mairo_Ado @KabirHamisuKura @kamalkano @sagiru_ado @Ashshaza1	1.      I’m sure we’ve seen and/or heard of these repeatedly, nothing has changed. Simple, yet very important steps; 1. Wash your hands with soap and water often, do this for at least 20 seconds. Or use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol 2.      4. Physical (Social) distancing; 2m (6ft) away from people. Use a face mask if you’re sick or caring for someone who is sick Follow guidelines 3.      Stay at home, unless necessary. 4.      Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze. Put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards. 5.      Don’t touch your eyes, nose or mouth if your hands are not clean Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects in your home, such as door handles, taps, remotes.
17	Based on your assessment of Nigerian efforts at preventing the spread of #COVID19, @dr_lawi , what do you think is lacking and is most significant in addressing the virus? @YZYau @a_sabo12 @sagiru_ado @Mairo_Ado @nissimase @inuhu123 @kamalkano @UsmanRx @kblawanty @HariraWakili	I’m not there first hand, but from what I’ve seen and read, it’s enough to see that public awareness is still lacking. People need to know that this virus is real and many are dying by the day.	15	6
	NCDC directs us to wash our hands frequently under running water and the running water is scarce in most of the communities. What other strategies of washing hands you will share with us? @dr_lawi @YZYau @sagiru_ado @HariraWakili @Mairo_Ado @kblawanty @inuhu123 @rhamsys	I do appreciate that is a problem which needs to be addressed by the govt and other private organisations willing to help. But, I’m not aware of other alternatives after water and sanitizer.	8	4

 

Prepared by Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Kano

Issued: 7^th April, 2020

Nigeria recorded it first case of Corona Virus on 27 February, 2020 in Lagos State.

As the number of confirmed cases increases day by day, several States in Nigeria took different drastic measures to respond to the pandemic, including states where the outbreak has not been recorded.

Kano State decided to close schools across the state from 23rd of March and asked all workers to stay at home for 14 days. It subsequently closed its borders from mid night of Friday, 27th of the same month. Similarly, there were directives which strongly advised people to abide by social distancing and avoid congregational prayers, all social activities such as cinemas, clubs, joints and viewing centers were closed and ceremonial gatherings in the state were banned.

Issues:

To understand the level of compliance of Kano State citizens to the above directives, CITAD undertook assessment visits to certain mosques, markets and streets within the metropolis.

1. The assessment has shown that people have ignored the social distancing directives. Similarly, markets activities are still going on as usual without any obvious precautions in place, and ceremonial gatherings are currently going on as usual with exception of few individuals.
2. Another point of concern is how the directives of state border closure is not quite effective as it supposed to. Reports have shown several people flowing into the state from other states with a little amount of bribe ranging from 200 hundred to 1000 naira depending on the type of car you are entering with, as claimed by the travelers themselves and report by our observers.
3. To emphasize on the ineffectiveness of the state border closure, there were incidences of bringing corpses of controversial death to the state like the case of Bichi and Hisbah board which the authorities handled with negligence. Again, someone crossed the border to Kano and fell sick in Gaya with suspicious symptoms (under examination now). In the case of Bichi, a family brought a corpse all the way to Bich, in Kano State from Abuja to be buried and the family resisted demand by Medical Personnel undersnd the cause of the death,
4. Another thing to consider is the operation of “Yan Adaidata Sahu” (tricycle riders). They still carry as many as four people and do not carry sanitizers, soap or even water.
5. In many places, football pitches are busy with youth playing, unmindful of the implications of coding so. Some of the places we observed this happening include: FCT Football pitch in Kabuga where staff and youth from the neighboring communities play, Ahmed Musa Centre, CBN Quarters in Hotoro where youth played wedding soccer, Doraiyi Karama, Filin Sarki where youth play daily,
6. Across the states, wedding ceremonies are being held without precautions and in defiance of directive against large gathering, one of the high profiles wedding was wedding Fatiha of the sister of Hon Kabiru Ado Lawaya, State Commissioner for Youth Development, held in Lakwaya of Gwarzo LGA which many politicians, government official and youth attended. It is regrettable that a government official of this position could flaunt this directive by the very government his is serving. This sent a wrong signal as many other people conducted weddings.

CITAD used the following as its case study in this report:

1. Friday mosques including Kofar Nassarawa Friday mosque, Sheik Jaafar Mahmoud Adam Friday Mosque Sabuwar Gandu, BUK and the Central Mosque Emir of Kano’s palace. The Friday prayers were held in these mosques without any prevention measures in place.
2. Markets places including Dawanau market, Sabon Gari market, France road market, Kwari market, Janguza market and Abubakar Rimi market. Our observers found out that market activities are going on as usual without any prevention measures in place.
3. State boarders including Zakirai- Ringim, Kano-Zaria, and Kano-Dutse. In the case of Dutse, people now go to Takai and take the road to Albasu from there, they take a feeder road to Dutse where there is no border check point. People going to Bauchi, Gombe, Yola, Maiduguri as well as coming these places all take this route. By the time they get to Dutse, they then take Dutse to Huguma Road where they become geographically in Jigawa state and so they are not prevented from going to Birmin Kudu from where they continue their journey.

This disrespect for the directives presents to grave dangers as such large gatherings are what the virus needs to multiply and cause havoc

Conclusion

Based on these assessments, CITAD has deduced that:

1. Some people in the state are not taking the social distancing seriously
2. The government directives meant to prevent the pandemic from occurring in the state are treated with levity by greedy officials.
3. There is still lack of good communication between the authority responsible for containing the spread of the virus and people
4. Some religious people are still sabotaging the efforts of authorities feeding the gullible people with wrong information about the virus
5. Citizens are well coopted in the process, indicating either the absence or inadequate sensitization/ enlightenment campaigns by the authorities

Recommendations

We call on the concerned authorities and the general public to:

1. Border patrol should not be limited to highway only, feeder roads should also be included to prevent people from bypassing authorities
2. Ensure adequate measures such as proper monitoring on the state’s borders to stop entering the state from any border.
3. Citizens need to be fully coopted into any committee inaugurated by the state.
4. Religious leaders need to be fully sensitive and punish anyone found misleading the public.
5. Set a committee on public enlightenment on CoronaVirus and its preventive measures.
6. The public to adhere by the guidelines set by WHO and other professional bodies.
7. Government should not just focus on raising funds at the detriment of getting people to embracing preventive measures that would be effective in curtailing the spread of the virus

CITAD is issuing this assessment as part of its commitment to an informed citizenry as critical pillar in the fight against COVID 19. It will continue to offer such assessment for time to time or as the situation demands.

Signed

 

Ali Sabo
Communications Officer

In its effort to combat the widespread of Corona Virus pandemic in Nigeria, and as an organization that has as its mandate the use of ICTs to empower citizens for a just and knowledge based society that is anchored on balanced and sustainable development, the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) held its third twitter chat Tuesday the 7^th of April, 2020 with Pharmacist Usman Nasir, a medical expert, health advocate that specialized on Public Health. The aim is to equip citizens with the right information in this critical time so, they stay safe with their families and loved ones and on the other hand, the chat is intended to curb the spread of fake news/misinformation on Coronavirus as the right information from expert is made readily available to them.

The chat was intensely publicized via various social media platforms to let the populace have the window to learn from experts and also make inquiries about their unanswered questions. The chat took place online (twitter) and started at exactly 2pm.

CITAD declared the chat open by welcoming the guest and the participants in attendance. While CITAD moderate the session, pharmacist Usman Nasir, in the course of the chat; Usman responded to thirty seven (37) questions plus some common misinterpretations about Covid19 he addressed voluntarily.

Responding shortly at the end of the session, one of the participants confessed that through the chat he learned that the Covid-19 virus is transmitted via droplet.

The session came to an end at 3:04

RECOMMENDATIONS AS HIGHLIGHTED BY THE RESOURCE PERSON

1. Government should extend lockdowns and must be serious and committed this time
2. People must ensure adequate compliance of appropriate safety and preventive measures as contained in the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS AS EXTRACTED:

1. Question:   Phar. Usman Nasir, @UsmanRx, we would to start by first asking whether there is a cure for the #COVID19 as at today, because we understand that there is rumor going on particularly on social media, please respond to that before move further

Answer: Thank you.

To date, there is no specific medicine recommended to prevent or treat the Covid-19.

However, there has been ongoing global mega trials of four most potential corona virus treatments Remdesivir, Chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine, Ritonavir/lopinavir, Ritonavir/lopinavir

 

2. Question: Pharm @UsmanRx how can we debunk the myth around this Coronavirus; people are still saying the disease is a western conspiracy to stop Muslims from praying. How can we convince them scientifically?

Answer: People are suffering devastating real-world impacts of a deluge of online virus misinformation. This is certainly not true, pandemics don’t work that way. Covid-19 is global, cut across the western world, every religion and race. Tell them that the pandemic is not being selective.

 

3.  I’ll start by responding to these questions, though he sent the questions via DM.
4. Is this true that coronavirus do not survive on 28 Celsius?
5. Can you have covid19 and show no symptoms?
6. Can one get coronavirus for second time?
7. Is there any vaccine for this virus?

 

Answer:

1. No, it is not true. You can catch COVID-19, no matter how the weather is. Countries with hot weather such as Saudi Arabia have reported cases of COVID-19
2. Yes, a significant portion of people infected with the COVID-19 patients may never show coronavirus symptoms.
3. Yes, recovery doesn’t mean that those with prior infections are not still at risk. They must adequate observe protective measures
4. Currently there is no vaccine for the virus. The best way to prevent the disease is to protect yourself from being exposed to this virus.

 

4. Question: @UsmanRx, thanks for accepting to feature on this platform. How can we understand the recovery rate in Nigeria? Is this something unique or is it grounded in good case management?

Answer: Well, early detection of the disease is key to fast recovery. Again, Nigeria Healthcare professionals are trying their best to contain the virus based on approved @WHO guidelines. Moreover, we have few cases of the elderly and seriously ill. So why not?

 

5. Question: What is expected from a person living in the state like Kano where the disease is not yet identified?

Answer: Do not panic. Observe proper preventive measures…. Wash your hands, pray and stay calm. Get adequate information from appropriate sources. Thank you

 

6. Question: @UsmanRx is there a link between CONVID19 AND 5G NETWORK @ICTAdvocates

Answer: Apart of social distancing, washing hands, what else can do to protect ourselves, against COVID-19.

Ensure that all animal’s products are cooked properly before use. Don’t touch ur face, nose, ears, eyes with unwashed hands. Get ur news from trusted sources like @WHO @NCDCgov @Fmohnigeria etc.

 

7. @UsmanRx, Currently living in core northern Nigeria particular NW where our people at grassroots level have no even basic information about #COVID19 and didn’t even believe it it’s real. So how can we enlight them and even urge them to protect themselves by staying at home?

Answer: Unattended

 

8. @UsmanRx, how can we understand the recovery rate in Nigeria? Is this something unique or is it grounded in good case management?

Answer: Unattended

 

9. @UsmanRx you just mentioned that there are drugs currently on trial, can one just buy those drugs and take them as prophylaxis?

Answer: No, it is dangerous to use drugs which have not been approved for specific purpose.

It is important to note that, all drugs have potentials to cause harm when used wrongly. Wait for the final approval and guidelines regarding their uses. Thank you

 

10. @usmanrx Corona Virus shares common symptoms with asthma and pnumonia, why the vaccines of those diseases are not been used to cure Coronavirus?

Answer: Pneumonia is a bacteria, Covid – 19 is a virus. They are two different things and so they require different vaccines. Pneumonia vaccine doesn’t provide any protection against covid 19. Forget about the symptoms!.

 

11. Question @UsmanRx thanks for accepting to feature on this platform. How can we understand the recovery rate in Nigeria? Is this something unique or is it grounded in good case management?

Answer: Well, early detection of the disease is key to fast recovery. Again, Nigeria Healthcare professionals are trying their best to contain the virus based on approved @WHO guidelines. Moreover, we have few cases of the elderly and seriously ill. So why not?

 

12. Question: @UsmanRx, According to @NCDCgov, as at last night, 35 patients recovered from #Covid19 and they were all discharged from hospital.

While some expert still maintained that #Covid19 have no cure yet.

How would you put the two claims together please?

Answer: Thank you. The mainstay for the Covid 19 is appropriate care to relieve and treat symptoms, and those with severe illness are to receive optimized supportive care.

 

Some specific treatments are under investigation, and will be tested through clinical trials/compassionate use.

 

13.   Question: @UsmanRx, it seems that from the way some Nigerians are responding to advice by health professionals, they do not seem convince about COVID 19. These people are a weak link to the efforts to curb is spread: what can use advice should be done in this regards? @ICTAdvocates

Answer: Continued media advocacy (Radio stations and all), community leaders, religious leaders will definitely help in creating awareness mainly through the media houses since we have been locked down.

 

14. Question: @UsmanRx, let’s now talk about self-medication that some people are peddling particularly on social media. How good or bad is self-medication in terms of addressing #COVID19?

Answer: WHO does not recommend self-medication with any medicine including antibiotics, as a prevention or cure for COVID-19.

Antibiotics or garlic do not work against viruses (Covid-19 inclusive), only work against bacteria.

Don’t under any circumstances try to self-medicate please.

 

15. Question: Is it safe to receive a package from any area where #COVID19 has been reported and how long does the virus survived on surface???

Answer: No, it is not safe. The virus is transmitted via droplets from sneeze or cough from an infected person. When you get access to such droplets on ur hands and touches ur eyes/nose you get infected. It survives for many hours, no reliable data to validate a specific time frame.

 

16. Does coronavirus has link with 5G?

Answer: No please.

@CDDWestAfrica and @CDDWestAfrica_have conducted a fact check on your question and they found that 5G is not connected to #COVID19 pandemic, read full report below: https://www.cddwestafrica.org/5g-network-not-connected-to-coronavirus-pandemic/

 

17. Question: @UsmanRx you just mentioned that there are drugs currently on trial, can one just buy those drugs and take them as prophylaxis?

 

Answer: No, it is dangerous to use drugs which have not been approved for specific purpose.

It is important to note that, all drugs have potentials to cause harm when used wrongly. Wait for the final approval and guidelines regarding their uses. Thank you

 

18. Question: @UsmanRx, does Nigeria, in your estimation have the capacity to research and develop a vaccine for the COVID 19? If no, what can be done to quickly beef up the capacity?

Answer: Nigeria does not have such capacity. Nigeria would have to invest in the areas of molecular microbiology particularly molecular virology, biotechnological researches in addition to equipping Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and development which is nothing to write about now.

 

19.  Question: Will they these four you listed help in treating the virus?

Answer: Researches are still on going to determine their effectiveness, safety margins and all. However, some countries like the U.S have already given approval for their compassionate use under the supervision of medical experts for investigational purposes

 

20. Question: It is true that there is vaccine for Covid-19, bcos people are posting it via social media

Answer: It is certainly not true. Researches are ongoing to develop some vaccines for it. For now, the only vaccine you have is to try protecting yourself by observing appropriate preventive measures as issued by @WHO

 

21. Question: In the second instance despite the facial lockdown imposed by our state govt, our people don’t stay home, they go for their daily activities partying, cin kasuwa & social gathering as if there is no pandemic around like #COVID19. What measure to look?

Answer: Place serious sanction on them. Laws should be enforced, and must be strictly followed.

Create wider coverage of awareness campaigns.

 

22.  Question: @UsmanRx, Ships are docking with food and other items. Is it possible that these items may carry the virus on their surfaces due to handling by workers in the source countries who might have the virus? In that situation what would you suggest Ports authorities do?

Answer: It is possible, however that depends on the survival time of the virus on such surfaces. Therefore, upon entry the ships must be disinfected appropriately using standard disinfection guidelines as issued by @WHO

 

23.  Question: Can humans become infected with the COVID-19 from an animal source?

Answer: Yes, it is possible. In fact some research papers have it that Covid19 originated from animal source. However the identity of such animal has not been determined.  Question: how effective is face mask in preventing people from #COVID19?

Answer: Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.

Regularly washing your hands offers more protection against #COVID19 than wearing face masks. Find attacked

https://twitter.com/UsmanRx/status/1247528176953118724

 

24. Question: What will you advise business people especially those into pharmaceuticals about price gauging and taking advantage of this situation to hike prices on ppe and other related equipment

Answer: Well, I call on them to kindly modulate the prices of their commodities. Moreover, it is collective duty of the FG to ensure adequate price control. Finally, I call on Nigeria to improve on it’s pharmaceutical productions coz we solely depends on imported products hence the hike.

Add: They must be #God fearing, by selling as they bought. Buy cheap, sell cheap. Tendency to take advantage of prevailing misfortune to hike prices, is a manifestation of #Godless Business minds. Never will such Businesses receive #God’s blessings. By @BalaAbdullahiGa

 

25. Question: I think there are other types of Pneumonia that are caused by virus too. So, i can say that each type of microorganisms especially virus has different forms based on its species and this has to do with their medication. Answer; Pneumonia is a bacteria, covid-19 is a virus. They are two different things and so they require different vaccines. Pneumonia vaccine doesn’t provide any protection against covid-19. Forget about the symptoms!

Answer:

Yes, there is viral pneumonia. I centered my response to bacterial pneumonia simply coz it is the most common. Nevertheless, @WHO has not given any recommendation for the use of any vaccine for Covid 19. Thanks

 

26.  Question: one of the challenges people have is about not touching your face. During alwala, people have to touch their face and ears! What should be the proper message here?

Answer: Thank you. They are allowed to touch their eyes, nose in alwala only after they have reasonably washed their hands with running water and soap properly or after using an approved hand sanitizers which has at least 70% alcohol.  Do not touch except where necessary

 

27. Question: Gwamna Makinde na jihar Oyo ya ce amfani da Zuma da Habbatussauda ne suka taimaka masa wajen warkewa daga Coronavirus.

@UsmanRx @ICTAdvocates Me yasa Pharmacists baza su bada himma wajen sarrafa wadannan abubuwan don magance wannan cuta kowama ya huta a duniya ba?

Answer: Yallabai, wannan zance nashi zai iya zama gaskia ko ba gaskia ba. Lallai sai anshiga dakin binkice na kimiyya anyi nazari sosai za a gano gaskiar zancen. Amma a matsayin shi na gwamna yakamata su taimaka a inganta harkokin binkice na zamani da inganta sarrafa maganin gargajiya

 

28.  Question: what lesson do you think #COVID19 should teach developing countries like #Nigeria?

Answer: Covid-19 pandemic should serve as a wakeup call to Nigeria’s leaders to improve on healthcare delivery & financing, improve on biopharmaceutical dev. in addition to total overhaul of our general production lines and quality of education. Well, The Rich Also Cry!

 

29.  Question: What’s the best form of sensitising the masses on prevention, from your wealth of experience?

Answer: Media advocacy particularly the mass media such as Radio stations. Engage community stakeholders to talk to their indigenous people, they listen to them more than anyone else. FG & state govt must be serious this time

 

30. Question: what is your general recommendation as far stopping the spread of #COVID19 is concerned?

Answer: Shutting down population movement will not extinguish the virus epidemics. The answer depends what the government do while the lockdown is going on. I recommend the extension of the lockdown but government must be more serious and committed this time.

In addition, people must ensure adequate compliance of appropriate safety and preventive measures as contained in the @WHO guidelines. Take look at these pictures. Find attached https://twitter.com/UsmanRx/status/1247537151803142146

 

31.  Question: I missed your presentation on COVID-19, I still have a question to ask. Is using antibacterial disinfectants and hypo (bleach) among the proactive measures for prevention against COVID-19?

Answer: Yes, this is because it has been found that most registered & viable household disinfectants for surfaces (including bleach) will work provided appropriate concentration of the disinfectant + water is used. Recommend concentration is: 5 tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water.

 

32.  Question: is there any first aid for emergency to affected person? Than you

Answer: The only recommended first aid is to seek the attention of medical personnel. It is beyond first aid you can give at home, it is easy to get infected. Self-isolate and call the attention of medical experts

 

33. Question: Are children also at risk of infection and what is their potential role in transmission?

Answer: Yes children can be affected by the pandemic. However, in Nigeria we don’t have much of such cases due to the fact that adults are more exposed to risk factors than the children.

 

34. Question: Should we dispel of our apprehension that Covid-19 is one of numerous bio-weapons manufactured in a lab by the powers that be for global population control?

Answer: I don’t have reliable information to back your question. Sorry, I don’t have any answer for that.

Protect yourself first. Thank you

 

35.  Question: how effective is face mask in preventing people from #COVID19?

Answer: Masks are effective only when used in combination with frequent hand-cleaning with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.

Regularly washing your hands offers more protection against #COVID19 than wearing face masks. Find attached   https://twitter.com/UsmanRx/status/1247528176953118724

 

36.  Question: Are children also at risk of infection and what is their potential role in transmission?

Answer: Yes, they are at risk. Fortunately, we don’t have such cases at the moment in Nigeria and this is because the relative exposure to high risk factors in children is low when compared to adults. Thank you

 

37.  Question: Can we wear our face mask?

Answer: Haha!!! Lol yes, you can. But ensure that your hands are being washed first before using it. Lemme share something with you as issued by @WHO find attached https://twitter.com/UsmanRx/status/1247544274733764608

 

A survey of the most strategic points of convergence in urban Kano has shown very minimal compliance with the ground rules against COVID-19. The survey by Kano based Centre for Information Technology and Development, (CITAD) shows that most strategic mosques, markets, streets and makeshift soccer pitches are in full swing. The borders are no less.

Mapping the spread as at March 30th, 2020 which is a long way off by now

Something for the attention of the NCDC which anchors the anti-COVID-19 mobilisation in Nigeria

The report in question is thus not just for Kano State Government but for all governments in Nigeria, the global health governance actors in Nigeria and the civil society. This is because it confirms the hidden, psychodynamic orientation among a large chunk of the populace that may steel some of them culturally against COVID-19 but could dangerously set the ground for mass deaths.

As part of its commitment to an informed citizenry as critical pillar in the fight against COVID 19, CITAD decided at this point to cross-check the level of compliance of Kano State citizens to the directives issued by the State Government following similar actions by the Federal and other state governments, especially after Nigeria recorded its first case of Corona Virus on February 27th, 2020 in Lagos State.

Kano State, it said, decided to close schools across the state from March 23^rd, 2020, asking all workers to stay at home for 14 days. It also closed its borders from mid night of Friday, March 27^th as well as issuing directives which strongly advised people to abide by social distancing and avoid congregational prayers, all social activities such as cinemas, clubs, joints and viewing centers were closed and ceremonial gatherings in the state were banned. The Federal and state governments in Nigeria have been criticised for, uncritically, embracing the lockdown approach, a criticism to which the Federal Government, at least, has responded with some attempt to review the lockdown practice.

But the big question has remained: to what extent are the Nigerian people observing the lockdown and some of the recommended practices such as social distancing, hand washing at regular intervals, use of sanitizers and so on? Even if the communities are too dense, some level of these practices can still be observed as the only way to avert what could be such a disaster.

In response to the challenge of informed citizenry, CITAD chose to undertake the assessment by visiting certain mosques, markets and streets within the metropolis.

CITAD used the following as its case study in this report signed by Ali Sabo, Communications Officer for it:

How much of a problem this still is remains to be systematically ascertained but it was the biggest part of the COVID-19 crisis in Nigeria. Whom or where do the ordinary Nigerians, especially those in the slums or “the voices from below” call to say they think they might be confronting Coronavirus? A Bauchi State governor could easily do that just as an Atiku Abubakar’s son or a Buhari’s daughter or an Abba Kyari could also easily do and even get invaluable publicity therefrom.  After all, for most politicians, Oscar Wilde has the last words when he said that there is no bad publicity but not being talked about at all.

But how does it work with the other half – those for whom access to the telephone lines of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC) would not be taken for granted? The initial report on this was a stunning story of illiberalism or closing the gate against the poor and powerless members of the society on a scale that MUST be considered a national security threat if we get out of understanding security only in terms of the military and secret police.

It is not that NCDC left no numbers or platforms by which it could be reached. It is that every of them led the caller to nowhere. For instance, anyone calling the 12 figure toll free line 080097000010 that was most widely circulated as at March 22^nd and 23^rd, 2020 was wasting his, her or their time. It endlessly murmured few instructions that appeared programmed on purpose to a dead end. The other numbers were no exceptions even as most were ringing and they include: 08052817243; 08033565529; 08059758886; 08028971814; 08023169485. There was another one, (08099555577) which was said to permit text messages and yet another one for those outside Nigeria, (+234-7087110839). New set of numbers are now available, especially as from March 25^th, 2020: 07087110839 for Whatsapp; 08099555577 for SMS and 07036708970 for calls. Does anyone pick them when someone who is not a governor or minister dials?
No one can be allowed to dismiss this concern if the experience of the Kano based Centre for Information Technology and Development, (CITAD) is anything to go by. CITAD is privileged here because it deployed field operatives to assess the response mechanism of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). It tells an equally interesting but disappointing dimension based on what its 15 field operatives brought back on how the NCDC was managing information request from Nigerians on the pandemic or Nigerians wanting to give information to the centre on the pandemic, particularly using the Twitter handle and it’s phone lines for SMS and WhatsApp. “None of the three platforms were serving Nigerians since their concerns/questions are either completely not responded to or in rare cases responses are received hours or days after one sends request”, said CITAD. Of the multiple requests the monitors sent to NCDC, using the two platforms and contact telephone numbers, the NCDC only responded to one and it came after seven hours. All other over forty-five (45) requests/questions/concerns raised by CITAD’s monitors were either ignored or found unworthy of a response. CITAD, therefore, concluded that it appears NCDC used it’s Twitter handle “only for giving statistics but not serious and prompt engagement with Nigerians on the pandemic”. Turning to morality, CITAD declares that to be bad and a setback for the crusade against the COVID-19.

As @ March 30th, 2020 except that, like it is in politics, a day is too long for Covid-19, especially with the outside apprehensive yesterday abd then hopeful today about Nigeria

 

 

 

 

But CITAD was not done yet. It tells the story of how the Kano State Committee on Infectious Disease handled a report from Kano State Hisbah Board. According to it, some people brought the dead body of a traveler who died on his way back from Abuja. Hisbah refused to take the body and decided to contact the Committee before taking any action on the corpse. Hisbah had to bury the dead.

It would require a more organised study to determine whether the stories from other parts of Nigeria are confirmatory of the above story but, even then, two issues are already jutting out for critical attention.

The first one is the biopolitical. Nigeria strives for modernity. It is not there yet but that is the aspirational claim. At least, that is what the political leaders proclaim. Whether they mean it is a different argument. If you ask the late Prof Claude Ake, he would say these people are the very anti-thesis of profound modernization. That is the message of his essay, “How Politics Underdevelops Africa”.

Ake or no Ake, modernity is what is proclaimed on roof tops. But modernity is organised around a definitive framework for managing free citizens. At the centre of that framework is the body – the human body. Interestingly, there is nothing more than the human body when we talk about containing COVID-19. It is the body that is infected; that has to take the drugs; that resists COVID-19 through immunity and/or genetic make-up. It is the body that is stopped from moving through lock down. It is the body that resists lock down; that survives it all or that dies. This is why critical scholars conceptualise security as emancipation rather than what boots on ground or secret police do, important in a different way as that is.

NCDC might have its own problems of managing extra pressure on it, aggravated by the fact that there is no precedence to learn from in managing a pandemic of COVID-19’s magnitude in recent history. Still, there is something fundamentally wrong if its system doesn’t reckon that it is illiberalism not to have powerful contacts with the mass of human bodies at this point in time because, as CITAD noted in its April 1^st, 2020 statement thereto, NCDC must understand that population of Nigerians on social media platforms is significant and engaging with them will strengthen efforts at preventing the virus”. This point will be more crucial in the two weeks ahead as the ‘window phase’ closes and the reality of a possible confrontation with larger number of infected persons cannot be ruled out.

The second and even more powerful point is what can shield NCDC against charges of corruption should a systematic appraisal uncover deliberate illiberalism? The most current and most widely used definition of corruption covers illiberalism. Of course, such an appraisal would have to go beyond NCDC given the numerous references and innuendoes to corruption in the narratives of COVID-19 in Nigeria, starting with CITAD’s empirically incontestable datum. If it would not be NCDC alone, then there is a case for something like “Amplifying Popular Narratives of COVID-19 in Nigeria With Particular Reference to Corruption”. That would tie together the points of convergence and divergence in the conversation that has so far been limited to CITAD and the NCDC but which could soon become an all-involving but a belated conversation should, God forbid, the management of COVID go awry.