China recorded 57 local Covid-19 cases on Sunday, the highest number the country has seen since it brought the coronavirus largely under control in March, according to figures released by the National Health Commission on Monday.

Out of the new locally transmitted cases, 41 were found in the far western region of Xinjiang, where the coronavirus resurfaced on July 15 after nearly five months of no new cases. The remaining cases were discovered in the country’s northeast, including 14 in Liaoning province and two in Jilin province.

The country’s health officials say Sunday’s figure is the highest number of local infections the country has reported since March 6. 

On Sunday, China also recorded four imported cases and 44 asymptomatic infections. However, the country does not include asymptomatic cases in its overall tally of confirmed infections.

As of Monday, July 27, China has reported a total of 83,981 confirmed cases, including 4,634 deaths, according to the NHC.

The deadly disease broke out in Wuhan, China at the end of 2019 and there are currently over 16 million cases worldwide. 

Source: Jide Nwosu

As of Sunday, July 26, Sokoto and Kogi states have no COVID-19 patient on admission.

This was confirmed on the website of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Sokoto has had 153 confirmed cases. Out of that number, 137 patients have been discharged, while 16 have died.

In Kogi, there have been five confirmed COVID-19 cases. Three have tested negative and were discharged, while two casualties have been recorded.

On Saturday night, NCDC announced 438 new cases across 24 states in the country.

They are: Lagos(123), Kaduna(50), Rivers(40), Edo(37), Adamawa(25), Oyo(20), Nasarawa(16), Osun(15), Enugu(15), FCT(14), Ekiti(13), Ondo(13), Ebonyi(11), Katsina(10), Abia(9), Delta(8), Kwara(4), Ogun(3), Cross River(3), Kano(3), Bauchi(3), Yobe(2), Sokoto(1), Niger(1).

It brought the total to 39,977 cases. 16,948 have been discharged, while 856 deaths have been recorded.

Source: Ifreke Inyang

Dr Isiaka Owode is the Executive Chairman, Education Quality Assurance and Morality Enforcement Agency in Osun State. The 66-year-old, who recently survived the coronavirus, shares his experience with BOLA BAMIGBOLA

How does it feel being a COVID-19 survivor?

It is not a death sentence. That is one thing people should take away. Once all the symptoms are treated, you are back to yourself. I thank God. I’m out of the place (isolation centre) now. I thank the healthcare personnel. It started like a normal fever, body ache, cold, etc., and I was treated for fever. After three to four days, the symptoms persisted and it was getting worse, with severe difficulty breathing, which is a major symptom of COVID-19. By that time, I was invited to the isolation centre at Asubiaro, Osogbo. But before then, I had done the test, and on Saturday (July 11, 2020) morning, it came out positive. I thank God because I have got over it. The health officials were well-prepared for it. Everything needed at the intensive care unit was there — oxygen, complete medication, etc. They started with the administration of medication and I was placed on oxygen.

How many days did you spend at the isolation centre?

I spent four days there before I was told I was fit and well enough to go home and was also given some more medication. I would advise our people, especially the elderly ones and people with underlying health issues like diabetes, cancer, asthma and high blood pressure, not to be careless with their health. COVID-19 is not malaria. What it does, especially in the area of difficulty in breathing, malaria does not do that. Malaria only weakens the body, causes loss of appetite and others, but this one (COVID-19) targets the lungs. Gradually, the oxygen intake, which should be around 95 to 96, begins to reduce to 60 to 64. At that point, one begins to struggle to breathe. I didn’t know the state hospital, Asubiaro, was that well-equipped and the caregivers were fantastic. They showed due care and courtesy; they would encourage you to eat and take your drugs, which is crucial because the loss of appetite is another outcome of (COVID-19).

When did you first notice the signs that you may have been infected?

I think about 10 days ago (July 10), I was feeling weak and tired and, gradually, my breathing was becoming difficult but I had not been tested then. So, I thought it was malaria and we treated malaria. But the breathing wasn’t getting better. One of my personal doctor friends came in to have a look and gave me medication. The result was not out then, so we didn’t know whether it was COVID-19 or not. He started treating me and placed me on oxygen to relieve me of the breathing issue. After one night with his treatment, the result came and it (test result) was positive and the COVID-19 task force team said I must go to the isolation centre at Asubiaro.

What was your first reaction when you tested positive?

It is nothing to be scared about because we know that more people are being treated than those that die. That is a statistical fact all over the world. Unfortunately, in Nigeria, we have some notable deaths, like those of Abba Kyari, Abiola Ajimobi, Bayo Osinowo and others. But people are surviving the treatment, especially when you go early. Going for treatment is crucial once you feel unpleasant, especially in terms of breathing. Fortunately, the Osun facility turned out to be great. Everything was ready and they commenced treatment immediately.

How did you get infected?

I wish I knew. Everyone at the club I attend knew I was notorious for being fanatical about everyone wearing face masks and observing social distancing, especially during the lockdown. I didn’t go out. But there are many carriers who don’t show symptoms and that is why we are urged to wear a face mask. There is nowhere you go that people will not talk. Once they talk, there is no way fluids won’t come out, though it may not be noticeable. But if you are too close that it lands on you, it becomes a problem. It’s very difficult to pinpoint the source of the infection but I think it’s largely from eating with people and not wearing a face mask or observing social distancing.

How did your immediate family react when you tested positive?

They knew it wasn’t a death sentence. The awareness was there already. People knew notable names had been infected and survived it. I think it’s only in very rare cases of morbidity where patients have underlying health issues previously that could result in complications. My family members were with me as much as possible and were also taking care of themselves.

Can you describe the most fearful feeling you had during your battle with the virus?

The whole fear obviously is about dying. It would be at the back of one’s mind that death was the possible consequence. People have died as a result of it and they went in like that too and some complications may set in. Obviously, dying was one of the worries. But you develop a strong feeling and believe in yourself, put that (fear) behind and take your medications. I think the world is lucky that though there is no confirmed vaccine for the virus, at least, the treatment is working so far. My family prayed and I was praying as well. I think after two days, people noticed I was out of danger, my breathing stabilised and oxygen level was normal and good enough. But the fear of dying was there. I thank God, now, I am back to life.

Some survivors said they took chloroquine as part of the medications. Did you also take it?

I wouldn’t know the specific drugs (I took). I was taking up to six or seven different drugs. I understand they are largely immune boosters but I don’t know. It is likely chloroquine would have been one of them because it is one of the most largely advertised of the medications.

What experience did you take home from the isolation centre?

The place is comfortable enough as far as a hospital is concerned. It is comfortable for the job they do there and the caregivers are very helpful. They show you love, encourage you to take your drugs, eat your food and assure you that things will get better. One thing older people should be concerned about is not having a serious underlying medical issue which is not under control. For instance, for a person who has diabetes that is not under control, that would decrease immunity seriously and the virus would have its way. But if one does not have any issue, then most likely, the person would respond to treatment. The elderly should stay at home if there’s no reason to be out. Avoid any congregation or party for now. Avoid large gatherings, whether in the church, mosque or anywhere. And if you have to be out, wear a face mask. Some say it is not convenient, but you just have to use it, observe social distancing and avoid unnecessary gatherings until there is a vaccine for COVID-19. It is not malaria.

How have your friends and colleagues been relating with you since you returned from the centre?

They’ve been rejoicing with me.  Everybody had the fear of any possible consequence, especially when we had some big names that were victims. When someone is announced positive, some sorts of thoughts go to people’s mind. But when you come out, they become happy. I’ve received some calls and congratulations, especially on Facebook. I thank them and I thank my family. Life goes on, I’m fully back. In another two days, I’ll be back to my normal life and club. It (COVID-19 infection) is not a death sentence but people should not joke with it and say it is malaria.

Source: Dr. Isiaka Owode

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control says it has concluded the laboratory analysis of the Madagascar drug, authoritative sources close to the development have revealed.

The herbal drug sample, which the Madagascar government claimed could cure COVID-19 symptoms, was handed over to NAFDAC during the last week of May 2020.

The drug sample, which was also shared with the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, and the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, has now spent seven weeks with the agencies.

A top official privy to the development said NAFDAC had completed its analysis and the report would be forwarded to the PTF any moment from now.

It was learnt that the report was ready and would be forwarded to the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire.

The source said, “NAFDAC’s laboratory people have concluded their own analysis. The agency’s director of laboratories will forward it to the Director-General and the DG will forward it to the Minister of Health who is a member of the Presidential Task Force.

“So, it is a procedural thing. Whether it can cure or not, I cannot say until the report gets to the DG and to the minister.”

On May 11, Madagascar offered to send its herbal drug – COVID Organics – to Nigeria and other African countries. The consignment of the drug was thereafter sent to Guinea from where it was airlifted to Abuja, Nigeria.

The Director-General, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, had said that aside from the Madagascar drug, the agency was also analysing other local herbal samples which laid claim to COVID-19 cure.

The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, had, on May 28, at a PTF briefing in Abuja, confirmed that the Madagascar drug samples had been handed over to NAFDAC, NIPRD and NIMR for analyses.

Meanwhile, NIPRD had said its findings showed that the drug samples could not cure COVID-19.

Source: Oyetunji Abioye & Olaleye Aluko

Patients who are billed to undergo surgical procedures at the Federal Government-owned Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, are being mandated to equip their surgeons before they can be scheduled for their surgeries.

The patients are required to buy disposable goggles, face masks, disposable gowns, polypropylene mesh and Home Medical Equipment — a category of devices used for patients whose care is being managed from home or other private facility managed by a nonprofessional caregiver or family member.

A patient at the tertiary hospital who decried the high cost of the surgical materials billed for his surgery said the materials alone cost N74,400, excluding the cost of surgery.

He presented his receipt showing the list of materials he is mandated to buy and the total cost —N74,400 (seventy-four thousand, four hundred naira only).

The receipt, dated 20th May, 2020 and issued on LUTH’s letterhead as ‘prescription’ bill, lists the following:

• NAS face masks (nine pieces) —N43,200
• Disposable goggles (four pieces) —N9,600
• Disposable gowns (nine pieces) —N21,600
• HME (two pieces)
• Polypropylene mesh

The patient, who preferred anonymity, told PUNCH HealthWise that the cost of the materials was out of reach of ordinary Nigerians.

He frowned upon a situation where he would be made to buy surgical materials and still pay for the cost of surgery and post-surgery management.

He called on the Federal Government to urgently look into the matter, lamenting that medical equipment has gone up as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The World Health Organisation described the out-of-pocket payments like this as “catastrophic expenditure.”

The United Nations agency noted that out-of-pocket payments are part of the health financing landscape in all countries relying on user fees and co-payments to mobilise revenue and rationalise the use of health services.

It warned that “Unregulated direct charges often constitute a major access barrier to needed health care and contribute to high out-of-pocket payments generating problems of financial protection.”

The global health body added that there is a very strong correlation between the level of out-of-pocket payments and the two indicators that are currently used to monitor how well a health system is performing in terms of financial protection — the incidence of catastrophic and impoverishing health expenditures.

“These two indicators are solely determined by the extent to which out-of-pocket payments absorb household’s financial resources,” WHO said.

In an interview with our Correspondent, the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, however, said non-COVID-19 patients are required to buy or pay for surgery materials.

“Patients pay for surgery, they pay for materials; these are patients that are different from COVID-19.

“So, whatever they need to provide to do the surgery is what we ask them to do,” Adeyemo said.

Continuing, he said, “When we want to do surgery for patients, they usually pay for materials, including the materials that the surgeon, anaesthetics and nurses will use.
“But in case we don’t have the materials in the hospital, we will ask them to go and buy them before they are booked for their surgery.

“This is what they do before COVID-19. They pay for face masks, gloves, and surgical gowns.

“The people that don’t pay for personal protective equipment are those we are treating for COVID-19.”

Reacting, president of the National Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Aliyu Sokomba, blamed the government for not providing the necessary materials in the hospitals.

“Patients are not supposed to buy or pay for surgical materials; but if these things are not available, they have to make a choice of whether they buy themselves or go back home.

“It is just the demonstration of the failure of the government to make sure that all these things are available; but when they are not available, patients have no choice but to buy them.”

Continuing, Sokomba said, “We don’t know what the government wants us to do. Should we close the hospitals if these things are not available or we should leave it open? We can’t be the ones buying these things for patients.

“We are trying; the ones we can buy, we will buy; but we will leave the ones we cannot buy.

“Government is not providing these things; the government is not helping hospitals to make these things available. Hospitals cannot help themselves and patients cannot help themselves too.

“If we close down the hospitals, they will say we close down the hospitals, so, what do we do?”

Also, a public health physician, Dr. Laz Eze, said, “If the hospitals have the supply, the patient will still pay for them, somehow. But if the hospital doesn’t have the supply, they will write it for the patients to buy. Whichever way, the patient will still bear the cost.

“That is why we say citizens should add their voices and demand for health insurance for everybody but they will see it as health worker advocacy.

“Healthcare is not cheap anywhere in the world; and someone has to pay for it. It’s either the government provide these things, which they don’t provide in many cases; and when you go to the hospital, the health workers don’t have the minimal tools to work with and they will have to write a long list and give patients to buy.”

Eze, who is also the convener of #MakeOurHospitalWork campaign, added, “The cost of service is the one that is almost free because government pays for that; but the cost of equipment or tools that will be used in the course of any procedure will be borne by the patient.

“If the hospitals have the supply, they will still charge the patient for the ones they are going to use for that patient; but really, so many people cannot afford it.”

Source: Lara Adejoro

The development of a coronavirus vaccine or treatment will be key to allowing the postponed Tokyo 2020 games to open in a year’s time, organising committee president Yoshiro Mori said Wednesday.

Asked what factors will be crucial for the rescheduled Games to go ahead, Mori said “it would be whether the coronavirus woe is settling down.”

“Specifically, the first point will be that a vaccine or drug has been developed,” he said in an interview with national broadcaster NHK, published Wednesday.

Asked whether Tokyo could hold the Games if the virus situation remained unchanged, Mori said: “If things continue as they are now, we couldn’t.”

But he said that scenario was hypothetical. “I can’t imagine a situation like this will continue for another year,” he said

Tokyo 2020 should have been opening on Friday, but the Games were postponed in March as the coronavirus spread across the globe, marking the worst disruption to an Olympics since two editions were cancelled during World War II.

The Games are now set to open on July 23, 2021, but recent polls have shown less public enthusiasm for hosting the event, as virus cases show a resurgence in Japan.

Just one in four people in Japan want to see the delayed Tokyo Games held next year, with most backing either further delay or a cancellation, according to a survey published by Kyodo News this week.

Most of those backing a delay or cancellation said they simply didn’t believe the pandemic could be contained in time for the Games.

Among the options that have been floated for a Games held during a pandemic is the possibility of limited spectators, or holding the event behind closed doors.

But Mori said reducing the number of spectators would be tough.

And he said holding the event without any fans was not an option for now.

“If it’s the only way to do it, then it’s something we’d have to consider. If that happens, there might be talk of cancellation,” he was quoted as saying, without elaborating.

With just over a year to go until the rescheduled Games, there are persistent doubts about whether the delay will be sufficient for the pandemic to be brought under control.

Japan has so far reported 26,300 COVID-19 cases with 989 deaths, but Tokyo has seen an increase in cases recently and the country’s borders remain almost completely sealed to overseas visitors.

Source: AFP

With over 40 per cent of the population living in poverty; and with only six million of the nearly 200m Nigerians enrolled in the National Health Insurance Scheme, sick citizens turn to begging to offset medical treatment, while others die when financial help isn’t forthcoming.

The number of Nigerians dying due to their inability to access healthcare and those begging for public assistance to settle their medical bills is on the rise despite the existence of the National Health Insurance Scheme, whose core mandate is to ensure that citizens have unrestricted access to healthcare.

On July 11, 2020, a 44-year-old man, Confidence Nwokedinma, diagnosed with kidney failure, was reported as begging Nigerians for financial assistance to undergo a kidney transplant.

Nwokedinma, a native of Assa in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, who spoke to our Correspondent from his hospital bed at Step of Faith Hospital, Owerri, said medical report indicated that his two kidneys had failed. He needed urgent kidney transplant.

Earlier in January, ailing Nollywood actor, Ernest Asuzu, was seen in an online video begging on Lagos streets to enable him pay for his medical bills.

Asuzu, who often starred alongside Jim Iyke, suffers from stroke.

His inability to access quality healthcare owing to financial constraints made him resort to begging, a development that prompted the Actors Guild of Nigeria to set up a committee to raise funds for him.

While Azuzu was lucky to get financial support from his colleagues to access healthcare, Mrs. Rashidat Yusuf was not that lucky as she died from childbirth-related complications due to her inability to access quality healthcare.

About 194 million Nigerians don’t have health insurance, resulting in many avoidable deaths when they are unable to pay their medical bills

Her husband, Tomori Yusuf, a welder, blamed poverty for her death.

Recall that PUNCH HealthWise had, on July 5, reported that 38-year-old Rashidat died eight days after delivery, leaving her infant, Enitan, motherless.

The incident, which took place at Ikola-Odunsi, a suburban community in Agbado-Oke Odo Local Council Development Area of Lagos, was not unusual, as there were other pregnant women before Rashidat who had died in a similar circumstances in the impoverished community owing to lack of resources to access quality healthcare.

The list of Nigerian victims of impoverishing healthcare bills is endless.

Despite the establishment of the National Health Insurance Scheme in 2005, majority of Nigerians do not have access to healthcare as many still struggle to pay out of pocket.

Findings by PUNCH HealthWise showed that 15 years after, NHIS is very far from actualising its key mandate of ensuring the inclusion of Nigerians in the scheme to guarantee unhindered access to healthcare, and foster universal health coverage, as well as regulate all stakeholders under the scheme.

So far, only a fraction of Nigerians are captured in the health insurance scheme.

According to experts, Universal Health Coverage, which entails providing effective access, including financial risk protection to at least essential health care, is key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The World Health Organisation says good health is essential to sustained economic and social development and poverty reduction.

“Access to needed health services is crucial for maintaining and improving health. At the same time, people need to be protected from being pushed into poverty because of the cost of health care,” says WHO.

However, the latest Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2018 revealed that only three percent (six million) Nigerians have health insurance in a population of over 200m people; even as Ghana currently provides health insurance for about 40 percent of her population.

According to NDHS 2018, 97 percent of Nigerians (about 194 million people) do not have health insurance, thereby resulting in many avoidable deaths when poor Nigerians are faced with health crisis for which they are unable to pay out of pocket.

This figure implies that many children do not have access to health services either, experts say.

Sometimes, the reason why women do not go to health facilities is because of cost, even when the cause of the sickness is preventable or at least easily treatable, experts say.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics in its Poverty and Inequality report 2019, one in 10 — or more than 82.9 million — Nigerians live in poverty; even as World Bank says 96 million Nigerians will be living in poverty by 2022.

Data from the United Nations Children’s Fund show that 145 women of childbearing age and 2,300 children under five years of age die daily in Nigeria. According to UNICEF, women die in childbirth, while children die of malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea, and pneumonia.

However, the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of NHIS, Prof. Mohammed Sambo, has faulted the NDHS 2018 report, saying 12 million Nigerians have health insurance and not three percent.

Prof. Sambo told PUNCH HealthWise in an exclusive interview that the NHIS would have expanded its coverage long before now, if not for series of leadership crisis, infighting and lack of political will that bedevilled the scheme.

The NHIS boss maintained that the NDHS 2018 report on only three percent of Nigerians having health insurance was “faulty and unscientific.”

According to him, the actual number of Nigerians covered by health insurance is the sum total of those on the NHIS, state health insurance agencies and the private plans of Health Maintenance Organisations and not the NHIS alone.

The NDHS 2018 report stating that only 3% of Nigerians have health insurance is faulty, unscientific –Sambo

He explained, “The three percent that is being branded is a settled issue. That three percent is wrong. It is not scientific because it is not containing the denominator.

“Based on our current effort, excluding the informal sector which we are yet to harness, we now hover around 12 million Nigerians. So, 12 million Nigerians are covered, that is, combining the NHIS enrollee and those states that have started health insurance scheme.

“Now, the three percent in the NDHS 2018 report, please, ask them how they got the figure.  I am telling you now as an authority that in the history of health insurance, it is only now that we are collating the figures. Nobody had attempted to collate any  figure.”

Sambo said nearly all states of the federation have health insurance agencies to make access easier for the people, adding that they are, however, coordinated and regulated for cohesion and quality service delivery by NHIS through a mechanism called Health Insurance Under One Roof.

Giving insight into the operations of state health agencies, Prof. Sambo said, “About five years ago, states were allowed to develop their own state health insurance agencies, which took off huge responsibility from the NHIS.

“There is what is called Basic Healthcare Provision Fund. It is a provision of the National Health Act, which states that one percent of the federal consolidated revenue fund should go to the national health system. States cannot benefit from that fund unless they have state health insurance agencies.

“That is why some of them quickly went and developed their own agencies and we have already started disbursing money for states that have been prepared up to last year, so as to cover the vulnerable segment of the population.

“So, in terms of percentage coverage by NHIS, because of the introduction of Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, you cannot give a total figure until you sum up all the number of enrollee in the system.

“We are trying to harness all the states and see how much they have covered. Then we will be able to sum them up and say these are contributions of the federal national health insurance scheme,” Sambo added.

Speaking on the factors hindering the scheme from making progress since its establishment, Sambo said, “Refusal of state governments to fold into NHIS at inception is one of the major drawbacks that have affected the growth of the Scheme. Plus of course, the weakness of the enabling law that made health insurance optional.

“The most important thing is that we must understand that the subsisting law establishing NHIS only restricts operations of the scheme to formal sector groups.

“By formal sector, we are talking about employees of Federal Government or employees of organised private sector. All other segments of the population are not encapsulated in that law.

“Ever since the law was out, there has been an ongoing effort to review it to make health insurance mandatory so that government can now take responsibility for citizens they are supposed to take care for and there should be other innovations that can bring about vulnerable segments of the population to join the country’s health insurance.

The enabling law that made health insurance optional is weak –Sambo

“It is not the fault of the Federal Government and NHIS. If the states had joined NHIS from the beginning, all the local, state and Federal Government employees would have been covered by now.

“We now utilise our Basic Healthcare Provision Fund to target the poor segment of the population. And if it is made mandatory, all the private sectors would have now joined NHIS and when you have the private sector join the scheme, you have a large fund to subsidise the cost and cover the vulnerable population.

“Again, since the creation of NHIS, there have been 11 chief executives. I am the 12th one. So, every less than two years, there will be a change of the scheme’s chief executive. That is enough instability in the organisation because policies are not developed to their logical conclusion.”

The professor pointed out that the scheme must be made mandatory if Nigeria is to achieve Universal Health Coverage, whereby all people and communities can use the promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative health services they need, of sufficient quality to be effective, while also ensuring that the use of these services does not expose the user to financial hardship.

Enumerating the way forward, Prof. Sambo, said he had introduced a three-point rebranding agenda of reforms anchored on a comprehensive value reorientation to make NHIS a credible organisation and to bring transparency and accountability in the entire operations of the scheme to fast track attainment of universal health coverage in the country.

He also said robust information, indication and communication system was required as well as a comprehensive ICT system to have a seamless operation of the scheme.

Like NHIS boss Sambo said, spokesperson for the Health Maintenance Organisations under the aegis of Health and Managed Care Association of Nigeria, Mr. Lekan Ewenla, also told our Correspondent that the NDHS 2018 report on health insurance coverage in Nigeria was inadequate.

Ewenla, who is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Ultimate Health HMO, said, “There is no accurate data on health insurance coverage as we speak today. I can confirm that to you.

“But the coverage of health insurance in Nigeria is abysmally poor. And the reasons are not far fetched.

There is no accurate data on health insurance coverage –HMO spokesman, Ewenla

“In Nigeria, there is always a policy somersault such that when a particular policy is introduced, every individual that is in a position of authority tends to give it their personal interpretation.

“For instance, the health insurance scheme is meant to be driven on the platform of public private partnership, such that government regulates and creates the enabling environment for the private sector to drive the health insurance programme and utilise the services of both public and private hospitals.

“So, by the time the concept of health insurance was introduced in Nigeria, several healthcare providers that were not even qualified to be service providers struggled and lobbied to become service providers on that platform.

“At the end of the day, we ended up having several hospitals that were more than the number of hospitals anticipated to be service providers at the commencement.

“The idea behind setting up the scheme to provide qualitative healthcare services was automatically jettisoned,” he said.

He also revealed that the number of HMOs also affected the level of coverage and efficiency of health insurance in the country.

According to him, some HMOs lobbied to be part of the scheme when it commenced without knowing what health insurance was all about.

President, Health Care Providers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Adeyeye Arigbabuwo, said the number of Nigerians covered so far would have surpassed the 12 million figure given by NHIS if the foundation of the scheme had not wobbled.

Arigbabuwo said the constant leadership crisis at the NHIS was also a major setback in health insurance coverage in Nigeria, what with the 11 executive secretaries consumed in 15 years of establishing the scheme.

Constant leadership crisis at the NHIS a major setback in health insurance coverage in Nigeria

“Many executive secretaries have been consumed by the programme itself. Indeed, 11 were consumed within a period of 15 years of the parastatal.

“It means there will be a lot of inconsistencies in the scheme and this has not allowed the objective of the scheme to be achieved,” he said.

Besides leadership crisis, Arigbabuwo said, the activities of some HMOs were also hindering the scheme from making progress, saying some of them owe healthcare providers huge sums of money, thereby denying enrollees access to quality healthcare that the scheme is meant to provide.

PUNCH HealthWise gathered that the management of NHIS had, in December 2019, issued a public notice inviting healthcare facilities accredited by the scheme to submit claims of unsettled bills standing against the HMOs.

This followed strident complaints by healthcare facilities over the failure of HMOs to effect payment of bills accruing from care given to enrollees under the NHIS, as well as other private insurance plans operated HMOs.

Source: Angela Onwuzoo/PUNCH

As the fight to curb the spread of the Coronavirus rages on, RB Nigeria through it’s brands, Dettol and Jik have donated hygiene products to the Federal Ministry of Health. This move is part of its global project “Fight for Access Fund”, which aims to improve access to health, hygiene and nutrition for all. The donated items have a combined market value of N65 million Naira.

According to the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 dashboard, as of Tuesday 30, June 2020, Nigeria is the 3rd country in Africa with the most infected number of Nationals, and as the number of cases continues to rise in Nigeria, there is a need for more hygiene products for use in homes, hospitals and public places.

Donated items to the Federal Ministry of Health were hygiene products such as Antiseptic Disinfectants, Dettol soaps, Jik bleach, full Personal Protective Equipment’s (PPE), and 100 mobile hand wash units to be installed at locations advised by the ministry of health. The donations were presented by representatives of RB at the Federal Ministry of Health in Abuja.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, on receiving the items thanked RB for the donations, stating “You have been in business for five decades, which tells us you know the health history of Nigeria”. He further added that “The need for hygiene cannot now be any more emphasized. What you have brought here will go a long way. We will distribute it to our agencies. We’ll take an inventory of all of it and declare it to the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19.”

Commenting on the donation, Mr. Dayanand Sriram, The General Manager, RB Nigeria Health, said; “RB’s purpose is to protect, heal and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner, healthier world. We are delighted to support the Federal Ministry of Health and also to play our part in stemming the effects of the pandemic in Nigeria. We will continue to support the Federal and State Governments, as well as the health authorities’ efforts in the fight against COVID-19.” He further added, “We have a critical role to play in promoting hygiene, and Dettol has been supporting the Government’s effort through its School Hygiene and New Mum’s education programs over the past 7 years.”

Also speaking on this, The Country Manager, RB Hygiene West Africa, Mr. Asif Hashimi said, “For decades, Jik has been a popular feature in Nigerian homes and hospitals and known for very effective surface cleaning and laundry for up to 99.9% germ-kill. This is a critical time, and this contribution is in line with Jik’s long term mission of helping Nigerian households maintain good hygiene and a clean environment that helps to curb the spread of infectious diseases caused by germs.”

Over the past months, as part of its contribution to curb the spread of COVID-19, Dettol and Jik have supported State Governments and UNAIDS with a range of Public hygiene education, disinfection of public areas, and donation of hygiene products worth millions of Naira.

Source: Linda I.

Thirteen reverend sisters at a Michigan convent have died from coronavirus. Sister Mary Christopher Moore, provincial minister of Our Lady of Hope confirmed that twelve sisters died within the span of a month.
Twelve sisters died of COVID-19 from April 10, which was Good Friday, to May 10, at the convent.

The 13th sister, Sister Mary Danatha Suchyta, died of the virus on June 27 at age 98, CNN reports.

She disclosed that she was among those who caught the virus but prayed for God to take her life because she was very sick.

“I was so sick, I would pray the Lord would take me because I was in so much pain,” Sister Mary.
Also seventeen sisters contracted the virus but have all recovered.
“We grieve for each of our sisters who passed away during the time of the pandemic throughout the province, and we greatly appreciate all of those who are holding us in prayer and supporting us in a number of ways.
All thirteen sisters who died of COVID-19 were members for at least 50 years

“We all knew if it hit the place, it would be bad.

“But we never anticipated how quickly it would go,” Sister Mary Ann Smith, told the Global Sisters Report.

Source: Fikayo Olowolagba

So far, 15,815 patients have recovered from coronavirus in Nigeria

Following the announcement of 543 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday, July 22, 2020, coronavirus cases in Nigeria have now exceeded 38,000.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on its daily updates said the new cases were detected in 14 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Lagos, the epicentre of the virus in Nigeria, as usual, recorded the highest number of the new cases with 180 cases followed by the FCT with 86.

In Kaduna state, 56 new cases were confirmed, 47 in Edo, 37 in Ondo, 35 in Kwara, 19 in Ogun and Rivers, 17 in Kano and 16 in Ebonyi and Enugu state.

In Delta seven cases were recorded, four in Bayelsa, 3 in Bauchi and one in Abia state.

Lagos has now recorded almost 14,000 confirmed cases of the virus with 13, 806, followed by the FCT with 3,297 confirmed cases.

The NCDC’s update on Wednesday also showed that 15,815 patients have recovered from the virus in Nigeria, while 813 coronavirus-death have been recorded in the country.

Source: bayo wahab