Health
Panic in Ebonyi State as hospital alerts of new COVID variant outbreak
Fear has gripped hospital workers in Ebonyi State following an internal memo within the National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, alerting workers of an outbreak of a new variant of COVID-19 in the State.
The internal memo dated August 22, 2023, emanated from the office of the head of clinical services and was addressed to the hospital community.
It was tiled: ‘FYI: COVID IS ON THE PROWL AGAIN, CAUTION, PLEASE’, and signed by Dr. Yakubu E.N, Head of Clinical Services.
It reads, “With the new variant, BA.4 and BA.5 COVID delta, there is no cough, no fever. It’s a lot of joint pain, headache, neck and upper back pain, general weakness, loss of appetite and pneumonia. Sore throat that resembles strep throat, and of course, more virulent and with a higher mortality rate. It takes less time to go to extremes. Sometimes without symptoms. Be more careful.
“This strain does not live in the naso-pharyngeal region. Now it directly affects the lungs, which means that the ‘windows’ periods of time are shorter. There have been several patients without fever, without pain, but who report mild chest pneumonia on their X-rays. Nasal swab tests are very often negative for Covid-19, and there are more and more false negative results from nasopharyngeal tests.
“This means that the virus spreads and spreads directly to the lungs, causing acute respiratory stress caused by viral pneumonia. This explains why it has become sharp, more virulent and deadly. Please, be extremely careful.
“Avoid crowded places, keep 1.5 distance even in open places, double face masks and wash your hands often (and when we cough or sneeze). Please no hugs, it is very dangerous at the moment, as almost everyone is asymptomatic. This “wave” is much more deadly than the first, so we have to be VERY careful and take every kind of precaution.
“Do not keep this information to yourself; share it as much as you can, especially with your friends.”
It was gathered that the memo has created panic within the hospital community and the entire State.
But a senior health official, who spoke to newsmen under anonymity expressed doubt over the authenticity of the claims by Yakubu.
“That memo has created unnecessary panic in the State. If there is an outbreak of COVID, Dr Yakubu shouldn’t be the one to announce it; the ministry of health is the right authority.
“We don’t know where he got the information from, but I’m not aware of an outbreak of COVID-19 or any of its strains in Ebonyi State,” she stated.
As of the time of filing this report, the Ebonyi State Ministry of Health is yet to react to the memo.
Health
Ondo ‘Monkey Tail’ herbal drink kills 49
The Commissioner for Health in the State, Dr Banji Ajaka, who disclosed this on Wednesday night, said the number of affected persons has now climbed to 170.
A locally produced herbal concoctions known as ‘Monkey Tail’ in Ondo State has killed 49 people .
The Commissioner for Health in the State, Dr Banji Ajaka, who disclosed this on Wednesday night, said the number of affected persons has now climbed to 170.
He explained that the latest deaths were recorded in Irele Local Government Area of the state, where eight persons have died from suspected poisoning.
Ajaka disclosed that health authorities had deployed response teams to Irele LGA and other affected communities to conduct surveillance, manage cases and trace the source of the suspected toxic substance.
Health
Bayelsa deploying 19 doctors, 210 nurses to strengthen primary healthcare centres
The commissioner said the deployment of doctors, nurses and midwives would make primary healthcare centres more attractive to residents and encourage women to seek professional care during childbirth.
| Bayelsa State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe
The Bayelsa State Government has said it will deploy 19 doctors, 210 nurses and midwives, 185 pharmacy technicians and about 50 laboratory medical technicians to primary healthcare centres across the state to strengthen clinical services at the grassroots.
The State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, disclosed this on Friday while speaking on the government’s efforts to improve healthcare delivery at the grassroots during a training organised by the Health Emergency Initiative, under the sponsorship of FIRST E&P, tagged First Respondent First Respondent Training and Medical Intervention Programme.
Brisibe said, “We are deploying 19 doctors, 210 nurses and midwives, 185 pharmacy technicians and about 50 laboratory medical technicians to strengthen the clinical component of our primary healthcare centres.”
He said the deployment was aimed at strengthening the clinical component of primary healthcare centres, which, according to him, were often largely run by community health extension workers and environmental health officers.
The commissioner said the deployment of doctors, nurses and midwives would make primary healthcare centres more attractive to residents and encourage women to seek professional care during childbirth.
Health
Gov Mbah Invest in world-class Enugu International Hospital
The hospital, equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment and advanced digital and electronic systems, is expected to attract top medical professionals from Nigeria and around the world.
Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, says the Enugu International Hospital is designed to provide world-class healthcare services to people across all socioeconomic classes.
The Enugu International Hospital is located at Rangers Avenue, Independence Layout, Enugu.
Mbah stated this during a pre-launch tour of the facility ahead of its official commissioning.
The hospital, equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment and advanced digital and electronic systems, is expected to attract top medical professionals from Nigeria and around the world.
The governor expressed satisfaction with the quality of the equipment installed at the facility, saying the investment would help position Enugu as a medical tourism hub in Nigeria.
He said the hospital would also help reduce the number of Nigerians travelling abroad for specialist medical treatment while creating an environment that would encourage Enugu-trained medical professionals to return home.
According to Mbah, several Enugu-qualified medical practitioners based abroad have already reached out to express interest in working at the international hospital and contributing to the development of the state’s health sector.
The governor further said the facility would create job opportunities for medical graduates, healthcare professionals and other workers, with the potential to boost economic activity in the state.
During the tour, Mbah inspected several specialist units, including the Precision Oncology and Nuclear Medicine Unit, specialised surgery theatres, intensive care units, advanced diagnostics and imaging, and renal care and dialysis facilities.
He also toured the cancer, heart and vascular, nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, neuroscience, and renal centres.
Accompanied by the Director of the facility, Professor Sam Agwu, and other specialists, the governor received briefings on the various services and specialist care the hospital is expected to provide.
The Enugu International Hospital operates as a comprehensive quaternary care facility with more than 300 beds and was established to provide world-class specialist healthcare.
The facility is expected to strengthen access to advanced medical care, support medical professionals, create employment and contribute to Enugu State’s emergence as a destination for medical tourism.
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