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Health

Foundation tasks N/Delta youths on leadership

By Edeki Igafe
Youths
Warri (Delta), May 12, 2019 (NAN) Dr Otive Igbuzor, Founder and Executive Director, Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre-LSD), has urged Niger Delta youths to imbibe the culture of leadership through mentorship.
Igbuzor made the call during the 2nd Annual Leadership Lecture and Graduation Ceremony of the Centre-LSD, at Effurun-Warri study centre.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 53 students graduated in the second set of the centre that was established in 2017.
Igbuzor, a civil society activist, said that leaders in the oil-rich region had failed the youths, noting that it is time for the youth to develop themselves positively and become relevant in the society.
“The elders have failed the youth, so the youth should try and develop themselves.
“When you have a society that is dominated by cabals, the youth need to learn and improve their knowledge to change the values in the society positively.
“After learning, they also need to act economically, socially and politically to change the scope,” he said.
Igbuzor attributed the challenges in the country to leadership problem, noting that most leaders do not have leadership training.
“There are nowhere leaders are trained that is why we develop the curriculum for leadership in our Centre LSD established in 2009 in Abuja.
Also speaking, Pastor Edewor Egedegbe, the Executive Director, Value Rebirth and Empowerment Initiative (VREI), said doing the right thing was a big problem in the country.
“We have come up with the concept of equipping interested individuals to see how they can transform obstacles to success.
“We believe that trouble is the breakfast of a hero, when hero see trouble, there is opportunity for him to bring the hidden potential in him.
“So we are aligning with such forces who want to subscribe to how we can change the narrative in our leadership trait as a nation, particularly the Niger Delta.
“It is based on this that we are partnering the Centre LSD to develop future leaders and we are achieving result,” he said.
Prof. Benjamin Okaba in his lecture, titled “Leadership and the Youth Question in the Niger Delta”, said good leaders turn resources to wealth.
“Good leader must be courageous, creative and focus, because he or she is doing it in the interest of the society,” he said. (NAN)
EDI/KTO/MST
Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Delta APC governorship candidate hopeful of victory

Delta APC governorship candidate hopeful of party victory

By Mercy Obojeghren
Optimism
Abraka (Delta), Feb. 23, 2019 (NAN) The governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta, Chief Great Ogboru, has expressed optimism that the APC would win the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

Ogboru told newsmen on Saturday at Abraka in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta after voting that he was hopeful that the process would be peaceful in other parts of the country.

He noted that some people still attempted to steal ballot boxes during the election and expressed the hope that the malpractice would soon stop.

“At the end of the day, we want to see that somebody is elected as President, Senator and member of House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, the member representing Ethiope East constituency in the State House of Assembly, Chief Evance Iwvurie, has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for demonstrating its independence in the conduct of the election in the area.

He, however, stressed that INEC must be independent “if we must have free and fair elections” in the country.

According to him, in spite of the challenges and threats to INEC, the commission was able to demonstrate its independence in the discharge of its electoral process.

He, however, called on all stakeholders to assist in building the electoral process of the country by supporting INEC to be independent in its conduct of elections.

Iwvurie commended the people of Ethiope East Local Government Area for coming out en masse to perform their civic duties. (NAN)
MOA/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Delta Govt renews commitment to train medical doctors

Delta Govt renews commitment to train medical doctors
By Carol V. Utulu
Training
Asaba, Dec. 7, 2018 (NAN) The Delta Government on Friday renewed its commitment to the training and retraining of medical doctors in the state.
The Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Health, Dr Minnie Oseji, made this known in Asaba at the 5th Scientific Conference of the Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba chapter.
She said that capacity building for the doctors would enable them meet up with current trends of technology.
Oseji commended resident doctors in the state for their courage in taking the decision to undergo retraining.
The permanent secretary noted that their decision to embark on post-graduate medical training would help them become specialists.
She urged them to put in their best as the training would help improve their professional capacity for better service delivery.
Oseji recalled that the state ministry of health had conducted three different training programmes for resident doctors in the state during the year.
She called for the incorporation of Hands-on-Training into outreach programmes, noting that data collected can be used for research purposes and presented at professional events.
The permanent secretary also commended the resident doctors for their recent visit and donations to Happy Home Orphanage, Okwe, near Asaba.
She disclosed that the doctors gave free dental and eye care services to children at the orphanage, as well as food items, drugs and clothing.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2018 conference topic was titled “The Impact of CME on Medical Practice in Nigeria – A Critical Appraisal’’.
Dr Akpowaye Akpomiemie, the President of the Association of Resident Doctors, FMC Chapter, said the choice of the topic of the conference arose from the need to improve medical practice and review the continuous medical education.
He listed improved welfare and training for members as some of the achievements of the association.
Akpomiemie therefore urged the congress to extend the same support given to him to his successor to enable him take the association to greater heights.
Dr Cletus Otene delivered the keynote lecture on “The Impact of CME on Medical Practice in Nigeria – A Critical Appraisal’’. (NAN)
CVU/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Delta LGC commences tetanus vaccination

Delta LGC commences tetanus vaccination
By Edike Igafe
Vaccination
Warri (Delta), Nov. 15, 2018 (NAN) The Warri South Local Government Council has commenced the Maternal Neonatal Tetanus Vaccination in the area with a view to eliminating the scourge.
The five-day programme was flagged off on Thursday by Mrs Juliet Tidi, wife of the council Chairman, Mr Michael Tidi.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inoculation is for female between the age bracket of 15 and 49, and was flagged off at the council’s Secretariat.
Tidi urged pregnant women to patronise qualified healthcare workers for proper health monitoring and safe delivery.
She explained that tetanus occurred as a result of unhygienic method of delivery and umbilical cord care.
“Pregnant women should as soon as they are pregnant go to the nearest health facility in the Local Government Area for proper health monitoring and safe delivery by trained health workers.
“Immunisation is key to the prevention of the disease, therefore every girl and woman of child bearing age must ensure they complete the five doses of Tetanus Diphtheria vaccine at appropriate interval,” Tidi said.
She urged the girls and women to avail themselves of the opportunity and get vaccinated, noting that the exercise will go a long way to improving their health status.
Mrs Beatrice Onwo, the Health Educator, Warri South Local Government Council, said the exercise would be conducted at fix and temporary fix posts across the area.
She said the temporary fixed post included schools, churches, mosques and markets, while the fixed posts were all the health facilities in the area.
“Before now, mothers use cotton wool and other things for their baby cord; there is now a new gel. There will be no maternal neonatal death again with this introduction,” she said.
Mrs Abigail Edokpaiye, mother of three and a beneficiary, thanked the government for the gesture, noting that it will help in eliminating the scourge. (NAN)
EDI/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Lassa fever: Delta Govt donates protective kits to FMC Asaba

Lassa fever: Delta Govt donates protective kits to FMC Asaba
NAN-HG-1
Protection
By Carol V. Utulu
Asaba, Feb. 1, 2018 (NAN) The Delta Government has donated personal protective medical equipment to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, as part of efforts to curtail the scourge of Lassa fever in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Azinge, presented the items to the Chief Medical Director of the centre, Dr Victor Osiatuma, on behalf of the state government on Thursday in Asaba.
He stated that the kits would enable the medical personnel in the hospital to effectively fight the disease which recently re-emerged in the state.
The commissioner revealed that so far two confirmed cases had been recorded in the state and the victims receiving medical attention at the facility.
He said the first case of the disease brought to the FMC was a 43-year-old man resident in the state who was successfully treated and later referred to the Irrua Specialist Hospital in Edo.
Azinge further stated that family members of the man and the ambulance driver who conveyed him to the hospital are being closely monitored while other contact tracing are on-going.
He assured residents that relevant authorities are on top of the situation, assuring that there is no cause for alarm as the state had effectively handled the disease the last time it emerged.
According to the commissioner, all primary health care centres in the state have been activated and sensitised on how to respond to any suspected case of the disease.
He therefore advised the residents to report suspected cases of malaria and typhoid that are not responding to treatment to the nearest medical facility as early report of cases would help save lives.
Azinge disclosed that he was in contact with his counterpart in Anambra regarding the death of the second victim brought into Asaba.
He said the corpse would be handed over to his Anambra colleague to ensure proper burial of the corpse in order not to expose more persons to the disease.
Receiving the items, Osiatuma expressed gratitude to Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa for the gesture and assured of the effective use of the items.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the protective items included 250 pieces of disposable coat/suit, 500 pieces of Elbow Length Gloves, 50 packets of surgical hand gloves and 50 sets protective boots, among others.
On the death of the second victim of the disease in the hospital, Osiatuma revealed that the woman was brought in from Anambra last Sunday, but unfortunately died on the next day.
He said the hospital is strictly following the protocol of handling the corpse in order not to spread the disease as workers were following laid down procedure in handling such cases.
Osiatuma assured residents of the state on the ability of the hospital to handle the disease, saying with the donated items and training given to their personnel the disease would be effectively curbed. (NAN)
CVU/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Defence/Security

Police warns against jungle justice in Delta

Police warns against jungle justice in Delta
NAN-H-2
Warning
Warri (Delta), Jan. 28, 2018 (NAN) The Police in Delta has warned residents against employing jungle justice on suspected criminals in the state.
The Command’s Spokesman, Mr Andrew Aniamaka, gave the warning on Sunday while confirming the alleged burnt to death of a woman suspected to be a ritualist in Ekete-Inland to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Warri.
The deceased, whose name could not be identified, was said to had been found with human parts in Ekete-Inland, Udu Local Government Area of the state, on Saturday and was consequently burnt to death by angry mob.
Aniamaka said that the command had always called on the public not to engage in jungle justice but to report all cases to the appropriate authorities.
“There was in fact a case of burning of a suspected ritualist to death.
“The incident occurred at the Delta Steel Company (DSC) Expressway near Ekete-Inland junction in Ovwian.
“The Command has always called on the public not to engage in jungle justice but to report all cases to the appropriate authorities,” he said.
According to an eyewitness, the incident occurred at about 3:35 p.m when some residents of the Ekete-Inland wanted to burn the refuse they gathered near the woman’s hut who was earlier believed to be a lunatic.
The eyewitness explained further that one of the residents noticed the suspicious behaviour of the woman, went straight into the hut and discovered human parts and a fresh dead body.
“The alarm he raised attracted other residents and passers-by who descended on the lunatic and end her life through jungle justice to serve as deterrent to others who may be in the same business with her,” the source said. (NAN)
EDI/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Delta Govt partners NIMR to check infectious diseases

Delta Govt partners NIMR to check infectious diseases
NAN-H-2
Partnership
By Carol V. Utulu
Asaba, Jan. 16, 2018 (NAN) The Delta Government says it has entered into a partnership with the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in its commitment towards the prevention of new and re-emerging infectious diseases in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Azinge, disclosed this on Tuesday in Asaba at one-day training on Monkey pox disease organised for healthcare workers in the state.

He noted that the partnership with the NIMR would help for early diagnoses and research on infectious diseases in the state.
Azinge said the establishment of NIMR’s sub-station in the state, which covers states in the South-South zone, has afforded Delta to leverage on the institute’s available skilled human resources.
According to him, the availability of both skilled human resources and infrastructure has provided the state the platform to enable it address issues concerning management and control of infectious diseases.
The commissioner was represented at the event by the Director of Public Health, state Ministry of Health, Dr Philomena Okeowo.
He said the objectives of the training on Monkey pox and other infectious disease include the sensitisation of healthcare workers on the prevention and control of infectious disease, and how to handle suspected cases.
Azinge disclosed that the training would keep the participants abreast on how to contain infectious diseases, carry out outbreak investigations and know the due processes as regards the flow of reports and collection of specimen.
He said that though no death has been recorded so far in the state, however, the state government has made provisions for free treatment of detected cases of monkey pox disease in both public and private health facilities.
The commissioner said that the Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa-led administration in the state has supported all diseases outbreak intervention in the state through the procurements and prepositioning of outbreak management materials.
According to him, the state government efforts has helped for the detection and management of the disease, provision of logistics for border patrols through migration or displacement of people from neighbouring or other states of the federation.
Azinge said that other measures aimed at addressing the disease by the state government include the activation of the State Rapid Response Team, sensitization/mobilisation of Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNOs).
He said the DSNOs are positions in all the 25 local government areas of the State working in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that resource persons who made presentations at the training include Dr Bassey Anya, the WHO state Coordinator – Surveillance and Contact Tracing.
Dr Anastacia Ojimba, a Consultant Public Health Physician, Federal Medical Centre, (FMC) Asaba, also made a presentation.
Not less than 135 medical workers drawn from 64 government hospitals, Delta State Teaching Hospital, Oghara, and Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, participated in the training. (NAN)
CVU/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Politics

Delta poll: Police probe burning of Ughelli North DSIEC office

Poll: Police investigate burning of Ughelli North DSIEC building
NAN-H-3
Investigation
By Edeki Igafe
Warri (Delta), Jan. 7, 2018 (NAN) The Police in Delta say they have begun investigation into circumstances that led to burning of the Delta Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC) in Ughelli North Local Government Area.
The command’s Spokesperson, Mr Andrew Aniamaka, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday night in Warri.
He also assured that perpetrators would be apprehended soon and brought to justice.
Aniamaka also said that the incident led to the cancellation of the Saturday statewide council election in the area.
He said: “Some thugs set ablaze the DSIEC office in Ughelli North.
“Investigation is already ongoing and I assure you that the perpetrators of the act will be apprehended and brought to book.
“Election could not hold in the local government because of the action,” he said.
Mr Felix Ekure, the Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ughelli North, alleged on Saturday that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was responsible for the burning to cover up its perceived atrocities.
“We were informed that election materials were brought to the DSIEC office in Ughelli North on Friday.
“And we mobilised our supporters to the venue to ensure that the materials were protected.
“At the point of distribution, we insisted on seeing the result sheets and other sensitive materials but the DSIEC official claimed that he forgot the original result sheets in Asaba.
“We insisted that he must bring the result sheets before the distribution of materials.
“At that point, PDP thugs started shooting and our boys scampered for safety.
“The PDP thugs then set the DSIEC office ablaze in order to cover up their atrocities,” he alleged.
Reacting to the development, the PDP Chairman in Ughelli North, Mr Lawrence Agbatutu, told NAN on Sunday that the APC leaders in the area allegedly ordered their supporters to set the building ablaze.
“Two days to the election, the APC stationed their boys at the DSIEC office. The leaders ordered their loyalists to burn DSIEC building, it was not the PDP supporters.
“PDP is ever ready for the election, we are not afraid because we did a lot of campaign,” he said. (NAN)
EDI/DOE/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

3 N-power volunteers establish mini-laboratory at Otokutu PHC

3 N-power volunteers establish mini-laboratory at Otokutu PHC

NAN-HG-2
Laboratory
Ughelli (Delta), June 21, 2017 (NAN) Three female volunteers in the N-Health programme have established a mini laboratory at the Primary Health Centre, Otokutu, Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta.

The volunteers are Jennifer Angese (2013 Pharmacology graduate of Delta State University); Mary James (2011 Microbiology graduate of Unijos); and Harriet Azurundu (2001, BSc Microbiology – Imo State University – and 2008 MLSc –UPTH).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the trio contributed money to purchase the equipment and establish the laboratory in April, barely four months of their deployment to the PHC to provide medical outreach to the rural community.

Narrating their experiences when the Monitoring and Evaluation team of N-Power visited the centre, James said they felt pity for the community which had the centre for long but travelled far to access medical facilities.

She said that rather than seek deployment they made contributions from their token to purchase the equipment in bits in order to make meaningful impact in the community.

According to her, the equipment comprising both electrical and manual types, are worth about N100,000 but that some tests are delayed in the centre due to epileptic power and lack of alternative power source.

She said that her colleagues were teaching in private schools and receiving pittance prior to the N-power job, but noted that the scheme had offered them the opportunity to practice their profession and gain experience.

James said the community was excited about the development but had not made additional input due to poverty, “but we hope someone, someday will do that for the sake of the rural people’’.

She said that due to epileptic power the lab always concluded the samples tests, and issued the results the same day of collection.

She said some patients were referred to bigger facilities if they had to wait for the results for more than a day, “but we work for as long as possible to make patients’ results ready’’.

Azurundu, another volunteer, added that since the provision of the laboratory no fewer than 70 patients including pregnant women, the aged and children had their blood, urine and other samples tested for proper diagnosis and treatment.

“We assumed duty in February and since we discovered that there was no laboratory section here we decided to set up one to assist in proper diagnosis and treatment of patients.

“The lab has been of great help; it has improved the services of the health workers in the health centre.

“Since we started lab tests we have had almost 70 patients benefitting but we have attended to others without actually putting them in our records,’’ Azurundu said.

She said that apart from the help that the people needed it had been her dream to be able to touch lives in one way or the other and “N-Power has given me that room and opportunity to touch lives’’.

On her part, Angese noted that the patients were often tested free or charged only 50 per cent of the cost of the examination to encourage others to access adequate medicare due to poverty.

The volunteers thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and Acting President Yemi Osinbajo for initiating the N-Power programme because it had touched so many lives.

They acknowledged that from the stipends they were able also to help in family upkeep and support their siblings in their education.

The volunteers said they were not expecting the federal government to terminate the programme after two years, but rather to strengthen it because “we will not like to go back after two years doing nothing.

“We hope it will continue in a better way.’’

NAN also reports that the laboratory is equipped with syringes, piercing needles, various reagents, glucometer, cotton swaps, feed stains, oil immersion, microscope, mirror, plastercine, capillary tubes.

Others are blood-count equipment, methylated spirit, HIV reagents, puppets, EDTA collection bottles, hand gloves, wither kits, counting chamber, improvised slide racks, an electric-powered centrifuge as well as a hand-powered centrifuge.

Mr John James, the husband of Mary James, who visited the centre at the time of the monitoring, thanked the federal government for its transparency in the recruitment of the volunteers.

John, a Veterinary graduate-turned logistics specialist, who lost his job in December due to the death of his employer, said that the wife had been sustaining the family from her stipend.

“N-Power is another door that has opened for our family and I encourage the volunteers not to focus attention on the stipend but ensure that they become true professionals during the two-year programme.

“I thank God Almighty and his instrument, President Muhammadu Buhari, and pray that God grants him sound health and also his Vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, for this programme,’’ he said.

The Presidential aide on Job Creation, Mr Afolabi Imoukhuede, expressed gratitude to the volunteers for their painstaking effort to live out the dream of the programme by impacting on the society.

He urged them to continue in their stride as by their conduct they had opened new vistas in their lives.

Imoukhuede also expressed gladness with the performance of the volunteers in Nana Model Secondary and Primary Schools, Warri, and those at the Central Hospital Warri.

However, he told the Medical Director of the Warri Hospital to cancel the one-day off granted to the volunteers weekly since the programme was a full time volunteer scheme without shifts, night or weekend duty.

At a private investor integrated fish farm in Warri, Imoukhuede thanked the proprietor for making the massive facility available for the N-Agro participants to acquire more practical knowledge on fisheries.

An N-Agro volunteer, Mrs Ese Adiomamore, told NAN that the scheme was a sure way of achieving the self-sufficiency in food production and economic diversification programme of the present administration. (NAN)
DCU/OFN/MST

Edited by Felix Nwadioha/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Delta pledges technical partnership to combat diseases

Delta pledges technical partnership to combat diseases

NAN-HG-10

Partnership

By Valentine C. Utulu

Asaba, March 7, 2017 (NAN) The Delta Government has reiterated its commitment to seek partnership with local and foreign organisations to check possible outbreak of diseases in the state.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Azinge, said this on Tuesday in Asaba when officials from the Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis Research, Kaduna, and the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnosis (FIND), Geneva, Switzerland visited him.

He affirmed the state government’s preparedness to work with organisations in the health sector to help trace every outbreak of diseases in local government areas of the state with a view to stemming the spread.

The commissioner said disease surveillance and response activities were very vital activities the ministry carries out regularly in order to reduce the impact of diseases.

He pledged to work closely with the institute and its funding partners to enable the state take advantage of their assistance in prompt detection and control of diseases.

Azinge directed the State Hospital Management Board to make it mandatory for doctors to direct patients in endemic areas who have continuous cases of fever to take the rapid diagnostic test for sleeping sickness.

He warned that any doctor who fails to abide by the directive of sending those who tested positive from the test to visit the facilities designated for confirmation of the disease would be sanctioned as a deterrent for others.

Earlier in an address, Prof. Joseph Ndung’u, Head of Programme, Neglected Tropical Diseases at the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnosis (FIND), Switzerland, lauded Nigeria for its commitment to disease control.

He disclosed that Nigeria is one of the countries that have advanced in the control of human and animal trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness in Africa.

Ndung’u said that since the last reported case of the disease in Nigeria in 2012, there has not been any new officially reported case till date, describing the development as a remarkable feat

He said that going by the trend, the institute had projected that the disease would not be in existence in Nigeria by the year 2020.

Ndung’u said the foundation has launched an aggressive programme in Delta where it had sensitised policy makers, health workers and communities on the clinical signs of sleeping sickness disease.

According to him, the foundation also has a partnership agreement with the Nigerian Government through the Nigeria Institute of Trypanosomiasis Research (NITR), federal and state Ministries of Health.

He said the partnership would enable them put in place a strategy that would intensify the screening of communities in regions where cases of sleeping sickness have been reported in the past.

Ndung’u further revealed that the partnership has resulted in the training of health workers in Delta and the introduction of screening facilities in 52 healthcare centres in the state.

He also said the foundation has supported the development of unique tests and a rapid diagnostic test kits for screening of sleeping sickness to enable health workers to perform the test in a simplified way.

Ndung’u further explained that the method adopted in the screening test requires that if somebody was found positive, the person would have to go for confirmation.

He said: “To this end, the health facility centres for the confirmatory testing was increased last year from the initial four to 25 in Delta state.

“But since no case of the disease has been detected, the centres will be reduced to 18 based on the findings from the research carried out on the epidemiology of the disease all over the state.”

Ndung’u however added that the centres would now be uniformly distributed across the state while the surveillance of the disease would still continue.

He said only the World Health Organisation (WHO) can confirm or verify that Delta was free from the disease with the aid of the data being generated by the Principal Investigator from the Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis Research, Kaduna.

Dr Felicia Enwezor, the Principal Investigator, Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis Research, Kaduna, said the programme was initiated in 2014, but the actual screening operations started in 2015 and has continued till date.

She explained that the institute was the chief collaborator in the programme in terms of funding and it embarked on the visit to assess what was on ground and discuss their findings.

Enwezor disclosed that the programme would be rounding up by June 2017 in line with the memorandum of understanding signed with the Delta Government. (NAN) CVU/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola