NAN Archive

Loading

NAN Archive

Tag Lagos State

Politics

Don, Lagos Commissioner say education, crucial to sustaining development

Dignitaries at a Youth Dialogue organised by the 4th Assembly, Lagos State Youth Parliament, to commemorate the 2019 International Youth Day in Lagos, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019 (NAN Photo)

Education

By Onyinyechi Iroha and Vivian Ihechu
Lagos, Aug. 29, 2019 (NAN) Making education more relevant, equitable and inclusive is crucial to achieving sustainable development, the Commissioner for Youth  and Social Development, Lagos State, Mr Segun Dawodu said on Thursday.

Dawodu spoke at a Youth Dialogue organised by the 4th Assembly, Lagos State Youth Parliament, to commemorate the 2019 International Youth Day in Lagos.

“Making education more relevant, equitable and inclusive is crucial to achieving sustainable development.

“Education is a `development multiplier’.

“It  plays  a pivotal role in accelerating progress across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals, be it poverty eradication, good health, gender equality, decent work and growth, reduced inequalities, action on climate or building peaceful societies.

“Education ought to lead toward effective learning outcomes with the content of school curricula and method of teaching, not only for the 4th  industrial revolution, the future of work and life, but also for the opportunities and challenges that the rapidly changing social context brings,’’ he said.

Some participants  at a Youth Dialogue organised by the 4th Assembly, Lagos State Youth Parliament, to commemorate the 2019 International Youth Day, in Lagos, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019 (NAN Photo)

According to him, the Lagos State Youth Policy stresses that the role of education in youth development cannot be emphasised and it acknowledges education as a general tool for youth empowerment.

“The policy promotes equal access to qualitative and functional education for all youth in Lagos irrespective of sex, ethnicity, religious beliefs, geographical location and socio-economic circumstances.

“It  addresses school enrollment issues,  increasing number of educational institutions and provides for more vocational and entrepreneurial centres, more technical colleges and increased funding for existing ones.

“It also provides for the creation of incentives for gifted youths to encourage creativity and innovation as well as the participation of youth in local and international educational youth related programmes,’’ Dawodu said.

Prof. Olarenwaju Fagbohun, Vice-Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU) and Guest Speaker at the programme, said there was need for education transformation, especially as the importance of education could not be overemphasised.

According to him, the first thing to note is that transforming education in Nigeria has international backing and that in modern times, quality education has become a matter of right to be enjoyed by the citizens and not merely a discretion that exclusively resides with government.

Represented by Mr Bolaji Ramos, he said there was the need to transform education policies in line with modern realities and emerging standards was what should top Nigeria’s agenda at this moment.

Also, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, wife of the Lagos State Governor, represented by Mrs Adeola Agunbiade, said  good education had the power to change a life.

“Education remains the only veritable tool of socio-economic development and the only legacy worth bequeathing to our children.

“It develops in us a perspective of looking at life, helps us to build opinions and have points of view on things in life,’’ she said.

She said the Lagos Government was making efforts to transform the education sector, especially as Education and Technology were at the centre of policy for education in primary and secondary schools.

Also, Mrs Yewand Falugba, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Lagos State, said the dialogue was to review the educational sector in a way to make Nigerian graduates employable and be at par with their counterparts around the world.

Mr  Ogidan Abayomi, Speaker, Lagos State Youth Parliament, also emphasised the need for improved learning conditions and called for general inclusiveness for youths in the scheme of affairs.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the International Youth Day is commemorated annually on Aug. 12 and the theme for 2019 is “Transforming Education”. (NAN)
ONYI/VIV/PDE
==========
(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)

Health

Lagos State has highest burden of TB in Nigeria- Stakeholders

L-R: Dr Lucica Ditiu, Executive Director, Global Stop TB Partnership, Geneva; Mrs Florence Ajimobi, wife of a former Governor of Oyo State and the representative of Dr Mrs Aisha Buhari; Dr Mrs Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, TB Champion of Lagos State and wife of Gov. Sanwo-Olu and Prof. Lovett Lawson, Board Chairman, Stop TB Partnership Nigeria, at a Dinner Forum with Corporate Sector on Mobilising Domestic Resources to end TB in Nigeria” in Lagos on July 14, 2019. (NAN/photo)
[/caption]

By Vivian Ihechu
Lagos, July 15, 2019 (NAN) The Lagos State Government, StopTB Partnership Nigeria and other stakeholders on ending tuberculosis say Lagos State presently has the highest burden of tuberculosis (TB) in Nigeria.

They made the assertion at a Dinner Forum with Corporate Sector on Mobilising Domestic Resources to End TB in Nigeria”, in Lagos on Sunday.

Prof. Lovett Lawson, Chairman of the Nigerian Stop TB Partnership, said, “Lagos has the highest burden of TB in Nigeria, while Nigeria has the 6th highest burden of TB in the world and the first in Africa”.

According to Lawson, the challenge of TB in Lagos State is associated with large population and poor living conditions of those living in congregate settings with low awareness of TB.

He described TB as an airborne disease, which makes it infectious to all categories of people, irrespective of age, sex, ethnicity, class or religion, since we all breathe the same air.

“It is the leading cause of death in adults globally of all infectious diseases.

“The WHO estimates that no fewer than 1.6 billion people, about a third of the world’s population, are infected with TB.

“Of these, 9.6 million developed clinical TB in 2017 and the disease killed about 1.6 million people that year, compared to 1.2 million killed by HIV, 95 per cent of these occurring in the developing world with the majority in Sub Saharan Africa.

“However, of the estimated 9.6 million infected, only six million (63 per cent) were reported to WHO with a loss of about 37 per cent,” Lawson said.

He called for increased funding and commitment to reduce the scourge.

“We hope that at the end of this meeting, those of us here will be better enlightened and more committed to fight the war against TB.

“Governments of over 163 countries in 2015 promised to end TB by 2030.

“Unfortunately, at the current rate of TB decline, which is at 1.5 per cent, it will require a remarkable increase of over 10 per cent of funding by 2025 globally if we are to meet the target by 2030.

“TB can be eradicated with the required political will and adequate funding.

“The corporate sector- financial, manufacturing, telecommunications, oil and gas companies, have a critical role to play through their corporate social responsibility (CSR) to support efforts to end needless deaths from a curable disease affecting our dear county.

“Private sector funding from these organisations will be needed to make up the deficit in funding,” Lawson said.

He said that funding was needed for awareness programmes, well equipped DOTs centres with GeneXperts, at least in each local government area, improved socioeconomic standards and availability of TB drugs.

Dr Titi Goncalves, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, at a Dinner Forum with Corporate Sector on Mobilising Domestic Resources to end TB in Nigeria in Lagos on Jy 14, 2019. (NAN photo)

Speaking, Dr Titilayo Goncalves, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, commended the companies gathered for their resolve to mobilise resources to end tuberculosis in Lagos State .

Goncalves, who also represented Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, said: ” We need to take deliberate steps to reduce the spread of tuberculosis to help reduce putting the healthy population at risk.

“l commend Stop TB Partnership for their commitment in the goal of ending TB and specifically for its unrelenting involvement in the control and management of TB in Nigeria.

“In Lagos State, we are doing everything possible to stem the tide of the deadly and infectious disease.

“As a state, ranking highest in the number of TB patients in Nigeria, there is a need for drastic and urgent action to check the spread otherwise, our 22 million population may become fertile ground for the pandemic.”

According to her, the Lagos State Government has been making efforts toward curtailing the spread of TB.

“Toward this goal, we have developed strategies for the control, detection and treatment of TB in Lagos State.

“They include intensifying case finding in public facilities, intensifying case findings in primary facilities, active case finding among TB contacts, Gene Xpert optimisation and enhancing community awareness on TB.

“Within 16 years, the number of TB treatment centres in Lagos State has increased from six to over 1,008.

“We, however, need to step up our efforts as these facilities are inadequate, given the rate of population growth to stem TB spread in the state,” she said.

Goncalves identified the urgent need for strategy in partnership with the private sector to put an end to the dreaded TB which was estimated to reach an outbreak of four million cases by 2020.

She appealed to business leaders, corporate, financial and oil and gas organisations to partner with Lagos State Government, stakeholders and relevant organisations like StopTB partners in Nigeria to mobilise the needed resources toward ending the scourge of TB.

Making remarks on behalf of Agbami Partners, Ms Mitchelle Obatoyinbo, General Manager, Deep water Operations (a Chevron Company), said the parties align with the national strategy for health system strengthening through the strategy of achieving early case finding and proper case management of TB.

Obatoyinbo pledged the parties’ support for actions to address TB in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that climax of the event was the investiture of Dr (Mrs) Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, Wife of Gov. Sanwo-Olu as the TB Champion for Lagos State.

Dignitaries at the event included Sunday Ehindero, a former Inspector-General of Police; teams from the Federal Ministry of Health, Chevron and Agbami Partners, Global Stop TB partnership, World Health Organisation, USAID and Health Policy Plus.(NAN)
VIV/GOK
Edited by Olagoke Olatoye

Health

Polio: LASG to immunise children aged 0-5

Child being given polio vaccine. (Photo credit bbc.com and WHO)

By Vivian Ihechu

Lagos, May 3, 2019 (NAN) In response to the discovery of environmental Polio Virus strains in Lagos State, the Lagos State Government will embark on House to House polio Immunisation for all children  aged 0-five years, irrespective of the previous immunisation status.

Government said the move would help prevent poliomyelitis that might result in paralysis of the limbs.

Mrs Modupe Owojuyigbe, Director, Health Education, Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday,  that the  exercise was scheduled for May 11 to May 14.

She said “Polio immunisation is free, it is safe, it is painless and it is effective.

“Eligible children between the ages 0 to five years are being given the immunisation.

“ There is an issue around polio now because there is an environmental strain found in town, in Lagos State, and to avoid the outbreak , we have to give the vaccine to all children.

“The exercise is going to be house to house, churches, mosques, schools, playgrounds, event centres, gated estates,  anywhere the children will be found.

“The vaccinators will put markings on the children’s smallest fingers to identify the child that has been given; they will check the nails and once the mark is there, they will know the child has been given.

“We have done the first round in in some selected wards in Lagos Mainland & and Mushin Local Government Areas,’’ she told NAN.

According to Owojuyigbe, the May 11 to May 14 immunisation is the second round while the 3rd round  will be from June 15 to June 18.

Also, “We have the National Immunisation Plus Day which will come up in July and August.

“Parents and guardians should give consent to school authorities to allow the vaccination teams to give two drops of polio vaccine into the mouth of their children/wards during the exercise.

“Once again, Polio vaccine is safe, free & effective,’’ she told NAN.

She said that  parents, caregivers, pastors imams, traditional and community leaders, market leaders, youth groups, proprietors, teachers, artisans, CSOs, NGOs, CBOs and all residents of Lagos State should be informed  and residents are advised to contact 08033261359,  08023708901 for more information.

Children suffering from Poliomyelitis

According to World Health Organisation, WHO, Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that it invades the nervous system, and can cause total paralysis in a matter of hours.

The virus is transmitted from person-to-person through ingestion of infected fecal matter

Following infection, the virus is shed intermittently in excrement for several weeks with little or no symptoms in majority of cases. The initial symptoms of poliomyelitis include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, neck stiffness and pain in the limbs.

VIV/JTJ
=======
Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede