23112022

26 — Vanguard,
Vanguard, WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 23, , 2022
WHO identifies pathogens of future
outbreaks, pandemics
By Chioma Obinna
AS part of strategies to epi
demic response as well as
guide global investment, research
and development
(R&D), especially in vaccines,
tests and treatments, the
World Health Organisation,
WHO, is launching a global
scientific process to update the
list of priority pathogensagents
that can cause outbreaks
or pandemics.
WHO is also convening
over 300 scientists who will
consider the evidence on over
25 virus families and bacteria,
as well as "Disease X."
Disease X is included to indicate
an unknown pathogen
that could cause a serious international
epidemic. The experts
will recommend a list of
priority pathogens that need
further research and investment.
The process will include
both scientific and public
health criteria, as well as criteria
related to socioeconomic
impact, access, and
equity.
The list was first published
in 2017 and the last
prioritization exercise was
done in 2018. The current list
includes COVID-19,
Crimean-Cong
haemorrhagic fever, Ebola
virus disease and Marburg
virus disease, Lassa fever,
Middle East respiratory syndrome
(MERS) and severe
acute respiratory syndrome
(SARS), Nipah and
henipaviral diseases, Rift Valley
fever, Zika and Disease X.
According to Executive Director
of WHO's Health
Emergencies Programme, Dr
Michael Ryan, targeting priority
pathogens and virus
families for research and development
of countermeasures
is essential for a fast and
effective epidemic and pandemic
response.
By Deborah Ariyo
WITH the rising cases of
burns across the country,
specialists at the National
Orthopaedic Hospital
Igbobi, Lagos, NOHIL, have
advised Nigerians to take
safety precautionary measures
as management of burn
cases not only brings pain to
the body but also to families
and pockets.
To this end, the Burns and
Plastic Surgery Department
of the NOHIL, last week embarked
on an Enlightenment
Walk to educate the students
of the school as well as
Lagosians on how to prevent
burns.
Speaking to Good Health
Weekly, during the walk
which was part of activities to
mark this year’s Burns Awareness
Week, the Head of the
Department, Dr Folake
Olushola Abikoye explained
that the walk which took off
from its premises to Igbobi
College to Jibowu back to the
hospital was a programme to
prevent the injury, added that
burns are debilitating, and
better prevented than occurring.
Noting that a lot of burn
cases across the country can
be preventable, Abikoye said
"Without significant R&D investments
prior to the
COVID-19 pandemic, it
would not have been possible
to have safe and effective vaccines
developed in record
time," Ryan said.
For those pathogens identified
as priority, the WHO R&D
Blueprint for epidemics develops
R&D roadmaps, which
lay out knowledge gaps and
research priorities. Where relevant,
target product profiles,
which inform developers
WellaHealth partners Verve to offer free health
services to cardholders
By Bolaji Babatunde
WELLAHEALTH,
a
health technology business
in Nigeria, has partnered
with Verve to provide access
to quality and affordable
healthcare services to Verve
cardholders. The cardholders
will be receiving a unique
range of WellaHealth's product
offerings and services at a
discounted price.
Verve cardholders that purchase
one month Basic plan
will be granted two additional
months of cover for free, with
services ranging from; up to
5 percent discount off medications
at select participating
Pharmacies Nationwide, Free
Malaria Tests,Free BP
Screening, Telemedicine and
personalised health tips
amongst other services.
Some of the health packages
available to cardholders
include; malaria test & treatment,
Treatment for fever &
pain, cough & cold, stomach
upsets & allergies,blood pressure
& blood sugar checks
with access to talk to a doctor
24/7 as long as the subscriber
has an active plan.
The various health plans
can be activated instantly
upon purchase and subscribers
will be able to start enjoying
the health benefits 4 days
after activation.
Speaking on the partnership,
Marketing and Communications
Lead, Joseph
Okoroafor, WellaHealth Technologies,
stated that the partnership
is part of the strategy
employed by WellaHealth to
get more Nigerians to get covered
and reduce out-of-pocket
payment for healthcare expenses.
He said: "Today, only
3 per cent of Nigerians are
there were many precautionary
measures to prevent the
incidence of burns.
“Parents should lock those
socket points so that children
would not get in metals that
will make them sustain burn
injuries. As children grow,
they tend to explore; they experiment
a lot and that is why
we brought this awareness
walk here so that they can
learn and also take back to
their parents at home.
“Mothers, when cooking
should know the kind of flowing
gowns they wear, they
should make sure they have a
segregated area so that children
would not go there. Sometimes,
some mothers take hot
water in the kettle to the bathroom,
instead of mixing the
water before taking it into the
bathroom.
“There are other ways to
protect children from cold
than doing steam inhalation
for them because these are
children, they may shake and
the water will spill on them.“
She also lamented the high
cost of managing burns, adding,
“It is very expensive and
traumatic to the body, pockets,
and family and lives can
also be lost.”
She said some burns are
about the desired specifications
for vaccines, treatments
and diagnostic tests, are developed.
Efforts are also made
to map, compile and facilitate
clinical trials to develop these
tools. Complimentary efforts
- such as to strengthen regulatory
and ethics oversight - are
also considered.
WHO Chief Scientist, Dr
Soumya Swaminathan said:
"This list of priority pathogens
has become a reference point
for the research community
Cross section of participants during a walk organised tby he National Orthopaedic Hospital
Igbobi , Lagos, to mark this year’s Burns Awareness Week recently.
covered by any formal health
plan in the country meaning
that over 97 per cent, pay from
their pocket for health services
that could hitherto be
covered by a health scheme
like WellaHealth's and save
them from unplanned health
expenditure." According to
the Business Development
Lead of WellaHealth, Collins
Jacobs, "WellaHealth's partnership
with Verve offers a
unique opportunity for Verve's
cardholders to be covered by
a health plan in line with the
National Health Insurance
Act that mandates all Nigerians
to get a health cover.
It is also a testament to the
vision of the team at Verve and
we are happy WellaHealth is
positioned to help them
achieve their vision".
Experts canvass safety precautionary
measures to prevent burns
managed conservatively
while some are through surgery.
“Current trend now is
that especially if the burn is
deep, you may is to excise and
you want to resurface the burn
on time so that the burn doesn’t
get infected to make the person
sick.”
Stating that paying out of
pocket for burn treatment
makes it more difficult for
patients to seek the right care,
she said a lot of Nigerian patients
are cutting corners due
to high cost of treatment,
hence, the need for the National
Health Insurance Authority,
NHIA, to include treatment
for burns. They should
also know that care of burns
is not aesthetics but plastic
and reconstructive care
which is care for burn patients.
Speaking, the Head of Clinical
Services, NOHIL, Dr Seyi
Idowu who noted that the hospital
is an orthopaedic and
trauma institution said burns
are a form of trauma and serious
injury.
“Everyone needs to be
aware of preventive strategies
toward burns control. A large
part of what we do apart from
Orthopaedic is looking after
burns and injuries to the skin
and soft tissues.
ACUPUNCTURE: UNILAG to
incorporate practice into
curriculum
.. As Nigeria becomes 1st African country
to celebrate Awareness Day
By Innocent Anaba
AS Nigeria becomes the
first African country to
celebrate the World Acupuncture
Awareness Day, the University
of Lagos has shown
interest in incorporating the
Nigeria Association of Clinical
Acupuncturists', NACA,
practice into its curriculum.
Disclosing this at an event
to mark the Day in Lagos, the
Chairperson of the Lagos
State Traditional Medicine
Board, Prof. Adefule-Oshitelu
said the event, which is first
held in Nigeria in the entire
region of Africa, speaks volume.
She tasked NACA to be
unique, and see how it can
improve on the achievements
of China in acupuncture, noting
that every culture has its
uniqueness.
Prof. Adefule-Oshitelu explained
that NACA met the
requirements of the United
Nations, which birthed November
16 as a day to celebrate
the day.
Speaking at the event
organised by NACA with the
theme "Looking at Acupuncturists
Beyond Practice.",
Registrar of Lagos State
Traditional Medicine Board,
Mr.OlorunkemiKadiku,
lauded NACA for staging the
event and drummed support
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE:
AHI trains students to fight
scourge
By Gabriel Olawale
ACTION Health Incor
porated, AHI, has empowered
over 10,000 students
from 60 schools in Lagos State
on ways to prevent sexual and
gender based violence in
homes, communities, states,
and Nigeria.
Speaking during the 27th
edition of the annual Teenage
Festival of Life, Co-founder
and Director, AHI, Dr
Uwemedimo Uko Esiet said
that the initiative aimed to
empower students, teachers,
and parents to become champions
against sexual and gender
based violence.
He hinted that AHI, in partnership
with critical stakeholders,
focused on improving
the health and wellbeing
of young people in Lagos
State.
"When the issue of sexual
and gender based violence is
discussed, Lagos State is at the
forefront of eradicating
sexual and gender-based violence."
"Right now, there is an ongoing
campaign that we are
undertaking in two education
districts in Lagos State with a
focus on eradicating schoolbased
sexual and gender
based violence. Initially, we
started with 30 schools, but
due to the success recorded, it
has increased to 60 schools in
two education districts.
"AHI has been organising
this annual event for secondary
school students in Lagos
State since 1993 to serve as a
for the practice of acupuncture
in the country.
"I am a beneficiary of acupuncture.
When I had serious
pain around my body, plastics
looking like needles were
installed in different parts of
my body and after some
weeks, the pains went completely.
"NACA to be at the fore front
of the struggle, as better days
are ahead," he added.
Chairman of NACA,
Dr.Edison Christian, in his
address, urged government at
all levels to key into insurance
scheme for clinical acupuncture
treatment for Lagosians
and Nigerians, who are unable
to afford the cost.
"I urge government and
non-governmental
organisations, NGOs, to collaborate
and support NACA
financially, and materially in
order to sustain its projects for
the citizenry.
"This is equally an opportunity
to call on media practitioners
to create a column in
their dailies for NACA to
present information that will
update Nigerians on clinical
acupuncture administration,
with a view to promoting tourism
and groom of future leaders
in science, education and
culture, which are parts of
UNESCO goals.
platform to showcase young
people's creative ability
through various art forms
such as music, drama, and
poetry, as well as an enabling
forum where young people
and relevant stakeholders
meet to both identify the
plights of the young people."
Esiet admonished parents to
desist from placing high priority
on male children, saying
that every child is as important
as other children, "no
greater value for male or female,
the value are the same."
Speaking on the theme;
‘‘Ending Gender-Based Violence"
Senior Special Assistant
to the Governor on
Women Affairs, Mrs. Funmi
Adegoke said that SGBV is
crime against humanity and
Lagos state government have
zero tolerance for it.
She disclosed that SGBV
is known as the most prevalent
human rights violation
in the world, with devastating
effects on the wellbeing,
dignity, security, and autonomy
of victims.
"According to a United Nations
report, 2.2 million
women in Lagos are estimated
to be potential victims
of intimate partner violence,
and 60 percent of
victims do not report those
cases. This is indeed a very
important and serious menace
that we must deal with
as a state and as a country."
She disclosed that the state
has put in place a series of
programs and initiatives to
end sexual and gender "In