Friday, March 13, 2020
Video - Nigerians raise awareness on preventing kidney failure
The World Health Organisation says an estimated 5 to 10 million people die annually from kidney disease across the world. In Nigeria, the country's Association of Nephrology said most people who suffer kidney failure cannot afford transplant or treatment. Health advocates are using this year's World Kidney Day to sensitize people on kidney disease and prevention.
Nigerian found dead in his Italy home after high fever
A 64-year-old Nigerian, Okunuga Olumide Saraju, has been found dead in his home in Modena, Italy, where he lived alone. Okunuga, a native of Ikenne in Ogun State and the president of Egbe Omo Yoruba in Emilia Romagna region, was found dead at about 11:00a.m. on Tuesday at his home. There are suspicions that he may have died of corona virus infection, a disease that has ravaged Italy in the past few weeks.
Saraju was well-known in the circles of associations and voluntary workers from Modena. He had lived in Modena for 30 years. A friend had raised the alarm. Upon entry, there were no signs of violence or break-ins in the house, nor traces of blood, according to Modena local media.
According to the information gathered, he had been suffering from high fever for some days but was not subjected to isolation because he had a previous complex health condition. He was being helped by friends. However, a friend raised the alarm when he was no longer answering his calls.
The city of Modena activated the antivirus procedure for the recovery of a body for the first time on Tuesday when removing his body from the apartment. As a precautionary measure, his body was brought to the street closed by a municipal police cordon, with the necrophores completely protected by overalls and masks, a gesture the neighborhood applauded.
The city said it is impossible to ascertain the cause of death for now because the deceased was suffering from a congenital disease, but the coroner will perform an autopsy and swab to check if he contracted Coronavirus. The last word belongs to the coroner who will perform the autopsy and the swab to check for any positivity to covid-19.
Saraju is an employee of an important Modena company, former vice president of the Foreigners Council of Modena, volunteer and former CGIL delegate. He was an Italian citizen in all respects and for 15 years he lived on the first floor of the building where he died. He lived alone since he separated from his wife.
And since he had been sick, his friends had decided to take the necessary things in turn, leaving him on the window at home; that windowsill became his last contact with the world outside the home. It happened in fact that last Thursday he started to feel bad. He suffered from exhaustion and a severe fever. He called the family doctor who went to his house to visit him. The doctor thought it was a normal flu: as friends reported yesterday, he took his leave advising him to stay indoors.
Mohamed Lasry, known as Il Sarto, his friend and neighbour, said: “The last phone call was on Monday evening. He told me he was very sick, he couldn’t take it anymore. Then I passed by yesterday morning. He didn’t answer. Then I raised the alarm. The municipal police arrived on the spot followed by the firefighters. After a few unsuccessful attempts at the intercom, the door was forced and the macabre discovery took place.
“The 64-year-old’s lifeless body was lying on the ground. He had evidently fallen suddenly without getting up again. Olumide was a citizen of the world open to others, to solidarity, always smiling and jovial. A man of the Fim, a man of the CISL as there are few. Never a word out of place and never a controversy.”
“Olumide was a friend, as well as our delegate of reference in Annovi Reverberi,”adds the secretary of the Fim Cisl Emilia Centrale, Giorgio Uriti. “He was one who certainly did not send her, a Fimmino doc of the old guard. He knew how to tame “comrades” well, so he called them those of Fiom.
“Always polite and every time I went to the company to hold meetings, he always brought me the bottle of water and gave me a smile, to show his happiness to see Fim there in the company with him. Fim loses a great person, a respectable delegate always on the front line and on the side of the weakest. All of us who have had the honor and fortune to know him, will always carry his smile and kindness in their hearts. We will miss you, rest in peace, brother Olumide,”concludes Uriti, announcing that, as soon as possible, the metalworkers CISL of Modena and Reggio will honor Okunuga as it deserves.
The Guardian
Saraju was well-known in the circles of associations and voluntary workers from Modena. He had lived in Modena for 30 years. A friend had raised the alarm. Upon entry, there were no signs of violence or break-ins in the house, nor traces of blood, according to Modena local media.
According to the information gathered, he had been suffering from high fever for some days but was not subjected to isolation because he had a previous complex health condition. He was being helped by friends. However, a friend raised the alarm when he was no longer answering his calls.
The city of Modena activated the antivirus procedure for the recovery of a body for the first time on Tuesday when removing his body from the apartment. As a precautionary measure, his body was brought to the street closed by a municipal police cordon, with the necrophores completely protected by overalls and masks, a gesture the neighborhood applauded.
The city said it is impossible to ascertain the cause of death for now because the deceased was suffering from a congenital disease, but the coroner will perform an autopsy and swab to check if he contracted Coronavirus. The last word belongs to the coroner who will perform the autopsy and the swab to check for any positivity to covid-19.
Saraju is an employee of an important Modena company, former vice president of the Foreigners Council of Modena, volunteer and former CGIL delegate. He was an Italian citizen in all respects and for 15 years he lived on the first floor of the building where he died. He lived alone since he separated from his wife.
And since he had been sick, his friends had decided to take the necessary things in turn, leaving him on the window at home; that windowsill became his last contact with the world outside the home. It happened in fact that last Thursday he started to feel bad. He suffered from exhaustion and a severe fever. He called the family doctor who went to his house to visit him. The doctor thought it was a normal flu: as friends reported yesterday, he took his leave advising him to stay indoors.
Mohamed Lasry, known as Il Sarto, his friend and neighbour, said: “The last phone call was on Monday evening. He told me he was very sick, he couldn’t take it anymore. Then I passed by yesterday morning. He didn’t answer. Then I raised the alarm. The municipal police arrived on the spot followed by the firefighters. After a few unsuccessful attempts at the intercom, the door was forced and the macabre discovery took place.
“The 64-year-old’s lifeless body was lying on the ground. He had evidently fallen suddenly without getting up again. Olumide was a citizen of the world open to others, to solidarity, always smiling and jovial. A man of the Fim, a man of the CISL as there are few. Never a word out of place and never a controversy.”
“Olumide was a friend, as well as our delegate of reference in Annovi Reverberi,”adds the secretary of the Fim Cisl Emilia Centrale, Giorgio Uriti. “He was one who certainly did not send her, a Fimmino doc of the old guard. He knew how to tame “comrades” well, so he called them those of Fiom.
“Always polite and every time I went to the company to hold meetings, he always brought me the bottle of water and gave me a smile, to show his happiness to see Fim there in the company with him. Fim loses a great person, a respectable delegate always on the front line and on the side of the weakest. All of us who have had the honor and fortune to know him, will always carry his smile and kindness in their hearts. We will miss you, rest in peace, brother Olumide,”concludes Uriti, announcing that, as soon as possible, the metalworkers CISL of Modena and Reggio will honor Okunuga as it deserves.
The Guardian
Nigeria likely to record more positive cases of COVID-19
Experts are worried that there could be more cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria in the next two weeks, insisting that it is inevitable because the country has been identified as one of the 13 countries in Africa at a high risk of being overwhelmed by the virus due to weak health sector.
Also, the index case of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Nigeria, a 44-year-old Italian, yesterday completed the 14-day isolation recommended by the World Heath Organisation (WHO).
Although the viral load of the 44-year-old Italian citizen is reducing, he would not yet be discharged from the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) Yaba, Lagos, as he was not yet totally free from the virus.
The assertion was made by Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu; WHO Consultant on COVID-19 in Nigeria and Team Leader, Expanded Programme on Immunisation, Dr. Fiona Braka and Director, Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health and Incident Manager COVID-19 Outbreak Lagos State Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), Dr. Ismail Abdul-Salam, who spoke with journalists at a roundtable in Lagos yesterday.
They said contrary to some media reports, the Italian was visiting Nigeria for the first time as a consultant to a company in Ogun State, just as it was learnt that the Italian’s wife and brother have also tested positive to the virus in Italy.
“We are worried that we may have explosion of cases of coronavirus in our country. This is why we are given special attention on passengers coming from China, Italy, Iran, South Korea and Japan,” Ihekweazu said.
Braka said the WHO declaration that COVID-19 was now a pandemic meant that all countries, especially those at high risk such as Nigeria needed to redouble their efforts to prevent a situation where they would be overwhelmed by the virus.
Abdul-Salam pointed out that Lagos has prepared for the worst case scenario in which many people may be infected with the virus, adding, “At the beginning, even before the country confirmed the first case, with the help of the WHO we have prepared for the worst case scenario.”
Ihekweazu said as at March 11, 2020, there are two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria and apart from the index case, a total of 40 people have been screened for COVID-19 (seven new) in five States (Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Federal Capital Territory, FCT/Abuja and Kano) of which 39 tested negative and have been ruled out, while one confirmed positive which is a contact of index case with no death.
The Guardian
Also, the index case of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Nigeria, a 44-year-old Italian, yesterday completed the 14-day isolation recommended by the World Heath Organisation (WHO).
Although the viral load of the 44-year-old Italian citizen is reducing, he would not yet be discharged from the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) Yaba, Lagos, as he was not yet totally free from the virus.
The assertion was made by Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu; WHO Consultant on COVID-19 in Nigeria and Team Leader, Expanded Programme on Immunisation, Dr. Fiona Braka and Director, Epidemiology, Biosecurity and Global Health and Incident Manager COVID-19 Outbreak Lagos State Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), Dr. Ismail Abdul-Salam, who spoke with journalists at a roundtable in Lagos yesterday.
They said contrary to some media reports, the Italian was visiting Nigeria for the first time as a consultant to a company in Ogun State, just as it was learnt that the Italian’s wife and brother have also tested positive to the virus in Italy.
“We are worried that we may have explosion of cases of coronavirus in our country. This is why we are given special attention on passengers coming from China, Italy, Iran, South Korea and Japan,” Ihekweazu said.
Braka said the WHO declaration that COVID-19 was now a pandemic meant that all countries, especially those at high risk such as Nigeria needed to redouble their efforts to prevent a situation where they would be overwhelmed by the virus.
Abdul-Salam pointed out that Lagos has prepared for the worst case scenario in which many people may be infected with the virus, adding, “At the beginning, even before the country confirmed the first case, with the help of the WHO we have prepared for the worst case scenario.”
Ihekweazu said as at March 11, 2020, there are two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria and apart from the index case, a total of 40 people have been screened for COVID-19 (seven new) in five States (Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Federal Capital Territory, FCT/Abuja and Kano) of which 39 tested negative and have been ruled out, while one confirmed positive which is a contact of index case with no death.
The Guardian
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Chineme Martins: Nigerian player dies after collapsing on pitch
Nigerian footballer Chineme Martins, 22, died after collapsing during a game for his club Nasarawa United.
Martins fell unconscious, unopposed, during the second half of Nasarawa's league match against Katsina United.
"The player was attended to by medics of the two clubs ... and was later rushed to Dalhatu-Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia where he was later pronounced dead," the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) said in a statement.
An autopsy is now being carried out to determine the cause of death.
The NFF says no further matches should be played unless there is a full complement of medical equipment at the stadia and personnel "as provided in the NFF Club Licensing Regulations".
Furthermore, the NFF said all match commissioners and the host FA "are to ensure they inspect all the facilities including carrying out test runs before giving the go-ahead for any match to be played."
Eyewitnesses told BBC Sport there appeared to be a delay in getting Martins to the hospital because of a problem with the ambulance.
Nasarawa United are yet to make any (official) statement about the death of their player who had made four appearances for the northern club so far this season.
Nigeria's sports minister, Sunday Dare, described Martins' death as "regrettably avoidable" and said the "ministry will immediately work with the NPFL to role out mandatory conditions before any match is played".
It is the second time fans in Lafia have witnessed a tragedy. In December 2018, Kano Pillars star Dominic Dukudod collapsed while warming up in a friendly against Nasarawa United themselves.
Questions have previously been raised about the state of medical care and players' welfare in the NPFL, but Nigeria's League Management Company says it mandates the clubs to ensure all players present a medical passport - signed and authorised by a certified doctor - declaring them fit to play.
BBC
Oil Drop May Force Nigeria to Devalue Naira as Reserves Sink
The plunge in oil prices is piling pressure on Nigeria to devalue the naira as dwindling export revenue depletes foreign-exchange reserves, curbing the central bank’s ability to support the currency.
The central bank’s reserves have decreased by 20% in the past two years to the lowest since November 2017, and may soon reach the $30 billionthreshold set by Governor Godwin Emefiele for the country to consider a devaluation, Jason Daw and Phoenix Kalen, strategists at Paris-based Societe Generale SA, wrote in note on Monday. The central bank may start adjusting currency policy before it reaches that point, they said.
Naira fundamentals are on an unsustainable trajectory and under current external conditions, especially lower oil prices, the risk of a devaluation is “very elevated,” the SocGen strategists wrote. “The combination of a current-account deficit -- previously due to strong imports but now being compounded by weak exports -- portfolio outflows and lower oil prices will continue to deplete FX reserves and pressure the naira.”
The the naira extended a decline in offshore trading on Tuesday, slipping 0.4% to 366.99 per dollar, the weakest level on a closing basis in more than two years.Yields on Nigeria’s 2049 Eurobonds climbed 149 basis points to 10.24% on Monday, the highest on record. The country’s benchmark stock index slumped to the lowest level in almost three years.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari signed the country’s 10.6 trillion naira ($29 billion) spending plan into law this year based on a crude price projection of $57 a barrel and targeted oil earnings of 2.64 trillion naira. Brent crude prices have plummeted about 45% this year to around $36 a barrel.
Africa’s largest oil producer relies on earnings from the black commodity for more than 90% of its export revenues. The International Monetary Fund slashed the West African nation’s economic growth projection to 2% from 2.5% because of a decline in oil prices.
Under Emefiele, who was appointed in 2014, Nigeria has tightened capital controls and closely managed the naira’s value. The governor has consistently said this is the best way to curb inflation and boost manufacturing by discouraging imports.
“An initial attempt at a managed depreciation is more likely than a one-offlarge devaluation (like in the past), but it might be challenging to maintain over the medium term unless bolder policy action is taken,” Daw and Kalen wrote.
The central bank could also consider tightening liquidity in the interbank market or by tightening policy, while a planned Eurobond sale could help rebuild currency reserves, they said.
Bloomberg
The central bank’s reserves have decreased by 20% in the past two years to the lowest since November 2017, and may soon reach the $30 billionthreshold set by Governor Godwin Emefiele for the country to consider a devaluation, Jason Daw and Phoenix Kalen, strategists at Paris-based Societe Generale SA, wrote in note on Monday. The central bank may start adjusting currency policy before it reaches that point, they said.
Naira fundamentals are on an unsustainable trajectory and under current external conditions, especially lower oil prices, the risk of a devaluation is “very elevated,” the SocGen strategists wrote. “The combination of a current-account deficit -- previously due to strong imports but now being compounded by weak exports -- portfolio outflows and lower oil prices will continue to deplete FX reserves and pressure the naira.”
The the naira extended a decline in offshore trading on Tuesday, slipping 0.4% to 366.99 per dollar, the weakest level on a closing basis in more than two years.Yields on Nigeria’s 2049 Eurobonds climbed 149 basis points to 10.24% on Monday, the highest on record. The country’s benchmark stock index slumped to the lowest level in almost three years.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari signed the country’s 10.6 trillion naira ($29 billion) spending plan into law this year based on a crude price projection of $57 a barrel and targeted oil earnings of 2.64 trillion naira. Brent crude prices have plummeted about 45% this year to around $36 a barrel.
Africa’s largest oil producer relies on earnings from the black commodity for more than 90% of its export revenues. The International Monetary Fund slashed the West African nation’s economic growth projection to 2% from 2.5% because of a decline in oil prices.
Under Emefiele, who was appointed in 2014, Nigeria has tightened capital controls and closely managed the naira’s value. The governor has consistently said this is the best way to curb inflation and boost manufacturing by discouraging imports.
“An initial attempt at a managed depreciation is more likely than a one-offlarge devaluation (like in the past), but it might be challenging to maintain over the medium term unless bolder policy action is taken,” Daw and Kalen wrote.
The central bank could also consider tightening liquidity in the interbank market or by tightening policy, while a planned Eurobond sale could help rebuild currency reserves, they said.
Bloomberg
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