Nigeria expects to get 42 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines soon to cover one-fifth of its population in partnership with the global COVAX scheme, a senior health official has said.
Faisal Shuaib, head of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, said the initial doses would come as part of Nigeria’s plan to inoculate 40 percent of the population in 2021, and another 30 percent in 2022.
The vaccines would be acquired through the World Health Organization’s COVAX program, which aims to ensure equal access to COVID-19 vaccines for all participating countries, including Nigeria, whose large population of 200 million people and poor infrastructure pose a daunting challenge to rolling out the vaccinations, he told a press conference in Abuja, the capital city, on Tuesday.
Nigeria, which is combatting a second spike in COVID-19 cases, will first inoculate frontline health workers, first responders, national leaders, people vulnerable to coronavirus, and the elderly, Shuaib said.
On Tuesday night, the west African country reported 1,354 new cases, its highest single-day jump, up from the previous day’s 1,243 cases. The total number of confirmed cases now stood at 92,705.
Nigeria has so far reported 1,319 deaths related to COVID-19; 76,396 patients have recovered.
Thursday, January 7, 2021
Nigeria expects 42 mln doses of COVID-19 vaccines through COVAX scheme
Wednesday, January 6, 2021
Nigeria suspends passports of 100 passengers who violated COVID-19 rules
The Nigerian government announced the suspension of 100 passports of passengers who failed to comply with a mandatory COVID-19 test following the seventh day of their arrival.
A notice from the government imposed a six-month suspension on their passports with effect from January 1 to June 30.
The notice added that the offending passengers, whose nationalities were not identified, were duly notified of the government’s action.
“Defaulting passengers have been notified and will not be allowed to travel using these passports during this period,” the COVID-19 Presidential Task Force (PTF) said.
In late December, Nigeria imposed tougher measures for passengers traveling into the country, particularly from the UK and South Africa, in the wake of a surge in COVID-19 cases locally and the detection of new COVID-19 variants in those countries.
Passengers from the two countries are to be received and processed separately by public health authorities upon arrival in Nigeria. Additionally, all such passengers are required to self-isolate for seven days after arrival after which they will have to undertake a COVID-19 PCR test.
Passengers who will test positive for COVID-19 thereafter will be referred for isolation and further management while those who test negative will be allowed to leave isolation.
Nigeria has reported more than 90,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 1,300 related deaths, according to data from the World Health Organization.
By David Ochieng Mbewa
China jails gang for smuggling pangolin scales from Nigeria
The creature is the world’s most trafficked mammal in the world and its scales are used for medical reasons in Asia despite there being no evidence they can cure ailments.
The gang was convicted of importing 23 tonnes of scales between 2018 and 2019, the Intermediate People’s Court in the eastern city of Wenzhou said on Tuesday.
Two men identified as “masterminds behind the racket” were sentenced to between 13 and 14 years in prison.
The remaining others were given jail terms ranging from 15 months to 12 years.
The scales were brought in on, among other things, a consignment “hidden in ginger slices”, the court said.
Coronavirus link?
China removed pangolin body parts from its official list of traditional medicines in June and raised the animal’s protected status to the country’s highest level due to its dwindling numbers.
Pangolin scales are traditionally used in China for a range of illnesses, including treating blood clots and aiding lactation.
But there is no scientific evidence that they have any medicinal value.
There are some studies that also suggest that the scally creature may have been the intermediate host that transmitted the coronavirus to humans when it first emerged at a market in the Chinese city of Wuhan in 2019.
China has since banned the sale of wild animals for food in such markets.
China has cracked down on animal smuggling. In December, the country said it jailed a network accused of running its biggest-ever ivory smuggling ring, which moved elephant tusks worth millions of dollars from West Africa into the mainland’s vast domestic market.
Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Video - Nigeria's Central Bank devalued the Naira three times in 2020
Last year was the most challenging year for Nigeria's economy as it slumped into a recession after coronavirus pandemic exacerbated economic downtown. Nigeria's Central Bank devalued the Naira three times in a bid to close a widening exchange gap between the local currency and the US Dollar.
Monday, January 4, 2021
Video - Nigerian Bird Singing Competition
Culture and sports are intertwined and that's part of the reason for the appreciation of traditional sports in many countries across the world. Some of these sports are not as popular like football, but still have diehards fans who are keeping traditions alive. Bird Singing is one such traditional sport in Nigeria. It's certainly not very prominent but nonetheless has its own fan base. CGTN's Deji Badmus tells us more in this report.