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Coronavirus – South Africa: StatsSA releases Coronavirus COVID-19 behavioural and health perception survey results

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Respondents were staying indoors and only left their houses to get food or medicine, according to the COVID-19 behavioural and health perception survey results released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).

The survey was conducted in the week of 13 to 26 April 2020.

More than half (60,1%) of respondents were very concerned or extremely concerned about the impact of COVID-19 on their own health. Many of the respondents (93,2%) were very concerned or extremely concerned about the possible economic collapse of the country due to the COVID-19 epidemic, while 79,7% were concerned about the civil disorder that may result as a consequence of the COVID-19 virus.

The report further shows that respondents adhered to the call not to go out to public meetings, with almost all (99,0%) reporting not attending any public events, e.g. church services. Furthermore, the practice of social distancing when going out was a priority for 98,4% of the respondents. Regular handwashing when going out (97,7%) and upon returning after one went out (98,0%) was also important practices to most respondents.

Furthermore, (96,8%) of respondents indicated that they did not get tested since they were of the opinion that they did not have COVID-19. Of those respondents who suspected that they might have been infected by COVID-19, three-quarters (75,8%) did not get tested either. 7,8% said they did not know where to get tested, whilst 6,8% indicated that they either did not have money to get tested; or did not have transport or money for transport (1,4%) to get to the testing facility.

The findings shows that knowledge about the main signs and symptoms of the COVID-19 virus is almost universal, and knowledge about the two main means of transmission of the COVID-19 virus is also high.

The majority of respondents (93,7%) indicated that they or their household members did not need to access health care, while 4,5% responded that they or a household member needed to access health care but had been unable to do so. Those who wanted to but could not access health care, indicated that they could not do so because they were scared of contracting the COVID-19 virus (54,1%), and 25,5% were scared that they might get arrested or fined for being outside their houses.

14,3% of respondents had a chronic condition. Of these, 7,8% of respondents indicated that they were not able to access their chronic medication. The largest share of this group (45%) indicated that they were scared they would be infected. An additional 37,5% were scared to leave the house because they feared being arrested and/or fined. Approximately one-fifth (17,5%) said that they did not have money to get to the pharmacy, clinic or health facility where they could obtain medicines

64,3% of respondents obtained information on COVID-19 using news outlets. Social media (including Facebook, Instagram and others) was the second most frequently used means of obtaining information on both current public health measures as well as COVID-19 (14,1% and 16,0%, respectively).

According to the findings on self-reported employment, two-thirds (69,1%) of respondents had a full-time job (receiving a monthly salary); 11,6% of respondents were self-employed, whilst 8,1% were unemployed

By far, most respondents (94,2%) were living in formal dwellings: either a free-standing house, townhouse or a cluster house (81,6%), or in a flat or apartment in a block of flats (12,6%). Less than one per cent (0,9%) lived in an informal dwelling.

 

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ANWLGA CHAIRPERSON DEACONESS AKANDE BOOST PHC SERV. WITH MEDICAL TESTING KITS FROM J & D FOUNDATION.

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By Goke Oluwole
The Primary Health Care PHC,Services was recently boosted by the Chairperson of Akoko North West LGA, Deaconess MOPELOLA AKANDE by facilitating the donation of Medical Testing Kits by the J & D Foundation.
The Medical Testing Kits were donated by Deaconess Akande at the Council Headquarters Complex, Okeagbe-Akoko during a Stakeholders Meeting that attracted all Senior Management Staffs from the Health Department.
Akande who said the lamentation over the appalling states of the PHC has reached the J & D Foundation that necessitated the donation of the kits to assist the workers in carrying out their duties.
The Chairperson who has been at forefront of the Advocacy again all Gender Vices noted that the rate of sexual transmitted disease has been on the rise due to unchecked incident of rape.
She explained that the J & D Foundation is a Non-for-Profit Communal based Advocacy organization established and fully funded by Akande Family of Okeagbe-Akoko.
In his response,the Executive Chairman of ANWLGA, Honourable Ayodele Samson Akande, FCA commended all Stakeholders present at the meeting for their efforts in sustaining the community primary health sector.
Hon.Akande pleaded with the Stakeholders to increase their commitment towards delivering the best service to the public in their respective locations.
He said the deplorable working conditions of most of the different PHC Centers and Hospitals necessitated the top Executive management team of the Council to call for the crucial stakeholders meeting.
The different Health Sector Management Staffs were led to the meeting by Comrade Awe Foluso D. the LACA Manager.
While the PHC Officials who speak at the meeting lament bitterly over the lack of conducive working environment.
They requested from.the Chairman to help in liason with the State Government through the Ministry of Health to make the necessary tools available.
The Vice Chairman,Comrade Chief ADEYANJU on his part acknowledge the vital roles and services rendered by the Health Officers despite the lack of adequate facilities.
The vote of thanks was taken by Mr.Sarumi Raymond Ola-Iya, Acting Head of Local Government Administration,HOLGA who rounded up with a promise that the Chairman will look into Al there needs and try as much as possible to ameliorate their sufferings.
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COVID-19: Nigeria Records 1Million Test

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REMARKS BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PRESIDENTIAL TASK FORCE ON COVID-19 FOR THURSDAY, 7th JANUARY, 2021
I welcome you all to the National Briefing by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 for today, Thursday, 7th January, 2021.
2. The PTF is very concerned about the increasing daily numbers that we are recording. Yesterday 6th January, 2021, we recorded 1,664 infections. This is yet another all-time high in Nigeria and we must all take full responsibility through compliance and vigilance.
It is better to wear a face mask than being on a ventilator.
3. In our previous briefings, we have consistently appealed to all Nigerians to stay safe and act in most defensive and protective ways by complying with the NPIs already prescribed. We urge you all, at this point, to raise and be our brother’s keeper by taking the expected responsibility. Remind your neighbor to do the right thing in view of the imminent danger facing us as a country and the world in general.
4. Our records show that our test per million (TPM) is at 4,695 while our test positivity rate (TPR) is at 9.6% and our Case Fatality Rate has increased to 3% haven recorded 1,324 deaths, these data are not encouraging. Nigeria just crossed the 1million mark for testing across the federation. Testing remains a key strategy of our National Response
5.
The PTF urges the Sub-Nationals to revamp testing and contact tracing in the bid to curb the menace of this dreaded virus. It is only through testing that we can know our status and treat early if infected. This will provide among other things, evidence for effective feedback, course correction, experience learning and sharing, as well as optimize documentation systems for future reference.
6. Efforts are being made to increase the supply of oxygens to our health facilities across the country. Mr. President has approved the establishment of at least one new Oxygen plants in each state of the Federation, while the existing ones will be made fully functional.
We continue to thanks the Private Sector initiative as well as the Nigerian Air Force for their continued support.
7. As the Government is working round the clock to secure a safe and right vaccines for the Country, we call on the Media, Traditional and Religious as well as our community leaders to pass the right message to their followers so that together, we can win this war against this virus.
8. To overcome some of these challenges, the PTF will intensify the risk communication and community engagement to create awareness. The share level of doubts about the virus is alarming and I call on every one to become advocates in support of the National Response.
9. The PTF is working to develop new Health Protection Regulations to support existing COVID-19 protocols and to strengthen compliance with non-pharmaceutical interventions across the country.
10. It has become embarrassing to note that some Nigerians continue to present fake results when travelling outside the shores of this country. This remains a major source of concern to the Federal Government. The PTF has directed private laboratories to immediately put in place measures to validate results and ensure that all passengers are registered on the travel portal before samples are processed to stop this activity. The National Coordinator will elaborate on this during this briefing.
11. The PTF is aware that the world is at a critical phase of infections. We are constantly reviewing our strategy to emerging situations especially in risk communication, vaccine hesitancy, fake news/disinformation.
12. We call on the general public to remain focused on the drive to reduce the level of infection and make our Country safe again. We urge the Sub-Nationals to enforce relevant measures that will help to curb the effect of this virus on our lives and livelihood. …………………..
PRESS BRIEFING BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE HON. MINISTER OF STATE FOR HEALTH, DR. (SENATOR) OLORUNNIMBE MAMORA AT THE PRESIDENTIAL TASK ON COVID -19 PRESS BRIEFING ON THURSDAY 7TH JANUARY, 2021. PROTOCOL As of yesterday 6th January, 2021 New cases recorded were 1,354 with 1 death recorded unfortunately. Total number of cases tested is 1,004,915. Number of confirmed cases is 94,369. Active cases stand at 15,764. Discharged cases till date are 77,299. Number of deaths till date is 1,324 with case fatality rate of 1.4% 2. The Federal Government is determined to ensure morbidity due to covid -19 is reduced to the barest minimum while improving on the fatality rate. Appropriate measures are being taken to achieve these objectives. 3. A second phase assessment of our isolation/treatment centres country-wide to verify challenges is to be carried out immediately. This is to enable us provide appropriate intervention measures required to strengthen these centres. 4. We are not unmindful of our obligations to our health workers particularly those in the frontline. We appreciate them and urge Nigerians to encourage them in this challenging pandemic situation so that they can continue to give their best. 5. We are working very hard to get vaccines for our people. It may not come soon enough, therefore we need to be alive to get the vaccines when they come. I have brought this up to under score the importance of compliance with non-pharmaceutical measures as advised to reduce transmissibility of the virus. 6. We continue to appeal to States to increase testing and contact tracing. The cooperation of the States with the Federal authorities is critical to our collective objective of defeating COVID-19.

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UNICEF, WHO rally support for breastfeeding

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The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the  World Health Organisation (WHO) say that they are rallying supports for breastfeeding as the first pathway to preserving a  healthier planet.

The Nutritional Officer of  UNICEF in Ebonyi, Mr Cyprain Ogbonna,  gave the encouragement to people on Saturday in Abakaliki during an event to mark the starting of the  2020 celebration of World Breastfeeding week.

The theme of the World Breastfeeding Week 2020 is “Support breastfeeding for a healthier planet”.

The event is marked every year between Aug. 1 and  Aug. 7 to raise awareness on the importance of breastfeeding for mothers and infants.

Ogbonna said that adequate breastfeeding had, over the years , prevented several childhood diseases and brought  lifelong positive benefits associated with child spacing.

He said  that other benefits include: risk reduction for some breast and ovarian cancers as well as hypertension.

He described breast milk as a nature-given-first food that needed to be preserved for its undebatable benefits to a mother and her baby.

He added that the milk was a critical part of a sustainable food system.

He said that it would be best to start breastfeeding within one hour of birth and exclusively done for the  first six months of life, after which mothers should introduce  appropriate complementary foods to her baby for  two years and beyond.

He  stated that misuse of breast milk substitutes should be condemned.

He advised that breastfeeding should be maintained, but hygienically done during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Ogbonna said: “Mothers are recommended to breastfeed their child or children within 30 minutes of birth.

“While mothers doing exclusive breastfeeds go for the first six months of life.

“Also mother or caregiver timely introduces complementary feeding based on local food products at six months while continuing breastfeeding up to two years and beyond,” he said.

Also, the Nutrition Manager of UNICEF in Enugu, Hanifa Namusoke, said that she had championed the cause in Ebonyi to increase the valve and improve the well being of mother and child.

Namusoke said in line with the theme, WHO and UNICEF called on governments to protect and promote a critical component of breastfeeding support.

“Breast milk is complete for a healthier planet and that is why WHO and UNICEF recommend optimal infant and young child feeding practices with emphasis on early initiation of breastfeeding within one hour of birth,” Namusoke said.

NAN

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