Institut Pasteur de Dakar forms alliances to strengthen epidemic preparedness, response in West Africa

By Sola Charles

The Institut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD) has partnered with the African Risk Capacity, ARC, AfriCatalyst, and the West African Health Organisation, WAHO, to strengthen outbreak preparedness and response to high-consequence infectious diseases in West Africa. The targeted diseases include Ebola, Marburg, Lassa fever, Meningococcal meningitis, Monkeypox, and other emerging pathogens of concern. 

A statement by the IPD said that the partnership will also evaluate the capacities for epidemiological surveillance and laboratory diagnostics for viral haemorrhagic fevers in the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.

Further, it will model the risk of new and re-emerging outbreaks and epidemics in the region and put in place epidemic contingency plans and countermeasures. 

As a WHO collaborating centre for arboviruses, the IPD will provide expert opinion to enhance the capacity of the programme to evaluate surveillance and laboratory capacities in the region.

It will also support the development of realistic outbreak scenarios deployed to prepare ECOWAS member states in their training and preparedness for response and national contingency plans.

The CEO, of IPD, Dr. Amadou Alpha Sall, noted: “The Alliance represents a unique partnership of leading African institutions with a global outlook that brings expertise in science, policy, governance, and finance to advance global public health security through epidemic intelligence and outbreak response. 

“As the project meets its goals, the Alliance will represent a critically important convergence of complementary expertise to promote health security in Africa and mitigate the risk of global threats spreading to and from the region.”

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer at AfriCatalyst, Daouda Sembene, noted: “We look forward to supporting the critical work being undertaken by ARC, WAHO, and IPD in the context of the Alliance to strengthen epidemic preparedness and response in our region. We’re thrilled to be partnering with the BMGF as we fulfill this unique responsibility.” 

United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and ARC Group Director General, Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, said ARC will continue to develop Outbreaks & Epidemics risk insurance products to enable early containment of epidemic-prone diseases and respond to acute public health emergencies.

The IPD is rising to the challenge of scaling new innovations, tools, and systems to contribute to the global effort to end epidemics and prevent pandemics. 

NGF, SCI seek stronger political support for breastfeeding in Nigeria

By Sola Charles

In continuation of their commitment to the survival and welfare of children, Save the Children International (SCI) and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) are seeking stronger political support for breastfeeding in Nigeria. 

Noting that breastmilk is a natural, free, accessible, and rich nutritious source of all valuable nutrients that save lives, and serve as a vaccine, the two bodies called on the government at all levels, and all stakeholders to promote, protect, support, and sustain breastfeeding-friendly environments for lactating mothers and their babies in the post-pandemic era. 

 Making the call on the occasion of the 2022 World Breastfeeding Week, SCI and the NGF stressed that health workers, professionals, and their professional associations should be key advocates for breastfeeding and play an important role in influencing political support.  

World Breastfeeding Week 2022 focuses on strengthening the capacity of different relevant actors; health workers and other structures at community levels that must take positive actions to promote, protect and support breastfeeding. It enhances child growth and development, increases their performance at school, improves immunity to withstand diseases, and savings from household income. 

"If breastfeeding were adopted at close to universal levels, in low- and middle-income countries, 823,000 child deaths could be prevented each year," SCI indicated in its report entitled “Nutrition Critical: Why we must act now to tackle child malnutrition (2020).”

Further, the body explained that breastfeeding would lead to global savings of $300 billion per year, as a result of enhancing human capacity – increasing intelligence, and boosting adult earning potential.  

The report further revealed that early initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of life, alongside exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and complementary feeding until the age of two, is essential to child survival, health, growth, and development. 

Both the SCI and NGF expressed the belief that health workers, professionals, and their professional associations should be key advocates for breastfeeding and play an important role in influencing political support for breastfeeding in Nigeria.  

"Our organization has been in support of the full boarding of health and medical facilities at workplaces and in fact, as a proactive organization, we have a functional creche in our office where nursing mothers can keep their offspring and we recommend that all organizations should make provision for such to enhance baby/mother bonding without necessarily affecting their jobs adversely,’’ the Director-General of the NGF, Mr. Asishana Bayo Okauru noted in his statement.

On his own part, Mr. Famari Barro, Country Director, SCI, Nigeria observed: “Proper education of the mothers and their caregivers/support systems on the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, can encourage them to practice it. All health workers, including health professionals and lay health workers, who come into contact with women, infants and families must be adequately trained to provide evidence-based breastfeeding support.” 

Already, the leadership of SCI and NGF are working together to support initiatives where health care workers and providers, community workers, and volunteers are adequately trained to provide breastfeeding counselling, correctly advise caregivers on child nutrition, and provide psycho-social support to pregnant women, women with infants and young children and adolescent girls, thus integrating Mental Health & Psychosocial support into all Mother Infant and Young Child Feeding (MIYCF) counselling. 

"We are also focused on ensuring pregnant women and caregivers of children less than two years of age benefit from social protection measures to support appropriate, respectful, and safe maternity services and recommended infant and young child feeding practices in Nigeria." 

Save the Children is a leading child rights organization headquartered in the UK with offices in over 120 countries around the world. Since it was founded 102 years ago, it has changed the lives of more than one billion children for the better. 

In Nigeria and around the world, SCI gives children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn, and protection from harm. SCI believes that every child deserves a future and we work every day including in
times of crisis to ensure the future of every child is secure. The organization works with partners to help governments identify and scale up innovations to ensure that children survive, learn, and are protected.   

The NGF is a coalition of elected Governors of the 36 States of Nigeria. It is the leading voice of Governors and a non-partisan policy hub dedicated to promoting good governance and development at the sub-national level. 

MAPUTO PROTOCOL: Prioritise wellbeing of women and girls, Ipas tasks African govts

L-R: Tobi Amusan, Favour Ofili,  Rosemary Chukwuma and Grace Nwokocha, winning quartet of the 4x100 women’s relay at the just concluded Commonwealth Games held in Birmingham.

By Sola Charles

The Nigerian government and governments of other African countries have been charged to prioritize the lives and well-being of women and girls by domesticating the Maputo protocol.

The Maputo protocol (Protocol to the African Charter on the Rights of Women in Africa), is one of the world's most comprehensive and progressive women's human rights instruments.

It was adopted by Heads of State and Government in Maputo, Mozambique, in  2003,  to guarantee extensive rights to African women and girls, with progressive provisions on harmful traditional practices, reproductive health & rights, roles in political processes, economic empowerment, and ending violence against women.

Making the call in commemoration of the 2022 African Women's Day in honour of all women and girls in the continent, Lucky Palmer, the  Country  Director, Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation, said domesticating the Maputo protocol will ensure that all barriers inhibiting women and girls in Nigeria from exercising their rights to bodily autonomy are removed.

Palmer, who spoke amid the euphoria that emerged on the heels of the outstanding performances of Nigerian women in the World Athletic Championships and the recently concluded Commonwealth Games, noted: “Nigeria is a signatory to the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (Maputo Protocol), a framework which is indigenous to the African People and specifically provides for the bodily autonomy of women and girls across Africa. Women with well-spaced children can support family livelihood, which enhances household food security.

Ese Brume, Women's Long Jump gold medallist

“Nigeria is confronted with high incidences of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), which sometimes results in unwanted pregnancies, leading to unsafe abortions, thereby contributing to the already high maternal mortality rate in the country. “Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation is committed to ending unsafe abortions, SGBV, and providing unhindered access to contraceptives, putting us at the forefront as advocates for reproductive justice. Through our work at the National and State levels, we advocate for policies and law reforms that promote women's rights and challenge harmful social norms in the communities that act as barriers to women and girls' access to comprehensive sexual reproductive health services.

Further, Palmer stated: “This year's theme 'Towards the African Women's Decade: Realizing Women's Human Capital through accelerated social and economic development, addressing the scourge of violence, food insecurity and good nutrition on the African continent' resonates with Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation's goal of ensuring that every woman and girl on the African Continent, has the right to their bodily autonomy free from all forms of violence and discrimination.

“We call on the Government in Nigeria and across Africa to prioritize the lives and well-being of women and girls. We believe that domesticating the Maputo protocol will ensure that all barriers inhibiting women and girls in Nigeria from exercising their rights to bodily autonomy are removed.

Adijat Olarinoye, Women's Weightlifting gold medallist  

“We also use this medium to congratulate the Pan-African Women's Organisation (PAWO), a specialized agency of the African Union, on her 60th anniversary. We appreciate their important role in mobilizing African women on the continent and the Diaspora to rally around collective struggles for a free and prosperous Africa.”

Act with courage to end AIDS epidemic, UNAIDS charges world leaders

 

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima 

By Precious Dipe

As the AIDS 2022 conference closed in Montreal Canada, world leaders have been charged to act with courage to end the AIDS epidemic.

Making the call, UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said the event marked a turning point in the global AIDS response.

Byanyimaremarked that the commitments made by African leaders and by international partners who came together in the new global alliance to end AIDS in children could, if followed through, ensure that every child living with HIV is on antiretroviral medicine and that no more children are Thursected with HIV. 

“We thank the ministers and other political leaders who took part in the Conference, appreciate PEPFAR and Global Fund for the commitment demonstrated here, and call upon the many leaders who did not attend to take seriously the findings of this conference.

“In particular, we call upon governments to urgently increase funding for the Global Fund and for the UN Joint Programme to enable the findings of this conference to turn into reality on the ground. As UNAIDS new report, In Danger, highlighted, courageous political leadership is essential to end AIDS and save millions of lives.”  She said the issues lifted up at AIDS2022 could enable a turning point in the global AIDS response, noting that the new UNAIDS report released at the conference, In Danger, shows how the AIDS response has been blown off course, making action urgent.

Byanyima said the research presented at the conference provides new data, important scientific progress, and further evidence on the biomedical, social, and policy interventions needed to stop the AIDS pandemic. 

She said the insights and data shared by community organizations showed concretely how we can stop AIDS from snatching a life every minute and ways to tackle the inequalities driving the AIDS pandemic.

“We are deeply saddened by how many researchers, officials, and people living with HIV from Africa, Asia, and Latin America were unable to come to the conference in Canada because they were unable to secure a visa.   

“ The host country of the next global AIDS conference, two years from now, must be one that guarantees that this will not be repeated and that those most affected by HIV can be fully at this important table.

“This was a breakthrough conference for new long-acting ARVs to stop HIV.  New research showed that injectable PrEP is among the most effective tools for preventing HIV available and that it works well in multiple populations.” 

She noted that the World Health Organisation released new guidelines and drugmaker ViiV has announced licenses for generic manufacturing of the drug in 90 countries. 

“This could be a game changer if ViiV can provide an affordable price for low- and middle-income countries now, in the tens of dollars not hundreds of dollars, since it will be several years before generic production comes online and if generics are made available beyond these original 90 countries.” 

Nestle Nigeria promotes youth education in host communities

Alagbara of Agbara - HRM Oba (Barr.) Lukman Jayeola Agunbiade, Olute III with the recipients of the Nestlé Scholarship Scheme and other dignitaries at the event.

By Sola Charles

The second phase of the community scholarship scheme initiated by Nestle Nigeria Plc has been announced.  

About 109 students drawn from the company’s host communities are currently benefitting from the scheme, which is positioned to enable deserving students to attain their educational and personal aspirations through financial sponsorship.

The scheme, in senior secondary and tertiary categories, was launched in 2020 for the host communities of the company’s factories located at Sagamu Interchange, Ogun State, and Abaji, the Federal Capital Territory, and has been extended to include the host community of the company’s third factory in Agbara, Ogun State.

Designed to grant funds to cover tuition, accommodation, uniform, books, and other expenses for the duration of beneficiaries’ education in the respective categories, the program is aligned to Sustainable Development Goal  4 - ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all by 2030. 

Essentially, the Nestle Community Scholarship Scheme seeks to help bridge the gap by providing financial support to help youth complete their science and technology studies in the secondary and tertiary categories. 

(L-R) Alagbara of Agbara - HRM Oba (Barr.) Lukman Jayeola Agunbiade, Olute III, A recipient of the Nestlé Scholarship Scheme - Miss. Yetunde Juliet Agunbiekun, Country Human Resources Manager - Nestlé, Shakiru Lawal and Nestlé Agbara Factory manager - Ibukun-Olu Ipinmoye

Speaking at the event to introduce the scheme in Agbara, the Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager of Nestlé Nigeria Plc., Mrs. Victoria Uwadoka stated: “In a nation with a high youth population like ours, it is clear that communities cannot thrive if they fail to offer a future for younger generations. Nestle Community Scholarship Scheme aims to contribute toward creating a future for youth by preparing them to participate in the industry. The focus on science and technology is deliberate to build much-needed local capacity.

“We are therefore pleased to announce the extension of the scheme to deserving youths in Agbara. The scholarship awards cover the cost of tuition, accommodation, uniforms, and books for the duration of beneficiaries’ studies so long as they attain the minimum required academic performance each year.”

The Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology in Ogun State, Prof Abayomi Arigbabu, represented by the Zonal Education Officer, Ado-Odo Ota, Mr. Olugbenga Kikisuhu, said: “A modest history is being recorded here today as Nestlé Nigeria PLC has taken a giant step by extending its love and generosity to better the lots of underprivileged and deserving indigenous students of Agbara community. 

“One of the most important scholarship benefits to our society is that it gives us engineers, doctors, academics, lawyers and scientists from backgrounds that ordinarily could not have met up with the financial burdens of education”.

On his part, the Alagbara of Agbara Kingdom, HRM Oba (Barr.) Lukman Jayeola Agunbiade, Olute III avowed: “This scholarship scheme is a laudable initiative by Nestlé Nigeria PLC. I am delighted to be part of this event promoting the education and empowerment of youth in Agbara. The company has positively impacted the community over the years and we have enjoyed a good relationship”.

A beneficiary of the scholarship in the tertiary category, Rereloluwa Obafemi-Moses, a medical student at the University of Lagos, expressed her delight at being selected. She noted that the award means a lot to her as it will further motivate her to be committed to her academics. She also appreciated Nestlé Nigeria for its investment in young Nigerians.

WHO cautions against fluvoxamine, colchicine

By Sola Charles

THE World Health Organization (WHO), has warned patients with mild or moderate cases of  COVID-19, against the use of fluvoxamine, an antidepressant drug, and colchicine, a drug for gout.

The WHO said current indications did not justify using colchicine to treat non-severe illnesses, and that fluvoxamine should not be used without clinical trials

The report by the WHO Guideline Development Group said the advice became necessary due to insufficient evidence of better results from the use of the drugs and their potential harm. a panel of international experts in the British Medical Journal

From the report,  no recommendation was made for either drug in patients with severe or critical illness, given limited or no data.

"Fluvoxamine and colchicine are commonly used, inexpensive drugs that have received considerable interest as potential COVID-19 treatments during the pandemic.

"However, today's recommendations against their use reflect ongoing uncertainty about how the drugs produce an effect on the body

"Also the evidence of little or no effect on survival and other important measures, such as the risk of hospital admission and need for mechanical ventilation.

"There is also a lack of reliable data on covid-19 related serious harms associated with these drugs,'' it said.

It said that the WHO's advice against the use of fluvoxamine except in clinical trials was informed by data from three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving over 2,000 patients.

Their strong advice against colchicine was based on data from seven RCTs involving 16,484 patients.

The WHO said the panel noted that none of the included studies enrolled children, so the applicability of these recommendations to children is uncertain.

It, however, said the panel did not see the reason why children with COVID-19 would respond any differently to treatment with fluvoxamine or colchicine.

The WHO also warned against the use of convalescent plasma, ivermectin, and hydroxychloroquine in patients with COVID-19 regardless of disease severity.

We must stem transmission of monkeypox, WHO warns

...As No of cases hit 9,200 in 63 countries

...Fresh COVID-19 cases increase by 30% in 2 weeks

By Sola Charles

The World Health Organisation has warned against any complacency towards global infectious diseases even as 9,200 monkeypox cases were reported in 63 countries last week.

The  WHO Director General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who spoke in a media briefing in Geneva, said the  Emergency Committee will reconvene next week and look at trends, how effective the countermeasures are, and make recommendations for what countries and communities should do to tackle the outbreak.

His words: “I again stress that we must work to stop onward transmission and advise governments to implement contact tracing to help track and stem the virus as well as to assist people in isolation.

“First, the WHO is working closely with civil society and the LGBTIQ+ community, especially to tackle the stigma around the virus and spread information so people can stay safe.

“Second, WHO continues to work with countries and vaccine manufacturers to coordinate the sharing of vaccines, which are currently scarce.

“Third, WHO continues to work with countries and experts to drive forward research and development.

Tedros said that on Sunday and Monday, the National Institute for Biomedical Research in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the National Institute of Health and Medical Research, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in collaboration with WHO, convened researchers and experts in trials worldwide to develop consensus on a global CORE protocol for the evaluation of treatments for monkeypox.

On COVID-19, Tedros said that the WHO Emergency Committee met and concluded that the outbreak remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, PHIEC.

“New waves of the virus show that the pandemic is not over. We must push back with safe and effective tools to prevent infections, hospitalizations, and deaths.

In a statement at the 12th meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Tedros said that concurs with the advice of the   International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and determines that the event continues to constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).

The WHO DG considered the advice provided by the Committee regarding the proposed Temporary Recommendations.  

The Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, Dr. Michael J. Ryan,  said new cases had increased by 30 percent in the last two weeks, largely driven by Omicron BA.4, BA.5, and other descendent lineages and the lifting of public health and social measures in several WHO regions.

The WHO Secretariat presented a global overview of the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic and highlighted a number of challenges to the ongoing response.

The Committee noted that both the trajectory of viral evolution and the characteristics of emerging variants of the virus remain uncertain and unpredictable, and, in the absence of the adoption of PHSM aiming at reducing transmission, the resulting selective pressure on the virus increases the probability of new, fitter variants emerging, with different degrees of virulence, transmissibility, and immune escape potential.

The Committee highlighted the need to improve surveillance, by broadening and developing an array of approaches and tools aiming at achieving global situational population-based and geographic representativeness. These include, but are not limited to, the integration of self-testing results and sentinel surveillance approaches into national and global surveillance schemes, aggregate sampling strategies with Nucleic Acid Amplification Test-based tools, and detailed deep genome sequence probing.

The Committee highlighted that immediate efforts are warranted to promote access for Low and Middle-Income Countries to therapeutics that reduce disease severity in both ambulant and hospitalized patients. The Committee warned that the lack of equitable access that occurred with vaccines should not be repeated with therapeutics. The Committee also highlighted the continued need for further research and development for COVID-19 in the areas of epidemiology and variants, diagnostics, clinical care including care for Post COVID-19 conditions, and additional COVID-19 vaccines.

The WHO Secretariat presented a global overview of the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic and highlighted a number of challenges to the ongoing response. 

The Committee noted that both the trajectory of viral evolution and the characteristics of emerging variants of the virus remain uncertain and unpredictable, and, in the absence of the adoption of PHSM aiming at reducing transmission, the resulting selective pressure on the virus increases the probability of new, fitter variants emerging, with different degrees of virulence, transmissibility, and immune escape potential.

The Committee highlighted the need to improve surveillance, by broadening and developing an array of approaches and tools aiming at achieving global situational population-based and geographic representativeness. These include, but are not limited to, the integration of self-testing results and sentinel surveillance approaches into national and global surveillance schemes, aggregate sampling strategies with Nucleic Acid Amplification Test-based tools, and detailed deep genome sequence probing. 

The Committee highlighted that immediate efforts are warranted to promote access for Low and Middle-Income Countries to therapeutics that reduce disease severity in both ambulant and hospitalized patients. The Committee warned that the lack of equitable access that occurred with vaccines should not be repeated with therapeutics. The Committee also highlighted the continued need for further research and development for COVID-19 in the areas of epidemiology and variants, diagnostics, clinical care including care for Post COVID-19 conditions, and additional COVID-19 vaccines.