Health

Cholera : Ogun Govt. Takes Step on Outbreak

By Web News 348

By Olusegun Folarin 

Ogun state government has commenced chlorinating wells in some parts of the state following the recent outbreak of cholera in Ijebu-North and Abeokuta North Local Government areas of the state.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, who made this known during a stakeholders’ meeting in Abeokuta, explained that the step was to curtail the spread of disease.

Dr Coker disclosed that 217 cases of the disease were recorded in Ijebu-North LGA, with a few cases reported in Abeokuta North last week, pointing out that two cases of cholera were also recorded in Abeokuta South council area. 

Attributing the cause of the outbreak to open defecation, poor waste management, and inadequate water sources in the affected local government areas, the health commissioner identified adoption of s multi-sectoral strategy as key to eliminating cholera.

Dr Coker advised residents of the State to avoid open defecation, construct affordable toilets and sanitary wells in their homes, and warned that the government might seal houses without toilets in the interest of public health.

She noted that Ministry of Health was working  with the Ministry of Environment and other relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to contain the spread of the disease, adding that officials from the State Public Health Department would continue to educate residents on essential hygiene practices to prevent cholera.

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTubeChannels also join our Whatsapp Update Group

Human Angle

Govt Orders Investigation into Death from Alcohol

By Web News 412

By Olusegun Folarin

The Ogun State Government says it has initiated a thorough investigation into the source and nature of the locally brewed alcoholic drinks that allegedly killed eight people in Ijebu North East and Odogbolu local government areas of the state.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Tomi Coker made this known in a statement in Abeokuta while reacting to the reports of eleven cases of severe illnesses and eight deaths, directly linked to the consumption of locally brewed alcoholic products. 

Dr Coker advised residents to exercise extreme caution and refrain from consuming drinks from unverified sources, especially those products not approved by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC.

According to the Special Adviser, the unauthorized production and distribution of alcoholic beverages and other consumable items pose significant health risks as they are often manufactured in unregulated and unhygienic conditions, making them potential breeding grounds for harmful substances and toxins.

She implored residents to report any case of illness or death after consumption of similar products including herbal concoctions to the nearest Government Hospital. 

Describing the collaborative efforts between the government, regulatory bodies, and the public as paramount to combat the sale and consumption of harmful products, Dr Coker 

reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of its residents.

It would be recalled that eight persons reportedly died after drinking a local gin popularly called ogogoro in Ijebu area of Ogun State last week.

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTube Channels also join our Whatsapp Update Group

Health

Ogun flags off Polio Outbreak Response

By Web News 630

Ogun State Government says there is need for sustained efforts towards the eradication of the wild polio virus and other variants in the country.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker stated this during the flag-off ceremony for the second round of Polio Outbreak Response, OBR 2, at Ikenne Primary Health Care, Ikenne Local Government.

Dr Coker who noted that 1 point 7 million children were vaccinated in the first phase of the exercise in the state said over 270 million dose of vaccines were administered yearly in the country in an efforts to sustain the polio-free status.

Noting that the present administration remained resolute to the wellness of the people in the State, the health commissioner highlighted some of the achievements in the health sector to include, continuous provision of running costs to health facilities, enrollment of over 50,000 pregnant women and children on the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, recruitment of nurses, midwives and doctors in the Primary Health Centres, among others.

Also, the Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Elijah Ogunsola explained that the OBR exercise would commence on Saturday, January 21 to Tuesday 24, 2023, adding that the process would involve house-to-house oral polio vaccination for children of ages 0-59 months, routine immunisation for children 0-2 years at health facilities, as well as health education on key household practices, advising mothers to ensure that their eligible children and wards partake in the four-day programme.

In their separate messages, the Senior Field Coordinator, AFENET, Dr. Suleiman Haladu, the representative, United Nation Children Emergency Fund, UNICEF, Mrs. Florence Moloku and her counterpart from the National Primary health Care Development Agency, Tashikalma Hallah commended the State government for the priority given to the health of the children, which had made it to record significant success in the eradication of the polio virus, advising that the government should not relent in strengthening its borders, maintain surveillance system to report cases, fortify the nomadic communities, as well as its Routine Immunisation programme, to prevent possible importation of the virus.

Speaking on behalf of other mothers at the event, Mrs. Tracy Agu and Modinat Yinusa appreciated the government for all the numerous health interventions provided for the comfort of residents, promising to ensure that their eligible children partake in the exercise.

Olusegun Folarin

Health

40% of expectant mothers patronise Quacks- Health Commissioner

By Web News 506

The Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker says new data has indicated 40% of expectant mothers in the state choose to visit Traditional Birth Attendances (TBAs) for delivery, which may be having an impact on the outcome for both mother and child. 

The commissioner while responding to the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 6) by the National Bureau of Statistics supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund which rated the state as having the highest infant mortality rate in the southwest of Nigeria stated that the state government was not unaware of the health position of women and children in the state.

She noted that the situation was not as bad as painted by the UNICEF Assisted report.

Dr. Coker also argued that the report was a poor representation of the true picture of infant health in the state faulting the sample size used for the report.

The Health Commissioner  emphasized that the reporting period for the survey witnessed a major shift in the health system with the COVID-19 pandemic which crippled the health system in the country, 

Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) is conducted every two years by the Bureau of Statistics with support from United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF to fill the data gap for monitoring the situation of children and mothers’ health.

The latest survey, MICS6 had recorded Ogun State as having the highest record of deaths of children between the ages of 0 and five years as well as postnatal care for newborns, in the southwestern part of the country.

Wale Oluokun

Subscribe to our Telegram Channel and join our Whatsapp Update Group

Health

Ogun Government Seeks Support of CDAs On Health Insurance Scheme

By Web News 1363

Ogun State Government wants community leaders and other stakeholders to support the drive to implement the state’s health insurance scheme for effective and qualitative healthcare delivery.

Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker while addressing leaders of Community Development Associations from the twenty local government areas of the state at the office of the Ogun State Health Insurance Agency in Abeokuta, described the community leaders as crucial stakeholders to the success of the health insurance scheme for the informal sector.

Executive Secretary, Ogun State Health Insurance Agency, Dr. Afolabi Dosumu addressing the CDA leaders during the stakeholders’ meeting at the OGSHIA office with the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker looking on.

Dr. Coker urged the communities to pull resources together with the government to make healthcare available to the people by assisting them to pay for the health insurance programme.

The health commissioner regretted that Ogun State was lagging behind in the implementation of the health insurance scheme and called for concerted efforts to enrol all residents for the scheme in the state.

The Executive Secretary, Ogun State Health Insurance Agency, Dr. Afolabi Dosumu while speaking, appreciated the community leaders for their previous efforts and assured them that the health insurance in the informal sector will reduce the cost expended on treating common illnesses.

Chairman, Zonal CDC, Odogbolu, Mr. Osibemowo Babasola while speaking on behalf of others, assured that they would disseminate the message in their various localities and commended the government for the life-saving intervention in the health sector.

Wale Oluokun

Health

Get vaccinated within 60 days or else… – Gov. Abiodun

By Web News 562

The Ogun State Government has issued a sixty-day ultimatum to residents to be vaccinated against Covid-19 or be prevented from enjoying essential public services or engaging in any form of business transactions.

Governor Dapo Abiodun who disclosed this in Abeokuta, at the official flag-off of the state’s mass Covid-19 Vaccination campaign, targeting 2 million people across the state, said unvaccinated individuals would not be allowed to be allowed entry into schools, markets, motor parks and other public facilities at the expiration of the ultimatum. 

Governor Dapo Abiodun at the flag-off of the mass vaccination exercise in Abeokuta

Governor Abiodun said the mass vaccination, to be carried out in all primary, secondary, tertiary and selected private health institutions across the state, would provide the opportunity for another forty per cent of the state’s population to be captured, especially at the grassroots level.

In a remark, the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Doctor Faisal Shuaib identified Ogun State as one of the foremost states in the utilisation of the vaccine and solicited the cooperation of the people towards flattening the curve of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Also, the Representative of the World Health Organization, WHO, in the state, Doctor Dele David and the General Manager, Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund, NSSF, Doctor Chinneye Nwoko, promised their continued support towards ensuring the success of the mass vaccination exercise. 

Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Doctor Tomi Coker who said about one hundred and fifty thousand people had been fully vaccinated while over three hundred thousand others had received the first jab in the state, explained that the campaign was part of efforts to reduce the spread of the virus ahead of the festive season.

Modupeola Sobukonla

Health

Ogun Restates Commitment To Reproductive Healthcare Of Women

By Web News 967

Ogun State Government says it is determined to sustain the empowerment of women of reproductive age and families through the provision of quality family planning services to further improve the health indices of the state.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker made this known in Abeokuta, at the “End of Project Dissemination” put together by a development partner on reproductive health.

Dr. Coker said the state was poised to provide affordable, qualitative, and efficient healthcare delivery for the people.

The Health Commissioner noted that the Primary Healthcare Centres, PHCs, across the state had been renovated, equipped, and staffed to meet the daily health needs of people in various communities with the availability of human and material resources for family planning services.

Also, the Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Elijah Ogunsola said the state had drawn a strategic plan to enhance family planning programs, adding that support received from the partner over the four-year period would assist in improving the welfare of women of reproductive age.

Earlier, the Director, the Challenge Initiative, TCI, Nigeria, Dr. Victor Igharo who commended the government for showing interest in improving its family planning indices, gave the assurance that the organisation would continue to give technical backing to stimulate demand for family planning uptake.

Olusegun Folarin

Health

We are committed to preventing avoidable deaths – Ogun Health Commissioner

By Web News 1013

Stakeholders in the health sector have been urged to support and take ownership of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, as a key intervention and innovation to ensure accountability and sustainability of qualitative healthcare delivery for people at the grassroots.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker made the call in Abeokuta, during a stakeholders’ meeting on COVID-19 Vaccination Response, BHCPF and other Primary Health Care Centres, PHCs, activities.

Dr. Coker explained that BHCPF is a Federal and State Government-funded initiative, to provide free minimum basic health care to the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians through accredited PHCs in each of the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory.

The Ogun health commissioner who attributed some avoidable deaths to poor quality medications as a result of varying sources of supply, reaffirmed the present administration’s determination to avoid preventable deaths in the state.

The Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Elijah Ogunsola noted that successful implementation of the programme would depend on strategic planning, effective monitoring and transparency.

In their separate contributions, the Ogun State Coordinator, World Health Organisation, WHO, Dr. Dele Sunday, Ogun State Representative, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Mrs. Olatunde Adebiyi and her counterpart from the United Nations Children Emergency Fund, Hajia Aishatu Zango encouraged the people to support government’s effort at ensuring the wellbeing of citizens, especially children, through active engagement and participation in various PHC activities in their localities.

Olusegun Folarin

Health

Cholera Outbreak: Ogun Govt. Embarks On Sensitization Programme

By Web News 809


Ogun state government has embarked on sensitization programme to enlighten residents of the state on prevention of the disease.
The cholera outbreak had reportedly killed one person in Sabo area of Abeokuta in the state.
The commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, during the enlightenment visit to Sabo Community in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of the state explained that government was prepared to fight the outbreak.
Dr. Coker noted that the state government was working hard to ensure that no life is lost again to cholera which she described as a treatable disease.
The Health commissioner however advised the residents to be wary of unhygienic practices capable of giving rise to infections and resulting in avoidable loss of lives.
Dr. Coker emphasised the need for residents to desist from poor hygiene which may introduce bacteria to their food, source of water.
She noted that the state government had stationed an ambulance at the Sabo Primary Health Center while also supplying all necessary commodities for immediate treatment of the disease.
The commissioner said treatments for cholera can be accessed at the health facility as well as the State Hospital Ijaiye free of charge.
Dr. Coker stated that any community that develop symptoms relating to cholera such as frequent vomiting and stooling should be taken to the Primary Healthcare Center within the area which has been equipped to address any form of outbreak.
The commissioner during the sensitisation visit went round the streets of Sabo Area and called on community leaders across the state to continually emphasize the need for a clean environment and food hygiene to their followers.
The Seriki Hausawa of Egbaland, Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Hassan, while responding appreciated the state government for its swift response amd expressed optimism for his people’s behavioural change towards a clean environment.

Wale Oluokun

Yoruba

Ìjọba Ìpínlẹ̀ Ògùn Gùnlé Ìlanilọ́yẹ̀ Lórí Ẹ̀yà Àrùn Covid-19 Min

By Web News 610

Ìjọba ìpínlẹ̀ Ògùn ti gùnlé ìlanilọ́yẹ̀ lórí àyẹ̀wò láwọn ìjọba ìbílẹ̀ márun tí àrùn covid-19 ti nwopo pẹ̀lú àmọ̀nràn fáwọn olùgbé ibẹ̀ láti ríì dájú wípé wọn tẹ̀lé ìlànà ìlera lọ́nà àti dáàbòbò ara wọn lórí ẹ̀yà TUNTUN ÀRÙN COVID-19 tí a mọ̀ si Delta.

Alákoso fọ́rọ̀ ìlera nípinlẹ̀ Ògùn, Dókítà Tomi Coker ló sọ̀rọ̀ yí nílu Abẹokuta.

Alákoso náà rọ àwọn olùgbé ibẹ̀ láti máà tẹ̀lé àwọn ìlànà bíì títakété síra ẹni, fífọ ọwọ́ lóòrekóòre, àti lilo ibomu bomu lọ́nà tótó láti dènà kíkó àrùn ọ̀hún.

Dókítà Coker tún késí àwọn asáàjú àwújọ àti àwọn asáàjú ẹ̀sìn, àwọn ilé isẹ́ ìròyìn àti àwọn tọrọkan gbọ̀ngbọ̀n láti fọwọ́sowọ́pọ̀ pẹ̀lú ìjọba ìpínlẹ̀ Ògùn láti léè se kóríyá fún títẹ̀lé àwọn ìlànà wọ̀nyí.

Alákoso náà wá kéde pé ìjọba ìpínlẹ̀ Ògùn ti ńsàkosílẹ̀ àwọn tó ní àrùn covid-19 tó pọ̀ síì pẹ̀lú bí wọ́n ti se ní àwọn mẹ́ẹ̀dógún tí wọ́n sese ní láàrin ọ̀sẹ̀ méjì tó kọjá.

Wale Oluokun/Oluwayẹmisi Dada

Health

Delta Variant: Ogun Govt. Mobilises For Increased Testing

By Web News 900

Ogun State government is to embark on the mobilization for testing in the five high burdened local government areas of the state, with an advice to the residents to ensure strict adherence to public health and social measures in place to protect themselves from the virulent Delta variant of SARS Cov-2. 

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker made this known in a statement made available in Abeokuta.

The commissioner urged the residents to use proven public health and social measures such as physical distancing, frequent hand washing, and proper use of face masks to prevent infections and save lives.

Dr. Coker enjoined community leaders, religious leaders, media houses and other stakeholders to join hands with the Ogun State Government to encourage strict compliance to proper hand washing, regular and correct use of face mask, two meters physical distancing in public places and avoidance of crowded gatherings.

The commissioner noted that the Federal Ministry of Health through the Nigeria Centre Disease Control, NCDC, had alerted the country of the confirmation of the virulent Delta variant of SARS Cov-2. 

Dr. Coker announced that Ogun State has experienced a gradual rise in cases with fifteen new incidents in the last two weeks compared to two cases in the whole month of June 2021.

She said four persons are currently being managed in the isolation centre that have been empty in the last one month including two new deaths in the last three weeks.

Wale Oluokun

Health

Ogun Govt. Inaugurates 2021 Insecticides Campaign

By Web News 592

Ogun State Government has inaugurated the 2021 insecticides treated nets Campaign Coordination Network aimed at undertaking high-level advocacy and promotion of stakeholder’s engagement on the regular use of insecticides treated nets to prevent malaria disease.

Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker while inaugurating the Committee in Abeokuta decried the non-use of the insecticides treated by the beneficiaries noting that the Committee members must work hard within the timeline to achieve results.

Correspondent Wale Oluokun has the details

Health

Ogun Govt. Throws Weight Behind Alternative Medicine Practitioners

By Web News 1577

Ogun State Government is to support training and licensing of alternative medicine practitioners for improvement of the practice.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, made this known while hosting the newly inaugurated Alternate Medicine Board led by the Chairman, Mr. Balogun Olaleye, in her office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Dr. Coker, said that the Covid-19 has shown the need for building a holistic health system where alternate medicine would play an essential role. 

The commissioner said that orthodox medicine would not work against alternate medicine, noting that both parties are working towards improving human health.

She advised the Board to leverage on research and documentation that will give their efforts a global reckoning.

Earlier, the Chairman of the board, Mr. Balogun Olaleye had assured that the Board which consists of competent hands will make the state government proud.

He also stressed that all hands will be on deck to provide necessary input to improve the health system in the State.

The Board comprises of representatives of trado- medical practitioners from the three senatorial districts and Ministries of Health, Hospitals Management Board, Agriculture, Youth and Sports as well as Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Wale Oluokun

News

Hypertension is a silent killer – Ogun Commissioner

By Web News 1269

World Health Organisation is to increase awareness about hypertension and Non-Communicable Disease.

The Coordinator of Non-Communicable Diseases in the Organisation, Dr Olatunde Yewande, while speaking in Abeokuta at the Ogun State inauguration of its Hypertension Control Initiative aimed at providing a robust database on the prevalence of hypertension and fine-tune standard protocols for the treatment of the disease.

She said WHO will as well develop the state implementation plans for the action efforts.

The Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker, while speaking described hypertension as a form of cardiovascular disease which is a silent killer that claims about 18 million lives globally on a yearly basis.

Dr Coker said the Federal Government in its wisdom chose Ogun and Kano as the two states to drive the pilot test of the initiative in the country, noting that the commitment of the state government towards implementing policies and initiatives that will lead to better societal “heart health” was second to none.

The commissioner said the initiative which is geared towards early detection and treatment of hypertension in six local government areas of the state will help reduce the incidence of cardiovascular disease among the residents of the state.

Dr Coker pointed out that the inauguration of the committee which coincided with the commemoration of the 2020 World Heart Day with the theme, ”Use heart to beat cardiovascular disease”, was apt at a time the world is fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

Wale Oluokun

Health

Make staffing, equipping of PHCs a priority – Ogun Speaker

By Web News 761

Ogun State Ministry of Health has been charged to accord priority to equipping and staffing of Primary Health Care facilities and sensitize residents of rural communities on the importance of accessing health services. 

The Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, OGHA, Mr Olakunle Oluomo made the call at an interactive session with the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Tomi Coker on the operational plan of the health ministry to access 2.5 billion Naira credit facility from the Central Bank of Nigeria.  

Earlier in her submission, the commissioner said the state government had embarked on the renovation and procurement of the state of the art facilities to boost healthcare delivery at all levels. 

Dr Coker explained that 236 health centres being renovated across the state would be provided with technological and medical equipment, while additional corps doctors and other categories of health workers would be recruited to boost manpower operation at the centres.

Oluwatoyin Adegoke

Health

Ogun Health Workers Commence Use of Protective Glass Box

By Web News 865

Health workers at the Ogun State COVID-19 Testing Centres have commenced the use of protective glass box instead of the usual disposable Personal Protective Equipment, PPEs, while collecting samples for screening. 

The State Ministry of Health, had recently announced that the unique Protective Glass Box was more reliable against infection compared with the PPE which could expose the user to risk at the point of removal. 

The Ministry said in a statement in Abeokuta that health workers operating behind the glass box only had to extend their arms through the built-in hand gloves compartment to take samples of persons at the other side of the box. 

It noted that trained hygienists would ensure the disinfection of hand gloves compartment after each use to enhance the safety of health officers collecting samples for screening. 

The statement indicated that a number of suspected patients who presented themselves for testing at the centre on reasonable grounds were given their results promptly. 

It added that a state government delegation led by the Deputy Governor, Engineer Noimot Salako-Oyedele and the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker had recently visited the newly unveiled Walk-in and Drive-through Testing Centre at the Ijamido Town Hall, Ota for assessment.

Oluremi Olugbenro

Health

Coronavirus: Ogun Launches Android App

By Web News 938

The Ogun State Government has launched a mobile application to enhance information dissemination among health workers.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, who made this known at the Emergency Operation Committee held on Sunday in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, said the Android application was one of the measures to contain the Coronavirus incident.

Dr Coker said that the mobile device christened “CommCare” will serve as one resource for information about case definition and will help health workers at the primary health center to easily do risk assessment before it escalate.

The Commissioner pointed out that the application has been rolled out at Ewekoro Local Government area to enhance the activities of health workers.

Dr Coker revealed that the application would be deployed for use in two other priority areas, including, Ado-Odo/Ota and Ifo Local Government areas respectively, given the volume of industrial activities in their locality.

The Executive Secretary, Ogun State Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Elijah Ogunsola, in a remark, commended the ministry of Health for coming up with the initiative of having a mobile application that will aid health workers at this crucial moment.

He assured that all primary health centers will use the mobile application to alert the State of any form of emergency.