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Worshipers Reject COVID-19 Vaccines at Kano Bompai Rock Friday Mosque

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There was a mild drama  last  Friday at the Bompai Rock  Mosque in Kano metropolis when healthcare officials came to the prayer ground with consignments of COVID-19 vaccines.

 

It was learnt that the officials had arranged with the management of the mosque to sensitise worshipers about the need to take the vaccine, and the Imam of the mosque even spoke briefly about healthcare delivery, saying authorities should also provide necessary medication for common ailments like malaria.

 

He thereafter took the jab to exemplify that it was safe and good.

 

But the congregation was not impressed, as they trooped out of the mosque immediately the mandatory Friday ritual was completed, leaving the healthcare officials standing in lines with the COVID vaccines on their tables without anyone to take them.

 

Our reporter was told that it had been arranged to give the jabs and to certify those who took them at the mosque as a way of bringing the vaccination process closer to the people.

 

An official said it was an experiment their superiors thought would yield positive results and gain acceptability.

 

Worshipers lamented that COVID-19 was not their immediate problem and said government in Nigeria should be more concerned with what the populace need.

 

A visibly angry commercial tricycle rider who identified himself simply as Ado said “who wants any vaccine. That’s surely not what we need now. It has become so difficult for us to feed our families. Daily basic needs could not be met, and they keep nagging us with some COVID vaccine. Let them take it if they want, but we don’t want.”

 

Many others simply walked pass the health workers without even looking at their direction, a clear indication of their opposition to the vaccination arrangement.

 

Health

Diagnosing Cancer in a Resource-Scarce Setting: A Heartbreaking Tale of Poverty and Healthcare

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Dr Ibrahim Musa

 

By Dr Ibrahim Musa

With her beaming smile, she seemed excited that the surgeons had finally removed a growth troubling her tommy that had proven difficult to diagnose. She stretched her arm to deliver a sealed envelope containing a histology report of the growth. As an Attending, I was the only one working that day because the resident doctors were on a strike. Charmed by her smiles, I quickly opened the envelope hoping to read good news that would match her spirit and her equally excited mother. My smile froze. What should I tell her? The pathologists had made a diagnosis of a diffuse large B lymphoma. It’s quite an aggressive tumor that could overwhelm a patient within a short time.

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“Doctor, what is the report saying?” “You have cancer”, I replied. The devastating news instantly changed her mood. Breaking such bad news is a job no doctor wants to engage in. I explained the treatment options and the fact that there is a targeted therapy called Rituximab that could potentially improve survival if added to her chemotherapy. A vial of the drug costs hundreds of thousands and she would need at least 6 cycles within ~5 months of 3 weekly treatment. “Doctor, we cannot afford it,” her mother interjected.

Three months later, when I came for the ward round she had deteriorated badly. The growth is already back and almost 10 times bigger- obstructing her intestine and protruding on the anterior abdominal wall from her pelvis. She could barely breathe while struggling to hold on to her mother. As I watched her writhe in pain, I felt hopeless and sad. I felt defeated but beyond that I felt like we have all failed her. I silently fought tears as I struggled not to betray emotions. If I cry I would break the hearts of the people around at the time they needed me to give them hope. “You must be strong”, I told myself. But at that moment I was so sure that death would be a relief for her. She died the next morning unable to do even an X ray due to poverty. I keep asking myself what we can do to mitigate these unfortunate scenarios? Over 40% of the Nigerians live on less than $1 per day. With this extreme poverty, how do we expect them to shoulder the cost of exorbitant care from the angle of catastrophic spending?

Dr Ibrahim Musa is a consultant at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital

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Kano State Stakeholders Meet to Strengthen Health Response, Focus on COVID-19 and Other Diseases

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The stakeholders meeting

KANO- The Kano State Programs Officer for Resilient and Sustainable System for Health, Abdulhakeem Dayyab, recently led a biannual meeting in Kano aimed at bringing together stakeholders to raise awareness about deadly diseases such as HIV, COVID-19, and other severe illnesses.

The meeting sought to integrate traditional rulers into the healthcare system, ensuring the availability of health facilities in five local government areas within Kano. By involving community leaders, the aim is to facilitate smoother consultations with community members, ensuring their active participation in healthcare initiatives.

Community members, recognizing their role as privileged individuals, have taken the responsibility of ensuring the availability of health facilities, particularly at the Primary Health Care (PHC) level and dispensaries.

Abubakar Sadiq, from the Department of Public Health and Epidemiology Unit at the Kano State Ministry of Health, emphasized the significance of the response team’s role in combating deadly diseases. Their support plays a vital role in effectively addressing health challenges faced by the less privileged members of society.

The stakeholders’ meeting was convened with a specific focus on strengthening the provision of healthcare services at the community level, particularly in PHCs. The active involvement of privileged individuals in addressing health challenges aims to bridge gaps in healthcare access and ensure improved health outcomes for all segments of the population.

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United States Foundation Donates Medical Equipments To FMC Gusau

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The medical equipments

 

Federal Medical Center, FMC, Gusau has received donation of Medical equipment worth millions of Naira from an American Based charity foundation.

Chief Medical Director, CMD, of the Center, Dr Bello Muhammad Kwatarkwashi revealed this to journalists while receiving containers of the equipments in Gusau

Dr Kwatarkwashi explained that, the equipment were donated to the FMC Gusau by the Project CURE foundation of the United States through the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB and Support from federal ministry of Finance

He noted that, the Medical equipments received include; Operation related, ultrasound, Sterilizers, Analyzers, inspection/measurements opthalmic, monitoring x-ray and other sophisticated equipments.

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Others were Modern Hospital Beds, trolleys, Drip stands, bedside lockers, urinals/Bedpans, sputum mug, wheelchairs, Furniture, orthopedic equipments among others.

“I must sincerely appreciate and thank the Registrar of JAMB Professor Ishaq Oloyede and his Team for the kind gesture. I equally thank the Hon. Minister of Finance Haj. Zainab Shamsuna for the role she played to make this project a reality”

“Special thanks and appreciation also to Honourable Minister of Health Dr Osagie Ehanire and state minister of Health Ekunmankama Joseph Nkama for their continues support to FMC Gusau” He said

Dr Bello Kwatarkwashi said, the FMC Gusau under his watch will continue to uphold professionalism in the discharge of its mandates, saying “our workers/staff are up and doing to ensure effective service delivery” he added

On his part the acting chairman of the FMC Gusau governing Board, Alh. Lawal M. Liman who commended the CMD for his commitments to reposition the Medical facility said, the Project CURE as well as JAMB Registerar and Ministers of Health and finance have done alot to the People of Zamfara for the donation and ensuring safe delivery of the equipments.

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