₦airaland Forum

Concerned that Africa, particularly Nigeria, is still vulnerable to emerging epidemics such as the Ebola Virus Disease, Lassa fever, Zika virus and others, a public health expert based in the United States, Dr. Babajide Sadiq, has warned that government at all levels must introduce adequate steps to prevent a re-occurrence.

Sadiq, who is currently the Health Equity Epidemiologist for the State of Texas, said he had developed a strategy called the Evidence-Based Model that would assist the country in checking disease outbreaks.

He said, “The Evidence Based Model in public health is what they use in developed countries. It involves employing the disease surveillance system in Nigeria, data collection and the healthcare management system. Following the absence of a proper health data system in Nigeria, my team and I want to design a good one.

“If we have the model in place, we would have adequate information on certain diseases, epidemics and the region or persons who are most vulnerable to contracting it. Our plan is to run the programme for two to three years in Nigeria.”
Working in partnership with the Bill Gates Foundation and similar non-governmental organisations, Sadiq, who is also the co-founder of Genii ‘Geniuses’ Associates, a global health consulting outfit, said the research would start in communities and rural areas of the country.
Sadiq said Nigeria was chosen to execute the project due to its laudable efforts in checking the EVD. He called on Nigerian scientists in the Diaspora to contribute their quota to the health sector.
“I have worked for the Centre for Disease Control and I have managed over 10 million data sets in Florida. But if everybody keeps saying they don’t want to come back home, who is going to fix the problem?
“The reports from the World Health Organisation about developing countries are not favourable. There are always cases of cholera, malaria, diarrhoea and so on. I have my family members who live in Nigeria and if somebody calls me to say that someone is knocked down by any of these diseases, it would affect me psychologically. I’m working with some experts with over 35 years’ experience.”
The scientist said the organisation was set to convene a health summit in December, which will focus on the management and prevention of disease outbreaks.
“This conference will enable experts from different countries to exchange ideas on how to detect epidemic, how to develop our capacity for rapid diagnosis and how we can develop our capacity for rapid case detection.
“Other aims include contact tracing, disease surveillance, biosecurity and biosafety, detecting biological trace, vaccine strategy and preventive measures,” Sadiq added.

shapeey:
where can i start from.

okay.

i just know i belong here.

Am a VERY shy person and an EXTREME introvert. my parents are introverts but not shy though. I think that's where my nature came from coupled with upbringing we weren't allowed by my parents to mingle. Always indoors. This really affected me greatly. Also introversion runs in my family as all my sibling are introverts too.

Funny enough any where i go am always given leadership positions,don't know why? i guess its because of my cool nature, but usually i reject some of the positions because am shy to perform.

At home or with few people am familiar(i dont have close friends) they see me as out spoken and fun to be with.

But the major challenge i have as an introvert is i cant face crowd. In church i cant come out to testify, or join any group etc. When i was in school, i couldnt ask questions in class or make presentations etc. it was just so bad mehn. Now am in my late 20s but still shy.

Well, i can say shyness as robbed me of a lot of things in life . i really do wish i wasn't shy. i have tried to change but it hasn't been successful may be because its naturally my god-given nature. i don't know ?

Forgive my long and boring post.

Ameboperoo:
Same with me. In my place of work, people used to complain that I don't respond well when they greet me. But after saying good morning, I don't know what else to say and they took it for pride in me.
Thank God, I now flow along with some after many months. It was then that they told me.

ENUGU—Pandemonium broke out, yesterday, when a 26-year-old herbalist, Ekene Oluka, allegedly shot and killed a 13-year-old, Obumuneme Oluka, while testing his anti-bullet charm on the deceased.

The incident occurred at Amagu-Uwani, Mgboko, Aku of Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area, Enugu State. It was gathered that the herbalist, now at large, had, at different occasions, successfully tested his charms, which was said to protect against bullets and cutlass, on Obumuneme.

It was learned that the herbalist, after covering Obumuneme’s body with his concoction, fired a shot, which went through his vital organs, leaving him unconscious.

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ebere Amaraizu, confirmed the incident in a statement to newsmen, adding that the command had activated a manhunt for the fleeing herbalist.

Amaraizu said: “The herbalist, Ekene Oluka, from the same kindred with the deceased, had allegedly tested his charms for protection against guns on the deceased. It was further gathered that the suspect had earlier tested that of cutlass on the deceased, which allegedly worked out for him.

“However, this time it did not work, which caused severe injury on the head of the deceased, leaving him unconscious.

“He was confirmed dead as he was being rushed to the hospital. The body was deposited at the hospital mortuary of Attah Memorial Hospital, Aku.

“Meanwhile, the suspect and his parents have deserted their homes to unknown destinations, while a manhunt for the fleeing suspect has been intensified.”

Residents of Fakale, Igode and Emuren communities, in the Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State have started fleeing their homes.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the residents were afraid over the reports that suspected cult members of the Eiye Confraternity planned to unleash mayhem during their anniversary on Monday (today).

It was gathered that some dwellers of Odo Kekere, Odo Nla and Itapara within the LGA had also started vacating their homes, saying the cultists had vowed to cause bloodbath to mark the August 8 anniversary.

Our correspondent had reported that some communities in Ogun State were under siege on July 7, when some suspected Aye Confraternity members killed 11 persons, while marking the 7/7 anniversary.
PUNCH Metro also reported that some other cult members stormed the Ogijo area last Wednesday and killed four residents.

The head of Igode community, Chief Rafiu Idisu, told our correspondent on Sunday that no fewer than 70 residents had packed out for fear of being attacked in the coming August 8 celebration, which the cultists tagged, ‘8/8.’

Idisu said he had drawn the attention of the Chairman, Sagamu LGA, Mr. Lola Awoniyi, to the tension in the community and urged the police to nip the pending attack in the bud.

He said, “For the past three days now, there has been information across the community and its environs that Eiye cult members will attack people to mark their anniversary on Monday.

“People have started leaving ssince then, especially those who live on new sites. About 70 residents have fled and residents in other communities such as Fakale, Itapara and Odo Kekere, are doing same.
“I have informed the council chairman and he promised to do something about it. We want the police to position patrol vehicles around the communities to protect us because we have no place to run to. We don’t want a repeat of what happened on July 7.”

The Secretary, Oodua People’s Congress, Fakale, Idris Lawal, said his members were aware of the development and had mounted surveillance at strategic points in the community to foil any attack.
“We are fully prepared for them. We have assured our people to be calm, but those who are afraid have left. Policemen are also on patrol,” he added.

The council chairman, Awoniyi, said security agencies had been informed to forestall any breach of the peace in the areas.

He said, “We have alerted all the necessary security agencies to the threat. As the chief security officer of the council, necessary steps have been taken to forestall any attack. So, security wise, the communities are safe.”

The acting Police Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Command, ASP Ambibola Oyeyemi, said policemen had been deployed in different parts of the state to check cult activities.

He said, “The state Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Iliyasu, has made it clear that whoever parades himself as a cultist will be treated like an armed robber, kidnapper or murderer. The CP has ordered all the Divisional Police Officers to be on their toes.

“Our Special Intelligence Bureau officers are at various parts of the state to nip in the bud any mob attack. People should not fear harassment from anywhere. They should go about their business in a normal way; we are on top of the situation. Nothing is going to happen in those communities because policemen are on the ground.”

Explorers:
Each year, only four pilots from HMX-1 squadron, aka "The Nighthawks," have the honor of flying Marine One.