₦airaland Forum

9iceprince:
As if he don contribute any out of his Audio 30 Billion

His family donated over 500million naira in cash and food supplies.

sapientia:
Those asking for Nigeria.

Where the labs dey?

If you know the cost of setting some of these labs up eeh.

Cost of research centers

Exactly. It is very expensive to set up labs and carry out world class scientific research. The amount that many of these American universities annually invest in research is more than Nigeria’s total annual budget. Nigeria’s total annual budget is below 15 trillion naira and many of these American schools have annual endowments that is close to 20trillion naira.

The same way I laugh when Nigerians compare themselves to Americans because the country released 2trillion dollars COVID-19 stimulus package for its citizens and economy. Did they even bother to convert 2trillion dollars to naira? 2 trillion dolllars is over 750 trillion naira! If you calculate Nigeria’s total annual budgets from 1960 to 2020 - it will not be up to half of that 2trillion dollars. In fact, our entire GDP multiplied by three is not up to America’s stimulus package. The economy of California(due to the Tech Companies in Silicon Valley, Hollywood et al) alone is bigger than the whole of Africa’s economy put together. Nigeria, with its size, does not have the economy and prosperity to compete at the top level yet - even if oil sells at 200 dollars per barrel.

I agree that corruption has ruined Nigeria but even at that - Nigeria’s economy is not diversified enough to compare to Texas’s(just one state in the US) economy.

We still need to invest massively in human capital and stimulate knowledge-based economy in the country before we can start comparing ourselves to even South Korea. We also need to revolutionize manufacturing and export to stand a chance at developing.

As it stands now, with all our oil and stuff, our current economy is not wealthy enough to provide world class infrastructures and social amenities for a population of over 200million people. We need to diversify and generate more wealth. Nigeria should not have an annual budget that is less than 400trillion naira if we are really serious about development.

Standing5:
Good work. Ventilators too needs a rapid process of development like this vaccine.

Another American university - Massachusetts Institute of Technology(M.I.T) is on that.
Watch the video on that below courtesy of the World Economic Forum

https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-cQ2UxAfjS/?igshid=sy15llv6l2tq

This is what makes America what it is - research! research and research!!! Research in Science and Tech!

The Trump administration responded quite late but America is now deploying its full research power - courtesy of its universities and scientists.

Cc dominique, Sissy3 Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove

Let’s have this on the front page.....

knowhowk:
The time of it's Availability is too far.Hope a Facilitated one comes up.

They will hasten it up. They are already in talks with FDA and Trump will be interested in quick approvals right now. Although, it will still follow the normal series of scientific/medical testings albeit at a faster pace. This particular school developed the first ever polio vaccine many years ago - so they have the pedigree already.

Video about the Vaccine by Professors and Doctors at the University of Pittsburgh in the United States

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNX7WAtsbog


Cc dominique, Sissy3 Lalasticlala Seun Ishilove


https://nypost.com/2020/04/02/scientists-believe-they-found-potential-coronavirus-vaccine/?sr_share=facebook&utm_medium=SocialFlow&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=NYPFacebook&fbclid=IwAR3g4orRZoCX6ORkcECYCoM7TdiCb3kPvwp2hWTVTdWyM4uDO1vF650hqQU

A new COVID-19 vaccine that fires proteins in the body that destroy the virus within two weeks is just a few months from human trials.
The 'highly scalable' vaccine is the first peer-reviewed antidote to the coronavirus that currently has much of the world in lockdown or isolation. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh say the new treatment would be delivered through a 'painless jab' similar to the annual flu vaccine. The team from the US have tested the vaccine on mice and estimate that it should be able to neutralise the deadly virus for at least a year.
It will be between 12 and 18 months before the test is publicly available but when it is approved tens of thousands of doses could be produced every day. The vaccine is delivered into the skin through a fingertip-sized patch of microscopic needles made from sugar - which scientists describe as 'painless' and feeling like velcro. An industrial-style production process has been used to produce the Pittsburgh Coronavirus Vaccine - PittCoVacc - making it 'highly scalable'. This is the first COVID-19 candidate vaccine that's been scrutinised by independent scientists. The findings are published in The Lancet's EBioMedicine journal.

HOW WOULD THE VACCINE BE DELIVERED?

The vaccine would be delivered to the skin via a tiny fingertip-sized patch. This is enough to let the body produce quantities of antibodies high enough to neutralise the virus for a year. The novel delivery system is called a 'microneedle array'. It has 400 tiny needles that deliver the spike protein pieces into the skin and increase the potency. It goes into the skin as that is where the immune reaction is strongest. The patch goes on like a plaster and then the needles dissolve into skin. The needles are made of sugar and protein pieces containing the antibody triggering vaccine. It was a method used to deliver the smallpox vaccine - but more high tech.

Doctors say it is 'pretty painless - it feels like Velcro'.

The researchers are now applying for approval from the US Food and Drug Administration and aim to start the first human trial and hope to be able to begin those trials within months. Senior study author Professor Louis Falo, from the University of Pittsburgh, said getting to human tests stage would usually require at least a year or more. 'This particular situation is different from anything we've ever seen, so we don't know how long the clinical development process will take.'Recently announced revisions to the normal processes suggest we may be able to advance this faster.'The Pittsburgh team were able to act quickly because they had already laid the groundwork during earlier coronavirus epidemics. Senior study author Professor Andrea Gambotto, also at Pittsburgh, said they knew exactly where to go in terms of ways to fight the virus. 'We had previous experience on SARS-CoV in 2003 and MERS-CoV in 2014,' the study author said. 'These two viruses, which are closely related to SARS-CoV-2, teach us that a particular protein, called a spike protein, is important for inducing immunity against the virus.' She added: 'That's why it's important to fund vaccine research. You never know where the next pandemic will come from.' The PittCoVacc vaccine is more conventional compared to the experimental mRNA vaccine that has just begun clinical trials.
It works like a flu jab, penetrating the skin with lab-made pieces of viral protein to build immunity, the researchers explained.The team also used a new approach to deliver the drug, called a microneedle array, to increase potency. The patch goes on like a plaster and then the needles - which are made entirely of sugar and the protein pieces - simply dissolve into the skin. Professor Falo added: 'We developed this to build on the original scratch method used to deliver the smallpox vaccine to the skin.;
Falso said it is a high-tech version that is more efficient and reproducible patient to patient. Adding: 'It's actually pretty painless - it feels kind of like Velcro.'
A 'cell factory' produces multiple layers of cultured cells engineered to grow the spike protein, that can be stacked further to multiply the yield. This makes the vaccine 'highly scalable', according to the Pittsburgh team.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-8180527/Coronavirus-VACCINE-approved-human-trials-months.html?ito=social-facebook

https://nypost.com/2020/04/02/scientists-believe-they-found-potential-coronavirus-vaccine/?sr_share=facebook&utm_medium=SocialFlow&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=NYPFacebook&fbclid=IwAR3g4orRZoCX6ORkcECYCoM7TdiCb3kPvwp2hWTVTdWyM4uDO1vF650hqQU

saasala:
Does this mean Dangote has foreseen the virus spreading all over Kano?

Kano does not have a single case yet and they are already building 600 bed space. Yesterday it was 240 bed isolation center in Anambra yet they have no confirmed case. Lagos is building multiple centres and begging American companies on Twitter for ventilators.

Is there something our leaders know that we dont know?

Is it that they are convinced within them that we will have countless thousands of cases in the country no matter how much we stay indoors?

We need to prepare for something big then. We are in it for big sh1t.

Lagos State government did not beg for ventilators. Nigeria Ministry of Finance did.

Originalsly:
Not.doubting her experience.... but doubt she had COVID 19. It is a respiratory disease ... but she mentioned nothing about difficulty in breathing..... that one had to be mentioned even if she didn't know what came over her.

Symptoms vary by patient. Some won’t even experience any symptom at all. Not all patients will experience difficulties with breathing. It depends on immune system and health history.

oziamaka:
All the we hear on air is our agents are fully on ground, we are working around the time, we are on top of the situation, we are fully prepared and ready to swing into action. but in reality, almost all testimonies confirm lack of man power, preparedness nor enough equipment to tackle the growing cases. only the highly placed are being jeted around to receive more intensive care.

Did you read the entire story? She was one of the earliest cases and it is normal for the first few hours of response to be slow. She eventually saluted the medical team and the state government for their efforts.

This whole COVID-19 thing has stretched the world beyond. Even here in the US, it’s difficult to get tested in my city that has less than 500 cases and hospitals worth billion dollars. To me, NCDC staff have done well so far - considering the resources and infrastructures they are working with. Nigeria has not really invested in its healthcare system for decades and I find it funny when Nigerians now expect a top class performance from NCDC even when countries that annually invest trillions of naira in their healthcare are struggling to even test people. In many cases in the US and UK, they will tell the patient to self isolate and take some medications - they won’t even test or attend to them - because there are limited test kits across the world.

Giddymoney:

Nigerians think anything native belongs to them
SMH..

John Boyega is actually a Nigerian by blood. His parents are Nigerian immigrants who gave birth to him in the UK

loveliveshere:
That's the problem, lots of people already have this virus but are asymptomatic. We only hear of the elites getting positive because they are the only ones having access to testing.

Or because the elites are the only ones making public announcements about their status?

I know of at least - 10 people who recently returned from the UK that have been tested and they are just average Nigerians who called NCDC and they responded. There is even a story of Nairaland about it.

It’s the same as saying only elites are getting tested in the UK because the names we see online are that of celebrities and public figures.

sapientia:
6 all over Nigeria?

Can they please stop posting that figure they said they have confirmed.

Nigeria do not know the number of people positive since there are no test centres.

Please, all these kits of 10 mins and 5 mins being discovered, can't our FG be negotiating aggressively that test run of the kits be done in Nigeria.

Since Buhari have absconded from duty, one of the 36 Presidents we have now can still do it.

God forbid the wave of death starts now, its over.

All those billions donated, what are they using it for?

Though Nigerians need food now, priority and undivided focus should be channelled massive testing of Nigerians.

Most of those fast test kits are still undergoing trial and not yet reliable for export.


Mind you, It’s not that easy setting up world class labs in a country that failed to invest in its health care system for decades. Most of the testing labs in the country belong to state governments and universities. Do you think NCDC are the ones setting up most of he LABS?
Google the history or ownership of most of the existing 6 labs and you will realize federal government has nothing to do with them.

In fact, the one in Osun State(which is perhaps the best in the country) belongs to a World Bank funded research center housed in a private university.

All of you are saying they’ve donated billions, how much is all these money in dollars? It’s not even up to 100million dollars yet. Setting up world class labs in all the states across the country will cost at least 500million dollars. I know of science labs at schools here in the US that are worth over 5billion dollars. That is way more than Nigeria’s total annual health and education budget. We need to address the root cause of underfunding of healthcare sector.

Fuckkthemod:
Eye services, there are hundreds of Nigerians begging to be tested but these guys won’t mind them

They are only testing returnees who show symptoms and those who had contact with them.

Cryomancer:
Who else noticed this NCDC haven't tested any poor man yet, it's only rich people that they are testing...

Call them an tell them you live in a okokmaiko or Ijora-badia and they will tell you to self isolate and wait for symptoms to show after 14days. But if someone from lekki calls them, they will show up with the speed of light.

Trust me... Nigeria was never ready and Nigeria is still not ready.

This person here is an average Nigerian. The fact that you travel abroad does not mean you are super rich.

NaijaRoyalty:
We should be working on how to get the vaccine and not protection kits

I'm not impressed .

What are you working on?

kponkedenge:
Please do that immediately. I was talking to a friend in Abuja and he said the few Americans in their company that came into the country few weeks ago were not inspected and no government personnel came to check up on them from time to time.
Just imagine those that already have it and haven't yet been contacted by our government like these Americans.
Don't take these low figures you're seeing as the actual number..... There are many unreported cases.
Please protect yourself everyone.

The fact that they are Americans or just came back from America does not mean they are automatic carriers. Davido, his friends and family just returned from the US as well and none of them tested positive.

My friends who study in the US recently returned to Nigeria and none of them also tested positive. US is a country of over 300million people and their cases are not even up to 100,000. Calculate the percentage and ratio.

januzaj:
And some people still believe this shit is a hoax in Nigeria. According ti report,only 200+ people have been tested so far in Nigeria with 81 confirmed cases. Just see the percentage that tested positive. Believe me,this shit has hit us so bad, we just don't know it yet.

That’s not true. Viruses don’t spread that way. The fact that you even live with a carrier does not mean you will contract it(case studies: the Prime Minister of Canada tested negative while his wife tested positive. Same with Davido and Chioma. There are also cases here in the US where married couples who sleep on the same bed - went for the test - eventually one tested positive and the other tested negative). The spread of this virus is down to many factors - its incubation period, immune system of prospective carrier, personal hygiene and health history. An individual may shake hands with a carrier and not contract it. Another individual may just hold the mobile phone of that same carrier and contract it. Epidemiology and virology is very unique and distinct - viruses While highly infectious/contagious, they don’t spread like you think.


While Nigeria needs to test more people - I don’t think the spread is already that wild. COVID/19 is not yet a “community disease” in Nigeria but an imported one - only those with recent travel history and their close contacts are likely to have them. Testings have been largely limited to Nigerians who travelled abroad and those who had close contacts with them as well. That is why, I think, the ratio between testings and confirmed cases is kind of high - because Nigeria is testing people from high risk countries who have shown the symptoms. There is a higher probability that these people will have the disease - when compared to the average Nigeria with no recent travel history or contact.


For instance, if Nigeria decides to enter ALABA in Lagos State now and decides to test everyone there, I doubt if 1% will test positive since it’s not a community disease like LASSA Fever, Hepatitis, Malaria etc.

So the fact that Nigeria has tested less people does not automatically mean it has affected millions of people. It is not a community disease known to Nigeria.

IstandWithGod:
Only Lagos state is speaking the truth about this Corona Virus...

The government knows sh!t is about to get real and that's why they gave instruction for Level 1 to 12 govt. workers to stay at home because these are the set of people most open to contracting the dreaded virus owing to the fact that they usually commute to and from work using public transportation as well as live in crowded neighborhoods...

Truth is that 1 out of every 40 people in Abuja and Lagos already has Covid-19: the Abba Kyaris that brought it through our borders passed it to their friends, who passed it to their drivers and aides as well as their barbers...the barbers passed it to their customers innocently and the customers after admiring themselves in the barbers mirror went home and passed it to their family and naso the thing take enter market...

That’s not true. Viruses don’t spread that way. The fact that you even live with a carrier does not mean you will contract it(case studies: the Prime Minister of Canada tested negative while his wife tested positive. Same with Davido and Chioma. There are also cases here in the US where married couples who sleep on the same bed - went for the test - eventually one tested positive and the other tested negative). The spread of this virus is down to many factors - its incubation period, immune system of prospective carrier, personal hygiene and health history. An individual may shake hands with a carrier and not contract it. Another individual may just hold the mobile phone of that same carrier and contract it. Epidemiology and virology is very unique and distinct - viruses While highly infectious/contagious, they don’t spread like you think.


While Nigeria needs to test more people - I don’t think the spread is already that wild. COVID/19 is not yet a “community disease” in Nigeria but an imported one - only those with recent travel history and their close contacts are likely to have them. Testings have been largely limited to Nigerians who travelled abroad and those who had close contacts with them as well. That is why, I think, the ratio between testings and confirmed cases is kind of high - because Nigeria is testing people from high risk countries who have shown the symptoms. There is a higher probability that these people will have the disease - when compared to the average Nigeria with no recent travel history or contact.


For instance, if Nigeria decides to enter ALABA in Lagos State now and decides to test everyone there, I doubt if 1% will test positive since it’s not a community disease like LASSA Fever, Hepatitis, Malaria etc.

So the fact that Nigeria has tested less people does not automatically mean it has affected millions of people. It is not a community disease known to Nigeria.

Barthley:
Now people will take the virus serious...

I bet more than hundred thousand don get d virus in Nigeria already..

That’s not possible based on epidemiological studies.
While we need to test more people - I don’t think the spread is already that wild. COVID/19 is not yet a “community disease” in Nigeria but an imported one - only those with recent travel history and their close contacts are likely to have them. Testings have been largely limited to Nigerians who travelled abroad and those who had close contacts with them as well. That is why, I think, the ratio between testings and confirmed cases is kind of high - because Nigeria is testing people from high risk countries who have shown the symptoms. There is a higher probability that these people will have the disease - when compared to the average Nigeria with no recent travel history or contact.


For instance, if Nigeria decides to enter ALABA in Lagos State now and decides to test everyone there, I doubt if 1% will test positive since it’s not a community disease like LASSA Fever, Hepatitis, Malaria etc.

So the fact that Nigeria has tested less people does not automatically mean it has affected over a hundred thousand people. It is not a community disease known to Nigeria.

Way to go!

Lalsticlala, we also need the thread below on the front page. It talks about what a team of young Nigerian biotech experts are doing to flatten the curve as well. While we recognize the billionaires, let us also appreciate our young talents and start-up owners.


https://www.nairaland.com/5757469/covid-19-nigerias-biotech-start-up-company

opebiboy:
Lie lie government. The number of people with coronavirus in Nigeria is well over 20,000. Keep lying till hell break loose

While we need to test more people - I don’t think the spread is going to be that wild. COVID/19 is not yet a “community disease” in Nigeria but an imported one - only those with recent travel history and their close contacts are likely to have them. Testings have been largely limited to Nigerians who travelled abroad and those who had close contacts with them as well. That is why, I think, the ratio between testings and confirmed cases is kind of high - because Nigeria is testing people from high risk countries who have shown the symptoms. There is a higher probability that these people will have the disease - when compared to the average Nigeria with no recent travel history or contact.

For instance, if Nigeria decides to enter ALABA in Lagos State now and decides to test everyone there, I doubt if 1% will test positive since it’s not a community disease like LASSA Fever, Hepatitis, Malaria etc.

So the fact that Nigeria has tested less people does not automatically mean it has affected millions of people. It is not a community disease known to Nigeria.

bigiyaro:
yeah, that was what we tot, until fraudsters like invictus obi who were masquerading as entrepreneurs were exposed. They are many ways black men Africans use in stealing from their countries and this kind of fake start ups is one of them.

GENE-54 is a fake start-up? Dude, go and make your research about them and its founder. The guy has a Ph.D in the genomics stuff he is doing. This kind of start-up is not for dunderheads - this is not real estate investment, car dealership, shipping and other investments crooks can easy channel funds to. A biotech start-up can only be founded by a scientist that knows his or her onions. Read about the Founder and his ground breaking research experience in the United Kingdom and North America.

Cc dominique, Sissy3 Lasticlalala Seun Ishilove .

bigiyaro:
a nice disguise to loot and lunder Nigerian money.

Do you know the history of this biotech start-up company? It’s not being run by government. It was founded by a young Nigerian who returned to the country(just like the founders of tech start-ups like Andela) after his Ph.D abroad to focus on genomics research in Africa. It’s the first ever on the continent. I originally read about them last year.

See the report BBC and CNN made on them last year
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-africa-50205190


Mind you, they are not using government’a funding here. They are raising it on their own through partners and associates to fund testing capacity in the country. It has nothing to do with public funds here. It is similar to what Google and TESLA are trying to do here in the United States.

54-GENE and their groundbreaking activity was covered by BBC and CNN News last year. You can find the link below and read about their exploits and goals. They are hoping to follow the path of giants like Google, TESLA, etc.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-africa-50205190

It is pertinent to recall here that 54-GENE is a biotech start-up in Lagos that was founded by a young Nigerian some months ago. It is the first of its kind in Africa. He is working with a group of talented young Nigerian professionals who run the new biotech start up company called 54 GENE in Lagos.

The company is one of the biotech future of the continent. It’s a million dollar start-up based in Lagos and it was founded by a young Nigerian.

They are now trying to partner with NCDC on tackling the Coronavirus pandemic.

WE NEED MORE OF THIS!



Cc dominique, Sissy3 Lasticlalala Seun Ishilove ...

54-GENE, a million dollar biotech start-up in Lagos has partnered with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control to improve COVID-19 testing capacity in the country.

A fund to tackle the current challenges around testing for coronavirus also known as COVID-19 set up by 54gene, an African genomics research services have reached $500,000 less than 24 hours of its launch on Thursday.

54gene opened the fund with a donation of $150,000 and within 24 hours an additional $350,000 was secured from partners including Union Bank.

The genomics research service plans to utilise the fund by increasing the COVID-19 testing capacity in Nigeria by up to 1,000 additional tests a day. To achieve this, the company will buy testing instruments and the required biosafety materials such as biosafety cabinets and personal protective equipment needed to keep frontline healthcare workers safe.

“With the Nigeria COVID-19 Testing Fund, we are working in sync with the NCDC to make Nigeria’s public health an absolute priority during this global pandemic, which has left thousands dead or fighting for their lives,” Abasi Ene-Obong, CEO 54gene said in a statement. “We are extremely ambitious in our mission to expand the testing capacity for Nigeria and expect to increase the present rate by at least 10X in the coming weeks. In order to contain the spread of COVID-19, it is essential for us to know who has the disease, so we can put in place effective measures around quarantining confirmed cases.”

He said the rapid response of the partners was a clear exhibition that they understand the need for a multi-stakeholder, co-ordinated plan, that can be implemented almost immediately, as they work together as a community, side-by-side, to fight COVID-19 and protect the Nigerian population.


The partners are also in discussion with other Nigerian institutions, as 54gene hopes to raise enough to accelerate and expand to up to 5,000 tests per day. By intensifying the testing process for COVID-19, 54gene and funding partners plan to help minimize the spread of the infection, which has had a devastating effect on populations around the world. The team is also making a call for a COVID-19 workforce trained in using qPCR instruments and other molecular diagnostics methods, with the expectation that monies raised will be channelled towards recruiting these people for a period of time to support existing public laboratories.

“This is the kind of support we need. Identify a problem, run with it and include a sustainability plan in your solution. We are very grateful for this new partnership with 54gene at a critical point in our health security,” Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director General of NCDC, said.

Working in unison with the NCDC and other stakeholders, 54gene’s team expects to start deploying the fund within days, purchasing vital testing equipment, to be used by medical professionals. All equipment will be installed in public hospitals and laboratories across Nigeria, and will remain in situ once the current COVID-19 pandemic subsides, to be used by medical researchers and clinicians in case of any future outbreaks. In addition, there will also be significant investment in providing training and support to medical professionals/ personnel and volunteers working in coronavirus testing sites across the country, ensuring the mass roll out of effective and robust testing for tens of thousands more Nigerians.

To-date, the NCDC has recorded 51 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and the Nigerian Government has taken a number of important steps to control the spread of the disease, including imposing flight and travel restrictions, as well as producing stringent guidelines for mass gatherings and self-isolation.

It is pertinent to note here that this biotech company was started some months ago by a young Nigerian professional - Dr. Obong and it’s the first of its kind on the continent.

https://businessday.ng/technology/article/54genes-fund-to-increase-coronavirus-testing-in-nigeria-hits-500000-in-24hrs/

[/b]NOT A TOTAL SHUTDOWN[b]

I watched the Governor’s press briefing and he said it excludes markets that sell essential items like food and medicine. Some Nigerian journalists and their incomplete news.

sweetkev:
Lasu wanna trend too

He was already billed to Chair LASU’s Convocation Lecture several weeks before he was deposed.

Chai.... shey nah like this world wan end?

Even here in the U.S, most of the universities have shut down and classes will now be held online. Schools like Harvard, Stanford, University of Pittsburgh, Columbia and the likes have all moved their classes online so as to promote social distancing.

amaniro:
Mumu comparison. China is leading in tech by far. It's an open secret

Most of Chinese techs are American patents. Just name two pioneering global tech that the Chinese has entirely founded.

America is far ahead in terms of tech. Chinese are good at innovating with American techs.