South African investigators have referred for prosecution and disciplinary action 940 cases of malfeasance and fraud involving more than $900 million of Covid funds, President Cyril Ramaphosa said Tuesday. The Special Investigating Unit (SIU), an independent law enforcement agency with similar powers to the FBI, probed 5,467 contracts awarded...
Health News
BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto – Contrary to the initial misconception, the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) has said both pregnant and lactating mothers can be given COVID-19 vaccines. Responding to frequently asked questions on their updated site dated 07/01/2022, NPHCDA also assured that even people with underlying health...
A Urologist has encouraged men to get vaccinated as those affected with COVID-19 are more likely to experience erectile dysfunction. Dr Igbokwe Martin, a Consultant Urologist and Kidney Surgeon, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday, identified COVID-19 as a major threat...
Extreme poverty in West Africa rose by nearly three per cent in 2020, another fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, a UN-backed report launched on Thursday that looks at the socio-impact of the crisis has revealed. The proportion of people living on less than 1.90 dollars a day jumped from...
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), on Monday began enforcement of no vaccination no entry into the Area 11 Garki Secretariat. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report that the as early as 7 a.m., the implementation team and security men manned the entrance of the secretariat. NAN Correspondent...
Lionel Messi said on Thursday he needs more time to recover before playing again after contracting Covid-19 earlier this month. Paris Saint-Germain star Messi, 34, tested positive while on holiday in his hometown of Rosario before flying back to the French capital on January 5. The seven-time Ballon d’Or...
World Health Organisation (WHO) says Omicron wave is threatening to overwhelm health workers in the coming weeks in Europe, with forecasts that more Europeans are likely to become infected with the variant. Currently, the Omicron variant of COVID-19 represents a “new west to east tidal wave sweeping across the...
Global growth will slow down over the next two years in the face of “fresh threats” from COVID-19 variants and rising inflation, debt and income inequality, the World Bank said on Tuesday in its latest report. While economic growth experienced a strong rebound in 2021, it is expected to...
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is to bar workers from accessing their offices as from Jan. 17 if they are unable to show proof of their vaccination against COVID-19. The Senior Special Assistant to FCT Minister on Media and Strategic Communication, Malam Abubakar Sani, announced this in a...
The Bauchi State Government says it has targeted 2.286 million children for immunisation against polio in the 2022 first round exercise. The Chairman, Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, stated this at the inauguration of the exercise on Saturday in Bauchi. Dr. Mohammed said the exercise...
World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday renewed its call for vaccine equity and solidarity to defeat COVID-19 pandemic as the highest number of cases were reported last week across the globe. WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, told journalists in Geneva at his first press briefing in 2022 that the dawn...
Africa is approaching 10 million coronavirus infections as the pandemic goes into its fifth wave in certain countries on the continent. John Nkengasong of the African Union’s health body said on Thursday. “We might be tired of the virus, but the virus is not tired,” the director of the...
A Professor of Virology, Prof. Oyewale Tomori, has said it is too early to predict that the COVID-19 pandemic will end soon as there are opportunities for virus transmission and the possible emergence of new variants. Prog. Tomori, who is also a former Vice-Chancellor of the Redeemer’s University, Ede,...
Lionel Messi is set to return to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) after testing negative for COVID-19. The Ligue 1 leaders announced on Sunday that the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner had returned a positive test while back home in Argentina. Messi subsequently missed the commanding 4-0 win over Vannes in the...
Liverpool’s 2021/2022 English League Cup semi-final first leg tie against Arsenal on Thursday has been postponed due to rising COVID-19 cases within Jürgen Klopp’s squad. Since the club initially asked on Tuesday evening for the match to be rearranged, there have been more positive tests – including assistant manager...
U.S. President Joe Biden says the country has given out over 70 million booster shots, urging America residents who are eligible for booster doses to get them as soon as possible. Biden, who disclosed this before a briefing with his COVID-19 advisers at the White House on Tuesday, also...
The presidency has announced that visitors to the presidential villa in Abuja would be required to take rapid COVID tests before they would be allowed to gain entrance. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu explained to Channels Television that the new development...
The Lagos State Government says it has identified and started communicating with about 6,500 inbound passengers who are suspected to have breached COVID-19 travel guidelines. This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi on Friday. “We have commenced communicating with 6,500 inbound...
By EZEKIEL OBI, Abuja – The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Mohammed Bello has been diagnosed of COVID-19. Mallam Bello, who disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday, said he started feeling sick on Tuesday and his test result for the virus came out positive...
The UK Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss, has pledged up to £105 million of UK emergency aid to help vulnerable countries tackle the Omicron Covid-19 variant, with a particular focus on Africa. The vital aid will be delivered through trusted partners, such as the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC),...