South East
NAFDAC Monitors Vaccines’ Potency In South – East
The National Agency for Foods, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has ensured potency of vaccines in South-East through regular monitoring of vaccine storage facilities in hospitals and pharmaceutical stores.
The outgoing Zonal Coordinator of NAFDAC South-East, Mr Dauda Gimba, told newsmen in Enugu that the agency had done excellently well in vaccines monitoring in the entire zone.
“For any vaccine we see on shelves or dysfunctional refrigerators or cooling system both in government or private hospitals, including pharmaceutical stores, we seize and destroy immediately.
“We keep monitoring the drug markets through our staff and reliable informants to track any drug dealer that stock his shop with vaccines; for the destruction of these exposed vaccines and prosecution of the drug dealer.
“Vaccines by its nature become poison; when they are not kept in very cool temperature or exposed to sun or heat temperature of rooms or shops.
“So, for NAFDAC, there is no compromise on vaccine monitoring or the way we deal with any defaulter,’’ he said.
Gimba noted that the agency had been sensitising hospitals on the need to have alternative power supply (generating sets and solar power) just to ensure that the potency of vaccines were never compromised.
“While during routine immunisation, we ensure that vaccinators carry cooler-packs placed with ice blocks as they move to remote places for immunisations,’’ he said.
Contributing, Director of Public Health in Enugu State, Dr Okechukwu Ossai, said that the state government had ensured regular supply of vaccines to government-owned and private health facilities through the “Free Maternal and Child Healthcare Programme’’.
Ossai said that since vaccines were mostly used by expecting and nursing mothers as well as children under the age of five, the state government had continued to immunise against diseases affecting this class of people free-of-charge.
“Nobody pays for any immunisation or vaccination in the state since government and our health partners had made the payment and provided the vaccines already.
“The people of the state know this through the massive radio, television, billboard and posters campaigns we have made on the benefit they will derive from the state’s Free Maternal and Child Healthcare Programme,’’ he said.
Ossai, who doubles as the Chief Disease Surveillance Officer of the state, said that apart from the routine immunisation that captures targeted children or individuals, free vaccination is always on-going in government-owned and private health facilities all year round.
“Presently, we have over 520 vaccination points in various health facilities scattered all over the state, while among this number, about 215 of them are privately owned hospitals and health facilities.
“We know we cannot do it alone as government, so we collaborated with private health facilities and government donated free refrigerators powered by solar-powers to store the vaccines we regularly issue to them.
“While our central vaccine storage store has three sources of power and the cold store have a temperature reader that indicate the temperature of the store and the vaccine instantly,’’ he said.
The director revealed that few affluence but misguided individuals in the state still go to buy vaccines in pharmaceutical stores in order to show affluence to peers; when government and our health partners had provided for it all.
A pharmacist, who spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity, said that he sells vaccines, especially to health professionals who need it for emergency, adding that most hospitals get theirs direct from the state Ministry of Health.
The pharmacist, who operates a pharmaceutical store on Agbani Road in Enugu, said: “however, the cost is relative low.
“A dose of tetanus vaccine is sold or administered for N100, which covers cost of preserving the vaccines in our refrigerators through generating sets.
“We, pharmacist operating in Enugu, have ensured that we have functional refrigerators and standby generating sets to power it as stipulated by the state Ministry of Health and NAFDAC,’’ he said.
The police in Ebonyi State say they have discovered the body of a yet to be identified middle-aged woman in a hotel room in Abakaliki, the state capital. The spokesperson of the police in the state, Loveth Odah, stated this yesterday.
She said the body has deep cuts on the chest and neck and has been deposited in a mortuary. According to the spokesman, it was discovered at Crown Garden Hotel located along the ever-busy Afikpo road in the capital city.
Mrs Odah, who said that the victim was found in the pool of her own blood, said the suspect had been identified as one Uchenna Awoke.
She said the hotel manager, Emmanuel Eze, the supervisor, and other workers had been taken to the police station for questioning and accused the hotel management of negligence.
“The manager of the hotel, the supervisor and other staff of the hotel were taken to the station for questioning and I must confess to you that the whole thing is negligence on the part of the hotel management. How can a guest be murdered in a hotel room and days after, the management is not aware of the incident.”
“We will investigate the matter properly and I assure you, the perpetrator of the act must be arrested and prosecuted. All we are asking is for the members of the public to avail the police of useful information that will lead to the arrest of the suspect.”
The Senate yesterday passed the South East Development Commission (Establishment) Bill 2018.
The proposed commission aims at enhancing the infrastructural development of the South East zone, which is grappling with huge ecological challenges.
It also seeks to act as a catalyst for the development of the commercial potential of the zone.
The proposed legislation requires the concurrence of the House of Representatives to become a bill of the National Assembly, and the President’s assent to become a law.
Senators Stella Oduah (PDP-Anambra) and Samuel Anyanwu (PDP-Imo) jointly sponsored the bill read in the Senate on June 22, 2016.
Its passage in the Red Chamber followed the presentation of the report of the Committee on Establishment and Public Service by its former Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Paulker (PDP-Bayelsa), on the floor of the Senate.
The bill, after Paulker’s presentation, was considered clause by clause by the committee of the whole, and amendments made by the lawmakers were read for the third time and eventually passed.
In his remarks, presiding Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, commended his colleagues for a job well done.
In his words, “Every morning we pray that God should give us the grace to do only those things that will promote the peace and unity of this country.
“I believe that we have shown today that we are committed to the unity of this country, and it is this unity that will give us faith in this country.
“This faith will in turn help us to pursue peace and progress,” he said.
Briefing newsmen after plenary, members the South East caucus of the Senate, led by Sen. Enhinnaya Abaribe (PDP-Abia), thanked their colleagues and members of the committee for their efforts.
Abaribe, who spoke on behalf of the caucus, urged the President to sign the bill into law “as soon as we tidy it up and bring to him, in the interest of the unity and progress of Nigeria”.
“This will put to rest the long-drawn agitation in the South East, and the difficulties in the rehabilitation and reconciliation efforts that started at the end of the civil war.
“All things we see always will end up at the negotiating table, which is what we have done,” he said.
The lawmaker said he hoped the House of Representatives would give concurrence to the bill as it went in the Senate.
When established, the South East Development Commission would be the third zonal interventionist body in the country.
Bishop David Oyedepo, the Founder and Presideng Bishop, Living Faith Church Worldwide, on Saturday predicted that nothing would disturb the peace of Nigeria and its story would change for the better in the year 2019.
Oyedepo made the declaration at the just concluded annual prophetic gathering of the Winners’ family, christened the “Dominion”, in a satellite telecast of the church.
In the telecast monitored in Abuja, the cleric also declared that 2019 would be a year of “I have Dominion”.
“Nothing will tamper with the peace of Nigeria; the story will change for the better in the name of Jesus.
“Nigeria shall not see bloodshed, the Prince of Peace will continue to dominate in Nigeria, in Africa and Nigeria is declared blessed.
“Anywhere you step, accident is forbidden; death will not come near you and our nation.
“Anything that is of grace in my life, I freely release upon you today.
“God has opened the year 2019 to us, celebrate Him because its our year of “I have Dominion,” he said.
The Bishop added that the year 2019 would be a year of humbling testimonies for Nigeria and pace-setting testimonies.
He further declared that 2019 would be a colourful year for the nation.
According to the cleric, as long as Jesus has the final say on the issues of Nigeria, it will experience greatness.
Oyedepo said that there would be no more cause of alarm in any area of the nation and its citizens.
He advised Christians in Nigeria to delight themselves in the spirit of servant-hood, adding that the spirit of Christ is the spirit of servant-hood.
“The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of servant-hood. As you keep rising on the ladder of leadership, you must retain our spirit of servant-hood, constantly working to add value to others and be kingdom minded,” he said.
According to him, dedication is at the root of dominion, saying: “Sow yourself as a seed by being totally dedicated to God and His Kingdom’’.
He told his congregation that sacrificial giving guarantees the meeting of all their needs.
“When you engage in taking care of the well-being of others, God is also committed to your well-being,” he explained. The cleric admonished Christians would engage in meeting the needs of the needy, every barrier on their path of destiny would be crushed.
“Nobody tampers with your life, your career, your family and goes away with it because you are promoted to God’s kingdom.
“God will stand for your defence in the day of trouble. Every sacrificial giver has a defence around him in the day of trouble always have that in mind,” he said.
He reminded his congregation that the Church is not a building; the Church is a people and the Redeemed of the Lord.