Women and men of different religious beliefs, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, Non-governmental Organisations, Partners and Civil Society Organizations have gathered at the Interfaith Forum Pre-conference of the Nigeria Family Planning 7th Conference in Abuja.
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire said the conference focused on Updates on the Covid-19 pandemic Response and Development in the Health Sector from Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, National Health Insurance Scheme, National Blood Transfusion Control Programme, and National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance System.
With the theme; ‘The Journey to 2023: The Opportunities Ahead,’ Dr Osagie said the Nigeria Family Planning Conference (NFPC) focused on bringing all family planning stakeholders to provide an opportunity for fostering policy debate, exchange of ideas and experiences on the progress made so far, identify emerging issues on family planning/reproductive health and chart the way forward towards improving the existing situations.
“Key outcomes of the Interfaith Pre-Conference were that, there should be quarterly review meeting of interfaith forum at all levels to give update on family planning activities and create avenues for the promotion and acceptance of modern contraceptive methods during religious teachings,” he stated.
Dr Osagie urged all citizens to avail themselves the opportunity to be fully vaccinated and still maintain all non-pharmaceutical preventive measures thereby contribute to successful halting of the spread of Covid-19 transmission in Nigeria.
“Together we can achieve the eradication of Covid-19 and prevent the fourth wave from happening; the media’s cooperation is also needed to create awareness as the Government cannot do it alone,” he added.
The Executive Director National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib said three years after the novel corona virus emerged, a new variant, XBB.1.5, is quickly becoming the dominant strain in parts of the United States and has been detected in at least 28 other countries.
Dr Shuaib, represented by the Director Planning, Research and Statistics, DPRS, Dr. Giwa Taiwo said that it is because of a potent mix of mutations that makes XBB.1.5 easier to spread broadly.
He stressed that XBB.1.5 has been pegged by the World Health Organization as “the most transmissible” descendant yet of the omicron variant.
Dr Shuaib said; “While accounting for just 1% of all Covid cases at the start of December, estimates from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention show that it surged to become the dominant strain by the end of the month, responsible for about 41% of all infections in northeastern states, that figure has jumped above 702%. The increase in number of cases seen globally is as a result of the mutation that is occurring and the low intake of booster doses. We are therefore calling on all Nigerians to ensure that they take their booster doses of the Covid-19 vaccines. Just like the flu vaccine, the Covid-19 vaccines have become routinised vaccines that help protect us against this deadly virus.”
He reiterates that the NPHCDA would continue to work with all stakeholders at National, State and Local Government to increase awareness, social mobilization and increase coverage.
He said that ”as at January 7th 2023, Nigeria has a vaccine stock balance of 28,968,045 doses and more vaccines are still expected over the coming weeks.”
Addressing Journalist during the briefing, the Director General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa said; ”the variants circulating in China were predominantly BA 5.2 and Bf.7 which make up 90% of all isolates.
“These variants have been circulating in other parts of the world, including Nigeria, since 2022. In Nigeria, we have had 5,708,974 samples tested, 266,463 confirmed cases, 259,850 discharged cases and, unfortunately 3,155 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).”
Dr. Adetifa said; ”the NCDC-led COVID-19 EOC is closely monitoring the rise in the new Omicron sublineages XBB.1.5 in the UK and U.S.A, the current resurgence COVID-19 trends in China, and other countries with a high volume of traffic to and from Nigeria.”
“In the light of the recent spike in global COVID-19 cases in China, UK, US and other countries, the Federal Government has urged Nigerians, especially the elderly and those with co-morbidities, to get vaccinated and take their booster doses to protect themselves and loved ones against severe infection, hospitalisation and death.”
He noted that although the sub-lineages partly responsible for the current increase in Covid-19 cases in other countries, that is, the XBB.1.5 and BF.7, have not yet been detected in Nigeria as at November 2022, it is working to complete testing and analysis for December 2022 to ascertain the situation.
The Nigerian government also urged the people Nigerians to continue to adhere to the recommended Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions, (NPIs) such as the use of face masks, good hand and respiratory hygiene, and avoiding crowded spaces.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
