Shocking! 25% of Nigerians Have Tested Postive to Zika Virus - Health Minister

It will amaze Nigerians that the Zika Virus causing the retarded development of the brains of new born babies in South America has been living with us over the years.

Twenty Five percent of Nigeria’s population have tested positive to the dreaded Zika virus currently ravaging the South American continent, according to the Daily Sun.

The Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewole who made the revelation while defending the 2016 budget of the Ministry of Health said the virus is not taken serious because Nigeria is not interested in it.

He said: “I want to say that Zika has been with us since 1954. About 25% of Nigerians are positive to Zika virus but what has happened is that it has done nothing to us.”

Zika virus according to the Centre for Disease Control, spread to people through mosquito bites. The most common symptoms of Zika virus disease are fever, rash, joint pain, and conjunctivitis (red eyes). The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting from several days to a week. Severe disease requiring hospitalization is uncommon.

In May 2015, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an alert regarding the first confirmed Zika virus infection in Brazil.

 

The outbreak in Brazil led to reports of Guillain-Barré syndrome and pregnant women giving birth to babies with birth defects and poor pregnancy outcomes.

In response, CDC has issued travel notices for people traveling to regions and certain countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said the incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) of Zika virus disease is not clear, but is likely to be a few days. The symptoms are similar to other arbovirus infections such as dengue, and include fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, and headache. These symptoms are usually mild and last for 2-7 days.

 

 

Tori News

UNICEF tasks communities on early childhood education

TO bridge the gap between   early childhood education development  in urban cities and  rural areas in Oyo State, the  Education Officer, United Nations International  Children Education Fund  (UNICEF), Mrs.  Justina  Onifade, has called on community  leaders and residents  in all the 33 local government areas  of Oyo State to support early childhood education programmes  in their communities.

She also urged lawmakers at local, state and federal levels to key into the early childhood education programme for its sustenance in their communities.

Mrs Onifade  made  this appeal at  a  one-day stakeholders meeting  on early childhood education in Oyo State, organised by the Universal Basic  Education  Board  in collaboration with UNICEF B-Field  Office, Lagos,  at Wallan Hotel, Ibadan.

According to her, it has  become obvious that government will need community residents’ assistance in  the development process of pre- primary school  programme in their localities.

Make money with your Facebook Account...

Her words: “ It has become imperative for Oyo State government  to comply with the improved school system   of one year pre- primary school programme in the  country. Pre-primary school education  is a national programme  in the country whereby every  child’s education process, from age two and five, irrespective of their backgrounds, takes off before they proceed to primary school. This  new educational system, which is being   introduced in government schools, will afford children the opportunity of knowing the importance of schooling and what its entails before   starting primary school education.

“Recent survey conducted in Oyo State revealed that  there are many of these children across  villages in the state who are still with their mothers, constituting nuisance in the communities,  instead of being in school as their counterparts in urban centres.  This is appealing to lawmakers, philanthropists, at home and abroad  who are indigenes  of the communities to support the development of this  school in their areas. UNICEF  will want the state government to replicate its effort in early childhood education development in the state.”

Speaking earlier, the Permanent  Secretary, State Universal Basic Education Board, Mr. Yinka Osuntogun, represented  by Mrs Lucy  Eniola, the Director, Social  Mobilisation and Information Communication Technology of the board, stated that pre-primary school  programme is a necessity in the Nigerian  education system, stressing that Oyo State government  would  ensure the development and sustenance of the programme in the state.


UNICEF NEWS