Health
Nigeria Monitors New Strains of COVID-19, Other Diseases
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has said it is on high alert amid global concerns over new strains of COVID-19.
This was made known yesterday at a press conference in Abuja, where the health body said over 663 million confirmed cases and over 6.7 million deaths had been reported globally.
Speaking at the event, NCDC Director General, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa, said: “Globally, more than three million new cases and ten thousand deaths have been reported in the week of December 26, 2022, to January 1, 2023. This represents a reduction in weekly cases and deaths of 22 per cent and 12 per cent, respectively.
“The African Region reports a 73 per cent and 32 per cent decrease in new cases and deaths compared to the previous week.
“In the Americas and Western Pacific (including China), there has been a 74 per cent and 29 per cent increase in cases and a 49 per cent and 35 per cent increase in deaths, respectively. The increase in these countries, in part, is a component of the winter exacerbation of respiratory illness,” the DG said.
Dr Adetifa said the resurgence of COVID-19 in China, following the relaxation of the country’s zero-COVID policy and the unsurprising increase in cases, hospitalisation and deaths, also attracts concerns about the possible emergence of new variants.
He said the variants circulating in China are predominantly BA.5.2 and Bf.7. According to him, these variants have been circulating in other parts of the world, including Nigeria, since 2022.
The Omicron sub-variant, XBB.1.5, which was originally detected in New York in October 2022, is also on the increase in the US and Europe and has now been identified in more than 25 countries. The XBB.1.5 is the most transmissible form of Omicron, but it is not clear if it is more virulent than its ancestor.
The epidemiologist noted that in Nigeria, NCDC has 5,708,974 samples tested, 266,463 confirmed cases, 259,850 discharged cases and, unfortunately 3,155 deaths recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He said COVID-19 has and continues to follow a different epidemiological course in Nigeria and most of Africa, with lesser cases, admissions, and deaths from the Omicron sub-lineages.
On efforts to contain the current threat, he said: “The NCDC-led COVID-19 Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) is closely monitoring the rise in the new Omicron sub-lineage, XBB.1.5, in the U.K. and U.S., and the current resurgence in China and other countries with a high volume of traffic to and from Nigeria.
“The sub-lineages partly responsible for the current increase in COVID-19 cases in other countries (XBB. 1.5 and BF.7) have not yet been detected in the country as of November 2022. We are working on completing testing and analysis for December 2022.
“Since the detection of the Omicron variant in December 2021, its sub-lineage (BQ.1/BQ.1.1) has been dominant in Nigeria.
“It is important to note that regardless of COVID-19 variants in different parts of the world, severe disease, admissions, and deaths disproportionately affect the unvaccinated and those with established risk factors, such as older people and people with co-morbidities.
“The most important action for Nigerians to take is to get vaccinated against COVID-19, as the vaccine is the most important intervention for preventing severe disease, hospitalisation, and death.
“Additionally, though COVID-19 protocols and restrictions have been eased, people at high risk for severe COVID-19 are advised to continue to adhere to recommended non-pharmaceutical intervention (NPIs), such as the use of face masks, good hand and respiratory hygiene and avoidance of crowded spaces.”
On other infectious diseases, he said: “We continue to respond to infectious diseases, including Lassa fever, Mpox, and more. To date, there are 8,202 suspected cases and 1,067 confirmed cases of Lassa fever across 27 states and 112 council areas.
“Cumulatively, from Week 1 to Week 52, 2022, 189 deaths have been reported with a case fatality rate (FR) of 17.7 per cent, which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2021 (20.0 per cent). 72 per cent of all confirmed Lassa fever cases in 2022 were reported from three states (Ondo, Edo and Bauchi).
“Most recently, the NCDC, in collaboration with partners, federal and state stakeholders of the Technical Working Group (TWG), successfully conducted finalisation and validation of a five-year strategic plan to reduce Lassa fever fatality ratio in the country to less than ten per cent.
“We continually appeal to Nigerians to practice personal and environmental hygiene to prevent the infestation of rats in our homes and communities, especially during this dry season, which is when we typically record more cases of Lassa fever cases.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The new one-hour authorisation response time ultimatum policy introduced by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has received the full backing of SUNU Health Nigeria Limited.
This policy was introduced by the agency to ensure enrollees get prompt approval codes to access care.
Healthcare service providers have been urged to report any Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) that violates this initiative through an email, with the HMO in copy and a timestamp attached as evidence of the request. They may proceed to offer services to enrollees thereafter.
Speaking at the company’s second-quarter Providers’ Forum for the Lagos-Ogun region in Lagos recently, the chief executive of SUNU Health, Dr Moyosore Olomola, expressed optimism that this policy would improve healthcare delivery in the country, especially for enrollees, who crave quality service.
At the event themed Improving Quality and Access to Care Through Stronger Provider Network, and held at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in Yaba, Lagos, Mr Olomola reaffirmed the HMO’s commitment to operating within legal and operational frameworks to guarantee adequate care for enrollees.
“Access to care and quality of care remain key priorities in our healthcare systems. We know quite well that deliberate collaboration, strategic partnerships, and a shared commitment to excellence are required to achieve these priorities.
“A strong provider network is doubtless the backbone of any effective healthcare system. It ensures that our mutual enrollees receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place, and at the right price,” Mr Olomola, represented at the programme by the organisation’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Dr Faith Nwachi, stated.
He further assured that SUNU Health would strictly adhere to the one-hour authorisation limit, stressing that this aligns seamlessly with one of the organisation’s core values—promptness and its corporate slogan, Humanity is the centre of our initiatives.
In a bid to further improve access and quality of care, SUNU Health also demonstrated its new operational software and Mobile app, aptly named SUNU Legacy.
Also speaking at the event, the NHIA Lagos State Coordinator (Ikeja), Dr Bethuel-Kasimu Abraham, noted that the forum’s expected outcome is to significantly reduce delays in accessing medical care.
Other key expectations include ensuring continuity of care, improving patient outcomes, and strengthening accountability among HMOs.
Addressing specific pain points faced by enrollees, the NHIA Ogun State Coordinator, Mr Dare Adefeso, acknowledged that the agency had received complaints regarding out-of-stock drugs and the discrimination of enrollees by certain providers.
He affirmed that the NHIA is actively addressing these issues, stressing that moving forward, every facility must ensure enrollees are properly catered to regardless of their status, provided they have an active health insurance plan.
Corroborating the long-standing legacy of SUNU Health, the Ogun State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mrs Aishat Tiamiyu, shared that her agency is responsible for public information dissemination and has been enrolled with SUNU Health for over 25 years.
Commending the HMO’s stellar service over two decades, she called for the immediate enrollment of new NOA staff into the scheme.
The Providers’ Forum remains one of the strategic channels employed by SUNU Health to consistently engage healthcare providers, understand their operational challenges, introduce new software updates, and solidify partnerships aimed at fostering premium healthcare delivery across Nigeria.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced the recall of a sexual enhancement product known as WAP Sensual Enhancement Capsules.
In a statement on Monday, the Nigerian agency disclosed that the recall is due to “undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients” in the product, whose country of origin is unknown, but is marketed and distributed online in the US through eBay.
It was emphasised that the recall is being “voluntarily” made by the manufacturer, Best Supplements Best Prices Company.
The detection of the undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients was made by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Laboratory analysis by the US FDA revealed that the product contained undeclared sildenafil, tadalafil, and flibanserin, which were not mentioned on the product label. Such substances may include phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors or related compounds commonly used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, the statement by NAFDAC stated.
Sildenafil and tadalafil are ingredients in FDA-approved prescription drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction.
It was noted that these undeclared ingredients may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs, such as nitroglycerin, and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Consumers with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take nitrates.
Flibanserin is the active ingredient in an FDA-approved prescription drug used to treat low sexual desire in women. Flibanserin can cause drowsiness, sedation, dangerously low blood pressure, and fainting, especially when combined with alcohol.
Consumers have been encouraged to report compromised products (medicines or medical devices) to the nearest NAFDAC office, call 0800-162-3322, or send an email to sf******@********ov.ng.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Dr Obi Adigwe has been appointed as the pioneer National Coordinator of the National Health Technology and Data Analytics Office (NHTDAO).
The body was created by the Ministry of Health under the approval of President Bola Tinubu.
NHTDAO will be domiciled in the Office of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, a statement on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, stated.
The agency will serve as a meta-level national platform for coordinating the country’s digital-health agenda. It will reinforce, not replace, the existing statutory functions of relevant departments and agencies, it was emphasised.
The organisation will also harmonise and empower the public and private institutions across the health system, set the standards that connect them, and operationalise the National Digital Health Architecture, approved by the National Council on Health in November 2025.
It was stated that President Tinubu expects NHTDAO to accelerate Nigeria’s transition to a secure, interoperable and data-driven health system that improves outcomes for all citizens.
Mr Adigwe, as Director General of the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development, has leveraged science to catalyse interventions in artificial intelligence, translational research, and technology transfer.
He coordinated major projects, including the ¥300m Nanotechnology grant and the AFREXIMBank grant for Africa’s first API Training Facility. He led the roadmap development that underpinned an €18 million EU grant, the largest in Africa for the thematic area. During the last pandemic, Adigwe globally showcased African science by undertaking the world’s first analysis to debunk claims about the Covid Organics preparation.
The Office’s Steering Committee, which provides strategic direction and oversight, comprises:
- Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare (Co-chair)
- Mr Olaniyi Yusuf, Chairman of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (Co-chair)
- Dr Iziaq Adekunle Salako, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare (Alternate Co-chair)
- Ms Kachollom Daju, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare
- Mr Idris Alubankudi Saliu, Special Adviser to the President on Technology and Digital Economy
- Dr Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq, National Coordinator, SWAp Coordination Office
- Dr Abdu Mukhtar, National Coordinator, Presidential Initiative to Unlock Healthcare Value Chain
- Dr Muyi Aina, Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency
- Dr Kelechi Ohiri, Director General, National Health Insurance Authority
- Director, Health Planning, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare
- National Information Technology Development Agency Representative
- Six representatives of the State Commissioners of Health, one from each of the six geopolitical zones
- Pharm Hamza Buhari, Stakeholder representing Industry and Community.
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