By Uche Bibilari

The Nigeria Medical Association, Federal Capital Territory (NMA-FCT) has x-rayed contributions of women in the profession, especially in efforts to curtail the COVID-19 pandemic, and called for more support to encourage effective service delivery.

The Chairman of the Association, Dr Enema Amodu, expressed this concern in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja in commemoration of the 2021 International Women’s Day.

Amodu said that the International Women’s Day provided opportunity to celebrate women in the health sector for their tireless efforts in building a better and strong health sector.

The theme of the 2021 International Women’s Day is “Women in leadership: achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 World’’ and is celebrated every March 8.

According to him, Nigerian women have remained graceful in beauty and steadfast in their quest for knowledge and their contributions as equal partners in progress within and outside the medical profession.

“They are now standards to be emulated internationally and locally.

“Despite the challenges of the medical and dental profession, your natural gifts have made meaningful strides within the health sector to state the least,” he said.

Amodu further commended the achievements of some notable women in the profession, including Dr Eleanor Nwadinobi, the first Nigeria International President of the Medical Women’s International Association.

Others he mentioned were Dr Mma Wokocha, Dr Patience Ahmed, Dr Olufunke Lawson, Dr Amina Abubakar, Dr Fatima Mairami, Dr Aisha Umar, Dr Maureen Ume, Dr Regina Morgan and Dr Mary Ogbe among others.

He said that the women played vital roles in curbing the trend of teenage pregnancies, violence against persons as women’s health advocate.

The chairman also commended the achievements of Dr Salamat Aliu, Nigeria first indigenously trained female Neurosurgeon and her four sisters, saying that they are prides of their parents and the nation.

He also eulogised Dr Stella Adadevoh of blessed memory who saved millions of Nigerians and many other Nations from Ebola and paid the supreme price.

Amodu, therefore, urged the younger generation of women to emulate the achievements of such great women in the society and the profession and strive to be better. (NAN)

Vice President Kamala Harris on Sunday appeared ahead of the NBA All-Star Game and appealed for Americans to take COVID-19 vaccines, as President Joe Biden’s administration seeks to counter vaccine hesitancy among African Americans.

“I’m urging everyone to get the vaccine when it is your turn. I’ve taken the vaccine,” said Harris, the first Black American to serve as vice president, in clips from a conversation with actor and producer Michael B. Jordan broadcast ahead of the game.

“It’s about understanding that it’s bigger than you. It really is an extension of love thy neighbor and it will save their life,” said Harris.

Harris has been making similar appeals to Black Americans in recent weeks, in response to distrust in vaccines.

A Reuters poll in December found 49 per cent of Black Americans said they would be interested in taking the COVID-19 vaccine, compared to 63 per cent of white Americans.

Experts say that can be traced to decades of unequal healthcare access and treatment, under-representation in clinical trials and a history of medical horror stories, such as the infamous “Tuskegee Study” that left African-American men with syphilis untreated without their knowledge to observe the course of the disease. (Reuters/NAN)

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The FCT Administration (FCTA) Ministerial Taskforce on Enforcement of COVID-19 Protocols has warned residents and business premises against violation of COVID-19 Protocols, following  arrival of COVID-19 vaccines in Nigeria.

Mr Ihkaro Attah, Head Media and Enlightenment of the enforcement taskforce, issued the warning at a news conference on Sunday in Abuja.

Attah said the taskforce observed that there had  been some kind of relaxation in the minds of many residents on compliance with COVID-19 protocols since the arrival of vaccines into the country.

He reminded the FCT residents that the COVID-19 Health Protection Regulations Act, 2021, signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, was still being enforced in the territory, adding that anybody or business premises found violating the regulation would be arrested and prosecuted.

” The vaccination currently ongoing is a welcome development and a good one but that doesn’t mean that we should all go and relax, throw away our facemasks, stop our regular washing of hands and stop observing physical distancing.

” We must ensure that we comply with COVID-19 protocols. The  taskforce  set up by the FCT  Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello and headed by the FCT Commissioner of Police, Bala Ciroma, will continue to intensify enforcement in the coming days.

” We intensified efforts throughout last week, talking to people, going round the city to educate residents to understand that we prefer  advocacy and enlightenment than enforcement,” he said.

According to him, it appears that some persons are so relaxed, they believe that the vaccine have come so people can jump out of the water and roll out the drums, no, we have  not reached that stage yet.

” We just got about four million vaccines and as President Muhammadu Buhari stated very clearly, there is  need for us to  comply  with the COVID-19 Health Protection Regulations Act because other dosage will be coming later on to ensure that Nigerians are heavily vaccinated.

” But before we get the other dosage people must comply with COVID-19 protocols, ” Attah said.

He revealed that from Monday, March 8, residents would see intensive enforcement with a view to waking  people up from slumber, “who feel that the vaccines are out so they can do whatever they liked.”

Attah also disclosed that Mobile Courts would be sitting in some locations that were already known, warning that any body that failed  to put on his facemasks would be arrested and prosecuted.

Similarly, he cautioned that  any business premises that failed  to have hand washing points and temperature check devices would be prosecuted and shut via seal off order from court.

” The FCT minister has directed the taskforce to really intensify enforcement to ensure that people comply with the Presidential Executive Order on COVID-19. (NAN)

By Cecilia Ologunagba

Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, has urged everyone to recognise the leadership skills and potential of women toward moving the world closer to gender equality.

She made the call in her message to mark the 2021 International Women’s Day (IWD), globally celebrated on March 8 to recognise the achievements of women and to take stock of progress toward gender equality.

The regional director said overcoming inequities in societies would lead to better health, development and prosperity for all people.

She added that WHO remained committed to enabling women to advance in their careers and enhance their leadership potential.

“Over 80 mid-level and senior female staff in the region have participated in leadership training and we are piloting its expansion to ministries of health.

“In the Republic of the Congo, 34 women leading decentralised primary health institutions participated in the programme.

“Last year, we launched the Africa Young Women Champions Initiative in partnership with the UN volunteers programme to recruit 100 UN volunteers in the African Region.

“In spite of the immense challenges of the COVID-19 response, already 27 volunteers are on board, 93 per cent are female and more than 20 additional will be on board in the coming months.

“Women now account for 33 per cent of our workforce, up from 30 per cent in 2015,’’ she said.

In addition, she said, WHO had established a mentoring programme and a task force to promote a more conducive working environment for female WHO staff in the Region.

On the 2021 IWD theme; “Women in Leadership: Achieving an Equal Future in a COVID-19 World,” Moeti said the pandemic had shone light on the effective leadership skills of women.

According to her, 70 per cent of the frontline health workforce exposed to a heightened risk of infection and as stewards of families and communities are women.

She said women had stepped-up to this challenge with courage and honesty, learning and adapting in a rapidly evolving situation.

“At the same time, inequities that disadvantage women have been exacerbated in this pandemic.

“Stay-at-home orders brought the livelihoods of many African women – working as hairdressers or market vendors, for example – to a standstill.

“Lockdowns, coupled with fears of infection and health workforce shortages, are among the reasons for reports of drops in access to contraception, antenatal care and births in health facilities in Zimbabwe and other countries.

“These restrictions, including school closures, also increased the risks of sexual and gender-based violence, teenage pregnancies and dropping out of school, particularly for girls.

“This pandemic will have long-term impacts on the social and economic fabric of our societies, including progress toward gender equality.”

She, therefore, explained that the organisation was providing guidance and technical support to governments to ensure the continuous delivery of essential gender-responsive services and to assess the barriers girls and women face in reaching quality services.

“Thirty-six Member States in the African Region have integrated at least one gender-responsive measure in their national COVID-19 response plans.

“We have trained 155 health workers in 22 African countries to support women suffering from gender-based violence and to continue to safely deliver sexual and reproductive health and HIV services in the context of COVID-19,’’ she added. (NAN)

By Justina Auta

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has called for united action from all stakeholders to acelerate gender equality as the world marks the International Women’s Day (IWD).

The Director-General of UNESCO, Ms Audrey Azoulay, made the call in a statement on Sunday  in commemoration of the 2021 IWD celebration with the theme; “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.”

The IWD is celebrated globally every March 8 in recognition of the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women and also a call to action for accelerating women’s equality.

Azoulay said the COVID-19 pandemic had exacerbated all the divisions in the world, particularly those due to gender inequalities, hence it was necessary to unite and mobilise towards addressing the challenges.

“In the face of these ongoing injustices, in the face of this twenty-first-century “shame”, as put by Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres, it is high time for united action.

“For it is above all in the minds of people that the defences of equality must be constructed in order to break down prejudices and stereotypes.”

The statement also noted educational inequalities, which the COVID-19 had worsened, as exemplified by the 767 million women and girls who were deprived of their studies at the peak of the pandemic.

“Today, in addition to the 132 million who were already out of school before the crisis, 11 million of them may never return. ”

The statement disclosed that UNESCO and the Global Coalition for Education had launched the Girls Back to School campaign and published an accompanying guide to more than 50 African Union countries to support girls’ return to school.

It also highlighted some of UNESCO’S mandate, which included supporting women’s right to education, promoting women artists, journalists and researchers, as well as encouraging men’s engagement to the cause. (NAN)

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The President, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Mr David Alabi, has advised youths to shun alcoholism, banditry and kidnapping that disturb the peace, economy and security of the country.

Alabi gave the advice on Saturday in Abuja when he received an award from the Northern Youth Initiative for Peace and Good Governance.

He said that ALGON was deeply pained by the way youths were involved in alcoholism, banditry and kidnapping.

Alabi urged youths engaging in such bad behaviours to retrace their steps.

He pledged that ALGON would work closely with the youth in the development of the grassroots.

Receiving the award, Alabi described the award and honour as a motivation for further service and dedicated the award to all Nigerian youths.

Alabi thanked the Northern youths for the honour and urged them to continue to develop programmes that would unite Nigerians.

The National President of the group, Alhaji Umar Faruk, said the award was meant to appreciate the distinctive qualities which Alabi had exhibited tirelessly in the course of leading ALGON.

He said the youths association, covering the 19 northern states, had incorporated the award in its programme for the promotion of good leadership and development. (NAN)