Don’t sack NYSC doctors, house officers, Medical Guild tells Lagos govt

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August 2, 2021

The Medical Guild has implored the Lagos State Government not to remove medical doctors undertaking housemanship and National Youth Service Corps doctors from the state scheme of service.

The Medical Guild is the association of medical doctors under the employment of the Lagos state government.

Chairman of the Medical Guild, Dr. Oluwajimi Sodipo made the call at a press conference on Sunday in Lagos.

Sodipo said that the decision to remove the doctors was contained in a circular from the office of the state Head of Service dated July 12 and titled ‘Internship Programme in Public/Civil Service.’

According to him, the content of the circular is at variance with any known international best practice and will cause further uncertainty in the health sector.

“This circular has further heightened the uncertainty among young doctors and we have received countless complaints from them on this issue,” he said.

He noted that the decision would further worsen the brain drain and manpower challenge confronting the state and country, adding that it was becoming difficult to attract medical graduates to residency training.

“At this point, we are combating the third wave of COVID-19, emerging medical challenges, monkeypox, cholera, communicable and non-communicable disease in the state.

“All policies should be to attract and encourage, particularly our young doctors,” he said.

Sodipo said that the circular should be immediately withdrawn to allow for proper consultation, as it was yet to be implemented at the Federal or other states.

He urged the state to uphold the commitment by the state Commissioner of Health and its counterpart in Establishment, Training and Pension that the circular would not affect the wages of medical doctors working as House Officers and NYSC doctors.

Sodipo also appealed that the challenge of unresolved salary disparity between doctors working for the state government and their counterparts should be urgently resolved.

He added that the disparity was contributing to attrition of doctors from the state service.

Sodipo stressed that the Guild was duty-bound to protect the medical profession as enshrined in the Physician’s Oath and welfare of its members.

Lagos introduces app to monitor environment

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Cleopatra Okohai

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August 2, 2021

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The Lagos State Government has inaugurated an online application known as Citi Monitor Application and Enterprise Environmental Monitoring Infrastructure Information System (Citi Monitor) to track and report environmental infractions in the state.

According to a statement on Sunday, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello, while launching the application in Alausa, Ikeja, said the move was to boost the government’s cleaner city initiative through citizens’ participation.

Bello, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Mrs. Belinda Oduneye, said Citi Monitor would enable the government to have a wide reach in monitoring and responding to environmental infractions as reported by residents.

He said, “This app will maximise the reach of the government using the large population of Lagos; it will help us to better report the state of the environment from blockage of our canals to indiscriminate waste dumping and every other infraction.

“I want to encourage residents to avail themselves of the opportunity of downloading the application as it will help them to take ownership of the environment of the state as the citizens are the primary custodians,” he added.

Also, the software developer, Mr. Ayodeji Faniran, said the Citi Monitor app was configured to capture real-time images within the Lagos metropolis only.

“You cannot upload pictures from your gallery, you cannot submit pictures from other parts of the country or the world, only pictures from Lagos state can be submitted, and once you click the picture anywhere in Lagos state, it’s going to have the time stamp and the location.”

PCN Seals 301 Medicine Shops in Abia State

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Olasunbo Okoromi

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August 2, 2021

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Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) said it has sealed 301 medicine shops in Abia State as a result of poor storage conditions to unauthorized sale of substances of abuse.

The Register of PCN, Dr. Elijah Mohammed said the sealing of the premises was a result of a collaborative enforcement exercise carried out with officers of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Umuahia, represented by the director of enforcement, Stephen Esumobi.

He said the PCN enforcement team visited 394 premises made up of 44 pharmacies and 350 patent medicine shops.

Out of the premises visited, 14 pharmacies and 287 patent medicine shops were found to have committed offences ranging from operating without registration with PCN, poor documentation, poor storage conditions to unauthorized sale of substances of abuse, while one outlet was issued compliance directive.

“Most of the sealed premises don’t have appropriate storage facilities, thus exposing medicines to adverse environmental factors that degrade and make them unsuitable for human consumption.

“These illegal outlets do not have pharmacists to supervise the dispensing of medicines to the public which has contributed to irrational dispensing of medicines, resulting to treatment failures.” He added.

The PCN registrar informed that the enforcement exercise was one of the objectives of the new National Drug Distribution Guidelines to ensure that medicines remain safe, effective and of good quality as they transit from one level of the distribution chain to another.

Mohammed said before the commencement of the current enforcement exercise which is nationwide, the PCN held meetings with concerned stakeholders at various levels to sensitize them on the need to comply with regulations.

The PCN said the exercise will continue in other parts of the state in the coming week.

31 Doctors to Face Disciplinary Panel over Professional Misconduct

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Olasunbo Okoromi

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August 2, 2021

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No fewer than 31 health professionals comprising of medical doctors and dentists would appear before the Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal (MDPDT) for alleged professional misconduct on Monday.

The trial is a routine exercise by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), for doctors who have been reported by unsatisfied patients to had erred and violated professional ethics or code.

The trial which will run till Thursday will provide opportunities for the accused doctors to defend themselves either in person or be represented by a legal counsel.

Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), had advised patients who are unsatisfied with the professional conduct of the medical doctors to always approach MDCN using various communication channels to report such cases to the Council and expect justice.

According to a document obtained from the MDCN indicated that, “Out of the 31 doctors that would appear before the Prof. Abba Waziri led disciplinary tribunal, four doctors are expecting final judgments on their matter after the successful completion of their trials in previous sittings of the tribunal.”

A senior staff of MDCN who pleaded anonymity also confirmed that two doctors would submit their written addresses for possible adoption of by the tribunal, while the remaining 25 doctors would be appearing before the tribunal for first time arraignment.

The staff hinted that some of the doctors may be convicted of their offenses because of indisputable fact about their cases, and they may risk the withdrawal of their practicing licenses.

MDCN disciplinary book recommended several punishments for erring doctors including outright withdrawal of practicing license of any doctor convicted of gross negligence or other forms of professional misconduct.

Goodwill Pandas Give Birth At France’s Beauval Zoo

By

faith Jegede

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August 2, 2021

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Two baby pandas have been born to Huan Huan and her mate Yuan Zi at the Beauval zoo in France.

The zoo said female panda – Huan Huan – had given birth to the two babies in the early hours of Monday adding that the newly born animals were in good health.

Huan Huan and Yuan Zi came to France on loan from China in 2012, and their arrival was hailed at the time as a sign of warming diplomatic ties between Paris and Beijing.

Medical Guild Seeks Removal Of Houseman-Ship, NYSC Doctors

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Olasunbo Okoromi

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August 2, 2021

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Lagos Medical Guild has called for proper consultation on a circular from the office of the Head of Service in Lagos State stating that medical doctors undertaking houseman-ship and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) doctors would be removed from the scheme of service.

The association, during a press conference said, it noted with surprise the release of the circular entitled, “Internship Programme in Public/Civil Service with reference number CIR/ HOS/21/Vol.1/052.”

The association, which called for the immediate withdrawal of the circular following a national council of establishment decision, said it was yet to be implemented at the federal or state levels.

Chairman and Secretary, Oluwajimi Sodipo and Ismail Ajibowo, in a statement said, government was urged to keep to its commitment that the above cited circular would not affect the wages of medical doctors working as house officers and NYSC doctors.

“This commitment was made by top government officials of the Lagos State government including the commissioner of Health and Establishments, Training and Pensions.

“The long standing issue of salary disparity should be resolved as approved by Mr. Governor in September 2020. This would also help to stem the tide of attrition among doctors and provide skilled manpower for the expanding health infrastructure in the state.”

The officers committee were mandated to interface with the government to ensure prompt resolution of the problems of stagnation and regularization based on the contents of previous agreements with government and similarly mandated to interface with government on the prompt implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act 2016 as approved by Mr. Governor.

New Zealand’s Ardern Apologises To Pacific Community

By

Zoe Maven

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August 1, 2021

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New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern issued a sombre state apology to the Pacific community for deportations and prosecutions caused by racially targeted raids in the 1970s.

New Zealand saw many raids between 1974 and 1976. These raids were usually conducted first thing in the morning, hence the name “Dawn raids.” The raids were a part of a government clampdown on workers, from the Pacific, who overstayed their visas.

A formal apology was delivered by Ardern, who expressed her regret about the raids in which Pacific communities were racially targeted and suffered.

Speaking to the hundreds of people gathered there, Ardern said that to this day Pacific people continue to experience “the scars” of those raids.

In addition to a formal apology, Ardern’s government will provide academic and vocational scholarships worth NZ$2.1 million to Pacific communities, as well as leadership scholarships worth $1 million to youths from Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and Tuvalu.

Members of parliament and ministers draped a mat over Ardern during the Ifoga ceremony on Sunday, a traditional Samoan ceremony where people ask for forgiveness or receive forgiveness.

Members of the Pacific community then removed the mat from Ardern.

Arden stressed that the government expresses its regret, remorse, and sorrow for the Dawn Raids and random police checks that occurred, adding that “there were no reported raids on any homes of people who were not Pacific; no raids or random stops were exacted towards European people.”

Libya Commander Backs Reopening Of Mediterranean Highway

By

Zoe Maven

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August 1, 2021

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A top Libyan military commander whose forces control the country’s eastern regions has endorsed the reopening of the coastal highway along the Mediterranean Sea linking Libya’s long-divided east and west.

The resumption of traffic along the artery would be a significant step toward unifying Libya’s warring sides. U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq confirmed later on Friday that the highway had reopened.

The 1,800 kilometer-long highway links the capital of Tripoli to the west with the city of Benghazi to the east. It has been closed since April 2019 when Commander Khalifa Hifter launched a military offensive to capture Tripoli from the U.N.-recognized government.

Hifter’s campaign ultimately failed in June 2020, after which U.N.-sponsored peace talks brought about a cease-fire and installed an interim government that’s expected to lead the country into general elections in December.

The same deal inked in October also stipulated that all foreign forces and mercenaries — which support different sides in the conflict — withdraw from Libya in three months, a provision that has not been met.

In June, Libya’s interim authorities had announced the reopening of the road and held a ceremony near Tripoli where Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah was filmed while riding a bulldozer to tow away roadblocks.

However, it remained unclear whether the road would become fully functional amid objections to the reopening by militias that control parts of it.

The reopening was a long-held demand by the U.N. to enable the safe passage of civilians and goods. Hifter’s endorsement came shortly after a U.N.-backed joint military committee representing the warring factions announced the road would reopen on Friday morning and that a subsidiary committee would be in charge of securing it.

French Police Clash With Anti-Virus Pass Protesters In Paris

By

Zoe Maven

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August 1, 2021

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Thousands of people protested France’s special virus pass with marches through Paris and other French cities on Saturday. Most demonstrations were peaceful, but sporadic clashes with riot police marked protests in the French capital.

Some 3,000 security forces deployed around Paris for a third weekend of protests against the pass that will be needed soon to enter restaurants and other places. Police took up posts along the Champs-Elysees to guard against an invasion of the famed avenue.

French lawmakers have passed a bill requiring the pass in most places as of Aug. 9. With Polls showing that a majority of French support the pass, but some are adamantly opposed.

The pass requires a vaccination or a quick negative test or proof of a recent recovery from COVID-19 and mandates vaccine shots for all health care workers by mid-September.

Across the Alps, thousands of anti-vaccine pass demonstrators marched in Italian cities including Rome, Milan and Naples for the second consecutive week. Milan demonstrators stopped outside the city’s courthouse chanting “Truth! “Shame!” and “Liberty!” while in Rome they marched behind a banner reading “Resistance.” Those demonstrations were noisy but peaceful

For anti-vaccine pass demonstrators in France, “Iiberty” was the slogan of the day. The marches drew some 204,000 people around the country. Some 14,250 people hostile to the pass protested in Paris, several thousand more than a week ago.

Tensions flared in front of the famed Moulin Rouge nightclub in northern Paris during what appeared to be the largest demonstration. Lines of police faced down protesters in up-close confrontations during the march. Police used their fists on several occasions.

Egypt Officials Say Militant Attack Kills 5 Troops In Sinai

By

Zoe Maven

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August 1, 2021

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Islamic Sate group militants ambushed a checkpoint in the restive northern part of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula on Saturday, killing at least five troops from the security forces.

According to officials, at least six other troops were wounded in the attack in the town of Sheikh Zuweid and taken to a military hospital in the Mediterranean city of el-Arish.

The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media, said security personnel killed three militants in the firefight, and the area was reinforced,

Egypt has been battling militants in the northern part of Sinai Peninsula for years. Violence and instability there intensified after the 2013 military ouster of Mohammed Morsi, an elected but divisive Islamist president, amid nationwide protests against his brief rule.

The militants carried out numerous attacks, mainly targeting security forces, minority Christians and those who they accuse of collaborating with the military and police.

The pace of IS attacks in Sinai’s main theater and elsewhere has slowed to a trickle since February 2018, when the military launched a massive operation in Sinai as well as parts of the Nile Delta and deserts along the country’s western border with Libya.

The fight against militants in Sinai has largely taken place hidden from the public eye, with journalists, non-residents and outside observers barred from the area. The conflict has also been kept at a distance from tourist resorts at the southern end of the peninsula.