NIGERIA to launch first national improvement projects ON HIV

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, will on Oct. 4, launch the first National HIV quality improvement projects in Abuja.

Mr Dennis Mordi, the Communication Manager, Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN), announced this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the project aims at improving the diagnosis of HIV in babies and that both adults and babies who tested positive are promptly placed on treatment.

Mordi stated that the initiative would institutionalise structured process of using data, collected at health facilities, to facilitate informed decision-making at the national level for improved service delivery.

“A standard operating procedure (SOP) to guide the implementation of the projects, will be unveiled during the meeting,’’ he stated.

The statement quoted Mrs Chinenye Ugorji, the Project Director of the Nigerian Alliance for Health Systems Strengthening (NAHSS), as saying that the SOP “will increase quick identification of service delivery gaps’’.

Ugorji noted that the initiatives would explore and improve early infant diagnosis and initiate anti-retroviral therapy among infants and adults exposed to HIV.

She also said that the SOP was developed by the Federal Ministry of Health with technical assistance from the University of Maryland, U.S.

It is also being implemented in collaboration with other U.S. Government-funded implementing partners.

“NAHSS is being implemented by the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention with a grant provided by the University of Maryland.

“The centre is partnering with the Federal Ministry of Health to develop the NigeriaQual Programme,’’ she was quoted as saying.

Ugorji added that states and health facilities committed to the implementation of the National Quality Management Programme (NigeriaQual) would be given award during the launching.

“The award is the first of its kind and showcases the birth of a national reward system for recognising dedication to the delivery of high quality health services.

“States to be recognised for the award would be chosen based on their exemplary leadership and effective monitoring of health activities and high-level coordination of stakeholders in the HIV programme.

Supreme Court suspends hearing of appeal against Gov

The Supreme Court on Tuesday temporarily suspended the hearing of appeals against the election of Okezie Ikpeazu as governor of Abia pending harmonisation of processes by the parties.

Justice Tanko Mohammed-led six other justices of the apex court to arrive at the decision.

Three motions brought by Dr Uche Ogah of PDP, All Progressives Grand Alliance and Alex Oti, were heard and decided.

Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Dr Alex Izinyon (SAN) and Chief Patrick Ikwueto (SAN) represented the governor, Ogah and Oti respectively.

On Oti’s motion for joinder, Mohammed held that the court required proper addresses to be filed by parties since the application had become contentious.

“In the light of this, we would not be going on with the hearing of the substantive appeals.

“The Counsel to Oti is given four days to file his written address to convince the court why his client should be joined in the matter.

“The respondents counsel are given seven days to file their replies while the applicant’s counsel is given another extra two days to file his replies to the respondents’ arguments,’’ he said.

Mohammed also held that a new hearing date would be communicated to the parties when all the processes were received by the court.

The Court if Appeal had on Aug.18 upheld Gov. Ikpeazu’s election as governor of Abia by nullifying an Abuja Federal High Court judgment which declared Ogah as governor of Abia.

Justice Okon Abang had on June 27 found Ikpeazu, guilty of tax offences and nullified his election as governor.

Dissatisfied with the decision of the Court of Appeal, Ogah approached the apex court to test the strength of the judgment

sale of national assets by the Federal Government of NIgeria

The FG had said earlier that it would sell some assets in order to raise funds to bring Nigeria out of the current recession.

The Senate made the decision during its plenary session on Tuesday, September 27.

“The senate rejected prayer 3 of the recommendations which sought for the sale of National Assets to shore up Foreign Reserve,” the legislative chamber said via its Twitter handle.

 

“The senate oppose sale of National Assets to shore up Foreign Reserves" - Senate Leader, Ali Ndume,” it added.

 

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, had on Tuesday, September 20, urged the FG to sell assets to end the economic crisis in the country.

MASSOB and IPOB have launched a campaign against President Muhammadu Buhari

According to a report by The Sun, former president-general of the Igbo apex group, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Dr. Dozie Ikedife wondered why the President would not allow a referendum in a democratic country.

Ikedife said: "Since he will not allow referendum, then the logical thing to ask him is, is this democracy or dictatorship? Is it his will or the will of the people that will prevail? These are the natural things that follow. Is it his discretional will or the will of the people that will prevail?
“If he won’t allow referendum, what will he allow? Does he remember that any group of indigenous people has right for self-determination? And when we are talking about referendum is not for him to vote, it does not concern him.
"So, whether he allows it or not, when the time comes referendum will take place and people will be allowed to express their opinion and their wish. And I am sure that the reaction of the civilised world to such a statement will be a measure of shock and surprise, so let him think again.”

In the same vein, leader of MASSOB, Comrade Uchenna Madu said the President was only bluffing about the referendum because he is jittery.

He said: “President Buhari’s latest comment on Biafra further proved his is jittery, confused and unable to quench the fire of determination and consciousness of Biafra.
“The just concluded United Nations General Assembly which Buhari attended have dawn it on him that Biafra actualisation and restoration to independent and full statehood can no longer be ignored. The world leaders have shown their sympathies for the oppressive and subjective economic policies of Buhari-led Nigeria government against the industrious and creative people of Biafra.

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“The Oriental, Asian and Western world are seriously in support of Biafra because 60 per cent of their economic growths are been propelled by the industrious people of Biafra. It has dawn on President Buhari that the universal clamour for Biafra referendum to determine the choice of the people of Biafra between his Nigeria and Biafra have reached greater height of momentum which he can’t deny.”

During a media event at the end of his visit to the United States as the leader of Nigeria’s delegation to the 71st United Nations’ General Assembly (UNGA), Buhari had foreclosed any chance for a referendum as a path to resolving the agitation of the Igbo groups.