Day: July 17, 2023

Experts at a three-day training in Abuja have identified retraining of paediatric anaesthetists as one of the best ways to provide safer and improved anaesthesia to children during surgery.

They said that retraining of paediatric anaesthetists could help reduce morbidity and mortality during paediatric surgery.

The experts said this while speaking during a course training organised for paediatric anaesthesiologists by the Paediatric Anaesthesia Society of Nigeria (PASoN) in partnership with Smile Train, a cleft charity organisation.

The theme ìs entitled: ”Safer Anaesthesia from Education – Paediatrics ” (SAFE-Paediatrics)

Dr Maryrose Osazuwa, a Consultant Paediatric Anaesthetist, National Hospital Abuja, said the issue of safety in the administration of anaesthesia especially on children could not be over- emphasised.

Osazuwa, who is also the Vice-President of PASoN, therefore, called for increased advocacy and education, as well as the training of more professionals.

“We have a limited number of paediatric anaesthetists in Nigeria.

“However, there is a need to educate other anaesthetists who also care for children to bridge the gap caused by brain drain.

“There is a need to increase the number of skilled healthcare professionals.

“Asides the PATA fellowship, which trains two doctors annually, more advocacy is needed and more training programmes for PASoN members and all health workers involved in child care will go a long way in tackling the challenge,” she said.

Also speaking, SAFE Course Director, Dr Alhassan Mohammed, who is also a Consultant Anaesthetist at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, said the training was aimed at teaching participants how to effectively manage anaesthesia in children undergoing surgery, while ensuring their safety throughout the process.

Dr Salawu Morayo, another Consultant Anaesthetist at the National Hospital Abuja, said only continuous training could guarantee safe anaesthesia.

“The administration of anaesthesia in children is particularly challenging due to their unique and delicate nature.

“Therefore, anaesthetists who handle children need to undergo continuous training and retraining to develop systematic and methodical practices that would ensure safer and better anaesthesia and reduce morbidity.

“Government should employ more anaesthetists, provide more training opportunities, and empower the professionals for effective service delivery,” Morayo, who is a facilitator of the training, said.

Speaking earlier, Victoria Awuzie, Senior Programme Manager, Smile Train, had revealed that sponsoring the training was in line with the vision of the charity organisation, which is dedicated to quality healthcare capacity building and advocacy to increase access to safer surgeries in low- and middle-income countries.

Awuzie disclosed that the training was for 80 participants who are expected to disseminate the knowledge acquired to their respective states and regions including Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and Kano.

“Smile Train has partnered with and supported hospitals across Nigeria to enhance their capacity to care for children and ensure their safety during surgeries.

“This is a significant investment, and we will continue to train doctors and nurses until we achieve our goals,” she said.

Dr Abubakar Ballah, a participant from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, expressed appreciation to the organisers for the knowledge gained

“I will take the knowledge gained from this training to my colleagues.

“The importance of proper procedures and safety rules that cannot be overstressed.

“I will advocate policy changes, such as involving anesthetists in trauma management, where previously they were not involved,” he said.

He thanked the organisers and sponsors of the course for the opportunity given him and other participants at the training.

The theme of the training was, “Safer Anaesthesia From Education – Paediatrics (SAFE-Paediatrics)”.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Members of the Rotary Club of Wuse Central in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Monday offered series of free medical services to residents of Dakwo community in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the medical outreach which took place at the Primary Health Centre, Dakwo, witnessed scores of pregnant women, nursing mothers and youths coming out to partake in the exercise.

NAN also reports that the residents were given mosquito treated nets, while each pregnant woman among them received a set of baby delivery kit.

President of the club, Kelong Alkali, said no fewer than 80 residents benefitted from the gesture which he described as synonymous to Rotary Club worldwide.

Alkali added that the gesture was part of the commemoration of Rotary Club’s maternal and child health month scheduled for July.

“This event is a key focus area in Rotary Club. As you may be aware, Rotary Club is an international organisation that carries out humanitarian services, projects friendship and conflict resolution too.

“Every month, we pick one critical area and work on. And in this month of July we are working on maternal and child birth. So today, we from the Rotary Club of Wuse Central are here to provide free medical services to the people of Dakwo community.

“Some of the items we are giving them freely are: mosquito nets, free routine drugs which include Folic Acid, iron tablets, Vitamin C and other vitamins for pregnant women and nursing mothers so that they can have safe delivery, because maternal death is a big issue in some of our rural communities,” he said.

Also, Oluwasola Ajadi, Director, Projects/ Community Services of the club, said the outreach was aimed at paying attention to the endless needs of the downtrodden especially in their healthcare requirements.

She said that the large turn-out of beneficiaries at the event gave her the fulfilment that she had touched lives.

Ajadi also attributed the high number of the beneficiaries to why additional provisions were later made in a bid to reach more residents.

“After seeing what has happened here today, especially the large turn-out; I really feel that I have been able to touch lives in conjunction with my colleagues.

“Rotary Club is about touching lives and I’m proud to be part of this noble cause.

” I’m so pleased to see how happy the beneficiaries are; especially the women among them. I can assure you that Rotary will want to do more.

“The interesting thing was that we had to increase our provisions after witnessing an increased number.

” In fact, this is a plus for everyone who made this happen, ranging from the community leaders, the health officials and Rotary Club itself,” she said.

Dr Dorothy Ihegazie, Programme Officer in Charge of Health Promotion in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), expressed appreciation to Rotary Club for the gesture, she added that it was not their first time of supporting the community.

Ihegazie who is also the Overseer of AMAC Primary Health Centres (PHCs), revealed that ante-natal mothers topped the list of beneficiaries of the outreach programme.

She, however, called on other well-to-do members of the public and organisations to emulate what Rotary Club is doing in terms of giving back to the society.

In separate interviews with NAN, two of the beneficiaries who are pregnant women expressed appreciation to the club.

They said its gesture would go a long way in reducing the economic impacts of their gestation period in view of the current economic situation in the country.

Florence Stephen, a 21-year old newly married woman said the items given to her would help her safe delivery in few weeks from now.

Also, Jemmy Joseph, 32, a housewife said it was her first time of being assisted by any organisation during pregnancy.

She therefore expressed hope that the health tips received at the event would help her during pregnancy and after childbirth, while the items and drugs would provide a succour for her household.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

President Hage Geingob has described the late Archbishop Peter Tjijombo as a generous man who had a spirit of friendliness, traits that should motivate present and future generations to commit their lives to serving others.

Geingob expressed these statements in a message of condolence to the family of the late Tjijombo, who died at his home on Sunday morning.

He was 87.

Geingob stated that Tjijombo will be remembered for his selfless service to the community and dedication to the freedom of Namibia.

‘’I have fond memories of Archbishop Tjijombo. Following my return from exile, we forged a connection that remained until his death. I travelled to Gobabis after independence to visit the place through which I travelled when I undertook my journey into exile. To my surprise, I was received in Gobabis by Archbishop Tjijombo and the St. Apostolic Brass Band, which performed excellent renditions. We remained friends ever since. Towards the end of last year, I informed Pastor Mbazuvara that I needed to visit my friend Archbishop Tjijombo in Katutura. We visited Pastor Tjijombo and

enjoyed a good lunch with him and members of the Church, accompanied by the St. Apostolic Brass Band,’’ he said.

“On behalf of the people and the Government of the Republic, I extend my profound sympathies to the bereaved children, family and the St. John’s Apostolic Faith Mission, as the country mourns a cherished man of faith,” the President added.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Nandi-Ndaitwah said Africa’s resources contribute enormously to global development, yet Africa is negatively perceived as a mere supplier of raw materials and incapable of adding value to or developing them.

Nandi-Ndaitwah made this statement on Monday during the two-day inaugural meeting of the high-level panel of experts on Africa and the reform of the multilateral system.

‘While Africa has an abundance of resources, it has little to no control over the global financial systems and international trade rules. Hence, the compelling need to reform the global economic and financial systems to level the playing field. A fairer and more resilient multilateral trading system must be open, transparent and non-discriminatory,’ Nandi-Ndaitwah said.

Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasised that the reform of the multilateral system is a crucial issue for Namibia and Africa, adding that there is a demand for the United Nations (UN) to be reformed in order to ensure regional representation at the UN Security Council.

Solomon Dersso, the Founding Director of Amani Africa, said that from reflections, what has become clear is that this is a moment of challenge but also of opportunity.

‘If the opportunities are harnessed and seized, then initiatives like this are critical and of strategic significance for the African continent, as they would help the continent take leadership and exercise urgency in informing, shaping and reforming the multilateral system,’ Dersso said.

Dersso stated that the only way this moment can be seized and challenges overcome is if Africa takes leadership and action with urgency, adding that this reform has to be comprehensive, touching on the political and economic governance of the international order.

The inaugural meeting by Amani Africa aims to reflect on strategic-level matters related to the current global state of affairs and its impact on Africa, with focus on matters related to a reformed global conflict management and diplomacy architecture and financial system.

Amani Africa Media and Research Services is an independent pan-African policy research, training and consulting think tank with expertise on the African Union system, with a specialisation on the AU Peace and Security Council.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency

Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) president McHenry Venaani said Namibia has lost many Namibians with brilliant minds due to political persecution in the country, who hold immense potential.

One such example he said is exiled Namibian academic Joseph Diescho who is currently based in Germany.

Venaani made this remark during his party’s mega rally at Rundu on Saturday aimed to revitalize all its structures, as the party gears up for the 2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

He said there is a beacon of wisdom that the country needs to guide it forward by bringing home Namibians in the diaspora who have carried with them hopes and aspirations of many Namibians before them.

“Professor Diescho is a writer of remarkable talent and a political analyst of exceptional insight who symbolizes the potential that the diaspora holds. We extend our arms to Joseph Diescho and to all Namibians in the diaspora to come back home,” he stated.

According to the PDM leader the return of diaspora leaders holds an immense potential for the country as they bring a wealthy of knowledge and experience having worked in diverse fields and in different cultures contexts.

Namibia’s destiny he said is in the hands of Namibians wherever they may be in the world thus it is important to harness the collective power of the diaspora to propel Namibia forward.

“It is time for the sons and daughters of our land to bring their skills, knowledge and experience back home, to weave their success into the fabric of Namibia’s future,” he noted.

Meanwhile the PDM leader had a strong anti-corruption message, equating the vice to cancer, “a monstrous hydra that eats away the soul of the Namibian nation and degrades their dignity”.

PDM will continue tirelessly advocating for a stable and fair economy, eradicating corruption and monopolistic tendencies to create an economic space wherein every Namibian can thrive.

Hundreds of supporters attended the rally at the packed Dr Romanus Kampungu Secondary School stadium.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency