World Health Organisation

Coronavirus Information Centre in Nigeria
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Facebook launches Coronavirus Information Center in Nigeria and 16 other African countries.

Facebook is expanding its Coronavirus Information Center to 17 more countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The Information Centers form part of Facebook’s effort to help the global fight against COVID-19 by providing people with the latest news and information from trusted health authorities as well as resources and tips to stay healthy and support their family and community.

Also Read: Covid-19: The world’s largest critical care unit unveiled in London.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Center is featured at the top of News Feed, that provides a central place for people to keep informed about the Coronavirus. It includes real-time updates from national health authorities and global organisations such as the World Health Organization, as well as helpful articles, videos and posts about social distancing and preventing the spread of COVID-19.

Facebook users can opt in to follow the center to get notifications and see updates in their News Feed from official government health authorities.

The center has already launched in South Africa, it will now be expanded to the following new sub – Saharan African markets:

  • Benin
  • Burkina Faso
  • Cameroon
  • Cape Verde
  • Chad
  • Côte d’Ivoire
  • Ethiopia
  • Gabon
  • Guinea
  • Kenya
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Nigeria
  • Senegal
  • Seychelles
  • The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)
  • Togo

Facebook’s Head of Public Policy, Africa, Kojo Boakye comments about the expansion; “We’ve built the information centers, in collaboration with national health partners, to ensure that people can get access to information from trusted health sources. The launch of the COVID-19 Information Center on Facebook in more than 17 countries across sub-Saharan Africa aligns with our commitment to making accurate, timely information about the pandemic accessible to all communities.”

Also Read: Places in the world with no case of the Covid-19.

There are now 1.5 million known coronavirus cases worldwide.  According to Africa News, In Africa, there’s Coronavirus in 52 African countries, 11,400+ cases, 574 deaths, 1,405 recoveries.

Major stats as at April 9
Confirmed cases = 11,440
Number of deaths = 574
Recoveries = 1,405
Infected countries = 52
Virus-free countries = 2

Countries in alphabetical order
Algeria – 1,572
Angola – 19
Benin – 26
Botswana – 6
Burkina Faso – 414
Burundi – 3
Cameroon – 730
Cape Verde – 7
Central African Republic – 8
Chad – 10
Comoros – 0
Congo-Brazzaville – 45
DR Congo – 180
Djibouti – 135
Egypt – 1,560
Equatorial Guinea – 18
Eritrea – 33
Eswatini – 12
Ethiopia – 55
Gabon – 34
(The) Gambia – 4
Ghana – 313
Guinea – 164
Guinea-Bissau – 33
Ivory Coast – 384
Kenya – 179
Lesotho – 0
Liberia – 31
Libya – 21
Madagascar – 93
Malawi – 8
Mali – 59
Mauritania – 6
Mauritius – 273
Morocco – 1,275
Mozambique – 17
Namibia – 16
Niger – 342
Nigeria- 276
Rwanda – 110
Sao Tome and Principe – 4
Senegal – 244
Seychelles – 11
Sierra Leone – 7
Somalia – 12
South Africa – 1,845
South Sudan – 2
Sudan – 14
Tanzania – 25
Togo – 70
Tunisia – 628
Uganda – 53
Zambia – 39
Zimbabwe – 11

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Entertainment

Ebola: Nigeria endorses use of Zmapp experimental drug for treatment.

Zmapp, the experimental Ebola drug, for treatment of patients infected with the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) has been approved by the National Health Research Ethics Committee, Nigeria.

In a statement issued to newsmen by Prof. Clement Adebamowo, Chairman of the committee on Wednesday in Abuja, the decision by the committee is coming on the heels of Tuesday’s approval by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the use of Zmapp for treatment of Ebola patients.

“It is ethical to use these treatments in the current situation without first submitting an application to National, State or Institutional Health Research Ethics Committee for prior review and approval. In addition, the Committee waives the current requirement that international shipment of any biological samples out of Nigeria should be preceded by the establishment of a Materials Transfer Agreement.

“This waiver is to promote rapid international response to this global emergency,” the statement said.

In the statement, the Nigerian National Code for Health Research Ethics emphasised that all innovative and non-validated treatments should be carefully and adequately documented.

According to the statement, the documentation can form the basis for clinical trials of the efficacy and side effects of the treatment according to established scientific principles.

In the statement, the ethics committee enjoined all agencies, development partners and research scientists to follow the guideline for the rapid resolution of the current emergency.

“The guideline will contribute to preparedness in case of future occurrences and contribution to scientific knowledge.

“It must be noted that all Phase O and Phase I Clinical Trials that may subsequently be designed for treatment of this infection can be approved only by the National Health Research Ethics Committee,” it said. 

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