DAILY RENDEZVOUS

Daily Rendezvous On 15 January 2021, a shipment of 1.1 million COVID-19 vaccines to Rwanda included the billionth dose supplied via COVAX. Together with our partners, COVAX is leading the largest vaccine procurement and supply operation in history, with deliveries to 144 countries to date. But the work that has gone into this milestone is only a reminder of the work that remains. As of 13 January 2022, out of 194 Member States, 36 WHO Member States have vaccinated less than 10% of their population, and 88 less than 40%. COVAX’s ambition was compromised by hoarding/stockpiling in rich countries, catastrophic outbreaks leading to borders and supply being locked. And a lack of sharing of licenses, technology and know how by pharmaceutical companies meant manufacturing capacity went unused. COVAX is working with governments, manufacturers and partners to ensure that when countries receive vaccines they can get them to people quickly.   With update...

Daily Rendezvous GENEVA  – Inequities have been widely acknowledged as barriers to achieving global and national goals and targets in HIV, TB and malaria programs. However, the magnitude and extent of underlying health inequalities have remained poorly documented and understood. Until those inequalities are better identified, and their consequences better understood, it will be hard for programmes to meet people’s real health needs. Now, for the first time, a  new report  from the World Health Organization and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, systematically assesses the global  State of inequality: HIV, tuberculosis and malaria . The report represents an important step forward in understanding how inequalities are hindering the fight against the three diseases. Using the latest available global data for 32 health indicators up to 186 countries, it shows that while national averages of HIV, TB and malaria indicators have generally i...

Daily Rendezvous 10th Global Conference on health promotion. Today, we also celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion and the 10th anniversary of the Political Declaration on the Social Determinants of Health adopted in Rio de Janeiro. The theme of this year’s conference is well-being, equity and sustainable development. The Constitution of WHO, written more than 70 years ago in the aftermath of the Second World War, famously affirms that “health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. What does that mean? It means that health does not begin in a hospital or clinic. It begins in our homes and communities, with the food we eat and the water we drink, the air we breathe, in our schools and our workplaces. Since then, that affirmation has been reinforced by the commitment to “Health for All” at the Alma-Ata Conference of 1978, the Astana Declaration in 2018, and most rece...

Daily Rendezvous The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed three (3) more cases of COVID-19 with the B.1.1.529 SARS-CoV-2 lineage, i.e., the Omicron variant, in Nigeria. In addition to the three cases announced earlier on 1st December 2021, this brings the total number of confirmed cases of the Omicron variant detected in Nigeria to six (6).  All the Omicron cases so far were detected in persons with recent travel history to South Africa in November.   The NCDC through the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) continues to coordinate genomic surveillance activities across the country to sequence all positive COVID-19 samples from international travellers arriving in Nigeria. This includes sequencing of positive samples from international travellers from October 2021 to date.  The Delta variant remains the dominant variant and so far, we have not seen the replacement of this variant by the new Omicron variant as observed elsewhe...

Daily Rendezvous African Development Bank (AfDB) President Akinwumi Adesina’s Speech at the Federal Inland Revenue Service Tax Dialogue. Your Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Your Excellencies, Governors, Excellencies, Ambassadors Honorable Ministers Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Muhammad Nami Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen I would like to wish you Mr. President and all of Nigeria a Happy and Prosperous New Year. I am delighted to address you today, as President of the African Development Bank – and as a Nigerian. I thank you Mr. President for your incredible leadership, tenacity and resolute support behind my re-election as President of the African Development Bank for a second term. I am proud to be a Nigerian, any day, anytime and anywhere. Thank you Mr. President for inviting me to this First National Tax Dialogue organized by the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS). I congratulate you on this Dialo...

Daily Rendezvous The Adamawa state university, has fixed 2nd of February, 2021 as the tentative date for school resumption. The date was scheduled following an emergency Senate meeting held 14 January, 2021. This is contained in a press statement issued by the university information and protocol officer, Belmond Benson, and made available to newsmen, Thursday, in Yola, Adamawa state.   The statement reads, "The Adamawa State University Senate has approved Tuesday, 2nd February, 2021 as the tentative date for reopening of the Institution for resumption of Academic activities.    "The date was approved by the Senate at an emergency meeting held today 14th January, 2021."   The statement adds that, "It should be noted that all non-pharmaceutical COVID-19 protocols would be strictly observed everywhere on campus and every student must undertake to abide by all the COVID-19 protocols both within and outside the campus.    "Students are ex...

Daily Rendezvous The first thing should be an expression of gratitude to the Adamawa state Covid19 team being headed by the SSG, Engr. Bashir Ahmad for their prompt, high level of performance and success in keeping Adamawa at the least casualty level in the country.  Now the bane of the matter is just as clear as the reasons given by the inquisitor going by this write up, I make these submissions considering the fact that it is an anticipated write up for now, since it seems to be the writer's personal thoughts. Nothing less than the team work approach response to the Pandemic as well as a detailed information system is the mandate of the team which is certainly and appropriately being channeled accordingly.  The failure to know what exactly a Pandemic is, and that it is still ongoing makes it rather a joke or a fuss by the Finders Media outfit to assume and imagine issues making it jump the gun. The use of the "CSO, Adamawa first Initiatives might have been your p...

Daily Rendezvous The Adamawa state governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has warned that though the earlier rules imposed by the state to contain the spread of Covid-19 remains in effect, several organisations, business, have continued to flaunt the protocols. The governor of warns that gatherings of more than fifty people are still banned, individuals are expected to wear Facemask in public gatherings and washing of hands and hand sanitiser must be observed and that any group found not to be in compliance to these rules would be shutdown. This is contained in a statement issued by the press secretary to the, Humwashi Wonosikou, ane made available to newsmen, Monday, in Yola, Adamawa state. The statement reads, "The Adamawa State Government has appealed for cooperation and support from the general public in its efforts to contain the new spike in COVID-19 pandemic.  "Governor Fintiri is worried with the lack of compliance to COVID-19 restrictions as Coronavirus Pandemic...

Daily Rendezvous The Adamwaa state governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has directed that all schools from basic to tertiary, public and private in Adamawa state, to resume academic activities on the 12th October, 2020. The governor who express regrets over the prolonged school closure as well as the shutdown of several sectors of the economy as a result of the coronavirus pandemic urged schools to maintain all the necessary safety protocols for prevention against the pandemic. Fintiri made the remarks in a Statement issued by his press secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou, Thursday, in Yola Adamawa state. He said, "The Adamawa State Government has announced Monday October 12th 2020 as date for the reopening of both Public and Private Schools across the State. "Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri who issued the directive, regretted the long closure of schools due to the crisis of COVID-19 Pandemic alongside other sectors of the economy." Fintiri said, “I am pleased ...