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  • Internet diagnosis and treatment services flourish amid COVID-19 pandemic

    Internet diagnosis and treatment services flourish amid COVID-19 pandemic

    By Li Hongmei, People’s Daily

    The sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic has thrown those planning for subsequent visits to hospitals in a dilemma, as they might face the exposure to the virus when refilling their prescriptions.

    Fortunately, online medical care services are giving them a new and safe solution.

    Through online hospitals and medical service platforms, patients are now able to consult doctors, do follow-up checks, have the medicine delivered, and even settle medical insurance on the internet.

    A64-year-old citizensurnamed Song in East China’s Jiangxi Province, who suffers from Parkinson’s disease, has benefited from such an onlinereal-time clinic under the Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital affiliated with the School of Medicine, Zhejiang University.After consulting the doctors online, she soon received a solution on follow-up checks and drug delivery, and avoided the risk of contracting the novel coronavirus at the hospital.

    Due to the pneumonia outbreak, the amount of online diagnosis and treatment at hospitals affiliated to or supervised by the National Health Commission (NHC) saw a17-fold year-on-year increase,according to data from the Department of Planning and Information at the NHC.The number is over 20 times higher for some third-party online medical service platforms.

    According to CaiXiujun, president of the Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, the hospital has launched consultancyhotlines, livestreaming, free consultations,AI-assisted self-examination system and psychological hotlines amid the pandemic. More than 17 million people have registered on the self-examination system, he added.

    After the hospital started offering online medical insurance settlement service since Feb. 15, it became the first hospital in China to offer online follow-up examination for chronic patients, online drug delivery and automatic settlement of medical insurance.

    So far, the hospital has received a total of more than 168,000 pieces of consultations, given online health consultations to over 238,000 people and provided prescription refilling and medicine delivery services for 12,120 chronic patients.

    Internet technology has been seeing an increasingly wider application in the medical sector.With the help of 5G technology, the China-Japan Friendship Hospital (National Telemedicine and Connected Health Center) has carried out remote consultations for 85 pneumonia patients in Central China’s Hubei Province, and five online patient rounds, as well asgiven15 livestreaming lectureson COVID-19 prevention and control.

    A smart system was developed by AI experts under the organization of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, by which medical workers admitted and treated 27,600 COVID-19 patientsat 537 quarantine sites in Hubei through telemedicine.

    Besides, the internet was also used to enhance psychologicalassistance during the epidemic as the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and the Peking University Sixth Hospital launched online psychological consulting services.

    With the efforts of medical workers, hospitals, and the society, both the amount and quality of online medical services have secured continuous growth.

    A large number of doctors are joining online consulting services, and online hospitals are emerging in Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Hunan, Hubei and Gansu. Additionally, internet companies such as Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, WeDoctor and haodf.com are also providing technical and platform supports for free.

    A sound online medical ecology led by the government, participated by various parties and characterized by joint innovation, contribution and shared benefits is taking shape, which will facilitate the rapid development of the new business, said Liu Wenxian, deputy director of the Department of Planning and Information at the NHC.

    China will make overall plans to encouragethe integration of online and offline medical services, strengthen supervision, and standardize services to better promote the healthy growth of Internet-driven medical care business, Liu added.

    As people gradually become used to seeking online medical services, the industry will diversifyits content, and stimulate the development of relevant industrial groups,thus driving the overall development of the healthcare services, saidLu Qingjun, director of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital (National Telemedicine and Connected Health Center).

  • Rising Cases Of Covid-19: No Cause For Alarm—FG

    … Warns States Against Reopening Schools In Their Domain

    Williams Anuku

    Despite spike in reported cases of Coronavirus infections in the country, the Federal Government has advised citizens to remain calm as there was no cause for alarm.

    Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19, Boss Mustapha gave the assurance on Monday, while briefing stakeholders on update of the virus.

    He however criticized Nigerians for flouting the safety guidelines outlined by the Committee, stressing that monitoring and surveillance of compliance across the nation, showed an escalation of the level of non-compliance with simple measure to keep social distancing, wearing of masks in public places, sanitation and hygiene.

    According to the PTF chairman, disregard for the safety measures is more prevalent in markets, motor parks and some places of worship.

    Boss noted that for President Muhammadu Buhari to dedicate fifteen paragraphs in his nationwide broadcast on Friday, last week to speak on the impact of the virus should underscore the importance and need for Nigerians to adhere to safety guidelines.

    His words, “You will all recall that Mr. President in his broadcast on Friday, 12th June, 2020, admonished all Nigerians that “notwithstanding our aspirations, humanity and indeed democracy is under the threat of COVID-19.

    ” Nigeria has survived many crises before and came out stronger. I am confident that by God’s grace we shall overcome this one and emerge stronger and more purposeful.

    “​Mr. President’s concern about the impact of COVID-19 is underscored by the fact that 15 paragraphs of his broadcast were dedicated to COVID-19 issues.

    “This buttresses the fact that the virus is very deadly and everyone must make conscious effort to stop the spread by adhering to the guidelines and measures prescribed by the PTF.

    “In the course of our monitoring and surveillance of compliance across the nation, we have observed an escalation of the level of non-compliance with simple measure to keep social distancing, wearing of masks in public places, sanitation and hygiene.

    “This is more prevalent in markets, motor parks and some places of worship. I wish to remind you that the PTF has already issued guidelines for mode of operations at places of worship and urge state Governments to ensure strict compliance with PTF guidelines.

    “We wish to re-emphasise that all relaxed measures are still subject to review and advisories issued are for personal and public safety purposes. The breach of the ban on inter-state travels is also a point of concern.

    “Over the last couple of days, you must have observed that the daily figures of confirmed cases have been on the rise. This is an indication that we are conducting more tests across the country and that we are fully in the community spread phase. We however urge Nigerians not to panic but to cooperate with public health officials especially where community testing is on-going”.

    On protest over continued lockdown of schools, the PTF insisted that it was not yet safe for academic work to begin, warning state governments not to dare counter the existing directives.

    “The PTF appeals to State governments to embark on wider community testing, enforce rules on social distancing, step up community engagement and risk communication and pay attention to places of large gatherings. We also appeal to the security agencies to enforce the ban on inter-state travels very strictly.

    “We have received reports that some states are contemplating the reopening of schools, television viewing centres, sports stadium and other places where large gatherings could take place. The PTF re-emphasises that it is not yet safe to do so and that utmost caution should be exercised. The PTF guideline should still be complied with while considering decision of this nature, “he stated.​

    END

  • 717 Rape Cases Reported Across Nigeria Between Jan-May–Police IG

    717 Rape Cases Reported Across Nigeria Between Jan-May–Police IG

    … 799 Suspects Arrested So Far

    Williams Anuku

    Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has disclosed that 717 rape cases have been reported in Nigeria between January-May 2020.

    He said about 799 suspects have been arrested, with 631 cases conclusively investigated and charged to court while 52 cases are left and under investigation.

    The IG who met with President Muhammadu Buhari, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday, said the surge in rape and gender based violence was highly regrettable but the force is doing everything possible to curtail it.

    Adamu linked the reported incidences to the lockdown recently imposed in the country by the Federal and State governments.

    “It has come to the public knowledge now that because of the COVID-19 restrictions, we have surge in cases of rape and gender-based violence. These are cases that are now coming up but we want to let members of the public know that, rape and gender based violence has been there.

    “The law enforcement agents have been dealing with this cases, in most cases, members of the public are not aware of the actions that the law enforcement agents have been taking.

    “The Nigeria police so far from January-May 2020, we have recorded about 717 rape incidents that were reported across the country, about 799 suspects have been arrested, 631 cases conclusively investigated and charged to court and 52 cases are left and under investigation.

    “The police and other security agencies and other non-governmental organisations have been collaborating, to see to it that these cases of rape and gender based violence are dealt with, “the IG stated.

    According to the Police Boss, NGOs and CSOs that have the capacity to deal with this kind of offenses, have been cooperating with law enforcement agencies through management of victims of rape and similar offenses and procedures for collecting evidence, towards successful prosecution.

    The IG also revealed that ritual killings inspires some of the reported cases.

    He advised the public to always report cases of rape to security agents as it aids in their investigations.

    He also noted that government has decided to take the matter a notch higher because of the scourge we have noticed.

    He said, “I will call on every Nigerian that has or comes across any victim of sexual offenses or rape or gender based violence, to quickly report to law enforcement agents. Because, keeping it without reporting it will give room for the perpetrators to continue to commitment the offenses.

    “It is a very wicked offense, it is very serious offense, it is very wicked of an individual to engage in rape or defilement. And there are a lot of causes, some are doing it for ritual purposes, some are doing it because they are within the family and they see the victims and have the urge to go into it and do it.

    “But such people should not be allowed to go scotch free. I am just to inform you that government is doing something about it and you can see me with the Ministries of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed and Women Affairs Development, Pauline Tallen.

    “From now onward, national partnership with every stakeholder is what we are going into now and not only within the country but within the sub-region. We have to partner with organizations that are involved in this. We know we have been working seriously with UNODC (
    United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) and other civil society organizations. So just to tell you that government is doing something seriously to curtail this type of offense”.

  • Nigerian-American activist declared missing in US found dead

    Nigerian-American activist declared missing in US found dead

    Toyin Salau, a 19-year-old lady of Nigerian origin, have been found dead days after she was declared missing in the city of Tallahassee, Florida, the United States.

    According to the Tallahassee Police Department, Toyin, who spoke at Black Lives Matters protests in the city, was last seen June 6 near Wahnish Way and Orange Avenue, Tallahassee.

    Salau was declared missing hours after she tweeted she was sexually assaulted. Toyin tweeted that a man molested her that morning around Park Avenue and Richview Road, Tallahassee, Florida

    She said the man offered to give her a ride back to a church where she had sought “refuge” because of “unjust living conditions.”

    “He came disguised as a man of God and ended up picking me up from nearby Saxon Street,” she tweeted. “I trusted the holy spirit to keep me safe.”

    According to reports, the Tallahassee Community Action Agency conducted a search party on Wednesday night, starting at Bethel AME Church. The demonstrators searched for hours. They carried flashlights and asked for medics to join them in case she was hurt.

    The agency has started a social media campaign sharing “Have you seen me?” fliers and photos of Salau.

    Salau spoke at recent protests and carried signs pleading for justice in the wake of black lives lost.

  • China to handle some Hong Kong national security cases

    China to handle some Hong Kong national security cases

    China will have jurisdiction over “some extremely rare” national security cases in Hong Kong under a new law to be imposed on the semi-autonomous city, a senior official said Monday.
    The revelation comes just three days ahead of a major meeting of China’s top lawmaking body.

    Beijing has signalled the new law — which will bypass the city’s legislature — needs to be passed quickly following a year of pro-democracy protests.

    Deng Zhonghua, deputy head of China’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, said enforcing the national security law would largely fall to Hong Kong’s local authorities and police.

    “However, the central authorities should also reserve jurisdiction over some extremely rare cases when an offence takes place in Hong Kong and poses a serious threat to China’s national security,” Deng said.

    Under a “One Country, Two Systems” agreement ahead of the handover by Britain, China said it would let Hong Kong maintain certain liberties and autonomy until 2047 — including legislative and judicial independence.

    But Deng’s comments are the first time a Beijing official has made clear that mainland authorities will have jurisdiction over some national security cases once the law is passed.

    Hong Kong was rocked by months of huge and often violent pro-democracy protests last year.

    In response Beijing has announced plans to impose the new law covering subversion, secession, terrorism and foreign influence.

    Beijing says the law will return stability and leave political freedoms intact, and that Hong Kong’s legislature has failed to pass its own national security laws over the years.

    Political oppression fears
    But opponents — including many Western nations — fear it will bring mainland-style political oppression, given how anti-subversion laws are routinely used to crush dissent in authoritarian China.

    They also fear it will start the erosion of Hong Kong’s legislative and judicial autonomy, the bedrock of the city’s success as a major international business hub.

    Beijing’s rubber-stamp parliament has previously said the law will allow mainland security agencies to publicly operate in Hong Kong for the first time.

    Deng gave further details on Monday.

    “Both the central government and the Hong Kong government need to set up an organisation dedicated to safeguarding national security,” he said in a speech to the semi-official Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies think-tank.

    Central authorities, he added, would help “supervise and instruct” local authorities on enforcing national security.

    “The central authorities must have practical means to handle national security cases in Hong Kong and must be able to create an effective deterrence, instead of being satisfied with just chanting slogans and making gestures,” Deng said.

    Deng said he recognised there were differences in the legal systems of Hong Kong and mainland China.

    But he said the new law would reflect common principles — including that the law would not be retroactive and as the presumption of innocence.

    Reacting to Deng’s speech, pro-democracy lawmaker Denis Kwok said he believed the announced jurisdiction plan would breach the city’s mini-constitution, which says Hong Kong’s judiciary is independent of the mainland.

    “I think this is… clear evidence that they are using this law as a label to quash political opposition,” he told reporters.

  • Kaduna State CAN Chapter appeals to govt to tackle insecurity

    Kaduna State CAN Chapter appeals to govt to tackle insecurity

    The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State Chapter has appealed to government at all levels to tackle the security challenges facing the country.
    Rev. John Hayab, the Chairman of CAN made the appeal in a statement on Monday.

    Hayab said that the chapter was sad and upset with the killings and increasing insecurity in the north, especially in Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto and Borno States.

    “Our governments must, therefore, live up to their responsibility by tackling the present state of insecurity across the country.’’

    He urged them to wake up to their responsibilities and put an end to the criminality that had brought “about misery on the people.’’

    Hayab noted that in the last few weeks, hundreds of people had been killed by the Boko Haram insurgents and bandits, who had invaded communities and unleashed mayhem on the people.

    “People are now living in perpetual fear as they are not safe on the highways and even in their homes.

    “Rural communities are being invaded by bandits and farmers cannot go to their farms for fear of being killed or abducted for ransom by gunmen,’’ Hayab said.

    He called on governments to rise to the “declining security situation’’, adding that
    protection of lives and property of the citizenry were constitutional responsibility of governments all over the world.

    The CAN chairman said that there was a need for leaders to take stock of the security situation in the country.

    “We need to check where we have gone wrong and those things we are doing that we need to do better.

    “Many lives are being wasted almost on a daily basis by Boko Haram and bandits. People are being abducted and killed by kidnappers because they could not pay the huge ransom demanded by the hoodlums.

    “For instance in Kaduna State, the security challenges in Chikun, Kajuru, Kauru, Zangon Kataf, Birnin Gwari have continued to be a serious source of worry.

    “Sadly, people are experiencing these challenges at the time of the increase in hunger, economic hardship and fear of COVID-19. These pains are too much for the citizens to continue to bear,’’ the cleric said.

    According to him, we all love this country and have always prayed and work to get the best.

    “Let us not fold our arms and allow evil people to destroy our land.’’

  • Presidency lashes out at Northern Elders Forum over Buhari criticism

    Presidency lashes out at Northern Elders Forum over Buhari criticism

    Nigeria Presidency has lashed out at the Nothern Elders Forum (NEF) for criticising President Muhammadu Buhari over escalating insecurity in northern Nigeria.

    Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina in a statement said the Nigerian Government was not surprised at the statement made by the group’s convener Prof. Ango Abdullahi on behalf of the region.

    “We are not surprised by this latest statement by Prof. Abdullahi, and our past position on what his group represents remains unchanged: a mere irritant and featherweight,” Adesina said.

    NEF in a statement Sunday signed by Abdullahi alleged that the insecurity in some northern states of the country was an indication that Buhari is incapable of performing his constitutional duty of protecting the people.

    Abdullahi said the “recent escalation of attacks by bandits, rustlers and insurgents leave the only conclusion that the people of the North are now completely at the mercy of armed gangs who roam towns and villages at will, wreaking havoc.

    “It would appear that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and governors have lost control over the imperatives of protecting people of the North, a constitutional duty that they swore to uphold.”

    Presidential spokesman Adesina, however, said the statement should not be given serious attention because “the truth is that NEF is just Ango Abdullahi, and Ango Abdullahi is NEF.”

    Adesina described NEF as a “quasi-organization that boasts of no credible membership” whose leader Abdullahi can be likened to “a General without troops.”

    The presidential spokesman recounted how NEF withdraw its support from Buhari in the build-up to 2019 presidential election for former vice president Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who lost the election.

    “NEF is merely waving a flag that is at half-mast,” Adesina said. “President Buhari steadily and steadfastly focuses on the task of retooling Nigeria, and discerning Nigerians know the true state of the nation. They don’t need a paper tiger to tell them anything.”

  • Doctors embark on indefinite strike amid spiking COVID-19 cases

    Doctors embark on indefinite strike amid spiking COVID-19 cases

    Members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike.

    The association president Dr Aliyu Sokomba announced this while addressing a press conference on Monday in Abuja.

    Sokomba said that the union exempted its members working in various coronavirus (COVID-19) isolation and treatment centres across the country from participating in the strike.

    But he said that exemption of the members attending to COVID-19 patients was for two weeks before they join the industrial action.

    He explained that the union took the decision to go on strike as a result of the failed series of meetings between the doctors and the Federal Government in the last two weeks.

    According to the NARD president, the meetings have failed to resolve the lingering industrial disputes which include the non-payment of special allowances for the resident doctors.

    He also decried the deplorable state of hospitals and the lack of protective equipment for members of the union treating COVID-19 patients.

    Sokomba added that this has exposed many of their colleagues to coronavirus and resulted in the death of some of them.

  • Edo: Obaseki to fly PDP ticket, to sacrifice deputy

    Embattled Governor of Edo state, Godwin Obaseki has secure the endorsement of all the governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the-South South to represent the main opposition party in the September governorship election in the state.

    However, the state’s deputy governor Hon. Phillip Shaibu will be the sacrificial lamb for the deal which is expected to be wrapped up and announced early this week. It is believed that the deputy governor would be compensated with another position if the PDP wins the election.

    Close to the end of his first tenure, Governor Obaseki was disqualified from contesting the primaries of his All Progressives Congress (APC) for the coming September election which many say was as a result of his political fight was former Edo State governor and national chairman of the party Adams Oshiomhole.

    Over the weekend, Obaseki travelled to Port Harcourt in River State and Uyo in Akwa Ibom state to see governors Nyesom Wike and Emmanuel Udom to seek a final sealing of the deals for him to fly the PDP flag.

    He had earlier in Abuja met with Wike, Udom, Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa and Ben Ayade of Cross River state in intense consultations.

    A reliable top PDP leader who pleaded anonymity to ALSC that the outcome of the negotiations would be announced early this week when the national working committee (NWC) of the party would have given final approval to the agreements reached with Obaseki.

  • Buhari commended on financial autonomy

    Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari has been commended in his efforts to ensure financial autonomy for different arms of government in the country.

    The commendation came Sunday in Abuja from the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) in a statement issued by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsijugave.

    He said the President has done a lot to deepen democracy and strengthen democratic structures in the country in the last five years.

    “This is more than what any administration had done since the return of democracy in 1999. The President’s actions in ensuring autonomy of other arms of government at sub-national levels are unprecedented.

    “We invite Nigerians to note how President Buhari displayed a political will to free local government councils from the apron strings of state governments by simply ensuring that constitutional provisions on financial autonomy for the third tier of government are respected.

    “Section 162 (6) and (8) of the 1999 Constitution on State Joint Local Government Account has, as far back as the Obasanjo years, been implemented in the breach. But this administration without much ado, simply enforced the provision through the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU).

    “This has for about a year now drowned agitation for local government autonomy in the country and strengthened the Buhari administration’s hand enough to move for the autonomy of State Assemblies and Judiciary, through an Executive Order,” Akinsiju said.