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Tag: Dr Osagie Ehanire

  • FG assures of readiness to address health threats, inaugurates new projects at UUTH

    FG assures of readiness to address health threats, inaugurates new projects at UUTH

    By Odo Ogenyi, Uyo 

    Health Minister, Dr Osagie Ehanire has  pledged  the preparedness of the Federal Government  to strengthen capacity and respond to health threats in Nigeria. 

    Ehanire made the commendation at the commissioning of projects at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Uyo, on Friday 

    The projects commissioned by the Minister include molecular laboratory complex,   new Oxygen Plant,  patients clinic complex and medical out patients clinic.

    Others were surgical out patients clinic , Orthopaedic out patients clinic,  genealogy, pharmacy/ Laboratory unit,    Radiology complex, renovated and re – equipped intensive care complex- all funded by the federal government under Covid -19 funds .

    The Minister who expressed satisfaction with management of the hospital, compared the trajectory of development in the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital to that of one of the frontline  hospitals in India. 

    He said the many projects commissioned  was a reflection of  the federal government’s commitment to provide modern equipped health care centers to citizens in fulfilment of its mandate to Nigeria.

    “Your projects here were carried out during Covid -19,  and the infrastructure that you have invited us to commission today are commendable and I praise the CMD, Chairman of the board and the entire team for their leadership , their foresight and  dedication. 

    “All these projects have the federal government backing and were meant to improve lives and address public health threats which Nigerians faced constantly , as well as assist in preventing infectious diseases. 

    “These commissioned projects have the capacity to  respond to all health threats. We are  informed of ongoing project and we believe  that all these have the potential to improve the quality of diagnostic and therapeutic services offered by the UUTH.” He said.

    On concerns about brain drain in the nation’s health sector, the Minister assured that the Federal Ministry of Health has now introduced a one-to-one policy that would now allow a Chief Medical Director to make an immediate replacement of a doctor or nurse who is permanently out of service. 

    “This policy is to enable the federal government address gap in manpower in health sector in the federal civil service. CMDs should be careful not to abuse this policy as this has thwarted the process when newly introduced where one doctor leaves and the management brought in a dozen unrelated persons which over crowded the hospitals”. He explained.

    Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof Ememabasi Bassey in an earlier remark said the infrastructural renaissance in the facility came through his initial assessment on assumption of office four years ago, which  indicated that the hospital had not kept pace with expected  transition in the tertiary healthcare sector. 

     “When we took over, we undertook the first line of assessment of the hospital to identify all the challenges and profer solutions and then set up a new mission and vision for the hospital. 

    “Hon minister Sir , today you will be commissioning a number of projects in the hospital which include; the molecular laboratory complex,  one is for the HIV programme and the other  was funded by the federal government as part of the Covid -19 intervention funds. 

    “New Oxygen Plant which was donated by the federal ministry of health,  patients clinic complex, this complex holds all out -patients clinic which  contains;  the general out patients clinic, the medical out patients clinic, surgical out patients clinic , Orthopaedic out patients clinic,  genealogy, pharmacy/ Laboratory unit,  all in this complex,    Radiology complex, renovated and re – equipped intensive care complex, this was also funded by the federal government under Covid -19 funds.

    “Others are; two  new Ambulances which is our demonstration of readiness to support National emergency medical ambulance scheme, Hospital Gatehouse /security post which few years ago was not a good reflection of a teaching hospital,   internal roads which is funded by the hospital management in partnership with FEMA,   Expansion of water complex capacity to over two hundred thousand litters , we are grateful to the federal government

    “As a matter of policy , This administration did not embark on new project until we completed  or  took to an advanced stage all abandoned projects on ground.

    “Today you will also inspect other new projects which include the laboratory complex which is almost completely constructed,  the stroke center, donated by a foundation in collaboration with the hospital,  the infection isolation and treatment center  build by the NCDC, and the  newly constructed antenatal building extension.” The CMD said.

  • FG gets Global Fund Financial Support to upgrade 774 General Hospitals

    FG gets Global Fund Financial Support to upgrade 774 General Hospitals

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    The Federal Government has secured funds from the Global Fund to upgrade one general hospital in each of the 774 local councils across the country for easy access to basic services health services to the populace and to reduce burden on the teaching hospitals.

    The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, revealed this at the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee Quarterly Review Meeting on PHC Delivery organised by the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) in Abuja.

    Ehanire said the Federal Government is also working towards citing one comprehensive and functional primary healthcare in each political ward equipped with solar power, water, staff quarters, and an ambulance service in addition to
    establishing 150 oxygen plants to ensure its availability at the local government level.

    Furthermore, the government promised to introduce the malaria vaccine and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to protect young girls from cervical cancer, the Minister stated.

    He noted that health indices in the North have improved, especially in polio eradication and routine immunisation, stressing, ” There is the need to further strengthen community engagement through the traditional leaders to ensure that our people, especially the most vulnerable are protected by being fully vaccinated against Polio and COVID-19 and other childhood diseases.”

    Meanwhile, he said that the Federal Government is doubling its efforts to provide adequate quantity of COVID-19 vaccines for the country and charged Community leaders not to relent in encouraging their people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

  • Security Challenges Working Against Onslaught Re-emerging Polio Virus – Health Minister

    Security Challenges Working Against Onslaught Re-emerging Polio Virus – Health Minister

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    As Nigeria commemorates it’s third year of Wild Polio Virus, WPV, Free Certification by the World Health Organization, WHO, the Minister of Health, Dr. Ehanire Osagie has said that security challenges is in the country is still a mitigating factor against onslaught of re-emerging polio variant.
    Osagie made this known yesterday in Abuja as Nigeria marked the milestone day.

    He said, ” The emerging security in some parts of the country poses a challenge to the onslaught of the re-emerging Variants of the Polio Viruses (cVPV2) which are remnants in the environment as a result of suboptimal environmental sanitation.”
    The remnant variants can affect children who have not been enrolled in the Routine Immunization system, he stressed.

    According to the Health Minister the ministry is not resting on it’s oasis as it has directed and guided the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, to mount the needed response to deal with these viruses within an integrated framework as a way of addressing other public health challenges including the ongoing COVID-19 vaccination in the country.

    Also the UNICEF Chief of Health, Eduardos Celades in his speech to join Nigeria in celebrating the historic success of achieving a wild-polio virus free certification, noted that the battle against all variants is not yet over.

    Celades said, ” We might have won the battle against wild polio, but the war against all types of polio is not yet over. A circulating variant of poliovirus is still affecting too many children in Nigeria.

    There is still a lot of work ahead of us. While we have reduced the number of zero dose children, the routine immunization rate remains
    low.

    It is time for Nigeria to further strengthen immunization, the UNICEF Chief admonished.
    Meanwhile, UNICEF commended all key stakeholders who contributed to the milestone achievement like traditional, religious leaders, Frontline Health workers, vaccinations, teams who resolved vaccine hesitancy in communities and mothers who take their children to the health facilities for completion of their routine immunization.

  • ‘Some vaccines have short shelf life’ — FG clarifies expiration of 1m AstraZeneca doses

    ‘Some vaccines have short shelf life’ — FG clarifies expiration of 1m AstraZeneca doses

    The federal government has reacted to a report stating that one million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria expired in November.

    According to the report, the expired doses were AstraZeneca COVID vaccine supplied via COVAX from Europe.

    In a statement on Wednesday, Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, said Nigeria has enjoyed donations of vaccines by other countries but had communicated a problem of shelf life which leaves just a few months for vaccines to be used.

    The minister, however, said Nigeria had used over 10 million doses of short-life vaccines, adding that expired ones had been destroyed as the country does not utilise vaccines past their expiry date.

    “Nigeria has, of late enjoyed the generosity of several, mainly European countries, who have offered us doses of Covid-19 vaccines out of their stockpiles, free of charge, through COVAX or AVAT facility,” the statement reads.

    “These donations are always acknowledged and thankfully received: however, some of them had residual shelf lives of only few months that left us very short time, some just weeks, to use them, after deduction of time to transport, clear, distribute and deliver to users. If such vaccines arrive back-to-back or are many, logistic bottlenecks occasionally arise.

    “We appreciate the kind gesture of donors, but also communicated the challenge of short shelf lives, whereupon some manufacturers offered to extend the vaccine shelf life after the fact, by 3 months, a practice that, though accepted by experts, is declined by the Federal Ministry of Health, because it is not accommodated in our standards. Nigeria does not dispense vaccines with a validity extended beyond labelled expiry date. We continue to adhere to our rigorous standards.

    “Donation of surplus Covid-19 vaccines with expiring shelf lives to Developing Countries has been a matter of international discussion.

    ”Developing countries like Nigeria accept them because they close our critical vaccine supply gaps and, being free, save us scarce foreign exchange procurement cost. This dilemma is not typical to Nigeria, but a situation in which many Low- and medium-income countries find themselves.

    “Donors also recognize a need to give away unused vaccines, before they expire in their own stock, but they need to begin the process early enough and create a well-oiled pathway for prompt shipment and distribution through the COVAX and AVAT facilities, to reduce risk of expiration. With better coordination, vaccines need not expire in the stock of Donors or Recipients.

    “Nigeria has utilized most of the over 10m short-shelf-life doses of Covid-19 vaccines so far supplied to us, in good time, and saved N16.4B or more than $40m in foreign exchange. The vaccines that expired had been withdrawn before then, and will be destroyed accordingly, by NAFDAC.”

    The statement said the ministry shares its experience with partners regularly and now “politely declines all vaccine donations with short shelf life or those that cannot be delivered in time”.

    “The long term measure to prevent such incident is for Nigeria to produce its own vaccines, so that vaccines produced have at least 12 months to expiration. This is why the Federal Ministry of Health is collaborating with stakeholders to fast-track establishment of indigenous vaccine manufacturing capacity. This is a goal we are pursuing with dedication,” it said.

  • Omicron Variant: FG faults UK Govt’s Red Listing Of Nigeria, Others

    Omicron Variant: FG faults UK Govt’s Red Listing Of Nigeria, Others

    The Federal Government on Sunday ruled out the possibility of restricting foreign travellers from visiting Nigeria despite travel bans on the country by Canada, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, Singapore and Hong Kong.

    This is just as the government stated that most of the in-bound passengers that tested positive for COVID-19 were from the UK.

    The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, expressed disappointment over the United Kingdom government’s placement of Nigeria on its red list following the detection of the COVID-19 Omicron variant.

    “We were not very happy when six countries in Sub-Saharan Africa were placed on a red list and the WHO also advised against putting each on the red list,” the minister said on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, less than one day after the UK announced the move.

    “From what we know about the COVID-19, there are many ways to manage it, and besides, not much is still known about the Omicron variant. We know, for example, that there have been no fatalities.

    “There have also been no reports of very severe illness. Actually, the rationale for being so hasty in putting countries on the red list is not something that is very helpful.”

    According to the minister, the move was ill-advised as he noted that it would have multiple impacts on commerce, and disrupt activities during the Christmas and New Year festivities.

    “It is going to disrupt commerce,” he added. It is going to disrupt family reunions.”

    Ban List Not ‘Helpful’
    He explained that while Nigeria has detected the COVID-19 virus on travellers from the UK, the cases have not been confirmed to be the Omicron variant.

    While reiterating that the placement of countries on the red list will not help in the global fight against the pandemic, Ehanire said Nigeria is anticipating the fourth wave of the disease.

    “If every country were going to put other countries on the ban list, very soon you would have a large number of countries on your red list,” the minister said.

    “So, I do believe there are other ways of going about it. We in Nigeria do not regard banning flights and movements of people as particularly helpful and supportive.”

    The UK’s move, which came a few days after Nigeria detected the new strain, followed a similar decision by the Canadian authorities.

    “Foreign nationals who have transited or stayed in these 10 countries cannot enter Canada if they have been in those countries in the last two weeks,” Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos told a press conference.

    Aside from Nigeria, Egypt and Malawi were the other countries recently added to Canada’s travel ban list.

  • Again Ehanire snubs Health Journalists COVID-19 Conference

    Again Ehanire snubs Health Journalists COVID-19 Conference

    …as Stakeholders demand for accountability of 500 billion COVID-19 stimulus fund

    By Joyce Remi-Babayeju

    Again Minister of Health, Dr. Ehanire Osagie has snubbed the health Journalists 2 Day Annual Conference organized by the Association of Nigeria Health Journalists, ANHEJ to rub minds Wit outcomes that would convince Nigerians to accept the COVID-19 vaccination.
    Ehanire who was physically absent from the conference nor send any Representative to the conference which was well attended by major stakeholders in the health sector such as the World Health Organization, WHO, Institute of Human Virology, IHVN, Africa Health Budget Network, AHBN, and Marie Stopes.
    It has been recorded that since Ehanire became Nigeria’s Health Minister, he has avoidably shunned and refused to identify with health Journalists in all ramifications which is believed to be a smart way of avoiding questions on COVID-19 funds tracking and the ministry’s disbursement and utilization of the 500 billion naira stimulus funds donated by the International Monetary Fund, IMF, to Nigeria help alleviate COVID-19 related issues.
    On the part of the African Health Budget Network, AHBN, Coordinator Dr. Aminu Magashi Garba said that every COVID-19 funding and recovery plans touches the lives of all Nigerians and as such the public should be adequately informed on how every penny is spent.
    Magashi who was represented by the Senior Programme and Partner Officer of AHBN, Dr. Obinna Onuoah said that so about 126 billion naira was given to settle health sector s to help build resilient health systems and also to settle other underlying health conditions faced by the sector.
    According to him the remaining 374 billion naira would be shared out to other non health sectors.

    In the health sector, 86 billion was given out for capital projects on the revatilization of the health sector, while the remaining 40 billion was allocated for other critical issues or challenges faced.

    Out of this, the following organizations were listed to gain a share of the stimulus.

    The Nigerian Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and other related departments received 10million naira, 2billion for the equipment of labouratory for effective and efficient testing of vaccines. The National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development ( NIPRD), also received 2billion for its research and development.

    Alongside with this, 18billion naira was allocated to 21 University teaching hospitals and 31 Federal medical centers and Specialist hospitals. 7.7 billion naira was added for the provision of personal protective materials for workers in the laboratories.

    Furthermore, 18.4billion naira was given out to all the 36 states including the FCT, for the equipping of 10 intensive care units . 5.2billion was also allocated for the equipping of the isolation centres in each state and a 20billion hazard allowance allocated for workers.

    Only about 50 percent of the funds have been released and shared among the various organizations and sectors. The Organization also urged those who have received the fund to commence work immediately, as work delayed after funding will be seen as sabotage by the public.

    Magashi called on ANHEJ members to ensure they ask hard questions on the type, nature and duration of funding support for every recovery plan said, the media stands front-line and centre in ensuring that all Nigerians are well-informed with facts.

    “With all the efforts underway towards recovery from COVID-19, the media stands front, line and centre in ensuring that all Nigerians are well-informed with the facts: what funding has been received and from whom, what plans from the Government are in place to utilize these funds to provide quality health, what are the checks and balances to ensure these dedicated funds offer value for money, what are the steps taken to ensure all concerned parties are held accountable in the disbursement and utilization of these funds, what are the feedback mechanisms from the beneficiaries of these health interventions, and how are the challenges and lessons carried forth for future reference, that we may learn from the past.
    ANHEJ have therefore called on the health ministry give account and disbursement of the N500 billion the COVID-19 stimulus fund meant to lift Nigerians out of the doldrum of the pandemic.

  • COVID-19: FG Is Trying Hard To Avoid Another Lockdown – Health Minister

    COVID-19: FG Is Trying Hard To Avoid Another Lockdown – Health Minister

    The Federal Government on Thursday said it is trying hard to prevent another lockdown, even as fears continue to mount over the rising cases of COVID-19 infections in Africa’s most populous nation.

    On Wednesday, Nigeria’s infections crossed the 126, 000 mark, out of which 100,365 have recovered, but the government has insisted it would only push for a lockdown of the country as the last resort.

    “The lockdown is always a last resort. It is not the first step that the government takes. If you hear of the countries which had to do lockdown – the UK and many European countries – it was because they were getting figures that were running virtually amok,” the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire noted on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

    “So, the consequence of a lockdown on the economy including the social consequences are such that you do not take that (lockdown) as a first step. So, we are trying very hard to see that it does not come to a lockdown.”

    ‘Without Extra Pain’
    As the country drives to tame the ravaging pandemic, adherence to non-pharmaceutical measures have been a knotty issue with many citizens flouting the guidelines.

    President Muhammadu Buhari had on Wednesday signed the Coronavirus Health Protection Regulation 2021, a move targeted at strengthening Nigeria’s efforts at combating the disease which has infected more than 100 million people globally.

    And Ehanire believes that citizens’ compliance with the guidelines as released by various health agencies, will aid the country’s push to contain the disease first confirmed in Wuhan, China in late 2019.

    “The compliance and participation of citizens and adherence to all these rules will go a long way in ensuring that we get what we want without extra pain,” the minister added.

  • Health Minister Lays Foundation of Borno State Teaching Hospital in Jimtilo Maiduguri

    Health Minister Lays Foundation of Borno State Teaching Hospital in Jimtilo Maiduguri

    By Dauda R Pam Maiduguri

     Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, has laid the foundation of the Teaching Hospital of Borno State School of Health Sciences at Njimtilo, near Maiduguri along Damaturu road.

    The minister was in Maiduguri on Thursday, to commission projects at University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH),as well as lay the foundation of the state teaching hospital.

    GOVERNOR BABAGANA UMARA Zulum in his remarks, said “in fulfillment of the criteria for the establishment of medical colleges, we are here to witness the foundation laying ceremony for the two important projects.

    “We want to start medical courses, especially medicine, in the State University so that we can produce healthcare providers and undertake research, as well as cater for the health needs of citizens.

    “We know that there is increasing population in Maiduguri and we have only one teaching hospital, and Maiduguri has a population of over three million people.’’

    According to him, a new teaching hospital will serve the increasing population, which is in line with the state’s development plan.

    It could be recalled, “just five days ago, we launched our 25-year development plan, and the State University Teaching Hospital and the College of Medical Sciences are part of the plan.”

    In his own remarks, the chairman committee for the establishment of the teaching hospital, Prof. Othman Kyari, said that the launch of the projects was the first phase with all the requirements of all the regulatory bodies (medicine and surgery, dentistry, radiology pharmacy, etc) were put into consideration and  that by the time the complex is completed, it will probably be one of the best in the country.”

    The commissioner Ministry for Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation,
    Dr Babagana Malumbe, was on hand to welcome Gov. Zulum and the Health Minister Ehanire and entourage on arrival at the ground breaking ceremony.

  • Minister, Rescue Patients From Dying, Reopen F.M.C In Kogi – Lawmaker

    Minister, Rescue Patients From Dying, Reopen F.M.C In Kogi – Lawmaker

    By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    A member of the house of representatives from Kogi, Tajudeen Yusuf on Friday called on  the minister of health, Osagie Ehanire to reopen the federal medical centre in Kogi state to safe lives.

    The Federal lawmaker who made the call in statement released on Friday said the closure of the hospital “has caused more deaths for patients whose health complications would have been better managed at FMC Lokoja”.

    Four months ago, FMC Lokoja, the only federal health facility in the confluence state offering quality, professional services to indigenes and residents in the state, was closed on the orders of the federal ministry of health following an alleged invasion of the hospital by thugs,” the legislator said.

    “Since then, our people have been travelling all the way to Abuja or Akure, Ibadan and Lagos for health conditions that could otherwise be treated at FMC Lokoja; patients with prior medical appointments now face the rigours of travelling far for medical attention, even at the risk of further complicating their health challenges”. he added.

    “Many indigent patients are now forced to live in precarious conditions and several of those who can afford the trips to Abuja or other cities face increased likelihood of death.”

    He stressed that the People from all three senatorial districts and seven federal constituencies in Kogi State are stridently appealing to the conscience of the Minister and others in authority for the re-opening of FMC, Lokoja.

    “The centre has some of the best hands in most fields of medical care, including expert eye surgeons and one of the very best cardiologists in Nigeria.”

    It would be recalled that thugs attacked the medical centre and it was eventually closed since July 2020.

    The disruption and vandalisation of some parts of the hospital by the hoodlums occurred during a press conference where the management of the hospital was planning to request for a COVID-19 screening centre and the challenges faced by the medical institution.

  • Nigeria to reduce Hepatitis B in children to 2% – Minister

    Nigeria to reduce Hepatitis B in children to 2% – Minister

    The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, says Nigeria is working to reduce chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) to less than two per cent in children under five years by the end of 2020.
    Ehanire spoke on Tuesday at the World Health Organisation (WHO) virtual high-level commemoration of World Hepatitis Day and launch of the guidelines for the prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of Hepatitis B.

    World Hepatitis Day, observed on July 28 every year, aims to raise global awareness of hepatitis — a group of infectious diseases known
    as Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E — and encourage prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

    The minister said that Nigeria was working in alignment with the Regional Resolution to reduce the virus to less than two per cent in children through vaccination.

    He said “one of the major challenges of Hepatitis B birth dose vaccination is the inadequate domestic contribution to finance vaccines and expand access to services.

    “In recent times, the country has made progress in this area; we are committed to a three-billion-dollar Nigeria Strategy on Immunisation and PHC Systems
    Strengthening (NSIPSS).

    “This is our plan for transitioning to financial ownership of the immunisation and primary healthcare system over a 10-year period, from 2018-2028.”

    He added that the plan aimed to address inequities in the uptake of routine vaccines and improve coverage for HBV Birth Dose.

    “In 2019, HBV birth dose coverage was 59 per cent. We hope to continue to increase coverage as we work toward elimination.

    “It is important to note that Nigeria has not defaulted in its co-financing obligation of routine immunisation implementation for the past three years.

    “We have also worked on strengthening routine immunisation through the establishment of National Emergency Routine Immunisation Coordination
    Centre (NERICC) in 2017, and there have been several gains through the creation of this platform.

    “For example, its heavy focus on supply chain management helped to improve the availability of vaccines at district and facility levels.

    “We acknowledge the significant work that is required to address prevention of mother-to-child transmission of viral hepatitis,” he said.

    According to him, Nigeria has a policy of screening pregnant women for HIV, syphilis and viral hepatitis.

    He explained that the policy on Reproductive Health, Maternal, New-born, and Child Health (RMNCH) to screen all pregnant women for the diseases
    presented great opportunity that could be strengthened to improve prevention of mother-to-child transmission of viral hepatitis.

    He noted that “I must acknowledge the need to continue to build capacities of healthcare providers and expand social mobilisation efforts,
    especially during this pandemic; Together, we can achieve a Hepatitis Free Future.”

    Ehanire, who expressed delight to be part of the commemoration of the World Hepatitis Day, happening virtually in 2020 because of the circumstances
    imposed by COVID-19, said it was indeed unique in many ways as the pandemic had its challenges and opportunities.

    He said “the year also ushers in the decade of elimination of public health diseases, including viral hepatitis.

    “Nigeria is endemic for both viral hepatitis B and C.

    “In 2018, Nigeria conducted a National AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey which showed a prevalence of 8.1 per cent for Hepatitis B Virus (HBV)
    and 1.1 per cent for Hepatitis C (HCV).

    “We can estimate that about 20 million people are chronically infected.

    “We recognise the importance of vaccination as a critical intervention in our determination to eliminate HBV infection by 2030,’’ he said.

    The minister, therefore, said Nigeria was one of the first African countries to introduce a birth dose of HBV vaccine in 2004.

    “Furthermore, we established the National Viral Hepatitis Control programme in 2013 to coordinate all efforts and through this,
    we developed national documents, including policies, strategic plan, guidelines, training materials and treatment center directory, which are in use today.

    “An important next step is establishing a routine surveillance system to improve on our reporting on the Global Hepatitis Surveillance Systems (GHSS)
    the platform,’’ he said.