President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa says, the nation must move beyond the era of exclusively preserving quality healthcare for those who are wealthy.

Addressing the Stakeholder Consultative Meeting on the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme on Friday in Tshwane, the President said the scheme is meant to ensure all South Africans receive the quality health services they need without the imposition on them of financial hardship.

“The NHI is therefore also fundamentally about social justice. Providing universal and quality health care for all is not only a matter of moral principle. It is also a financially responsible decision that will save a lot of money while keeping our people healthier,” Ramaphosa said.

He said South Africa needs to build on the strengths of the public health system as it has helped improve the life expectancy rate, successfully turned the tide in the battle against HIV and AIDS as well as rolled out the massive health infrastructure across the country.

“Our people should be able to access a comprehensive range of health services, including prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and others. These services – no matter who is providing them – should be of good quality,” he said.

According to the President, South Africa spends R420 billion or 8.5 percent of domestic funding on health care.

“This is more than any other middle-income country, and it is very close to advanced economies such as the United Kingdom and Canada. We have decided to cover the whole country on an incremental basis,” Ramaphosa said.

This means that from 2019, once the bill is passed, South Africa will start to incrementally implement the NHI and by 2025 everyone will be covered.

“We are determined to work together to overcome our two-tiered health system, which is the major barrier to achieve a universal health system.

“We must be clear that the resources needed to provide quality health care services represent investment rather than consumption, particularly if you consider the benefits of a healthy population and a productive workforce,” he said.

The President said challenges that need to be addressed include over-worked and exploited workers as a result of staff shortages.

“We must accept the reality that the quality of service cannot be improved by a fatigued and demoralised workforce. The challenges related to the shortage of medical equipment as well as theatre and intensive care unit beds in our public hospitals also requires urgent attention.

“The massive backlog of operations in our hospitals owing to the dysfunctionality of our operating theatres must also be dealt with,” Ramaphosa said.

He said doctors must not be put in the brutal position of having to fight among themselves, seeking to convince one another on who must be operated on first, and by implication, who must be allowed to perish.

“We must change this situation,” the President said.

Acting Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said the province has taken steps to resolve some of the challenges that the province has had in the public health sector.

“This follows the unfortunate incident of Life Esidimeni that we are correctly responding to its recommendations that were given us. We have already appointed a new head of department so that we can deal with the challenges of health in our province.

“The Gauteng province runs the biggest health system in Southern Africa which caters for over 21 million visits per annum,” Lesufi said.

He said the province is a major centre for the training of health professionals for the country and the continent. – SAnews.gov.za

By Mohammed Munirat Nasir

Troops of the Operation Sharan Daji, a joint military operation fighting banditry in Zamfara state, northwest Nigeria say they have arrested two female bandits and 50 other bandits in the state.

Acting Director Defence Information (DDI), Brigadier General John Agim announce the arrests in Gusau on Saturday, while briefing journalists on the activities of Operation Sharan Daji.

He said so far in the operation many heinous and notorious bandits were neutralised, among them were Danboko and Danbuzuwa.

General Agim acknowledged the efforts of the Air Task Force for launching Air attacks at Sububu and Rugu forest, where the bandits were hiding and the destruction of their camps.

He added that some arm dealers and cattle rustlers including two female bandits were also arrested.

“A point of emphasis is the arrest of chief logistics suppliers identified as Amos Ugwuozo, Nura Mukhtari and Sani Yaro”, he said.

Agim said over 20 sophisticated arms and assorted ammunition, along with some dangerous local weapons were recovered.

“Other recoveries included two cars, 38 motorcycles, over 30 mobile phones and three kidnapped victims were rescued with over N500,000 cash recovered from kidnappers “, he said.

He said robust patrols and armed escorts around vulnerable villages and weekly local markets have built confidence in the communities and therefore, bandits have no longer freedom of action.

“The return of over 6000 displaced persons to their communities was a clear indication that peace has started returning to the state”, he said.

Agim solicited for the support of the local communities to provide useful information to the Operation Sharan Daji to successfully contain the security challenge in the state.

By Peter Usman

Following complaints that consumers can not renew subscriptions despite the court order served on Multichoice, Consumer Protection Council, CPC has set up a special Channel for receiving complaints.

Director General of the Council, Babatunde Irukera, who disclosed this in Abuja, stated that any consumer who is experiencing this challenge should please send an email to multichoicecompliance@cpc.gov.ng

Irukera further directed that relevant information, including smart card number, name, telephone number, date and time of failed attempt to pay, supporting same with relevant evidence such as a screenshot or document should be sent to the e-mail address above.

According to him, “Thursday, August 23rd, 2018: It has come to the attention of the Consumer Protection Council that customers of MultiChoice Nigeria Limited (operators of DStv and GOtv) are unable to renew their subscription at their bouquet prevailing price as at July 31, 2018.”

“On August 20, 2018, Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, in the case of Federal Republic of Nigeria V MultiChoice Nigeria Limited: Case No. FHC/ABJ/CS/894 entered an order restraining Multichoice by itself, agents, or representatives and howsoever described, from continuing any increased subscription rate or prices, pending the determination of an application before the court.

“On August 21, 2018, the Council issued a statement with respect to this order, informing the public that “it is a violation of the order of the court for Multichoice to require consumers to pay, or to receive any new rate for their service, from consumers. For clarity, the current, valid and prevailing rate for DStv and GOtv services are the rates that were effective as at July 31, 2018.” He said.

By Lawal Dogara

Kaduna State Primary Health Care Development Agency in northern Nigeria has held a Baby Show to sensitise and promote exclusive breastfeeding among nursing mothers.

The event was part of activities to mark the 2018 World Breastfeeding Week.

The Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, represented by an official of the Agency, Dr Neyu Iliyasu, said the Week tagged, “Breastfeeding: Foundation for life”, was being celebrated in the state to promote exclusive breastfeeding and to also honour nursing mothers that exclusively breastfeed their babies.

“It also accords us an opportunity to further sensitise mothers on the gains of breastfeeding and adequate complementary feeding as well as the negative effect of not breastfeeding children on the child, the family and the nation at large.”

Announcing the winners of the competition, the State Nutrition Officer, Hauwa Usman said that 20 babies were selected from 13 wards in the local government area and that three out of the 20 babies emerged as winners of the event.

Five months old Khadijat Isiaka, weighing 7.5kg at the top; followed by Yusuf Nasir, two months, 5.8kg and Muhammadu Awal, six months, 7.2kg.

She explained that the criteria for selection, include if the baby was exclusively breastfed, weight, must be between two and six months, skin glow, hair texture, nails, and cleanliness among others.

She encouraged all nursing mothers to embrace the practice of exclusive breastfeeding and adequate complementary feeding, describing it as the foundation of a healthy growth and development of children.

Presenting the prizes to the winners, Ummi El-Rufai, wife of the Kaduna State Governor, described breast milk as vital to the growth and development of child to adulthood.

Ummu, who is the Chairperson, Kaduna State Emergency Nutrition Action Plan, appealed to husbands to support their wives by ensuring that they provide the family the needed nutritious food for healthy growth and development.

She thanked UNICEF, Alive and Thrive, Save the Children International and other development partners working in the state to address the problem of malnutrition and other health, social and economic issues affecting women and children.

Earlier in his address of welcome, the Chairman of Kaduna South Local Government, Kabiru Jarumi appealed to women to ensure breastfeeding of their kids, so as to make them healthier.

https://www.africaprimenews.com/2018/08/10/health/nigeria-determined-to-achieve-100-exclusive-breastfeeding-by-2025-official/

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded the arrest and trial of the leaders of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, over the association’s comment on plot to forcefully remove the President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki.

PDP made the call in a Statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan on Wednesday in Abuja.

Ologbondiyan said such “unguarded statement” echoed the threats by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Presidency, to force out Saraki, from office, describing it as ominous and revealing.

He alleged that it had also been the same group that was being used to stoke division and create violent crisis that had resulted into daily blood lettings in various parts of the country.

He wondered how the association had now become the fourth arm of government that could determine when and how to forcefully remove the number three citizen, the President of the Senate.

He said it was in the light of these treasonable and inciting utterances by Miyetti Allah, PDP demanded that President Muhammadu Buhari, should within the next 24 hours, order the arrest and commence immediate trial of the leadership of the group.

“Finally, the PDP is aware that Miyetti Allah does not represent the views and interests of the vast majority of cattle breeders or even any ethnic group in the country.

“We therefore urge all good spirited Nigerians to rise in condemnation of the actions and utterances of these misguided elements, who are being used to attempt a constitutional breach that portends grave danger to national cohesion and our hard earned democracy.”

NAN

https://www.africaprimenews.com/2018/07/24/politics/offa-robbery-invitation-by-nigeria-police-purely-political-and-will-fail-senate-president/