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Flying Doctors’ boost Nigeria’s COVID-19 testing

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Red-gloved hands gently dip cotton swabs down nostrils and mouths of people taking turns to stand in front of a tall booth, masks lowered and head tilted backwards. Inside the booth to which the gloves are attached is a COVID-19 sample collector.

Set up by Nigerian health investment firm Flying Doctors in eight of the country’s worst-affected states, the mobile booths, which separate the sample collector from the people being tested, have boosted COVID-19 testing. Between 80 and 100 samples are collected per booth every day, although the number varies among states. Nigeria is conducting an average of 2500–3000 tests daily.

Flying Doctors founder, Dr Ola Brown, explains that at the start of the pandemic, Nigeria had few people trained to take COVID-19 test samples, and collectors would also visit people at homes to take samples, heightening infections risks through exposure.

“It [the sample collection booth] reduces to zero the number of infections on the people conducting the tests. Secondly, it also saves a lot of time compared [with] the people testing having to go to people’s houses to do the tests and thirdly, it saves money because people [are] not having to change their PPE [personal protective equipment]” frequently, says Dr Brown.

For Dr Walter Kazadi, World Health Organization (WHO) representative in Nigeria, “expanding access to services such as sample collection and diagnostic testing are critical for an effective response.” WHO continues to support Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control and the national response system by providing resources for training and supplies for sample collection and testing.

The COVID-19 response across Africa has propelled a raft of innovations. Across the continent, innovators have worked to create tools to help public health experts manage challenges ranging from contact tracing and clinical care to local production of equipment and supplies as well as laboratory and testing materials.

Many of the innovations were already existing but have had to be redirected or adapted to COVID-19 response. For example, Zipline, a California-based firm, repurposed its high-speed drones that were in use in both Ghana and Rwanda to deliver medical packages to clinics and hospitals to now identify COVID-19 hotspots and collect samples. In anticipation of new treatments and vaccines that may become available, the company is poised to help with distribution.

In Kenya, to support contact tracing in public transport, a mobile phone-based application, mSafari, was launched in March by its developers in collaboration with the ministries of Health and Transport.

Most of the innovations are homegrown. The mobile booths in Nigeria are made locally. In all there are 14 booths in Abuja, Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Rivers and Zamfara states. Flying Doctors also has transformed one vehicle into a mobile laboratory. In total, the organization has three laboratories. It has trained more than 100 molecular laboratory scientists to carry out COVID-19 testing.

Working with various foundations, the organization has made its testing free to encourage people to turn up. COVID-19 testing in Africa still lags other regions of the world. The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa recommends 10 tests per 10 000 people per week in the region. Just 12 countries recently surpassed the threshold.

While Africa has recorded relatively fewer COVID-19 infections compared with other regions, the decline in cases seen between July and September has plateaued, with spikes in cases reported in some countries. Dr Brown stressed the criticality of testing and maintenance of vigilance on COVID-19.

“I think [that] one of the things that has really impacted the focus on testing is the fact that not many people have died in Africa compared [with] Europe or America. When people aren’t dying and when people aren’t getting horrifically sick and we’re not seeing those numbers of course it [testing] gets deprioritized especially in a country that has limited resources,” she says.

“It’s important for everybody to remain vigilant … and continue to really keep our guard up.”

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Health

Trump cleared for office, doctor orders weight loss ahead of 80th birthday

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United States President Donald Trump has been declared medically fit to continue in office, with his physician describing him as being in “excellent health” while recommending weight loss and increased physical activity weeks before his 80th birthday.

The White House disclosed on Friday that Trump underwent his annual medical and dental examination on Tuesday at Walter Reed Military Hospital near Washington, amid growing scrutiny over his health and fitness for office.

In a three-page medical memo released by the White House, Trump’s physician, US Navy Captain Sean Barbabella, said the president demonstrated strong overall physical and mental capacity.

“President Trump remains in excellent health, demonstrating strong cardiac, pulmonary, neurological, and overall physical function,” Barbabella stated, adding that the president was “fully fit to carry out all duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.”

However, the physician advised Trump to adopt healthier lifestyle measures, including dietary adjustments, increased physical activity, continued weight loss and low-dose aspirin therapy for cardiovascular prevention.

According to the report, Trump, who will turn 80 on June 14, stands at 6ft 3in tall and weighs 238 pounds (108 kilograms), about 14 pounds more than he weighed during his last full annual medical check-up in April last year.

Despite concerns surrounding his age, the report noted that Trump’s cardiac health reflected an estimated age roughly 14 years younger than his chronological age.

The president also reportedly scored a perfect “30 out of 30” in a cognitive assessment, a result Trump has repeatedly cited in public while contrasting himself with his Democratic predecessor, former President Joe Biden.

The medical report further addressed concerns over bruising frequently seen on Trump’s right hand, attributing it to “minor soft tissue irritation” caused by repeated handshaking and aspirin use.

The memo also referenced scarring on Trump’s right ear linked to the assassination attempt against him during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in 2024, when a gunman opened fire, killing a supporter and slightly wounding the president.

Trump’s latest health evaluation comes amid public concerns after he was occasionally seen appearing drowsy during White House meetings and events. He had also previously been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency, a condition that affects blood circulation in the veins and can lead to swelling in the legs.

Reacting shortly after Tuesday’s examination, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that the medical exercise had gone “PERFECTLY,” while the White House later shared his photograph online with the caption, “PERFECT BILL OF HEALTH!”

The release of the report also sparked debate in the United States after the White House initially delayed making the medical details public, breaking with the traditional practice of releasing presidential health summaries shortly after such examinations.

Trump has long faced criticism over transparency regarding his health records, with questions also raised over the scheduling and description of his medical evaluations since returning to office.

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Oyo confirms Lassa fever death in Ibadan, activates emergency response, traces contacts

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The Oyo State Government has confirmed a Lassa fever case at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, where a 44-year-old woman died, prompting the activation of emergency response measures and immediate contact tracing to contain the disease.

The state Commissioner for Health, Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, saying, “The patient died on April 11, 2026, while receiving treatment, while laboratory confirmation of Lassa fever was received on April 13.”

She added that the Ministry of Health had swiftly activated its emergency response system, including the establishment of an Incident Management System to coordinate response activities across the state.

According to her, “All identified contacts of the deceased are being closely monitored, while necessary measures have been taken to ensure a safe and dignified burial in line with public health protocols.”

Ajetunmobi urged residents to seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as persistent fever, weakness, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhoea, unexplained bleeding, chest pain or difficulty breathing.

She stressed, “Early presentation at health facilities significantly improves the chances of survival.”

The commissioner explained that Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted primarily through contact with food or household items contaminated by urine or faeces of infected rodents.

“It can also spread from person to person through contact with bodily fluids, especially in healthcare settings where infection prevention measures are not strictly observed,” she said.

She advised residents to maintain strict environmental hygiene, including proper waste disposal, safe storage of food in rodent-proof containers and avoiding drying food items on bare ground or roadsides.

Ajetunmobi also urged households to seal holes and entry points to prevent rodent access, while emphasising regular handwashing and good personal hygiene.

Residents, she said, should report suspected cases through designated emergency lines, while health workers must strictly adhere to infection prevention and control protocols.

Reaffirming the government’s commitment, the commissioner said surveillance had been intensified across the state, with all health facilities placed on alert.

“There is no cause for panic. The situation is under control, and Lassa fever is both preventable and treatable when detected early,” she assured.

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Rep Oseni Backs Ajimobi Widow’s Cancer Fight, Vows More Health Projects

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The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Aderemi Oseni, has pledged to support the breast cancer awareness programme of the ABC Foundation founded by former Oyo First Lady, Dr. Florence Ajimobi.

Oseni, who is Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), made the commitment on Thursday in Ibadan at the flag-off of Pink Month 2025, an initiative of the foundation.

Contained in a statement by his media aide, Idowu Ayodele, the lawmaker described the campaign as a “lifesaving mission” given the rising burden of breast cancer in Nigeria, with over 28,000 new cases and thousands of deaths reported annually.

The APC chieftain said the free screening of 1,000 women planned by the foundation was timely, stressing that early detection remained the strongest weapon in the fight against cancer.

Hon. Aderemi Oseni exchanging pleasantries with former Oyo State First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Florence Ajimobi, at the event.

“Health is life. Only this June, I moved a motion at the National Assembly which led to the Federal Government subsidising dialysis treatment nationwide. Today, dialysis is either free or heavily discounted in federal health facilities,” Oseni said.

He listed his personal interventions to include funding hospital bills of indigent patients, construction of hospitals in Ido and Ibarapa East, establishment of primary health centres, and organisation of medical outreaches. He also disclosed plans to deploy mobile clinics to rural areas.

Commending Mrs. Ajimobi for sustaining her late husband’s legacy through humanitarian service, Oseni assured of partnership with the foundation, saying women’s wellbeing and empowerment remained central to his vision for Oyo State.

In her remarks, Mrs. Ajimobi said the foundation had offered medical care to over 85,000 patients and conducted more than 100,000 investigations since its inception. She added that the campaign was not just corporate social responsibility but “a moral duty and sacred trust.”

The former first lady, who lost her daughter Abisola to breast cancer earlier this year, said the experience had strengthened her resolve to save other families from such tragedy. She appealed to women to take advantage of the free screening and called on partners and development agencies to support the fight.

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