Health
Flying Doctors’ boost Nigeria’s COVID-19 testing
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.”
Resident doctors at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) in Ondo State have initiated a 14-day warning strike, as confirmed by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
The strike action, led by the association’s President, John Matthew, highlights various grievances, notably the non-payment of seven months’ salaries to new members.
Matthew added that the strike also addresses the non-payment of palliative to House Officers since February, the failure to disburse the February Hazard Allowance despite prior assurances from the state government, and the ongoing shortage of staff due to resignations.
Matthew lamented the drastic decrease in resident doctors, citing a decrease from 150 doctors to a mere 26 in recent months.
In response to the situation, he urged management to prioritise the full payment of arrears owed to members, immediate payment of the February 2024 palliative to house officers, and prompt disbursement of the February hazard allowance.
The association further called for urgent measures to address the critical shortage of clinical manpower within the institution.
The Federal Government has greenlit the allocation of N25 billion to bolster the efforts of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in advancing healthcare accessibility and quality across Nigeria.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, made this known, stressing the steadfast commitment of the current administration towards revamping the healthcare system to achieve Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) for all Nigerians.
In a statement by Deworitshe Patricia, a spokesperson for the ministry, Pate emphasised that the government’s strategy for health sector transformation involves the implementation of a Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) and the Health Sector Renewal Investment Programme (NHSRIP).
Addressing the imperative for reforms in Nigeria’s primary healthcare delivery, Pate highlighted the significance of revising the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) and its associated programmes.
Pate outlined the objectives of the revised guidelines, which include expanding healthcare services for underserved populations, particularly women and children, reducing maternal mortality rates, alleviating out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, and standardizing healthcare quality across primary healthcare facilities nationwide.
“The Ministry, in collaboration with development partners, is dedicated to ensuring equitable access to healthcare services for all Nigerians, with a special focus on vulnerable groups,” stated Pate. “Through initiatives like NHSRIP, we aspire to minimize the need for long-distance travel for medical care, thereby improving the overall health outcomes and well-being of our citizens.”
In a monumental achievement for medical science, a team of Saudi professionals at the King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital has completed the separation surgery of Nigerian conjoined twins, Hassana and Husaina.
The directive for this historic achievement came from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, demonstrating the Kingdom’s commitment to advancing healthcare.
The complex procedure, initiated on Thursday morning, was the result of meticulous planning and execution by a dedicated team of 38 medical experts. This group included consultants, specialists, technicians, and nursing staff, all working in harmony to address shared areas in the lower abdomen, pelvis, lower spine, and lower spinal nerves of the twins.
The surgery, unfolding in nine carefully planned stages, lasted approximately 14 hours. Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, Advisor at the Royal Court, Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), and head of the medical team, expressed confidence in the success of the procedure, citing a noteworthy 70% success rate.
“This is a momentous occasion that showcases the Kingdom’s commitment to advancing medical science and providing compassionate healthcare globally,” he said.
The successful separation of Hassana and Husaina commemorates the 60th operation conducted by the Saudi programme for separating conjoined twins. Over the past 34 years, this programme has offered care to 135 conjoined twins from 25 countries.
Dr. Al Rabeeah expressed heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to the Saudi leadership for their steadfast support of the programme.
He said, “The successful separation of Hassana and Husaina exemplifies the Kingdom’s dedication to humanitarian causes and its role as a leader in global healthcare.”
The Press Attaché at the Saudi embassy in Abuja, Mohammed Alsahabi, remarked on the accomplishment, stating, “This remarkable feat underscores the strong collaboration between Saudi Arabia and Nigeria in healthcare. We take pride in contributing to the improvement of these twins’ lives and their families.”
The separation of Hassana and Husaina represents not just a medical triumph but also serves as a symbol of hope for numerous individuals confronting similar challenges globally.
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