QUEENS COLLEGE: LASG RECCOMMENDS RESUMPTION OF ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

Assembled Queens College students

Following the satisfactory result from analysis of water samples from all water delivery points at the Queens College, Yaba, the Lagos State Government has recommended the resumption of students for academic activities.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris who disclosed this on Friday, April 21, 2017 while giving an update on the outbreak of gastroenteritis in the School noted that the school authority in collaboration with the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), Old Girls Association and the Federal Ministry of Education has successfully addressed identified areas of lapses by instituting various control measures.

 According to him, the control measures include; decommissioning of the multiple contaminated water sources, deployment of a single water source with water treatment, renovation of the dining hall, decontamination of the hostels and overhauling of the sewage system and clearance of the septic tanks. He added that the periodic testing and retesting of water sources will still go on in line with international best practices.

Idris noted that while he was updating the media few weeks back, he mentioned that water samples from one of the multiple water delivery points in the College posed safety and portability concern. He however disclosed that this has been addressed as new pipes have been laid.

Said he, “I am delighted to inform you that based on the results of the analysis of the latest water samples collected on Tuesday, April 11, 2017, all water delivery points have been certified to conform to official specifications and I hereby recommend to the School Authority resumption of Students of Queens College, Yaba, Lagos,”.

While restating the commitment of the State Government to guarantee good health of the citizenry irrespective of gender, religious or ethnic affiliations, Idris emphasized the need for the School Authority and appropriate Federal Agencies to supervise continuous screening, follow up and monitoring of all students and staff of the school because of the polymicrobial nature of the outbreak.

The Commissioner who also revealed that four out of the 25 infected kitchen staff that were treated and retested still harbor some bacteria recommended that the four kitchen staff be made to undergo further treatment, be prevented from handling food and redeployed from the kitchen area.

He disclosed that since the outbreak of the disease in the school, 40 cases were admitted in various public and private hospitals in the State. He added that 37 cases were discharged after full recovery while the remaining three were unfortunately lost to the disease.

 The Commissioner noted that though no new case of the disease has been reported since the last case was discharged on the 18^th of April, 2017, he warned that sporadic cases may still occur due to multi-microbial nature of the disease occurrence.

Idris however restated the need for the school authority as well as proprietors of schools in the State to ensure strict compliance to personal and environmental hygiene by ensuring provision of safe water, appropriate refuse disposal, conduct of food handlers’ test for kitchen staff and food vendors biannually and continuous monitoring of water and sewage treatment plants and encourage students and all to imbibe the culture of regular hand washing with soap and water. 

“Other pertinent recommendations are contained in report forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Health and the authority of the Queens College”, he noted.

He also urged them to report unusual disease occurrence to the nearest public health facility or the Ministry of Health.

While reiterating the regret of the Lagos State Government on the unfortunate incident especially the deaths recorded, Idris commiserated with the families and management of the school on the sad occurrence.

The Commissioner thanked Lagosians for their support, calmness and understanding during the period urging them to report suspected cases of any disease of public health importance to the nearest public health facility or notify the Ministry of Health on the following numbers: 08037170614, 09087106072, 08023169485, 08052817243, and 08026441681.

LAGOS HEALTH INSURANCE SCHEME TO COMMENCE IN NOVEMBER - IDRIS

(From L-R): Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris; Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. ‘Modele Osunkiyesi; and the Special Adviser on Primary Health Care, Dr. Olufemi Onanuga during the Ministry of Health’s Year 2017 Annual Press Briefing at the Bagauda Kaltho Preess Centre, Alausa-Ikeja

The Lagos State Government on Thursday said the much awaited State Health Insurance Scheme (LSHS) will commence in November, 2017.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris said this today at the 2017 Ministerial Press Briefing of the Ministry of Health to commemorate second year in office of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode led administration in Lagos State.

Idris noted that a core implementation team comprising relevant technical persons, stakeholders, private sector and donor community was set up  to draw up a blueprint that will facilitate the effective roll-out of the scheme.

“An actuarial study was conducted to serve as an objective basis to inform decisions on the design of benefit structures, reimbursement standards and the effects of proposed government standards on the cost of healthcare for the scheme”, the Commissioner stated.

Idris mentioned that the operational guidelines for the scheme to provide a framework to guide the operations of the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA); the agency established to manage the scheme have already been concluded.

He added that the premium cost for the scheme has been determined and fixed stressing that the fixed cost is lower than the actuarially determined cost to make it affordable for residents.

The Commissioner also disclosed that the appointment of the General Manager of LASHMA has been concluded adding that the engagement of a consultant to mid-wife the selection process for the agency’s management team is at the final stage.

He stated that the business process manual (BPM) which give details of how the day-to-day activities of the organization would be executed has been concluded for use by LASHMA.

The Commissioner noted that the soft launch of the Scheme will start in June, 2017 with the commencement of mass sensitization of all strata of Lagos residents and social marketing involving sustained multi-pronged consumer engagement adding that focus will be on actively and creatively engaging the informal sector on whose buy-in the success of this Scheme is largely dependent.

Said he, “advocacy sessions with active engagement of relevant stakeholders critical to the success of the scheme have also commenced and are on-going. A robust advocacy and social marketing campaign has also been designed to facilitate the awareness and buy-in of citizens is to be rolled-out in June”.

Idris explained that the active engagement of the informal sector critical to the sustainability of the scheme is considered a priority stressing that a strategy for engagement of the informal has been initiated with the support of Ministries, Departments and Agencies interfacing the informal sector on various fronts.

Idris while stating that the State government will ffinalize the details of the Provider Payment System (PPS) of the scheme with the relevant stakeholders like health insurance agents and providers, noted that the ICT platform for the scheme will also be finalized and tested towards the complete roll out of the scheme in November this year.

“Looking back I can confidently say that during this period the State health sector has made great progress; more than four million people had access to our facilities and more than 80,000 have been seen at the on-going medical mission for the treatment of common ailments at the grass roots. There is also a renewed vigor to kick start the Lagos State Health Insurance Scheme to improve access to healthcare services”, the Commissioner posited.

LAGOS TO EXPAND RICE MILL AT IMOTA ….. To increase production from 2.5 to 16 metric tonnes per hour

Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde; Commissioner for Agricuture,Mr.  Toyin Suarau and the Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Food Security, Hon. Ganiyu Sanni Okanlawon during the Ministry of Agriculture Year 2017 Lagos State Ministerial Press Breifing held at Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre Alausa Lagos

As part of efforts aimed at boosting the production of rice in Lagos, the State Government has made known its plan to expand the rice mills at Imota from 2.5Metric tonnes per hour to 16Metric tonnes per hour while at the same time encouraging private sector operators to invest in rice processing.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Oluwatoyin Suarau disclosed this today at the 2017 Ministerial Press Briefing of the Ministry of Agriculture to commemorate the second year in office of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode led administration in Lagos State.

Suarau posited that has part of effort to increase food supply and ensure food security in Lagos State, the State Government through the Ministry of Agriculture is vigorously implementing the State’s Strategic Food Security Plan with programmes and projects that have remarkable  impact on food security in the State.

He pointed out that the collaboration between Lagos and Kebbi States on the development of commodities such as Rice, Wheat, Ground-Nut, Onions, Maize/Sorghum and Beef has yielded positive fruits resulting in launch of LAKE Rice on 21^st December, 2016.

“The product has since the launch being on sales at various centers across the State. So far, a total of 32,647 bags of 50kg; 32,539 bags of 25kg and 30,780 bags of 10kg have been sold”, Suarau noted.

The Commissioner added also that no fewer than 100 farmers through the FADAMA III additional financing programme are producing rice at Itokin in Epe Local Government in furtherance of the State government’s effort to engage youths and boost rice production in the state.

“In all, rice cultivation has so far improved in the State from less than one ton per hectare to about three tons per hectare with double cropping in some areas where irrigation facilities are provided”, he said.

Suarau while restating the commitment of the Akinwunmi Ambode led administration towards the attainment of food security in the State said that Food Security is in the front burner of the present administration policies to facilitate job and wealth creation as well as poverty reduction.

According to him, some of the programmes and projects intensified in the last one year to ensure food security include; the Agric Youth Empowerment Scheme (Agric YES) which has trained over 500 youths and the continued establishment of infrastructural facilities at Songhai-Avia, Badagry under the Agricultural Youth Empowerment Scheme.

The Commissioner revealed that the State government is intensifying efforts to establish additional farm estates in Eluju-Mowo and igbodu respectively to foster public private partnership arrangement adding also that effort to set up a cattle fattening estate in Imota through public private partnership is on course.

“This Estate Initiative is subsequent to the effort of government to address the various challenges facing agriculture in the State such as declining land for agricultural activities, encroachment by land speculators as well as promoting the utilisation of agricultural land for its intended purposes”, Suarau noted.

He said that the State government has continued its advisory services to farmers and fisher folks across the state through the farm service and entrepreneurship centre. He added that the farm service centre approach has been very helpful in providing assistance in all technical areas of agriculture and building capacity for interested farmers, school leavers, retirees and professionals intending to invest in Agriculture.

Suarau stated that the State government is also not relenting in its Rural Finance Institution Building Programme and School Agricultural Programme adding that the State is strengthening its Agricultural Extension Services and animation to improve farmers’ productivity while the Cage Culture system which has the potential of contributing to poverty reduction through improved food security, enhanced protein consumption, income generation and job creation is accorded the desired priority.

Speaking in the same vein, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Food Security, Mr. Ganiyu Sanni Okanlawon said the State government is committed to work with the private sector to facilitate food security by harnessing Public and Private investment to create a strong, mixed sector economy that can provide jobs for all and create the base for expanding social services and environmental sustainability.

Said he “agriculture has the highest demonstrated potential for job and wealth creation and it is against this background that the agricultural sector should be one of the key instruments of achieving this laudable dream”.

Okanlawon noted that State government will develop the Coconut value; a strategic initiatives to develop an expanded structure for Coconut production and processing in the State through Public Private Partnership arrangement as a means of  generating employment, wealth creation and food security.

The Special Adviser who reiterated that the Lagos State government is passionate about the issues of food security and investment in the agriculture sector said that the State government will give incentives such tax relief and ensure conducive business environment for prospective investors in the agriculture sector.

“In order to redress the food security challenges of the State, the Government through the Ministry of Agriculture hosted a world-class Food Security Summit to attract organisations that seek to partner with the State government in the realization of the Food Security Agenda”, the Special adviser said.