Health

Covid booster jabs offered at NHS walk-in clinics in England

Covid booster jabs are now being given at walk-in clinics in England as the NHS aims to increase vaccine uptake before what is expected to be a challenging winter.

From Monday, anyone in an eligible group who had their second dose of a coronavirus vaccine at least six months ago can turn up at one of hundreds of sites to get their top-up without making an appointment. The walk-in centres are also offering vaccinations to 12- to 15-year-olds.

The move follows criticism of the booster campaign, with only about half of the 12 million people in England eligible so far for a third vaccine dose having received one. The vaccine rollout to teenagers has lagged behind that of countries including France, Italy and Spain.

People entitled to a booster jab are: those aged 50 and over, people who live and work in care homes; frontline health and social care workers; people aged 16 and over with a health condition that puts them at high risk of getting seriously ill from Covid-19; those aged 16 and over who are a main carer for someone at high risk from the virus, and; people aged 16 and over who live with someone who is more likely to get infections.

Nikki Kanani, a GP and the deputy lead for the NHS Covid-19 vaccination programme, said: “NHS staff are making it as easy as possible for people to get their top-up vaccination, and from today people can now go online, find their nearest site and go and get their booster without delay.

“The booster is not just nice to have. It is really important protection ahead of what we know will be a challenging winter.”

People are advised to use the NHS online walk-in finder to check where their nearest centre is and whether it is offering boosters, and vaccines for 12- to 15-year-olds. NHS England said almost everyone registered with a GP practice lives within 10 miles of a fixed vaccination site.

On Friday clinical guidelines were amended to allow care home residents and some vulnerable people to get their Covid booster vaccine a month early, in an effort to boost immunity during the winter.

The booster campaign is a central part of the government’s strategy for limiting hospital admissions because immunity from the initial two doses wanes over time, particularly in older adults and at-risk groups.

Protection against symptomatic illness falls from 65% up to three months after the second dose to 45% six months after the second dose for the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine and from 90% to 65% for the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, according to the latest evidence from the government’s scientific advisers. Protection against hospitalisation is estimated to fall from 95% to 75% for Oxford/AstraZeneca and from 99% to 90% for Pfizer/BioNTech.

On Sunday a further 38,009 people were reported as testing positive for Covid-19 in the UK in the previous 24 hours, with the seven-day total down 14% on the previous week, and 74 deaths were reported, with the seven-day total up 16%. A total of 45,697,856 second vaccine doses had been administered as of 30 October, whandile a combined total of 7,925,851 booster and third doses had been delivered, a day-on-day rise of 361,428.

Health

19 children die from measles complications in Adamawa

About 19 children have died from measles complications in Mubi North Local Government Area of Adamawa state.

The state’s commissioner for health, Felix Tangwami further revealed that 200 children in the local government area are already infected.

Tangwami said the outbreak was reported in Yola on Saturday, April 27, leading to a quick mobilisation of medics and drugs to affected communities. Children with severe infections would be referred to hospitals.

The medical team would move from Mubi to Gombi Local Government Area where another outbreak had been reported. The commissioner blamed the refusal of parents to immunize their children for the outbreak.

Health

Resident doctors at DELSUTH begin one- week warning strike

Resident doctors at the Delta State University Teaching Hospital, DELSUTH, have commenced a one-week warning strike over the alleged Delta State Government’s insensitivity to issues affecting the provision of optimal patient care and training of resident doctors.

Issues raised include deteriorating infrastructure and outdated and dysfunctional equipment essential for the diagnosis and treatment of various medical conditions.

A statement signed by Dr Harrison Adja (President), Dr Maurice Oghenekaro (General Secretary) and Dr Erhire Clinton Umukoro (Public Relations Officer) said the decision was taken by the ARD DELSUTH Congress, adding that the industrial action commenced at 8 am on Friday, April 26, 2024.

According to the association: “Despite recent renovations, the ongoing decay of the hospital is glaringly evident. The elevator has never functioned, plumbing remains as problematic as it was before the refurbishment, fixtures are falling apart and the air conditioning units and fans have all malfunctioned. Working within the hospital has become an extremely distressing experience due to these issues.”

Some of the outdated equipment mentioned includes CT scan machine, MRI scan machine, mammography machine, endoscopy machine, orthopaedic equipment, anaesthetic machine, ventilators, multiparameter monitors, and electroencephalography machine, among others.

Among other reasons advanced for the strike, the doctors also mentioned that inadequate power supply and escalating costs of electricity from BEDC supplied to the hospital, compounded by insufficient financial support from the state government, were big issues for them.

The DELSUTH resident doctors, however, hinted that they are willing to make sacrifices to deliver optimal patient care.

“Nevertheless, we urge all concerned parties to impress upon the state government the importance of adequately funding the highest referral centre in Delta State,” the statement concluded.

Health

Kano health agency seals private hospital for violating laws

The Kano State Private Health Institutions Management Agency (PHIMA) has sealed Sassauka Clinic and Diagnosis Centre, Rimin Kebe, over violation of laws, rules and regulations of the Agency.

The Director General of the PHIMA, Prof. Salisu Ahmad Ibrahim, who supervised the closure ot the. Clinic, maintained that it was as a result of violating the laws of the agency by the clinic.

Prof. Salisu explained that in the first place, the name the clinic registered with the PHIMA differs with the name it is currently using, saying that the name of the clinic registered is Sassauka Clinic and Diagnosis but uses Sassauka Hospital without proper documentation that allows them to change the name.

The Director General further stated that the management of the facility also increased their services without notifying the PHIMA, citing the increase from the initial six bed clinic approved for to a 40- bed capacity hospital.

According to him, the law of the Agency stipulated that three medical doctors must be provided to a 40- bed capacity clinic, but in the case of Sassauka clinic it still manages one doctor and he was not always present.

Prof. Salisu lamented that even the supporting staff that assist in running the clinic were grossly inadequate as far as the standard of operations is concerned.

According to him, “it was based on the above listed offences and other issues that the clinic was closed down, and the owner was invited to the PHIMA in the following week to look at what the law of the Agency stipulates to be guided aright in order to continue the operation upon fulfilling all the requirements.”

The Director General then reiterated the unwavering resolve of the PHIMA to keep on sanitizing activities of the private health institutions in the state, urging them to cooperate with his agencies in order to achieving the goal, which is providing an excellent health service delivery to the people.

He commended Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for the optimal attention he accorded the healthcare system of the state by putting in the needed strengths and resources to reviving the sector to meet up with the global standard of operations.

Prof. Salisu also appreciated the level of support and guidance of the Commissioner for Health Dr. Abubakar Labaran to the PHIMA and other agencies under the ministry to discharge their activities with all the liberties devoid of interference so that people of state become healthy and thrilled.