Search

Social workers, especially in the Global North/developed countries such as the United States of America, Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, have been actively involved in implementing social programs to improve the psychosocial, health, and wellbeing of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this is not the case in the Global South/developing countries like Nigeria, Ghana, etc. This concept paper aims to describe the current state of Nigerian social workers' role in developing and implementing social programs for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify action plans for further strengthening their involvement. We systematically reviewed the literature to identify Nigerian social workers' role in developing and implementing social programs for older adults during COVID-19. Our review reflected that social workers are rarely involved in developing and implementing social programs; when involved, their involvement is on a consultation basis, which limits their active involvement in multidisciplinary team of COVID-19 prevention and vaccination ad hoc committees in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the panic-buying of COVID-19 vaccines by wealthy countries for their citizens, otherwise known as 'vaccine nationalism', and the quest to develop local capacity for the production of vaccines in Nigeria. The paper argues that in the light of the global race, and attempts by countries to urgently secure the COVID-19 vaccines for their citizens, it behoves on the government of Nigeria to invest in the health security of its citizens and put aside the over-dependency on charity and goodwill of Western countries at every turn. The paper concludes that vaccine nationalism can spur the development of home-grown capabilities not just for vaccine against COVID-19 but vaccines and other novel therapeutic or prophylactic products for the prevention and treatment of endemic and emerging disease. This will in turn create jobs, improve healthcare delivery, curb medical tourism and stem the tide of migration of health professionals. The methodology is descriptive in approach, relying on personal observation and data gleaned from journals, magazines and Newspapers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world is currently facing a global pandemic, code-named the Covid-19, which is seriously wrecking a devastating blow on world health care system. Since the first index case was reported in Lagos, Nigeria, in February, 2020, the Federal and State Governments have put measures in place to curtail the spread of the deadly virus in the country. Some of the measures include the constitution of the Presidential Task Force (PTF), provision of isolation and treatment centres for confirmed cases, and the pronouncement of lockdown order by the President and some State Governors. Amidst these measures, cartoonists (artists, or authors in literary context) have taken to the media to creatively present humorous and satirical depictions of the pandemic and social realities in the fight against it. This study, thus, analyses the humorous and satirical depiction of the pandemic, the state of the Nigerian health sector, and the country's major actors in the fight against the scourge, using selected cartoons from the Nigerian context. These cartoons can be classified as graphic literary texts that can be subjected to different interpretations. The cartoons/texts are selected from the Facebook pages of popular Nigerian cartoonists/authors. A total number of ten (10) cartoons/texts were randomly selected between March and April 2020. The number of cartoons was limited to ten (10) in order to accommodate the rigour of qualitative analysis, which, in turn, informed one of the limitations of the study. This study adopts two (2) models/theories in interpreting the cartoons, which are Suls's (1983) Incongruity Resolution (IR) model, a linguistic tool of lexicalisation, re-lexicalisation, and shared sociocultural knowledge used to explicate humour and satire in the cartoons, and Structuralism, which requires human behaviour (as represented in texts or cartoons) to be understood in the context of a broad social system (otherwise called structures) in which they exist. This study observed that the cartoons are not just independent texts or images, but that they are products of the Nigerian social condition, and that understanding them requires a level of familiarity with their contexts of production.It also revealed that, as a means of visual communication, the cartoons exposed the realities in the country and refused to be relegated to simply satirical images of issues and events in the country's history. The analysis showed that cartoons are an important part of the discourse on the pandemic. Equally, the paper revealed that, the cartoonists have deployed both verbal and non-verbal incongruity to present comical images that show beliefs of Nigerians about the pandemic and the level of the country's preparedness in flattening the curve of the contraction of the virus. Although the paper is concerned with Covid-19 in the Nigerian context, it is limited to the linguistic and literary analysis of the pandemic in selected cartoons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deadly Coronavirus pandemic is ravaging the world, with dire consequences in virtually all sectors, and across all categories of people. However, vulnerable groups such as the homeless are likely to suffer more devastating effects. Owing to the impracticability of recommended preventive measures among the homeless, they are susceptible to get infected, and possibly die of the virus. The objective of this paper is to examine the vulnerability of the homeless to coronavirus infection and how the circumstances surrounding homelessness could exacerbate the plight of this category of people. The paper relies on secondary data and adopts critical analysis in examining the plight of the homeless regarding the pandemic. It concludes that thousands of the homeless could get infected with Covid-19, and possibly die as a result of the pandemic owing to their vulnerability, occasioned by the condition of homelessness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the role of librarians in e- learning programs, as a consequence of post-covid adaptations in Nigerian universities. Through a review of the relevant literature and of current practice in existing e-learning programs in Nigerian universities, a discussion is developed around the significant roles librarians can play. The embedded librarianship model was identified as the best practice to adopt in order to secure a place for librarians and libraries in Nigeria in the face of the current change in teaching approaches in the post Covid-19 environment. Furthermore, the paper describes the perceived challenges librarians and libraries may be confronted with in executing the embedded librarianship model with regard to online teaching and learning. The paper advocates that the identified challenges be addressed for the library to play a role in the evolving post-covid adaptations in Nigerian universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main concern of this paper is providing a flexible discrete model that captures every kind of dispersion (equi-, over- and under-dispersion). Based on the balanced discretization method, a new discrete version of Burr–Hatke distribution is introduced with the partial moment-preserving property. Some statistical properties of the new distribution are introduced, and the applicability of proposed model is evaluated by considering counting series. A new integer-valued autoregressive (INAR) process based on the mixing Pegram and binomial thinning operators with discrete Burr–Hatke innovations is introduced, which can model contagious data properly. The different estimation approaches of parameters of the new process are provided and compared through the Monte Carlo simulation scheme. The performance of the proposed process is evaluated by four data sets of the daily death counts of the COVID-19 in Austria, Switzerland, Nigeria and Slovenia in comparison with some competitor INAR(1) models, along with the Pearson residual analysis of the assessing model. The goodness of fit measures affirm the adequacy of the proposed process in modeling all COVID-19 data sets. The fundamental prediction procedures are considered for new process by classic, modified Sieve bootstrap and Bayesian forecasting methods for all COVID-19 data sets, which is concluded that the Bayesian forecasting approach provides more reliable results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies showed that physical distancing and proper hygiene measures mitigate the fast spread of COVID-19. But how far the informal urban settlements residents can adhere to these and other measures are yet to receive in-depth studies in Nigeria. Therefore, this study investigated the level of residents' compliance and proffer possible solutions that will mitigate the pandemic spread. Five cities across Nigeria were engaged as the case study via a phenomenology type of qualitative research. The study combined MAXQDA 2020 with thematic analysis to describe the data. Findings show that majority of the informal urban settlements in Nigeria can enhance the spread of COVID-19. As part of this paper's implications, findings will strengthen collaboration with relevant stakeholders regarding effective control measures and propose measures possibly to be adopted by other developing countries with similar attributes in the informal urban settlements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines self-accounting views of health sector corruption in the midst of COVID-19 outbreak in Enugu and Anambra States, Nigeria. Using a qualitative research approach, a sample of 36 respondents was drawn from Anambra and Enugu States. The purposive sampling technique was used to reach the respondents. In-depth interviews were the instrument for data collection. Findings confirmed that corruption in the health sector has created institutional mistrust and a formidable foe in the fight against COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria. The paper recommends the need for packages and incentives for healthcare professionals to be made adequate and equivalent to the global west, which will also help avert the brain drain in the sector. In addition, the paper recommends that the Nigerian people should stop being apathetic in their engagement with public office holders. A citizenry that does not engage its leadership will not receive the best of leadership, since constantly engaging public office holders and constructively questioning policies and actions can improve the nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global COVID-19 legislation contains the spread of the disease. However, the Nigerian government's response to the spread of the virus suffers some technical flaws. Consequently, this paper asks how Nigeria's response to the pandemic compares with those of the United States of America (US) and the United Kingdom (UK). Qualitatively, it seeks to substantiate the proposition that Nigeria's response relies too heavily on executive directives and extra-judicial controls, leading to human rights abuses. Even worse is the absence of specific provisions in the Nigerian legislation detailing the application of remote hearing to facilitate redress arising from these infractions comparable to what is obtainable in the US and UK. The paper highlights the several loopholes demonstrated by Nigeria's legal response to the COVID-19 pandemic, its impact, and the lessons the Nigerian government can adapt based on the US and UK experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the efforts of government in fighting the spread of Covid-19 in Nigeria. The paper examines the government's rapid response measures to contain the virus within the initial months of its manifestation in Nigeria, as well as the various steps taken by the government to combat the spread of the disease, and consequently redress its impact on the economy. The paper argues that the greatest challenge that Nigeria has faced in managing the Covid-19 crisis is the weak capacity of its health sector, which is partly a reflection of the wider problem of poor institutional and governance capacity of the state. A durable revamp and fixing of the health sector, the paper argues, will require a comprehensive and proactive governance approach that will simultaneously address the overlapping challenges of economic, political, and social sector securities for the Nigerian populace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of the coronavirus pandemic marked a watershed in Nigeria's socio-economic and political milieu, as it created panic in states. Security governance is one of the ingredients of peace and stability in society, but problems sometimes emanate from law enforcement lapses. This paper examined Nigeria's security governance dilemmas during the lockdown enforcement aimed at curbing the spread of COVID-19 and highlighted the key lessons from the government's approach to security governance during the period. Data are gathered through in-depth interviews, media reports and secondary sources. The qualitative paper combined non-killing theory and social contract theory. There were looting of shops, robbery, and killing by security forces, in Lagos, Warri, Aba, Umuahia and other cities during the lockdown owing to the problem of footprint/access. The findings revealed that, despite surveillance efforts, security governance was undermined by the activities of idle youths, non-state armed groups, and unprofessionalism of security forces. While there was a remarkable decrease in crimes compared with the pre-COVID-19 period, the lockdown did not deter troublemakers from engaging in violent acts, such as armed robbery, police violence, and kidnapping. Adequate palliatives should be provided first at high-risk areas during future lockdowns to prevent security threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper documents environmental health conditions and healthcare access challenges faced by internally displaced people (IDPs) from Borno State living in informal settlements in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2020, during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative study with 32 IDPs suggests a high vulnerability to COVID-19. Their accommodation often lacked basic sanitation including water and toilet facilities; overcrowding and high population density restricted ability to adhere to social distancing; and IDPs experienced serious consequences from lockdown, as the majority depended on daily wages, and did not receive food packages or other support from the State. Finally, there were obstacles to accessing healthcare. We highlight the importance of an integrated approach, consolidating the efforts of communities, non-governmental organisations, environmental and public health, and international organisations to address the health and well-being issues of IDPs in urban informal settlements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines whether the impact of COVID-19 at the household level is an obstacle to achieving the sustainable development goals of no poverty (SDG1), zero hunger (SDG2), good health and wellbeing (SDG3) and decent work and economic growth (SDG8). We limit our investigation to farm households given their precarious situation. We analyse data from the World Bank National Longitudinal Phone Survey (COVID-19 NLPS) and the 2018/2019 General Household Survey (GHS). An exact McNemar's test determined that there was a statistically significant difference in the proportion of households that skipped a meal (p =.002), ran out of food (p =.036) or went a whole day without food (p <.001) pre- and during- COVID-19. Approximately 81% perceived COVID-19 as a substantial threat to their income. This was buttressed by the finding that 75% reported a decrease in their total income since the outbreak of COVID-19. Overall, the findings in this paper suggest that COVID-19 posed a substantial threat to the attainment of SDGs 1, 2, 3 and 8. In the long term, government would need to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 through targeted social protection programs and policies to ensure that the country is on track to achieve the SDGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 Pandemic has compelled governments across nations of the world to devise and implement emergency measures for curtailing the spread of the lethal virus. A fundamental debate is the relevance of legislature's involvement in the emergency decision-making and the extent to which this representative assembly is able to assert its oversight role by making the government accountable to the public in emergency governance. Nigeria, like many other nations across the globe, has called upon government emergency powers to deal with the pandemic. This paper examines the imperative of legislative oversight of emergency governance and interrogates the extent to which the legislature has been able to monitor, control and make government accountable to the public in the COVID-19 emergency response in Nigeria. The study which is qualitative, relied heavily on secondary data and adopted a systematic literature review for data collection and analysis. Findings revealed the limited legislative oversight of government's emergency declarations for dealing with the pandemic which further perpetuated executive dominance in the governance process of Nigeria. The invocation of the Quarantine Act of 1929 by the President instead of its state of emergency powers, the latter which constitutionally requires legislature's oversight, and the subsequent issuing of COVID-19 regulations, portrays executive aggrandisement. The relegation of the legislative oversight in the use of emergency powers for responding to the COVID-19 pandemic enhances executive dominance and undermines the democratic principles of checks and balances with its concomitant implications for accountability, inclusivity and democratic legitimacy required in emergency governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, Nigeria has experienced increased outbreaks of Monkeypox, Ebola, Lassa fever, and the latest Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. As a result of the epidemics, highly infectious materials such as con- taminated needles, syringes, soiled bandages, and contagious disposable personal protective equipment are on the rise. This has resulted in vast volumes of medical waste generation in Nigeria. This study employs relevant scientific works of litera- ture in scholarly sites of Web of Science and Scopus, governments, and multilateral organizations regulatory guidelines for COVID-19. This is to conduct a critical ana- lysis of COVID-19ʹs impact on medical waste management and disposal measures in Nigeria during the pandemic. Results show that, with over 143.01% increase in less than a year, Nigeria’s daily average COVID-related medical waste increased from 131.24 tons/day in August 2020 to 318.92 tons/day in January 2021, leading to environmental pollution and a high risk of infection among health workers. The paper further highlights the total daily estimates of PPE (facemasks) used during the COVID-19 pandemic as 171,908,091. Medical Waste Management (MWM) chal- lenges persist in most developing and least developed nations as the global popu- lation and healthcare services rise. As it stands, Nigeria’s population is expected to exceed that of the United States by 2050, and with frequent outbreaks of an epidemic, there is a need for an effective MWM plan. Rapid revalidation and appraisal of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) for health care facilities in most developing countries is required. The inclusion of epidemic and pandemic readiness, natural disasters preparedness, and climate change is critical in the global objectives of the Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quest by states to contain the spread of the Covid-19 has led to the adoption of extraordinary measures to deal with the extraordinary situation. Some of those measures have the tendency to impact on the citizens' right to healthcare as protected by the domestic laws of such states and by the relevant international instruments. The paper examines the impact of the responses by the governments in Nigeria and China to the Covid-19 pandemic to ascertain the extent to which the right to healthcare of citizens are respected, and concludes that the governments in the respective countries failed to fulfil their obligations to their citizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel COVID-19 pandemic and its containment measures such as lockdown and physical distancing are remarkedly affecting older adults' economic activities and well-being in ways deserving of urgent attention. To strengthen caregiving and promote targeted care for older adults during and after the pandemic, this paper investigates the impact of the coronavirus on the economic activities and well-being of older adults in Enugu and Anambra states, Nigeria. Hermeneutic phenomenology was adopted and 16 older adults aged between 60 and 81 years, with a majority of them still working as farmers and traders were phone-interviewed. Findings highlighted four key lessons for gerontological social workers including 1) the fear that impact of the containment measures could kill the older adults faster than the virus; 2) the measures generate a feeling of neglect and marginalization of healthcare needs among older adults; 3) altered positive health-seeking behavior among the older adults; 4) and concern about the absence of functional policy and plan to address the welfare of older adults. Therefore, the central focus of the gerontological social workers and Nigerian polity should not be on how to reduce the spread of the disease alone, but on an application of caution in instituting and implementing the measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent pandemic disease, COVID-19, brought about a measure that involves every individual staying at home in Nigeria. This had various effects on different activities and habits of an average Nigerian. This study examined the influence of COVID-19 lockdown on reading habit of Nigerians using Lagos State inhabitants as case study. Descriptive survey design was adopted and simple random sampling technique was used. Web-based questionnaire was adopted to collect data for the study owing to the risk paper questionnaire could pose. The Cronbach's Alpha Reliability coefficient is 0.80. Total response collected for the study is 416. It was found that there was significant improvement in the reading habit of Nigerians during the lockdown. It was revealed that most Nigerians used phone to read during the lockdown. It was shown that more than half of the respondents had challenges in reading during the lockdown, which include cost of resources, non-availability of resources, lack of motivation, and heavy usage of social media. It was concluded that COVID-19 lockdown has a positive influence on reading habits of Nigerians. It is recommended that Nigerians should imbibe the reading habit of seeing readership as a pleasurable activity to do just like entertainment. It was further recommended that Nigerians should not reverse on their significantly improved reading hours during post-lockdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There seems to be no lockdown for cybercriminals who are capitalizing on the global lockdown to perpetrate cyber coronavirus crimes. Qualitatively, this paper examines these crimes, their peculiarities, and how they can be curtailed. Although the United States of America (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) have put in place cyber hygiene and preventive enforcement measures to curtail the activities of cybercriminals in cyberspace, the same cannot be said of Nigeria. Arguably, cybercrime institutions in Nigeria lack adequate capacity building, professional competence, and inter-agency cooperation concerning cyber coronavirus crimes. Consequently, it calls for the adaptation of the US and UK measures to protect cybercitizens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While studies have explored how health sector corruption, weak healthcare system, large-scale immune compromised population, misinformation and prevalence of highly congested slums contribute to the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria, they have glossed over the impact of political distrust on the spread of the virus. This study explores the impact of political distrust on the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. The study utilised qualitative dominant mixed methods approach comprising telephone interviews and a survey of 120 educated Nigerians purposively selected from four COVID-19 most affected states including Lagos, Oyo, Kano and Rivers as well as the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The study also relied on secondary data on the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria sourced from Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control from 27 February to 31st August 2020. The study found that political corruption motivates large-scale political distrust. This undermines public compliance to government protocols, limits the outcomes of government responses to COVID-19 and facilitates the spread of the virus in Nigeria. The paper concludes that improving government accountability in the public sector management is relevant for building public trust, promoting citizens' compliance to COVID-19 safety measure and mitigating the spread of the pandemic in Nigeria and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid waste management (SWM) is a public health service whose importance is often understated. When the solid waste management challenge is exacerbated by a public health emergency such as the Covid-19 pandemic, its real significance as an essential service becomes more apparent. The outbreak and spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) has led to dramatic transformations of every sector of the Nigerian society including SWM systems, where formal and informal actors co-exist often in an uneasy relationship. Unfortunately, strategies for inclusive management of solid wastes during and after the Covid-19 pandemic are lacking in Nigeria, fuelling the further exclusion of informal sector in the waste governance and policy process in Nigeria. This paper reviews the state of the Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria, identifies policy gaps in solid waste governance and highlights the linkages between Covid-19 and SWM with a view to catalysing inclusive solid waste governance and sustainability policy in Nigeria. It is argued that acknowledging the informal economy is the critical first step towards framing a sustainable SWM policy in which primary stakeholders are involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safety of the COVID-19 vaccines has been a topic of concern globally. This issue of safety is associated with vaccine hesitancy due to concerns about the adverse effects of the vaccines. Consequently, this study determined the short-term safety profile of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Ekiti State, Nigeria. Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted between May and July 2021 among individuals who had received the first dose of the first batch of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria. A Google form was used to collect data on the adverse effects of the vaccine. Out of over 1,000 individuals who were approached, 758 respondents completed the study. A large percentage (57.4%) of those who received the vaccines were healthcare workers. Adverse effects were reported in 70.8% of the participants with most manifesting on the first day of the vaccination. The predominant adverse effects were injection site soreness (28.5%), followed by fatigue (18.7%) and muscle pain (8.6%). There was no report of severe adverse effects such as anaphylactic reactions, thrombosis, myocarditis, transient myelitis, or Guillen-Barre syndrome. This study found that self-reported adverse effects of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine were mild and short in duration. This outcome has promising implications for improving COVID-19 vaccine uptake in the immediate environment and Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technical efficiency of the African catfish production in Nigeria was assessed. A total of 609 farms were sampled, and 1,118 operations were recorded covering both the pre-COVID and COVID periods. A translog stochastic frontier modeling approach was used to simultaneously assess the technical efficiencies and the determinants of technical inefficiency of the catfish farmers. The mean technical efficiency for the catfish production in Nigeria is 85.4% indicating a scope of increasing production by 14.6% given the current technological state, which could contribute an additional 42,273 metric tons of fish to Nigeria's aquaculture. Comparative analysis showed that catfish producers during the COVID-19 period and producers from the Southern region were more technically efficient. The effect of management-dependent determinants is presented. Beyond management approaches, technical efficiency is seen to be improved significantly through the use of quality inputs. Based on these, measures for successful catfish production in Nigeria are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A team of researchers were investigating the impact of a Nigerian adaptation of Akili and Me when the COVID−19 pandemic struck. Schools shut down, interrupting the study's quasi-experimental intervention design. Post-school reopening, researchers recontacted 363 children (mean age = 5.1, SD = 1.1 years) who had provided data at baseline and had completed the intervention. The analyses revealed that during the shutdown, participating children watched Akili and Me, beyond the exposure experienced through the study intervention. Across viewing groups and including the control group, researchers found the children knew the program's characters using a program receptivity score. The researchers found no differences associated with study's initial group assignments. Those children who could name more Akili and Me characters performed significantly better on the outcomes of literacy, numeracy, shape, socio-emotional development, controlling for sex, age, baseline score, and group assignment. This study offers promising evidence that locally-produced educational media interventions can impact early learning skills, especially during a crisis when children rely on educational media for home learning. Previous research conducted in low- and middle-income countries offers evidence that when exposed to educational and entertaining media, young children show significant albeit small improvements in their knowledge and skills related to literacy, numeracy, socio-emotional development, and health and hygiene. Our original plan was to examine learning from media through a school-based study. In Nigeria, the government shutdown schools because of COVID−19; we used this interruption as an opportunity to capture children's exposure to and impact of home-based viewing of educational media. Educational programs offering culturally-relevant content can affect preschool children's learning of content and skills. If school interruptions happen because of manmade or natural disasters, governments can disseminate quality educational programming to enhance children's learning while at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aims to examine the role of safety management practices and safety performance among nurses working in public hospitals amid the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic in Nigeria. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed for data collection and a total of 229 nursing staff from the public health facilities in Abuja, Nigeria participated in the study. The results demonstrated that the level of safety performance was moderately high. These findings support the influence of management commitment on safety, safety training, and employees' involvement on safety compliance. It was also found that management commitment to safety, safety training, and safety promotion policies posed significant effects on safety participation. This study provides empirical support for the assertion that safety management practices are of paramount importance in improving safety performance among nurses in public hospitals, especially during the Covid-19 Pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the work conditions of domestic workers in Nigeria. We use four indicators – earnings, access to social protection, working conditions and labour protections to provide a nuanced assessment on the impact of the pandemic on domestic workers. Domestic work is an important aspect of productive labour and an indispensable factor that contributes to the well-being of households and the economy. Indeed, the enormous contribution of this sector to societies has been further exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, while domestic workers are lauded as essential workers, their work remains extremely vulnerable to exploitation and human rights violations, and the pandemic has aggravated this situation. In the results, we find that while many domestic workers did not lose their jobs, their earning power dropped because of low wages in the sector. Furthermore, only 6% of survey respondents reported having access to the government's social protection measures. The findings of this study emphasises the need for the development of a regulatory model which considers the realities of the domestic work sector. Data used in this article draws from questionnaires administered on 220 domestic workers across four geo-political zones of Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nigeria has been battling insecurity due to the ravaging activities of different terrorist groups. The COVID-19 lockdown worsened the issue as it led to a hike in criminal activities. People were forced to sit at home for months and the unintended result of hunger and starvation prompted more criminal activities. While Boko Haram insurgents and Bandits have turned the North upside down with violent killings and abduction for ransom. Middle Belt is soiled with the blood of innocent people slaughtered by Fulani Herdsmen, resulting in food insecurity that has hit the nation so hard. But, the South is gripped with the fear of kidnappers, armed robbers, and unknown gunmen rampaging the society. Previous studies on the pandemic have paid little attention to the literary analysis of its relationship with security. Through Textual Analytical Criticism and Realism, Agary's Yellow Yellow, Habila's Oil on Water, Udenwe's Satans and Shaitans, and Adimora-Ezeigbo's 'Mr. President's Change Agent' and 'Dilemma of a Senior Citizen' are analyzed in this study to explore pre- and COVID-19 era peace and security challenges in Nigeria and suggest ways of combating insecurity in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since pandemic declaration, the vulnerability of countries with serious economic challenges and limited health resources became evident. This vulnerability has been put to the test once again with the appearance of Omicron as another variant of concern. Although great efforts have been made to develop effective and safe vaccines, they need to be made available globally at an affordable price to all governments and distributed equitably to maximize immediate and long-term efforts to contain the virus and advance global public health. Potential sources of unfair allocation of COVID-19 vaccines are not hard to find. The COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility (COVAX) has so far shipped over 406 million COVID-19 vaccines to 144 eligible participants. From that batches, about 115 million doses (28%) were allocated to 49 African countries. If proactive measures are not undertaken, Nigeria, pointed here as a case study, and Sub-Saharan Africa countries may not be self-reliant for COVID-19 vaccines. This report raises a discussion on the difficulties in accessing vaccines and diagnostics in sub-Saharan Africa, compared to high- and middle-income countries. Now more than ever, it is crucial to note that there is no overcoming a pandemic without coordinated action for actions that go beyond borders. The coordinated effort to raise vaccination rates in the African continent is not a humanitarian action aimed exclusively at Africa, but more than that, it is an effort for the benefit of global public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response to the COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating socio-economic consequences for millions of people, households and communities worldwide. Towards containing the spread of the pandemic, lockdown measures were imposed by various governments with Palliative Care Deliveries (PCD) offered to their citizenry. Thus, this study examined COVID-19-related socio-economic impacts and PCD during the lockdown in Nigeria. Convenience accidental sampling was used to administer a questionnaire on residents through an online/electronic survey, of which 1232 internet users participated. Data collected were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Our study revealed the most devastating socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, and ranked the most essential needs during the lockdown. We concluded that palliative care relief services could not achieve their intended goals due to the observed logistics challenges; hence, the study recommended among others, the adoption of best logistics principles for PCD during the lockdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interview (ACASI) has become increasingly popular for collecting data on sensitive topics among populations with lower levels of literacy. However, the development of an ACASI tool is an involved process that can be further complicated when working in humanitarian contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study describes the development of an ACASI tool to be used in a family-focused intervention evaluation. Participants included adolescent girls aged 10-14, adolescent boys aged 15-19, and caregivers in Borno State, Nigeria. Data to inform the tool's development were collected using cognitive interviews, ACASI demonstrations, and post-demonstration assessments with adolescent girls, adolescent boys, and caregivers, as well as a focus group discussion with enumerators. Data found high levels of acceptance for the tool and helped identify appropriate visual representations for various answer options to maximize usability. The survey was found to be too long to administer solely through ACASI; the final tool employs a combination of ACASI and computer-assisted personal interview formats. Findings highlight the importance of repeatedly piloting and testing these types of tools to ensure content and language resonate with intended users. However, the steps employed demonstrate that researchers can maintain a commitment to developing high-quality, community-grounded research tools despite challenges germane to humanitarian settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Women and girls living with or at high risk of acquiring HIV (WGL&RHIV) in Africa are economically vulnerable. This study aims to advance understanding of the economic impact of COVID-19 on WGL&RHIV and to identify the factors associated with this insecurity. Methods: Data were collected from a cross-sectional survey conducted among a convenience sample of WGL&RHIV in Nigeria between May and September 2021. Logistic regressions enabled the study of the role of HIV status, mental health and macrosocial characteristics (people with disability, transgender women, sex workers, persons engaged in transactional sex, substance users, and people on the move) on economic vulnerability, measured by food, financial and housing insecurity, since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The model accounted for the possible interactions between the macrosocial characteristics and controlled for confounders. Results: There were 3 313 (76.1%) of 4 355 respondents facing food insecurity, 3 664 (83.6%) of 4 385 with financial vulnerability and 1 282 (36.2%) of 3 544 with housing insecurity. Being a member of the key and vulnerable groups was strongly associated with food insecurity, financial vulnerability and housing insecurity, regardless of HIV serostatus. For example, WGL&RHIV engaging in transactional sex were more than four times more likely (aOR 4.42; 95% CI 2.57–7.59) to face housing insecurity and more than twice more likely to face food insecurity (aOR 2.47, 95% CI 1.35–4.52) and financial vulnerability (aOR 2.87, 95% CI 1.39–5.93). This economic vulnerability may reduce their negotiating power for safer sex or the use of HIV prevention methods, exposing them to increased risks of HIV infection. Poor mental health was also associated with the three forms of economic vulnerability. Conclusions: As the long-term impact of the COVID-19 crisis on African economies unfolds, HIV programmes at the country level must include economic vulnerability and mental unwellness mitigation activities for WGL&RHIV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study represents a novel attempt to investigate the cascading effects of COVID-19 perceptions onto behavioural patterns towards fashion brands on Instagram and across two generations tech-native vs tech non-native) in a Sub-Saharan African context. We drew our study on a sample of 338 Instagram users that experienced fashion brands on Instagram in two Sub-Saharan African countries: Uganda and Nigeria. We used partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to test the hypothetical model. We found that COVID-19 perception positively predicted enjoyment and usefulness, leading to more satisfaction with fashion brand accounts on Instagram and hence greater intention to follow and recommend those accounts. Finally, running a multigroup analysis (MGA), we found the effects of COVID-19 perceptions pronounced into both intentions to follow and intention to recommend via the sequence of mediators: enjoyment and satisfaction were only valid amongst the tech-native generational cohort. Our research suggested a new generational categorisation based on technology nativity – offering a new direction of generational studies in digital marketing communications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges to global health and livelihoods. While countries take measures to protect their citizens and reduce hardships on vulnerable populations who seem to suffer most, COVID-19 puts a spotlight on Nigeria's severe problem of child neglect. We investigate Nigerian newspapers' adoption of a peace journalism approach to emphasize the underlying causes of child neglect in their reporting of the oppressive deportation of child beggars called Almajirai during COVID-19. A qualitative content analysis of articles obtained from six Nigerian newspaper websites indicates a positive response to peace-oriented journalism, which suggests a comprehensive peace journalism intervention is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the quest to stimulate the economic impact of Covid-19, the Nigerian government introduced palliative distribution. However, the dissatisfaction and outcry over the inequalities and irregularities in the allocation made this study very important. This qualitative study examined how to distribute palliatives to ensure equality and justice. The study also examined the means of identifying those who should first receive palliative considering the large population. The survey participants were selected purposively by first prioritizing those who fall within the inclusion criteria, resulting in the recruitment of 50 participants. Data collected through an in-depth interview was analyzed using content analysis. The results showed that re-strategizing the means and method of palliative distributions is the answer to stopping the hijacking of palliative. However, it can be effective by only using local governments' chairpersons, community chiefs, and religious leaders. As they would do better in ensuring true beneficiaries are identified, equality and fairness during palliative distribution. The study recommends conducting a feasibility study on those measures adopted to curb the effects of COVID 19 and close monitoring of all distribution processes. We urge future researchers to conduct similar research in other states by incorporating a larger sample size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the new and unprecedented challenges faced by older people during the COVID-19 pandemic globally, this study explored the social impact of COVID-19 on older people in rural Nigeria. Data was collected from 20 older persons using in-depth interviews and analyzed thematically. Findings revealed that the pandemic has limited the rural older people's social support and social contact with loved ones, leading to their increased poverty and loneliness due to their dependence on intergenerational support. The study recommends creative ways to safely maintain connectedness with older people, and expansion of the Nigerian pension policy to ensure income security for all older people as the pandemic has exposed the unsustainability of dependence on social networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of the internet and social media platforms have spurred an online infodemic, which has surged towards alarming proportions across the globe. The online infodemic trend has been particularly felt in Nigeria in the area of health information and communication throughout the recurring public health emergencies of the current decade. The outbreak of the ongoing COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in March 2020 reaffirms the biggest threat of infodemic across online platforms against containment efforts and responses in Nigeria. This study reflects on infodemic trends related to COVID-19 in light of previous zoonotic viral diseases in Nigeria (e.g. Ebola, Lassa, and Monkeypox). Relevant published research and gray literature on zoonotic diseases and communication responses are reviewed. Drawing lessons and insights from previous zoonotic viral diseases in Nigeria, we show the extent to which online infodemic hampers public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. The theory of social contagion, which describes the fear and panic that emerge during disease outbreaks, is deployed to deepen understanding of how online infodemic pose threats during health emergencies. We argue that Nigeria and other countries affected by disease outbreaks would thrive better by proactive inclusion and management of online communication channels in addition to coordinated clinical (prophylactic or therapeutic) models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different behavioral shifts have been observed among the country's population against the COVID-19 pandemic since its emergence in February 2020 in Nigeria. At first, people were scared of the pandemic and this was reinforced by their response to the National Center for Disease Control measures. As days go by and with the increasing number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria. To reduce the high burden of the pandemic, efforts were made by scientists to produce the COVID-19 vaccine, and Nigeria received about 4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine in 2021. Thus, it becomes important to investigate the attitude of Nigerians toward COVID-19 and vaccination against COVID-19. To conduct this study, data were sourced using six focus group discussions involving 30 males and females, respectively. Findings revealed that Nigerians have lackadaisical attitude toward COVID-19 and COVID-19 vaccine owing to insincerity on the part of the government, poverty, belief system, low-level of awareness among others. To change the negative attitude of Nigerians toward COVID-19 and the vaccine, social worker interventions are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of the deadly corona virus disease (COVID-19) has made governance a daunting task, worsened by the complacency and lack of cooperation from groups as important as religious institutions. This study, unlike previous studies that have focused only on religious groups' resistance to lockdown rules, examined the complacency of religious institutions towards the campaign against COVID-19 in a post-lockdown Nigeria. Data were collected through key informant interviews and personal observations at churches and mosques in Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Kaduna, and Rivers States in Nigeria. Using a descriptive narrative method, it was found that many religious institutions have begun neglecting the government-sponsored COVID-19 safety guidelines in their local gatherings. Reasons for this include the belief that COVID-19 is no longer a threat, suspicion and distrust of the government's management of the virus, the relaxation of government monitoring strategies, and the belief in God's healing and protection. With these findings, I make a case for effective dialogues with religious leaders and the reframing of the campaign against COVID-19 in Nigeria to sustain the involvement of religious institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The defects and susceptibility of the Nigerian federalism are more pronounced at this period of the Covid-19 pandemic. Existing studies are yet to articulate how the states, in the formulation and enforcement of the lockdown and physical distancing policies, infringed on the federal exclusive matters by closing land borders, airports and imposing partial banking services. There is selective provision/distribution of healthcare facilities and stimulus packages and palliatives across the states by the federal government. The objective of this study is to examine how the conflicting nature of intergovernmental relations is implicated in the level of implementation of containment policies/strategies towards the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Based on content analysis and the functional-process theory, the article argued that the cantankerous/imploding disconnects between the federal and state governments–obscuring the making and implementation of harmonised and coordinated pandemic containment policies–constitute key impediment to the fight against Covid-19 in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has generally induced mass panic and threat across the world, including Nigeria, due to the perceived uncertainties, fears and insecurities in the communities. Based on this backdrop, this study examined COVID-19 pandemic and insecurity in Nigeria. Convenience accidental sampling was used to administer 1671 copies of a questionnaire on residents through an online/electronic survey. Data collected were analysed descriptively and inferentially. Findings revealed that the spike in crime during the COVID-19 lockdown period is relatively higher than usual with disruption of public peace, theft and rape accounting for the most prominent crime. Meanwhile, most respondents experienced crime incidence between 6 pm and 12 midnight. Ironically, idleness, poor spatial arrangement/planning, poor governance and poverty were the major catalysts for the crime spike during the lockdown, while fear-of-fear (phobophobia) and declined socio-economic capacity were predominant effects of crime experienced. The Fisher's exact test results revealed a significant relationship between the surge in crime and COVID-19-restrictive measures. The study concludes that the insecurities during lockdown periods have caused both temporary and permanent physical and psychological havoc; hence, it recommends quick advancement of the built environment with smart security measures and social supports for the citizenry during the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How do public health crises affect peace? Guided by the understanding that peace has situational and relational dimensions, this study explored the impact of public health crises on peace using the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak in Nigeria as a case study. Data collected between March and July 2020 through in-depth interviews with 37 Nigerians, Nigerian media sources, and the website of Nigeria Interreligious Council (NIREC) indicate that the COVID-19 outbreak and state response to it had mixed effects on peace in Nigeria. The article argues that this has major implications for interreligious peace in Nigeria and other religiously diverse societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While extant studies have probed the causes, actors and effects of cybercrimes in Nigeria, knowledge is scarce on the adaptable nature of cybercrimes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using Fraud triangle theory and exploratory research design, I analyzed data emanating from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigerian Police, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Partial and total lockdown imposed by Federal and State governments in Nigeria to curtail the spread of COVID-19 delayed government palliative intervention, weakened social support systems and increased the vulnerability of Nigerians to COVID-419ners. The fraud scheming deployed included relief package fraud, food and data fraud, and COVID-19 cash support and loan fraud. These fraud schemes were designed to align with federal government's policy on COVID-19 palliative or intervention to defraud the unsuspecting public. Arising from the findings, the study recommends timely palliative support and unambiguous public enlightenment on beneficiaries to reduce victimization of vulnerable Nigerians. Anti-cybercrime agencies need to be proactive in preventing fraud occurrence, neutralizing fraudulent schemes and arresting cyber-offenders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid escalation of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) elicited varying degrees of responses from governments. The escalation and community spread of the COVID-19 pandemic despite initial responses resulted in a lockdown strategy in some countries. Nigeria embraced a lockdown policy, albeit with some socioeconomic stimulus measures to cushion the resultant economic hardship. The inadequacy of the stimulus measures led to lockdown violations and human rights abuses. This study establishes the nexus between Nigeria's lockdown policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic, human rights violations, and the role of Nigerian civil society in mainstreaming civil rights protection during this public health emergency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the utilization of community-based treatment services by people who use drugs (PWUD) in Nigeria during the lockdown following the COVID-19 outbreak. Data were collected from six drop-in centers (DICs) for PWUD operated by NGOs in four geo-political regions in Nigeria, using a short questionnaire administered to the project managers by e-mail. It sought information on service utilization, sex distribution of service users, types of drugs used, types of services provided, and modes of service delivery for the period of October 2019 to May 2020. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques. Service utilization declined from 375 users in October 2019 to 198 in April, before reaching 321 in May. Female users were more affected by the disruption than men. Cannabis was the drug most commonly used by service users. There were significant gaps in service provision, including limited face-to-face counseling and discontinuation of other services. The lockdown limited the range and quality of services provided, and constrained uptake by PWUD. Addressing gender-related barriers, improving funding, and adopting risk reduction measures are recommended for improving service delivery and uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Lack of social welfare programs for vulnerable households during the coronavirus outbreak in Nigeria caused severe pain and economic hardship to households as millions suffered hunger in Nigeria and Africa at large. Method: To explore the socioeconomic impact of COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, a qualitative study was conducted with 70 participants from Lagos, Nigeria. We conducted 52 individual and 2 group interviews with 18 key stakeholders involved with enforcing lockdown orders. Responses were analyzed in themes using content and discourse analysis. Result: The participants stated that the greatest challenge faced by many amidst the pandemic is hunger and starvation and described government palliatives as grossly insufficient. This is linked to the high population of Nigerians living below poverty line, who depends on daily earning for survival. Discussion: Therefore, these viewpoints must be taken into account by the policymakers and social welfare providers when designing social welfare policies and interventions for poor/vulnerable Nigerians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic transformed the many intersections between policing and public health, illuminating profound effects of the interactions and collaborative efforts between both sectors in Nigeria, which culminated into an industrial action by health workers in protest of police harassment and extortion. This study, which represents one of the first attempts at empirically examining inter-sectoral collaboration between police and healthcare personnel in the promotion of public health, explored health workers' experiences with the police officers coordinating local shutdowns and enforcing stay-at-home mandates. Sixty-two health workers, comprising medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, clinical and patient services assistants, were interviewed in a qualitative study and a thematic analysis of the narratives was carried out. Findings indicated that participants were subjected to different forms of aggression and extortive behaviour from police officers at checkpoints, which negatively impacted on their official functioning as responders to the pandemic. Occasionally, these aggressive and extortive behaviours were specifically targeted at health workers based on officers' impressions and prior unpleasant experiences with health institution and its personnel. These findings have important policy and practical implications, if the physical health and emotional wellbeing of frontline health workers are to be recognised and met, in supporting them in their role of combating COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internal displacement of citizens places them as one of the most vulnerable populations in any given society. This is more worrisome in a pandemic situation. Thus, using qualitative research methods directed by the social capital theory and service quality theory, this study will analyze the perceived satisfaction of IDPs and non-IDPs citizens in Nigeria on the provided governmental support in the time of Covid-19 pandemic. In-depth qualitative interview data will be collected from IDPs and non-IDPs in Abuja Nigeria and analyzed using codes acquired from the transcribed data within the theoretical framework. Results will indicate if IDPs perceived that they were less cared for as compared to non-IDPs. This will help stimulate the activity of governmental organizations on unforeseen circumstances and pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Covid-19 is a virus that has created tension and devastation around the globe. This study is designed to specifically find out the effect of Covid-19 on the socioeconomic well-being of Nigerians, the health sector preparedness to handle the pandemic, and the role of Nigerian social workers in the fight against Covid-19 in Nigeria. The study employed a phenomenological and exploratory research design in its inquiry. Sixteen respondents made up the sample size for the study. A Focus Group Discussion Guide and an In-Depth Interview Guide were the instruments for data collection. The result of the study shows that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the socioeconomic well-being of Nigerians. Second, the Nigerian health system is ill equipped and underprepared to handle the Covid-19 pandemic. Third, Nigerian social workers, most especially medical social workers, have played a significant role in passing out information on Covid-19 preventive measures to the general public. The study recommends that the Nigerian government should wake up and fix the health sector and make it proactive to handle epidemics/pandemics in the future. Social work practice in Nigeria should be promoted by the government through institutionalization of the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]