Notes Tekedia mini-MBA monthly update is here – click to read. We updated the Written Material to fix a minor typo; it does not change the document. No need to re-download. We have added a video on monetization of software as some members emailed on the same. Check the Comment section for the differences between […]
#WatchingtheVirusinNigeria: Containing COVID 19 through Strategic Communication and Information Management
It is been 24 hours since the news broke that the globally dreaded virus has entered Nigeria. It came through the most susceptible city in the country – Lagos, the commercial capital city of Nigeria. An Italian consultant was on a brief business trip. He fell sick and was discovered to have been infected with the novel virus. He is being managed in a health facility in Lagos in a joint management arrangement by the Federal Ministry of Health and Lagos State Government. Twenty eight people suspected to have had contact with the infected man are quarantined and being monitored.
Even though, tracking of names of possible contacts with the Italian who flew in from Milan has commenced, in a bid to stop the spread of the virus, there is an urgent need for strategic communication and information management of issues surrounding the disease so as not to give room for panic and possible outbreak of false information, rumours and misinformation which may be worse than the disease itself. While addressing foreign policy and security experts in Munich earlier in February, the Director General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has expressed his concern on associated issues that are likely to colour efforts at curtailing the spread of the disease. He raised serious concerns on the incidence of fake news, rumours and panic- factors that he collectively described as “infodemics.” The WHO Chief had asked “Can we come together to face a common and dangerous enemy? Or will we allow fear, suspicion and irrationality to distract and divide us?” He concluded that “this is a time for facts, not fear. This is a time for rationality, not rumours. This is a time for solidarity, not stigma,”
While addressing news men in Abuja on Friday, few hours after the first case of the novel virus was discovered in the country, the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed had also urged Nigerians not to panic as the government was well prepared to detect and curtail any incidence of the virus in the country. He warned against citizens falling prey to the antics of fake news distributors and rumour mongers saying “we know that at times like this, purveyors of fake news and disinformation usually ramp up their acts”. He hinted on the arrangement between the FG and Facebook on shutting out fake news and rumour mongers on the campaign.
It is established that trailing the fear of the outbreak of the disease is the issue of fake news, rumour mongering and disinformation. These could serve as more barriers and could worsen the situation beyond control leading to panic and stigmatization. This threat could have more profound impact on the fight against the novel virus if not checked.
Beyond the rhetorics, how well the Nigerian agencies in charge of managing the beakout prepared to handle the information management in a professional and strategic manner would make or mar the campaign. What should be done urgently in communicating the fight against the COVID 19? Here are some tips.
#Combat rumours and misinformation. The Federal Ministry of Health through the National Centre for Disease Control should lead this charge. They should popularize their verified social media handles and supply real time information on the virus as it emerges. There should also be a coordinated platform for communication among the 36 ministries of health across the states in Nigeria. To leave no room for rumours and misinformation, the agencies concerned must be above aboard in not leaving any information vacuum. A nationwide directive should be given to both public and privately owned radio and television stations to broadcast such updates from the NCDC. This should be translated into respective local languages of their areas live.This is a matter of national emergency and security.
#Regional approach to information dissemination. The dissemination of the information across the six states of the southwest should be regional. This could be achieved when commissioners for health across the states have a common platform where they exchange information about the disease. It is not only security that calls for synergy, this threat to the well being of the people should also be viewed as important so that the virus could be stopped before it wrecks havoc. Other regions such as the south east and the north too should be prepared to go regional. Lagos is the gateway to the south. Already, the infected victim was said to have headed towards Ogun State. It is a matter of time before we see evidence of the novel virus in other states if regional emergency operations are not activated.
#Explore the Public-Private-People triad. The fight against the COVID 19 should explore a public-private-people triad. This simply means leveraging on public and private institutions to secure the buy in of the people for the messages of prevention and education. As it is, will the major GSM service providers to send out notifications and make unsolicited calls to their subscribers to deliver to them vital messages on protection, education and numbers to call in case of emergencies and other necessary needs for the campaign. Is it impossible for other corporate bodies to assist the government stamp out false information, fake news and disinformation that evil minded people may want to explore? Can we have popular musicians, politicians and social media influencers take up the messages to save the nation from the dreaded disease to the people? People will know how serious this is when they see the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the 2019 election, Alh. Atiku Abubakar float anti-Coronavirus messages to the people through short videos and podcasts in both English and Hausa languages. As it is, in the days ahead, every institution, government, for profit and not for profit organizations, political parties and others should rise up against coronavirus with a view to containing its spread.
As the nation surges forward and makes efforts to block coronavirus from spreading further in the country, major institutions should rise to ensure the fight is devoid of fake news, rumours and misinformation. The onus lies on all to ensure a secured country from the rampaging virus.
The World Would Do With A 2020 Restart
Every new year all over the world is usually celebrated with pomp and pageantry.
It is always heralded with exuberance and optimism, not just in celebration of life, but also in celebration of hope – that whatever was wrong in the fading year can be corrected in the succeeding year and whatever was done right before can be made better.
It is mostly a celebration of new opportunities globally.
But what is it about this year 2020?
Barely 3 days into the new year, a United States drone strike near Baghdad International Airport targeted and killed Iranian major general Qasem Soleimani of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Soleimani was considered the second most powerful figure in Iran after the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Nine other high profile military figures were also killed in the strike.
Iranian leaders vowed revenge while the U.S. government vowed the harshest response in case of any Iranian attack.
The world was suddenly thrown into panic over the possibility of a global war.
Five days after the airstrike, Iran launched a series of missile attacks on U.S. forces based in Iraq. Thankfully, no American lives were lost.
But that was not going to be the end of it.
On the same 8th of January 2020, Boeing 737-800 – a Ukraine International Airline plane containing 176 passengers and crews on a scheduled International passenger flight from Tehran to Kiev was shot down shortly after take-off from Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. None of the precious souls on board the plane survived.
The world switched from panic to mourning. Innocent promising lives have been cut off unjustly.
On the 26th of January 2020, a Sikorsky S-76B helicopter crashed in Calabasas, California. It was carrying legendary NBA basketball player Kobe Bryant, his 13 year-old daughter Gianna, 6 other passengers and the pilot. All nine souls on board perished in the crash.
Kobe wasn’t just a great basketball player, he was a great father, a good husband and a decent human being.
Oh Lord! Why Kobe? Why Gianna? Why not some useless political leader or some fraudulent rich man or some high profile terrorist?
After air and water, food is the next most important substance to life. Now, that is also under threat.
In late January, swarms of desert Locusts invaded Ethiopia and from there spread into East Africa. As locusts devour crops in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia, the insects are breeding in Djibouti, Eritrea and Sudan. Swarms have arrived in Uganda and have also crossed into Tanzania.
The United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned of an unprecedented threat to global food supply. The organization further stated that the number of locusts in East Africa could expand 500 times by June.
Now the desert locust is by far the most dangerous of the locust species. If a single swarm comes into a farmer’s field in the morning, it would have eaten the entire field by midday.
That one field represents the entire livelihood of a farmer.
Now that smells like big trouble for global food supply.
It appears Boko Haram terrorists came into 2020 with a new year resolution to wreak havoc on innocent lives. Sometimes in January 2020, the chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Michika local government area of Adamawa state, Rev Lawan Andimi was beheaded. Another pastor was abducted and killed almost at the same time.
The terrorist group has been killing innocent lives, especially Christians, with restless frenzy ever since.
To add salt to an already excruciating open wound, some numskulls within the Nigerian political leadership are considering creating a bill to grants heartless murderous Boko Haram terrorists amnesty.
Excuse me! Who does that?
Now to the one that I have saved for the last – the dreaded coronavirus code named COVID-19.
The coronavirus outbreak started in December 2019 and became an issue of global concern beginning from January 2020. It was first identified in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei in China.
The coronavirus is highly contagious and spread between people via respiratory droplets. The incubation period is said to be usually between 2 to 14 days and symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath.
The virus was soon carried to other countries by international travelers and has currently touched every continent in the world except for Antarctica.
As of 24th of February 2020, about 79,364 cases have been confirmed, including in all provinces of China and more than 24 other countries. Of these, 11,569 cases were classified as serious, 2,619 deaths were attributed to the disease and 24,974 people have since recovered.
The virus outbreak. is having negative effects on global business markets and economies are spiraling down.
At first, the world thought the disease originated from some aquatic life at a Wuhan market, now there are hushed tones all over the world about the possibility that the disease was manufactured in a laboratory as a form of bio-weapon.
I hope too much knowledge will not wipe out the human race.
On the 26th of February 2020, an Italian citizen was tested positive for coronavirus in Nigeria.
In every country where a first victim was discovered, more follows. Considering that this Italian must have come in contact with some Nigerians before being tested positive, it is reasonable to assume that more cases are bound to follow.
What makes the coronavirus particularly deadly is that it is infectious even before the victim starts showing signs of infection.
Watching the interview of former Director of America’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Tom Friedman, on the Amanpour programme on CNN, this was his verdict concerning the virus spread – a pandemic is inevitable.
Two things scares me when I consider that the coronavirus is now in Lagos.
The first thing is that the Nigerian state has a poor healthcare system. Ordinary Lassa fever is still shaking the healthcare table. Countries like China, South Korea and Italy with far better healthcare systems are still struggling to contain the virus with new cases still being recorded.
The second scary factor is that Lagos is a heavily congested city with poor urban management. In such a climate, the virus could have free migration like no other.
I mean, have you considered what could happen if a coronavirus patient board a BRT bus or one of those yellow buses? Those heavily packed BRT and yellow buses!
And I hear that the virus finds it difficult to thrive under heat conditions. Well, after a long stretch of extreme heat, a mild rain fell on the 28th of February 2020.
I think the rain can hold on for now. We are just fine with the heat conditions right now.
So what is it about this new year? Why is it starting on such scary and negative notes globally?
I think the world wouldn’t mind a 2020 restart.
Tekedia Innovation Summit, Lagos Coming in Q4 2020
We’re planning for Tekedia Innovation Summit in Q4 2020 in Lagos for members of Tekedia mini-MBA, Tekedia General Management Program (GMP) and Tekedia Advanced Management Program (AMP). No extra cost to you provided you have participated in our programs in 2020. It is our plan to use that live innovation festival, supported with webcast for those outside Lagos, to deepen all we are learning in our programs. Please plan ahead; more details coming in days. We project 5,000 members to participate.
Our corporate clients in GMP and AMP, this ecosystem will help you connect with members just as our mini-MBA members will tap into your innovation ecosystems. The goal is to prepare innovators to fix the frictions in our economies.
- 1. Tekedia mini-MBA: Sector- and firm-agnostic open program comprising videos, flash cases, contents, pulses, challenge assignments, labs, written materials, webinars, etc delivered online. Options for grading labs available.(See structure of current one; registration still ongoing)
- 2. Tekedia General Management Program (Tekedia GMP): The same as Tekedia mini-MBA but customized for a specific organization with flash cases, contents, pulses, challenge assignments, labs, etc developed around the firm and its sector. Challenge assignments and labs not graded. Accepting clients.
- 3. Tekedia Advanced Management Program (Tekedia AMP). GMP with Challenge assignments and Labs graded. Accepting clients.
We will share more in days; plan ahead.
How to Combat the Corona Virus in Nigeria through the Incident Management Approach
Like a flash in the pan, the spread of the widely reported virus, Corona, has eventually got into Nigeria. The virus which originated from the Wuhan province in China is the latest monster threatening not only high ranging mortality, but also a disruption of socio-economic life and international trade on a global scale. From Australia to Estonia, Japan to India, the deadly virus seems to be on the race to infect the whole world.
So, on the midnight of Friday 27 February, 2020, an Italian who was on a brief business trip, came into Nigeria with the virus through the International Airport in Lagos. This made the case first of its kind in Sub Saharan African. For a country that has been battling with the Lassa Fever outbreak, it seems a double tragedy for the nation. This is within the background of the failing health infrastructure in Nigeria. However, this is not time to falter. Agencies of government responsible for disease and disaster control need to rise to the occasion to ensure the spread of the deadly virus is contained and managed with no or minimal fatality. A review of a research article brings to the fore what the health authorities must take cognizance of as the nation battles to stop the virus on its track. Lessons learnt from curtailing the Ebola outbreak six years ago must be brought to bear this time around.
Initiating the Incident Management Approach. According to the research which examined the Incident Management Approach used to manage the Ebola outbreak then in the country, this approach involves initiating four public health protection strategies which could help in weakening the spread of the virus among the populace. These strategies are examined one after the other.
#Surveillance. At this level of the emergence of the virus, surveillance is the first strategy to be deployed. This is done by contact tracing. By this, there is an urgent need to begin to trace people who might have had contact with the Italian victim of the virus. That the novel virus was brought into the country by a foreigner was cheery news. It made the discovery faster and also minimized the number of contacts he might have had access to. However, this little good piece of news could become awry if those who have had contact with him could not be traced and quarantined. The race to prevent further spread could only be won if only government agencies such as National Centre for Disease Control could step up their surveillance game.
#Incidence Prevention & Control. This is an epidemiological approach used to study the origin and causes of disease outbreak in any community. The incidence prevention and control is a tool deployed in understanding the dynamics of any epidemics. It was employed in the combat against Ebola. It categorised individuals into susceptible individuals, hospitalized individuals, exposed individuals, infectious symptomatic individuals and isolated individuals. In the case of the novel virus in Nigeria, it is still too early to determine what is going to happen. However, the NCDC should activate the approach that was successfully used to curtail in the days coming ahead. As of today, the Italy based Nigerian footballer, King Paul Akpan Udoh is the first and only Nigerian to have tested positive for the virus. Good enough, it is outside the shores of the country.
#Education. At this stage, Nigerians need education on the virus. This would involve deploying all available means to reach the people in the language they understand. The NCDC should liaise with the Federal and State Ministries of Health as well as the National Orientation Agency to come up with educational materials that explains what the novel virus is, how it is contacted and its prevention. Local languages should be used in audio-visual materials, infographics, flyers and handbills. Being ignorant in this case could be deadly.
#Communication. This is usually at the heart of any campaign. It is the pillar upon which the curtailment of any outbreak lies. In this case, it should be well coordinated, detailed and decentralized. As it was during the Ebola outbreak so should it be now in the days ahead. Responses across the country should be coordinated by the Ministry of Health through the National Disease Control Centre by the Minister of Health. This should go down to the local health authorities. If this bottom-up approach is adopted, it would make the reportage of any suspected case of the virus robust.