News
184 Doctors From Seven Countries Write Buhari Over El-Zakzaky
One hundred and eighty-four physicians from seven Islamic countries in a letter to the Federal Government called for the transfer of jailed Shiite leader, Sheikh Ibrahim el-Zakzaky, to a well-equipped hospital due to his critical conditions.
As reported by the Fars News yesterday, the group of doctors from Pakistan, India, Iran, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon and Iraq in the letter pointed to el-Zakzaky’s physical conditions, and asked the Federal Government of Nigeria to transfer him to a well-equipped hospital as soon as possible.
The full text of the letter is as follows:
“In the name of God, the healer
From the community of doctors
To the President of the Republic of Nigeria, Mr. Buhari.
In the past several months, the world has constantly received troubling news regarding the health of one of the prominent figures in Nigeria, Shaikh Ibrahim Zakzaky.
Both Shaikh Ibrahim Zakzaky and his wife are kept in prison and the health status of both of them is very alarming.
We have chosen to be doctors even after knowing that this job is very difficult and troublesome, but we chose to save people’s lives and preferred the health of the society over our personal interests.
According to the medical reports regarding the health status of Shaikh Ibrahim Zakzaky:
1. He is suffering from a total blindness in the left eye, and is also suffering from vision problems in the right, eye including glaucoma and progressive macular atrophy. According to the diagnosis of the visiting physicians, Shaikh Zakzaky will lose his vision sooner or later if the current circumstances do not change.
2. He has shown symptoms of Ischemic heart disease which can lead to Myocardial Infraction.
3. He is also suffering from severe cervical spondylosis which has resulted to nerve root compression and symptoms are progressive causing insomnia.
4. The experiments show that he has heavy metal toxicity including Lead and Cadmium. Laboratory tests that are performed on May 31st, 2019 show that blood lead level is 171.94µg/dl. Later on June 18th, 2019 this level was reported to be 231.48µg while in the last laboratory test the blood lead level was three times more than the toxicity level (grade 5 of poisoning).
“Based on the points highlighted above, Shaikh Ibrahim Zakzaky should be transferred to a well- equipped medical center that has Neuro-ophthalmologist, glaucoma specialist and low vision expert, cardiologist, orthopedist and neurologist. Also he may need to have a surgery to reduce intraocular pressure.
“We, doctors of different nationalities cannot take the health of any human for granted. This is something that is inherent in our obligation as doctors. Ignoring the critical health status of Sheikh Ibrahim Zakzaky can end up in irreparable consequences.
“We request the government and parliament of Nigeria to immediately transfer him to a well-equipped hospital to prevent any unfortunate incidents.”
The News outlet then listed the doctors who signed the letter as follows:
Dr Abbas alahmad, Pediatrician, Syria
Dr Abd alkrim Hariri, Neurosurgeon, Syria
Dr Abd almonaam hsanato, Radiologist, Syria
Dr Abdo salami, Dentist, Syria
Dr Addel maheiri, Maxillofacial Specialist, Syria
Dr Ahmad alrahal, Otorhinolaryngologist, Syria
Dr Ahmaad alzien, Thoracic Internist, Syria
Dr Ahmad nasrullah, Dentist, Syria
Dr Ajmal Farooq, General practitioner, India
Dr Alla Aldrin Hassan, Neurosurgeon, Syria
Dr Allaa allnassan, General Surgeon
Dr Amar kiali, Ophtalmologist, Syria
Dr Anas hellali, General Surgeon, Syria
Dr Asma Khalid, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Bakri dablloni, Orthopedic Surgeon, Syria
Dr Bassel alshaher, Dentist, Syria
Dr Bsam kedeh, Gastroenterologist, Syria
Dr Fadi alaar, Vascular Surgeon, Syria
Dr Farhat, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Fizza Batool Zaidi, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Furqan Ali khan, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Hania Batool Zaidi, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Hassam Saleem, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Hassan alkhatib, Vascular Surgeon, Syria
Dr Hassan Khalil, Internist, Syria
Dr Houda abdalhadi, Internist, Syria
Dr Ibrahim hadid, Urologist, Syria
Dr Idrak Hussain Bhat, General practitioner, India
Dr Iftikar Hussain, General practitioner, India
Dr Kashaf Zehra Durrani, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Mamdoh zitoni, Orthopedic Surgeon, Syria
Dr Manaaf sharbjii, Orthopedic Surgeon, Syria
Dr Mhmmod Nasser, Gastroenterologist, Syria
Dr Mirza Arsalan, General practitioner, India
D.Mohamad mohiedin, Pediatrician, Syria
Dr Mohanad battal, Pediatric Surgeon, Syria
Dr mohanad naasan, General Surgeon, Syria
Dr Mohanad zanoube, Ophtalmologist, Syria
Dr Mohd Yaseen Mir, General practitioner, India
Dr Motaz alhmod, General Surgeon, Syria
Dr Muhammad Ajmal Hussain, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Muhammad Ali Kazmi, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Muhammad ali raseed, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Muhammad Amjad Hussain, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Muhammad Baqir, 4 year resident internal medicine, Pakistan
Dr Mouhamad batikh, General Surgeon, Syria
Dr Muhammad Farhan, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Myllad zahlloq, Vascular Surgeon, Syria
Dr Ossama attar, General Surgeon, Syria
Dr Owais Raza General practioner (MBBS), Pakistan
Dr Owais Siddique, General practitioner, India
Dr Raja Munawa, General practitioner, India
Dr Saman Fatima, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Samer alhames, Thoracic Surgeon, Syria
Dr Samer sharbo, Vascular Surgeon, Syria
Dr Sami bitar, Nephrologist, Syria
Dr Saqib Hussain, General practitioner, India
Dr Sharaf ud deen, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Showkat Hussain Dar, General practitioner, India
Dr Shyar mostafa, Neurosurgeon, Syria
Dr Suhail Ahmad Mir, General practitioner, India
Dr Syed ali kuamil, General practitioner Pakistan
Dr Syed Muntazir Mousavi, General practitioner, India
Dr Syed Wafadar Hussain Naqvi, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Syeada Maimoona Batool Rizvi, General practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Taher farfotli, Neurologist, Syria
Dr Tahssin hmidi, General Surgeon, Syria
Dr Waael akari, General Surgeon, Syria
Dr wisaam dieb, General Surgeon, Syria
Dr Yamen yousuf, Neurosurgeon, Syria
Dr Yassin alrahal, Orthopedic Surgeon, Syria
Dr Yousef sabsabi, Orthopedic Surgeon, Syria
Dr Zaher and allaziz, Vascular Surgeon, Syria
Dr Zaher batal, Nutritionist, Syria
Dr Zaid Jeelani, General practitioner, India
Dr Zeeshan Hadier, Liver transplant surgeon, Pakistan
Dr Arezoo Mohtasham, Radiology Resident, Iran
Dr Azadeh Hashemi, Radiology Resident, Afghanistan
Dr Abolfazl Mohammadi, Orthopedic Surgeon, Iran
Dr Amanollah Karami, Ophtalmologist, Iran
Dr Amir Rahmanian, Emergency Medicine Resident, Iran
Dr Amirhossein Izadyar, General PractitionePractitioner, Iran
Dr Aniseh Aliabadi, Dermatology Resident, Iran
Dr Hamed Abdi, Internist, Iran
Dr Hojjat Madarshahi, otorhinolaryngologist, Iran
Dr Hasan Boskabadi, Pediatrician and Neonatal Specialist, Iran
Dr Hasan Rajabi, Iran
Dr Hasan Sezavar, Iran
Dr Hossein Amirzargir, Urolohist, Iran
Dr Hossein Mohaddes Ardebili, Psychiatric Resident, Iran
Dr Hamidreza Safaei, Radiology Resident, Iran
Dr Hourieh Soleimani, Radiology Resident, Iran
Dr Rahil Daghmagh, General Practitioner, Lebanon
Dr Rose sadat Shamsa, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Reyhaneh Aminorroaya, Elderly Medicine Specialist, Iran
Dr Zahra Behnam Rasouli, Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident, Iran
Dr Zahra Jafar, General Practitioner, Lebanon
Dr Zahra Joshaghani, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran
Dr Zahra Khalili Matinzadeh, Pediatrician, Iran
Dr Zahra Movahedinia, General practitioner, Iran
Dr Zahra Moaddab Shoar, Dentist, Iran
Dr Zeinab Babasafari, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Sajedeh Mousavi, Physical Medicine Resident, Iran
Dr Saiedeh Khatami, Dentist, Iran
DT Soleiman Heidari, Toracic Surgeon, Iran
Dr Samaneh Rahmani, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Seyed Javad Hosseininezhad, Neurologist, Iran
Dr Syed Zaker Hossein Naqvi, General Practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Syed Omran Hyder Zeidi, General Practitioner, Pakistan
Dr Seyed Mohammadreza Parizadeh, Biochemistry Ph.D, Iran
Dr Seyed Mohammadsadegh Mirzaei, general Practitioner, Iran
Dr Seyed Moadkazem Mozaffari, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Seyed Naser Emadi, International Dermatologist, Iran
Dr Seyedeh Afsar Sharafi, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran
Dr Seyedeh Zeinab Hashemi Javaheri, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Saeb Aliabadi, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Seddigheh Ayati, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran
Dr Tahereh Labbaf, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran
Dr Arefeh Edalatian, Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident, Iran
Dr Atefeh Kermanshahi, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Abbas Shojaei, Otorhinolaryngologist, Iran
Dr Azra Rashidnezhad, Neurology Resident, Iran
Dr Afraalshahrstani, Pediatric Resident, Iraq
Dr Atieh Mohebbi, Radiology Resident, Iran
Dr Atieh Mohammadzadeh Vatanchi, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran
Dr Ali Ebrahimzadeh, Iran
Dr Ali Anjomshoa, Anesthesiologist, Iran
Dr Ali Taghiparvar, Epidemiologist, Iran
Dr Ali Rezazadeh, Internist, Iran
Dr Ali Fazli, Anesthesiologist, Iran
Dr Ali Madarshahi, Internal Surgeon, Iran
Dr Fatemeh Ouchi Ardebili, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Fatemeh Taghizadeh, Physical Medicine Resident, Iran
Dr Fatemeh Joshaghani, Dentist, Iran
Dr Fatemeh Dadelahi, Radiology Resident, Iran
Dr Fatemeh Mehrparvar, Dentist, Iran
Dr Fouzieh Takhari, Obstetrics and Gynecology Resident, Afghanistan
Dr Ghasem Amini, Surgery Resident, Iran
Dr Kamal Heydari, Dentist, Iran
Dr Leila Moaddab Shoar, Radiotherapy and Oncology Specialist, Iran
Dr Majid Habibzadeh Moghaddam, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Majid Abdollahi, Emergency Medicine Specialist, Iran
Dr Majid Ghayour Mobarhen, Nutritionist, Iran
Dr Mohammad Ebrahimi, Iran
Dr Mohammad Sajjadi, Psychiatrist, Iran
Dr Mohammad Sadeghi, Iran
Dr Mohammadtaghi Rajabi Mashhadi, Surgeon, Iran
Dr MohammadJafar Modabber Azizi, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Mohammadreza Behrouz, Iran
Dr Mohammadreza Javdani, Family Medicine Resident, Iran
Dr Mohammadali Kiani, Gastroenterologist, Iran
Dr Mahmoud Jozhaghani, Cornea Specialist, Iran
Dr Mahmoud Fatemi, Radiology Resident, Iran
Dr Mahya Yargholi, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran
Dr Morteza Amiri Soleimani, Orthopedic Surgeon, Iran
Dr Morteza Tajaddodi, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Maryam Sadat Paknezhad, Iranian Traditional Medicine Specialist, Iran
Dr Maryam Rezaeian, Dentist, Afghanistan
Dr Maryam Yargholi, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran
Dr Mozhgan Mahmoudian, Radiology Resident, Iran
Dr Masoud Maleki, Dermatologist, Iran
Dr Masoud Mahdavi, Radiologist, Iran
Dr Mostafa Jafari, Internist, Iran
Dr Malihe Akbari, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Malihe Hatefipour, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Mahdi Oughli, Internist, Iran
Dr Mahdi Mokhtari, Ophtalmologist, Iran
Dr Mahdieh Pouryazdanpanah, Nutritionist, Iran
Dr Mahdi Miri, Internist, Iran
Dr Mahsa Kia, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Milad Hadadi, Dentist, Iran
Dr Najmeh Khodadadi, Iran
Dr Najmeh Zamani, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Narjes Khatoun Movahedi Rad, General Practitioner, Iran
De Narges Salehi, Cardiologist, Iran
Dr Narges Arabzadeh, Internist, Iran
Dr Nasrollah Hamraz, Internist, Afghanistan
Dr Nafiseh Kazemi Rad, Radiology Resident, Iran
Dr Nafiseh Aliabadi, Pediatric Resident, Iran
Dr Nayerreh Khadem Ghayebi, Obstetrics and Gynecology Specialist, Iran
Dr Hadi Hasanzadeh, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Hadi Sherouni, Otorhinolaryngologist, Iran
Dr Hadi Jalali, General Practitioner, Iran
Dr Rezaei, Interventional Cardiologist, Afghanistan.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.