Buhari, Biden, Pope to take positions on effects of COVID-19 on jobs, child labour today

• Enugu may prosecute violators of protocols
• FG reviews guideline for diagnosis, treatment of malaria

World leaders are expected to deliberate on the impact of COVID-19 on work today at the ongoing International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland.

The ILC, which is organised yearly by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), will focus on the response to the devastating impact of COVID-19 on the world of work and the action required to build a better future of work.

Pope Francis, President of the Republic of Korea Moon Jae-in, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa, and US President Joe Biden will all speak at the conference.

The ILO has declared that the adoption of its convention on domestic workers has not had the required impact just as COVID-19 has further exacerbated the condition of domestic workers worldwide.

This is as President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to make a declaration on paths to ending violence against children at an event organised by the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.

The Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Dr Yerima Tafa, who disclosed this yesterday explained that the dialogue is aimed at achieving consensus among national stakeholders on key areas of progress, offering the opportunity for securing immediate commitments and action, and identify gaps and prioritising activities to accelerate the eradication of child labour.

The federal government meanwhile is reviewing the national guideline for diagnosis and treatment of malaria to capture current realities with a major shift from clinical diagnosis to test-before-treatment, considering the fact that malaria symptoms are similar to that of COVID-19.

Head, Case Management at the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), Dr Nnenna Ogbulafor, who disclosed this at the ongoing scientific conference organised by the National Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria yesterday in Abuja observed that the guideline recommended that all suspected malaria cases should undergo parasitological test microscopy to confirm the diagnosis.