ABSTRACT
This study examined the adaptation strategies to the consequence of COVID-19 pandemic on Poultry Farmers in Oyo State. Multistage sampling procedure was employed to select five Key Informants and five Focus Group Discussion from the respondents respectively. Data on effects of lockdown, coping strategies and role of PAN were collected and analysed using constant comparison analysis. The effects of pandemic in severity order include, poor marketing due to collapse of the standard delivery system (85%);glut of the poultry products (80%), laying stock reduction (25%)and folding up of the enterprise (15%) burying of unsold bad eggs (5%). Coping strategies employed were sourcing financial support from cooperative societies (85%), sold produce on credit (75%) and sourcing ICT-based marketing information (70%). The role played by PAN include taking exemption letter from Police (Police wireless message) to move poultry products for sale;mediating unfavourable government taxation and relevant information dissemination via WhatsApp group platform. There is the need to develop an emergency's-smart resilience programme for the poultry industry. Measures adopted to manage emergencies such as COVID-19 should not impede the flow of agricultural products and inputs from the onset.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is anemerging disease with a global spread that has affected millions of lives. In Nigeria, the third wave of the outbreak is being experienced with many patients requiring hospitalization. Being a novel disease, we characterized the clinical profile and outcomes of patients admitted into our isolation centre. METHODS: A case series of 65 COVID-19 patients admitted at theIsolation Centre of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, from June 2020 to March 2021 is presented. Information on demographic characteristics, medical history, symptoms, treatment and outcomes was obtained. Data were analysed using SPSS version 25. RESULTS: Most (47;72.3%) patients were less than 65 years old and 39 (60.0%) were males. The commonest symptoms were cough (42;64.6%), breathlessness (41;63.1%), fever (40;61.5%), muscle aches (40;61.5%), and anosmia (16;24.6%). Hypertension (41;63.1%) and diabetes (18;27.7%) were the most predominant comorbidities. Forty-three patients (66.2%) had supplemental oxygen therapy. The majority (44;70%) of patients were admitted for 10 days or less and 58 (89.3%) patients were discharged home. However, 6 deaths (9.2%) were recorded among patients with advanced comorbidities and severe sepsis with all deaths occuring within 5 days of admission. CONCLUSION: There was a male predominance among patients admitted at the Isolation Centre and all mortalities occurred within five days of admission. Early detection, prompt management of cases with hypoxaemia and optimal treatment of comorbidities are recommended for good outcomes in COVID-19 patients.