This book will change your life

                    By Bayo Ogunmupe

This book will also allow you to live by different and personal rules. If you are open, the universe will conspire to bring you the right book at the right time you need it. A friend will suggest a book to you, or it might be sitting on a table at a book fair. Perhaps its cover catches your eye as you walk through your favourite  bookshop. Indeed, a book will come across your path when you are ready to meet it; particularly when the wisdom within its pages speaks to a particular problem you are struggling to solve. I am fortunate when a book finds me at just the right time to spell out ways to underscore my values. Good luck happens when you are open to learning new ideas and ready to internalize and implement its wisdom into your life.

    The Four Agreements: A Practical guide to Personal Freedom, written by don Miquel Ruiz, is the book that found me just when I needed it. I have internalized its wisdom over the years. It is one of the books in my library I revisit at least once a year to remind me the essentials of living my best life- these four agreements. I think of them often when I need a reminder. Then I wake up early someday to go through it before going to the office. The results from this mindful practice are a more manageable life with self control. The agreements bring me my personal power and get me out of the reaction mode. living in reaction isn't healthy. Nor does it come from a position of strength.

    Awareness and mindfulness are the keys to re-conditioning our brains  to a place of power. A new mindset changes your perspective. The Four Agreements help you achieve brings a state of bliss which brings you into your power, giving you balance. The First Agreement is: be impeccable with your word. Words have power to lift and destroy. Words are part of your furniture that hang in the air, permeating every part of the room, so utter them with mindfulness. When you speak impeccable language, you speak with integrity; say only what you mean; you don't speak ill of others and you don't speak negatively of yourself. You silence your inner critic and you rid your mind of irrational chatter. By imbibing this agreement, you will experience less negativity in your life. experience less conflict with the people around you.

    The second agreement, don't take anything personally; by its practice your life will change. When someone insults you, belittles your talent, this isn't about you. It is about them. You do not have to accept their judgment. By practising this agreement, you accept that other people have their own unique identity and their own reality that you don't have anything to do with. By this acceptance, you recognize that the other person's opinions of you do not necessarily describe you. But the caveat is that this applies to the praises and good stuff they say about you also. Taking things personally means that you agree with what others are accusing you of; and you don't have to. You should choose not to allow it to affect you. Being the only one in control of your thoughts, you should not give it any space in your brain.

    Nothing others think or say about you is really about you. Other people see the world with different eyes. Everyone has a different truth. Your truth is different from that of others.  The third agreement is that you don't make assumptions. It is a mistake for you to assume you can read everyone's mind accurately. Nine times out of ten you will be wrong; so don't attempt it. Knowing you cannot read minds frees you from unwarranted assumptions. Assumptions cause misunderstanding among people. Instead of assuming, ask. Be ready for the truth when you ask it. Practice healthy communications; it is the key to healthy relationships. The fourth and final agreement is, always do your best. Stop worrying about failure; just do your best. Let go of your past mistakes. Learn to say no to unwarranted requests from others.

How they contract coronavirus disease

                  

  By Bayo Ogunmupe

    The virus that causes covid-19 can persist in aerosol form. but the potential for transmission depends on many factors. these factors include infectiousness, dose and ventilation. Coronavirus is known to be spread via large droplets that fall to the ground. It can also be spread by smaller airborne particles. Six months into the pandemic that has claimed 5,482,799 confirmed cases in the world and with 346,100 deaths. In Nigeria, we have 7,839 cases, 2,263 discharged and 226 deaths as at the time of writing. Covid-19 has also decimated economies, sent German and Nigerian economies into recession. Sadly, scientists still lack a complete understanding of how the virus that cause it is transmitted.

    Lockdowns are already easing in Europe, Australia, canada and the United States. People are now returning to a version of work and social life. Reusable, sterilized face masks, affordable hand sanitizers approved by NAFDAC are in use as protection against the disease. According to Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization (WHO), Covid-19 is primarily spread by droplets from someone who is coughing, sneezing or even talking within a few feet away. But other reports hint that it could be transmitted through particles suspended in the air.

    After attending a choir practice in Washington State, USA, in early March, dozens of people were diagnosed with developed symptoms of Covid-19 even though they had not shaken hands or stood close to one another; two of them died. After dining at an air-conditioned restaurant in China in late January, three families at neighboring tables became sickened with the virus through droplets blown through the air. To address the airborne spread of the dreaded disease, it is first necessary to understand what scientists mean by "airborne." The term refers to the transmission of tiny respiratory droplets that can remain suspended in the air (known as droplet nuclei)- as opposed to larger droplets that fall to the ground within a few feet. In reality, the difference between droplets and aerosols is not clear.

    Airborne spread has been hypothesized for other deadly coronaviruses, including the one that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). A handful of studies suggest the new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, can exist as an aerosol in health care settings. But much remain unknown about whether aerosolized virus is infectious and what amount of virus one needs to be exposed to in order to become sick. Even if aerosol transmission does occur, it isn't clear yet how common it is, compared with other transmission routes, such as droplets or surfaces.

    The strongest evidence of airborne transmission of Covid-19 comes from a study published in late April in Nature. In it researchers measured the virus genetic material, or RNA, in aerosols sampled in February and March at two hospitals in Wuhan, China the city where the outbreak of Covid-19 began. The researchers found low levels of airborne viral RNA in the hospitals' isolation wards and in ventilated patient rooms. But they found higher levels of airborne viruses in patients' toilet areas. They also found high levels of viral RNA in places where medical workers remove protective gear, as well as in two crowding prone locations near the hospitals. The studies proved the existence of aerosol transmission as a non negligible route from infected carriers to someone nearby.

Reflections on the Covid19 pandemic

                  

  By Bayo Ogunmupe

    What is Coronavirus actually teaching us? I am a believer that there is a spiritual purpose behind everything that happens; whether that thing is good or bad. As I meditate upon this, I want to share with my readers what I feel Corona virus is really doing to us. Corona virus disease is reminding us that we are all equal, regardless of our culture, religion, occupation, status or how famous you are. This disease treats us all equally. Covid19 reminds us that we're all connected; that when something affects one person, it has an effect on another. It is reminding us that the false borders we have put up have no value as this virus does not need a passport to enter any country. By oppressing us for a short while, it is reminding us of those in this world whose whole life is spent in oppression.

    Coronavirus is reminding us of how precious our health is and how we've neglected it through gluttony, through eating nutrient deficient manufactured food and drinking water and liquor contaminated by chemicals. That if we don't look after our health, we will get sick. It is reminding us of the shortness of life and of what is most important for us to do, which is to help each other, especially those the sick and the old. C19 is reminding us of how materialistic our society has become and how, in times of crises, it is the essentials that we need: food, water, medicine as opposed to the luxuries that we unnecessarily give value to.

    It is reminding us of how important our family and home life is and how we have neglected this. It is forcing us back into our houses so we can rebuild them into our home and strengthen our family unit. It is reminding us that our true work isn't our job, it is not what we're created to do. That our true work is to look after each other; to protect each other and be of benefit to one another. C19 is reminding us to keep our egos in check. It is reminding us that no matter how great we think we are, a virus can bring our world to a standstill. It reminds us of the power of freewill in our hands to choose to cooperate and help each other to share, to give, to help and support each other or choose to be selfish, to hoard, to look after only our self. Indeed, it is difficulties that bring us our true colours.

    Covid19 pandemic is reminding us that we can be patient or panic. We can either understand that this type of situation has happened many times before in history and that this too will pass or we can panic and see it as the end of the world. Consequently causing ourselves more harm than good. It reminds us that this can either be the end or a new beginning. Thus, this a time of reflection and understanding; where we learn from our mistakes or the start of a new cycle from where we finally learn the lesson we are meant to learn. C19 reminds us that this earth is sick; that we need to look at the rate of deforestation just as urgently as we look at the speed at which toilet rolls are disappearing off the shelves.

    Covid19 is reminding us that after any difficulty, there is always ease. Life is cyclical and thus, this is just a phase in this great cycle. We need not panic because this too shall pass. Whereas, we see C19 as a great disaster, I see it as a great corrector. It is sent to remind us of the important lessons we've forgotten and it is up to us to learn from the lessons offered by  this pandemic. The lesson is that we're one indivisible humanity inhabiting planet earth. We rise or sink together.

Contemporary Issues in Telemedicine and Insurance in Nigeria

By Dr. Femi Obikunle

 The innovation through the use of Telemedicine has afforded new ways of medical consultation by healthcare practitioners.

This article focuses on important issues in Telemedicine consultation and how best insurance industry can work with other stakeholders involved in healthcare delivery through the understanding of salient issues to provide feasible solutions that would ensure an effective and efficient healthcare delivery system within Nigeria, and across international borders

No doubt, Telemedicine is changing the way medical practice delivers Healthcare and its exponential evolution all over the ecosphere is raising new questions about the application of traditional insurance plans to this new delivery system. 

Telemedicine as the latest frontier combines the traditional healthcare with the effectiveness of present telecommunications knowledge to deliver healthcare nationally and internationally.

In addition, Telemedicine which is sometimes referred to as telehealth services, involves the remote diagnosis and treatment of patients through telecommunication technology. Telemedicine seamlessly allows patients to access medical expertise quickly and efficiently without the need to travel.

 Telemedicine services can be easily used for a number of non-emergency situations such as diagnoses of common medical problems such as allergies, asthma, bronchitis, cold, or flu, ear infection, pinkeye, rashes, digestive problems, and many other issues.

Some of the potential benefits of telemedicine include increased access to health care (especially in underserved areas and among underserved populations), expanded utilization of specialty expertise, system coordination and integration, ready availability of patient records, and reduced opportunity costs of long - term care for patients.

Insurance, on the other hand, is not new to the Nigerian public, and institutions for practitioners and regulation of the insurance are long in existence and are still thriving.

The likely emergence of telemedicine as the new frontier of medical practice world wide calls for a pragmatic review of extant insurance law and regulatory guidelines as new insurance products and policies must drive the new game changer.

Nigeria and other developing countries which are yet to latch onto the telemedicine initiative have unique advantages of upgrading successful implementation strategies of telemedicine by some developed countries.

A typitical potential telemedicine patient by profile may already have been familiar with the following insurance policies:

1. Auto Insurance

2. Disability Income Insurance

3.Identity Insurance

4.Health Insurance

5. Home Owners Insurance

6. Life Insurance

7. Long-term Care Insurance

8..Renters Insurance

See https://havenlife.com/blog/types-of-insurance-you-need/ for a fuller narration about these insurance types. 

Of course, the above list is non exhaustive.

The following 

insurance for telemedicine service providers exist(with subtle change in name to reflect local realities and practices) in North America, Europe and Asia:

1. Equipment/Property Insurance

2. Loss of Profit Insurance

3. Fidelity Insurance

4. Malpractice Insurance

5. Professional Indemnity Insurance

It is beyond the scope of this article to dwell on the merits and or demerits of any of these insurance plans.

Suffice it to posit that

Nigeria would do well to review, and adopt those relevant for current practice and future development.

Though the second list above is dynamic, we shall focus on health insurance and long-term care insurance for the purpose of this article.

 The idea is to assist the patient and other stakeholders navigate the technicalities of telemedicine insurance. 

 The current HMO Guidelines applicable in Nigeria should be modified for telemedicine as follows:

1. Where certain procedures are covered by the service provider, a parity law must exist for the same procedure to be rendered under telemedicine practice at the same premium or slightly adjusted premium. 

2. Certain procedures can only be provided under telemedicine practice. How this will affect existing premium should be considered.

3.Under HMO, portability of service provider is allowed, the same must be applicable under telemedicine practice.

5. Issue of non rendition of capitation to a participating hospital or clinic and late payment of vetted bills submitted by them may curtail the effectiveness of telemedicine practice as some hospitals, clinics, research pharmacies and physicians may be foreign- based.

7. Participating insurance companies must be pre-selected based on rigorous criteria and the areas of coverage must be delineated to ensure that only qualitative insurers are key participants in Telemedicine practice.

Effective sanctioning of erring participants should be implemented without fear or favour.

8. Enforceable guidelines must be in place for Re-insurance of telemedicine insurance because of the international dimension of telemedicine practice. 

9. Copay Insurance plan may be feasible where after an employer premium payment, any hospitalization, medication and surgery bills are apportioned at agreed percentage between the patient and the insurance company. Another alternative is for the insurance company to foot the entire medical bill.

10. The issue of unaccessed treatment where annual premiums have been cumulatively paid should be carefully considered.

Should such premiums be carried over or a certain percentage refunded? 

We shall consider the impact of Malpractice Insurance on Telemedicine practice in the next article.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The Insurance Companies, Chartered Institute of Insurance of Nigeria (CIIN), Nigeria Insurance Association(NIA), National Insurance Brokers Commission (NIBC), National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment being critical stakeholders in all insurance matters should collaborate and synergize their competencies to birth a healthy insurance framework for the successful implementation of Telemedicine, if and whenever, the nation adopts the golden route to the future of medicine.

 Well coordinated efforts with the National and State Assemblies should be made to produce workable:

1. Blueprint for the Adoption of Telemedicine in Nigeria

2. Guidelines for the Practice of Telemedicine

3. The Nigerian Telemedicine Act/Law

4.Telemedicine Curriculum for Medical Education and Training

The author is professionally available for consultation on any of these important telemedicine documents

By Dr. Femi Obikunle, Certified Telehealth Clinical Presenter (CTCP) -USA, Doctor of Business Administration - Healthcare Management (Telemedicine), and USA.

He is currently the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Elvote Consulting Services (A Venture Capitalist Company that specializes in Telemedicine, Telehealth, Data Analytics Consulting, Medical Research, and Information Technology) in USA. He has presented papers to The Project Management Institute (PMI), and The American Telemedicine Association (ATA).

Is Telemedicine the Next Frontier of Medical Practice?

By Kayode Oshin FCA

Nearly all human endeavors have been impacted by technology.

 From Agriculture to Aviation, from Transportation to Communication, no sphere of human activity has been exempted from the positive effect of advances in technology.

To cite a few examples: Shale oil is a better, cheaper and effective alternative to crude oil.

 Manual driving will be eventually replaced by driverless electric cars.

 A solar powered supersonic jet that can travel from Tokyo to New York has been tested.

 Name the field, the impact of innovative technology is far reaching.

Robotic engineering and drone technology have influenced manufacturing processes and production cost and war strategy minimizing cost of airplanes and loss of human pilots respectively are realities of modern times.

Medical field, an important component of mankind existence, has benefited immensely from technological development.

 Laser technology has reduced the necessity of general surgeries as body part specific surgeries are being routinely done.

Bloodless surgery can be demanded without risk of death.

 Nobody would prefer that these trends be curtailed.

However, medical advancement at least in the developed world, is tilting toward telemedicine.

Proponents of this new initiative are of the opinion that that is the new highway which medical field must follow.

It has been brilliant argued, that the benefits of this invention outweigh any drawbacks if any.

 These advocates of telemedicine posit that it is cheaper and accessible to all and sundry.

Rurality of patients or complexity of operation are no brainers as far as telemedicine is concerned.

 They say it is the most suitable for epidemics and pandemics especially as the world is witnessing now.

These plusses of telemedicine are simply indisputable.

However, strong and deliberate care must be observed because life and death are involved.

The privacy of medical records and confidentiality of doctor patient relationship guaranteed under the orthodox medical practice may be in jeopardy under telemedicine.

Will telemedicine be priced out of the rich of the common man and how the rural patients will access telemedicine in the absence of power and data and internet access must be critically addressed.

Will telemedicine reduce the employment of doctors while up skilling the teledoctors?

Will telemedicine obviate the need for traditional medical practice or complement it?

Telemedicine must address these phobia in order to ensure a sound footing in the medical practice landscape.

Teething problems will surely arise but telemedicine must be given the benefit of doubt.

Who knows, medical history and practice, may never be the same again if telemedicine is nurtured and supported to thrive.

An idea not tested may not be rightly discarded.

Let's give telemedicine a trial.

Kayode Oshin FCA is a Partner of KCBC Partners currently based in FCT, Abuja, Nigeris

The Work Habits of Great People

  

                    By Bayo Ogunmupe

    Psychology researchers have long discovered that only habits actually get results in the march for successful achievement. So it is worthwhile knowing the daily habits of successful people. We know that people with stable routines are more efficient, happier, healthier and less prone to stress. I have always wondered what great people do daily that enable them attain greatness. I want to know the tiny details that help them achieve their goals and life purpose. Do they read or work a certain number of hours daily? How much impact does their leisure have on their work? What do they think about in solitude and why do some devote a lot of time to their work, while others spend very little but still achieve greatness?

    Mason Curry's book, Daily Rituals: How Great Minds Make Time, Find Inspiration And Get To Work has answered much of my questions. It shows the path to greatness is paved with habits, routines and rituals. The one true lesson of the book is that there's no one way to get things done. However, the following patterns emerge. Great minds stick to a predictable and stable routine. Extraordinary people start their day on purpose. Accordingly, the great Greek philosopher, Aristotle said, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." Routine provides a sense of structure and stability. You wake up with a sense of ownership, order, and an organized life.

    Routines are the secret weapon great minds have been using to attain greatness for centuries. Many thinkers do what they do with iron regularity. It is how they function in their best without thinking about daily structures for high performance. habits and routines free our brains from taking small decisions, so we can easily do our best work. Poet William Auden recommended a routine approach to get more work done: "Decide what you want or ought to do with the day, then always do it at exactly the same moment everyday, and passion will give you no trouble." Many highly productive philosophers and creative minds depend on predictable daily routines safe havens for work.

    The great German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, one of the greatest and most influential thinkers of the modern age, was an early riser who spent much of his time alone at the peak of his career; he was mostly alone by choice. In his book, Friedrich Nietzsche: A Biography, Curtis Cate wrote: "With a Spartan rigour which never ceased to amaze his landlord-grocer, Nietzsche would get up every morning when the faintly dawning sky was still grey, and....work uninterruptedly until eleven in the morning." "He then went for a brisk, two-hour walk through the nearby forest or along the edge of Lake Silvaplana to the north-east or of Lake Sils to the south-west, stopping every now and then to jot down his latest thoughts in the notebook he always carried with him."

    And Nietzsche wrote a lot. He used the same routine to focus on writing, reading and understanding ideas. His schedule was disciplined, consistent but with a lot of wandering and thinking. He once said: "All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking." And one other German philosopher, Immanuel Kant, a most influential philosopher in the history of Western philosophy was also a man of stable routine. His schedule was tight, according to Manfred Kuehn, the author of Kant: A Biography. He got up at 5:A.M; would drink two cups of tea, smoke a pipe of tobacco and devote an hour to meditation. Kant's lectures began at 7:00; they would last until 11:00. Thereafter, he would go out to lunch and spending the rest of the afternoon discussing with his friend Green.

    Life without a daily routine is much more draining mentally, physically and emotionally than you can ever imagine. Charles Dickens famously took three hour walks every afternoon, and what he observed informed his writing. Ludwig van Beethoven also took long walks after lunch, carrying a pencil and paper with him in case inspiration struck. The American Nobel prize winning novelist, Ernest Hemingway tracked his daily word output on a chart "so as not to kid myself" he said. The renowned scientist, Marie Curie was literally described as a mad scientist or a maniacal worker because of how insanely interested she was by what she was doing.

    Not only do routines and rituals allow you to do more, but, as with all daily structures, they simply give your life more rhythm, order and even pleasure. Nikola Tesla, the master of breakthroughs in the transmission and application of electric power maintained a rigid schedule. he used to walk about ten miles a day, thinking through ideas for new inventions. As an apprentice in Thomas Edison's office, Tesla regularly worked from 10:30 in the morning until 5:00 the following morning. History is aware that great minds knew the relevance of stepping away from work every now and then to think, make better connections and ponder over existing problems. The Spanish painter and sculptor in France, Pablo Picasso once said:"Our goals can only be reached through a vehicle of a plan, in which we must fervently believe, and upon which we must vigorously act. There is no other route to success."

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Covid19: Chance To Reset World Economy

By Bayo Ogunmupe     We can emerge from the Covid19 crisis a better world, if we act quickly and jointly, writes the Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, Professor Klaus Schwab. It's time for capitalism's great reset. The changes we have already seen in response to the Coronavirus pandemic prove that a reset of our economic and social foundations is possible. This is our best chance to instigate stakeholder capitalism and here is how it can be achieved. Covid19 lockdowns may be gradually easing, but anxiety about the world's social and economic prospects is only intensifying. There is good reason to worry: a sharp economic downturn has already begun and we could be facing the worst depression since 1930. But while this outcome is likely, it is not unavoidable.     To achieve a better outcome, the world must act jointly and swiftly to revamp all aspects of our societies and economies; from education to social contracts and working conditions. Every country from the United States to China, must participate and every industry, from oil and gas to the technologies, must be transformed. In short, there must be a great reset of capitalism. There are many reasons to pursue a Great Reset, but the most urgent is Covid19. Having already led to thousands of deaths, the pandemic represents one of the worst public health crises in recent history. And with casualties still mounting all over the world, it is far from over.     This will have serious long term consequences for economic growth, public debt, debt repayment,employment and human wellbeing. According to the London Financial Times, global government debt has already reached its highest level in peacetime. Moreover, unemployment is skyrocketing in many countries, particularly in Nigeria. In the United states for example, one in four workers have filed for unemployment since March, with new weekly claims far above historic highs. The International Monetary Fund expects the World Economy to shrink by 3 percent this year- a downgrade of 6.3 percentage points in just four months. All this will exacerbate the climate and social crises that were already underway.     Some countries have already used Covid19 crisis as an excuse to weaken environmental protections and enforcement. And frustrations over social ills like rising inequality- U.S billionaires' combined wealth has increased during the crisis- are intensifying. Left unaddressed, these crises, together with Coronavirus disease, will deepen and leave the world even less sustainable, less equal, and more fragile. Incremental measures and ad hoc fixes will not suffice to prevent stagnation. In entirety, we must build new foundations for our economic and social systems. The level of cooperation and ambition this implies is unprecedented. But this isn't some impossible dream. In fact, one silver lining of the pandemic is that it has shown how quickly we can make radical changes to our lifestyles.     However, upon the decay and widespread suffering in Nigeria came the report that 39.4 million people may lose jobs. According to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo while delivering the report of his Committee on Economic Sustainability Plan, millions of Nigerians might fall into extreme poverty before Covid19 ends, as our Gross Domestic Product slides from minus 4.40 percent to minus 8.91 percent. Accordingly, the panel said the severity of the situation will depend on the strength of Nigeria's response to the economic downturn. The committee recommended a strategy hinged on President Mohammed Buhari's mantra, produce what we eat and consume what we produce. Further, the panel recommended the creation of new jobs, focusing on local production of our goods and services and the use of local materials.     Sadly, Covid19 pandemic forced businesses and individuals to abandon practices long claimed to be essential, from frequent air travel to working in an office. Likewise, people have shown a willingness to make sacrifices for the sake of health care. In Europe, companies have stepped up to help their workers, customers and local communities, in a shift towards a kind of stakeholder capitalism to which they had previously paid lip service. Clearly, the will to build a better society does exist. We must use it to secure the Great Reset: a reset of capitalism for a more sustainable and resilient world.  Each country must recognize there are essential services that must be provided in terms of healthcare, education, good governance and social safety that cannot be compromised through immunity for marauding herdsmen.     The great reset agenda would have three main components. The first will steer the market towards fairer outcomes. To this end government should improve the coordination of tax, regulatory and fiscal policy. It would upgrade trade arrangements and create the conditions for a stakeholder economy. The second component of the reset agenda would ensure that investments advance shared goals, such as equality and sustainability. Thus, large scale spending programmes governments are implementing represent major opportunities for progress. The final priority of a great reset agenda is to harness the innovations of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to support the public good especially by addressing social challenges. Rather than using funds, loans and investments from various entities and pension funds, to fill cracks in the old system, we should use them to create new ones that are more resilient, equitable and sustainable in the long run.