Counting the Cost: The Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown on Households in South East Nigeria

Ogunji, Johnny O.; Iheanacho, Stanley; Ogunji, Chinwe Victoria; Olaolu, Michael Olatunji; Oleforuh-Okoleh, V. U.; Amaechi, Nuria; David, Esther; Ndukauba, Onyekachi; Ikegwu, Theophilus M.; Biamba, Cresantus; Chinonyerem, Delight

doi:10.3390/su132212417

Cited by 5 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…It is tagged a global phenomenal threat, ranging from ill-health, food insecurity, economic shocks and setbacks, economic stagnation, human depression, poor social interaction, stagnant agricultural production, limited housing, limited education service delivery, and border closures (Devereux et al, 2020;Laborde et al, 2020;Vanapalli et al, 2020;Waltenburg et al, 2020). Consequently, Southeast Nigeria had its share of the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic (Ogunji et al, 2021;Uche et al, 2021). This is because the region was neither prepared nor armed to absorb the initial shock orchestrated by the Pandemic (Mbachu et al, 2020;Uche et al, 2021).…”

Section: Background and Rationalementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This is because the region was neither prepared nor armed to absorb the initial shock orchestrated by the Pandemic (Mbachu et al, 2020;Uche et al, 2021). Southeast Nigeria was thrown into learning by doing ad-hoc measures to contain the virus spread, and as a result of the Nigerian government's enforcement of several COVID-19 measures such as lockdown, stay at home, social distancing, quarantine, banning large-private and public gathering, and crowded transportations (Ekoh et al, 2021;Ogunji et al, 2021;Uche et al, 2021). Despite these measures, the COVID-19 Pandemic kept raging as confirmed cases in Southeast Nigeria continue to rise arbitrarily.…”

Section: Background and Rationalementioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is said to exist when every households have sufficient access to food to meet their dietary needs for a productive and healthy life (Headey and Martin, 2016;FAO, 2018;Oleribe et al, 2020;United Nations, 2020a;Worstell, 2020) but such was not the case in Southeast Nigeria as the COVID-19 Pandemic introduced intense food scarcity, excruciating hunger, pain, and food deficit. With rising population growth in Southeast Nigeria, food crop production is yet to keep pace with meeting domestic food demands (FAO, 2020a;United Nations, 2020b;Ogunji et al, 2021). This had equally aggravated food security and ushered in food insecurity in the Southeast region.…”

Section: Background and Rationalementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The lockdown experienced in the Southeast region coupled with other Covid-19 logistics adversely impacted on the provision of the needed food categories by different households. According to Ogunji et al (2021), lockdowns arising from COVID-19 triggered a massive food recession and major disruptions in food value chains across the Southeast region in Nigeria. Furthermore, the Z-test statistics carried out indicated higher significance levels showing that the food consumption of the household before the COVID-19 Pandemic significantly differs from that consumed during the Pandemic; that is, the households were much better off with respect to food consumption before the Pandemic than during the Pandemic.…”

Section: Interpretationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The table reveals that the prices of food materials before the Pandemic was obviously lower relative to the high and exorbitant prices obtained during the Pandemic; for instance, the price of cereals/grains soared higher during the Pandemic as compared with the price before the Pandemic. The exorbitant price could be because of the demands on cereals/grains since they are majorly staple food consumed regularly by over 80% of the populace in Southeast Nigeria (Mbachu et al, 2020;Ogunji et al, 2021). These food materials are energy giving foods required by every household.…”

Section: Interpretationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Perceived Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Security in Southeast Nigeria

Munonye¹,

Osuji²,

Olaolu³

et al. 2022

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

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The present study evaluated the perceived effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on food security in Southeast Nigeria. A multi-stage random technique was used to select 209 households. Data for the study were collected with the aid of a structured questionnaire and were analyzed using descriptive statistics, z-test, food security model, and Tobit regression model. Results showed that the mean household size was 9.6 persons, which indicates a large household size. The percentage rate of food consumption of the households before the Pandemic was higher relative to the COVID-19 event. Again, exorbitant prices of food materials were noticed during the COVID-19 as compared to the period before the Pandemic. About 10.5% of the households met the minimum food requirements as proposed by World Health Organization (WHO), and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as against the majority of 76.1%. The three dimensions of food security which include availability, accessibility, and utilization were interposed by a number of factors, such as artificial scarcity, and an increase in food prices. Furthermore, social distancing and lockdown imposition were COVID-19 determinants of the food security status of households in the Southeast Nigeria. About 24% of the households were food-secured compared to 76% that were insecured during the Pandemic. Robust and effective food and agricultural policy formulations and implementations were recommended in Southeast Nigeria.

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Section: Background and Rationalementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Background and Rationalementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Background and Rationalementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Interpretationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Interpretationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Perceived Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Security in Southeast Nigeria

Munonye¹,

Osuji²,

Olaolu³

et al. 2022

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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COVID‐19 pandemic, farming households' food and nutrition security, and response strategies in Ghana, West Africa

Suh,

Nyiawung,

Molua

et al. 2023

World Food Policy

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We explored the association between COVID‐19 disruptions and food and nutrition security, including the various coping strategies adopted by farming households in Ghana. The different COVID‐19 shocks experienced and coping strategies implemented by farming households are identified through focus group discussions. A multistage random sampling method was used to survey 252 farming households, and data were analyzed using different regression techniques. We observe no significant differences in the food and nutrition security status of male‐ and female‐headed households, while the COVID‐19 disruptions affected male‐headed households more than female‐headed households. Our data shows a higher vulnerability of urban households to food and nutrition insecurity than rural households, with the COVID‐19 disruptions affecting urban households more than rural households. We find that the COVID‐19 disruptions pushed households to reduce their frequency of food consumption, consume less diverse diets, and hinder their adoption of coping strategies. Hence, responses that aim to strengthen farming households' frequency of consumption of essential food groups and access to nutritional and healthy diets are crucial to either help maintain or improve farming households' food and nutrition security during shocks such as COVID‐19 in Ghana.

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COVID-19 research and science infrastructure in South Africa

Manderson,

Levine

2023

S. Afr. J. Sci.

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Biomedical laboratory and field scientists, as well as social scientists, in South Africa and elsewhere on the continent, responded to the challenges of COVID-19 with speed. African-wide experience with infectious disease, and the networks and infrastructure to conduct new research and implement field trials, were part of the global effort to contain the pandemic. But in order to contribute, scientists necessarily set aside ongoing research, including on some of the most persistent infections -HIV, TB, malaria. This situation highlights the precarity of science research programmes and the challenges of sustaining research capacity when agendas, funds and acknowledgements reinforce global inequalities.It has been more than 3 years since the first cases of COVID-19 in South Africa, and over a third of the population has been fully vaccinated and transmission has slowed. It continues to do so, offering us time to draw breath and to reflect on how, as a country, we have navigated the pandemic and stalled the worst economic impacts at household level for many South Africans. Since then, there has been growing awareness of the costs of preventive interventions to contain the pandemic for those most vulnerable to infections, and the economic repercussions of these interventions. [1][2][3][4] At the same time, we now have the opportunity to reflect on how, by utilising existing strengths in science infrastructure, resources, networks and skills, South Africans played a major role in curbing the spread of infection. In this Commentary, we discuss policies and early public health interventions across Africa in response to the pandemic, then turn to the role of scientists in developing biomedical interventions. In doing so, we draw attention to the importance of science capacity, and the distribution of power in research as well as policy.The epidemiological picture of the pandemic, here and elsewhere on the continent, remains somewhat unclear, the consequence of varied capacity within and between countries to case find, maintain records, and report administrative data. The limits of information on cases reflect people's reluctance to present for diagnosis among populations with poor access to medical care, due to distance from services and lack of right to receive care, the latter particularly for people without IDs or marginalised from society for structural reasons. Counter directives to shelter in place and avoid social interactions, such as queuing, that might increase transmission of COVID-19, also discouraged people from presenting to clinics. In addition, the relative youth and low density of populations in some countries and local areas likely reduced infection rates, severe morbidity and mortality.

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Counting the Cost: The Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown on Households in South East Nigeria

Cited by 5 publications

References 23 publications

Perceived Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Security in Southeast Nigeria

Perceived Effects of COVID-19 Pandemic on Food Security in Southeast Nigeria

COVID‐19 pandemic, farming households' food and nutrition security, and response strategies in Ghana, West Africa

COVID-19 research and science infrastructure in South Africa

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