The Guardian, 14 July 2016 Nigeria on the brink of famine: 'Children are dying from starvation'
Northern Nigeria is just a step away from famine on a scale not seen for decades, according to the UN. Hundreds are already dying every day from hunger in a food crisis caused by seven years of brutal Boko Haram insurgency, and hundreds of thousands of lives now hang in the balance. Phoebe Greenwood reports from Maiduguri in Borno state and finds a humanitarian catastrophe that some in Nigeria don’t want the world to see.
WHO Africa, 13 July 2016 President Buhari and WHO Regional Director agree on the need to increase domestic funding for health
His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari has agreed with Dr Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director (RD) for Africa, on the need for increasing domestic funding for health in Nigeria. The President told Dr Moeti, who was accompanied by Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and WHO Country Representative, Dr Rui Gama Vaz; that his administration will continue to prioritize the health sector for government funding. A health intervention programme initiative aimed at kick starting accelerated attainment of health improvement for the citizenry will soon be launched. “Under the Federal Government’s health intervention programme, the Federal Ministry of Health will provide free surgery to 10,000 poor and needy Nigerians who are registered with the National Health Insurance Scheme”, President Buhari stated.
Punch, 12 July 2016 National hospital sealed off over N7.7m debt
The National Hospital, Abuja was on Tuesday sealed off by the Abuja Environmental Protection Board over N7.7m debt for waste disposal. The hospital was sealed off following an order by a Federal Capital Territory Chief Magistrate for failing to pay for waste disposal services rendered. This was disclosed by the Chairman of Ministerial Task Team on the recovery of N9bn owed the AEPB, Shehu Lawan, according to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Muhammad Sule. The statement said the court had earlier issued summons three times, which were served on the Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital to appear before it, but he allegedly failed to do so. It added that the Chief Magistrate Court II presided over by Mrs. Chinyere Nwecheonwu on June 22, 2016 ordered the sealing of the National Hospital and subsequently, adjourned the case to July 13, 2016 for hearing.
Today. Ng, 14 July 2016 Reps move to probe Abuja National Hospital
The House of Representatives on Wednesday said it would conduct an investigative hearing into the activities of the management of National Hospital, Abuja, with a view to coming up with legislative intervention aimed at restructuring and repositioning the tertiary health institution for better and efficient service delivery. The resolution of the House followed a motion under matters of urgent public importance moved by Hon. Sani Abdul (APC, Bauchi), drawing attention of the House to what he called “the disappointing and sorry state of affairs prevalent at the National Hospital.” Moving the motion that was unanimously adopted by members via a voice vote, Hon. Abdu explained that since the National Hospital was upgraded to a Tertiary Referral Hospital and Centre of Excellence in 1999, service delivery began well but down the line got deteriorated and degraded.
Punch, 13 July 2016 FG to increase health budget in 2017
The Federal Government on Tuesday said it would increase the budgetary allocation to the health sector in the 2017 fiscal year to address some of the challenges facing it. The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma, disclosed this when the Regional Director of the World Health Organisation, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, visited him in his office. In a statement from the ministry, Udoma said the increased allocation by the government would help to improve the performance of the sector. In the 2016 budget, the sector got the fourth highest allocation with a total sum of N221.7bn. The statement quoted the minister to have said, “This administration is committed to providing adequate fund for the health sector. “We hope to upscale the budget for health next year compared to what is obtained in this year’s budget. Also we are designing effective policies to improve the sector.”
The Guardian, 11 July 2016 Government okays single term for heads of tertiary health institutions
The Federal Government has pegged a one-term tenure for Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) and Medical Directors (MDs) of tertiary health institutions to check the desperation and animosity the renewal of stewardship breeds. The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire who dropped the hint while reacting to the perennial leadership crisis at the Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Uselu, Edo State, also warned against fraudulent practices by heads of the concerned organisations. “Some CMDs/MDs, including the MD of Federal Neuro psychiatric Hospital, Uselu, were authorised to hold brief for a limited time while the Federal Ministry of Health is developing a new tenure policy for all its institutions’ heads. Anyone with evidence of crime is encouraged to present it. This government tolerates no fraud,” he said.
Today.Ng, 11 July 2016 Doctors give 3 weeks ultimatum to 13 states over unpaid salaries
The doctors under the aegis of National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners, (NAGGMDP), have issued a 21 day ultimatum to the government of 13 states of the federation after which they will be forced to begin a strike action. Speaking through its National President, Dr Nurud-Din Akindele, at a news conference held in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, the doctors said the affected states owing between two and eight months salaries include; Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Enugu, Kogi, Ondo, Nasarawa, Osun , Oyo and Plateau states. The association also threw its weight behind the action of Soccio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) which has dragged governors owing their workforce before the International Court of Justice, ICC, at the Hague.
Vanguard, 12 July 2016 HIV: NIMR investigates failure of first line ARV drugs
Irked by the plight of Nigerians living with HIV/AIDS, the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, Yaba, Lagos, has commenced research into the failure of first line Antiretroviral, ARV, drugs in the country. The Institute has also updated its Human Virology Laboratory to carry out molecular studies and screening for the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). Director-General, NIMR, Prof. Innocent Ujah, who disclosed this in Lagos, said the Institute has raised the bar in HIV treatment by recording a 0.78 percent prevalence in Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV, PMTCT, at its treatment site. Speaking ahead of a special annivesary event to mark his 6th year in office, taking place today, themed: ”Post MDGs: Maternal and Child Health in Nigeria”, Ujah said NIMR researchers have found that the first line ARV drugs were failing, hence the need to know why.
NTA News, 13 July 2016 FG moves to review Nigeria’s HIV/AIDs data
Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has said that Federal Government of Nigeria would partner with AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN), to set up Technical Working Group to review the current HIV/AIDS data in the country. The Minister, who made this known while speaking at the Site Leadership Meeting of AIDS Prevention Initiative (APIN) in Abuja recently, said that “we want to review the HIV data, we want to know what is the current HIV status.” The Minister said, while constituting the Technical working group, some members would come from APIN. He also said that the ministry would expand the scope of HIV services.It would be decentralize to the grass root level, especially to the Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs). “We want a situation where PHCs can test and treat HIV/AIDS”, he said.
Nigeria Health Watch, 12 July 2016 Back to Durban, for the International Conference on AIDS
I have profound memories of the 13th International AIDS Conference that was held in Durban, South Africa, in July 2000. I was privileged to be part of 12,000 people from all over the world who attended, including scientists, clinicians, healthcare workers, public health agencies, people living with HIV/AIDS, and at least 100 from Nigeria. For me, it was a turning point, as I realised that HIV/AIDS would be the most significant disease in my professional life and one I wanted to contribute to. I arrived Durban on a chilly July afternoon on the first day of the conference. At the opening event that evening, a tiny figure in a shiny dark suit walked up to address those gathered. At that time just an 11-year-old boy, Nkosi Johnson brought most of the delegates to tears as he told his story.
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