ThisDay Live, 10 March 2016 National Council on Health Meeting commences in Sokoto
Stakeholders in the Health Sector have converged in the ancient city of Sokoto for the 58th National Council on Health (NCH). The Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Amina Shamaki said that the purpose of NCH meeting was to discuss issues on health policy making nationwide. According to her, “the theme of the conference is Universal Health Coverage, an agenda for change. We are going to discuss on how to ensure availability of healthcare services at the Primary level, where majority of Nigerians resides”. .
Premium Times, March 09 2016 Buhari wins Polio Eradication Champion Award
In acknowledgment of his government’s efforts to keep Nigeria polio-free, Rotary Wednesday presented President Muhammadu Buhari with its Polio Eradication Champion Award. Last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) removed Nigeria from its list of polio-endemic countries after the country went one year without reporting a case of the disease. The last reported case of polio in Nigeria was July 24, 2014, in Kano state. Nigeria was the last country on the African continent to report active transmission of the wild poliovirus.
Naij.com, 10 March 2016 Why Nigeria was ranked low by WHO for immunization
It’s disheartening to know that Nigeria wasn’t listed among the top 10 best performing countries in Africa by WHO at the ministerial conference on immunization held in Addis Ababa earlier this month. What made the situation more pathetic was the fact that Nigeria, often regarded as the Giant of Africa had an unimpressive record in the routine immunization conference. Not only is this highly ridiculing, it is also unnerving to know that the country still falls amongst some nations still being preyed upon by the endemic neonatal tetanus. Nigeria’s failure to introduce the MCV2 vaccine into her routine for immunization was absurd as measles causes 42% of global deaths according to the reports.
The Guardian, 10 March 2016 Nigeria ranks third best in global dental health rating
World Dental Federation (FDI) has ranked Nigeria third in global dental health index. President of Nigerian Dental Association (NDA), Dr. Olabode Ijarogbe, disclosed this at the 2016 World Oral Health Day (WOHD) commemoration. Ijarogbe said that the feat was made possible with supports from Unilever, dental therapists, dental technologists and other dental auxiliaries. The WOHD which is celebrated in March 20 has its theme: “It all begins here, healthy mouth, healthy body”. This year’s theme, according to the president, reflects the major contributions that oral health makes to our lives and focuses on Nigerians with the view to changing our attitudes with respect to oral health.
The Nation, 09 March 2016 LUTH opens breast cancer clinic
LAGOS University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) yesterday opened a breast cancer clinic to mark the International Women’s Day (IWD). The clinic, will be run in collaboration with a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Run for a Cure Africa (RFCA). The clinic, which will begin work next Wednesday, was funded by Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU). RFCA founder Mrs Ebele Mbanugo said the clinic is the first step towards solving the problem of breast cancer, adding that it would relieve patients of the stress they go through in their treatment.
Graphic Online, 08 March 2016 Marie Stopes rolls out mPedigree technology in Nigeria
Marie Stopes has announced that it is introducing new digital capabilities into its customer and beneficiaries’ interactions in Nigeria, Africa’s largest country. A number of critical Marie Stopes’ contraceptives and other family planning supplies shall be individually marked with tracking and traceability technology to enable customers and beneficiaries to electronically log and register them after receipt or purchase using text messaging or smartphone apps. By logging and registering these reproductive health products and supplies, millions of customers and beneficiaries will be able to instantly confirm the authenticity,originality, and other critical information about these vital items, reducing many risks such as counterfeiting, package tampering, illegal repacking, and mislabelling.
Daily Trust, 09 March 2016 Medical Association says collapse of Public Hospitals imminent
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has warned of "impending disaster and collapse" of public hospitals and the health sector over absurdities it said were created and enforced by misplaced court ruling and legislations meant to support egos and vested interests. In a statement Wednesday, the National officers committee of NMA spoke of collusion or acquiescence motivated by the "misguided belief that decimating the medical profession and 'equalizing' medical practitioners with other health workers and professionals, will lead to the fulfillment of their ambitions to also lead the health team."
Vanguard, 11 March 2016 3 dead, 10 infected in fresh Bauchi Lassa Fever outbreak
No fewer than three persons have died from a fresh outbreak of Lassa Fever, while 10 members of a family are currently infected with the virus in Bauchi State. The Executive Chairman Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Ibrahim Gamawa, who said this yesterday in Bauchi, added that the 10 new cases were recorded in a single family at Jaye village in Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area of the state. He said the outbreak started after a 78-year-old man died of the disease without seeking professional medical treatment.
Vanguard, 08 March 2016 Okerenkoko Cottage Hospital funded by Tompolo shuts
The Delta State Government- owned Okerenkoko Cottage Hospital, Okerenkoko, Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state, renovated and furnished with state-of-the-art facilities by former militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, after the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, abandoned it in 2009, has again been closed down. Sources said that the hospital was locked up due to lack of funding following the current travails of Tompolo, who provided free health services to people of the area in the hospital.
Nigeria Health Watch, 08 March 2016 Malaria in Pregnancy; can be deadly… can be prevented
Over the years we have written vigorously on the things that do not work in the Nigerian health sector. This week we are starting a new series of highlighting projects and programmes that do work, showing that despite the chaos, there are pockets of excellence in sometimes unusual places. In the first story in this series, a team from Nigeria Health Watch travelled to Sokoto to find out more about a program that we gather is preventing illness and death during the most joyful period in a woman’s life: during pregnancy.
EpiAFRIC is a health sector focused consulting group working to improve
population health through expert research and data analytics, project
design and evaluation, health communication, advocacy and training. Our
non-profit arm is Nigeria Health Watch.
