Author: Helen Okechukwu

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has challenged the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) to significantly increase its financial commitment towards the welfare of families of fallen and retired members of the Armed Forces, urging its leadership to triple earlier pledges made in support of the Nigerian Legion. The governor made the call on Tuesday during the Emblem Appeal Launch marking the 2026 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration, held at the Government House in Port Harcourt. He stressed that contributions to the annual appeal should reflect genuine appreciation for the sacrifices of military personnel who gave their lives in…

Young people leaving care in England will now be entitled to free prescriptions, dental treatment and eye care until their 25th birthday under new government measures aimed at tackling health inequalities. The Department of health and social care (DHSC) said the support package also includes a pilot scheme offering paid NHS internships for care leavers and a guaranteed interview programme fo NHS jobs. A separate three-year pilot will focus on improving access to mental health services for children in care. Government figures estimate there were more than 97,000 care leavers aged between 17 and 25 in 2025, although officials believe…

By Helen Okechukwu and Fatimah Idera As preparations for the 2025 Christmas and end-of-year festive celebrations draw closer, Nigerians, including buyers and sellers across regions, remain optimistic about a reduction in food prices across markets despite the increasing rate of insecurity and other human challenges. Data retrieved from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicated that as of November 2025, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to 130.5, surpassing the previous month’s figure of 128.9 by a margin of 1.6 points. With this increase, monthly inflation climbed to its highest level in four months, largely driven by food-price inflation linked…

Nigeria has secured a place in global health decision-making following the appointment of the Director-General of the Nigerian Natural Medicines Development Agency (NNMDA), Prof. Martins Emeje, to the World Health Organisation’s Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (STAG-TM). Emeje was selected alongside 19 experts drawn from different regions of the world and was further named a Co-Chair of the group at the WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine held recently in New Delhi, India. His co-chair, Prof. Susan Wieland, is the Director of Cochrane Complementary Medicine in the United States. The advisory group was constituted…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has entered into a partnership with Taraba State University, Jalingo, to strengthen efforts at curbing drug abuse and illicit substance use among students and youths within and beyond the campus community. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa, disclosed this when he received the Vice Chancellor of Taraba State University, Prof. Sunday Bako, who led members of the university’s management on a courtesy visit to the agency’s headquarters over the weekend. Marwa said the collaboration aligns with the newly launched national drug test policy for schools, which mandates…

With millions of Nigerians expected to travel across the country for the Christmas and New Year celebrations, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has mobilised its full operational force to guarantee safer roads and reduced crashes during the festive period. The nationwide mobilisation follows a directive by the Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, who ordered the total deployment of personnel, patrol teams and operational assets under the Operation Zero Tolerance Exercise, a special end-of-year safety initiative aimed at curbing reckless driving and traffic congestion. The operation, which commenced on 15 December 2025 and will run until 15 January 2026, is designed…

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has attributed a fatal road crash that claimed 12 lives to over-speeding along the Ejule–Enugu highway in Kogi State, describing the incident as “very unfortunate.” The FRSC Sector Commander in Kogi, Mr Tenimu Etuku, disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Lokoja on Saturday, confirming that two other persons sustained injuries in the accident, which occurred late on Friday night. Etuku said the crash happened at about 11:30 p.m. in the Iboko community of Idah Local Government Area and involved an 18-seater Toyota Hiace bus belonging to Romchi Mass Transit, which was travelling from…

No fewer than 127,550 children aged between zero and 59 months are being targeted for vaccination as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Bauchi State Government, commenced a seven-day mass immunisation exercise in Toro Local Government Area of the state. The exercise, which was flagged off in Tilde Ward, is aimed at tackling polio-related diseases, reducing child mortality and preventing other vaccine-preventable illnesses, according to the Local Immunisation Officer (LIO), Toro LGA, Musa Danladi. Danladi said the choice of Tilde Ward for the flag-off was due to its history of vaccine non-compliance, noting that the exercise…

In an historical miles stone, Rivers State has emerged as the South-South Zonal Leader in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Primary Healthcare (PHC) Leadership Awards, marking the third consecutive year the state has topped the zone for outstanding performance in primary healthcare delivery. The recognition was announced at a ceremony held at the Bola Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja according to the post shared on Saturday. It indicated that the event was organised by the NGF in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), with support from the…

Rates of pancreatic cancer among women under the age of 25 have risen by as much as 200% since  1990s, a worrying trend that has intensified concerns among oncologists as scientists uncover possible links between oral health and the deadly disease. New research from the NYU School of Medicine suggests that bacteria and fungi living in the mouth may play a significant role in increasing the risk of pancreatic cancer, lending fresh urgency to efforts aimed at early detection and prevention. Scientists believe harmful microbes originating in the mouth can travel through saliva and reach the pancreas, potentially triggering cancerous…