Author: Helen Okechukwu

Scientists in Sweden have created a new digital tool designed to improve the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, offering primary care doctors a more precise alternative to traditional pen-and-paper memory tests. Cleveland Clinic defined alzheimer’s disease as a brain condition that slowly damages your memory, thinking, learning and organizing skills. The programme, developed at Lund University, measures how quickly patients can recall words, process information and respond to questions on a screen. Unlike existing tests that mainly focus on recall exercises such as drawing a clock or naming objects, the digital version times responses and evaluates accuracy, giving doctors a…

The Rivers State Police Command has arrested a 48-year-old man, Emmanuel George, for allegedly defiling a 12-year-old girl in Port Harcourt. According to the Command spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko in document shared to journalists on Monday, revealed that the incident occurred on 6 September at Mini Orlu, off Ada-George Road, where the victim had gone to purchase fried potatoes on the instruction of her aunt. The suspect, said to be a native of Akwa Ibom State but residing on Rumu-Evolu Road, reportedly dragged the girl into a parked tricycle, tied her hands with a rope, gagged her, and forcefully assaulted her…

UK Health secretary Wes Streeting has unveiled the 14 NHS trusts that will face a major national review into maternity and neonatal services, following persistent claims of long-standing failings in care.

NDLEA have apprehended an Indian national, Gupta Kumar, alongside three Nigerian collaborators, over trafficking multi-billion drugs into Nigeria.

For years, federal hospitals in Nigeria have struggled with drug shortages, fluctuating stock levels and rising costs that make essential medicines difficult for many patients to access. To address these gaps, the Federal Government (FG) has introduced a digital consignment model expected to improve both availability and affordability nationwide. Announcing the measure at a stakeholder meeting in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Daju Kachollom, explained that the project is part of the national strategy for drug supply chain management. She said the system will help hospitals maintain reliable stock while easing the financial burden…

The Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP) has announced plans to strike out enrollees who failed to register with their National Identification Numbers (NIN), describing such beneficiaries as “ghosts” under the system. Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of RIVCHPP, Dr. Vetty Agala, revealed this during a management briefing in Port Harcourt recently. She explained that although the NIN requirement had always been part of the registration process, the agency had earlier allowed some flexibility to increase participation. According to her, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), which oversees the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), has reinforced the…

Incidents of building collapse are a recurring tragedy in Lagos and other urban centres across Nigeria, frequently attributed to poor construction standards, the use of substandard materials, and weak regulatory oversight.

Nigeria is set to commence domestic production of insulin following a new partnership aimed at cutting down the country’s dependence on imported drugs and improving access to diabetes treatment. Cleveland Clinic described insulin as an essential hormone. It helps the patient’s body turn food into energy and manages your blood sugar levels. The move follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Biotechnology Research and Development Agency (NBRDA) and Shanghai Haiqi Industrial Company Limited of China. The agreement, endorsed in Abuja, is regarded by officials as a major breakthrough for the nation’s health and science sectors.…

A nasal spray already available for allergy relief may also lower the chances of catching COVID-19 and common colds, according to new clinical trial results from Germany. In Jama Internal Medicine publication, researchers tested azelastine, an over-the-counter antihistamine spray, in a mid-stage trial involving 450 volunteers. Participants were randomly assigned either the active spray or a placebo and instructed to use it three times daily for nearly two months. By the end of the study, infections were noticeably lower among those who used azelastine. Only 2.2% of people in this group tested positive for COVID-19, compared with 6.7% in the…

UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell described the trend as “deeply concerning,” warning that “nutrition services must be protected” if children are to have a chance of survival.