Author: Helen Okechukwu

Bowel cancer, also called colorectal or colon cancer which usually start from the large intestine called the colon. It is the second deadliest cancer worldwide. Although the causes of bowel cancer is yet-to-be-identified, but reports evidence that lifestyle, diet, health conditions and family history could be the leading cause of bowel cancer. While it mostly affects older adults, cases are rising among younger people, particularly among people under 40. Early detection saves lives—but symptoms are often subtle or mistaken for minor issues. Here are five warning signs you shouldn’t ignore: Changes in bowel habits Persistent diarrhea, constipation, or feeling like…

The Federal Government (FG) has commenced the long-awaited payment of N44,000 minimum wage arrears to former members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), fulfilling an earlier promise made during the upward review of corps members’ allowances. The payment is directed at corps members who completed their service before the new monthly allowance of N77,000 took effect earlier this year. Prior to the adjustment, corps members were receiving N33,000 monthly. The arrears serve as a retroactive compensation aligning with the newly approved minimum wage policy. Several former corps members took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to confirm receipt…

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday honoured Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates with the national award of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR). The recognition, presented in Lagos, celebrates Gates’ contributions to global health, innovation, and development, especially in Africa. Gates met with Tinubu and other leaders to support reforms in the primary healthcare system. He will also attend the “Goalkeepers Nigeria” event focused on Africa’s innovation future and meet with scientists shaping Nigeria’s AI and health strategies. According to the Gates Foundation, its offices in Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, and Senegal aim to strengthen local partnerships.…

The Ondo State Government has commissioned an upgraded Central Medical Store in a major move to improve drug quality and healthcare delivery across the state. Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, at the commissioning event, emphasized that health remains a top priority of his administration. He described the upgraded facility as a “bold step” towards eliminating counterfeit and substandard drugs from the state’s supply chain. “It became imperative to upgrade the facility to a Pharma-grade Warehouse that adheres to international best practices for drug storage, thereby protecting the potency, safety, and quality of all health commodities,” the governor said. He credited the project’s…

The Abia government has issued a public health advisory following a reported outbreak of diphtheria in the neighbouring Imo. The information commissioner, Okey Kanu, announced the advisory on Monday while briefing journalists at the Government House, Umuahia, on the resolutions of the State Executive Council meeting, says News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). Mr Kanu said the proximity of Imo made Abia vulnerable and restated the importance of preventive action to avert an outbreak in Abia. He urged the people to get vaccinated against the scourge, especially children and individuals who were not sure of their diphtheria status. Mr Kanu also…

A group of six suspected gang members have been apprehended by Lagos State Police Command operatives following a routine patrol on 29 May. According to the police spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, the operation led to the recovery of weapons and a suspected stolen vehicle. The suspects named Yakubu Oke, 48, Teslim Balogun, 33, Emmanuel Osas, 33, Joseph Abah, 34, Idris Adewunmi, 32, and Opeyemi Kolawole, 28, were stopped for questioning but failed to account for their movements and identities, raising suspicions. More details revealed that a search led to the discovery of two locally made pistols, 16 rounds of 9mm ammunition, 17 live…

With over 8 million tobacco-related deaths recorded yearly, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for global intervention to ban flavoured tobacco and nicotine products. WHO made this known while marking World No Tobacco Day. The WHO report showed how flavours like menthol, bubble gum, and cotton candy are making harmful tobacco products attractive to young people. These flavours mask the harshness of tobacco and make it harder for users to quit, stating that the time to act is now—WHO says the message is clear: flavours have no place in a healthy future. ‘We are watching a generation get hooked…

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has delivered relief materials and health equipment to victims of the flood that struck the Kpege area of Mokwa, Niger State. In a statement shared on Friday night, NEMA recalled that the incident occurred on Thursday morning. The flood, which affected the Unguwan Hausawa and Tiffin Maza neighbourhoods, has claimed over 100 lives, the statement noted. Many homes were destroyed, and residents displaced. Rescue operations are still ongoing. NEMA activated its Minna Operations Office and deployed technical personnel and equipment from its Abuja headquarters. Read Also: Seven Iraq-bound trafficking victims rescued by NAPTIP The government…

Joint health authorities have announced the expansion of the Health Security Partnership for more Africa nations.  The joint health partners include the World Health Organization (WHO), the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). This partnership, which started in 2023 in six countries – The Gambia, Mali, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, and Tunisia – is now adding Rwanda in its second phase, which will run from 2025 to 2028. Although Africa faces more disease outbreaks than any other region in the world, the health organizations have witnessed progress in disease surveillance. Experts…

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released its first official guidelines to protect infants from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a major cause of serious lung infections in young children worldwide. RSV causes around 100,000 child deaths and over 3.6 million hospital stays each year, mostly in low- and middle-income countries. Infants under 6 months are the most at risk. One of the new WHO position paper recommends is the maternal vaccine (RSVpreF)— given to pregnant women from week 28 of pregnancy to protect their babies through antibodies passed before birth. Another recommendation is the monoclonal antibody (Nirsevimab)—a single shot is…