Author: Helen Okechukwu

Nigerian health experts have called on the Federal Government to overhaul Nigeria’s healthcare financing by reducing out-of-pocket (OOP) spending and strengthening health insurance coverage to ease the financial burden on citizens. According to the shared statement on Friday, the call was made during a four-day workshop organised by the Ondo State Ministry of Health in partnership with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and supported by Global Affairs Canada (GAC). The event focused on improving human resources and health financing in the state. Professor Demilade Ibirongbe of the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, revealed that about 70% of Nigerians pay…

With the Alive & Thrive nutrition initiative set to end its intervention in Kaduna by 31 August, stakeholders have convened to chart a sustainable path for the Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) campaign and the uptake of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS). Their mission aim to formulate a locally driven, sustainable strategy that preserves the gains of the MIYCN and MMS campaigns after donor support winds down. The Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Board (KSPHCB), Dr Bello Jamoh, represented by Hamza Ikara, emphasised the importance of building the plan on available local resources. He warned that…

The Rivers State Command, through the Azikiwe Police Division and the Octopus Tactical Unit, foiled a suspected cult clash between rival groups near an undisclosed university campus in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. According to the police spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, who confirmed the incident, said that the confrontation erupted along Azikiwe Street and Opobo Lane in the Mile 2 Diobu axis. It was noted that the averted cult clash emanated when members of two rival cult groups—believed to be the Klu Klux Klans (KKK) and Vikings—ran into each other while allegedly en route to the university’s main campus for a retaliatory…

The Kogi State Government has launched a ten-day intensive training programme to equip 500 livestock farmers and extension agents with climate-smart livestock production techniques across five key centres in the state—Ajaokuta, Okene, Kabba, Anyigba, and Idah. The training is jointly organised by the Kogi State Agricultural Development Project (Kogi ADP) and the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (Kogi L-PRES) to address the growing impact of climate change on livestock production, says a report shared on Friday. At the flag-off ceremony, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Timothy Ojomah, restated the administration’s resolve to strengthen the livestock sector…

NiMet has called on stakeholders to work collectively in addressing food insecurity through a coordinated, data-driven, and solution-oriented approach.

The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Hon. Aden Duale, has issued a stern warning to healthcare providers across Kenya, cautioning that any public or private facility found compromising the integrity of ongoing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) reforms will face immediate closure. Speaking during a high-level public engagement held at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Sports Complex in Kisumu County, CS Duale reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fast-tracking UHC reforms, highlighting the need for urgency, transparency, and accountability in healthcare service delivery. He disclosed that under the newly operational Social Health Authority (SHA), 295 healthcare providers have already been empanelled, including 135 public…

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released new guidelines recommending lenacapavir (LEN) as a twice-yearly injectable option for HIV prevention, marking a major advance in the global HIV response. The announcement was made at the 13th International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Science in Kigali, Rwanda. Lenacapavir, the first long-acting PrEP requiring just two doses annually, offers a highly effective alternative for people who struggle with daily medication, stigma, or limited access to healthcare. “While an HIV vaccine remains elusive, lenacapavir is the next best thing,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Committed to working with countries and…

President Bola Tinubu has pledged his administration’s commitment to completing key infrastructure projects in the Niger Delta, including the Okrika and Ataba sea-crossing bridges. Speaking through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, at the 25th anniversary celebration of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in Port Harcourt on Saturday, President Tinubu said that all abandoned projects in the region must be revisited and completed. He noted that the NDDC has the full backing of the government to carry out its work without interruption, adding that the Commission must stay focused on improving the lives…

The Kenyan Ministry of Health has announced that out of a target of 6.5 million, about 3.5 million children have been vaccinated against measles, while over 12.1 million out of a 19.2 million target have received the Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV). The announcement was made in a document signed by Cabinet Secretary Hon. Aden Duale on Saturday, stating that the free vaccinations are being administered in both rural and urban areas. In Duale’s disclosure, it was noted that the fight against Measles-Rubella (MR) and Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV) began on 5 July, with the aim of strengthening population immunity. “Notably,…

The United Nations (UN) has issued a stark warning that the ongoing fuel shortage in Gaza has reached critical levels, threatening to shut down vital humanitarian services for over 2.1 million people. In a joint statement released by OCHA, UNDP, UNFPA, UNOPS, UNRWA, WFP, and WHO, the agencies stressed that fuel is the lifeblood of all humanitarian efforts and basic services in Gaza. I It absence would effectively bring life-saving operations to a standstill. Read Also: Israel continues Gaza strikes as Hamas agrees to ceasefire talks “Fuel powers hospitals, water systems, sanitation networks, ambulances, and every aspect of humanitarian operations,” the…