Author: Helen Okechukwu

The World Health Organization (WHO) has praised four countries – Austria, Norway, Oman, and Singapore – for successfully removing industrially produced trans fats from their food supplies. These countries were awarded validation certificates for their strong policies, effective monitoring, and enforcement systems during the 78th World Health Assembly. WHO made this announcement on 19 May. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus said that removing trans fats is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to reduce heart-related illnesses. He noted that these countries are setting a great example for others to follow in protecting public health. Trans fats are dangerous…

A little lad’s dream was cut short after a stray bullet allegedly shot by a police officer in Ibadan, Oyo State, reportedly struck him, leaving him dead. According to Oyo Affairs, the accident, which occurred on 20 May, claimed the life of a yet-to-be-identified student who was on his way with his twin to write the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WAEC). The publication further stressed that the police officers opened fire on a fleeing vehicle around the Gbagi Market Road in Ibadan, and the bullet pierced the father’s vehicle, resulting in the death of the teenager. Read Also: Lagos…

To ensure access to quality Primary Healthcare (PHC) systems, the Sokoto State Ministry of Health, in partnership with the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) and supported by the Society for Family Health (SFH), has joined forces to prioritise healthcare services within the state. At a meeting led by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Faruk Abubakar, a State Steering Committee for Community Pharmacists (CPs) and Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendors (PPMVs) was established under the IntegratE Project. A post shared on Tuesday revealed that the committee aims to enhance coordination, provide oversight, and ensure alignment with the goals of the IntegratE…

Nurses and midwives in Lagos State have received new professional kits, including scrubs and Crocs, under the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) led by Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu. The kits were officially presented on Monday by the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. Claudiana Sanwo-Olu, during a ceremony at the Banquet Hall of the Office of the First Lady in Alausa, Ikeja. The event was also attended by the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat, and other top officials from the Lagos State Ministry of Health. Dr. Sanwo-Olu, who is the Lagos State Coordinator of the Renewed…

Mauritania has achieved a major public health victory with the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced. The certificate of validation was presented during the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly in Geneva to Health Minister Abdallahi Sidi Mohamed Wedih and Ambassador Aïcha Vall Vergès. Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, praised the country’s milestone, calling it a sign of hope for other nations still battling the disease. “This is another example of the incredible progress we have made against neglected tropical diseases,” he said. Mauritania’s fight against trachoma dates back to the 1960s, but the…

The Kano State Government, in partnership with the GAMMUN Centre for Care and Development, has reaffirmed its commitment to preventing and managing hypertension through public awareness and advocacy.

To strengthen and improve quality access to medicines, diagnostics, and medical oxygen, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), in a strategic partnership with Unitaid, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to enhance the manufacturing of health products in Africa. Unitaid, established in 2006, is a global health organisation that helps people in low- and middle-income countries get fast access to new and affordable health products, with over 100 important tools provided. This deal, which was signed during the 78th World Health Assembly, aims to improve a sustainable regional manufacturing system, positioning it as a central pillar…

A new study, which is at its early stage of development, has suggested that mushrooms could be used to treat patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease due to a component found in them. A group of researchers from the University of California at San Francisco, in a report published in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology, highlighted this discovery using the hallucinogenic drug psilocybin. The hallucinogenic drug psilocybin, found in magic mushrooms, according to the report, has potential benefits and may aid in improving mood, cognition, and motor symptoms for those who suffer from the degenerative movement disorder. By 2040, a report disclosed that…

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a sharp rise in yellow fever cases in South America. According to the report from 29 December 2024 to 26 April 2025 (with Ecuador’s data updated to 2 May),  212 confirmed cases of yellow fever have been recorded in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Sadly, 85 people have died, giving a high fatality rate of 40%. This year’s number is three times higher than the 61 confirmed cases reported in 2024, raising serious concern among health officials. Yellow fever is a serious viral disease spread by mosquitoes. It can cause fever, chills, vomiting,…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested two octogenarians—80-year-old Ayuba Ashiru and 82-year-old Uloma Uchechi Sunday—alongside her 32-year-old daughter, Chisom, in a nationwide crackdown on drug trafficking. Ayuba, a convicted ex-drug dealer, was arrested in Sabon Gari, Kaduna, with 2.3kg of skunk. He admitted to peddling drugs for 46 years. In Abia, NDLEA operatives raided Uloma’s home in Umuaguma Ntigha Uzor village, recovering methamphetamine, tramadol, skunk, and N130,600 cash. She confessed to running the trade with her daughter after her son’s death. Read also: NDLEA arrests woman concealing 2.5kg of cocaine in private parts, handbag At Port Harcourt Onne…