Author: Helen Okechukwu

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has reaffirmed its determination to stamp out the production and circulation of fake and substandard drugs in Nigeria, following the ongoing destruction of more than 80 containers of counterfeit medicines and food items across the country. Speaking during a press briefing in Lagos on Saturday, the Director of Investigation and Enforcement and Chairman of the Federal Task Force, Dr. Martins Iluyomade, said the large-scale destruction exercise was part of the agency’s intensified crackdown on illicit products that endanger public health. Iluyomade decried the moral decay and profit-driven motives fuelling…

A Facebook group, Leucovorin for Autism, created in May by Keith Joyce, guardian to four-year-old Jose, who is taking the drug, has ballooned to over 84,000 members. Joyce claims his child has shown marked improvements in speech and social awareness since starting leucovorin.

In a fresh bid to address years of accumulated gratuity arrears and ensure fairness in payment to retirees, the Kwara State Government has inaugurated two nonpartisan technical committees to sanitise the pension records at both state and local government levels. The committees, composed mainly of technocrats and Labour leaders, have been tasked with verifying existing gratuity claims and authenticating the list of eligible pensioners to guarantee that payments are made strictly on a “first-to-retire, first-to-be-paid” basis. According to the Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Hauwa Nuru, the move underscores Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and due process in the…

Nigeria may soon have a coordinated national response to autism following the Senate’s consideration of a Bill to establish a National Centre for Autism with six zonal branches for research, diagnosis, education, and care. The Bill, sponsored by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (Kogi Central), seeks to promote early detection and intervention for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) while addressing training gaps among teachers, health workers, and caregivers. Mayo Clinic defines ASD as a condition related to brain development which affects how people see others and socialize with them. During her lead presentation on the Bill titled “An Act to Establish…

A study has suggested that walking continuously for at least 15 minutes or about 1,500 steps including those who are inactive can improve heart health and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The study, carried out by a group of researchers from the University of Sydney and the Universidad Europea in Spain and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that people who walked in longer, uninterrupted bouts experienced far greater heart benefits compared to those who took short, sporadic walks lasting less than five minutes. Read Also: Patients with Down Syndrome suffer high risk of heart disease, stroke The…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a public warning following the discovery of counterfeit Cialis 20mg tablets being circulated in parts of Nigeria. According to the post shared on the agency Facebook page on Tuesday, disclosed that the alert came after Chi Pharmaceutical Ltd, the authorised marketer of Cialis 20mg film-coated tablets (NRN: 04-5196), detected the fake version during routine surveillance in Abuja. According to NAFDAC, the counterfeit tablets, sold in open markets for as low as N8,000 per pack, differ markedly in appearance and packaging from the genuine product, which retails for…

Bayelsa State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Seiyefa Brisibe, has outlined the fundamental strategies for training health professionals in the state.

NAOWA Chairperson further applauded the wife of the Chief of Army Staff for her leadership and support in implementing programmes that prioritise women’s health and well-being within army formations.

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is reviewing the continued use of ethanol in disinfectants and other biocidal products, following scientific concerns that the substance may pose cancer and reproductive health risks. According to information obtained by the Financial Times, a working group within the agency recently proposed classifying ethanol as a potentially toxic chemical. The group’s assessment highlighted possible links between ethanol exposure and increased cancer incidence, as well as potential complications during pregnancy. ECHA’s Biocidal Products Committee is expected to deliberate on the matter during its next session, scheduled for late November. Read Also: UK govt pushes to overturn Maccabi…

The minister noted that the initiative aligns with the National Cancer Control Plan and the Renewed Hope Health Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, which prioritises early detection, local research, and affordable access to diagnostics and treatment.