Author: Helen Okechukwu

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…

The Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) has developed 23 new herbal medicines, surpassing its 2024 target of 11. The announcement was made by the agency’s Director-General, Prof. Martins Emeje, during a public accountability event in Lagos. Emeje, a professor of Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, said the new remedies include treatments for diarrhoea, peptic ulcers, hepatitis B, sickle cell, diabetes, and immune boosting. He described the diarrhoea medicine as a key achievement, developed using nanotechnology and recognised at a national science competition. “Diarrhoea is a child killer disease,” he said, adding that the National Assembly allocated funds in the 2025…

A dramatic rise in bedbug populations over the centuries can be traced back to a pivotal shift in human behaviour, leaving caves to build cities, new scientific research said. Published in the journal Biology Letters, the study reveals that bedbugs have been parasitising humans for more than 50,000 years, but it wasn’t until the rise of early urban settlements around 12,000 years ago that their numbers began to soar. The Independent report noted that researchers found that bedbugs split into two distinct genetic lineages thousands of years ago: one that remained on bats and another that adapted to human hosts.…

The Federal Government has announced plans to establish eight advanced medical simulation centres across Nigeria to improve medical training and healthcare delivery. Speaking in Abuja during the inauguration of a 19-member Implementation and Monitoring Committee, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said the centres would address the lack of simulation facilities in medical institutions. The committee is tasked with finalizing the project proposal, ensuring compliance with objectives, developing quality assurance measures, and working with selected institutions on implementation. Alausa said the initiative supports our vision to make Nigeria a hub of medical excellence. He also emphasized financial sustainability through inclusive…