Author: Helen Okechukwu

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has emphasised that effective and forward-looking budget planning is critical to improving the welfare of children and vulnerable households in Katsina State. Speaking at the opening of a seven-day capacity-building workshop for Katsina State government officials in Kaduna, the Chief of UNICEF’s Kano Field Office, Rahama Farah, stressed that Medium-Term Expenditure Frameworks (MTEF) and Medium-Term Sector Strategies (MTSS) offer a vital pathway for turning policy intentions into measurable outcomes for children. Farah explained that sound budget frameworks go beyond meeting statutory requirements, noting that they shape government priorities and determine the scale and quality…

Rivers State Deputy Governor, Prof. Ngozi Odu, has commended the state’s Primary Health Care Task Force for its innovative telemedicine initiative, describing it as a significant milestone in healthcare delivery. Speaking on during the recently held 2025 fourth-quarter meeting of the State Task Force on Primary Health Care (PHC) at Government House, Prof. Odu praised the team’s commitment to improving access to healthcare services across the state. She noted that the telemedicine demonstration during the commissioning in Ahoada showcased the government’s dedication to leveraging technology for better healthcare outcomes. Prof. Odu also highlighted the broader achievements of the task force,…

An early morning explosion damaged a building within the staff quarters of the General Hospital in Bagudo, Kebbi State, on Tuesday, the Nigeria Police has begun a full-scale investigation. The Kebbi State Police Command spokesperson, Bashir Usman said the blast occurred in the early hours, triggering concern among residents before security agencies swiftly moved in to stabilise the area. According to the command, the situation was brought under control shortly after the incident, with no loss of life recorded. A combined security operation involving the police, military and local vigilante groups cordoned off the hospital environment to prevent further risk…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has cautioned political supporters in Etche Local Government Area (LGA) against ingratitude, describing it as a self-inflicted obstacle that undermines both personal advancement and collective political success. Addressing a gathering of loyalists in Etche, Wike framed gratitude as a defining value in leadership and followership, linking sustained relevance in politics to the ability to acknowledge support received in difficult moments. His visit, he explained, was largely an expression of appreciation to those who remained steadfast during the uncertainties of the 2023 general elections. The former Rivers State governor used the occasion…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has released detailed guidance to help Nigerians distinguish genuine Kiss condoms from counterfeit versions, amid rising concerns over fake products in major markets across the country. In a public alert issued on Monday (Public Alert No. 042/2025), the agency said reports from DKT International Nigeria, the brand’s official marketing authorisation holder, indicate fake Kiss condoms have been found in markets including Onitsha, Idumota, Trade Fair Market, and cities such as Kano, Abuja, Uyo, Gombe, and Enugu. NAFDAC outlined several key differences between authentic and counterfeit Kiss condoms. Genuine Kiss…

The Lagos State Government has reinforced its social protection agenda by extending financial and medical support to elderly persons with disabilities (PWD) and elderly caregivers of children with disabilities across the state. The intervention, implemented through the Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), benefitted about 100 recipients under the agency’s annual programme tagged “Cash Support and Medical Outreach to Elderly Persons with Disabilities and Elderly Caregivers.” The initiative aligns with the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s vision of inclusive governance that prioritises vulnerable populations. Held at the LASODA premises within the Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, the programme combined cash disbursement…

Bauchi State has expanded its child health services by immunising about 3.7 million children during the 2025 Measles/Rubella (MR) vaccination campaign, achieving full coverage of the targeted population and strengthening efforts to prevent vaccine-preventable diseases. Measles/Rubella (MR) is a viccine use in treating measles, mumps, and rubella, which are highly catigious. The Information Officer of the Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development Board, Ibrahim Sani, disclosed this on Monday in Bauchi during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, noting that children aged nine to 59 months were reached across the state, exceeding initial projections. He described the outcome as…

A British biotechnology company is preparing to roll out gene-edited mosquitoes in Djibouti City, marking a new phase in East Africa’s battle against malaria as traditional control methods lose effectiveness. Oxitec, which developed the genetically engineered insects, plans to release male mosquitoes designed so that their female offspring die before reaching adulthood, preventing them from biting humans and transmitting the disease. The releases are expected to begin before the end of the year, following earlier pilot trials in the capital. Malaria remains a major public health burden in Djibouti, infecting up to one in ten people annually. The disease surged…

Nigeria cannot afford to relax its immunisation efforts as long as infectious diseases remain a threat anywhere in the world, a consultant virologist, Prof. Oyewale Tomori, has warned, stressing that global health risks make sustained vaccination programmes non-negotiable for the country. Tomori, who is also the Chairman of Biovaccines Nigeria Limited, gave the warning in an interview with journalists on Sunday in Lagos, where he expressed concern over the growing wave of vaccine hesitancy fuelled by misinformation and disinformation. He lamented that despite years of advocacy and expanded access to vaccines, some parents still resist immunising their children, a trend…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested a previously convicted drug trafficker and three cargo handlers following the interception of a cocaine consignment destined for the United Kingdom (UK) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. The Director of Media and Advocacy of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi said the drugs, weighing 1.50 kilogrammes, were discovered concealed in 75 factory-sealed sachets of cold-water starch at the airport’s export shed. The anti-draft agency operatives moved swiftly to arrest the cargo agents, Jubrin Hassana, Kuku Oluwasegun and Igwe Jane, who were linked to the attempted export of the illicit consignment on…