Author: Helen Okechukwu

In a bold move to tackle maternal and neonatal mortality, the Ondo State Government in collaboration with the Federal Government (FG) has launched a five-day co-creation workshop aimed at reducing maternal and newborn deaths by 30% by the year 2027. The workshop, themed “Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiative (MAMMI),” brought together stakeholders in the health sector to develop a strategic template for the effective execution of interventions targeted at reducing mortality rates. The initiative focuses on uncovering local barriers to maternal and neonatal survival through deep-dive community visits across priority Local Government Areas (LGAs). Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa,…

Some reputable women in Rivers state have reiterated their support for the embattled Governor of Rivers state, Siminalayi Fubara. According to them, they want the federal government to reinstate the governor as soon as possible. However, there has been allegations that the governor could join the APC in order to get reinstated. Ever since the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, there have been mixed reactions between the pro-Fubara and pro-Wike camps. This division has led to various women leading protests, some calling for the reinstatement of suspended elected officials, while others support the continuation of the…

Forty-seven Nigerian medical students who fled the war in Sudan in 2023 are currently unable to register for the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) licensing exams due to missing travel documents. According to News Agency if Nigeria (NAN) report on Sunday, the students, formerly enrolled at Sudan International University (SIU), were evacuated during the conflict without proper exit visas, leaving many of their passports behind. With the National Universities Commission (NUC) approval, they continued their medical training at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) in Sokoto under a formal academic agreement. Read Also: Firm donates multimillion-naira medical equipment, drugs…

With cancer remaining a leading cause of non-communicable disease-related deaths in Nigeria and globally, three cancer centres are set to be commissioned for public access in the next couple of days. This move aims to improve Nigeria’s specialized healthcare system, with 500 clinicians to be trained, 2,000 cancer patients expected to be treated, and 350,000 people to receive diagnostic services yearly. According to a Nairametrics publication on Sunday, this announcement was shared by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate’s X page. Out of the six centres announced to be established in February 2024, the three…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted no fewer than six million opioid pills—including Tamol, Tapentadol, and Carisoprodol—and 332,000 bottles of codeine-based cough syrup at the Port Harcourt and Apapa ports. The street value of the seizures is estimated at ₦6.52 billion. At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, NDLEA operatives, in a joint operation with Customs and other security agencies, uncovered six million opioid pills and 162,000 bottles of codeine syrup in two containers on May 19 and 20. In a similar exercise at the Apapa Port, Lagos, 170,000 bottles of codeine syrup were discovered on May…

The Nigerian Senate has approved the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Act (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which proposes the creation of a Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Kafanchan, Southern Kaduna. The bill, initiated by Senator Sunday Katung of Kaduna South Senatorial District, is intended to enhance access to specialized healthcare in a region that has long faced challenges in medical service delivery. In a statement issued after the bill’s passage, Senator Katung highlighted the importance of the proposed centre, stating that it would reduce the need for residents to travel far distances to receive adequate medical attention—a factor that often contributes to…

Over three years after the Lancet Commission on Diagnostics revealed a global crisis in diagnostic access, millions in Nigeria still lack basic tools needed to detect and treat diseases like tuberculosis, diabetes, and cancer. In 2021, the Commission found that 47% of people globally—and 81% in low- and lower-middle-income countries—could not access essential diagnostic services. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed just how deadly this gap can be. Countries like India and members of the African Collaborative Initiative have made progress through free diagnostic programmes. Experts say Nigeria must follow suit. “Diagnostics are foundational. Without them, our health response is reactive, not…

The Director General of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Prof. Usman Aliyu, has urged all state governments to invest more in cancer prevention, control, and treatment to ease the burden on patients. Speaking during a visit by the Kebbi State Cancer Control Programme delegation, led by Health Commissioner Comrade Yunusa Musa Ismail and representing the Governor’s Wife, Dr. Nafisa Nasiru Idris, Prof. Malami reaffirmed NICRAT’s readiness to partner with all 36 states and the FCT. He praised Kebbi State’s efforts, noting its early establishment of a cancer control program, a 5-year strategic plan, and partnerships with…

In a determination to save millions of lives, a health organisation in the United Kingdom (UK) has raised concern over the risk of running out of blood in its bank within a few days, as many hospitals’ blood reserves run low, signalling a critical level. In response, the body responsible for donations, NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), is left with no option but may activate a red alert, signalling urgency as hospitals are left with a maximum of three days to restock their blood banks, especially O-negative blood. Looking at the immediate concern, in a notice shared on a Wednesday,…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) have agreed to deepen their cooperation in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking. This was the key highlight of a meeting held on 23 May, at the NDLEA National Headquarters in Abuja between NDLEA Chairman, Brig Gen Mohamed Marwa (Rtd), and the new US DEA Country Attaché to Nigeria, Ms. Daphne Morrison. Femi Babafemi, the Director, Media & Advocacy in document shared on Friday said during the meeting, Ms. Morrison, who recently assumed duty in Nigeria, expressed her readiness to continue the strong relationship…