The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared Timor-Leste malaria-free — a major public health victory for the young nation, which has prioritised the disease since gaining independence in 2002.

The National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) is set to kick-start the implementation of an €18 million grant from the European Union (EU), aimed at transforming Nigeria’s vaccine landscape. Speaking in Abuja, NIPRD Director-General, Dr Obi Adigwe, described the grant as a “game-changer” for the country’s vaccine independence. According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the funding supports Nigeria’s 10-year plan (2024–2034) to build a self-reliant vaccine ecosystem…

With tomato season in full swing, experts are urging Britons to stop storing their tomatoes in the fridge. While it might seem like a way to preserve freshness, chilling tomatoes at low temperatures destroys both their texture and flavour. According to Professor Graham Seymour, emeritus professor of plant biotechnology at the University of Nottingham, storing ripe tomatoes at 5°C – the average fridge temperature – significantly reduces the aromatic compounds…

The United Kingdom (UK) government has acknowledged that its deep foreign aid cuts will likely lead to more global deaths, disproportionately affecting women, girls, and crisis-hit regions in Africa. In its latest report, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) confirmed a £575 million cut for 2025-26. Overall aid will drop from 0.5% to 0.3% of Gross National Income by 2027—around £6 billion less. The FCDO’s own impact assessment warns…

The Kogi State Government has taken a decisive step in the fight against malnutrition, initiating treatment protocols for affected individuals and expanding healthcare coverage for children with co-morbidities. Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, speaking through his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Ali Bello, at the launch of a training programme on the Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) in Lokoja, reiterated his administration’s commitment to improving child nutrition across the state. He…

Health officials and managers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have called for a substantial increase in health sector funding, in line with the 15 per cent target set by the Abuja Declaration of 2001. The call was made at the close of a four-day capacity-building workshop in Abuja, organised by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. The training focused on developing data-driven, budget-linked Annual Operational Plans (AOP)…

With its 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government set to expire on July 23, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has warned of a possible nationwide shutdown of medical services if its demands are not addressed. The NMA President, Prof. Bala Audu, reaffirmed the association’s readiness to take decisive action, saying, “We have made our position clear. The ultimatum ends on July 23, and if the Federal Government does not address…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has arrested 60-year-old drug baron Okpara Chigozie after seven years on the run. According to the Director Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, Chigozie was captured on Sunday, 13 July 2025, at his hideout in Isheri, Lagos, following the interception of his courier, Achebe Kenneth Nnamdi, along the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway. Achebe, en route to Onitsha in a Toyota Sienna, was found with 7.6kg of…

Eight persons have been sentenced to one month in prison by a Magistrate Court sitting in Bolade, Oshodi, for contravening Lagos State’s laws against open defecation and urination. The culprits, aged between 18 and 45, were brought before Magistrate Oshikoya of the Special Offences (Mobile Court) recently. Upon arraignment, all eight pleaded guilty to the charges levelled against them. The Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, in…

Nigerian health experts have called on the Federal Government to overhaul Nigeria’s healthcare financing by reducing out-of-pocket (OOP) spending and strengthening health insurance coverage to ease the financial burden on citizens. According to the shared statement on Friday, the call was made during a four-day workshop organised by the Ondo State Ministry of Health in partnership with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and supported by Global Affairs Canada (GAC).…

The Trump administration announced Friday that it is rejecting recent amendments to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) pandemic response framework, arguing that the changes infringe on U.S. sovereignty. Although the United States began its formal withdrawal from the WHO immediately after Donald Trump returned to office on January 20, the State Department emphasized that the language of the amended agreement—reached last year—would still have imposed obligations on the U.S. In…

With the Alive & Thrive nutrition initiative set to end its intervention in Kaduna by 31 August, stakeholders have convened to chart a sustainable path for the Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition (MIYCN) campaign and the uptake of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS). Their mission aim to formulate a locally driven, sustainable strategy that preserves the gains of the MIYCN and MMS campaigns after donor support winds down. The Executive…