The World Health Organisation (WHO) has sounded the alarm on global health disparities, revealing that people born in the world’s wealthiest countries can expect to live over three decades longer than those in the poorest nations. This striking revelation comes from WHO’s World Report on Social Determinants of Health Equity, launched Tuesday by Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The report underlines how deeply social and economic conditions affect health outcomes…

To curb the rising tide of substance abuse in Nigeria, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has disclosed that 62,595 drug suspects have been arrested between January 2021 and March 2025.  Of these, 11,628 have been successfully prosecuted and convicted, while over 10.3 million kilograms of illicit drugs were seized during the same period. The revelation was made during a high-level training workshop organized by the NDLEA for members…

Poor children face a stark survival disadvantage, as recent data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) reveals that they are 13 times more likely to die before their fifth birthday compared to those in wealthier nations. Despite the lack of a comprehensive 2025 data report, about 1.8 million child deaths could be prevented if the gap is bridged by enhancing equity between the poorest and wealthiest sectors within low- and…

The Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund (NSSF) has called for urgent reforms and increased public funding to combat Nigeria’s alarming maternal mortality rates.  The event, which gathered stakeholders from government, donor agencies, and the health sector to discuss practical solutions for improving maternal care, particularly for vulnerable women, emphasised that accessible health insurance is key to saving women’s lives. The appeal was made at Abuja during the 7th edition of the…

Experts say the cheekily dubbed “fart walks” not only aid digestion but may help reduce the risk of chronic conditions, including cancer. In a surprising twist on wellness advice, physicians are encouraging people to take post-meal walks — and not be ashamed to pass gas while doing so. Dr. Tim Tiutan, an internal medicine physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, shared in a viral Instagram…

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has raised concern over the alarming rates of child malnutrition in Nigeria, revealing that the country holds the highest number of malnourished children in Africa and ranks second globally. During a press briefing on Monday in Abuja, Nemat Hajeebhoy, UNICEF’s Chief of Nutrition, shared that around 600,000 children across Nigeria are currently suffering from acute malnutrition. Of this number, roughly half are at risk of…

Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP) Mr. Olohundare Jimoh, has urged survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (GBV) to report incidents promptly and reject the fear of societal stigma, emphasizing that early reporting is critical to ensuring justice. Jimoh assured the survivors that the police are fully equipped to handle such cases with sensitivity and speed. Jimoh while speaking on Sunday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria…

In a bold move to accelerate progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) has inducted 20 National Health Fellows (NHFs) as ILERA EKO Champions. The initiative, unveiled during a stakeholders’ engagement in Alausa, Ikeja, seeks to harness youth leadership in driving the state’s mandatory health insurance scheme. LASHMA Permanent Secretary, Emmanuella Zamba, congratulated the newly appointed fellows and urged them to uphold the values…

Health officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have confirmed 16 suspected human cases of anthrax in the country’s eastern North Kivu Province, with one case laboratory-confirmed and one death recorded. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), the outbreak is centered in four health zones near Lake Edward, a region bordering Uganda, which is also responding to a similar outbreak across the lake in Kabale District. The Ministry…

Nigeria is experiencing a promising decline in confirmed cases of Lassa fever and Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM), according to recent data released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC). In week 16 of the epidemiology, the country reported 4,253 suspected Lassa fever cases, with 696 confirmed and 132 deaths—yielding a case fatality rate of 19.0 percent. Encouragingly, this marks a significant reduction from earlier weeks. Speaking at a…

A wave of sorrow has swept through the nursing communities in both the UK and Nigeria following the tragic death of Nnena Miriam, a Nigerian nurse based in Leeds. Her body was discovered in her apartment after friends and colleagues grew concerned over her sudden disappearance. Fellow Nurses Africa, a professional body committed to the advancement of African nurses, confirmed her passing in a statement released on Wednesday. According to…

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called for a stronger, more independent action from National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to address the constant oil spillage faced in Niger Delta region.  The call was made during a visit to its zonal office in Port Harcourt on Wednesday. The delegation, which included representatives from Environmental Rights Action (ERA), Kebetkache Women Development Centre, Media Awareness and Justice Initiative (MAJI), and others,…