The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has urged the Nigerian government at all levels to intensify efforts in tackling the worsening malnutrition crisis, warning that millions of children remain at risk of stunted growth, disease, and death. The agency emphasised that only sustained investment, stronger government commitment, and community-led prevention can halt the spiral. Chief of UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office, Nuzhat Rafique, stressed that malnutrition “slows development and leads directly…

By Ismaeel Aleem President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate implementation of mandatory health insurance for all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) in line with the National Health Insurance Act of 2022. The directive, announced on Wednesday, seeks to expand healthcare access, reduce out-of-pocket medical expenses, and strengthen accountability across both public and private sectors. READ ALSO: Cry of examiners: WAEC pays ₦400 to report cheating, yet demands integrity In a…

Macmillan Cancer Support has called for swift intervention to tackle inequalities in cancer care, warning that too many patients are being denied timely access to treatment because of where they live. The charity findings indicated that almost four in ten people with a cancer diagnosis have faced barriers to care linked to geography, with some forced to decline essential tests or therapies due to the travel involved. It warned that…

To avert the resurgence of the polio outbreak in Nigeria after being declared  polio-free since 2020, Rotary International’s President-elect, Yinka Babalola, has warned that children in Nigeria remain exposed to the threat of polio unless routine immunisation rates are significantly increased. Babalola, whose election was confirmed last Thursday, will take office on 1 July 2026 as Rotary International President for the 2026/2027 year, becoming only the second Nigerian and the…

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure the full enforcement of his executive order aimed at reducing the prices of essential medical consumables across Nigeria. Oyintiloye, a member of the now-defunct APC Presidential Campaign Council and former lawmaker, made the appeal during an interview with newsmen on Sunday in Osogbo, the Osun State capital. The…

The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced that more than 409,000 cholera and acute watery diarrhoea cases, including 4,738 deaths, were reported in 31 countries between 1 January and 17 August 2025. WHO on Friday issued a warning of a very high risk of spread noted that conflict, floods and weak health systems fuel outbreaks. According to the global health organisation, about six countries have recorded fatality rates above 1%, pointing…

The Kenya government has underscored the central role of nutrition in achieving Vision 2030, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union Agenda 2063, stressing that proper nutrition is essential for health, productivity and economic growth. This was disclosed via the Kenya Ministry of Health social media page on Friday. Speaking during a Media Roundtable Breakfast on Nutrition Advocacy in Nairobi, Veronica Kirogo, Head of the Division of Nutrition…

The Child Protection Network (CPN) has taken a major step toward safeguarding vulnerable children in Sokoto State with the inauguration of a technical working committee to drive the implementation of an alternative child care policy. State Coordinator of CPN, Mr. Usman Ahmad-Suka, said the initiative targets children in orphanages, shelters and other homes outside their immediate families, many of whom face neglect, poor feeding, inadequate schooling and lack of essential…

The Rivers State Anti-Quackery Committee has intensified its clampdown on unlicensed medical operators, sealing no fewer than 72 health facilities and arresting 12 individuals since it commenced operations. Committee chairman and Director of Medical Services, Dr Vincent Wachukwu, told journalists in Port Harcourt recently that the arrests have led to ongoing investigations and, in some cases, prosecutions. According to him, quackery remains widespread despite repeated raids by the state government.…

Children in England will, for the first time, be offered a free vaccine against chickenpox from January 2026, in what ministers are calling a major step to strengthen childhood immunisation. The move means the varicella jab, currently available only privately at around £150, will be included in the NHS childhood vaccination programme and given as part of a new four-in-one injection protecting against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox (MMRV). The…

Malawi is confronting a severe shortage of tuberculosis (TB) medicines, with health officials warning that national stocks will be exhausted by the end of September, raising fears that thousands of patients may see their treatment interrupted or halted altogether. The crisis comes only months after the World Health Organization (WHO) commended the country for significant progress in the fight against the disease, announcing earlier this year that Malawi had managed…

A new global assessment by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has found that one in four people worldwide remain without access to safe drinking water, despite progress in recent years. This was contained in documents shared to press men on Tuesday while nothing that the report, Progress on Household Drinking Water and Sanitation 2000–2024: special focus on inequalities, was launched to coincide with…