Lagos State has recorded 10 confirmed cases of diphtheria between January 1 and March 27, 2025, prompting intensified efforts by health authorities to curb the outbreak. According to the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, suspected cases have fluctuated throughout the period, with daily reports varying between one and 15 cases. Providing an update on the situation over the weekend, Abayomi revealed that laboratory tests conducted on 76 samples…

A top United States (US) health expert has issued warning that common tablets taken by millions of people in United Kingdom may increase dementia risk, particularly sleeping drugs. Dr. Amy Shah, an immunity and diet specialist trained at Harvard, Cornell, and Columbia universities, has raised concerns over the use of medications containing diphenhydramine. She made this call while urging her followers to stay away from such drugs recently. These include…

The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised concerns over an increasing number of dementia cases among refugees and migrants, urging swift policy interventions to eliminate healthcare barriers. Its latest report shared on 31 March, Dementia in Refugees and Migrants, underscores the need for inclusive health strategies, improved diagnosis, and better support structures. Dementia, is a term for several diseases that affect memory, thinking, and the ability to perform daily activities…

Despite ongoing efforts to improve maternal and reproductive health, the Saif Advocacy Foundation (SAIF), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), has called for greater community involvement to reduce maternal mortality in Gombe State. SAIF Programme Officer, Hajiya Farida Dunama, emphasized that comprehensive education at the grassroots level is crucial for lowering maternal mortality and improving healthcare outcomes for women. While calling for an awareness campaign, Mr. Alhassan Yahya, the Executive Director of…

Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, on Wednesday confirmed that a 25-year-old female National Youth Service Corps member (name withheld) lost her life to Lassa fever. This comes after the Commissioner for Health declared an outbreak of the hemorrhagic viral fever in the state on Tuesday. It was gathered that on March 18, the 25-year-old woman, who had fallen ill in Ondo State, was later hospitalized at one…

Oyo State Government has ramped up disease surveillance and vaccination efforts to combat the outbreak of diphtheria, a highly contagious bacterial infection, as part of an urgent public health response. During a visit to the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in Ibadan, the state capital, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, emphasized the dangers of diphtheria and its rapid transmission. She explained that the disease spreads through respiratory droplets from…

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has called for a strategic shift in HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns, moving away from fear-based messaging to a more inclusive and stigma-free approach. The agency’s Director-General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu of National Orientation Agency (NOA), emphasized the need to reframe HIV/AIDS as a manageable health condition, akin to hypertension and diabetes, rather than a death sentence. Speaking during a visit at the agency’s headquarters by the Director-General…

A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) launched a public awareness campaign in Kaduna State to educate residents on the health risks of tuberculosis (TB), urging early detection, treatment, and preventive measures to curb its spread. Kadashi Initiatives on Equity, Health, Empowerment, and Education (KIEHEE) emphasized that healthy living—practicing abstinence from smoking and alcohol, along with proper dieting—helps prevent the spread. In marking this year’s World Tuberculosis Day, the Executive Director of KIEHEE,…

Nigerian authorities have arrested a 42-year-old Indian lady, Ms. Neetu Neetu, with 72 parcels of heroin weighing 11 kilograms at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano State. The illicit drugs, concealed inside factory-sealed wafer wraps and packaged as chocolates, were discovered in her luggage following a thorough search and credible intelligence. On 14 March, operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) apprehended Neetu in the arrival hall…

Effiong Bassey, a police officer serving at the Divisional Police Headquarters in Atakpa, Calabar, Cross River State has been arrested for allegedly shooting sporadically and killing a citizen. The horrific event was said to have occurred on Sunday at approximately 05:55 hrs after Bassey returned from his night duty at Ekondo Microfinance Bank, displaying unusual behavior. Ugbo Irene, spokesperson of the Cross River State Police Command, shared that Bassey refused…

The Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC) of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) has approved the disbursement of ₦32,880,443,906.25 for the first quarter of 2025 to boost healthcare. The approval was made during the 10th MOC meeting held yesterday, March 19, 2025, in Abuja and chaired by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate. The MOC also reaffirmed its commitment to advancing BHCPF reforms through the…

With determination to ensure a healthy life for its citizens, three global cities have been awarded for preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries. The World Health Organization (WHO) made this known on Thursday during the annual Partnership for Healthy Cities Summit in Paris. The summit aims to tackle public health issues and employ effective strategies for saving lives and building healthier communities at the local level. The summit assembles Bloomberg…