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…

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised an alarm over the circulation of falsified batches of Postinor-2, a popular emergency contraceptive pill. In a public notice released on Friday, 22 August, the agency confirmed receiving a report from the Society for Family Health (SFH), the authorised marketing company, disowning the affected batches. According to NAFDAC, the counterfeit products were identified after a careful review…

More than half a million people in England are now living with a confirmed dementia diagnosis, the highest number on record, as the NHS rolls out new home monitoring technology to help patients stay safe and supported. Figures released by NHS England show that 506,549 people are now living with a confirmed diagnosis, up from 490,163 recorded at the same point last year. Health leaders say the milestone reflects growing…

Tragedy struck in Borno State on Monday when a boat ferrying farmers across the River Kubo in Shani Local Government Area (LGA) capsized, claiming three lives. The incident, which occurred in the early hours of the day, involved about 20 farmers who were heading to their farmlands with harvested yams. According to the North-East zonal office of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), 17 passengers were rescued, while three bodies…

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has highlighted the value of art in promoting recovery, mental wellbeing and public health, stressing that creative expression is increasingly being recognised as a catalyst for positive change in healthcare. In a document shared on Monday, it was noted that the health commissioner underscored this on Sunday during the  opening of the inaugural Lagos Arts and Health Festival, held at the…

A 17-year-old girl identified as Emma has drawn global attention after revealing her lifelong struggle with gastroparesis, a rare and often misunderstood medical condition that leaves her unable to eat food in the traditional sense. Emma, who posted her story on TikTok under the username emmakok, explained that she was born without a functioning stomach and has relied on feeding tubes since infancy. Her video, uploaded in July but gaining…

Britain’s growing obesity crisis is draining more than £100bn from the economy each year and placing unprecedented strain on the NHS, new research has revealed. More than a quarter of adults are now classed as obese – double the proportion recorded in the 1990s – with overall levels of excess weight now surpassing many European nations. Analysts warn that, without urgent action, the number of overweight or obese adults could…

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is facing renewed criticism after it emerged that a psychiatric nurse convicted of rape was able to continue practising for more than a year, despite police alerting the regulator about the allegations. John Chukwunonso Iwuh, 54, from South Norwood in Croydon, was jailed for 16 years on 11 July after being found guilty of rape and voyeurism. He had used his position as a…

Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has commissioned the Minds Medical Specialist Hospital and Drug Rehabilitation Centre in Ondo City. In a statement, Aiyedatiwa’s Chief Priest Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said the new facility, founded by Dr Jibayo Adeyeye, is aimed at providing specialised care for mental health and substance addiction. Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Aiyedatiwa lauded the initiative as a “significant milestone” in the state’s efforts to enhance healthcare…

The chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Health Services, Hon Amos Magaji, has called for the introduction of specialised ambulances to serve communities in remote parts of the country due to the high rate of maternal mortality. Magaji made this utterance on Friday, when the committee paid a courtesy visit at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House. Reacting to the chairman demands, the Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Balarabe described maternal…

Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has said Nigeria’s healthcare system can be significantly improved if political leaders and stakeholders show greater commitment and adopt modern approaches to medical practice. Mr Diri gave the charge on Friday in Yenagoa while receiving members of the Ministerial Monitoring Committee on the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) High-Impact Intervention in Medical Sciences. He was represented at the event by his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, says…