Frontpage News (3256)
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the reappointment of Peteru Inunduh as the Medical Director (MD), Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, Benue State.
According to a press statement signed by a spokesperson of the Federal Ministry of Health, Boade Akinola, on Tuesday, Mr Inunduh’s appointment is a renewal for a second and final term of four years.
Ms Akinola said the reappointment takes effect from March 16, 2019.
Now, the preliminary findings of the Nigeria AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) indicates that an estimated 1.9 million Nigerians are living with HIV with about one million persons on treatment.
The findings of the survey presented in Abuja by President Mohammed Buhari puts Nigeria’s current national HIV prevalence at 1.4 per cent in the population aged 15 to 49 years.
The survey measured the HIV prevalence rate (defined as the proportion of persons who tested positive for HIV) stratified on the basis of age, sex and geographic location.
FG must take full responsibility for funding HIV/AIDS programmes - Salako
Written by Super User
By Sola Ogundipe The Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, Prof Babatunde Salako, has said that Nigeria would only sustain the gains it has achieved against HIV/AIDS if the Federal government takes full responsibility for funding HIV/AIDS programmes in the country.
Salako, who was responding to the findings of the 2018 Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey, NAIIS, presented recently by President Mohammadu Buhari, told Vanguard that government needed to take over the funding of HIV completely from donors. “I’m congratulating the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, for the successful completion of the nationwide survey on HIV and beyond the fact that it was a successful project, the results were also very encouraging,” Salako stated.
WHO engages 12,000 community informants to find ‘missing TB cases’ in Nigeria
Written by Super User
As Nigeria commemorates World Tuberculosis (TB) Day on 24 March 2019, the World Health Organization (WHO) has engaged over 12,000 community informants to find ‘missing cases’ of TB in the country.
The 2018 TB report reveals that 4.3 million cases are missed globally and Nigeria contributes 8 percent of this. In 2019, the World TB Day theme is ‘It’s Time’ and national slogan is ‘To End TB in Nigeria (Keep the Promise! Find TB! Treat TB!)’.
The 2018 WHO Global TB Report indicates that the disease burden caused by TB is falling globally, but not fast enough to reach the required milestones of the ‘End TB Strategy -2020’. An estimated 418,000 new TB cases occurred in Nigeria in 2018 and the country notified 106,533 cases (25 percent) of TB in 2018, leaving a gap of 314,712 and 319,599 cases that are yet to be notified respectively.
Hi-tech toilet seat detects early signs of heart failure
Written by Super User
Going to the toilet is a natural biological function, but it could also save your life if you are at risk of a heart failure. However this medical feat is only possible if you utilise a novel toilet seat made by Heart Health Intelligence, that could detect signs of heart failure before symptoms appear.
The battery-powered, WiFi-enabled toilet seat, invented by scientists in New York, fits on top of a normal toilet seat and incorporates sensors to pick up the user’s heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen levels through their legs. The seat is waterproof and requires no setting up or programming. All the patient needs to do is sit on it. Inventors at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York have designed and produced the seat, which they hope will cut hospital admission rates.
UPU America organises free medical outreach for Deltans
Written by Super User
As part of its efforts to complement government’s initiatives in delivering quality healthcare to Deltans, the Urhobo Progress Union America, UPUA, on Tuesday gave out free medicals to some Deltans.
The President of UPU America, Olorogun Onome Dema who spoke shortly after the free medicals at Government Hospital, Ekpan said the gesture was to ensure that Deltans live in sound health at all times.
Speaking on the free medicals organized by the Urhobo Progress Union UPU America, the President, Dr. Onome Dema said the free medicare was a follow up to the free medical outreach of the group carried out to mark the 2O18 Urhobo cultural day at Ovwianmuge Agbarho.
The issue of drug and substance abuse among the teeming youths in Nigeria has taken a new dimension, as the problem is much bigger than projected decades ago.
Before now, drug and substance abuse was rampant among few hoodlums on the streets and also done in hidden places, but the current situation is not the same, as there is practically no major city in Nigeria that does not have hideouts, joints, clubs or ram-shackles where the youths visit to buy or use drugs of different descriptions to feel good.
More worrisome is the fact that drugs are now done in the open without fear of being seen or caught, whether by their parents, elderly ones, religious leaders, teachers or law enforcement agencies. Drugs are now everywhere; there is hardly any tertiary institution or even the primary and secondary schools that are free of drug abusers.
Ganduje distributes safe delivery kits to expectant mothers in Kano
Written by Super User
Kano State Government has distributed over 10,000 Delivery Kits worth N150 million to Pregnant Women in the State. The distribution exercise covered 15 Local Government Areas with each package containing basic items needed during and after delivery.n The State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje disclosed this on Thursday, during the launch of the distribution of the Free Delivery Kits to 2,000 expectant mothers at Gama Primary Health Centre, where the re-run will be held in Nassarawa Local Government Area.
Dr. Ganduje, represented by his deputy, Dr. Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna stated that the present administration has given priority to free Maternal care for the protection of mothers and children.
The Association of Resident Doctors-University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (ARD-UCTH) has embarked on an indefinite strike due to the alleged failure of the Management of the hospital to meet their demands.
A notice of commencement of the strike, signed by its chairman, Dr Imoke Echeng and Secretary, Dr Ucheji Okechukwu, expressed their resolve and commitment to call off the industrial action and maintain industrial peace and harmony with the management of UCTH in the belief that the management on its own part will live up to its responsibilities and make good on its promises to the ARD-UCTH.
How misdiagnosis kills 70 percent of Nigeria’s cancer patients – Expert
Written by Super User
Every year, precisely on February 4, the world celebrates World Cancer to raise collective voice on the deadly ailment’s prevention, detection and treatment. In Nigeria, the story is not different as a cancer care organisation, Care Organisation Public Enlightenment, COPE, in collaboration with Polaris Bank, donated breast prostheses and prosthetic bras worth over N2 million to breast cancer survivors. Sunday Vanguard, at the occasion, spoke to the Executive Director of COPE, Mrs Ebun Anozie, on cancer diagnosis, treatment cost and surviving. To her, although her joy knew no bounds as members of the support group filed out to receive the products, she was worried that 70 percent of cancer patients are misdiagnosed in Nigeria while the ill-equipped and inefficient health facilities continue to hamper treatment of patients.
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We will help develop Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry — Indian High Commissioner in Nigeria
Written by Super User
INDIAN High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. Abhay Thakur has assured of genuine collaboration in developing the local pharmaceutical production industry in Nigeria to meet the need of its timing population and boost the internally- generated revenue. INDIAN High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. Abhay Thakur Speaking at the iPHEX 2019 organised by Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India, PHARMEXCIL, Thakur said that manufacturers of pharmaceutical products in India are willing to partner with Nigeria to develop its local production and show the rest of the world example of the best way to bilateral relationship.
Lassa fever survivors laud NCDC, Edo Govt. for interventions
Written by Super User
A year ago, the government of Ebonyi State campaigned against Rat consumption in abit to stem the incidence of the dreaded Lassa fever, and earlier, the NMA had warned Nigerians to be on guard against Ebola and Lassa fever. The various Medical machinery seems to have been on the alert to tackle and deal with these deadly diseases. In an article on the News Agency of Nigerian Website, Jessica Onyegbula wrote on how Lassa fever survivors in Edo State lauds the NCDC, Edo Government and the caregivers for their timely interventions.
New NAFDAC Policy Targets Local Manufacturing Of 50 Imported Drugs
Written by Super User
New drugs registration policy going to be rolled out in the next few months by the National Agency for Foods, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) is targeting to domesticate local manufacturing of over 50 drugs presently being imported from overseas. This policy shift is coming at a time when the government is considering to institute a N300billion pharmaceutical funds to boost the capacity of local manufacturing of products otherwise imported into the country.
Mass Exodus of Doctors in Nigeria, an alarming Trend
Written by Super User
“Very soon Nigerians will go to Government hospitals and won›t see a Doctor. The health crisis in Nigeria is unprecedented as the mass exodus hits alarming proportions. Already it takes a patient 2 hours to see a doctor on the average, 3 hours for new patients." Attah Essien. Every medical person who loves this country and wants the improvement of the Nigerian Healthcare System should read this article by Dr. Ben Ajayi decrying the mass exodus of doctors from Nigeria.
