Frontpage News (3259)
WHO urges Nigerian investors to explore opportunities in providing healthcare for elderly
Written by Super User
The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Wednesday urged Nigerian investors to explore the opportunities that abound in catering for the elderly by establishing homes and clinics for the aged. The WHO Representative in Nigeria, Dr Rui Vaz, gave the advice in Abuja while answering questions from newsmen on the sideline of a two-day consultative meeting on Capacity Building for Masters Programme in Geriatrics Medicine in Selected Nigerian Universities.
“There can be private establishments which cater for older people; if you go to Europe at the moment, its big business. “People who have their pensions, who have got a bit of money, most of them live in homes because they cannot be catered for at home. “Also clinics – a clinic that specialises in elderly people would serve its purpose by making its services available for the elderly group. “It is not very apparent now but in future, we are seeing that we are growing older, we are staying longer and also the problems of the elderly will become more prominent when we deal with these preventable diseases. “Now we will have diseases – not like malaria or diarrhoea – but things like diabetes or heart failure or things like that that come in as we grow old.“
First of all, colon cancer is among the most common cancer types worldwide.Colon cancer is best characterized as the presence and development of cancer cells in the tissue of the intestines, namely the colon and the rectum; both involved in the lower digestive system. Malignant cancer cells develop in bunches known as polyps, which risks spreading cancer cells to distant parts of the body. In order to prevent malignancy, medical professionals emphasize the importance and benefit of early diagnosis and beginning treatment as soon as possible to sustain the best possible conditions for full recovery and return to normal life.
Lagos urges ‘highest possible hygiene standards’ to prevent Ebola resurgence
Written by Super User
FOLLOWING reported resurgence of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in some neigbouring West African countries, including Liberia and Sierra Leone, the Lagos State government has asked residents to maintain adequate personal and environmental hygiene at all times to prevent re-entry of the disease into the state and the country at large. A report by Agence France Presse (AFP) confirmed yesterday that two more cases of Ebola have been confirmed in Liberia. A teenager was reported to have died from the viral infection on Sunday in Liberia.
Liberia had been declared Ebola-free more than seven weeks ago, just like Nigeria was declared free in October 2014. Liberia Ministry of Information said the two new cases were in Nedowein, the same village where the teenager died. Liberia’s authorities quarantined the area after the boy’s death and said his funeral was carried out safely. Health official, Cestus Tarpeh, told AFP that the pair had been in physical contact with the 17 year old before his death. He added that a herbalist who had treated the boy had evaded the authorities and was on the run. It is not clear how the teenager who died was infected.
It was gathered that Nigeria receives about $450 million every year from the US in form of health aid. This was disclosed by Michael Harvey USAID/Nigeria mission director. He said this while answering questions at the Targeted States High Impact Project (TSHIP) end of project information dissemination meeting in Sokoto. According to him, USA has great concern for health issues in Nigeria and in the northern Nigeria in particular. He said they are celebrating the lives saved, the healthier households built and the durable bonds established between the states in which they carried out interventions.
He also stated that, USAID through TSHIP has spent $89m in Sokoto and Bauchi states from 2009 to 2015.
Philips improves maternal and child care in Nigeria, overhauls primary healthcare center
Marking it’s sixth consecutive Cape Town to Cairo roadshow, Philips in collaboration with Ori Iyanrin Primary Healthcare Center unveiled an extensive overhaul and refurbishment of the mother and child care facilities at the Healthcare Centre. Philips upgraded the facilities in the labour, paediatric and new born baby wards, designing them to support the well-being and recovery of expectant mothers and their new born babies. It is anticipated that over time, as a result of this pioneering project, many lives will also be saved.
The Healthcare Center, located in Iru/Victoria Island, LCDA, Lagos, has a very high patient in-flow with an average of 300-400 outpatients per month, as well as 30-40 follow up appointments per week. The Healthcare Center records an average of twenty (20) births per month. The labour, pediatric and new born units in the Healthcare Center prior to the refurbishment were in need of an upgrade.
Fidson Healthcare Wins 2014 Frost & Sullivan Growth Excellence Awards
Written by Super User
Based on its recent performance in the Nigerian pharmaceutical Industry, Fidson Healthcare PLC has emerged winner of the 2014 Nigerian Frost & Sullivan Award for Growth Excellence Leadership. This was contained in a press statement made available by the company. According to the statement, the award ceremony held in United Kingdom on May 14, 2015, recognizes Fidson’s definitive vision and strong management, which stoked a growth rate of 26 percent in 2013, cementing its leadership in the Nigerian pharmaceutical market.
According to Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Danielle de la Mare, the Nigerian pharmaceutical market was estimated to be approximately US$1.19 billion in 2013, with year-on-year growth of 12 percent. Fidson’s audited report for the same period shows revenue growth of 29 percent, from N7.2bn in 2012 to N9.2bn in 2013. Fidson grew its gross profit by 26 percent, from N4.1bn in 2012 to N5.1bn to 2013, while its operating profit increased by 60 percent and operating margin by 3 percent.
After recorded success in monkeys, some African countries are hosting HIV vaccine trials. The success of an experimental vaccine trial with rhesus monkeys is motivating a pharmaceutical company to undertake experimental HIV vaccine tests in Thailand, East and South Africa, and the United States of America US, with 400 healthy participants taking part in the first phase of the trials.
Scientists say the vaccine protected half of a batch of monkeys against the Simian Immunodeficiency Virus, SIV, which is very similar to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.This development came to light just as a former researcher at Iowa State University, was jailed for fraudulently securing millions in funds for further research on a potential vaccine for HIV that turned out to be fake.
How fake doctor deceived us for nine years, by Health Ministry
Written by Super User
THE Federal Ministry of Health yesterday said the fake doctor paraded by the police on Tuesday was recruited by the Federal Civil Service Commission and posted to the ministry. The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Linus Awute, told newsmen in Abuja yesterday that the ministry would demand a refund of the salaries and allowances paid the ‘doctor’ in the past nine years. According to him: “It is important to place it on record that the Federal Ministry of Health does not employ any of its members of staff directly.
“He was recruited through the Federal Civil Service Commission which has the statutory powers to do so and then deploys such employed civil servants to any ministry, department or agency according to their discipline and relevance.”
Police arrest ex-NMA chairman, says he’s a fake doctor
Written by Super User
For nine years, he threw away his true identity, bearing his friend’s name, from whom he allegedly stole copies of the academic credentials with certificates and got employed at the Federal Ministry of Health, became the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) branch chairman, participated as Ebola volunteer and earned salaries until the long arms of the law caught up with him.
Martins Ugwu Okpeh, a native of Ogbadibo Local Government of Benue State in 2006 was the best man to his childhood friend, Dr. George Davidson, a medical doctor practising in Jos, when he allegedly stole the academic credentials and used same to secure employment at the federal ministry. According to the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Abayomi Shogunle, an anonymous petition from the ministry prompted the Police analytical tracking and interception centre to begin discreet investigation.
Buhari Should Unlock Market Potential Of Health Sector- Pate
Written by Super User
President Muhammadu Buhari has been called upon to unlock the market potential of the health sector to boost health tourism within the country. The call was made by former minister of State for Health, Dr Muhammad Ali Pate, Nigeria, adding that the private sector can play a decisive role in improving healthcare delivery. In an interview with Financial Nigeria Magazine in New York on Thursday, made available to LEADERSHIP on Thurday in Abuja, Pate, an Adjunct Professor at the Duke Global Health Institute, and an expert in tropical Medicine and infectious disease , said there are private sector resources potentially out there that can be harnessed.
He said, ” We know that several entities are looking at the potentially exciting role of private equity in Nigeria’s health sector development.” Pate said beyond increasing revenues, the new administration can also reduce the significant inefficiencies and wastage in the health sector as part of its whole-of-government national anti-corruption efforts.
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Despite public outcry, Ondo enforces residency card in health facilities
Written by Super User
Despite stringent criticisms trailing the introduction of Residency Cards, popularly called Kaadi Igbe Ayo, the Ondo State Government on Wednesday instructed all heads of public hospitals and health centres in the state to enforce the use of the card in their various locations.
According to a statement issued by the Ondo State Commissioner of Information, Kayode Akinmade, the directive was handed down by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, at a meeting with some public health coordinators at the Mother and Child Hospital, Akure.
The statement quotes Adeyanju as saying that the residency card scheme was not aimed at making money from the people of the state, as being speculated but that it became necessary owing to the fact that those benefitting from the free medical services provided by the government were non-indigenes.
The global health body however said the use of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV) was proving to be an efficient tool to effectively control outbreaks. Nigeria has been warned against a possible cholera outbreak. The warning was issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO), notifying governments and the international health community that the threat of a cholera outbreak is a major public concern. The global health body however said the use of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV) was proving to be an efficient tool to effectively control outbreaks.
According to the WHO, new outbreaks are ongoing in South Sudan and Tanzania, fanned by insecurity and displacement. Intensive control efforts are ongoing and vaccination programmes have been rolled out to target communities at risk.
Encourage Nigerians To enrol Into NHIS, Leke Pitan Tells FG
Written by Super User
Dr Leke Pitan, a former Lagos State Commissioner for Health, on Saturday urged Federal Government to encourage Nigerians to enrol into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) for quality healthcare delivery. Pitan made the plea at a two-day National Executive Council Meeting of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN) in Lagos.
”The Federal Government should make health insurance scheme compulsory as less than 10 million Nigerians have keyed into the scheme. ”We need to encourage Nigerians to adopt health insurance.“Because, it is the best approach to achieving universal health coverage and reduce congestion and pressure at the secondary and tertiary health facilities. ”So, this will enable them to focus on teaching and research to aid preventive and curative medicine,” he said.
Pitan also called for the democratisation of the nation’s health sector to increase Nigerians access to healthcare delivery.
The Kano state task force on fake, counterfeit drugs and unwholesome processed foods said it had arrested 270 hawkers of illegal drugs in Kano from January to date. The Chairman of the committee, Alhaji Abdul Umar, disclosed this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Friday. He said the hawkers were arrested in various parts of Kano metropolis while exposing the items in the sun. “The task force also sensitizes patent medicine shop owners to ensure that only genuine drugs are stocked in their shops,’’ he said.
He added that PPMV’s were also sensitised on the need to sell drugs that are contained in PPMVL approved list issued by the PCN. According to him, the task force had closed over 1,000 patent medicine shops which were found to have violated the laws of the government on their operation in the state.
