Chioma Umeha

By Chioma Umeha In line with its commitment to a healthy environment Promasidor Nigeria has pledged to abide by standards in line with best international practices. The Head, Legal and Public Relations, Promasidor Nigeria, Mr. Andrew Enahoro, made the commitment saying that the firm has been keeping to regulations on healthy environment, noting that it is very essential for businesses to adhere to environmental laws in order to survive. It also for the benefit of people living within that locality, the firm said. Enahoro stated that in order to achieve a healthy environment that is free from pollution, there is need for collaboration between organisations and government on ways of making the society safe for living despite the threat of global warming. He said Promasidor’s efforts in keeping its environment free from pollution and other health hazards has endeared the company to its host community in Isolo where it operates. This was as a result of the gian

By Chioma Umeha Genetic causes of female infertility – Many women are unable to conceive and deliver a healthy baby due to genetic factors. Sometimes this is due to an inherited chromosome abnormality. Other times it is because of a single-gene defect passed from parent to child. In addition, if other women in your family have had problems conceiving due to premature menopause, endometriosis or other factors, you may be at increased risk of the same problems. Chromosome abnormalities Chromosomally abnormal embryos have a low rate of implantation in the mother’s uterus, often leading to miscarriages. If an abnormal embryo does implant, the pregnancy may still result in miscarriage or the birth of a baby with physical problems, developmental delay, or mental retardation. There are several kinds of chromosome abnormalities: •             A missing piece of a chromosome (deletion) •             An upside-down chromosome (inversion) •             A change

•  Targets Immunisation Of 116m Children Across Continent By Chioma Umeha More than 190 000 polio vaccinators in 13 countries across west and central Africa will immunise more than 116 million children over the next week, to tackle the last remaining stronghold of polio on the continent. The synchronized vaccination campaign, one of the largest of its kind ever implemented in Africa, is part of urgent measures to permanently stop polio on the continent. All children under five years of age in the 13 countries – Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria and Sierra Leone – will be simultaneously immunised in a coordinated effort to raise childhood immunity to polio across the continent. In August 2016, four children were paralysed by the disease in security-compromised areas in Borno state, north-eastern Nigeria, widely considered to be the only place on t

The State Centre for Disease Control across the country has been urged to re-launch efforts towards stronger disease surveillance so as to be proactive against infectious diseases. Giving this charge at the weekend was the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) following the conclusion of its second Annual Surveillance Review Meeting, held at the Nike Lake Resort Hotel in Enugu State. According to NCDC, this year’s edition of the Annual Surveillance Review Meeting provided the opportunity for scientists at the frontline of disease surveillance in Africa’s most populous country to interact with one another. It was also to obtain feedback on their work at state level and the attendant impact. The first edition of the meeting held in Ibadan, Oyo State in 2016 where all states participants – State Epidemiologists and Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers – were charged with carrying out surveillance-related reforms in their respective states. “The y

Professor Sunday Adeoye is the Medical Director, National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakaliki. A seasoned obstetrician and gynaecologist, Adeoye specialises in obstetric fistula repairs. He speaks with CHIOMA UMEHA on the dearth of fistula repair surgeons in the country and sundry issues. Describe your venture into Fistula Obstetric intervention in Ebonyi State? I could trace it to when I was a resident doctor in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH). My consultant then was into fistula repair and that is how I developed interest. Subsequently, I took my leave, then went for Vesico Vaginal Fistula training in Akwa Ibom State. Subsequently, I was employed as a consultant in Ebonyi State Teaching Hospital (ESTH) in Abakaliki because of the expertise I had in VVF repair. They then sent me on a further training in Katsina. On my return, with the assistance of the hospital management in 2002, a VVF unit was established in the hospital where we repaired ov

By Chioma Umeha As the world celebrates the International World Water Day this week, Nestlé Nigeria Plc was not left out, as they marked the day in grand style with children and adults alike during the week. The event which had this year’s theme of the International Water Day – ‘Wastewater,’ took place at the company’s Agbara factory, was attended by pupils and teachers from schools around the environ, who are beneficiaries of Nestlé Waters project – Water Education for Teachers(WET). The programme trains teachers to help raise awareness about water conservation and proper hydration among school children. In his keynote address, the company’s Country Manager, Jason Lambe, stressed Nestlé’s commitment to pursuing rigorous management standards and water- saving programmes throughout its operations and a continuous monitoring of their performance, to ensure that the present-day water challenge is met. Reading excerpts from UN-Water, he said wastewater is in fo

•   Launches 2016 Sustainability Report By Chioma Umeha One of the leading beverage alcohol companies, Guinness Nigeria Plc, has released its Sustainability Report for 2016, displaying its performance on various aspects of its operations and the strategy of achieving future targets in line with Sustainable Development goals (SDGs) of ensuring healthy communities. The report was unveiled in Lagos on Wednesday, at a formal ceremony attended by various stakeholder groups and partners such as the Federal Road Safety Corps, The Lagos Business School, Water Aid, Institute for Industrial technology (IIT) and Diageo’s Global Sustainable Development Director, David Croft among others. The Sustainability report, titled: ‘Sustainability: From Grain to Glass’ is an 87- page report of Guinness Nigeria performance from July to June, 2016 and focuses on material issues critical to the sustainability of the company’s business. The excerpts read: “We consider an issu

By Chioma Umeha The Federal Government plans to scale up maternal and child health outcomes has received a boost with the launch of the phase one programme of implementation of a 70 million Euro (23 billion naira) grant which is a support from the European Union (EU). The fund is also targeted to strengthen the country’s primary healthcare systems and eradicate the polio virus. The Project is the phase 1 – 70 million euro support from the EU to the health sector under the 11th European Development Fund. It will be jointly implemented by UNICEF and the World Health Organisation (WHO) in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria and the target States. The Federal Government in collaboration with EU, UNICEF and WHO signed the project in Abuja, on Thursday. The goal is to expand maternal and child health outcome in Bauchi, Adamawa and Kebbi States and also to strengthen health system in Anambra and Sokoto states respectively. 50 million euros of

Olumide Akintayo is the immediate past President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN). In this interview with CHIOMA UMEHA, he speaks on the challenges of leadership, inter-professional crises in the health sector and the way forward for effective healthcare management in Nigeria. Excerpts:   Health watchers have continued to complain of poor NHIS implementation. What is responsible for this? The original aim of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is to bring quality healthcare to the doorsteps of every Nigerian and above all, streamline the role and responsibilities of all healthcare providers. At the point of commencement, the medical doctors introduced in-house laboratory and pharmacy facilities and smuggled into the scheme global capitation where a doctor can carry out laboratory test and stock and dispense drugs without the intervention of the experts in that field. Doctors also issue and dispense same prescription especially, in the private he

By Chioma Umeha Plan International Nigeria, an international non-governmental organisation has called on the government of Lagos state to take ownership of its initiative for a coordinated ambulance system in the state. Dr Rita Akintola, A consultant for the initiative who made the call at an ambulance service coordination meeting over the weekend, stressed that the common man on the street deserves the same attention as the Governor when it comes to life saving services. Akintola said: “If all the local government have ambulances and operate separately, it amounts to a waste of resources. Developing a more effective and integrated emergency service has become paramount because once we get it right in Lagos, then others would say, it makes sense to adopt.” Under the existing framework, the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS), a mobile health care service launched in 2001, is more restricted to road traffic accidents while Primary Health Care ambulance ar