Chioma Umeha

In four days time, precisely November 2, all roads will lead to Abuja, where pharmacists from all over the country will converge for the 88th annual national conference of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) – “Unity 2015.” According to the Executives of PSN Planning Committee this year’s event which will attract international participants as usual will come with a difference. Addressing the journalists at the PSN National Secretariat, Anthony Village, Lagos, Olumide Akintayo, the National President, PSN, who is also a member of the planning committee stressed that this year’s conference is special as it will address childhood killer diseases under the platform of PSN-PACFaH project. Specifically, PSN and Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH) in Nigeria will make a presentation on progress in tackling childhood killer disease in the country at the conference and point the way forward. According to Akintayo, the vision of PSN-

Medtronic, the world’s largest medical technology, services, and solutions company, and Renescor, Limited Liability Partnership, have signed a partnership deal to bring high quality cardiac care and healthcare managed services to the purpose-built Gbagada Cardiac and Renal Centre (CRC) in Lagos. Renescor was recently awarded a five-year concession agreement with the Lagos State Government to activate and bring high quality services to the purpose-built Gbagada Cardiac and Renal Centre (CRC). Renescor is partnering with Medtronic to help manage CRC’s Cath-Lab, Operating Room (OR) and ICU. Chairman of Renescor, Dr Ladi Awosika, explained: “Nigeria is in desperate need for efficient Cath-Labs and operating rooms (OR) to treat more patients locally. Lagos currently has only two operational Cath-Labs to serve a population of 16 million and is in critical need of more.” Dr. Ladi added “We decided on Medtronic because it is the largest medical technology manufacturer

… On Int’l Day of the Girl-Child Marriage of girls less than 18 years is common worldwide and affects millions of them despite international agreements and national laws. Experts classify child marriage as a health and human rights issue. According to child advocates, it is a human rights violation that prevents girls from obtaining education, enjoy optimal health, bond with others of their age, mature and ultimately choose their own life partners. Children activists believe that the practice is driven by poverty and has several effects on girls’ health such as increased risk for sexually transmitted diseases, cervical cancer, malaria, death during childbirth and obstetric fistulas. Girls’ offspring are at increased risk for premature birth and death as neonates, infants or children. Child marriage as a tradition driven by poverty is perpetuated to ensure girls’ financial future and to reinforce social ties. This belief may not be unconnected with the reason

A human rights violation, child marriage directly impacts girls’ education, health, psychologic well-being, and the health of their offspring. It increases the risk for depression, sexually transmitted infection, cervical cancer, malaria, obstetric fistulas, and maternal mortality. Their offspring are at an increased risk for premature birth and, subsequently, neonatal or infant death. Aisha Buhari Activities commemorating this year’s International Day of the Girl Child ended today with the investiture of Mrs. Aisha Buhari the wife of the Nigerian President as the Grand Patron, High Level Women Advocates for Girls Education in Nigeria during an advocacy visit of fifty adolescent girls to her. The wife of the President at the interactive session with the girls promised to advocate publicly for legislation against child marriage. She encouraged parents to keep their daughters in school for at least 12 years. “No single girl will be left behind in my movement to g

The Ogun state Government in collaboration with Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria(IHVN), Catholic Cariyas Foundation of Nigeria/Christian Health Association of Nigeria (CCFN/CHAN) and Achieving Health Nigeria Initiative( AHNi) has joined forces to ensure total eradication of HIV/AIDS by 2020 and zero transmission by 2030 in the State through new strategy called 90,90,90 initiative. Dr. Young Oluokun,     the IHVN, member, which is the leading partnership in the State,   disclosed   this to journalists recently, at a the two-day workshop by the   Ogun State HIV programme, State Implementation Team(SIT) stakeholders’ meeting, held at G.R.A Ibara Housing Estate in Abeokuta. Dr. Oluokun said that at the World Conference on HIV/AIDS, it was agreed that by year 2020, 90 per cent of people are to be tested, 90 per cent of people tested positive should be placed on Anti-Ritroviral Drugs (ARD) and 90 per cent of people who are on ARD should achieved the stage of viral s

Nestlé Nigeria, a leading Nutrition, Health and Wellness company collaborated with Chefs Gathering Nigeria, a professional organisation associated with the World Association of Chefs Societies, to organise a Kids Healthy Cooking Workshop. The event marked World Chefs Day, which theme this year is Healthy Kids – Healthy Future. This forms part of a global partnership between Nestlé and the World Association of Chefs Societies to promote healthy diet and lifestyle. The cooking workshop took place at the Ilupeju Primary School, one of the Nestlé Healthy Kids schools in Nigeria. The Nestlé Healthy Kids programme is a global programme that promotes nutrition education and physical activity among school children. The programme is being implemented in Nigeria since 2011 in partnership with the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and Centre for Health Education, Population and Nutrition (CHEPON), a non-governmental organisation. To date it has reached over 62,