Chioma Umeha

Drug-resistant malaria has become a global issue, resulting in elimination efforts and collaboration among several actors, including the national programmes, donors, researchers and critically, public health providers. Early detection, strong surveillance and patient follow-up are crucial in fighting the spread of the drug-resistant Malaria. CHIOMA UMEHA (HEALTH EDITOR) who was among   the eight journalists who recently participated in “Covering the Fight to Eradicate Malaria: A Fellowship for U.S. and International Centre for Journalists (ICFJ)” in Thailand and Cambodia under the sponsorship of the International Center for Journalists and Malaria No More programme  writes her experience on efforts in tackling drug-resistant malaria in these countries. Inside a clinic at Steung Market, Tbong Khmom province, Ponhea Krek District, Cambodia, Cheng Koy, pricks Sourn Morm’s finger and squeezes out five drops of blood. He checks his temperature and asks about his symptoms. Then he gets out

A whooping 2.9 million people living with HIV/AIDS out of 3.4 million Nigerians diagnosed last year are at risk of death from HIV related illnesses following lack of treatment needed to suppress the infection. Affected persons are mostly those who are currently living in hiding, who are also infecting new people causing a surge of the disease. HIV experts revealed this at a scientific symposium to mark this year’s World AIDS Day, organized by the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, in collaboration with Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Lagos branch. In her presentation, representative of the Population Council Abuja, Dr. Sylvia Adebajo, noted that only 500,000 people are currently on treatment, while the 2.9 million, largely men, serve as reservoir for the spread of HIV. “Men do not go to hospital as much as women, so they are the most difficult to reach. Those at higher risks include; women, homosexuals, men who engage with drugs and those who have sex with female sex worke

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved US$64.59 million(equivalent of SDR 46.665 million of the local country’s currency) to be distributed in three tranches. The augmentation of access was approved after the Executive Board completed the third and fourth review of Sierra Leone’s performance under a three-year arrangement by the Extended Credit Facility (ECF). IMF said: “The completion of the third and fourth review enables the immediate disbursement of US$46.I4 million (SDR 33.335 million). This amount includes the first tranche of the augmentation in an amount of about US$2 l .53 million (SDR 15.555 million).” The Executive Board also approved the authorities’ request for the re-phasing of the fifth and sixth disbursements under the arrangement. Christine Lagarde, IMF Chief In completing the review, the Executive Board additionally approved the authorities’ request for waivers of non-observance of the end December 2014 performance criteri

The belief that that cosmetic surgery is an exclusive treatment for the rich has been disproved. This is because experts have confirmed that the poor and middle class Nigerians can as well access the treatment and give their body the perfect look of their dream. The scientists who spoke recently, during a press briefing to flag-off a Body Art Cosmetic Surgery Centre in Lagos, observed that majority of Nigerians want to have that perfect look, and added that many of them do not know how to go about it, while some believes only the wealthy people can access the treatment. According to them, the cosmetic surgery centre was established to accommodate Nigerians who would love to have the perfect body of their dream, even as the noted that the cost of services of the new centre is within the reach of average Nigerian who will be provided with personalised treatments using state-of-the-arts procedures with highly skilled medical team. The lead consultant for the centre,