Chioma Umeha

Family Planning Prevents Prolong Obstructed Labour, Fistula – Umma-Bala Over half of Nigerian married women aged between 15 and 49 want to avoid pregnancy and plan their families, but, lack access to modern contraception according to the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). This challenge of non-availability of family planning (FP) supplies in the country’s various health facilities is worsened by the myths and misconceptions about FP which women contend with in their various communities. But, a Reproductive Health/Family Planning, FP, Adviser to Fistula Care Plus, based in Sokoto State, Mrs. Amina Umma Bala in this interview with  Chioma Umeha  dismisses the myths, declares it number one step out of poverty for couples  saying, it gives couples opportunity to delay, space and choose number of children they want. Excerpts: There are various perceptions and misconception about family planning. For instance, in some communities, it is believed that if a woman uses a met

NCDC Confirms Lassa Fever Spread To Four States, One Death The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed five more cases of Lassa fever across four states in the last 11 days. Two cases were reported from Plateau State, one from Rivers, and one each from Bauchi and Gombe, NCDC said in a statement Friday night. Four of the   infected   people are alive, but the fifth case, from Gombe, died on August 22. “We commend the early detection and reporting of the most recent cases, as it significantly improves the likelihood of survival for the cases and also reduces the risk of further transmission,” said NCDC chief executive officer Chikwe Ihekweazu. “We also urge all States to report cases immediately for Lassa fever while improving on the timeliness of their reporting generally.” Ministries of health in the respective states, the NCDC and the Nigerian Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme are investigating and managing those infected. An NCDC advi

FG, WAMCO Renew MOU On Dairy Development Programme Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and one of the country’s leading dairy companies, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, makers of Peak, Three Crowns and Friso brands of milk have renewed their memorandum of understanding (MoU) on dairy development in the country. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief AuduOgbeh, and the Managing Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, Mr. Rahul Colaco, signed the MOU at a ceremony held in Abuja, recently. WAMCO is the first dairy company in Nigeria to sign such a pact with the Federal Government. The Minister and his team had visited the Netherlands earlier in the year, to see how the Dutch dairy chain is organized from “grass to glass” and how FrieslandCampina guarantees the safety and quality of her products. A statement issued by the company’s Corporate Affairs Director, Ore Famurewa, explained: “This is an enormously positive development for FrieslandCampina W

Ambode’s Wife Pledges Support For Adolescents Living With HIV The wife of the Lagos State governor, Mrs Bolanle Ambode has expressed concern over adolescents living with HIV in the state, and pledged to support them to actualise their potentials. Addressing journalists at an “Adolescent Advocacy Meeting with policy makers on the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents living with HIV in Nigeria, the representative of the wife of the Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, Mrs Rhoda Ayinde, said the state has put in place vocational skill centres that will foresee to the training of adolescent living with Human Immune Virus, adding that it will not rest on its oars. She however stated: “I will team up with other governors’ wives of states like Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Benue, FCT and Kaduna. We will empower and sensitize these adolescent and also involve all stakeholders to see that HIV is totally eliminated. The two weeks summer camp from August 23 to  September 2,  is geared

Nigeria Must Reduce Infection In Adolescents To Be HIV-free – Umoh Mr. Francis Umoh is the Programme Manager, Positive Action for Treatment Access (PATA), Lagos who was in charge of a two-week national mentorship and leadership training programme for Adolescents Living with HIV in Nigeria (ALHIV) with the support of UNICEF in collaboration with the Lagos State AIDS Control Agency (LSACA). In an interview with CHIOMA UMEHA, Umoh discusses the purpose of the just-ended vacation training and how about 196,000 Nigerian adolescents living with HIV can have improved health and quality of life. Excerpts: Can you give details of the just-ended national mentorship and leadership training programme for Adolescents Living with HIV in Nigeria (ALHIV) organized by PATA? The event promotes access to HIV treatment education, care and services; advocate for access to affordable, qualitative diagnostic and monitoring tests, drugs and commodities to treat HIV and its attendant problems. Our you

Poor Funding Hinders Malaria Research – NIMR CHIOMA UMEHA Lagos Following World Health Organisation (WHO) latest survey which shows that not less than 51 million Nigerians, equivalent to 30 per cent of the population, tested positive to the malaria parasite in 2015, researchers have decried growing paucity of funds required for research which is impeding the roll out of malaria interventions and others. The researchers who are from Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR),Yaba, Lagos, while noting that the highest number of Malaria cases occurred in the North West and North Central zones of the country, raised alarm that Nigeria is not on track for malaria elimination. Lamenting, the Deputy Director (Research) and Head, Malaria Research Programme (NIMR) Dr. Sam Awolola, said with such high malaria burden, and continued reliance on foreign intervention, the country is far from being on track to end the malaria scourge. Awolola, who raised the alarm at a forum organised by