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How infants are caught between HIV infections, pneumonia

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By: Chioma Umeha Funmi’s excitement knew no bounds when she gave birth to a baby after 10 years of tortuous experience of childlessness. The obviously elated new mother and her heartthrob christened their new baby girl – Ayomide, meaning, ‘my joy has come.’ But, their happiness was punctuated when the baby began to show symptoms of cold and was diagnosed of pneumonia few days after birth. Funmi’s joy of motherhood became short-lived as Ayomide later tested positive to HIV and died before nine months. Ayomide is simply an example of the plight of millions of HIV- positive children with pneumonia. HIV-positive children are six times more probable to die from pneumonia than children not infected with the virus in developing countries. This was confirmed in the first worldwide study on the negative impact of pneumonia in HIV-positive children entitled: “Global, regional, and national estimates of pneumonia burden in HIV-infected children in 2010: A meta-analysis and modelling study,”

Brutal, intense conflicts leave children at risk of recruitment–UN

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By: Chioma Umeha Children are increasingly vulnerable to recruitment and use by armed groups, as conflicts around the world become more brutal, intense and widespread, UNICEF and the UN Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict said recently to mark the International Day against the Use of Child Soldiers. “While Governments of the world have made progress to recognize children have no place in their armies, the recruitment of child soldiers is still a huge problem, especially with armed groups,” said Leila Zerrougui, the Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Children and Armed Conflict. ”Out of 59 parties to conflict identified by the Secretary-General for grave violations against children, 57 are named because they are recruiting and using child soldiers.”  UNICEF and the Office of the Special Representative call for urgent action to end grave violations against children including their recruitment and use by armed groups. Parties to conflicts must

Lagos moves to stop Mother- to-Child HIV transmission

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By: Chioma Umeha As the world counts down to 2015, experts are anxious over the increasing rate of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of HIV in Lagos State. The State is one of the 12 States, in addition to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and it accounts for 70 per cent of the country’s burden of MTCT of HIV. To eliminate MTCT of HIV in line with Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) number six, there is urgent need for the State to increase efforts, if it must meet the 2015 deadline. Data from the Lagos State Bureau of Statistics confirmed that with a population of 22 million, Lagos, with a HIV prevalence of 5.1, is one of the 12+1 States that account for 70 percent of the nation’s burden of children born with HIV based on the 2010 National HIV Sero – Prevalence Sentinel Survey. In view of this, the State government has commenced a campaign to accelerate the Prevention of Mother-to-child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) aimed at reducing maternal death in the State. It is against t

How LUTH allowed my wife to die over N1.3m medical bill – husband

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 By: Chioma Umeha • No, we did our best for her under the circumstance – LUTH Ag CMD Perhaps, if the newly signed National Health Act which provides for free medical care for pregnant women and under-five children has become enforceable, Mrs. Folake Oduyoye who died at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) from complications due to a caesarean section procured at a private hospital, Midas Touch Clinic, Aguda, Surulere,Lagos, could have been prevented. According to her husband, Adeyemi Oduyoye, 35- Folake Oduyoye died on December 13, this year at LUTH, Idi-Araba, Lagos, due to negligence of LUTH occasioned by the inability of the family to pay over N1.3 million cost of medicare incurred from over one month that his wife was hospitalized at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of LUTH where she was referred to after infections from the CS led to sepsis that required another surgery. Adeyemi lamented that the hospital detained and did not allowed his wife to seek help elsewhere, e

Nigeria’s gradual step towards anti-retroviral drugs sufficiency

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By: Chioma Umeha With   four   companies ready to begin production of anti-retroviral drugs in Nigeria, there is hope that more People Living with HIV (PLWH) in the country will now have access to anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs for treatment of HIV/AIDS. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) recently, said that the issue of accessibility of ARV will soon be a thing of the past when its production begins in Nigeria. Over 300 protesters under the aegis of Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NEPWHAN)   shut the office of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) last November,   alleging that they were unable to access anti-retroviral drugs. They further alleged that there was ongoing withdrawal of financial support to HIV/AIDS by external funding partners. NEPWHAN also complained about non-implementation of the Comprehensive Response Plan inaugurated by President Goodluck Jonathan to bridge the existing treatment access gaps. As early as 6am, the prot

Turned between transparency and jeopardising national security – Oji 

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Dr. Ejike Oji  is a medical practitioner  with  over three decades of experience. He is also a social entrepreneur, working to empower communities. He had worked at the international level and facilitated some health programmes that benefited Nigerians, especially women,  his passion to serve his people and make life better for them influenced his interest to participate in politics.  He will be representing Isuikwuato/Umunneochi federal constituency of Abia State in the House of Representatives. His initial plan was to run on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but he latter dumped the party for All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). He gives reasons for his action, and the programmes he intends to execute while in office, in this interview with CHIOMA UMEHA. Dr. Ejike Oji Can you shed more light on your background, especially place of origin, schooling, degrees, professional experience/career pursuit and goals? I was born to the family of Mazi B.A. Oji and Hel

Nestle introduces zinc-fortified bottled water

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By: Chioma Umeha In furtherance to its food fortification initiative Nestle,  at the weekend in Lagos, launched  its Nestle Pure Life Protect, a variant of its bottled water brand, Nestle Pure Life Water which is fortified with zinc.  Speaking on the occasion, the MD, Nestle, Darnesh Gordhon, noted that Nigeria has challenges of water supply and added that the introduction of the Nestle Pure Life Protect was in recognition that good hydration is at the core of healthy lifestyle. “We believe strongly that good hydration is at the heart of healthy lifestyle. We also believe that when it comes to hydration, bottled water is the healthiest packaged beverage due to its absence of calories, controlled origins, taste and convenience,” he said, adding that Gordhon who said the new product was a demonstration of the company’s commitment to create innovative healthy hydration solutions in Nigeria, reiterated Nestle’s commitment to responsible water management through its value chains.