Chioma Umeha

By Chioma Umeha The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has confirmed that Fanta and Sprite are fit for human consumption and within the Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) limits of Benzoic Acid and Sunset Yellow. Stating this Tuesday   at a news conference at the Council’s Abuja Headquarters, the Director General, of the Consumer Protection Council, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, said that his organisation carried out an Independent laboratory analyses   and investigations which   confirmed this. Atoki also said the levels of two additives, Benzoic Acid and Sunset Yellow, which raised public apprehension in the consumption of soft drinks because of the action at the Lagos High Court have been confirmed through laboratory analysis to be within the Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) limits. She said that NAFDAC and SON have been informed about the outcome of the investigation, and that the Council has also recommended regulatory action and review of the “Benzoic Acid limits

…Lagos Committed To Universal Coverage By Chioma Umeha As for Alhaja Sherifat Azeez, a middle aged woman residing in Apapa area of Lagos, life is worth living again. Before now, her health status became worsened because she did not have financial power to to take up her hospital bill whether in private or public facilities. She didn’t have drugs that could ameliorate her health condition which has become a threat to her dear life. However, Alhaja Azeez, told Independent weekend that she has the necessary treatment as well as drugs and can now stand on her feet like her fellow women with the coming of Eko Health Mission programme. Azeez said: “I have been visiting hospitals and I could not buy drugs for my ailment because I didn’t have money, but as the government of Akinwumi Ambode brought this free medical mission to our place, I went there and I did general body checks they gave me drugs for free. I am indeed truly grateful and I say thank you to Gov Ambode

By Chioma Umeha The first Deputy National President, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Iyalode Alaba Lawson has said that enhancing the competitiveness of Nigeria’s products and services in the world market could help the country come out of the present economic recession. The NACCIMA boss made this assertion at the opening ceremony of a training programme of Assessors for the Nigeria National Quality Awards. She stressed that bigger countries like China and America, have once made it through economic recession simply by ensuring that the quality of the products going out of their country underwent proper assessment, just as she affirmed that Nigeria is also toeing same line with the incoming national quality awards. She noted that the ongoing training which began on Monday in Lagos was in line with the National Quality Infrastructure Project for Nigeria (NQIP). She admonished the participants to be “

By Chioma Umeha Meanwhile, Prof. Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Health has directed the Management of the Federal Medical Centre, Gusau in Zamfara State to immediately activate a case finding mission in a bid to stem the current outbreak of meningitis in the state. Adewole gave the directive during his visit to the hospital on Monday according to a statement signed by Mrs. Boade Akinola, Director, Media /Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health. “Set up a rapid response team and let them go and find cases,” he said. “This is not the time to wait for referrals before you treat. You should go out and search for the cases.” He called on the facility to assist in strengthening the Primary Health Care system in the state in order to curtail the current meningitis outbreak and future occurrences. The Minister recalled a picture (of a girl receiving treated on the floor in one of the state PHCs) that made the front page of a recent edition of a National Ne

Dr. Damian Avar is the founder and CEO of DoctorsHub Nigeria. Avar who is a General Practitioner from the College of Medicine, University of Lagos (UNILAG), in this interview with CHIOMA UMEHA , laments shortage of medical personnel in the country and the need to address it. Excerpts: The situation at any of the primary, secondary or tertiary health centres is usually depressing, and many people ask: where are the nurses, doctors, and other health workers? This is because there are always many patients and not enough personnel to address their needs. How do you think this can be tackled? There is growing need for patient-to-doctor gap to be bridged by ensuring that more doctors are in contact with patients. Currently, Nigeria has a very dismal statistics when it comes to health. A doctor to patient ratio is about one to 6000 as against the recommended World Health Organisation(WHO) ratio of one to 600. Recently, Prof. Folashade Ogunsola who is a member of M

By Chioma Umeha The study participants were a group of overweight males who walked for 60 minutes at 60 per cent maximum oxygen consumption on an empty stomach and, on another occasion, two hours after consuming a high-calorie carbohydrate-rich breakfast. If you have been wondering whether it is better to eat or fast before a workout, researchers now have an answer. A new study has found that exercise on empty stomach is better for your health in the long term. The study analysed effects of eating versus fasting on gene expression in adipose (fat) tissue in response to exercise. After eating, adipose tissue “is busy responding to the meal and a bout of exercise at this time will not stimulate the same (beneficial) changes in adipose tissue”, explained corresponding author of the study Dylan Thompson from University of Bath in Britain. “This means that exercise in a fasted state might provoke more favourable changes in adipose tissue, and this could be benef

By Chioma Umeha The National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) on Tuesday said it was set to rid the country of malaria by 2030. Mrs. Itohowo Uko, the Head of Advocacy, Communication and Social Mobilisation (NMEP) said this at a social mobilisation committee meeting on weekend, in Abuja. Uko said eliminating malaria required prompt approach “and everybody must play a part even at the household level.” She also said the World Malaria Day which would be marked on April 25 gave the committee a platform to showcase and educate the public on the dangers associated with the disease. She added that “the essence of the World Malaria Day is to create awareness on the dangers of the disease and the importance of accessing available interventions.” She explained that the theme for this year is “No One Should Die From Mosquito Bite! Your Role is to protect yourself and your family from malaria, so we can all end malaria for good in Nigeria.” Uko added that if

By Chioma Umeha As the meningitis scourge continue to claim more lives in Zamfara, many patients are left to cater for themselves despite government spending to contain the epidemic in the state. According to reports, many patients use their money to buy drugs even though the State Government had since declared that the treatment and cost of drugs were free. Drugs like Dexarose, Ceftariazole and other consumables like plasters, which were purchased in large quantity following the release of more than N100 million by the state government, were still being bought by the patients at nearby patent medicine stores. Some patients told journalists that hospital officials gave them the list of the same drugs and directed them to specific chemists where they could get them. Relatives of the patients who went to buy the drugs told journalists that “Sometimes, we are stopped by the chemists within the hospital premises and they give us the required drugs and when we c

• Pledges Support For Mobilisation Of Political Will, Resources   •Commences Re-evaluation Of 2014 VACS Results CHIOMA UMEHA Lagos In a new resolve to end violence against children, VAC in Nigeria, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) disclosed that it has started reviewing the 2014   VACS findings to identify the drivers of the heinous crime. Revealing this in a report to mark the 2018 Children’s Day, the UN agency for children also reaffirmed its pledged to mobilise political will and resources to tackle and end all forms of violence against children in Nigeria. Mr Isiye Ndombi, UNICEF Deputy Representative in Nigeria, who signed the report said, “UNICEF remains firmly committed to end violence against children in Nigeria.” Ndombi further said that the agency is providing support for government partners to launch the “National Plan of Action to End VAC by 2030, alongside with a national Social Norms Change Strategy.” The UNICEF deputy re

By Chioma Umeha The Lagos State Government says it will enter into partnership with an insurance company to roll out its Health Insurance Scheme and end medical tourism. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, made this known to journalists at the end of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State meeting with the management of Axa Mansard Insurance Plc. Idris said that both parties discussed issues of mutual interest specifically in the area of ending medical tourism and the state Health Insurance Scheme to be rolled out soon. “The Mansard Group is willing to partner with the state government to reverse the trend of medical tourism which is in line with what this administration has started doing. “They have expressed their interest to partner with us on our health insurance scheme which we are rolling out very soon. “The state government is playing the role of an enabler. “We are providing financing mechanism to the health sector which is one of t