Chioma Umeha

By Chioma Umeha A new road map for implementing the Addis Declaration on Immunisation (ADI) has been launched. The event happened in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda recently, at the inaugural Africa Health Forum. The launch followed the decision in January this year, at the 28th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, by heads of government from the continent to approve the ADI, which was earlier drafted and signed by ministers and other top level delegates at the Ministerial Conference on Immunisation in Africa in February 2016. The foreword to the 35-page report informs that the “endorsement paves the way for accelerated implementation of the ADI roadmap to ensure that everyone in Africa, no matter who they are or where they live, can access the vaccines they need to survive and thrive.” While noting that “Africa has made tremendous gains in increasing access to immunisation in the last 15 years,” progress, it says, has “has stagnated, leaving one in five Africa

By Chioma Umeha The Lagos State Government on Monday commenced this year’s Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, (MNCH) Week across the state, saying that it is planning to reach 640,000 pregnant women. The MNCH Week offers a veritable platform to simultaneously contribute to the reduction of child morbidity and mortality and improving maternal health indices. The week holds between 3 and 7 July, 2017. At a news conference weekend, at the Lagos State Government Secretariat, Alausa, in Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Health Care, Dr. Olufemi Onanuga said it was a known fact that maternal, peri-natal and child (under five year) health was one of the most important issues that determined national well-being. He said when aggregated, this group (women of child bearing age and under- five year old) represents over 42 per cent of the state’s total population, apart from their constituting a vulnerable group, adding that eve

By Chioma Umeha National Coordinator, National AIDS/STI Control Programme, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Sunday Aboje has said that Nigeria was still home to the highest number of children living with HIV/AIDS in the world. Dr Aboje spoke at the opening of a three-day Communication Strategic review workshop by Journalists Alliance for Prevention of Mother to Child transmission of HIV (JAPIN) in Calabar, Cross Rivers State on Tuesday. Dr Aboje stated that currently 380,000 children are HIV positive in the country, adding that Nigeria is committed to the goal of eliminating new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers alive by 2020. The NASCAP coordinator declared: “Nigeria has the second highest global burden of HIV/AIDS and also contributes the largest proportion of new vertically acquired HIV infections among children. “The country has come a long way in its effort to control the HIV/AIDS epidemic, particularly in PMTCT. Beginning wi

By Chioma Umeha Dr. Damian Avar is a General Practitioner and the founder and CEO of DoctorsHub Nigeria, in this interview with CHIOMA UMEHA , discusses growing cases of diabetes in Nigeria and how it can be curbed. Excerpts: Describe the current situation of diabetes in Nigeria? According to the World Health Organisation, over 1.7 million new cases of diabetes in Nigeria were recorded in 2016. And with about five million Nigerians, according to the Diabetes Association of Nigeria (DAN) currently living with the disease, Nigeria comes top on the list of countries in Africa with the highest incidence and prevalence of diabetes. Sadly, this value has been projected to double by 2030. So really, the fact that diabetes is on a rapid rise in Nigeria is incontestable. What is responsible for the growing cases of diabetes in Nigeria? There are certain risks factors which predispose people to developing diabetes. While there is often a genetic link to the disease,

By Chioma Umeha To satisfy consumer expectations, Nestlé Central and West Africa Region (CWAR) have expressed commitment to redesigning its Maggi product, with the reduction of salt content, using more familiar and common ingredients. Dominique Allier, Business Executive Officer Culinary for Nestlé Central and West Africa, said in a statement on Monday in Lagos. Nestlé Central and West Africa says it is committed to reshaping Maggi product to emphasise the use of familiar and common ingredients that people know and have at home. According to the organisation, the redesigning is part of its mission to support home cooks with healthier and tastier choices, by simplifying ingredients lists, reducing salt and increasing micronutrient fortification. This announcement was made at a Nutrition Forum for stakeholders across West and Central Africa, in Dakar , Senegal. Dominique Allier, Business Executive Officer Culinary for Nestlé Central and West Africa, said:

By Chinyere Abiaziem Lagos – Civil Society For HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (CISHAN), has called on Nigerians to beware of all false claims for HIV vaccine or cure, stressing that there is no known vaccine nor scientific cure yet for the deadly virus. CISHAN believes that every false claims to HIV vaccine and cure endangers the lives of the populace, including the over three million Nigerians living with the virus. It thus pledged support for global, regional and national efforts towards HIV vaccine and cure research, adding that it would continue to work with its partner-New HIV Vaccine And Microbicide Advocacy (NHVMAS) on public education, updates and awareness about new development in the field of HIV vaccine and cure research. “CISHAN, its constituents coordinating entities and its over 4,000memebers hereby call on the Nigeria public to beware of all false claims for a HIV vaccine or a HIV cure,” the group partly stated in a statement through its contact person

By Chioma Umeha The government has been urged to increase funding and support People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and partners working on HIV awareness in line with the global campaign for safer motherhood and HIV-free babies. Making the call recently, was Mrs. Kadiri Oluseyi, Executive Director, Centre for Positive ‎Health Organisation, Lagos State under the platform of Abidjan – Lagos – Corridor who further canvassed for the elimination of stigma for People Living With HIV/AIDS. According to her, support from the government through increased funding and access to anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs will help to ameliorate the challlenges of PLWHA, especially pregnant mothers and help in the elimination of Mother-To- Child- Transmission (eMTCT) of HIV. Oluseyi spoke when members of Journalists Alliance for Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV in Nigeria (JAPiN), Lagos state Chapter made the special investigative

By Chioma Umeha Ahead of Ahead of July United Nations (UN) on Sustainable Development Programmes (SDGs) Afrihealth Optonent Association, a Nigerian Civil Society Organisation Network is worried over some States’ failure to present reports during the validation workshop for Nigerian’s national voluntary review of the SDGs. Afrihealth Optonet Association which focuses on system strengthening for health, community and social development noted that the reports are due for presentation at high-level political forum of the United Nations that will be taking place in July. Making the observation was Dr Uzodinma Adirieje, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Afrihealth Optonet Association, at a forum organised by the Civil Society Coalition Development on Sustainable Development (CSCSD) to appeal to government at all levels to collaborate with the private sector and other relevant stakeholders in the quest to achieving the SDGs in Lagos last week, Adirieje who is

By Chioma Umeha One of the Nigeria’s leading healthcare facility, Lagoon Hospitals, has been named the ‘2017 Private Healthcare Provider of the Year,’ a recognition the hospital received for its focus on quality and clinical excellence in healthcare. Contending with seven other hospitals nationwide, the 2017 award was presented to Lagoon Hospitals by the Nigeria Healthcare Excellence Award (NHEA), an annual event which celebrates distinguished personalities and organisations who have contributed immensely to the growth of the Nigerian health sector. The award won by Lagoon Hospitals was determined by an independent jury team, votes from the e-voting platform, and the final decision of the Advisory Committee of NHEA. Lagoon Hospitals is the pioneer of advanced medical care in Nigeria, providing a range of primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare services. Constantly providing comprehensive solutions to all healthcare problems, Lagoon has established its

By Toyin Adebayo Abuja – In an effort to ensure better health care delivery in the rural areas of the country, the Federal government has introduced Community Health Influencers, Promoters and Service Providers (CHIPS), Executive Secretary , National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib has said. According to him, about 200,000 CHIPS will be employed and trained in medical skills to render first aid treatment on women and children before referring them to the hospital in case of an emergency. He made this known at the inaugural quarterly media interactive forum with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and development parterners to chart a way forward on primary health care system in Nigeria. He said that the agency needs people who can work in the localities where they are well known and trusted. According to him, “The Community Health Influencers, Promoters and Service Providers that we are talking about are not doctors. The