Chioma Umeha

By Chioma Umeha Everyone considering IVF should be aware of PGS, and those in the following circumstances should be particularly aware: women who have attempted IVF without becoming pregnant more than once, women who have experienced recurrent miscarriages or have had a pregnancy involving a chromosomal abnormality, and women with diminished ovarian reserve (since a high proportion of their eggs are often chromosomally abnormal). All embryos do not develop to the blastocyst stage, and generally only some of those that do will be identied as chromosomally normal. Regardless of the number of blastocyst stage embryos produced, there is always a risk that none will be identied as chromosomally normal once subjected to PGS. Should this occur, a transfer will not take place. Women who produce few eggs in a single IVF cycle may engage in a process referred to as “embryo banking”. In an effort to accumulate a more plentiful number of embryos for PGS analysis, their d

By Independent The Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Health Care Professionals and   National Union of Allied Health Professionals(   JOHESU/NUAHP)   has given the Federal Government grace of up to September 30, 2017, within which to meet its demands failure of which it would have no other option than to shut down health care services nationwide. In a release signed by Comrade Obinna Ogbonna, the National President, and Comrade Obisesan O.A., National Secretary, the union said the ultimatum was expected to elapse on September 12, 2017 but that it extended it to September 30, considering other mobilisation factors and to give the government further room to address their demands. The demands are as highlighted below are revamping the infrastructure in the tertiary health institutions, report of the inter-ministerial sub-committee on critical matters in the health sector, professional autonomy, headship of departments/units in hospitals and Enhanced En

By Chioma Umeha Over the past five years, there has been a rapid scale-up of services to Prevent Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) of HIV. This has reduced the annual number of new infections among children by 50 per cent worldwide since 2010. Global HIV Plan In the 21 priority countries that were the focus of the Global Plan towards the elimination of new HIV infections among children and keeping their mothers alive (Global Plan), AIDS-related mortality among children under 15 years of age dropped by   53 per cent between 2009 and 2015. In countries such as Botswana, Burundi, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland, even greater reductions, above 65 per cent, were achieved. However, this welcome news has some challenges. For instance, in 2015, there were 1.8 million children under 15 years of age living with HIV worldwide. An additional 150, 000 children acquired HIV globally in 2015 (2,800 a week), and 110, 000 children died of AIDS-related causes (300 a

By Chioma Umeha It was a carnival of sort in Ikot Ukpong and Ikot-Esop communities, Nsit Atai Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Akwa-Ibom State, as they celebrated provision of portable drinking water by the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). While the youth from communities displayed posters with various inscription thanking UNICEF and EU for the gesture, women on their part rendered special songs. Some of the posters read, “We thank UNICEF and EU for giving us standard water, we thank all the facilitators of this project to our community; we men and women and youth appreciate the effort of   EU for giving us water, etc,” The two communities now boast of safe drinking water after several years of battling with diarrhea, cholera among other water borne diseases, following the implementation of the Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) projects in the state. Before the intervention of EU and UNICEF with the collaboratio

By Independent An ovulation disorder is any condition that affects the normal ovulation process, which is necessary in order to conceive. Other factors, such as stress and diet, can also adversely affect ovulation, so you should not assume that you have an ovulation disorder just because your attempts to conceive have been unsuccessful. In normally fertile couples, there is a 25 per cent chance of getting pregnant each cycle, meaning that about 75 to 85 per cent of women who have regular unprotected sex will get pregnant within one year. If you have been unable to become pregnant after trying for at least one year, then you may want to consider seeing a fertility specialist or a reproductive endocrinologist. A fertility specialist can determine whether you have an ovulation disorder that is affecting your ability to conceive. Types of Ovulation Disorders A woman with ovulation dysfunction may have anovulation (absent ovulation), a condition in which the f

By Independent Health workers under the umbrella of Joint Health Sector Unions Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) has threatened to embark on a nationwide industrial action tagged, ‘Operation Alligator Bite.’ The group is, therefore, asking its members across the country to proceed on an indefinite and total strike action from Wednesday, September 20, 2017 if government failed to meet its demand. It said it tagged the planned action – Operation Alligator Bite because it would be more severe than the Operation Python Dance launched by the Nigerian army in the South-East. The group, in a letter titled, “Looming Nationwide Industrial Action: Request for Audience,” and signed by its National Chairman, Joy Josiah, and the National Secretary, Ekpebor Florence, also demanded an audience with President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola   Saraki and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara on Wednesday

By Chioma Umeha, Nnenna Ekwueme The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) will resume work today after its 10-day-old strike to monitor the level of Federal Government’s compliance with the agreement reached for two weeks. The two weeks period is to afford the doctors enough time to further discuss with the Federal Government to arrive at final solutions to some contentious issues. The doctors would, however, resume the strike if the discussion with the government fails. Confirming this, Dr. Odusote Olumuyiwa, Chairman, Lagos State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), in an interview with INDEPENDENT, said that resident doctors are expected back at work today. When INDEPENDENT visited Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Idi-Araba, Lagos, on Thursday, our reporter noticed that activities are beginning to return to normalcy. A patient who pledged anonymity said some doctors had already began skeletal routine services and rece

By Independent The National Agency for Foods and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has assured corporate organisation, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and private establishments of   the availability of globally recognised laboratories to confirm the quality of Finished Pharmaceutical Products (FPP) in the country. The Director General of NAFDAC, Yetunde Oni, gave the assurance while signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) for the sampling and testing of Finished Pharmaceutical Products from private sector under the Global Fund support, in Abuja, recently. She disclosed that four NAFDAC laboratories spread in different parts of the country have attained ISO 17025 accredited. CRS is one of the world’s largest private voluntary organisations, supporting international relief and development work in more than 100 countries and territories around the world. As a Principal Recipient of the Global Fund malaria g

By  Independent Professor Isaac Adewole, Minister of Health, has appealed to the leadership of the Joint Health Staff Union (JOHESU) to prevail on their members to shelve their planned strike action. In a statement signed by Boade Akinola, Director, Media and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Professor Adewole said government has continued its negotiation with the Union and hoped that issues in contention will be addressed through consensus. The Minister further urged them to consider the interest of Nigerians who are the ultimate victims of the strike action. The Minister assured the JOHESU Leadership of the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari to the wellbeing of all Nigerians, including the welfare of stakeholders in the health sector. It will be recalled that the health workers under the auspices of JOHESU and the National Association of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), recently vowed to embark on an indefinite nationwide s

By Independent The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended the strike action it embarked upon a week ago, after hours of a secret meeting with the Minister of Health. National President of the association,   Dr. John Onyebueze, who announced the suspension in a statement in the early hours of Thursday, said doctors decided to suspend the strike after considering efforts made by government in addressing their demands. He therefore directed all doctors to go back to work with effect from 8.00am on Friday. The one paragraph statement reads: “After due consideration of the efforts by Government and progress made in addressing the items on the notice of our ultimatum, and strike, as well as implementing the contents of the re-negotiated MTS, NARD resolved to suspend her 10 days strike, and to reassess situation in two weeks at our AGM in Abuja. “Accordingly, members are to resume work 8:00am, Friday, 15th September, 2017.” The government