Chioma Umeha

By Chioma Umeha Hon. Mohammed Usman, the Deputy Chair, House Committee on Health Services, has lamented that Nigeria budget has not been able to actualise one per cent Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) allocation to health as stipulated in the National Health Act of 2014. He said that the legislators   have been trying to work out the modality of meeting the allocation to provide for effective health care services at all levels in the country    since 2016 till date, adding that this may be captured in the 2018 budget. Hon. Usman said this in Abuja at the Primary Healthcare Advocacy Civil Society Organisations Learning Dissemination Meeting organised by   Mamaye E4A. He expressed optimism that with the introduction of public hearing, CSOs can come and scrutinise the budget. It would be recalled that the NH Acts states that one per cent of consolidated revenue of the country be made available to provide basic healthcare services to all Nigerians especially t

*National Drug Rehabilitation Centres Underway –Senate Pharmacists under the auspices of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) have alerted that the Federal Government decision to roll out the first locally produced vaccines in July 2019 may not be practicable. Announcing this recently was Ahmed Yakasai, President, PSN at a press briefing in Lagos. According to Yakasai, the plan was aimed at producing vaccines against Yellow fever, Tetanus Toxoid and Hepatitis B. He said: “It is unbelievable that there are so many intrigues. Some people want the process to fail. There are so many interests, even from international bodies. To some, it is either they are involved or it fails. But everything is stabilising now, as the plan is still on, but delayed. “I have visited the Yellow fever vaccine plant in Yaba, Lagos and work is ongoing. The project is capital intensive, but to make it work better, we are encouraging partnerships.” May and Baker Plc, an indigeno

L-R back- L-R front- Chioma Mbanugo, Category Marketing Manager PZ Wilmar; Dipo Dawodu, Finance Director, HPZ (PZ Cussons); Mohammed Tahir, General Manager, External & Regulatory Affairs PZ Cussons; Abiola Laseinde, Company Secretary/Head Corporate Services, Africa PZ Cusson and Dr. Samuel Babatunde Adejare, Commissioner for Environment, Lagos state, during the recent PZ Wilmar Partners NCF for annual Walk for Nature Event 2017. Read more  https://independent.ng/pz-wilmar-partners-ncf-walk-for-nature/ As part of its social responsibilities to sustainable initiatives, investing in the future of local communities and the environment, PZ Wilmar, maker of vegetable oil Brand, Mamador and Devon King’s cooking oil, has joined in the sponsorship of the 2017 edition of the annual Walk for Nature (WFN) event. The goal, according to the   to the vegetable oil company is to demonstrate the importance of healthy living and the conservation of nature. The Walk for Natur

By Chioma Umeha As part of its efforts to increase demand for quality healthcare services, one of Nigeria’s leading healthcare facility, Lagoon Hospitals, has re-commissioned its Ikeja Awolowo Road facility. The hospital which was established as a mother and child facility has now evolved to accommodate a broader spectrum of health care services, offering multiple specialties to its clientele. Among the infrastructural changes within the healthcare facility is the addition of a newly built ultra-modern theatre with increased capacity for more surgeries, such as laparoscopy, gastroscopy, colonoscopy and urological procedures. The next new upgrade in the Ikeja facility of the Hospitals includes the expansion from a 22-bedded facility to a 40-bedded facility. Similarly, the Sick Baby Care unit has been expanded to a seven-bedded unit with facility for Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). In addition, a new orthopaedic and physiotherapy suite with impr

About 436 Kano residents recently, benefitted from a free eye surgery carried out by Rotary Club of Lagos Island, Rotary International in collaboration with the Geeta Ashram Nigeria in Kano. The exercise, which was conducted under Rotary’s Free Eye Operation Camp, tagged “Vision 2020 – “the right to sight”, recorded mass turnout of people. Beneficiaries at the just- concluded Camp, called on political office holders and other wealthy Nigerians, to help ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians with eye- related problems by providing access to free medical screening and treatment. Two of the beneficiaries,   a 75-year -old Trader, Mrs. Christiana Ogunmola, who received her two eye sight after suffering for over 10 years, as well as a 62 Year Old Business Woman, Mrs. Justina Obi, described blindness as   a shameful disease. Speaking, an Ophthalmologist from the ECWA Eye Hospital, Dr Ugbede Idakwo who also conducted the surgery along with Dr. Mayor Atima extolled t

By Independent To support research, development and tackle growing challenges in the country’s healthcare delivery system the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria (PSN) recently launched the PSN Foundation and inaugurated its Board of Trustees in Abuja. Speaking at the inauguration, Prof. Isaac Adewole, Minister of Health, said that such new partnership like PSN Foundation will help in achieving optimum health, especially for the vulnerable ones within the society. Adewole,who bemoaned the disease burden in the country, identified maternal and infant mortality, low uptake of contraceptive, Tuberculosis diagnosis, immunisation as some of the challenges in the health sector. The Minister explained that without collaboration with non-governmental organisation (NGOs) among other stakeholders, no government can solely address all existing disease burden. “One of the purposes of setting up this foundation that strike me most is to support and collaborate with

By Chioma Umeha To meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) goal six by 2030, the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has said that Nigeria must intensify efforts in ensuring access to portable water supply. The United Nations body is worried that 15 million Nigerians still drink water from rivers, lakes, ponds, streams and irrigation canals and have tasked the Federal Government to improve access to safe drinking water. Moustapha Niang, UNICEF specialist, who spoke recently, during a two-day media dialogue on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene WASH, organised by UNICEF in partnership with the Child Right Information Bureau (CRIB) of the Ministry of Information, expressed concern over lack of safe drinking water in the country. Niang said that 57 million Nigerians lacked access to potable water supply and added that more than half of this figure lives in rural areas. He noted that accessibility to safe water can save the lives of most under-five childre

Monkeypox is a rare and infectious disease caused by monkey virus, transmitted from animals to human, with symptoms similar to those of smallpox, although less severe. The first case was reported on September 22 in Bayelsa, and according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), 74 suspected cases have been reported across 11 states including Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun and Cross River. The states worst hit by the disease includes Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, Nasarawa and Rivers. To stay safe from this disease that has no known cure or vaccine, 12 things are important to note. 1. Monkey Pox occurs sporadically in some remote parts of central and West Africa. It was first discovered in monkeys hence the name, Monkey Pox. 2. The disease was first identified in 1958 by the State Serum Institute in Copenhagen, Denmark, during an investigation into a pox-like disease among monkeys. 3. The first human case

A healthy diet is one that helps to maintain or improve overall health.  A healthy diet contains a balance of food groups and all the nutrients necessary to promote good health. Healthy eating is the practice of making choices about what to eat and how much one eats with the intention of sustaining healthy living. Healthy diets provide the body with the essential nutrition; fluid; adequate essential amino acids from proteins, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and adequate calories. Healthy diets also supports energy needs and provides for human nutrition without exposure to toxicity or excessive weight gain from consuming excessive amounts where the lack of calories is not an issue. A properly balanced diet(in addition exercise) also thought to be important for lowering healthy risks, such as obesity, heart disease, type2 diabetes, hypertension and cancer. The concept of healthy eating is primarily a problem in rich countries where the lifestyle inc

Gbenga George (far right), Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, FrieslandCampina WAMCO and Anthony Abah, (middle) Information Coordinator, Benue State Branch of The Nigerian Red Cross Society, presenting home and school supplies to a parent and her daughter as part of the company’s donations towards resettling flood victims in Benue State. Staff of FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC, makers of Peak and Three Crowns milk have raised funds to help 100 families and 100 school children affected by the recent flood disaster in Benue State. They donated cooking ware and back-to-school supplies to the victims. A statement signed by Ore Famurewa, Corporate Affairs Director, said that FrieslandCampina WAMCO made the donations in conjunction with the Benue State Chapter of the Nigerian Red Cross Society on Saturday. Explaining the company’s philanthropic gesture, its Corporate Communication Manager, Nkechi Ejesi, said “Social responsibility transcends momentar