Chioma Umeha

Chioma Umeha Endometriosis Support Group Nigeria (ESGN) has said it would be partnering with the private and public sectors to reduce the ignorance around the invisible condition called Endometriosis as it severely affects the quality of life of sufferers, including all forms of meaningful relationships. Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue that normally lines the uterus –   the endometrium –   grows outside the uterus, typically on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, intestines or other areas in the pelvis. It is a common cause of infertility. Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, the Founder,   ESGN disclosed this at a press conference the group organised in Lagos recently, to announce its programme of activities for 2018. Ajayi said, “It gives me pleasure to announce our programme of events for the year 2018.   This year we are going to make significant inroads to expand the awareness level of this condition among people across the country. “In the past 12 years, we have

•Last Year’s Beneficiaries Express Joy, Laud Initiative Chioma Umeha It was indeed a joyous moment for Mrs. Alice Soyemi, 47 and Mrs. Vivian Eshiet, 33 both beneficiaries of free Fertility Treatment Support Foundation (FTSF) as they narrated the success story of their conception to an enthusiastic audience. Giving her narrative at a press briefing recently, to herald this year’s edition FTSF free fertility treatment programme for couples, Mrs. Soyemi has lost hope of ever becoming pregnant. For a decade, she has moved from one hospital    to the other within the country, even abroad, seeking help to no avail. Some of the hospitals told her she had endometriosis, a debilitating disorder in which the tissue lining a woman’s uterus (the endometrium) grows outside it (endometrial) implants. It involves the ovaries, bowel or the tissues lining the pelvis. Endometriosis has no cure, for now, and it can lead to infertility in women. She said; “I was told endometri

L-R: Olumide Akintayo, Immediate Past President Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Ahmed Yakasai, President PSN, and Emeka Duru, National Secretary PSN during the Council meeting of PSN at Pharamcy House, Anthony Village, Lagos, recently. …Says Plan Will Defeat War On Fakes Chioma Umeha   Members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) rose from its first National Council meeting and alerted on dangers of moving drug matters to the Concurrent List, saying it may constitute a setback to the fight against fake drugs. Specifically, PSN has warned that any attempt to move drug matters to the Concurrent List would worsen the fake drug syndrome, drug misuse and abuse as well as other bottlenecks in drug distribution networks in the country. The warning which was contained in a communiqué signed by Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai and Emeka C. Duru, President and National Secretary, respectively, issued at the end of the meeting held at Pharmacy House, Lagos,

. Says 117 Million Lack Access To Safe Water Chioma Umeha UNICEF on Monday appealed for $3.6 billion to provide lifesaving humanitarian assistance to 48 million children living through conflict, natural disasters and other emergencies in 51 countries in 2018. A statement signed by Eva Hinds, Communication Specialist, made available to INDEPENDENT on Monday said, “Around the world, violent conflict is driving humanitarian needs to critical levels, with children especially vulnerable.” Hinds said that conflicts that have endured for years – such as those in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iraq, Nigeria, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen, among other countries – continued to deepen in complexity, bringing new waves of violence, displacement and disruption to children’s lives. “Children cannot wait for wars to be brought to an end, with crises threatening the immediate survival and long term future of children and young people on a catastrophic scale,” said Manuel

Chioma Umeha The International AIDS Society (IAS) has announced that Mexico City, Mexico, will host the 10th IAS Conference on HIV Science, 2019. IAS 2019 will take place at the Centro Citibanamex on 21-24 July 2019. Held every two years, the IAS Conference on HIV Science is a unique forum for scientists, clinicians, public health experts and community leaders to examine the latest research developments in HIV science and explore how to realistically apply and implement that knowledge to address the epidemic. IAS 2019 is expected to gather more than 6,000 participants. This is the second time that the IAS has convened a conference in Mexico City; it also hosted the 17th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2008) there. “We are excited to bring IAS 2019 to Mexico City,” Anton Pozniak, IAS President-Elect and IAS 2019 International Chair, said. “It was at AIDS 2008 in Mexico that the potential impact of ART on reducing HIV transmission was first being talked abo

Chioma Umeha The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has pledged to strengthen its activities and collaborations with relevant stakeholders, including the National Assembly and the media to tackle the challenges of drug abuse in the country. Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) made the commitment at the sensitisation programme on drug abuse and misuse, organised by the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigerian Students (PANS), of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, Kaduna, weekend. Yakasai who was the special guest of honour, said there was need for multi-sector collaboration among organisations, institutions, groups, even individuals and government to provide practical and lasting solution to the societal ill. The PSN boss said; “All hands must be on deck to find practical and lasting solution to this societal menace. Over 3 decades ago, I was deeply involved in drug abuse campaign across the country as Director an

Chioma Umeha A 2015 Mandela Washington Fellow, Mr. Kunle Adewale, early last week, inaugurated an Art in Medicine Fellowship for public health practitioners and professional artists in Lagos. Eighty-five medical professionals including doctors, nurses, and trained caregivers as well as 15 visual artists were inducted into the yearlong fellowship. The 100 inductees will hold a series of creative art engagements such as painting, drawing and collaging for children and young adults living with sickle cell anaemia, cancer, and mental health conditions. The sessions will be held for patients in selected hospitals and healthcare centers in Lagos, including the National Sickle Cell Centre, Idi Araba; Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH); and Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba. Arts in Medicine project seeks to incorporate the arts into healthcare delivery, with a view to enhancing holistic patient care. The project is funded through a public diplomacy

Some albinos at the exhibition tagged: Angels Amongst Men, organised recently in Lagos by OAM Foundation and Damilola Onafuwa recently in Lagos ...Launches Angels Amongst Men Chioma Umeha To debunk the myths and misconce p t i o n s associated with albinism in Africa, especially Nigeria, Onome Akinlolu Majaro (OAM) Foundation in collaboration with Damilola Onafuwa last week held a photography exhibition tagged ”Angels amongst Men.’ With an estimated figure of over two million people, the rate of albinism in Nigeria is ranked among the highest in the world. This makes them one of the largest vulnerable groups in the country today, says OAM Foundation. With his latest series, Angels Amongst Men, documentary photographer, Onafuwa – whose work is typically centred around social issues and other human interest stories – is exploring the lives of Nigerians with albinism. The series seeks to demystify albinism, featured the special character of the pale sk

•Task Media To Propagate Accurate Information Chioma Umeha There is increasing concern about how to reverse the current low Contraceptive Prevalence rate (CPR) and curb growing maternal deaths in the country. Every day, 111 women die from pregnancy related issues can be blamed on five major causes of maternal mortality, viz: haemorrhage, hypertension, infection, abortion complications and obstructed labour. Fortunately, experts have confirmed that investment in family planning (FP) would reduce the rate of maternal deaths by 30 per cent. Already, the Federal government has intensified campaigns to increase uptake of family planning commodities and services with the formulation of the new policy to increase the CPR from 15 per cent to 27 per cent by 2030. In Lagos state, the goal is increase CPR to 74 per cent by 2020. However, some traditions, misconceptions among other factors have continued militate against adequate Family Planning uptake, especia

•Give Notice Of Fresh Strike Chioma Umeha Health workers have threatened to commence on   industrial action over failure of the Federal Government’s to honour an agreement it made with it by approving the adjustment of CONHESS scale as was done to medical doctors’ CONMESS since January 2014 and replicated in September 2017. The health workers who came under the auspices of Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (JOHESU/AHPA) said that the delay in implementation by the Federal Government was not causing crisis in the health sector. This warning was contained in a communiqué JOHESU/AHPA issued at the end of its three-day consultative meeting held from February 6 to 8, 2018 in Abuja, just as the group noted it has communicated its discontentment on the issue to the appropriate government quarters. In the communiqué signed by Comrade Biobelemoye Joy Josiah and Comrade Ekpebor Florence, JOHESU’s National Chairman and