Chioma Umeha

By  Our Correspondents Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition that causes widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep, mood, and memory problems. Pregnancy involves weight gain and extreme hormone fluctuations and these can put strain on the body systems, making fibromyalgia worse. Many women often experience pain, discomfort, brain fog, and other symptoms that are very similar to fibromyalgia during pregnancy. A pregnant woman who has fibromyalgia may find that the physical and emotional stress can intensify the symptoms of fibromyalgia. Pregnant women with fibromyalgia may experience significant pain, fatigue, and stress, particularly during the first and last trimesters of pregnancy. Pregnancy and fibromyalgia treatment Very little research has been carried out on pregnancy and fibromyalgia and the information is limited. However, treatment and management of fibromyalgia often involves both medical and lifestyle changes. The drug treatments for fib

By Chioma Umeha The Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award (NHEA) has announced the commencement of nominations for the fifth edition of the Oscar of Nigeria healthcare award. Commenting on the announcement, Dr. Wale Alabi, Project Director says, “NHEA 2018 being the fifth edition will be bigger and very exciting considering the increased activities in the Nigeria healthcare sector in the last one year as well as increased popularity and acceptance of the award by stakeholders within and outside Nigeria.” To nominate for corporate or individual categories, the public can visit www.nigeriahealthawards.com.ng to either nominate online or download the nomination form. About 23 awards and recognitions will be presented at the ceremony. It is made up of four main categories; Special Awards, Healthcare Delivery Services, Biomedical Technology and Pharmaceuticals. Special Awards, Healthcare Delivery Services and Biomedical Technology Some of the awards up for grabs

B y Chioma Umeha UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) weekend, condemned the killing of three Nigerian aid workers in a Boko Haram attack on a military installation in Borno. Speaking for the UN OCHA, Edward Kallon, the Nigerian   Coordinator, said that apart from those who died and the injured, a female nurse was missing, feared abducted. Kallon in a statement by Samantha Newport, OCHA Head of communications, said that two of the deceased were contractors with the international organisation on migration, while the third victim was a medical doctor employed as a third party consultant with UNICEF. The deceased were working as coordinators in the camp for 55,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) who fled their homes as a result of on-going crisis in the north-east. “Aid workers put their lives on the line every single day to provide emergency assistance to vulnerable women, children and men. “Our deepest condolences go to th

…25% Nigerians Engage In Open Defecation By Chioma Umeha The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said that Nigeria needs not less than $8 billion(N2.88 trillion) annual investment in water and sanitation to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, according to World Bank figures. Mr. Zaid Jurji, Chief of UNICEF’s Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, (WASH) Nigeria, who disclosed this lamented that less than 10 per cent of Nigerians have access to safe water, while 90 per cent have no access to safe drinking water. Decrying the impact of unsafe water and poor sanitation to every parts of human life, particularly, the development and survival of children, alerted that if Nigeria continues with the slow progress, the country may fail to achieve the SDG Goal 6 by 2030. Speaking on the overview of water, sanitation and Hygiene situation in Nigeria during a two-day ‘Media Dialogue, on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Jos, Plateau State,

By Chioma Umeha Pharmacists have said that the delay by the Federal Government in closing the open drug market places and full implementation of the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDG) is deepening the rate of drug misuse and abuse in the society. The pharmacists who spoke under the platform of Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, (ACPN), Lagos State branch, faulted government policy which promotes unrestricted access to medicines through the open drug and inadequate regulatory enforcement markets. Noting that this has remained the root cause of rampant drug misuse and abuse in the society, the community pharmacists added that the persistent postponement of the closure of open drug market places and full implementation of NDDG is worsening the situation. Pharm. Abiola Paul-Ozieh, Chairman of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, Lagos State branch (ACPN) therefore urged the Federal Government to keep to the December 2018

Women waiting to receive care in the hospital. •Rise In Unsafe Abortion, Maternal Deaths Loom Chioma Umeha A little more than a year ago after the Mexico City Policy, also known as the ‘Global Gag Rule,’ (GGR) was reintroduced by President Donald Trump on his first day in office; the fear of its dreaded impact is beginning to be felt. GGR is an executive order by the US government that blocks U.S. federal funding for non-governmental organisations that provide abortion counselling or referrals, advocate to decriminalise abortion or expand abortion services. However, there were huge outcries following the signing of a piece of paper which today is preventing millions of women around the world from deciding what they can and can’t do with their own bodies. The reality of the thought that the powerful white man in the White House has effectively signed the death warrants of thousands of women is staring the world in the face. It is now clear that with

Chioma Umeha African Renaissance and Diaspora Network, Inc. (ARDN) announced Tuesday, that Dr. Djibril Diallo, a United Nations Senior Official, has been appointed to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer. The appointment will become effective March 25, 2018. A statement jointly signed by Arlene Katzive, Secretary of the Board and James Hsui, Legal Counsel, both of ARDN said that Dr. Diallo currently serves as Regional Director for West and Central Africa and Senior Adviser to the Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). He has held several management positions with the United Nations (UN) for more than three decades. “We look forward to continued close collaboration between UNAIDS and ARDN with Djibril in the lead,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé, in a message to all UNAIDS staff. In his capacity as the chief executive officer of ARDN, Dr. Diallo will lead the organisation’s ‘Pathway to