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Kano PSN Lauds Yakasai For Pharmacy, Health Sector Development

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Chioma Umeha Members of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) Kano Chapter, has organised a reception in honour of Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai, the immediate past President of PSN to appreciate him   for his contributions to the advancement of pharmacy and health sector in the country. Yakasai who has just finished his term as the PSN President was elected in 2015. Speaking for PSN Kano Chapter, the trio of Pharm Bala Maikudi, the State Chairman of PSN, Pharm Murtala Umar, the Vice Chairman and Chairman organising committee and Pharm Sani Ali, the Secretary, noted that Yakasai has made indelible marks in the development of pharmacy and health industry. Specifically, they said, the immediate past PSN President has played significant roles toward improving drug distribution channel and ensuring the safety of medicines in compliance with the National Drug Distribution Guidelines (NDDG). These include the unveiling of pharmaceutical information technology onlin

Save The Children International Partners LASG To Combat Pneumonia

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  •As 11 Million Children Risk Death By 2030 When the report of a new analysis conducted by Johns Hopkins University and Save the Children International hit the newsstand revealing that Pneumonia will kill nearly 11 million global children by 2030, not a few analysts were worried. Indeed, many of them have deep concerns over the report which also indicated that more than four million of these deaths could easily be averted with concerted actions to improve rates of vaccination, treatment and nutrition. Yet, there are more worries as the report shows that Nigeria, India, Pakistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are likely to bear the highest burden of deaths, without timely intervention. The report is based on a model developed by researchers at John Hopkins University called the lives saved Tools (LIST). They show nearly 11 million (10,865,728) children will die by 2030 on current trends, with the highest burden of deaths in Nigeria (1,730,000)

Nigeria Facing Unmitigated Incidence Of Drug Abuse – Ohuabunwa

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Chioma Umeha  Lagos – Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, the new President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), has raised the alarm that Nigeria is facing an unmitigated incidence of drug misuse and abuse causing untold morbidities and mortalities. Ohuabunwa gave the alarm   during a courtesy visit on the Prof. Isaac Adewole, Minister of Health, in his office noting that interlopers, whom he described as merchants of death   have penetrated the   pharmaceutical industry   and daily sending innocent Nigerians to their early graves. According to the new PSN boss, the duties of pharmacists have been grossly usurped that the average Nigerian can obtain medicines from anywhere in the open market -stalls, kiosks, intra and inter-city buses and now in night clubs and bars. He said that the association will collaborate withthe Minister to tackle in the gross misuse and abuse of drugs by strengthening the control of medicines, empowering pharmacists to play their critical role as custodi

World Children’s Day: UNICEF Demands Secured Future For Nigerian Child

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Chioma Umeha It was Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa who quipped, “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” Perhaps, the situation of the children in Sub-sahara Africa typifies this. Nearly half of all children in sub-Saharan Africa are living in extreme poverty, according to joint UNICEF-World Bank report released in 2016. The figures showed that almost 385 million children worldwide survive on less than $1.90 (£1.50) a day, the World Bank international poverty line. The report while displaying gory picture of the impact of extreme poverty, stated that it leads to stunted development, limited future productivity as adults, and intergenerational transmission of poverty. The figures based on the data which represents 84 per cent of the developing world’s population also indicated that much work will be needed to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of eradicating extreme poverty by 2

Akeredolu Advocates Increased Support For Cancer Patients

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Chioma Umeha Mrs. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, wife of Ondo State Governor and founder of Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN) wants Nigerians to always identify cancer patients in the area of financial support, as it is one of the forces needed to beat cancer as a life-threatening disease. Speaking to newsmen at a fund-raising dinner organised by Project Pink Blue, tagged: ‘Show Love’ at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja, she expressed her concern on Nigerian’s poor giving attitude when it comes to patient support, which according to her is a major force needed to beat cancer. She said a lot of women die of cancer because of the delay in raising fund for treatment, which gives room for the cancer cell to multiply as the disease progresses with time. The Ondo State First Lady used the occasion to call on Nigerians to spread the message of early detection which saves lives by adhering to the periodic breast self-examination She further admonished t

Beware, Diabetes Is Everybody’s Business

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Chioma Umeha  When doctors told a 65-year-old Bola Ajayi she had diabetes, she went into denial for 30 years. She was diagnosed with diabetes sometime ago, but it was only when she lost her toe that she realised that the diabetes was serious. The pain was too much. The   type 2 diabetic had puss coming out underneath her foot, not knowing she had stepped into a drawing pin. However, after the doctor examined the foot, it started festering but soon it was not just her leg, the knee was amputated with the attendant excruciating pain. The doctor said that only amputation could make her to live. They blamed the whole thing on the type of lifestyle she was living. She was working in an oil firm and living mostly on fast foods and soft drinks. Like Bola Ajayi, many people ignore the doctor whenever he tells them that they are diabetic. People should learn to abandon their unhealthy lifestyle in addition to doing exercise always. Research has shown that you may be blind

IPAN Urges FG To Make Task Of Public Analysts Easier

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Chioma Umeha In view of the key role of the healthcare and manufacturing sectors to Nigeria’s development, the Institute of Public Analyst of Nigeria (IPAN) has urged the Federal Government to create policies and regulations that can promote public analysis to advance the industry. The organisation made the call during the 25th anniversary/ award night and induction of new members noting that enhancing the profession of analysis is critical to the survival of mankind. Commenting during the occasion, Dr Dahiru Adamu, President, IPAN stressed on the need to involve the professional body in public analysis because the government agencies do not have the capacity to carry out 100 per cent coverage in policing and regular testing. IPAN is a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Health, established by Decree No 100 of 1992 now IPAN Act Cap 1 16 LFN 2004. The professional body which is charged with the power to train, examine, register Public Analysts and regulate their pract

WHO, Others Launch New Response To Ensure Malaria Control

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Chioma Umeha Reductions in malaria cases have stalled after several years of decline globally, according to the new World malaria report 2018. To get the reduction in malaria deaths and disease back on track, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and partners are joining a new country-led response, launched today, to scale up prevention and treatment, and increased investment, to protect vulnerable people from the deadly disease. For the second consecutive year, the annual report produced by WHO reveals a plateauing in numbers of people affected by malaria in 2017. There were an estimated 219 million cases of malaria, compared to 217 million the year before, the report said. But, in preceding years, the number of people contracting malaria globally had been steadily falling, from 239 million in 2010 to 214 million in 2015, it added. “Nobody should die from malaria. But, the world faces a new reality: as progress stagnates, we are at risk of squandering years of toil, in

Lion Club Holds Diabetes Awareness Walk

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Chioma Umeha As part of activities to mark this year’s World Diabetes Day, Lagos Achievers Lion Club International recently held diabetes    awareness walk so as to sensitise the populace on the existence of the disease.  The event   which took off from   Falomo   in Lagos   Island and ended at Obalende, aimed at enlightening   the residents   on the reality   of diabetes as well as encourage them to participate in a free diabetes screening exercise   also   being offered by the   Club this weekend.  Speaking at the event, Regional Chair Lagos Achievers Lion Club International, Sylvia Effah-Diejomao regretted that many Nigerians are not health conscious and visit hospitals when their health condition is in a critical stage.  “Diabetes is an ailment that can be managed for over two decades if dictated on time, but the problem is   that many do not know    they are diabetic   until when the illness gets to advanced stage and by then it   becomes difficult to manage.  “There

Millions Of Women, Children Die Of Preventable Diseases In Nigeria

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Mrs. Oluwatoyin Saraki, the Wife of the Senate President and Founder, Wellbeing Foundation, has said that millions of women and children die of needless death through preventable causes. Mrs. Saraki said that statistics has shown that 3.5 million children die before their fifth birthday and one in 13 women die during childbirth and pregnancy most of which could be avoided by access to clean water and proper hand washing techniques. She spoke at the 2018 National Health Advancement Conference and Awards with the theme, “Environmental Health: Reawakening National Awareness on Environmental Health Hazards and Safety,” organised by the Help Keep Clean Foundation in Abuja   penultimate weekend. “We recently launched sanitation and hygiene programme focusing on hand hygiene for school children and pregnant and nursing mothers educating them on proper hand washing. Meanwhile, Dr. Mike Omotosho, Founder, Mike Omotosho Foundation and Chairman of the occasion,   said the biggest fa