Chioma Umeha

Chioma Umeha Having the second largest number of new infection of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) worldwide, young people are at the hub of an expanding HIV crisis, according to research. Against this background, Nigerian youths from different tertiary institutions are prepared to begin implementation of HIV self-testing solutions they developed in communities, being part of measures to achieve zero prevalence of HIV/AIDS among young people in the country. Research shows that the number of young people in Africa is estimated to double by 2050, yet fewer than one in five Nigerian youth have never been tested for HIV. Perhaps, more worsening is that many adolescents engage in risky sexual behaviours with multiple partners, which puts them at higher risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STD), including HIV. The youths who were engaged in an HIV Self-Testing Designathon contest tagged; ‘4 Youth By Youth’ developed different

Chioma Umeha The issue of adverse drug reactions and substandard and falsified medicines is global one. To effectively monitor worrisome reactions of drugs in the country, Isreal has pledged to support Nigeria to end manufacturing and distribution of sub-standard drugs through improved pharmacovigilance. Pharmacovigilance (PV) is defined as the science and activities relating to the detection, assessment, understanding and prevention of adverse effects or any other drug-related problem. The new partnership is targeted to end the scourge and improve the quality of healthcare in the country through enhanced pharmacovigilance. The World Health Organisation (WHO) established its Programme for International Drug Monitoring in response to the thalidomide disaster detected in 1961 and promotes PV at the country level. At the end of 2010, 134 countries were part of the WHO PV Programme. The aims of PV are to enhance patient care and patient safety in relation to the use of

• 764 LGAs Risk Disease Outbreak Due To The Unhygienic Practice Chioma Umeha Open defecation is widespread unhygienic practice whereby people go out in fields, bushes, forests, open bodies of water, or other open spaces rather than using the toilet to pass faeces. From Nigeria’s North West, North East to the North Central, even to South West, South East and South South, the practice of defecating in the open is rife despite its dangerous implications. Mohammed Kabiru(not real names), Banker, said; “I had no choice, but to defecate openly last Monday on my way from Kaduna   to Sokoto. It was a ‘nature’s call’ and there is no toilet on the highway. Under this circumstance, I told the driver to park and I did it conveniently in a nearby bush,” the erudite banker told DAILY INDEPENDENT. The story of Samuel Odigwe, Lawyer is not different. Read his comments; “I was travelling to Owerri and I felt my stomach rumbling, the next thing, I became pressed to go to toilet immedia

•CRC Booklet In Child-Friendly Language, Pocket Format Chioma Umeha The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has launched a campaign tagged; “For every child, every right,” to create awareness about the rights of children in Nigerian society. Mr. Peter Hawkins, UNICEF’s new Country Representative in Nigeria, announced this on Monday in a statement to commemorate the Children’s Day, observed annually on May 27. Hawkins said that while there have been many innovations over the last few years, children in Nigeria were still not accessing health, nutrition, education and other amenities as they ought to. “Sadly, it is the most disadvantaged children who are suffering the greatest challenge in having their rights fulfilled.” This year’s Children’s Day falls during the 30th   anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is being commemorated this year around the world. As part of the celebrations, UNICEF is launching a “Passport to Your Rights”,

Chioma Umeha Following the deaths of thousands of Nigerians yearly due to unnecessary exposure to the toxic chemical, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged the Nigerian government to eliminate industrially produced trans fat from the country’s food supply. Trans fat are industrially produced   and harmful chemical known as Trans fat which is a type of unsaturated fats partially found in hydrogenated oils. Therefore, the WHO, has tasked enjoined the Federal government to eliminate industrially, produced Trans fat from the country’s food supply. Consumption of Trans fat, used in baked, fried and packaged foods increases risk of cardiovascular diseases, recognised among the biggest cause of death around the world. The WHO, in its newly released report by the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), suggests that thousands of Nigerians die each year due to unnecessary exposure to the toxic chemical. Approximately 1,300 deaths were attributable to high Trans fat intake i

•Says It Will Worsen Existing Chaotic Drug Distribution Network •Tells Buhari To Improve Health Sector Rating By Appointing Experienced Administrators Chioma Umeha Pharmacists under the auspices of Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) has picked holes in the proposal of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) to create three-tiers of eligible players in the sales of OTC drugs under the wide classification of Patent & Proprietary Medicine Vendors Licence (PPMVL) in Nigeria. Speaking for ACPN, Samuel Adekola, the National Chairman, said the proposal had been subjected to a lot of critical appraisal in the last few days that it was made public through a Punch on-line projection and that the entropy the move of the FMOH has generated compels the ACPN as the primary constituency that continues to bear the burden of an unwieldy drug distribution channel to make some clarifications. Adekola explained that the concept of PPMVL was originally structured to be

Chioma Umeha and LUCY SAMUEL The White Ribbon Alliance Nigeria (WRAN) has commended the Federal Government of Nigeria for the disbursement of N12.7 billion a 25 per cent of N55.1 billion 2018 Basic Health Care Provision Fund to the accounts of the three gateways. The Nigerian Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). The Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Health announced on Friday, May 17, 2019, that it has disbursed N12.7 billion (25 per cent), as the first tranche of N55.1 billion from the 2018 Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) allotted to Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) into the Treasury Single Account (TSA). The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) received N6.5 billion (50 per cent), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) received N5.8billion(45 per cent) and N327million(2.5 per cent) was received by the National Ce