Chioma Umeha

Due to Coronavirus and the fact that sizeable proportion of the drugs come from China and India, and the difficulty in trading with these countries, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has urged the Nigerian governments to see the imperative of investing heavily in research and production of local drugs. She spoke with our source on the deadly disease ravaging countries of the world. Excerpts:   Are we well prepared to contain the menace of Coronanvirus now threatening humanity including Nigeria? Will you say we are much better prepared with regards to the case of Ebola virus? I believe that the level of preparedness should have been better than it is now. The saving grace that we have is that we have had an experience in managing crisis like this, which is the Ebola crisis. That has given us residual experience, but beyond that we ought to have done a lot better. I believe that when the first signs came, when the first news broke, I expecte

Following Coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic and the fact that sizeable proportion of the drugs used in Nigeria come from China and India, and the difficulty in trading with these countries, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has urged the Nigerian governments to see the imperative of investing heavily in research and production of local drugs. She spoke with our source on the deadly disease ravaging countries of the world. Excerpts:   Are we well prepared to contain the menace of Coronanvirus now threatening humanity including Nigeria? Will you say we are much better prepared with regards to the case of Ebola virus? I believe that the level of preparedness should have been better than it is now. The saving grace that we have is that we have had an experience in managing crisis like this, which is the Ebola crisis. That has given us residual experience, but beyond that we ought to have done a lot better. I believe that when the first signs came,

In the bid to end the discord between Nigeria Medical Association, (NMA) and Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, (PSN) both health professional bodies have agreed in an implementation plan to forge ahead. While presenting the plan to find a lasting solution to the bickering between doctors and pharmacists Tuesday in Lagos, both bodies agree that the move will help improve the health indices of Nigeria. Speaking with newsmen, the NMA President, Dr. Francis Faduyile said; “When I was in NMA in Lagos State as the chairman, I inherited over 12 court cases and brought all of them out of court. “We brought all the factions of health under one roof, we believe we are here in the world to improve the health of patients, adding that, the more we talk to our self, the more we understand ourselves and also, stick to international best practices for the better of all.” Faduyile said; “We don’t need to reinvent the will in Nigeria and that is why we stick to international best practi

To gain accurate and quality diagnostics practices, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President, has admonished West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science and the Nigerian Medical Laboratory scientists, to ensure conducive laboratory environment in West Africa the region as well as provide highly skilled professionals. Affirming the charge recently, was Professor Osinbajo, while announcing open the 2020 Congress of the West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science (WAPCMLS) and induction/investiture of its Fellows in Lagos. Osinbajo emphasised on the importance of accurate and reliable laboratory diagnosis in the prevention and control of diseases. Represented by Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora, Minister of State for Health, he noted that medical laboratory services are vital components of a quality healthcare system and continues to play a vital role in disease prevention, detection, surveillance and patient management. “The medical lab

Numerous Nigerians rushed to buy hand sanitizer and face masks at the wake of the announcement of the countries confirmed case of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the weekend, as part of personal hygiene and sanitary measures to protect themselves from a deadly infection. It is stylish to see people wearing facemask as a form of protection against the dreaded virus across the country. However, Prof. Dimie Ogoina, a Professor of Medicine and Consultant, Infectious Diseases at the Niger Delta University and Teaching Hospital (NDUTH), Bayelsa State, has advised that people should only use a face mask if they have respiratory symptoms. Prof. Ogoina, who spoke in a recent chat room organised by the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) said, people don’t need face masks except if they have respiratory symptoms to protect disposal of droplets during coughing or sneezing. He advised; “If you have someone who has been coughing or sneezing and you need to assist

To guarantee the fundamental right of every Nigerian in accessing the highest attainable standard of health, stakeholders have called for urgent revitalisation of the Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the country, noting that this will drive socio-economic development. The call came after a facility visit of some lawmakers and Civil Society Organisation (CSO) activists to Powerline Primary Healthcare Centre and Soretire Orile-Agege Primary Healthcare Centre, both at Agege Local Government Area, Lagos State, recently. The site visit was part of the ‘South West Policy Dialogue on Revitalisation of Primary Healthcare.’ It was organised under a project titled, “Reinvestment: Increasing Legislative Oversight on Primary Health Care in Nigeria,” by CISLAC in Lagos. The dialogue was aimed at providing enabling platform for all-inclusive recommendations in revitalising PHCs to ensure appropriate legislations and policy directions in the country, after first-hand visits to

There is growing concern among stakeholders on how to achieve full implementation of laws which protect Nigerian women and girls against abuse from rising Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) which many have said is assuming, ‘epidemic proportions.’ Nigeria has the largest number of child brides in Africa. Nigeria has the third-largest number of women and girls who have undergone FGM in the world. Girls and boys are raised, treated and valued differently from birth to adulthood. Women and girls are solely responsible for caregiving and household chores and this has implications for girls’ school attendance. Also, unfortunately, the country has achieved less than 20 percent implementation of the Child Rights Act, CRA since its adoption 20 years ago, while the prevalence of violence against women and girls still on the rise. Revealing this to journalists at recent two-day Media Dialogue in Ibadan, Oyo State on “End Violence Against Women and Girls in Nigeria” James

Emmanuel Ajah, the Director of Programme Operations for Marie Stopes International Organisation Nigeria (MSION) in this interview with CHIOMA UMEHA, speaks on the risks of the high rate of fertility, poor budgets, unmet family needs in Nigeria among other issues. Excerpts:   In 2020 proposed health budget, N32 billion out of the N46 billion allocated to the Health Capital Budget goes to immunisation. How will that further affect the demands or unmet needs for family planning in the country? We discovered that the budget for family planning in 2019 was dropped. And in the budget for 2020, which is being reviewed, much as there is that for health, we have not seen significant allocation for family planning. It may be interpreted that the government is not paying the needed attention to family planning. Advocacies are already being led to the National Assembly through stakeholders, especially the associations for Family Planning in Nigeria, to ensure that the needed budget

It is no longer news that the Nigerian girl-child has suddenly become an endangered species. No thanks to the daily assault and all forms of abuse directed against her especially rape, violence, child labour, ignorance, disease, malnutrition, maltreatment, you name it. The media is replete with cases of these violations of the girl-child and women. More disheartening is that they are perpetrated by those who supposed to protect them. One wonders what had become of the society, a place now ruled by depravity, abomination, sacrilege and immorality. Or how else would one describe the animalistic behaviour of randy fathers, uncles and male adults who daily defile their own daughters and turn them into sex slaves in their own homes? Of all the crimes against the girl-child, rape is among the most heinous. This is because it causes social problems such as deaths, unplanned pregnancies and abortions, Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV) on those affected, leaving them emotional