Health

By Ono Yima Vice President Kashim Shettima has revealed that the Federal Government’s healthcare reforms have attracted over $4.8 billion in potential investments, marking a significant step forward in addressing Nigeria’s healthcare challenges. Speaking at the commissioning of Sahad Hospitals in Abuja, Shettima outlined a strategic plan aimed at revitalizing the healthcare sector and emphasized the importance of unity and private sector involvement in achieving these goals. The event also highlighted the contributions of Alhaji Ibrahim Mijinyawa, Chairman of Sahad Group, whose new state-of-the-art hospital represents a vision for a healthier Nigeria. He emphasised the need for unity in the health sector, stating, “Our health sector calls upon us all to unite. The promise of this ...

Governor Alex Otti By Els William The Abia State government has finalized plans to renovate and modernize 200 existing primary health centers across the state by the end of the year. This was announced by the Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, during a press briefing on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting held on Monday, which was presided over by Governor Alex Otti. The renovation project, set to begin in September, will be jointly executed by the Ministry of Health and the Abia State Primary Healthcare Development Agency. The project timeline is 100 days, ensuring timely completion and swift improvement of healthcare services in the state.  “It is a bold step being undertaken by the ministry and work will commence across the state in those 200 primar...

Photo courtesy: Unsplash By Ono Yima Col. Eli Lozano, Commander of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research in the U.S., inaugurated the new Defence Reference Laboratory in Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja, on Tuesday. He highlighted that this state-of-the-art facility will significantly expand Nigeria's capacity to diagnose Tuberculosis (TB), marking a crucial step forward in the fight against this debilitating disease. He made the statement during the facility's inauguration in Abuja on Tuesday, while highlighting the importance of the new Defence Reference Laboratory in Nigeria's effort towards appropriate diagnosis of Tuberculosis. ”The TB modular lab that you see here today, will expands Nigeria’s capacity to diagnose TB, which will have a meaningful impact on case detection ...

By Ali Elias In 1922, writes  World Health Organisation (WHO), on Its X Page, insulin co-discoverer Frederick Banting refused to profit from the discovery & offered it to the world as a global public good. Today, many people with #diabetes still don't have access to affordable and quality treatment and care. In Reaction, , Raffaele Di Giacomo, PhD, says the story of Frederick Banting's generosity is indeed remarkable and highlights a stark contrast to today's challenges in accessing affordable diabetes treatment. It's concerning that nearly a century later, many still struggle to obtain essential care for managing their condition. This calls for a deeper examination of healthcare policies and pharmaceutical practices globally. What strategies could potentially improve access...

By Ali Elias The Merck Foundation, in partnership with African First Ladies, has announced the Nigerian winners of the "More Than a Mother" and "Diabetes and Hypertension" Awards 2023. The awards recognize media professionals who raise awareness on critical social and health issues. The winners were announced via videoconference by Senator Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation. The awards aim to break infertility stigma, support girl education, empower women, and promote a healthy lifestyle. The Nigerian winners are: Mariam Hamzat (Freelancer), Second Position, "More Than a Mother" Online Category Odimegwu Onwumere ((link unavailable)), First Position, "Diabetes and Hypertension" Online Category Winners receive one-year access to an online educational training progra...

Photo Courtesy: TheCable The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a medical product alert on falsified semaglutides, the type of medicines that are used for treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity in some countries. The alert addresses 3 falsified batches of product of semaglutide class of medicines (of specific brand Ozempic), which have been detected in Brazil in October 2023, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in October 2023, and the United States of America in December 2023. WHO Global Surveillance and Monitoring System (GSMS) has been observing increased reports on falsified semaglutide products in all geographical regions since 2022. This is the first official notice issued by WHO after confirmation of some of the reports. “WHO advises hea...

By Dr. Sylvester Ikhisemojie This week’s headline is not intended to raise any alarm, much less a false one, but to educate both the unwary and those individuals presently suffering from this rapidly spreading disease. On this page [PUNCH] four years ago, we examined the harmful effects of sugar under the title “white, refined and dangerous”.  Hypocrites, the father of modern medicine, had since 400 years BC (before Christ), made no mention of diabetes in his writings. So, diabetes Is, by extrapolation, a fairly modern disease. Diabetes is a lifestyle disease, and it is considered to be an important one at that. As a result, we have over the years found it important to discuss this condition in at least four different essays. We are not done, and will probably not exhaust the convent...

By Ali Elias Beans are a nutritional powerhouse, packed with essential nutrients and offering numerous health benefits. Both canned and dry beans are valuable, but dry beans are often more economical and may offer higher nutritional content. Properly soaking dry beans before cooking enhances their digestibility and nutrient absorption. Generally, Legumes - beans, peas, and lentils, are rich in nutrients like folate, potassium, iron, and zinc. They are budget-friendly and offer various health benefits. Their protein and fiber content keeps you feeling fuller for longer and supports gut health, while their complex carbs provide sustained energy. Legumes can also help regulate blood sugar and blood pressure. Soaking beans before cooking helps them absorb water, cook evenly, and reduc...

By Agency Report Lagos State residents are raising concerns about the continued increase in the price of beans, their major source of protein. They said that the consistent rise in the price of beans had become unbearable, urging governments to intervene. The residents spoke in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Lagos. NAN reports that a 40kg bag of beans, which sold for N26,000 in January, now sells for N115,000, while a 100kg bag which sold for N55,000 at the beginning of the year, now sells for N230,000. This made the staple food beyond the reach of many of the residents. A housewife and mother of four in Santos Estate, Akowonjo, Mrs Uloma Chigozirim, expressed worry that children might be malnourished following the high increase in the price of be...

Photo by Thirdman on Pexels.com By Ali Elias The World Health Organisation (WHO) has it would launch a new initiative aimed curbing vision impairment. This was contained in a statement released on Tuesday by the organisation. The new initiative code named 'SPECS 2030'. The aim of the initiative, as stated by the global health body, is to assist more people gain access to spectacles that would aid vision. The new initiative, SPECS 2030, is "to assist countries in achieving the global eye care target of a 40% increase in the proportion of people with access to appropriate spectacles" The SPECS 2030 launch would be held during a 2-day meeting in Geneva, Switzerland with over 100 participants including Member States representatives, UN agencies, academia and nongovernmental o...