Health

THE Presidential candidate of Labour Party in the 2023 election, Mr Peter Obi, has described healthcare as a critical foundation for the growth and development of any society. Obi stated this during a visit to the Dame Irene Okwuosa Memorial Hospital, Irefi Oraifite in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra state, on Saturday. He commended the humanitarian disposition and team spirit of the health personnel towards saving lives, especially the offering of free heart surgeries for hundreds of patients in the hospital. He said: “I’m very impressed with what I saw today. “I have said it severally, this kind of facility is what we need to replicate in other sectors by well meaning individuals. “If we have the kind of doctors I saw here working as a team and saving lives, you ...

Photo courtesy: BusinessDay Prof. Kehinde Tijani, a Professor of Surgery at the University of Lagos, has warned that a persistent penile erection lasting more than four hours is a medical emergency that can cause permanent erectile dysfunction if not treated promptly. In his inaugural lecture, Tijani emphasized the importance of seeking immediate specialist care for surgical intervention, stating, "A delay of more than 24 hours can lead to permanent erectile dysfunction." He also highlighted the need for early evaluation of males in couples experiencing infertility, saying, "Males account for at least 50 per cent of cases in couples with infertility. For couples experiencing infertility, the man should be evaluated first by doing a semen analysis." Additionally, Tijani call...

EMMANUELLA Arukwe, Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, has expressed concern over rising prevalence of heart disease fatalities in the country. Arukwe spoke at the 53rd annual general meeting and scientific conference organised by the Nigerian Cardiac Society (NCS) on Wednesday in Port Harcourt. The theme of the conference was “Socio-Economic Burden of Rising Cardiovascular Disease Profile in Sub-Saharan Africa.” Represented by Mrs Dominion Eugenia, the Foundation’s Executive Director of Finance, Arukwe said that the foundation was supporting healthcare initiatives to lower mortality rates. She said that data from global heath institutions revealed more than 18 million annual deaths from cardiac failure, making the disease the leading cause of global deaths at 32 per cent. ...

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...