Category: Health

Abortion

By Aisha Cole

Lagos, June 4, 2024 (NAN) IPAs, an international group advocating safe abortion, has urged the Federal Government to equip and retrain health personnel on managing unwanted pregnancies to reduce maternal mortality in the country.

A Consultant to IPAs, Dr Akintunde Fehintola, made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of sensitisation workshop on sexual and reproductive health rights organised for women journalists in Lagos.

Fehintola said that the re-training of health personnel would enhance safe termination of pregnancy for those who were within the legal indication, to avoid death as a result of unsafe abortion.

Fehintola urged the media to report on the burden and impact of unsafe abortions to reduce maternal mortality in Nigeria.

“Nigeria ranked second on the death of women during pregnancy according to a 2024 World Health Organisation Data on maternal mortality.

“Unfortunately, we have not been able to gain ground when it comes to unsafe abortion in Nigeria and that is what informed the new development of the strategy guideline for safe termination of pregnancy.

” A young girl who is raped and being pregnant, will not able to go back to school due to the unwanted pregnancy.

“If a woman is depressed due to unwanted pregnancy, the likelihood that such woman can kill herself is very high, such women need counseling.

“Also, we have women whose medical conditions can not allow them to carry pregnancy due to sickness; such a woman needs counseling instead of engaging in unsafe abortion with unsafe method,” said Fehintola, a Gynecologist with Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital.

Mr Lucky Palmer, Country Director, Ipas Nigeria Health Foundation (Ipas), urged government to respect the international statutes it signed to curb deaths from unsafe abortion.

Palmer said that many women who had been rape victims as well as women who could not carry the pregnancy due to health conditions could be prevented from trauma which might result in committing suicide.

“Women who were raped would not want to carry unwanted pregnancy. That will depress them emotionally, drain  and make them become suicidal in the future.

“That is why we are saying that we should implore our governments to respect the international statutes that they had signed.

“To also respect the policy they had signed in Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act (2015) which addresses all forms of violence and ensures the protection of individual rights.

“This marks a significant step toward combating violence and providing legal remedies and justice for victims.

“THE VAPP Act eliminates violence such as psychological, sexual, emotional, physical and economic. The VAPP also provides effective remedies and ensures justice for victims.

“Anybody who has been or is constantly abused in a relationship and family members are aware, the law expects the family to report,” he said.

A Development Journalist and Gender Equality Advocate, Ms Ene Oshaba, appealed to journalists to engage in detailed reporting about sexual and reproductive health rights of women.

“We should be careful about judging people who have misconceptions about the sexual and reproductive health rights of women.

“It is not only men who stigmatise women. Women also stigmatise themselves due to level of information that they have,”Oshaba said.

She asked the media not to relent in their efforts to sensitise community leaders on preventing maternal mortality through unsafe abortion.

Ashaba urged NAWOJ to raise awareness as well as educate the public about the provisions and protections offered by the VAPP act. (NAN)www.nannnews.ng

AIC/ISHO/VIV

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Edited by Yinusa Ishola/Vivian Ihechu

Be beacons of hope, justice that society needs, Judge urges legal officers

Hope

By Folasade Akpan

Abuja, June 3, 2024 (NAN) Justice Husseini Yusuf, the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has urged legal officers to be the beacons of hope and justice the Nigerian society needs.

Yusuf gave the counsel in Abuja at the opening ceremony of a training workshop for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Legal Officers.

The workshop had the theme: “Optimising the Capacity of Legal Officers for Organisational Compliance with Statutory Provisions”.

Yusuf, who was represented by Justice Njideka Nwosu-lheme, emphasised the vital role the NYSC legal officers play in upholding the integrity of the legal system.

“Your duty goes beyond legal representation. You are the champions of human rights, defenders of the vulnerable and the pillars of our democracy.

“As you undergo this training, I urge you to embrace the values of integrity, compassion and excellence.

“Embrace the challenges and opportunities that come with this noble profession and remember that law is a powerful tool for change.

“You are the guardians of justice whose dedication to the noble profession is crucial in shaping the future of the nation.

“Your expertise could make a meaningful difference in the lives of many as you navigate the complexities of legal practice.

“You should, however, always keep in mind the importance of ethics, professionalism and empathy in the course of discharging your duties,” he said.

The Director-General of NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Yu’shau Ahmed, in a remark, said that the legal unit of the NYSC was established to take care of legal matters.

Ahmed, who was represented by the Director of Procurement, Mr Chukwu Ogbonnaya, said that legal officers had been posted to the states and FCT secretariats to strengthen the unit for optimal performance.

“The take-off of the area offices in January 2020 necessitated the posting of legal officers as part of the full complement of the staff required for the smooth operations of the scheme at the area level.

“Reports reaching me, which I am happy to mention, is that the posting of legal officers has enhanced efficiency in the areas of legal advice, litigation and supervision of the Corps Legal Aid Scheme (CLAS),” he said.

He also said that the instruments guiding the operations and activities of the NYSC were the scheme’s legal frame-work and other applicable statutory provisions.

He added that their advice would guide management at all times in taking decisions, especially at very critical moments, which would largely determine the level and extent of compliance by the scheme, with statutory provisions.

The Director, Legal Services, Mr Christopher Ogar, said that the workshop was organised to enhance the capacity of legal officers in the scheme.

According to Ogar, this is in line with the Nigerian Bar Association and the legal professions’s stance on continuing legal education for lawyers.

“It is also to assemble them from different parts of the country to brainstorm and refresh their legal minds on the rudiments of legal practice, particularly in the area of organisational compliance with statutory provisions,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

FOF/AYO/ETS

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Edited by Ayodeji Alabi/Ephraims Sheyin

Anniversary: Agency produces herbal medicines for treatment of diabetes, others

Medicines

By Folasade Akpan

Abuja, June 3, 2024 (NAN) Prof. Martins Emeje, the Director-General, Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA), says the agency has produced four medicines in appropriate dosage forms, in its drive to promote the use of herbal medicines.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday that the four medications were part of activities carried out by the agency in the last one year.

According to Emeje, a professor of Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, the agency converted natural foods and herbs indigenous to Nigeria to drugs to treat sickle cell, diabetes and slow aging process.

He added that the products, which are organic in nature, were launched on March 8.

He explained that “the medicines are Aberecin, used in the management of Diabetes Mellitus and Namdasan for the management of sickle cell disorder, which is a huge issue in the black population of the world and Nigeria is home to more than four million sufferers.

“We have that product containing at least eight different plants indigenous to Nigeria”, he added.

The director-general also said that the first herbal nano-product in Africa called Nanobere was also developed by the agency, and used in the treatment of Upper Respiratory Tract Infections.

He added that an anti-aging agent called Namdamune was developed by harnessing natural plants and herbs that do revitalisation, build the immune system and is responsible for slowing aging process.

He said “we got all these done in one year and it is not just about health, the significance of this is that Nigeria can develop its own products locally and manufacture locally, and that is medicine security.

“It means that the life of your people is in the hands of your people because the greatest disservice you can do to yourself is to have your own life in the hands of another person.”

He also said that the production of the herbal medicines resulted to job and wealth creation.

“This is because unlike the synthetic products that are imported, the basic materials used in making these medicines are from farms, local plants, animals, insects and sea animals all in Nigeria.

“The ingredients are abundant in the nation and farmers are needed to cultivate the herbs.

“So, you can imagine the millions of people that we need to cultivate one of the plants so by our calculation in producing one of our products, the process from the farm to the final production, we would have employed 3.8 million Nigerians.

“You can then imagine for four products, how many would have been employed?.

“So, if by two years of this administration, we are able to produce 10 medicines, multiply 3.8 million by 10 that’s the number we would have employed”, he said.

Emeje said that the aim of the agency is to use science and technology to innovatively address and put the herbs and plants in a form that they would not just be useful to Nigerians, but to also export them and get foreign exchange for the country.

This, he explained, is because the herbal medicine market alone is predicted to be about five trillion dollars in the next 13 years.

He, however, said that the plan of the agency is to have good agricultural and cultivation research farm in each political ward in the country.

According to him, the agency will establish a herbal manufacturing factory, using the prototype approved by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

He also said that the agency subjects itself to the evidence-based regulatory approach that NAFDAC is using for products regulation.

Additionally, the agency would establish a garlic research farm in Benue because studies have shown that there is high prevalence of asthma in Benue, he said.

“We will produce medicines for asthma in Benue because we do not want the people in Vandekiya to travel to Makurdi before they can get the products.

“We want them to be accessible to them in Vandekiya. This is the practical way to show renewed hope.”

He said that the process would begin in the 774 local government areas of the country first before cascading to the wards.

On other achievements of the agency, he said medicinal plants used in the treatment of diseases in Nigeria had been documented.

According to him, the documentation is aimed at boosting Nigeria’s traditional medicine sector for optimal performance.

He also said that this would help in addressing some of the challenges the nation’s health sector faced.

“Every plant that is useful in treating one form of disease or the other in Nigeria is documented.

“We are going into full documentation of traditional medicine in Nigeria, all the 774 local governments in Nigeria, we have marked them out.

“We are going to document and do digital database of all traditional medical practitioners in Nigeria, what they do and give to people.

“All of these are aimed at standardisation.”

Emeje said that the project, which had already taken off in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, involved in going from house to house to get the full statistics needed and that it would cascade to other LGAs in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NNMDA was established by the Federal Government in 1997 to research, collate, document, develop, promote and preserve knowledge, practice and products of natural medicine.

This is with a view to facilitating its integration into the national healthcare delivery system. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

FOF/HA

Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

Strike

By Oluwafunke Ishola 

Lagos, June 3, 2024 (NAN) The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has urged the Federal Government to urgently address the concerns of workers toward ending the ongoing nationwide strike. 

Dr Babajide Saheed, NMA Chairman Lagos Zone, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos. 

NAN reports that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on June 3 embarked on an indefinite nationwide industrial action over lack of consensus on a new minimum wage and the hike in electricity tariff. 

Saheed said that NMA Lagos was in solidarity with the NLC/TUC to press for a living wage for Nigerian workers, noting that the hardship in the country had increased morbidity and mortality among citizens. 

“The hardship caused by the ill motivated and anti-masses policy of the government is affecting everyone, including medical doctors.

“The sudden removal of fuel subsidies, the monetary policy of foreign exchange that’s not working, the increasing inflation that’s affecting prices of food, drugs, medical equipment and all other items are major concerns.

“The number of doctors leaving the country is even increasing as doctors find it difficult to feed themselves three square meals. 

“Many patients have diet-related diseases which can be corrected with healthy meals, but how many Nigerians can afford healthy food,” he queried. 

Saheed appealed to the federal government to urgently engage the labour leaders and negotiate a befitting living wage that would reflect the current economic situation and improve the quality of life of citizens. 

He added that the plights of patients and other citizens who are mostly affected by strikes should be considered in ensuring a speedy and amiable resolution.

NAN reports that checks at some hospitals in Lagos showed that the strike affected clinical activities leaving patients unattended to by health workers.

Checks at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) revealed that the strike disrupted clinical services as only emergency cases were attended to at the Medical and Surgical Emergency Department.

Members of the health unions in compliance with the directive from their national bodies had earlier gone round the health facility driving the staff out of the offices.

Patients and their relatives were seen complaining about the situation, with some planning on transfer of their loved ones to private health facilities. 

Checks at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba, showed that the hospital looks deserted as members of the NLC locked and manned the main gate of the hospital. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

AIO/VIV

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Edited by Vivian Ihechu

Bauchi hospital introduces residential medicare service for 80 years, above

Medicare

By Amina Ahmed

Bauchi, June 3, 2024 (NAN) The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital (ATBU-TH) says it has concluded plans to commence residential medicare services to citizens from 80 years and above to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

The Chief Medical Director (CMD), Dr Jibrin Yusuf, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Monday.

He said services would start before the end of 2024 at subsidised rates.

He explained that citizens above 80 years are considered vulnerable, hence the need for residential services “to support them and reduce physical stress of coming to the facility at that old age.

“Families are expected to register clients with correct addresses  and phone numbers to conduct services without hitches.

“We have the Geriatric Clinic for the old but still we see some of them experiencing difficulties in attending clinic sessions, especially those unaccompanied.

“ATBU- TH has concluded arrangements to conduct home services for this group of the vulnerable citizens as some of them have difficulties accessing healthcare. 

“We just need them to  register in our hospital and the services shall be provided to them.

“The team to provide the services include a doctor, nurse, dietitian, physiotherapist and we will keep adding personnel on the team to ensure quality care.”

Yusuf  also disclosed that the hhospitalis into partnership with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to provide emergency ambulance services.

According to him, the call centre in Bauchi will direct all calls on emergency cases to the ambulance and the desk officer in the facility.

“This is because the Federal Government has set aside funds for ambulance service, ATBU -TH will leverage on that fund as we have concluded discussions with the NCC call centre in Bauchi.

“So, all calls on health emergencies will be routed to the ambulance and the  hospital to save lives of our people through the 911 free toll number.

“The ambulance has well equipped health gadgets and experts, including an oxygen plant,” he said.

He urged the public to support the hospital to provide quality information in the interest of public health. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

AE/HA

Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

Training

By Philip Yatai

Abuja, June 2, 2024 (NAN) Some NGOs, Rasaq Okulaja Empowerment Initiative and Helpline Social Support Initiative, have empowered sixty widows with self-sustaining skills in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) , Abuja.

The widows were trained on tie and dye, soap, turban and Snacks making among other skills, during a second  memorial empowerment and exhibition programme by the NGOs on Sunday.

The President of Helpline Social Support Initiative, Dr Jumai Ahmadu, said that the empowerment was part of activities to mark the two years memorial of late Rev. Rasaq Okulaja.

Ahmadu said that the training was also designed to eradicate poverty among widows.

According to her, the empowerment is also to give the widows and young girls an opportunity to be a better version of themselves.

She advised the beneficiaries not to be ashamed of what they were doing to support themselves financially.

To get the full benefits of the acquired skills, Ahmadu advised the widows to group themselves into clusters to enable them share facilities, access financial support and organise step down trainings to other vulnerable groups.

She also encouraged the widows on good packaging and marketing for their products to gain acceptability among the targeted consumers.

“You also need to register your businesses with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).  Helpline will assist intending participants who have adequately packaged themselves with the registration.

“Try to be a better version of yourself and improve yourself at all times and form clusters so that you can work as a team and easily connect with customers.

“I promised that next year, we will expand this exhibition and take it to the Old Parade Ground, Garki to accommodate more participants, ” she said.

Extolling her late husband, Mrs Toyin Okulaja, described him as a man that loves impacting on the lives of people.

“After he died, we decided to establish an empowerment initiative after his name to keep his legacy alive, and continue to impact and transform the lives of the poor and vulnerable in our communities.

“We empowered 50 women and young girls in 2023 with different skills and today they are exhibiting their products.

“This  year, we decided to support only widows with self-sustaining skills, food items and a little cash to support their lives because they are going through a lot,” she said.

She expressed joy over what the beneficiaries of the first edition of the empowerment were able to do with the skills they acquired.

She said: ‘seeing what they exhibited I am glad. I am so happy that at least, we were able to empower people, who are also empowering others.

“Some of them can now feed their families and pay their children’s school fees, so, we are encouraged.”

One of the beneficiaries of the first edition of the empowerment, Judith Ogbosi, a single mother of three, said that the support helped to expand her salon business and she had employed five staff.

Another beneficiary, Victoria Itodo, a 300 level student of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, said she learned how to make snacks.

Itodo, an orphan, said her snacks business was currently sustaining her in school and appealed for more support to enable her to expand.

Similarly, Mrs Rita Awolumate, a mother of three, said  she was trained on how to make Zarah Caps, bridal bouche, and bridal tree, fan and fascinator.

“Life was difficult for me and my family before the empowerment because my husband is not working.

“But between November 2023 and now, God has been faithful. The skill is putting food on my table, paying the bills and paying my children’s school fees,” she said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

FDY//EEE

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Edited by Ese E. Eniola Williams

Mangal sponsors medical treatment for 3,500 patients in Katsina

Treatment

By Abbas Bamalli

Katsina, June 3, 2024 (NAN) A renowned philanthropist in Katsina, Alhaji Dahiru Barau, through his NGO, Mangal Foundation, has sponsored medical treatment of 3,500 patients in the state.

Mr Hussaini Kabir, a member of the foundation’s board of trustees disclosed this during the screening exercise on Sunday in Katsina.

He added that such free medical outreach has been going on for a long time, especially in every quarter of the year, as the foundation has earmarked funds for such.

Kabir said that the foundation was sponsoring the treatment of patients with hernia, hydrocele and urology problems, who are mostly vulnerable.

According to him, the exercise is going on at the Katsina General hospital, Amadi Rimi orthopedic and Katsina eye centre.

Kabir disclosed that over 1,000 patients with hernia and hydrocele were screened, out of which over 400 of them would undergo surgery.

He explained that other people that were screened with other minor issues related to hernia and hydrocele were provided with free drugs and other necessary services.

“About 2,000 people with different eye problems are expected to benefit from the gesture, as over 80 patients have so far been screened to undergo surgery.

“Some of the patients with different eye problems were also provided with free drugs, and others that required eye glasses were given for free,” Kabir said.

He further explained that the foundation had taken responsibility for all the expenses of those undergoing surgery, within the period, until they are healed.

“The foundation is exclusively for empowerment, development, educational, charitable purposes and supporting the poor and vulnerable in the area of healthcare and economic skill.

“The foundation, initiated in 2016, had also sponsored surgical operations on thousands of patients across the state, neighbouring states and also Niger Republic,” he said.

Some of the patients interviewed by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), commended the gesture, and called on government, private organisations and other wealthy individuals to emulate it  (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

AABS/ISHO/BRM

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Edited by Yinusa shola/Bashir Rabe Mani

Loan

By Franca Ofili

Abuja, June, 2, 2024(NAN)  The Minister of State for Youth Development, Mr Ayodele Olawande, says that  the student loan scheme is for youths to access interest-free facility for their educational pursuits in  tertiary institutions.

Olawande told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja that it was part of President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” to carry the youths along.

He said that with the scheme, undergraduates would no longer drop out of school because of financial difficulties.

.”If the president said a child will not drop out of school because he or she is not able to pay school fees, I think that is a very big plus for the ministry.’’

Olawande advocated for enabling environment for young people to thrive and achieve their goals in life.

According to him, the country has more than 60 per cent of young people; hence, with enabling environment much can be achieved.

The minister said that the ministry was making critical decisions and suggestions while the president made sure they were put into action.

Olawande said that the scheme had an agency and a chairman.

He said that students could access the portal at https://nelf.gov.ng

“You don’t need to know anybody;   just go and apply.

“They will put it together; send it to the school and it will be sorted out so that one can study properly and pass the exam.’’

According to him, the loan is for students in public tertiary and technical institutions.

Olawande said that everything must not be just education because the country had gotten to the stage were skills was needed.

“China, India, U.S. and others are successful because of the skills the citizens have.

“The government is not saying that everything must be university, polytechnic tertiary institution, it must also go to the technical schools so that the person can have one or two skills.

“Most of the foreigners they bring to Nigeria to come and work which we call graduates are not graduates; they are technicians,” he said.

According to him, in every ministry and parastatals, young people are found there; so, most of the decisions government makes still boils down on the youth.

NAN reports that the student loan, which is being implemented at present, is part of the Higher Education Access Act, assented to by Tinubu in June 2023.

In February, the Act was returned to the National Assembly for a complete overhaul and was passed again and assented to by the president.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

FNO/CJ/

Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo