By Health and Science Africa The World Health Organization (WHO) says it has validated Algeria’s elimination of trachoma as a public health problem, making it the 10th country in WHO’s African Region and the 29th globally to achieve this significant milestone. Affecting the eye, trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide. Globally, the…
By Godwin Ntadom No one knew its origin, nor its cause. The only knowledge available then was that it was a disease of bad air from marshy lands, from where it obtained its name – mala-aria. The puzzle was too intricate to decode; Aristotle, Galeus, and even Hippocrates, the father of medicine, could not unravel…
By Richard Olukolade Menstruation is a natural phenomenon for young and older females and is an indicator of a healthy reproductive system in adolescent girls and women. However, the reality of the absence of functional water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities in many public places and communities in Nigeria has made menstruation a burden for adolescent…
By OjomA Akor Nigeria’s National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) says a total of 1,256,791 children across four states have been vaccinated against malaria. Briefing newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, Executive Director of the agency, Dr. Muyi Aina, said a total of 984,559 children have received at least one dose of the malaria vaccine…
By Ojoma Akor The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) says it has completed the infrastructural upgrade of over 3,000 primary health care centers (PHCs) out of over 4,000 PHCS it has been working on in the last two years. The executive director of the NPHCDA, Dr. Muyi Aina, stated this on Tuesday during…
By Ojoma Akor The Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed a COVID-19 case in Cross River State. Director General of the NCDC Dr. Jide Idris, in a statement on Tuesday, said the only confirmed case has been isolated and is currently being managed in line with national treatment guidelines. He also said…
By Ojoma Akor Nigeria will host the highest-level global ministerial meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) on African soil in Abuja this year. Ministers from over 100 countries are expected to take part in the 5th High-Level Ministerial Meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), slated for June. AMR or drug resistance is a problem driven by misuse…
By Ojoma Akor The University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on environmental conservation and sustainability initiatives. A statement from NCF signed by Olusomi Oduguwa, its head of communications and corporate branding, said the MoU signing ceremony took place on Monday at the…
By Ojoma Akor Stakeholders in the health sector have identified ways to break down barriers to effective public health financing for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Nigeria. They spoke during a two-day capacity-strengthening workshop for government ministries, departments, and agencies on public financing for NCDs and the implementation of the NCD Multi-Sectoral Action Plan (NCD-MSAP). The workshop…
By Ojoma Akor Health and gender experts have said that tackling gender-based violence and stigma for diseases like HIV and TB is crucial to preventing and reducing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). They stated this during an AMR dialogue session themed “AMR under a gender lens,” held ahead of International Women’s Day and the 70th Session of the…
