By Abiodun Azi

Prof. Wasiu Adeyemo, Chief Medical Director (CMD), Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos State, has inaugurated six projects in the institution, on the occasion of his one year anniversary in office.

Speaking to journalists after the inauguration on Wednesday, Adeyemo said that his administration was the continuation of the previous administration and that the Federal Government was putting a lot of money for infrastructural renewal in the hospital.

He said that aside from the fact that the federal government was funding the hospital, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, under the leadership of Prof. Muhammed Ali Pate and Dr Tunji Alausa, also had special fund to complement what the government was doing for the hospital.

He said the six projects that were inaugurated was funded through the budget provided by the federal government.

“The projects are the newly renovated Central Laboratory and Cafeteria for the staffs as the welfare of staffs was very paramount for us in LUTH.

“Extension of Urological Theatre, renovation of Pediatric Surgical Ward E4 of 30 beds, Adult Surgical Ward of 30 beds and 14 suite Private Wards.

“We are aware that there are well-meaning Nigerians who want to access our facilities; the hospital is for everybody and rather than going abroad for care, we have provided private facilities for those that can afford it.

“This is just one of the three wards that we have as private wards. We have another functional and fully renovated ward in A1, we have another one dedicated for care of cancer patients,” he said.

Adeyemo said that all the projects were funded by the federal government and there was executive order to maintain and sustain the projects.

Commenting, Prof. Chris Bode, immediate past CMD of LUTH, said that he was elated and fulfilled seeing the projects that started during his tenure being inaugurated.

Bode said that he was elated that good things were happening in LUTH and fulfilled that not only have they worked together with this administration but “continued along the dreams we had before”.

“You are not a successful leader until you have a worthy successor and I am very proud of him”.

He said that the maintenance culture in LUTH was top notch and many hospitals would want to be like its management and members of staff.

According to him, he hopes that government will continue to fund and support the hospital because they are projecting positively the spirit that President Tinubu and his team are preaching.

Bode hinted that LUTH Cancer Centre had been in operations in the past seven years and had rendered service to no fewer than 11,000 patients. (NAN)

Edited by Vivian Ihechu

By Millicent Ifeanyichukwu

Mrs Ijeoma Agbo, a public health specialist at the
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has called for creation of a platform where Nigerians can share their experiences about the National Health Insurance Scheme.

Agbo made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos.

Agbo said that such a platform would enable the relevant authorities to be aware of participants’ impression and general assessment of NHIS in terms of activities and services.

According to her, such documented impressions and experiences would give room for improvement.

“This will go a long way to make our government to know if the people are really accessing and getting the necessary services or not.

“It is important that we have an effective healthcare system which ensures that individuals and families can afford essential medical care.

“That will mean we are making progress in the SDG3 which aims to ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages. This is key in the National Health Insurance Act,” Agbo said.

The health specialist said that universal health coverage required a multi-sectoral and collaborative approach.

She said that all hands must be on deck to achieve the objectives of the Act, adding that there was need to increase public awareness of the Act to enable more people to enrol into the NHIS.

“UNICEF is committed to working collaboratively with governments, community structures, the private sector and all stakeholders in implementing sustainable solutions to all forms of barriers affecting the Act.

“We will continue to support mobilising and leveraging resources to ensure that all Nigerians will have access to the healthcare they need.

“Our doors are open to partnerships, outreaches, media campaigns,” she said.

Agbo added that UNICEF would continue to leverage community structures such as religious leaders, educational institutions and traditional leaders to pass useful information.

“In spite of government’s continuous efforts to provide and strengthen our healthcare services, you still find that overwhelming majority of the population does not have access to proper healthcare services,” she said.

Agbo said that the role of community structures are important.

“We need community leaders, churches, mosques and educational institutions to educate citizens on the benefits of health insurance and the different plans and processes on which we can enrol.

“Achieving unversal health coverage requires a multi-sectoral and collaborative approach involving government agencies, healthcare providers, donor-agencies, civil society organisations, the private sector, communities and the media,” she said. (NAN)

Edited by Ijeoma Popoola

By Lilian U. Okoro

Dr Martins Agwogie, the President of International Society of Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Professionals (ISSUP), has challenged parents in the fight against drug abuse, saying “family is vital in addressing substance/drug abuse in the society”.

Agwogie, also a Psychiatric Doctor, gave the challenge in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.

He said, “Family/parents are the first line of defence in successful efforts to prevent drug abuse”.

He, therefore, urged parents to rise up to their responsibilities and to monitor and guide their children to be responsible citizens.

According to him, good parenting can help to curb drug abuse.

He attributed drug abuse largely to lack of proper parental upbringing, “as many parents are too busy to render adequate parental-care to their children.”

Agwogie said research indicated that young people who reported strong ties with their parents and families are less likely to engage in risky behaviours, including substance abuse.

He emphasised the need for parents and the family at large to rise up to their responsibilities by keeping close watch on childrens’ activities for any change
in behaviour.

He explained that “the family plays a crucial role in drug abuse prevention by providing education, modeling drug-free behaviour, maintaining open communication, setting boundaries, monitoring activities and offering emotional support, among others.

“As a parent, always monitor your children closely to know when they are getting involved with drugs because drug abuse is a secret habit which may be difficult to identify.

“If a parent is close or friendly with his/her child, having established good relationship with the child, such parent will be able to know when the child is going astray or getting involved in illicit drugs.

“The moment a child starts school (either Primary, Secondary or University), try and keep a watch on him or her and monitor their activities.

“If they have phones, try to know their contacts and the kind of conversations they do with their friends and if possible, try to know their friends in person, including the families of their friends,” he advised.

He said that if parents noticed that their child is showing signs of an underlying mental health condition or unresolved trauma, they must seek prompt
medical attention.

He said this might mean setting up an appointment with a psychiatric professional or with a licenced therapist.

“When underlying mental health issues go untreated, they have the propensity to develop into drug abuse disorders over time,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Dorcas Jonah/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

By Adekunle Williams

Stakeholders in Lagos State have called for increased trust and uptake of polio vaccines and routine immunisation in the state.

They made the call on Tuesday at an advocacy dialogue organised by the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board in collaboration with United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), in Ikeja.

Speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Dr Abimbola Bowale, sought the support of all stakeholders in ensuring that children are well immunised.

Bowale said, “Our children are our future and the way we take care of them will determine how are society will be like. So, one of the ways to take care of their future is through immunisation. Immunisation is what ensures that our children do not die young.

“Through the support of stakeholders in Lagos State, getting children immunised will be made possible and easier to prevent diseases and death.”

Also, the UNICEF Programme Manager for Lagos state, Mr  Muhammad Okorie, said that immunisation plays a key role in the journey of survival and an important issue that concerns every child.

According to Okorie, immunisation is a key intervention that can be used to realise the right of a child to survival.

He said: “Today, we are gathered here reaffirming our commitment to ensuring that every vaccine preventable disease is eradicated from all communities whether they are hard to reach or near to reach.

“This calls for action, we all have to mobilise as a team to ensure that every child born in Lagos state receives this essential intervention, which is immunisation.

“When you give what the child needs, he grows up to give the nation or society what it needs.

“Lagos State as a centre of excellence should lead in the prioritisation and execution of child immunisation in the country.

“This is the greatest gift to a child which should be given at the right time, even though there are barriers to immunisation, we can overcome it.”

He noted that immunisation in Lagos state is life saving and cost effective as children should not be denied this necessity.

With the aim to move the state forward in immunisation, UNICEF Social and Behaviour Change Specialist, Mrs Aderonke Akinola-Akinwole, said that individuals needed to trust the vaccination process but unfortunately there were many barriers.

“The barriers which include psychological, socio-cultural, economic, religious, and institutional barriers should be gradually curbed by stakeholders in their respective capacity.

“For us, this is an opportunity for us to engage stakeholders to use their roles to influence promotion and uptake for routine immunisation in ensuring that every child is raised with life saving vaccines to make sure that they develop and thrive in life.

“UNICEF is presently working at different wards in Lagos and the whole of Nigeria in ensuring that every child is reached.

“UNICEF has come up with community engagement activities and community-led initiatives in ensuring that parents take on life saving behaviours that will impact the development of the children particularly in respect to primary health care services,” she said.

Dr Chinyere Okafor, the World Health Organisation (WHO) coordinator for Lagos state, who was represented by Alhaja Lawal Sherifat, said that child immunisation is a commitment and priority for WHO.

”This meeting cannot come at a better time because we realise that immunisation coverage in Lagos is gradually going down. Lagos has always been in the first or second position in previous years when it comes to immunisation but where are we finding ourselves now.

”We see Lagos in 20th position; 16th position, which is not good for us. We are the centre of excellence and we want to remain so, and for us to achieve this , we need the commitment of every stakeholder.

”We are still having zero doses in Lagos, and missed opportunities. This pocket of zero doses is a situation waiting for a bomb to explode.

”WHO for a long time has been in the forefront for eradicating polio and we know that with your support we can achieve this,” Okafor said.

She urged traditional rulers to work with the healthcare system in the state and enlighten their communities for a safer future.

In his remarks, Alhaji Ahmed Haruna, Seriki of Alimosho, said that he would ensure that the Hausa community and other residents in the area are aware of the benefits of child immunisation.

“One of the challenges we have is that when we reach out to families, women usually tell us that they want to have permission from their husbands before taking any decision and this has affected child immunisation significantly,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was attended by traditional rulers, religious bodies, social mobilisation committees, community development chairmen, LGA supervisors for health, and ward health committee members among others. (NAN)

Edited by Folasade Adeniran

By Yakubu Uba

Borno’s Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Prof. Baba Gana, revealed that a significant number of tuberculosis patients in the state, estimated at 16,000, are not availing themselves of treatment.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting in Maiduguri to mark World Tuberculosis Day, Gana emphasised that only 5,905 patients have been identified and treated, leaving over 10,000 individuals unaccounted for.

This gap poses a risk of further infection within the community, prompting Gana to urge advocacy for TB diagnosis.

The commissioner expressed the ministry’s commitment to collaborating with partners to address the situation and announced the appointment of a new TB programme manager with a mandate to improve treatment coverage.

Gana stressed the importance of allocating resources to TB treatment, citing the state’s compliance with the Abuja Declaration, which allocates 15 per cent of the budget to healthcare.

He also praised partners such as WHO, Global Fund, UNICEF, and USAID for their support and called on the media to raise awareness about TB symptoms and encourage testing.

Gana urged parents to ensure their children receive TB vaccinations, which are provided free of charge.

Dr Ibrahim Salisu, Borno Coordinator of WHO, emphasised the global impact of TB and highlighted recent progress in diagnosis and treatment, while pledging continued support for the state.

Dr Ali Goni, Borno Programme Manager of TB, stressed the need for collaborative efforts across sectors to combat TB effectively.

The event included a road walk to raise public awareness and a presentation on TB cases among children below 10 years by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), which reported diagnosing 328 cases at one of its facilities in Maiduguri. (NAN) www.nannews.ng 

Edited by Gabriel Yough