By Justina Auta

The National Blood Service Commission (NBSC) has pledged to ensure the provision of accessible, affordable and safe blood supply for all Nigerians in need.

The newly appointed Director-General of the commission, Prof. Saleh Yuguda, made the pledge on assumption of office in Abuja on Friday.

He emphasised the commission’s pivotal role of providing safe and affordable blood to citizens, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

He added that “in line with our commitment to serve the Nigerian populace, it is imperative that blood is accessible to every individual in need, without financial strain.”

The NBSC boss also reiterated the commission’s mandate to save lives, alleviate sufferings, and promote wellness.

He emphasised robust governance and optimum blood supply chain to enhance the quality of Nigeria’s healthcare system.

On his part, the NBSC Head of Media and Publicity, Haruna Abdullahi, described the appointment of the new director-general as sign of renewed focus toward affordable blood services nationwide.

He said “the agenda set forth by Prof. Yuguda aligns with the mandate of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate.

“This will enhance access to safe blood and blood products nationwide, reflecting a unified effort toward achieving equitable services for all Nigerians.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

By Victor Adeoti

Mrs Ololade Abatan, Family Planning Coordinator, Osun Ministry of Health, says more women are taking up family planning methods in the state.

Abatan said that due to the present economic situation in the country, more women were now embracing family planning facilities in the state with little mobilisation from the ministry.

The family planning expert disclosed this at a three-day training on media advocacy for family planning in Osogbo.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training was organised by Development Communication Network, a media-development capacity non-profit organisation, in support of The Challenge Initiative (TCI), also a non-profit organisation.

According to Abatan, the current economic situation is now pushing the family planning message to women without much counselling.

“Considering the situation of the economy, more women are now flowing into the facilities to take up family planning methods with little effort from the ministry.

“We need little effort to push women to come for family planning now, unlike before that we have to mobilise, encourage, educate and counsel them before they come.

“They are now coming out of their shell to pick up family planning methods. The situation of the economy is already pushing the message of family planning to women in the state,” she said.

She, however, urged men to support their wives to take up family planning methods, adding that family planning would not in any way make wives to be promiscuous.

“The orientation that men have is that women become promiscuous after taking up family planning.

“This is not correct and we have been educating our men that the family planning method is not a license for their wives to be promiscuous.

“Rather it is to allow for peace, understanding, and collaboration between husband and wife.

“Family planning is about effective management of the home and we are appealing to our men to support their wives,” she said.

In his remarks, Mr Mayowa Adeniran, media engagement trainer for development communication, said that the objective of the training was to strengthen the capacity of journalists in the area of effective reportage of family planning in the state.

Adeniran said that the training was to equip journalists in the state to be champions and advocates of family planning.

“TCI has been doing a project in Osun for three years now, and there is a need for media advocacy.

“And that is why we are doing this media training for selected local and national media to increase visibility and effective reportage of family planning in the state,” he said.

Also, Mr Olatunde Raimi, TCI research, monitoring, and evaluation technical support lead, in his presentation said that the state expressed interest in the organisation in November 2021.

Raimi said that since then, TCI has supported 40 facilities within 10 local government areas in the state on advocacy for family planning.

“It is a demand driven process which led to the state qualifying for the grant to support the family planning programme,” he said. (NAN)

Edited by Nick Nicholas/Tayo Ikujuni

By Naomi Sharang

The Senate says it will ensure that no budget is released to the Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (FEDCAM) of Nigeria over non-productivity.

Sen. Banibo Ipalibo, Chairperson, Senate Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary) disclosed  this on Thursday when she led members of the committee on an oversight visit to the college in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the committee also visited other health facilities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

NAN reports that FEDCAM was established in 2009 with a mandate to train alternative medicine practitioners in the health care delivery services and also to carry out clinical works and as well provide an alternative method of treating ailments and research.

Ipalibo, while expressing her disappointment at the non-productivity of the institute, said that nothing was happening there.

“There are no students, the staff members are not coming to work and the building they rented is unused.

“It is supposed to be a key area in alternative medicine, it is such a place we could train our children but none of that is happening there and as such, the committee will definitely look into that.

“We will ensure that no budget is released and no tax payers money is wasted in such a project until the project comes back on stage and provides the services that this country needs,” she said.

Chief Accountant of the College, Mr Abayomi Abiodun disclosed that there were over 132 workers of the establishment.

He recalled that in 2011, the Ministry of Health suspended the management staff and appointed an interim administrative team.

“From 2011 to 2019, FEDCAM was administered by the interim administrative team of the ministry of health.

“We have been trying to see how the college will come on board but unfortunately, last year, the ministry decided to place hold and suspend the activities of the college.

“Without the principal leadership of this college, absolutely nothing can take place because the ministry has a way of doing their things.

“These and other more, are our challenges,” he said.

NAN reports that other facilities visited by the committee included the National Hospital, Abuja, National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) and Federal Staff Hospital, Gwarimpa.

While at the National Hospital, Ipalibo expressed satisfaction with the services rendered by the hospital.

“They have a lot of potential, there is a lot more that they can do if they are provided with more equipment.

“The hospital is also doing a lot of cancer care,” she said.

Ipalibo assured the management of the hospital of legislative backing to further boost ita activities.

At the NHIA, the Director-General, Dr Kelechi Ohiri said that the agency was currently finalising the 2021 and 2022 Audit.

He said the reports would be  completed in March while the 2023 Audit Report would also be concluded on time.

Ohiri said an estimated 15,000 persons had been enrolled on health insurance from both the national and the state health insurance authorities.

He said the figure represented about seven per cent of the population but too low to provide health coverage for Nigeria.

The DG said, in 2023, a total of N128 million was generated internally from enrollees and accreditation of Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) and health care facilities, among others.

He said about half of the total sum was remitted  to the federation account.(NAN)

Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi

By Justina Auta

Sightsavers Nigeria, an NGO, has received an international award for improving accessibility and quality of primary education for children with disabilities in Kaduna State.

Its Communication Associate, Ms Joy Tarbo, said in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, that the award was presented to the NGO by the Zero Project, a global organisation.

Tarbo said the award was presented to the organisation at the United Nations Office in Vienna on Wednesday, for its role in testing a locally led blueprint for inclusive education in Jema’a, Kaduna State.

“Through the Inclusive Futures programme, a UK Aid’s flagship disability-inclusive development programme, we supported children between 4-14years living with disabilities in Nigeria in their right to access education.”

The Country Director of Sightsavers Nigeria, Dr Sunday Isiyaku, expressed delight at the award.

“We are immensely proud to receive the Zero Project award for our inclusive education work and strong partnerships with OPDs and the state Ministry of Education amongst other partners.

“This recognition reaffirms our belief that every child, regardless of disability, deserves access to quality education. Together we can achieve our goal of ensuring that no child is left behind in education”.

Also, Johannes Trimmel, Director, Inclusive Futures programme said: “It means so much to have our work recognised on a global stage by the Zero Project awards.

“People with disabilities and their representative organisations need to be included in development programmes to shape and transform the societies that we live in.

“This recognition motivates us to amplify efforts in providing education for children with disabilities.”

The Zero Project awards recognise organisations that have removed barriers for people with disabilities through their innovative and scalable solutions.

Sightsavers won the award in partnership with the International Disability Alliance (IDA), a consortium of more than 20 organisations, working together to ensure PWD are included in development and humanitarian programmes. (NAN)

Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

By Lilian U. Okoro

A Consultant Cardiologist, Dr Bode Adejumo, has raised alarm that many Nigerian young adults in their 30s were being diagnosed with hypertension.

Adejumo, who works with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), made the assertion on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says Hypertension (high blood pressure) is when the pressure in one’s blood vessels is too high (140/90 mmHg or higher).

It often produces no symptoms, but it can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other serious health conditions.

Adejumo decried the rate of sudden deaths among Nigerian young adults.

He said that young adults should embrace preventive measures and lifestyle changes that could help to live healthy life and thereby, curb the prevalence of hypertension.

According to him, the death of most young Nigerians can be linked to heart-related challenges caused by undetected and unmanaged hypertension.

Adejumo, who described hypertension as a silent killer, lamented that it was now common among young people unlike before when majorly old people of 40 years and above were seen with hypertension.

He said, “There have been instances of young Nigerians dying with heart-related diseases.

“In my earlier years of practice, high blood pressure is mostly an issue of the mature and old folk starting from 40, but now we see 28 to 35- year-old hypertensive patients.

The cardiologist attributed the development to young life mentality syndrome and lack of preventive measures among the younger people.

He added that lack of proper information and education about the disease were other contributing factors.

“The first issue with the younger generation is the false and unwise belief that they are young and thus, do not need to regularly check themselves.

“The second is the fact that they are not taking preventive measures and, of course, the lack of public information and sensitisation on the dangers associated with hypertension as well as low blood pressure,” he said.

He advised Nigerians to imbibe the culture of going for medical checkups from the age of 28, as absence of symptoms does not mean there was none.

“We have had some cases of young men dying of cardiac arrest during a tennis match, while jogging, and even as they went to bed.

“This could have been prevented if they knew they had heart problems. When you do a comprehensive health assessment, abnormalities in the body may be detected and corrected,” he said.

To reduce one’s risk of developing cardiovascular diseases , Adejumo recommended that individuals should reduce their salt and alcohol intake and avoid stress.

He noted that high blood pressure could also be hereditary, and advised those with a family history of the disease to be more watchful of their lifestyles while also maintaining a relationship with their cardiologists.

He said: “People should follow an eating pattern that includes nutrient-dense food and beverages, lots of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and nuts and seeds, while limiting sodium, added sugars, saturated fat and alcohol”. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Vivian Ihechu

By Naomi Sharang

Dr Kelechi Ohiri, Director-General nominee for the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), said he would ensure coverage of more Nigerians under the health insurance scheme.

Ohiri said this on Tuesday during his screening by the Senate Committee on Health, in Abuja.

In his presentation, the nominee said it was true that very few Nigerians had financial protection from the cost of health care.

“The number we have shows that less than seven per cent of Nigerians are protected, are covered.

“This number has been under 10 per cent since inception. It is quite low, and we need to improve upon it if Nigeria is to be on the path of universal health care coverage,” he said.

He said there were many reasons why these numbers were low including policy framework, the issue of awareness and trust.

“Health insurance has been one of the many things that the government has introduced to improve access to care and as such it was voluntary.

“With the passage of the NHIA act in 2022, we now have health insurance as mandatory.

“For insurance to work, that mandate is a critical part of driving and improving coverage,” he said.

Ohiri said, indeed, there was no awareness of health insurance as a veritable tool for financial protection.

“Some of it is cultural, some of it is more work and effort that is needed on our path to educate fellow Nigerians.

“We have about 70 per cent of Nigerians who still pay for care out of pocket or privately, and this means that they are vulnerable to the shocks, they are vulnerable to the rising cost of health care.

“Bringing a lot of these under the umbrella of health insurance will enable us to increase coverage,” he said.

Ohiri further said there were some Nigerians that could not afford the premium required for insurance.

“This is where interventions come in such as the Basic Health Care Provision Fund, and recently the Vulnerable Group Fund.

“These are three fundamental things we need to address to begin to increase the coverage of health insurance,” Ohiri said.

Earlier, chairperson of the committee, Sen. Banigo Ipalibo, asked the nominee how he proposed to get the exact number of persons covered by health insurance both in the formal and informal sectors.

She said without gainsaying, health insurance was the way to go, adding that it would reduce out of pocket expenses for citizens.

Ipalibo urged the nominee to ensure that the vulnerable group fund was utilised effectively to touch the lives of children under five years, pregnant women and the elderly above 60. (NAN)

Edited by Salif Atojoko

By Abujah Racheal

Dr Muyi Aina, the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has urged Nigerians to be vigilant against meningitis through vaccination and early detection of  symptoms.

Aina, who made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja, described meningitis as a life-threatening infection.

”It is a serious infection that can cause inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

”The most common symptoms are high fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, and confusion,” he said.

The NPHCDA executive director said that Nigerians should be very vigilant to ensure early detection and treatment.

”It is also very important to get vaccinated against meningitis. It can be life-threatening.

”Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent meningitis, it can help to protect individuals from the disease,” he said.

He said that by getting vaccinated and ensuring early detection of the symptoms, Nigerians would be protected from the disease.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), skipping of vaccinations is one of the major risk factors of meningitis.

The WHO also says that most cases of viral meningitis occur in children under age five, while bacterial meningitis is common in individuals under age 20.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Azubuike Okeh /Isaac Ukpoju