The Millennium Natures Path International (Milnapath), an alternative medicine company says it is using herbal medicine to provide solutions to the problems of ill-health and poverty in Nigeria and beyond.
Dr Naomi Bassey, Milnapath’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), stated this during the company’s one-year anniversary and car awards in Abuja on Saturday.
The anniversary had the theme, “Celebrating One Year of Impact Beyond Borders.”
Bassey explained that Milnapath, an indigenous company, specialised in the production and marketing of highly organic and potent herbal products.
“We are poised to provide solutions to the twin problems of ill-health and poverty that have become the bane of socio-economic development in Nigeria and Africa.
“Climatic and environmental changes have given rise to strange ailments that science and technology are yet to provide solutions to. This is where alternative medicine comes in.
“The increasing rate of avoidable deaths in the society caused by poor medical facilities and treatment, as well as wrong diagnosis amongst other factors, got me thinking of ways of arresting the trend,” she said.
The CEO said that the search for solutions in alternative medicine took her to the College of Natural Medicine, Ibadan, for a Professional Doctorate degree in natural medicine.
She said that after her studies and extensive research in herbal medicine, Milnapath was born on April 29, 2023, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa.
Bassey said that the company was certified by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.
“My drive is to see how we can use the natural things given to us by God – the grasses in the bushes, the roots, bark of trees and some spices to bless humanity and to treat protracted and degenerating ailments.
“God has blessed us with nature, and nature is 100 per cent able to reverse those protracted ailments.
“Milnapath has, therefore, come to help us know that it is possible to treat all stubborn ailments with the natural things in the bush,” she said.
Bassey added that Milnapath was producing a line of effective products for various challenging health conditions, using a direct selling approach.
She said that the products were 100 per cent plant-based with no chemicals and therefore, no negative side effects.
Different brands of vehicles given out as awards to the best performing distributors and partners of Millennium Natures Path International, during the company’s one year anniversary in Abuja.
On job creation and poverty reduction, Bassey said that the company currently had about 23,000 distributors and partners in Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Benin Republic, Cameroon, U.S.A, UK and Canada.
She added that the partners earn a lot of money from marketing and distributing the products, “which is transforming their lives”.
According to her, through the products, the company is empowering global health and prosperity through direct sales, an innovative multi-level marketing approach.
The CEO noted that the direct selling marketing approach offered accessible products and fair partner rewards, through an exceptional compensation plan, thereby creating employment and addressing poverty.
Bassey said: “this is ensuring that the products are not just available at the doorsteps of our people, but also that our partners and distributors are adequately compensated for their contributions and efforts.
“It’s a referral business. You buy, we pay you. You bring people to buy, we pay you.
“Milnapath is committed to not only improving peoples’ wellbeing but also uplifting communities by tackling poverty.”
The Chairman of the occasion, Dr Bassey Ayambem, described the contribution of Milnapath to the field of medicine as phenomenal, by combining science with nature.
“Today, the company is promoting healthcare and financially empowering people with money in their pockets” Ayambem said.
During the event, 10 distributors and partners of the company were rewarded with cars for their contributions to the company’s growth.
One of the car awardees, Dr Patience Uche, a medical doctor at Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, said she had earned about N60 million from marketing Milnapath products in just a year.
Uche, who went home with three cars, added that she equally used the products to treat her patients. (NAN)
It was a hot Wednesday morning, July 21, 2001, an accident had just occurred in the upscale Mabushi District of Abuja.
Accidents occur everywhere in the world, but there is something unique about this one. It sent a top-ranking minister and his beloved bicycle crashing into a ditch.
“I thank God I’m alive,” Chief Ojo Maduekwe, then Minister of Transportation told reporters as he marveled at escaping without injuries after he was knocked down from his bicycle by a reckless bus driver.
“Accidents can happen anywhere, on land, sea and air,” Maduekwe said stressing that the problem was not riding his bicycle but too many cars and a lack of lane for bicycles.
“Ojo oni Keke” (Ojo the bicycle rider) as he was called in some quarters was cycling to the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at Aso Villa, Abuja as part of his campaign to promote bike riding in Nigeria.
The former minister, who also served as minister of Foreign Affairs died in June 29, 2016 but his bold but controversial initiative remains relevant.
Twenty one years after the famous accident, the biking culture still remains precarious in all major cities of Nigeria, and with the growing need to cut down on emissions, experts have advocated bicycles as alternative to the emission polluting vehicles.
The contrast is however the case in Copenhagen, Denmark where the city has earned the reputation as being ranked the most bicycle friendly city in the world.
Copenhagen boasts of more bicycles than residents, with over 672,000 bikes on its 384 kilometres of cycle lanes.
Cycling is regarded as healthier, more environmentally friendly, cheaper, and often quicker with well-marked out lanes for bicycles to get around the city.
Henrik Pedersen, a Danish Environmental expert told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Nigerians could embrace the bicycle culture as part of efforts to cut down emissions from automobiles.
He said the use of bicycles is a cheaper, faster and more eco-friendly way of commuting in African cities like Abuja, as long as the necessary infrastructures are put in place.
“If you move on a bicycle rather than a car you have no emissions, even if it is electric bicycle, the emission would be very low at least.
“Also producing bicycles does not take a lot of resources or emit a lot of CO2 (cabon dioxide) compared to cars.
“So this measure can go a long way in addressing some of the climate issues, apart from the fact that riding a bicycle keeps you healthy,” he said.
Lise Walbom, CEO, Food Nation, a leading food and agriculture company in Denmark told NAN that the bicycle culture in Denmark is encouraged right from a very young age.
“My husband and I pedaled behind our 11-year-old twins as they cycled to school and we go to work with our bicycles.
“It is easy and effective to use our bikes in our everyday life and good for my health!” she said.
Andreas Tomasson, a salesman in Copenhagen, said he had no reason to buy a car because he owns a bicycle and there is efficient transport system that includes intra and intercity train services.
In September, 2017, the then Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi after the National Council on Transportation (NCT) 15th meeting in Sokoto said the Council had approved a pilot `bicycle riding’ project, as a means of transportation in Abuja (FCT).
“The National Council on Transportation is a policy making body. We approved that we should do a pilot project on bicycle riding in FCT.
“This is because Abuja is the only city that has facility for bicycle riding.
“For other states who want to do it, we must provide facility before they can proceed with it; we want to separate them from the roads because some motorists are impatient,” Amaechi said.
Mr Bisi Kazeem, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Public Education Officer said infrastructure adjustments must be done to support bicycle transport culture in Abuja.
He said the national road safety regulations will also have to be amended to include provisions for the safety of cyclists.
“As a pilot scheme, if Abuja is taken, there is need for restructuring some intersections before we can start it successfully.
“FRSC studied all the road networks in Abuja, and we have identified the gaps and recommended measures to address them
“During the study, which we carried out with Federal Capital Territory Administration officials, we found out that all roads and streets have provisions for bicycle lanes in the design,
“But at the point of construction, the lanes were either ignored, merged with pedestrian walkways thereby making the walkways too wide. In some cases they were turned into green areas.
“I think it is only on Yakubu Gowon Way in Asokoro that the lane is being implemented. So, a key concern is the need for re-engineering of intersections and traffic lights to provide for cyclists,” he said.
Experts say that to maximize the health, safety and environmental advantages of cycling, relevant authorities should put in place the necessary infrastructure and take actions to promote cycling in the nation. (NANFeatures) (www.nannews.ng)
A panel of women leaders drawn from the media and various Civil Society Oganisations (CSO) has called for an end to unfair and stereotyped media reports on women, especially those in appointive positions.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the discussion panel was part of an event organised by the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria to mark the 2024 Women’s History Month in Abuja.
The event tagged “Media Representation of Women in Leadership Positions”, had in attendance women from different backgrounds, including the media, public service, as well as women’s rights advocacy groups.
According to the panelists, Nigerian media often have “ biased” portrayal of women, especially those in public appointive positions, as weak and incompetent.
They lamented that media reports on women were largely focused on probing their characters and personal lives instead of issue-based reports.
The panelists noted that the trend has always demoralised and discouraged women from actively participating or taking leadership responsibilities.
They called on the media in Nigeria to uphold the tenets of fairness, objectivity and balance in its reportage of issues affecting women.
Linda Akhigbe, Seniour Special Assistant on Strategic Communication to President Bola Tinubu, said : “ The media in Nigeria seems to trivialize efforts and achievements of women and focus on their personal lives.
“Women should work together more to have more voices; such collaborations will make them tell their stories objectively.
“Besides, women need to strive to be very good and consistent at what they do because you cannot be relegated when you are good at your work.”
Ladi Bala, former president of NAWOJ, said : “ The newsroom is a reflection of the bigger society, and even in news reportage, women are under reported.
“There is need for media re-orientation, gender policy in newsrooms and news should be framed in such a way that women are not stereotyped in reports.
“Women journalists need to be passionate and deliberate in reporting issues that affect women, and there is need for women in positions to be proactive in engaging the media.”
Also, Inimfon Etuk, Founder of She Forum Africa, said : “ Women need to be more deliberate and active in telling their own stories because they have to fight for themselves.”
Zainab Okino, Chairperson, Blueprint Editorial Board, said: “What is happening in the media space is a reinforcement of old cultural narratives that do not accord women a place society.
“The media is simply amplifying what society already set – stereotyping and reporting women vulnerability and everything society views them to be.
“I want our women to prepare themselves because they will always meet stormy waters on their ways.”
The stakeholders called for more women media entrepreneurs for them to have space to tell their stories loud and clear as possible.
Judith Walker, Executive Director, Development Research and Projects Centre(DRPC), made a presentation on “Gender Norms and Women Appointive Positions in Nigeria”.
She noted that there was a huge gap in how the Nigerian media describe and present the strengths, skills, and competence of women and men in appointive positions.
According to her, media reports on women are often sensationalised and tend to focus on their competence and qualifications, while stories about men are focused on facts.
“While women are much more likely to be described as ‘scandalous’, ‘incompetent’, and ‘corrupt’ in media coverage, softer terminology is more likely to be used in stories about men, such as ‘mismanaged’, ‘misappropriated’ or ‘investigated’.”
“Women also face character attacks ranging from their leadership style to moral integrity and men are also less likely to be described as incompetent,” she said.
Earlier in his remarks, Mr Art Brown, Acting Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy, said U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria has a long-standing commitment to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment.
“We recognise that the media plays a vital role in shaping public perceptions and influencing societal norms that is why this discussion today is so important.
“When the media perpetuates stereotypes and undermines women’s leadership abilities, it creates additional barriers for women seeking to enter and excel in the political sphere.
“We support initiatives that promote gender-sensitive reporting, challenge biases, and amplify the voices and achievements of women leaders,” he said. (NAN) (nannews.ng)
Over the years, Nigeria had practiced poor waste management which posed a threat to the environment and public health of the nation.
According to the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, Nigeria falls among the 30 countries with the worst waste managementloop. practice out of 180 countries in the world.
Nigeria generates 32 million metric tonnes of waste annually among which 2.5 million tonnes is plastic waste. With an annual growth rate of 2.4 per cent, waste generation in Nigeria will increase in subsequent years.
Interventions for waste management
In 2022, the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), signed a US$2.8million agreement to support government efforts to develop sustainable plastic waste management.
In spite of government and other development partners intervention, many household in Nigeria do not have access to formal waste management system which means they mostly use informal channels.
These informal channels consist of collecting waste and dumping them in rivers or burning them which causes water pollution, climate change and disease outbreak.
To address poor waste management in Nigerian households, Ecobarter, a social enterprise begun collecting waste from households in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states, transforming those waste into new valuable resources.
Founded by Rita Idehai in 2018, the organisation’s vision and mission is to bring sustainability to all people and planet and transform how households consume and manage waste from now till 2020 respectively.
Idehai said that waste such as plastic bottles, cartons, aluminium cans, electronics, metals, nylon bags, pure water sachets, old books and newspapers were collected, sorted and sold to companies that use such waste as raw materials.
Rita Idehai, Ecobarter founder
“We are taking waste away from the environment, we are keeping the environment clean, that means we are improving public health and we are creating jobs.
“We are also making sure the environment is clean while improving the beauty and the value of properties. So that’s another economic advantage for proper waste management,” she said.
From trash to cash
Apart from keeping the environment clean, improving public health and creating jobs, Ecobarter also create wealth for individuals by giving back points and money in exchange for waste.
“We have integrated platforms, the digital side and the offline side where people request for pickup of their waste at their convenience.
“We collect this waste and in return for giving us their waste we give them points which they get to redeem as cash into their bank accounts.
“They can use it to shop with different partners and services on our market place or even donate to different charity organizations that we work with”, Ecobarter founder said.
Ecobarter staff, picking up waste from household
She explained that points were awarded base on the weight of waste retrieved, adding that 30 plastic bottles weighs 1kg which is equivalent to one ecobarter point.
She added that one ecobarter point was worth N20 while people with 50 ecobarter points would earn N1,000.
Ecobarter Beneficiaries
Rebecca Bulus is a full time cleaner who learned about waste collection when she realised the extent to which the littered waste in her community was making.
She said she started picking up bottles and other recyclable in her neighborhood, adding that she had collected 200kg of waste and has earned more than N10,000 from ecobarter.
“I mostly use the money I get to buy food ingredients to cook for my children.
“But there was a time when my child was ill and we had to buy some drugs at the pharmacy. I didn’t have much on me because I have not received my salary yet.
“I only had the money i saved from collecting the bottles and that was what I used to pay for the drugs ” she said.
Similarly, Mrs Lucy, a pharmacist said she usually plant flowers in used plastic bottles but the bottles piled up overtime occupying space in her home.
She added that the situation changed when he learned about Ecobarter as they came to pick up her waste in exchange for points which metamorphosed to cash.
“I checked my app and I had like 500 recycling points, I was like wow that’s a lot.
“I decided to try to exchange it with cash just to see if I would get the money; so I filled in my request on the app and forget about it.
“It was on the next day that I got the credit alert, and I was like, where is this coming from? then I saw that it was from ecobarter,” she said.
Challenges
“Low level of awareness on how poor waste management practices impact not just the environment but even public health is a major challenge ” Idehai said.
She stated that the organisation spent alot in terms of energy, time and money to educate people on proper waste management and it’s importance.
Ecobarter team sensitizing market woman on proper waste management
She added that another challenge was the lack of existing infrastructure where people would take waste to or get efficient waste collectors that would come their doorstep to pick up waste.
“So we are having to also invest a lot in building collection Centers installing hubs and creating collection route and all of that, and for all of this we would be needing way more funds.
“And you know because we are in Africa, we are female led there’s also disadvantage to investment,” she said
Sustaining the project
“The wastes are raw materials that we sell at a profit to manufacturers. This sales is our primary source of revenue,” she said.
She added that the organisation also get grant funding from different development agencies such as the US Mission Nigeria, the Roddenberry Foundation, Coca cola Foundation among others.
Idehai explained that the Ecobarter constantly run sensitization programmes, create and boost contents on social media to reach more people.
“In 2023, we did the Go Green with Ecobarter and Cleanup with Ecobarter challenge which reached about 25,000 unique people,” she said.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
**If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
How Ecobarter is transforming waste to wealth in Nigerian households
By Aisha Gambo
Over the years, Nigeria had practiced poor waste management which posed a threat to the environment and public health of the nation.
According to the Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy, Nigeria falls among the 30 countries with the worst waste management practice out of 180 countries in the world.
Nigeria generates 32 million metric tonnes of waste annually among which 2.5 million tonnes is plastic waste. With an annual growth rate of 2.4 per cent, waste generation in Nigeria will increase in subsequent years.
In 2022, the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), signed a US$2.8million agreement to support government efforts to develop sustainable plastic waste management.
In spite of government and other development partners intervention, many household in Nigeria do not have access to formal waste management system which means they mostly use informal channels.
These informal channels consist of collecting waste and dumping them in rivers or burning them which causes water pollution, climate change and disease outbreak.
To address poor waste management in Nigerian households, Ecobarter, a social enterprise begun collecting waste from households in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states, transforming those waste into new valuable resources.
Founded by Rita Idehai in 2018, the organisation’s vision and mission is to bring sustainability to all people and planet and transform how households consume and manage waste from now till 2020 respectively.
Idehai said that waste such as plastic bottles, cartons, aluminium cans, electronics, metals, nylon bags, pure water sachets, old books and newspapers were collected, sorted and sold to companies that use such waste as raw materials.
Rita Idehai, Ecobarter founder
“We are taking waste away from the environment, we are keeping the environment clean, that means we are improving public health and we are creating jobs.
“We are also making sure the environment is clean while improving the beauty and the value of properties. So that’s another economic advantage for proper waste management,” she said.
From trash to cash
Apart from keeping the environment clean, improving public health and creating jobs, Ecobarter also create wealth for individuals by giving back points and money in exchange for waste.
“We have integrated platforms, the digital side and the offline side where people request for pickup of their waste at their convenience.
“We collect this waste and in return for giving us their waste we give them points which they get to redeem as cash into their bank accounts.
“They can use it to shop with different partners and services on our market place or even donate to different charity organizations that we work with”, Ecobarter founder said.
Ecobarter staff, picking up waste from household
She explained that points were awarded base on the weight of waste retrieved, adding that 30 plastic bottles weighs 1kg which is equivalent to one ecobarter point.
She added that one ecobarter point was worth N20 while people with 50 ecobarter points would earn N1000.
Ecobarter Beneficiaries
Rebecca Bulus is a full time cleaner who learned about waste collection when she realised the extent to which the littered waste in her community was making.
She said she started picking up bottles and other recyclable in her neighborhood, adding that she had collected 200kg of waste and has earned more than N10,000 from ecobarter.
“I mostly use the money I get to buy food ingredients to cook for my children.
“But there was a time when my child was ill and we had to buy some drugs at the pharmacy. I didn’t have much on me because I have not received my salary yet.
“I only had the money i saved from collecting the bottles and that was what I used to pay for the drugs ” she said.
Similarly, Mrs Lucy, a pharmacist said she usually plant flowers in used plastic bottles but the bottles piled up overtime occupying space in her home.
She added that the situation changed when he learned about Ecobarter as they came to pick up her waste in exchange for points which metamorphosed to cash.
“I checked my app and I had like 500 recycling points, I was like wow that’s a lot.
“I decided to try to exchange it with cash just to see if I would get the money; so I filled in my request on the app and forget about it.
“It was on the next day that I got the credit alert, and I was like, where is this coming from? then I saw that it was from ecobarter,” she said.
Challenges
“Low level of awareness on how poor waste management practices impact not just the environment but even public health is a major challenge ” Idehai said.
She stated that the organisation spent alot in terms of energy, time and money to educate people on proper waste management and it’s importance.
Ecobarter team sensitizing market woman on proper waste management
The Nigeria Health Watch, a non-profit organisation, has extended its partnership deal with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), to promote Solutions Journalism in the country.
NAN reports that the deal between it and the Nigeria Health Watch which uses informed advocacy and communication to seek better health and access to healthcare in Nigeria, will last between February and December 2024.
NAN also reports that solutions journalism is a rigorous reporting about responses to society’s problems, especially about health.
Mr Ali Muhammad Ali, the Managing Director of NAN, who spoke during the signing ceremony on Wednesday in his office in Abuja, expressed gratitude to the organisation for the impactful contributions to the agency since the beginning of the partnership.
“Solutions journalism is complete journalism that not only spotlights the problems but follows an evidence-based presentation of existing solutions.
“Such reporting enhances knowledge and accountability by providing the whole story to readers and offers constructive content in an age of media apathy.
“We value the hope you’ve instilled, and given our commitment to solution journalism and development journalism here at NAN, factual accuracy is not just a luxury but a necessity by law.
“We must remain truthful and objective in our reporting. Solution journalism, as you rightly noted, brings hope to our nation,” Ali said.
The managing director also said that the agency shared a common passion and vision with the organisaion since solutions journalism proffered solutions to challenges.
Earlier, Mrs Vivianne Ihekweazu, Managing Director, Nigeria Health Watch, noted that NAN was among the first organisations to establish a Solutions Journalism desk in its office.
This, she said demonstrated that NAN was committed to the programme and initiative.
Ihekweazu said that solutions journalism aimed to not only report problems but also highlight potential solutions.
“This approach is crucial as it inspires hope, encourages action and emphasises collective responsibility in addressing societal issues.
“Through solutions journalism, NAN seeks to inspire Nigerians by showcasing solutions to the myriad of challenges faced in Nigeria.
“This serves as a powerful tool for driving positive change and fostering a sense of empowerment within the community,” she said.
NAN had in 2022, established a dedicated solutions journalism desk in the agency that focuses on reports that addressed various social challenges across the country.
Journalists received support, training and mentorship from the Nigeria Health Watch team to investigate and report responses to various social challenges across the country.
The stories they produced were published on the platforms of the various newsrooms through Solutions Journalism Africa Initiative.
Some of the published stories were featured on the Solutions Journalism Network’s Solutions Story Tracker, an international database that curates solutions journalism stories published all over the world. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Saving lives through blood donation; the Plateau example
By Martha Agas
Ajijah Andrew, 43, is a regular blood donor whose first donation was in 1998 while in Command Day Secondary School Jos. It was then just a casual action till in 2015 when his perspective on the exercise changed.
As a journalist, the aftermath of covering the 2015 Jos crisis resulted in bouts of headaches for him which had forced him to seek for medical check. The doctor encouraged him to donate blood as a potential solution to address his condition.
A medical expert, Dr Juliette Katung affirms this and explains that blood donation in addition to improving physical health also boosts the psychological and emotional wellbeing of donors by reducing their stress.
He indeed felt better after the procedure and the incident became the turning point of his regular blood donation to those who personally request for such assistance, and at the National Blood Service Commission (NBSC), North-Central office in Jos.
“Since I became aware of the health benefits of blood donation, I ensure to comply with the minimum blood donation requirement of every three months, and I am fulfilled not only by feeling healthy but also with giving people a chance to be alive, “ he says.
Bot Dung, 60, a medical laboratory technician is the highest blood donor in Plateau. He has donated blood 100 times to the NBSC in Jos, and even after recovering from a major surgery in 2011 which left him with one kidney, it hasn’t deterred him from still sustaining regular blood donation as a lifestyle.
Slip of Bot Dung showing number of times he has donated blood
He says he had experienced persistent headaches and high blood pressure, both of which his regular blood donation has helped to address.
“I started donating blood in 2008 with a break in 2011 and 2012 due to my surgery. I haven`t taken any hypertension medication for three years now, anytime I donate I feel strong, I feel lighter“ he said.
Bot donates blood bimonthly and has been an ardent advocate of blood donation in the state particularly at the College of Health Technology Zawan where he worked till he retired in 2023. It is one of the leading schools in Plateau in voluntary unpaid blood donation.
Similarly, an entrepreneur Grace Izam, 50, the highest female blood donor in Plateau, claims she has donated blood 82 times. She started donation in 2017 when the NBSC team came to her church at Hwolshe for their blood drive clinic.
Like the other donors, Izam says regular blood donation has helped her to monitor her health status through its screening processes and has further guided her to lead a conscientious healthy lifestyle so as to continuously contribute to saving lives.
Ajijah, Bot and Izam are part of the statistics of the 90,234 unpaid voluntary blood donors in the NBSC`s North Zonal Centre Jos, from 2017 to 2022. According to data from the service, it has consistently been the highest in the country among its six zonal centres within the period
Blood donation is crucial in saving lives of a country, the World Health Organisation estimates that 30 per cent of children who die daily in Nigeria is due to causes related to anaemia, while post-partum haemorrhage is the lead cause of maternal mortality, and bleeding from road traffic accidents the lead cause of death amongst the young and middle aged.
About 500,000 units of blood are being collected annually with 25,000 from unpaid volunteer donors which is 25 per cent of the expected blood donation. This is below Nigeria`s estimated blood needs of about 1.8 million pints per annum with its high population of more than 225 million .
Plateau, the north central region`s host still remains a model to other states in Nigeria with its consistent ranking of the highest blood collection from unpaid voluntary donors and is leading in the country in addressing the blood needs of its region.
NBSC BLOOD COLLECTION TREND FROM 2017-2022 Graph: NAN Data: NBSC
Why is Plateau leading in blood donation
Stakeholders such as the Nigerian Medical Association have applauded the Jos centre for its noteworthy strides in blood collection. Its chairman in Plateau, Dr Bapigaan Audu, attributes the regions` success to the increased awareness and concern of its residents, who recognise the importance of assisting the needy in that regard.
Experts say that Plateau have witnessed high demand for blood to meet transfusion needs driven by the perennial unrests in the state, vehicular road accidents, demand resulting from diseases such as malaria, obstetrics and gynaecological bleeding and cancers amongst others.
The north central zone comprising of Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Kwara and FCT has adopted several strategies to have high figures compared to other zones of the federation.
Stakeholders say the staff in the zonal office are noted for being highly-motivated, a strength which the Zonal Coordinator of the service, Prof Damulak Dapus, says is demonstrated in the passion for their duties. This aligns with one of the thematic areas outlined in the organisation`s 10 -year strategic plan
He says since inception of their services in Jos on April 27, 2007, the team built a strong foundation and were intentional in saving lives as reflected in their good performance of topping all zones over the years.
The coordinator says“ In the country, we overtook in terms of mobilisation and motivation of staff, sensitisation for public awareness creation, getting volunteer recruitment into blood donation.
“And within a short while, we have completely eliminated family replacement and paid donation and relied heavily and solely on volunteer donors. And this is very important because we made the donors to know that it is not just an attempt at saving somebody’s life.
“ But also primarily of improving their own personal life by donating blood regularly, “.
Award of Mrs Grace Izam, highest female Blood donor, North Central Office
Strategies adopted
Public campaigns
The North Central zone embarked on public campaigns to encourage voluntary unpaid blood donation. According to their Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)Officer, Mrs Faith Gaya, the centre had conducted 373 outreaches from Oct.28, 2018 to Nov.26, 2023 to worship centres, educational institutions, organisations, markets and communities in the state.
The head of the office says “We visit heads of organisations, heads of educational institutions, head of religious and even denominational heads and residential heads of churches where we discuss with them the benefits of the act.
“During such outreaches, prospective donors were enlightened on the importance of blood donation especially as the region over the years has been experiencing violent conflicts and other security challenges, where many got injured and required blood to survive particularly in emergency periods, “.
Damulak explained that in addition to saving lives, donors improve theirs through rejuvenation of blood cells who survive between 120 to 150 days, a knowledge which has made them willing to continue donating blood
The frequent donation he says, will create room for the production of younger blood cells, which are more vibrant, more metabolically active, more efficient and also possess accurate oxygen and delivery.
“It(donation) makes us more resistant to aging, more resistant to bleeding, more resistant to infections and therefore it empowers the donor to be healthier than he was before donating blood,“he said.
Donor Retention
A study revealed that the Jos center has an increasing rate of blood donor recruitment and high retention of safe ones for regular donation.
Findings indicate that donors` retention has been the strength of the centre. It has been able to retain 80 per cent of them consistently for more than five years.
The head of the centre says it has donors who have given blood up to 50 to 60 times and is also leading by example in the exercise with his staff.
“I personally want to also lead by example, which I believe it is also motivating to other people. I have donated 81 times.
“So even without us going for blood drive, if we just carry the register of our attendance and we keep reminding them, we will have 50 per cent of the blood via this channel. And of course, that is not even enough because we are supposed to cover the North Central Nigeria.
“Donors have been instrumental and advocates of the centre’s awareness and sensitisation campaigns and agents of recruitment of new donors.
“So that has led us to what we call donor`s donor recruitment.“
The M&E officer said that they maintained a strong clientele relationship with their donors through periodic communication especially in checking on their well-being after donation and felicitating with them on their anniversaries.
The relationship has also led to the establishment of blood donation support groups on social media, where requests are made on voluntary unpaid donation for patients.
Improving blood donation
While the Jos centre has been leading in the country, stakeholders say that there is still room for improvement in the discharge of their services as the number of donors also declined in some years.
Graph: NAN Data: NBSC
The coordinator explained that the decline was due to inadequate provisions of medical reagents and consumables such as blood bags.
He called for the upward review of budgetary allocation to address the situation and improved infrastructure particularly in blood collection and distribution.
He said that technologies such as the use of drones could be employed for blood distribution, similar to how it is done in Rwanda.
Apheresis procedure, he said should be adopted in NBSC centres using centrifuge machines. The procedure involves utilising a medical technology for the collection of various blood components from the same donor during a single session and returning the remaining blood to the donor through transfusion. Currently, only the Abuja centre has this machine.
He also called for quality assurance measures to ensure that blood donated in Nigeria meets the standard set by international accrediting bodies.
The highest blood donors at the Jos centre, Bot and Izam, called for regular advocacy and engagement with rural people for their outreaches.
Izam recommended the conduct of regular interface meetings with existing donors and potential ones in different communities instead of solely relying on the celebration of world donor day for their advocacy.
In addition, she also urged for increased focus on dispelling myths on blood donation while simultaneously strengthening clientele relationship.
For Bot, though a voluntary exercise, stipend should be provided to donors to encourage them in the exercise as some travel long distance to donate blood.
While Nigeria is still far from meeting the blood needs of its people, stakeholders are hopeful that improved funding, technology and enlightenment would help NBSC achieve its plans to increase the number of blood units collected from voluntary non-remunerated donors to three million by 2030.
***If used, credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
Divorce: How a Katsina foundation’s initiative is creating peace and harmony among couples
By Zubairu Idris, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
Certainly, patience is an ingredient that sustains and stabilises the marriage institution. However, when there is an irreconcilable difference between couples, the issue of management or outright separation comes in.
The love that existed among couples before marriage is threatened when divorce becomes the option to resolve challenges.
Sheikh Samu Adam, Chief Imam, Banu Coomassie Mosque, Katsina, said that the high rate of divorce cases is affecting family unity, children’s upbringing, as well as other social and economic problems in the society.
He said that the rate of divorce would reduce if couples have the proper knowledge of their responsibilities in their homes and also control their emotions during misunderstandings.
The Chief Judge of Katsina State, Justice Musa Danladi-Abubakar, in his observation said that an investigation conducted on the kind of cases brought to courts in the state, found out that majority of the cases are related to marriage issues.
He equally expressed concern over the increasing rate of divorce in the state and stressed the need for all and sundry to intensify efforts to ensure reversing the ugly trend.
Divorce, though permissible in Islam when it becomes absolutely necessary, is considered a most hateful option to take in the sight of Allah because of its many implications on the family.
Sociologists listed consequences of divorce to include anxiety, depression, insomnia, drug abuse, moral decadence and sometimes conflict between families of the separated partners.
As part of contributions toward enhancing peace among couples in Katsina State, Imam Nura Abubakar-Assalafy established a foundation called Al-Mu’asharah Marriage Guidance and Counseling Foundation (AMGCF).
Abubakar-Assalafy, who is the chairman of the foundation, said the foundation organises seminars where they educate spouses on their responsibilities and what to do to enhance their relationship to avoid divorce.
He added that they offer other services like reconciliation, linking partners in marriages and enlightenment on the importance of HIV/AIDS, genotype, pregnancy, drugs and mental health tests before marriage.
A cross section of female participants at the seminar
The Chairman explained that: “for one to show someone things that could sustain peace in marriage, also need to be educated and enlightened on possible causes of divorce for them to avoid.”
Causes of divorce
Experts identified many factors as reasons why husbands divorce their wives, particularly in the Northern parts of the country.
However, Dr Abdallah Gadon-Kaya, a Kano-based Islamic scholar, said that adhering to Allah’s commandments in marital life by a couple would build peace in the family and serve as a panacea to reduce the high rate of divorce.
Sheikh Abdallah Gadon-Kaya from left receiving an award at the closing ceremony of the seminar.
He stated this recently in Katsina at the closing ceremony of a seminar for couples on marriage and marital life, organised by the foundation.
Gadon-Kaya said that partners should first of all try to understand each other and avoid things that could foment trouble.
He further explained that wrong choice of partner by spouse, inability to adhere to the teachings of the religion in the marriage and improper handling of mobile phones are part of problems that could cause divorce.
“Some people don’t have time for their spouses to discuss issues because they are busy chatting on their phones, until when that issue became difficult to handle,” he said
Others, he said, were a lack of personal hygiene by one of the spouses, hence the need for both husband and wife to always keep themselves neat and tidy.
He further said that failure of the husband to shoulder his responsibility as head of the family and cheating by one of the partners also play a vital role in causing divorce.
“Some couples may secretly have an illegal partner outside wedlock, and if the other one notices, will definitely lead to trouble and could subsequently bring an end to the marriage,” he said.
The cleric said that some husbands could not satisfy the sexual desire of their wives.
“In some cases, wives of such husbands who lack fear of Allah, could be involved in sexual affairs with another man outside, and whenever the husband notices it, that could be the end of the marriage,” he said.
Abubakar-Assalafy added that involvement of parents into the affairs of couples also contribute greatly in causing divorce.
He lamented that, “it is hard to go to an area in this part of the country and count one-to-ten houses without coming across a divorcee. This will not augur well for us and the society we are living in.”
Impact of the seminar and reconciliation in boosting peace among couples
Imam Nura Abubakar-Assalafy said that they started rendering services four years ago with few participants, adding that they conduct the seminar annually, and the number of participants keeps on increasing every year.
According to him, in 2023, they had participants from neighbouring states like Zamfara and Kano. Invited scholars presented 18 different papers on various aspects of marriage and marital life.
He said that the research they conducted indicated that all those who attended the seminar are living in peace in their matrimonial homes unlike before.
“I have seen a woman who said anyone who wants to marry her must attend a seminar of the foundation. When she met her heart-throb, he also attended the seminar before the marriage, and they are now living in peace,” he said.
He revealed that from time-to-time they visit the trainees in their matrimonial homes to assess the level of peace there.
“I visited a house of one of our participants, where I met the husband washing his car and that of his wife, while the wife was in the kitchen preparing their food.
“From time-to-time I receive phone calls from the husbands or wives thanking us for educating and enlightening them on what to do to ensure peace in their houses,” he said.
Cross section of male participants at the closing ceremony of the seminar
Abdulrazak Kafin-Soli, one of the trainees, said that it is through the various training sessions of the foundation that they learned what marriage is all about and what is expected of the partners.
He said that before he left the house, his wife would tell him the type of clothes to wear: “She always talks to me politely with respect and love, unlike before.
“I will attend the seminar every year because of its importance. Whenever we have issues, we resolve our grievance amicably without involving a third party.”
He, therefore, urged the foundation to expand the scope of the programme to cover other people from other areas.
“The higher the number of people trained, the number of people going to court seeking for divorce will drastically reduce,” he said.
He also urged his colleagues to step down what they have learned to other people in their respective communities.
Challenges of the initiative
Abubakar-Assalafy said the foundation is facing inadequacy of funds that is why their activities are only within the state capital, Katsina.
He explained that they wanted to extend their services to other places in order to reach a large number of people, but could not due to insufficient funds.
The chairman further noted that the foundation doesn’t have vehicles for its day-to-day activities.
He also said that they need a permanent office to be equipped with computers and projectors to enhance training, adding that they also need special workshops for training females on cooking, dressing and makeup.
Way forward
Justice Musa Danladi-Abubakar advised that lessons on marriage and marital life should be made compulsory to all those wishing to marry.
He added that HIV/AIDS, genotype and pregnancy tests be made compulsory before marriage, to reduce cases of marrying a woman with a pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases, which may cause misunderstanding that will lead to divorce.
Danladi-Abubakar also stressed the need for such efforts to cover all the nooks and crannies of the state with a view to educating more people on the responsibilities of spouses for the attainment of the desired goal of reducing divorce.
Also, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Religious Affairs, Alhaji Surajo Abukur, urged women to intensify efforts in ensuring proper upbringing of their children.
He attributed the spate of moral decadence to the negligence of mothers to breed good people in the society.
Abukur further said that the state government would soon commence mass wedding of divorcees and widows as part of measures to reduce high number of unmarried women in the society.
“When we approached Gov. Dikko Radda on the plan, he told us that it is a good initiative, but said his main concern is how to reduce the high rate of divorce,” he said.
He assured that the administration is ready to collaborate with such organizations to find lasting solutions in boosting peace among couples to reduce divorce rate. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
**This is a piece of the Solutions Journalism and if used please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
At Dei-Dei abattoir, located on the outskirts of Abuja, a thick smoke is billowing continuously. Idris and other sweating young men work energetically, hauling large chunks of hide skinned from slaughtered cows into the smearing fire fuelled with tyres and plastics.
Under the heat from the sun and fire, they are assisted by Aisha and a group of women whose dresses have turned black from regularly working in the smoke.
Aisha and her team are washing the chunks of hide in equally blackened water and getting them ready for the market as vans take turns to load their portions.
As the fires go down, more tyres and plastics are hauled to further fuel the inferno as the butchers work to meet the large demand in the ever-increasing ponmo market.
Cooked cow hide, otherwise known as ponmo in Nigeria is a favourite meat enjoyed by millions of Nigerians. Many migrants to Nigeria have also fallen in love with it.
It is considered a taboo in some parts of the country to have a proper meal without a slice of ponmo.
However, researches have shown that ponmo may turn out to be poisonous if it is processed by burning with tyres or plastics-generated fire as is the practice in many abattoirs across Nigeria.
The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (2012) revealed that “tyre derived fuel” (TDF) contained several heavy metals such as lead (Pd), zinc (Zn), and Copper (Cu) that could be carcinogenic when exposed to consumers over a long period.
The Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN) also warned against consumption of such meat, stressing that it could contain cancer-causing chemicals from the burnt tyres.
“The more we eat those meats roasted with tyres, the more we are prone to health risks.
“There are alternatives and healthy ways of de-skinning meat rather than using tyres. Burning tyres contaminates the meat, degrades the environment and pollutes the atmosphere,” Dr Fadipe Oladotun, an official of VCN told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Modern abattoir
This writer’s visit to major abattoirs in Abuja, which include: the Karu, Dei-dei, Kubwa and Gwagwalada abattoirs, showed that in spite of the health risks associated tyres and plastics-processed ponmo it remains is a common practice.
At Karu abattoir, tucked in the outskirts of Abuja, the unavoidable welcome by the stench of filthy environment occasioned by years of burnt tyres and plastics.
The pollution is palpable even to the most skeptic of environmental contamination.
Isa Adamu said he has been involved in the business of roasting slaughtered animals with tyres for no fewer than five years.
According to him, they burn scrap tyres to roast the meat because he tyres are cheaper sources of fuel, though they are not entirely ignorant of environment and health implications.
“We use these tyres for the meat because it burns sharp sharp and the used tyres are cheap to get around, so it makes our work easier,” he said.
Adamu said he was aware of the environmental hazard of this practice, but claimed he was not aware it could contaminate the meat and be carcinogenic.
The NAN investigation also shows this is the practice is rampant in Abuja, due to weak effort by the authorities to address it.
A Professor of Environmental Science at Addis Ababa University (AAU), Seyoum Leta, who said the practice also obtains in some African countries, stressed the need to stop this harmful practice.
He said doing so would not only safe potential cancer cases but also reduce emission of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) from those abattoirs.
“Burning scrap tyres will have not only health effects it will also largely contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and hence climate change with its implications for climate change.
“This practice releases what we call SOx, NOx, VOC and PM which are precursors of GHGs. Burning this resources is also a waste of resources as this can be recyleable material,” he said.
Leta told NAN that a number of alternatives can be explored by Nigeria, such as biomass based briquettes which are eco-friendly.
“Biomass-based briquettes are generally considered green technology compared to petroleum-based fuel such as tyres, so this is a good alternative in this regard,” he said.
The don advised Nigerians to embrace recycling of scrap tyres into beautiful furniture, shoes, mats and tiles.
Katharina Elleke, Project Designer, FlipFlopi Project Foundation, an East Africa-based NGO that built a sailing boat from recycled plastics in Kenya emphasised the need for Nigerians to embrace recycling plastics and tyres.
“We are East Africa’s circular economy movement that built the world’s first 100% recycled plastic sailing dhow.
“We use heritage boat building and waste-plastic innovation to create public engagement and drive policy action to ban all single use plastics and ensure all other plastics are part of a circular economy,” she said.
Elleke said African countries, including Nigeria, can tackle plastic pollution, through an effective plastic recycling system and keying into the circular economy model.
Recycled tyres for eco friendly furniture and horticulture
The Managing Director, FREEE Recycle Limited, Ifedolapo Runsewe said with Nigeria generating over three million scrap tyres annually, a lot more needs to be done to tackle the environmental/health challenge they pose.
She said that recycling of such tyres would go a long way in reducing environmental pollution and boosting Nigeria’s economy.
Sustainable environment stakeholders say all hands must be on deck in creating awareness and right investment in tyre recycling, while stepping up sensitisation and sanctions against burning of tyres.
They say this will engender good health and economic wellbeing of Nigerians. (NANFeatures)
** If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria
In today’s fast-paced world, where technological advancements shape every aspect of human lives, the healthcare sector has also undergone a significant transformation. One such paradigm shift in the Nigerian healthcare institution is the adoption of the digital health records system, also known as Electronic Medical Records (EMR) systems.
Among these institutions, the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) stands out as one of the pioneers in the Nigerian public health sector that are implementing an interoperable digital health system, thereby revolutionising patient care and justifying the calls for widespread integration across Nigeria’s healthcare landscape.
Mrs Favour Edosa, a mother of four, whose three-decade journey as a patient at the hospital underwent a revolutionary transformation. Gone were the days of lugging around folders and papers across various units. In 2020, when she stepped in for a check-up, a wave of change greeted her.
No more paper prescriptions – just a sleek code from the doctor for her test. At the lab, like magic, her data seamlessly flowed through the electronic channels. She said results were swift, and a mere instruction led her back to the doctor, showcasing the seamless interoperability of the medical health records and management system at this health institution.
Edosa’s experience became a testament to the hospital’s commitment to embracing a future where patient care is streamlined, efficient, and utterly paperless.
Before the introduction of the digital health records, Prof. Stanley Okugbo, Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee at the hospital, says the processes of health records and management system, were laborious and time-consuming. Okugbo, a consultant physician and the Director, Clinical Services and Training at the teaching hospital, explains that patient records were stored in bulky paper files, making it challenging to access critical information when needed.
“For instance, with the digital system, if you want to see a patient as a doctor, you can easily have access to his previous records. You can collaborate with other doctors as well.
“Digital records are retrievable and you can review them quickly without having to go to the bulk of looking for papers or writing to bring records and case notes.
“UBTH is very large. We see an average of between 1000-1200 outpatients daily. So before the adoption of the electronic system, many case notes were missing.
“It is not necessarily because somebody stole it, but due to poor filing. So you would see across the hospital, people who were looking for case notes; temporary case notes were being opened,” he says.
Illustration of interoperable digital health system
With the arrival of the digital health records and management system, Prof. Okugbo claims that the innovation has brought a seismic shift in the hospital’s operations as patient information, from medical history to test and results, become readily accessible at the click of a button.
This newfound efficiency, according to him, does not only streamlines the workflow for healthcare providers, but also translates to tangible benefits for patients.
Buttressing these stances, Mrs Tosin Omoregie, who has also been an outpatient at the health institution for years, says the impacts of the digital innovation are not limited to medical and health workers alone.
Patients, she notes, now experienced firsthand, the newfound convenience of managing their healthcare through the system. The seamless access to vital information, Omoregie says, saves their precious time.
In her own encounter, she recalls with amazement the doctor effortlessly prescribing her medication without the customary paper prescription. A trip to the pharmacy, she said, unfolded a digital marvel, where prescriptions were transmitted with a finesse, leaving her genuinely amazed at the cutting-edge transformation in the world of medicine.
Omoregie was not alone as Miss Joy Odigie, also a resident of Benin and an outpatient at the hospital for the past eight years, recalls the countless hours she used to spend navigating the bureaucratic hurdles of scheduling appointments, obtaining test results, and managing prescriptions under the paper-based system.
But with the new system, she avers that the tasks have become streamlined, freeing up time for hospital staff to focus on providing quality care. Odigie appreciates the newfound efficiency, which marked a sharp departure from the time-consuming processes of the past.
“Electronic medical records reduce time wastage in the hospital. Before the digitalisation, I usually spent about eight hours in hospital from the point of submission of the hospital card to the time of getting the prescribed drugs from the pharmacy. I now spend about five hours.
“Paper-based is cumbersome; records can get missing, and health officers spend time looking for case notes. Similarly, test results are more confidential now as they go straight from the lab to the digital platform for the doctors to access.
“The chances of the lab test results getting missing at the patient’s end are reduced. It has also made the health practitioners more efficient and digital compliance,” she said
Upscaling the system
As the success stories of patients like Omoregie and Odigie, as well as healthcare professionals like Prof. Okugbo continue to emerge, the call for an interoperable digital health system in Nigeria becomes increasingly urgent.
The UBTH’s experience serves as a compelling case study for the broader healthcare landscape in the country. In a nation where healthcare resources are often strained, the need for efficient, accurate, and accessible digital health records is critical to improving patient care and optimising healthcare delivery.
Mr Emeka Chukwu, a digital health consultant and co-founder, Digital Health Interoperability Network (DHIN) says interoperability in health records management is crucial, to significantly impacting how healthcare is delivered and the patient outcomes.
A doctor attending to a patient with a digital tool
Some of the benefits, he says, include enhanced patient care as a result of cross institution information sharing. An interoperable health records system, according to him, also improves efficiency and reduces wasted efforts of duplicate information entry.
“Interoperability can reduce errors and increase safety. Errors such as duplicates, omissions, inaccuracies especially medication related errors.
“Both clinical and public health decision making will be impacted by availability of data from multiple institutions and patients will be more engaged and satisfied with delivered service.
“It can also result in increased hospital revenue; many hospitals deploy integrated digital systems to facilitate cost savings through leakage blockages,” he says.
Chukwu cites countries like Germany, Estonia, the United States and the United Kingdom as places where Nigeria can learn, when it comes to interoperability in the health system.
The expert notes, however, that for facilities to adopt the digital data sharing systems, there is need for the right enabling environment to be in place so as to better manage the processes. Notably, he says, are electricity, internet, the computers, the workforce, technical and users are needed for a robust system.
Sharing the same sentiment, Prof. Okugbo, who is also the deputy to the Chief Medical Director of the UBTH says an interoperable health system encourages interface among major health institutions for efficiency and effectiveness.
He notes, nonetheless, that the journey to a nationwide interoperable digital health system is not without its challenges.
“There are complexities involved in integrating disparate systems across various healthcare facilities in Nigeria. However, he is unwavering in his belief that the benefits far outweigh the obstacles,” he says.
The senior physician envisions a future where patients can seamlessly access their medical records from any healthcare facility, empowering them to take control of their health and make informed decisions.
He emphasises that an interoperable system will enable healthcare providers to collaborate more effectively, leading to better coordinated care and ultimately improving health outcomes for all Nigerians.
He advocated legislation and standardisation from the government to encourage an integrated system among the stakeholders, which will speak to each other.
“I think it is a very good thing, but it can’t come from a hospital like ours. We need policy makers to decide that and legislate the process and to supervise it; otherwise, there will be a lot of abuse.
“One of the problems you wouldn’t want is for your data to be stolen and sold. A lot of data is stolen from Africa and sold. You won’t know they are selling it. So we need government regulation to run that,” he suggested.
Chukwu, who is leading a network that is championing interoperable digital health systems in Nigeria and Africa, concludes that policymakers should not make a mistake to think of one giant system, but rather an investment in interoperability of the existing systems. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng.com)
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Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola
NB: This report is produced under the DPI Africa Journalism Fellowship Programme of the Media Foundation for West Africa and Co-Develop.
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