Chibok girls not in solitary confinement – FG

 

The federal government on Friday said the recently freed 106 Chibok girls were not living in solitary confinement.

Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Aisha Alhassan, in Abuja, disclosed that the girls were ready to be integrated back to the society ahead of the next academic session.

“Like every other young Nigerian girl, the need to make up for educational loss suffered on account of their prolonged isolation while in captivity had been of paramount concern to this government.

“To date, education and livelihood opportunities of the Chibok girls since their return have been enhanced through remedial and tutorial engagement as well as vocational skills training.

“This would not only make them academically sound but also independent. To aid their recovery, recreational activities and reunion with family have been the key tools used to support the girls”.

She said the government was in partnership with the American University of Nigeria (AUN) and other development partners, along with some private companies and Victims Support Fund to restore their dignity.

“It is time for them to get and enjoy the best. I am delighted that all the 106 girls will be resuming school at AUN foundation school in September,” Alhassan said.

FG hands over seized snakes, spiders, others to University of Uyo

The Federal Government has formally handed over more than 600 snakes, spiders and millipedes recently seized in Calabar to the University of Uyo, in Akwa Ibom .

Personnel of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Cross River and Akwa Ibom Commands intercepted three consignments containing 140 species of snakes and 600 animals at the NIWA jetty, Calabar on July 24.

The consignment is also made up of geckos, millipedes, hairy frogs and spiders, imported into the country, all valued at N6.9 million.

The Minister of State for Environment, Mr Ibrahim Jibril, who handed over the contraband the institution on Friday in Calabar, called for comprehensive expert report on the consignment to enable government has a better understanding of the issues involved.

He, however, commended the Nigeria Customs Service for its gallantry, saying that government expected an official recommendation on the customs officers that impounded the animals.

Contributing, Mr Sunday Ukut, the State Director of Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services, described the seizure as “a break through” by a combined effort of NCS and other relevant security agencies at the port. (NAN)

“The Federal Government commends the officers and men of Nigeria Customs Service and other agencies involved in the interception of these animals.

“We thank them for portraying the country in good light, because everything we hear about Nigeria is negative.

“I must commend the Nigeria Customs Service for doing something positive for our country,’’ he said.

According to him, the officers and men of the NCS have done the country proud, adding that the nation must appreciate them.

The minister said that the Federal Government would continue to reward Nigerians who demonstrated commitment to the service of their fatherland.

Jibril urged Nigerians to shun negative tendencies capable of tarnishing the nation’s image stressing that government would not hesitate to punish evil deeds.

Receiving the animals on behalf of the University, Dr Edem Eniang of the Department Forestry and National Services, said that the original destination of the animals was from Cameroon to Luxemburg.

“But the people decided to pass through Calabar because probably, it was more convenient for them to travel through Calabar,‘’ he said.

Eniang, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Bio-Diversity Centre, Uyo, said the animals were very viable for conservation.

“They are all poisonous snakes and they are very valuable because their venom could be used for many kinds of medicine, including anti-venoms.

“The poisonous snakes in this region are very valuable and we will examine them, especially the ones that are still alive, we will rehabilitate them and make recommendations to the government.”

He disclosed that some of the animals had died while others escaped.

Lassa fever: Nigerian government gives update

The Federal Government Committee on Lassa fever has said it will adopt new proactive strategies to curtail outbreak of the disease in some parts of the country.

Dr Daniel Iya, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Health, a member of the committee, disclosed this on Friday to newsmen in Lafia.

The committee is led by Prof. Oyewale Tomori, a renowned virologist and President, Nigeria Academy of Science.

“Our expectation based on experience from the past is that Lassa fever outbreak occurs during dry season.

“However, over the last three years, we have discovered that the outbreak is no longer limited to dry season but also during rainy season as with the current outbreak”, he said.

Iya expressed concern that states in the southern part of the country such as Lagos that had not reported case of the disease in the past were now recording incidents.

The commissioner emphasised the need for patients exhibiting with symptoms of the disease to report to health facilities early for diagnosis to increase their chances of survival.

“If suspected patients do not visit the hospital early enough, no matter the amount of treatment that you give, the patient is likely to die,” Iya said, addingthat the focus should be more on prevention.

“The treatment of Lassa fever for a single patient is almost N1 million. The drugs are expensive; but even more expensive, are the protective gears for medical personnel and care givers.

“Each gear cost between N30,000 to N40,000, and if you have three nurses and a doctor attending to a Lassa fever patient on shift, then you are talking about four of those gears each day,” Iya said.

Kogi government denies Lassa fever outbreak, as strange disease kills 50

Kogi State Government has debunked the reported outbreak of Lassa fever in the State.

The Commissioner For Health in the State, Dr Saka Haruna spoke to newsmen over reported outbreak of a strange disease was spotted in Okunran, Okoloke and Isanlu-Esa all in Yagba West, Local Government Area of the state

Dr Haruna while noting that the state government was in the village to get first hand information about the deadly disease, added that the government will take the responsibility of those who were currently suffering from any strange sickness.

“For now, it is clear and has been confirmed that it is not Lassa fever, but whatever it is, we will carry out further investigation with information we have with us now and come up with definitive diagnosis,” Audu said.

He noted that the information about the outbreak of the strange disease was received last week and they immediately sent technical team to take the samples, which was sent to General Hospital Irua, Edo State, for definitive investigation.

According to the commissioner, “from the results we got, we are sure it is not Lassa fever and that is what is cleared at this stage.”

He added “we are going further to find out what the real cause may be, we don’t know what it is currently, but all hands are on deck to make sure that we find out the definitive cause of the mysterious deaths among the kids”.

Dr Jannette Hathorn, a Consultant at Evangelical Church of West Africa (ECWA) Hospital Egbe, said a child of two and half years was brought to the hospital who later died after 12 hours.

“We had definitely had a misleading news about patients bleeding around, so we tried to make diagnosis for viral hemorrhagic fever (Lassa fever), but the lab results came out negative.

“We are sure it is not Lassa fever but on the other hand, our concerns is that we do not know exactly the cause of what was happening. We had a differential but we never came to a definitive diagnosis.

“Two other adult patients were also brought, one presented with ulcer-viral illness but there was no bleeding component of any hemorrhagic symptom.

“We isolated them and both of them were treated for malaria. So, when they started improving, we let them go.

“But our concern was another parent who brought their child to the hospital and pleaded with us for help that about 40 to 50 people had died in their villages with a similar symptoms as their child in the last three weeks.”

NMA reacts to Buhari’s return, urges president to equip Nigeria’s hospitals to UK standard

The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has enjoined President Buhari to within the remaining two years of his administration equip Nigerian hospitals to the standard of the hospital where he received medical attention in London.

The association expressed joy over the safe return of President Muhammadu Buhari from London in United Kingdom.

Recall that President Buhari returned to the country on Saturday after being away for over 100 days to London where he was said to have received medical attention.

NMA in an eleven point communique issued and jointly signed by its National President and Secretary General, Professor Mike Ozovehe Ogirima and Dr Yusuf Tanko Sununu respectively after their just concluded National Executive Council, NEC, meeting in Kaduna, said it has resolved to call on the President to utilize his positive experience in the health systems of other climes to impact on the health care system in Nigeria.

On the medical flight abroad by Nigerians, Professor Ogirima said Nigerian doctors were competent to handle any form of ailment if enabling environment and good working tools are on ground.

The association observed that the President may have sought for medical attention outside the shores of the country perhaps as a result of ill-equipped hospitals in the country.

According to NMA as contained in it’s communique, “The NEC observed with dismay the continuous low budgetary allocation to health leading to declining health care service delivery in the country.

“The NEC observed with dismay the worsening availability, distribution, development and utilization of human resources for health within Nigeria’s health system and the increasing trend of brain drain especially affecting the already weakened man power base in the country.

“NEC calls on government to implement the Abuja Declaration of at least 15 percent budgetary allocation to health and ensure timely release of funds with effect from 2018 budget and appealed to the National Assembly to fast track the passage of the bill on Residency Training Program (RTP) in Nigeria.

“NEC calls for the improvement in Epidemic control, preparedness and establishment of more Infectious Disease Hospitals (IDH) through out the country, and that the government to intensify efforts to improve funding on immunization services and further strengthen the collaboration between government and non governmental agencies.”

Osun state raises alert on Lassa fever

Corpse brought from Lagos tested positive for Lassa fever in Osun state

The government of Osun state is urging residents to be vigilant and maintain high hygienic standards after a corpse which was brought from Lagos tested positive to Lassa.

 

According to media reports, a number of cases of the disease had been reported in Lagos and Ogun in recent times. According to a statement by the Media Adviser to the Governor, Sola Fasure, said there was currently no case of an outbreak of the fever in the state.

In the statement, the government revealed that that the corpse brought from Lagos was subjected to laboratory test and was tested positive to the scourge.

It stated that the corpse was buried before the official release of the autopsy report.

According to the statement, the state’s Ministry Of Health promptly put the relatives of the corpse on a 21-day surveillance but none of them exhibited any symptoms or signs of the fever.

Smoking is still a major public health issue in Nigeria

The Federal Ministry of Health has declared that about 4.5 million Nigerians consume, on an annual basis, 20 billion sticks of cigarettes, making smoking a major  public health issue in Nigeria. 
In May, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported that tobacco kills more than seven million people each year, six million of them from direct use and the others due to exposure to smoking. The report said countries like Nigeria accounted for 80 per cent morbidity and mortality – a heavy strain on an already weak and fragile health system.
 
Prof. Isaac Adewole,the Minister of Health, highlighted the danger we face at a sensitisation workshop on the implementation of the National Tobacco Control Act 2015. According to Nigeria’s adult tobacco survey, some 4.1 million men and 500,000 women smoke in Nigeria, while 6.4 million adults were exposed to smokers. “We have to fight this looming epidemic now,” said Adewole while pledging that the tobacco act will be implemented to prohibit smoking for persons below 18 years of age.
Tobacco has immediate adverse health consequences upon addiction, including accelerating the development of chronic health disease across full life course. The relationship between active smoking and both reduced lung function and impaired lung growth is also linked to a strong tobacco habit. Therefore, Nigeria needs to focus on protecting young people from starting to smoke.

The out of place branding of tobacco together with food and beverages at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) must be addressed, with the removal of tobacco from all such categorisation. Education policies, tools and programmes that highlight the dangers in initiating the habit need to be developed and implemented. An increase in expenditure on sustained and comprehensive tobacco control programmes have proved effective in the reduction of youth and adult smoking rates in many countries. Our governments, at all levels, need to lend its financial support to these initiatives.
Studies showed that 80 per cent of adult smokers began smoking before the age of 18 years.

Adolescents, in particular, have been found to be distinctively susceptible to social and environmental influences. The tobacco industry invests heavily in research on how best to capture the imagination of youth; assured in the knowledge that nicotine (a heavily addictive drug found in cigarettes) would continue to ensure that the target group would persist in smoking into adulthood. Studies have also confirmed that the younger the age, the heavier the addiction and thus the harder it is to drop the habit. The calculation, which has proved true, is that most of these young people never consider the long term risks.

The use of tobacco has to be curtailed, else our young people will continue to get sick, efficiency will continue to decline and our nation will continue to lose many of its otherwise productive citizens. We must avail our young people the true perspective on smoking; we must aim at creating the environment that makes it difficult for smoking to thrive. We urgently need to prevent the needless suffering of premature disease caused by tobacco, the huge expenditure on health, as well as commit to save millions of lives.
The authorities should please implement the National Tobacco Control Act.