Benue State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Paul Ogwuche, on Tuesday said the number of suspected Lassa fever cases in the state has risen to 383, with 47 confirmed positive. Dr Ogwuche further explained that the overall mortality count has risen to 14 since the outbreak began in the state. The State Epidemiologist, Dr. Msuega Asema, had in February revealed that 10 people had died from Lassa fever in Benue, with 251 suspected cases and 45 confirmed positive. Giving an update on Tuesday, the commissioner said there have been no deaths recorded in the past 11 days. According…
Author: Newsdesk
The Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, has unveiled a portrait for his second term tenure, urging offices across the state to use the portrait. The portrait was officially unveiled by the governor on his Facebook page on Tuesday. He urged all offices, both public and private, including all government and non-governmental institutions, to discard the old portrait he used for his first term and download the new portrait and hoist it in their offices. Soludo said, “Ahead of my inauguration ceremony for a second term in office, my new official portrait, captured by my official photographer, Chinedu Eri, has been…
The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged increased domestic funding and stronger community engagement to sustain progress in the fight against tuberculosis (TB) in Nigeria. Dr Mya Ngon, Cluster Lead for Disease Prevention and Control, WHO Nigeria, made the call on Tuesday during a press briefing in Abuja ahead of the 2026 World TB Day. Ngon said that while progress had been made, significant gaps remained, particularly in reaching underserved populations most vulnerable to TB infection and poor treatment outcomes. Highlighting 2025 theme, “Yes, we can end TB: led by the Federal Ministry of Health and powered by communities,” she…
The Federal Government has declared Thursday, March 19 and Friday, March 20, 2026, as public holidays to mark this year’s Eid-ul-Fitr celebration. The announcement was made by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who congratulated Muslim faithful across the country on the successful completion of the holy month of Ramadan. In a statement issued on Tuesday by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, on behalf of the Federal Government, the minister urged Muslims to uphold the core values of love, generosity, peace, tolerance, and sacrifice, which define the Ramadan period. He emphasized the need for Nigerians…
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Nigeria and stakeholders have called on the European Union (EU) to support health equity amid global discussions on pandemic preparedness. Their appeal comes during ongoing negotiations for the World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement and the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) Annex, highlighting the need for fair and inclusive global health frameworks. The appeal was made at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, organised by AHF Nigeria in collaboration with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), highlighting the urgent need for fair and effective global health frameworks. Dr Echey Ijezie, Country Programme Director of AHF,…
The Malian government has approved the creation of a specialised mining enforcement unit aimed at curbing illegal gold production and strengthening oversight of one of the country’s most important economic sectors. The new unit, known as the Special Mines Brigade, will operate as a judicial enforcement body within the mining sector, with powers to inspect operations, enforce regulations and pursue legal action against illegal mining activities. The decision was adopted during a meeting of the Council of Ministers in Bamako. The move signals a new phase in Mali’s efforts to tighten control over its gold industry, part of a broader…
Senegal has signed a five-year $90.4m health partnership with the United States, joining Washington’s new bilateral global health strategy as debates intensify across Africa over sovereignty, funding conditions and national control of public health systems. The agreement commits the US to provide $63.1m in support while Senegal will invest $27.3m in co-financing. The partnership focuses on strengthening health infrastructure, expanding digital health systems and tackling infectious diseases including HIV and malaria. The Senegal US health deal illustrates a broader shift in American health diplomacy. Washington is restructuring long-standing development programmes into bilateral agreements that require greater financial commitments from African…
An Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday remanded a 22-year-old man, Success Eze, for allegedly defiling a minor. The prosecutor, Insp Ayodeji Aina, said that the defendant committed the offence on March 5 in Ogotun-Ekiti. He alleged that the defendant defiled his neighbour’s 13-year-old daughter. Aina said that the victim came home from her mother’s shop to get something and met the defendant in the house, in the process, he entered the victim mother’s room, covered her mouth and defiled her. According to him, the offence contravenes Section 31 of the Child Right Law of Ekiti State, 2021. The plea of…
The Borno State Police Command on Tuesday confirmed 23 persons killed and 108 injured at Maiduguri, during the multiple explosions on Monday. The police said that suspected suicide bombers allegedly carried out the suicide attacks at 7:24 p.m.. ASP Nahum Daso, the command’s spokesperson, said in a statement that preliminary investigations indicated that the explosions were carried out using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by suspected suicide bombers. Daso said that the incidents were carried out at the Maiduguri Central Market, popularly known as Monday Market, the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital’s gate, and the Post Office Flyover area of the…
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has formally unveiled its digital membership registration portal in Abuja. This marks a major step in the party’s efforts to expand participation and strengthen its organisational structure across the country. The unveiling ceremony was done in Abuja on Monday, led by the National Leader of the party, Sen. Henry Seriake Dickson, with the National Chairman, Sen. Cleopas Moses and other party leaders and stakeholders. Dickson said that the introduction of the digital platform represented a significant move to modernise the party’s operations and encourage wider political participation among Nigerians both at home and in the…