The Academy of Medical Sciences has condemned the high rate of maternal mortality and ongoing epidemic risks, calling for urgent measures to address them. President of the academy, Prof. Frank Giwa-Osagie, made the remarks in a statement issued by Prof. Mayowa Owolabi, Secretary of the academy, on Thursday in Abuja. Giwa-Osagie said deaths associated with pregnancy and childbirth, as well as preventable newborn deaths, remained unacceptable. “There is no need and no justification for the continued loss of lives related to pregnancy and childbirth,” he said. He added that epidemic risks should be addressed with better preparedness, drawing lessons from…
Author: Newsdesk
A windstorm accompanied by heavy rain has claimed the lives of two minors and destroyed several properties in Gashua Local Government Area of Yobe State. The Council Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Babagana, disclosed this in an interview with reporters in Gashua on Thursday. According to him, the children died when a tree fell on a building sheltering them during the storm. He said the windstorm, which started at about 5 p.m. on Wednesday, destroyed many buildings, electricity poles, and communication towers. READ ALSO: GKF, UniAbuja launch waste to wealth facility “The windstorm lasted for about 15 minutes, but the destruction was…
Some rice traders in Lagos have attributed the sustained stability in rice prices since January to the Federal Government’s import waiver, saying it has improved supply and affordability. The traders made the remarks in separate interviews with reporters on Thursday in Lagos. They said the waiver on rice importation had increased the availability of the commodity, helping to stabilise prices despite the prevailing economic challenges. Mr. AbdulHakeem Temitayo, a rice dealer in Iddo, said rice prices had remained relatively stable since the beginning of the year. According to him, a 50kg bag of rice currently sells between N49,000 and N58,000,…
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, says the Federal Government is taking deliberate steps to address electricity challenges affecting healthcare delivery in health facilities across Nigeria. Salako made this known on Thursday in Abuja at the 11th Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Intensive and Critical Care Society of Nigeria (I-CCSN), focused on strengthening intensive care services. The conference, supported by the World Federation of Intensive and Critical Care, is themed “Sustainable Financing for Intensive Care Units in Public Health Facilities.” Other sub-themes include data management in critical care, sepsis in…
ActionAid Nigeria (AAN) says it has trained no fewer than 136,000 smallholder women farmers and young people on agroecological practices to improve productivity, livelihoods and climate resilience. Azubike Nwokoye, Food Systems Specialist at AAN, disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja. He spoke on the sidelines of the National Validation of Nigeria’s Strategy and Action Plan 2026–2035 for the Implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Kampala Declaration. Nwokoye said the initiative was implemented under the Strategic Partnership for Agroecology and Climate Justice in West Africa project, with Nigeria as one of its focus countries. He said beneficiaries of…
Prof. Daprim-Samuel Ogaji of the University of Port Harcourt has called on the Federal Government to establish a sustainable system for maintaining medical equipment to improve healthcare delivery. Ogaji, Director of the Africa Centre of Excellence in Public Health and Toxicology Research (ACE-PUTOR), made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at the 11th Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Intensive and Critical Care Society of Nigeria (I-CCSN). The conference, themed “Sustainable Financing for Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in Public Health Facilities: Challenges, Opportunities and Solutions,” also featured sessions on data in critical care, sepsis management in Nigeria and…
The Ebonyi Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) has trained 100 youths in digital literacy and electronic agricultural marketing systems. The training, organised on Wednesday in Abakaliki, aims to equip participants with skills to leverage online platforms for marketing agricultural produce and developing agribusinesses. The participants were selected across eight local government areas in Ebonyi State. Speaking at the opening ceremony, the State Programme Coordinator of the VCDP, Mr. Sunday Ituma, represented by the Agriculture Production Officer, Mr. Darlington Onele, described the training as a unique opportunity designed to empower young people with digital agricultural marketing skills. He urged the participants…
No fewer than 1,000 people have been screened by the Mangal Foundation for medical support, with over 700 scheduled to undergo free hernia and hydrocele surgeries in Katsina State. A member of the foundation’s Board of Trustees, Mr. Hassan Kabir, disclosed this on Wednesday at the flag-off of the exercise at the General Hospital, Katsina. He said the quarterly medical outreach was aimed at improving access to specialised surgical care for vulnerable residents. According to him, some of those screened received medication only, while those diagnosed with conditions requiring surgery were enrolled for treatment. Kabir said 150 children were scheduled…
A dermatologist and some Kano residents have called for healthy skincare practices to prevent skin diseases as the world marks World Skin Health Day. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, a cross-section of residents said maintaining healthy skin requires consistency, good hygiene and healthy lifestyle choices rather than expensive cosmetic products. Mrs. A’isha Adamu, a civil servant, said she deliberately avoids bleaching creams and other harsh skincare products. “I drink plenty of water daily, use mild soap and moisturise my skin regularly. I also apply sunscreen whenever I have to stay under the sun for long because our weather can be…
Stakeholders have called for increased investment in early childhood development and stronger media engagement to improve outcomes for children affected by conflict, displacement and humanitarian crises across Nigeria. The call was made on Wednesday in Abuja during the launch of a report by the Moving Minds Alliance (MMA). The event also featured the inauguration of Nigeria’s chapter of the Reporters for Early Childhood in Humanitarian Crisis (REACH) Network. The report, developed with Whole Child Advisors, revealed that despite millions of Nigerian children requiring humanitarian assistance, early childhood development in crisis situations remains largely absent from federal and state budgets. It…