As the world commemorates the 2026 World Glaucoma Week, the physical and socio-economic burden of glaucoma continues to significantly affect patients and their immediate families. Ms. Celestina Oahimin, 49, who lost her sight to glaucoma, recounted her ordeal and the impact of living with blindness after discovering the disease had affected her left eye in 2013. Oahimin, who attended the week-long free glaucoma screening organized by Orile Agege General Hospital for 2,500 residents, told reporters that financial constraints worsened her situation. Oahimin, who lives in Ogun State, said she had been at the mercy of her brother who has personally…
Author: Newsdesk
The Federal Government says Nigeria has received the long-acting injectable Lenacapavir for HIV prevention, marking a significant advancement in the country’s efforts to curb new infections. Dr. Adebobola Bashorun, Director and National Coordinator of the National AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and STIs Control Programme (NASCP) at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja. Bashorun said the injectable drug, known as Lenacapavir (LEN), arrived in the country on Tuesday for use as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). He said the development was approved by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad…
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bauchi/Gombe Area Command has destroyed a consignment of expired drugs seized in line with legal provisions and regulatory guidelines. Mr Bello Sani, the Area Controller of the Command, stated this during the destruction of the expired drugs on Wednesday in Bauchi. He said the harmful pharmaceutical products with Duty Paid Value of N17 million were intercepted and seized when being smuggled into the state. According to him, operatives of the command intercepted and seized the consignment of expired pharmaceutical products in different parts of the state. Sani said that this was in line with continued…
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has unveiled a movement tagged “One ADC Movement”, to mobilise Nigerians at all levels to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027. Speaking at the event in Abuja on Wednesday, the National Coordinator, Mrs Lauretta Onuchie, said the movement was designed to unite all members of the party across the country. Onuchie explained that the movement was created to strengthen the bonds within the ADC and encourage reconciliation where there were disagreements. According to her, a collective future is greater than any individual ambition. She called on members and supporters to strengthen the…
Dr. Olajumoke Ladapo-Osinuga, Founder of the Excellence in Medicine Ladies Network, has highlighted the need to equip future generations of African female doctors to transform health systems across the continent. Ladapo-Osinuga said African female doctors could also lead globally if provided with the right tools, networks and mentorship. The founder, in a statement to commemorate International Women’s Day and the upcoming Global African Women in Medicine Summit 2026 scheduled for March 21 in Ogun State, said such support systems would enable women, particularly female doctors, to thrive. She said the upcoming summit, with the theme “Sustaining Leadership: From Practice to…
The Federal Government says it will collaborate with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to educate Nigerians about the law protecting victims of gunshot injuries. Lanre Issa-Onilu, Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), said this in Abuja on Wednesday during the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) involving the agency. Issa-Onilu, represented by the agency’s Director of Health and Social Care, Femi Ayiola, explained that NOA was responsible for enlightening Nigerians about government policies and programmes, as well as promoting national ethics. He said many people had died due to delayed medical care following gunshot…
The Adamawa State Government, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has called for improved funding for women and adolescent health to advance rights, justice, and equality. Sulaiman Bashir, Executive Director of the Adamawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, made the call during a commemorative event marking the International Women’s Day (IWD) 2026 on Wednesday in Yola. It was reported that IWD is celebrated annually on March 8, with the 2026 theme: “Rights, Justice and Action.” Bashir described the theme as timely, noting that Adamawa was among the states championing maternal and child healthcare initiatives, particularly programmes targeting…
The Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) has denied allegations by some Nigerian nurses that its licensing and registration portal has been down for an extended period. The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the council, Ndaji Alhassan, said the claim was untrue, explaining that the portal remains operational and accessible to applicants. Alhassan disclosed this in an interview with reporters on Wednesday in Abuja. He explained that the council recently partnered with two firms to manage the licensing process under a two-phase structure covering pre-clinical and clinical services. According to him, the pre-clinical phase involves data collection handled…
A U.K.-based Nigerian podiatrist, Gerald Agbarakwe, has warned that the lack of diabetic foot care specialists in Nigeria is contributing to poor disease management and preventable complications. Agbarakwe told reporters on Wednesday that podiatry as a profession remains largely undeveloped in the country. He explained that in many high-income healthcare systems, diabetic foot care is delivered by multidisciplinary teams including podiatrists, diabetologists, vascular surgeons and specialist nurses, enabling early detection and rapid intervention. “At present, there are no dedicated schools or nationally established training programmes focused on podiatry education, so the number of clinicians trained in specialized foot care is…
Nigeria screened no fewer than 1.5 million people for visual impairment in 2025, according to the State of Health of the Nation Report 2025, highlighting expanded access to eye care services nationwide. The report, made available to reporters on Wednesday in Abuja, was produced in compliance with the National Health Act, which mandates periodic assessment of the country’s health sector performance. It also revealed that more than one million free reading glasses were distributed nationwide in 2025 as part of government-led initiatives aimed at improving access to essential eye care services. The report noted that many beneficiaries received corrective lenses…