Nigeria is facing a worsening meningitis outbreak in northern states, with health experts warning that current vaccines do not fully protect against the dominant Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C strain spreading rapidly. Children aged one to 15 are most affected, while overcrowding and seasonal dry winds increase transmission risks, raising serious public health concerns across northern states within Africa’s meningitis belt. Dr Jide Idris, Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja during the 14th Ministerial Oversight Committee meeting on the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). He expressed concern that available vaccine…
Author: Newsdesk
The Chairman of Epe Local Government, Ms Surah Animashaun, on Tuesday led an inspection tour of major markets within the council area. Animashaun, during the inspection, urged traders to prioritise cleanliness and comply with the Lagos State Government’s directive on monthly sanitation. She, however, expressed concern over poor sanitation in some of the markets in the area. “There is a need for collective responsibility in maintaining a healthy trading environment. “Cleanliness is essential for public health, business growth, and overall community development. “You, as market leaders, must always enforce regular sanitation and ensure all traders comply with sanitation regulations,” she…
Dr Emmanuel Adesokan, Consultant Pulmonologist at the University College Hospital, says tuberculosis is neither a spiritual affliction nor a death sentence. Adesokan spoke in an interview with reporters on Tuesday in Ibadan to mark World Tuberculosis Day. He said tuberculosis is curable when diagnosed early and preventable through collective action. He emphasised that the disease affects all groups regardless of status, while survival depends largely on timely response and access to testing. He urged anyone with a cough lasting more than two weeks to get tested at government facilities, noting that tests are free. He warned that delayed care from…
A waste and environmental sustainability expert, Dr Olufemi Idowu-Adegoke, has identified poor plastic waste management as a major cause of flooding in Lagos. Adegoke, however, called for a transition from a disposal-driven system to a circular economy anchored on recycling. He disclosed this in an interview with reporters on Tuesday in Lagos. Adegoke said Lagos generates over 13,000 tonnes of waste daily, with plastics such as sachet water nylons and bottles forming a significant portion that often ends up in drainage channels, canals, and lagoons. He noted that during rainfall, these materials block water pathways, leading to flash flooding across…
The National Emergency Management Agency on Monday received 708 stranded Nigerians from Niamey. The Head of Operations, NEMA Kano Office, Dr Nura Abdullahi, made this known while briefing newsmen shortly after receiving the returnees at Aminu Kano International Airport for profiling. It was reported that the returnees, conveyed in 12 luxury buses, arrived at about 4:08 p.m. and are currently undergoing physical verification. The returnees comprised 292 male adults and children, and 416 female adults and children from different parts of Nigeria, particularly Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Benue, Borno, Yobe, Zamfara, Kaduna, Kogi, and Niger states. Abdullahi said the returnees were…
The Women’s Technology Empowerment Centre has called for stronger partnership with the News Agency of Nigeria to expand its programmes for women and girls. Mrs Oreoluwa Lesi, Executive Director of W.TEC, made the call during a courtesy visit to NAN on Monday in Lagos. Lesi said the visit aimed to strengthen collaboration with NAN and improve the reach of W.TEC programmes. She noted that NAN had played a key role in amplifying the organisation’s activities across the country. “Your support has helped us reach more people and build trust in what we do,” she said. Lesi explained that W.TEC was…
Colombia’s Air Force has confirmed that a transport aircraft crash near Puerto Leguízamo has killed at least 66 military personnel and crew. Ashenews gathered through Reuters reports citing military sources and official statements. The aircraft, a Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules, was carrying over 120 occupants, including soldiers, air force crew, and police officers, when it crashed shortly after takeoff near Colombia’s southern border with Peru. Colombia’s Defence Minister, Pedro Sánchez, described the incident as a tragic accident that occurred during a critical phase of flight. Air Force commander Carlos Fernando Silva Rueda also confirmed the number of personnel onboard and the scale of the casualties.…
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has opened applications for its 2026/2027 Foreign Postgraduate Scholarship Programme. This is according to a statement shared by the commission on its official X platform. The programme is designed to build human capacity in the Niger Delta by equipping beneficiaries with global-standard skills. The commission said the scholarship is targeted at strengthening capacity for national development and global competitiveness. “To further boost human resource development in the Niger Delta region, the NDDC is once again embarking on its Foreign Post Graduate Scholarship Programme to equip our young people with relevant training and skills for effective participation in the…
The management of Crescent University, Abeokuta led by its Vice chancellor, Prof. Ibraheem Gbajabiamila, have received with jubilation, the good news of one hundred percent success recorded by students of Department of Nursing in the recently concluded 2026 NMNC Professional Examinations. In revealing the news, the Head of Department of Nursing, Dr Shafiu Adewole Ademola stated as follows: “I am pleased to inform you, Sir, that the Department of Nursing, Crescent University Abeokuta, scored 100% pass in the just concluded Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria Professional Exam for March 2026. “We could not have achieved this so greatly without…
The United Nations Children’s Fund has called on parents and stakeholders in Jigawa State to take immediate action towards eliminating the remnants of the polio virus in the state. The appeal was made during a one-day Mass Mobilisation Dialogue with journalists and Social Media Youth Influencers organised by UNICEF Kano Field Office, in conjunction with the Jigawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, on Monday. Ashenews gathered from PUNCH reports that the meeting, which aimed to mobilise support for the upcoming polio immunisation exercise, comes barely four days before the nationwide campaign kicks off on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Speaking at…