The Kaduna State Government on Friday sealed 20 illegal Colleges of Health Sciences and private hospitals operating across the state. The State Commissioner for Health, Hajiya Umma Kaltum-Ahmed, said the action was part of ongoing efforts to ensure that private health institutions comply with established rules and regulations. She explained that the exercise was aimed at guaranteeing effective training of healthcare workers and protecting public health in the state. According to the commissioner, the affected institutions are located in Chikun, Igabi, Kaduna North, and Kaduna South Local Government Areas. Kaltum-Ahmed said the enforcement was carried out in line with guidelines…
Author: Newsdesk
A general physician, Dr. Gerald Chinasa, has canvassed the strengthening of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and the Primary Health Care (PHC) system to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Nigeria. Chinasa, who made the call in an interview on Friday in Lagos, said effective PPPs and a strong primary healthcare system were critical to improving quality of life, noting that PHC is a comprehensive strategy that involves the entire society in promoting health. The physician called on government agencies to actively engage in partnerships with private sector players to transform the healthcare system and achieve universal health coverage. Chinasa described PPPs…
A consultant cardiologist at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, Dr Abubakar Sani, has warned Nigerians against the excessive consumption of energy drinks, describing the trend as a serious threat to heart health. Sani said there has been a noticeable increase in the consumption of energy drinks among youths in Gombe metropolis and its suburbs. Some youths who spoke on the trend said they consume energy drinks to endure long working hours and enhance sexual performance, while others admitted to mixing the drinks with alcohol to “get maximum results.” In an interview on Friday, Sani described the excessive intake of stimulant-packed…
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has blamed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the India-US trade deal to have fallen through last year, saying PM Modi did not call US President Donald Trump because “they [India] were uncomfortable doing that”. In an interview podcast on Thursday, Lutnick gave a detailed version of the events leading up to a stand-off between the two countries as negotiations for the proposed bilateral trade agreement (BTA) stalled and Trump imposed additional tariffs of 25 per cent on Indian exports as a punitive measure for buying Russian oil. “I’ll tell you a story about India. I…
The African Union High-Level Panel on Emerging Technologies (APET) notes that the quest for a promising and transformative frontier in African agriculture could be enhanced by the adoption and integration of robotics in agriculture through modern farming practices such as mechanization. Robotics-based mechanization holds significant promise, especially in the realm of harvesting, a critical component of Africa’s economy and its pursuit of food security. As a policy imperative, APET recommends that AU Member States expedite the adoption of modern agricultural practices and techniques. This should include the integration of robotics into weeding and harvesting processes, to advance the continent’s quest…
Bayer announces the launch of Baya Solara, the first commercial strawberry variety from Bayer’s De Ruiter brand. The launch is a vital part of the company’s strategic expansion into the strawberry market and follows Bayer’s acquisition of the strawberry assets from UK-based NIAB in 2023. The introduction of the new variety reinforces Bayer’s commitment to providing innovative solutions to protected culture growers and sets a new standard in soft fruit cultivation. Strawberries are among the fastest-growing fruit crops, with year-round demand exceeding supply. “Our new variety Baya Solara is an exciting June-bearing cultivar and delivers impressive productivity and strong resistance…
The Federal Government/Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)/International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises–Niger Delta (LIFE-ND) Project says no fewer than 14,800 people will benefit from the new phase of its Additional Financing (AF) programme in Ondo State. The State Project Coordinator, Dr Ademola Olawale, disclosed this during a media roundtable organized by the Ondo State Project Coordinating Office on Thursday in Akure. Olawale said the first phase of the project, which began in 2020, ended in October 2025 and comprised five batches, with more than 4,000 beneficiaries across the state within five years. He explained that the…
An environmental health specialist, Dr. Festus Imuk, has advocated for the widespread adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on Nigeria’s agricultural productivity. Speaking in an interview in Abuja on Thursday, Imuk emphasized that the government should prioritize promoting drought-resistant crops, improving irrigation systems, integrating renewable energy sources, and boosting education and financial access for farmers. He highlighted that climate change is already diminishing agricultural output in Nigeria, posing threats to rural livelihoods and national food security. “The impacts manifest through erratic rainfall patterns, rising temperatures, and increasingly frequent extreme weather events,” Imuk explained.…
Sen. Wasiu Eshinlokun, in collaboration with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), has donated a new radiology X-ray machine to the General Hospital, Odan-Lagos, boosting the diagnostic capacity of one of Nigeria’s oldest public healthcare facilities. Speaking at the inauguration, Eshinlokun, who represents Lagos Central Senatorial District, said the donation was aimed at improving healthcare delivery, particularly at the primary and secondary levels. He described the X-ray machine as “a gift of health and a tool to save lives,” and pledged an additional ₦1 billion for the upgrade of facilities at the hospital. According to him, the investment would enhance infrastructure,…
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have developed a joint framework to address consumer complaints arising from failed airtime and data transactions. The NCC’s Head of Public Affairs, Mrs Nnenna Ukoha, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja. Ukoha explained that failed transactions often occur during network downtimes, system glitches or as a result of human input errors. She said the framework was the outcome of months of engagements involving the NCC, the CBN, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Value Added Service (VAS) providers, Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and other relevant stakeholders. According…