The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, says the state can inject over ₦400 billion annually into its healthcare financing system if 20 million residents enroll in the Lagos State health insurance scheme. Abayomi stated this during the inauguration of the Lagos Private Health Partnership (LPHP), a reform initiative designed to restructure health financing, expand insurance coverage and ensure equitable access to quality healthcare for residents. He said the initiative aims to achieve these goals through a unified, transparent public–private collaboration framework. The commissioner explained that the projected ₦400 billion annual revenue is based on an average premium…
Author: Newsdesk
The Advancing Children’s Rights Initiative (ACRI), formerly Almajiri Child Rights Initiative, is working to enroll 10,000 out-of-school children into formal education, the NGO’s founder, Mr Mohammad Keana, has disclosed. Keana, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja, emphasised the organisation’s focus on supporting and educating vulnerable Almajiri children. He also emphasised efforts to integrate them into mainstream schools while promoting literacy, numeracy, and social inclusion across Nigerian communities. “The initiative, conceived in 2019 at a United Nations programme marking a decade of action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aims to ensure children’s…
The Advancing Children’s Rights Initiative (ACRI), formerly known as the Almajiri Child Rights Initiative, is working to enroll 10,000 out-of-school children into formal education, its founder, Mr. Mohammad Keana, has said. Keana, in an interview with reporters on Wednesday in Abuja, stressed the organizations commitment to supporting and educating vulnerable Almajiri children and integrating them into mainstream schools, while promoting literacy, numeracy and social inclusion across communities. He said the initiative, conceived in 2019 during a United Nations programme marking a decade of action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aims to ensure access to quality education and close learning…
China said it has informed Japan of its decision to ban all imports of Japanese seafood, reported several media outlets, amid an escalating diplomatic dispute between the two Asian economies. China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, is reported to have told reporters at a press conference: “Under the current circumstances, even if Japanese seafood were to be exported to China, it would find no market,” before adding that if Japanese Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, did not retract her remarks on China, they would have to take “stern and resolute” countermeasures. Tensions between the two countries arose after Takaichi said earlier…
Federal health authorities have named Sokoto, Jigawa, Zamfara, Taraba, Delta, Plateau, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as the top performers in implementing resolutions from the 2024 Council on Health meeting. Dr. Kamil Shoretire, Director of Health Planning, Research and Statistics, disclosed the ranking while presenting the implementation status report during the 66th Council on Health meeting in Cross River on Wednesday. He said the gathering, themed “My Health, My Right: Accelerating Universal Health Coverage Through Equity, Resilience and Innovation,” brought together diverse stakeholders to assess progress and identify gaps in Nigeria’s health sector. Shoretire noted that Abia, Kogi, Bauchi,…
World leaders will converge in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Friday for the Global Fund’s 8th Replenishment Summit, an event expected to generate new commitments to end AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria. This was contained in a statement issued by Global Health Strategies (GHS) and made available to reporters on Wednesday. The high-level meeting, co-hosted by South Africa and the United Kingdom, will be led by President Cyril Ramaphosa and UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. The summit will hold both in person and virtually, alongside the G20 Leaders Summit in Johannesburg, to allow for wider participation. According to GHS, the…
An obstetrician, Dr. Habiba Ismail, has raised concern over the increasing cases of high blood pressure (HBP) among pregnant women in Bauchi State. She spoke in an interview with reporters on Wednesday in Bauchi. High blood pressure, or hypertension, refers to a condition in which the force of blood pushing against artery walls remains consistently high. In pregnancy, hypertension is defined as a blood pressure reading between 140/90mmHg and 159/109mmHg, which may require regular monitoring but not always immediate treatment. Severe hypertension in pregnancy is diagnosed when blood pressure reaches 160/110mmHg or higher, a condition that requires treatment until the…
Prof. Benjamin Ayatunji, Director of Physical and Life Sciences at the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), says investment in planetarium infrastructure will help position Nigeria on a strong path toward space development. Ayatunji, in an interview with reporters on Wednesday in Abuja, described a planetarium as a domed facility used to project images of stars, planets, and other celestial bodies. He said developing such infrastructure could give Nigeria global relevance in the fast-growing space economy, projected to hit one trillion dollars by 2040. He noted that the planetarium remains one of the most strategic yet underutilized tools for…
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has urged Nigeria to urgently tackle systemic barriers hindering progress in reducing maternal and neonatal deaths nationwide. According to the agency, these barriers include limited female autonomy, weak health systems, cultural restrictions, and inadequate financing. Dr. Lordfred Achu, Technical Specialist for Reproductive and Maternal Health at UNFPA Nigeria, made the call on Wednesday at the ongoing 66th National Council on Health meeting in Calabar. Achu said long-standing challenges—such as poverty, ignorance, cultural taboos, shortages of skilled health workers, and unequal distribution of personnel—continue to limit women’s access to quality maternal and reproductive healthcare. He…
Dr. Akujuobi Igwe, Laboratory and Research Director at Rotan Medical Diagnostics Ltd., has highlighted critical strategies needed to reduce antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in rural communities across Nigeria. In an interview with reporters on Wednesday in Abuja, Igwe stressed the urgent need to strengthen diagnostic and laboratory capacity in rural health centres. He said a multi-faceted approach—combining diagnostics, stewardship, regulation, and community engagement—was essential to tackling AMR in undeserved areas. “Equipping clinics with basic microbiology tools, rapid diagnostics, and promoting culture and sensitivity testing is key to addressing AMR,” he said. Igwe also called for the introduction of point-of-care testing for…