Jibrin Ndace, Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), has urged the Federal Government to treat blood donation as a national emergency, highlighting the urgent need for stronger national commitment. He warned that Nigeria’s current blood supply remains far below population requirements, stressing that inadequate availability continues to endanger lives and strain the healthcare system. Ndace made the call on Monday at a media meeting themed “From Headlines to Lifelines: Media Advocacy for Voluntary Blood Donation” held in Abuja to commemorate National Blood Donor Day 2025. The event, organized by the National Blood Service Agency (NBSA), brought together editors, broadcast…
Author: Newsdesk
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has donated 1.5 million doses of vitamin A to the Bauchi State government to strengthen children’s immune systems and promote healthy growth. Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Bauchi, made the disclosure on Monday during the inauguration of the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Week (MNCHW) in Bauchi. She was represented by Jackson Martins, UNICEF Nutrition Officer. Rafique said the UN agency also provided 47,000 bottles of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) to address maternal and child mortality in the state. She described vitamin A as a vital micronutrient for child growth and…
The Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project has begun its pre-midterm review to assess progress since its implementation across the 19 participating states in Nigeria. Dr. Ibrahim Kabir, Chairman of State Coordinators of ACReSAL, said the review aims to evaluate performance and provide feedback to the federal project management unit for onward communication to the World Bank. He made the disclosure on Monday in Jos during the opening of the eight-day pre-midterm review meeting. Kabir, who also serves as ACReSAL State Coordinator in Bauchi, explained that the project, which began three years ago, has a six-year lifespan. He noted…
Stakeholders have called on the media to intensify advocacy for regular voluntary blood donation to address Nigeria’s critical blood supply shortage and save the lives of mothers, children, and emergency patients. The appeal was made during the National Media Stakeholders meeting held on Monday in Abuja, as part of the 2025 National Blood Donor Day celebrations organized by the National Blood Service Agency (NBSA). Themed “From Headlines to Lifelines: Media Advocacy for Voluntary Blood Donation,” the event highlighted the importance of human-centred reporting to inspire citizens to donate blood voluntarily, consistently, and safely across the country. Prof. Muhammad Pate, Minister…
Dahiru Mangal has funded medical treatment worth more than N257 million for approximately 21,000 vulnerable patients in Katsina State between 2016 and the present, significantly easing healthcare burdens for disadvantaged residents. Hassan Kabir, a board of trustees member of the Mangal Foundation, disclosed the achievement on Monday during the screening of patients suffering from various eye conditions across the state. Kabir stated that during this period, the foundation funded treatment for roughly 3,000 urology patients, committing over N140 million to ensure proper medical care and relieve financial challenges faced by families. In addition, more than 17,000 patients with various eye-related…
As the festival season shopping gathers momentum, information and communication technology (ICT) experts have warned online Black Friday shoppers to exercise caution and avoid suspicious websites to prevent falling victim to digital shopping scams. Speaking to reporters on Monday in Abuja, experts noted that while Black Friday is popular for offering the best deals, scammers exploit the frenzy to defraud unsuspecting shoppers. Originally, Black Friday referred to massive discounts offered by retailers on the Friday after the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. It has since evolved into a global shopping event ahead of Christmas and New Year festivities. Tobi David, an ICT…
Okomu National Park in Edo State says a baby elephant rescued from an oil palm plantation on November 30 is currently undergoing rehabilitation. The Conservator of the park, Mr. Osaze Lawrence, disclosed this on Monday in an interview with reporters at the park in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of the state. It was reported that the park, in collaboration with the Africa Nature Investors (ANI) Foundation, rescued the male calf—estimated to be about two months old—after it was found wandering alone inside the Okomu Oil Palm Company plantation. Lawrence said workers at the plantation stabilize the animal before alerting…
Sightsavers, in collaboration with the Kaduna State Government, has trained 15,000 health service providers across the state, enhancing their knowledge and confidence in delivering disability-inclusive healthcare. Sightsavers’ Programme Director for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), Anita Gwom, disclosed this during the closeout ceremony of the five-year Inclusive Family Planning (IFPLAN) Project in Kaduna. She said the project had reached more than 1,900 persons with disabilities through community-level interventions and provided family planning information to over 544,000 people with disabilities. Gwom added that stigma reduction messages, delivered through radio and digital campaigns, reached more than three million people without disabilities across the…
Some women in Bauchi State say the introduction of Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) during antenatal care has been life-saving, improving their wellbeing and helping to reduce maternal mortality and pregnancy-related risks across communities. The women spoke with journalists on Monday during a field visit organized by UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office, which led reporters to various communities to observe acceptance of the supplements and gather firsthand testimonies from pregnant women benefiting from the intervention. They said taking the supplements had reduced fatigue, weakness and pregnancy-related illnesses, enabling them to feel healthier, stronger and more confident as they progressed through pregnancy and…
The Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) has warned that Nigeria may face a major family planning commodity crisis following the complete absence of federal budget releases for contraceptive procurement in 2025. Ms Amina Mohammed, Programme Delivery Lead and Francophone Liaison at AHBN, raised the alarm on Monday in Abuja on the sidelines of the 9th Annual Conference of the Association of Nigerian Health Journalists (ANHeJ). Mohammed said the funding gaps posed a grave threat to women’s health and the country’s demographic stability. She noted that the zero-budget release marked a significant departure from previous years, adding that Nigeria’s failure to…