Childhood cancer stakeholders have renewed calls for early detection, increased awareness and stronger financial support for children battling cancer, saying timely diagnosis and affordable treatment are critical to improving survival. They made the call on Saturday in Abuja during the 10th Annual Childhood Cancer Awareness Walk organised by the Okapi Children Cancer Foundation (OkapiCCF). The walk had the theme “Step by Step: We Rewrite the Story for Children Fighting Cancer”. The awareness walk was held simultaneously across 10 cities in Nigeria and the United Kingdom under the banner “10 Cities. 1 Mission.” Dr Oyesakin Adewunmi, Consultant Paediatrician at the National…
Author: Newsdesk
European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib says speed, trust and sustained investment are critical to saving lives during disease outbreaks. Lahbib made the remarks while speaking to the G20 High-Level Independent Panel on Financing Pandemic Preparedness and Response in New York, on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly. Reporters monitored the session via webinar. She said countries needed to move faster to detect and respond to disease outbreaks, noting that the speed of response could determine whether diagnostic tests, vaccines and other medical tools reached communities in time. She also highlighted the importance of…
The COVID-19 pandemic was the most severe global health crisis in a century, killing at least 20 million people and wiping more than $10 trillion from the global economy. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus said on Friday during an online news conference that the pandemic exposed and worsened weaknesses in global health security while teaching the world painful lessons. Countries must learn from those lessons, he said, because the next pandemic is not a question of if it will occur, but when. Ghebreyesus noted that the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo showed…
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) on Friday launched the Nigeria AgriConnect Compact, a World Bank-funded initiative aimed at transforming Nigeria into a leading regional food basket. The initiative focuses on boosting agricultural productivity, expanding processing, improving market access and mobilising private-sector investment across key value chains, including rice, maize and cassava. It also targets the creation of 2.56 million jobs by 2030, unlocking Nigeria’s significant agricultural potential and contributing to the country’s food and economic transformation agenda. The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Abubakar Kyari, said Nigeria was not suffering from a shortage of agricultural programmes,…
The Federal Government says it will commence free anti-rabies vaccination of dogs in Gwagwalada, Kubwa and other parts of the country on Saturday, Sept. 26. Dr Samuel Anzaku, Chief Veterinary Officer of Nigeria (CVON) and Director, Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, Federal Ministry of Livestock Development (FMLD), said this on Friday in Abuja. Anzaku spoke during a road walk organised to commemorate the 2026 World Rabies Day (WRD), marked annually on Sept. 28. He said the intervention would be implemented by the Federal and state governments in collaboration with development partners, veterinarians and other stakeholders. Anzaku said the campaign aimed…
The Oyo State Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have committed to strengthening collaboration on food and nutrition security through the promotion of the “All Homes, A Garden” initiative in the state. The initiative aims to encourage households to cultivate food crops and vegetables in their backyards to improve access to fresh, nutritious and locally produced food, particularly for children and women. The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Olasunkanmi Olaleye, stated this on Friday while receiving UNICEF’s Chief of Child Nutrition and Development, Mrs Nemat Hajeebhoy, who led a team on a courtesy visit to the…
Dr Makinta Abdulkadir, an agronomist and Managing Director of Kanem Agro Allied Firm, has urged Borno farmers to adopt improved storage methods to reduce post-harvest losses. Abdulkadir made the call in an interview with reporters in Maiduguri. He identified moisture, pests, poor handling and inadequate storage facilities as major causes of post-harvest losses. The agronomist advised farmers to properly dry grains before storage and to use hermetic bags, airtight containers or improved silos to protect produce from moisture, insects and rodents. He also urged farmers to keep storage facilities clean, dry and well-ventilated, and to regularly inspect them for pests…
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Friday urged Nigerians to embrace unity of purpose, warning that the nation’s greatest setback remains disunity and a lack of shared responsibility among citizens. Sanwo-Olu spoke at a special Juma’at service and prayers held to commemorate Nigeria’s 66th Independence Day. The event was organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Home Affairs at the Secretariat Community Central Mosque, Alausa, Ikeja. The governor was represented by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat. Sanwo-Olu said Nigeria’s abundant human and material resources could only translate into meaningful development if citizens and leaders worked together with a common sense…
The Abia State Commission for the Welfare of Disabled Persons has pledged continued support for the Cancer Trust Fund initiative of the Albinism Association of Nigeria. The commission made the pledge when members of the state chapter of the association embarked on an awareness walk to Government House, Umuahia, on Friday. Receiving the group, the Chairman of the Commission, Dr David Anyaele, said the government supports initiatives that protect persons with albinism from health risks. He said the proposed Cancer Trust Fund would help create awareness and sensitisation against skin cancer at the community level. Anyaele reaffirmed the commitment of…
The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has urged women entrepreneurs to embed data protection in Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions to build public trust. Dr Vincent Olatunji, NDPC National Commissioner/Chief Executive Officer, made the call on Friday at the Women Entrepreneurs and Executives in Tech Summit and Awards (WEETS) 2026 in Lagos. Olatunji, represented by Omoikhefe Ahimie, Manager of the NDPC Lagos Liaison Office, said responsible innovation requires businesses to protect personal data throughout AI product lifecycles. Speaking on “Protecting the Future You Are Building,” Olatunji said AI is creating opportunities for women to innovate and shape Africa’s digital economy. He…