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Health

Cholera: FCTA caution residents against open defecation

Cholera: FCTA caution residents against open defecation
By Mustapha Sumaila
Cholera
Abuja, Aug. 16, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Thursday warned residents in the territory to desist from open defecation to prevent cholera.
Dr Humphrey Okoroukwu, the Director, Public Health, Health and Human Services Secretariat, FCTA, gave the warning during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
NAN reports that seven deaths have so far been recorded from cholera outbreak in four communities of Sauka, Mpape, Kubwa village and Ushafa.
Okoroukwu explained that open defecation was one of the causes that predispose some residents to cholera which affected some communities in the territory.
“People should stop defecating in open places, especially around the river banks to prevent infectious diseases like cholera.
“Residents are advised to have toilets in their homes and those who cannot afford Water Closet should endeavour to have pit latrines to avoid outbreak of cholera,” he said.
The director said that cholera outbreak was common during the rainy season, and stressed the need for residents to take necessary precautions.
He said that cholera outbreak occurred mainly in rural communities that had no access to potable water.
Okoroukwu also enjoined FCT residents to treat their drinkable water and ensure that it was free of any contamination.
He advised residents to take sick persons with symptoms of cholera immediately to nearby healthcare facility or hospital, pointing out that timeliness is of essence. (NAN)
MS/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Vaccines: FCTA to receive 10 solar powered metal fridges

Vaccines: FCTA to use solar powered metal fridges
By Mustapha Sumaila
Fridges
Abuja, Aug. 14, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Primary Health Care Development Board says it will use 10 Metal Fridges to boost vaccine cold chain system in the territory.
The Executive Secretary of the board, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview in Abuja on Tuesday that the fridges were being expected for distribution to selected health facilities.
Mohammed said that lack of adequate cold chain system to store vaccines in FCT had been a challenge and caused a huge gap to immunisation programme.
He explained that the solar powered metal fridges specially designed would be donated to his board by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) free of charge.
“May be any time next week, we will receive the 10 metal fridges and it will help us in storing our vaccines.
“We shall distribute them to some rural areas in Gwagwalada, Kuje and Abaji Area Councils that had no cold chain systems.
“This type of fridge will work in places that have no electricity because it uses batteries to function and it will help to keep the potency of the vaccines,” he said.
Meanwhile, the scribe said that the last round immunisation recorded more than 100 per cent coverage because it surpassed the target of children intended to immunise.
According to him, the board targeted 944,000 children under five but ended up vaccinating more than one million.
Mohammed stated that the cases of non-compliance to immunisation against polio in FCT had reduced drastically.
He commended the FCT Minister, Alhaji Muhammad Bello, for his intervention in ensuring residents complied and accepted polio vaccines for their children and wards. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Cholera: FCTA activates emergency operation centre

Cholera: FCTA activates emergency operation centre
By Mustapha Sumaila
Centre
Abuja, Aug. 13, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has activated an Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) to ensure effective management of cholera outbreak in some communities in the territory.
Dr Humphrey Okoroukwu, the Director, Public Health, Health and Human Services Secretariat, FCTA, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday.
NAN reports that seven deaths have so far been recorded from cholera outbreak in different communities of the FCT.
The disease had claimed lives at Sauka, Mpape, Kubwa and Ushafa communities.
Okoroukwu explained that the activated EOC would be working on four pillars of surveillance, case management, laboratory and health promotion, education and community mobilisation.
According to him, officers from his department and those of area councils will work to ensure a robust surveillance to check the spread of the disease.
He said that there would henceforth be effective and more efficient laboratory system to hasten laboratory results.
The director noted that health education and promotion would be enhanced to sensitise residents in every nook and cranny of the territory.
He said that though only one case had so far been confirmed positive to cholera from laboratory test carried out, but the cases fit in into the definition cases of cholera. (NAN)
MS/JTJ/MST
Edited by Julius Toba Jegede/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

FCTA to run 24-hour services in 50 PHCs

FCTA to run 24-hour services in 50 PHCs
By Mustapha Sumaila
Healthcare
Abuja, July 17, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Primary Health Care Development Board says it will soon introduce 24-hour services in 50 healthcare facilities across the territory.
The Executive Secretary of the board, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.
Mohammed explained that for the FCT to have functional healthcare system that would provide qualitative health services to the people at the grassroots there was need to strengthen the Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) and make them operate 24 hours daily.
He said that 50 healthcare facilities would be selected from the 248 PHCs in FCT to begin the new programme that would operate 24 hours.
“There are emergency cases that residents often take to healthcare centres at night but meet no one at the centres.
“Most times women go into labour at night and that situation of not getting health workers to attend to them is not something we can cope with.
“When such selected PHCs are in 24 hours operation, they will provide healthcare services both day and night,” he said.
The secretary stated that the administration of the present FCT Minister, Alhaji Muhammad Bello, was committed to making healthcare services accessible to the down trodden across the territory.
Besides, he disclosed that 12 additional PHCs were being constructed across the six area councils. (NAN)
MS/OIF/MST
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

Bwari crisis: FCTA relaxes dusk to dawn

Bwari crisis: FCTA relaxes dusk to dawn curfew
By Veronica Dariya
Curfew
Bwari (Abuja), July 6, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has relaxed the dusk till dawn curfew imposed on Bwari Area Council to 10 p.m to 5 a.m.

This is contained in a statement signed by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the administration deemed it necessary to review the curfew following an assessment report by the security agents on ground.

“After receiving briefing from the Security agencies on the security situation in Bwari, indication shows normalcy has returned.

“It also showed a remarkable improvement in the harmonious co-existence among the various communities in the town.

“I have directed that the 6 p.m to 6 a.m curfew imposed following the disturbances during Eid-el-Fitir celebrations be relaxed.
“The curfew will now run from 10 p.m to 5 a.m.

“I urge residents of Bwari to sustain this moment of peace and harmony by refraining from acts capable of causing the breakdown of law and order,” the Minister said.

NAN recalls that the town has been on the dusk to dawn curfew since the Sallah Day celebrations. (NAN)
DVK/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

FCTA to immunise 817,000 children against polio

FCTA to immunise 817,000 children against polio
By Mustapha Sumaila
Immunisation
Abuja, June 29, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Primary Health Care Development Board says it is targeting 816,978 children for June round of immunisation against polio in the territory.
The Executive Secretary of the board, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, disclosed this at the official flag off ceremony in Abuja on Friday.
Mohammed explained that efforts have been put in place to ensure that all the targeted children were reached during the exercise.
He said the vaccination would commence on June 30 and end by July 3, while the vaccination would take place simultaneously in the six area councils of FCT.
According to him, this exercise will concentrate more on IDPs camps and some slums in the territory.
The scribe warned that this administration would not condone rejection of vaccines by parents as all efforts have been put in place to ensure a hitch free vaccination.
“The Minister has made it clear that anyone who is not ready to accept vaccines for their children should leave the territory.
“No any case of polio in FCT since May 2015 and we will not want anybody that will expose us to such by rejecting the immunisation,” he said.
The Secretary, Health and Human Services Secretariat in the FCTA, Mrs Amanda Pam, said that the present administration had done well in the interruption of transmission of the wild polio virus.
Represented by Dr Evan Onyekere, the Director, Medical and Diagnostic Department, Pam said that the FCTA had expanded immunisation services to unreached populations such as IDPs camps, nomadic settlements and slums.
She enjoined the chairmen of the area councils to take up the challenge and be part of the polio end game.
“I urge the chairmen to be personally involved in supporting polio eradication and routine immunisation activities,” she said. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Petition: Senate committee gives 2-week ultimatum to FCT

Petition: Senate committee gives 2-week ultimatum to FCT
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Taxation
Abuja, May 31, 2018 (NAN) The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, has given two weeks ultimatum to FCTA and Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) to resolve the petition of multiple taxation filed by the Guild of Medical Directors.
The Chairman of the committee, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, issued the directive in Abuja on Thursday during a public hearing on the petition, urging both parties to ensure they arrive at a favourable end.
A member of the committee and Senate Committee Chairman on Primary Healthcare, Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa, called for the need for adequate healthcare provision in the FCT and across the country.
Ohuabunwa, who represents Abia North Senatorial District, warned that doctors would charge patients more than what they can or render substandard services, if irrelevant multiple taxation on private hospitals continues.
“Health institutions are different from commercial institutions and there should be different charges or range of charges for hospitals.
“There should be a specific place for hospitals to be established to enable easy management and service delivery especially as we talk about Universal Health Coverage in the FCT.
“When you put burden on the medical doctors, it comes back to the FCT residents,” he said.
Responding to the petition, the FCT Minister, Alhaji Muhammad Bello, who was represented by the Coordinator, AMMC, Malam Umar Shuaibu, denied ever receiving any complaint of taxation from the guild.
Bello appealed to the committee to resolve the issues.
Earlier, the Chairperson of the guild, FCT Chapter, Dr Chito Nwana, prayed the committee to prevail on FCTA to stop harassing private facilities, stressing that they are being prevented from rendering quality service to the populace.
Nwana urged the senate to look into matter of unnecessary multiple taxes, saying there are legal impetuses to some of these charges with the view to removing any ambiguities.
“Suspend all taxes and levies from all six area councils in the FCT pending investigation into their legality and mandate all Area Councils in the FCT to categorise hospitals as public institutions.
“We want all Area Councils in the FCT to be mandated to carry out their function in the fourth schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to provide and maintain health services.
“We also want the Senate to appeal to the FCT Minister to provide free land or subsidised land for hospitals, especially as required in the master plan to enable us to meet hospital requirements for each local community,’’ she said. (NAN)
OEO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Ebola: FCTA adopts preventive measures

Ebola: FCTA adopts preventive measures
By Mustapha Sumaila
Ebola
Abuja, May 24, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says it has taken proactive measures to create public awareness on prevention of Ebola disease.
The Director of Public Health in the Health and Human Services Secretariat, FCTA, Dr Humphrey Okoroukwu, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
Okoroukwu explained that there was no Ebola in Nigeria but the outbreak of the disease had occurred in Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) and won’t wait until there was case in Nigeria before taking necessary actions.
NAN reports that Ebola had claimed 27 lives since it was reported in DR Congo and WHO had warned that the 2018 outbreak has been complicated because it involved rural and urban areas which could raise chances of spread both nationally and internationally.
The director said that his department had inaugurated Public Emergency Centre and had trained relevant officers on how to manage emergency cases.
He disclosed that Core Disease Surveillance Officers were being trained currently to equip them with necessary knowledge on emergency cases such as Ebola.
Okoroukwu stated that his department would soon commence facility based clinical sensitisation to educate health workers on universal precautions against Ebola.
“FCT is a capital of the country that hosts different persons from various parts of the country and the world, that’s why we need to be more proactive.
“We have started public awareness campaign to reawaken people’s consciousness and we are doing that carefully in order not to create panic.
“Next week, we shall commence the training of our Disease Surveillance officers from the six area councils of the FCT with the support of WHO,” he said.
Besides, the director said that handbills and posters concerning Ebola have been printed for distribution to hospitals and health centres in FCT to raise public awareness.
Okoroukwu urged residents of FCT and Nigerians to imbibe culture of cleanliness by ensuring regular hand washing and desist from eating of monkeys.
He said that Ebola was a deadly virus which spreads fast and kills quickly, but it could be prevented. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

FCTA appeals to NASS to pass bill establishing primary healthcare board

FCTA appeals to NASS to pass bill establishing primary healthcare board
By Mustapha Sumaila
Bill
Abuja, May 16, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has appealed to the National Assembly (NASS) to pass the bill establishing the Primary Health Care Development Board and Health Insurance for the territory.
The Secretary of FCT Health and Human Service Secretariat, Mrs Amanda Pam, made the appeal at the stakeholders dialogue it organised in collaboration with Health Policy Plus (HP+), an NGO, in Abuja on Wednesday.
Represented by a Director of Public Health at the Secretariat, Dr Humphrey Okoroukwu, she said the need for the bill to be passed and be assented to would make it possible for FCT residents to benefit from Federal Government’s goal on Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Pam said that it was regrettable that all states in the federation had a bill backing the establishment of primary healthcare development agencies except FCT.
According to her, the FCTA had submitted executive bill to NASS for the establishment of a primary health care board.
“The FCTA in line with the agenda of Mr President, places high priority to the goal of revitalisation of the primary health care system for UHC in Nigeria.
“And we have also undertaken development of PHC infrastructure across the six area councils, we engaged and deployed health workers to the facilities,’’ he said.
The Country Director of HP+, Mr Onoriode Ezire, said that it was sad that the act establishing FCT Primary Health Care Development Board had not been legislated by the NASS.
Ezire explained that the dialogue was convened to begin the process and ensure the bill was passed and assented to by the president.
According to him, about N1 billion captured in 2018 budget for the health sector cannot be accessed until the establishment of FCT primary health care board is backed by law.
He added that if such bill was passed it would impact on the lives of millions of residents of the territory.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the dialogue was attended by legislators from NASS, traditional rulers, health officials from the FCTA, health partners and experts, among others. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

FCTA begins process to domesticate CHIPS

FCTA begins process to domesticate CHIPS
By Mustapha Sumaila
CHIPS
Abuja, April 17, 2018 (NAN) The Federal Capital Territory Administration(FCTA) has started the process of domesticating Federal Government’s Community Health Influencers, Promoters and Services (CHIPS) programme in the territory.
Dr Mathew Ashikeni, the Acting Executive Secretary, Primary Healthcare Development Board, disclosed this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.
NAN recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the CHIPS’ programme in Lafiya, Nasarawa State, on Feb. 6, as one of the reform initiatives to provide essential health services like maternal, newborn and child survival.
The programme is to also address barrier on the demand for primary healthcare services and ensuring supply of integrated healthcare interventions.
Ashikeni explained that the board was collaborating with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to domesticate the programme in FCT as soon as possible.
He said that the programme was meant to engage community members to mobilise people in the communities to access health services, especially maternal and child healthcare.
According to him, the board will commence the pilot programme at Giwa, Abuja Municipal Area Council.
“We are working in collaboration with NPHCDA and the six area councils to ensure that the programme is successful,” he said. (NAN)
MS/JEO/MST
Edited by Janefrances Oraka/Muhammad Suleiman Tola