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Health

Foundation task govts on funding for older persons

Foundation task govts on funding for older persons
By Mustapha Sumaila
Budget
Abuja, June 27, 2018 (NAN) The Dave Omokaro Foundation has advised governments at all levels to promote social equity and ensure budgetary provision for older persons in the society.
The Executive Director of the foundation, Dr Emem Omokaro, gave the advice in a communiqué she personally signed after a one-day workshop on SDGs and intersecting issues for older persons in Abuja.
Omokaro said that there should be enhanced provision of funds to finance research and capacity building on healthcare management for older persons by all levels of government and other relevant NGOs.
She explained that funding option of Social Health Insurance Programme for the aged should be encouraged.
According to her, such contributions should be made while in service, at the ratio 2:1 by the employer and employee, respectively, in consonance with NHIS, should also be promoted.
“There is need for speedy passage of older persons’ bills including the Bill for an Act to Regulate the Establishment and Operations of Residential Facilities for Frail Older Persons.
“And also the establishment of the Social Security Agency where funding for the care of the older persons through government budgetary of direct line deduction of sum from 30 per cent tax on communication services,” she said.
The director also suggested that there should be formulation of laws to protect the older persons by relevant organs of government to ensure quality of life, empowerment, dignity and access to healthcare.
Omokaro noted that the bill currently at the National Assembly for an Act to Establish the National Social Security Agency and the fund be made more comprehensive to include sources of funding.
She also advocated for establishment of literacy and skill acquisition centres that are older persons friendly.
She added that such should be established in all local government areas in support of revitalisation of adult and youth literacy. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Ban indiscriminate sales of illicit drugs, expert advises govt

Ban indiscriminate sales of illicit drugs, expert advises govt
By Olasunkanmi Onifade
Drugs
Abuja, June 26, 2018 (NAN) An Abuja based Pharmacist, Mr Sunday Olatunde, on Tuesday advised government at all levels to ban indiscriminate sales of all illicit drugs in the country.
Olatunde said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja to commemorate the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “’Listen First – Listening to children and youth is the first step to help them grow healthy and safe’’.
He said the day was an initiative to increase support for prevention of drug use that is based on science and is thus an effective investment in the well-being of children and youth, their families and their communities.
“Unless we reduce demand for illicit drugs, we can never fully tackle cultivation, production or trafficking.
“Governments have a responsibility to counteract both drug trafficking and drug abuse, but communities can also make a major contribution.
“Families, schools, civil society and religious organisations can do their part to rid their communities of drugs.
“Businesses can help provide legitimate livelihoods. The media can raise awareness about the dangers of narcotics,” he said.
Olatunde said relevant agencies like NAFDAC, NDLEA and Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria should work together to ensure that harmful drugs are not in circulation and sanctions given to those caught with illicit drugs.
He however advised those who engage in drug abuse and those tempted that the consequences are enormous, saying that continuous metabolism of drugs on the liver poses danger to the health.
Olatunde said illicit use of drugs was the surest way to extinct a generation of youths if not curbed. (NAN)
OEO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Sonaiya, Tejuosho, others task govts on citizen’s education

Sonaiya, Tejuosho, others task govts on citizen’s education
By Lydia Ngwakwe
Education
Lagos, June 20, 2018 (NAN) Participants at the maiden conference of the Voice of Women and Youths International Foundation (VWYI) have called on governments to invest, educate and instil in its citizens core values of integrity.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that participants said values of equality, meritocracy and competency, among others, must be taught in schools, if the country needed growth.
The conference is themed: “Role of Nigerian Citizens in Building a New Nigeria”.
Prof. Oluremi Sonaiya, the 2019 Presidential aspirant of KOWA party, urged governments to ensure that the education it was giving to the people met the needs of the moment.
“I am particular about the values underlying the education that we are giving.
“We must be able to teach the children that hard work pays; education is supposed to lead to productivity and productivity is what develops a country.
“We import everything that we need and use and that is not right, we need to rethink the whole system of education and know the perspective that we need the children to develop.
“We must re-orient ourselves toward a problem solving agent,” Sonaiya said.
Mr Bobby Udoh, a nation building Evangelist and a Blogger, said education alone was not enough to build a new Nigeria.
He said: “We have to build a good country that our children will enjoy and education alone cannot do it.
“There is the need to fix first of all the mindset that makes people to damage the county’s image and for us to grow we need to adjust our core values.
“God gave us this country but it is our responsibility to build and make it work; we need to restore our dignity,” Udoh said.
A 2015 PDP governorship candidate in Imo, Mrs Ifeyinwa Okafor, said there was the need for the country to be corrupt free.
“People must go back to build values, people have compassion, people who are incorruptible, people who have merits.
“As Nigerians, we must develop a set of core values and become more responsible; our leaders must ensure these values are pursued and built-in its citizens,” Okafor said.
The Sen. Lanre Tejuosho (APC-Ogun Central) urged youths to resist pressure on them by politicians to be used as thugs.
Tejuosho, represented by Mr Jobs Ogunremi, said it was time for the youths to show that they were from good homes built on values.
“Youths should actively involve themselves in politics, enough of being used as thugs by politicians. Let them bring their children to do that.
“You all must be wise this time around; resist their money and every form of inducement,” the lawmaker said.
The Head of Unit, Gender Division of INEC in Ogun, Mrs Adeola Osikomaiya, called on women to come out of their hiding place and take up positions of authority.
“Ensure your voices are being heard, join politics and support one another. It is never a crime to be a politician.
“There will be great difference if we have a women government,” Osikomaiya said.
She advised women to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), should they want to win, reminding them that is their power. (NAN)
LED/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Physician urges govts to invest in health sector

Physician urges govts to invest in health sector
NAN-HG-2
Health
By Toba Ajayi
Ilorin, March 2, 2018 (NAN) Dr Femi Olagoke of University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) has called on government at all levels to invest more in the health sector.
Olagoke made the appeal in Ilorin on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He said that Nigerian healthcare facilities deserved more infrastructure, personnel and equipment to discourage Nigerians from medical tourism and enriching other countries.
The medical expert said that Nigerian leaders neglected the health sector since they started seeking alternative healthcare abroad rather than improving the facilities in the sector.
He added that most of the hospitals in the country have sub-standard medical equipment which had sent many Nigerians to their early graves.
He said that the neglect has also made people to lose confidence in Nigeria’s health centres, thereby preferring overseas treatment.
“It is not only personnel that is lacking in hospitals. We also lack basic health equipments that are necessary in most Nigerian hospitals.

“Some government hospitals are nothing to write home about because the leaders never care to invest in the sector anymore.
“In most of our hospitals, you cannot find ordinary syringe not to talk of a functioning generating set to work with when the power is off.
“Nobody cares to upgrade the medical facilities, which leaves only the average and poor people to use what is left of the hospitals.
“It is only here in Nigeria that you will see a clinic or health centre where there is no curtain for the window and no net to cover the window, thereby exposing patients to all sorts of cold and insects.
“Our leaders must wake up and do something quickly, because it is not everybody that can afford to seek medical help abroad,” said the expert.
He, however, called on the government to prioritise health sector and upgrade healthcare facilities to international standard to save lives.
“Health is wealth. Let the government and private individuals accept responsibility and invest in our hospitals.
“Government must learn to treat their medical personnel well to prevent them from running abroad for a better working condition,” Olagoke said. (NAN)
LEX/KOLE/MST
Edited by Remi Koleoso/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NAPTIP urges state govts taking returnees to provide standard rehabilitation

NAPTIP urges state govts taking returnees to provide standard rehabilitation
NAN-HG-9
Returnees
By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja, Jan 12, 2017 (NAN) The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has advised state governments taking their indigenes among returnees to provide standard medical care and rehabilitation.
The Director-General of NAPTIP, Ms Julie Okah-Donli, gave the advice while fielding questions from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.
Okah-Donli explained that proper rehabilitation was necessary because many of the returnees were coming from prisons and require some debriefing, change of mindset and orientation before being reintegrated into the society.
“Those states which had come to the camp in Port Harcourt to receive their indigenes should ensure that they are properly rehabilitated because releasing them into the streets like that may spell dome for the country and damage its image.
“We insist that any state government that is interested in the rehabilitation and reunification of the returnees from their states must meet the minimum standards for sheltering, rehabilitation and reunification of victims.
“The standards are available for any state government that is interested. The guideline can be accessed on the agency’s website: www.naptip.gov.ng.
“These returnees are human beings that must be properly reintegrated into the society with all their rights and dignity, and such must be respected and protected.
“Some of them may be infected with communicable diseases and is not proper for such persons integrated to the society, without being treated,” she said.
The director-general regretted that it was unfortunate that in spite the huge resources and energy by government and other stakeholders in the fight against human trafficking, “some citizens still engage in the perilous journey into the unknown”.
She assured that her agency would continue to intensify its awareness campaign to sensitise Nigerians on the adverse effects of such acts. (NAN)
MS/OIF/MST
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Economy

Economist advises state govts to consolidate FG’s 2017 budget

Economist advises state govts to consolidate FG’s 2017 budget

NAN-H-1

Budget

By Cecilia Ologunagba

Abuja, June 20, 2017 (NAN) An economist, Dr Aminu Usman, has advised state and local governments to consolidate the Federal Government 2017 budget to achieve growth and development.

Usman, a lecturer at the Department of Economics, Kaduna State University, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said one major problem of budgeting in the country was that people equate the federal government budget with national budget.

“But the two are different; Budget will only start being meaningful and have a positive impact on the economy if we begin to consolidate the federal government budget with that of states and local governments.

“The lower levels of government are closer to the people and their projects have more direct bearing on the common man,’’ he said.

According to him, budget conceptualisation, processing and implementation should be in a coordinated manner for meaningful impact and well-rounded economic growth.

Usman, however, advised the federal government to begin the implementation of capital component of the 2017 budget in earnest.

He said that the implementing of the budget would likely have impact on inflation.

The don said for the budget to impact on inflation the pattern of disbursement should favour local contractors and increasing food supplies.

“Paying local contractors will boost consumption which will increase domestic production of goods and services as well as create employment,’’ he said.

On the latest inflation rate, the don said that the figures were still on the high side despite the efforts of the government to bring it down.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the country’s inflation dropped to 16.25 per cent in May from 17.24 per cent in April.

This is the fourth consecutive decline in the rate of inflation since January.

Usman explained that the Consumer Index Price (CPI) only dropped on month-on-month basis but still generally high.

“The issue of inflation is very clear that prices are up and remain up in the last one year. It’s normal to see slight movement month-on-month because inflation is a dynamic phenomenon.

“The slight improvement reported is perhaps as a result of market adjustment to price rises and shrinking demand due to higher prices.

“The government will do well to address the source of the persistent inflationary pressure on prices of necessities especially food, drugs, energy,’’ he said. (NAN)

CIA/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola