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Animal health: Nasarawa lawmaker donate drugs to herdsmen

Animal health: Nasarawa lawmaker donate drugs to herdsmen
By Awayi Kuje
Drugs
Kokona (Nasarawa State), March 14, 2018 (NAN) Mr Daniel Oga-Ogazi, a member of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, has donated livestock drugs worth about N2 million to herdsmen to tackle their animal health challenges.
The lawmaker, representing Kokona East constituency, donated the drugs on Wednesday to the Fulani community in Nikoro electoral ward of Kokona Local Government Area of the state.
Oga-Ogazi (APC), who is the Chairman, House Committee on Education, Science and Technology, said that the gesture was to alleviate the veterinary health challenges and give the community a sense of belonging.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the legislator donated assorted livestock drugs, including 20 bags of animal salt.
Oga-Ogazi, represented by his Campaign Director-General, Malam Auwal Adamu, assured the community of continued support in order to better their standard of living.
“So far, the people of my constituency can testify of what I have done to better their standard of living,
“I have embarked on rural electrification, distributed scholarship to students, distributed cars and motorcycles, sunk motorised boreholes and assisted the less privileged, among other gestures.
“Today, we are here to support and donate animal drugs consisting of syringe, animal salt, drugs, among others, in order to tackle the health challenges of the cattle if any.
“These drugs will assist in making the animals look more healthy,” he said.
Oga-Ogazi also assured his people of a fruitful and quality representation in the state legislative body and solicited their support to enable him succeed in the task ahead of him.
“I will continue to contribute my quota in making good laws for governance as well as to key into good projects that have direct bearing on the lives of my constituents and the state at large,” he added.
He called on his constituents and the people of the state to pray and support President Muhammadu Buhari and Gov. Tanko Al-Makura to enable them succeed.
Besides, the lawmaker called on the Fulani community to continue to live in peace with their neighbours and tolerate one another irrespective of their ethnic, religious and political affiliation.
Responding, the Ardo of Fulani in Nikoro community, Malam Usman Usman, thanked the legislator for the gesture and prayed God to bless him in his political career.
He assured the lawmaker of their continued support to government policies and programmes in order to enjoy more dividends of democracy.
NAN reports that Malam Ibrahim Saidu, the Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Nikoro branch, and Malam Adamu Hassan, Chairman, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Kokona local government area, were dignitaries that witnessed the programme. (NAN)
AKW/JEO/MST
Edited by Janefrances Oraka/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

HP+, FCTA inaugurate group to improve health financing

HP+, FCTA inaugurate group to improve health financing
NAN-HG
Financing
By Mustapha Sumaila
Abuja, March 12, 2018 (NAN) The Health Policy Plus (HP+), an NGO, in collaboration with Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has inaugurated Health Financing Technical Working Group (HFTWG) to strengthen health financing system in the territory.
Inaugurating the group in Abuja on Monday, the Country Director of HP+, Mr Onoriode Ezire, said the step was taken to improve access to healthcare for the well being of FCT residents.
Ezire explained that FCT was in dire need of sustainable and predictable improvement in its health financing system to make the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) goal achievable.
He said that the HFTWG would act as catalyst to drive the needed health financing reform in the FCT as is operational at national level.
“This inauguration of the group marks the beginning of our work and the outcome will change the narrative in the health sector in the territory.
“We need to commend the leaders of Health and Human Service Secretariat (HHSS), especially the Secretary, Mrs Amanda Pam, for their commitments to the project.
“HP+ has pedigree and we have the capacity to deliver and we are appealing to FCTA to show more commitment and maximum support,” he said.
The country director disclosed that his organisation had worked in Sokoto, Bauchi and Ebonyi states in 2017 to improve their health systems.
In her remarks, Pam noted that the inauguration of the group was a good development for her secretariat as well as the territory.
Represented by Alhaji Surajo Faskari, the Director Administration and Finance in the secretariat, Pam charged the group to advise, coordinate, report and support roles in the implementation to improve funding of healthcare in FCT.
She described members of the group as passionate and resourceful individuals and organisations that would provide technical support to the health financing unit of the secretariat.
The Chairman of the group, Dr Mohammed Kawu, expressed appreciation to USAID which brought in HP+ to offer such intervention to improve the health system in the territory.
Kawu stated that no state needed this kind of intervention like FCT because of several challenges that confronted it like the case of polio being among the high risk states in the country.
He pledged on behalf of other members to work strictly in accordance with terms of reference and ensure the health policy in FCT was well implemented.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the group were drawn from government establishments, private organisations, health associations and civil society groups, among others. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Oxfam wants government to increase spending in health, education sectors

Oxfam wants government to increase spending in health, education sectors
NAN-H-12
Investments
By Blessing Odega
Jos, March 6, 2018 (NAN) Mr Celestine Okwudili, Programme Coordinator, Private and Public-Sector Transparency and Accountability, Oxfam Nigeria, has called on the Federal Government to increase budgetary allocation to the health and education sectors.
Okwudili told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Jos that low funding was affecting growth in those sectors of the country.
He said that the N304.4 billion, representing 3.9 per cent allocated to the health sector in the 2018 N6.8 trillion budget proposal was “abysmally low.’’
According to him, this contradicts the recommendation of 2001 Abuja Declaration which asks government to allocate at least 15 per cent of its annual budget to improve the health sector.
He said if government increases budgetary allocation to the sector, it would go a long way in bridging the gap of inequality.
Okwudili noted that the poor and average Nigerians patronise more of government owned health facilities.
“So, better funding of the sector translates to a better output of healthcare service to the poor and average Nigerian who can’t afford the charges of privately owned hospitals nor afford medical tourism.’’
On education, Okwudili lamented that the sector was allocated N605.8 billion in the 2018 budget proposal, representing only seven per cent.
He noted that the poor budgetary allocation to the education sector would in turn affect the output in the sector and called on government to prioritise the sector through increase funding. (NAN)
UBO/JEY/MST
Edited by Johnson Eyiangho/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Gov. Abubakar of Bauchi signs 4 health bills into law

Gov. Abubakar of Bauchi signs 4 health bills into law
NAN-‎HG-1
Laws
By Mohammed Ahmed Kaigama
‎Bauchi, March 1, 2018 (NAN) Gov. Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi State has signed four health bills into laws for the revitalisation and sustainable development of the health sector in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Zuwaira Hassan, said this on Thursday at the public presentation of the laws in Bauchi.
“Gov. Abubakar for the first time signed four bills passed in to law by the Bauchi State House of Assembly,’’ she said.
According to her, the laws are critical to the health sector revitalisation and sustainable development.
Hassan listed the laws as establishing of the Directorate of Medical Laboratory Services in the state Ministry of Health, and Hospitals Management Board Bauchi.
Other bills signed into laws are Traditional Medicine Board to regulate the practice of traditional medicine, and register practitioners and licence practitioners.
According to her, the governor also signed into law the establishment of the Bauchi State Health Contributory Management Agency and the law for the establishment of Bauchi State Health Trust Fund (BHETFUND).
The commissioner explained that BHETFUND would be responsible for the collection, management and disbursement of funds to public health institutions.
She said the fund would be generated from sources but not limited to five per cent of the monthly internally generated revenue of the state.
‎“One per cent from the statutory allocation of each of the local government councils and another one per cent from the amount of all contracts awarded by state and local government councils in the state,’’ Hassan said.
She stressed that the law would ensure sustainable financing of the health sector in the state.
‎Earlier, Dr Aminu Magashi, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of Community Health and Research Initiative (CHR), commended the Bauchi state government for providing laws that would strengthen the healthcare sector. (NAN)
MAK/GOM/MST
Edited by Gregory Mmaduakolam/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Edo Dep. Gov. tasks health workers on passion

Edo Dep. Gov. tasks health workers on passion
NAN-H-110
Passion
By Monday Ajogun
Benin, Feb. 26, 2018 (NAN) Edo Deputy Gov. Philip Shaibu has tasked management and staff of state Primary Health care Development Agency to bring passion to bear in carrying out their duties to achieve the administration’s goal in delivering healthcare services.

The deputy governor made the call on Monday in Benin when he hosted the management of the agency in his office.

Shaibu gave an assurance that the present administration would ensure proper equipping of all healthcare centres in the state to boost the healthcare sector.

Earlier, the state Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Mbarie Imuwahen, urged the deputy governor to accord the same zeal he has given to the success of net distribution and immunisation to ensure the success of state primary healthcare agency.

She noted that the personal zeal put into the immunization and net distribution process led to the success of those projects and his personal commitment would help to further actualise the dream of the administration in Primary Health Care. (NAN)
AJOM/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Infections: Scientist tasks health professionals on aseptic procedures

Infections: Scientist tasks health professionals on aseptic procedures
NAN-HG-6
Infections
By Blessing Odega
Jos, Feb. 19, 2018 (NAN) Mr Solomon Chollom, a Medical Laboratory Scientist with National Veterinary Research Institute, Kuru near Jos, has urged health professionals to imbibe aseptic (hygienic) procedures to reduce the rising cases of hospital-acquired infections.
Chollom told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Jos that the non-adherence to aseptic procedures by medical personnel was a major source of nosocomial infections (hospital acquired infections).
He said that such infections are caused either via viral, bacterial or fungal pathogens, like urinary tract infections, respiratory pneumonia, surgical site wound infections, bacteria, gastrointestinal and skin infections.
“Microbes such as H. Pylori, Human papilloma virus, Hepatitis C virus and Salmonella tophi which is responsible for up to 35 per cent of all cancers known to man, are largely transmitted in the hospitals.
“If medical personnel fail in adhering to the laid aseptic procedures in the laboratory and in the hospital, they are likely to contract an infection.
“Adherence to aseptic technique is important to avoid the spread of infections in the hospital,’’ he said.
Chollom said that if aseptic techniques are adhered to by clinical care staff and other healthcare workers, they would serve as front-line defence for applying daily infection control practices to prevent infections and transmission of organisms to other patients.
He further called for an annual training in the prevention of blood borne pathogens exposures and other infection control training as a planned patient safety activity. (NAN)
UBO/OIF/MST
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Untimely deaths: MD tasks doctors, health workers on patient safety

Untimely deaths: MD tasks doctors, health workers on patient safety
NAN-HG-2
Patients
By Awayi Kuje
Keffi (Nasarawa State), Jan. 31, 2018 (NAN) Dr Joshua Giyan, the Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Keffi, Nasarawa State, has tasked doctors and other health workers to ensure patients safety to avoid untimely deaths.
Giyan gave the task while presenting a paper on: ““Patient Safety, Every Patient Counts”, at the three-day Patient Safety Conference organised by the centre in Keffi, Keffi Local Government Area, of the state.
He urged doctors and healthcare workers to always develop patients’ safety culture by avoiding mistakes or errors while discharging their duties.
“Lots of patients have been affected in the country over negligence on the part of the medical and health workers,’’ said the medical director.
Giyan also advised them to always respect and protect the rights of patients in order to improve on their health status.
“The right of the patients also need to be protected at all the time in order to avoid untimely deaths, because patients are kings in every health sector,
“and a healthy person can become a patient one day, but that is not our prayers.
“The management had done its best in infrastructure, and personnel development, among others, and all that will not matter if safety of patients is not improved or is not taken in to cognisance.
“That is why we are giving it a very strong thought and with the help of Global Health to ensure that the staff are really motivated on patient safety,” he said.
Giyan expressed optmism that after the programme, the FMC staff would be motivated to be able to identify of the loopholes of patients safety that they have been missing in the past.
The medical director restated his commitment to continue to key in to positive health programmes and policies that have direct bearing on the lives of patients and staff of the centre and Nigeria at large.
The Dean, Rova College of HealthCare Executives, Abuja, Mr Emmanuel Abolo, said that the conference would lay a foundation on the need for health workers to respect patients’ safety while discharging their duties.
He added that there is now overwhelming evidence that significant numbers of patients are harmed from their healthcare either resulting in permanent injury, increased Length of Stay (LOS) in hospital and even death.
The dean charged healthcare service practitioners to always take the safety of patients as topmost priority.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was organised for the centre’s doctors and other health workers. (NAN)
AKW/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Lassa fever: Imo Govt tasks health workers on surveillance

Lassa fever: Imo Govt tasks health workers on surveillance
NAN-HG-5
Surveillance
By Ugonne Uzoma 08065838963
Owerri, Jan. 24, 2017 (NAN) The Imo Government has advised healthcare workers in the state to increase their surveillance on symptoms of Lassa fever.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Angela Uwakwem, told newsmen in Owerri on Wednesday that this followed the death of three persons from the disease.
Uwakwen said that seven other victims of Lassa fever had also been confirmed in the state.
According to her, a hospital in Orlu Local Government Area of the state which had treated two patients had been shut to contain the spread of the disease.
“Efforts are being made to track all those who visited the hospital to ensure they don’t spread the disease unknowingly; our surveillance should be increased.
“It is important to let people know that symptoms of the disease may vary.
“I urge persons who have been in contact with sick persons or who suspect they may have it to report to the approved treatment centres for immediate care.
“ The approved treatment centres are the Federal Medical Centre Owerri; Imo State Teaching Hospital, Orlu; and the Imo Specialist Hospital Umuguma.’’
The commissioner said that medications to prevent the incubation of the virus were available and that members of the public should call 08033411575 to report new cases or seek help.
Uwakwem advised residents, including healthcare workers, to adopt precautionary measures against the disease.
“Protective gears have been provided for doctors, nurses and all involved in the care of infected persons; they should ensure that they wear them.
“Members of the public should be more hygienic; there is also need for constant hand washing and to limit contact with body fluids.
“It is advisable not to drink `garri’ and consume bush meat; foods should not be exposed to avoid ingesting food contaminated by the urine of rats,’’ the commissioner said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the `multimammate rat’ called Mastomys natalensis which has many breasts and lives in the bush and around residential areas is the reservoir host of Lassa fever.
The virus is shed in the urine and droppings of the rats; hence can be transmitted through direct contact, touching objects or eating food contaminated with these materials or through cuts or sores.
The onset of the disease is usually gradual, starting with fever, general weakness, muscle and joint pains, prostration and malaise.
After a few days, headache, sore throat, muscle pain, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, cough and abdominal pain may follow.
In severe cases facial swelling, fluid in the lung cavity, bleeding from the mouth, nose, vagina or gastrointestinal tract and low blood pressure may develop.
Shock, seizures, tremor, disorientation, coma and death may be seen in the later stages. (NAN)
UOI/VIV/MST
Editing by Vivian Ihechu/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Don harps on mathematical modelling in predicting human health

Don harps on mathematical modelling in predicting human health
NAN-HG-5
Prediction
By Aminu Ahmed Garko
Minna, Nov. 1, 2017 ( NAN) Prof. Usman Abubakar of the Department of Mathematics, Federal University of Technology, Minna, says mathematical modelling can contribute in predicting human health and environmental conditions.
Abubakar said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday by the Public Relations Office of the university.
It quoted the don as saying this at the 57th Inaugural Lecture of the university in Minna.
The lecture was titled: “Predictive Stochastic Modelling Of Leprosy Disease, Human Health Condition And Desertification In Nigeria: The Untapped Open Secret Ingredients”.
Abubakar disclosed that he had through mathematical modelling, studied the leprosy disease and human health condition focusing on the stages when patients were under treatment, recovered, relapsed or died due to the disease, it said.
The statement added the don also predicted the levels of likelihood of having leprosy patients with grade one and grade two disabilities, just as he had studied blood inventory in General Hospital, Minna, and human daily health condition.
On desertification in Nigeria, Abubakar applied mathematical modelling through which he projected the amount of land lost in the savannah region of the country, according to the statement.
The lecturer, however, observed that there was a gap between mathematical model builders and the intended model users, due largely to the inability of the latter to understand fundamental mathematics.
He therefore called on government and non- governmental organisations to extensively utilise the quantitative information emanating from mathematical models.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Musbau Akanji, commended Abubakar for his efforts and thanked members of the university community and the general public for attending the lecture. (NAN)
AAG/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Don’t serve for money, Cleric admonishes medical workers

Don’t serve for money, Cleric admonishes medical workers
NAN-HG-6
Service
By Muhammad Suleiman Tola
Abuja, Oct. 27, 2017 (NAN) Medical and health workers in the country have been admonished to stop serving patients for money.
Malam Abdulkadir Gambo, the Chief Imam of National Hospital Mosque, Abuja, gave the advice in his Juma’at (Friday) sermon as part of activities to mark this year’s Physicians’ Week in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Gambo said medical doctors and all categories of health workers were representatives of God on earth.
Citing several verses form the Qur’an and Hadith (sayings and deeds of Prophet Muhammad), the cleric enjoined them to abide by the code and ethics of their profession.
He reminded them that the oaths and signatures they signed to serve humanity have the hand of God to save lives.
According to him, a stitch in time saves life, while delays can cause death.
“You are therefore admonished against serving for Naira and kobo. You are also advised to regard your call to duty as a service to God and humanity,’’ Gambo said.
While praying for the unity and prosperity of the country, the cleric also prayed for unity of purpose among the various stakeholders in the health sector.
He specifically urged them to stop inter and intra-professional rivalry for the sake of service to humanity as well as disruptions in service delivery. (NAN)
MST/EEE
Edited by Ese E. Ekama