21 April 2025
02:53

TOSCAD NEWS NIGERIA

News as it breaks

Category: Health

FeaturedHealth

Regional Unity Rallies to Protect Millions of Children from Polio in Central Africa

Wendy R.

In a historic and coordinated move to eliminate circulating variant poliovirus type 2 in the Lake Chad Basin, the Ministers of Health from Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic (CAR), and the Republic of Niger have officially launched a synchronized regional polio vaccination campaign targeting over 83 million children under the age of five.   The vaccination drive, which kicked off on Sunday, April 20, marks a major milestone in the region’s ongoing efforts to eradicate polio and safeguard vulnerable populations. The campaign will intensify between April 24 and 28, 2025, focusing on high-risk and mobile communities in border…

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FeaturedHealth

FG launches policies to end maternal deaths

Edith Uguru

The Federal Government has launched a suite of national policies and guidelines aimed at transforming maternal health outcomes in Nigeria. At the commemoration of the 2025 Safe Motherhood Day in Abuja, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Mohammed Ali Pate announced that no woman should die while giving life and that safe childbirth must become a national guarantee not a gamble. Speaking on the theme, ‘Innovating for Safer Birth: A Collective Responsibility to Crash Maternal Mortality’, Professor Pate called on every stakeholders in the health sector to act decisively in protecting mothers and newborns. ”No woman should…

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EntertainmentHealth

Reps Committee Warns Absentee Agencies in Anchor Borrowers Probe, Threatens Arrest Warrants

Wendy R.

The House of Representatives Committee on Nutrition and Food Security has issued a stern warning to key government agencies in the agriculture sector over their failure to appear before an ongoing legislative probe into the Anchor Borrowers Programme and other federal agricultural initiatives. Chairman of the Committee, Dr. Chike Okafor, expressed deep dissatisfaction with the absence of several invited agencies at a critical session held at the National Assembly. Describing the snub as unacceptable, he stated that the Committee would not hesitate to invoke its constitutional powers to compel attendance, including issuing arrest warrants. “This is not a witch-hunt,” Dr.…

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FeaturedHealth

Stakeholders call for swift vaccine funding to address shortfall

Edith Uguru

Stakeholders in the in Health sector have called on the federal government to establish a sustainable immunization financing framework to address vaccine shortfall in Primary Health Care Centers, PHCs, across Nigeria. At a media briefing to mark World Health Day, the Executive Director of the Vaccine Network for Disease Control (VNDC), Chika Offor commended President Bola Tinubu for the 2025 budget’s allocation of N231.7 billion for immunization, malaria vaccination, and vaccine tracking, which she said was a mile stone achievement for Nigeria. She however expressed worry that Nigeria’s vaccine financing was now more vulnerable due the withdrawal of USAID funding…

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FeaturedHealth

NHIA imposes one hour timeline for treatment authorisation

Edith Uguru

In fulfillment of its regulatory role to promote patient health outcomes, the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has mandated a one-hour timeline for the authorisation of care and issuance of treatment codes by Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs). This is aimed at reducing delays in accessing services and ensuring that enrollees receive quality healthcare services. A statement by the Ag. Director of Media and PR of NHIA, Emmanuel Ononokpono, indicates that the directive took effect on April 1, 2025, and  aligns with the provisions of the NHIA Act 2022, while the changes regarding authorization of care were approved at a Stakeholders’…

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FeaturedHealthSpecial report

Hyponatremia: intake of excessive water is dangerous, Experts warn

Edith Uguru

Water is essential for survival — but drinking too much of it, especially too quickly, can be harmful. Water intoxication, also known as hyponatremia, occurs when a person consumes an excessive amount of water within a short time, leading to low sodium levels in the blood and swelling of cells. The sodium levels in the blood become dangerously low due to excessive water intake, leading to a fluid imbalance and affecting the body cells. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting and bloating while severe symptoms may include confusion, seizure, brain damage, coma and death. With high temperatures being experienced at this time…

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FeaturedHealth

Kano Health Ministry Hosts Advocacy Push to End Zero-Dose Childhood Immunisation Gaps

Wendy R.

In a renewed push to eliminate the burden of zero-dose children in Kano State, the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) and the African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET) have taken their advocacy to the doorstep of the Kano State Ministry of Health. During a high-level visit to the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, the consortium emphasized the urgent need for government action in addressing the alarming number of children who have never received a single dose of routine immunization—particularly the Penta 1 vaccine, a crucial shield against preventable childhood diseases. Leading the delegation, AHBN Coordinator and Team Lead of…

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FeaturedHealth

Kwara state government flags off Second Anthrax Vaccination Campaign

Edith Uguru

Kwara  State Government has commenced the second phase of a statewide mass anthrax vaccination campaign across the 16 Local Government Areas of the State. While Flagging off the campaign at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Ilorin, the State Commissioner for Livestock Development,  Oloruntoyosi Thomas  said  the campaign was necessary to avoid zoonotic disease. According to her the state government had also approved logistics supports to ensure a state-wide mass vaccination of susceptible animals like cattle, sheep and goats. The Commissioner who was represented by the Director, Personnel, Finance and Supply at  the Ministry, Mallam Yusuf Rafiu, explained that anthrax was a…

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FeaturedHealth

Nigeria receives vaccines to aid response against meningitis outbreak

Edith Uguru

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has received over one million doses of  pentavalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (Men5CV) from the Gavi-funded global stockpile, to combat the meningococcus C and W outbreak in northern Nigeria. The vaccines, approved for deployment by the International Coordinating Group, is aimed at containing the fast-spreading outbreak of meningitis C and W which had already claimed over 70 lives with more than 800 cases across 23 states. The Coordinating Minister, Professor Ali Pate said the first shipment of the vaccines would enable the launch of an outbreak response campaign targeting individuals aged 1–29 years,…

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FeaturedHealth

Bauchi Prepares for April Polio Immunisation Campaign with 2.5 Million Doses

Wendy R.

Bauchi State has received over 2.5 million doses of the Novel Oral Polio Vaccine (NOPV) ahead of its April immunisation campaign, targeting children aged zero to 59 months. The State Cold Chain Officer at the Bauchi State Primary Health Care Board, Bappa Mohammed Jika, confirmed the development during an inspection of the vaccine storage facility at the state Cold Store, located within Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi. Jika assured that the vaccines were being preserved under optimal conditions in readiness for the mass immunisation exercise. He emphasized the state’s commitment to ensuring broad community participation, leveraging traditional…

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