The Primary Health Care (PHC) Practitioners in the country have described as abysmal the 2018 budgetary allocation of 3.6 per cent to the health sector. To this end, the professionals under the National Association of Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria (NACHPN), warned that the Ministry of Health’s Community Health Influencers, Promoters and Services (CHIPS) would become a pipe dream with such a poor funding.

The National President of NACHPN, Comrade Okechukwu Akor, stated this recently in Abuja at a press conference tagged: ‘The 2018 Budget Proposal and the Health Sector- Consolidation or Consolation?’ organised in collaboration with the Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH).

The National Malaria Eradication Programme (NMEP) has lamented that despite the reduction in malaria prevalence in the country, it said malaria remains a leading cause of death of under-five children, saying about 30 children die every hour.

The National Coordinator, NMEP, Dr. Audu Muhammed, revealed this in Abuja at the fourth quarter media chat aimed at informing the public through the media on the importance of a stronger partnership between the private sector and NMEP towards sustaining continuous access to ACT.

Experts in the Health sector have said that all hands must be on deck to reinvent Africa, especially Nigeria’s healthcare service delivery. The experts; Prof. Khama Rogo, Lead Health Specialist, World Bank Group; Mrs. Clare Omatseye, President, Healthcare Federation of Nigeria; Mrs. Toyin Saraki, Founder, Wellbeing Foundation Africa; Dr. Inyang Asibong, Commissioner for Health, Cross River State; Dr. Kabiru Getso, Commissioner for Health, Kano State; among others spoke at a panel discussion on the background of the Medic West Africa Leaders Conference/Exhibition with the theme: Reinventing Healthcare Service Delivery in Lagos. They said that there is a need to put human resources to work, looking at different ways of engaging people to work, even as they call for a change in the way the sector is being financed.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it is upgrading four laboratories to international standards to boost quality of products emanating from Nigeria.

NAFDAC Zonal Coordinator for North-Central, Mrs Josephine Dayilim, made this known at a one-day stakeholders’ meeting on “The Ease Of Doing Business In Nigeria” with owners of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) on Monday in Jos.

The State of World Population (SWOP) Report, 2017, launched by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has placed Nigeria among countries with high rate of unintended pregnancies, with about 4million cases annually.

The report has blamed the situation on limited access to family planning which, it says, does not only harm women’s health, but also restrict their ability to move towards financial independence.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, on Tuesday, inaugurated a group of eminent Nigerians as National Advocates for Health (NAH). Adewole, who inaugurated the group in Abuja, urged members of the group to “help change the narrative on health at different levels in the country.”

The minister stressed the need for the advocates to use their influence and network to canvass for improved health service delivery in the country, especially at the
grassroots.

A report released today in Geneva says Nigeria, Rwanda, and Democratic Republic of Congo DRC  have seen the largest increases in malaria cases, jeopardizing the gains recorded since 2000.

The Roll Back Malaria Partnership,  which released the report, said unprecedented global progress in fighting malaria since 18 years ago is at stake unless countries redouble their efforts.  It however showcased countries making progress. They are  Sri Lanka, Senegal and Madagascar.

The President of the Senate, Sen. Bukola Saraki, on Tuesday, said Senate would implement the 2014 National Health Act, especially the one per cent consolidated fund to enhance funding of Nigeria’s health system in 2018. Saraki made the disclosure at the commemoration of 2017 World AIDS Day in Abuja.

Represented at the occasion by Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa, Senate Committee Chairman on Primary Health Care and infectious Diseases, Saraki said that the Act was signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan.