The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday said it would investigate reports of 42 anti-malaria drugs banned by the European Union, EU but which are still in circulation in the country.

The EU reportedly banned these drugs as a result of their effect on health, including causing kidney failure. One of the banned drugs is Artesunate which is widely used in Nigerian households. The motion calling for the investigation was sponsored by Theodore Orji, representing Abia Central Senatorial district.

The Federal Government has declared its willingness to collaborate with traditional healers to develop the nation’s herbal medicine sub sector.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu stated this when he visited a traditional medicine practitioner, Pa Aliyu Giwa, who was renowned for using traditional medicines to treat cancer and other complicated terminal ailments at Adavieba community in Adavi Local Government of Kogi State.

The Plateau chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association(NMA) on Wednesday organised a one-day free medical outreach for inmates of Jos Prison, treating 800 inmates of various illnesses.

Dr Daniel Meshak, NMA chairman in Plateau, said that the outreach was to complement government’s effort in ensuring that inmates had access to comprehensive health services.

Bauchi State Government has commenced the distribution of 198, 345 doses of malaria drugs and equipment to 222 health facilities to reduce the burden of malaria in the state.

The Executive Secretary, Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AID, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, (BACATMA), Dr Mansur Dada, on Thursday said this in Bauchi at the inauguration of exercise.

It’s that time of the year again when all efforts are geared towards stemming the tide of the deadly monster of viral hepatitis. A laudable initiative of the World Health Organisation, it is debateable if stakeholders across the globe are keying into the vision of the apex health institution, as many member countries are yet to reduce their burden.

One of those countries yet to significantly eliminate its load of the viral disease is Nigeria, which still emerged among the 11 countries with about 50% of the global weight of chronic hepatitis. Countries in this group are Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Uganda, and Viet Nam.

WHO says many hepatitis cases could be prevented if hospitals reduced the vast number of unnecessary injections that help spread the disease. The UN agency launched a broad campaign against unnecessary injections on the eve of World Hepatitis Day, which is celebrated every year on July 28.

“Every year, contaminated needles and transfusion equipment cause nearly 2 million infections with the virus that causes chronic liver disease, as well as nearly 34,000 HIV infections.

The National Association of Resident Doctors has expressed its frustration over the inability of the federal government to train and ensure the welfare of its members.

The National President of the association, John Onyebueze, who said this during the National Executive Council meeting held in Calabar on Wednesday, added that federal government’s insincerity has often forced resident doctors to express indifference toward patients’ conditions.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has said that there are no “killer” antimalarial medicines in circulation in the country.

NAFDAC‘s Acting Director-General, Dr. Yetunde Oni, at a press briefing in Lagos on Tuesday, also urged Nigerians not to panic over the news of banned anti-malarial drugs been sold in the country.