Frontpage News (3249)
In a bid to eradicate malaria in the country, the House of Representatives has directed its Committee on HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis, to investigate the efficacy of Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane (DDT) in the eradication of malaria.This is even as it expressed dismay that besides preventive and curative measures, Nigeria currently has no malaria-eradication policy or sustainable programme.
This is sequel to a motion on the Urgent need to Eradicate Malaria using Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane (DDT) moved by Hon Christopher Ngoro Agibe.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Federal Ministry of Health have commenced the process to strengthen community resilience against epidemics in country.
Director General of NEMA, Muhammad Sani Sidi, who disclosed this in Abuja when he received a delegation from the World Economic Forum, said the move has become imperative in view of discovery that epidemics and diseases are leading causes of deaths in Nigeria.
The Plateau Government has closed down 62 poultry farms and destroyed more than 190,000 birds affected by bird flu across the state, an official has confirmed. Dr Doris Bitrus, Director, Veterinary Services, in the state’s Ministry of Agriculture, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Jos that the disease had continued to spread.
Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State on Monday inaugurated the mass distribution of multi billion Naira anti malarial and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) drugs as well as Insecticidal Treated Nets. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the distribution ceremony was organised to mark the 2016 World Malaria Day with a theme: “End Malaria for Good:
The Time is Now”. Tambuwal said that part of the drugs were the N 3.1 billion assorted NTDs drugs donated to the state government by Sight Savers International.
National Health Act’s Implementation To Save 3m Mothers, Babies From Dying, Says NGO
Mwambu Wanendeya, the Executive Director, ONE Campaign, an NGO, has urged the Federal Government to commence the full implementation of the 2014 National Health Act by allocating 15 per cent of its budget to the health sector.
Wanendeya gave the advice when speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the sideline of the NGO’s health campaign titled, “Make Naija Stronger” on Tuesday in Lagos.
The state governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal while speaking on Monday, April 25, 2016 during events marking the World Malaria Day, said the drugs will be shared in Local Governments such as: Isa, Sabon Birni, Goronyo, Rabah, Bodinga, Binji, Tangaza, Kware, Silame, Wamakko, Illela and Gada.
Tambuwal said Nigeria alone accounts for over 40 percent of the estimated total malaria deaths globally, a situation that is not only alarming, but must be tackled for any meaningful development to occur.
A statement by Tambuwal's spokesman, Malam Imam Imam,said the Governor spoke Wednesday in Sokoto while addressing health stakeholders at the on-going 56th annual conference ofthe Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).
The statement said the projects will come on stream while government continues with its earlier plan establish cardiac and renal centers to ease the hardship of transporting patients for treatment to other countries.
The Federal Ministry of Health is planning to establish 10,000 functional primary health care centres across the country between now and 2018, said a senior officer in the ministry.
The Head of Health Financing and Equity at the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Francis Ukwuije, said the Federal Government would have completed the building of functional health centres in each ward across the country in two years’ time.
ON this year’s World Malaria Day, health professionals have called on Nigerians to always demand for malaria test from their physicians before treatment.
The experts who spoke at the market introduction of the Fyodor Urine Malaria Test, UMT, in Lagos warned that testing became necessary before treatment as all fevers are not malaria.
The preponderance of the dreaded Lassa Fever virus in Ebonyi State has led to the state government adopting new strategies to fight the outbreak and spread of the disease in the state.As part of measures to fight the spread of the deadly virus, the Ebonyi State government has embarked on the construction of modern virology laboratory worth N250 million.
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World's first clinical trial using a new form of stereo-tactic body radiotherapy
University Hospitals SeidmanCancer Center physicians have started the world's first clinical trial using a new form of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) to deliver radiation to a specific area of the prostate invaded with cancer - instead of the entire gland. 
A Nigerian scientist and Chief Executive Officer, Fydor Biotechnologies, Dr. Eddy Agbo, has inaugurated a technology that will improve the diagnosis of malaria in the country.
Agbo, who won the 2015 Health Innovation Challenge Award for designing the Urine Malaria Test kit, said the technology would reduce misdiagnosis and give a true picture of the burden of malaria in the country.
African Vaccination Week 2016: MSD joins campaign to strengthen immunization against deadly diseases
MSD, known as Merck & Co., Inc. in the United States and Canada, has added its voice to the World Health Organization (WHO) campaign to promote the use of vaccines against some of the world's deadliest diseases, and for countries to strengthen immunization services and systems.
World Immunization Week, a global awareness campaign launched by WHO in 2012 and commemorated in the last week of April, aims to promote the use of vaccines to help protect people of all ages against disease.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged Rivers Government to strengthen primary healthcare services in the state to ensure qualitative services.
WHO's Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr Rui Gama Vas, made the call in Port Harcourt when he visited Rivers Governor, Chief Nyeson Wike. He said that enlivening primary healthcare service centres across the state would ensure swift reaction to health emergencies.
