Lagos targets 1.4m children for deworming against Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis

 

By Sola Charles

The Lagos State Government has launched a free school-based mass deworming program in 10 endemic Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the State to combat soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH).

The initiative, held in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and the non-governmental group Evidence Action, intends to treat 1.4 million school-age children in Lagos State  at risk of contracting parasitic worm illnesses. The youngsters range in age from five to fourteen.

The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, spoke at the flag-off at CMS Primary School in Bariga. He explained that 10 local governments—Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Amuwo-Odofin, Apapa, Badagry, Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Ojo, and Shomolu—are among those where soil-transmitted helminthiasis is endemic.

The Lagos State Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Coordinator, Mrs. Modupe Dawodu, represented Abayomi, who announced that the exercise will take place over five days, from Tuesday, November 21, to Saturday, November 25, 2023.

Children, aged five and 14 years, in schools and communities in the 10 LGAs will be dewormed and treated for soil-transmitted helminthiasis using Mebendazole Tablets (500mg) during the exercise. 

“The Lagos State Ministry of Health is happy to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and Evidence Action to commence implementation of the school-based deworming exercise targeting children 5 to 14 years to treat soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) using Mebendazole; a medication used to treat infections caused by worms.

“This round of treatment will focus on 10 endemic LGAs – Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Amuwo-Odofin, Apapa, Badagry, Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Ojo and Shomolu reaching approximately over 1.4 million at-risk children in public and private primary and junior secondary schools and the communities with safe and free medicines received from the Federal Ministry of Health through the World Health Organization drug donation program to be administered at no cost to eligible children.”

Abayomi said school-based deworming is an important evidence-based strategy to treat children at risk of parasitic worm infections adding that teachers and community health workers have been trained to safely and effectively administer the medicines to the children. 

The Senior Program Manager, Maryann Edeh, on behalf of the Country Director of Evidence Action, Pharm Tope Ogunbi, stated that the deworming program implemented in schools is a practical and economical way to guarantee that the illnesses impeding children's academic development are addressed.

She pointed out that the widespread deworming effort is a reflection of the Lagos state government's commitment to achieving the first and third Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the government's top health priorities of reducing poverty, through the ministries of health, basic education, the State Universal Education Board (SUBEB), and Evidence Action.

The Country Director stated that Evidence Action is pleased to continue assisting governments in Nigeria and throughout the world, having provided over 1.8 billion deworming treatments so far. 

“Public school teachers and community health workers have been trained to safely and effectively administer this medicine to children, during the school days, and in communities with supervision and support of frontline health workers in the state”, She said.

She encouraged parents residing in the affected LGAs where the exercise is held to ensure that their children and wards within the target age bracket receive deworming treatment, noting that the treatment is free and effective.

17.6m children born into hunger in 2023, Save The Children predicts

By Sola Charles

Africa and Asia will account for 95% of all undernourished babies in 2023, even as 17.6 million children will be born into hunger, a 22% increase from a decade ago, predicts a new Save the Children International study. 

The organization urges world leaders to address the core causes of the severe food and nutrition crisis by ending global conflict, addressing climate change and inequality, and building more resilient health, nutrition, and social protection systems.

It calls for increased collaboration, investment across sectors, and leadership from local communities to strengthen response planning and execution while urging world leaders to expand low-cost programs to prevent and treat malnutrition, including community-based treatment for acute malnutrition, breastfeeding support, and investment in community and primary-level healthcare.

Save the Children International also calls for increased collaboration, engagement, and investment across sectors to prevent predictable shocks from becoming crises. Projections indicate that in 2023, an estimated 6.6 million children under the age of five will be undernourished in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Sifa, 33, living in a displacement camp in North Kivu, DRC, is struggling to feed her five children, including her youngest born just three months ago.

“I live in constant fear that I will lose another child. I keep thinking: “Will I ever see my children grow and will ever have enough food for them? I’m scared of waking up every day to find my baby gone,” Sifa said.

After losing three previous children to malaria, cholera, and armed groups, she fears she will lose another, this time to hunger.

“Since giving birth three months ago, I have been struggling to feed my infant. I know I should eat more but what little we have I give to my nine-year-old daughter.

“She already begs for food every day and sleeps hungry, so I try to give her something. I know its dangerous sending her out there, but we have no other option, she needs to eat.”

Afghanistan is bracing for the highest number of children born into hunger in Asia among countries with vast levels of undernutrition.

Marium, 10 months, is among the roughly 440,000 children estimated to be born into hunger in Afghanistan this year. At six months, Marium started getting diarrhoea and then was later diagnosed with pneumonia due to a weakened immune system.

Her mother, Zolaikha, 23, explained that the family cannot afford nutritious food to help keep her children healthy because of their limited income. Marium said: “Since the time we gave her water and homemade food, she started to get diarrhoea.

She became severely weak two months ago. She was extremely weak. “ She was crying all the time and was always in pain or discomfort and had a high fever. I used to cry with her. It was difficult to see my daughter in pain. I hope no one’s child ever gets sick.

 “My other child, Zohra, was also severely malnourished. She had frequent diarrhoea too and later caught pneumonia as well. It is all because of drinking unsafe water and not having enough nutritious food.”

The Regional Director for Advocacy, Campaigns, Communications and Media for Save the Children in West and Central Africa, Vishna Shah-Little, said: “More than 17 million newborns will this year enter a world where hunger will eat away at their childhood. Hunger will destroy their dreams, silence their play, disrupt their education, and threaten their lives.

“The future of these children is already compromised before they even take their first breath. We must protect their childhoods and futures before it’s too late.

“Hunger is not a lost cause. We have the power to significantly reduce the number of malnourished children right now, as we have in the past. However, if we do not tackle the root causes of hunger and malnutrition, we will continue to see the reversal of progress made for children. This is a global hunger crisis, and it requires a global solution,” Vishna Shah-Little noted.

 In the past, significant progress has been achieved toward reducing world hunger. According to the study, 21.5 million infants were born hungry in 2001, which is one-fifth higher than in 2023. However, growth began to slow dramatically in 2019, owing mostly to economic insecurity, conflicts, and a rising climate disaster.

The most recent country data on undernourishment were released prior to the intensification of conflict in the occupied Palestinian territory, where 2.3 million people in Gaza have struggled to eat owing to the continuous bombing.

Using the UN's birth rate in Gaza, Save the Children estimated that more than 66,000 kids will be born in Gaza this year, with more than 15,000 born between October 7 and the end of 2023. Without a ceasefire, babies' lives will hang in the balance from the moment they are born.

Aina, Anorlu, Tomori speak as NRHJN holds discourse on cervical cancer & HPV vaccination

Dr. Muyi Aina

By Sola Charles

In an effort to improve Nigerians' knowledge, education, and awareness, the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, or NPHCDA, along with leading Nigerian health experts, will discuss the introduction of the Human Papilloma Virus, or HPV, immunization program, and HPV vaccine in a public forum. 

Prof Oyewale Tomori

The Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria (NRHJN) in collaboration with Marie Stopes International of Nigeria (MSION) is organizing a discussion titled "Cervical Cancer and HPV Vaccination: Matters Arising" that is scheduled to take place on Zoom on Friday, November 10. 

Recall that Nigeria introduced the HPV vaccine into its regular immunization program in October with the goal of vaccinating 7.7 million girls between the ages of 9 and 14 with a single dose. 

At least 70% of cervical cancers are believed to be caused by HPV strains 16 and 18, which are prevented from infection by the incredibly effective vaccination. 

The purpose of the discussion, according to a statement signed by Elizabeth Carr, the national publicity secretary, and Sekinah Lawal, the national secretary of the NRHJN, is to combat the growing number of social media campaigns and activists opposing the ongoing national Federal Government HPV mass vaccination program.

"The interaction's main goal is to increase public awareness, education, and enlightenment by providing a readily available forum for relevant government health agencies, medical professionals, and other stakeholders to exchange ideas and clarify any confusion surrounding the HPV vaccination program and vaccine," the statement reads.

Prof Rose Anorlu

Dr. Muyi Aina, the Executive Director and CEO of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), will be the Special Guest leading the interactive discussion. Her topic of discussion will be "The Role of the NPHCDA in Mitigating the Challenges and Bottlenecks Around Vaccines and Mass Vaccination Programmes in Nigeria."

Prof. Rose Anorlu, Head of Oncology & Pathological Studies at Lagos University Teaching Hospital and Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, is scheduled to talk as the main guest on "Cervical Cancer: The Right Communication for Prevention."

Professor Oyewale Tomori, a well-known virologist, consultant for the World Health Organization (WHO), and former vice-chancellor of Redeemer's University will be the second guest speaker. His topic will be "Vaccine Apathy: What to do Differently."

All participants in the Network of Reproductive Health Journalists across the 10 active states of the Federation and Development Partners on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.

It is anticipated that all Nigerians who wish to learn more about vaccinations and certain malignancies, especially cervical cancer, will be present. 

It is anticipated that testimonies from families and cancer survivors will also be presented at the virtual event.

Cervical cancer is the second most prevalent cause of cancer-related deaths among women in Nigeria between the ages of 15 and 44, and it is also the third most common cancer overall. 

In Nigeria, Lagos NRHJN champions girls’ rights

 

International Day of the Girl 2023:

 By Sola Charles

 

In order to enable girls and women in Nigeria to reach their full potential both now and in the future, the Nigerian government has been given the mandate to give protection of their rights a high priority.

 Calls have been made for improved and sustained investment in the girl child in Nigeria towards the attainment of gender equality and girl empowerment in line with the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.

 The Lagos State Chapter of the Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria, NRHJN, made the statement on the occasion of this year's International Day of the Girl, stating that girls in Nigeria will only reach their full potential if they are given the opportunity and empowerment to live healthy and fulfilling lives.

 The Network gave the government the duty of achieving objectives that would lead to justice, inclusiveness, an economy that works for everyone now, and a shared environment for future generations in a statement signed by the Lagos State Coordinator, Kikelomo Oduyebo, and the Assistant Secretary, Yesirat Apakala.

 “Every October 11, we join the rest of the world to raise awareness about gender inequality and advocate for girls' rights and empowerment, while focusing on addressing the challenges girls and young women face and ensuring their human rights are fulfilled.

“We fully align with this year's theme as selected by UNICEF: ‘Invest in Girls' Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being’ which focuses on acting to curtail girls' rights and gain progress on gender equality and equity.

 “The NRHJN Lagos chapter emphasizes the rights of girls to a safe, uncompromised, and healthy life during their formative years and as they mature into womanhood. Girls have the potential to change the world as empowered women, workers, mothers, entrepreneurs, mentors, household heads, and political leaders, just to mention a few. We firmly believe that investment in realizing the power of adolescent girls upholds their rights and promises a more equitable and prosperous future.

 Calling for an unhindered achievement of gender equality and girl empowerment, the Network also advocated for an end to female genital mutilation. It forced child marriage arguing that schoolgirls must have access to quality education and a safe environment free of harassment, kidnapping, bullying, and defilement.

 “Our girls are our heroines, and the Lagos NRHJN will continue to encourage mothers to nurture their girl child in order to break down traditional, cultural, and religious stereotypes and barriers that have prevented girls from achieving their goals, as we encourage more girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

 “We will continue to support the government, schools, families, and other stakeholders in empowering the Nigerian girl by providing adequate and equitable educational and instructional resources that would lead to the eradication of all forms of sexual and gender-based violence against girls and women in the country.

 “Girls, and boys too, should be given equal opportunities to thrive in the family, schools, and society at large for a realistically inclusive society. There should be no compromise.”

Nearly 40 million children are dangerously susceptible to growing measles threat

Measles vaccination coverage has steadily declined. In 2021, nearly 40 million children missed a measles vaccine dose; 25 million children missed their first dose and an additional 14.7 million children missed their second dose, according to a joint publication by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

This decline is a significant setback in global progress toward achieving and maintaining measles elimination and leaves millions of children susceptible to infection.

In 2021, there were an estimated 9 million cases and 128 000 deaths from measles worldwide. No less than 22 countries experienced large and disruptive outbreaks. 

Declines in vaccine coverage weakened measles surveillance and continued interruptions and delays in immunization activities due to COVID-19, as well as persistent large outbreaks in 2022, mean that measles is an imminent threat in every region of the world. 

In the views of the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, “The paradox of the pandemic is that while vaccines against COVID-19 were developed in record time and deployed in the largest vaccination campaign in history, routine immunization programmes were badly disrupted, and millions of kids missed out on life-saving vaccinations against deadly diseases like measles.

“Getting immunization programmes back on track is absolutely critical. Behind every statistic in this report is a child at risk of a preventable disease.”

The situation is grave: measles is one of the most contagious human viruses but is almost entirely preventable through vaccination. 

Coverage of 95 percent or greater of 2 doses of measles-containing vaccine is needed to create herd immunity in order to protect communities and achieve and maintain measles elimination.

 The world is well under that, with only 81 percent of children receiving their first measles-containing vaccine dose, and only 71 percent of children receiving their second measles-containing vaccine dose. These are the lowest global coverage rates of the first dose of measles vaccination since 2008, although the coverage varies by country.

The WHO notes that urgent global action is needed now that measles is a threat everywhere, as the virus can quickly spread to multiple communities and across international borders. 

No WHO region has achieved and sustained measles elimination. Since 2016, 10 countries that had previously eliminated measles experienced outbreaks and reestablished transmission.

In the views of CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, “The record number of children under-immunized and susceptible to measles shows the profound damage immunization systems have sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Measles outbreaks illustrate weaknesses in immunization programmes, but public health officials can use outbreak response to identify communities at risk, understand causes of under-vaccination, and help deliver locally tailored solutions to ensure vaccinations are available to all.”  

In 2021, nearly 61 million measles vaccine doses were postponed or missed due to COVID-19-related delays in immunization campaigns in 18 countries. 

Delays increase the risk of measles outbreaks, so the time for public health officials to accelerate vaccination efforts and strengthen surveillance is now. CDC and WHO urge coordinated and collaborative action from all partners at global, regional, national, and local levels to prioritize efforts to find and immunize all unprotected children, including those who were missed during the last two years.

Measles outbreaks illustrate weaknesses in immunization programs and other essential health services. To mitigate the risk of outbreaks, countries and global stakeholders must invest in robust surveillance systems. 

Under the Immunization Agenda 2030 global immunization strategy, global immunization partners remain committed to supporting investments in strengthening surveillance as a means to detect outbreaks quickly, respond with urgency, and immunize all children who are not yet protected from vaccine-preventable diseases. 

Scientists create male and female cells from one individual

By Sola Charles

Scientists have devised a tool that could generate XX and XY cells from a single person for the first time. This unique set of cells could help researchers tackle long-standing questions about how sex chromosomes affect disease and the role they play in early development.

Benjamin Reubinoff, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Hadassah Medical Centre in Israel, and his team began the project to overcome barriers facing investigations of sex differences in humans. 

Currently, there are two major ones, according to Reubinoff: the difficulty of separating chromosomal and hormonal effects and the inability to pinpoint the effects of X and Y chromosomes while ruling out contributions from the rest of a person’s genetic makeup. 

“The main reason for doing this study was the lack of a good model to study differences between males and females in humans. There have been animal models, but a model in humans was not available.”

To create such a model, Reubinoff, and Ithai Waldhorn and their colleagues first obtained white blood cells previously collected from a person with Klinefelter syndrome, a condition in which male individuals are born with an extra X chromosome. 

The cells came from the repositories of the Coriell Institute for Medical Research, where people donate samples for use in a wide range of biomedical research projects. 

The donor had a rare “mosaic” form of the condition, in which some of their cells had three sex chromosomes (XXY), some had two X chromosomes, and some had one X and one Y. The researchers reprogrammed all three cell types into induced pluripotent stem cells, which have the capacity to self-renew and develop into neurons, muscle cells or other cell types.

Ultimately the team generated XX and XY cells that—apart from their sex chromosomes—were genetically identical. The researchers then conducted a series of experiments replicating findings from prior studies with other models. They confirmed previously reported differences in genes that were turned on in XX or XY cells. 

They also coaxed their stem cells to develop into immature versions of neurons and found evidence of previously reported sex differences in early neural development. “It was reassuring to see that the model really shows differences between the sexes that were reported from other systems,” Reubinoff says. The story is published in Stem Cell Reports.

Bolanle Raheem: Women Ministry says killing is crime against humanity, as NRHJN seeks psychological tests for policemen

The late Mrs Omobolanle Raheem

By Sola Charles

The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs has described the killing of Lagos lawyer Mrs. Omobolanle Raheem, by a trigger-happy policeman in Lagos as a crime against humanity, even as the Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria, NRHJN, has called for mandatory psychological tests for all policemen in Nigeria to determine their state of mental health.

In a statement condemning the killing, the Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline K. Tallen, said all Nigerian women were demanding justice as a crime against one woman is a crime against all women.

Dame Pauline Tallen

Her words: “It is still unbelievable that a Police Officer who is supposed to be protecting lives has turned out to be a murderer.  How do we explain how an ASP attached to Ajiwe Police Station, Ajah, Lagos State pull a trigger at a vehicle with women and children resulting in the death of a female Lawyer Mrs. Omobolanle Raheem, on Christmas Day?

“As the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, we are still in shock and strongly condemn this dastardly act. We view it as a crime against humanity in all its ramifications. Nigerian women demand justice as a crime against one woman is a crime against all.”

 Tallen noted that although, the ministry was glad that the Inspector General of Police has condemned the unfortunate incident. Women were demanding stiffer penalties as a deterrent measure to forestall any such occurrence in the future. 

“While we are monitoring with keen interest the next line of action, we sympathize with the family of our sister at this time. This is indeed a great loss not only to her family and the legal profession but Nigerian women.”

 

NRHJN seeks psychological tests for policemen

In a related development, the Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria, NRHJN, had called for mandatory psychological testing for all members of the Nigeria Police.

 In a statement, Mrs. Yinka Shokunbi and Mrs. Sekinal Lawal, President and National Secretary of the Network respectively, observed that even though the IGP has waded into the incident and ordered the speedy trial of all the men found culpable in the killing, it will be expedient that the Police conduct regular and periodic psychological checks within its rank and file.

Mrs Yinka Shokunbi

According to the Network, psychological testing of the police had become crucial as it is essential in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions and disorders.

 “It is disheartening and very unwarranted the gruesome killing of innocent lawyer and mother of one, Mrs. Bolanle Raheem by a policeman at Ajah, Lagos State on Christmas Day, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022. The death of Bolanle Raheem from a gunshot wound according to a news report is the second by the policemen from this same Ajiwe Police station, Ajah, Lagos within a month.

 “While the hierarchy of the Police has made arrests and sent the trigger-happy policemen behind the bars awaiting trial, members of the Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria demand that the Nigeria Police Force does more than send such evil men behind the bars. Members of the Network cannot understand why a policeman would pull the trigger if mentally stable and balanced.”

Mrs Sekinat Lawal

 According to the Network, “The incessant killings of innocent men and women and youths by the disbanded SARS was what was responsible for the 2020 anti-SARS protest in the country in which several young people were killed and the nation is yet to heal from the aftermath that is seeing thousands of young people fleeing the country in the "Japa" syndrome. 

 “The country is now counting its numerous losses following the mass exodus of young professionals due to hardship and unwarranted killings by the policemen. The killing of a pregnant woman in the presence of her family on a day of joy is heartless, inhuman, unjust, and dastardly to say the least.

 “We demand that the IGP ordered for a thorough investigation of the Ajiwe Police station and the claims that the station is notorious and find a way to include regular medical checkups including psychological checks on all members of the police who interface with the public. Enough is enough before another ‘#ENDSARS’ happens!”

 The late Bolanle Raheem was shot dead on Christmas day around Ajah under a bridge in Lagos when a policeman among those who mounted roadblocks at the spot reportedly opened fire on the vehicle conveying the deceased and her family as they were returning from Church, killing Bolanle who was said to be pregnant at the time. Rather than save the life of the woman after the shooting, the policemen reportedly took to their heels