Buhari urges West, Central Africa to mobilise youth for agric development

Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, has urged West and Central African countries to mobilise youth for agric development to generate employment, food production and wealth creation.

Buhari, who made the call in Abuja, at the opening of the 9th regional implementation forum for International Fund Agricultural Development, IFAD, supported projects in West and Central Africa, said population rise in Africa could only be sustained by young people in the sector.

Buhari who was represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, said measures to curb rural-urban migration and rural development have to be on mobilising and engaging young people in the agric sector by providing the needed technology and provision of basic infrastructure in the rural areas.

 Ogbeh said a study undertaken by the Brooklyn Institution in 2012 underscored that at the continental level, Africa’s estimated population of 1.2 billion would double by 2050, with the attendant fact that about 70 percent of the population would be constituted by those within the age bracket of 30 years or less.

“Arising from this development is that the youth issues need to be addressed in both the rural and urban sectors to enable us avoid future problems. One of the ways to address this urgent concern is to accord priority attention to the transformation of agricultural production in the rural areas, with the youth population as agent of change and transformation, “ he stated.

During the forum, themed: ”Investing in Rural Youth, How do we Plant Seeds for the Future?”, IFAD President, Kanayo Nwanze, in his keynote said governments of West and Central Africa should heavily invest focus on young farmers to curb the unprecedented rise of youth restiveness and social vices.

Lamenting that over the past three decades, agricultural productivity has stagnated or declined, he said the development was not good for the continent or for young women and men and women.

“It is time to reverse decades of neglect of African agriculture. It must be reversed because when you abandon agriculture you abandon your nation’s ability to feed itself.”

Nwanze said  to meet  demand, young people need to be the farmers and food processors of tomorrow, not just to feed themselves and their villages, but to grow the food to feed African cities.

“But without investment in infrastructure, in economic activities and employment opportunities, there is an equally big risk that Africa’s demographic dividend will be squandered.

“If we want young people to stay and work in rural areas, there needs to be considerable investment in infrastructure. These include investment in processing plants, electricity, warehouses, roads and ports,” Nwanze stated.

TB: Nigeria ranks among countries with highest burden

On this year’s World Tuberculosis Day, the World Health Organisation ranks Nigeria one of the countries with the highest burden of Tuberculosis even as  TB deaths dropped 47 percent between 1990 and 2015. 

Tuberculosis is still a major public health problem in Nigeria, with the country ranking high among the high TB burden countries which collectively bear 80% of the global burden of TB that infects about half a million Nigerians every year, and kills 170,000. 

The number of TB cases notified in the country has increased over the last decade although more than 500,000 TB cases have been successfully treated free of charge over the same period and the burden in Nigeria is further compounded by the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic and the emergence of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).

The Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, disbursed a total of US$165,108,596 to TB control and prevention in Nigeria that recorded a total of 310,000 smear positive TB cases in 2015. 

In a statement to mark the World Tuberculosis Day, themed "Unite To End TB", the WHO calls on countries and partners to unite to end the scourge of TB as a target  in the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

The world health body notes that although there has been significant progress in the fight against TB, with 43 million lives saved since 2000, the battle is only half-won as over 4000 people lose their lives each day to TB.

Regretting that many communities most burdened by tuberculosis are the poor, vulnerable and marginalized, WHO says ending TB will only be achieved with greater collaboration within and across governments, and with partners from civil society, communities, researchers, the private sector and development agencies.

Further, WHO says there still formidable challenges despite the advances, adding that, fragile health systems, human resource and financial constraints, and the serious co-epidemics with HIV, diabetes, and tobacco use are still threatening the eradication processes.

“Multi-drug resistant TB, MDR-TB, is another critical challenge. Urgent and effective action to address antimicrobial resistance is key to ending TB by 2030. So are increased investments, as the global tuberculosis response remains underfunded for both implementation and research.”

According to WHO, in 2014, 9.6 million people fell ill with TB and 1.5 million died from the disease, including 380 000 among people living with HIV.

Lucica Ditiu, Executive Director for the Stop TB Partnership, said there are new strategies and a global commitment to end TB.

Ditiu says if the world really wants to end TB, “we need a paradigm shift, a change in the way we fight TB at every level, in every community, in every health facility, in every country. 

"This means changing the way we think of TB, adjusting our packages, policies and guidelines and putting people at the centre of our interventions, so we reach all the people that need them.”

Ban Ki-moon presented with Delivering for Girls and Women Award

UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, has received the first-ever ‘Delivering for Girls and Women’ award on occasion of the Commission on the Status of Women's annual meeting and during an Every Woman Every Child event at U.N. headquarters.

Women Deliver is a leading global advocacy organization for the health, rights, and wellbeing of girls and women.  The Women Deliver award was created to recognize true visionaries for game-changing efforts that move the needle forward for girls and women, and to initiatives, like Every Woman Every Child, that will lead to significant progress in the future.   

"While I am honored to receive this award, the true champions are fighting on the frontlines for health rights everyday. This recognition is a testament to their dedication and to the hundreds of Every Woman Every Child partners who are united around a common vision to ensure the survival, health, and well-being of women, children, and adolescents in every setting," Ban Ki-moon said.
Katja Iversen, CEO of Women Deliver stated: “The UN Secretary-General has helped propel gender equality and girls’ and women’s health, rights and wellbeing to the forefront of the global agenda and into the SDGs. His commitment to the new global health strategy and to the health and rights of every women, every child and every adolescent everywhere has been outstanding".
The UN Secretary-General is been a champion for the health, rights, and wellbeing of millions of people around the world. He created Every Woman Every Child in 2010 to galvanize attention and support at the highest levels to end preventable deaths for women and children.  

For the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), an updated Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016-2030) underpins the movement and provides a roadmap for ending preventable deaths of women, children and adolescents and helps them achieve their potential for health and well-being in all settings. 

By working together, Every Woman Every Child partners have already saved the lives of millions of women and children and, by advancing the Global Strategy, will continue to support them to achieve their full potential. 
Over 40 countries and over 120 multi-stakeholder partners have already made commitments to the Global Strategy, totaling over $25 billion. At the event the UN Secretary-General called all stakeholders to make a new commitment to Every Woman Every Child or renew an existing one, to be announced at three opportunities this May: at the Fourth Global Women Deliver Conference in Copenhagen; at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul; and at the World Health Assembly in Geneva.

The Delivering for Girls and Women Award is given to visionaries advocating on progress for girls and women.  It is given to and honoring a special individual or a group who has not only has accomplished great things in the past but also has set in motion systems and started initiatives that will lead to real, tangible, magnificent, incredible progress for girls and women.
Ban Ki-moon during the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Summit in September 2010, launched Every Woman Every Child -  an unprecedented global movement that mobilizes and intensifies international and national action by governments, multilaterals, the private sector and civil society to address the major health challenges facing women and children around the world. 

Every Woman Every Child is the fastest growing public health partnership in history. Since its beginning in 2010,  partners have contributed to saving the lives of millions of women and children and supported them to achieve their full potential. 

The three objectives of Every Woman Every Child’s Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health—Survive (end preventable deaths), Thrive (ensure health and well-being) and Transform (expand enabling environments)—are fully aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with 17 targets spanning nine SDG goals. 

Nigeria partners Siemens, Biostadt on health matters

Towards the revitalistion of the nation's health sector, the Federal Government of Nigeria has finalised a business partnership between Biostadt Company and  Siemens Healthcare. 

At the launch in Abuja last week, the Nigerian Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole said that the administration of President Mohammadu Buhari is striving to revive the nation's Primary Healthcare Centres across the country.

Adewole called on private healthcare services provider to support the health agenda of the present administration aimed at providing qualitative healthcare service to all Nigerians.

“Our focus is at primary healthcare  level, we want to reinstate at least 10, 000 primary healthcare facilities across the country ensuring that over 100 million Nigerians gain access to basic essential services”.

The Minister challenged the private healthcare organization to work towards realizing the dream of the present administration in the health sector.

“My challenge to you is this: what role will you play in supporting this grand agenda?, what strategies will you bring to the table? What innovation can partnership such as this bring to bear on behalf of those who need it most while generating enough revenue to ensure financial sustainability?”

He congratulated Seimens and Biostadt for the launch the business partnership and wish them successful corporation.

NCH wants Sultan to lead campaign against Maternal, Child deaths

Sultan Of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Saad III

Nigeria’s highest health body, the National Council on Health, NCH, wants the Sultan of Sokoto,  Ahaji Saad Abubakar III to lead campaign against maternal and child death during pregnancy and delivery.

Minister of Health and NCH Chairman, Prof Isaac Adewole, who made the plea while leading the 36 State Commissioners of Health on a visit to the Sultan during the 58^th Council Meeting said the implementation of Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria was non-negotiable.

Universal Health Coverage would ensure that every Nigerian irrespective of where she or he

Minister For Health, Professor Isaac Adewole

lives would access health without financial jeopardy.

 “One thing clear to us is your intervention in every health matters would produce dividend, we want to use your name, your office and your personality to drive our efforts to reduce maternal and new born death in Nigeria as you did on polio.”

“What we want is a situation where our women would survived when they carry babies in their wombs and also that the children they deliver should survive, no woman should die just because she wants to give birth and we believed that your words, your leadership in this initiative would help to convince people that a pregnant woman needs care in the hospital”,  Adewole said.

Further, the Minister remarked: “This is our humble request and we are sure that when you agree to take up the leadership we would be able to reduce maternal mortality in Nigeria which is close to what we have in war torn countries, like Afghanistan, Liberia, Sierra Leone.

“We do not deserve to be in this category, this is our humble request to your Eminence and we believe that you would grant our request, we believe that through you we would make a huge difference in this effort."

In his response, the Sultan called on the nation's leaders to provide affordable healthcare services to the people.  

“We want to have a hospital where I will be treated and discharge free, we want a clinic where a pregnant woman would go and when she comes out she is much better than when she went in”.

“ I have accepted the request of the Hon. Minister, it is our responsibility to work for our people  whatever we can do we must do it right,  always reach us on any programme you believed that traditional institutions would play their role, we are willing to do so”.

The Sultan also said: “Men must allow their wives to go to hospital if they really want them to be what they are, unless you are tired with your wife and even if you are tired, there are better ways to relief her, don’t kill your wife by refusing to allow her to go to hospital when she is pregnant “he warned.

He assured that maternal and child health would be part of the agenda during next Northern Traditional Council Committee on Primary Healthcare meeting.

“We would put it in the agenda, how to embark on sensitization across the villages on allowing our wives, sisters, mothers to go the hospitals when they are pregnant. We have done that on polio and we have succeeded, we are going to place it on our board nowthe fight against maternal and child mortality in Nigeria”.

The Sultan urged government at all levels to provide free antenatal care to attract the pregnant women to the hospital.

17 injured as LT bus, BRT collide in Lagos

NO less than 27 commuters escaped death when a loaded VW  LT35 commercial bus in which they were being conveyed, collided with a  Lagos State Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, at Costain roundabout in Lagos on Friday, March 11.
Eleven of the victims of the road traffic accident which occurred at Costain roundabout, were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Ebute Metta, while six others were taken to the General Hospital on Lagos Island.
Vanguard gathered that the LT bus with registration No. KTY 963 XQ, had a brake failure, and in the process, crashed into the rear end of the BRT, with registration No. KTU 235 XK, causing all the passengers to sustain varying degrees of injury.
One of the accident victims who spoke said the bus was travelling from Okoko to Lagos. He said the driver was on top speed and that several warnings to get him to drive at a reasonable speed failed.
The whereabouts of the driver and conductor of the LT bus could not be ascertained, but it was gathered that the driver of the BRT bus with registration No. KTU 235 XK, escaped with the bus from the scene of the accident but was later apprehended by the Police and is being detained at Iponri Police Station.
Medical Director, FMC, Dr. Yewande Jinadu confirmed the incident. “The bus ran into the BRT. Many of the passengers have facial blunt injuries. We have mobilised 15 doctors and 26 nurses in the emergency. We discharged three of the patients after managing them. Five are currently being managed, three of which are in very critical condition.
“The three critical cases have fractures and facial blunt injuries and are being stabilised. Others have fractures. We are coping but the facial blunt injuries will be referred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, or the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital. LASUTH. But we must stabilize them before referral.”
Urging commuters to always carry an ID card which lists a Next- of- Kin or family contact, Jinadu further explained: “We experience situations like this 2-3 times in a week, arising from road traffic accidents, building collapse, fire, burglaries or robberies. Normally we have three doctors and four nurses in the A&E. There are two consultant traumatologists on ground and a blood bank that can cope.
Also speaking, a consultant Family Physician and Head of the Accident & Emergency Unit at the FMC, Dr Usman Olagoke, said two of the passengers were in critical condition.
"It’s a mass casualty. There is more of facial injuries that will need maxillofacial surgury, the challenge was to get the airway to enable the patients breath freely. We also needed to reduce the amount of blood loss. The definitive plastic surgery will come later.
“Most of them are stable but we are still battling with two that are critically injured. Our dentists and ENT surgeons are working on them and we have been able to verify their identities.”
The hospital’s spokesperson, Mr Harrison Etim said all non-emergency services in the hospital had to be suspended so as to engage all the orthopaedic and general surgeons and other sub-specialities on duty to attend to the casualties.
The Police was very proactive and cooperative and were instrumental in mobilising people to bring out the victims from the wreckage.
"We attended to the passengers immediately they were brought in. There was no demand for Police report or payment. We appeal to commercial bus drivers to drive carefully and  passengers to caution drivers who drive recklessly,” he stressed.
.

Lagos turns out enmasse for Endo Walk 2016

IT was a star-studded list of Nigerians  that braved the early-morning downpour on Saturday March 5, 2016, to  participate in the annual Endo Walk, aimed at breaking the silence around Endometrioisis - a silent but growing health condition that predisposes women of reproductive age to ill health, infertility and severe periodic pains.
The 5-kilometre walk, organised by Endometriosis Support Group of Nigeria, ESGN, (an initiative of Nordica Fertility Centre, Lagos), in collaboration with Diamond Woman (a female-friendly initiative of Diamond Bank Plc.),  was to raise awareness about endometriosis and to keep women on the alert.
Endometriosis affects an estimated 170 million women worldwide and occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the womb is found elsewhere – most commonly on the ovaries, in the recto-vaginal septum, bladder and bowel.
The tissue bleeds every month, and can cause severe and chronic pain.
Among the notable participants were former Miss Nigeria, Ms. Nike Oshinowo; the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, MBGN 2015, Unoaku Ayandike; Anne Idibia-Macaulay; an International Model, Millen Magese; Executive Director, Mirabele Centre, Mrs Itoro Eze-Anaba; Ace Comedian, Ali Baba and a host of Nollywood stars.
Medical Director, Nordica Lagos, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi said Endometriosis is lifelong  and women need to know how to manage it so that they can have quality life and enjoy their marriages.
“It is a chronic disease where tissues that are normally found lining the womb (uterus) are found elsewhere in the body forming lesions.
During menstrual flow, these lesions bleed in their locations leading to pain. The most common symptoms include chronic pelvic pain, painful bowel movement, menstrual pain and sometimes some degree of infertility.”
Spokesperson for Diamond Bank,  Ayona Trimnell, said Diamond Woman, is an initiative that caters for the complete woman, is very passionate about the education and awareness level of the woman especially in dealing with health conditions like Endometriosis.