Day: September 26, 2024

The United States Institute of Peace (USIP), has emphasised the vital role of mental healthcare in fostering resilient and peaceful societies.

Dr Chris Kwaja, USIP’s Country Director, made the emphasis in Abuja, at the National Dialogue on Integrating Mental Health and Psycho-social Support into Peace building.

The dialogue was organised by the African Centre of USIP in partnership with the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Kaduna (FNPH).

Kwaja said addressing psychological and social needs was essential for building sustainable peace, particularly in communities affected by insurgency.

He stressed that mental health was not solely an individual concern but a community issue impacting overall stability and peace.

‘Effective mental healthcare and psycho-social support are necessary for promoting social cohesion, non-violent conflict resolution, and peace building.’

Dr Aishatu Armiya’u, Medical Director of FNPH, highlighted Nigeria’s prolonged struggles with violence, conflicts, and humanitarian crises.

She urged the government to prioritise citizens’ emotional and psychological wellbeing to ensure resilience, social cohesion, and sustainable peace.

Dr Tunji Alausa, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, pledged support for integrating mental health into peace building, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s renewed hope agenda.

Mr Alex Egbona, Chairman of the Committee on Specialty Healthcare, House of Representatives, advocated for declaring a state of emergency on mental health, citing its epidemic proportions in Nigeria.

Egbona, represented by Mr Tordue Nyitse, Clerk of the committee, urged stakeholders to address mental health issues and close policy gaps in the Mental Health Act.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

In the quiet corners of African villages, women carry a hidden pain. While many are celebrated for bringing life into the world, those who are unable to conceive are often left in the shadows.

For women like Mrs Chollom Pam, infertility is not just a medical condition; it is a societal verdict that comes with emotional trauma, isolation and rejection.

‘Every day, I was reminded of my failure as a woman. Friends who once supported will gradually pulled out; even within my marriage, the tension is constant,’ says visibly emotional Pam.

In West Africa, where motherhood is often equated with womanhood, infertility is a silent epidemic that leaves many women grappling with feelings of inadequacy and social rejection.

In Mali, Mrs. Fatouma Amadou faced years of ostracisation by her in-laws after multiple failed attempts to bear children.

‘They see me as less of a person, as if my worth is tied to my ability to have children,” Amadou groaned.

Her husband, Mr Oumar Amadou, said, ‘The pressure isn’t just on my
wife. As a man, I also feel the weight of society’s expectations”.

This pressure extends beyond individual families. Across West Africa, cultural beliefs deeply rooted in gender stereotypes that often place the blame for infertility solely on women, in spite of research showing that male infertility accounts for nearly 50 per cent of cases.

‘Infertility is often viewed as a curse or punishment from the gods,” explained sociologist, Mr Seydou Traoré of Mali.

Traoré said that this perception drives many women, especially in rural areas, to seek spiritual solutions rather than medical care.

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For Mrs Sophia Ampadu, a 40-year old woman from Eastern Region, Ghana, the journey to acceptance and healing was long and arduous.

Ampadu said that after years of struggling with infertility, she finally sought medical help.

‘In spite of financial challenges, she and her husband were able to undergo vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment.

‘Unfortuna
tely, the first IVF cycle was unsuccessful. The disappointment was crushing, but I refused to give up. With the support of my husband and a supportive community, I persevered and underwent a second IVF cycle,” she narrated.

To her immense joy, the second IVF cycle was successful. She became pregnant and gave birth to a healthy baby girl.

She said that the experience transformed her life, filling her with a sense of purpose and fulfillment.

Her story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

In spite of immense challenges, she was able to overcome infertility stigma, navigate the complexities of healthcare, and ultimately achieve her dream of becoming a mother.

Traditional healers, such as Chief Ogundele Adeoye, a Nigerian, continued to play a significant role in treating fertility issues.

Adeoye said that while they offer centuries-old herbal remedies, their presence perpetuates the belief that infertility is solely a woman’s issue.

‘Many couples come to us when modern medicine fails. But
we cannot ignore the wisdom passed down by our ancestors,” he said.

This reliance on traditional methods, while part of the cultural fabric, often delays proper medical interventions.

As a result, many women suffer in silence, facing social isolation and even physical violence while access to modern fertility treatments is limited, observers note.

Dr Adanna Eze, a fertility specialist in Nigeria, highlighted the stark disparities, saying: ‘While IVF is available in some urban centres, the cost is prohibitive for most people.

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‘In rural areas, access to even basic fertility care is virtually non-existent”.

Eze said that this gap is particularly troubling given that untreated infectious diseases, such as Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), account for up to 85 per cent of infertility cases in Africa.

‘Without proper healthcare infrastructure, many women are left untreated, further deepening the crisis”, she said.

According
to a 2020 meta-analysis, infertility affects 49.91 per cent of couples in Africa, with West Africa contributing 41.57 per cent of this figure.

In spite of these staggering numbers, infertility remains a taboo subject, shrouded in stigma and shame.

Fortunately, efforts to address this issue are gaining momentum.

The Merck Foundation’s ‘More Than a Mother” campaign is one of the leading initiatives aimed at empowering infertile women.

Through education, awareness, and access to healthcare, the programme challenges the stigma around infertility.

‘Our goal is to provide training for fertility specialists and embryologists across Africa, the efforts go beyond medical solutions, we must shift societal perceptions; this is not just a woman’s problem.

‘The twin campaign, More Than a Father, aims to raise awareness about male infertility, emphasising the shared responsibility between men and women in the journey to parenthood,” said Dr Rasha Kelej, the Chief Executive officer of the Merck Foundation.

Sen. Ipa
libo Banigo, Chair of the Senate Committee on Health, is pushing for a bill to improve reproductive healthcare access for all women, especially those dealing with infertility.

‘Infertility is a silent epidemic in our communities. We must make reproductive healthcare more accessible, particularly for low-income families,” Banigo explained.

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Yet, barriers remain. Funding shortages, lack of trained healthcare professionals, and deep-rooted cultural beliefs continue to hinder progress, according to observers.

But while the journey is long, hope remains. Advocacy groups such as the African Infertility Support Network, says it is providing counselling and legal support to affected women.

‘Infertility is not just a medical issue; it is a societal one,” says Ms. Maryam Ogebe, an advocacy officer.

‘We are working to include men in the conversation and educate communities about the true causes of infertility,” Ogebe said.

Fertility experts like Dr Ibrahim D
anladi, a reproductive health researcher, called for a cultural shift in how infertility is perceived.

‘Our healthcare systems must prioritise both male and female infertility. Policy changes are essential to ensure that fertility treatments are accessible to everyone,” Danladi said.

Experts note further that infertility in West Africa is more than a medical condition; it is a deeply ingrained cultural challenge.

They note that for women like Mrs Pam and Mrs Amadou, it brings a painful collision between personal hopes and societal expectations.

But with growing advocacy, medical interventions, and societal awareness, there is hope for change

Tackling this issue requires a holistic approach; improving healthcare access, reducing stigma, and implementing policies that support all couples.

Only then can West Africa begin to heal the silent wounds left by infertility, they observe.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Mr Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), says the FCT Administration is fixing Apo to Karshi road to reduce the sufferings of the people along the corridor.

Wike stated this in Abuja, after he inspected the ongoing 13-kilometre road project, awarded since 2011.

He said that the FCT Administration had paid more than 86 per cent of the contract sum leaving a balance of N3 billion.

The minister explained that a lot had happened since the award of the contract, ‘but it wasn’t good at all; we have no choice but to see that the poor do not suffer.’

He said that the FCT Administration was doing all it could to deliver the project so that people would not accuse the administration of playing politics.

‘It is a project that is very dear to us. We know the importance of this road.

‘So many people are eager to see that this project is completed on time, so that it will ease a lot of traffic and boost economic activities in the area,’ he said.

Wike said that the project was earlier expecte
d to be delivered within six to seven months, if the contractor was mobilised to site.

He explained that the contractor could not move to site because of procurement processes, adding, however, that the issue had been resolved and the contractor had been mobilised.

He said that the contractor has reviewed the delivery date to April 2025 but expressed doubt on the possibility due to certain unidentified concerns.

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‘I still have my doubt; I will not lie to you. But let’s give them the benefit of doubt, if they put in more effort.

‘If I come here again and I see that they have improved on what we have seen today, I will tell the Treasury Department to release the funds to them.

‘For now, let’s watch them, but we are very serious about this project,’ the minister said.

On whether he would consider revoking the contract, Wike said: ‘So many people don’t understand that when you cancel a project, there are a lot of implications.

‘There are financial
implications, legal implications, so many things.

‘What we are saying is that we will continue to encourage the contractor to see that the project is finished on time because we will not have any problem on our own part.

‘That is why from time to time, I will come here to see that this project is completed on time.’

The minister also said that the rehabilitation of the Karshi to Nyanya road would be completed in eight months.

He explained that the President Bola Tinubu had directed emergency rehabilitation following the bad state of the 18-kilometre road.

‘What attracted me to that road, if you remember, when we came to this Karshi to Apo road in July, we took that road and I saw how bad the road was.

‘I wrote to President Tinubu, and he approved the immediate rehabilitation of that road, to be fitted with streetlights and the contractor has given us eight months to complete the project.

See also Pegi residents decry deplorable roads, seek government’s intervention

‘The road is important because there
are so many government offices along it,’ he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), Lagos State chapter, has championed the move for the attainment of food security in the country at its annual conference.

The association at its 2024 annual Conference and Exhibition with the theme: ‘Poultry Association of Nigeria Lagos (PANLAG) on the Pathway to Food Security and Sustainability’, called for the attainment of food security via the poultry sector.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference held on Wednesday in Lagos was organised to close the economic hardship gap in the sector by boosting productivity capacity of local poultry farmers.

In his welcome address, the PAN Lagos State Chairman, Mr Mojeed Iyiola, reiterated the resolve of the association to address the challenges facing the sector.

‘Nigeria is a significant gateway to West Africa’s food market, most especially protein production, in which the poultry sector is one of the major sources.

‘However, the sector is experiencing retrogressive trends in production with farms
shutting down on a daily basis.

‘This is a wake up call for us all to creatively and relentlessly work together towards a common goal of ensuring adequate food security and its sustainability in Lagos State and our dear country Nigeria.

‘We at PANLAG, resolve that the factors of erratic climate change, environmental degradation and insecurity impending on food security and its sustainability should be critically addressed,’ he said.

He stressed the need for lasting solutions to ensure adequate food production and sustainability in Nigeria.

‘It is our expectation that the conference provides a platform for policy makers and stakeholders to share knowledge, showcase innovations and collaborate on strategies that will promote food security,’ Iyiola said.

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On his part, the guest speaker and Vice Chancellor Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Prof. Olushola Kehinde, represented by Prof. Olajide Sogunle, stressed the need for diversification to div
ersify to rearing other species.

Kehinde said that poultry farmers should diversify aside growers and layers for increased productivity and profitability.

‘The poultry industry dates back to 8,000 years, however, many local farmers are only into raising broilers and layers, let us diversify into other poultry species.

‘We have ducks, guinea fowls and turkeys and so many other poultry species that most countries rear to boost profit.

‘But in Nigeria, our focus has always been layers and growers.

‘Let us diversify and then I believe, with the training we are having today, we will be better for it.

‘I must say that with this training and workshop organised by PAN Lagos, I believe with our speeches and panel sessions and deliberations will be able to forge ahead.

‘We will be able to find a way out of the problems in the sector such that every poultry farmer will go back smiling as we forge a way out of the economic problem that we face now,’ Kehinde said.

The keynote speaker, Dr James Wageti, veterinarian
and poultry expert, tasked the farmers on efficiency and stockmanship to address the losses in the sector.

‘I think the only way a poultry farmer can boost production in this challenging time is by farm implementing efficiency.

‘From data and analysis obtained all over Nigeria, we can tell you that what poultry farmers are losing on their farm is more than what they are making.

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‘So, if they are able to apply efficiency on their farms, they will be able to stay afloat in the business.

‘Stockmanship is the key thing in poultry farming, most farmers look at the birds just like that without looking at what the birds are doing.

‘The birds talk to us, they speak all languages, but most farmers because of that lack of stockmanship they do not understand and that is why they are losing.

‘Stockmanship is the way to manage your poultry business by using your senses and observational skills,’ Wageti said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Federal Government has approved the increase of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members’ monthly allowance to N77,000 with effect from July 2024.

NYSC’s Acting Director, Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that before the increase, the monthly allowance for corps members was N33,000.

According to Embu, the increase is in line with the enactment of the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024.

‘This is contained in a letter from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, dated Sept. 25 and signed by the Chairman, Mr Ekpo Nta.

‘Prior to this, the Director-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Yusha’u Ahmed, had paid an advocacy visit to the chairman in which he solicited for a robust welfare package for corps members.’

Embu said the NYSC director-general lauded the federal government’s gesture, describing it as ‘timely’.

The DG expressed optimism that the gesture would not
only bring much needed succour to the corps members, but also boost their morale and motivate them to do more on their service to the nation.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Oyo, has begun sensitisation of healthcare providers about substandard and falsified medical products.

At the event on Wednesday in Ibadan, Mrs Roseline Ajayi, South-West Director of the agency, said the programme was in line with its mandate to regulate and control activities surrounding regulated products.

‘Our concern today has to do with drugs. There has been survey conducted globally and locally under the current administration of Prof. Adeyeye.

‘A survey was conducted in 2020, and prevalent of substandard and falsified products was determined. Since then, the concern has been to bring the rate low.

‘Having high prevalence of substandard and falsified products means that some of the patients might die as a result of therapeutic failure, which will compromise our mandate.

‘One of the strategies being used is aggressive sensitisation of different stakeholders as being done today,’ she said.

The director said that NAFDAC was
engaging especially people in distribution of healthcare products such as drugs.

‘We have shown them what we discovered on the field and how they can identify substandard products.

‘The sensitisation will not end here. We also have advocacy visit to traditional rulers, churches, mosques.

‘We have many of the pharmacists that are involved in the distribution of medicines, to enlighten them on what to look out for.

‘We want to see how we can bring this incidence to the barest minimum,’ she said.

Ajayi remarked that substandard and falsified products might be cheap but could cause danger.

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She added that patronising quacks because of cheap prices was like postponing the evil day.

‘This is because they will still spend that money and even more later to get the right product.

‘If a product does not carry the manufacturer’s name, know that the product is not registered by NAFDAC.

‘The NAFDAC registration number is t
he agency’s pronouncement and endorsement on a product.

‘If the manufacturer’s address is not there, once the product carries the address of a marketer without that of the manufacturer, it is an indication that it is fake.

‘Also, having spelling errors on the product is an indication that it is fake. Original products have scratch places where one can check the authenticity of the product.

‘We are sensitising distributors so that they can always know if a product is substandard or not,’ Ajayi said.

Also, Mr Adebayo Gbadamosi, the Chairman of Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, Oyo State Branch, urged Nigerians to always patronise only registered pharmacists to get quality drugs.

‘Even at the registered pharmacists stores, still check the manufacturing and expiry dates as well as the batch numbers before swallowing any drug.

‘People should desist from taking or combining antibiotics because it can affect the liver or kidney, people should always get experts’ advice before taking drugs,’ Gbad
amosi said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria