Category: Health Care

The Federal Government says it has made plans in a new policy plans for cancer survivors to be catered to adequately.

The Director-General, National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Dr Usman Aliyu, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja.

According to him, the plan is contained in one of the three cancer policies aimed at aiding cancer prevention and treatment in Nigeria the Federal Government will inaugurate soon.

He said that the institute has since its establishment in January, been working on the policies that are expected to ensure that cancer prevention, treatment and research into all cancer issues are put on the front burner.

“We have drafted our second National Strategic Cancer Control Plan. The first one that was ever drafted for the country was for 2018 to 2022 which has expired, but I’m happy to announce to you that the institute has drafted a new cancer plan.

“It is a five year plan that will span from 2023 to 2027 and that is all encompassing. The plan will be a leading guide to all the activities of cancer in the country and it cuts across the area of cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, palliative care and even survivorship for the first time.

“We are having this component of cancer survivorship in our plan for survivors, which is actually a neglected area.”

Aliyu also said that the institute has finalised work with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other partners to develop the nation’s first National Cervical Cancer Control plan 2023-2027.

He said that the plan would give direction on how the institute intends to follow in agenda of WHO in the elimination of cervical cancer by 2030.

He also said that being a research institute, research was a very strong component of NICRAT, but that it could not just dive into it without having an agenda.

“So we have drafted the first National Cancer Research Agenda 2024-2028 for the country that will give way and pave a direction for cancer research in Nigeria”, he said.

The D-G said that all the documents would be inaugurated during the 2023 International Cancer Week scheduled for Oct. 23 to 26 in Abuja, with the theme ‘Addressing Cancer Care Disparities through Research and Improved Access to Treatment’.

He said that the theme was aimed at addressing the disparity in cancer care as there were renewed calls by the oncologists globally to try and close the gaps.

“If you look at the disparities that we have in the areas of maybe the race, ethnicity and even tribal, it is gross, so the concept was coined out of what the global scientists are focusing on now.

“If you look at America, they are pumping a lot of resources in the area of cancer prevention, research and treatment but they are not getting the outcome they are expecting then they embarked on research.

“In 2022, we had almost 19.7 million new cases and more than 10 million deaths from cancer and there is a report that by the next few decades this is going to increase by 70 per cent.

“About 80 per cent of this number is going to emanate from Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC) or which is majorly Sub Saharan Africa.”

He added that it was a pointer to something being wrong which indicates the disparity in cancer care.

Aliyu also said that this informed the decision to begin to look into how to close that gap.

He said that the week would also feature interactive sessions and presentation on cancer registries, adding that cancer registries are the key to getting data on cancer.

“In the area of research, the Institute is already working on how to carry out a general cancer mapping for the country. This is important because we want to standardise the data that we have in the area.

“We mapped out all the cancers that we have using the cancer registries that we have, the research tools and even the individual hospitals that are not in the cancer registry.

“The data will be more robust and more reliable than just making an estimate based on other diseases or what our neighbours have to take decisions on Nigeria as well in other area of cancer.” (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The development of human health is majorly dependent on nutrition.

Good nutrition, alongside other healthy lifestyle habits, supports average growth, development, and ageing.

It helps people maintain healthy body weight, boosts the immune system, makes pregnancies safer, increases mental alertness, and lowers the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases.

For over 62 years, Nestlé has been part of the daily nutrition of millions of households in Nigeria, with focus on improving the nutritional value of their products.

This is by consistently using its research and development capabilities to unlock the power of food to enhance the wellbeing of individuals and families.

Recently, in Nigeria, it introduced the latest addition to its nutrition portfolio, NIDO Milk and Soya Instant Powder Mix.

This innovative product combines the double goodness of milk and soya, fortified with iron to provide consumers with an affordable, delicious and nutritious creamy milk and plant-based complement for beverages and cereals.

Fortification, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), is the practice of deliberately increasing the content of one or more micronutrients, vitamins and minerals, in a food or condiment to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply and provide a public health benefit with minimal risk to health.

The Nigeria food fortification programme aims at achieving public health goals – tackling “hidden hunger” or micronutrient deficiencies – which cause 10 per cent of global diseases, inhibit human development and perpetuate poverty and deprivation.

The Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) says preventable deficiencies of critical vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin A, D, iron, iodine, folic acid and zinc contribute globally to up to three million child deaths annually.

Micronutrient malnutrition has far-reaching effects on individuals and impedes the economic development of nations, hence Food Fortification becomes one of the most cost effective interventions for tackling micronutrient deficiencies globally.

The World Bank has calculated the return on investment in nutrition interventions as Twenty Five Naira to every Naira (N25:N1) with food fortification being one of the most cost effective interventions for tackling micronutrient deficiencies globally.

This is imperatives as it is estimated that nearly 25 million Nigerians are at risk of facing hunger between June and August 2023 if urgent action is not taken.

This is according to the October 2022 Cadre Harmonisé, a Government led and UN-supported food and nutrition analysis carried out twice a year.

And, this is a projected increase from the estimated 17 million people currently at risk of food insecurity, with factors including continued conflict, climate change, inflation and rising food prices as key drivers of this alarming trend.

In addition, the National Emergency Management Agency, says widespread flooding in the 2022 rainy season damaged more than 676,000 hectares of farmlands, which diminished harvests and increased the risk of food insecurity for families across the country.

The food security and nutrition situation across Nigeria is deeply concerning noted Mr Matthias Schmale, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, UNICEF

Hence the United Nations urges the Government of Nigeria, the donor community, and public and private stakeholders to urgently commit resources and implement mitigation measures to save lives and prevent a potentially catastrophic food security and nutrition situation.

According to Ifeanyi Orabuche, the Category and Marketing Manager, Dairy, Nestlé Nigeria, NIDO Milk and Soya is Nestlé’s first affordable fortified dairy and plant blend in the Nigerian market.

This unique blend of filled milk and soya is a source of Iron and has other essential nutrients including Protein, Calcium, Vitamin C, and dietary fiber which supports digestion.

“NIDO Milk and Soya joins our portfolio of fortified products to help address the high rate of micronutrient deficiency, especially of Iron in the country.”

According to the Journal of Public Health in Africa, the prevalence of anemia among school age children in Nigeria is 71 per cent and among women, 47.3 per cent.

NIDO Milk and Soya Instant Powder Mix was developed by local experts in Nestlé’s RandD Center in Abidjan and is produced locally in Nigeria using 100 per cent locally sourced soya beans.

It is a result of Nestlé’s progress in product innovation and renovation to meet the growing consumer demand for affordable nutrition options that also create societal value.

“At Nestlé, our decisions are guided by our purpose of unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone today and for future generations.

“With this new product, we are helping to sustain a steady source of revenue to improve the livelihoods of the local farmers who supply the soya beans used in the production of NIDO Milk and Soya.

“This launch is part of Nestlé Nigeria’s ongoing commitment to offering affordable, wholesome and nutritious options for consumers across the country.

“This is while providing long term benefits that are good for individuals and families, good for communities and good for the planet,” says Victoria Uwadoka, the Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability lead at Nestlé Nigeria.

Laurent Alsteens, Global Category Head for Early Childhood Nutrition at Nestlé, said: “We continue to expand our offerings with nutritious, tasty products that complement the everyday diet of children and their families.

“Through combining the goodness of dairy and plant ingredients, we can deliver a new flavour experience with nutritional benefits.”

The introduction of NIDO Milk and Soya is yet one work by Nestlé, guided by a desire to contribute to nutritious and sustainable diets, to help protect, renew and restore natural resources, while helping strengthen communities and to operate responsibly.

It is about Creating Shared Value (CSV), which is at the heart of Nestlé’s purpose- to unlock the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigerian Society of Anaesthetists (NSA) has advocated for improved health systems, welfare of workers and security to enhance cancer patients outcome in the country and reduce brain drain.

They made the call, while briefing newsmen in Abuja ahead of the 2023 World Anaesthesia Day with theme: ” Anaesthesia and Cancer Care”, commemorated globally every Oct. 16.

Dr Busola Alagbe-Briggs, President of the NSA said the theme was to highlight the role of anaesthetists and draw more attention to cancer, which has been neglected due to COVID-19 pandemic and other diseases.

Alagbe-Briggs, added that cancer requires surgery, hence anaesthetists play a major role by ensuring that patient were fits for the procedure and also work with the surgeons and nurses to ensure it’s success.

”We all know about the Japa syndrome. There is diminished workforce and for this condition, WHO is saying that cancer will increase from 19.8 million to about 30 million by 2040.

”We are here to campaign that there is need for safe anesthesia and that comes through training and there is need for improved workforce.

”We have to increase the number of people who are trained to deliver anesthesia and we also have to ensure that there is enough funding to provide equipment to manage cancer.

”Some cancer cases need special gadgets to manage them even when we come to some of them that need them radiology that needs radiotherapy, they need funding.

”Some cancer cases need special drugs, which are expensive, so that is why we are here to say the world anaesthesia day is focusing on how anesthesia can improve cancer care.

”Some drugs also are not suitable for some patients who have cancer and are coming for anesthesia, so we are the ones responsible for managing them before, during and after together with the surgeons who are going to remove it.

“Cancer needs better, national and global attention,” she said.

Also speaking, Prof. Iniabasi Ilori, Chairman and Chief Examiner of Faculty of Anaesthesia, West African College of Surgeons, decried the diminishing manpower and insecurity which she said affects access to healthcare services in the country.

”They do not feel safe because they think that doctors are the target. So because of that, a lot of them are leaving.

”So if the government can improve the health facilities, care of the health personnel and security. I think people would like to stay,” she said.

Dr Maryrose Osazuwa, Vice President of the socirty, decried the neglect and support for children suffering from various types of cancer.

”A lot of attention needs to be focused on children. The National Health Insurance Authority needs to do more because the coverage is very abysmal.

”There are lots of people that are not covered by insurance so they cannot afford health care, so we loose these patients or they come in very late and make everything so complicated.

”So, insurance coverage has to be better done more widely. The government has to think of a way to get underserved populations and to get some form of insurance.

”There has been this call for some form of free surgeries for a certain group of children as it’s done in many other African countries.

”We can do it in Nigeria. It’s just a matter of efficiency and having the will to do these things,”she said.

Prof. Tonia Onyeka, National President of the Hospice and Palliative Care Association ( HPCAN), said: “We are calling on the government to take particular note of the manpower shortages for every speciality.

“But more importantly for anaesthesia so that we can have enough enough status to be able to take care of the particular needs of cancer patients with regards to pain management and symptom management.”

Also, Prof. Sotonye Fyneface-Ogan, former President, Society of Obstetric Anaesthetists of Nigeria (SOAN), stressed the need for the government to address the challenges to reduce the high figures of maternal mortality. (NAN)

Edited by Sadiya Hamza

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Federal Government on Thursday in Abuja inaugurated three policy documents to improve vision and eye health in the country.

The inauguration was with support from Sightsavers Nigeria and other partners as part of activities to commemorate the 2023 World Sight Day.

Dr Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, said the policy documents and unveiling of the Refractive Error Initiative were part of government’s strategic guidelines to improve eye health in the country.

The documents included: The National Eye Health Strategic Development Plan (2024-2028); Diabetic Retinopathy Screening and Management Guideline; and the Nigeria Glaucoma Guidelines and Toolkit.

Alausa said about 24 million Nigerians were living with treatable sight loss, majorly caused by untreated cataract and uncorrected refractive errors, hence the initiatives would aide in addressing it.

He said: “These initiatives will build the foundations to deliver change across the life course.

“Access to eye health services for school children through school eye health programmes, establishing the potential to unlock learning for millions of children being held behind.

“Integration of eye health services into primary healthcare to ensure treatment of basic issues and delivery of spectacles, ensuring working age people and the elderly access timely treatment, and early detection and referral of those with cataracts.”

According to him, these interventions will be coordinated through the National Eye Health Programme (NEHP) in the ministry.

He added that the 3 to 4-year long-term road map to improve access to refractive error services to build capacity of personnel, improve population education, reduce the cost and strengthen surveillance would be implemented in collaboration with partners.

“This will be implemented by the NEHP in partnership with multiple stakeholders, expand training of primary health workers in eye health, provide key platform for the delivery and integration of eye care services.

“Development of a sustainable procurement and delivery process for spectacles by upgrading existing eye care departments one state at a time.

“A philanthropy component will dispense free glasses to the poor to be verified by social registers.

“A spectacle revolving system from a seed of donated glasses will provide subsidised glasses to other citizens,” he said.

Alausa added that the initiative was to strengthen the eye health system to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), empowering Nigerians to learn, earn and thrive.

Dr Oteri Okolo, the National Coordinator, NEHP Programme at the ministry, said about 1.3 persons in Nigeria were blind, hence the commitment to eye health activities through implementation of national policies, plans and guidelines for systematic implementation nationwide.

Okolo said the National Eye Health Strategic Development Plan (2024-2028) policy document represents the commitment of the government to the attainment of the highest quality of eye health for its people.

She explained that the diabetic retinopathy screening and management guideline was a framework critical to making the needed impact by increasing the opportunity for prevention and prompt treatment at early stages.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Glaucoma Guidelines and Toolkit outlines collective action, based on an integrated patient-focused model is meant to tackle Glaucoma in the country.

“Implementation of both guidelines by the NEHP will begin in a few weeks with an initial training of healthcare providers with funding and technical support from Novartis, Sightsavers and Glaucoma Net of the International Centre for Eye Health, London, through the Institute for Advanced Medical Research and Training, University of Abuja.

“We hope for full implementation and whole country scale up in the nearest future as government and the private sector increases investment in eye health.

“Government cannot do this alone. Quality services to tackle glaucoma should be present in all secondary and tertiary facilities while registers for all diabetic patients embedded with a call, re-call system for annual screening and scheduled treatment where indicated is the goal,” she said.

In his part, Dr Sunday Isiyaku, the Country Director at Sightsavers, emphasised the importance of eye health on the lives of individuals, families and communities, help nations to thrive, reduce poverty and inequality.

Isiyaku added that prioritising and investing in eye health will enable the country to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the Sustainable Development Goals and meaningful development.

He, therefore, pledged that Sightsavers would support the Federal Ministry of Health implement the national policies to improve vision and eye health of its citizens.

“The national eye health strategy is a roadmap to improving eye health services.

“This strategy is a guiding document to steer the direction of eye health for the next five years,” he said.

The highlight of the event was the unveiling by the First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, as a Vision Champion. (NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Dr Faisal Shu’aib, Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), says over 80 per cent

of children who died of diptheria or admitted in hospitals never received routine childhood immunisations.

The NPHCDA boss said this after inspecting the Diphtheria Treatment Centre at the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano on Wednesday.

He, therefore, urged parents to ensure that their children are up to date with their vaccines, and appealed to caregivers to pay attention to personal

and environmental hygiene and avoid crowded rooms.

He said “I implore every parent/caregiver to take proactive measures to protect their loved ones. Immunisation is the most effective safeguard

against diphtheria.”

He also advised individuals at higher risk of contracting diphtheria to get vaccinated immediately, as he encouraged citizens to be patient, saying

the country would rise above the challenges presented by the disease.

He added that “we are using the crisis to strengthen the country’s health care system.”

The executive director acknowledged that there are gaps in public knowledge about vaccinations, but reassured that inoculations would not

be mandatory, taking into account some public concerns.

She said “diptheria has had significant impact on Nigeria, with more than 14,000 reported cases of the disease. The states are primarily

responsible for 97 per cent of cases in Kano, Katsina, Borno, Yobe, and Jigawa.”

He, however, expressed satisfaction with the commitment of the state governments toward improving the quality of healthcare.

Shu’aib took the opportunity to clarify that diphtheria is not related to COVID-19, explaining that “diphtheria is caused by bacteria, while

COVID-19 is caused by virus.”

Diphtheria is a bacterial infection caused by the corynebacterium species that affect the nose, throat and sometimes, skin of an individual.

Some symptoms of diphtheria include fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, red eyes, neck swelling and difficulty in breathing.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has listed Zamfara, Cross River, Adamawa and Ogun as states with the highest cholera cases in the country.

NCDC’s Incident Manager, Cholera Technical Working Group, Dr Sebastian Yennan, said this at the monthly meeting of the Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Emergency Working Group on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to him, the cases are updates from the centre’s Epidemiology week 39, saying efforts were ongoing in providing response commodities to affected states and in the country.

Yennan said NCDC’s intervention through cholera case management was carried out in partnership with the WHO by distributing infection prevention and control kits, WASH kits, chlorine powder among others.

This intervention, he noted was being prioritised in the four states, saying the kits distributed could also be used in emergency situations like the lassa fever and diphtheria outbreaks.

“The NCDC has partnered with a third party logistics company in the distribution of commodities and also to bring samples, our cholera response is at the 36 states and the FCT.

“In Zamfara for instance, the governor visited the cholera treatment centre in Anka local government that was built by Doctors Without Borders/MSF, they have received response commodities”.

He said states must do more to prioritise cholera prevention by ensuring that funds were budgeted early and were accessible, adding that the centre was in charge of administration of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.

The fund, Yenna said was designed to strengthen the national health system, calling on states to preposition their needs to access it before, during and after disease outbreak.

He also urged all stakeholders to strengthen partnerships to promote advocacy towards prevention of health emergency in the country.

Also, Mr Dapo Akingbade, a representative from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), said following release of excess water from Lagdo dam in Cameroon, 13 states have experienced flooding.

According to him, 171,545 persons were displaced in affected states, property and farmlands destroyed, with no fewer than 45 deaths.

Akingbade while giving an update as at October 7, said the agency had commenced assessment of flood situation in Adamawa, with the activation of the emergency operation centre for coordination of interventions.

“The flooding in Adamawa has impacted on a lot of people and communities, at the EOC meeting, we recommended that all states should activate their flood response plan.

“Also, we are also awaiting a detailed Needs Assessment report from Adamawa so as to know the appropriate areas of response”.

The NEMA official said there was need for the WASH sector to be well-prepared, saying collective responsibility was needed to mitigate the impact of emergency situations in the country.

Dr Edwin Isotu-Edeh, National Consultant, Public Health and Environment, WHO Nigeria, said there was need for all partners to level up their investments for the WASH sector.

He said by investing in the WASH sector, cholera cases would reduce, citing an example of Cross river state which had a case fatality rate of 21 per cent, but reduced through investment and the One Health approach.

“WASH in Emergency is beyond the distribution of commodities, but in doing more in the dedication of funding support, if we invest in WASH, cholera cases will come down”.

Earlier, Mr Ibiyemi Olu-Daniels, a Director, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, noted the need for states to coordinate, take ownership of their challenges and not rely solely on development partners in emergency situations.

He said the ministry would continue to support states through advocacy and coordination, urging the states to take responsibility on cholera preparedness and response plan.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria