Punch
By Niyi Odebode and Ozioma Ubabukoh
The Federal Government on Monday said that it had distributed 370,000 doses of meningitis vaccines to Jigawa and Bauchi states.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Communication, Mr. Niyi Ojuolape, said that 148 cases of meningitis were recorded in the country in the first eight weeks of the year.
The minister said that the cases were recorded in 30 local government areas of Bauchi and Jigawa states, adding that most of the cases were Type A of the disease.
Explaining efforts of the government to combat the spread of the disease, he said, “The Federal Ministry of Health will ensure adequate supplies of the diagnostic and therapeutic agents to the affected states.”
Osotimehin also stated, “Nigeria is located on the west coast of Africa, right in the centre of the African meningitis belt. Close to 30 per cent of the population in the 21 African countries in the meningitis belt is in Nigeria.
“The hot, dry climate is favourable for the development of meningitis epidemic between November and June. The disease is hyper-endemic, with epidemic outbreaks usually occurring during this period with a peak in activity between late February and April.”
The minister said he would soon convene a meeting of the epidemic preparedness and response team “so that all affected and at-risk states are kept in the loop and efforts coordinated along with multiple stakeholders.”
He added that the ministry had organised a refresher training for health officers in all high-risk states in the areas.
According to him, investigations of cases have been strengthened, adding that laboratory confirmation through clinical materials is being done.
The minister recalled that in 2009, Nigeria recorded more than 40,000 cases of cerebrospinal meningitis, far less than what experts anticipated.
Meanwhile, Osotimehin has expressed the ministry’s desire to build at least five schools of nursing and midwifery in each local government area across the country.
He made this pronouncement on Monday, at the official flag-off training on Life Saving Skills and Integrated Management of Childhood Illness, under the Midwives Service Scheme in the Federal Capital Territory and 34 states.
The MSS was established under the 2009 Appropriation Act, by the Federal Ministry of Health through one of its agencies, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency.
Responding, the NPHCDA’s Executive Director, Dr. Muhammad Pate, said that after deploying 2,488 midwives to the frontline facilities, the agency had concluded arrangements to commence a two-week training on LSS and IMCI in selected schools of midwifery.
Also, the Chairman, NPHCDA Governing Board and Emir of Shonga, Dr. Haliru Yahaya, said significant progress had been made within a short time in the implementation of the scheme.
Comments :
• Pls, what of us'' Batch C corpers'' in sokoto. We hav not been vacinatd.
The sun is terrible & i am realy afraid of what may happen next. Pls HELP
Posted by: China , on Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Report this comment
• WHAT OF THE SWINE FLU VACCINES?WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE MONEY MEANT FOR THE
PROVISION OF THE VACCINES? WE DEMAND ANSWER FOR IT.THIS IS MARCH NOTHING HAS
BEEN SAID SO FAR CONCERNING IT,WHAT WE ARE HEARING NOW IS MENINGITIS
VACCINES.THESE PEOPLE ARE ROGUES
Posted by: fineboy , on Monday, March 01, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Monday, January 4, 2010
FMOH Unveils Plans to Boost HealthCare
By Chukwuma Muanya
The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) has unveiled plans to boost healthcare delivery in the country. Top on the FMOH plans is the National Strategic Health Development Plan for Nigeria (NSHDPN) 2010 to 2015. Under the NSHDPN, the FMOH has set eight priority areas to concentrate on and to give an audited account every year of its stewardship.
The FMOH has also developed its own version of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a National Health Partnership Declaration (NHPD), which has been signed unto by 15 governors. The NHPD was adopted after the first Presidential Health Summit held recently in Abuja.
Director of Health Planning/ Research and Statistics, FMOH, Dr. Mohammed Leki, told The Guardian: "There are eight priority areas we want to address in the health sector between 2010 and 2015. We have started a different way of planning that is the structure of what we are doing, planning better, which is called the NSHDPN 2010 and 2015. The other thing we have done which is very important is that we have our own accountability framework, which we call the result framework.
"Now, we have identified eight priority areas. Some of these priority areas are issues of governance in health and accountability and stewardship. Who do you hold responsible for something when things are not working? So, the way it is set up is that for the eight priority areas, there are specific targets/goals we set for ourselves and those goals are the same at the State and the Local Government Areas (LGA) levels.
"The other thing we are doing is that we had a summit, a presidential summit. What was different about it was that there was a summit declaration, which was signed or is being signed by the President, the Vice President and all the state governors in this country.
"This is unique. You heard about MDGs. Nigeria is signatory to MDGs. So we are doing our own version, which we are having a NHPD, which the President has signed unto and as we speak now, about 15 governors have signed on."
Other plans by the FMOH are to upgrade four teaching hospitals in the country to become specialised centres for treating cardiovascular/heart diseases, kidney/renal diseases and cancers-cervical, breast and prostate.
The FMOH also plans to start accreditation of hospitals, strengthen regulatory bodies in a bid to improve standards in the sector, and set up a sanctioning system to deal with erring professionals/hospitals; to work with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the International Atomic Agency (IAA) and the International Cancer Centre Abuja (ICCA) on cancer prevention strategies; to equip additional seven cancer treatment centres with funds from IAA; and to have distributed 62 million Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) before the end of next year in a bid to halve the malaria burden.
Minister of Health, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, told The Guardian in an interview: "...We are proposing in the budget this year to upgrade four teaching hospitals next year. It is not just the same level of upgrading we did before. The level of upgrading we did before was to bring them to a standard comparable to any teaching hospital, but without the issue of specialisation. What we are going to do in the next year is to actually begin to get them to specialise in one area or the other. So we are hoping to be able to do cardiovascular disease, renal disease, cancers and all of that. So, that we can have these hospitals function at a different levels, so there is a clear paradigm shift."
Osotimehin said one major issue that confronts the health sector is that of standards. "No matter what we do, no matter what equipment we put, no matter what else we have been able to do, there is a matter of standards. How do we maintain standards? How do you ensure that people will do what you expect them to do? I think that next year we are going to address that," he said.
He added: "So, I am looking at a proposal for instance, work with state commissioners of health to start the issue of accreditation of hospitals and make sure that they deliver on what they promise; and strengthen our regulatory bodies so that they actually begin to do continuing education for nurses, for doctors, for pharmacists and at the same time set up sanction system to deal with those who might not do their work very well."
On whether the health budget for 2010 is going to continue to dwindle as it has been doing for a while now, Osotimehin said: "What we are proposing in the budget this year, I think will be adequate to maintain our systems. I cannot tell you the percentage of the national budget is for health. Until the National Assembly finishes with the budget, it will be presumptuous of us to make a statement. All I know is that what we are proposing is more than what we got last year."
The health chief said the ministry has started massive role out of ITNs across the country. Osotimehin explained: "We started the massive role out for ITNs in Kano where we distributed over four million nets, and in Anambra where we distributed about two million nets. And I can tell you that in those two places we have gone back to see the utilization, and it is about 60 to 61 per cent. We need to increase the advocacy about it, so that utilization will go to 80 per cent.
"We have started now with the process of distributing nets to about 10 states - Sokoto, Kebbi, Ogun, and several others- and this take off is going to go on till the end of next year. By the end of next year we would have distributed 62 million nets."
On the equipping of seven more cancer centres in the country and plans to tackle the disease, Osotimehin said: "You know we have a national cancer plan and that is what is driving this. We have also under the leadership of the First Lady, doing a lot of cancer awareness at this point in time. I think prevention is going to be the issue. We must drive prevention because treatment is expensive and many of these things can be prevented. I have directed that all our hospitals must have a cancer prevention unit. So that they will be able to do pap smear for cervical cancer, they will be able to teach people how to examine their breast for breast cancers, and they will be able to do Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) for men. Not just to make sure that we just talk about it, but we are providing avenues for people to check
themselves and be able to prevent it.
"We are going to work with WHO, IAA and ICCA to do series of prevention workshops. ICCA is the brain-child of the First Lady. As you are aware, the head of the IAA just visited Nigeria and this is the first country he visited after he became the head. Nigeria has now paid her counterpart fund to the IAA and we are in the process of paying it, which will enable us to equip an additional seven ancer treatment centres in Nigeria apart from the nuclear medicines. So we are moving in the right direction."
Guardian.
The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) has unveiled plans to boost healthcare delivery in the country. Top on the FMOH plans is the National Strategic Health Development Plan for Nigeria (NSHDPN) 2010 to 2015. Under the NSHDPN, the FMOH has set eight priority areas to concentrate on and to give an audited account every year of its stewardship.
The FMOH has also developed its own version of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a National Health Partnership Declaration (NHPD), which has been signed unto by 15 governors. The NHPD was adopted after the first Presidential Health Summit held recently in Abuja.
Director of Health Planning/ Research and Statistics, FMOH, Dr. Mohammed Leki, told The Guardian: "There are eight priority areas we want to address in the health sector between 2010 and 2015. We have started a different way of planning that is the structure of what we are doing, planning better, which is called the NSHDPN 2010 and 2015. The other thing we have done which is very important is that we have our own accountability framework, which we call the result framework.
"Now, we have identified eight priority areas. Some of these priority areas are issues of governance in health and accountability and stewardship. Who do you hold responsible for something when things are not working? So, the way it is set up is that for the eight priority areas, there are specific targets/goals we set for ourselves and those goals are the same at the State and the Local Government Areas (LGA) levels.
"The other thing we are doing is that we had a summit, a presidential summit. What was different about it was that there was a summit declaration, which was signed or is being signed by the President, the Vice President and all the state governors in this country.
"This is unique. You heard about MDGs. Nigeria is signatory to MDGs. So we are doing our own version, which we are having a NHPD, which the President has signed unto and as we speak now, about 15 governors have signed on."
Other plans by the FMOH are to upgrade four teaching hospitals in the country to become specialised centres for treating cardiovascular/heart diseases, kidney/renal diseases and cancers-cervical, breast and prostate.
The FMOH also plans to start accreditation of hospitals, strengthen regulatory bodies in a bid to improve standards in the sector, and set up a sanctioning system to deal with erring professionals/hospitals; to work with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the International Atomic Agency (IAA) and the International Cancer Centre Abuja (ICCA) on cancer prevention strategies; to equip additional seven cancer treatment centres with funds from IAA; and to have distributed 62 million Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) before the end of next year in a bid to halve the malaria burden.
Minister of Health, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, told The Guardian in an interview: "...We are proposing in the budget this year to upgrade four teaching hospitals next year. It is not just the same level of upgrading we did before. The level of upgrading we did before was to bring them to a standard comparable to any teaching hospital, but without the issue of specialisation. What we are going to do in the next year is to actually begin to get them to specialise in one area or the other. So we are hoping to be able to do cardiovascular disease, renal disease, cancers and all of that. So, that we can have these hospitals function at a different levels, so there is a clear paradigm shift."
Osotimehin said one major issue that confronts the health sector is that of standards. "No matter what we do, no matter what equipment we put, no matter what else we have been able to do, there is a matter of standards. How do we maintain standards? How do you ensure that people will do what you expect them to do? I think that next year we are going to address that," he said.
He added: "So, I am looking at a proposal for instance, work with state commissioners of health to start the issue of accreditation of hospitals and make sure that they deliver on what they promise; and strengthen our regulatory bodies so that they actually begin to do continuing education for nurses, for doctors, for pharmacists and at the same time set up sanction system to deal with those who might not do their work very well."
On whether the health budget for 2010 is going to continue to dwindle as it has been doing for a while now, Osotimehin said: "What we are proposing in the budget this year, I think will be adequate to maintain our systems. I cannot tell you the percentage of the national budget is for health. Until the National Assembly finishes with the budget, it will be presumptuous of us to make a statement. All I know is that what we are proposing is more than what we got last year."
The health chief said the ministry has started massive role out of ITNs across the country. Osotimehin explained: "We started the massive role out for ITNs in Kano where we distributed over four million nets, and in Anambra where we distributed about two million nets. And I can tell you that in those two places we have gone back to see the utilization, and it is about 60 to 61 per cent. We need to increase the advocacy about it, so that utilization will go to 80 per cent.
"We have started now with the process of distributing nets to about 10 states - Sokoto, Kebbi, Ogun, and several others- and this take off is going to go on till the end of next year. By the end of next year we would have distributed 62 million nets."
On the equipping of seven more cancer centres in the country and plans to tackle the disease, Osotimehin said: "You know we have a national cancer plan and that is what is driving this. We have also under the leadership of the First Lady, doing a lot of cancer awareness at this point in time. I think prevention is going to be the issue. We must drive prevention because treatment is expensive and many of these things can be prevented. I have directed that all our hospitals must have a cancer prevention unit. So that they will be able to do pap smear for cervical cancer, they will be able to teach people how to examine their breast for breast cancers, and they will be able to do Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) for men. Not just to make sure that we just talk about it, but we are providing avenues for people to check
themselves and be able to prevent it.
"We are going to work with WHO, IAA and ICCA to do series of prevention workshops. ICCA is the brain-child of the First Lady. As you are aware, the head of the IAA just visited Nigeria and this is the first country he visited after he became the head. Nigeria has now paid her counterpart fund to the IAA and we are in the process of paying it, which will enable us to equip an additional seven ancer treatment centres in Nigeria apart from the nuclear medicines. So we are moving in the right direction."
Guardian.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
New Polio Vaccine Coming in 2010- PHCDA
The Federal Government has vowed to intensify its campaign against the polio virus in 2010 by introducing a bivalent vaccine that would help in eradicating the virus in the country.
The Executive Director, Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA), Dr. Muhammad Aliyu Pate, while speaking in Abuja midweek, said the new vaccine, found to be very effective in the fight against polio in other parts of the world, would be introduced by April 2010.
Although he said the agency was keen on the prospect of introducing the new vaccine to intensify the campaign against polio, it would not rush the process so as to secure the approval of the regulatory agency before the introduction.
Pate said the vaccine had been found to be more effective in the campaign for the eradication of polio in Afghanistan and other countries, adding that the drug was ambivalent because it could be used to fight both the type ‘one’ and type ‘three’ of the virus at the same time.
“We have indicated interest to use the new bivalent vaccine. It is essentially the same vaccine but two vaccines in one.
“You know there are three types of the vaccine. There is one that is for only one virus at a time. You can tackle type ‘one’ or you tackle type ‘three’, and then there is another one that you can use to tackle all the three.
“When you give all the three, the trivalent vaccine, it is not as effective as when you give one vaccine at a time. But the bivalent vaccine has shown promise and it is working very well.
“And if we can get it into our country, it will enable us to move twice as fast in the campaign. Instead of doing one at a time, we can do a bivalent, and it can give us both 1 and 3 at the same time”, he explained.
The Executive Director, Primary Health Care Development Agency (PHCDA), Dr. Muhammad Aliyu Pate, while speaking in Abuja midweek, said the new vaccine, found to be very effective in the fight against polio in other parts of the world, would be introduced by April 2010.
Although he said the agency was keen on the prospect of introducing the new vaccine to intensify the campaign against polio, it would not rush the process so as to secure the approval of the regulatory agency before the introduction.
Pate said the vaccine had been found to be more effective in the campaign for the eradication of polio in Afghanistan and other countries, adding that the drug was ambivalent because it could be used to fight both the type ‘one’ and type ‘three’ of the virus at the same time.
“We have indicated interest to use the new bivalent vaccine. It is essentially the same vaccine but two vaccines in one.
“You know there are three types of the vaccine. There is one that is for only one virus at a time. You can tackle type ‘one’ or you tackle type ‘three’, and then there is another one that you can use to tackle all the three.
“When you give all the three, the trivalent vaccine, it is not as effective as when you give one vaccine at a time. But the bivalent vaccine has shown promise and it is working very well.
“And if we can get it into our country, it will enable us to move twice as fast in the campaign. Instead of doing one at a time, we can do a bivalent, and it can give us both 1 and 3 at the same time”, he explained.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Osotimehin lays foundation of VVF Centre at Kwali
The Minister of Health, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin, Tuesday laid the foundation stone of the Vesico Vagina Fistula [VVF] Centre at Kwali via Abuja with a call on all VVF patients in the country to come out for adequate treatment.
He said the ceremony, witnessed by major stakeholders in the health sector, was part of Federal Government’s efforts to reduce the disease to the barest minimum in the country, adding that the centre, when completed, would be use for the treatment, education and research on the disease.
Osotimehin pledged the continued efforts of his ministry in educating Nigerians on the need to avoid VVF and establish responsible parenthood for healthy living.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr. Linus Awute had explained the centre, when completed, would be the first of its kind in Africa and second in the world.
Awute, who also described maternal mortality as one of the country’s major health issue, expressed believe that the centre would go a long way in improving reproductive health and checking HIV/AIDS among Nigerians.
The United Nations Population Fund [UNFPA] Resident Representative in Nigeria, Dr Lawson Agatha, also agreed that maternal mortality was a major health issue in the country and promised that the treatment of VVF patients would be increased when the centre is completed.
According to Dr. Lawson, VVF is a disease that leaves affected women, especially the young ones, with chronic incontinence and can lead to bladder and kidney infections.
She, therefore, solicited the continued support of the government and people of the country for UNFPA in bringing succour to Nigerians on VVF and maternal mortality.
The VVF Ambassador and 2009 Miss Aso, Queen Helen Igweche in her remarks, called for the education of girl-child, illiterate husbands, religious and community leaders on the implication of early marriage or rape with no regard for the human dignity or psychological well being of women.
She described some causes of VVF in women as part of violence against women, adding that this threatened the rights, health and wellbeing of women in the country.
Queen Igweche, therefore, appealed to the government to enforce sanctions on violence against women and children in the country.
Other dignitaries at the ceremony included the chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Dr. Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello who informed about the history of the centre and final choice of the Federal Capital Territory for the project; representatives of the Women Affairs Minister, Hajia Salamatu Suleiman; Special Adviser (MDGs) to the President, Hajia Aminat Ibrahim and others.
He said the ceremony, witnessed by major stakeholders in the health sector, was part of Federal Government’s efforts to reduce the disease to the barest minimum in the country, adding that the centre, when completed, would be use for the treatment, education and research on the disease.
Osotimehin pledged the continued efforts of his ministry in educating Nigerians on the need to avoid VVF and establish responsible parenthood for healthy living.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr. Linus Awute had explained the centre, when completed, would be the first of its kind in Africa and second in the world.
Awute, who also described maternal mortality as one of the country’s major health issue, expressed believe that the centre would go a long way in improving reproductive health and checking HIV/AIDS among Nigerians.
The United Nations Population Fund [UNFPA] Resident Representative in Nigeria, Dr Lawson Agatha, also agreed that maternal mortality was a major health issue in the country and promised that the treatment of VVF patients would be increased when the centre is completed.
According to Dr. Lawson, VVF is a disease that leaves affected women, especially the young ones, with chronic incontinence and can lead to bladder and kidney infections.
She, therefore, solicited the continued support of the government and people of the country for UNFPA in bringing succour to Nigerians on VVF and maternal mortality.
The VVF Ambassador and 2009 Miss Aso, Queen Helen Igweche in her remarks, called for the education of girl-child, illiterate husbands, religious and community leaders on the implication of early marriage or rape with no regard for the human dignity or psychological well being of women.
She described some causes of VVF in women as part of violence against women, adding that this threatened the rights, health and wellbeing of women in the country.
Queen Igweche, therefore, appealed to the government to enforce sanctions on violence against women and children in the country.
Other dignitaries at the ceremony included the chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Dr. Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello who informed about the history of the centre and final choice of the Federal Capital Territory for the project; representatives of the Women Affairs Minister, Hajia Salamatu Suleiman; Special Adviser (MDGs) to the President, Hajia Aminat Ibrahim and others.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Osotimehin tasks doctors, others on health
The Minister of Health, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin has again called on all stakeholders in the health sector to be alive to their responsibilities for effective and efficient health care delivery in the country.
Osotimehin who made the call at the Presidential Summit on Health in Abuja, stressed the need for doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health personnel to introduce human face to their jobs, “because health is about life”.
“Patients have a lot of confidence in doctors, nurses, pharmacists whether skilled or unskilled and for this reason, I want to urge our colleagues to always sustain the patients’ confidence in them by attending to their needs promptly”, he said.
The minister, who spoke on “Health in Nigeria: The Situation Analysis”, said the current health situation in the country was unacceptable and charged all stakeholders to contribute towards the implementation of the Vision 20:2020 for improved health system.
According to Osotimehin, forming a national partnership on health based on collective responsibility would go a long way in improving the health status of Nigerians “as no problem is insurmountable”.
The Federal Government, he disclosed is presently revitalizing Primary Health Care (PHC) to improve the health of all citizens, noting that the strategy of using traditional and religious leaders for PHC delivery had been yielding fruitful results.
Earlier in an opening address, the Minister of State for Health, Dr Aliyu Idi Hong had asserted that the health needs of the people could be majorly impacted and sustained at the state and local governments’ levels.
To achieve this, Hong stressed the need to develop strategies that would be owned and driven by the states through the direct involvement of the state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr. Linus Awute, explained that the summit would go a long way in ensuring that the federal and state governments work together for improved health indices of the country.
Osotimehin who made the call at the Presidential Summit on Health in Abuja, stressed the need for doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other health personnel to introduce human face to their jobs, “because health is about life”.
“Patients have a lot of confidence in doctors, nurses, pharmacists whether skilled or unskilled and for this reason, I want to urge our colleagues to always sustain the patients’ confidence in them by attending to their needs promptly”, he said.
The minister, who spoke on “Health in Nigeria: The Situation Analysis”, said the current health situation in the country was unacceptable and charged all stakeholders to contribute towards the implementation of the Vision 20:2020 for improved health system.
According to Osotimehin, forming a national partnership on health based on collective responsibility would go a long way in improving the health status of Nigerians “as no problem is insurmountable”.
The Federal Government, he disclosed is presently revitalizing Primary Health Care (PHC) to improve the health of all citizens, noting that the strategy of using traditional and religious leaders for PHC delivery had been yielding fruitful results.
Earlier in an opening address, the Minister of State for Health, Dr Aliyu Idi Hong had asserted that the health needs of the people could be majorly impacted and sustained at the state and local governments’ levels.
To achieve this, Hong stressed the need to develop strategies that would be owned and driven by the states through the direct involvement of the state governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr. Linus Awute, explained that the summit would go a long way in ensuring that the federal and state governments work together for improved health indices of the country.
Friday, November 13, 2009
FG reassures Nigerians on Swine Flu
Following the first recorded case of Influenza A (H1N1), otherwise called Swine Flu in Nigeria, the Federal Government said there is no cause for panic, assuring that all Nigerians would be protected from the pandemic.
The Federal Ministry of Health had announced on Wednesday that the case was reported in Nigeria of a nine-year-old female American girl residing in Lagos.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Communications, Mr. Niyi Ojuolape, the Minister of Health, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin said the girl had presented flu-like symptoms of fever, sore throat, nasal congestion and nausea to the American Consular clinic in Lagos and before treatment was started, nasal specimens were taken for routine testing.
“Subsequently, the girl recovered fully with symptomatic treatment after five days of duration of illness”, he said, adding. “Further to checks in this regard, it has been confirmed that the father, brother and all school contacts of the girl did not suffer from any flu-like symptoms and they are all well. The mother had mild symptoms but recovered fully”.
“All other contacts have been tested and they have been found negative to the Influenza A(H1N1). No other school pupil or person in the girl’s school has flu-like symptoms or is absent from school because of any illness.
“The Lagos State Ministry of Health, where the instant case occurred is aware of the case and further contact tracing, screening and active surveillance carried out by the state has shown that there is no other reported case so far.
“The Federal Ministry of Health and all the states’ ministries of health have strengthened their preparedness and response plans and have put in place enhanced surveillance to pick up and contain any case that may occur. Indeed, all 36 states’ epidemiologists are currently meeting in Kaduna to fine-tune the country’s coordinated response to possible outbreaks of epidemics.
“To arrest any eventuality, the Federal Ministry of Health has prepositioned in all the 36 states and FCT, adequate quantities of Tamiflu, the anti-viral drug for treatment and other medical supplies for containment of cases of the Influenza”, the statement read.
Osotimehin added that the ministry had also strengthened and intensified expanded public awareness and sensitisation campaigns to improve public awareness and knowledge about the pandemic in order to further prevent or contain the influenza pandemic.
While informing that the Federal Government was making efforts to procure vaccines in conjunction with the World Health Organisation (WHO), he stressed the need for routine precautions to prevent the spread of infectious diseases like hands’ washing with soap and water, nose and mouth covering while sneezing or coughing.
The Federal Ministry of Health had announced on Wednesday that the case was reported in Nigeria of a nine-year-old female American girl residing in Lagos.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Communications, Mr. Niyi Ojuolape, the Minister of Health, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin said the girl had presented flu-like symptoms of fever, sore throat, nasal congestion and nausea to the American Consular clinic in Lagos and before treatment was started, nasal specimens were taken for routine testing.
“Subsequently, the girl recovered fully with symptomatic treatment after five days of duration of illness”, he said, adding. “Further to checks in this regard, it has been confirmed that the father, brother and all school contacts of the girl did not suffer from any flu-like symptoms and they are all well. The mother had mild symptoms but recovered fully”.
“All other contacts have been tested and they have been found negative to the Influenza A(H1N1). No other school pupil or person in the girl’s school has flu-like symptoms or is absent from school because of any illness.
“The Lagos State Ministry of Health, where the instant case occurred is aware of the case and further contact tracing, screening and active surveillance carried out by the state has shown that there is no other reported case so far.
“The Federal Ministry of Health and all the states’ ministries of health have strengthened their preparedness and response plans and have put in place enhanced surveillance to pick up and contain any case that may occur. Indeed, all 36 states’ epidemiologists are currently meeting in Kaduna to fine-tune the country’s coordinated response to possible outbreaks of epidemics.
“To arrest any eventuality, the Federal Ministry of Health has prepositioned in all the 36 states and FCT, adequate quantities of Tamiflu, the anti-viral drug for treatment and other medical supplies for containment of cases of the Influenza”, the statement read.
Osotimehin added that the ministry had also strengthened and intensified expanded public awareness and sensitisation campaigns to improve public awareness and knowledge about the pandemic in order to further prevent or contain the influenza pandemic.
While informing that the Federal Government was making efforts to procure vaccines in conjunction with the World Health Organisation (WHO), he stressed the need for routine precautions to prevent the spread of infectious diseases like hands’ washing with soap and water, nose and mouth covering while sneezing or coughing.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
How to Keep Doctors at Rural Areas, By Minister
Provision of good work environment and other incentives to cushion the effects of living in the rural areas have been described as parts of the essential requirements for attracting and keeping doctors and nurses to man primary health care facilities at the grassroots.
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman gave the assertion during an advocacy visit to her Health counterpart, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin in Abuja.
This, with complete free maternal and child health care, Mrs. Suleiman added, would go a long way in reducing the incidences of maternal and child mortality in the country.
While commending the Federal Ministry of Health for engaging traditional rulers in mobilizing community support for primary health care delivery, she stressed the need to address social norms that limit women’s knowledge and skills in health care services.
Mrs. Suleiman explained that her ministry is currently engaged in advocacy to all the tiers of government to ensure that there is renewed political and financial commitments at all levels towards improving maternal and child care, and other related issues to the advancement of the less privileged.
The minister maintained: “Indeed, no society can advance without investing large proportions of its resources on health and well being of its citizenry, and no nation can become great unless its children, who are leaders of tomorrow, are protected and allowed to survive and develop in an enabling environment”.
She said the two ministries shared many things in common including the responsibility of providing health and other related services to women, children, and persons with disabilities, older citizens and other vulnerable groups, describing their joint collaboration as critical towards achieving the national goals.
The minister, while lamenting the position of Nigeria among countries with the highest cases of maternal and child mortality, asserted that “this trend must be reversed if we are to meet our national goals and global undertakings, particularly Goals 3 and 4 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)”.
According to Mrs. Suleiman, it was in the light of this that that her ministry was granted funds under the 2009 budget to compliment the Federal Ministry of Health’s initiatives towards improving the maternal and child health, particularly at the grassroots.
Collaboration between the two ministries, she noted would provide a strong synergy in executing their programmes to enhance the welfare of Nigerians, advising the Federal Ministry of Health to put the interest of women, children, people living with disabilities, and the aged in all its policies and initiatives.
Responding, the Minister of Health, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin described the initiative of the collaboration as a unique step towards enhancing national development, promising the cooperation of his ministry for the success of the new efforts.
For the initiative to succeed, he, however, stressed the need for more resources and girl- child education, explaining that “the more population of educated women, the better for the country, because many Nigerians will be trained”
Osotimehin also emphasized the need to educate and sensitize the men on their roles and responsibilities without assuming that they were perfect human beings, and commended the activities of civil groups in correcting the ills of the society.
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman gave the assertion during an advocacy visit to her Health counterpart, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin in Abuja.
This, with complete free maternal and child health care, Mrs. Suleiman added, would go a long way in reducing the incidences of maternal and child mortality in the country.
While commending the Federal Ministry of Health for engaging traditional rulers in mobilizing community support for primary health care delivery, she stressed the need to address social norms that limit women’s knowledge and skills in health care services.
Mrs. Suleiman explained that her ministry is currently engaged in advocacy to all the tiers of government to ensure that there is renewed political and financial commitments at all levels towards improving maternal and child care, and other related issues to the advancement of the less privileged.
The minister maintained: “Indeed, no society can advance without investing large proportions of its resources on health and well being of its citizenry, and no nation can become great unless its children, who are leaders of tomorrow, are protected and allowed to survive and develop in an enabling environment”.
She said the two ministries shared many things in common including the responsibility of providing health and other related services to women, children, and persons with disabilities, older citizens and other vulnerable groups, describing their joint collaboration as critical towards achieving the national goals.
The minister, while lamenting the position of Nigeria among countries with the highest cases of maternal and child mortality, asserted that “this trend must be reversed if we are to meet our national goals and global undertakings, particularly Goals 3 and 4 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)”.
According to Mrs. Suleiman, it was in the light of this that that her ministry was granted funds under the 2009 budget to compliment the Federal Ministry of Health’s initiatives towards improving the maternal and child health, particularly at the grassroots.
Collaboration between the two ministries, she noted would provide a strong synergy in executing their programmes to enhance the welfare of Nigerians, advising the Federal Ministry of Health to put the interest of women, children, people living with disabilities, and the aged in all its policies and initiatives.
Responding, the Minister of Health, Professor Babatunde Osotimehin described the initiative of the collaboration as a unique step towards enhancing national development, promising the cooperation of his ministry for the success of the new efforts.
For the initiative to succeed, he, however, stressed the need for more resources and girl- child education, explaining that “the more population of educated women, the better for the country, because many Nigerians will be trained”
Osotimehin also emphasized the need to educate and sensitize the men on their roles and responsibilities without assuming that they were perfect human beings, and commended the activities of civil groups in correcting the ills of the society.
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