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.

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.

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.

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.