Truth Live Int'l

Category: Health

  • Two Die Of Suspected Diphtheria In Edo Amid Rising Concern

    Two Die Of Suspected Diphtheria In Edo Amid Rising Concern

     

    At least two persons have reportedly died of diphtheria, also known as whooping cough, at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, UBTH, Ugbowo, Edo State.

    This comes amidst growing concerns over a nationwide shortage of vaccines for the disease

    The death of the two out of five reported cases is attributed to alleged immunization gaps, surveillance lapses and lack of public health.

    Truthlive News reports that Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection, primarily affecting the nose and throat. It is caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae. It can also affect the skin and transmitted through respiratory droplets or direct contact with infected skin lesions.

    It is said to be a preventable disease through vaccination, and prompt treatment with antitoxin and antibiotics is crucial to prevent complications and death

    Following the incident, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole, called for an emergency meeting among heads of Health institutions in the state including World Health Organization and United Nations Children Fund, UNICEF, where a quick response team was activated to commence free treatment.

    According to Oshiomhole, “Diphtheria is vaccine preventable diseases and its resurgence in our state raises concern about immunization gap, surveillance lapses and public health awareness. These cases are not just numbers; they represent real family, real loss and danger to communities, if they are left unchecke

    “We cannot afford to be reactive; we must act swiftly and collaboratively. The ministry has activated a response team and commenced free treatment. Residents are advised to ensure that children are fully immunized.

    The Public Relation officer of University of Benin Teaching Hospital, (UBTH), Joshua Uwaila confirmed the incident saying that “There is a resurgence of the Diphtheria and that is why our public health nurses are out to enlightened the public and out doctors are also on radio to create public awareness as well”.

  • We Have A Duty To Act – Industry Minister Leads 9-Year Diabetes Fight In Cross River

    NIGERIA, CROSS RIVER – The Minister of State for Industry Senator John Owan Enoh, said his foundation has advanced diabetes care in rural Cross River over nine years.

    “My wife, Rachel Enoh, and I began this journey in 2015,” the minister stated via his social media handle. “We’ve screened thousands.”

    The JOE Foundation, according to him, provides education, medication, and early detection programs to underserved communities.

    Medical teams are currently conducting an intensive week-long outreach focused on treatment accessibility in rural areas.

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    “We hope this effort continues to bridge gaps in diabetes care,” the minister added, stressing the importance of chronic disease support.

    The initiative, he said, addresses the rising diabetes burden in Nigeria’s rural communities by prioritizing awareness and action.

  • After 32 Years, UCTH SHIM Holds First-Ever Induction Ceremony For Graduands

    CALABAR, CROSS RIVER STATE – The University of Calabar Teaching Hospital’s School of Health Information Management (SHIM) held its first induction and oath-taking ceremony on Wednesday.

    The event marked a historic milestone for the school, which was established 32 years ago without previously inducting any graduating class.

    Speaking at the ceremony, UCTH Chief Medical Director Prof. Ikpeme Ikpeme praised the graduating students for their perseverance and academic achievement.

    “You have made history,” Ikpeme said. “Carry this institution’s name with honor and uphold the values of excellence, integrity, and service.”

    He commended the school’s leadership and faculty for their commitment to training competent health information management professionals.

    Officials from the Health Records Registration Board of Nigeria, hospital management, staff, parents, and dignitaries witnessed the occasion.

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    The CMD encouraged the inductees to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s healthcare system through accurate and ethical data handling.

    One of the graduands, Esther Bassey, said the ceremony “feels like a reward for years of hard work and discipline.”

    She expressed hope that future graduates would continue to raise the school’s profile nationally.

    This maiden induction symbolizes the school’s readiness to align with national standards for health information management training.

  • Putting Girls First: WHO Calls On Policymakers To Act, Protect Teens From Preventable Pregnancies

    HEALTH, GUIDELINES – The World Health Organization (WHO) has released comprehensive new guidelines urging governments to take decisive, ethically grounded action to address adolescent pregnancy — the leading global cause of death among girls aged 15 to 19.

    The recommendations emphasize a principled approach rooted in moral obligation, affirming the inherent rights of girls to health, education, and protection from exploitation.

    Over 21 million girls in low- and middle-income countries become pregnant annually, with nearly half of these pregnancies unplanned.

    A significant majority of these occur within the context of child marriage — with nine out of ten adolescent births happening among girls married before the age of 18.

    This trend, WHO warns, perpetuates gender inequality, poverty, and severe health risks, including complications from unsafe abortions and preterm births.

    “Early pregnancies are not simply a health issue — they reflect deep societal inequities and systemic neglect,” said Dr. Pascale Allotey, WHO Director of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research.

    “Policymakers are duty-bound to create environments where girls can flourish — free from coercion, empowered with knowledge, and supported by equitable access to care.”

    The updated guideline provides a framework for action, including:

    • Legal Reforms: Enact and enforce legislation that prohibits marriage under the age of 18, consistent with international human rights commitments.
    • Education-Based Solutions: Invest in secondary education for girls through financial support mechanisms like scholarships and targeted stipends.
    • Health System Reforms: Remove legal and policy barriers that prevent adolescents from independently accessing sexual and reproductive health services, including contraception and safe abortion care.
    • Curriculum Integration: Ensure comprehensive sexuality education is embedded in national curricula to equip youth with knowledge about consent, reproductive health, and gender equity.
    • Economic Empowerment: Promote livelihood programs that offer adolescents viable alternatives to early marriage.

    Dr. Sheri Bastien, WHO Scientist for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health, emphasized the transformative potential of education: “Equipping adolescents with knowledge and life opportunities helps them challenge harmful norms, delay childbirth, and envision futures beyond early marriage.”

    While notable global progress has been made — adolescent births declined from 1 in 15 in 2000 to 1 in 25 in 2021 — stark regional disparities remain.

    In several countries, nearly 1 in 10 girls aged 15–19 still gives birth annually.

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    WHO’s recommendations are anchored in a rule-based ethical framework that prioritizes justice and the protection of vulnerable populations, regardless of potential economic outcomes.

    The organization stresses that fulfilling girls’ rights is not merely an investment in development — it is a moral imperative.

    The 2025 guideline update builds on WHO’s previous 2011 edition, providing a stronger emphasis on preventing child marriage and improving adolescents’ access to information and services.

    For policymakers, it offers a roadmap to uphold fundamental values while dismantling structural barriers that hinder young girls’ potential.

  • Toro LGA Receives 241,150 Polio Vaccines From UNICEF, Recruits 1,477 Health Workers To Reach Every Child

    Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting

    NIGERIA, BAUCHI – Toro Local Government Area (LGA) in Bauchi State has taken delivery of 241,150 doses of Novel Oral Polio Vaccine (NOPV) from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to combat zero-dose cases in its ongoing polio immunisation campaign.

    Musa Danladi, Toro’s Local Immunisation Officer (LIO), announced this on 27 April 2025 during a monitoring visit by UNICEF-supported journalists to assess the campaign targeting 196,220 children under five in the LGA.

    Recall that Toro is among 13 Bauchi LGAs with 556,000 unvaccinated children. Danladi noted that UNICEF’s support, including logistics, training, advocacy, and sensitisation, will significantly reduce zero-dose cases.

    The LGA recruited 1,477 personnel to ensure all unreached children are vaccinated.

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    Vaccines were distributed across Toro’s 17 wards, with solar direct drive storage units, donated by UNICEF, used in hard-to-reach areas.

    Danladi reported a smoother campaign compared to previous rounds, attributing success to pre-campaign activities like training, advocacy visits to Toro Community Radio, and security agency collaboration to access all settlements. “The support from UNICEF is timely and will drastically reduce zero-dose children in Toro,” he said.

    Non-compliance was recorded in 71 households (138 children), with 36 households (72 children) resolved through interventions by community groups like FOMWAN and SALAMA.

  • NAFDAC Raises Alarm Over Fake Anti-malaria Drug, Aflotin In Circulation

     

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has raised an alarm over a batch of counterfeit Artemether/Lumefantrine tablets that is currently circulating under the brand name Aflotin 20/120 across Nigeria.

    NAFDAC made the notification in a statement via its website.

    The statement disclosed that the counterfeit product was discovered and reported to the agency by the genuine manufacturer, Ajanta Pharma Limited, Mumbai, India.

    “According to Ajanta Pharma, the following observations were made on the counterfeit product.

    “The batch number PA2128L was manufactured by Ajanta Pharma in December 2018, with an expiry date of November 2020. This batch was created for Combisunate 20/120 (Artemether 20mg/Lumefantrine 120mg tablets), with a pack size of 30 x 24 tablets, which is now being counterfeited and sold as Aflotin 20/120mg with a pack size of 1 x 18 tablets.”

    The agency further noted that the overprinted matter and text on the carton of the counterfeit Aflotin 20/120mg artwork did not match Ajanta’s overprinting style and approved artwork.

    The agency further noted that the overprinted matter and text on the carton of the counterfeit Aflotin 20/120mg artwork did not match Ajanta’s overprinting style and approved artwork.

    “Genuine Aflotin 20/120 tablet is a combination of Artemether/Lumefantrine (20mg/120mg) and is primarily used for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria caused by thePlasmodium falciparumparasite,” the statement further read.

    Furthermore, NAFDAC emphasised that counterfeit or falsified medicines endangered people’s health because they did not comply with regulatory standards, which means the safety, quality, and efficacy of these products were not ensured.

    Consequently, the use of counterfeit medicines often fails to treat diseases or conditions effectively, leading to serious health consequences, including death.

    The drug control agency listed the details of the counterfeit product as:

    “Product Name: AFLOTIN 20/120mg (Artemether 20mg/Lumefantrine 120mg); Batch No: PA2128L; Mfg. Date: 04/2023; Exp. Date: 03/2026; Stated Manufacturer: Ajanta Pharma Limited, Mumbai, India.

    “Stated Manufacturer Address: B-4/5/6, MIDC Industrial Area, Paithan, 431 148. Read/Corp. Off/Bureau, Ajanta House, Charkop, Kandivli (W), Mumbai 400 067.”

    Against this backdrop, “All NAFDAC zonal directors and state coordinators have been informed and directed to conduct surveillance and remove any counterfeit products found within their zones and states, the statement added.

    “Healthcare professionals and consumers are advised to report any suspicion of the sale of substandard and falsified medicines to the nearest NAFDAC office, NAFDAC on 0800-162-3322 or via email: sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng.”

  • WHO Mpox Response Faces Funding Challenges As Nigeria Updates On Vaccination Efforts

    NIGERIA, WHO – Financial constraints are threatening the World Health Organization’s (WHO) efforts to combat mpox, with funding shortages impacting response strategies across multiple African nations, including Nigeria.

    On February 25, 2025, the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee convened via teleconference to assess the ongoing outbreak and discuss mitigation strategies.

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    The WHO initially declared the mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on August 14, 2024.

    Since January 2022, nearly 130,000 confirmed cases and over 280 deaths have been reported across 130 countries, with seven new nations confirming their first cases since the committee’s last meeting in November 2024.

    Despite efforts to control the outbreak, WHO’s emergency response remains underfunded.

    Of the $87.4 million appeal launched in September 2024, only $65.5 million has been raised, with $7.5 million frozen due to the suspension of U.S. contributions.

    Nigeria, home to over 200 million people, provided updates on its response efforts.

    Health officials confirmed that 20,000 doses of the mpox vaccine have been administered, prioritizing healthcare workers, female sex workers, and men who have sex with men.

    While research into the outbreak continues, there is no evidence suggesting that animals play a role in sustaining human transmission.

    ALSO READ:  WHO appeal: mpox public health emergency 2024 

    WHO officials and committee members expressed concern over the continued spread of mpox beyond Africa, warning that prolonged funding shortages could hinder containment efforts.

    Discussions also centered on whether mpox should remain classified as a PHEIC, weighing its benefits in mobilizing global resources against potential drawbacks, such as reducing the effectiveness of emergency alerts over time.

    With financial uncertainty looming, WHO is reviewing available resources to address critical gaps.

    Nigerian health authorities, alongside international stakeholders, continue to push for sustained funding and coordinated efforts to contain the outbreak before further escalation.

  • NAFDAC Raises Alarm Over Fake Pain Medication in Circulation 

    National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has alerted the public to a falsified Oxycontin 80mg (oxycodone hydrochloride) which it says was detected in an unregulated market in Switzerland.

    The public alert with No. 07/2025 is uploaded on the agency’s website.

    The agency said the issue about falsified medicine was reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO) by the genuine manufacturer, MUNDIPHARMA, in February.

    It said the falsified product imitated the genuine OXYCONTIN 80mg authorised for sale in Poland, adding that the genuine OXYCONTIN (oxycodone hydrochloride) is a semi-synthetic opioid indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe pain.

    It said laboratory tests of samples for the falsified product were conducted by the Drug Information Centre in Zurich, Switzerland, and that WHO, DIZ’s drug-checking service determined that the tablets did not contain oxycodone but a synthetic opioid likely to be a nitazene compound.

    According to NAFDAC, Nitazene derivatives (e.g. metonitazene, isotonitazene, fluonitazene) are potent synthetic opioids, primarily used in research due to their high addiction potential and severe side effects.

     

    It said these substances could be hundreds of times stronger than oxycodone, posing a high overdose risk, stressing that limited information is available on their risks, toxicity, side effects, and long-term consequences.

    “The identified product in this alert is confirmed as falsified on the basis that it deliberately/fraudulently misrepresented its identity, composition, or source.

    “The falsified product imitates OXYCONTIN 80mg manufactured and marketed by MUNDIPHARMA in the Polish market. MUNDIPHARMA has confirmed that the product was falsified and was not produced by their company.

    “This falsified product has been found to contain undeclared nitazene compounds, which pose a significant risk due to the high likelihood of adverse events, even in small doses. Nitazenes produce similar effects to other opioids.

    “Their high potency carries a high risk of overdose and death. Using nitazene derivatives has been linked to several deaths.

    “Mixing them with other depressants like alcohol or benzodiazepines can be very dangerous, leading to severe effects like respiratory depression, low blood pressure, coma, or even death,” NAFDAC said.

    It said that this falsified product posed a particular risk to individuals with substance use disorders who might perceive this falsified product as a safe and quality-assured medicine.

    NAFDAC said that visible discrepancies were observed on the falsified product such as the placement of the batch and expiry dates on the counterfeit product were incorrect.

    It added that the falsified product batch and expiry date are visible on the front side of the blister strip, adding that genuine OXYCONTIN has the batch and expiry date visible on the back of the blister strip.

    NAFDAC stated that  on the falsified product, the expiry date is on the left and the batch number is on the right, pointing out that genuine OXYCONTIN has the batch number on the left and the expiry date on the right.

    According to NAFDAC, all its zonal directors and state coordinators have been instructed to conduct surveillance and retrieve any falsified products of this medicine found within their zones and states in Nigeria.

    It said that importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and consumers are hereby advised to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to avoid importation, distribution, sale, and use of falsified OXYCONTIN tablets.

    NAFDAC said that all medical products/medical devices must be obtained from authorised/licensed suppliers, stressing that products’ authenticity and physical condition should be carefully checked.

    It advised healthcare professionals and consumers to report any suspicion of the sale of substandard and falsified medicines or medical devices to the nearest NAFDAC office or call NAFDAC on 0800-162-3322 or via email: sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng

    It said that healthcare professionals and patients are also encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of medicinal products or devices to the nearest NAFDAC office.

    NAFDAC said that healthcare professionals and patients could also report to the agency through the use of the E-reporting platforms available on the NAFDAC website www.nafdac.gov.ng or via the Med-safety application available for download on android and IOS stores or via e-mail on pharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.ng.

  • Lassa Fever Claims 15 Lives In Edo

     

    Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting

    The Edo State Government has confirmed 15 deaths from the over 1000 cases of Lassa Fever it recorded in the latest outbreak of the disease in the state.

    The Government also confirmed 11 suspected cases of Mpox, five of which were positive.

    The Director of Public Health of the State Ministry of Health, Dr. Stephenson Ojeifo, revealed this to Journalists in Benin.

    Recall that the state government announced 13 deaths from the hemorrhagic disease in the month of February this year.

    Ojeifo said: “As at today, Edo State has recorded over 1000 cases of Lassa Fever in the State, from these cases we have recorded 103 positive cases.

    “From the 103 positive cases, we have recorded 15 deaths; while other have been treated and discharged.”

    He, however said surveillance and contact tracing system have been put in place to address the disease.

    According to Ojeifo, mortality rate results from late referral or presentation of patients at the treatment centre.

    He noted that patients were referred to ISTH only when the condition is already very bad, which, he said the State Government has been sensitizing the people on the need to visit the hospital when they have persistence fever that is not resolving so that sample can be taken for test and treatment if positive.

    “If positive, the patient should move to Irrua Teaching Specialist Hospital for treatment because everything to manage the patient is available there,” he assured.

    He also said that the State did not record any mortality in Mpox because the patients presented themselves early for treatment.

  • Federal Government Upgrades Gombe Hospital to Federal Medical Centre

    The federal government has officially taken over Gombe General Hospital in Kumo, upgrading it to a Federal Medical Centre (FMC) to improve healthcare services in the state and the North-East region.

     

    This move aims to strengthen medical service delivery and address maternal and neonatal mortality rates in the region, as stated by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

     

    The new Kumo FMC becomes the second federal medical institution in Gombe State, following the upgrade of the Federal Teaching Hospital from a medical center.

     

    Governor Inuwa Yahaya had formally requested the federal government’s takeover of the facility, which was approved by President Bola Tinubu.

     

    President Tinubu commended Governor Yahaya for prioritizing citizens’ health, stating that the takeover would significantly enhance healthcare service delivery in the state.

     

    “The Kumo FMC will serve as a tertiary healthcare center, contribute to medical personnel training, and boost healthcare services in Gombe and the North-East region,” the statement added.

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