By, Chinelo Kodilichukwu Enugu 

The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has appealed to stakeholders in the medicine sales value-chain to actively join the agency to checkmate substandard and falsified medicines.

The Director of NAFDAC in South-East, Mr Martins Iluyomade, made the plea in Enugu during a one-day NAFDAC Community Sensitisation on Substandard and Falsified Medicines in Nigeria.

Iluyomade said that the war against substandard and falsified medicines involves all stakeholders in the medicine supply and sales value-chain to ensure a holistic fight and assured verifiable results in the near future.

According to him, the culture of keeping silence should stop as medicine sales do not have profit gains implication only but it has many lives saving implications.

“All of us have a duty to protect everyone around us against substandard and falsified medicines as we have to think of taking critical stand against those that engage in the unwholesome practice.

“As I speak, I am sure someone is somewhere still faking medicines and such injurious medicines find their way into the drug markets and health facilities.

“We should stand against substandard and falsified medicines and report to NAFDAC anyone selling or distributing chalks and other unwholesome substances

as medicines,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Collins Ogedegbe, State Coordinator of NAFDAC in Enugu State, said that the sensitisation involved all stakeholders as NAFDAC believe that “it is necessary to engage in continuous dialogue to ensure no link in the medicine supply and sales value-chain is left behind.”

“We want to work with everybody as a team and ensure there will be no hiding place for any unwholesome practice within the medicine supply and sales value-chain in Enugu State,” Ogedegbe said.

Speaking, Mr Oliver Ezemba, Chairman of National Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers (NAPPMED), Ogbete Main Market (Unit A) Enugu, lauded NAFDAC as well as Bill and Melida Gates Foundation for the sensitisation and enlightenment of NAPPMED members and other stakeholders.

Ezemba noted that it was gratifying that all members of NAPPMED had closed all shops to come and learn as well as ensure they follow due regulations and be more careful as they conduct their medicine sales businesses.

“NAPPMED has been partnering in an active manner with NAFDAC and other agencies or bodies involved in medicine value-chain supply and sales all these years.

“With today’s interface and sensitisation, we will fashion out ways to work closely and by doing that checkmate all forms of substandard and falsified medicines sales and outlets.

“I sincerely believe that when we collectively do this, we will be safe-guiding the lives of everybody around us,” he said.

Those that attended the sensitisation included: community pharmacists, representative of traditional rulers and community leaders as well as the media.

By Uchenna Okah, Abakaliki

No fewer than 100 media practitioners in Ebonyi State benefited from the state council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) free medical outreach.

The free medical services were organized by the council in collaboration with the Medical Women Association of Nigeria in the state.

The outreach was part of the activities lined up by NUJ to mark this year’s press week with the theme “The Media Admits Economic Uncertainty”.

The free medical outreach centered on health talks, blood and sugar screening, hepatitis, oral care and treatment among others.

Over 30 journalists who have teeth-related problems were treated by a team of Dentists and counseled after the treatment.

Speaking during the medical outreach, the state Chairman of the union, Samson Nwafor said he included the outreach in the 2024 press week events because of the importance of health checks in the lives of the journalists because of the nature of journalism which makes the practitioners too busy to care for their health.

He opined that the free medical services will go a long way in keeping the journalists fit for their duties.

A former Chairman of the union, Comrade Tony Nwizi, described the medical outreach as timely in view of the pressure journalists encounter in their duties which affects their health.

The President of the Medical Women Association of Nigeria in the state, Dr. Lilian Nwobashi urged journalists to always go for medical checks to save them from health issues.

From, Ajiya Ayuba Bauchi

The chairman of Bogoro local government area of Bauchi State, Surveyor Yakubu Lawi Sumi on Wednesday said that they have recorded a low birth rate as a result of family planning forced on women by some health personnel in the state.

Sumi made this known in an exclusive interview with The Nations News Nigeria correspondent in Bauchi, however warned both government and private health personnel to stop providing family planning for women without the approval of their husband.

He said that if it continues, it will definitely affect the local government and the future generations, describing the act as bad.

According to the council chairman, fixing family planning by some health personnel to women is causing the local government to record a low birth rate.

Sumi added, “You can see a woman of only ten years in marriage but she will stop giving birth just like that, which is not proper”.

Surveyor Lawi Sumi explained that  it is very wrong for any health personnel to give family planning without the agreement of the husband and the wife.

He assured that they will continue to create awareness to the communities and all the 13 Ward that formed the local government about the issue of family planning.

He urged health workers in the local government, traditional, religious leaders, women and youth groups to play a critical role by sensitizing the people about available health care services in their areas.

The chairman further warned that anybody found guilty of fixing family planning to any woman without the approval of her husband will definitely face the wrath of the law.

From Ajiya Ayuba, Bauchi

The chairman of Bogoro local government area of Bauchi State, survey Yakubu Lawi Sumi on Tuesday applauded governor Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, United Nations children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for boasting of the health sector in the area.

Sumi made this known during a meeting with the local government taskforce on immunization for the month of September OBR3 2024 Campaign held at the council conference hall of the LGA. 

He urged the primary health care workers, traditional and religious leaders to play a critical role by sensitizing the people about available health care services in the local government.

According to the chairman, Sumi said it is a serious offence for private health facilities to carry out family planning service without government approval.

He said that his administration will do everything possible to address some of the challenges facing health facilities across the local government.

He also expressed concern about the low birth rate in the local government, adding that it will affect the future of LGA and the generations to come.

In his part, Mr. Godwin Hakuri who is the the Director Primary Health Care of the local government expressed his appreciation to the chairman for welcoming them assured to work with them for the development of the local government.

He said that there are health care services initiated by the World Bank in collaboration with the world Bank to assist communities to minimize financial stress.

According to him, 13 politicians per ward have received four million three hundred thousand naira to run their health facilities.

The Director Primary Health Care, Mr. Godwin Hakuri appealed to the local government Chairman for support toward improving immunization coverage across the 13 Ward that formed Bogoro.

By Yagana Ali Yola 

The commissioner of health Adamawa state, Felix tangwame has confirmed 38 cases of cholera out of 50 sample sent to Abuja for testing to be positive after they received the results from the lab 

Tangwame who made this known in a statement signed and issued to newsmen in Yola, capital of Adamawa State said: “I want to inform you all that we have received results of samples sent to NCDC for confirmation as to what we are dealing with is Acute watery Diarrhea or Cholera.

 “Unfortunately out of the 38 samples sent to the National Reference Laboratory (NRL)in Abuja,30 samples returned positive for CHOLERA, 6 came back Negative, 2 still in ongoing isolation and 12 still pending”he said . 

“With these results therefore, I want to confirm to the public that there’s an outbreak of CHOLERA in Adamawa state” tangwame said 

He calls on the general public to be cautious of their movements, interactions, personal hygiene, and the source of water they drink. 

So far, about 308 people were admitted, 244 treated successfully and discharged,12 deaths were recorded, six at the facility and six at home. 

However, the public are assured that the Government through its Health workers are doing everything possible by the grace of God to contain the situation as done in the past with other similar outbreaks in the state.

He  asks the people to continue to pray for the state as they face this monster, and should remain calm and not panic, cooperate with health workers as they go around to sensitize and give professional advice on how we should conduct ourselves.

The Government has given all the necessary support to ensure this is prevented from spreading to other areas. We shall continue to update you. Thank you for understanding.