A Nigerian-led solution to one of pharmacy’s most pressing challenges, career stagnation in community practice, has won international recognition.
The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Community Pharmacy has officially adopted a framework developed by the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to create structured career progression for pharmacists, a move described as a “global breakthrough.”
The solution, presented by Pharm. Ambrose Igwekamma Ezeh, National Chairman of ACPN, at the 83rd FIP World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Copenhagen, introduces the Community Pharmacists Assessment and Career Progression Institute (CPACPI).
This pioneering institution is designed to establish a transparent system of assessment, performance rating, and professional advancement for pharmacists.
According to Ezeh, the Community Pharmacists Assessment and Career Progression Institute (CPACPI) is designed to transform pharmacy practice by creating structured growth pathways that allow practitioners to advance from beginner levels to higher stages of expertise.
It introduces a competency-based assessment system that measures skills, rewards performance, and motivates continuous improvement, ensuring that excellence is recognized at every stage of practice.
Beyond assessment, CPACPI will provide mentorship, workshops, and periodic evaluations to encourage lifelong learning, while also documenting pharmacists’ achievements and practice milestones.
This framework, Ezeh noted, will not only give pharmacists professional visibility and recognition but also empower them to deliver safer, patient-centered, and innovative healthcare services.
The framework has now been endorsed as a global reference model by FIP, with its Community Pharmacy Chairman, Mr. Sheriff Guorgui, declaring Ezeh’s presentation “the way to go for community pharmacists.”
For decades, community pharmacists in Nigeria have faced a deep-rooted problem: the absence of career progression.
The Superintendent Pharmacist position, which serves as the entry point, is also the highest attainable rank.
This meant that, a fresh graduate and a pharmacist with 20 years of experience carried the same professional status.
The lack of recognition demoralized experienced practitioners and discouraged young pharmacists from pursuing community practice.
Without performance metrics, pharmacists were left without benchmarks for growth, and the profession risked complacency and stagnation.
Ezeh explained that this stagnation has contributed to declining interest in community pharmacy among younger professionals, at a time when healthcare systems demand innovation and adaptability from all health workers.
To close this gap, ACPN established an Accreditation and Standardization Committee that birthed the CPACPI model.
The institute now provides the missing framework for career advancement, professional motivation, and continuous quality improvement.
The objectives of CPACPI include introducing assessment and rating systems to measure performance, establishing career progression schemes that reward competence and dedication, and creating professional development opportunities through mentorship, training, and webinars.
It also provides networking and recognition platforms that enhance the visibility and influence of community pharmacists, positioning them for greater impact within the healthcare system.
The adoption of this proposal by FIP marks a historic moment for Nigeria, positioning the country as a thought leader in global pharmacy reforms. It signals a future where pharmacists are not just dispensers of medicines but are recognized as evolving professionals whose growth is tied to improved patient outcomes.
Longevity is not achieved by chance but by choice. Experts agree that what we do everyday determines how well or how long we live. From the food we eat to how we rest and manage stress, simple daily routines can strengthen your body, sharpen your mind, and improve your overall well-being.
Here are 10 daily habits proven to promote longevity and vitality:
1. Start your day with hydration:
Drinking water first thing in the morning kickstarts metabolism, flushes out toxins and supports brain function.
2. Eat balanced, nutrient-rich meals:
Prioritise whole foods, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats to fuel your body and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
3. Move your body every day:
Engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity, whether walking, stretching, or exercising, to strengthen the heart and muscles.
4. Practice mindful breathing or meditation:
Taking a few minutes to breathe deeply or meditate lowers stress hormones and promotes mental clarity.
5. Get quality sleep:
Aim for 7–8 hours of restful sleep each night to allow the body to repair, recharge, and maintain strong immunity.
6. Limit processed foods, sugar:
Reducing junk food and sugary drinks helps maintain healthy weight, prevents diabetes, and protects heart health.
7. Stay socially connected:
Nurturing positive relationships reduces loneliness and boosts emotional well-being, which is linked to longer life expectancy.
8. Protect your mind with reading or learning:
Engaging the brain daily with reading, puzzles, or new skills sharpens memory and lowers the risk of cognitive decline.
9. Practice gratitude and positivity:
A positive outlook lowers stress, improves heart health, and contributes to overall happiness.
10. Go for regular health check-ups:
Early detection of health issues through routine check-ups can prevent complications and extend life
• Millet, sorghum, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes to the rescue
When funding for Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) began to dry up in Bauchi and Gombe, leaving malnourished children stranded, mothers turned to their farmlands for answers. In Kaltungo (Gombe) and Toro (Bauchi) local government areas where nearly every household now cultivates orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, women are planting hope alongside food—deploying homegrown solutions to prevent stunting and wasting among their children, DAVID ADENUGA reports.
Malnutrition is still a major crisis in Nigeria’s North-East, with Bauchi and Gombe states among the worst affected. Thousands of children under five continue to suffer from stunting, wasting and being underweight, leaving health experts alarmed.
According to the 2021 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), Bauchi ranked as one of the states with the highest stunting rate, with over 50 per cent of children under five affected.
Gombe also has similar figures, with more than half of its children chronically malnourished, according to NDHS and the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS).
Also, Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) centres are still struggling with frequent stockouts of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) that have left many children untreated.
Under CMAM, children aged six months to five years with acute malnutrition are placed on RUTF for about two months until recovery.
The programme was introduced in Nigeria in 2009 by the United Nations Children Funds (UNICEF) in 12 northern states, with governments expected to provide counterpart funding. But despite allocations in state governments’ budget, only little money is released, leaving centres unable to buy the needed supplies.
A visit to five centres in Bauchi — Baima PHC (Warji), Miri PHC (Bauchi), Bununu (Tafawa Balewa), Madara PHC (Katagum), and Gamawa Township Maternity — confirmed that RUTF has been out of stock for weeks.
At Miri Health Centre, a worker revealed that supplies had not arrived for almost a month. “We contacted the state nutrition officer who said a memo was written for UNICEF to send more, but nothing has come. We now teach mothers how to prepare local substitutes like *tamowa*, made from groundnut and other foods,” he explained.
According to a report by Doctors Without Borders (MSF), 23,000 cases of severe malnutrition were recorded in Bauchi between January and June 2024 — a 120 per cent increase from the same period in 2023.
It also noted that malnutrition across Nigeria rose by 40 per cent. “Poverty is a factor, but not the only reason numbers are rising,” MSF’s medical coordinator, Thierry Boyom, said.
MSF, which has supported Bauchi since 2022, admitted its centres are overstretched.
Additionally, UNICEF data shows Nigeria has the second highest burden of stunted children in the world, with malnutrition linked to nearly half of deaths of children under five.
In Gombe, UNICEF raised the alarm over worsening state of malnourished children.
At a recent advocacy workshop in Jos in April 2025, its Bauchi Field Office Chief, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, said more than 50 per cent of children in the state are stunted, while many also suffer wasting and micronutrient deficiencies such as iron and vitamin A. Exclusive breastfeeding rates remain low, further compounding the crisis.
Dr. Rafique urged stronger commitments at the local government level. She highlighted the importance of investing in exclusive breastfeeding, improved feeding practices, and use of diverse, locally available foods. She also commended Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya for contributing to the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF), which matches state funding with donor support.
Yet, despite this progress, UNICEF said a ₦4 billion funding gap remains in Gombe, leaving over 54,000 malnourished children at risk without treatment.
Community women in Bauchi and Gombe step up to fight malnutrition
Local women’s groups and health volunteers in both states are now stepping up with simple, community-driven solutions to tackle the crisis.
They rely on local foods and basic nutrition education to help mothers improve their children’s health.
The effort is led by local women’s groups with support from Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) like Action Against Hunger and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
They work with state health agencies and traditional leaders. Female volunteers go door to door, helping mothers spot signs of malnutrition and teaching them how to prepare healthy meals from local foods.
Mothers are also trained to use a simple tool, the Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC), which are available through UNICEF Supply Division.
MUAC tapes are used to measure the upper arm circumference of children and also that of pregnant women, helping identify malnutrition.
Mothers are turning to local foods such as millet, sorghum and orange-fleshed sweet potatoes to fight child malnutrition, with support from UNICEF.
Residents say the intervention has improved children’s health, boosted energy levels and even reduced cases of cataracts.
A visit to Kalorgu Primary Health Care centre in Kaltungo Local Government Area showed that more women are adopting preventive practices, planting potatoes in household farms and sharing knowledge with neighbours.
In the Kaltungo community, the fight against child malnutrition is yielding results — thanks to a blend of local food solutions, exclusive breastfeeding campaigns, and the use of simple diagnostic tools like MUAC tapes.
According to Talatu Fadafeso, officer in charge of the Kalorgu health facility, over 600 children were admitted for malnutrition in July alone. “Out of the 627 children, the number has drastically reduced to 300,” she said.
She explained that this is due to regular weight checks and MUAC (Mid-Upper Arm Circumference) measurements and introduction of local nutrition methods.
Talatu said the introduction of local nutrition methods, such as food demonstrations using corn, millet, groundnut and soya beans, has made a visible impact.
“We tell mothers not to depend only on government support but to prepare their own packs at home. The results have been very encouraging,” she added.
Talatu is among the Health volunteers trained by UNICEF who go from door-to-door and even testing children during community gatherings.
“Our main work is outreach. They meet households, administer MUAC tests, and guide mothers on feeding practices. They also hold weekly meetings with women,” Talatu said.
Before UNICEF’s intervention, Aisha Muhammed Aiyu, in an interview with our reporter, had said she mainly relied on corn for her children’s meals. “I used to pre-grind the corn before cooking, but UNICEF taught us that it should only be freshly ground.
“They also introduced us to orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. We use the leaves for soup, dry them, and mix them with corn to make swallows for the children. Since then, I’ve seen real improvements,” she explained.
According to her, the change in her children’s health has been remarkable. “Their energy levels are better, their brains are sharper, and even eye problems like cataracts have reduced after adding the potatoes to their meals.”
Though some neighbours initially doubted the method, Aisha said she used her own children as proof.
“At first, people said it would not work. But when they saw the difference in my family, they accepted it. Now, I even share potato seeds with them so they can grow their own.”
Her motivation, she noted, comes from wanting to help other women. “Many mothers don’t know about these foods that can improve their children’s health. That is why I joined the fight against malnutrition — to show them where to get support, how to feed their children better, and even take them to the hospital when needed.”
Aisha also uses the MUAC tape to detect malnutrition. “If a child is weak, has yellowish hair and no energy, we check with the tape. If the reading is 6 or 7, it is red and shows danger. A healthy child should measure 12 or 13.”
At home, she prepares meals with millet, sorghum, corn, rice, and potatoes. “I harvest the potatoes, peel, wash, dry, and grind them. I use them for swallow and pap,” she said.
For Aisha, the knowledge she gained from UNICEF is not just for her family but for the entire community. “They taught me how to improve our food and identify malnourished children. I feel very happy sharing this knowledge with other women, and when they learn, they also teach others.
“This way, we can all grow our food and feed our families without depending on the market.”
However, she said, despite progress, mothers still face the challenge of water supply, climate change and inadequate support from government.
For Hannatu Dodo, a mother from Kaltungo, the solution lies in combining traditional meals with new nutrition practices. “Before, we relied on Tom Brown made from soya beans or millet, but now we add orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. The difference is clear — the children are healthier, more active, and playful,” she said.
Motivated by her love for children, Hannatu teaches other mothers how to prepare Tom Brown and incorporate potato flour. “Sometimes, I even make it for them and show them how to cook it. The husbands are supportive; some even send their wives to buy millet or corn,” she explained.
She added that cases of malnutrition in her area have dropped significantly. “The rate is going down, and we are happy with the progress,” she said.
Hannatu said they had received little or no support from the government, adding that poor water supply and climate change are making farming harder for families.
She said sometimes heavy downpours even wash away farmlands, but orange-fleshed sweet potato has become an important option because it grows well even in harsh conditions.
“It needs less water than many other crops, matures quickly, and provides essential nutrients like vitamin A.
“For many households, planting sweet potatoes has become a practical way to cope with changing weather while fighting child malnutrition,” she said.
The model has also brought economic benefits. Hannatu noted that many mothers have turned homestead farming into small businesses.
“We sell vines, make drinks, process the powder, and even bake cakes by mixing sweet potatoes with soybeans,” she said.
What started in three LGAs has now spread to six — Balanga, Billiri, and Shongom among them. Men are also joining, planting sweet potatoes to boost food security in their homes.
In Toro Local Government Area, women are also stepping forward to lead the battle against malnutrition, relying on local foods and simple tools to protect children’s health.
Halimatu Abdullahi, chairperson of the Toro women volunteers, said she organises meetings every two weeks to educate mothers on nutrition and health.
“We cannot wait for our husbands, the government, or other organisations ttodo everything for us. We farm, raise livestock, and must support our families ourselves,” she explained.
For Halimatu, her motivation comes from personal experience. “I once had an eye problem that made it difficult to read without glasses. But when I started using sweet potato in my meals, my sight improved. Now I can read without glasses,” she said, adding that the crop is now part of nearly every meal in her home.
Armed with MUAC (Mid-Upper Arm Circumference) tapes, Halimatu and her team move from house to house, checking children for signs of malnutrition. “At first, many children tested yellow, showing danger signs. But now, after mothers adjusted their diets, we hardly see that anymore,” she said.
She explained that families are also adapting their traditional meals such as danwake (made from millet, beans, and cassava flour) by adding potato starch and vegetables like baobab leaves and spinach.
“This way, mothers don’t need expensive food to keep their families healthy,” she added.
Fathers in Toro, Kaltingo LGs embrace sweet potato to tackle malnutrition
Findings made by our reporter revealed that the fight against child malnutrition in Toro Local Government Area of BBauchi State and Kaltungo LGA in Gombe is no longer driven by mothers alone. Fathers are stepping up, learning new feeding practices and embracing the cultivation of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes to protect their children’s health.
For Umar Isah, the shift began with new knowledge. “Before, we thought malnutrition was just fever or diarrhea. But we later learned it comes from food and our environment,” he admitted.
Today, his family meals are fortified with sweet potatoes and traditional vegetables like rama. He explained that potato flour is now added to local dishes such as gwate and pap made from kamu, making them richer and healthier for children.
He acknowledged that while farming sweet potatoes was initially a challenge, the community has embraced it fully. “At first, we didn’t know how to grow it. But once it was explained to us, we took it seriously. Now we evensensitise women on its benefits,” he said.
Another father, Yau Muhammad Mukhtar, said his motivation to grow sweet potatoes is both personal and communal.
“I saw how it makes children healthier and smarter, so I’m not playing with the seeds. In two or three months, I will harvest and share with others,” he explained.
Yau said he can easily identify malnutrition by observing children’s behaviour. “You see it in their voices, their faces, and their eyes,” he said.
His advice to mothers is simple: “Always give children nutritious food. This potato has helped us a lot. It even improves breast milk for mothers and makes children stronger. Women should eat food that builds the body.”
Malam Muhammadu, a traditional ruler in Toro Local Government Area, said he regularly advises women to practice what they have been taught by health workers and volunteers.
“If you are taught something and you do not continue to practise it, you can forget it. That is why I remind mothers daily to hold on to the lessons they’ve received,” he said.
He stressed that while communities are cooperating, more government support is needed. “What we want is for the government to help us with a hospital and a facility that will provide nutritious food,” he said, pledging to continue sensitising his people on the dangers of malnutrition.
Another community member, Nuhu Zaki, said his contribution has been through farming sweet potatoes, one of the crops introduced by UNICEF and health partners to improve household nutrition.
“We harrow the land, cut the seed into pieces, and after three months, we harvest.
“My children said they had never seen this type of potato before. When my wife fried it, it was very delicious, soft, and sweet,” he recalled.
He added that he has continued to cultivate and even purchase sweet potatoes from the market when his supply runs out, with support from neighbours who also produce the crop.
How UNICEF Introduced sweet potato model to tackle malnutrition in Bauchi, Gombe
UNICEF is stepping up action to fight malnutrition in Bauchi and Gombe states, using a community-based approach that relies on local foods like orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. The programme is helping mothers improve their children’s diets and prevent stunting, wasting, and underweight among children under five.
Philomena Irene, UNICEF’s nutrition specialist of the Bauchi Chief Field Office, which also covers Gombe State, said the move followed worrying data from the two states.
Philomena revealed that a total of 16,862 caregivers were reached with Maternal, Infant and Young Child Feeding (MIYCF) counselling across four Local Government Areas (LGAs) — three in Gombe State and one in Bauchi State.
She further noted that 9,580 children were admitted for the treatment of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) within the intervention period.
Providing state-specific indicators, she explained that orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, which are rich in vitamin A and other nutrients, have been widely accepted by mothers. Women are learning to grow them in their backyards, cook them in different recipes, and even use the leaves for soups and porridge.
“The women have noticed great improvements in their children’s health, especially their skin and eyes. Sweet potato is already a common food here, so it was easily accepted,” Irene said.
The state governments, she added, have supported the project by contributing over ₦175 million to the Child Nutrition Fund and providing agricultural extension workers to train women and monitor backyard farms. These workers also teach households how to improve the cultivation of vegetables such as tomatoes, okra and pepper.
Irene stressed that prevention is cheaper and more effective than treatment.
“We have twice as many children moderately malnourished compared to those severely malnourished.
“Preventing malnutrition is nine times cheaper than treating it. It costs ₦21,000 to prevent malnutrition in a child, but ₦190,000 to treat one child with severe malnutrition,” she explained.
She added that prevention allows UNICEF and partners to reach more children and stop them from becoming severely malnourished.
“It is cost-effective, locally available, and sustainable. With simple local foods, families can protect their children before the problem gets worse,” she said.
The UNICEF official believes the sweet potato model is a lasting solution, not only to fight food poverty but also to empower households.
The combination of prevention, backyard farming, and small-scale businesses is also helping families to feed their children better and secure healthier futures.
RUTF is unsustainable
The Chairman, BSPHDA, Dr. Rilwan Mohammed, said the procurement of RUTF was not sustainable.
Speaking in an interview with our reporter, he said the government was looking at preventive measures in tackling acute malnutrition rather than being reactive since it has not been able to meet up with its counterpart financial obligation to UNICEF.
One of the measures, he said, is providing mothers with weaning foods which they can give their children to augment breastfeeding.
”We only have 21 C-MAN centres in just 9 out of 20 local government areas. We are only managing because RUTF is too expensive.
“To get the money to buy it is another problem. It’s actually supplied by UNICEF but it has not been forthcoming because we have not been able to meet up with counterpart funding,” Mohammed said
This story was supported by Nigeria Health Watch and the Solutions Journalism Network.
In Nigeria, menstrual health continues to be a taboo-ridden battlefield, where lack of open dialogue, cultural myths, and economic constraints force many girls and women into precarious hygienic conditions.
According to experts, these deeply embedded stigmas are exacerbating a public health crisis that is under-reported and under-resourced.
In an exclusive interview in Abuja, Abdulhameed Adediran, Team Lead for Menstrual Health Initiatives at Population Services International (PSI) Nigeria, painted a stark portrait of the challenges facing the country’s women and girls. He described the state of menstrual health in Nigeria as “burdened,” pointing to gaps in demand, supply, and the enabling environment.
Myths, silence and misinformation
One of the greatest barriers, Adediran said, is ignorance of menstrual health caused by fragmented education and entrenched cultural norms. Until recently, Nigeria lacked a coherent national framework for menstrual messaging or behavioural change communication. In its absence, generations of girls have inherited myths and inconsistent advice about how to manage periods, how to dispose of menstrual waste, and how to respond to discomfort or complications.
“During our trainings, we ask what people call menstruation in their culture,” Adediran explained. Many hesitate to even utter the word “period,” preferring euphemisms or silence. This pervasive hush means a girl may struggle to ask for pads at a store, carry spare supplies, or speak to a teacher about pain or infection.
Economic constraints and product access
Even if a girl overcomes stigma, the products themselves pose a challenge. Nearly all disposable sanitary pads available in Nigeria are imported, making their prices vulnerable to foreign exchange fluctuations. In rural and low-income communities, local vendors may avoid stocking these goods, further limiting availability.
Desperate users sometimes resort to using dry leaves, rags, old socks, or even cow dung when no sanitary option is available. Such practices carry serious risks of infection and threaten dignity.
Meanwhile, wealthier women sometimes travel abroad to buy high-end menstrual products, an option closed to those with fewer resources.
Community change agents and policy gains
To combat these layered issues, PSI Nigeria has launched a flagship program, Menstrual Health – No Wahala (MH-NoW), targeting girls and young women aged 10–24 across six states: Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Kano, Lagos, Nasarawa, and Sokoto. It pairs access to products with education, and it trains a network of menstrual health champions embedded in schools, communities, and media. In just a few months, the program claims to have reached over 200,000 individuals and recruited more than 300 champions.
On the policy front, PSI has supported the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in validating Nigeria’s first National Policy on Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management. However, Adediran warns that the gap between policy and implementation remains vast—without dedicated budget lines, full adoption by all states, and political will, many plans will stall.
The long road ahead
Addressing Nigeria’s menstrual health crisis, Adediran says, requires viewing menstruation not as a niche women’s issue but as a cross-sectoral right. He argues that every level of government—Health, Education, Women’s Affairs, Standards bodies, and regulation agencies—must coordinate as part of a technical working group. Only when menstrual health is prioritized in budgets and policies, and when communities become active agents of change, can the silence be broken—and dignity restored.
“We must learn to say it, teach it, budget for it, and protect it,” Adediran urged.
Nigeria’s vast traditional medicine can be a multi-billion-dollar driver of healthcare and tourism, Dr. Uche Chinonso, Culture and Tourism expert and advocate for integrative healthcare, has said.
He noted Nigeria is home to centuries-old practice of bone setting, fertility treatment, herbal remedies for malaria and diabetes, yet these are untapped.
Medical and wellness tourism globally is $800 billion, with India, China, Thailand, and others generating huge revenue from local healing systems. Chinonso argued that Nigeria has the biodiversity, cultural heritage, and human capital to compete on that scale, provided the sector is structured, researched, and promoted effectively
He recommended establishment of a National Traditional Medicine Council to regulate practice, certify practitioners, and enforce safety standards. He called for greater investment in universities and research institutes to clinically validate herbal remedies, and collaborations with pharmaceutical companies to meet international standards.
Beyond regulation, he proposed wellness resorts, eco-villages, and integrative clinics to attract visitors. According to him, the creation of fertility retreats, herbal detox programmes, and cultural spa villages would blend healthcare with tourism in ways that appeal to global travellers.
Dr. Chinonso highlighted the unique opportunities across different parts of the country, pointing to Delta State’s potential for herbal resorts tied to palm oil and riverine culture, Ebonyi’s salt lakes as natural settings for therapeutic spas, and Imo’s strength in fertility and maternity tourism. He also noted that Enugu could become a hub for integrative medicine centers focused on diabetes and cancer research, while Kano could showcase Islamic medicine, desert retreats, and sand therapy. Kaduna, he suggested, could create wellness villages linked to the Nok cultural heritage.
He emphasized that these efforts should not remain isolated but be brought together under a national “Naija Wellness Tourism” brand, supported by annual expos and international campaigns to position Nigeria as a trusted destination for health, healing, and cultural exchange.
The benefits, according to Dr. Chinonso, go beyond healthcare. He explained that such initiatives would create jobs, boost exports, preserve culture, and attract global visitors. More importantly, he said, it would reposition Nigeria as Africa’s capital of wellness and traditional medicine.
“Traditional medicine matters because it fills critical gaps in healthcare accessibility, aligns with cultural identity, and offers affordable solutions where modern medicine remains out of reach. At the same time, foreigners increasingly seek natural and holistic treatments, presenting Nigeria with an opportunity to become a global hub for health and wellness tourism.
“Government action is key. A National Traditional Medicine Council should be established to regulate practice, certify herbalists, and ensure hygiene and safety. Universities and research institutes should be funded to clinically validate herbal remedies, while collaborations with pharmaceutical companies will ensure global standards. At the same time, wellness resorts, eco-villages, and integrative clinics can be developed to attract both locals and international tourists.
“Stakeholders must work together. Medical doctors can collaborate with herbalists on patient referrals and clinical validation. Tourism professionals can package unique wellness tours such as fertility retreats, herbal detox programs, and cultural spa villages. Traditional healers, when recognized and certified, can play central roles in expanding herbal exports and tourism products”.
He concluded that the journey toward making Nigeria a global hub for health tourism requires government leadership, private investment, and collaboration between doctors, herbalists, and tourism professionals, stressing that the fusion of indigenous wisdom with modern science could transform traditional medicine into a billion-dollar industry.
The Ondo State Government on Thursday announced a clampdown on pharmacies and patent medicine stores as part of the effort to tackle the menace of fake drugs in all the 18 local government areas of the state.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Banji Ajaka stated this in Akure during a media orientation on the 2025 Insecticide Treated Nets (ITNs) campaign in the state.
Ajaka, who decried the high rate of malaria cases in Ondo, explained that some anti-malaria drugs had failed to treat the disease because they were counterfeit.
He informed Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa was introducing a scanning machine that will conduct integrity tests on drugs.
Ajaka stressed that the campaign was necessary to prevent malaria and urged media organizations to intensify their support for anti-malaria programmes.
According to him, every household in the state will benefit from the distribution of ITNs as part of preventive measures.
“In order to reduce the burden of malaria in Ondo State, the Ministry of Health’s Malaria Elimination Programme, in collaboration with the National Malaria Elimination Programme and Malaria Consortium, will distribute over 3.6 million ITNs to households freely across the state.
“Sleeping under an ITN remains one of the most effective ways to prevent malaria. Studies show that ITN use reduces malaria incidence by 50 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa, which bears over 90 per cent of the global malaria burden,” Ajaka said.
He explained that the free distribution would run from September 8 to 17, with trained personnel in uniforms branded with malaria campaign logos visiting households to register residents and distribute the nets.
Ajaka advised residents to air the nets for 24 hours in the shade before use and ensure they are properly tucked in over sleeping areas every night.
State Malaria Programme Officer, Dr. Waheed Afolayan, said malaria remains a major public health challenge in Nigeria, stressing the importance of community support in the campaign.
Afolayan noted that Nigeria accounts for 25 per cent of global malaria cases and 30 per cent of global malaria deaths.
He added that about 60 per cent of patients in health facilities are treated for malaria, while 30 per cent of deaths among children under five and 10 per cent of deaths among pregnant women annually are linked to the disease.
He emphasised that malaria significantly contributes to the nation’s poverty indices, with billions of naira spent annually on prevention and treatment, urging collective action to eliminate the disease.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has advised governments to raise public health expenditure to at least 20 percent of total health spending while reducing out-of-pocket costs to shield households from financial hardship.
Delivering a goodwill message at the four-day Health Financing Dialogue organized by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in Abuja on Thursday, WHO Regional Director for Africa, Prof. Mohammed Janabi, stressed that sustainable health financing is vital to building resilient health systems. He urged Nigeria and other African countries to scale up investment in public health.
Janabi, however, praised the Federal Government’s recent reforms, noting initiatives such as the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF), the NHIA Act, and the expansion of State-level insurance schemes as significant strides toward strengthening Nigeria’s health sector.
“This means strengthening pooling and prepayment mechanisms and ensuring that every decision is guided by evidence such as cost-effectiveness and equity analyses. We must use resources wisely to create a fair and equitable financing structure,” he said.
Janabi urged policymakers to seize the momentum of the Abuja dialogue to create lasting solutions, noting, “Let this Dialogue be remembered as a turning point where commitments become sustained action. Together, we can build a financing system that is inclusive, equitable, and responsive.”
commending Nigeria’s leadership in health financing reforms, describing recent policy initiatives as timely and essential for the well-being of its over 223 million citizens and for the future of the African continent.
“Nigeria’s leadership in health financing reform is timely and commendable,. With over 223 million citizens, how the country finances health is vital for the well-being of its people and the future of the continent.
“We know healthier populations are more productive, more resilient to shocks, and better able to drive inclusive growth,” Janabi said.
The WHO Regional Director said the introduction of equity and investment units as well as the Legislative Network for Universal Health Coverage (UHC), which engages parliamentarians to push health reforms, offers inspiration to other African nations.
“Nigeria’s progress is encouraging. These steps are in the right direction and show the kind of leadership Africa needs in its health financing journey,” he noted.
He reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to supporting Nigeria on its path to universal health coverage, emphasizing that health investments are not only a moral imperative but also an economic strategy for growth and resilience.
“WHO stands ready as a partner on this journey,” Janabi said.
The African Union (AU) and the Global Fund also praised Nigeria’s leadership in health financing reforms, describing the country as a model for Africa at a time of shrinking aid and global health challenges.
AU Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs, and Social Development, Amb. Amma Adomaa Twum-Amoah, commended Nigeria’s recent approval of $1.7 billion for the HOPE Projects to strengthen governance, expand primary health care, and improve service delivery nationwide.
“Today, Nigeria becomes the first West African nation to host such a dialogue, a milestone that comes at a time of shifting global financing, climate pressures and growing humanitarian crises.
“Amid today’s constraints, Nigeria has charted a bold path. As Prof. P.L.O. Lumumba says, ‘If Nigeria gets it right, Africa will get it right,” Twum-Amoah said.
She urged stronger African-led health security and regulatory systems, stressing that “Domestic investment is not only a public good but a catalyst for peace, security, and sustainable development… the surest path to realising Agenda 2063 – The Africa We Want.”
Maria Kirova, on behalf of the Global Fund, commended Nigeria’s efforts against HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, highlighting its investments in health security and infrastructure.
She outlined initiatives including expanded health insurance, over 60 oxygen facilities, supply chain upgrades, surveillance improvements, and PHC revitalization.
“This dialogue comes at a critical time, when international financing is shrinking, and sustaining these investments is paramount,” she noted.
The Abuja dialogue, the first in West Africa, aims to revive commitments from the 2001 Abuja Declaration for African nations to allocate at least 15% of their budgets to health.
The health financing dialogue brought together government leaders, parliamentarians, development partners, and health sector stakeholders to address the funding gaps undermining access to quality healthcare in Nigeria.
Former First Lady of Ondo State, Dr. (Mrs.) Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has urged female lawmakers in the 10th National Assembly to prioritise legislation that guarantees full funding, accountability, and effective monitoring of maternal health services in Nigeria.
In an open letter dated September 4, 2025, and forwarded to The Nation, she expressed grief over the tragic case of an Abuja woman who lost her twins after being denied care at multiple hospitals.
Anyanwu-Akeredolu blamed Nigeria’s high maternal mortality rate on inadequate funding and lack of accountability in the health sector.
She called on female senators and representatives, including Ireti Heebah Kingibe, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Mariam Onuoha, Kafilat Ogbara, and others, to urgently address the crisis.
She tasked them with ensuring that no hospital turns away women in labor, pushing for stronger legislation to secure maternal health funding, exercising oversight over state and local governments to improve primary healthcare, and rallying support for the Constitution Alteration Bill 2024 (HB 1349) to increase women’s representation in parliament.
“Representation without impact is meaningless. Nigerian women deserve leaders who will speak and act decisively to protect them. History will not be kind to silence,” she warned.
The Executive Vice Chairman, FCCPC, Mr Olatunji Bello said this while addressing market women during a one day sensitisation programme on Forced Ripening Of Frits , Adulterated Palm Oil, Contaminated Meat and Grains in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state.
Bello admonished traders especially food sellers not to place profit above the safety of Nigerians, adding that defaulters will face wrath of the law .
Represented by the Director of Quality Assurance And Development Dr Nkechi Mba in the Commission, he explained that the FCCPC being the apex consumer protection body in Nigeria has the statutory mandate to promote consumer interests to ensure fair market practices and prevent danger conduct in all sectors of the economy and agricultural sector.
“Let it be known that any operator who places profit over will face the full wrath of the law
” To the food industry stakeholders: Note that the future of your businesses depends on your integrity .
” Upholding food safety and quality is not only a legal obligation but a moral duty.”
Bello warned consumers to be knowledgeable and vigilant, informed and always demand the standard deserved .
He said the sensitisation exercise offered a platform to inform , educate and empower consumers and industry stakeholders to foster greater awareness on importance of proper food handling , labelling , regulatory compliance and ethical conduct in market place.
Bello disclosed that the sensitisation campaign was part of the commission’s strategy to educate Nigerians on how to identify adulterated or contaminated food, dangers of consuming chemically ripened fruits and avenues for lodging complaints and seeking redress.
” Food safety is everyone’s responsibility and FCCPC remains firmly committed to working with all stakeholders to build a market place that is fair, transparent and safe for consumers”.
Director Consumer and Business Education Mr Yahaya Garba reminded consumers of their right to good health
” It is disturbing to note that increasing incidences of harmful practices in food production and processes,” he stated.
One of the participants Mrs Nkoyo Etim while interacting with journalists said information obtained at the workshop will be disseminated to other market women to help them combine safety in their fruit business.
According to her: “We are happy for this workshop .We will pass this information to other women selling fruits in the market . We would also make sure that chemicals are not used to ripen fruits due to danger associated with it as taught in this workshop.”
In today’s fast-paced, always-on world, sleep often gets pushed to the back burner. Whether it’s burning the midnight oil at work, scrolling through social media late into the night, or juggling some important family responsibilities, many of us sacrifice precious hours of rest. But what if the secret to feeling healthier, happier and more productive is simply getting better sleep?
Welcome to the debut edition of HealthSense—your trusted space for smart, science-backed insights on how to live well, every day. We begin with something profoundly simple yet deeply transformative: sleep. Often dismissed as mere rest, sleep is a powerful biological process that supports nearly every function in your body and brain. While you sleep, your body isn’t shutting down—it’s healing, recalibrating and fortifying. Cells repair themselves, the brain consolidates memories, hormones rebalance, and your immune system gets a vital boost. Neglecting quality sleep doesn’t just mean waking up tired. It increases your risk of heart disease, weakens immunity, impairs memory, and can even contribute to serious conditions like diabetes, obesity, anxiety and depression. It’s not just about how much time you spend in bed—it’s about how well your body uses that time to restore itself.
Research consistently shows that quality sleep is just as vital to health as nutrition and regular exercise—if not more. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — the U.S. national public health agency — reports that over one-third of American adults sleep less than seven hours per night, increasing their risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and depression. Nigeria is facing a similar, though less documented, crisis. While comprehensive national data is scarce, smaller studies and everyday experience tell a worrying story. For instance, 44 per cent of Nigerian adults in recent surveys report poor sleep quality. Among students and professionals, particularly in urban areas, sleep deprivation is increasingly common—driven by stress, long commutes, screen overuse, and irregular routines. The result? A growing population running on empty.
So, how much sleep do we actually need? Most adults perform best with seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Teenagers and children require even more to support brain development, emotional regulation, and physical growth. But it’s not just about how long you sleep—how well you sleep matters too. Broken or shallow sleep can leave you feeling just as tired as no sleep at all. Improving your sleep isn’t about luxury—it’s about survival. Simple habits like keeping a consistent bedtime, reducing screen time before sleep, and creating a calm, dark, quiet environment can make a real difference. Sleep isn’t laziness. It’s your body’s most powerful tool for repair, clarity and resilience. In a culture that glorifies being busy, choosing rest is an act of strength. And in the long run, nothing restores you—body and mind—like deep, uninterrupted sleep. It’s time we gave it the respect it deserves.
In this issue and beyond, HealthSense is here to help you reconnect with the science of your own body—starting with the basics. Because in the pursuit of better living, few tools are as powerful, accessible and underappreciated as a good night’s sleep. Improving your sleep doesn’t have to mean investing in expensive gadgets or adopting elaborate bedtime routines. Often, it’s the simple, consistent habits that make the biggest difference. At its core, good sleep hygiene is about training your body and mind to expect—and welcome—rest at the right time. One of the most powerful steps you can take is setting a consistent sleep and wake schedule. Going to bed and rising at the same time each day, including weekends, helps regulate your internal clock. Over time, your body learns when to wind down and when to wake up—naturally.
Your environment also plays a key role. A dark, quiet and cool bedroom sends strong signals to your brain that it’s time to rest. If you live in a noisy area or struggle with bright streetlights, consider using blackout curtains, earplugs, or white noise apps. These small adjustments can turn a chaotic space into a sleep sanctuary. Another critical factor is your relationship with screens. The blue light emitted from phones, tablets and TVs can interfere with your brain’s melatonin production, delaying sleep. Try unplugging at least an hour before bed, and replace scrolling with a calming ritual—perhaps reading, light stretching, or deep breathing.
What you consume also matters. Caffeine, alcohol and heavy meals close to bedtime can disrupt your sleep cycle or leave you uncomfortable. Instead, wind down with lighter fare and soothing habits that prepare your body for rest. Daily exercise helps too, but try to avoid intense workouts right before bed. In Nigeria, sleep can be affected by challenges that are both cultural and environmental. Noise pollution, inconsistent power supply, irregular work hours, and late-night social obligations all interfere with rest. But creative adjustments—like using battery-powered fans, practising mindfulness to reduce stress, or setting clearer boundaries around nighttime activities—can make a difference.
Still, if you find yourself constantly struggling to fall or stay asleep, waking up exhausted, or experiencing loud snoring, persistent fatigue or memory issues, it may be time to consult a healthcare provider. These could be signs of an underlying sleep disorder, and professional support can lead to lasting solutions. Sleep is a foundation, not a luxury. When you invest in it, you’re investing in every other part of your life. Better sleep isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity for a healthier, happier life. Even small, consistent changes can lead to noticeable improvements. Start tonight by making smarter sleep choices, and you’ll soon feel the difference in your energy, mood and overall well-being.
Thanks for joining us—smart choices build a better you. Until next week, stay healthy and informed. Questions or suggestions? Contact us via WhatsApp or email.
