Category: Northern Reports

Over 50 less privileged individuals have benefited from the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) free basic medical screening in Nasarawa State.

The health services include eye check, BP check, and blood test, among other health challenges.

The association said it was part of activities to mark its end-of-the-year Biennial General and Scientific Meeting (BGM).

The MDCAN Chairman Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Keffi chapter Dr Godwin Adgidzi disclosed this yesterday in Keffi during its Biennial General and Scientific Meeting (BGM).

The BGM had its theme “Health Service Delivery in the Midst of Dwindling Resources.”

According to Adgidzi, this event marks the end of the executive stewardship of the 2020- 2021 leadership.

Adgidzi said the association was committed to improving the health and well-being of its members and other Nigerians.

“As part of activities to mark this year’s BGM, the association, as is its tradition, has availed the hospital community its expertise in providing basic medical screening, including eye and dental checks free.

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“All will do well to take time off their busy schedules to access for themselves these free but valuable services,” he said.

The MDCAN chairman acknowledged the role, resilience and exemplary leadership of the association to continue to provide and ensure health care services.

“Training continues without disruption, despite the numerous economic and social challenges,” he added.

He urged Nigerians to get vaccinated as a personal protective measure against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Medical Director of FMC Keffi Dr Yahaya Adamu appreciated the association for organising the BGM.

He said the theme of the BGM was timely, even as he urged members of the association to continue to provide health care service delivery for the improved health of Nigerians.

The medical director restated his commitment to addressing the challenges facing the members of the association and other members of staff of the institution for quality service delivery.

The member representing Plateau South at the National Assembly Senator Nora Ladi Dadu’ut has empowered no fewer than 200 youths and women in her senatorial district with agricultural inputs.

At the event which took place in Shendam yesterday, Senator Dadu’ut said she was determined to encourage youths and women to embark on farming as it is a strategic and economic approach towards ensuring food security in Plateau South Senatorial District.

Represented by her legislative aide, Mrs Rufina Gurumyen, the Senator said the training was facilitated in her bid to ensure youths of the senatorial district were self-employed through productive skills.

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She further said food is the most important basic human need apart from clothing and shelter. This I totally commit my programme to train youths and women in farming practices.

“I am pleased to see one of my dreams being realised. At the end of the three-day training, they would not go away as they came, as the 200 beneficiaries would acquire better skills and knowledge on farming of yam, guinea corn, groundnuts, and other crops that are widely cultivated in all parts of the senatorial district. This would boost food production and economic sustainability in Plateau South Senatorial District.

The participants appreciated Senator Dadu’ut for facilitating such a programme, even as they promised to make the best use of the knowledge acquired from the training, agricultural implements and cash.

The authorities of the Nigerian Correctional Service have undertaken the treatment and feeding of the seven inmates of the Jos Custodial Centre, who sustained bullets injuries when gunmen attacked the facility on Sunday.

The inmates are admitted at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and they all suffered from bullet wounds and fracture while trying to escape from the attackers.

The Deputy Controller-General, Operations, Mohammed Tukur who visited the inmates in the hospital yesterday, urged that their treatment and feeding should be directed to the Service.

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While interacting with the inmates, he assured them of adequate care, using them to maintain good conduct while receiving treatment.

During the interaction with the Chief Medical Director of JUTH, Prof. Edmund Banwat, Tukur represented by his Deputy, Dr Bupwatda Pokop, appreciated the hospital management for taking proper care of the inmates when they were brought in and assured that all bills would be settled promptly.

He also visited the Plateau State Specialists Hospital where the lone personnel who sustained a bullet during the incident is receiving treatment, with the promise to foot his bills and feeding.

The Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State, Rufus Bature yesterday praised a High Court verdict which confirmed him as the executive committee chairman of the party in the state.

Recall that following October 16, 2021, state APC Congress; a faction led by Ishaya Itse emerged, claiming to be the authentic chairman of the party instead of Rufus Bature.

The Nation learnt that Ishaya Itse, alongside others, approached Plateau High Court to challenge the victory of Bature before Justice David Gwong Mann.

In a statement by Sylvanus Namang, APC State Publicity Secretary, said yesterday that respite came to the Rufus Bature-led State APC Executive Committee when a High Court sitting in Jos, the Plateau State capital, struck out the suit challenging the election of the ruling party’s executive.

“In his ruling on motion on notice seeking for an order of interlocutory injunction among other injunctive reliefs restraining the defendants from parading or calling themselves members of Plateau State Executive Committee of the APC, Justice David Gwong Mann sustained the application for withdrawal of the suit and accordingly struck out the suit.

“Counsel to the defendants/respondents Chief G.S. Pwul (SAN) and counsel to applicants/claimants N.D. Gwaison did not raise objections to the decision of the applicants to withdraw the suit which they said was strictly a family affair.

Commenting on the outcome of the judgment, Rufus Bature, the State Chairman of the Party saluted “the courage and understanding of Ishaya Itse and his group, describing them as democrats who have an interest in the development of the party in the state.

Bature also stated that “the beauty of democracy resides in the fact that individuals and groups are bound to disagree to agree.”

Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje yesterday expressed pains over the capsising of a boat that left 20 passengers dead.

Fifteen people were still missing, even as rescue teams continued with search operations.

Another 15 of the victims are battling with their lives in the hospital, the Governor said.

Ganduje has described the incident as a “state tragedy.” His condolences were contained in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Abba Anwar, lamenting that the same spot had swallowed many people in a similar boat mishap, some years ago.

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It was gathered that the boat was sailing from Hayin Badau to Bagwai, with 50 passengers, most of them Islamiyyah students, when it capsised due to “overloading.”

Ganduje said: “We learned the boat started from Hayin Badau to Bagwai with passengers who were on their way to attend Maulud celebration.

“The boat was ferrying about 50 people with some loads. And most of them were Islamiyyah students.

“So far, based on the information we received, as of yesterday, there were 20 deaths, seven in hospital and another eight people were found yesterday morning and the rescue operation is still ongoing.”

As part of efforts to ramp up access of Nigerians to quality cancer treatment, a non-governmental organisation known as Project PINKBLUE has partnered with the United States (U.S.) Fulbright Specialist Programme to train 34 oncology pharmacists.

The five-day training programme on cancer treatment and care scheduled to hold in Lagos from December 6 to 10, is part of the U.S- Nigeria Science and Technology Exchange Programme.

At a briefing in Abuja organised by Project PINKBLUE, Mrs Ramatu-Masud Alabelewe, President, Oncology Pharmacy Practitioners Association of Nigeria, noted that the high cost of cancer therapy, inadequate access to funding and inadequate training for health workers were some of the biggest challenges in Nigeria, hence the need to train and retrain health personnel.

She said: “Since 2013, Project PINKBLUE has been active in cancer issues in Nigeria. We have done a lot of projects, created awareness, conducted screening, responded to patients and conduct research, and engaged with a lot of stakeholders.

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“We initiated the upgrade of the oncology programme in response and to find a way of improving the capacity of the oncology workforce in different areas in partnership with stakeholders and the Ministry of Health.

“Also, in 2018, when we focused on medical training of oncology in Nigeria, we trained 44 personnel on oncology along with stakeholders with the partnership of the Federal Ministry of Health. We are convinced that this upcoming training will bring about access to quality care on cancer.”

One of the trainers, Donald Harvey, from Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta Georgia, said: “We are committed to ensuring that oncology pharmacists in Nigeria are as well trained inasmuch as possible to help deliver chemotherapy to cancer patients of the country.”