The Nation Newspaper

Tag: WHO

  • WHO Report: Nigeria’s malaria incidence, deaths dropped by 26%, 55% in 21 years

    WHO Report: Nigeria’s malaria incidence, deaths dropped by 26%, 55% in 21 years

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) has hailed Federal Government’s efforts at reducing the incidence and deaths from malaria.

    The global health body noted that between Years 2000 and 2021, malaria incidence and deaths reduced by 26 per cent and 55 per cent in the country.

    The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, gave the commendation while unveiling of The Report on Malaria in Nigeria 2022, the first-ever subnational malaria report.

    The WHO official said while Nigeria accounted for about 27 per cent of the global burden of malaria cases, the country had made significant progress.

    He added that the key drivers of the continuing disease burden include the size of Nigeria’s population, which makes scaling up intervention challenging; and the suboptimal surveillance systems, which picked up less than 40 per cent of the country’s malaria data.

    Other factors stifling malaria eradication efforts, Moeti said, are inadequate funding to ensure universal interventions across all states; and health seeking behaviour, where people use the private sector, with limited regulation, preferentially.

    Read Also: Fed Govt, Gavi partner to reach more children with lifesaving vaccines

    She said: “While Nigeria accounts for around 27 per cent of the global burden of malaria cases, the country has seen major progress. Malaria incidence has fallen by 26 per cent since 2000 – from 413 per 1,000 to 302 per 1,000 in 2021. Malaria deaths also fell by 55 per cent, from 2.1 per 1,000 population to 0.9 per 1,000 population.

    “Further, learning from COVID-19, we know that continuity of provision of essential health services is critical to interventions in malaria and other diseases, particularly in populations affected by humanitarian emergencies; and changing environmental factors, such as climate change, and farming and mining practices that may increase transmission.

    “Addressing the prevention, elimination, and control of malaria and the burden from other diseases requires critical data and information gathering for evidence-based investment and decision-making.”

    The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, stressed that governance, not finance, is a major challenge bedeviling malaria fight in the country.

    The minister said his team intended to fix this by working with development partners and the private sector to garner resources needed to tackle the menace.

    Pate promised the ministry would retrain about 120,000 health workers, as well as update their standards of practice.

  • World Bank, WHO seek water provision for poor communities

    The World Bank and World Health Organisation (WHO) at the weekend lamented the failure of governments to provide safe water for the planet’s poorest communities.

    They said this is because the governments are not investing enough and not deploying subsidies equitably too.

    Separate reports released by the two global bodies at the weekend, painted a damning picture of a world where the most vulnerable people are being left without suitable access to water.

    The World Bank’s report argued that a well-designed, effectively implemented subsidies can be “powerful and progressive tools” in making public resources work for the poorest people in those countries.

    But researchers found that in the 10 low and middle-income countries they surveyed, only six per cent of subsidies reached the poorest 20 per cent of the population, while the richest fifth captured 56 per cent.

    Subsidies often target networked water services, which are often unavailable in very poor neighbourhoods.

    The World Bank’s global director for water Jennifer Sara said: “This leaves low-income families without the support they need and exacerbates existing inequalities.

    “Access to affordable water and sanitation can prevent needless deaths and transform lives; healthier children become healthier adults who contribute more to the economy and better fulfil their potential.”

    WHO surveyed 115 countries and territories finding that there was sufficient money or human resources being invested in water, sanitation and hygiene in fewer than 15 per cent of cases.

    Its report identified a funding gap of more than 60per cent in 19 countries.

    Its Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom, said: “Too many people lack access to reliable and safe drinking-water, toilets and hand-washing facilities, putting them at risk of deadly infections and threatening progress in public health.”

    About half of the countries surveyed have now set targets of universal drinking water by 2030.

    Adhanom said: “Water and sanitation systems don’t just improve health and save lives, they are a critical part of building more stable, secure and prosperous societies.

    “We call on all countries that lack essential water and sanitation infrastructure to allocate funds and human resources to build and maintain it.”

    In many countries, government subsidies are used to pay for water and sanitation, totalling $320billion yearly worldwide (excluding China and India).

  • 7.7m need health support in Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, says WHO

    NO fewer than 7.7 million people need healthcare services in insurgency-affected states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, it was learnt yesterday.

    The World Health Organisation (WHO), which states this in its latest Northeast Health Emergencies Programme annual report, added that the figure could not get the support because the healthcare systems in the indicated states have been disrupted by insurgency.

    “Estimated 7.7 million people, including some 5.4 million women and children are in need of health support across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states and remain at risk of epidemic-prone diseases,” says the report.

    The report added that in addition to attacks on health infrastructure by Boko Haram, displacement of health personnel, lack of medical equipment and shortage of medical supplies were also factors that have rendered an average of 50 per cent of health facilities in the affected states non-functional.

    According to the report, only 30 per cent of health facilities in Borno State “are duly functional” with 45 per cent in Adamawa and 69 per cent in Yobe State.

    In the annual report, WHO also highlights some of its lifesaving interventions in the Northeast.

    “WHO’s response in 2018 was underlined by the strategic focus on increasing access to and quality of essential health services; strengthening surveillance and health information management; prevention and control of public health risks and health system strengthening,” the report says.

    REad also: Who will salvage Nigeria?

    One of the specific interventions in Adamawa State that WHO mentions in the report was in Mubi, where, “following the confirmation of 35 cases of cholera with six deaths on May 12, 2018, at a time Nigerian health workers were on strike, WHO engaged 39 ad-hoc health workers who established and managed a cholera treatment centre at the Mubi General Hospital”.

    That particular intervention, the report points out, brought the cholera case fatality ratio from 17 per cent to 2.2 per cent within two weeks.

    For 2019 and beyond, the report states that the millions of people who would need essential healthcare services would be disappointed, as most health facilities remain dysfunctional.

    It suggests that the Federal Government and governments of the affected states need to expand healthcare delivery.

  • WHO seeks financial, technical support to end TB

    The World Health Organisation (WHO), has called for continued financial and technical support from its international partners to enable the organisation end the Tuberculosis (TB) epidemic by 2030.

    WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti, in her message to mark the “World Tuberculosis Day” said with increased global attention on the disease in recent years, the burden was falling in all WHO regions.

    She said the development was however not fast enough to reach the first milestone of the End TB Strategy in 2020.

    Moeti said to achieve the 2030 goal of ending TB therefore, current levels of investment by national governments must be increased as they fall short of levels required to end the epidemic.

    She said: “TB is at long last gaining a higher profile on the global political agenda, this should create more momentum to reach the targets we have set for 2020 and beyond.

    “We look to our international partners for continued technical and financial support in the fight against TB and related conditions.

    “As Regional Director of WHO in Africa, I re-affirm the commitment of my office and that of all my technical staff across the region to work with governments, other partners and communities to support the actions towards ending the TB epidemic by 2030, if not earlier.

    “The 2018 WHO Global Report indicates that the disease burden caused by TB is falling globally in all WHO regions and in most countries but not fast enough to reach the first milestones of the End TB Strategy in 2020.

    “In the WHO African Region, declining cases of TB which is four per cent yearly placed it second among all WHO regions over the period between 2013 and 2017.

    “Also, particularly impressive reductions of four to eight per cent yearly have occurred in southern Africa like Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe, following a peak in the HIV epidemic and the expansion of TB and HIV prevention and care.

    “To sustain these advances, current levels of investment by national governments towards TB care and prevention must be increased as they currently fall far short of levels required to end the epidemic by the end date of the Sustainable Development Goals.

    “Likewise, efforts must be made to identify and remove the challenges that are slowing down progress as well as adopt and roll out the most cost-effective policy options and interventions.”

  • Kidney disease: why you should not take ‘agbo’

    According to the World health organisation (WHO), traditional medicine is generally available, affordable, and commonly used in large parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

    WHO estimates that about 80 per cent of the population in developing countries still depend on traditional medicine for their Primary Healthcare (PHC) needs; however, this percentage may vary from country to country.

    In Nigeria, many people, especially in the South-West region, believe and rely on local herbs for medication.

    `Agbo’, the Yoruba name for herbal medicines, is a concoction prepared from a variety of herbs and; it is one of the most popular herbal preparations taken for various ailments, especially by the native Yoruba people.

    It has also seen a lot of patronage and acceptance by other tribes too; Agbo can be soaked in water, alcohol or even palmwine before one drinks it.

    However, medical experts raise concerns on the after effects of taking Agbo, especially over a long period of time.

    One of such concerns is that it can damage the kidney and liver; also, there are concerns on its preparation which include the handling, dosage requirement for each ailment, shelf live and expiration date.

    Recently, at an event to commemorate the 2019 World Kidney Day on March 14, experts raised awareness on the importance of guarding against acts which can lead to kidney disease.

    The event which was organised by the Renal Dialysis Centre, Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, saw experts also empahsising the need to reduce or even desist from consuming local concoctions, especially Agbo because of the possible resultant effects.

    Dr Chinedu Odum, a Nephrologist, said: “In this environment we talk about herbs and we hear many people say the take Agbo’’ or herbs.

    “They say the herbs clean their system but the truth is that this concoction people are taking, some of them have bad effect on the kidney. It can damage the kidney

    “It is a lot cheaper to prevent kidney damage because once you have kidney damage there is no going back; even those who are rich can’t maintain, afford or keep up with dialysis.

    “They can’t even maintain or afford to have kidney transplantation, not to talk of the masses who are not generally or financially equipped to take care of the disease.

    “So, we want to implore people to be aware of kidney disease but more importantly, to be more aware of the factors that increase the illness.’’

    However, Odum highlighted other causes of kidney disease to include high blood pressure which is the number one causes of kidney disease in Africa and of which many people don’t know that they have it.

    “Apart from blood pressure, diabetics and anyone who has long standing high blood sugar can come down with complications; one of the complications is kidney disease.

    Read Also: Dangote Foundation boosts Nigeria’s WHO certification

    “Also, bleaching; some of those creams have some components which can damage the kidney; they also have components that will increase the risk of diabetes and blood pressure.

    “The environment we live in is also very important; infection in this environment too contribute to kidney disease; so we have people who come down with frequent urinary tract infection.

    “If it is not taken care of, they can have chronic kidney infection which can lead to kidney disease and if that’s not channelled, we will be talking of dialysis,’’ the Nephrologist said.

    Dr John Okoh, Founder and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the RDC, confirms that these concoction of herbs have negative impact on vital organs of the body, especially the kidney.

    He urged Nigerians to be aware of the causes and risk factors of getting kidney disease.

    Dr Nkem Achor, told NAN that one of the major concerns in consuming Agbo is that one cannot ascertain the dosage and expiration of the mixture, hence the tendency to either under-dose or over-dose.

    “People who take Agbo do not know when it becomes under dose or over dose and this can affect the multisystem functions of the kidney and liver, which are critical to the functioning of the body.

    “Also, it can lead to blood poisoning, gastrointestinal challenges, vomiting, diarrhea, anemia and even death, if mismanaged or not detected early.

    “However, one is not ruling out the efficacy of these herbs, but it is worthy to emphasise that if it is to be taken, it should be after thorough scientific research and approval.

    “Also, the preparation has to follow standard supervised procedure under hygienic circumstances with appropriate dosage requirements spelt out and expiration date written.

    “If these are not adhered to, people will continue to take Agbo indiscriminately; some may get lucky and be healed but a majority will come down with more debilitating and chronic situations which may be too late for hospitals to handle’’.

    Dr. Ebun Bamgbose of the Dialysis/Transplant Unit and Clinical Director of St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos, in an earlier interview said that most of the kidney failures, also known as renal failure or end stage renal disease, could be linked to indiscriminate use of these concoctions.

    This is because the herbs are mixed with all sorts, including local gin and there are toxic substances in the unprocessed materials and fermentation.

    In summary, a research was conducted by Akande IS, Adewoyin OA, Njoku UF and Awosika SO of the Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Nigeria.

    The research, “Biochemical Evaluation of Some Locally Prepared Herbal Remedies (Agbo) Currently on High Demand in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria’’, was published in the Journal of Drug Metabolism & Toxicology, affirmed the negative effects of Agbo on the body.

    It said: “Based on these findings, we conclude that though these preparations are potential sources of natural antioxidants, but majority of those being hawked on Lagos metropolis may be harmful to human health.

    “This is because many of the hawkers are likely to be quacks.

    “There is also a need for standardisation of dosage regimens and close scrutiny of pedigree of the peddlers of these herbal remedies by appropriate government agencies,’’ the research prescribed. (NANFeatures)

    **If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria

  • Lassa fever: WHO steps in as Nigeria records 14 fresh deaths

    14 more people have been confirmed dead in the latest outbreak of Lassa fever in nine states.

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) also confirmed 68 new cases in 12 states.

    They are  20 in  Edo,22 in Ondo, seven in Ebonyi, four each in Bauchi and Plateau, three in Taraba, two in Oyo and one each in Nasarawa, Benue, Kaduna, Kwara, Delta and Rivers.

    States with new deaths are Edo (2), Ondo (1), Rivers (1), Plateau (2), Oyo (1), Ebonyi (4), Enugu (1), Taraba (1) and Nasarawa (1) states.

    Read also: Osoba lashes out at TraderMoni critics

    From January 1 to  February 3, a total of 731 suspected cases have been reported from 19 states. Of these, 275 were confirmed positive, 3 probable and 453 negative (not a case)

    Since the onset of the 2019 outbreak, there have been 57 deaths in confirmed cases. Case fatality rate in confirmed cases is 20.7%

    19  states (Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Plateau, Taraba, FCT, Adamawa,  Gombe, Kaduna, Kwara, Benue, Rivers, Kogi, Enugu, Imo, Delta and Oyo) have recorded at least one confirmed case across 51 local government areas .

  • Group lauds WHO for post-partum haemorrhage prevention

    The Community Health and Research Initiative (CHR) has applauded the World Health Organisation (WHO) for updating the guidance to prevent excessive bleeding after child birth, otherwise known as post-partum haemorrhage (PPH).

    The update of the guidance came after two Guidelines Development Group (GDG) meetings, which led to four main recommendations and six sub-recommendations on the use of uterotonics for PPH prevention.

    The newly updated recommendations aim to improve the quality of care and health outcomes for women giving birth. The first recommendation is related to the efficacy and safety of uterotonics for the prevention of PPH, and it includes six sub-recommendations. The other three are related to the choice of uterotonics for PPH prevention.

    According to an article published on the WHO website, yearly, about 14 million women around the world suffer from postpartum haemorrhage. This severe bleeding after birth is the largest direct cause of maternal deaths. In addition to the suffering and loss of women’s lives when they die in childbirth, their babies also face a much greater risk of dying within one month compared to babies whose mothers survive.

    CHR Executive Director, Salisu Musa Muhammad,  in a statement, said the new development is truly encouraging. ”This is a good development for improving quality maternal health drugs, especially for Africa and Nigeria where maternal death through PPH is very high. While we welcome this new guidance, we therefore, call on the Nigerian government to invest in these drugs as it will go a long way in preventing PPH in the country.

    “Shockingly, 99 per cent of the deaths from PPH occur in low and middle-income countries compared with only 1 per cent in high-income countries. Although recent studies are showing that it is increasingly an issue of concern for wealthier countries too. It is hoped that with these new guidelines, healthcare workers globally will be able to stop women and their babies from facing unnecessary risks to their health and lives, wherever they live,” said Musa Muhammad.

    CSR, therefore, called on President  Muhammadu Buhari and the 36 governors to invest a certain percentage of the yearly health budget on the procurement, storage and distribution of drugs that will prevent postpartum hemorrhage, including carbetocin, to save the lives of mothers and babies.

  • 50% of Africans living with diabetes type 2 unaware, says WHO

    Half of the people living with diabetes in Africa are unaware of the disease and are not receiving treatment, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.

    Its Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, who disclosed that the African region has experienced a six-fold increase, from four million in 1980 to 25 million in 2014, added that about 90 per cent of diabetes is type 2, which if not  properly managed,  may cause blindness, kidney failure, lower limb amputations and other complications.

    While calling for early diagnosis and treatment, Moeti lamented that the occurrence of type 2 diabetes has increased dramatically in all countries of all income levels since 1980. This, according to her, was due to aging populations and lifestyle changes, including unhealthy diets and lack of physical activity. “Overweight and obesity are the strongest risk factors for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other non-communicable diseases.

    “Early diagnosis and treatment are important for preventing complications of diabetes. Since diabetes can potentially strike any family, awareness of the signs, symptoms and risk factors is important to help detect it early.

    “Having diabetes can also drain family finances when people with diabetes have to pay out of their own pockets for treatment. Disability or premature death due to diabetes can push families into poverty. Diabetes is also a huge burden on the health care system and the national economy,” Dr. Moeti said, adding that world leaders, in a bid to curb the menace, agreed to take responsibility for their countries to help prevent and treat non-communicable diseases, including diabetes.

    Moeti explained that the leaders reiterated their committed to implement public education and awareness campaigns to empower individuals and families with information and education to prevent diseases like type 2 diabetes, and ensure that people have access to early detection, diagnosis and treatment. ”Governments should accelerate access to such services for everyone, through people-centred primary health care and universal health coverage,” she said.

    She reaffirmed WHO’s continued support to governments to improve the prevention and control of diabetes and other non-communicable diseases.

    “I urge everyone to eat healthily, be physically active and avoid excessive weight gain. Families can help to drive down diabetes through promoting healthy living,” she said.

     

  • 7 Early Signs of Type 2 Diabetes And How To Deal With Them!

     

        www.effectivecare.com.ng/diab

    The information below was published by WHO a few months ago. I am sure it will be of help to you. So many death caused by Diabetes is due to ignorance or lack of knowledge on it. These spurred the need to highlight to you the following facts sourced from WHO (World Health Organization) documentation.

    There is an emerging epidemic of diabetes that can be traced back to rapid increases in overweight, obesity and physical inactivity.Total deaths from diabetes are projected to rise by more than 50% in the next 10 years. Most notably, they are projected to increase by over 80% in upper- middle income countries.

    www.effectivecare.com.ng/diab

    The early signs of diabetes are not always obvious. They may develop slowly over time, making them hard to identify. Many are asymptomatic. Because they can worsen over a period of years, type 2 diabetes may remain undiagnosed longer than other more obvious conditions.

    Here are 7 early signs to watch out for:

    1. Frequent Urination

    Also known as polyuria, frequent and/or excessive urination is a sign that your blood sugar is high enough to start to spill into the urine. Because your kidneys can’t keep up with the high glucose levels, they allow some of that sugar to go into your urine, where it draws additional water, making you have to urinate often.

    2. Extreme Thirst

    Extreme thirst is one of the first noticeable symptoms of diabetes for some. It’s tied to high blood sugar levels, which cause thirst, and is exacerbated by frequent urination. Often, drinking won’t satisfy the thirst.

    3. Increased Hunger

    Intense hunger, or polyphagia, is also an early warning sign of diabetes. Your body uses the sugar in your blood to feed your cells. When the cells can’t absorb the sugar (because of a lack of insulin), your body looks for more sources of fuel, causing persistent hunger.  www.effectivecare.com.ng/diab

    4. Nerve Pain or Numbness

    You might experience tingling or numbness in your hands, fingers, feet, and toes. This is a sign of diabetic neuropathy, or nerve damage. You are most likely to experience this after several years of living with diabetes.

    5. Slow Healing Wounds

    There are several reasons why a wound will heal more slowly if you have diabetes. Poor circulation, the effects of high blood sugar on blood vessels, and immunodeficiency are just a few. If you experience frequent infections or wounds that are slow to heal, it could be an early symptom.

    6. Blurred Vision

    Blurred vision occurs early in unmanaged diabetes. It can be a sign of high blood sugar levels, which cause fluid to shift into the lens of the eye. This usually resolves when blood sugar levels normalize. www.effectivecare.com.ng/diab

    7. Dark Skin Patches

    Dark discoloration in the folds of your skin is called acanthosis, nigricans and is another early warning sign of type 2 diabetes. They are most common in the armpits, neck, and groin regions,

    according to the Mayo Clinic.

    The Takeaway

    If you have any suspicion that you may be experiencing the early signs of type 2 diabetes, talk to your doctor . As with most serious diseases, successful treatment and reduced risk of complications depend on swift diagnosis. Left untreated, type 2 diabetes can lead to lifelong impairment or death.

    Diabetes Natural Solution www.effectivecare.com.ng/diab

    If you or anyone you know has been experiencing any of the above signs, get free information about a Natural Way to Diabetes Management and Consequent Cure. An Effective and Scientifically Proven Natural Dietary Approach, that you can adopt to reverse and subsequently curb Diabetic Condition within a short period of time.

    If you have been struggling with Diabetes and would like to enjoy better health and deal with this problem in the Shortest possible time From Now…then Let Me Show You How to get this done!

    In the free information here www.effectivecare.com.ng/diab    I will reveal the following :

    * How you can Get Rid Of Diabetes within 30 days even if everything else you have tried didn’t work for you.

    *A Natural Supplement almost nobody is aware of that can help you overcome Uncomfortable Diabetic Symptoms.

    *And Notable Testimonials From People Who Have Engaged the Program.

    …and lots more.

    Really, only nature makes perfect! Click this link   www.effectivecare.com.ng/diab   to see.

    Remember to share this with family and friends. Once again, seeing is believing!

    To see what you can do to reverse your diabetic condition naturally click this link now www.effectivecare.com.ng/diab

  • 39m people blind globally – UN

    The United Nations has estimated that about 39 million people are blind globally, while another 1.3 billion people live with some form of near vision impairment.

    The UN said this in a statement to mark the first-ever official World Braille Day, aimed to underscore the importance of written language for human rights.

    “Around the world, 39 million people are blind, and another 253 million have some sort of vision impairment.

    “For them, Braille provides a tactical representation of alphabetic and numerical symbols so blind and partially-sighted people are able to read the same books and periodicals printed as are available in standard text form.’’

    Six dots represent each letter, number, even musical and mathematical symbols, to allow the communication of important written information to ensure competency, independence and equality.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Jan. 4, was proclaimed by the General Assembly in Nov. 2018, as a means of realising fully the human rights of visually-impaired and partially-sighted people.

    It is also a means to bring written language to the forefront as a critical prerequisite for promoting fundamental freedoms.

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that people who are visually impaired are more likely than those with full sight to experience higher rates of poverty and disadvantages which can amount to a lifetime of inequality.

    The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities cites Braille as a means of communication; and regards it as essential in education, freedom of expression and opinion, access to information and social inclusion for those who use it.

    To foster more accessible and disability-inclusive societies, the UN launched its first-ever flagship report on disability and development in 2018.

    Read Also: NAF neutralises scores of bandits in Zamfara

    The report coincided with the International Day for Persons with Disabilities on which UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged the international community to take part in filling inclusion gaps.

    “Let us reaffirm our commitment to work together for an inclusive and equitable world, where the rights of people with disabilities are fully realised,” Guterres said.