Contrary to emerging evidence which has proved that HIV-positive women who breastfeed maximise their babies’ health prospects, Nigerian mothers living with the infection are still evading the exercise.
Until recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) advised HIV-positive mothers to avoid breastfeeding if they were able to afford, prepare and store formula milk safely.
During the 60th National Conference onHealth, NCH, Project Director, Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative (NURHI), Dr Mojisola Odeku, speaks about the essence of The Challenge Initiative, TCI. Excerpts.
The Challenge Initiative, TCI, is doing business in an unusual way. It’s really nothing new but a practical way of ensuring that the owners of the land take it back for themselves with us just providing the light technical assistance.
Nigeria started 2017 with the news of outbreak of Meningitis which lasted for months and was followed by other rare and uncommon diseases. There were also new policies and the launch of primary health care centres to improve the health sector. During the year, doctors and health workers also embarked on strikes, while many global health reports were released.
PREMIUM TIMES compiles some of the major health events that headlined 2017.
1,166 people died of meningitis in six months
Dr. Faisal Shuaib is the newly appointed Executive Secretary of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). In this interview with Vincent Ikuomola and Olugbenga Adanikin, he identified challenges confronting access to primary health care delivery in the country and concerted efforts being made to provide sustainable solutions to the sector. Excerpts:
We know how paramount the health care centres are to your mandate. Considering their current status, will you say you are satisfied?
Women in Lagos State have cried out to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode over what they described as the exorbitant cost of accessing maternal healthcare in government-owned medical facilities in the state, demanding that the state government redefine the term ‘free healthcare’ which it claims to be offering to expectant women.
According to researchers, a substantial proportion of neonatal deaths occur from infections; neonatal tetanus inclusive of the umbilical cord. Cord care practices may directly contribute to infections in the newborn which accounts for the 26 per cent of global under five deaths, experts say. Evidence from studies also show that the prevalence of cord infection in newborns ranges from 3 to 5.5 per cent in most developing countries.
The World Health Organisation observes that out of more than 56 million cases of abortions that take place globally each year, almost half of the cases are done through unsafe procedures.
It notes further that between 2010 and 2014, there were 55.7 million abortion cases every year and out of these, 17.1 million cases were unsafe.
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) commends the on-going effort by the Kano State Government in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) at renovating the dilapidated Dausara Primary Health Care Centre, in Ungogo Local Government Area of Kano state which had suffered from long-time policy neglect, rendering the facility monumentally inefficient to discharge maternal and child healthcare services.
A medical researcher, Dr Bamidele Iwalokun, on Tuesday advised expectant mothers to always seek appropriate healthcare services during pregnancy to reduce maternal deaths in Nigeria.
Hauwa Lassa worked 35 years as a nurse and midwife. Her retirement package is a camp for displaced people on the outskirts of Maiduguri.
In the three states worst hit by the Boko Haram violence in its eight year, health facilities have been damaged and health workers have fled.
Estimates suggest nearly 40% of health facilities have been destroyed in the violence, and skilled health workers have had to leave the area entirely.
