HEALTH
Dr. Okwuonu Marks One Year As CMD Of Abia Specialist Hospital, Highlights Key Achievements
The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Abia Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic Center, Dr. Chimezie Okwuonu, has marked his one-year anniversary in office, celebrating a series of landmark achievements under his leadership. In a statement, Dr. Okwuonu expressed gratitude to the Executive Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti (OFR), for his unwavering support in transforming the hospital into a leading...
Only 17% Of Africans Have Access To Oral Healthcare – WHO
The World Health Organization's Acting Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, stated that the African Region still lags behind important oral health indicators, even with advancements in dental care. Ihekweazu stated that only 17 percent of the regional population has access to essential oral healthcare services. He made this known in his message on Thursday to commemorate the 2025 World...
USAID Cut: Nigeria, 7 Other Nations Running Low On HIV Treatment – WHO
Nigeria has been listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of eight countries likely to face a shortage of HIV treatment supplies soon. WHO listed other countries facing the risk to include Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Ukraine, saying that these countries could exhaust their supply of HIV treatment in the next few months. According...
Diphtheria Death Toll Exceeds 1,300 As Vaccination Gaps Persist – NCDC
1,319 people have died as a result of the ongoing diphtheria outbreak in Nigeria, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC). The NCDC said this in its latest situation report from the National Diphtheria Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), published on Sunday via its official website. Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. It typically affects the mucous membranes...
Nigeria Seeks Alternative Health Funding As U.S. Cuts USAID Support (Video)
The Nigerian government has reaffirmed its commitment to closing funding and policy gaps in the nation's health sector following the recent suspension of USAID funding by the United States government. In response to the withdrawal of donor support, the House of Representatives has called for the establishment of a Healthcare Trust Fund to provide sustainable financing for critical diseases and...
Europe Faces Highest Measles Outbreak In 25 Years – UN
According to UN agencies, measles cases in Europe have doubled in just one year and are at their highest level since 1997. The World Health Organization and the UN Children’s Fund announced this in a statement on Thursday. “Measles is back, and it’s a wake-up call,” WHO regional director for the European region, Dr. Hans Kluge, said. A total of 127,350 cases...
Otti Allocates N1bn For Abia’s Health Insurance Initiative
The Abia State Health Insurance Scheme has received N1 billion from Governor Alex Otti, after the State Executive Council approved the scheme's official rollout. This is as the Governor has approved the appointment of Dr. Emmanuel Mereibeole, who retired recently from the Federal Ministry of Aviation as a Permanent Secretary, as Special Adviser on Projects to oversee the Abia Airport...
Lassa Fever Claims UK Returnee’s Life, Death Toll Hits 98, NCDC Confirms
The death of a 31-year-old doctor who contracted Lassa fever after returning from the UK has been confirmed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency also reported that the cumulative number of Lassa fever cases has risen to 535 out of 2,728 suspected cases, with 98 deaths recorded across 14 states in Nigeria as of March...
Pope’s Condition Stabilizes After Peaceful Night, Vatican Confirms
The Vatican announced on Sunday that Pope Francis had a peaceful night in the hospital, with the 88-year-old responding well to treatment for pneumonia. “The night was calm, the pope is resting”, the Vatican said in its brief morning update on the Argentine, who has been in a special papal suite at Rome’s Gemelli hospital since February 14. The head of...
WHO: Tuberculosis Progress At Risk Over Budget Cuts
The United Nations World Health Organization has issued a warning, stating that decades of progress in the fight against tuberculosis, still the deadliest infectious disease in the world, are in danger due to significant funding cuts, especially by the United States. The health agency highlighted that essential prevention, testing, and treatment services were collapsing, leaving millions at risk. Africa, Southeast Asia,...
