Nigeria Health Watch
By Ibukun Oguntola and Thelma Chioma Abeku (Lead Writers) On the 1st of December every year, the world commemorates World AIDS Day, a day set aside to raise awareness about the HIV/AIDS pandemic, sharing progress and successes as well as identifying challenges in tackling the virus globally and locally. World AIDS Day is also an […]
By Dara Ajala-Damisa and Sunday Ehigiator (Lead Writers) Access to quality essential medicines is not only a human right, but also crucial to realising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as set out by the United Nations. While the Nigerian government is putting in place programmes to improve the health of Nigerians and deliver priority health […]
By Alex Ehieme and Patience Adejo (Lead Writers) The Nigeria Family Planning Blueprint (2020–2024) has a set objective of achieving a modern contraceptive prevalence rate of 27 per cent for women by 2024. In reality, according to the ‘2020 Statistical Report on Women and Men in Nigeria’ released in August by the National Bureau of […]
By Gabriel Oke and Kenni Ndili (Lead Writers) As the fight against COVID-19 continues, a new problem has presented itself that if left unchecked may have long-lasting consequences for our world. Preventing and treating COVID-19 has created biomedical waste that must be disposed of safely. In countries like Nigeria, where proper waste management is already […]
By Gabriel Oke and Onyinye Oranezi (Lead Writers) All diseases are devastating but poliomyelitis (polio), a scourge that impacted many countries, was especially devastating as a result of its impact on the lives of its victims, which in the most severe cases led to life-threatening paralysis and death. Though it could affect people of any […]
After decades of trials, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended a new malaria vaccine for children, adding a new development in the fight against the deadly disease. The vaccine RTS, S (Brand Name Mosquirix) is the result of over 30 years of research and development by GlaxoKlineSmith in partnership with PATH, the Malaria Initiative […]
Ifeyinwa Yusuf and Kenni Ndili (Lead Writers) A woman’s body undergoes many changes through pregnancy, birth and postpartum that affect her in several ways. Until recently there was limited discussion around the psychological effects of pregnancy and childbirth on the mental health of women. According to the World Health Organisation, one in three to one […]
Achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is largely dependent on how a country finances its health system. Since the Abuja Declaration in 2001, Nigeria has been unable to allocate at least 15% of its national budget to health care therefore leaving the health system grossly underfunded. The health sector relies heavily on donor funding, meaning that […]
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a real and present global health security threat for almost two years now. Simultaneously, African countries like Nigeria have been experiencing an entirely different silent epidemic in the form of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). One such NCD is cardiovascular diseases, a set of heart related conditions that can lead to death […]
On September 14, 2021, Dr Charles Ezuma-Ngwu, launched a book titled ‘Universal Healthcare and Access to the Lower-income Population: An exploration of Capitation in Lagos, Nigeria’. A financial and budget analyst, Dr Ezuma-Ngwu wrote the book as an output from his PhD research to provide evidence that would encourage policy and action to deliver quality […]
Patience Adejo and Dara Ajala-Damisa (Lead Writers) Musa is a 32-year-old junior associate who works in a law firm. He used to love the Law profession, but unfavourable work conditions robbed him of that passion causing him to lose all interest in his work and the profession altogether. “My office is a toxic place,” he […]
Health is a human right and everyone, irrespective of location or socioeconomic status has a right to healthcare at their point of need. For a heavily populated country like Nigeria where there are income inequalities, there is a need to examine the healthcare system through the lens of health equity, which is accessible, affordable, and […]
Ifeyinwa Yusuf (Lead Writer) Growing up I dreamt of being a renowned obstetrician or surgeon like Ben Carson. After reading his book, Gifted Hands, I was pumped-up with zeal, so, using my monthly student allowance, I bought as many medical books as I could afford. I imagined what it would be like to live in […]