A case for an effective “Roof” over Primary Health Care in Nigeria

 Image credit: Nigeria Health Watch

We were on a road trip to Jos, capital city of Plateau State, famous for having the most temperate climate in Nigeria. The ride had been smooth and uneventful, so nothing prepared us for the enchanting sight of rock and boulder formations flanking the road. The Riyom rocks delicately arranged one on top of the […]

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Health Thought Leadership Series

Vision First - Universal Eye Health for Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria

Everyone should get the eye health services they need, of sufficient quality to be effective, without suffering financial hardship when paying for them. Photo credit: Nigeria Health Watch

The value of vision in our daily living is tremendous. However, many of us tend to take our eyesight for granted, until we develop vision problems. Vision loss has a detrimental impact on the lives of those affected, as well as on their families, friends, and society. Whether sudden or gradual, loss of sight can […]

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Health Thought Leadership Series

59: Great Lofty Heights Unattained

Nigeria's health sector must become a beacon of light for the nation. Photo credit: Nigeria Health Watch

Editor’s Note: As Nigeria celebrates its 59th year of Independence, Dr. Ifeanyi Nsofor reflects on Nigeria’s healthcare journey through the lens of an average 59-year-old Nigerian woman. Dr. Ifeanyi Nsofor is Director of Policy and Advocacy at Nigeria Health Watch, a 2019 Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity at George Washington University and a Senior New […]

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Health Thought Leadership Series

Key Takeaways: 4th NCDC/NFELTP Annual Scientific Conference 

The 4th NCDC/NFELTP conference did not only serve the purpose of celebrating the journey of applied epidemiology in the country, but also provided an avenue for young professionals to meet, learn and connect with experts in the field. Photo credit: Nigeria Health Watch

The Annual Scientific Conference organised by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and Nigeria Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Program (NFELTP) has remained an avenue for building the capacity of public health professionals and leaders in the field of epidemiology. Sharing their work and experience with the global health community as they play a […]

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Health Thought Leadership Series

“Nobody asked how I felt” - Surviving Postpartum Depression in Nigeria

Postpartum depression is not a mother's fault. New mothers should have access to the support structures if they are struggling emotionally. Photo credit: Nigeria Health Watch

“I felt thoroughly inadequate. I didn’t feel like I was attractive enough. I didn’t feel like I was doing enough. Nobody told me I could feel that way” — Patience, Post Partum Depression Survivor Patience (not her real name) a new mother of one, and a university-educated professional, said that when she gave birth, she had expected […]

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SRHR Thought Leadership Series

Reshaping Nigeria’s Family Planning Narrative to meet FP2020 Goals

Academicians, development experts, and partners gathered at the University of Ibadan for the maiden Annual Professor Babatunde Osotimehin National Reproductive Health Legacy Forum Lecture. Photo source: Nigeria Health Watch

Young people in Nigeria know more than we think they do about reproductive health. Take for instance, some teens who shared during a focus group discussion in Abuja how they obtained varying levels of information about sex and contraceptives from their peers. Yet, we continue to assume they know nothing and deny them access to […]

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Health Thought Leadership Series

#QualityHealthNaija: The Future of Health Conference 2019 is Here!!!

Image credit: Nigeria Health Watch

After four hugely successful conferences, the 2019 Future of Health Conference will take place in Abuja on October 17, 2019!!! The quality of healthcare delivery will be at the heart of this year’s discussions, themed “Time to Focus on Quality in Healthcare: Improving Outcomes.” Quality and safety in healthcare are goals that can be achieved […]

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Health Thought Leadership Series

Dr Osagie Ehanire: A new captain for Nigeria’s health sector

Nigeria's new Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire. Photo credit: Nigeria Health Watch

The long wait is over! Following the beginning of a new administration in May 2019, Nigeria now has a new captain to steer the affairs of the health sector and lead the Federal Ministry of Health and its many agencies. Following the submission of the ministerial nominees to the Senate by the Presidency and subsequent […]

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Infectious Disease Thought Leadership Series

Your meat could be killing You: Nigeria’s unhealthy Abattoirs

The vast area of land surrounding the slaughter hall of Suleja abattoir where large pieces of meat lay open on the ground where people walk. Photo credit: Nigeria Health Watch

Editor’s Note: The Nigeria Health Watch team recently visited abattoirs in Suleja and Dei-Dei, to learn how they are managed and tease out public health lessons that Nigeria needs to consider in order to safeguard its citizens from infectious diseases.  Suleja, Niger State, is a populous, cosmopolitan town on the outskirts of Abuja, the nation’s […]

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Health Thought Leadership Series

A mango in the backyard that cannot be plucked: FCT indigenes face glaring health inequities

The Gbagyi tribe is one of the tribes that make up indigenous communities in the FCT. Photo credit: Nigeria Health Watch

Editor’s Note: In this week’s Thought Leadership blog, Nigeria Health Watch Journalist Chibuike Alagboso spotlights health inequities faced by Abuja’s indigenous peoples. They live in one of Africa’s fastest growing cities but lack access to healthcare and social amenities. Nigeria Health Watch’s Director of Policy and Advocacy, Dr Ifeanyi M. Nsofor, conceived the “Health Equity […]

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Infectious Disease Thought Leadership Series

Lassa Fever: Why the Nigerian government should fund disease diagnostics for epidemic preparedness

Image credit: Nigeria Health Watch

Editor’s Note: Chidindu Mmadu-Okoli is a 2019 #PreventEpidemicsNaija Fellow at Nigeria Health Watch. In this piece she writes about a doctor whose Lassa Fever diagnosis was mis-handled and why funding disease diagnostics is critical for Nigeria’s health security efforts.  Thinking about death might have felt uncomfortable and scary but after a few weeks of being […]

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SRHR Thought Leadership Series

Let’s talk about sex: What do Nigerian adolescents know about sexual reproductive health?

Providing young people with access to quality and age-appropriate reproductive health information protects them from engaging in harmful practices. Photo credit: Nigeria Health Watch

Editor’s Note: Nigeria Health Watch in collaboration with Education As A Vaccine (EVA) recently conducted two Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) in Nyanya and Kuje areas of the Federal Capital Territory, amongst adolescent. The objectives of the FGD was to gauge the perceptions of adolescents about sexual and reproductive health, identify the key issues they face […]

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Health Thought Leadership Series

World Population Day 2019: Is Nigeria in trouble?

Our population is growing faster than the resources to provide for the increased population. Image credit: Nigeria Health Watch

Thirty years ago, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) established World Population Day, an annual event observed on July 11 every year. The world’s population had hit just over five billion people two years earlier and to commemorate that, World Population Day aimed to raise awareness and to take action on various population issues, such […]

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Health Thought Leadership Series

National TB Conference 2019: Building Stronger Partnerships to End TB in Nigeria

The ultimate goal of the conference is to stimulate the generation of new collaborations for homegrown TB research and innovation in Nigeria. Image credit: Nigeria Health Watch

Despite years of neglect — these are exciting times for the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis (TB)! A new treatment regimen for drug resistant tuberculosis with the potential of cutting treatment time by 75% is gaining traction and a new urine based test may make diagnosis a lot easier. Despite these, challenges remain in Nigeria, especially around […]