Nigeria Health Watch
By Dara Ajala-Damisa and Kemisola Agbaoye For reasons ranging from lack of funds and conflicting needs, to long wait times and convoluted registration processes, the average Nigerian would rather self-medicate or go to the neighbourhood pharmacy or chemist when they feel unwell, than go to a doctor. Very few Nigerians can afford the services of […]
By Beti Baiye and Uche Nwagboso (Lead Writers) A report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) focused on the largest study of the prevalence of violence against women. The report was on behalf of a special working group of the United Nations, and it revealed that across their lifetime, one in three women are subjected […]
Like many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Nigeria continues to face challenges with meeting the health needs of its population, especially in sexual and reproductive health. Despite cuts in funding from international development partners for Family Planning (FP) services and the revision of the Nigeria Family Planning Blueprint (Scale-Up Plan): 2014–2018 to the currently revised Nigeria […]
By Dara Ajala-Damisa and Bunmi Oyebanji (Lead Writers) Gender equality does not mean that women and men are the same, it means that their rights, responsibilities, and opportunities do not depend on whether they are born female or male. — Office of the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI) The […]
Rakiya Abdulmalik is a hairdresser in Kawo community of Nasarawa Local Government Area (LGA) of Kano State. The 38-year-old mother of four was diagnosed with hypertension five years ago while pregnant with her fourth child, and since then, the entire process of managing the disease has been both time consuming and expensive. Each time she […]
“A child that doesn’t feed well cannot learn well”. Isaac Success, Dreams from the Slum. Isaac Success is the founder of Dreams from the Slum, a community-based organisation operating out of Ajegunle in Lagos State. Success went to school without food and his experience inspired him to add a school feeding program to the tuition-free school […]
It was a cold, serene morning in Garkuwa community of Wase Local Government Area (LGA), Plateau State and in a consulting room in Cottage Hospital, Sahura Kasimu sat with her two-month-old son, Mustapha nestled in her arms, as she spoke with Martina Dabot, the attending health officer. Kasimu gave birth to Mustapha in the same […]
Ibukun Oguntola & Thelma Chioma Abeku (Lead Writers) On a relaxing Friday evening at the beautiful Thought Pyramid Art Gallery in Abuja, the Celebrating Womanhood Art Gala brought together stakeholders from diverse backgrounds to expand knowledge and action about key gender and maternal health issues. This multidisciplinary group of people positioned uniquely within and outside […]
Beyond being mandatory for the advancement of career prospects after graduation from university, completing the national youth service is a thing of pride for many Nigerian graduates. The process is so important that some Nigerians who complete their undergraduate studies in other countries return home to participate in it. Failing to complete the national service, […]
By Innocent Eteng (Lead Writer) Most mothers agree that the first meeting between mother and child invokes overwhelming joy. This was true for Joy Chinedu the first time she carried her baby, Precious, examining every part of her with awe and wonder, two hours after giving birth in August 2014 at a public primary health […]
Anthonia Obokoh (Lead Writer) Any form of violence against women and girls is a human rights violation. Based on World Health Organisation estimates, one in three women are subjected to physical or sexual violence. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, reports have shown that all types of violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, has intensified. […]
Gender inequality constitutes a major barrier to realising equitable access to health-care services. Promoting gender equality is a major component in promoting the right to health for all people. For Sandra Ogholi, Executive Director of the Rural Development and Reformation Foundation (RUDERF), this is the motivator behind the OLEJU project implemented by RUDERF. “I realised, […]
By Kelechukwu Iruoma (Lead Writer) Eme Okon was two months pregnant with her third child when she started attending antenatal care (ANC) at the Eyokponung Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Akwa Ibom State of southern Nigeria. This was her first time ever; having not attended ANC during her first and second pregnancies. During her first […]
By Stephen Enoch (Lead Writer) Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has an estimated population of about 200 million people, making it the seventh most populous country in the world. According to the World Population Review, the country’s population is projected to hit 400 million by 2050. The major contributors to Nigeria’s population growth are high […]