Nigeria Health Watch
With the insurgency disrupting not just the health sector, but economic, social, and political life in Northeastern Nigeria, accessing quality nutritious food for mothers and their children has been made more difficult due to the persistent humanitarian condition. A recent report shows that about 7.1 million people are in need. As incidents of insecurity keep […]
In total, a woman menstruates for an estimated seven years during her lifetime. During this time, in addition to grappling with mood swings due to hormonal changes and stomach discomfort, she must maintain her personal hygiene. One of the measures is using menstrual hygiene products to collect and hold blood during the monthly menstrual cycle. […]
When asked whether gender issues contribute to Nigeria’s poor maternal mortality indices, Onyedikachi Nwizu, Program Officer for the OMOMi app, paused. As a single pregnant woman, she chose her words carefully, to reflect her personal experience. “Many times when I went for antenatal clinic, I had to deal with a number of ‘Assistant Jesuses’ passing […]
“Educate a boy, and you educate an individual. Educate a girl, and you educate a community.” — Adelaide Hoodless In Nigeria, maternal health care is fragmented, so maternal health services are provided by various service providers in the public sector, private sector, informal providers and even religious institutions. In communities, culture and tradition influence maternal health-seeking behaviour […]
Maina Modu is the programme manager for Routine Immunisation in Borno State, working with the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA). He coordinates the state emergency routine immunisation coordination centre activities. Borno State’s routine immunisation emergency coordination centre is nestled at Maiduguri’s Maman Shuwa Memorial Hospital, in the Polio Emergency Operations Centre (EOC). Modu […]
When you are displaced from your home, accessing family planning services is probably the last thing on your mind. You will be more concerned with providing security, food and shelter for your family. This is the condition of most displaced families in Nigeria who were forced out of their homes to take refuge in other […]
As at January 12, 2021, Nigeria has had over a hundred thousand confirmed cases of the novel 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infection. The pandemic has continued to challenge healthcare systems across states, forcing them to innovate as they learn, adapt and respond to the disease. Responding to various aspects of the pandemic is also helping […]
By Bashar Abubakar (Lead Writer) Habiba Aliyu, 20, gave birth to her first child in 2019 while preparing to begin her journey as a health worker. As a student at a health training institution in Niger State, Aliyu wants to become a Community Health Extension Worker (CHEW). ‘’All my life I wanted to be a […]
By Abdullahi Tsanni (Lead Writer) Trachoma is a major public health issue in 44 countries and the major cause of blindness or visual impairment affecting 1.9 million people globally. It spreads through direct and indirect contact with the discharge from an infected person’s hands, clothes, nose and eyes, or through infected flies. According to the […]
By Dr. Chibugo Okoli (Guest Writer) The maternal mortality ratio in Nigeria is estimated at 512 per 100,000 live births whilst non-communicable diseases (NCDs) accounted for 27% of total deaths in 2008. The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) has demonstrated its commitment to address NCDs via the creation of an NCDs division, the development of […]
According to the 2018 National Nutrition and Health Survey, Sokoto State is one of the four states with the highest prevalence of malnutrition among children six to 59 months in the country. With a prevalence of 8.4%, only Zamfara (10.3%) Katsina (9.2%) and Jigawa (8.5) are worse off. Nigeria is currently battling child malnutrition amidst […]
“My husband and I have always known that I would deliver at the hospital,” says Azeema Hussaini, 25, while sitting on a bed in a muddy two-room house, nursing her three-week-old daughter, Maisara, whom she gave birth to at the General Hospital Jahun, Jigawa State. The mother of three had her previous deliveries at the […]
By Beti Baiye and Dara Ajala-Damisa (Lead Writers) The trip from Yenagoa was short and uneventful. We arrived the community town hall before our hosts and as they walked in, some led by friend or family members and others feeling their way along, their gait and demeanour began to tell their story long before they […]
Polio, a contagious disease caused by the poliomyelitis virus is transmitted primarily when stool from someone infected contaminates foods, drinks or water sources. It invades the nervous system and could, in a matter of hours, lead to complete paralysis. On the 24th of August 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) officially declared Nigeria and Africa […]
