Nigeria Health Watch
Sanitation and hygiene are cost-effective approaches against infectious diseases. However, this relatively inexpensive way of preventing infectious diseases seems to be neglected in most markets in Nigeria. The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that an estimated 100 million Nigerians lack basic sanitation facilities. The poor sanitation in Nigeria’s markets should be a matter of greater […]
Indo (not her real name) was just 15 years old when she became pregnant. Her boyfriend took her to the only general hospital in their community to terminate the pregnancy. The general hospital did not offer safe abortion services, so, the midwife advised them to formally inform their parents and make necessary arrangements to have […]
By Tosin Akinola (Guest Writer) Technology was pivotal in ensuring that healthcare services could continue to operate even as the COVID-19 pandemic raged. Countries like South Korea leveraged on technology to support their response to the COVID-19 pandemic. They used different tools for aggressive contact tracings, such as security camera footage, facial recognition technology, bank […]
By Dr. Chijioke Kaduru (Guest Writer) There is widespread consensus around the globe on the need to strengthen health systems and make them more resilient. A health system includes all of the different institutions, actors and resources involved in delivering healthcare to individuals. Despite this accord, there is continued debate exactly how individual countries should […]
By Gabriel Oke and Hadiza Mohammed (Lead Writers) World Kidney Day is celebrated every year to create awareness about kidney diseases and advocate for care towards people who are living with any stage of kidney disease. The day serves as a day to drive conversations and communicate the benefits of healthy living. Over 2 million […]
“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 […]
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 Beti Baiye & Patience Adejo (Lead Writers) It is not surprising that the fight against COVID-19 has introduced a great deal of military metaphors in the media globally. The world has been at war with a virus and from the outset, healthcare workers of different cadres have been at the frontline of defense between […]
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 […]
Every year from August 1–7, Nigeria joins over 170 countries globally to celebrate World Breastfeeding Week. This is one of the greatest outreach vehicles for the promotion of optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices. The event, formally endorsed by the 1990 WHO Innocenti Declaration and policymakers across the globe, reaffirms commitment to breastfeeding […]
Over 20 million Nigerians infected with hepatitis- Minister. FG Plans $3bn Budget for Immunisation. Giving hope to pregnant COVID-19 patients: LUTH in giant strides. Ensuring access to family planning commodities in rural areas. Malaria deaths could surge due to COVID-19 if not checked – Nigerian govt. Need for Political Will in Disease Preparedness. FG rejects […]
Two hundred and nineteen (219) – That is the number of lives lost to Lassa fever between January and June 2020, according to the latest data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). Nigeria has been experiencing a yearly outbreak of the viral haemorrhagic fever since it was first identified in Borno state in […]
By Dara Ajala-Damisa & Chibuike Alagboso (Lead Writers) The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people work in Nigeria and the response has required a multi-sectoral approach with all arms of the government keyed into the response. This led to the setting up of the Presidential Taskforce on COVID-19 which brought together the Ministers from […]