The Bridge Clinic wins 2012 best IVF hospital in Nigeria award

THE Bridge Clinic has won the “Best Assisted Conception and In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) Hospital 2012.” The Award was presented to the hospital by the Institute for Government Research and Leadership Technology (IGRLT) at its 2012 African Governance and Corporate Leadership Awards event held on August 25, 2012 at Nicon Luxury Abuja. The Managing Director of the Bridge Clinic, Dr. Richard Ajayi, savouring the award, said in a statement: “We have continued to give our best in our path of offering alternative fertility options to couples in Nigeria and we have indeed derived deep fulfillment from our patients’ successes so far, but to be recognised and awarded for doing so by the Institute for Government Research and Leadership Technology, is even more exhilarating…I’m sure that this award will provide the necessary drive for (our medical) team to do more.” According to a letter signed by the Country Director/Chief Executive of IGRLT, Moses Essien, the parameters for the award to The Bridge Clinic were outlined as including expertise in the provision of first rate IVF; outstanding in the provision of first class assisted conception; excellence in brand integrity, reputation and patient service; compliance with professional codes and ethical standards; and compliance with regulatory laws and guidance among others. The Clinic had also been commended by the Lagos State Ministry of Health for the first ICSI babies in Nigeria; won the Guild of Medical Directors Award for excellence in medicine and the SOGON Award in recognition of outstanding contributions in clinical service delivery towards the promotion of maternal healthcare in Nigeria. The Managing Director also recently received the award for Lagos Medical Icon for his contribution to the development of quality-assisted conception and IVF practices in Nigeria. The Bridge Clinic, founded in 1999, provides fertility services in Nigeria. It is reputed to have restored the joys of numerous families with the voices of over 1,400 children born so far in homes all over the nation through its services. It runs clinics in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kaduna. “As part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives, The Bridge Clinic in collaboration with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, provides subsidised IVF services to socio-economically disadvantaged couples in the state thus helping to reduce health inequalities. It implemented its quality management system since 2004, ahead of most clinics globally, and was awarded the ISO9001:2000 certificate by TUV Austria which was upgraded to the ISO9001:2008 certificate in 2010. http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=97110:the-bridge-clinic-wins-2012-best-ivf-hospital-in-nigeria-award&catid=93:science&Itemid=608

Teamwork lacking in health care’

AUGUST 30, 2012 BY MUDIAGA AFFE, CALABAR LEAVE A COMMENT LACK of team work among different professionals in the medical sector has been identified as being responsible for the problems in the health care delivery system in the country. The National Chairman of Nigeria Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists, an arm of the Pharmaceutical Association of Nigeria, Dr. Nkechi Anyanwu, made this known at the 14th Annual National Scientific Conference of NAHP, in Calabar, Cross River State. Anyanwu said no professional within the sector could singlehandedly deliver quality health care to the masses. She said the government needed to promote teamwork in its bid to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. Chairman of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Cross River State, Mr. Paul Agulu, said despite that Nigeria had not attained its optimum feat of providing excellent quality health care for her citizens, there were conscious efforts by various state governments to set positive goals to improve health care of her citizens. http://www.punchng.com/news/teamwork-lacking-in-health-care/

Mega hospital project: Concerns mount over accessibility, cost

MIXED reactions have continued to trail government’s plan to set up private sector-managed mega hospitals in Nigeria’s six geo-political zones and the commissioning of experts to draw a road map for the actualisation of the long-term dream. Under the scheme, the government is giving the private sector the nod to mobilise resources to set up and manage the facilities in a selected state in each of the six zones. The committee is headed by former United Bank for Africa (UBA) Chief Executive, Tony Elumelu, representatives of the Nigerian Economic Summit group (NESG), the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN) and several other members from the sector in Nigeria. The projects are part of the government’s renewed attempt to bring affordable health services to Nigeria and check the exodus of the citizens abroad for medical tourism. The panel will also draw up an implementable plan for President Goodluck Jonathan’s vision of setting up at least one world-class private hospital in each of the zones before the end of his tenure in 2015. They are also to identify and engage potential investors with a view to guiding them to develop business models and plans for the setting up of world-class hospitals in the country. The team will also look into and propose an accreditation scheme that would ensure full compliance with global best practices in the operations of the proposed facilities. The plan has drawn intense applause from some stakeholders. Some stakeholders are also calling for caution. In separate interviews with The Guardian, they attempted to set agenda for government, insisting that the efforts to attract private sector investment into the healthcare system should primarily focus on affordability. Former Federal Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria, Emmanuel Onwubiko says that the critical issues of healthcare are not one to be left entirely to the private sector to drive because of the cost implication on the poorest of the poor. He said, “if we allow the private sector to drive process of building, maintaining and running healthcare facilities across the country, this will adversely affect the enjoyment by the citizenry of the fundamental freedom of right to life because basically, the private healthcare providers are interested in maximising profits.” He rather tasked government to strengthen the primary healthcare facilities in the rural areas and put strategies in place on how to make them function optimally to bring succor and healthcare at very affordable rate to the poor rural inhabitants. His words, “government must not hand over the running of hospitals especially in the rural areas to the private sector because that would be suicidal and, in fact, would mean the end of government because the rural poor have no other way of feeling the impact of government other than the healthcare they receive from little healthcare facilities that are at present in those local council areas. “There has to be a clear determination of stakeholders in the political process to ensure that democracy works at the level of the local councils so that the elected officials are compelled to run the rural healthcare facilities efficiently making use of the allocations that they are entitled to from the federation account.” For the city and urban areas, Onwubiko, who is also executive director of Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), argues that government could allow the private sector investor to drive investments, noting, however, safeguards should be put in place to ensure that patients are not exploited unduly. “Government can grade the hospitals in such a way that government would have a way of offering incentives to Nigerian patients to enjoy some affordable healthcare. Government must ensure that there is a national health insurance scheme that is workable and not encumbered by bureaucracy but is run efficiently to enable every Nigerian to buy into the scheme. This health insurance scheme should be used to raise some fund that could be used as subsidy for poor patients in the urban areas who may not be able to afford the regular cost of healthcare in the privately run hospitals...” Director, Capacity Building /Programme Manager, Health at ActionAid International Nigeria, Ipoade Omilaju, raised fears that the mega hospital concept could create unnecessary class in the nation’s healthcare system. He commended the optimism displayed by the minister of Health on the workability of this initiative, but raised concerns about affordability. His words, “the minister spoke as if he is not a Nigerian and pretends as if he is not aware of the 70 million Nigerians who go to bed daily without a meal and without hope for the following day. How will they be able to afford this or in whose interest are we creating this? “I see this as another opportunity to transfer government responsibility in protecting and upholding the right to health of the citizens. Agreed, government might not be able to do everything but government should at least make the primary healthcare system work and affordable to all; be committed to providing needed things that make up minimum health package.” According to him, “promoting this kind of initiative is another way to create class in the healthcare system and widening the already existing gaps between the rich and the poor in access to quality healthcare services.” National President, Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), Dr. Anthony Omolola, on his part, assured that his association would give the committee all the support it requires to succeed. Founder of Community Health Information Education Forum (CHIEF), Remi Akinmade prefers that the project be run as private-public partnership, instead of leaving it entirely in the hands of private investors. http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=97103:mega-hospital-project-concerns-mount-over-accessibility-cost&catid=93:science&Itemid=608

Nigerians in Diaspora volunteer to boost tertiary healthcare

NAMFI opens office in Lagos A GROUP of Nigerian medical specialists in the United States (U.S.) is embarking on voluntary medical services to address gaps in tertiary care services in the country. Efforts by the group, under the aegis of Nigeria American Medical Foundation International (NAMFI), will address overseas medical trips and reverse brain drain “through the immense human capital and brainpower of Nigerian super-specialists in the American Diaspora.” Secretary to NAMFI Board of Trustees in Lagos, Dr. Adeyinka Shoroye said that the initiative was born out of the discovery that the biggest challenge to tertiary care in Nigeria was more of the dearth of medical experts than infrastructure. Meanwhile, there are currently about 4,000 Nigerian specialists in the U.S., about a third of whom are sub-specialty trained in about 80 sub-specialties from American Medical Association (AMA) database. “But with deficiencies in key sub-specialties in Nigeria, sick Nigerians now travel daily to the Apollo and Care Hospitals in India seeking second-opinions, highly specialised care,” Shoroye said. He said that it is worrisome that an Indian private diagnostic facility in Lagos alone weekly refers 20 patients to India for oncology diagnosis and treatment. And on daily flights from Lagos, about 40 patients are said to be India-bound patients for cardiac and renal conditions. While the rich and top government officials travel on medical tourism to Europe, North America, Dubai and South Africa, the middle class Nigerians travel to India, the poor and government-sponsored go to Egypt. “Data from the Central Bank reveals that $2.5 billion is spent by rich Nigerians on medical treatment abroad annually. It is also estimated that about the same figure is remitted home yearly from Nigerians in Diaspora for the cost of treatment of relatives! “Is this 21st century trade by barter? This is a big capital flight our human capital abroad can reverse. This cannot continue. Import our ‘finished products,” he said. To bridge the gap, NAMFI recently set up an office in Ikoyi, Lagos, with the mission “to fill the present huge gap in tertiary care in Nigeria with the immense human capital and brainpower of Nigerian super-specialists in the American Diaspora.” Shoroye, who is an attending physician at Oasis American Hospital, Abu Dhabi, said Nigeria’s luxury of expertise and experienced medical hands in America would be rotating voluntarily, year-round (by appointments only) to give tertiary care services in Nigeria. “We should remember that this is the generation that first put Nigeria on the global stage of excellence in medicine. We have a huge opportunity of human capital in history now to make a difference. They are bringing the flavour of experience with huge talent of those rotating from the U.S.” NAMFI is incorporated as a non-profit organisation in California and later in Nigeria, with Lagos office at Mulliner Towers, No. 39, Kingsway Road, Suite 113, Ikoyi. Their web address is www.namfi.org and has 01-215-0000 as phone number. Shoroye said further that the group had already partnered with about two well-equipped hospitals within 15 minutes distance to the office suites for admitting privileges/procedures. “We have office practices akin to faculty practice offices across America in tertiary care centres. We also have in our Ikoyi office suite telemedicine’s latest technology with Nigeria’s new satellite-NIGCOMSAT and also broadband. “Telemedicine facilities will be available for tele-consultation, tele-education and distance learning, as we develop a ‘central clearing house’ for Nigeria tertiary care consultative service for diagnostic challenges with Cleveland e-clinic for Nigerian patients. “We have made some strides in transferring large bandwidth of digital radiologic and pathologic images between Lagos/Abuja and North America overseas experts. This is our modest beginning. We have few highly experienced physicians living in Nigeria who will serve as ‘in-house’ experts and add value,” he said. The effort has been made possible with support of some donors in U.S. and also in Nigeria (all for non-profit status), coupled with transparency policy of trustees’ board management. http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=97109:nigerians-in-diaspora-volunteer-to-boost-tertiary-healthcare&catid=93:science&Itemid=608

Why is it important to prevent anaemia in pregnancy?

Anaemia in pregnancy is still a major health problem in Nigeria, especially among new mothers. Besides, experts warn that it is important that women prevent anaemia in pregnancy because it affects both the growth of their babies before they are born and afterwards, reports Sade Oguntola.

Many pregnant women feel reluctant taking folic acid and iron tablets, a common prescription by doctors. The usual excuse is that they are not sick and it is not important that these drugs be taken every day. But the worsening economic situation of many families and lack of consumption of leafy vegetables and a balanced diet, can all combine to make women give birth to low birth weight infants due to anaemia. Anaemia is a major hazard during pregnancy, especially in the last trimester of pregnancy. This is a condition in which you don’t have enough red cells in your blood. Red blood cells contain haemoglobin, which carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. If a person’s haemoglobin level is very low, the body tissues will not be getting enough oxygen. About 40 per cent of pregnant women worldwide are estimated to be anaemic, and iron and folic acid supplementation during pregnancy is commonly prescribed to prevent anaemia in pregnancy, which is often caused by iron deficiency. During pregnancy, there is high iron requirement, almost three times required for non-pregnant women of childbearing age, which is difficult to meet from dietary sources. Also, anaemia, caused by iron deficiency alone or in combination with other factors such as folic acid or vitamin A deficiency and malaria, has several negative effects on the pregnant woman and her unborn child. The benefits of iron and folic acid supplementation surpass what was previously perceived by many people. According to a new study that analysed the long-term effects of iron and folic acid supplementation in pregnancy on childhood survival, the use of these supplements during pregnancy ensures that babies are healthy and better protected from diseases during childhood. The researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health suggested that taking folic acid and iron supplements in pregnancy might reduce infant mortality by 31 per cent in children less than age seven. What is more, intakes of these medicines reduced the occurrence of low birth weight by 16 per cent and anaemia in a pregnant woman and after the birth period by 50 per cent. This was a study that recruited almost 5,000 pregnant women in rural Nepal to take part in the randomised, double-blind, controlled trial. The women were divided into five groups: one group received folic acid only; the second group received folic acid plus iron; the third received folic acid plus iron plus zinc; the fourth received multiple micronutrients and the final group received vitamin A and acted as the control group. It was a follow-up to a 1999 to 2001 trial of the administration of micronutrients to women during pregnancy. Out of the 4,130 babies born alive, 209 died in the first three months and eight were lost to follow-up. Of the 3,761 remaining, the researchers report in the American Journal of Epidemiology that 150 died between the ages of three months and seven years, while 152 were lost to follow-up. Given a 31 per cent increase in childhood survival, due to intakes of iron and folic acid tablets, both during and after pregnancy, they declared that this should provide additional motivation to increase global programmes for antenatal iron and folic acid supplementation. Dr Kayode Afolabi, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, explained that anaemia was a serious hazard both to the pregnant woman and her unborn baby because of its complications. “If you look at the mother who is anaemic during pregnancy, such a woman is bound to have repeated infections, including malaria, because her body immunity is lowered. Due to the fact that they tolerate many undercurrent diseases much more easily, they stand a higher risk of experiencing more ill healths and even deaths than the average pregnant woman that is not anaemic,” he stated. Dr Afolabi pointed out that low blood level in a pregnant woman is not good for the unborn baby either. According to him, “anaemia in pregnancy is a known cause of abortion, restricted growth of the baby in the womb; low birth weight and even the death of the baby that is still in the womb. If there is restriction in the growth of the organs of the body, including the brain, when such a baby is eventually born, such may not grow to their full mental potential.” What accounts for anaemia in pregnancy? According to the expert, “in this environment, we have malaria in pregnancy as a major problem. It causes the breakdown of red blood cells in the body. Also, it depresses the bone marrow from producing more red blood cells to meet the demand of pregnancy, hence leading to an anaemic state.” In addition, he mentioned other causes of anaemia in pregnancy as urinary tract infection and chest infection as well as poor diet (what is termed nutritional anaemia). What is, however, worrisome according to Dr Afolabi is that “most of our women, in fact, start pregnancy with less than optimal nutritional status and their condition is made worse by the demands of the unborn baby, the placenta cord attaching the baby to the mother and even the body’s preparation for breast milk production.” While this could contribute to such women becoming anaemic in pregnancy, he pointed out that many dietary practices in Nigeria further accentuated the problem. “Things like overcooking of vegetables lead to loss of folic acid,” he declared. Meanwhile, Dr Afolabi declared that the routine prescription of iron and folic acid tablets to pregnant women after 12 weeks of pregnancy was aimed at providing extra supply of these essential ingredients for blood formation, as well as meeting the demands of the baby, placenta and even prepare the woman for breast milk production afterwards. He said that the use of iron and folic acid tablets in pregnancy could help to improve child survival, considering that the baby would have access to adequate micronutrients in the womb and the baby would develop sufficiently to meet the challenges of early life. He declared: “Such a baby would have good body immunity, have good body weight and the vital organs in the body would also develop optimally, thus ensuring that during childhood, such a baby would be able to cope better with the challenges of health. Since, the mother is adequately prepared for breast milk production, the baby’s intake of breast milk would boost the body immunity and reduce risk of diarrheal disease, a major killer of children.” Given that many pregnant women do not conform to their doctors’ instructions to take iron and folic acid tablets, he emphasised the need for educating women on the importance of taking these medicines. “It could be a bit difficult if a woman does not understand why she must take these medicines three times in a day, throughout the period of pregnancy, when she is not sick,” he declared. For a healthy pregnancy, he advised that pregnant women should book for antenatal care early, rest, eat a balanced diet, maintain good personal hygiene and stick to other advice they are given by their doctors. http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/your-health/46746-why-is-it-important-to-prevent-anaemia-in-pregnancy-

Nigeria’s 2015 MDG targets won’t be achieved unless… – Don

By DAUD OLATUNJI, OLADEPO MICHAEL & EMMANUEL IBUWARISO ABEOKUTA— Professor Opeyemi Ajewole of University of Ibadan, Wednesday, predicted that Nigeria’s 2015 Millenium Development Goal targets will not be achieved unless state and local governments take their responsibilities proactively. The University Don however tasked the Chairmen of the 20 local government areas of Ogun State to strive in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs. Speaking as a resource person at the 3-day leadership workshop titled, “Enhancing Local Government Leadership in Ogun State,” jointly organised by the MDG office, Ken Nnamadi Centre for Leadership and Ogun State government in Abeokuta, Ajewole said local governments are closer to the grass roots in providing basic services which impact directly upon the MDGs. “The more local governments are able to target and develop the right interventions, the better will be the results on poverty reduction, health, sustainable development and education.” The role of local councils is very crucial to the attainment of the goals under Millennium Declaration”,he said.. The Special Adviser to the Ogun State governor on Millennium Development Goal, Mrs. Hafsat Abiola-Costello in her remarks advised the chairmen to be ready to take tough decisions that would engender development within the 20 council areas of the state. According to her , though, local government is facing some financial challenges but the current poor performance can be improved upon if the new leadership are ready to initiate developmental programmes. Meantime, the Chairman of Isagamu Local Government in Ogun state, Mrs Funmilayo Efuwape, has promised to curb down cultism both in Isagamu and Ogijo communities of Ogun state, noting that Isagamu is going back to full peace. Speaking with Vanguard in Ogun, the newly elected Chairlady of the Isagamu Local Government said during her tenure there will not be insecurity in the area, stressing that by providing good jobs, passing good orientation programs and engaging youths in physical and urban developmental projects, issues of security would have been well handled. http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/08/nigerias-2015-mdg-targets-wont-be-achieved-unless-don/

Nigeria: Okigbo Takes Free Medical Health to Anambra

A TEAM of doctors and medical assistants from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Medical School in Nnewi, Anambra State, was recently in the Ojoto Community of the State. to provide free medical services to the residents. Led by Dr. Chinelo Okigbo, a health practitioner at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA, the team conducted tests and treatment for prevalent yet silent killer diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity. There was also counselling on malaria prevention, hygiene and healthy living. Over 1,000 persons benefitted from the free medical programme that was facilitated by Mr. Patrick Okigbo III, Principal Partner of Nextier Advisory and brother to Dr. Chinelo Okigbo. The programme is part of the outfit's commitment to community development, Okigbo noted. Nextier Advisory, a leading public sector advisory and investment firm based in Abuja with specific focus on agriculture, power and petroleum industries, is committed to funding grassroots humanitarian efforts in healthcare, education, and enterprise. In a chat, Okigbo said free medical programmes have become a critical effort by his firm. The current one, was the second in series in Ojoto after the debut in 2008. The firm collaborates with committed individuals and groups in a community to identify the best form of intervention that will yield the most impact. Once decided, Nextier Advisory contributes a percentage of the programme cost while their community partners contribute the balance. Ojoto Akanasato Union under the leadership of its president, Prince Amobi Adirika (former Managing Director of Anambra Broadcasting Service), took care of the logistics for the visiting medical team. Essence of the programme is to foster a sense of community ownership. One of the beneficiaries, Madam Gladys Okeke, prayed for commitment and resources to sustain the programme while another, Mrs. Ego Nnoluka, who was diagnosed with high blood pressure, said she had learned how to manage her condition. Ms. Vivian Egbuna, Matron of the community health centre however expressed need for a resident doctor at the health center noting that "Even a Youth Corper doctor would be a great help to this community." In her view, Dr. Chinelo Okigbo, a specialist in maternal and child healthcare, confirmed that most of the deaths in the local communities were from preventable ailments that, if detected early, could have been prevented with lifestyle changes. She promised to analyse the data collated from this and other Nextier-funded medical efforts to develop a policy paper on new approaches to medical intervention in local communities. The Nextier Advisory CEO acknowledged that the free medical programmes are not the sustainable solution to healthcare delivery in Nigeria, but adduced for sustained intersection of good public policy and concerted action from the private and the public sector. Hence, Nextier Advisory has committed to continuing their interventions in the local communities. He acknowledged that the bulk of the solution is with the public sector and its policy choices; however, he affirmed that there is a lot that can be done by individuals. "When a small group of thoughtful, committed people apply themselves to a problem, miracles begin to happen. I believe there are enough of us to change Nigeria." http://allafrica.com/stories/201208280429.html

Nigeria: FG Scales Up Special Sickle Cell Centres Nationwide

SICKLE cell centres in the six geo-political zones of the country are to be scaled up following plans by the Federal Government to step up sickle management and care in the country. Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu who disclosed this in Lagos at a book presentation entitled "Sickle Cell Disorder:Early Warning Signals" by Dabma Sickle Cell Foundation in collaboration with Genotype Foundation and the Health Writers Association of Nigeria, HEWAN, said the scale up was part of strategies to holistically tackle the burden of Sickle Cell Disorder, SCD, in Nigeria. Chukwu who was represented by a Desk Officer for Sickle Cell Disorder in the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Alayo Shopekun, explained that the centres would be dedicated to the management, control and prevention of SCD. Lamenting the plight of people living with the disorder, Chukwu said SCD is associated with poverty, maternal mortality, newborn and child mortality and HIV& AIDS particularly in those with history of frequent blood transfusion, stigmatisation, and bias in terms of job selection amongst others. "The foregoing picture for this hereditary disorder therefore calls for urgent attention,"he added He announced that a national guideline on the control and management of the disease was in advanced stage to ensure that care provided at the health facilities are informed and conform with international best practice.s The special centres for SCD have been provided with variant machines to ensure that diagnosis of the disorder is accurate and that suspected newborns are screened for the disorder and interventions and follow up could be instituted to ensure survival and improved quality of life for such children. Also, a database on the disorder is expected to be set up to provide information for effective planning and policy decision on the disorder. Earlier, writer of the book and Chairman, Dabma Sickle Cell Foundation, Pastor Emmanuel Ibekwe said Nigeria accounts three quarters of live births into the disorder in Sub_Saharan Africa, which is equivalent of 150,000 out of every 200,000 births in the region shows the stark reality of the disorder and the need to urgently address it to save lives as well as reduce related ailments. Ibekwe opined that his practical ordeal of victims of SCD influences his emotional connection to his writings to fight against the disorder. "We are here to launch a book that reveals why victims of the disorder keep wiping tear drenched faces daily not knowing where and when the pain shall come to an end due to the complications. "Many go into crisis and all of a sudden their health takes a drastic turn around for the worst." "We are appealing to stakeholders to support education through adoption of schools and libraries, providing books on our experiences as instructional materials for public enlightenment and awareness among other things," he added He called on the federal government to develop and encourage the non-for-profit social sector with a view to reducing the burden of the disorder. In his presentation, President, HEWAN, Mr. Azoma Chikwe, said the Association's participation is to "re-dedicate commitment to addressing sickle cell anaemia. As health writers, our impact must be felt in the environment we live." According to him, HEWAN's partnership with Dabma would go a long way in disseminating needed information on how to prevent or manage the disease to a large, scattered and heterogeneous population of the Nigerian community. http://allafrica.com/stories/201208280423.html

Time is ripe for breakthrough on child mortality, says senior Unicef official

Unicef doctor says investment now could help meet millennium development goals on tackling child and maternal mortality • Explore our interactive on tackling child mortality

A mother and her children collect water in the Lira district of northern Uganda. Photograph: Jonathan Porter/Alamy. An intense focus on countries with the highest levels of child mortality combined with the availability of cheaper vaccines and medicines can lead to a development breakthrough, according to a senior UN health expert. Dr Mickey Chopra, chief health officer at Unicef, the UN children's agency, said investment now would lead to massive strides in meeting the millennium development goals of reducing maternal deaths by three-quarters (MDG4) and the deaths of children under five by two-thirds (MDG5), both by 2015. "If we make the kind of investment we need now, which is not huge, we could achieve a 'man on the moon' moment," Chopra told the Guardian. "We have a clearer idea why and where children are dying. Twenty-four countries account for 80% of the deaths. We know where they are dying within those countries. Combined with effective interventions such as vaccines and breastfeeding, we have the potential to reach kids in the most cost-effective manner." Since 1990, annual maternal deaths have declined by almost half and the deaths of young children have fallen from 12 million to 7.6 million in 2010. Some of the world's poorest countries have achieved impressive progress in reducing child deaths. Rates of child mortality in many African countries have been dropping twice as fast in recent years as during the 1990s. In Botswana, Egypt, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Rwanda and Tanzania, the rate of decline was on average more than 5% a year between 2000 and 2010. Similar progress has been made in reducing maternal deaths, although in fewer developing countries: Equatorial Guinea, Nepal and Vietnam have each cut maternal deaths by 75%. However, many countries – especially in Africa and south Asia – are not making progress. According to Countdown 2015, an umbrella group of academics, donors and NGOs that tracks progress in maternal and child survival, only nine of 74 Countdown countries with available data are on track to achieve MDG5. Eight of them (Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Egypt, Eritrea, Laos, Nepal and Vietnam) are also on track to achieve MDG4. Chopra said countries such as Niger and Nepal had made significant progress on child mortality even without fast economic growth or significant poverty reduction. "In Niger, child mortality dropped by 47% in 10 years," he said. "It went from 227 down to 125 per 1,000 births. Niger concentrated on getting health workers into rural areas with simple interventions. The exciting thing is that with the money we have now, we can buy more medicines and save far more lives." Countdown said analysis for 2010 showed that 64% of child deaths were attributable to infectious disease and 40% occurred during the neo-natal period. The leading causes of death among older children remain pneumonia, diarrhoea and malaria. Chopra said new, more effective and cheap anti-malaria drugs that can be delivered by community workers to people's homes held out great potential. "The new drugs are much more effective and can be delivered quickly to kids who need it most," he said. Over the course of the decade, global malaria deaths have dropped by an estimated 38%, with 43 countries (11 of them in Africa) cutting cases or deaths by 50% or more. This is down to more effective drugs (artemisin combination therapies) – although there are reports of growing resistance to the new drugs, rapid diagnostic tests, long-lasting insecticidal nets (developed since 2000), better policies, and increased resources (human and financial), including distribution of enough bednets to cover nearly 80% of the population at risk in sub-Saharan Africa. Other means of reducing child mortality, such as handwashing and breastfeeding, come down to education rather than money. Modifying behaviour can be difficult, but not impossible. Chopra pointed to Uganda, where education has led to a significant increase in breastfeeding. "It is possible to change behaviour and it is being done and can be done in a short period of time," he said. The promotion of handwashing in schools in China, Colombia and Egypt has led to a drop in primary school absenteeism due to diarrhoea or respiratory infections of between 20% and 50%. Still, money will be needed to help achieve MDGs on child and maternal mortality, but official development assistance for maternal and child health appears to have plateaued in 2009 after increasingly steadily over the past decade, according to Countdown. In 2009, total official development assistance for maternal, infant and child health increased by 14.1% to $4.5bn from 2008. This compared with increases of 17.1% from 2006 to 2007 and 21.2% from 2007 to 2008. http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2012/aug/28/breakthrough-child-mortality-unicef-official?newsfeed=true

Bassir-Thomas presents book on health research funding

THE Bassir-Thomas Biomedical Foundation (BTBF) will next week present a new book titled: Masks and Pandemic: Who Should Fund Health Research in Nigeria? The book is made up of contributions from some of Nigeria’s eminent medical scientists who advocated that health research initiative and its funding in Nigeria should not be abandoned to foreign donors. Chairman BTBF, Prof. David Okpako, noted that the book underscores the legacy of the founder, the late Prof. Horatio Oritsejolomi-Thomas who led the way in advocating that Nigerian government and people must empower indigenous scientists. This is to encourage the scientists to take initiatives at identifying priorities in health research into human and animal diseases that are of particular interest to the Nigerian people. The new book notes the danger of abandoning health research and funding to agencies like the World Health Organisation (WHO) and foreign donors in the long-term. Okpako, who also edited the work, added that while the work appealed to governments to budget specifically for health research in Nigeria, it also drew the attention of wealthy Nigerians to the importance of supporting health research for the long-term benefit of the Nigerian people. The book will be presented at the 14th Horatio Oritsejolomi-Thomas lecture on Friday, September 7, 2012 at the Drapers’ Hall, Institute of Africa, University of Ibadan. Theme of the lecture is “Countdown to 2015: Community engagement for improved maternal health and newborn health,” to be delivered by Country Director, Jhpiego (Nigeria), Prof. Emmanuel ’Dipo Otolorin. President, Nigeria-America Chamber of Commerce, Mazi Sam Ohanbunwa and Group Chairman, Bond Industries, Asiwaju Debo Omotosho will present the book, while Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Prof. Isaac Adewole chairs the event. http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=97108:bassir-thomas-presents-book-on-health-research-funding&catid=93:science&Itemid=608