103,742 Nigerian children lost annually to low uptake of exclusive breastfeeding By NAN | 04 August 2017 | 11:45 am

The United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) says 103,742 children die annually in Nigeria due to lack of exclusive breastfeeding. Mrs Ada Ezeogu, a UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, made this known at a media dialogue on Breastfeeding and Global Breastfeeding Collective. It was organised by Child Rights Information Bureau, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, sponsored by UK Department for International Development (DFID) on Friday in Ibadan. The United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) says 103,742 children die annually in Nigeria due to lack of exclusive breastfeeding. Mrs Ada Ezeogu, a UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, made this known at a media dialogue on Breastfeeding and Global Breastfeeding Collective. It was organised by Child Rights Information Bureau, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, sponsored by UK Department for International Development (DFID) on Friday in Ibadan. Ezeogu spoke on “Breastfeeding Importance and Benefits to Children and The Role of UNICEF.” The nutrition specialist, while decrying the low uptake of exclusive breastfeeding in Nigeria, said that the gap or lapses robbed 5.4 million children yearly of its benefits. “Delaying breastfeeding for two to 23 hours after birth increases the risk of dying within 28 days of a baby’s life by 40 per cent. “Based on UNICEF fact sheet, the low rate of Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) leads to 103,742 child’s deaths and translated to almost 12 billion dollars in future economic losses for the country. “The summation of low cognitive development, low IQ and health costs in inadequate breastfeeding is estimated to cost the country economy 21 billion dollars per year or 4.1 per cent of its gross national income,” Ezeogu said. She said that exclusively breastfed babies were 14 times less likely to die than those not breastfed. “Breastfeeding reduces the incidence of death in newborns as they account for close to half of all deaths of children under the age of five. “Breastfeeding is expected to be initiated within one hour after birth, the longer the delay, the higher the risk of death in the first month of life,’’ Ezeogu said. She described breastfeeding or breast milk as a perfect food, best protection for child against an array of illnesses and diseases and all encompassing food for babies. According to her, this has contributed to the country’s problem of chronic malnutrition resulting to the current 11 million malnourished under five children. Ezeogu said that breast milk was key in the prevention of two leading causes of under five mortality, which were the childhood pneumonia and diarrhoea. “Water is the greatest barrier to EBF and if mothers, families, communities, among other stakeholders are abreast of the level of water content of the breast milk, which is over 88 per cent, the rate of uptake of EBF will increase. “This will afford the nation to realise or achieve the accrued benefits economically, educational, health, among others,” she said. Also, Mr Geoffrey Njoku, the UNICEF Communication Specialist, said that dialogue was aimed at partnering with the media in increasing the rate of EBF in the country In his remarks, Mr Tejinder Sadhu, the Chief of Field Office UNICEF, Akure, said that 13 per cent of child’s death would be averted, if 90 per cent of mothers could exclusively breastfeed their infants in the first six months of life. Sadhu said that breastfeeding was beneficial to the national economy by assisting in lowering healthcare costs, increase educational attainment, as well as boosting activities. “Breastfeeding is not one woman’s job, mothers need assistance and support from their healthcare providers, families, communities, employers and government so that they can provide their children the healthiest start to life. “Together we can support them into breastfeeding, protect and help in ensuring the wellbeing of our future generations,” he said. https://m.guardian.ng/features/103742-nigerian-children-lost-annually-to-low-uptake-of-exclusive-breastfeeding/

Nigeria: The Dangers of Too Many Children - Professor Ladipo

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE

LAST year, President Goodluck Jonathan stirred the hornet's nest when he declared that Nigerians were having too many children. The President's accusation was directed at persons unable to properly cater for the needs of their children as those guilty of giving birth too many times and too often. "Uneducated people are having too many children. People should only have as many children as they can afford," the President remarked. His declaration that Nigerians ought to learn to limit the number of children they brought into the world did not go down well with a lot of people. The call, which was essentially for new policies and legislation on family planning in the country towards controlling number of births, was greeted with mixed reactions. Although incisive debate still trails the President's commentary on the sensitive issue of childbirth, the implications of unchecked population increase and a high fertility rate remain paramount, especially with growing evidence that unchecked population growth is a major trigger of violence in the country. Population moderation "There is great wisdom in having only the number of children you can provide for. We need a population moderation and management policy because people should not just be having as many children as they want," asserts Professor Oladapo Ladipo, the President/CEO, Association for Reproduction and Family Health, ARFH, Abuja. Anyone who disagrees with this assertion should ask Haruna, the maiguard whose wife just gave birth to her 11th child. Kunle, his employer, who also has one wife, but three children, is already sponsoring Haruna's first two children in school. Four other children are scattered around, and at least two others are being brought up by relations and guardians.

Ladipo argued that millions of "Harunas" out there, who have failed to moderate the size of their family, and the ones rocking the boat by continually transferring the responsibility of catering for their children to the "Kunles" who have moderated the size of their families and are doing well as a result. "It is important for Nigerians and indeed Africans generally to recognize the need to have just the number of children we can care for, rather than just reproducing and expecting God to take care of them. There is no reason for having children who are just languishing in abject poverty, roaming around, doing nothing productive," he remarked. http://allafrica.com/stories/201308191231.html

BACKGROUND Nigeria: HIV/Aids - Problems of Orphans, Vulnerable Children in Nigeria

BY ELOKE ONYEBUCHI,

The response to the crisis of orphans and vulnerable children due to HIV/AIDS in Nigeria has been largely community driven with the extended family providing the safety net for protection, care and support. Estimates indicate that 7 million populations were orphans in 2003, which 1.8 million were affected by HIV/AIDS. Consequently high levels of poverty resulting in low resource base and lack of basic credit and employment facilities in most rural communities have jeopardized the realization of the wellbeing of orphans and vulnerable children in Nigeria. The objectives of this article are to present a summary of the national OVC situation and current policy responses. To outline the existing frameworks for responding to OVC and to identify the policy - level gaps in the national responses to the growing crises of OVC, and the need to intervene on these problems affecting orphan and vulnerable children affected or infected by hiv/aids in Nigeria.

Until recently, the scale of the national response has not been commensurate with the magnitude of the orphans and vulnerable children's problems. In spite of some weaknesses where individual children living with caregivers are targeted, there are examplesA of best practice in pockets of interventions in the country. These are largely community driven responses that work in partnerships with civil society organizations to provide protection, care and support for most vulnerable children and their families. Evidence of such good practice remains limited in size and scope is highly uncoordinated, due to unavailable active policy environment. Children, mainly of youth age have been the missing voice and face of orphans and vulnerability responses to date. Without taking determined steps to address the specific needs of children, there will be no chance of meeting the Millennium Development and NEEDS Goals (MDGs); and certainly no chance of halting and beginning to reverse the spread of HIV and AIDS. Failure to meet the goal on HIV and AIDS will adversely affect the country's chances to meet the other MDGs, as HIV and AIDS will continue to impede efforts to reduce extreme poverty and hunger, provide universal primary education, and reduce child mortality and improve public health care. Millions of children under 15 years in the path of the pandemic are at risk and in need of protection. http://allafrica.com/stories/201308191661.html

Rotavirus - the Silent Child Killer

BY PERPETUA ONUEGBU, 18 AUGUST 2013

Mrs Ebiere Amechi watched helplessly as her baby, Michael, a plump and lively boy, started vomiting and stooling. The woman has been assured that when babies entered their teething period; incessant stooling and vomiting are usually the precursors. Ebiere helplessly watched her child slipping away from her, as Michael continued to depreciate in weight each time he passed out stool. She later became frightened and sought the help of her next-door neighbour, Mama Kelechi. Mama Kelechi made Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) for Michael but when he was not showing any sign of improvement, Ebiere carried her baby and scampered to the hospital. "This is a case of Rotavirus madam; you are lucky you brought this child here on time," the doctor said. "What is Rotavirus?" a bewildered Ebiera asked. Diarrhoea is caused by a virus called Rotavirus and this causes gastroenteritis, whose symptoms include stooling and vomiting," the doctor replied.

Most people like Ebiere are ignorant of Rotavirus, which is the most common cause of severe diarrhea among infants and young children. MedicineNet.com, an online health publication, describes Rotavirus as a genus of double-stranded ribonucleic acid known as RNA virus in the Reoviridae family. Reoviridae is a family of viruses that can affect the gastrointestinal and respiratory tract. Viruses in the Reoviridae family have genomes consisting of segmented, double-stranded RNA. The name Reoviridae is derived from respiratory enteric orphan viruses.

The publication says that the term "orphan virus" means a virus that is not associated with any known disease. Even though viruses in the Reoviridae family have more recently been identified with various diseases, the original name is still used, it adds. Medical experts say that by the age of five, nearly every child in the world has been infected with Rotavirus at least once. However, with each infection, immunity develops, and subsequent infections are less severe; adults are rarely affected. There are five species of Rotavirus and they are classified as A, B, C, D, and E. Rotavirus A -- the most common species -- causes more than 90 per cent of infections in humans.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201308191851.html

Nigeria: What About Malaria?

MINISTER of Health Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu last year announced that more than 90 per cent of Nigeria's population, 150.3 million (the population of ECOWAS countries without Nigeria), is at risk of malaria infection. His prescribed emergency plan was use of more mosquito nets. Like all those before him, the Minister summarizes the malaria scourge in clichés that belie the ruination from malaria. "Malaria is a major public problem in Nigeria; Nigeria contributes a quarter of malaria burden in Africa. Over 90 per cent of the country's 167 million people are at risk. It contributes 30 per cent to childhood mortality in the country and contributes 11 per cent of maternal mortality. I must add that it reduces Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product by one per cent annually. It is estimated that malaria-related illnesses and mortality cost Africa's economy about $12 billion annually," the Minister chanted.

So what is the next step? How can malaria be this dangerous - it really is - and all that our health officials do is wait for the next World Malaria Day to advertise mosquito nets to Nigerians? When Professor Chukwu assumed office in May 2010, he promised improved health indices. "My primary task is to ensure that we raise the indices to an appreciable and enviable level. In three months, Nigerians will begin to see sign of changes," Professor Chukwu said in 2010.

The picture remains one of continuing woes. The Malaria Indicator Survey Nigeria conducted in 2010 showed that about 52 per cent of children aged six months to five years tested positive to malaria. Experts hold that if these children survive, their physical and mental growth would be adversely affected. A combination of malaria infection with poor nutrition ensures that many of those children would have stunted growth and poor mental development. Dependence on foreign initiatives on malaria will not work. The World Health Organisation, WHO, formally began proposing to eradicate malaria in 1955. Today malaria is claiming more territories and there are fears that with climate change, some parts of Europe and North America, now safe from the anopheles mosquitoes, may breed the harmful mosquitoes. Nigeria needs to commit resources to researches on malaria vaccine. Malaria is not a global challenge. Nigeria bears a huge part of the malaria burden. Few countries would ignore an issue that wipes away a per cent of its GDP which is what malaria does to Nigeria.

Health and environmental officials at state and local government levels should enforce sanitation laws that would deny mosquitoes breeding grounds. The world's interest is more in selling mosquito nets than fighting malaria. Our governments should be more committed to eliminating malaria; enough of depressing statistics. http://allafrica.com/stories/201308150174.html

Making mothers out of children

Written by Ruth Olurounbi

Despite the fact that there are medical, psychological, social and legal moral justifications, not to mention international outcry, against child marriage, the Nigerian Senate, last Monday, legalised child marriage, thereby increasing the risks of children developing sexual health complications and contravening the Child Rights Act. RUTH OLUROUNBI examines the medical, psychological and social implications of child marriage and how the child rights have been grossly violated by the Senate’s singular action. Child marriage is not only wrong, it is dangerous. It exposes a young girl to profound health risks from early pregnancy and difficult childbirth and it exposes her baby to complications of premature birth —Anthony Lake, Executive Director of UNICEF. HAUWA Salidu from Ibeto, Niger State, was 16 years old when she got married two years ago. She was very much in love with 18-year-old Hassan, her husband. Three months after her marriage, she fell pregnant and she was elated. But during the pregnancy, she developed complications. Eventually, her baby died in her womb but she did not know that she was carrying a dead baby in her womb for more than a month. Even with the telltale signs, her family members thought the spirits were afflicting their daughter. She was eventually taken to the hospital on the insistence of a community midwife, who told the family they would lose their daughter if they refused to act soon. At the hospital, it was discovered that the foetus had died for more than six weeks and, as a result, her womb had been ruptured. She was operated upon as was asked not to conceive another baby until she was six years older. Hauwa could have died but more importantly, the life-threatening situation could have been avoided, if she had not married early. There are many other cases like Hauwa’s and other serious ones, even those who married way younger than she did with grimmer outcomes. While some children have lost their lives while bearing children, some have been condemned to live their lives in the shadows after developing vesicovaginal fistula (VVF). These and many more are some of the pathetic experiences of young women who have been condemned to harzadous life as a result of being married early. These facts are before the the Senate of Federal Republic of Nigeria but the distinguished chose to ignore these chilling facts last Monday when they approved the marriage of children irrespective of their ages. They went ahead to proscribe the law stipulating 18 years as the age any Nigerian child is qualified to engage into a conscious agreement of marriage. The approval came when former Zamfara State governor and current senator, Sani Yerima, whose marriage to a 13-year-old girl drew widespread outrage in 2009, asked the Senate to reverse a vote that appeared to outlaw underage marriage. Yerima contended that the provision, which stipulates a certain age for women before getting married, was at variance with Islamic law and biased. “The constitution says the National Assembly shall legislate on marriage except those under Islamic rites. Islam says once a woman is married, she is of age,” Yerima had argued. By legalising underage marriage, the country is invariably bringing to reality the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)’s prediction that more than 140 million girls would marry between 2011 and 2020. The UNFPA, in a joint press release with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), had predicted that if current levels of child marriages should hold, 14.2 million girls annually or 39,000 daily would marry too young, adding that of the 140 million girls who would marry before the age of 18, 50 million would be under the age of 15. Senate law versus International declaration Legally, the Senate approval of child marriage is a contravention against the child rights act which has been passed in Oyo State, former Vice Chairperson of FIDA, Mrs Victoria Famakinwa told Sunday Tribune. Child’s Right Act 2003 stipulated that every child has the right to be protected from physical and mental violence, injury or abuse, including sexual abuse, rape and sexual exploitation, the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health, the right to rest and leisure, and to participate freely …, the right to not be separated from parents against the child’s will, the right to protection against all forms of exploitation affecting any aspect of the child’s welfare and the right to eventual employment. A lawyer in Ibadan, who doesn’t want her name in print explained to Sunday Tribune that the approval that children under the ages of 18 are allowed to be married is a contravention of the Child’s Right Acts even though the Islamic law allows for it. “The Islamic law is a law that governs a section of the people who practices the religion, and not everybody. If the Senate throws a blanket on the age required to contract a marriage agreement, that is a violation of other non-Muslims’ right,” she noted. Speaking on child marriage, the lawyer said that legally, a child is any person who is under the age of 18. She said that Section 21 of the Child’s Rights Act 2003 prohibits child marriage, while quoting the said section as: No person under the age of 18 years is capable of contracting a valid marriage and accordingly, a marriage so contracted is null and void and of no effect.” She added that there’s a provision of punishment to whoever promotes child marriage. Such persons, she said, are liable of an offence and if found guilty, are fined N500, 000 or five years imprisonment or both. When asked if the Senate is liable of any offence, she said “yes, absolutely.” Paedophile or marriage? When asked what child marriage means, a lawyer in Abuja, Mr Eze Chukwuemeka, in a telephone interview with the Sunday Tribune, said “child marriage occurs when one or both parties are under the age of 18. The emerging consensus of international human rights standards is that the minimum age of marriage should be set at 18 in order to protect underage children from child marriage, although the practice affects girls more frequently and often coincides with other rights violations, including but not limited to domestic violence and impeded access to reproductive health care and education.” Despite the physical damage and the persistent discrimination to young girls, little progress has been made toward ending the practice of child marriage, UNICEF said. Recently, Dr Babatunde Osotimehin, the Executive Director, UNFPA said “child marriage is an appalling violation of human rights and robs girls of their education, health and long-term prospects. A girl who is married as a child is one whose potential will not be fulfilled. Since many parents and communities also want the very best for their daughters, we must work together and end child marriage.” Although Yerima had argued from religious point of view, some religious leaders have contended that the responsibility is not only to teach the people the tenets of their religions, but also to cater for the people’s welfares. An Islamic spiritual leader in at Mokola Area, Ibadan, Oyo State, Alhaji Abiodun Abdulrahman, told Sunday Tribune, that just as he would not argue against the Islamic tenet that stipulates the basis of marriage, children, he said, have no business being married. “Children are supposed to be in school, learning how to better their lives and not to be married off. Honestly, what does a child know about marriage?” he queried expressing his worry that “by the Senate’s action, our children, who are already vulnerable to sexual abuse have now become more vulnerable. This law has stripped our children of little protection they had and I am very sad about this.” When asked if he could give out his 13-year-old daughter in marriage, he gave an emphatic “no!” “I cannot give my daughter out in marriage, even if she is 18. At 18, she’s probably in the university. Besides, there are health complications for underage deliveries and I don’t want that for my children. I want them to be happy and very happy, not tormented by the prospect of any marriage. Although I recognise that I cannot protect them from all harm, I also know that it is my responsibility to protect them as much as I can. Underage marriage falls under that category.” Living in health bondage Beyond the religious or cultural stipulations, human rights activists are canvassing that the welfares of people should come first. It is a common belief among some cultures that child marriage does protect girls from promiscuity and disease. But the UNICEF has recorded that married girls are more likely to become infected with STDs, in particular HIV and human papilloma virus (HPV), especially if their husbands keep multiple sex partners or engage in unprotected sex. For instance, a recent study in Kenya showed that married girls had a 50 per cent higher likelihood of becoming infected with HIV than their unmarried counterparts. This risk was 59 per cent higher in Zambia. In Uganda, the HIV prevalence rate for girls 15–19 years of age was 89 per cent higher for married girls between the ages of 15–29 years of age than single girls, who recorded 66 per cent. All of these studies showed that girls were being infected by their husbands. “A hypothesis relevant to this finding is that a young girl may be physiologically more prone to HIV infection because her vagina is not yet well lined with protective cells and her cervix may be more easily eroded. Risk for HIV transmission is also heightened because hymen, vaginal, or cervical lacerations increase the transmission rate, and many of these young girls lose their virginity to HIV-infected husbands. Also, STDs such as herpes simplex virus type 2 infections, gonorrhea, or chlamydia enhance girls’ vulnerability to HIV,” US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. Dr Oluwaseyi Lawal, an obstetrics and gynaecology expert in Abuja told the Sunday Tribune that aged 15 to 20 are twice as likely to die in childbirth as those in their 20s, and girls under the age of 15 are five times as likely to die. “Prolonged and obstructed labour, which is common among pregnant young adolescents, can lead to hemorrhage, severe infection, and maternal death. This is especially true for girls who experience additional pregnancy-related complications such as eclampsia. Those who survive may suffer from obstetric fistula, a debilitating condition that causes chronic incontinence and results in shame and social isolation,” he added. Socially, according to a social worker, Ms Monica Ladipo, girls who are married at a very young age experience related educational, social, and personal disadvantages, among which are: greater control over the young bride by her husband and his family, including restrictions on her freedom of movement and her capacity to seek health care and family planning services; increased likelihood that she will experience domestic violence and sexual abuse; little if any schooling and little possibility of pursuing educational opportunities; limited capacity to enter the paid labour force and earn an independent income; greater personal insecurity in the face of the possibility of divorce or early widowhood; and social isolation from her own family, friends, and other social networks, according to the International Women’s Health Coalition We must rise to protect our children, Nigerians react But since the Senate took the controversial decision, many Nigerians have taken to the social media network, especially, Twitter, to protest what they termed official pedophilia in the constitution. The outcry, which trended under the hashtag “#ChildNotBride” was led by some notable Nigerians. Mrs Nike Adeyemi, wife of the Daystar Pastor, Pastor Sam Adeyemi, with Twitter handle @NikeAdeyemi: “Let’s speak out against injustice, let us love mercy, let’s do what is right @omojuwa @obyezeks @sam_adeyemi #ChildNotBride. @emmaben30 wrote, “if you want to convince us that we need more women in politics, you’ve got to show promise. “Any senator that voted for a child to be sold into marriage should lead by example... Sell your kids at 13 #ChildNotBride. @finegurl: “a 13-year-old girl is supposed to be playing suwe and “ten-ten”. Not some sick pervert ramming shegu into her. #Childnotbride. @ebonyoma said “this is not about feminism or religion. It is about justice and human rights. Protect our girls! #childnotbride #endpaedophilia @GLOHF: It’s not enough to discuss the issue, let’s TAKE ACTION #ChildNotBride #Underage marriage sign the petition and Sarah McGrath, with the handle @McGrathSarah wrote, “every 3 seconds, another girl becomes a child bride.” via @TheElders http://elde.rs/2AT #DayoftheGirl #childnotbride. Some other people just expressed their disgust at the development without the help of a hashtag. Niki Cheong with Twitter handle @nikicheong wrote, “this glorifying of underage marriage should upset all girls and piss off all men who have mothers, sisters, children and female friends.” Pastor of Business Church, Pastor Tope Popoola, too reacted on his Facebook. Captioned “Nigeria on my mind”, he wrote that “when you make crooked men rulers, do not expect them to draw straight lines! What does one make of the Senate legalising marriage to children simply because one of its own is guilty of breaching international statutes on the matter? When will this nonsense stop? If there is indeed a coalition of civil society groups, they must rise up and speak with one voice NOW!” Another person, Mr Olaitan Okedeji, wrote that “this arrant senselessness must be challenged more than fuel subsidy was and immediately. And not only by civil groups, but professional organisations and all sane people! Madness.” Mothers are not left out of this protest. An uneducated mother in Beere, Ibadan, who was asked what her stance was on the child marriage issue, was shocked when the meaning of the approval was interpreted to her in Yoruba. She responded with a curse. “aye o ni yen eni toun o. Nitori Olorun. Ki ni omodun metala mo nipa ile-oko. Omo odun metala ye ko wa ni ile iwe ni. Olori buruku loni toun to ni ki omodun metala lo le oko” (meaning “it will not be well with such proponent. For God’s sake, what does a 13-year-old girl know about marriage? A girl of such age is supposed to be in school. Whoever proposes such is a never-do-well”). Another mother, an educated one this time, said she could not comprehend the outcome. Mrs Adeoba Ogundaisi, a teacher, said “sincerely, I cannot comprehend raising any child below the age of 18 and ask her to get married. I think that those people who passed that law are only protecting themselves against the law. They know that they are paedophiles and at the same time, they don’t want to be punished for their crimes. It is inhuman to legalise rape. Because as far as I am concerned, that it what it is, rape.” Though the outcry is still ongoing, Nigerians are waiting patiently to see whether the rule of reason will prevail over the flimsy ones of lascivious men. But as the UN has often insists, every girl has a right to life and make her choice. “No girl should be robbed of her childhood, her education and health, and her aspirations. Yet today millions of girls are denied their rights each year when they are married as child brides,” Dr Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of United Nations (UN) Women, said, while Executive Director of UNICEF, Anthony Lake, added that “child marriage is not only wrong, it is [also] dangerous. It exposes a young girl to profound health risks from early pregnancy and difficult childbirth and it exposes her baby to complications of premature birth.” The Nigerian girl deserves better deal from her own father and her country. http://www.tribune.com.ng/news2013/index.php/en/component/k2/item/17199-making-mothers-out-of-children

PSN labels Nigeria as biggest exporter of wild oral polio virus

WorldStage Newsonline-- Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has labelled Nigeria as the current biggest exporter of wild oral polio virus in the world. President, PSN, Olumide Akintayo told journalists in Ilorin, at the weekend that in other climes such as the USA, 80 per cent of immunization endeavours were conducted within the confine of community pharmacists, saying that the community pharmacist was the first port of call where people access healthcare. Mr. Akintayo said that “child and maternal mortality in Nigeria and India account for 40 percent of the incident worldwide. Why? Because government is shortchanging pharmacists and other cadres of healthcare providers who have expertise that can help reduce this unfortunate trend.” He said, “today, one out of 100 life births under one results in death. In less than three week ago they still identified three new episode of wild polio virus in Nigeria.” On President Goodluck Jonathan war against fake and counterfeit drugs, the pharmacist said “nothing has changed. The status quo ante is maintained. Government must work its talk. It is no use setting up regulatory agencies that are not well funded to carry out their mandate. “Problem of drug faking has assumed large dimension in this land. I have been saying this that there are security dimensions to curbing the menace. “There are less than 4000 registered pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers wholesalers, retailers including patent medicine drug sellers, but I can confirm that we have over two million different layers who sell drugs.” He attributed the Nigerian sordid healthcare delivery to the relegation of pharmacist and other health professionals to the backburner of things. “So what we have at all levels of health planning and designing in this country government reckons with the input of only one profession and the result is what we are all contending with,” he said. “We live in a country where the constitution says you shall not legislate against privileges that can be enjoyed by any citizen of the federal republic of Nigeria. What is being done is outright discrimination against privileges meant for the Nigerian citizens. “If President Jonathan wants to begin to solve the problems in healthcare the time is now to take stock and find out why did Ali Pate resign? He was frustrated by the bureaucracy of that ministry. Our people will continue to suffer except our government is bold enough to do the right thing. “Pharmacists are not in any form of popularity context with doctors. I do know that constitutional imperatives are very clear. There are conditions precedents in the 1999 constitution for you to be minister of the federal republic of Nigeria. “It is not my business if anybody appoints a doctor as his minister, all we are saying here is that government needs to be very careful in the way it runs healthcare endeavours. The health sector is a peculiar one. It is a multi-disciplinary sector. There is an array of different healthcare providers. “We told government several times that if there are two slots allotted to the federal ministry of health, it cannot get it right if it appoints members of a single profession to run that type of ministry. It has never happened. It is only under the current administration that it has ever happened and it sickening and disgusting. “The fallouts are very clear. Check out some of the things going on in the federal ministry of health. President Jonathan when he came on board recognized that there are problems in the health sector. One of the first things he did was to set up a presidential committee on harmony for the sector. “The committee members came out with a position that most of the things that have created problems for the sector stemmed from an obnoxious act of parliament created during the military era by late Olikoye Ransome Kuti. “That is called Act 10 of 1985. It wasn’t until 1985 that it became the birthright of medical doctors to head hospital in this country. Hitherto, it was administrators heading hospitals. In places like the University Teaching Hospital (UCH), Ibadan what we had were hospital governors. “We have a legislation that in board appointment, between seven and eight slots have been reserved permanently for only medical doctors and with twelve members board. So we have a situation whereby all other health professionals are given one slot. “Tragically, the current health minister has found it very difficult to allow members of other professions in the sector to be represented in any board. Today, presidential committee on harmony report is being manipulated by him and the federal executive council has thrown that report away.” http://www.worldstagegroup.com/worldstagenew/index.php?active=news&newscid=9902&catid=10

Nigeria should consider 'medical consequences' of child marriage

SAY 'NO' TO CHILD MARRIAGE Child Marriage has become a thing of serious concern in Nigeria. With the voting in the Senate supporting it, thanks to Governor Yerima pushing the motion. (Governor Yerima is a Governor of a state in Nigeria who married a young girl of 13 years recently in a wedding that saw 'supposed important personalities' gracing the 'unholy child marriage' of a young disoriented child who is being officially introduced to sex at an early age). The age her peers are running to school to learn. But poverty saw her being sold to a man old enough to be her father for a price they(the parents) believe will lift them out of poverty....for a while. A price he was willing to pay to satisfy his sexual urge. Below is an interesting extract I found....

Healthcare professionals in Nigeria have warned that the country's government needs to consider the "medical consequences" of child marriage before making a "far-reaching decision". Dr Imran Morhason-Bello, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at University College Hospital in Ibadan, told the Tribune that adolescents who become pregnant are faced "with myriads of avoidable medical problems". "Evidence abounds that teenage pregnancy is associated with poverty, low educational level, high maternal morbidity and mortality," he said. Child marriage has provoked heated debate in Nigeria following the senate's decision last month not to remove a legal loophole that legitimises the practice. According to Dr Femi Akinwumi, a doctor at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital in Ile Ife, the maternal mortality rate for women between the ages of 15 and 19 is twice as high as for those in their early 20s. Girls aged between ten and 14 years, meanwhile, are five times as likely to die due to complications in pregnancy, childbirth or the postpartum period as their older counterparts. Posted by Alexandra George

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/