Health

The World Health Organization has said that a batch of contaminated India-made cough syrup has been found in the Marshall Islands and Micronesia. The WHO said that the tested samples of Guaifenesin TG syrup, made by Punjab-based QP Pharmachem Ltd, showed "unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol”. Both compounds are toxic to humans and could be fatal if consumed. The drug was brought to WHO’s attention earlier in April.  This marks the latest in a series of medicines manufactured by India-based pharmaceutical firms and distributed in different countries that are alleged to be of poor quality and potentially harmful to consume. WHO however has to specifically say if any deaths or injuries were linked to Guaifenesin.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC), has granted approval for the R21/Matrix Malaria Vaccine (Recombinant, Adjuvanted) developed by scientists at Oxford University. Nigeria became the second country to approve of the use of the vaccine after Ghana's approval, which is adjudged to be 80 percent effective. The only vaccine previously endorsed for malaria by the World Health Organisation (WHO) is the RTS, S/AS01 (RTS,S) vaccine which is 29 percent effective in preventing severe malaria. The Director-General of NAFDAC Mojisola Adeyeye made this revelation on 17th April 2023 at a press briefing “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in exercising its mandate as stipulated by its enabling law, NAFDAC Act CapN1, LFN 2004 is granting registration approval for R21 malaria vaccine”

The government of the United Kingdom (UK) has revealed it has placed a restriction on the "active" recruitment of health and social care workers from Nigeria and 53 other countries by its public and private healthcare organizations. This development is coming one month after the World Health Organization (WHO) identified 55 countries, including Nigeria, as being more challenged as it concerns Universal Health Coverage. Nigeria has always been on the WHO’s Health Workforce Support and Safeguards list which is graded red but what is new is the UK’s renewed effort to adhere to the global body’s advice.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has advised countries to take urgent action to protect, support and expand the health workforce as a strategic priority, in order to meet the rapidly growing demand for medics and avert a projected shortage of 10 million health workers by 2030, primarily in low- and middle-income countries. WHO in a statement to commemorate its 75th anniversary, advocated that investments in education, skills, and decent jobs for health need to be prioritized to meet the rapidly growing demand for health. WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “The history of WHO demonstrates what is possible when nations come together for a common purpose.

A new report published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed that roughly one in six persons worldwide experience infertility, showing the urgent need to increase access to affordable, high-quality fertility care for those in need. According to the report large numbers of people are affected by infertility in their lifetime, about 17.5% of the adult population. The new estimates show limited variation in the prevalence of infertility between regions. The rates are comparable for high-middle and low-income countries, indicating that this is a major health challenge globally. Lifetime prevalence was 17.8% in high-income countries and 16.5% in low-and middle-income countries. “The report reveals an important truth: infertility does not discriminate,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General at WHO.

The draw ceremony for the 2023 Nigeria National League (NNL) season has been postponed. It was initially scheduled for the NNL secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday afternoon.