Health

President Muhammadu Buhari has given an ultimatum to the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, to submit his report latest by May 2022 ending on covid-19 vaccine production in Nigeria. Buhari gave the directive today, Wednesday when he received the leadership of the Nigerian Integrated Biopharmaceuticals Industries Consortium (NIBI), led by Mr. Vilarugel Cuyas, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of Fred lad. Mr. President lauded the NIBI as being a European company made up of biotechnology companies Merck, Unizima, Rommelag, and Fredlab for collaborating with Nigeria to start up PIA Bio-Pharma to establish a world-class Bio-Pharma Industry complex for a manufacturer of Vaccine and essential therapeutics in Nigeria.

The Minister for Health, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora has raised the alarm that the Lassa fever epidemic in the country requires urgent attention as it has claimed about 132 persons from January 2022 to date alone. The Minister revealed that in 23 states of the federation about 3,746 cases were reported with 691 confirmed. Dr. Mamora made this revelation in Abuja during the ministry’s bi-weekly COVID-19 update, saying the outbreak of Lassa fever is on the rise with a case of fatality rate of 19.1percent.

Following the decline in cases of COVID-19 in the country especially the variant, the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) has reviewed the country's response to the pandemic. This was made public by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) who doubled as the chairman of the PSC, Boss Gida Mustapha, today in Abuja said this followed the reduction in cases of importation of the new variant. Availability of vaccines and their accessibility to members of the public was also what necessitated their committee action coupled with the global reduction, he said.

The Federal Government has today commenced the enrolment of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members for National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). The scheme was tailored to be under the Group Individual and Family Social Health Insurance Program and was initiated to guarantee access to quality health services for the corps members nationwide.

Lassa fever, one of the deadliest diseases in the country that has not received the required attention from the authorities has within January 2022 alone killed 40 persons and infected four health workers. This was a report released by the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) via its verified website this morning, lamenting that currently, the disease has threatened health workers response to the disease. Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic fever transmitted by rats. It has been known since the 1950s, but the virus was not identified until 1969, when two missionary nurses died from it in the town of Lassa, in Borno state, Nigeria.

The Executive Secretary, Yobe state Primary Health Care Board, PHCB, Dr. Babagana Kundi Machina has raised the alarm that some neglected tropical diseases are still threatening them in Yobe state. Machina raises this concern during the media briefing to mark the year 2022 World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day in Damaturu, the capital of Yobe state.