Health

Nigeria is set to receive its first shipment of Lenacapavir (LEN), a twice-yearly injectable drug for HIV prevention, by March 2026, according to the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA). In a statement issued on Monday, NACA said the federal government was finalising preparations for the introduction and rollout of the injectable Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) option as part of efforts to strengthen HIV prevention and accelerate progress toward epidemic control.

Nigeria is grappling with a worsening outbreak of Lassa fever, with fresh fatalities reported in Taraba, Benue, Plateau and Edo states, even as national surveillance data indicate a steady rise in confirmed infections. Health authorities say the impact on frontline workers is particularly troubling, with several doctors and nurses contracting the virus in the line of duty.

Following findings of medical negligence in the treatment of 21-month-old Nkanu Adichie-Esege, the Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigation Panel established by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria suspended Dr. Tunde Majekodunmi, the Medical Director of Euracare Multi-Specialist Hospital, and two other physicians. On Wednesday, January 7, 2026, one of the twin boys of famous author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and her spouse, Ivara Esege, passed away tragically following a brief illness.

Nigerians have been informed by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) that some Aptamil and Cow & Gate newborn and follow-on milk formulae are being recalled as a precaution due to potential contamination issues. The agency posted this warning on its website as a public notice. Possible contamination with cereulide, a toxin generated by the Bacillus cereus bacteria that can cause nausea, severe vomiting, and other foodborne disorders, especially in newborns, prompted the recall.

Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the First Lady of Nigeria, has formally launched the "Flow with Confidence" menstrual hygiene campaign, which aims to improve period health among schoolgirls nationwide. The debut and distribution event was held on Tuesday at the International Conference Centre in Umuahia, Abia State, and was attended by Mrs. Priscilla Chidimma Otti, the state coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) and the wife of the governor of Abia State.

Not less than eighteen warehouses in Bida, Niger State, have been sealed by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) after substantial amounts of expired food and beverage goods worth over ₦100 million were found. Prof. Mojisola Christianah Adeyeye of NAFDAC said in a statement that the warehouses behind Bida Modern Market and along Minna Road near Ndazabo White House were closed after NAFDAC's Investigation and Enforcement team acted on reliable information.