US Approves 'Anti-Dwarfism' Drug

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved an 'anti-dwarfism' which will improve growth in children with the most common type of dwarfism "achondroplasia". The drug will treat kids older than five whose growth plates zones of cartilage at the end of long bones are still open, meaning they still have the potential to grow.

COVID-19: Nigeria Close In On First Human Vaccine Trial

A group of microbiologists from various institutions across the federation have developed a COVID-19 vaccine which has passed animal trials and human trials an inch closer after being listed by the world health organization (WHO) as number 61 out of 185 vaccine candidates globally. The scientists consist of researchers from the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State; Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State; Precious Cornerstone University, Ibadan, Oyo State; University of Ilorin, Kwara State; Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, and the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

COVID-19: FG Issues Revised Protocol For In-Bound Travelers

The Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 has announced an updated international travel protocol for passengers travelling to Nigeria. The revised travel advisory states that all travellers to Nigeria must present a negative COVID-19 test done not more than 72 hours prior to boarding, whether the traveller has taken COVID-19 vaccination or not. This was disclosed in a statement on Friday by the Chairman, PSC on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha.

COVID-19: FG Warns Against Obtaining Fake Vaccination Cards, Commences Online Verification Of Vaccination Record

The Federal Government (FG) through the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19 has warned citizens against procuring fake vaccination cards through the black market. This was made known in Abuja at the national briefing of the PSC on Monday by the Chairman and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha. He said, "We have received intelligence and even detected that some unscrupulous citizens are procuring vaccination cards through the black market.

Minister Reveals Reason For Water Scarcity In Nigeria

The Minister of Water Resources, Engineer Suleiman Adamu, said the ministry has uncovered over 400 abandoned water projects, which he blamed for the acute water scarcity across the country. Adamu revealed this while appearing before the Senate Committee on Water Resources, for the budget defence, adding that some of the dams were cited where dams should not have been constructed. He said “We have over 400 dams but many of them have no utilisation downstream. Anybody can come and invest in the dams.” Speaking to the house on the budget for 2022, the Adamu presented N81 billion for his ministry while the N70.4 billion budget was for the agencies under the ministry of water resources. The capital projects for the entire ministry is put at N78 billion, personnel cost, N2 billion while the overheads was put at N278 million. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Water Resources, Senator Bello Mandiya who briefed journalists about the outcome of the sitting revealed what the Ministry has achieved so far. According to him the ministry has prioritized dams and that so far, twenty dams have been identified which will be completed in due course.

WHO Approves Malaria Vaccine For Children In Sub-saharan Africa

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has approved the first malaria vaccine, Mosquirix in history, The health body said the vaccine could save thousands of lives every year, saying "the real-world test of the jab showed it prevented 30% of severe cases of malaria even in areas with high uptake of other measures, such as bed nets impregnated with insecticide."