The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed off 280 patent medicine stores for various unethical offences in Zamfara state. The council’s Director in charge of Inspection and Monitoring, Mrs Anthonia Aruya, announced the closure at a news conference in Gusau. She said the measure became necessary to prevent people from taking poison unknowingly as prescribed drugs.
The Joint Health Workers Union (JOHESU) has suspended its nationwide strike.
The union suspended its strike on Thursday and directed all members to resume work on Monday, June 4, 2018.
President of JOHESU, Mr Josiah Biobelemonye, while briefing journalist in Abuja, said the strike was called off following the intervention of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki after several meetings with the union and the Federal Government had ended in a deadlock.
Tennessee is the most recent state to report an outbreak of hepatitis A, with Nashville claiming 14 confirmed cases since December.
Hepatitis A is a viral infection that causes inflammation of the liver. Over the past two years, six other states have experienced outbreaks, and although demand for the vaccine outpaced supply earlier this year, there is enough supply to satisfy current needs, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
California, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Utah and West Virginia have reported outbreaks of hepatitis A since March 2017. Cases in these states, with the exception of Michigan, have been genetically identical or similar, according to the CDC. Laboratory reports have not determined whether the viral strains from cases in Nashville are also genetically linked.
The World Health Organization has called for the elimination of artificial trans fats from the global food supply and has a step-by-step strategy on how to do so by 2023.
On Monday, the WHO launched an initiative called REPLACE that will provide guidance for all countries on how to remove artificial trans fats from their foods, possibly leading to a worldwide eradication.
"This initiative is meant to lead countries in establishing legislation to eliminate the trans fats," said Dr. Francesco Branca, director of the Department of Nutrition for Health and Development at the WHO in Geneva, Switzerland.
China has overtaken the United States (U.S.) in healthy life span for the first time since records began, according to World Health Organisation (WHO) data. The figures show Chinese newborns in 2016 can expect 68.7 years of healthy life, compared with 68.5 years for American babies.
The Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) is about to compound the nation’s health problem as it has vowed to embark on nationwide strike if the Federal Government fails to facilitate reinstatement of its members sacked by the University of Jos Teaching Hospital.
The Publicity and Social Secretary of NARD, Dr Ugochukwu Eze said at a press conference in Kaduna that the 21-day ultimatum issued for the reinstatement of the sacked doctors expires today, May 31.
He recalled that the first ultimatum issued on the matter expired on May 2, 2018, and was extended by another three weeks to give room for proper dialogue.
