In a major step toward tackling HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) have formalized their collaboration with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). The partnership is focused on strengthening HIV prevention strategies, minimizing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), and eradicating the stigma faced by people living with HIV nationwide.
As Nigeria joins other African nations in observing African Vaccination Week 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concern over persistently low vaccination rates across the continent. According to WHO one out of every five children in Africa remains under-vaccinated. In a statement marking the annual event celebrated from April 24 to 30 alongside World Immunization Week Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, WHO’s Acting Regional Director for Africa, called on African leaders to step up their commitment to improving vaccine access.
Technology expert Akin Ibitoye has advised Nigerians to be mindful of the time they spend on screens, warning that excessive use of phones and laptops can strain the eyes and negatively affect sleep. During an interview on The Morning Brief aired Monday on Channels Television, Ibitoye emphasized that prolonged exposure to screens leads to eye discomfort over time if not properly managed. “The longer you stare at screens, the more pressure you put on your eyes,” he said. “There are steps we can take to protect our eye health.”
The Nigerian government through the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, has revealed that no fewer than 16,000 medical doctors have left the country to practice their profession abroad in the last five to seven years. Pate made this known yesterday in Abuja during the annual capacity-building workshop of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa (AMCOA), and hosted by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
The Nigeria Ministry of Health has received about a million, 1,000,000 pentavalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (Men5CV) doses from the Gavi-funded global stockpile to battle the meningococcus C and W outbreak in the country especially the north.. According to the reports, the epidemic has already claimed over 70 lives, with more than 800 cases across 23 states in Nigeria.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released its first reports highlighting the urgent need for better medicines and testing tools to combat invasive fungal infections. Fungal infections are becoming a major public health concern, but research and development (R&D) in this area remains insufficient. Some common infections, like Candida (which causes thrush), are becoming more resistant to treatment. These infections are especially dangerous for people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, individuals with HIV, and organ transplant recipients. WHO warns that low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face severe challenges due to a lack of effective treatments and proper diagnostic tools.
