Buruli ulcer: An infectious disease thriving in unsanitary environments

Abuja, 30 August, 2019 - “My daughter will never be beautiful again, flies follow her around all day. The stigma has made her drop out of school and the contractures make her limp. I am afraid she will not find the husband of her choice”, says Mrs Chizoba Obiaru of Okrika Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State.

A 58-year-old mother, Mrs Obiaru’s 17-year-old daughter, Chinenye Obiaru is one of the 500 cases of Buruli Ulcer (BU) reported in 2018.

WHO supports Cross River State in administering polio vaccines to Cameroonian refuge...

Cross River, 22 August 2019 -  Following the 2016 crisis in the South West and North West Anglophone regions of Cameroon, a large number of asylum seekers fled into neighboring villages in Cross River State Nigeria for safety. The asylum seekers mainly came from Akwaya, Otu, Eyumojock, Nsan, Dadi and Bodam villages. The World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting the state to reach more refugees against Polio. 

Nigeria moves to end Communicable Diseases among people who use drugs

Abuja, 19 August 2019 – “I have been injecting drugs for a long time and we share syringes,” says Ali who lives in the suburb of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and recently diagnosed to be co-infected with Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV. Consequent to difficulties of life in the streets, Ali was exposed to drug use as early as age 10 and started using injectable drugs when he was 14. “I wish I can stop now though, but It is very difficult” he laments. 

WHO collaborates with Nigerian Government to update the country health workforce pro...

Abuja, August 15, 2019 - The Department of Health Planning, Research and Statistics of the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) in collaboration with The World Health Organization(WHO) has successfully updated and validated Nigeria’s health workforce profile from 2012 to 2018 with funding from the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada (GAC) under the “Enhancing the Ability of Frontline Health Workers to Improve Health in Nigeria” project. 

Malaria- Over 7.3 million long lasting insecticide treated nets distributed in Tarab...

Taraba, 13 August 2019 –  With support from the Global Fund (GF), the National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP) and the World Health Organization (WHO), Taraba and Kaduna State Governments distributed a total of over 7.3 million long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLIN) to indigenes across 39 Local Government Areas (LGA).  From 19 to 23 July 2019, over 2.1 million LLINs were distributed across all 16 LGAs of Taraba State while in Kaduna, at least 5.2 million nets were disseminated to citizenry across 23 LGAs of the state from 02-07 August 2019. 

Borno State launches first Malaria Operational Plan, reawakens fight against malaria...

Maiduguri, 13 August 2019 - Following recommendations from malaria interventions in Borno State Nigeria, the Malaria Annual Operational Plan (MAOP) was developed and launched on 08 August 2019 with technical support from the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners. Aligned to the National Malaria Strategic Plan (2014 -2020), MAOP was developed through a broad-based stakeholders workshop involving malaria stakeholders, reviewed on different thematic areas and endorsed by the Commissioner for Health and Permanent Secretary, Borno State Ministry of Health. 

Nigeria introduces Meningitis A Conjugate Vaccine into Routine EPI Schedule

Abuja, 12 August, 2018 - Nigeria has introduced the Meningitis A Conjugate Vaccine into the routine Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) schedule. 

Speaking during the flag-off ceremony at the Area 2 Primary Healthcare Centre (PHC) on 09 August, 2019, the Executive Director (ED) of National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib said, “Men A remains a major global challenge.” According to the ED,”25 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) fall within the meningitis belt; putting 26.7 Nigerians at risk of meningitis”.