Featured post

Diphtheria Scare in Edo State: Calls for School Closure Amid Rising Cases

-
Image
  Edo State is currently battling a public health scare as diphtheria cases emerge, raising concern among residents, health professionals, and civil society. With six confirmed cases and three reported fatalities, the outbreak has prompted urgent calls for preventive measures to contain further spread. Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infection affecting the nose and throat, often fatal if left untreated. The Edo State Ministry of Health has confirmed the detection of both diphtheria and dengue fever, adding complexity to the state’s health response. So far, over 15 suspected diphtheria cases have been identified, with health officials moving swiftly to activate surveillance teams and conduct community sensitization. In a proactive appeal, the Concerned Edo Citizens Forum submitted an open letter to Governor Godwin Obaseki, urging the temporary closure of schools to protect children, who are among the most vulnerable to the disease. The group also recommended limitin...
Post a Comment

Nigerian Company To Produce HiV And Malaria Test Kits After US Funding Cuts

-

In a major step toward health independence, a Nigerian company, Codix Bio Limited, is set to begin the local production of HIV and malaria test kits. This initiative follows significant funding cuts from the United States government, which had previously provided substantial financial support for Nigeria’s health programs through USAID and other agencies.


In 2024 alone, the U.S. contributed over $740 million to Nigeria’s health sector, supporting critical programmes for HIV treatment, malaria prevention, and immunization. However, a recent shift in U.S. foreign aid policy has led to a suspension of new funding, raising serious concerns about the sustainability of these essential services.


To bridge the gap, Codix Bio has partnered with South Korean medical diagnostics firm SD Biosensor, with technical support from the World Health Organization (WHO). The new facility, located near Lagos, is expected to produce up to 147 million test kits annually, a capacity large enough to meet Nigeria’s domestic demand and extend supply to neighbouring African countries.


Nigeria accounts for a significant portion of global malaria cases and ranks fourth globally in terms of HIV burden. The U.S. aid cut could have crippled diagnostic and treatment services, but Codix Bio’s move offers a local solution that may prevent a healthcare crisis.


In response to the funding cuts, the Nigerian government has also approved over ₦200 billion for HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, and immunization programs, showing a renewed commitment to self-reliance in healthcare.


This initiative not only ensures continuity in testing and treatment but also boosts local manufacturing, creates jobs, and strengthens the country’s health infrastructure. Codix Bio’s effort marks a shift from foreign dependency to national self-sufficiency—a necessary evolution for Nigeria’s long-term public health security.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Anambra Boutique Owner Sues NAFDAC Over Claimed Theft of Merchandise During Onitsha Drug Market Operation

-
Image
  Sophia Eberechukwu Okoye, a young entrepreneur from Anambra State, who owns a boutique in Onitsha, has taken legal action against the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). She claims that soldiers allegedly deployed by the agency looted her store during a raid at the Onitsha drug market, popularly known as Ogbo Ogwu. In a notice of legal action issued by her legal representative, Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor of I. C. Ejiofor & Co. law firm, Ms. Okoye is seeking N22 million in compensation, which she asserts is the verified value of the goods taken from her shop. Reports indicate that Ms. Okoye expressed her distress after losing goods valued at over N15 million due to the purported looting by the soldiers. Her boutique, which had opened just a few months prior, was one of many shops that were reportedly broken into and ransacked during the operation. Sources reveal that the thieves stole clothes, shoes, and other valuable items from the boutique, le...
Read more

"Kano girls, having been married off from an orphanage, face abandonment by their husbands and endure abuse, as they are now forced to seek assistance to survive."

-
Image
The Nassarawa orphanage home in Kano is a refuge for abandoned children, many of whom have been found on the streets, lost due to the tragic loss of their parents or left behind after accidents. For years, the Kano State Government has played a crucial role in supporting the orphanage by providing food, clothing, and education until these children reach adulthood. As they grow up, the boys often find work in government positions or venture into entrepreneurship, while the girls are generally married off to suitors interested in them. Since the orphanage’s inception, hundreds of girls have entered into marriage, but some women have shared their struggles with DAILY POST, expressing feelings of abandonment after their husbands divorced them. They often endure abuse and mistreatment, facing significant challenges in seeking help or reporting their situations. Hadiza Muhammad, 40, and Halima Muhammad, 45, are among those who have suffered through domestic abuse for over twenty years of mar...
Read more

Benin Republic, Niger enjoy smuggled fuel as Nigerians keep vigil at petrol stations

-
Image
While numerous Nigerians are keeping vigil at filling stations to fuel their vehicles, drivers in the adjoining nations of Benin Republic and Niger are getting a charge out of fuel snuck from Nigeria, a Saturday PUNCH examination has shown. Our journalists, who visited the two nations found that the snuck petroleum was being sold by dark advertisers, whose rates were less expensive than those working in filling stations. Discoveries show that drivers frequently belittle the dark advertisers on the grounds that their rates are less expensive than the people who purchase from the filling stations. Saturday PUNCH accumulated the higher worth of cefas (CFA) to naira made the Nigerian snuck fuel alluring to residents of the two nations. Nigeria is seeing the fifth significant fuel emergency since President Bola Tinubu accepted office on May 29, 2023, following his expulsion of the fuel appropriation. The evacuation prompted a sharp ascent in fuel costs, causing alarm purchasing, far and wid...
Read more