Connect with us

Health

Benue Targets 2030 To End HIV/AIDS Pandemic

Published

on

Benue State governor, Hyacinth Alia, said with the help of the United States (US) President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through APIN Public Health Initiatives, the HIV/AIDS pandemic will be contained in the state, ending the significant cause of death with severe socioeconomic impacts on several communities in Benue.

However, the pandemic has been transformed into a managed chronic disease, with Benue at the threshold of meeting the global target of ending the HIV pandemic by 2030.

Governor Alia spoke at the inauguration of a Molecular Laboratory and a Polymerase llChain Reaction machine donated by the United States Centre for Disease Control (US -CDC) to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Makurdi.

He said their support and partnership with the state government had helped in placing over 180,000 HIV/Aids patients on a life-saving anti-retroviral treatment (ART) across 264 health facilities as well as private and faith-based facilities across 23 local government areas in the state.

The governor said this has remarkably closed the HIV unmet treatment needs and has placed the state on the path to HIV epidemic control.

 According to him, “the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programme for pregnant-positive women in the state has made it possible for the birth of about 8,000 HIV-negative babies annually, providing a window of hope for an HIV-free generation.

While commending APIN for their support to the State, Governor Alia enumerated some of their support to the state, including the provision of a full complement of equipment for Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to provide sustainable access to affordable and timely supplies of safe and quality-assured blood and blood products to Benue citizens.

In his reaction, the Chief Executive Officer of APIN Public Health Initiative, Dr Prosper Okonkwo, thanked the US CDC and the state government for their support in establishing the Lab, which will go a long way toward achieving an HIV-free generation.

“Provision of cervical cancer screening and treatment of pre-cancerous lesions among women, especially those living with HIV, through the provision of thermal ablation machines to 25 health facilities and capacity building of service providers, training of about 800 health workers in various fields among other supports,” he said.

In his welcome address, the chief medical director, Prof. Joseph Kortor, said that the donation of the machine was a milestone that marked a significant step forward in the state’s commitment to enhancing healthcare services and boosting their capacity to combat infectious diseases.

Presenting the laboratory accreditation certificate number ISO15189:2012 to the MD of FMC, the acting country director of US CDC-Nigeria, Suzanne Theroux, called on the staff members to put the laboratory to its maximum use to nip in the bud the outbreak and spread of viral diseases.

 

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Health

FG Approves $1.7 Billion for Healthcare Reforms

Published

on

By

By Adenike Lawal

The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved a $1.7 billion investment to strengthen the nation’s healthcare system through two major initiatives: the Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity – Governance (HOPE-GOVERNANCE) project and the Primary Health Care Provision Strengthening (HOPE-PHC) project.

The approval was announced during a recent Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

The HOPE-PHC project aims to improve access to essential healthcare services while enhancing the resilience of health systems nationwide.

Its primary goal is to ensure quality healthcare is accessible to all Nigerians.

Meanwhile, the HOPE-GOVERNANCE project focuses on healthcare financing reforms, improving transparency and accountability, and strengthening human resource management at the federal, state, and local levels.

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare will oversee the HOPE-PHC project, while the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning will implement the HOPE-GOVERNANCE project.

These initiatives are expected to drive significant improvements in healthcare service delivery across the country.

Continue Reading

Health

FCTA Seals Illegal Hospital in Kuje Over Patient Deaths

Published

on

By Alexis Uchendu

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has shut down Dada’s Clinic & Maternity Limited in Kapwa, Gaube community, Kuje Area Council, over illegal operations and alleged patient deaths.

The closure, carried out by the Private Health Establishments Registration and Monitoring Committee under Ahmadu Abubakar, Director of the Medical and Diagnostics Department, followed reports of fatalities and unsafe medical practices.

The facility was sealed on Sunday, and a staff member, Mr. Sabiu, who falsely posed as a health worker, was arrested and handed over to the police for further investigation.

According to a statement from the FCTA, issued via the media aide of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, the clinic was unregistered and operated in a rented apartment unfit for healthcare services. It allegedly disguised its operations as a medical outreach program.

The statement further revealed that a community elder recently died after undergoing a hernia operation at the clinic, with additional reports of patients requiring emergency care elsewhere after surviving unsafe procedures.

The FCT Minister investigations his administration’s zero tolerance for illegal health facilities, stressing the need for safe and regulated healthcare services.

An investigation into the clinic’s activities is ongoing.

Continue Reading

Abuja Reports

FG to Slash Dialysis Costs by 80% at FMC Abuja

Published

on

By Patrick Idowu 

In a major relief for kidney disease patients, the Federal Government has announced an 80% subsidy on dialysis treatment at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abuja.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, disclosed this on Tuesday during the commissioning of a new clinic service building and ward centre at the hospital.

He emphasized that the initiative aims to make dialysis more accessible and affordable, aligning with the government’s broader healthcare reforms.

“This subsidy program, launched in 2024, is already in place in 10 selected federal tertiary health institutions, and FMC Jabi is now a strong candidate to join,” Salako stated.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring quality healthcare, a key pillar of the Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (HSRII), which supports President Bola Tinubu’s vision of healthcare as a fundamental right.

Salako further highlighted the administration’s investments in strengthening tertiary healthcare, reducing the need for Nigerians to seek critical medical procedures, such as kidney transplants, abroad.

Meanwhile, FMC Abuja’s Chief Medical Director, Saad Ahmed, revealed that the newly inaugurated facility will enhance healthcare delivery, housing a dialysis and transplantation centre, pathology laboratories, and additional patient wards to ease hospital congestion.

He also announced the acquisition of a neurosurgical operating microscope to improve brain surgery services.

The subsidy initiative marks a significant step toward easing the financial burden of chronic kidney disease patients while bolstering Nigeria’s healthcare capacity.

Continue Reading

Trending