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Don’t Japa, College Urges West African Doctors

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The West African College of Physicians has asked doctors in West African countries not to leave but to remain and contribute to the growth of the healthcare system.

The College’s outgoing President, Dr Rose Macauley stated this while speaking with newsmen at the opening ceremony of the college’s 48th Annual General Scientific Meeting in Abuja on Monday.

Macauley, who also inaugurated certain doctors as honorary fellows and members of the College, urged them to contribute to society, particularly in the health sector.

“We want you to stay in your country; don’t leave. We want you to contribute your quota to the development of the health sector in West Africa.

“We in the College encourage ourselves to give back to our society and not to leave, as this is the value of the College,” she said.

She asked the administration to put the recommended changes into action in order to get the health-care system back on track.

“We are empowered to give recommendations to various governments and encourage them to implement these. We are urging the government to create an enabling environment, particularly for our young doctors. This is the only way to keep them in the country, allowing them to practise and discourage migration.

“This means addressing their personal needs and ensuring they have enough equipment to enable them to practise their profession,” Macauley said.

On his part, the President-elect of the College, Dr Mamadou Mourtalla emphasized that brain drain in the health industry is a serious problem that every government must address immediately.

“The African continent has a large number of committed and educated doctors, and it is a serious problem for our young doctors to leave and give their service to countries that did not train them.

“But the best way to retain these young African doctors is to address their challenges so they can give their best,” he said.

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Nigeria, Seven African Nations Join Forces in Historic HIV Vaccine Quest

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By Samson Adeyanju

In a groundbreaking bid to combat HIV, Nigeria and seven other African nations: South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and Mozambique have launched an ambitious, African-led initiative to develop an HIV vaccine.

The program, supported by the BRILLIANT consortium and funded with over $45 million by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), was unveiled by Director-General of Nigeria’s National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), Dr Temitope Ilori at a press briefing in Abuja.

The initiative, known as the “HIV Vaccine Innovation, Science, and Technology Acceleration in Africa (HIV-VISTA),” seeks to leverage Africa’s scientific potential to develop a vaccine tailored to the continent’s specific needs, aiming to control and eventually eradicate HIV/AIDS.

Dr. Ilori highlighted the urgent need for a vaccine, noting that despite Nigeria’s strides in prevention and treatment, HIV remains a persistent health crisis.

“Our participation in HIV-VISTA represents a critical step toward an effective vaccine that can save millions of lives across Africa and beyond,” she stated.

The partnership also aligns with the World Health Organization’s recent emphasis on prioritizing vaccines for pathogens with high burdens in Africa, including HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis.

The project symbolizes a shift toward Africa’s role as a leader in tackling its health challenges through innovation and collaborative science.

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Hold FG, LG Accountable on Healthcare Improvement -Pate

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Muhammad Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, has asked Nigerians to hold the federal, state, and local governments accountable for improving the quality of healthcare and basic services.

Pate made the comment on Wednesday in Abuja during the ongoing three-day Nigeria Health Sector-Wide Joint Annual Review, titled “It’s for All of Us: Accelerating Our Health Sector Reforms Together.”

He said, “For our citizens, in line with the President’s overall direction, we want you to hold us, as well as your state and local governments, accountable for providing improved quality healthcare services and basic services that we need as a people to create a healthier nation.

“We’re building on the legacy of several health ministers who have come before us, and my colleagues, Dr Tunji Alausa, as well as the current Minister of State, Dr Iziaq Alausa, and many others, and many leaders across different agencies. We’re building the institutions in health, but building on the work of so many others who have gone before us.”

In addition to the State of Health Report, the Minister stated that the Health Vulnerability and Adaptation Report would be released to address the effects of climate change on health.

“I would like to say that the lives of Nigerians, particularly women and children, are at stake, especially the poorest among us.

“We must do everything we can to safeguard them, and we will be relentless in our resolve to deliver an efficient, equitable, and quality healthcare system for all Nigerians,” he added.

The minister revealed that President Bola Tinubu is committed to enhancing healthcare quality in Nigeria.

He stated that the ministry has met 31 of its 41 Key Performance Indicators under the presidential promises and is on course to exceed the targets for 2024.

“We call on all of us to take action, because the task ahead is huge, but it requires our collective efforts, and we can do this through genuine partnerships that are respectful.

“We call on the government, including our development partners and the friends of Nigeria, to continue working with us and to be patient with us as we chart a path towards improving the health of all Nigerians.

“From the Federal Government, I assure you that the President is very committed to continuing the prioritisation of healthcare, in line with the principles and commitments of the sector-wide compact that we signed.

“I would also like to commend all of the state governors for their involvement, especially in the last 15 months, in working with us.

“To our development partners, I really want to appreciate you as well. We seek stronger convergence of your financing and technical support towards our priorities. We also ask our development partners to share with us, through the Sector-Wide Approach Coordination Office, their roadmap for strengthening the alignment as part of this compact,” he said.

Iziaq Salako, Minister of State for Health, remarked that the JAR is an important tool for health sector stakeholders to analyze program success, examine resource distribution, and review results or concerns that need to be addressed in order to improve performance.

“As a critical accountability tool, we will use the JAR to promote multisectoral coordination and set clear priorities for the upcoming year, ensuring that all stakeholders remain aligned with national health goals,” he said.

He emphasized that the event serves as a platform for increasing accountability, collaboration, and progress in the implementation of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Initiative.

“We must focus on those critical indicators that reflect the health system’s performance, such as mortality rates, disease incidence, service utilisation rates, life expectancy at birth, and health expenditure, among others.

“Importantly, the quality of healthcare we provide and the clients’ experiences when accessing services must be a top priority as we work together to elevate them and deliver on the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“We are fortunate to have the preliminary findings of the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2023. I encourage us to look at it when developing a baseline for the sector-wide approach.

“We should explore our current stimulus funding, which goes directly to our primary health facilities, such as the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, and other health financing mechanisms to reduce maternal mortality.

“In addition, the human resource for health crisis and its emerging challenges should be given thoughtful consideration as we agree on the baseline for the SWaP JAR towards achieving Universal Health Coverage goals,” he said.

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Abuja’s Bold Blueprint: Pioneering Climate-Resilient Health for a Sustainable Africa

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Abuja, Nigeria’s vibrant capital, is emerging as a key player in advancing climate-resilient health initiatives amidst the continent’s escalating climate crisis, marked by rising climate-sensitive diseases, malnutrition, and displacement.

Addressing these interconnected challenges demands a holistic approach that integrates environmental, health, and socio-economic strategies.

Recently, the Harare Declaration, forged at the inaugural Climate and Health Africa Conference (CHAC) in Harare, Zimbabwe, brought together health ministers, officials, and experts from 20 African nations.

This pivotal document outlines essential strategies to strengthen health systems and equip them to withstand the severe impacts of climate change.

Following this, the second Africa Climate Forum (ACF), held in Abuja on October 14-15, 2024, focused on Africa’s Climate Future, advocating for comprehensive actions against climate change while promoting Sustainable Development. These forums emphasize the need for unified efforts in combating climate change and safeguarding public health.

Pope Francis’s 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si’, provides a guiding framework for collaborative action aimed at protecting vulnerable populations from the dual crises of climate change and health. It calls on individuals and communities, especially those of faith, to care for the Earth.

Initiatives inspired by this encyclical, such as tree planting and land restoration, play a crucial role in combating deforestation, enhancing carbon sequestration, and improving biodiversity.

The adoption of sustainable energy sources with a low environmental impact is also crucial for reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

In Nigeria, policies like the National Climate Change Policy and Response Strategy outline a roadmap for climate action, demonstrating the country’s commitment to international agreements such as the Paris Agreement.

Raising awareness about the impacts of climate change and fostering sustainable practices through education and community outreach empower citizens to take meaningful action.

Furthermore, communities lacking effective waste management systems should implement initiatives that convert waste into energy and promote recycling, thereby reducing methane emissions from landfills.

The Nigerian government is investing in renewable energy sources, with a particular focus on solar and wind power, to diminish dependence on fossil fuels. Initiatives like Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) are being explored to enhance vehicle storage capacity, providing a cleaner alternative to petrol, diesel, or LPG.

Abuja’s commitment to climate-resilient health initiatives not only addresses immediate health concerns but also paves the way for a sustainable future for Africa.

By integrating environmental stewardship with public health strategies, Nigeria is positioning itself as a leader in the fight against climate change, fostering resilience and well-being for its citizens.

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