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Mar202019 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Lassa fever, meningitis, cholera killed 156 Nigerians in 2019 — NCDC 0

Lassa fever, meningitis, cholera killed 156 Nigerians in 2019 — NCDC 0

Latest Health News
No fewer than 156 Nigerians have died of Lassa fever, meningitis and cholera so far in 2019, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. The agency added that since the onset of the 2019 Lassa fever outbreak, there had been 110 deaths in confirmed cases from 21 states of the federation as of March 10. The NCDC listed the affected state as Edo, Ondo, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Plateau, Taraba, FCT, Adamawa, Gombe, Kaduna, Kwara, Benue, Rivers, Kogi, Enugu, Imo, Delta, Oyo, Kebbi and Cross River. It said a total of 15 health care workers had been infected since outbreak in seven states while one of them died. On meningitis, the NCDC report said a total of 416 suspected cases with 17 laboratory confirmed cases and 27 deaths from 14 states of the federation had been re...
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Mar202019 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
The Healthiest Water To Drink: Is There Such A Thing?

The Healthiest Water To Drink: Is There Such A Thing?

NEWS
The science is clear: Staying hydrated and drinking enough water has health benefits. Hydration can help lubricate and cushion joints, protect sensitive tissues in your body, flush out waste and keep your immune system and even your skin healthy. Yet when it comes to bottled water, there are several types on the market: spring, purified, mineral, artesian and even alkaline. Is any type best? It turns out that might come down to personal preference, as more research seems to be needed for a definitive answer. "For the price, I'm going to get spring water," said Dr. Eddie Fatakhov, a physician and nutritionist at the Center for Internal and Integrative Medicine in Alpharetta, Georgia. "Because I know it came from the spring." Spring, purified, mineral, artesian: What's the d...
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Mar202019 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Edo boosts health care reforms with N100m

Edo boosts health care reforms with N100m

NEWS
The Edo State Government said it had paid N100m as a counterpart fund for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr David Osifo, disclosed this at a workshop on health workforce registry, held in Benin, the state capital, on Tuesday. “The contribution is to enable the state to fully benefit from the BHCPF of the Federal Government, and will provide responsive, efficient and accessible health care through Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs),” he said. Osifo explained that the “Edo State House of Assembly has passed the Health Insurance Bill into law, to pave the way for the smooth running of the fund.” The BHCPF is the fundamental funding provision under the National Health Act, signed in 2014. States are expected to benefit from the fund when they
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Mar202019 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Ondo trains 100 workers in primary health care

Ondo trains 100 workers in primary health care

NEWS
The Ondo State Government, in partnership with the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo, has trained no fewer than 100 workers of the state Primary Healthcare Board. The government said the training was necessary in order to achieve an effective primary health care system and elicit optimal performance of the health workers in the state . The Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr Wahab Adegbenro, who spoke at a five-day training for the health workers in Akure, said the training was to avail the residents of the state qualitative and affordable healthcare. According to him, the state government is committed to the training and retraining of the health workers . He said, “The emphasis around the world presently is on primary healthcare because the worker are closer to the
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Mar202019 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
FG’ll prioritise health expenditure in 2019 — Udoma

FG’ll prioritise health expenditure in 2019 — Udoma

NEWS
The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma, on Tuesday said despite dwindling revenue, the Federal Government would continue to prioritise health expenditure. The minister gave the assurance at the Nigeria Value for Money in the Health Sector Workshop in Abuja. Udoma said while the fluctuations in oil prices, as well as disruption of crude production, continue to reflect on revenues, the government would make sure that spending on health issues was accorded priority. He said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari met a constrained fiscal space as revenue dropped from N10.07tn in the 2014 fiscal year to as low as N5.68tn in 2016. He said while the revenue recovered to N7.17tn and N9.17tn in 2017 and 2018, it was still low compared with the N10.07tn re...
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Mar202019 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Glyphosate Weedkiller; A Substantial Cancer Factor

Glyphosate Weedkiller; A Substantial Cancer Factor

NEWS
A US jury has found that one of the world's most widely-used weedkillers was a "substantial factor" in causing a man's cancer. Pharmaceutical group Bayer had strongly rejected claims that its glyphosate-based Roundup product was carcinogenic. But the jury in San Francisco ruled unanimously that it contributed to causing non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in California resident Edwin Hardeman. The next stage of the trial will consider Bayer's liability and damages. During this phase, which starts on Wednesday, Mr Hardeman's lawyers are expected to present evidence allegedly showing Bayer's efforts to influence scientists, regulators and the public about the safety of its products. In morning trading, Bayer's shares immediately plunged, dropping almost 12% to €61.62. The German company, which a
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Mar192019 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
‘Getting adequate sleep vital to living healthy lives’

‘Getting adequate sleep vital to living healthy lives’

NEWS
The Chief Executive Officer of Mouka Limited, Mr Raymond Murphy, has highlighted the need for people to have adequate sleep, noting that it is one of the core pillars of health. Murphy said this on Thursday in Lagos at an event organised by Mouka Foam to commemorate the 2019 World Sleep Day. “When people fail to have adequate sleep, their health declines, decreasing the quality of life they live. This explains our commitment to providing the best mattresses, pillows and other products to enhance quality sleep. “World Sleep Day is a recognised event all over the world; we are trying to make it Nigeria sleep day. It is an avenue to educate Nigerians on the importance of quality sleep and how it will allow them to be productive. Except you get quality sleep, it will be difficult
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Mar192019 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Early detection, treatment can curb oral disease, says Adewole

Early detection, treatment can curb oral disease, says Adewole

NEWS
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has said early detection and treatment are crucial to ensuring the best outcome against oral diseases and associated health complications. Adewole, who was represented by the Head of Dentistry, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Bolanle Alonge, at the World Oral Health Day press briefing organised by Unilever Nigeria Plc in partnership with the Nigerian Dental Association in Lagos, said oral health was an integral part of the body that upheld an individual’s self-esteem. “The World Oral Health Day is a platform for the public, oral health community and policymakers to help reduce the overall health disease burden. It is celebrated every 20th of March. “Beyond individual level, the campaign will position oral health professionals as key
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Mar192019 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Study reveals avocado stone reduces inflammation

Study reveals avocado stone reduces inflammation

NEWS
Many people eat the yellow-green flesh inside avocados and throw away the skin and stone inside, however a new study has suggested that the stone could be the healthiest part of the fruit. Researchers from Penn State University found that an extract in avocado seeds reduced inflammation caused by white blood cells. The team says the findings are evidence that the extract could be turned into a food ingredient, or even used as a pharmaceutical drug. The experts, however, say the research is in its early stages and that past studies have shown that, if consumed in high quantities, the stone could actually be toxic. Several studies have shown that the fruit can raise levels of HDL ‘good’ cholesterol, increase nutrient absorption from other foods and help with weight loss. Ano
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Mar182019 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Inside OAUTHC cardiac theatre where surgeons repair babies’ hearts

Inside OAUTHC cardiac theatre where surgeons repair babies’ hearts

NEWS
GBENGA ADENIJI, who joined the cardiac surgical team that successfully carried out open-heart surgeries on eight babies in the cardiac operating theatre of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, writes about the medical procedures. Parents of the babies brought for open-heart surgeries were lost in deep thoughts as medical experts filed into the cardiac operating Theatre Room 1 of the Obafemi Awolowo University Hospital Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State. It was a bright, sunny morning which held abundant hopes for the worried parents who came from far and near to seek medical help for their babies with congenital heart defects. The smartly dressed cardiac surgical team comprised surgeons, anaesthetic and perioperative nurses and perfusionist...
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Mar182019 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Medical practitioner wants Nigeria to be polio-free

Medical practitioner wants Nigeria to be polio-free

NEWS
Dr Towoju Olumunyiwa, a medical practitioner with National Hospital, Abuja, has called on Federal Government to embrace measures that could make Nigeria polio-free. • Success in halting the spread of the wild polio virus through immunisation is one of the significant milestones in Nigeria’s health history since independence. Olumunyiwa made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday.  He said that the government needed to put a lot of resources together with its partners to make sure that polio was completely eradicated in Nigeria. According to him, India is far bigger than Nigeria, but India has been able to eradicate polio since 2012. “India was able to eradicate polio in 2012. India is bigger than Nigeria and if we talk of resources, we
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Mar182019 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Discharged from LUTH, Baba Suwe seeks further treatment abroad

Discharged from LUTH, Baba Suwe seeks further treatment abroad

NEWS
Comedian Babatunde Omidina aka Baba Suwe who was critically ill and on admission at the University of Lagos Teach Hospital, LUTH, has been discharged. The news was revealed by actor Yomi Fabiyi through an Instagram post. He also said that Baba Suwe would proceed for further treatment abroad. “Veteran Actor and Comedian Babatunde Omidina a.k.a Baba Suwe has been discharged from LUTH after intense medical treatment,” he wrote on Saturday. “I can confirm to you that efforts to quickly stabilize and/or completely treat him to full wellness by medical experts at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) at the instance of Minister of Health are yielding positive results as Baba Suwe can now walk without the stick, less pain and he is getting better. “If further theraphy are
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Mar182019 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Governor Obaseki plans compulsory medical test for Edo workers

Governor Obaseki plans compulsory medical test for Edo workers

Latest Health News
The Edo State government is working on a plan that will encourage workers in the state to undergo annual medical test to ascertain their health status. The State governor, Godwin Obaseki who said this at the weekend in Benin during the World Kidney Day commemoration, noted that early detection of diseases saves costs and lives. He explained that in the organised private sector, annual medical test is a standard practice and it provides current information on workers’ health condition and status. “The only way to know if there are potential problems with your health is through a medical test. If there is a condition that poses a threat, you can spot it through tests and deal with it immediately. This way, you save yourself the agony, costs and other troubles that are associated
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Mar182019 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Lagos varsity cancer centre begins operation in May

Lagos varsity cancer centre begins operation in May

NEWS
The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and Lagos University Teaching Hospital cancer treatment centre recently commissioned by President Muhammadu Buhari will open its doors to patients on May 1. Chief Medical Director of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Prof. Chris Bode in a statement said the centre’s ultra-modern equipment was undergoing necessary calibrations and fine-tuning in compliance with international standards before going into operation. “The rigorous steps are a must before international and local regulatory bodies can certify any high-end irradiating equipment for use on patients,” Prof. Bode said. He said that the centre, financed by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, NSIA, is designed in compliance with international best practices, addin
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Mar182019 by PharmaTimes1 Comment
ASSOCIATION OF HOSPITAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PHARMACISTS OF NIGERIA (AHAPN) NATIONAL

ASSOCIATION OF HOSPITAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE PHARMACISTS OF NIGERIA (AHAPN) NATIONAL

Latest Health News, NEWS
12th March, 2019 The Editor, PHARMATIMES, Lagos Sir, AHAPN SEEKS PRESIDENTIAL ASSENT TO PHARMACY COUNCIL BILL Members of the Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria (AHAPN) have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to give speedy assent to the Pharmacy Council Bill of 2018. The Association made this call during a courtesy visit to the new President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa FPSN, MON, OFR in his office in Lagos. The AHAPN delegation was led by the National Chairman, Dr. Kingsley Chiedu Amibor, accompanied by the immediate past National Chairman, Pharm. Martins Oyewole, National Secretary, Pharm. Hafiz Akande, National Treasurer, Pharm. Bode Ogunjemiyo FPSN, National Financial Secretary Pharm. (Mrs...
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