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May242018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
11-Year-Old Pupil Hospitalised After Drinking Tramadol-Laced Energy Drink

11-Year-Old Pupil Hospitalised After Drinking Tramadol-Laced Energy Drink

NEWS
An 11-year old pupil of St. Anne’s Anglican Primary School at Ashtown in Kumasi, Ghana, is currently on medication after his classmates lured him into consuming energy drink laced with six 120-milligram Tramadol tablets. Doctors at a private clinic are still monitoring the victim, who has been treated and discharged. Some Primary Six pupils of the St. Anne’s Anglican Primary School, according to Citi News investigations, have been abusing Tramadol. They are fond of dissolving the tablets in energy drinks to boost their performance for sporting events, especially football. The class six pupil’s ordeal occurred on Friday, May 18, 2018. He was quickly rushed to a nearby clinic when he showed signs of drowsiness, coupled with some unusual behaviour. The victim, who narrated his ordeal to
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May242018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Developing HIV Vaccine Feasible in Near Future, Says NACA

Developing HIV Vaccine Feasible in Near Future, Says NACA

NEWS
* Nigeria may continue to record cases of Lassa fever, says NCDC The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) has said that although progress in Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) vaccine development by the scientific community continues to raise hope that one day this feat will be achieved, a lot of work is still required. Director General of NACA, Dr. Sani Aliyu, said he is optimistic that developing a HIV vaccine is feasible in the not-too-distant future, and called for renewed commitment by all stakeholders to make this feat happen. “As we mark World HIV Vaccine Day, I call for a renewed commitment from all stakeholders to push for the realization of the production of this much needed vaccine.” Aliyu as part of activities to mark the 21st anniversary of global efforts t
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May242018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Group Asks Court to Jail JOHESU Officials for Failing to Suspend Strike

Group Asks Court to Jail JOHESU Officials for Failing to Suspend Strike

NEWS
The incorporated trustees of Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International on Wednesday made true its threat to commence contempt suit against top officials of the Joint Health Sector Union for allegedly disobeying an order of the court directing them to suspend their ongoing strike. A contempt suit prescribes imprisonment as penalty for disobedience to a court order. The President of the National Industrial Court, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, had in the Abuja Division of the court on May 17, 2018, granted KFHRI’s ex parte application by ordering the principal officers and representatives of JOHESU to suspend the strike within 24 hours. The strike which commenced on April 17, 2018, paralysing health institutions across the country is now about five weeks. KFHRI, through its lawyer, Mr. O
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May242018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
#EbolaWatch: 3 Ebola Patients Taken Away From Hospital To Church For Prayers in Congo

#EbolaWatch: 3 Ebola Patients Taken Away From Hospital To Church For Prayers in Congo

NEWS
Three Ebola patients left a treatment centre in the Democratic Republic of Congo after their families demanded to take them to church, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Two of the patients later died, while the third returned to the centre in the city of Mbandaka. This presents a new challenge for health workers battling to stop the spread of the contagious disease, says the BBC's Anne Soy in DR Congo. Health officials fear it could spread rapidly in Mbandaka, a densely populated city of one million. The WHO says 58 cases of Ebola have been recorded since the outbreak was declared on 8 May. There have been 27 deaths so far, with three deaths confirmed as Ebola. How did the patients leave? The patients' relatives came to the centre, which is run by medical aid agency ...
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May242018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Health Workers Demand Sack of Health Minister

Health Workers Demand Sack of Health Minister

NEWS
The Medical Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) have called for the sack of the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole over the lingering strike in the health sector. This call was made on Wednesday in Gombe, by the General Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals, Comrade Obisesan Oluwatuyi, after a meeting with members of the association.   He said the minister lacks the capacity to handle the affairs of the ministry and become impediment to resolving the crisis in the health sector.   Comrade Oluwatuyi said Professor Adewole who happened to be a Medical Doctor is fueling the strike action, “he operates with sentiment and his focus is to favour Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) than any other health union. He said they would continue with
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May232018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Prolia Approved by FDA for Treatment of Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis

Prolia Approved by FDA for Treatment of Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis

NEWS
Officials with the FDA have approved the use of denosumab (Prolia, Amgen) for the treatment of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP), according to a press release. The treatment is indicated for men and women at high risk of fracture, defined as history of osteoporotic fracture, multiple risk factors for fracture, or patients who have failed or are intolerant to other available therapies. The approval is based on data from 12-month analysis of a 24-month, phase 3 trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of denosumab. According to the findings, patients on glucocorticoid therapy who received denosumab had greater gains in bone mineral density (BMD) compared with those who received active comparator risedronate. Denosumab 60 mg was administered subcutaneously every 6 months compar...
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May232018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
JOHESU Strike: Doctors Provide Nurses’, Other’s Services at FMC Katsina

JOHESU Strike: Doctors Provide Nurses’, Other’s Services at FMC Katsina

NEWS
Medical Doctors at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Katsina are currently converting some of their colleagues to provide services hitherto rendered by members of Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) to ensure healthcare services are on going at the centre. A visit to the hospital shows that Doctors have manned the registry, labs and injection stations and attending to patients on ground. Speaking on the development, the Medical Director FMC, Katsina, Dr. Suleiman Bello Mohammed said despite the strike the hospital is striving to provide services saying that ' it may not be hundred percent but at least the succour it will give to the patients is enormous' He said, health service is a team work but in a situation were such working together can't be found, the Doctors have to compromise ...
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May232018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
1% Health Fund will Reduce Poverty, Drive Growth – PSN

1% Health Fund will Reduce Poverty, Drive Growth – PSN

Interviews, NEWS
The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) on Tuesday commended the Senate for providing one percent allocation of the Consolidated Revenue Fund as basic health fund in the 2018 budgetary allocation to the health sector. PSN specifically commended the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki for keeping to his promise on the fund which is a provision of the National Health Act 2014. In a statement signed by the PSN President, Ahmed Yakasai, the society enumerated the various merits of the fund, saying it would improve health, reduce poverty, create jobs, drive economic growth by healthy citizens and prevent epidemics. It commended the lawmakers for providing N57bn in this year’s budget as provided by the National Health Act 2014 which was passed in 2014 but not “fully implemented till date”
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May232018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Indian, Nigerian Scientists Brainstorm on Ebola, Lassa fever Vaccines

Indian, Nigerian Scientists Brainstorm on Ebola, Lassa fever Vaccines

NEWS
Some Indian and Nigerian scientists have gathered in Abuja to brainstorm on the development of vaccines for infectious and re-emerging diseases like Ebola, Lassa fever and others. Speaking at the three-day workshop on Modern and Emerging Trend in Vaccine Development at the National Biotechnology Development Agency [NABDA] in Abuja on Tuesday, experts said developing countries lack the capacity to tame infectious diseases because of inadequate facilities and expertise. A Nigerian scientist, Dr Barth Ibeh, told Daily Trust in an interview at the sideline of the workshop that finding vaccines for infectious diseases was necessary because some of these diseases keep re-emerging. “The country doesn’t really have the capacity to contain these infectious diseases as they keep re-emerging. At t
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May222018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Pharmacists Council of Nigeria Seals Off 400 Drug Stores in Adamawa

Pharmacists Council of Nigeria Seals Off 400 Drug Stores in Adamawa

NEWS
The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed off 400 drug stores in Adamawa State over illegal activities. The affected premises comprised of 25 unregistered pharmacies and 365 patent medicine stores out of a total of 527 premises inspected by the council. Mrs. Anthonia Aruya, the PCN Director of Inspection and Monitoring who  spoke at a press conference in Yola said the affected business owners committed offences which include operating without registration, expired licence, poor sanitary conditions and dispensing of ethical products without supervision of pharmacist. “Pharmacists Council of Nigeria cannot guarantee that drugs sold in unregistered outlets are of the same integrity as specified by the manufacturers since they have not submitted to regulation that ensures ma
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May222018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Pharmacist Council Begins Recall of Codeine Cough Syrup

Pharmacist Council Begins Recall of Codeine Cough Syrup

NEWS
The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) says it has started recalling cough syrup containing Codeine from its stakeholders in compliance with Federal Government directive. The Registrar of PCN, Mr Elijah Mohammed, revealed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja. The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, had directed PCN, NAFDAC and other regulatory bodies to supervise the recall of codeine from the market. Mohammed reaffirmed that codeine is an opioid drug similar to morphine which has been approved and accessed over the counter in low doses for relieving patients of symptoms associated with dry cough. According to the registrar, codeine in such preparation, usually in smaller doses, serves as a cough suppressant and relieves pain associated...
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May222018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Our Members Not Involved In Auto Crash – JOHESU

Our Members Not Involved In Auto Crash – JOHESU

NEWS
The Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) says none of its members was involved in an auto crash over the weekend in Benin City. The union described as false and mischievous speculations that some of its members were involved in a road accident. This is contained in a statement signed by JOHESU’s National Secretary, Mrs Florence Ekpebor, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja. The statement identified those involved in the accident “outsourced staff working as cleaners in University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH)’’. It stated that most of the victims were from companies belonging to the Chief Medical Director of UBTH and Managing Directors of Federal Government owned hospitals. The statement further described the rumour as a cheap blackmail by medica
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May222018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Ebola: Why Nigeria Must Play Safe

Ebola: Why Nigeria Must Play Safe

NEWS
Some Nigerians have suggested that the planned friendly match between the Super Eagles and the Congo DR national team slated for May 28, 2018 in Nigeria be cancelled as a result of the deadly Ebola Virus outbreak in Congo which so far has claimed about 19 lives. The country’s health institutions are battling presently with the epidemic. But the head of Nigeria football body, Mr. Amaju Pinnick, is insisting that the game must hold saying cancelling it would amount to discrimination. I beg to differ. It is a precaution; even if it were discriminatory, so what? Should the lives of Nigerians be endangered to satisfy anybody or group? FIFA, the world football governing body, emphasises fair play.  Not playing the Congo friendly under the present circumstances is playing fair.  All well-meaning
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May222018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
#JOHESUStrike2018: We’re Not Aware of Court Order, Says JOHESU

#JOHESUStrike2018: We’re Not Aware of Court Order, Says JOHESU

NEWS
The Joint Health Sector Unions says it is not aware of a court order asking it to call off its over one-month old strike.  It, therefore, called on its members to ignore the Federal Ministry of Health’s order that the strike be called off.  JOHESU said this in a statement by its National Secretary, Florence Emperor, on Monday.  The statement read in part, “The leadership of JOHESU has noted with dismay rumours in the press that the ongoing strike being embarked upon by the unions has been stopped by a court injunction. “We are not unaware of the machination and propaganda by the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigerian Medical Association who are bent on thwarting the ongoing nationwide action.” The union, however, apologised to Nigerians over the hardship they were facing due to
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May222018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Ghana Denies Reports of Ebola Outbreak

Ghana Denies Reports of Ebola Outbreak

NEWS
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) on Monday refuted reports of an outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country.  The denial followed social media reports that claimed an Ebola outbreak in Ghana and that the health authority was trying to suppress the information.  “We want to state emphatically that the report is false and misleading and that there is no such incidence of Ebola in Ghana,” the GHS said in a statement signed by its Director-General, Anthony Nsiah-Asare. The statement said Ebola was a highly infectious condition and that when there was an outbreak in a community there was  no way the National Health System could keep it secret from the public. It added that the health system was part of the global community and mandated by international health regulation to rep
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