...Health info at your doorstep

NEWS

PharmaTimes

Intriguing News stories.

Health info at your doorstep

Nov152018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
‘Despite 9M Pregnant Nigerian Women, Only 2.4M Gets HIV Testing’

‘Despite 9M Pregnant Nigerian Women, Only 2.4M Gets HIV Testing’

NEWS, Women's health
…3.6 million access antenatal, 64,000 HIV positive With over nine million Nigerian women said to be pregnant every year, only about 3.6 million have access to antenatal care and about 2.4 million of them tested for HIV. This was disclosed by Head, Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT), Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Ijaodola Olugbenga. He said of the 2.4 million pregnant women that get testing for HIV/AIDS in the country annually, at least 64,000 of them are positive to the virus every year. Stating this during a two-day media dialogue on PMTCT in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, recently organised by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture (FMIC), he said the gap between pregnant women and those who a
Read More
Nov152018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
420m People Have Diabetes, Says WHO

420m People Have Diabetes, Says WHO

NEWS
No fewer than 420 million adults have diabetes, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said, adding that the number has been increasing steadily over the last three decades. WHO said in its Global Report on Diabetes that the global prevalence of adult diabetes has nearly quadrupled since 1980. The UN health agency, therefore, called on people to “eat healthily, be physically active and avoid excessive weight gain”. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces, which leads to an increased concentration of glucose in the blood. The global health body said: “Around 1.6 million deaths can be directly attributed to diabetes each year. “Diabetes is a major cause of blin
Read More
Nov152018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Officials Warn: Youths Are Boiling Sanitary Pads To Get High In Indonesia

Officials Warn: Youths Are Boiling Sanitary Pads To Get High In Indonesia

NEWS
Indonesian teenagers are using menstrual pads to get high by boiling the sanitary product and then drinking the water, local officials have warned. Both new and used sanitary pads are said to be obtained by young Indonesians looking for a cheap and legal way to get high. The chemicals in the sanitary pads give those who drink the resulting concoction a feeling of 'flying' and hallucinations, according to the Indonesian National Drug Agency (BNN). Shocking: Teenagers in Indonesia are boiling sanitary pads and getting high after drinking the water, according to local officials Several local newspapers, including the Jakarta Post, Jawa Pos and Pos Belitung, have reported about the worrying trend in recent weeks. Police on the island of Java, home to the capital Jakarta, have arrested seve...
Read More
Nov152018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Nigeria’s NHIS May Collapse in Three Years – Governing Council

Nigeria’s NHIS May Collapse in Three Years – Governing Council

NEWS
The Governing Council of Nigeria’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) says the scheme is near a “tipping point” and may collapse within the next three years unless urgent measures are taken. “This tipping point may occur sooner if remittances decline further, budget deficit trend persists and the management fiscal indiscipline continues,” it warned. The council gave the warning in the concluding part of the nine ‘infractions‘ it listed against Usman Yusuf, the Executive Secretary of the scheme , after it on October 18 suspended him over allegations of fraud and infractions. Mr Yusuf ignored the suspension, saying the council had no power to suspend him. With the help of armed police officers, he was able to get himself into office after the controversial suspension. Activities rem
Read More
Nov152018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
1,110 Dead As Cholera Ravages 29 States in Nigeria – NCDC

1,110 Dead As Cholera Ravages 29 States in Nigeria – NCDC

NEWS
Nigeria has recorded 1,110 deaths this year from cholera outbreaks in 29 states across Nigeria as the disease claims more lives in more parts of the country. The death figure this year is several times higher than the 84 recorded within the corresponding period in 2017, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) disclosed in its weekly epidemiological report. The report for week 43 showed that 48,686 suspected cholera cases were recorded between weeks 1 and 43 of 2018, with 829 laboratory confirmed from 239 local government areas in the 29 states. In 2017, cholera outbreaks within weeks 1 to 43 recorded 3642 suspected cases and 84 deaths from 70 local government areas in 19 states. Eight states most hit in the current outbreaks are Adamawa, Borno, Katsina, Yobe, Zamfara, Ba...
Read More
Nov152018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Combining Antibiotics, Other Drugs Alter Their Effectiveness; Sometimes More Effective – Research

Combining Antibiotics, Other Drugs Alter Their Effectiveness; Sometimes More Effective – Research

NEWS
In a recent report by the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), researchers state that, “The effectiveness of antibiotics can be altered by combining them with each other, non-antibiotic drugs or even with food additives. Depending on the bacterial species, some combinations stop antibiotics from working to their full potential whilst others begin to defeat antibiotic resistance.” According to the EMBL report, researchers and collaborators in Nature, scientists have discovered that when antibiotics are combined with each other, non-antibiotic drugs or even with food additives, the effectiveness is altered. But this also is highly dependent on the type of bacteria involved in that a number of combinations prevent antibiotics from performing optimally even as others start to overcom
Read More
Nov152018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Caring for Your Baby’s New Teeth

Caring for Your Baby’s New Teeth

Children's Health, NEWS
Is your baby keeping you up at night? Indeed, teething is a natural process that every infant goes through. It can be an uncomfortable experience, and it can be concerning for parents and caregivers to see the infant experiencing pain and discomfort. According to Wikipedia, the level of pain that a baby can handle will be different for each child. Some babies may appear to suffer more than others while they are teething. The soreness and swelling of the gums before a tooth comes through is the cause for the pain and fussiness a baby experiences during this change. These symptoms usually begin about three to five days before the tooth shows, and they disappear as soon as the tooth breaks the skin. Some babies are not even bothered by teething. From research, teething happens in various st...
Read More
Nov152018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Bowel Movement: A Glimpse into What Is Really Going On In Your Body

Bowel Movement: A Glimpse into What Is Really Going On In Your Body

NEWS
Bowel health is an important topic as bowel movement is an indicator of your overall health and well-being. Changes in bowel movements could be a health alert that is given by the body. Many people believe that having regular bowel movements means you go to the toilet to “poop” every day. However, experts advise that individuals study their bodies to know what “regular” bowel movements is for them. While some people will have bowel movements every day and that is regular for them, others might have it 3 times a week. What should call for concern is a change in this “regular” schedule, experts say. Here are some signs recommended by experts to help you know if your bowel movement is going fine. Bowel movement should be comfortable: You shouldn’t have to push hard to poop. Bowel movements s
Read More
Nov152018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Council Pledges to Sanitise Pharmaceutical Industry

Council Pledges to Sanitise Pharmaceutical Industry

NEWS
The Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) says it will redouble efforts to rid the country’s pharmaceutical industry of unwholesome practices. The Registrar of the council, Mr Elijah Mohammed, gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja. Mohammed said: “Attention will be geared toward sanitising the practice environment through strengthening of enforcement activities with three RPs concept of Regulation of Personnel, Regulation of Premises and Regulation of Practice in the pharmaceutical landscape.” According to him, such efforts will be supported with ensuring experiential teaching and learning at the undergraduate training of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to prepare them for the current practice environment. He added that
Read More
Nov142018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Nasarawa Shuts 109 Health Facilities Operating Illegally

Nasarawa Shuts 109 Health Facilities Operating Illegally

NEWS
Nasarawa State government has closed 109 health facilities found to be operating illegally across the 13 local government areas of the state. Dr Haruna Ekom, Director of Clinical Service in the state Ministry of Health, disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday in Lafia. According to him, 89 of the facilities were shut down in Karu local government area alone, with 20 others located across the other 12 local government areas. Ekom said that most of the facilities were operating without the necessary approval from the state government, while others defaulted in renewing their operating licence. He said that the government’s action was based on information gathered from the various locations as well as on-the-spot assessment by the inspectorate team from the ministry. “The essenc
Read More
Nov142018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
SON Releases New Standards For Beans Processing

SON Releases New Standards For Beans Processing

Food And Nutrition, NEWS
THE Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Monday, gave highlights in line with the Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) and Codes of Practices for beans processing across the country.The Director General, SON, Osita Aboloma in a statement to commend a consumer for reporting a beans vendor who preserves beans with pesticide,  stating that the standards are relevant Nigeria Industrial Standards and Codes of Practice for beans along the value chain, to take care of issues concerning the proper preservation of the crop from planting to the table while also assuring the safety of consumers. He enumerated the Standard and Codes of Practice as follows; Standard for Dry Beans (NIS 1030: 2018); Code of Good Agricultural Practice: Planting of Dry Beans (NCP 065: 2018), Code of Good Practice: Har
Read More
Nov142018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Buhari Signs Bill Establishing Nigeria Centre for Disease Control

Buhari Signs Bill Establishing Nigeria Centre for Disease Control

NEWS
President Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law the bill establishing the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). The agency, which has been in charge of disease surveillance, preparedness and control in Nigeria, was established in 2011 and has been in existence without any legislative backing. The status quo however changed on Tuesday when the president appended his signature to the bill and empowered the agency to carry out its mandate in disease control. The executive director of NCDC, Chikwe Ihekweazu, in a press statement made available to PREMIUM TIMES on Tuesday, said the new Act which will establish NCDC as a full-fledged parastatal and will also ensure that its valuable work is sustained and supported. Mr Ihekweazu, who expressed his appreciation to the president for his sup...
Read More
Nov142018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
WHO Nigeria Calls for New Occupational Health Policies

WHO Nigeria Calls for New Occupational Health Policies

NEWS
The World Health Organisation’s Country Representative in Nigeria, Dr Rosemary Onyibe, has called for new occupational health policies to effectively respond to the new health needs in workplaces. She made this known during the opening ceremony of the Annual Conference and AGM of the Society of Occupational and Environmental Health Physicians of Nigeria, held on Friday in Lagos. Onyibe, who was represented by Mr Clement Lasuba, also said that a new health policy would address the great differences in the working conditions and occupational health in WHO member countries at different stages of development. She said, “The health of workers has several determinants, including risk factors at the workplace leading to cancers, accidents, respiratory diseases, hearing loss, among others
Read More
Nov142018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Only 7 Geriatricians for Over 9m Old Nigerians

Only 7 Geriatricians for Over 9m Old Nigerians

NEWS
Prof. Usman Ahmed, the President of Geriatrics Association of Nigeria (GAN) says there are only seven geriatricians in Nigeria, which is highly inadequate to cater for the over nine million aged persons in the country. A Geriatrician is a medical doctor who specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease and disability in older adults. Ahmed told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja that the population of older persons was growing exponentially, noting that Africa would bear more older persons by the year 2050 in spite of the high population of youths in the region. According to him, there are over nine million older persons who are 60 years and above in Nigeria. The GAN president said “Nigeria does not have adequate medical doctors or any type of healthc
Read More
Nov142018 by PharmaTimesNo Comments
Don Urges FG to Implement National Health Act

Don Urges FG to Implement National Health Act

NEWS
Dr Uwakwe Abugu, a Lecturer at the University of Abuja, has urged the Federal Government to implement the National Health Act 2014 to regulate and manage healthcare system in the country. Abugu made the plea on Tuesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. The don on Monday launched his book titled: “Practice and Principles of Medical Law and Ethics’’, where he emphasised the need for Nigerians to know their medical rights. He advised government to implement issues relating to patients’ right in the National Health Act, especially in emergency cases. According to him, the act has a provision for emergency treatment where Section 20 provides that no health facility shall deny any Nigerian of treatment in cases of emergency. “Section 20 (1) states that a health
Read More