Journalist Section

PROFILE: The life and times of Babatunde Osotimehin

Monday, June 5, 2017

Babatunde Osotimehin was a global leader of public health, women’s empowerment and young people, particularly focused on promoting human rights, including sexual and reproductive health and rights, as well as population and development.
 
After his appointment as UNFPA Executive Director, effective 2011, he spearheaded efforts by the international community to advance the milestone consensus of the International Conference on Population and Development, held in Cairo in 1994.
 

Gov’t to commit N100m to child spacing services

Monday, June 5, 2017

Dr Hadiza Balarabe, Executive Secretary, Kaduna State Primary Healthcare Development Agency has assured women in the state of a “truly free access” to child spacing services with effect from July.
 
Balarabe gave the assurance in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Zaria, Kaduna State on Monday.
 
She spoke on the sideline of a three-day workshop on costed implementation plan for child spacing organised by Palladium and Pathfinder International to promote child spacing in the state.
 

Osotimehin, former minister of health, is dead

Monday, June 5, 2017

Babatunde Osotimehin, Nigeria’s minister of health from December 2008 to March 2010, is dead.
 
Up until his death, the 68-year-old was the executive director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
 
According to sources at the UNFPA, his death was announced at the Nigerian office of the UN body on Monday morning.
 
He was said to have died in New York.
 

Reps propose free antenatal care for pregnant women

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

The House of Representatives has commenced consideration of a bill to provide free ante-natal care to all pregnant women and stipends for mothers of triplets and other multiple births.
 
The bill initiated by Dr. Tony Nwoye representing Anambra East/West Federal Constituency also aims to address discrimination against pregnant women in the working place with sanctions stipulated against an employer who discriminates against a woman on account of her pregnancy.
 

Finland partners NGO to support expectant mothers

Sunday, May 28, 2017

The Government of Finland has expressed its readiness to partner Nigeria in providing free maternity packages to expectant mothers.
 
Ambassador of Finland to Nigeria, Pirjo Suomela-Chowdhury, disclosed this when White Ribbon Alliance Nigeria (WRAN) Special Envoy for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health and Nollywood actor, Mr. Jim Iyke paid her a courtesy visit in Abuja.
 
The ambassador stated that the gesture has helped Finland achieve one of the world’s lowest infant mortality rates.
 

Non-inclusion of Rotavirus Vaccine in NPI fuels 150,000 annual deaths

Sunday, May 28, 2017

At the Nassarawa Primary Health Centre, in Yola, capital of Adamawa State, nine-month-old, pale and thin Baby Habibat, being cuddled by her mother is suffering from malnutrition induced by acute diarrhea, which is caused by rotavirus.
 
“First she started stooling frequently, then vomiting and gradually started losing weight,” her mother Aisha summarised how her baby got to that point.
 

Children’s Day: Nigeria Accounts For Significant Proportion Of HIV Positive Children

Friday, May 26, 2017

As Nigeria celebrates Children’s Day tomorrow, May 27th, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), has called on Nigerians to reflect on children living with HIV and their families, as the country still accounts for a significant proportion of children living with HIV/AIDS.

 

 

May 27th is a day set aside for the promotion and welfare of children.

 

 

Safe Motherhood :NGO seeks more investment in family planning services

Friday, May 26, 2017

Development Communications Network (DEVCOMS), an NGO, has called for increased funding of family planning services to raise the level of contraceptive use to 36 per cent by 2018.
 
The organisation’s media specialist, Iliya Kure, said in a paper he presented to mark 2017 Safe Motherhood Week, that current national contraceptive commodities usage was slightly above 15 per cent.
 
The paper is entitled `Child spacing: Key strategy to reducing maternal death – time to act.’
 

Meningitis High cost preventing Nigerians from accessing vaccine

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

The Federal Government’s efforts to check the further spread of the Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis in the country may be marred by high cost of dispensing the vaccine in public and private health institutions.
 
Nigerians who are eager to protect themselves against the deadly disease have said that the cost of procuring the vaccine is prohibitive.
 
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the recent outbreak of the disease, especially in the northern parts of the country has claimed over 813 lives.
 

Health Minister: Why Buhari Could Not Be Treated in Nigeria

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Folorunso Adewole, has assured Nigerians and the international community that there is no cause for concern over President Muhammadu Buhari’s health.

He also said that the president could not be treated in Nigeria because of the long existing bond between him and his foreign doctors, saying health was a complex issue.
 

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