The federal government says it will invoke the 'no work no pay rule' rule if the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) persist in their strike, which has crippled health care delivery in parts of the country. “If this group of health workers persists on continuing this strike, government will be…

There was partial observance in public hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory of the industrial action by the Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU. JOHESU, the association of other health workers apart from medical doctors and dentists, on Tuesday midnight commenced an indefinite strike over failure by the federal government to…

Medicines for Malaria Ventures (MMV) says it is working with various organisations to develop new combination therapies to address the challenges of anti-malarial drug resistance. MMV is an organisation that aims to reduce the burden of malaria in disease endemic countries by discovering, developing and delivering new, effective and affordable…

Asabe Joshua resides in Igu, a suburb of Abuja, Nigeria's Federal Capital Territory. Located about 15 kilometres from Bwari town of Bwari Local Government Area, the community is as rural as you are likely to find in many other parts of Africa's largest economy. A public primary health care centre…

Primary health care system in Nigeria is dogged by multiple challenges despite billions of naira spent over the decades on health facilities by government at different levels. Less than 20 percent of the 30,000 public PHCs in the country is fully functional, a recent survey by a nongovernmental body, CISLAC,…

Sani Aliyu is the Director-General, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA). In this exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES' Ayodamola Owoseye and Nike Adebowale, he speaks on why the largest survey of people living with HIV will be conducted from June in Nigeria and the reason why Nigeria still…

Mike Ogirima, a Professor of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, is the President of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, and President of Nigerian Orthopaedic Association. In an exclusive interview with Ayodamola Owoseye and Nike Adebowale, he speaks on quackery, doctor's exodus from Nigeria, medical tourism and other issues affecting the profession…

The Nigerian government is deploying 1,335 basic midwives to Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) and other areas of critical need across the country. The exercise, which is in partnership with the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN), will engage the basic midwives on one year compulsory community service as part…

Some health experts on polio eradication have called for approval of President Muhammadu Buhari's request for $1 billion to fight insurgency in the North-east. Boko Haram activities have limited access to some areas in the North-east and thereby hindered vaccination in those areas. Though Nigeria has gone 18 months without…

As Nigeria joins the rest of the world to commemorate Water Day, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said 69 million Nigerians do not have access to safe water and 19 million have to walk long distances to get water. This was disclosed by the Chief of Water Sanitation…

The United Nation’s Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) has revealed its plans to provide individual attention, and medical treatment to the Dapchi school girls that were released on Wednesday. The Nigerian government confirmed that 105 girls have been released from among 110 kidnapped in Dapchi, Yobe state. The girls were released…

The US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Joint United Nations Programme for HIV/AIDs (UNAIDS), have urged the Nigerian government to ''own the HIV response programme'' by assisting in reducing the cost of placing people living with HIV/AIDs on treatment. Speaking at the 4th National Council of…

The federal government plans to provide funds for the treatment of an additional 50,000 people living with HIV in Nigeria every year, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has said. He said the plan is in line with the government's commitment to continue to address challenges…

One year after the Federal Government flagged off a scheme to revitalise 10,000 primary healthcare centres across Nigeria to make them 'fully functional', PHCs especially in rural Nigeria remain in poor state. Under the first phase, the federal government which is collaborating with the lower levels of government and development…

Faisal Shuaib is the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES’ Ayodamola Owoseye and Nike Adebowale, he speaks on the strategic ways the agency is trying to address fundamental issues in primary healthcare delivery in Nigeria, especially through the Community Health Influencers,…

Residents have expressed frustrations over the shutting down of their health facility in Bangai, a community in Plateau State, following an attack by suspected herdsmen. The community of about 1,500 households, almost two hour drive from Jos, the state capital, and located in Riyom Local Government Area, is one of…

In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES' Owoseye Ayodamola and Adebowale Nike on March 2 in Abuja, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Chikwe Ihekweazu, speaks on the outbreak of Lassa fever in Nigeria, government’s effort to improve testing of specimens and the activities of the…

About $8 billion needs to be invested annually in providing potable water in Nigeria, if the country must achieve Goal 6 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. SDGs Goal 6 aims at ensuring availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. An official of the United…

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has said the federal government was working hard to end open defecation in Nigeria, which has caused the death of children through diseases. The minister stated this on Tuesday in Jos, Plateau State, during a two-day media dialogue and workshop on water…

Government owned secondary schools in Kubwa, an Abuja suburb were shut on Friday and students asked to return home. No official reason has been given for the decision. However, PREMIUM TIMES recently reported the controversial death of three students in a government-owned primary school in the area. Two of the…

Some pupils of the Local Education Authority, Kubwa II school were confirmed dead on Wednesday, after reportedly eating biscuits at a party. The incident spread panic in the community as parents and guardians rushed to the school and forcibly took away their children. The News Agency of Nigeria earlier reported…

Nigeria has the 11th highest rate of newborn deaths in the world, a new report by the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, says. The report which was released on Tuesday focused on "Newborn Mortality." The global average newborn deaths per 1,000 births is 29. But with 37 newborns dying in…

About one in three households in Nigeria consume contaminated water, a survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed. The survey was carried out in 2016/2017 by the NBS in collaboration with the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the National Agency for the Control of Aids…

The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria has inducted 249 foreign trained medical and dental graduates. A total of 686 medical and 10 dental candidates registered for the MDCN assessment examination, out of which 243 medical and six dental surgeons passed. This represents 35 percent success for the medical and…

To reduce the risk of having cancer, it is very important to engage in regular physical exercise and medical screening for the disease. The Minister of health, Isaac Adewole, gave this advice on Saturday in commemoration of the World Cancer Day, celebrated across the world every February 4. Celebrities on…