Health
Cholera: 10.2m Need Help in Northeast Nigeria—WHO
By Dipo Olowookere
No fewer that 10.2 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in 2018 in north-eastern Nigeria.
More than half are women and girls. Children make up 63 percent of those needing assistance. The most acute humanitarian needs are concentrated in Borno State, and areas bordering Borno in Adamawa and Yobe States, where the crisis shows no sign of abating, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has disclosed.
WHO noted that to continue providing basic health services, while looking to rebuild north-eastern Nigeria’s health system, the health sector is seeking $109.5 million to help 5.1 million people in 2018.
In a statement released recently, WHO said Nigeria has successfully contained a five-month cholera outbreak in conflict-affected Borno state, with support from other health partners.
The government announced the end of the outbreak on Thursday (December 21) after two weeks had passed with no new cases.
“With the support of WHO and other health actors, Borno State moved to quick action to control the outbreak. With that strong resolve to limit mortality and morbidity, this was achieved, and we can say that we have succeeded,” said Dr Muhammad Aminu Ghuluze, Director of Emergency Response, Borno State Ministry of Health.
A major Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) campaign contributed to the effort – the first of its kind in Nigeria.
With support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the International Coordinating Group (ICG) provided 1.8 million OCV doses to immunize 900,000 people in two rounds between September and December this year.
Following an initial spike in cases, the number of new infections dropped significantly after the vaccination campaign concluded.
“Containing cholera in the midst of an ongoing conflict is a major accomplishment,” said Dr Wondimagegnehu Alemu, WHO Representative in Nigeria. “No single measure would have worked on its own. This was a joint effort employing a range of tools by many partners under the leadership of the State Ministry of Health.”
The outbreak began in August on the outskirts of Maiduguri, and quickly spread through several camps for internally displaced persons and host communities. By 19 December, 5,365 suspected cases had been reported, including 61 deaths.
An early warning and surveillance system supported by WHO was critical to providing data on suspected cases in different locations. WHO pinpointed where the outbreak was expanding and contracting through a GIS “dot mapping” approach, which allowed WHO and partners to effectively target interventions.
The response included providing safe chlorinated water, identifying and treating the sick in established cholera treatment centres, reaching out to communities with information on cholera prevention, and facilitating laboratory testing to confirm new cases.
Partnerships with local media helped to ensure that people in affected and neighbouring communities were aware of the risk of cholera, how it is spread, how to prevent it, and the importance of seeking treatment when they experience the symptoms.
Due to ongoing conflict, many people in north-eastern Nigeria have not had access to basic healthcare and routine immunizations for years, and health conditions in many camps for internally displaced persons are sub-standard.
WHO is working with the Government and health sector partners to improve access to basic health services, including to areas considered inaccessible until only recently. However, a recent uptick in the conflict in Borno and neighbouring states has led to new displacements increasing the future risks of disease outbreaks.
“While the achievements of the cholera programme in Borno State are a significant milestone, cholera is endemic to north-eastern Nigeria and future outbreaks remain likely,” said Dr Alemu. “We must be vigilant to the warning signs that could signal another outbreak of cholera or other epidemic-prone diseases.”
In line with the Global Roadmap for Ending Cholera by 2030, WHO will continue to support Nigeria to prepare for and prevent cholera by focussing on prevention and preparedness in hotspots across the country.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
As part of its efforts to safeguard public health in Nigeria, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has strengthened its regulatory framework for blood and blood products.
A statement signed on Thursday by the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed that to achieve its goal, the agency will collaborate with relevant authorities and stakeholders to establish a robust regulatory framework that promotes the availability of safe, quality-assured and efficacious blood and blood products, while strengthening public confidence in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
NAFDAC said it intends to partner with government institutions, healthcare providers, blood establishments, development partners and other stakeholders for the robust oversight.
Mrs Adeyeye disclosed that already, her organisation has received the support of the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate.
According to her, NAFDAC has been given the mandate to regulate blood and blood products in line with global best practices and the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation that these products be subject to oversight by National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) for medicines.
She said blood and blood products are classified as essential medicines and must be consistently available with assured quality, safety and affordability, stressing that the aim is to protect patients throughout the blood transfusion chain.
Effective regulatory oversight will support the quality and safety of blood products from donor assessment and collection through testing, processing, storage, transportation and use, the NAFDAC chief noted.
Several African countries, including Egypt, Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Senegal and Rwanda, have already established regulatory oversight of blood and blood products by their NRAS, she added.
Mrs Adeyeye pointed out that NAFDAC’s renewed regulatory preparedness builds on its broader transformation into a modern, science-based regulatory authority.
Already, it has attained WHO Maturity Level 3, completed WHO Global Benchmarking ML3 re-assessment, obtained WHO prequalification for its drug laboratory, and established internationally accredited laboratory and quality management systems. These capabilities provide a strong foundation for the effective regulation of blood and blood products.
As part of its preparedness, NAFDAC has established a dedicated Vaccines, Biologicals and Medical Devices Registration and Regulation Directorate to oversee the registration and regulation of these products.
The agency established a Vaccines, Biologicals and Medical Devices Laboratory Services many years ago, but became a Directorate in 2024, responsible for quality control, including laboratory testing and lot release, while the Directorate of Evaluation and Research provides oversight of Good Manufacturing Practices. An ultra-modern laboratory facility is also being developed to further strengthen its capacity for the assessment and quality control of vaccines and biologics.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
An organisation known as GoMed Nigeria is offering free reproductive health services to Nigerian students through a digital self-care platform.
This is being delivered through a partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the Lagos State Government.
The pilot scheme will be available to students of the University of Lagos. They will enjoy easier and more private access to essential health products, accurate information, and professional support.
Young Nigerians face some of the highest rates of unintended pregnancy and unmet need for contraception in the world.
Cost, distance, stigma, misinformation, and fears about confidentiality routinely stop students from seeking the products and guidance they need, with consequences that include unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion, sexually transmitted infections and interrupted education.
The self-care platform is designed to remove each of these barriers. Through the platform, students receive free contraceptives and other sexual and reproductive health commodities provided through the Lagos State Ministry of Health and UNFPA, exclusive discounts on health essentials, and fast, discreet delivery directly to campus and student hostels.
Students can also access trusted sexual and reproductive health information and services through UNFPA’s SoftLife 247 and U-Plan platforms. Through U-PLAN, they can chat directly with qualified Family Planning Service Providers to receive accurate information and address their concerns. They can also confidently engage with GoMed’s registered pharmacists for confidential, judgement-free guidance on medicines and other health products.
“Students should be able to get reliable health information and essential products without cost, distance or fear of judgement becoming barriers.
“This platform brings free sexual and reproductive health commodities, other affordable health products and professional guidance together, with discreet delivery directly to students on campus,” the chief executive of GoMed Nigeria, Mr Anthony Edeki, said.
Also speaking, UNFPA in Nigeria Resident Representative, Muriel Mafico, said, “As the UN agency mandated for “Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights”, we are committed to reducing preventable maternal deaths and addressing the unmet need for family planning, including by providing and overseeing access to life-saving commodities worldwide.
“Working alongside our partners, we’re helping roll out the digital Self-Care Platform—so that vital, life-changing information can reach more people, more easily. Together, we want to empower Nigeria’s next generation to make informed health choices and achieve stronger health outcomes and a brighter future.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A financing framework to accelerate the electrification of health facilities nationwide has been approved by the federal government.
The approval was announced at the third meeting of the Inter-Ministerial Steering Committee (IMSC) of the Nigeria Power for Health Initiative (NPHI), a presidential programme jointly coordinated by the Federal Ministries of Power and Health and Social Welfare.
The committee was constituted to ensure reliable electricity in at least 30 per cent of Nigeria’s health facilities by the end of 2027.
At the meeting, chaired by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Mr Isiaq Salako, and co-chaired by the Minister of Power, Mr Joseph Tegbe, members of the Inter-Agency Technical Committee (IATC) presented the recommendations under consideration.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr Salako said the Steering Committee approved a financing framework to mobilise investment for healthcare electrification, alongside a facility energy management framework requiring participating hospitals to build sustainable systems for managing their energy infrastructure.
He said the committee also cleared eight (8) private sector proposals for further engagement, drawn from about 70 submissions received during the National Healthcare Electrification Investor Matchmaking Week in Lagos.
The Health Minister added that Energy Management Teams are already in place at federal tertiary hospitals, with state governments being encouraged to set up similar structures. The initiative will now be institutionalised through dedicated budgetary provisions and a full-time Project Coordination Unit to oversee implementation.
On his part, Mr Tegbe declared that the initiative must now move from announcements to actual project delivery.
Describing the NPHI as one of the President Bola Tinubu administration’s flagship programmes, he said the emphasis should shift towards commissioning completed projects that Nigerians can see for themselves, rather than further groundbreaking ceremonies and public messaging.
He emphasised the need for teaching hospitals, state hospitals, and primary healthcare centres to be fully energised, noting that the Rural Electrification Agency has already energised 5 Federal Teaching Hospitals and several other health facilities nationwide.
He also tied the initiative directly to patient outcomes, arguing that dependable power would end hospitals’ reliance on emergency generators, and pledged that the Ministry would continue to prioritise the initiative’s funding needs while ensuring value for money.
