Health
ESIF Raises Awareness on Endometriosis
By Adedapo Adesanya
A Lagos-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), EndoSurvivors International Foundation (ESIF), has announced a series of events to mark Endometriosis awareness month which is held worldwide in March every year – popularly tagged March4Endo by advocates all over the world.
Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition where tissue similar to the lining of the uterus is found in places such as the ovaries, rectum and fallopian tubes causing pain and/or infertility. It can also be found at extrapelvic sites such as the lungs, diaphragm, intestines and even the brain.
Endometriosis is a debilitating disease that affects between 2-10 per cent of girls/women usually of reproductive age, globally. It is therefore estimated that about 176 million women on earth are living with endometriosis. However, for a disease so prevalent, there is hardly any awareness about it.
Since the foundation’s inception in 2017, EndoSurvivors has held annual symposia to enlighten the public and healthcare providers on endometriosis; its symptoms, diverse yet enigmatic presentations and its impact on sufferers.
Women with endometriosis suffer unimaginable pain, productivity loss, social isolation, relationship strains, infertility and its stigma, anxiety and depression and to tackle this, ESIF has organized awareness outreaches to secondary schools in Lagos having reached over 6,000 adolescent girls with menstrual hygiene and endometriosis awareness lessons, distributed over 4,000 packs of sanitary pads, made donations to orphanages and much more.
March4Endo events this year include an Endo Awareness Day to be held at 7 a.m. on Saturday, March 12, which we have tagged Cycle/Walk4Endo. Participants will embark on a 3km walk and a 7km cycling in a bid to raise awareness about endometriosis.
ESIF intends to create awareness to up to 2,000 people through the distribution of fliers and one-on-one engagement with Lagosians. There will also be free pelvic ultrasound for 100 women, free consultation, free T-shirts, refreshments, aerobics, dance and counselling for endometriosis patients. The convergence point for the walk is JJT Park, Alausa.
On Thursday, March 24, at 9 a.m., the Foundation will be hosting the 4th Annual Symposium themed The Role of Imaging in Diagnosing Endometriosis which is scheduled to hold in the Main Auditorium of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR).
The UK Deputy High Commissioner, Mr Ben Llewellyn-Jones will be the Guest of Honour, the Director-General of NIMR, Professor Babatunde Lawal Salako as the keynote speaker and other distinguished experts in the field of gynaecology, radiology, sonography, nursing and general medicine sharing their profound knowledge on the subject matter whilst gracing the event with their presence.
March4Endo will be rounded off with menstrual hygiene/endometriosis awareness lessons and free distribution of sanitary pads to 500 secondary school girls in Lagos on Tuesday, March 29, 2022.
Endometriosis is a painful condition although some persons may not experience pain, pain is is a common denominator for many suffering from it.
Symptoms of endometriosis include but is not limited to: infertility, painful periods, chronic pelvic pain, heavy menstrual bleeding, pain during urination and bowel movements, pain during sexual intercourse, bloating, fatigue, nausea and chest pain. The symptoms often occur before, during and after periods often causing girls/women to take time off from daily activities including work and school.
There is no known cause for endometriosis however, diagnosis can be made through medical imaging and excision laparoscopy which is done by endometriosis excision specialists.
The average time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis is 7 – 10 years. Many girls/women experience a delay in diagnosis for a number of reasons commonly attributed to poor awareness and deficiency in the healthcare systems.
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.
