Health
Medical Practitioners Raise Awareness for Endometriosis
By Adedapo Adesanya
Medical experts have called for increased efforts regarding treatment and awareness regarding endometriosis as Lagos-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), EndoSurvivors International Foundation (ESIF), marked another March4Endo walk over the weekend.
ESIF hosted a Walk & Cycle for Endo event at Dr Abayomi Finnih Park, Opebi-link Bridge, Ikeja on Saturday, March 9.
Endometriosis Awareness Month, which is held worldwide in March every year and popularly tagged March4Endo advocates all over the world, is done to bring mindfulness to the debilitating disease that affects between 2-10 per cent of girls/women usually of reproductive age, globally.
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. Recognizing the initial symptoms of endometriosis, such as severe menstrual cramps, chronic pelvic pain, and pain during intercourse can lead to earlier diagnosis and more effective management of the condition.
It is 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.
Speaking on this, Dr Modupe Adedeji, the Assistant Secretary in the Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetrics of Nigeria (Nigeria), Lagos Sector, said endometriosis was a critical illness that needed more attention.
“It is a condition that has suffered underdiagnosis and people don’t know about it and there is so much myth around it. So the awareness is very important.”
Dr Adedeji, who is also representative of the Association of Gynae-endoscopists (AGES), said the need to educate is very important especially from menarche, which is the first menstrual period in a female adolescent, adding that many may overlook what is essentially a ticking time bomb in women’s reproduction.
“We tend to have a lot of people come to us because it [endometriosis] is a disease of exclusion. What do I mean by that… there are so many other gynaecological conditions that present the same way. It is left for you to exclude all that and diagnose properly,” she said.
The specialist also said it is associated with infertility, which is what spurs many to seek medical assistance, and upon the procedure, it is often discovered that endometriosis triggers hostility.
She further called for more support from private hands and individuals so that proper and adequate attention could be applied.
Her stance was echoed by Dr Godwin Mba, a gynaecologist consultant at the Women and Children Hospital, Southshore in Lagos, who noted that awareness was important because the disease while common has a low diagnostics rate and awareness was sub-par.
He also noted that endometriosis affects economic activities.
“Many are not aware of what the problem is, and the burden of pain has taken a toll even on their day-to-day output, economic loss is looking so high and manhours are affected because this illness is still yet below the level of diagnosis that it is supposed to attain.”
He called for more interest in the illness “Because even though it appears to be a women-related disease, men are also affected… The domestic front is also being affected, so awareness like this, which should be restricted by ESIF, should be a nationwide campaign. Awareness is number 1.”
On her part, Ms Oyinkan Osisanya, the Founder of MyGynae Foundation– a not-for-profit organisation looking into women’s reproductive health called for more research into women’s related issues like endometriosis and fibroids among others.
“Research is lacking. So these sorts of conditions when research is put into it, you will be able to collect data to understand the cycle and get the know-how and what to do about it. When people share their experiences, they will have similarities that will point you to the real issues. But if we don’t do research, we are not going to get anywhere.”
The founder of ESIF, Mrs Olivia Nwankudu, who also manages the thriving EndoSurvivors’ Patient Support Group for endometriosis and adenomyosis patients in Nigeria, expressed satisfaction and called for more participation, especially with young girls.
She also called for more partnerships between private stakeholders and the government to tackle the prevalence of the disease, which affects a considerable number of the Nigerian population.
“We want more effective treatment,” she noted.
ESIF will also host the 5th Annual Endometriosis Patient’s Day Symposium themed, “Endometriosis and Infertility” at 9 am on Thursday, March 21, 2024, at the main auditorium of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba.
The symposium will bring together healthcare professionals, researchers, policymakers, and endometriosis patients to discuss the latest developments in endometriosis research, treatment, and advocacy.
The keynote speaker for this year’s event is Emeritus Professor Frank Giwa-Osagie, an esteemed Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology – one of the leading voices of Assisted Reproductive Technologies globally.
The event will also feature other expert speakers, panel discussions, and interactive sessions to educate and empower attendees.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) says the number of Nigerians enrolled in health insurance has risen to more than 22 million.
The Director-General of NHIA, Mr Kelechi Ohiri, said this resulted from the implementation of the mandatory health insurance, which has gained momentum nationwide.
He said this on Wednesday at the Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Association of Insurance and Pension Editors (NAIPE) in Lagos.
Mr Ohiri said enrolment had increased to 22.03 million, representing a 35 per cent year-on-year growth, attributing this to stronger collaboration with state social health insurance agencies, ministries, departments and agencies, organised labour, employers, the private sector, and the gradual implementation of the mandatory health insurance provisions of the NHIA Act.
He said that the country had moved beyond policy formulation to delivering measurable improvements in healthcare access, service quality and consumer protection in line with the federal government’s health sector reform agenda.
According to him, Nigeria already has the necessary policies and legislation to achieve Universal Health Coverage, positing that the key challenge was effective implementation.
“The decisive variable is now implementation- consistent, rigorous and accountable execution that converts political commitment into healthcare access for real Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Ohiri said that the transition from the former National Health Insurance Scheme to the NHIA had strengthened regulation, consumer protection, accountability and strategic purchasing, while providing the legal and operational framework for achieving Universal Health Coverage.
He added that improving the experience of enrollees remained central to the Authority’s reform agenda.
According to him, NHIA has strengthened its complaints management system, introduced faster resolution timelines, and intensified compliance monitoring of Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) and healthcare providers.
He further added that NHIA had sanctioned facilities that failed to meet the required standards, adding that his organisation had resolved 3,878 complaints, representing an 87 per cent resolution rate, while 95 per cent of the cases were concluded within prescribed timelines.
Mr Ohiri noted that more than N14.2 million had been refunded to enrollees, while non-compliant healthcare facilities had been sanctioned.
He said NHIA had also introduced service standards, including a one-hour treatment commencement target for enrollees requiring urgent care, to improve access to timely and quality healthcare services.
The NHIA boss further disclosed that capitation payments to healthcare providers had been increased by 93 per cent.
He said fee-for-service reimbursements rose by 378 per cent to enable providers to invest more in personnel, equipment and infrastructure.
According to him, 7,592 healthcare facilities have been assessed under the SafeCare quality framework as part of efforts to institutionalise continuous quality improvement across the country.
Mr Ohiri also highlighted interventions targeted at vulnerable groups, including support for more than 48,500 pregnant women, expanded maternal and newborn healthcare services, the Vulnerable Group Fund, and improved access to healthcare for pensioners and retirees.
He said Universal Health Coverage could only be achieved if every Nigerian, regardless of income or location, had access to quality healthcare services.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The new one-hour authorisation response time ultimatum policy introduced by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has received the full backing of SUNU Health Nigeria Limited.
This policy was introduced by the agency to ensure enrollees get prompt approval codes to access care.
Healthcare service providers have been urged to report any Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) that violates this initiative through an email, with the HMO in copy and a timestamp attached as evidence of the request. They may proceed to offer services to enrollees thereafter.
Speaking at the company’s second-quarter Providers’ Forum for the Lagos-Ogun region in Lagos recently, the chief executive of SUNU Health, Dr Moyosore Olomola, expressed optimism that this policy would improve healthcare delivery in the country, especially for enrollees, who crave quality service.
At the event themed Improving Quality and Access to Care Through Stronger Provider Network, and held at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in Yaba, Lagos, Mr Olomola reaffirmed the HMO’s commitment to operating within legal and operational frameworks to guarantee adequate care for enrollees.
“Access to care and quality of care remain key priorities in our healthcare systems. We know quite well that deliberate collaboration, strategic partnerships, and a shared commitment to excellence are required to achieve these priorities.
“A strong provider network is doubtless the backbone of any effective healthcare system. It ensures that our mutual enrollees receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place, and at the right price,” Mr Olomola, represented at the programme by the organisation’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Dr Faith Nwachi, stated.
He further assured that SUNU Health would strictly adhere to the one-hour authorisation limit, stressing that this aligns seamlessly with one of the organisation’s core values—promptness and its corporate slogan, Humanity is the centre of our initiatives.
In a bid to further improve access and quality of care, SUNU Health also demonstrated its new operational software and Mobile app, aptly named SUNU Legacy.
Also speaking at the event, the NHIA Lagos State Coordinator (Ikeja), Dr Bethuel-Kasimu Abraham, noted that the forum’s expected outcome is to significantly reduce delays in accessing medical care.
Other key expectations include ensuring continuity of care, improving patient outcomes, and strengthening accountability among HMOs.
Addressing specific pain points faced by enrollees, the NHIA Ogun State Coordinator, Mr Dare Adefeso, acknowledged that the agency had received complaints regarding out-of-stock drugs and the discrimination of enrollees by certain providers.
He affirmed that the NHIA is actively addressing these issues, stressing that moving forward, every facility must ensure enrollees are properly catered to regardless of their status, provided they have an active health insurance plan.
Corroborating the long-standing legacy of SUNU Health, the Ogun State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mrs Aishat Tiamiyu, shared that her agency is responsible for public information dissemination and has been enrolled with SUNU Health for over 25 years.
Commending the HMO’s stellar service over two decades, she called for the immediate enrollment of new NOA staff into the scheme.
The Providers’ Forum remains one of the strategic channels employed by SUNU Health to consistently engage healthcare providers, understand their operational challenges, introduce new software updates, and solidify partnerships aimed at fostering premium healthcare delivery across Nigeria.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced the recall of a sexual enhancement product known as WAP Sensual Enhancement Capsules.
In a statement on Monday, the Nigerian agency disclosed that the recall is due to “undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients” in the product, whose country of origin is unknown, but is marketed and distributed online in the US through eBay.
It was emphasised that the recall is being “voluntarily” made by the manufacturer, Best Supplements Best Prices Company.
The detection of the undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients was made by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Laboratory analysis by the US FDA revealed that the product contained undeclared sildenafil, tadalafil, and flibanserin, which were not mentioned on the product label. Such substances may include phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors or related compounds commonly used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, the statement by NAFDAC stated.
Sildenafil and tadalafil are ingredients in FDA-approved prescription drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction.
It was noted that these undeclared ingredients may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs, such as nitroglycerin, and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Consumers with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take nitrates.
Flibanserin is the active ingredient in an FDA-approved prescription drug used to treat low sexual desire in women. Flibanserin can cause drowsiness, sedation, dangerously low blood pressure, and fainting, especially when combined with alcohol.
Consumers have been encouraged to report compromised products (medicines or medical devices) to the nearest NAFDAC office, call 0800-162-3322, or send an email to sf******@********ov.ng.
