By Dipo Olowookere

The Governor of Ondo State, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has urged mothers in the state to join the state government and others like the World Health Organisation (WHO) to promote vaccination.

Speaking during the 2025 African Vaccination Week at the Comprehensive Health Centre in Isolo, Akure on April 24, 2025, Mr Aiyedatiwa, represented by his Special Adviser on Health, Professor Michael Sinmidele Odimayo, charged mothers to become immunisation advocates.

“Inform those ignorant about vaccination and its importance. Vaccination is a human right,” the Governor said, highlighting the state’s health priorities, including free Hepatitis B treatment and the expansion of the health insurance scheme.

Delivering WHO’s goodwill message on behalf of the Country Representative, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, Dr Adebayo said, “The African Vaccination Week is a reminder of WHO’s commitment to ensuring every child has access to life-saving vaccines.

“Immunisation is a human right, and this year’s theme is a powerful call to action. We appreciate all caregivers and partners championing this cause.”

Business Post gathered that about 70 children were immunised and administered doses of the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), Rota vaccine, and Vitamin A.

To encourage continued participation and advocacy, all 70 caregivers received diapers as incentives and were recognised as immunisation champions.

One of them, a 30-year-old Ajibola Ibukunoluwa, said vaccination is a must, stressing that, “Immunisation reduces mortality in children, and I’ll keep encouraging others to get their children vaccinated. The vaccination week has helped raise awareness among mothers.”

Another caregiver, Mrs Hassan Olayinka, whose 9-month-old baby received the measles, yellow fever, and meningitis vaccines at the event, expressed her gratitude to the government, WHO, and partners for making the vaccines accessible and available to children in the country.

“Immunisation is a very powerful tool. It prevents children from falling sick. I am happy with the services I received today and will advise mothers in my neighbourhood to take it seriously. I thank the State Government and partners like WHO for organising this,” she stated.

The immunisation programme was organised by the state government through the Ondo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (OSPHCDA), in collaboration with WHO, Clinton Health Access Initiatives (CHAI) and UNICEF to mark the 14th African Vaccination Week themed Immunisation for all is Humanly Possible.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Over 5,000 lives were impacted through the nationwide malaria initiative of Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc across Enugu, Delta, and Kano States last month.

The company delivered free malaria testing and diagnosis; administration of treatment drugs to those who tested positive; awareness talks on malaria prevention and distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) to residents of the communities visited by its team.

The programme was in commemoration of World Malaria Day 2025 themed Malaria Ends With us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite, which was used to call for renewed commitment to malaria prevention and control efforts.

It was gathered that on April 25, Stanbic IBTC was at Nchatancha in Enugu East Local Government Area (LGA), and went to Okpanam in the Oshimili North LGA of Delta State on April 28, and climaxed the visit to Wudil Ward in Wudil LGA, Kano State on April 30.

“We are proud to support World Malaria Day 2025 and contribute to global efforts to control and eliminate malaria.

“Our partnership with stakeholders has helped raise awareness about the disease; promote prevention and control measures; and inspire action towards achieving a malaria-free world,” the acting chief executive of Stanbic IBTC Holdings, Mr Kunle Adedeji, stated.

The initiative comes at a critical time when sustainable investment in malaria prevention is needed to protect vulnerable populations.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were an estimated 263 million malaria cases and 597,000 deaths worldwide in 2023 – representing about 11 million more cases compared to 2022.

Nigeria bears a disproportionate burden of the disease, accounting for 30.9 per cent of all malaria deaths in the WHO African Region. Children under five years old account for approximately 76 per cent of all malaria deaths in the region, making timely interventions crucial for survival.

Through its comprehensive programme, Stanbic IBTC continues its long-standing commitment to promoting health, well-being, and sustainable development in the communities it serves. By focusing on grassroots engagement, the financial institution ensures that life-saving information and resources reach those most at risk.

The campaign represents a model for effective corporate intervention in public health challenges. By supporting prevention, early diagnosis, and effective treatment strategies, this initiative helps save lives and strengthens community resilience against this preventable and treatable disease.

Stanbic IBTC’s malaria intervention aligns with global efforts that have averted an estimated 2.2 billion cases of malaria and 12.7 million deaths since 2000, according to the WHO.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Customers of AXA Mansard Health have been reassured that they would remain a priority and all efforts would be made to ensure they get value for their money.

The chief executive of the leading health insurance provider in Nigeria, Mr Tope Adeniyi, reiterated this commitment at the company’s South-West Provider Forum in Ibadan, recently.

Mr Adeniyi emphasised that millions of AXA Mansard Health customers across the country would continue to receive quality healthcare, no matter what.

“For us at AXA Mansard Health, it’s about the customer first. It’s not just a core value; it’s the mantra that guides everything we do from innovation to process improvement, product development and even our CSR initiatives. We are a company built on protecting what matters to our customers,” he stated.

The AXA Mansard Health chief explained that the forum was put together to engage with its providers to jointly chat the best ways to ensure that AXA customers receive the best healthcare services.

“We know that it is our providers that complete this value-chain of superior customer service; the hospitals, the clinics, the laps, and so on. That’s how our customers experience us.

“So, we are here today to consolidate on the partnership, so our customers can always get the best.

“Our customers are always first, and they are followed by our providers. We are convinced that if we keep this model, we will remain the brand to beat in Nigeria.

“Our wider plan is to touch all corners of Nigeria and bring premium healthcare services to every Nigerian because they deserve it.

“These forums are crucial in building strong partnerships with our providers, which ultimately lead to better healthcare outcomes for our customers,” he said.

Business Post reports that the forum, which has been held previously in various cities, including Lagos, Port Harcourt, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Ibadan, and Abuja over the last four months, underscores AXA Mansard Health’s commitment to bridging the healthcare gap and ensuring that premium healthcare services are accessible to all Nigerians, not just those in major cities.

This nationwide reach ensures that the benefits of these engagements are felt across the country, fostering collaboration and sharing best practices needed to address the unique healthcare challenges faced by different parts of the country.

Nigeria faces significant healthcare challenges, with only about 4.08 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) spent on healthcare.

The country has a doctor-to-patient ratio of approximately 1 to 10,000, far below the World Health Organization’s recommendation of 1 to 600.

With healthcare access unevenly distributed across the country and rural areas experiencing higher out-of-pocket expenses for healthcare compared to urban zones, there is an urgent need for initiatives like the providers forum to improve healthcare delivery for all Nigerians.

AXA Mansard Health says it is committed to enhancing its products and services through these forums while also working on improving the overall healthcare experience for its customers.

The company plans to hold future forums in the South East region in the coming months, further demonstrating its dedication to ensuring quality healthcare is accessible to all.

“As we progress further into 2025, the insights and feedback gathered from these forums will play a pivotal role in shaping our company’s strategies to enhance customer experience and ensure that quality healthcare is accessible to all Nigerians,” Mr Adeniyi concluded.