Health
Salako Heads National Health Research Committee
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Director General of Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Mr Babatunde Salako, has been appointed as Chairman of the National Health Research Committee inaugurated on Friday by Minister of State for Health, Mr Olorunnimbe Mamora.
The renowned Nephrologist is expected to bring his experience and other members on the panel to bear for the benefit of the nation at this time of COVID-19 pandemic.
At the induction, the Minister explained that the committee was constituted because of the lack of synergy among the various research institutions, the academia and policy makers despite the development of the National Health Research Policy and Priorities in 2014, rending health research almost useless in the country.
According to him, health research has often been dictated by the preferences of the researchers and institutions, without recourse to the priority health needs of the country as documented in the National Health Research Policy.
“Excellent research findings are probably gracing the shelves of libraries in the various institutions without having the desired impact on the health system due to this disconnect between the institutions and policy makers,” Mr Mamora lamented.
However, he expressed optimism that with Mr Salako and his team, things should start to get better, urging the committee to quickly develop a COVID-19 Research Agenda for the country, adapting the WHO Research Roadmap to our local situation and commence the aggregation of all COVID-19 researches in the country.
The Minister further charged the panel to swiftly identify and source for funds, within and outside the country to carry out relevant research, pledging that Federal Ministry of Health on its part will give all the necessary support.
He added that even when the expectation from this committee is great, given the calibre of professionals in it, he will be awaiting clear deliverables in the next couple of weeks.
He also charged the body to “collate the researches from the respective institutions and translate the same to policy for evidence-based health interventions.”
“We are counting on your wealth of experience evident in your individual accomplishments at your various research domains over the years,” he further charged.
Mr Mamora also asked the committee to note that, “The World Health Organisation (WHO) is currently supporting the Ministry to develop a National Research for Health Strategic Plan (NRHSP) which should form the basis for the implementation of prioritized research activities to strengthen leadership, coordination and funding for health research in the country.”
“A team comprising stakeholders in health research was constituted to work with WHO and the Ministry to develop the NRHSP and charged the newly inaugurated National Health Research Committee to collaborate with the team to actualise this strategic plan as well as the Operational Plan,” he added.
The Minister declared to the inaugurated committee members that their job is enormous “and this becomes more so now that we are faced with the COVID-19 pandemic.”
He said that the global community is involved in research to find the most effective strategy to slow down and eventually halt the spread of the virus and stressed that, “Nigeria shouldn’t be an exception.”
Chairman of the inaugurated NHRC accepted on behalf of members to serve diligently, thanking the Minister for giving them the opportunity to do so.
Business Post reports that the Director of Health Services in Federal Ministry of Health, Mrs Adebimpe Adebiyi, was appointed as Secretary to the research team.
Members of the committee include Professor Abdulrazak Habib, Department of Medicine; Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH); an Infectious Diseases expert; Professor Lawal Bulbis, the Vice Chancellor, Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, a Biological Chemist; Professor Onwujekwe Obinna, Department of Health Administration/Management & Pharmacology/Therapeutic; University of Nigeria, a renowned Health Economist; Dr Obi Adigwe, the Director-General National Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), a Pharmacist; Associate Professor Peter Oladosu, NIPRD, also a Pharmacist; Professor AMS Oduola, the Director, University of Ibadan’ Research Foundation, Ibadan, Nigeria, a Public Health practitioner; Dr Reuben A. Ocholi, the Chief Executive of the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau, and Veterinary Medicine expert.
Others are Dr Clement Maseko of the National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau State, a Veterinary Medicine Practitioner; Professor Haruna Yusuph of the Department of Medicine, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, a Clinical Immunology/Infectious Disease; Dr Musa Garba of the Department of Medicine, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, an expert on Infectious Disease; Professor Ogoina Dimie, the Chief Medical Director of the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, Bayelsa, also an Infectious Disease expert; and Prof. Asogun Danny of the Department of Community Medicine, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo, who is a Public Health expert.
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.
