Health
RSG Committed To Sustaining Family Planning – Dep Gov
The Rivers State Government says it is committed to the sustenance of family planning programmes in the state.
Making this known recently during a follow-on engagement meeting with The Challenge Initiative (TCI) and the Rivers State Family Planning Advocacy Working Group (RSFPAWG), in her office, the State Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, noted that family planning is a sustainable way to keep a healthy and prosperous population.
According to the Deputy Governor, family planning is very important because, it not only helps to improve the health of children and their parents, but also improves the standard of living of the society generally.
Dr Harry-Banigo, who is a family planning Champion, also noted that population in this context goes beyond the number of people to include how well the people are.
“The people, where are they? Are they healthy? Are they in school? Do they have houses to live in? Do they even have food and water?
“These are the key things. If we do not attend to these needs through family planning, we are going to have unsustainable situation in our nation”, she said.
While assuring the commitment of the Governor Nyesom Wike-led administration of the State to family planning, the Deputy Governor stated the importance of using community-based theater and songs in spreading the message of family planning.
Earlier in his speech, the Chairman of RSFPAWG, Prof Cosmos Eyindah had sought the assistance of the Deputy Governor in key areas towards the institution and execution of family planning activities in the state.
The first, he said, is for the Deputy Governor “to help us make policy statements on family planning that will promote, protect and support family planning in all ramifications”.
The RSFPAWG boss also urged Her Excellency to ensure that family planning is always given priority at relevant meetings, “so that as they are talking about malaria and HIV/AIDS, family planning will also be included in deliberations”.
Explaining further on the need for more focus on family planning, Prof. Enyindah gave a brief statistics on maternal mortality.
“As we speak”, he said, “The population of Rivers State is 7.5 million. Out of this 7.5 million, 22% constitutes women of Reproductive age group (14-49 years) that is about 1.7 million.
“The worrisome part of it is that if you look at those who give birth, about 889 die by 100,000 live births, which is outrageous.
“If you look at the national statistics, our maternal mortality rate in Nigeria is about 576 by 100,000 live births, which almost doubles that of Rivers State.
“The implication is that our women are dying so much. It has been proven all over the world that with family planning, 40% of maternal deaths will reduce because unwanted and unplanned pregnancies will be taken care of. This is the essence of family planning”, he said
Also speaking, the State Program Coordinator of TCI, Mrs Uduak Ananaba, explained that the visit to the Deputy Governor was aimed at providing updates on programmes embarked upon by TCI.
She continued that currently there is an increase in the uptake of contraceptives compared to the past.
“To sustain this, government needs to ensure that health systems are strengthened and accountability framework set in motion”, she said.
She used the opportunity to thank Her Excellency for availing herself to be briefed on the implementation of TCI programmes, and for the improved visibility of family planning, “especially the public statements made in favour of family planning, which has led to increased media reportage and better integration of family planning and other health related programmes in the state.
Highlight of the occasion was the introduction of Chief Friday Eze, and Mr Victor Akpomon as Champion of Family Planning, and Family Planning Youth respectively.
By: Sogbebe Dokubo
Two United States scientists who unraveled the human micro RNA have won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024.
Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun won the coveted prize for their work on microRNA as their discoveries help explain how complex life emerged on earth and how the human body is made up of a wide variety of different tissues.
MicroRNAs influence how genes – the instructions for life – are controlled inside organisms, including humans.
Every cell in the human body contains the same raw genetic information, locked in our DNA.
However, despite starting with the identical genetic information, the cells of the human body are wildly different in form and function.
The electrical impulses of nerve cells are distinct from the rhythmic beating of heart cells. The metabolic powerhouse that is a liver cell is distinct to a kidney cell, which filters urea out of the blood.
The light-sensing abilities of cells in the retina are different in skillset to white blood cells that produce antibodies to fight infection.
So much variety can arise from the same starting material because of gene expression.
The US scientists were the first to discover microRNAs and how they exerted control on how genes are expressed differently in different tissues.
The medicine and physiology prize winners are selected by the Nobel Assembly of Sweden’s Karolinska Institute.
They said: “Their groundbreaking discovery revealed a completely new principle of gene regulation that turned out to be essential for multicellular organisms, including humans.
“It is now known that the human genome codes for over 1,000 microRNAs.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has begun acting to curb effects of antibiotic pollution.
The new guidance on wastewater and solid waste management for antibiotic manufacturing sheds light on this important but neglected challenge ahead of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) taking place on 26 September 2024.
The emergence and spread of AMR caused by antibiotic pollution could undermine the effectiveness of antibiotics globally, including the medicines produced at the manufacturing sites responsible for the pollution.
Despite high antibiotic pollution levels being widely documented, the issue is largely unregulated and quality assurance criteria typically do not address environmental emissions. In addition, once distributed, there is a lack of information provided to consumers on how to dispose of antibiotics when they are not used, for example, when they expire or when a course is finished but there is still antibiotic left over.
“Pharmaceutical waste from antibiotic manufacturing can facilitate the emergence of new drug-resistant bacteria, which can spread globally and threaten our health. Controlling pollution from antibiotic production contributes to keeping these life-saving medicines effective for everyone,” said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for AMR ad interim.
Globally, there is a lack of accessible information on the environmental damage caused by manufacturing of medicines.
“The guidance provides an independent and impartial scientific basis for regulators, procurers, inspectors, and industry themselves to include robust antibiotic pollution control in their standards,” said Dr Maria Neira, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, WHO. “Critically, the strong focus on transparency will equip buyers, investors and the general public to make decisions that account for manufacturers’ efforts to control antibiotic pollution.”
In a concerted effort to curb brain drain, the Kebbi State Government has harmonised medical doctors’ salaries to be at par with their colleagues in the federal government’s tertiary health facilities.
Kebbi State Commissioner for Health, Musa Inusa-Isma’il, disclosed this at the handing over of ambulances to the state-owned health facilities at the Ministry of Health in Birnin Kebbi yesterday.
Inusa Isma’il, according to a statement by Ahmed Idris, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, said the essence of the harmonisation was to retain the existing medical doctors and attract more to the services of the state.
According to him, the doctors across the state had already started enjoying the new salaries from August 2024.
He said the release of the vehicles was in fulfilment of Governor Nasir Idris’ promise to uplift health care services in the state.
“His Excellency said I should inform you, the beneficiaries of this gesture, that the vehicle should be strictly used for the intended purpose. It should not be used for anything else.
“If there is no referral case, each of the vehicles must be parked at the hospital by 6 pm. The governor said you should warn your drivers against reckless driving as well as violating the instructions.
“We should also do everything possible to reciprocate the gesture by working according to the terms and conditions attached,” he advised.
The benefiting health facilities included Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Birnin Kebbi; State Teaching Hospital, Kalgo; General Hospital, Argungu; General Hospital, Yauri; General Hospital, Zuru; and General Hospital, Bunza.
In his speech, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Dr Shehu Koko, recalled that the ambulances were handed over to the ministry last Friday by the governor for the onward handover to the benefiting hospitals.
He observed that the ambulances would go a long way in improving the referral system in the state, adding that delays in reaching the secondary and tertiary facilities would be eliminated.
The permanent secretary attributed the high rate of maternal mortality in the country to delays in getting to the health facilities for proper medical care.
“We believe with the provision of these ambulances, part of the gaps we have in our referral system will be addressed, whereby patients who require secondary healthcare could be easily transported to secondary and tertiary health centres, where they can get such help,” he said.
In a goodwill message, Commissioner for Information and Culture Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed expressed gratitude to the governor for the support he has given to the ministry to excel.
While advising the beneficiaries to use the vehicles judiciously, the commissioner advised that services and maintenance of the vehicles must be prompt to derive the maximum benefits from the vehicles.
The commissioner also highlighted some achievements recorded by the government in the last year, including beautification of the state capital, completion of a multimillion-naira ultramodern state secretariat, road construction, construction and renovation of classrooms and upgrading of some health facilities, among others.