By Francis Nansak

The Federal Government, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has reiterated its commitment to improving healthcare services delivery across states. This was disclosed during a health tour by the President’s Special Adviser on Health, Dr. Salma Ibrahim Anas, to a primary healthcare facility in Karu Local Government Council.

Dr. Salma commended the Nasarawa State Government for aligning with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which aims to provide quality healthcare delivery at the grassroots level. “What I’ve seen here is fantastic and amazing. It shows that we’re matching policy with operation, and this is what we call implementation,” she said.

The Special Adviser highlighted the President’s commitment to healthcare through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) and the visible impact of invested resources at the state level. Dr. Gaza, Commissioner of Health, Nasarawa State, described Dr. Salma as a results-driven individual, particularly in the health sector.

The Commissioner noted that the state has upgraded the facility to make it more functional, catering to the densely populated area of Karu, where many NGOs and organizations access healthcare services.

The Executive Secretary, Nasarawa State Primary Health Development Agency, revealed that over 60 primary healthcare facilities have been mapped out for revitalization, with plans to upgrade over 700 facilities to functional status, some of which have already been upgraded to general hospital status.

The Chairman of Karu Local Government Area, Barrister Abubakar Madaki, and the Esu Karu, Pharmacist Luka Panya Baba, pledged their support for the President’s healthcare programs ¹.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, health officials are urging the public, particularly young people, to prioritize safe sex practices, including condom use, to prevent unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV. Data from the Ghana AIDS Commission reveals a concerning statistic: approximately 50 new HIV infections are recorded daily in Ghana. As of December 2023, 334,095 people in the country were living with HIV.
Dr. Stephen Ayisi Addo, Programme Manager of the National AIDS Control Programme at the Ghana Health Service, emphasized the importance of protection. He advised that those who choose to use condoms do so correctly, consistently, and continuously for optimal effectiveness. He also cautioned against misusing condoms and stressed that abstinence remains the safest option.
“For the youth out there, abstinence is key, and that is the safest way to save yourselves from sexually transmitted infections, from HIV in particular, from unwanted pregnancies and all the associated complications of fertility,” Dr. Ayisi Addo stated. While acknowledging the availability of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), he reiterated that condoms provide a crucial physical barrier against infection.
The National AIDS Control Programme (NACP) has ramped up its condom promotion and distribution efforts, particularly around festive occasions like Valentine’s Day. “In the past, we have had challenges with condom supply, but I’m happy to announce that this year we have a lot of condoms and as part of the promotion and activation programme, we have taken stock of over 20 million condoms,” Dr. Ayisi Addo announced. The goal is to increase distribution from five million to approximately 15 million condoms this year.
Dr. Ayisi Addo recognized the social pressures young people face, especially during celebrations like Valentine’s Day. “The frenzy around Valentine’s Day and the celebrations create an amiable environment for this. Creating an alternative such as promoting chocolates, among others, would still be pleasant and fulfilling, just like the Romans do,” he suggested.
The NACP is collaborating with civil society groups and partners to intensify its efforts. “We are going to take advantage again of all events, including Valentine’s Day come Friday. Because this is an occasion where people rebel, there’s a lot of romantic activity and sex has to be definite,” Dr. Ayisi Addo explained. “A lot of risky, unprotected sex opens the door to unwanted consequences. It is our responsibility to protect the community and Ghanaians from HIV to reduce the new infections.”
Dr. Ayisi Addo called for increased partnerships to achieve a significant reduction in new HIV infections and reach epidemic control by 2030.

By Mercy Okpe

The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has taken decisive action against the proliferation of counterfeit medicines in Nigeria.

As part of a nationwide operation, NAFDAC officials sealed several major open drugs markets, including the popular Idumota market in Lagos.

The operation, which commenced on Sunday night, aimed to combat the widespread distribution of fake and ineffective medications. NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Christianah Adeyeye, emphasized the critical need for this operation, stating, “The essence of the operation is to ensure that when we take medicines, they work.”

Prof. Adeyeye highlighted the alarming rate of unwholesome products in the market, noting that over 50,000 shops operate in open markets without proper regulation.

She stressed that NAFDAC’s goal is to control these unapproved products and ensure public safety.

NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Mr. Shaba Mohammed, underscored the urgency of the operation, pointing out that these markets supply over 80% of Nigeria’s drug needs.

He emphasized, “These markets are not just places of trade, they are places where lives are at stake.”

The operation involved a collaborative effort between NAFDAC, military personnel, the police, and representatives from the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria.

The agency’s swift action aims to protect Nigerian lives by ensuring that only approved, effective, and safe medications are sold in these markets.

By Mercy Okpe.

The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, carried out enforcement at the popular Ogbo-Ogu Market, Bridge Head, Onitsha, in Anambra State on Monday, February 10.

During the exercise, the operatives of the agency, led by the Director, NAFDAC South East Zone, Dr Martins Iluyomade, confiscated a wide range of adulterated, substandard and expired drugs found at the various shops.

Addressing journalists, Iluyomade said the exercise was in line with the agency’s mandate of eradicating fake, banned and other spurious NAFDAC-regulated products from circulating in Nigeria and to prevent members of the unsuspecting public from falling victim.

He said the agency was working in collaboration with the market task force in the exercise that led to the seizure of the multiple fake and banned products, adding that it was a combined exercise carried out simultaneously across all the South-East states.

He said, “Today, we are commencing our enforcement at the Ogbo-Ogu market. What triggered the exercise is that over time, we have been collating data and gathering intelligence on fake and substandard drugs in the market, and we got to the tail end and discovered that people are repackaging and rebagging fake and counterfeit drugs in the market.

“The exercise is aimed at raiding the markets of fake and substandard drugs and those that are made up of spurious, counterfeited and falsified medicinal products, unwholesome processed products and several other unsafe regulated drugs.

“This is taking place simultaneously across the South-East states, and it is aimed at sanitising the drug markets and safeguarding the health of members of the unsuspecting public.

“Among the drugs are expired, banned, substandard, deflective, repackaged and recalled products. We found out that some of the drug dealers are in the habit of imitating some popular drugs and pouring it into containers of the original manufacturer in order to deceive unsuspecting members of the public.

“And these drugs are very sensitive that can lead to death or permanent disability of the consumer. The confiscation of the products would eliminate the risk of their reintroduction into the market and a proof of the agency’s resolve to safeguard the health of the people.”

He advised members of the public to patronise only licensed and registered drug outlets, adding that security operatives and the investigative team of the agency, as well as other stakeholders, are on the ground monitoring and ensuring that the enforcement goes smoothly.

However, when asked, Iluyomade, who could not give the estimated value of confiscated products in monetary terms, said it was an ongoing exercise that could only be determined at the end of it.

Among the products found in the market to have been faked and counterfeited included antibiotics, anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetic, anti-asthmatic, aphrodisiacs, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, herbal remedies and psychoactive drugs.

Others were banned drugs such as analgin, tramadol (above 100 mg), gentamycin (280 mg), codeine and controlled substances, vaccines, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, cosmetics, chemicals and unwholesome food, empty plastics, bags and cans, among others.

Also present at the exercise were representatives of various trade unions, market leaders, the market task force, and other critical stakeholders.