World Health Organisation (WHO) says it supported the treatment of 301 mental health patients and referred 12 others for further management in Borno from January to November 2020. Dr Henry Nwanja, the WHO Public Health Officer, Emergency Programme, North East, made this known in Maiduguri while handing over the Borno Psychiatric Hospital, rehabilitated by WHO to Borno Government. The the hospital was vandalised by insurgents in 2013. Nwanja said “ever since then, the hospital has been non-functional and totally dilapidated until 2019 when the government approached WHO to facilitate the…
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UN urges countries to strengthen health system to reduce diabetes mortality
United Nations UN has urged countries around the world to strengthen health system as the number of people with diabetes surges while many are at “increased risk of severe disease and death from COVID-19”.UN Secretary-General, António?Guterres made the call on Saturday in his message to commemorate the World Diabetes Day, globally celebrated on November 14.“Many efforts have been made to prevent and treat diabetes”, but the disease continues to rise rapidly in low and middle income countries, those “least well-equipped with the diagnostics, medicines, and knowledge to provide life-saving treatment”.Diabetes…
Read MoreWorld Diabetes Day: WHO announces Global Diabetes Compact
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced the Global Diabetes Compact, a comprehensive and inclusive approach to support countries in implementing effective programmes for the prevention and management of diabetes. WHO gave the announcement in a statement on its website to commemorate the World Diabetes Day, globally celebrated on November 14. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when the pancreas is no longer able to make insulin, or when the body cannot make good use of the insulin it produces. “WHO is announcing the Global Diabetes Compact, a comprehensive…
Read MoreWHO establishes “Council on Economics of Health for All”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced a new Council on the Economics of Health for Allto put “Health for All” at the centre for value creation and economic growth. The information was contained in a statement from WHO headquarters in Geneva on Friday. It stated that the council would be led by economists and health experts. According to the statement, the Council will also comprise health experts who will focus on investments in health and achieving sustainable, inclusive andinnovation-led economic growth. The statement quoted the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros…
Read MoreWHO designates 2021 as Year of Health and Care Workers
The WHO has designated 2021 as the International Year of Health and Care Workers (YHCW). It said in a statement posted on its website on Thursday that delegates at the World Health Assembly (WHA), its decision-making body, recognised the dedication and sacrifices of the millions of health and care workers at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Member states and non-state actors, in unison, spoke to the critical role of health and care workers in ensuring our health and prosperity. “They emphasised the urgency and imperative to address persistent health…
Read MoreWHO endorses new roadmap to tackle neglected tropical diseases
The World Health Organisation WHO declared on Thursday that delegates attending the virtual session of the 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA) had overwhelmingly endorsed the new roadmap for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) for 2021?2030. The WHA is the decision-making body of the WHO, and it’s being attended by delegations from all its member states. WHO stated in a statement issued at its headquarters in Geneva the road map for NTDs 2021-2030 sets out global targets and actions to align and re-focus the work of member countries. The roadmap sets actions for…
Read MoreWHO declares Nigeria Polio-free
Nigeria and the rest of Africa have been declared free from wild polio by the independent body, the Africa Regional Certification Commission, (ARCC). “Today is a historic day for Africa. The African Regional Certification Commission for Polio eradication (ARCC) is pleased to announce that the Region has successfully met the certification criteria for wild polio eradication, with no cases of the wild poliovirus reported in the Region for four years,” Rose Leke, ARCC Chairperson, said. The ARCC’s decision comes after an exhaustive, decades-long process of documentation and analysis of polio…
Read MoreSoldier jailed 55 years for killing WHO staff in Zamfara
A General Court Martial sitting in Abuja on Wednesday sentenced a soldier to 55 years imprisonment over culpable homicide, burglary and theft, a report by PRNigeria said. The soldier, Lance Corporal Ibrahim Babangida, was alleged to have killed one Bello Abdullahi Aliyu and also robbed his car at Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State in 2014. Aliyu was then a staff of the World Health Organisation in the state. Corporal Babangida was also accused of stealing a mobile phone and N600,000 from various persons on separate occasions. President of…
Read MoreCOVID-19 infections may rise during Sallah, WHO warns
The World Health Organisation says COVID-19 infections may rise during the Eid-el-Kabir holidays due to an increase in social and religious gatherings. The global health coordination agency in a statement on Thursday by WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr Ahmed Al-Mandhari, said, “As we approach the Eid Al Adha feast, there is also increased risk of transmission as a result of social and religious mass gatherings. “Any decision to restrict, modify, postpone, cancel, or proceed with holding a mass gathering should be based on a standardised risk assessment,…
Read MoreOver 10,000 health workers in Africa infected with COVID-19, says WHO
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says more than 10,000 health workers have been infected with the Coronavirus across Africa. This was disclosed in a statement issued by the organisation on Thursday. WHO, however, didn’t give a detailed breakdown of how the cases were distributed across the continent due to “limited information” from the 40 affected countries. However, according to WHO, preliminary data shows that health workers “make up more than 5% of cases in 14 countries in sub-Saharan Africa alone, and in four of these, health workers make up more…
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