Zamfara State Officials In Trouble Over Missing Meningitis Vaccines

Two officials of Bungudu local council in Zamfara have been ordered to produce the missing Meningitis vaccines allocated to the area or be sanctioned.

The affected officials are the local council’s director of Health, Rabiu Dansadau and the Councillor of Health, Sanusi Umar.

The Chairman of the State Sub-Committee for the Procurement, Management and Distribution of Meningitis drugs and vaccines, Alhaji Aliyu Kagara said on Monday in Bungudu that the committee had discovered massive diversion of the vaccines meant for the area.

He said that a total of 400 I.V injections meningitis vaccines was allocated to the area, but only 30 of the vaccines were accounted for.

“When the committee visited the local government it discovered that 30 persons were treated and there was no trace of the remaining 370 vaccines.

“The two officials must return the drugs and offer convincing explanation of what happened,” Kagara said.
The chairman said that, so far, the affected officials have failed to give satisfactory explanation as to the whereabout of the remaining drugs.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that patients had a week ago told Gov. Abdulaziz Yari when he visited some meningitis isolation centres that they used their money to buy the drugs which was supposed to be free.

NAN learnt that patients pay up N1,000 per vaccine, to get treated.

The governor has already set up a committee under the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Abdullahi Shinkafi to investigate the matter, while the State House of Assembly has also set up its own investigation committee.

A total of 346 people have died of meningitis and 3,145 infected since the reported outbreak of the disease in Zamfara.

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Ekiti State Increases Maternity Leave For Women In Civil Service

The Ekiti State Government (Nigeria) on Monday announced an increase in the maternity leave period for women in its public service from 12 weeks to 16 weeks.

The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Information, Youth and Sports Development, Mr Kola Ajumobi, said this at a public enlightenment forum in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

He said that the gesture was approved by the state governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, as part of his display of love and special regard for the womenfolk in the state.

He said it was also aimed at encouraging exclusive breastfeeding for newly born children in the first six months of birth.

 It is also meant to promote good nutrition for both mothers and their newborn children, he said.

Ajumobi said that nursing mothers would, in addition to the four months, be granted two hours’ off duty every day for a period of six months from the date they resumed from maternity leave.

According to him, the commitment of the Fayose-led administration to the reduction in mothers and children’s mortality and morbidity rate to the barest minimum remains sacrosanct.

Ajumobi said the crèche at the state secretariat had also been invigorated to boost bonding between mothers and their children during official working hours without undue hindrance to performance and efficiency at the workplace.

The permanent secretary lamented that lack of good nutrition; poverty, hunger as well as the lack of access to economic and political empowerment had largely contributed to high maternal and child mortality.

He, however, noted that the present administration in the state would continue to roll out various palliative packages exclusively for women to empower and guard them against avoidable travails.

Ajumobi said such measures already in existence include the provision of N500million as revolving soft-loan to promote small and medium Enterprises driven by women.

Also, women farmers were being supported with various incentives, he said. According to him, the government has also encouraged women’s access to political power. 

Harmful traditional practices to woman’s nutritional and sexual reproductive health, such as widowhood rites and inheritance had become criminal offences in the state, he said.

He also said that rapists and wife beaters now face life sentences in the state.

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Emir Of Kano Decries High Maternal Mortality In Northern Nigeria

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II has blamed societal negligence for the high rate of maternal mortality in the country. He lamented that the worst global mortality rate was more visible in northern Nigeria.

"There is no place in the world where we have high number of maternal mortality than in India and Northern Nigeria. Many things are responsible for this, like illiteracy, poverty and related issues. People are just exhibiting I-don’t-care attitudes towards family health,” he said.

He stated this during the launch of a book titled, “Yanaye Yanayen Ciki da Haihuwa a Likitance” (Medical Conditions of Pregnancy and Delivery) authored by a Consultant Gynecologist, Prof. Hadiza Shehu Galadanchi in Kano.

 

 Sanusi disclosed that: “At the Emirate Council, we have a system of reporting births and deaths monthly. Our ward heads take stock of all births and deaths at birth within their jurisdictional areas. The information we get monthly is heartbreaking.” 

During the event, one of the reviewers of the book, Dr. Abdulhamid Isah Dutse, former Chief Medical Director of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) said the author of the book was able to come up with a figure that 545 pregnant women out of 100,000 die monthly in Nigeria. He added that the case was worse in the northern part of the country.

Governor Umar Ganduje, who was represented by his Deputy, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar, assured that the book would be distributed to nurses in health facilities across the state.

“We will liaise with the state Ministry of Health and ensure that health workers gain from this,” he said. Meanwhile, a recent survey conducted under the auspices of Development Research and Projects Centre (DRPC) has shown that Kano State Education Resource Department (KERD) has only 280 craft teachers for 77,299 students in secondary schools.

This was disclosed at a stakeholders’ workshop on using craft education for income generation for secondary schools aged girls held in Kano recently by Prof. Bala Ado Kofar Mata of the Centre for African Entrepreneurship Research and Training. It was organised by the DRPC and funded by Mac Arthur Foundation.

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Cancer Detecting Chewing Gums To Replace Blood Test

In an effort to make cancer diagnosis simple, a biotechnology company has developed chewing gum that could determine whether or not an individual has cancer. According to scientists behind the initiative, the gum absorbs what are called ‘volatiles’, which are chemical compounds that are released by certain forms of cancer in the person’s saliva as they chew it. After it has been chewed for 15 minutes, the product is then analysed to determine whether or not it contains these specific chemicals.

So far, the scientists at the Alabama-based firm, ‘Volatile Analysis’ have developed different types of gum that can detect pancreatic cancer, lung cancer and breast cancer. According to the researchers, if this procedure was successful, it could mean the end of blood tests, urine samples and biopsies.

Chemicalsn produced in the body, called volatile organic compounds, are unique to each type of cancer. For example, a healthy lung and a lung infected with cancer exhale different compounds.
Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. It is characterised by out-of-control cell growth and there are over 100 different types of cancer.

Nigeria records 100,000 new cancer cases yearly. Katherine Bazemore, president and Chief Executive Officer, CEO of Volatile Analysis, teamed up with non-profit Hudson Alpha to develop the product. She explained that by determining which of those compounds are found in the gum, doctors can tell which type of cancer is present in the patient. “Technically, the gum concentrates the volatiles,” she added.

She said:“Each disease has different chemicals that come out through your breath.” Bazemore explained that gum remains in your mouth over an extended period of time and is durable enough to withstand testing. Patients would only have to chew the gum for about 15 minutes.

Right now, different types of gum can detect pancreatic cancer, lung cancer and breast cancer. Bazemore is hopeful that they will soon have a singular product that will detect three or four different cancers and diseases. With use of the gum, patients would no longer need to go through blood tests or biopsies.

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Scientists Discover Possible Cure For Parkinson Disease

Scientists might have found a way to treat Parkinson’s disease by generating “dopamine neurons”, according to an article published in Nature Biotechnology.

The study, though at an early stage, found that brain cells can be reprogrammed to replace those that are destroyed by Parkinson’s, offering a new approach to solving the longtime medical problem.

Scientists conducted tests in mice with Parkinson-like symptoms, and found that the therapy seemed to ease the condition.
They noted that more studies need to be done before related tests can be conducted on humans.



People with Parkinson’s lack dopamine due to the loss of brain cells that make it.

The disease has afflicted numerous patients in various ways, from muscle rigidity and walking difficulties, to hallucinations and delusions.

For a long time, doctors have been able to manage the symptoms but could not treat the cause.
Scientists have been actively looking for different ways to lessen the symptoms and treat the disease.

GREATER consumption of fresh fruit has been associated with a lower incidence of diabetes, as well as reduced occurrence of complications in people with diabetes. Fruits and vegetables Researchers found that people who reported elevated consumption of fresh fruit had a lower associated risk of developing diabetes which corresponds to an estimated 0.2 per cent reduction in the absolute risk of diabetes over 5 years. In people with diabetes, higher consumption of fresh fruit was associated with a lower risk of mortality corresponding to an absolute decrease in risk of 1.9 per cent at 5 years, and with lower risks of microvascular and macrovascular complications. In addition to the health benefits of consuming fresh fruit, Du and colleagues emphasize the value of their findings for Asian populations where fruit consumption is commonly restricted in people with diabetes. The main limitation of this observational study is that the effects of fruit consumption can be difficult to distinguish from those of participants’ other dietary and behavioural characteristics.

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/04/consumption-fresh-fruits-reduces-diabetes-risk/

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It Is Safe To Drink Fanta And Sprite In Nigeria - Health Ministry

The Federal Ministry of Health has clarified the position of Fanta and Sprite, certifying both drinks as safe for consumers.

This development arises from the recent court judgement on a case filed by Fijabi Holdings versus Nigeria Bottling Company (NBC) and National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), both joined as a nominal party.

The court had ordered NAFDAC to order NBC to issue a mandatory warning on its Fanta and Sprite products, stating that the contents should not be taken with Vitamin C in order to avoid poisoning

According to the statement signed by Akinola Boade, Director of Media and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health, the findings of the Ministry’s investigation revealed that both Benzoic acid and Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) are ingredients approved by International Food Safety regulators and used in many food and beverage products around the world.

On whether the levels of additives introduced as preservatives are within specification or not, the statement revealed: “Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) is the organ established by Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) to set internationally recognised standards, codes of practice, guidelines relating to foods, food production, and food safety.

“In the case of Benzoic acid, the standard set by Codex was 600mg/kg until recently reviewed to 250mg/kg and adopted in 2016 (CODEX STAN 192–1995 revised 2015 and 2016); with reference to the Codex standard and other relevant documents, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) as the standard setting body in Nigeria in consultation with technical experts and relevant stakeholders elaborated the standard of benzoic acid in soft drinks to be at 250mg/kg based on the national climatic and storage conditions – this standard has been in existence since 1997 and revised in 2008 (NIS 217:2008)

“The levels of benzoic acid in Fanta (1 batch) and Sprite (2 batches) presented by the claimant in the court are 188.64mg/kg, 201.06mg/kg and 161.5mg/kg respectively; these levels are in compliance with both the Codex and Nigeria Industrial Standards.”

The statement also clarifies that the Coca-Cola products manufactured in Nigeria are safe for consumption in view of the following reasons: “Risk assessment was conducted to ascertain maximum limits of food additives acceptable in foods; this takes into consideration the environmental, storage and distribution conditions as well as the shelf life of food products; NAFDAC and SON regularly monitor the manufacturing practices of food industries and conduct laboratory analysis to ascertain continuous compliance with required national standards; there was a routine inspection conducted at Nigeria Bottling Company by NAFDAC officers in December 2016 which was satisfactory.”

There has been widespread public fear that Fanta and Sprite produced by NBC Nigeria failed the UK benzoic test and therefore harmful to consumers. But the statement from the health ministry also clarified the difference between the standard of Fanta and Sprite in Nigeria and United Kingdom.

According to the statement, “with reference to the Codex standards, each country or region is permitted to adapt a standard/limit based on country-specific scientific evidence such as environmental, storage and distribution conditions; benzoic acid as a preservative prevents the growth of microorganisms which thrive more at higher climatic temperatures like in Nigeria.

“Due to the different environmental conditions obtainable in the UK, the standard for benzoic acid was set at a lower limit of 150mg/kg while in Nigeria it was set at 250mg/kg even below that of Codex (as at time of production of that batch; Codex limit was 600mgkg); and Food products being imported into a country must comply with the relevant standards of the destination country.”

The statement also revealed that NAFDAC has processes in place to ensure products imported into the country are evaluated to ascertain compliance with required Nigeria Industrial Standards. “The claimant did not obtain NAFDAC certification before export, otherwise, he would have been advised on the required standard of the destination country,” said the ministry in the statement.

“In view of the above, we would like to advise all Nigerians to take medicines with potable water. This would help to prevent unexpected drug-food interactions. For the benefit of the health of all Nigerians, all bottling companies are encouraged to insert advisory warnings on all products as necessary,” the Federal Ministry of Health advised.

The Honourable Minister of Health had summoned a meeting of the Department of Food and Drug Services, Federal Ministry of Health, NAFDAC, and Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to address the issues raised by the judgement.

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