Health

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced that monkeypox will now be known as ‘mpox’, following concerns raised by individuals and countries over the racist and stigmatizing language associated with naming the disease monkeypox. The organization said both names will be used simultaneously together for one year while monkeypox is phased out. This was disclosed in a statement issued by WHO on Monday, which stated that global experts were consulted before the new name was decided upon.

A new kind of therapy that could slow down the start of type 1 diabetes in children by up to three years has been approved for use in the US. The treatment, called Teplizumab, works by partially blocking the immune system’s attack on insulin-making cells in the pancreas and is believed to be the first to postpone the start of any autoimmune condition. It is most likely to pave the way for approval decisions in other countries of the world.

Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday, blamed lack of education in managing diabetes for the reason many patients die untimely. Obasanjo spoke, during a novelty match between All-Stars FC, Abeokuta and the ex-Super Eagles, organized by the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, as part of activities marking this year’s World Diabetes Day. Obasanjo, who has been living with diabetes for over 40 years, stressed that the disease is incurable, but it can be managed.

There is growing concerns that more Nigerians may get infected and many more may lose their lives from nationwide cholera outbreak occasioned by flooding, terrorism-related activities, civil unrest, lack of proper environmental sanitation as well as shortage of vaccines. Just few days ago Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) report had it that 80 persons died from cholera across the country in September while it also registered 4,153 Cholera infections between September 5 and October 2, 2022. NCDC said thirty-one states have reported suspected cholera cases in 2022. These are: Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara.

The United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has disclosed that a total number of 1.9 million Nigerians are living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Country Director of CDC, Dr. Mary Boyd who made the disclosure in Abuja, however, said the affected Nigerians have access to free treatments to save their lives and allow them to live healthy productive lives. Speaking at a 2-day CDC Biannual Program Performance Review Meeting and Symposium yesterday in Abuja with the theme: "Working Together to Bring Nigeria Closer to HIV Epidemic Control", Boyd said: "Today 1.9 million people living with HIV have access to free treatments, and it's treatment that is going to save their lives and allow them to live healthy, productive lives. "The other thing that I was reflecting on, is Americans historically love the underdog, and we root for the underdog, we support the underdog in whatever way and we as the US government have been so proud to be part of the success that Nigeria has had.

The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians against the use of 4 substandard cough syrups such as Promethazine Oral Solution, Magrip N Cold Syrup, Kofexmalin Baby Cough Syrup, and Makoff Baby Cough Syrup. The Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye stated that the listed products are not registered by the Agency, therefore, they should not be in circulation.