The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has announced a notable decline in suspected and confirmed Mpox (Monkeypox) cases over the past month. According to the NCDC's latest update, 51 new suspected cases were reported from Epidemiological Weeks 29 to 32 of 2024, a significant decrease from the 102 cases recorded in the previous four (4) weeks.
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday declared the ongoing Monkey pox (Mpox) outbreak in Africa a global health emergency. The WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus virtually met with independent experts to discuss the severity of the outbreak and declared the disease “a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC)”.
The Chief Executive Officer of Vaccine Alliance, Gavi, Dr Sania Nishtar, has said cholera vaccines will be arriving in Nigeria soon. In a post on her X handle on Thursday, Dr Nishtar shared that the vaccines will aid in combating the ongoing deadly cholera outbreak in the country. This announcement comes in response to the widespread outbreak of cholera across Nigeria. Nishtar said“Encouraged to learn that #Cholera vaccines from the #Gavi-funded global vaccine stockpile will soon arrive in Nigeria to help curb the country’s deadly and ongoing outbreak. We stand ready to work with our partners #UNICEF and #WHO to support Minister #muhammadpate, #Fmohnigeria, and #NCDCgov’s timely efforts to contain this outbreak and protect those at the highest risk.
The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN) has attributed paucity of foreign exchange to the contributing factors negating local pharmaceutical industry in the country. The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of MAN has expressed concerns prior to their forthcoming 77th Edition of the Nigeria Pharmacy Manufacturers Expo (NPME) scheduled between September 4 and September 5, 2024. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) discontinued operations in Nigeria in August 2023, ending its 51-year existence in the country, while French pharmaceutical manufacturing company, Sanofi, exited Nigeria in November.
The United Nations Emergency Fund, UNICEF, has entrusted about ₦480m to preserve women and children access to free healthcare services in Zamfara State. UNICEF Chief, Sokoto Field office, Michael Juma disclosed this during a three-day formal opening of UNICEF Interaction with Zamfara State Government officials on the state’s Ten Year Strategic Plan. The fund would help the government to achieve results in its efforts to create sustainable development in the State, in the areas of Social, Economic and Environment.
The Federal Government (FG) has defended the approval of the recently launched Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) known as TELA Maize, assuring Nigerians of its safety. This was made known in a statement issued on Monday by the spokesperson of National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Gloria Ogbaki.
