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NACA donates 4 ambulances to Jigawa State govt

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From Ahmed Rufa’i Dutse

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS, (NACA) has donated four ambulances to Jigawa State government in recognition of its commitment to HIV-Aids control.

The director general of the agency, Dr Gambo Aliyu Gumel presented the keys of the vehicles to the state governor, Alhaji Muhammad Badaru Abubakar at the Government House, Dutse.
He said “The ambulances were acquired through the Global Health system in Geneva in recognition of the state government’s effort in controlling the spread of HIV in the state”.

The director general explained that the state government had introduced a policy of pre-marital HIV test for intending couples in the state saying that the agency would recommend similar policies for other states of the federation, as, it has helped in curtailing the spread of HIV in the state.

According to him, “We are here to thank the Jigawa State Government for the work it has done in controlling the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country, as a result, it remains one of the least HIV prevalent states.

“It is one of the first states to institute pre-marital HIV test for potential couples before marriage and this is what we are advocating nationwide, that people should come forward and demand for HIV services. The day people start demanding for HIV services, that is the end of HIV in the country.”

Apart from the donation, the NACA boss disclosed that the agency had been working with the state government in the last couple of months to establish structures at the community level by engaging about 600 individuals cutting across five local government councils that have received direct payments from NACA through the Primary Health care system..

He also indicated that the agency had set aside the sum of N 130 million as it’s support for the state ministry of health to upgrade it’s health insurance scheme towards ensuring that the health insurance uptake at the community level is significantly improved in Jigawa.

The NACA boss, who spoke on the update of the HIV situation in the country disclosed that about 2 million persons were discovered to be carrying the virus in the country, out of which about 1.8 million carriers have been identified and placed on treatment, “and we are looking for the balance of 200,000 and that is why we’re everywhere in the country to ensure that people demand for HIV services to enable us identify the remaining 200,000.”

The DG added that, the rate of infection of HIV is dropping in the country as he expressed the optimistic that it would continue to drop, once affected victims were identified and placed on the appropriate treatment.

He said he is looking forward to a time when the spread of the HIV would be controlled in the country just like the way poliomyelitis was controlled.
The Governor in response described the donation of the vehicles as timely, saying it would go a long way in relieving the state government of a lot of burden.

“Jigawa has a very low IGR because of lack of high tax base. Therefore, the receipt of these four brand fully equipped vehicles is very significant to us as a government and people, because what you have supported us with today will now help us to divert the funds earmarked for the purpose into other social services.

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Health

Outbreak: Diphtheria Kills 520 Children in Kano- DG Primary Healthcare Agency

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From: Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse

Diphtheria outbreak in Kano has claimed not less than 520 children the Director General primary healthcare development agency in the state, Muhammad Nasir Muhammad has disclosed

The DG of the agency made the disclosure in a key note address presented at a one day orientation for media practitioners on Diphtheria Outbreak drawn from JIgawa, Kano, Katsina and Sokoto states.

The director general attributed the situation to poor rotten immunisation made with high number of zero doses among the children in the state.

Dr Muhammad decried the shortage of diphtheria vaccine in the states, Kano in particular with about 8,000 confirmed cases representing 80 percent cases.

According to him “The state recieved 200,000 dosage of vaccine and less than one million doses after the outbreak of the disease. But according to our findings we need over 6 million children to be vaccinated”.

He called on the federal government and partners to do something urgently for the speed and effective control, “I use this opportunity to appreciate UNICEF for their commitment on emergency response support”.

Speaking earlier the Chief of UNICEF Field Office in Kano Mr. Rahama R Mohammed Farah described the current Diphtheria Outbreak as a threat to child survival, health and the well-being of children

Mr Farah noted that “It is very important to understand that the Analysis of the vaccination status of the suspected cases shows that 60.8% of all suspected cases are children who were not
vaccinated”.

“As of last week, over 400 suspected cases with 11 deaths have been reported in Kano state.
Eight LGAs are the most affected: They are Ungogo (2651), Dala (989), Fagge (943), Gwale (714), Kumbotso (713), Nassarawa (538), Kano Municipal (506) and
Tarauni (269)”.

He disclosed that “UNICEF is therefore collaborating with government and partners to respond to the emergency to save lives of children affected”.

According to him, the Kano field office hss been giving support to the Diphtheria Response since the first case of the Diphtheria disease in December 2022, “UNICEF has been working with government and partners to respond to the emergency”.

“UNICEF has been and continue to support the diphtheria response in Nigeria focusing on providing technical and financial support to the government in all affected states including Kano state to implement the Diphtheria outbreak response”, Farah emphasis”.

He indicated that the outbreak needs to be urgently stopped, controlled and prevented from spreading, “last week, UNICEF delivered 1.2 million vaccines to the Kano State government in our continuing support to the government for response to the Diphtheria outbreak as Diphtheria is a highly contagious, infectious disease that can cause death”.

“The media has a key role to play particularly in infection prevention and risk communication and community engagement; You will need to educate the public and increasing the awareness of parents, and communities on the disease and the outbreak, on the importance of immunization and what parents need to do in case
of suspected cases and how to prevent infection from further spreading”, UNICEF said.

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Well-being of individuals crucial for productivity in work place – IPCR DG

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***Urges Staff to take adequate care of their mental health

The Director General of the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Joseph Ochogwu has indicated that the well-being of individual workman is key to productivity in the work place.

Speaking at a Health Talk session titled, “Mental Health/Emotional Intelligence,” Dr. Ochogwu urged staff of the Institute to take proper care of their mental issues.

Ochogwu pointed out that the Individual’s well-being is key to productivity in the work place.
“We need that state of mental health balance to overcome challenges.
“Things are not getting easy now, we need unique kind of skill in balancing our individual’s well-being because if you don’t balance your individual’s well-being even your family’s well-being will suffer.”

Addressing staff of the Institute, the resource person of the programme and founder of Secure D Future International Initiative, Dr. Sa’adatu Adamu, also urged staff to take care of their health.

Dr. Adamu noted that while about 970 million people are struggling with mental health worldwide, 284 million people are struggling with anxiety.

She noted that positive thinking reflect on the psychological being of an individual, adding that negative thoughts are dangerous to one’s wellbeing.

She also told the staff that it is important that each individual takes care of himself and controls what comes into his mind, adding that when somebody dwells so much on the negative, such a person is taking a destructive part.

The expert noted that depression, one of the major metal health challenges affects so many people, advising the staff to fill their minds with positive thoughts at all time, in other to live above depression and other associated challenges.

She said that it is estimated that about 40.3 percent of people died worldwide because of mental health, adding that in this part of the world, “we are still struggling to understand mental health.”

Listing the negative effects associated with depression, Dr. Adamu indicated that the estimate of people going through mental health is higher in the country.

The mental health expert, who noted that things are difficult in the country, warned the staff not to allow their minds to dwell on what they couldn’t control, urging them to think positively and take things the way they come.

According to her, dwelling on what one can not control only makes things worse and at the end depression sets in.

She noted that the last stage of depression is when one begins to think of committing suicide, adding, “mental health is something everyone should pay attention to.”

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Health

ICPR raises concern over report that 970m persons suffer from mental health globally

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The Director General of the Institute of Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Joseph Ochogwu has raise concern over report that about 970 million people are struggling with mental health worldwide and 284 million people contending with anxiety.
Speaking at the Health Talk session titled, “Mental Health/Emotional Intelligence,” Dr. Ochogwu urged staff of the Institute to take adequate care of their mental issues as individual well-being is key to productivity in the work place.

“We need that state of mental health balance to overcome challenges. Things are not getting easy now, we need unique kind of skill in balancing our individual well-being because if you don’t balance your individual well-being even your family well-being will suffer.”

The resource person of the programme and founder of Secure D Future International Initiative, Dr. Sa’adatu Adamu, also urged staff to take care of their health.

She noted that positive thinking reflect on the psychological being of an individual, adding that negative thoughts are dangerous to one’s wellbeing.

She also told the staff that it is important that one takes care of himself and controls what comes into his mind, adding that when one dwells too much on the negative, such person is taking a destructive part.

The expert noted that depression, one of the major metal health challenges affect so many people, advising the staff to fill their minds with positive thoughts at all time, in other to live above depression and other associated challenges.

She said that it is estimated that about 40.3 percent of people died worldwide because of mental health, adding that in this part of the world, “we are still struggling to understand mental health.”

Listing the negative effects associated with depression, Dr. Adamu said that the estimate of people going through mental health is higher in the country.

The mental health expert, who noted that things are difficult in the country, warned the staff not to allow their minds to dwell on what they couldn’t control, urging them to think positively and take things the way they are.

According to her, dwelling on what one can not control only makes things worse and at the end depression sets in.

She noted that the last stage of depression is when one begin to think of committing suicide, adding, “mental health is something everyone should pay attention to.”

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