The President, National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr Dare Ishaya, has asked the Federal Government to implement the payment of the new Hazard Allowance and arrears stipulated as at Dec. 22, 2021.

Ishaya said this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.

According to him, the allowance is contained in the circular issued by National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) dated Dec. 22, 2021 with reference number SWC/S/04/S.218/11/406.

Ishaya said that the National Executive Council (NEC) of the association at its meeting and scientific conference which ended on Saturday, decided to present the Federal Government with a two-week notice to implement the circular.

The two weeks take effect from Aug. 1 to Aug. 14, after which the group would convey another meeting and decide on what to do to drive home their demands.

He also said that a communique was issued at the end of the conference which also stipulated other demands the association wanted to be met.

In the communique which was made available to NAN, the association is also urging the Federal Government to expedite action on the payment of the newly reviewed Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) within the two weeks.

This is to enable its members to meet up with the closing date of examination registration as advertised by the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN).

It also urged the Federal Government to expedite action on the payment of the skipping arrears for 2014, 2015 and 2016 to deserving members as the patience of the association was waning concerning the matter.

“NEC demands immediate payment of consequential adjustment of minimum wage to our members who have been deprived this benefit since it was implemented several years ago.

“NEC demands an immediate review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and other related allowances given the current economic situation in the country.

It said this was also in line with the agreed terms from the previous Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that it would be reviewed regularly.

The association also urged the Federal and all State Governments to look into the issue of assault on doctors and thoroughly investigate the ongoing cases and put measures to forestall future occurrences.

It also enjoined the Federal Government to take steps towards curtailing the brain drain in the health sector and find ways of eliminating all bureaucratic bottlenecks in the employment and replacement of the resident doctors.

The doctors also called for an increase in funding of the healthcare sector in the country to the tune of 15 per cent budgetary allocation in line with the 2001 Abuja declaration for healthcare financing in Africa and global best practices.

The FCT Administration (FCTA) Social Development Secretariat (SDS) has handed over 23-year old Miss Beatrice Adah, a cancer patient, to her family after sponsoring her surgery at the National Hospital, Abuja.

Its Acting-Director, Social Welfare Services Department, Alhaji Sani Amar, disclosed this to the Newsmen in Abuja.

Amar said that before the intervention of FCTA Department, the cancer patient was being used by some men to make money on the streets of Abuja.

He said when the department apprehended them, they claimed that they had earlier taken the patient to the National Hospital but couldn’t afford the medical bill, adding that, that was why they resorted to begging.

Amar said that they took the patient to the National Hospital to verify the claim and the Surgeon asked them to make a deposit of N500,000.

He said that the young men had already realised millions of naira through begging on behalf of the patient.

Amar revealed that when the department took Beatrice to the hospital, a good Samaritan appeared and contributed N350,000, while FCTA completed the money and made the deposit for the treatment.

Amar said that based on the investigation conducted by the department, the young men, who claimed to be doing “a Godly job” were fond of exploiting patients with such condition (abnormal growth).

He said that the department took them to the Department of State Security Services (DSS) for interrogation where the Director of Criminality Investigation Department (CID) read riot act for them.

Amar said they were made to understand the criminality in what they did ranging from the trafficking, exploiting her and suffering the poor girl under such condition.

He said they were also told that by taking her from one corner to another begging, they had disobeyed FCTA law that banned and prohibited begging. Amar said that the two young men were still in police custody.

He said that they were considering writing a letter of complaint as the police insisted for a written complaint if they wanted them to be prosecuted in the court of law,

Amar said the department would intensify patrol, surveillance and contact, adding that anybody that sighted such kind of people begging with patient from any angle should report to the FCTA.

Receiving Beatrice from the FCTA, Mrs Beatrice Ushunde, aunty to the patient, expressed gratitude to the FCT Administration for coming to her rescue.

The Breakthrough Action Nigeria, a Non- Governmental Organisation (NGO), says over 900 cases of tuberculosis are detected in Plateau quarterly.

State Coordinator of the organisation, Dr Catherine Igho, said this on Monday in Jos.

The event was the commencement of the national tuberculosis testing week, where she said the results were gotten from the hospitals and outreaches conducted in the state.

She said that the aim of week-long testing was to create awareness about TB and to also intensify case finding.

She said the aim was also to also put those vulnerable to developing active TB on preventive treatment and prevent community spreading as every undiagnosed and untreated case could infect 15 people within a year.

She pointed out that during the testing week, those detected would be promptly placed on treatment as there would be prompt notification of persons who test positive.

Igho said the act would help address the issue of low TB case finding due to low awareness of the disease.

Similarly, Plateau Commissioner for Health, Dr Nimkong Ndam, said the essence of the week was to create massive awareness of TB via community outreaches

He said exercise would hold in the 17 local government areas of the state.

Ndam who was represented by the ministry’s Director of Public Health, Dr Mafwalal Masok, lamented that TB which as a preventable and curable disease had led to the death and disabilities of many.

He called on people presenting symptoms such as weight loss, cough which has exceeded two weeks to avail themselves the free testing and treatments at designated medical outreach centres in their perspective LGAs.

The Breakthrough Action Nigeria, is an organisation saddled with with social behavioural change and health interventions in thematic areas.

The areas include: malaria intervention, tuberculosis, lassa fever, yellow fever among others

In an effort to contribute to the health and well being of residents of a community in Oshodi Lagos, Nigeria, A Church, Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), The Calvary Area Headquarters, Province 89, Oshodi Lagos, organised a medical outreach as part of activities to mark its 25th anniversary.

The medical outreach was organised in collaboration with Chike Okoli Foundation, Emzor Pharmaceuticals and Pharmatex Industries in Lagos. The outreach included free consultation, blood pressure check, blood sugar screening, eye tests and others.

Mr Jeffrey Aganbi, Pastor in charge of the area, said that no fewer than 600 adults and children benefited from the medical outreach. He said free drugs were dispensed to the beneficiaries based on their health conditions, saying that scores of children were dewormed and they went home with gifts items.

According to him, the outreach which has been on for over 10 years, is aimed at improving the well being of people in the area. The pastor said the water project was solely executed by the church to provide a clean source of water to residents of the community and its.

The Medical Director, MacTayo Hospital, Dr Chijindu David, urged the residents to take their health seriously and always go for medical check ups, particularly to check the Blood Pressure (BP) level.

David who was also a consulting doctor at the event, identified ignorance as the major contributing factor to health conditions of most Nigerian adults, as many people with high blood pressure were not even aware that they had the condition.

According to him, high blood pressure is the leading cause of death among adults. Regular check up can help to avert some critical conditions of blood pressure that may lead to death.

Ms Obiageli Adimachukwu, the Programme Coordinator, Chike Okoli Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, identified stress as a major factor causing the cardiovascular/heart conditions of most Nigerians.

According to her, the economic condition and hardships in the country is taking a toll on the residents, saying that the people are stressed out.

She advised that people should constantly check their sugar level, cholesterol level, eat healthy diet, have rest and exercise to avert conditions that might trigger high BP.

A representative of Emzor, Esther Ayo, said that the outreach was one of the ways the company makes healthcare services accessible to people in the community, who might not afford hospital bills.

Ayo expressed the commitment of the company to continually collaborate with the RCCG, to ensure that members of the church and residents of the area have access to healthcare services at no cost.

An elder in the church, Mr Godwin Ohadugha, lauded the church for the outreach, saying it was one of the numerous humanitarian gestures of the church to the community.

Ohadugha said that the church had organised series of empowerment programmes and seminars for the youths of the community and members of the church.

A beneficiary of the outreach, Mr Bertram Oparaocha, appreciated the church for organising the outreach that provided an opportunity for many indigent citizens to access healthcare. He said that free drugs were given to him, having received many other free medical services at no cost. He was optimistic that the gesture would attract more members and recognition for the church going forward.

Another beneficiary, Mrs Onyinyechi Chijindu, described the outreach as an, an eye opener, that lead to the revealing of her health condition. She said she never knew that she was hypertensive until she consulted with the doctor at the outreach.

Anambra State Government through the State Ministry of Health is partnering with Private healthcare providers across the state to end maternal mortality.

Commissioner for Health, Dr Afam Obidike said that Governor Charles Soludo’s led administration is adopting a holistic approach to end maternal mortality in the state.

Dr Obidike said this during a maternal mortality review meeting with private caregivers at the Ministry of Health Conference Hall, Jerome Udoji Secretariat, Awka, the state capital.

Maternal mortality or pregnancy related death is defined as the death of a woman during pregnancy or within one year of pregnancy.

The most common direct causes of maternal injury and death are excessive blood loss, infection, high blood pressure and obstructed labour; as well as indirect causes such as Anaemia, Malaria and Heart diseases.

The commissioner explained that the essence of all the engagement was to drastically put an end to deaths among pregnant women during childbirth.

Earlier, the State Reproductive Health Coordinator, Dr Uju Okoye said, ’’this is the first time such meeting is being held in the state.

’’This review meeting will help the state government to know where to come in, where the problems are coming from and know how to collectively tackle it.”

Dr Okoye commended the commissioner for initiating the first, ever maternal mortality review meeting in the state.

According to her, the state recorded 20 deaths from January to June mostly from hard-to-reach areas.

The Lagos State Ministry of Health has announced its readiness to provide free hepatitis screening for residents in the state. The government also noted that it is committed to supporting hepatitis vaccination and treatment in Lagos.

According to the ministry, “This is in a bid for the government to ensure universal health coverage, built on a sustainable primary health care system for Lagosians.”

After the walk, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye noted that the dedication of the state government to healthcare services is in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S. goal of the current administration.

He noted that the government is committed to improving the prevention, control, and management of hepatitis in Lagos.

Ogboye further explained that the theme of the 2022 World Hepatitis Day, “Bringing Hepatitis care closer to you,” implies that hepatitis is a life-threatening disease that waits for no one, adding that it is a reminder of the urgency to end Hepatitis by bringing hepatitis care closer to citizens through awareness, prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Hepatitis is an infection of the liver which causes inflammation and damage.

According to him, screening, vaccination, and treatment for Hepatitis B and C are currently ongoing in the various outpatient departments of the State healthcare facilities such as the medical outpatients, ante-natal, surgical outpatient, and paediatrics units among others.

“In addition, screening is done for blood and blood products that are utilised for blood transfusion and these are coordinated and regulated by the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Services to ensure blood safety,” he said.

While receiving his second jab of the hepatitis vaccine immediately after the awareness walk, Ogboye implored Lagosians to make themselves available for hepatitis screening, treatment, and vaccination to help early detection, prevention, and management of the disease.

“Hepatitis vaccine is available in our general hospitals and you need to take three doses. The other thing is to also notice quickly when you have hepatitis. Yellow eyes and persistent fatigue are some of the signs and symptoms of hepatitis. So let’s take advantage of the screening and vaccines that are available in our health facilities.”