The World Health Organisation (WHO) said that, donating just one unit of blood can save the lives of up to three patients.
Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said this in a message to commemorate the 2022 World Blood Donor Day, celebrated every June 14.
This year’s theme: Donating blood is an act of solidarity. Join the effort and save lives.
“The day highlights the critical role of voluntary blood donations in saving lives and enhancing community solidarity and social cohesion.

“Donating just one unit of blood can save the lives of up to three patients.”
According to her, the global community marks the day to focus on the gift of life from voluntary unpaid blood donors around the world.
Moeti said that, the organization in the African Region, joined the call for more people to become regular blood donors.
She said compared to other regions globally, the African Region saw a disproportionate number of conditions requiring donor blood, impacting as many as seven million patients every year.

“Examples include haemorrhage associated with pregnancy and childbirth, severe anaemia due to malaria and malnutrition, bone marrow and inherited blood disorders, trauma and accidents, as well as man made and natural disasters.
“While the need for donor blood is universal, access for everyone who needs it is not.’’
Moeti said in the African Region, demand regularly outstripped supply negatively, impacting timely access for all patients who needed safe and quality assured blood to save their lives.

She said that blood transfusion services in many countries reached out to blood donors through public awareness campaigns, transporting donors from and to their homes, using digital platforms and establishing call centres.
She said others were advocacy for integrating blood safety in the plans and strengthening the legal and regulatory framework for blood safety.

The Food and Drug Administration in the United States of America has approved a drug called baricitinib, as the first oral tablet for treating severe alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder affecting more than 300,000 people in the United States every year.

Alopecia causes either temporary or permanent patchy hair loss that can affect any hair bearing site of the body, leading to emotional distress. The condition has come to the fore recently through high profile cases including Hollywood actress Jada Pinkett Smith and congresswoman Ayanna Pressley.

Kendall Marcus, an FDA official said, “Access to safe and effective treatment options is crucial for the significant number of Americans affected by severe alopecia.

Baricitinib, which is made by US pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and known by the trade name Olumiant, belongs to a class of drugs called Janus kinase inhibitors. It works by interfering with the cellular pathway that leads to inflammation.

Its approval for use against alopecia was based on the results of two randomized, controlled clinical trials involving a total of 1,200 adults with severe alopecia.

Each trial split participants into three groups, a placebo group, a group that received a two-milligram dose every day and a group that received a four milligram dose every day.

After 36 weeks, almost 40 percent of those on the higher dose grew back 80 percent of their scalp hair, compared to around 23 percent of the lower dose group and five percent of the placebo group.

Around 45 percent of people in the higher dose group also saw significant eyebrow and eyelash regrowth.

The most common side effects include upper respiratory tract infections, headaches, acne, high cholesterol, and an increase of an enzyme called creatine phosphokinase.

Prior treatments for alopecia include topical or oral drugs, but these have been considered experimental and none was approved.

Gombe government has commended journalists working in the state, for educating the general public on Health-related issues, particularly family Planning, which reduced maternal mortality by 40% in the state.

The Director Community and family health at the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Maryam Abubakar gave the commendation at a Media roundtable on Family Planning supported by The Challenge Initiative, (TCI) held at Wildan Care office Gombe State.

The Director appreciated the contributions of the health reporters towards improving maternal and child health in Gombe adding most people are now aware of Family Planning practice.

In an address, the Deputy National President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, who is also the Gombe State Chairman Advocacy Working Group on Child Spacing Alhassan Yahya lauded journalists for being part of the success stories of health campaigns in Gombe.

In her remarks the Chairman Media working group, Rebecca Caleb Maina, said from the year 2020 to 2022 journalists in Gombe State, have filed more that 100, reports on child spacing in both Electronic and Print Media, which included human interests and success stories, and commended members for the job well done.

she attributed those successes to different trainings given to journalists on Family Planning and related issues.

The first lady of Kwara state and CEO Ajike People Support Centre, Ambassador Dr. Olufolake AbdulRazaq has called for more attention to be paid to the child social protection systems in our society on the occasion of world day against child labour.

She made the call in her message to mark the auspicious day which was universally set aside to intensify fight against child labour. This year’s edition was themed, “Universal Social Protection to End Child Labour.”

The first lady further said that the essence of the day is aimed at creating awareness for the movement against Child labour, saying that, “The Anti-Child Labour Day observance is intended to serve as a catalyst for the growing movement against Child Labour.”

Ambassador AbdulRazaq also lamented the impact child labour is having on children across the world, depriving them of education, health, basic freedoms and infringement on their rights.

“Boys and Girls throughout the world are engaged in work that deprives them of adequate education, health, leisure and basic freedoms, violating their rights.”

She however, calls for increased investment in social protection systems and schemes to establish solid social protection floors in protecting our children from all forms of Child Labour.