FG To Advance HIV/AIDS Response — Minister

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammed Pate, on Wednesday affirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to advancing the HIV response in Nigeria during a performance review meeting hosted by the U.S. Centre for Disease Control (CDC) in Abuja. The third Biannual Performance Review and Stakeholder Engagement meeting aimed to share experiences, successes, and lessons with funders and CDC/PEPFAR partners in Nigeria. Represented by Dr. Anyaike Chukwuma, the Director of Public Health at the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), Pate emphasized the progress made in combating HIV and acknowledged the crucial support provided by the U.S. CDC and the U.S. Government. He highlighted achievements, challenges, and plans in the fight against HIV, underscoring the importance of sustainable financing, improved governance, and enhanced healthcare outcomes. Pate explained that the government’s agenda and collaborative efforts with stakeholders aimed to ensure a resilient and sustainable healthcare system in the country. Key interventions included the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) and the National Health Insurance Act. He also mentioned restructuring the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) into the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) to strengthen the healthcare system. The U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, Mr. David Greene, praised Nigeria’s efforts toward achieving the UNAIDS 95-95-95 goals. He highlighted the operation of key population-led One Stop Shops and innovation hubs for adolescents and youth. Greene expressed pride in partnering with Nigeria and the potential of an integrated health service delivery platform. Dr. Gambo Aliyu, the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), emphasized the impact of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in combating HIV/AIDS. He stressed the need for continued progress and sustainability, transitioning from an emergency response to managing HIV as an endemic global situation. Aliyu underscored the importance of collective responsibility, engagement, and discussions for achieving HIV epidemic control in Nigeria beyond 2030.

98% Children With Diphtheria Not Immunised – Minister

The Coordinating Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has said that 98 per cent of unvaccinated children were infected with diphtheria in 19 states. The Minister, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, made the disclosure at the Northern Traditional Leaders’ Committee on Primary Health Care Service Delivery (NTLC) Quarterly Review Meeting on Wednesday in Abuja. The meeting was organised by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). The NTLC meeting is a platform for the NPHCDA and its partners to engage traditional leaders on their roles and responsibilities toward improving primary healthcare delivery in their communities. The minister called for the implementation of a rapid vaccination campaign. He said that the 19 states must come together to save the lives of vulnerable children. Pate said that the ministry and other stakeholders had come together to aggressively tackle the diphtheria challenge that had persisted for months. He said that efforts were being made to ensure that the challenge would not linger. “The key focus of these collaborative efforts is to improve local governance and enhance delivery of essential services. “This involves including all relevant stakeholders in the conversation, not just the Federal Government. “Leaders at all levels, including your highnesses and representatives from the private sector, are actively working together to address the pressing diphtheria issue that affects our people,” he said. The minister said that a major milestone was the upcoming launch of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in Nigeria later in October. “This vaccine not only aims to prevent cervical cancer in the years to come, but also emphasises the importance of engaging our royal fathers and strengthening the health system to ensure efficient delivery of vaccines. “It acknowledges that different population segments require different approaches with childhood vaccination programmes catering for younger age groups, and COVID-19 vaccinations targeting adults,” he said. He said that technical experts involved in the efforts had reassured the country of the safety and effectiveness of the HPV vaccine. “Their expertise and responses to various questions have instilled confidence in recommending its utilisation to protect our girls and prevent future health complications,” he said. He said that the collaborative approach taken by state governments and other stakeholders set an example not only within the sub-region but also for all in the wider space. “The unity and evidence-based decision-making exhibited by all members involved in this venture highlight the commitment to address health challenges and protect the well-being of all Nigerians. “This united front signifies a significant step forward in addressing the ongoing health challenge and paves the way for a more coordinated and effective response. “With the combined efforts of state governments, other stakeholders and technical experts, there is optimism that this collaborative approach will yield positive outcomes and bring about much-needed solutions to improve public health,” he said. He expressed gratitude to traditional leaders across the country for longstanding support of public health initiatives. Pate praised their unwavering commitment to the well-being of the people and credited them with the successful fight against wild poliovirus in Nigeria. He said that Nigeria’s remarkable progress in polio eradication had far-reaching implications. “The fact that we don’t have children paralysed by wild poliovirus now is thanks to your leadership and the commitment of more than 100,000 traditional leaders,” he said. The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, appealed to Nigerians to live in peace for the unity of the country.

NCDC Registers 1,968 Lassa Fever Cases In 28 States

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), has registered 1,068 Lassa fever infections across 112 local government areas in 28 states of the federation. The NCDC said this via its official website on Tuesday in its Lassa Fever Situation Report for Week 37 (September 11 -17, 2023). The centre indicated that 75 per cent of the cases were detected in Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi States. Lassa Fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus. It is primarily found in West Africa, particularly in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Nigeria. The virus is transmitted to humans through contact with the urine or faeces of infected rodents, specifically the multimammate rat.  According to the NCDC, there are currently 7,352 individuals with suspected cases and the infection has resulted in the unfortunate loss of at least 181 lives in the country. The centre said that the case-fatality ratio of the infection stood at 16.9 per cent. “Cumulatively from week 1 to week 37, 2023, 181 deaths have been reported with a case fatality rate of 16.9 per cent which is lower than the CFR for the same period in 2022 (19.1 per cent). “In total for 2023, 28 States have recorded at least one confirmed case across 112 local government areas. “Seventy-five per cent of all confirmed Lassa fever cases were reported from these three states (Ondo, Edo, and Bauchi) while 25 per cent were reported from 25 states with confirmed Lassa fever cases. “Of the 75 per cent confirmed cases, Ondo reported 35 per cent, Edo 29 per cent, and Bauchi 11 per cent. “The predominant age group affected is 21-30 years (Range: 1 to 93 years, Median Age: 32 years). “The male-to-female ratio for confirmed cases is 1:0.9. The number of suspected cases increased compared to that reported for the same period in 2022,” it said. It is regretted that in 2023 Lassa fever infected 49 healthcare workers across the country. The agency said that the National Lassa Fever Multi-partner, Multi-sectoral Emergency Operations Centre had been activated to coordinate the response activities at all levels. It added that prevention of Lassa fever involves avoiding contact with rodents and their droppings, practising good personal hygiene and taking precautions when caring for infected individuals. The NCDC said that early diagnosis and prompt medical care are crucial in managing the disease and preventing complications.

WHO Releases $16m To Tackle Cholera, Says Director-General

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released 16 million dollars from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies to tackle cholera. Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General said this during an online news conference. Ghebreyesus said that the organisation was providing essential supplies, coordinating the on the ground response with partners, supporting countries to detect, prevent and treat cholera, and informing people how to protect themselves. “To support this work, we have appealed for 160 million dollars, and we have released more than 16 million dollars from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies. “But the real solution to cholera lies in ensuring everyone has access to safe water and sanitation, which is an internationally recognized human right,” he said. According to him, in the previous week, WHO published new data showing that cases reported in 2022 were more than double those in 2021. He said that the preliminary data for 2023 suggested was likely to be even worse. “So far, 28 countries have reported cases in 2023 compared with 16 during the same period in 2022. “The countries with the most concerning outbreaks right now are Ethiopia, Haiti, Iraq and Sudan. “Significant progress has been made in countries in Southern Africa, including Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, but these countries remain at risk as the rainy season approaches,” Ghebreyesus said. According to him, the worst affected countries and communities are poor, without access to safe drinking water or toilets. He said that they also face shortages of oral cholera vaccine and other supplies, as well as overstretched health workers, who are dealing with multiple disease outbreaks and other health emergencies. On COVID-19, Ghebreyesus said that as the northern hemisphere winter approaches, the organisation continued to see concerning trends. He said that among the relatively few countries that report them, both hospitalisations and ICU admissions have increased in the past 28 days, particularly in the Americas and Europe. WHO boss said that meanwhile, vaccination levels among the most at-risk groups remained worryingly low. “Two-thirds of the world’s population has received a complete primary series, but only one-third has received an additional, or “booster” dose. “COVID-19 may no longer be the acute crisis it was two years ago, but that does not mean we can ignore it,” he said. According to him, countries invested so much in building their systems to respond to COVID-19. He urged countries to sustain those systems, to ensure people can be protected, tested and treated for COVID-19 and other infectious threats. “That means sustaining systems for collaborative surveillance, community protection, safe and scalable care, access to countermeasures and coordination,” he said.