NIGERIA TO HOSTS LASSA FEVER INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE TO MARK FIFTY YEARS AFTER ISOLATION OF THE VIRUS

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and its partners will host the first Lassa Fever International Conference between 16th and 17th of January 2019 in Abuja.
This was contain in a press statement signed by the CEO Nigeria Centre for Disease Control Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu and made available to Journalists, said this is to mark fifty years since the Lassa fever virus was first isolated, in a town in Nigeria.
The opportunity created by the ‘anniversary’ of the discovery of the virus, is being used to bring researchers and practitioners from across the world together, to share and appraise global efforts towards the control of the Lassa fever virus disease.
He said that plenary speakers at the conference include the Executive Governor of Nassarawa State Umaru Tanko Almakura, Chair National Lassa fever Steering Committee Nigeria Professor Oyewale Tomori, Chief Medical Director Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital Nigeria, prof Sylvanus Okogbenin, Technical Team Lead National Lassa Fever Working Group, Mrs. Elsie Ilori Team lead – VHF World Health Organization (WHO) Dr. Pierre Formenty, Head of Virology Bernard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine Germany.
Others are - Prof. Stephan Gunther, Head of Virology Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research University of Ghana Accra - Prof. William Kwabena Ampofo, Director UK Public Health Rapid Support Team - Prof. Daniel Bausch, Team Leader for Implementation Research Initiative for Vaccine Research WHO - Dr. Ana Maria Henao Restrepo, Director Africa Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases Redeemers University - Prof. Christian Happi, and Chief Executive Officer of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) - Richard J. Hatchett, MD.
The first Lassa Fever International Conference is also an opportunity to increase global health focus on the disease, which is found mostly in West Africa. Sierra Leone, Benin Republic, Liberia, Nigeria and Guinea continue to record cases and deaths from Lassa fever annually. As awareness and disease surveillance systems improve across these countries, mores cases are being detected. This has created an increased sense of urgency for the global health community to do more through better prevention, disease detection, and control and case management efforts.
In 2018, the World Health Organization launched its Research and Development blueprint, highlighting the potential of Lassa Fever and a selected list of diseases to lead to public health emergencies. This plan highlights the absence of efficacious drugs and/or vaccines, and further highlights the urgent need for accelerated research and development.
At the Lassa Fever International Conference, a global audience will learn about efforts towards new strategies to prevent transmission of the virus from rodents to human, new approaches to mitigating hospital transmission of the disease as well as new insights into the social context of Lassa transmission. Current efforts on new Lassa fever vaccines, therapeutics and clinical treatment approaches will also be key highlights at the conference.
To prepare for the conference, NCDC called for scientific efforts into prevention, detection and control efforts to be showcased at the conference. This yielded over 500 abstracts from which 160 top quality papers were selected. In addition, travel scholarships were granted to 80 researchers from across Nigeria and West Africa.
The Lassa Fever International Conference brings stakeholders together for a meeting full of learning and exchange of ideas. With this, NCDC will work with partners to develop a strong reform agenda for Lassa fever control in Nigeria and globally.

DISSEMINATION MEETING OF 2018 GOMBE STATE MNH,MPDSR NAD LIFE SAVING DRUG SCORECARDS JAN-JUNE 2018 AT LELAH SUITE GOMBE

HEALTH, GENDER, CHILDREN

WHO study shows drug could save thousands of women’s lives

Press Releasefrom WHO

A new formulation of a drug to prevent
excessive bleeding following childbirth could save thousands of women’s lives in low- and lower-middle-income countries, according to a study led by the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with MSD for Mothers and Ferring Pharmaceuticals.
Currently WHO recommends oxytocin as the first-choice drug for preventing excessive bleeding after childbirth. Oxytocin, however, must be stored and transported at 2–8 degrees Celsius, which is hard to do, in many countries, depriving many women of access to this lifesaving drug. When they can obtain it, the drug may be less effective because of heat exposure.

The study, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, has shown an alternative drug – heat-stable carbetocin – to be as safe and effective as oxytocin in preventing postpartum haemorrhage. This new formulation of carbetocin does not require refrigeration and retains its efficacy for at least 3 years stored at 30 degrees celsius and 75% relative humidity.
View study
“This is a truly encouraging new development that can revolutionize our ability to keep mothers and babies alive,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO.

Approximately 70 000 women die every year because of post-partum haemorrhage – increasing the risk that their babies also die within one month.

The clinical trial, the largest of its kind, studied close to 30 000 women who gave birth vaginally in 10 countries: Argentina, Egypt, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, Uganda and the United Kingdom.

Each woman was randomly given a single injection of either heat-stable carbetocin or oxytocin immediately following the birth of her baby. The study found that both drugs were equally effective at preventing excessive bleeding after birth.

Since both drugs in the study were kept in at the temperatures required to ensure maximum efficacy of oxytocin, the trial may underestimate the benefit expected with heat-stable carbetocin use in real-life settings where oxytocin may have degraded due to exposure to higher temperatures.

“The development of a drug to prevent postpartum haemorrhage that continues to remain effective in hot and humid conditions is very good news for the millions of women who give birth in parts of the world without access to reliable refrigeration,” says Dr Metin Gülmezoglu, from the Department of Reproductive Health and Research at WHO.

The next step is regulatory review and approval by countries.

WHO will ask its Guideline Development Group to consider whether heat-stable carbetocin should be a recommended drug for the prevention of postpartum haemorrhage.

About the study

This WHO study, also referred to as the CHAMPION (Carbetocin HAeMorrhage PreventION) trial, was funded by MSD for Mothers. Heat-stable carbetocin was provided by Ferring Pharmaceuticals, the product innovator and oxytocin was provided by Novartis for the study. The study was conducted under a collaborative arrangement between WHO, MSD for Mothers and Ferring Pharmaceuticals. Following the positive results from the trial, the parties will now work to advance affordable access to this lifesaving drug in countries that have a high burden of maternal deaths.

Group Tasks Nigerian Media To Avoid Sensationalism

Gombe State Lead Women Peace Mentors, has urged the Media to ensure that they fully comply with the Journalism Code of Conduct and ethics in their reportage .

An official of the NGO, Naomi Maiguwa made the call during a sensitization meeting with key opinion leaders in the state on Gender Equal Opportunities Bill for Persons and Women inclusion in Dicision Making.

The project is supported by UN-Women in implementing EU-funded program in partnership with UNICEF, Gombe State Ministry of Women Affairs and Search for Common Ground in Gombe on Friday.

She said that the regulatory agencies of the Nigerian media should ensure effective application of standards against hate speech and cases against victims in court such as rape, domestic or political violence.

Such cases, Maiguwa added, should be tracked and reported until the cases are disposed, sensitize the populace well against the culture of silence where crimes such as rape and other forms of violence are perpetrated against women and girls.

Maiguwa also called on traditional and religious Leaders not to allow Political candidates to use places of worship to campaign which is a violation of the electoral Act

“Always warn faith communities against using violence or indulging in hate speech especially against opponents and Traditional rulers should use traditional methods of settling disputes.

“Appoint women into traditional councils to support with reporting early warning signs and helping with mitigation measures and sensitize populace against culture of silence where crimes are perpetrated

Also speaking, the state Coordinator of Search for Common Ground, Chorbe Joshua Gonlur said that all stakeholders need to work in partnerships with relevant bodies towards having an enabling environment for everyone including women in peace building and conflict resolution.

“Women as both actors and captives should be integrated in the state peace architecture and all stakeholders should work together to discuss conflict issues, develop action plan to address issues, conduct periodic meeting to assess progress and document good practices especially stories of women involvement in peace building.

29 rape cases recorded from January to April in Gombe

Gombe State Police Command has said that it has recorded 29 rape cases, 5 cases of homosexuality, 4 cases of incest as well as 4 cases of act of gross indecency from January to April 2018.

Inspector Labon Gwamna, Second in Command, Gender Unit of the State Police Command, disclosed this in Gombe on Wednesday.

Gwamna was speaking at the Community Dialogue for Development of Gender Sensitive Early Warning Indicators and Review of Peace Architectures organized by the Media Network in collaboration with Search for Common Ground in supported by the UN-Women, UNICEF on implementing European Union funded programme in partnership with the Nigeria government on promoting women engagement in peace and security building in northern states.

The police authorities expressed displeasure over the act of the judiciary where the perpetrators of such acts will be seen moving freely after been taken to court.

Also speaking, Director Planning at Gombe State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Suleiman Doho complained that most drugs addicts are youth and the under aged children.

Doho also spoke on the issue of almajiri children where their handlers hardly report any one of the almajiri that got missing to the appropriate authorities particularly the police.

The UN-Women Media Coordinator, Malam Alhassan Yahya commended the media for their continued reportage on the issues bedeviling the citizenry and urged them not to relent in sensitizing and enlightening the public.

Women Inclusion Campaign On Peace Process Commences In Gombe Northeast … So!icits Involment of Women By Traditional Council

A Non-Governmental Organization, Search for Common Ground has commenced dissemination of Gombe State Plan on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UNSCR) across the three senatorial districts of the state to enable the inclusion of women in peace process.

The State Coordinator of the organization, Chorbe Joshua Gonlur announced the commencement during a visit to the Senior District Head of Mallam Sidi in Kwami local government Area, Gombe north senatorial district.

He said that the programme was supported by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) in collaboration with Gombe state government.

Gonlur said that UN- Women is implementing European Union funded programme in partnership with the Nigeria government on promoting women engagement in peace and security building in northern States.

He said the story in Gombe was complete when the State Action Plan was produced and launched in December and is now being disseminated to the 11 local government areas, so that it will be domesticated, with more involvement of women in decision making for peace and security at all levels.

“The Action plan was produced based on the common knowledge that no community can survive in the midst of conflict, which often affect all, but with greater percentage of the burden on laid on women and girls, in terms of displacement and death of loved ones.

“It causes physical insecurity to the women and girls because they become vulnerable to higher tendencies of not only victims but agents and active participants of armed conflict”, Gonlur added.

“We are taking to the grassroots the State Action Plan on the UN Security Council Resolution for women inclusion in peace and security in Nigeria and will cover the three Senatorial Districts in the State, so that the information contained in the state action plan will be disseminated to reach all people at the grassroots for the involvement of women to prevent, resolve and promote existing peace and security in the state.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Gombe State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Ishaku Mohammed, said the dissemination in the three senatorial districts in the state had become imperative to enable the inclusion of women in the peace process.

“This stakeholders meeting is organized to enable us strategize and disseminate the state action plan on UNSCR 1325 in Gombe State, to ensure its wide spread in all the LGAs, in line with the programme objective, we hope that this will improve women and girls’ participation in peace building and gender dissemination in the peace and security agenda in Gombe State and to plan ahead for the development of Local Action Plan that will best suit our local governments,” Mohammed said.

While speaking during her presentation, One of the UN Women Lead Mentors in the State, Mrs. Naomi Maiguwa said women take the brunt in conflict situations.

“Women have endured sexual violence, assault, with resultant infections, HIV, sexually transmitted infections. Women suffer human rights abuses. Right to good life they do not have it. Because redress is not available, sometimes the government agents who perpetrate the abuses cannot be subjected to the rule of law.

She said that , despite the effect on conflict on the woman and girl, they most often not involved in decision making on preventing, resolving or sustaining peace and security and according to the United Nations Development Fund for Women, UNIFEM, despite the woes women face in conflict and post conflict situations, they account for only 10% of members in formal peace negotiations and less than 2% are signatories to peace agreements.

“Hence the UN Resolution 1325, which led various member countries to produce the National Plan that best meet the needs of women of the countries.

The National action plan helped states to equally draw up theirs, which also meet specific needs of the states.

Maiguwa, took participants through the process and its provisions in Gombe State, saying it was the key to the attainment of peace in the state.

“The Gombe State Action Plan shall provide good roadmap for the implementation of UNSCR 1325 with practical operational tools for supporting those affected by conflict. It aligns with government policy on peace, security and good governance. Human capital development and social inclusion backed by all the commitments to tackle all forms of exclusion, therefore ensuring sustainable development. And so we have this institutional arrangement and the state peace architecture, which means the institutions that are in charge peaceful co-existence, Mrs. Maiguwa said.

Also speaking the UN Women Technical Advisor in Gombe State,Rhoda Dia, who spoke with stakeholders at all levels, because of its importance, said the organization does not want to keep the action plan in Gombe, but take it to every part of the state for the needed action for peace and security .

“We want you to have access to it, so that all of you will be conversant with the provisions of State Action Plan, so that you can be part of the implementation. So all of you are brought here today so that we can give you copies when you go back to your respective LGAs, you share it with relevant stakeholders,” Dia said.

The UN Women, she said, believes that the Gombe State Action Plan for the inclusion of women in decision making and therefore called on traditional rulers in Gombe State to involve women in decision making and part of the council, so that they would be part of conflict prevention and resolution.

WHO Urges Health Workers To Encourage Mothers To Breastfeed

World Health Organisation (WHO), has urged health workers to encourage expectant mothers to feed their babies accurately and educate them on the importance of breastfeeding after birth.

According to WHO’s twitter handle @WHO, the organisation also urged health workers to encourage skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby.

The organisation also said that the health workers should educate mothers on how to start breastfeeding their babies immediately after birth, adding that such education would improve the growth of the children.

It said breastfeeding gave children the best possible start in life, had cognitive and health benefits for babies and mothers.

It urged hospitals not to promote infant formula, bottles or teats but should train staff to support mothers on effective breastfeeding.

It also advised hospitals to assess staff knowledge and skills in order to improve breastfeeding rates around the world.

WHO said that breastfeeding babies for the first two years would save the lives of more than 820, 000 children under five years annually.

The organisation and UNICEF had earlier issued a “Ten Step Guide to Successful Breastfeeding” encouraging new mothers to breastfeed and informing health workers how best to support breastfeeding.

The guide also describes practical steps countries should take to protect, promote and support breastfeeding in facilities providing maternity and new born services.

The guide which was issued in a joint statement by the two organisations on April 11, stressed that breastfeeding within the first hour of birth protects new born babies from infections and saves lives.

The organisations said infants were at greater risk of death due to diarrhea and other infections when they were only partially breastfed or not breastfed at all.

According to UNICEF and WHO, breastfeeding improves IQ, school readiness and attendance, reduces risk of breast cancer in mothers and is associated with higher income in adult life.

The organisations said the guide was issued to support all countries in their effort to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030 to ensure standard care for mothers and babies

NCDC AND STATE SURVEILLANCE TEAMS MEET IN KANO TO EVALUATE RESPONSE TO DISEASE OUTBREAKS IN NIGERIA

Nigeria has faced many outbreaks in the last year. Each of these outbreaks provides an opportunity to learn from each other.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), in collaboration with partners including the World Health Organisation, United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF), Pro-Health International, Public Health England, University of Maryland Baltimore and African Field Epidemiology Network (AFENET), is holding its 3rd Annual Disease Surveillance Review Meeting (ADSRM) with the theme: ‘Transforming Public Health Surveillance and Response…Priorities and Innovations’.

This was contain in a press statement signed by Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu National Coordinator/CEO Nigeria Centre for Disease Control made available to the Blog, said that the forum which brings together State Epidemiologists, Disease Notification Officers, public health laboratory scientists and other stakeholders involved in disease control activities in Nigeria is holding in Kano State from the 4th- 6th of April 2018.

The statement said that theme of this year’s meeting focuses on innovations and priorities for disease prevention, detection and control activities in Nigeria. The recent Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of public health capacities for Nigeria, in line with the International Health Regulation (IHR 2005), identified the strengthening of real time surveillance, diagnostic capacity and emergency operations as priorities for the country. This meeting brings together all the relevant actors to focus on this.

“This forum also provides an opportunity to review the contributions of various technical components within the public health system including disease surveillance, laboratory, specialised risk areas, public health research. A major focus at this meeting is in strengthening inter-sectoral collaboration especially within the One Health framework.

“The event will feature plenary sessions, panel discussions, State Ministry of Health reports, capacity building sessions on surveillance software currently deployed by NCDC, partners’ updates and a review of the NCDC Strategic Plan for 2017-2022.

At the end of the three-day meeting, the goal is to develop a revised strategic framework to guide a strengthened approach to disease preparedness and response in Nigeria.

Individualized, supportive care key to positive childbirth experience, says WHO

News release

GENEVA - WHO has issued new recommendations to establish global care standards for healthy pregnant women and reduce unnecessary medical interventions.

Worldwide, an estimated 140 million births take place every year. Most of these occur without complications for women and their babies. Yet, over the past 20 years, practitioners have increased the use of interventions that were previously only used to avoid risks or treat complications, such as oxytocin infusion to speed up labour or caesarean sections.

“We want women to give birth in a safe environment with skilled birth attendants in well-equipped facilities. However, the increasing medicalization of normal childbirth processes are undermining a woman’s own capability to give birth and negatively impacting her birth experience,” says Dr Princess Nothemba Simelela, WHO Assistant Director-General for Family, Women, Children and Adolescents.

“If labour is progressing normally, and the woman and her baby are in good condition, they do not need to receive additional interventions to accelerate labour,” she says.

Childbirth is a normal physiological process that can be accomplished without complications for the majority of women and babies. However, studies show a substantial proportion of healthy pregnant women undergo at least one clinical intervention during labour and birth. They are also often subjected to needless and potentially harmful routine interventions.

The new WHO guideline includes 56 evidence-based recommendations on what care is needed throughout labour and immediately after for the woman and her baby. These include having a companion of choice during labour and childbirth; ensuring respectful care and good communication between women and health providers; maintaining privacy and confidentiality; and allowing women to make decisions about their pain management, labour and birth positions and natural urge to push, among others.

Every labour is unique and progresses at different rates
The new WHO guideline recognizes that every labour and childbirth is unique and that the duration of the active first stage of labour varies from one woman to another. In a first labour, it usually does not extend beyond 12 hours. In subsequent labours it usually does not extend beyond 10 hours.

To reduce unnecessary medical interventions, the WHO guideline states that the previous benchmark for cervical dilation rate at 1 cm/hr during the active first stage of labour (as assessed by a partograph or chart used to document the course of a normal labour) may be unrealistic for some women and is inaccurate in identifying women at risk of adverse birth outcomes. The guideline emphasizes that a slower cervical dilation rate alone should not be a routine indication for intervention to accelerate labour or expedite birth.

“Many women want a natural birth and prefer to rely on their bodies to give birth to their baby without the aid of medical intervention,” says Ian Askew, WHO Director, Department of Reproductive Health and Research. “Even when a medical intervention is wanted or needed, the inclusion of women in making decisions about the care they receive is important to ensure that they meet their goal of a positive childbirth experience.”

High quality care for all women
Unnecessary labour interventions are widespread in low-, middle- and high-income settings, often putting a strain on already scarce resources in some countries, and further widening of the equity gap.

As more women give birth in health facilities with skilled health professionals and timely referrals, they deserve better quality of care. About 830 women die from pregnancy- or childbirth-related complications around the world every day – the majority could be prevented with high-quality care in pregnancy and during childbirth.

Disrespectful and non-dignified care is prevalent in many health facilities, violating human rights and preventing women from accessing care services during childbirth. In many parts of the world, the health provider controls the birthing process, which further exposes healthy pregnant women to unnecessary medical interventions that interfere with the natural childbirth process.

Achieving the best possible physical, emotional, and psychological outcomes for the woman and her baby requires a model of care in which health systems empower all women to access care that focuses on the mother and child.

Health professionals should advise healthy pregnant women that the duration of labour varies greatly from one woman to another. While most women want a natural labour and birth, they also acknowledge that birth can be an unpredictable and risky event and that close monitoring and sometimes medical interventions may be necessary. Even when interventions are needed or wanted, women usually wish to retain a sense of personal achievement and control by being involved in decision making, and by rooming in with their baby after childbirth.

UNICEF Tasks Gov Dankwambo On Release Of N248M Counterpart Fund To Fight Malnutrition In Gombe

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has appealed to Gombe state government to release the 248 million Naira support fund to expand the implementation of Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM).

Drissa Yeo, officer in charge of UNICEF Bauchi field office, who made the appeal at the 2018 State Engagement Plan Development meeting in Gombe on Monday, called on the state extend the coverage to at least 3 additional local government areas.

He also called on the Governor to direct for the release of N10 million for 2017/2018 annual school census and maintenance of education management information system servers as well as facilities in the Ministry of Education and the state Universal Basic Education Board for the female teachers Trainees Scholarship Scheme.

Yeo said that Gombe state Government buy-in to the Female Teacher Trainees’ Scholarship Scheme project by endorsing an MOU to sponsor more girls and enunciate a policy on recruitment and deployment of more female teachers and FTTSS graduates to teach in rural schools across the state.

“All the work plan for UNICEF supported programmers be considered, appropriation made for them and what has been appropriated released for implementation , including release of government counterpart cash contribution for the year 2018 for the sectors of Health, Nutrition and education

“This is our first joint meeting in Gombe state since the federal government and UNICEF started a new 5 years programme which will be implemented from 2018-2022. it is also the first time UNICEF is bringing all neighbouring states to Gombe state to plan together this is the result of the good collaboration we have enjoyed and continue to enjoy with the Gombe state government

In his remark, the Gombe state Secretary to the state Government, Mr. James Pisagih who was represented by the Permanent Secretary General Duties, Usman Mohammed Shamaki, commended UNICEF Bauchi field office for the effort towards improving the lives of the women and children in the state and the nation as whole.

“With the intervention of the UNICEF Bauchi field Office Gombe State Coordinating Office, GOMSACA and the implementing partners, cases of HIV has reduced tremendously in the state from 8.2 percent to 4.0%, regrettably UNICEF has withdrawn its support to HIV intervention in the state. I therefore call on the organisation to reconsider its stand in order to facilitate total eradication of the scourge in Gombe state”, Pisagih added.

Gombe Gender Bill Not For Men And Women To Rub Shoulders say Women Affairs ministry

Gombe State Ministry for Women Affairs and Social Welfare has said that the proposed Gender and Equal Opportunities for All Persons Law is not for men and women to rub shoulders, but to create a space for women to have equal chances with their male counterpart in terms of access to services, opportunities and societal resources for sustainable development.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ishiaku Mohammed stated this at a two day review meeting of the state gender committee organised by the UN Women in collaboration with the Ministry in Gombe on Tuesday

“My esteem members, this review meeting is aimed at looking over and to brush up the Content of the Gender and equal Opportunities for All Person Bill, as well as to strategise ways to facilitate its passage in Gombe state

“I appreciate the strong effort made by the committee members who have been concurrently engaged in reviewing this bill today the bill has made reasonable progress in the right direction

“After series of sensitization and engagement with line stakeholders, am happy to inform the committee members that the bill is now with all members of the executive council to make their rightful inputs for onward reading by the exco and be presented to the state house of Assembly”, the Permanent Secretary said.

The Technical Advisor of the UN Women in Gombe State, Rhoda Zira-Dia, encouraged members of the various committees to work hard to ensure that the bill is passed before the end of the UN Women Project in Gombe, by June, this year.

Zira-Dia further said that the passage of the bill can encourage UN women to include Gombe if there would be phase 2 of the project.

“It is expected that at end of the review meeting, committee members will get the final draft of the bill, the Work plan and next steps to fast track passage of the bill.

Debate On Restructuring: Don’t Side Line Us, Gombe Women Tell Legislature

Women group in Gombe State northeast of the country on Tuesday stormed the State House of Assembly over their non involvement in the Current re-structuring debate in the country

The women group came from five local government areas under a Non-Governmental Organisation, Hope Foundation for the Lonely with the support of Action Aid Nigeria.

The women group who marched from the Emir’s Palace to the state Assembly, said that the debate on re-structuring the country has become more glaring but it automatically excluded the voice of women especially, those in the rural areas.

Speaking on behalf of the women Mrs. Runt James, said the women gathered from five LGAs across the State had organized group discussions and agreed that the Nigeria should remain united.

The women also sought the support of the lawmakers to stop marginalization of women, promote unity in diversity to allow peace and development, encourage dialogue and reconciliation with agitators, enshrine 35% affirmative action in the Constitution, enforce the implementation of the affirmative action especially in the northern part of the country.

They also appealed to northern leaders to support women in politics, provide educational opportunities for women, poverty eradication programmes for women and allow women to hold key political positions to enhance transparency and accountability in governance

In an interview with Journalists shortly after the rally, the Executive Director of Hope Foundation for the Lonely, Sara Yakuwa solicited men’s cooperation to allow women participate actively in national issues.

She said that Women are the most vulnerable group who are always at the receiving end of insecurity in the country.

According to her , they do not fully understand the much talked about re-structuring, meaning, benefits and the implications to the citizens of Nigeria.

“In view of this, Hope for the Lonely and Action Aid Nigeria had a discussion forum with women at the grass root level to know their views about dividing the country, so that women can understand the whole concept and give their own contributions to the debate.

“Women representatives from 5 LGAs (Billiri, Funakaye, Yamaltu Deba, Gombe and Shongom and also a representation of Female Persons Living with Disability) were involved in the discussion at the state capital and they came up with positive solutions and actions towards contributing to the unity and peaceful co-existance for the Nigerians. “

Also speaking the Chairman House Committee on Women Affairs , Gadado Lawnti, assured them that the House would support all their activities.

Global response to malaria at crossroads WHO report shows gains are levelling

29 NOVEMBER 2017 | GENEVA - After unprecedented global success in malaria control, progress has stalled, according to the World malaria report 2017. There were an estimated 5 million more malaria cases in 2016 than in 2015. Malaria deaths stood at around 445 000, a similar number to the previous year.

“In recent years, we have made major gains in the fight against malaria,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. “We are now at a turning point. Without urgent action, we risk going backwards, and missing the global malaria targets for 2020 and beyond.”

The WHO Global Technical Strategy for Malaria calls for reductions of at least 40% in malaria case incidence and mortality rates by the year 2020. According to WHO’s latest malaria report, the world is not on track to reach these critical milestones.

A major problem is insufficient funding at both domestic and international levels, resulting in major gaps in coverage of insecticide-treated nets, medicines, and other life-saving tools.

Funding shortage

An estimated US$ 2.7 billion was invested in malaria control and elimination efforts globally in 2016. That is well below the US $6.5 billion annual investment required by 2020 to meet the 2030 targets of the WHO global malaria strategy.

In 2016, governments of endemic countries provided US$ 800 million, representing 31% of total funding. The United States of America was the largest international funder of malaria control programmes in 2016, providing US$1 billion (38% of all malaria funding), followed by other major donors, including the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, France, Germany and Japan.

The global figures

The report shows that, in 2016, there were an estimated 216 million cases of malaria in 91 countries, up from 211 million cases in 2015. The estimated global tally of malaria deaths reached 445 000 in 2016 compared to 446 000 the previous year.

While the rate of new cases of malaria had fallen overall, since 2014 the trend has levelled off and even reversed in some regions. Malaria mortality rates followed a similar pattern.

The African Region continues to bear an estimated 90% of all malaria cases and deaths worldwide. Fifteen countries – all but one in sub-Saharan Africa – carry 80% of the global malaria burden.

“Clearly, if we are to get the global malaria response back on track, supporting the most heavily affected countries in the African Region must be the primary focus,” said Dr Tedros.

Controlling malaria

In most malaria-affected countries, sleeping under an insecticide-treated bednet (ITN) is the most common and most effective way to prevent infection. In 2016, an estimated 54% of people at risk of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa slept under an ITN compared to 30% in 2010. However, the rate of increase in ITN coverage has slowed since 2014, the report finds.

Spraying the inside walls of homes with insecticides is another effective way to prevent malaria. The report reveals a steep drop in the number of people protected from malaria by this method – from an estimated 180 million in 2010 to 100 million in 2016 – with the largest reductions seen in the African Region.

The African Region has seen a major increase in diagnostic testing in the public health sector: from 36% of suspected cases in 2010 to 87% in 2016. A majority of patients (70%) who sought treatment for malaria in the public health sector received artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) – the most effective antimalarial medicines.

However, in many areas, access to the public health system remains low. National-level surveys in the African Region show that only about one third (34%) of children with a fever are taken to a medical provider in the public health sector.

Tackling malaria in complex settings

The report also outlines additional challenges in the global malaria response, including the risks posed by conflict and crises in malaria endemic zones. WHO is currently supporting malaria responses in Nigeria, South Sudan, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) and Yemen, where ongoing humanitarian crises pose serious health risks. In Nigeria’s Borno State, for example, WHO supported the launch of a mass antimalarial drug administration campaign this year that reached an estimated 1.2 million children aged under 5 years in targeted areas. Early results point to a reduction in malaria cases and deaths in this state.

A wake-up call

“We are at a crossroads in the response to malaria,” said Dr Pedro Alonso, Director of the Global Malaria Programme, commenting on the findings of this year’s report. “We hope this report serves as a wake-up call for the global health community. Meeting the global malaria targets will only be possible through greater investment and expanded coverage of core tools that prevent, diagnose and treat malaria. Robust financing for the research and development of new tools is equally critical.”

1 in 10 medical products in developing countries is substandard or falsified WHO urges governments to take action

28 NOVEMBER 2017 | GENEVA - An estimated 1 in 10 medical products circulating in low- and middle-income countries is either substandard or falsified, according to new research from WHO.

This means that people are taking medicines that fail to treat or prevent disease. Not only is this a waste of money for individuals and health systems that purchase these products, but substandard or falsified medical products can cause serious illness or even death.

“Substandard and falsified medicines particularly affect the most vulnerable communities,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Imagine a mother who gives up food or other basic needs to pay for her child’s treatment, unaware that the medicines are substandard or falsified, and then that treatment causes her child to die. This is unacceptable. Countries have agreed on measures at the global level – it is time to translate them into tangible action.”

Since 2013, WHO has received 1500 reports of cases of substandard or falsified products. Of these, antimalarials and antibiotics are the most commonly reported. Most of the reports (42%) come from the WHO African Region, 21% from the WHO Region of the Americas, and 21% from the WHO European Region.

This is likely just a small fraction of the total problem and many cases may be going unreported. For example, only 8% of reports of substandard or falsified products to WHO came from the WHO Western Pacific Region, 6% from the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, and just 2% from the WHO South-East Asia Region.

“Many of these products, like antibiotics, are vital for people’s survival and wellbeing,” says Dr Mariângela Simão, Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines, Vaccines and Pharmaceuticals at WHO. “Substandard or falsified medicines not only have a tragic impact on individual patients and their families, but also are a threat to antimicrobial resistance, adding to the worrying trend of medicines losing their power to treat”.

Prior to 2013, there was no global reporting of this information. Since WHO established the Global Surveillance and Monitoring System for substandard and falsified products, many countries are now active in reporting suspicious medicines, vaccines and medical devices. WHO has trained 550 regulators from 141 countries to detect and respond to this issue. As more people are trained, more cases are reported to WHO.

WHO has received reports of substandard or falsified medical products ranging from cancer treatment to contraception. They are not confined to high-value medicines or well-known brand names and are split almost evenly between generic and patented products.

In conjunction with the first report from the Global Surveillance and Monitoring System published today, WHO is publishing research that estimates a 10.5% failure rate in all medical products used in low- and middle-income countries.

This study was based on more than 100 published research papers on medicine quality surveys done in 88 low- and middle-income countries involving 48 000 samples of medicines. Lack of accurate data means that these estimates are just an indication of the scale of the problem. More research is needed to more accurately estimate the threat posed by substandard and falsified medical products.

Based on 10% estimates of substandard and falsified medicines, a modelling exercise developed by the University of Edinburgh estimates that 72 000 to 169 000 children may be dying each year from pneumonia due to substandard and falsified antibiotics. A second model done by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine estimates that 116 000 (64 000 – 158 000) additional deaths from malaria could be caused every year by substandard and falsified antimalarials in sub-Saharan Africa, with a cost of US$ 38.5 million (21.4 million – 52.4 million) to patients and health providers for further care due to failure of treatment.

Substandard medical products reach patients when the tools and technical capacity to enforce quality standards in manufacturing, supply and distribution are limited. Falsified products, on the other hand, tend to circulate where inadequate regulation and governance are compounded by unethical practice by wholesalers, distributors, retailers and health care workers. A high proportion of cases reported to WHO occur in countries with constrained access to medical products.

Modern purchasing models such as online pharmacies can easily circumvent regulatory oversight. These are especially popular in high-income countries, but more research is needed to determine the proportion and impact of sales of substandard or falsified medical products.

Globalization is making it harder to regulate medical products. Many falsifiers manufacture and print packaging in different countries, shipping components to a final destination where they are assembled and distributed. Sometimes, offshore companies and bank accounts have been used to facilitate the sale of falsified medicines.

“The bottom line is that this is a global problem,” says Dr Simão. “Countries need to assess the extent of the problem at home and cooperate regionally and globally to prevent the traffic of these products and improve detection and response.”

Note to editors

WHO is publishing two reports today:

WHO launched its Global Surveillance and Monitoring System for substandard and falsified medicines, vaccines and in-vitro diagnostic tests in July 2013. This first report is based on data collected during the first 4 years of operation up to 30 June 2017.
A study on the public health and socioeconomic impact of substandard or falsified medical products conducted by WHO and the Member State Mechanism.
This study is based on 100 literature reviews and two peer-reviewed models developed by the University of Edinburgh and The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The 100 papers reviewed provide data for more than 48 000 samples of medicines from 88 countries. Because only 178 samples were taken in high-income countries, prevalence estimates of substandard or falsified medical products were limited to low- and middle-income countries.

Despite these limitations, these two reports represent the most comprehensive compilation to date of data related to substandard and falsified medical products and are a first step towards better understanding their public health and socioeconomic impact.

WHO’s Africa Nutrition Report highlights an increase in malnutrition in Africa.

Critical gaps in data also a concern.

Abidjan, 16 November, 2017 - A newly released nutrition report by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa has revealed that undernutrition is still persistent in the region and the number of stunted children has increased. The Africa Nutrition Report, launched today in Abidjan, Ivory Coast also indicates that a growing number of children under five years old are overweight. The Report describes the current status in relation to six global nutrition targets that member states have committed to achieve by 2025, and underscores findings from the recently released Global Nutrition Report.

The nutrition targets call for a 40 percent reduction in the number of children under-five who are stunted, 50 percent reduction of anaemia in women of reproductive age, 30 percent reduction in low birth weight, no increase in childhood overweight, increasing the rate of exclusive breastfeeding to at least 50 percent and reducing wasting to less than 5 percent.

The Report, the first of its kind by WHO in the African region uses data from national surveys of forty-seven countries dating as far back as 2000, as well as joint malnutrition estimates published annually by UNICEF, WHO and the World Bank. It raises the alarm on critical gaps in the nutrition data available across the countries. For 19 out of the 47 countries, the ‘current’ nutrition data reflects the situation in 2012 or earlier. In two countries, the most recent surveys pre-date 2000.

According to the WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti, “The numbers and trends highlighted in the report show that we need to work harder to avoid the long-term consequences of malnutrition and poor health on our children’s future prosperity, including the increased risk of diet-related noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.” She added that the Report underscores the need to work harder on collecting and using accurate data given that nutrition information available for most countries is more than five years old, and the use of routine data for nutrition monitoring is extremely limited.

The Report points out that while the prevalence of stunting decreased between 2000 and 2016, the absolute numbers of stunted children are in fact increasing: from 50.4 million in 2000 to 58.5 million in 2016. Stunting, or impaired growth and development happens when children experience poor nutrition, disease and lack of psychosocial stimulation. It typically occurs before a child reaches the age of two, and the long-term consequences include poor school performance, low adult wages, lost productivity and increased risk of nutrition-related chronic diseases in adults.

Lead author of the Report, Dr. Adelheid Onyango, who is WHO Africa’s Adviser for Nutrition, says while overweight rates in children might still be low, the proportion and numbers are increasing in all age groups. Among adults for example, overweight, including obesity, affects about one in three women, with rates of over 40 percent in Gabon, Ghana and Lesotho.

According to Dr Felicitas Zawaira, Director of WHO-AFRO’s Family and Reproductive Health, Malnutrition, beyond its obvious physical and development impacts also harms economic growth: worldwide, between 3 to 16 percent of GDP is lost annually due to stunting alone.

Wasting, or low-weight compared to the height of a child, is a strong predictor of mortality among children under five. The Report finds that many countries in the African region still have wasting rates above the target of 5 percent or below, and persistent famine, flooding, and civil crises in some countries pose enduring challenges to meeting the target. Only 17 countries have so-called “acceptable” levels of wasting, below 5 percent, while 19 have poor prevalence (5 to 9 percent). Six countries have rates between 10 to 14 percent, representing a serious public health emergency, and three countries exceed the 15 percent critical public health emergency threshold (Eritrea 15.3 percent, Niger 18.7 percent, and South Sudan 22.7 percent).

Joint UNICEF, WHO and World Bank 2016 estimates show that the number of overweight children in Africa increased by more than 50 percent between 2000 and 2015. The Report found that 24 countries have rates between 3 and 10 percent; above this range are Algeria (12.4 percent), Botswana (11.2 percent), Comoros (10.9 percent), Seychelles (10.2 percent), and South Africa (10.9 percent).

“African Governments can, and should, take measures to prevent and reduce undernutrition by creating favourable environments for improved infant and young child feeding, improved water supplies and sanitation, and offering healthier foods in schools among other measures,” said Dr Francesco Branca, Director of the Nutrition Department at the WHO Headquarters in Geneva. Dr Branca emphasized the need to reduce consumption of refined carbohydrates and foods high in sugars and fat, which can be achieved by making sugary drinks less affordable and less appealing through taxation, labelling, and changing marketing practices.

Child Malnutrition On The Rise In Nigeria, Despite Drop In Infant Mortality — Survey

The Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS5) conducted in 2016 and 2017 indicates that infant Mortality has dropped and Child Malnutrition increased in Nigeria.

This is contained in the fifth Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey (MICS5) released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), UNICEF and other key partners in the Country.

The survey results showed that Nigeria made significant improvements in some areas, while others remain unchanged or have worsened since 2011, by not keeping pace with population growth, when the last survey was conducted.

According to the results, the infant mortality rate has dropped to 70 per 1000 live births from 97 in 2011. Equally, deaths among children under age five have dropped to 120 per 1000 live births from 158 in 2011.

However, malnutrition among children under age five has worsened nationwide with the highest concerns in northern states. Child wasting (children who are too thin for their age) increased from 24.2% to 31.5%, while child stunting (children who are too short for their age) increased from 34.8% to 43.6%.

MICS5 is a recognised and definitive source of information for assessing the situation of children and women in the areas of Health; Nutrition; Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH); Education; Protection; and HIV & AIDS amongst others in Nigeria, as well as in other countries where it is carried out.

READ ALSO: Nigeria: CS-SUNN, UNICEF To Establish Coalition Against Malnutrition In Gombe

The findings of the survey are used for planning, monitoring and decision making on programmes and policies to address issues related to the well-being of children and women in Nigeria.

“The use of this new MICS5 data will improve the lives of Nigerians by informing about important gaps that are impacting children and women so that appropriate actions can be taken”, said Pernille Ironside, Acting Representative for UNICEF in Nigeria. “It is not about data for the sake of data”, she added.

Ironside said since 1995, UNICEF has supported the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), with technical assistance and funding to conduct five rounds of MICS, informing progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other major national and global commitments.

READ ALSO: UNICEF, Nigerian Group Begin Mapping Of Children In Yobe State

The data for MICS5 was collected between September 2016 and January 2017 from 33,901 households in 2,239 enumeration areas across the 36 States and Federal Capital Territory.

A total of 34,376 eligible women; 28,085 of mothers/caregivers of children under 5 years; and 15,183 men were interviewed using structured questionnaires aided by Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI) devices.

This is the largest MICS survey conducted in Africa to date.

CS-SUNN, UNICEF TO ESTABLISH COALITION AGAINST MALNUTRITION IN GOMBE

Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition Nigeria (CS-SUNN) has commenced a two day training on nutrition advocacy and coalition building for some key nutrition stakeholders in Gombe State with aimed to having a country where every citizen has food and nutrition secured .
Communication Officer of the CS-SUNN, Lilian Ajah-mon said the training organized by the NGO in collaboration with United Nations Children Funds (UNICEF) drew 20 stakeholders from the Media and Civil Societies to work together to scale up nutrition in the state

“CS-SUNN is a non-governmental organisation making coalition of organizations with shared vision to transform Nigeria into a country where every citizen has food and nutrition is secured. SC-SUNN pursues this lofty goals by engaging and mobilizing government and non-state actors to advocate relevant policy implementation, raise awareness, generate evidence build capacity and stimulate communities to scale up nutrition in Nigeria”, she said.

Lilian who described malnutrition as a major problem in developing countries, explained that the problem of malnutrition especially in the rural areas is not that of extreme poverty but that of lack of adequate education or enlightenment.

According to her, most people in the villages suffer in the midst of plenty because they lack awareness of the best ways of feeding and healthy living.

He said, “You can imagine a local woman who may have plenty of chicken but would only sell them to solve some other problems while the family eats poorly”.

The Communication Officer said the group would do all within its limits to ensure that people are well mobilized on the issue and that programmes that will improve the nutritional needs of children are implemented in the State.

Nigeria: Wheel Borrow Is the Easiest Means of Mobility For Taking Pregnant Women To Hospital – Kaduna Community

Residents of Madamai community have decried the unavailability of midwives and inadequate healthcare providers in their health facility, saying, in times of emergencies, the easiest form of mobility to take patients to the nearest hospital is ‘the wheel barrow’.

Madamai is a village in Kpak ward of Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna state in northwestern Nigeria. It is made up of Madamai I and Madamai II with about 8500 people who are mostly farmers. They cultivate mostly Yam, Okro, Maize and a local bean known as ‘waken Mada’.

The hilly village just like most rural communities in Nigeria is been deprived of basic infrastructures such as good roads, electricity, portable drinking water and a standard healthcare centers.

The slippery nature of the road into Madamai especially during rainy season makes it difficult for vehicles and motorcycle to ply, as such, wheel barrow becomes the best form of mobility to transport any pregnant woman who is in labor or any emergency cases to the major road or nearest hospital. The nearest hospital to the community is Turaki Bugai memorial hospital and Kaura General Hospital which is both located about five kilometers away from the community.

“The road is bad that even a bike can slip or a car get trap in the mud,” Mrs. Esther Yakubu, a resident of the Community said. According to her, when a woman is in labor or even emergencies, the men take off their shoes and push the woman while others follow to monitor her in case she delivers on the way, saying, the best thing is to push since the road is sloppy while going out.


Mrs. Yakubu who is a mother of five explained that, she delivered two babies at a healthcare centre and equally enjoyed the wheel barrow ride, noting that, there are instances where women deliver on the way, and they are returned to the village to be taken care of traditionally.

Explaining how they tackled some of the challenges arising from complications such as bleeding, Mrs. Madeline P. Akwok said they used traditional herbs to manage it and in any case it persists, they rush such patient to the nearest hospital which is five kilometer away from the village.

She also noted that with the little experience she has gained while attending ante natal of her pregnancies, it has enable her to render some form of assistance to women in the community during labor.

According to her, most of the women in the community are reluctant when it comes to attending ante natal but the little experience she had while attending antenatal has enabled her to render some form of assistance to many women who gave birth at home.

She added that in recent time, the community has not recorded any dead of women as a result of any pregnancy related complications but six babies died between January and August 2017.

Corroborating what the women said, the community leader, Mr. Andrew Lekwot said even though government has sent some healthcare providers to the community’s health centre which was built through community effort, sometimes the staff are hardly seen in the facility.

He also lamented the state of roads and lack of other infrastructure in the area, saying, “whenever it rain, the teachers that comes to teach our pupils don’t make it to the village; our women cannot take their farm produce to the market because of the bad condition of road which links the village to town.

V2V is a project facilitated by LEADS Nigeria with support from Christian Aid in Kaduna state, aimed at promoting accountability to address issues of development by empowering citizens to influence decision making around service delivery and to hold leaders accountable for improved public service.
SOURCE: AFRICAN PRIME NEWS

http://africaprimenews.com/nigeria-wheel-borrow-is-the-easiest-means-of-mobility-for-taking-pregnant-women-to-hospital-kaduna-community/

From Local Action to National Results: How Community Health Workers Are Helping to Improve Maternal Health in Rwanda

By: Germaine Tuyisenge, PhD Candidate in Health Geography, Simon Fraser University

Only two decades after the genocide in Rwanda, the country’s health sector has made remarkable progress towards improving people’s health and wellbeing, particularly among women and children. Rwanda’s maternal mortality ratio decreased from 1,020 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2000 to 290 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2015, making Rwanda one of the few countries that achieved Millennium Development Goal 5A. To maintain progress in the era of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Rwanda aims to reduce preventable maternal deaths by strengthening cross-sector involvement in the health system.

One strategy that Rwanda has used to improve maternal health is engaging voluntary community health workers (CHWs) known as Animatrice de Santé Maternelle (ASMs). Supervised through community health centers, ASMs work in collaboration with two other voluntary CHWs to monitor health at the most local level, undertake health promotion activities and connect people—especially those living in rural areas—with the formal health system as necessary. The percentage of births assisted by skilled birth attendants in Rwanda increased from 26.7% in 2000 to 69% in 2010, and during that same period, the rate of contraceptive use increased from 4% to 45.1%. Evidence indicates that ASMs have played an important role in achieving these outcomes.

Who are Rwanda’s ASMs?

Every village of roughly 300-450 residents has one male CHW and two female CHWs—one of whom will become the ASM for that village who is specifically in charge of maternal and newborn health. The other two CHWs lead community health efforts for other community members with a focus on children between the ages of one and five years. The three CHWs are active members of their communities and are elected by members of the village. When an existing CHW steps down from his or her position, the village leaders collaborate with the health center to organize an election. Qualifications of ASMs include:

Being between the ages of 25 and 50 years old
Attaining at least a primary school education level
Exhibiting strong interpersonal skills and a passion for maternal health
Residing in the village where they work
Having flexible schedules in case they are needed for service provision and training
During community gatherings and home visits, ASMs provide several services for pregnant women and infants, including:

Registering all women of reproductive age and identifying those who are pregnant in the community to encourage antenatal care attendance and facility-based deliveries
Promoting healthy behaviors during pregnancy and the postpartum period
Accompanying women in labor to the health facility
Disseminating misoprostol as a uterotonic to pregnant women for self-administration following birth in case they deliver unexpectedly at home
Making early postpartum home visits to identify danger signs and refer women to the health facility as needed
Depending on their availability and personal schedules, ASMs dedicate time to visit each household in the village at least once per month. Ideally, ASMs are reachable at all times given the unpredictable nature of childbirth.

Collaboration with health facilities

There are roughly 45 villages in the catchment area of a community health center, translating to about 45 ASMs who report to one of 420 community health centers in Rwanda. ASMs report monthly to health centers on key maternal and newborn health indicators in their communities such as the number of pregnant women and deliveries, incidences of maternal mortality and morbidity and their causes, mosquito net usage and iron supplementation.

ASMs affiliated with a particular health center meet every month to discuss overall maternal health challenges and goals. Using mobile technology, ASMs remind pregnant women about their upcoming antenatal care appointments and share that information with health centers. Using the same technology, ASMs can call for an ambulance in cases of obstetric emergencies and facilitate referrals to higher level care.

Challenges and opportunities

Despite the remarkable contribution of ASMs to Rwanda’s improved maternal health landscape, much remains to strengthen their role in care provision and health promotion. For example, there are some village residents who avoid ASMs entirely, considering them to be unskilled, which leads to difficulties in monitoring maternal health in communities. Additionally, the limited number of training programs for ASMs, heavy workloads and poor financial incentives hinder the motivation and impact of ASMs. Addressing these challenges to support the ASM program could help Rwanda achieve the SDGs and sustain recent progress in maternal health.
SOURCE:MHTF

https://www.mhtf.org/2017/08/30/from-local-action-to-national-results-how-community-health-workers-are-helping-to-improve-maternal-health-in-rwanda/?utm_source=MHTF+Subscribers&utm_campaign=1c78ae2bff-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8ac9c53ad4-1c78ae2bff-183812625
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Over 180 million people lack drinking water in Nigeria, other countries facing conflicts – UNICEF

Over 180 million people living in countries affected by conflicts, violence and instability do not have access to basic drinking water, a new report by the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has revealed.
These include over 3.6 million people in the north-east of Nigeria where the Boko Haram insurgency has damaged about 75 per cent of water and sanitation infrastructure, the report noted.
The report also states that lack of access to clean water is the major cause of malnutrition and cholera among children in the world.
The report, which was released Tuesday, is in commemoration of this year’s World Water Week holding August 27 to September 1.
The theme of the 2017 World Water Week is “Water and Waste – Reduce and Reuse”.
UNICEF’s global chief of water, sanitation and hygiene, Sanjay Wijesekera, said “Children’s access to safe water and sanitation, especially in conflicts and emergencies, is a right, not a privilege.”
He stressed that in countries beset by violence, displacement, conflict and instability, children’s most basic means of survival – water – must be a priority.
Mr. Wijesekera noted that people living in fragile situations are four times more likely to lack basic drinking water than populations in non-fragile situations,
According to the report, in Yemen, a country reeling from the impact of over two years of conflict, water supply networks that serve the country’s largest cities are at imminent risk of collapse due to war-inflicted damage and disrepair.
Around 15 million people in the country have been cut off from regular access to water and sanitation.
“In Syria, where the conflict is well into its seventh year, around 15 million people are in need of safe water, including an estimated 6.4 million children.
“Water has frequently been used as a weapon of war: In 2016 alone, there were at least 30 deliberate water cuts – including in Aleppo, Damascus, Hama, Raqqa and Dara, with pumps destroyed and water sources contaminated.
“In conflict-affected areas in northeast Nigeria, 75 per cent of water and sanitation infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, leaving 3.6 million people without even basic water services.
“In South Sudan, where fighting has raged for over three years, almost half the water points across the country have been damaged or completely destroyed”, the report states.
The report further revealed that the lack of access to water ruins the health system of children, thereby exposing them to malnutrition and potentially fatal diseases like cholera.
“In Yemen, for example, children make up more than 53 per cent of the over half a million cases of suspected cholera and acute watery diarrhoea reported so far.
“Somalia is suffering from the largest outbreak of cholera in the last five years, with nearly 77,000 cases of suspected cholera/acute watery diarrhoea. And in South Sudan, the cholera outbreak is the most severe the country has ever experienced, with more than 19,000 cases since June 2016.
“In famine-threatened north-east Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen, nearly 30 million people, including 14.6 million children, are in urgent need of safe water. More than 5 million children are estimated to be malnourished this year, with 1.4 million severely so.”

SOURCE PREMIUM TIMES :http://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/nnorth-east/241897-180-million-people-lack-drinking-water-nigeria-countries-facing-conflicts-unicef.html