Livestock

FG Hands Over Livestock Health Center FCTA

by with No Comment EnvironmentNEWS

The Federal Government has handed over the livestock health centre built and equipped for treatment of animals to the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

The centre which was constructed by the veterinary and pest control services of the department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is expected to help rural dwellers improve on their livestock production.

The Director and Chief Veterinary Officer of the Ministry Dr. Maimuna Habib at the handover ceremony said the project was executed to provide quality animal healthcare services to livestock farmers and pastoralists.

Read: Monkey Pox: Nigeria Records 41 Confirmed Cases, one fatality – NCDC

She said the Federal Government was intervening in the area of veterinary infrastructure in the country to boost the capacity of the veterinary services in the society.

The Mandate Secretary for FCTA Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Abubakar Ibrahim in his remark said the secretariat would put in place more measures to prevent outbreak and spread of animal diseases.

He said that the secretariat would strengthen its surveillance system in high risk areas such as live bird and cattle markets, veterinary clinics, and abattoirs across the FCT to achieve more results in disease reporting and response.

According to him, the secretariat has last week mobilised about 90 veterinary health personnel to kick-start the mass treatment of livestock in the six area councils of the FCT.

He, therefore, called on the residents to patronise the centre as well as other government approved clinics in the territory.

FCT

FCTA & AEPB embark on health and security sensitization to residents of Airport Road

by with No Comment Africa HealthEnvironment

As the rainy season sets in and farmers begin to plant their crops around the FCT and across the country, residents of the FCT have been advised by the FCTA to desist from planting their crops or economic trees in prohibited areas, amongst which is the Shehu Yar’dua Expressway popularly called Airport Road.

In a bid to promote a healthy and secured Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), the Federal Capital Territory Administration and its department for environmental protection – the Abuja Environmental Protection Board – have commenced a sensitization campaign around the FCT against indiscriminate dumping of waste and farming along airport road.

A team headed by the Acting Director, AEPB, Osi Braimah, and the Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Community Relations, Yamawo Ishaku visited the palace of Hakimi of Lugbe, Malam Salihu Gode who was in company of heads of communities and settlements around Airport Road.

Also of concern is the practice of indiscriminate dumping of waste along the expressway, thereby defacing the capital city which receives many visitors, coming into the country on business and leisure trips.

To this end, the leaders of communities along the Lugbe axis of the Shehu Yar’adua expressway were advised during the sensitization visit to inform their community members that the government will no longer tolerate indiscriminate dumping of waste and farming along the road.

Speaking to newsmen, the Acting Director, AEPB, Osi Braimah, explains that it will be painful to destroy crops that have sprouted and possess economic value, hence the need to educate those in the communities ahead of the farming season.

“Of course there are sanctions for those who farm on prohibited areas but usually what we do is that we simply remove those farms but this is also at great cost to the government. So we think that if you prevent it like the rains are just beginning now, we want to interact and tell them not to farm at all.

“It is a lot easier than waiting for them to farm and then when the crops grow it’s now an economic asset. For us to now come and destroy what they may have put effort to fertilise, tend the crops and so on. So we want to prevent this by simply having this advocacy visit.”

Also speaking, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Community Relations, Yamawo Ishaku revealed that the communities have agreed to work with government to identify specific locations for dumping of refuse and regular evacuation.

“Already we’ve agreed, providing land has to be with the community because these are villages the government don’t have right to just design a place within the community looking at the environment now.

“But we’ve agreed with them that the community and the government will go and cite areas that these refuse can be collected and they have all agreed to talk to their subjects not to farm on the road corridors again.

“And even the ones they’ve farmed on the road side like the Gmelina trees some of them have sacrificed them and asked to go and remove them – there is one before the Military Cemetery which the village head was saying we have to pay compensation – but I told them when we are talking of security we don’t even bring in the issue of compensation so nobody is paying compensation to pull down those trees. We are going to pull them down to make sure that place is cleared because it is a security threat to our lives.”

On his part, Hakimi of Lugbe, Malam Salihu Gode thanked FCT administration for their commitment to ensuring a healthy and safe environment for residents of the FCT.

“I congratulate the Honourable Minister for organizing this meeting because it is love unto we the indigenes or we that are residing along the Airport Road. Actually this farming system have long but just because some stubbornness people, they don’t want to hear or obey but some of our people are abiding by the law. We are trying and anybody that we hear or we see, we will advise the person that instead of having your property destroyed, you should better not do it.”

Government also pledged to devise sustainable means for regular evacuation of waste from the communities, so that recorded gains will not be reversed in future.

World Health Day

World Health Day: Preserve, protect nature as a source of human health says WHO

by with No Comment Africa HealthEnvironmentNEWS

As the world marks the 2022 World Health Day, the World Health Organisation, (WHO) has called for accelerated action to protect human health and combat the climate crisis at a time of heightened conflict and fragility.

The call comes as part of WHO founding day, as it seeks a re-imagining and re-prioritization of resources to usher in sustainable, well-being societies.

“WHO is issuing an urgent call for accelerated action by leaders and all people to preserve and protect health and mitigate the climate crisis as part of an “Our planet, our health” campaign marking the organization’s founding day, which falls at a time of heightened conflict and fragility.”

In issuing its call-to-action, WHO notes that 99 per cent of people breathe unhealthy air mainly resulting from burning of fossil fuels.

Read: WHO Director-General’s remarks at Session 3 – Sustainable Development at the G20 Summit – 31 October 2021

It also pointed out that rising global temperature is seeing mosquitoes spread diseases further and faster than ever before.

“Extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, land degradation and water scarcity are displacing people and affecting their health.

“Pollution and plastics are found at the bottom of our deepest oceans, the highest mountains, and have made their way into our food chain and blood stream.

“Systems that produce highly processed, unhealthy foods and beverages are driving a wave of obesity, increasing cancer and heart disease, while generating up to one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions.”

The Director, WHO, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus was quoted in the statement as saying that “This health and social crisis is compromising people’s ability to take control over their health and lives.

“The climate crisis is a health crisis: the same unsustainable choices that are killing our planet are killing people.

“We need transformative solutions to wean the world off its addiction to fossil fuels, to reimagine economies and societies focused on well-being, and to safeguard the health of the planet on which human health depends.”

The statement also touched on the COVID-19 pandemic stressing that “The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the fault lines of inequity across the world, underlining the urgency for creating sustainable, well-being societies which do not breach ecological limits and which ensure that all people have access to life-saving and life-enhancing tools, systems, policies and environments.

“WHO’s Manifesto to ensure a healthy and green recovery from COVID-19 prescribes protecting and preserving nature as the source of human health; investing in essential services from water & sanitation to clean energy in healthcare facilities; ensuring a quick and healthy energy transition; promoting healthy and sustainable food systems; building healthy and livable cities; and stopping the use of taxpayers’ money to fund pollution.

“The Geneva Charter for well-being highlights what global commitments are needed to achieve equitable health and social outcomes now and for future generations, without destroying the health of our planet.

“Through its World Health Day campaign, WHO is calling on governments, organizations, corporations, and citizens to share actions they are taking to protect the planet and human health.”

FG Destroys Over 1 Million Doses of Expired COVID-19 Vaccines

FG Destroys Over 1 Million Doses of Expired COVID-19 Vaccines

by with No Comment COVID-19EnvironmentHEADLINE NEWSNEWS

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency and the National Food and Drugs Control destroyed over 1million doses of Astrazeneca, expired Covid-19 Vaccines in Abuja on Wednesday.

Addressing journalists after the destruction, Executive Director National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaib  says the country on 11th and 29th of October received a total of 2,594,100 doses of Astrazeneca with November expiry date.
According to him, 1.527,886 doses of Astrazenecca were utilized out of the total number of doses received, but unfortunately 1,066,214 doses  got expired because of the short shelf life.

A man standing next to a heavy duty vehicle destroying expired AstraZeneca vaccines at the Gosa dumpsite in Abuja

Vaccine hesitancy is a major challenge that the federal government continue to grapple with, making it to embark on compulsory vaccination for government employees recently.

unicef- Air Pollution Related Pneumonia

Nigeria Leads in Air Pollution Related Pneumonia Deaths of Children Under 5 – UNICEF

by with No Comment Africa HealthEnvironmentHEADLINE NEWSNEWS

The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, says in 2019, 67,416 of Nigerian children under-five die due to overall air pollution related pneumonia, while deaths of Nigerian children under-five due to household-specific air pollution related pneumonia were 49,591 in same year.

This was contained in a statement by the UN agency, in commemoration of World Pneumonia Day today.

It was revealed that Nigeria has the highest number of overall air pollution related pneumonia deaths of children under-five in the world, and the highest number of household air pollution-related pneumonia deaths among children under-five.

Air Pollution Related Pneumonia
The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, says in 2019, 67,416 of Nigerian children under-five die due to overall air pollution related pneumonia, while deaths of Nigerian children under-five due to household-specific air pollution-related pneumonia were 49,591 in same year.

“In Nigeria, 78 percent of air pollution related pneumonia deaths are among children under-five – the highest proportion across all countries, according to the Global Burden of Disease”, the statement read in part.

It was further explained that in 17 countries across Africa, air pollution contributes to more than 50 per cent of pneumonia deaths, with most of the deaths being among children and due to household air pollution, with rising numbers of deaths from outdoor air pollution.

UNICEF Representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins was quoted as saying that almost 185 children under the age of five die every day from pneumonia due to air pollution in Nigeria, describing it as a travesty for their families and for Nigeria especially, because the vast majority of the deaths are preventable.

Hawkins further said it is critical that the government introduces policies to reduce the major causes of air pollution-related pneumonia deaths among Nigerians, especially children, who bear the biggest burden.

open defecation in Nigeria

Stop Open Defecation to End Cholera in FCT – Rotary

by with One Comment Africa HealthEnvironmentNEWS

The Rotary Club of Garki, Abuja, has appealed to all stakeholders in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to join its efforts in addressing the challenges of open defecation in order to checkmate growing cholera disease.

President of the club, Michael Ehighibe, who stated this yesterday at an investiture organised in his honour as the 33rd head of the club, asked all well-meaning individuals and organisations to establish more public toilets and potable water in addition to the ones Rotary would provide.

“The outbreak of cholera in the FCT has necessitated the need to check open defecation and the provision of potable water in our communities. We intend to build a public toilet facility with the provision of a borehole,” he said.

Ehighibe disclosed that the club would set up a Rotary Community Corps who will man all facilities provided as a measure to ensure their sustainability.

He also noted that the club would give N1.5million to 30 widows as well as equipping the burns unit at University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada.

Also speaking at the event, the District Governor-elect, Goddy Nnadi, urged some Nigerians who possess little things, to cultivate the habit of giving, particularly to the less-privileged out of their wealth.

Nnadi, who is the General Manager, (Corporate Affairs), Petroleum Equalization Fund, said apart from getting more blessings from God, it will reduce the rate of poverty in the society.

He said, “You see people going to your garbage site to pick up something they want to sell, something they can eat, and if you are in a situation where you can help, it doesn’t mean you have too much, you have a little bit and when you do that, God will bless you more.

“Secondly, you will have that sense of happiness, a sense of a life as you’re putting a smile on somebody’s face.”

He also appealed to Nigerians not to rest on their oars as regards recent development, where Nigeria was certified and declared polio-free, saying all hands should be on deck to ensure the disease does not return to the country.