Over 300 Primary Healthcare Centres Have No Officials – Al-Makura

Nasarawa State governor, Umaru Tanko Al-makura has lamented the plight of rural communities at accessing primary healthcare services even when the state boasts of over 700 healthcare centres which are largely under lock and key for want of qualified staff.

Al-makura made this known yesterday in Lafia while fielding questions from our reporter on the condition of healthcare delivery system in the state.

“We have over 700 primary health care centres in the state and it will shock you to know that, more than 300 of them are unmanned because the nurses are not there, the midwives are not there because our youths now no longer find the profession of nursing or being a nurse or midwife lucrative,” he lamented.


He noted that some cardinal factors like robust training programmes and institutions for nurses and midwives and attractive welfare packages to attract would-be nurses and midwives have not been thoroughly thought through before building hundreds of primary healthcare centres.


“Nobody is talking about that, and we keep building hospitals, and primary health care centres with nobody to man them. I cannot build hospitals and start importing nurses and midwives. How many staff would 700 primary healthcare centres take and in each of them we have not less than 25 people and you are talking about many thousands of staff?”

“So, we have to produce them locally and that is why I am now intervening in the provision of a school of nursing, school of midwifery and school of health technology because my emphasis is on primary healthcare system. I am not bordered about referral hospitals and all that. What we need to provide for the ordinary man is to ensure that he gets the basic primary preventive care, that he would be able to put at bay some of these infectious diseases and sicknesses. So that is the challenge he said.

Source:

NACA debunks compulsory premarital HIV testing for couples

The National Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS has debunked reports that the new National HIV/AIDS Prevention Plan compels intending couples to carry out HIV test, as a precondition for marriage.

The agency in a statement on Monday said the statement credited to the Director, Bauchi State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Leprosy and Malaria, Mr. Yakubu Usman- Abubakar, was false.It stated, “We wish to clarify that no part of the newly developed National HIV/AIDS Prevention Plan stipulates or recommends compulsory HIV testing for intending couples or any group or individuals.“


The national HIV-prevention plan is essentially a strategic document designed to provide direction for HIV prevention programming in the country. It focuses on ensuring that the prevention priorities and goals set by the country and the President’s comprehensive response plan are achieved.“

One of those critical goals is to avail 80 million men and women knowledge of their HIV status, and there are set standards and approaches for achieving this. Compulsory testing before marriage is not one of them.”

The agency reiterated that compulsory HIV/AIDs testing was against the policiespassed in the new Anti-Stigma law by the National Assembly.It stated that HIV testing is voluntary andnot compulsory and nobody should be compelled to get tested for HIV. It addedthat voluntary testing is the gateway to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.

Source: Punch

Malaria: Ogun distributes 2m mosquito nets

In order to reduce prevalence of malaria among its people, the Ogun State Government has distributed two million insecticide nets to all local government areas in the state.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, disclosed this during the ministerial press briefing to mark the third anniversary of the Senator Ibikunle Amosun administration in Abeokuta.

He said the government collaborated with the Society for Family Health to distribute the nets.Soyinka explained that over 57,000 rapid diagnostic test kits were also procured by the government and distributed to primary health facilities to curb the disease.

Source: Punch

Midwives could cut maternal, newborn deaths by two thirds

The authorities at the United Nations Population Fund have said that with the right training and support, midwives could provide 87 per cent of the essential care needed for women and newborns, and could potentially reduce maternal and newborn deaths by two thirds.


This was contained in a report released on Tuesday by UNFPA, together with the International Confederation of Midwives, World Health Organisation and partners.

The report, entitled, “State of the World’sMidwifery 2014: A Universal Pathway —A Woman’s Right to Health,” states that major deficits in the midwifery workforce occur in 73 countries where the services are most desperately needed. It recommends new strategies to address the deficits and save millions of lives of women and newborns.


The Minister of Health, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, did not return the call made to his phone, and he did not respond to the short message also sent to him.The report reads, “The 73 African, Asian and Latin American countries represented in the State of the World’s Midwifery 2014 suffer 96 per cent of theglobal burden of maternal deaths, 91 per cent of stillbirths and 93 per cent of newborn deaths, but have only 42 per cent of the world’s midwives, nurses anddoctors.”


It urges countries to invest in midwifery education and training in order to contribute to closing the glaring gaps that exist.

Source: Punch

"Life Starts in the Hands of a Midwife"

Every two minutes, a woman dies in pregnancy or childbirth, according to UN estimates, adding up nearly 290,000 maternal deaths each year. Nearly 3 million newborns die each year as well.


Most of these deaths are entirely preventable: Prenatal care and the presence of a skilled attendant at birth – services provided by midwives – could avert as many as 3.6 million deaths a year.



The International Day of the Midwife, on 5 May, commemorates the work of midwives around the world.

“The world needs midwives now more than ever,”said Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, the Executive Director of UNFPA, the UN Population Fund.Yet there remains too little support for midwives. Many are working in decrepit health facilities, lacking basic equipment and life-saving resources.

“My challenges, there are so many,” Anthony Kiplagat, a midwife, said from hisclinic in Kenya.“The population is overwhelming… but you are not able to provide for all of them,” he said.

Life-saving care


Every pregnancy is accompanied by risks – some of them deadly. Sepsis, obstructed labour and post-partum haemorrhage are among the major causes of maternal death.

The presence of a skilled birth attendant is one of the most important factors in the survival of a mother and her baby. Yet about a third of all births continue to take place without a midwife or other skilled attendant.


“My interest in midwifery came as a result of seeing my community back at home, in the rural village, suffering – women dying because of pregnancy-related issues,” Mr.Kiplagat said.

In addition to delivering care throughout pregnancy, during childbirth and in the post-delivery period, midwives also provide comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, such as family planning counselling. All of these services reduce maternal death rates and improve child survival.


Over burdened


But with insufficient investment in health care, and too few healthcare personnel, midwives often find themselves overburdened.“Where I’m working, there are four midwives. And those four midwives, they have to cover maternity – that is their part– [as well as the] paediatric ward, female ward, children’s ward,” said Enis Banda, a midwife in Malawi.


“Those midwives, they are trying their best to work day and night... To them, it is a very difficult situation,” she emphasized.


“The issue is lack of proper working equipment… especially in the [area of] supplies. Sometimes in our facility, we experience shortages of drugs. Yes, we provide good services, but if you don’t provide the drugs, at the end of the day, you have not really helped that woman,” Mr. Kiplagat said.

“We get burnout,” he added.Investment, support needed Midwives do not only need supplies and equipment. They also require extensive training to safely manage childbirth and to be able to recognize life-threatening complications.

UNFPA supports midwives through the provision of clean delivery kits, funding and supplies for healthcare facilities, and training programmes.


Between 2008 and 2013, UNFPA supported the training of over 10,000 midwives.But much more investment and support are needed at every level, from governments, civil society organizations and community leaders.


The second-ever State of the World’s Midwifery report, set to launch in June 2014, will offer further evidence of the steps required to ensure all women and families have access to quality midwifery care.


The report – a joint effort of UNFPA, the International Confederation of Midwives, the World Health Organization and other partners – will offer new data from 73 countries that account for more than 95 per cent of all maternal, newborn and child deaths.Yet even as they struggle to manage overwhelming caseloads, midwives know their work is invaluable.“I am proud of my profession,” Ms. Banda said. “I like to work as a midwife because I know that for those people who are like a president, a doctor or a teacher, life starts in the hands of a midwife.”
Source: ICM

Nursing home staffing standards reduced severe deficiency citations, researchers find

New research supports that nursing home staffing levels correlate with better quality of care. But it points to a phenomenon fewer could have predicted: diminished registered nurse hours spent on direct care.

The research could shed new light on discussions over the relation of caregiver skill mix and outcomes in nursing homes.

“[Mandatory] staffing regulations led to a reduction in severe deficiency citations and improvement in certain health conditions that required intensive nursing care,” but they had the unintended effect of lowering the mix of direct care nursing skill, according to the study published in Health Economics.

In fact, the standards caused many facilities to use fewer registered nurses relative to licensed practical nurses and nursing assistants, and reduce the absolute level of indirect care staff, wrote authors Min M. Chen, Ph.D., of the College of Business, Florida International University, Miami, and David C. Grabowski, Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School, Department of Health Care Policy.

The researchers based their findings on more than 45,000 nursing home-year observations from 1996 to 2006 in California, Ohio and “control states” where there are no minimum standards.

Additional metrics included detailed information on nursing home characteristics, resident census, payment source and quality indicators measuring different dimensions of quality.Chen and Grabowski stressed, however, that facilities that ranked in the bottom quartile for staffing prior to the new regulations were most likely to “increase LPNs and CNAs and substitute away from indirect care staff, and improve in quality.



”While many advocates and researchers maintain that higher caregiver-resident staffing ratios lead to better care, the idea is not universally accepted.

University of Maryland nurse researchers explore effects of turnover on residents’ care

Two studies examining the relationship between turnover of nursing staff and quality problems in nursing homes have found adverse outcomes.

The studies, both published in December, were based on data from the 2004 National Nursing Home Survey, which generated a sample of 1,174 nursing homes representing more than 16,000 nursing homes in the U.S.

The first study, “Are Nursing Home Survey Deficiencies Higher in Facilities with Greater Staff Turnover,” was published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association.

In that study, Nancy B. Lerner, RN, DNP, CDONA, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing in Baltimore and colleagues, including University of Maryland professor Alison M. Trinkoff, RN, ScD, MPH, BSN, FAAN, found that turnover for both licensed nurses and certified nursing assistants was associated with quality problems as measured by deficiencies considered to be closely related to nursing care.In the second study, “Turnover Staffing, Skill Mix, and Resident Outcomes in a National Sample of U.S. Nursing Homes,” published in the Journal of Nursing Administration, they found adverse resident outcomes, such as pressure ulcers and pain, are related to high turnover among certified nursing assistants.

The study found that even after controlling for factors including skill mix, bed size and ownership nursing homes with high CNA turnover had significantly higher odds of pressure ulcers, pain and urinary tract infections.“Changes are needed to improve the retention of care providers and reduce staff vacancies in nursing homes to ensure high quality of care for older Americans,” Lerner states.

Further the study by Lerner and colleagues suggests the need for continued research using deficiencies as a measure of quality in addition to the quality indicators used by others.

Source: nurse.com

Residents Doctors’ Warning Strike Commences

Patients at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, are stranded as the doctors there enforced the strike.

In Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Resident Doctors of the Federal Medical Centre, Idi Aba joined their colleagues nationwide in the ongoing 3-day warning strike.

A visit to the hospital revealed that although the resident doctors have withdrawn their services as directed by the national body, the action seemed not to be having much impact as nurses and consultants attended to patients.

Attempts to speak with the union leaders and management of the hospital proved abortive as they said they were not willing to speak on this development.

In Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, the strike was in force also,but the Spokesperson of the National Hospital, Dr Tayo Haastrup,said that the welfare package of resident doctors can be negotiated with the Federal Government without putting the lives of teeming Nigerians at stake.

Resident Doctors at the Federal Medical Centre, in Owo, Ondo State also joined their counterparts across the country.

Channels Television was at the hospital to monitor the situation at the hospital. Though our crew was not allowed into the wards by the security officials at the hospital, there activities to indicate that other health workers in the hospital were at work.

We had an interview with the Chairman, Association of Resident Doctors in the hospital, Raymond Omotayo who highlighted the demands of the association from the federal government, noting that if the demands are not met by July 1, 2015, the Doctors will be forced to embark on an indefinite strike action.

All our efforts to speak with the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr Femi Omotosho proved abortive as he was said to be out of the state and other senior officers in the hospital were not willing to speak to our correspondents.


Resident doctors in Rivers State were not left out in the strike as Channels Television visited the Braithwaithe Memorial Specialist Hospital in Port Harcourt, where patients were seen waiting to see doctors that were not available.

Source: Channels TV

NMA Advocates Health Centre for Lassa Fever Patients

The Federal Government has been called to establish health centres and facilities where Lasa fever patients could be treated and managed.Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) South East zonal caucus made the appeal during its emergency meeting in Owerri where the association discussed what it called issues of urgent National Importance.

Briefing newsmen, the chairman of the South East zone of NMA, Dr. Emeka Obiora, disclosed that there had been an outbreak of Lasa Fever in the zone, especially in Ebonyi State, and decried the non-availability of medical facilities to handle the deadly disease.

Obiora pointed out that victims of Lasa Fever in the zone could only receive best treatment in Erua Edo State or Lagos State, lamenting that in the process of transferring such patients the possibility of contacting the disease becomes very high.

He also lamented that as a result of lack of diagnostic facilities in the zone, medical personnel are put at the risk of contacting the disease easily, explaining that the meeting in Owerri was meant to enlighten the people about the way to handle the situation.

Source: Independent

Society for Family Health Dragged to Court Over Condom Advert

Society for Family Health has been dragged before a Federal High Court in Lagos over a Gold Circle condom advert published in a national newspaper on May 12.

In the suit filed by Sonnie Ekwowusi on behalf of the Project for Human Development (PHD), the applicant is asking the court to declare that the said condom advert, which was published without the Health risk warning clause, is illegal and unconstitutional because it contradicted Articles 2,3 4, 48, 49 and 50 of the Nigerian Code of Advertising Practice, Sales Promotion and Other Rights/Restrictions on Practice (fifth edition) of the laws of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON).



Joined in the suit filed pursuant to Order 2 Rules (1)(2)(3) & (4) of the Fundamental Right (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009, of the 1999 Constitution, are The Guadian Newspapers Limited and APCON.PHD also stated that the publication without Warning Clause "the condom is not 100 per cent safe, total abstinence or faithfulness is the best option", is contrary to Sections 17, 37, 38, 39 (3), 45 of the 1999 Constitution and Articles 17, 18, 27 and 29 of the African Charter on Human & Peoples' Rights (Ratification Enforcement) Act, CAP 10.

The applicant is also asking the court to declare that the failure/negligence/refusal of the 1st respondent (Society for Family Health) to insert the aforesaid health risk warning clause on the packets of "Gold Circle" condom which it markets and advertises throughout Nigeria is contarary to article 49 of the APCON laws, sections 17, 37, 38, 39 (3), 45 of the 1999 Constitution and therefore illegal and unconstitutional.

PHD is also seeking a court declaration that the failure/negligence/refusal of the third respondent in ensuring that the first and second respondents insert the aforesaid health risk warning clause in order to comply with APCON laws was a dereliction of its duty as a national regulatory body and watch dog of the society.

The applicant is therefore asking the court to give an order directing the third respondent to henceforth ensure that no"Gold Circle" condom or any condom at all of the first respondent is advertised or published to the Nigerian public without compliance with APCON laws.

It also prayed the court for a perpetual injunction restraining the 1st respondentor their agent from further advertising the "Gold Circle" condom or any condomat all in The Guardian Newspaper or any other media or anywhere in Nigeria without compliance with APCON laws .

Source: ThisDay.

'We Want People to Be Conscious of Their Health'

The Chairman of Gbagada Phase II Residents Association in the Bariga Local.Council Development Area of Lagos State, Mr. Adewale Tijani has stated thatthe group wants residents of the area to be conscious of their health status always.

Speaking against the background of the health screening exercise organised weekend for residents of the area and the general public, Tijani stated that with otherwise healthy people just slumping and never recovering alive, it was important to do periodic medical examination to avoid such emergencies that could lead to death.

With the collaboration of the Muslim Medical Volunteers of Lagos State, the residents' association performed free blood pressure test, urine analysis and general consultation for Mafolukwu and Gbagada Phase II communities where hundreds of people turned up.

Speaking to journalists during the exercise, Tijani reiterated that the reasons for the programme was to avail people the opportunity of knowing their health status, get treated for common diseases such as malaria and above all, counselled on the importance of such periodic checks.He emphasised that the initiative is a corporate social responsibility of the Gbagada Phase II Estate residents association with the aim of strengthening the relationship between both benefitting communities. He said the medical personnel from their partners, the Muslims Medical Volunteers of Lagos State, rendered the free medical screening exercise for bothcommunities and prescribed drugs for some with complaints.

"Over the years, this initiative has encouraged residents to monitor their health status. It is amazing and fulfilling to see the crowd that is part of this programme. This shows that the initiative has helped the residents in both communities. The individuals that were screened that came out with infections based on the tests were given free drugs as well," he said.

A member of the medical personnel explained to THISDAY that urinalysis test is commonly used to diagnose a urinary tract or kidney infection to evaluate causes of kidney failure, to screen for progression of some chronic conditions such as diabetes mellitus and high bloodpressure (hypertension).

He added that it might also be used in combination with other tests to diagnose some other diseases.

"Additional tests and clinical assessment are often required to further investigate findings of urinalysis and ultimately diagnose the causes or specific features of an underlying problem," he explained.



He explained that blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of arteries.

"Blood pressure is recorded as two numbers-the systolic pressure (as the heart beats) over the diastolic pressure (as the heart relaxes between beats). The measurement is written one above or before the other, with the systolic number on top and the diastolic number on the bottom. For example, a blood pressure measurement of 120/80 mmHg (millimeters of mercury) is expressed verbally as "120 over 80. Normal blood pressure is less than 120 mmHg systolic and less than 80 mmHg diastolic," he said further.He stressed that high blood pressure is dangerous because it makes the heart to work too hard and it also makes the walls of the arteries hard as well.

"High blood pressure increases the risk for heart disease and stroke, the first- and third leading causes of death for Americans. High blood pressure can also cause other problems such as heart failure, kidney disease, and blindness.

"Having your blood pressure checked is quick and easy. Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mmHg) and recorded as two numbers systolic pressure 'over' diastolic pressure. For example, the doctor or the. nurse might say '130 over 80' as a bloodpressure reading. Both numbers in a blood pressure reading are important.

As we grow older, systolic blood pressure is especially important," he added.A resident of the community and a beneficiary, Mrs. Ronke Afolabi said that the free health care was a good idea adding that she was glad to be part of the screening exercise.

Afolabi commended the organisers of the programme and singled out the chairman of the resident association for the wonderful opportunity he provided her to know her status.

One of the doctors that participated in the exercise,Dr. Ade Ekemode of Ekemode Memorial Hospital, Surulere, Lagos said the free screening exercise was a good move by the association, citing the fact that medical check-up is not common among Nigerians citizens. He said that the programme was good for the community because it came from good consciences.He added that some of the patients that knew their medical status from the checks could proceed further with treatment of the conditions detected.

Ade also said there were certain predisposing factors that could lead to hypertension such as stress and added that if identified early enough, it could be managed to prevent complication like stroke.

"This programme does not screen for HIV, but from blood pressure checks they can be able to detect those with hypertension and the urine test candetect candidates with diabetes," he added. He said he had participated in the programme since 2010 eventhough he is not a resident of the community.


The Secretary to the Bariga Local Council Development Area, Mr. Johnson stated in an interview that the free medical programme was organised by the Gbagada Phase II Residents' Association to render comprehensive medical service to the people. He commended the initiative of the association for complementing government efforts in the health care delivery project.

The Bale of Mafolukun community, Mr. Badamosi thanked the organisers of the programme on behalf of his community for the opportunity given the residents to enjoy the benefits of the programme.

Source: ThisDay

‘Strengthening Our PHC Can Help Reduce Maternal, Child Deaths’

Nigeria’s maternal and infant mortality rate still remain high despite interventions. In this interview with WINIFRED OGBEBO, Nigeria’s country representative, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr Mairo Mandara shares on what is needed to bring the figures down.

What areas is the foundation looking at in your work in Nigeria?

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation right from the beginning is built on the principles of the fact that all lives have equal value therefore the work of the foundationis aimed at giving dignity to people who are poor. So the foundation works in various sectors to make sure that every human being have a reasonable health and they help themselves out of poverty. We also work on children because children are the most vulnerable. We work tomake sure that children have good health, we work in the area of immunization, pneumonia, diarrhea and diseases. We work in maternal health to make sure that pregnant women have pregnancy that is safe and they deliver safely. Where they choose to rest in between children, we support them to do that. We also support agriculture. We work very closely with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to support the agricultural development agenda. We are in particular, trying to support Nigeria to be able to produce its own rice to feed itself. We are working very closely with Alhaji Aliko Dangote in the routine immunization programme. He has also shown a lot of interest in agriculture. So basically what we work in, are areas that a lot of poor people in the community are in need of.

Despite the several interventions, maternal and child mortality rate is still high. What do you think could bedone to bring the figure down?

I am a health expert. I specialize in obstetrics and gynaecology. The key to improving maternal and child health in Nigeria is basically primary health. I can assure you that if we pass the health bill, we have a significant or 0.5 or one per cent of our budget goes to the primary health care; I am not talking of teaching hospitals but primary health care centres. That is where children are taking when they have diarrhea. That’s where women go for antenatal. That’s where women go for delivery, to take their blood pressure and all. That’s where they go where all their basic health issuesare taken care of. So for me, there isneed to strengthen primary health care.Another thing to strengthen primary health care is making sure that we have adequate and quality manpower; our nurses and midwives are properly trained and they train to actually give good service. So if we could do this, I can assure that we’ll improve maternal and child health.


What specific interventions in primary health care do you think can bring positive results ?

I will start with the one thing we shouldn’t do; build clinics. We already have enough primary healthcare centres. We need to furnish and refurbish them so that they can become functional. We need to make sure that every primary healthcare centre has a nurse and a midwife that can do antenatal and deliver women. We need to make sure that our health care providers are retrained to be able to respect and give women dignity because a lot of women don’t like to go to hospital because they are disrespected. We will need the hospital to have some autonomy to be able to get some whatever they need like medicines, and so on and so forth. We are piloting strengthening routine immunization in Kano with Dangote Foundation. The Dangote Foundation, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Kano State government are doing something similar to primary health care under one roof, putting all the money together so that even a local government primary health care have an account and therefore they can access what they need. They don’t have to wait for full bureaucracy. So cut on bureaucracies, cut on middlemen; supplies through this, supplies through that and make sure that ourwomen and children have access to basic essentials. Things that kill women and children are things that are shaming; things like malaria, diarrhea and pneumonia and these are things that can easily be eradicated.

In what ways is your organization trying to make an impact in maternal and child health in Nigeria?

We are doing it a number of ways. We believe that one of the reasons our leaders don’t make very critical decisions is because they don’t have data because if you don’t have data you make decisions arbitrarily. So we are supporting the Saving One Million to make sure that across the country, data is well collated and its used for decision making. We are supporting direct maternal and child health intervention in various states.Gombe is one example of a state that we are working on. We are working in diarrhea diseases and pneumonia in Benue, Kebbi and other states depending on what their needs are. If you go to states around the south west, we are heavy on agriculture-cassava. I am sure that you know that the yellow cassava is a programme we are supporting to make sure that cassava becomes an income generating route for the country.

How much is the timeline budget your foundation has for health?

With the existing programmes that are going on, the investment of the foundation in Nigeria is about $700m and our annual cheque is multi years because when you give a grant, the grant runs for a couple of years and the annual cheque that are written varies from year to year between a 140, 200,170. But the complete investment is about $700 million for a period of time between three to five years in various sectors.

Source: Leadership Newspaper

MEDICAL WORKERS TURN LADOKE AKINTOLA TEACHING HOSPITAL TO WAR COLLEGE

As the battle for the soul of medicine deepens in Nigeria and medical workers flex their muscle in what has been a beauty pageant, the workers from the Medical Laboratory department in Ladoke Akintola Teaching Hospital (LTH), Ogbomosho got more than what they bargained for at about 4:30pm on Wednesday when the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Dr. Olakulehin reportedly came with the hospital security men to drag the Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) out of the laboratory in order for the Pathologists to carry out their duties.

According to a source in the hospital, the MLS left the lab and began protest action in front of the Lab, displaying placards to show their disapproval of the happenings in the hospital.

As the protest continued, the press crew from the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) drove into the premises to capture the event. As they made to interview the Chairman of Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists (AMLSN), the CMAC came back from his office to question the press men on what their mission was, thus disrupting the interview.

We gathered that the CMAC and a Consultant from the radiology department Dr. Aremu and other Medical Doctors began to struggle the camera with the press man, while the MLS formed a covering around him to avoid him being beaten, which led to a near fist cuff between the Scientists and the Physicians.


The battle got fierce as Dr Aremu accuosted a Medical Laboratory Scientist holding a Samsung Galaxy tablet, which he thought was being used to film the ugly sight.

Our sources stated that attempts by Aremu to take the phone from the victim resulted in him blowing the MLS personnel, who used the phone to defend himself, thus destroying the phone.

Not done with spoiling the phone, the CMAC ran after the MLS worker and held him by the trouser with his hand inside his, like a wanted criminal waist.

When the NTA crew finished and made to leave, the CMAC we gathered ordered the security men to shut the gate and held them hostage for one hour, until the News Manager of NTA came to the hospital. The appearance of the News Manager led to a shouting bout as the CMAC told them that their filming the event was illegal.


Probably angered by the CMAC word, the Journalist with the camera was asked to “roll the camera” in his word.

The words jolted the CMAC who later agreed to grant them interview before allowing them to leave.

Another source revealed to us that the CMAC, “If you want it in a civilised way I would give it to you,and if you want it in an “NURTW” way I would give it to you”, while threatening to get them sacked.CMAC denies...When contacted by our reporter, the CMAC denied ever using security to chase the MLS out of the lab.

He stated that the pathologists were supposed to be on call duty, but the lab was denied them access by the Scientist and as the most senior management staff on ground, he had to intervene.


Explaining that the management has been taken to the Court in Ibadan by the Scientists union, and they have urged those who cannot work till the verdict comes out, while their salaries will still be paid to them.

“Doctors were to be taking calls once in week and they are all aware. Now when it is the turn of the doctors to take calls, you refused them entry into the laboratory that they cannot enter. I happen to be the most senior management staff at that material time and I walked in there when it was reported to me that the scientists were obstructing the doctors”

“I told them to leave the lab, they refused; in fact they ignored me for almost ten minutes until the hospital security had to persuade them to leave the place. Now the next thing they did, about one and half hours later were to invite press men into the laboratory”, he explained.

He noted that the intrusion of the pressmen into the lab was unethical to the medical profession, as the pictures that will be taken by the press will show the patient result, as well as their names, thus intruding into the privacy of the patients.

This he admitted made him accoust the press, demanding from them while they should come into the hospital without the courtesy of informing the hospital management.

The CMAC challenged our reporter to go to other parts of the world and come out with a finding and see if the medical profession is being practiced the way it is done in Nigeria.

Source: Secret Reporter

6 Nigerian health workers test positive to Lassa fever

The Ebonyi Commissioner for Health, Sunday Nwangele, said on Tuesday that six medical staff of the Federal Teaching Hospital, FETHA, Abakaliki, had tested positive to Lassa fever.


Mr. Nwangele confirmed to journalists in Abakaliki that the six persons were among the 11 doctors and five nurses who were rushed to the virology laboratory in Irrua, Edo, for testing.


The state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, last Thursday announced that 11 doctors and five nurses had contracted the disease after participating in a clinical operation on a pregnant woman in the hospital.


The state NMA Chairman, Chidi Esike, told journalist at a news conference in Abakaliki that the woman and her baby died a few days after they were discharged from the hospital.


Mr. Esike also said that the state had recorded 25 deaths due to Lassa fever since 2005, adding that many of them were medical personnel.

Commenting on the development, the commissioner said: “No live was lost except for the pregnant woman and her baby through whom the health workers contracted the disease.

’’“The 16 patients were rushed to Irrua when they were discovered to be resistant to Malaria fever treatment, and six of them have been confirmed positive through a laboratory test.


“They are now undergoing intensive care treatment; and they are all stable.

“But I want to say that it is not every case of resistance to Malaria fever treatment that is Lassa fever case,’’ he said.

Mr. Nwangele said that the joint committee set up by the state Ministry of Health and FETHA on Lassa fever had evolved a two-way approach for treatmentof the disease.

According to him, the method is short and long-term control measures.“On the short-term approach, the suspected patient is administered with prophylaxis tablets, while on the long-term control the patient that is clinically down receives injectable drugs.

“The state government is partnering with FETHA on the short-term control method, while government has in this regard donated tablets and personal protection equipment to affected patients.

“The state would not accept being an endemic state, and has mapped out a land for the construction of a virology laboratory in Abakaliki,’’ he said.

Mr. Nwangele noted that most of the Lassa fever cases in the area were imported, and manifest in form of “operateable cases’’.He said that the pregnant woman through whom the health workers contracted the disease was not from the state.

“We were contacted with the dermatology team to determine her close contact and how she got the disease.

“I want to advice the public to always keep their environment clean, avoid exposing edibles to rats; if possible exterminate all rats around them,’’ he advised.(NAN)

International Nursing Day: Nurses Seek Better Public Perception

LAGOS- As Nigeria marks the International Nurses Day, some nurses criticised the attitude of the public toward nurses as being inferior to doctors in the health sector.

They said the public’s perception about the nursing profession was not encouraging the nurses to discharge their responsibilities in healthcare delivery well.

Mrs Taiwo Adetayo, the Zonal Chief Nursing Officer, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi- Araba, told newsmen that patients looked down on nurses.

“Without nurses in the health sector, there is nothing. We are the ones that are closest to the patient.

“But Nigerians believe that the doctor is all in all, which is not supposed to be.

“We are close to the patients and we will listen to their complaints, taking care of them.

“A doctor will not come now and give bed bath to a patient, doctor will not come now and carry bed pan or urinal, and they won’t touch it


“Their own is to prescribe and see that prescription order is being carried out.


“So, we are the ones that are very close to the patients and we are the ones carrying out the major job concerning patient care.”Adetayo said that people were often rude to nurses and disregarding their instructions unless it came from a doctor.


The chief nursing officer added that the attitude was improper to the training of nurses who unlike doctors were involved in the day-to-day part of a patient’s recovery.

She explained that nursing could not be done by everyone because it required passion, otherwise patients would suffer needlessly.

“I’m proud to be a nurse; the job satisfaction should be there.“If you are into a profession and you don’t have job satisfaction, I don’t see any reason why you will love doing it.

“But there are some people that believe it is a calling, where even there is job satisfaction or not, because souls are supposed to be taken care of.


“And you must put in all your effort to make sure that person receives healing.”

In her own contribution, Mrs. Grace Fakiye,Chief Nursing Officer, Clinical Teaching Unit, LUTH told newsmen that the job of a nurse had grown in recent years.

She said that nursing had a scientific aspect that exceeded the act of merely following instructions by doctors.“Nurses give care to their patients, they look at the patient in totality and see what they can do or say to drive that person towards wellness,” she said.

Source: Nigerian Observer

Uganda HIV nurse Rosemary Namubiru jailed by Kampala court

A Ugandan court has sentenced a nurse to three years in prison for negligence over the potential infection of a two-year-old boy withHIV.

Rosemary Namubiru, who is HIV-positive, was criminally negligent by using an intravenous needle, that she had accidentally pricked her finger with, on the child, the court ruled.

The child was not infected and HIV/Aids activists condemned the trial.The case was keenly watched and some papers dubbed her the"killer nurse".

The boy's father, Daniel Mushabe, welcomed the ruling, saying he hoped the case would spur President Yoweri Museveni to sign into law a bill which criminalises the transmission of HIV.


The bill - already approved by parliament - says anyone who wilfully passes on HIV could face a fine of $1,900 (£1,130), a 10-year jail term or both.

Namubiru's five-month trial has been closely followed in Uganda, reports the BBC's Patience Atuhaire from the capital, Kampala.


Many members of the public were condemned the nurse, while HIV/Aids activists defended the 64-year-old, our reporter says.

'Ruined'

Handing down sentence in a packed court room, chief magistrate Olive Kazaarwe said Namubiru lacked remorse for her actions.

Namubiru, a paediatric nurse with 30 years' experience, had maintained her innocence during the trial, and the boy was not infected with the virus.

Her lawyer David Kabanda said he was unhappy with the ruling, and was considering what to do next.

Namubiru said she had decided to administer intra-venous fluids through the boy's arm, but had difficulty finding a vein in which she could insert the needle.It was then that she accidentally hurt her finger, but had no intention of passing the virus to the boy, she said.


Welcoming the ruling, Mr Mushabe said he hoped doctors and nurses will now "think twice" in future when treating patients.


"It is extremely hard to feel happiness in such circumstances without really getting to the bottomof the matter and finding out why Namubiru, without any provocation, went out of her way toinfect our child," he said.

HIV/Aids activists said the nurse had not acted maliciously, and her life had been ruined.

The public anger towards her showthe stigma people with HIV/Aids still face, they said.Uganda won worldwide praise for its vigorous campaign against HIV/Aids, which helped reduce the prevalence of the virus - which reached 30% of the population in the 1990s - to single-digit figures.However, the rate has started to rise again in recent years

Source: BBC

Uganda HIV nurse Rosemary Namubiru jailed by Kampala court-BBC

Uganda HIV nurse Rosemary Namubiru jailed by Kampala court

A Ugandan court has sentenced a nurse to three years in prison for negligence over the potential infection of a two-year-old boy with HIV.

Rosemary Namubiru, who is HIV-positive, was criminally negligent by using an intravenous needle, that she had accidentally pricked her finger with, on the child, the court ruled.


The child was not infected and HIV/Aids activists condemned the trial.

The case was keenly watched and some papers dubbed her the"killer nurse".

The boy's father, Daniel Mushabe, welcomed the ruling, saying he hoped the case would spur President Yoweri Museveni to sign into law a bill which criminalises the transmission of HIV.


The bill - already approved by parliament - says anyone who wilfully passes on HIV could face a fine of $1,900 (£1,130), a 10-year jail term or both.

Namubiru's five-month trial has been closely followed in Uganda, reports the BBC's Patience Atuhaire from the capital, Kampala.

Many members of the public were condemned the nurse, while HIV/Aids activists defended the 64-year-old, our reporter says.

'Ruined'

Handing down sentence in a packed court room, chief magistrate Olive Kazaarwe said Namubiru lacked remorse for her actions.


Namubiru, a paediatric nurse with 30 years' experience, had maintained her innocence during the trial, and the boy was not infected with the virus.


Her lawyer David Kabanda said he was unhappy with the ruling, and was considering what to do next.

Namubiru said she had decided to administer intra-venous fluids through the boy's arm, but had difficulty finding a vein in which she could insert the needle.It was then that she accidentally hurt her finger, but had no intention of passing the virus to the boy, she said.

Welcoming the ruling, Mr Mushabe said he hoped doctors and nurses will now "think twice" in future when treating patients.

"It is extremely hard to feel happiness in such circumstances without really getting to the bottomof the matter and finding out why Namubiru, without any provocation, went out of her way toinfect our child," he said.

HIV/Aids activists said the nurse had not acted maliciously, and her life had been ruined.

The public anger towards her showthe stigma people with HIV/Aids still face, they said.

Uganda won worldwide praise for its vigorous campaign against HIV/Aids, which helped reduce the prevalence of the virus - which reached 30% of the population in the 1990s - to single-digit figures.
However, the rate has started to rise again in recent years.

Nursing Graduates of National Open University Should not Entertain Any Fear - NANNM President

One of the greatest Challenges of Nursing profession in nigeria is our system of education. The present situation has a lot of limitation characterized by non availability of adequate number, and evenly distributed higher institution of learning for nurses in nigeria, drastic shortage of qualified personnel while many nurses are willing to further thier education.

The precarious situation has led many nurses to go into the volatile issue of studying 'allied courses' to nursing, the implication of what we are battling with till today.The stakeholders have however resolved to assist the association and the nursing and midwifery counil of nigeria in designing a more pragmatic abridged program to provide an academic link for willing and eligible graduates of our schools of nursing to be able to scale up and further their education without let or hindrance.

The solution lies in pursuance of degree courses in nursing science for our professional growth and development.While concerted efforts are on going and at advanced stage on actualization of NBTE Programs to provide academic certification for our registered nurse programs.


Open and distance learing is another way out of our education bottle neck in nigeria.Therefore, the national open university is a welcome development and all hands are on deck to clear the problem of accreditation while the graduates of the institution shouuld not entertain any fear.

However, following series of complaints from some nurses that their managements especially in some of the teaching hospitals refused to accept the validity of the degreee certificates awarded to nurses by the national open university of nigeria for the successful completion of the nursing program.

NANNM reported the matter to the board of the nursing and midwifery council of nigeria.The board delibrated on it, resolved and directed the management of the N&MCN to write a circular to convey the validity of the certificate as the program was approved by the national university commission.


The current suspension of admission into the school for want of a re-new accreditation is another challenge before NANNM and would be pursued accordingly with the cooperation of the N&MCN.

The nursing and midwifery council of nigeria is also working towards undertaking an accreditation visit and ensure that the program meet the expected standard.

SOURCE: AN ADDRESS PRESENTED BY THE NANNM NATIONAL PRESIDENT ABDURAFIU ALANI ADENIJI ON THE COMMEMORATION OF THE FORMAL OPENING OF THE INTERNATIONAL NURSES WEEK ON 12TH MAY, 2014 AT THE BARCELONA HOTEL , WUSE 11 ABUJA

GIVE US CARS OR WE STRIKE; PHYSICIANS THREATEN FG; AS THEY DRAW BATTLE LINE WITH CBN by Fejiro Oliver

For daring to give directives in the health sector that clearance must be obtained from the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) for product certification before the importation of In-Vitro Diagnostics into the country, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has threatened to go to battle with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) who issued the order.

A section of the circular by the CBN with ref No: TED/FEM/FPC/ GEN/01/001, dated April 24 2014 and signed by its Acting Director (Trade and Exchange Department),Mr. J.O. Ajewole reads, “Documentation in respect of imports of IVDs shall include Certificate of Registration of the importer and product certificate issued by the MLSCN. Bonafide importers who intend to import IVDs into Nigeria are therefore advised to apply to the MLSCN for registration.”

The new NMA National President, Dr. Kayode Obembe warned the CBN to revoke the order or the nation will pay for it. This was made known during his maiden press briefing on Tuesday in Abuja after he was elected in Benin, crying that the MLSCN may have gone to lobby CBN to make such demand. He asked the CBN to withdraw the circular as there are already established bodies for such.

“Already, we have NAFDAC and SON which have been established to enforce standards. If you go on to proliferate other bodies, it will be like another import license scandal and it is not going to augur well for the healthcare delivery system in Nigeria. Let the organizations which have been charged with these responsibilities continue and we don’t need any more. That is why the CBN has to withdraw this circular with immediate effect. But if they insist, we will use every means to resist them because it is unnecessary. So if I want to do ultra scan, I must first of all go to the MLSCN to get clearance. What we are trying to do is to remove allobstacles as we have in civilized countries.”


The association promised to use every legitimate means to see that the action of the CBN do not see the light of the day; noting that such amounts to causing trouble where there is none.

Mr Obembe charged physicians to be on duty as other Medical and Health workers plan to go on strike. They also demanded from the government that their members should be given cars and ambulances, to enable them cope with emergency situations as it obtains in other developed countries especially in the US.

“All Doctors in Nigeria should be given cars and medical ambulances because wherever they are all Doctors would be able to tackle emergencies in line with global trends, especially in the United States of America. We are therefore ready to take our rightful positions in tackling emergencies. Even the kidnappers when they are sick, they go to hospitals. In order to guarantee peace, progress and harmony in the health sector, the government should tackle these naughty problems headlong without unnecessary procrastination or prevarication”, he said

Other demands made by NMA is the speedy passage of the controversial National Health Bill (NHB), Security for their members, placement of fresh medical students on Housemanship as well as overseas residency training for them.

A top medical consultant who prefers anonymity who spoke to us wondered why cars should be a priority for Nigerian doctors when such will not add value to the patients’ lives. “All of us who are inthe clinical line can buy a car for personal use, so why tell government to buy cars. Will it also get to doctors in the private hospitals? Will Nurses and Pharmacists also get these cars? I believe that Dr Obembe is not speaking for our association on this matter but himself”, he said

A staffer with the CBN confided in this newspaper that the circular is in line with global standard and no amount of blackmail can make them withdraw it. “When did they become lab scientist that they now import diagnostics equipments and why won’t they get permission from the appropriate association if they must import”, the senior staff told us.

Source: Secret Reporters

Rare 'mono mono' twins born in U.S. held hands after delivery

Twin girls born with a rare condition in the U.S. were breathing on their own, and their mom said she and her husband were able to hold them on Mother's Day.

Sarah Thistlethwaite said babies Jillian and Jenna were removed from ventilators Sunday after they were able to breathe comfortably.

"It's just hard to put into words how amazing it feels to know the girls are OK," she told The Associated Press.

The identical twin girls shared the same amniotic sac and placenta. Such births are called monoamniotic, or "mono mono," and doctors say they occur in about one of every 10,000 pregnancies.


They were born Friday in Ohio, grasping each other's hands when doctors lifted them up for their parents to see after delivery.

Thistlethwaite told the Akron Beacon Journal that this was "the best Mother's Day present ever.""They're already best friends," said Thistlethwaite, 32.

"I can't believe they were holding hands. That's amazing."Dr. Melissa Mancuso helped deliver the twins, one of several amniotic pairs she has helped deliver in 11 years. She said the twins are at risk during pregnancy of entanglement of umbilical cords, which can cause death.

Source: CTV NEWS

Sierra Leone: Girls Trade Sex for Mobile Phones - Report

Sierra Leone: Girls Trade Sex for Mobile Phones - Report

Teenage girls in Sierra Leone's capital Freetown are selling their bodies to buy mobile phones, putting them at increased risk of pregnancy and sexually.transmitted diseases, says a study by Save the Children.

"Mobile phones represent everything that an adolescent associates with being young, hip and fashionable. They are part and parcel of the idea of what they want to become, and to get them they engage in risky sexual behaviour," said Krystle Lai, the research author.


"Young girls are driven to seek older, richer men who can afford to buy them mobile phones, but the economic power in these relationships is unbalanced and influences the bargaining power of using a condom," added Lai, noting that Sierra Leone has poor sex education.

She said once girls own a phone, especially poorer girls, the maintenance and top up may mean they have to continue selling their bodies.


The research in Freetown appears to reflect a wider global trend. The report said there was growing evidence that the demand for mobile phones was among the key drivers for young girls in low-income countries to engage in transactional sex.

Girls in Freetown also use transactional sex to buy fashionable clothes, good exam results, known locally as "sexually transmitted grades", and even staple foods, researchers found.


The girls often have different partners to meet different needs.

"One girl at school was in love with three boys. One of them did her (school)assignments, one would buy her clothes,and the other one bought her phone and other things like money. One man won't do," one girl told researchers.


There are different types of man. The 'old pa' can be over 50 years old, the 'big man' is 25 to 50 years old and then there are the young guys - those are the ones the girls actually love, the report said.

"Many girls consider going with old men much better as they pay more money and they will only ask for oral sex instead of intercourse, so there is no chance of getting sexually transmitted diseases or becoming pregnant," Lai told Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone from Freetown.

One girl told researchers: "The 'old pa' ask ... the girls to just touch them but usually no sex. The 'big men' ask for everything, kiss, oral sex and sex.


"Many adolescent girls in the study demonstrated little understanding of HIV or other health risks surrounding concurrent relationships.

Lai said worldwide data showed an increase in teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV, due to transactional sex between girls and older men.


FORCED TO SELL VIRGINITY FOR 23 CENTS (less than #40)

Parents reacted differently to their daughter's behaviour, the research said.While fathers came down hard, mothers were often fully aware of their daughter's activities and chose to ignore them, or even encourage them.


"If there is nothing at home, the mother will ask the girl to go out and 'find something'. This word is very common in the community. If your mother says this,you know what she means," said one girl.


Another described how her friend lost her virginity for an onion."My friend dropped an onion, she didn't have the money to replace it so she had to beg from a boy. The boy gave it to her for Le 1000 ($0.23) and then asked for sex. She lost her virginity to buy an onion," she said.

Lai said poverty drove mothers to make difficult decisions. "You have to step into the shoes of a mother with four children.You are poor, you may be single, and the only way that you as a mother have seen in the past that you can make some money is by using your body.

"As a mother, you can send one child out to somehow get some money, which will have a benefit for your other three children, or you have all four of your children suffer. These are the decisions that mothers face in Freetown on a daily basis."

Lai says punishing mothers is not the answer. It's sex offenders who should be penalised.

"We need income generating activities and to teach better parenting skills to mothers, who may have been brought up by teenager mothers themselves. The cycle of parenting has been broken and it's up to civil society to try and patch things up again," Lai said.

"However, sex offences must be punished to the full extent of the law, which says anybody aged under 18 years is a child, and identifies any form of sexual relationship with a child as a offence warranting five to 15 years imprisonment."


Source: Allafrica

West Africa College of Nursing Application

WEST AFRICAN COLLEGE OF NURSING ANNOUNCES THE AWARD OF FELLOWSHIP TO QUALIFIED NURSES

The West African College of Nursing (WACN), a specialized agency of the West African Health Organization (WAHO) – an International Health Organization with headquarters in Bobo Dioulasso, Burkina Faso wishes to advertise for qualified and interested nurses and midwives in both Anglophone and Francophone countries of the West African sub region to apply for the award of Fellowship of the College.Applicants should possess the following or higher qualifications:

(i) First degree in nursing course from approved/accredited university with 5 years’ post qualification experience.

(ii) Masters degree or PhD (will be an added advantage), with 2 years’ post qualification.

(iii) Honorary Fellows of the College forconversion, who meet the criteria are eligible to apply also.

(iv) All applicants must be currently licensed to practice Nursing/Midwifery.

1. Applicants should download application form from the college site atwww.wacn-online.com or collect form from the Secretariat or any of theWACN Chapters.

2. Applicants should make payment of non-refundable fee of $150 US Dollars payable to:

WACN account (To be provided to applicants on request from westafricancollegenursing@gmail.com) or from Chapter Chairmen.

3. A copy of the Teller/Receipt should be forwarded or scanned to the Secretariat email – nwestafricancollegenursing@gmail.com before processing of the application form which should be submitted with two recent Passport photographs and other stated documents.

4. In addition, applicants to the WACN Fellowship should have,

a. At least two publications in reputable professional journals to theircredit. An evidence of a paper accepted for publication from a reputable journal may be considered.

b. They must have completed at least one health related research work.

c. Applicants should submit a 3,000 word-paper (research, education, practice) on contemporary issues in nursing and/or midwifery in their specialty area.

d. Four(4) copies each of items No. a, b, c, must be submitted spiral bound tothe College Secretariat.

5. The shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend a searching interview to be conducted by the College Panel of Assessors (Internal and External) at a scheduled date in November, 2014.

6. Results will be out by 31st December2014

7. Successful candidates will each pay Admission Fee of Two Hundred US Dollars ($200) and an endowment fee of three hundred US dollars ($300) into the West African College of Nursing Account.

All payments should be made before certification.

Certification will take place at the next BGM scheduled for March 2015 in Accra, Ghana.

Please Note:. Submission of application forms end July 31, 2014. Late submission attracts penalty. Submission of Research papers end August 29, 2014 Applicants should apply either online or contact the followings:

For Application Forms after payment ofapplication fee, Contact:

[1] The Executive Secretary West African College of Nursing 6, Taylor Drive (Off Edmond Crescent) P.M.B. 2023, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria
Phone: 08081245510, 08036731512, 08086095040
E-mail: westafricancollegenursing@gmail.com OR
[2] National Chapter Chairpersons (WACN) Benin Republic:Chapter Chairman, WACN c/o Chief Nursing Officer Ministere de la Sante Publique 04 BP 0461, Cotonou, Benin Republicpriscilleoyede@ymail.com

(a) The Gambia:Chapter Chairman, WACN c/o School of Nursing and MidwiferyMarina Parade Banjul, The Gambia.laminsuwareh@yahoo.com

(b) Ghana:Chapter Chairman, WACN c/o Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) Ministry of HealthP.O. Box M-44 Accra, Ghana.nanaoyetia@yahoo.com

(c) Liberia:Chapter Chairman, WACNc/o CHAL, 7th Street, SinkorP.O. Box 9056 Monrovia, Liberia.Number1juaka@yahoo.co.uk

(d) Nigeria:Chapter Chairman, WACN c/o Nursing Services Department Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Yaba, Lagos Mojisola.okelola@yahoo.com

(e) Sierra Leone:Chapter Chairman, WACN c/o Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) Nursing Services Department Ministry of Health and Sanitation Youyi Building, Brookfields Freetown, Sierra Leone.joanheev@yahoo.com

LAUTECH PART TIME EXAM VENUE

Sitting Arrangement(CBT) For LAUTECH PART-TIME NURSING 2013/2014 100 Level Entrance Examination


DATE: 10TH MAY 2014


TIME: 10:00AM – 12:00 Noon


NURSING --- NEW ICT

THIS INFORMATION PERTAINS TO 100 LEVEL APPLICANTS ONLY.


APPLICANTS SHOULD BE AT THEIR RESPECTIVE VENUES AT LEAST 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE EXAMINATION START TIME.


APPLICANTS WILL BE EXPECTED TO LOG IN TO TAKE THE ENTRANCE EXAMINATION USING THEIR APPLICATION FORM NUMBER AND PASSCODE.

APPLICANTS WILL BE ALLOWED TO ATTEMPT SAMPLE CBT QUESTIONS TOMORROW, 9TH MAY 2014 (TIME: 10:00AM), AT THE NEW ICT CENTRE.


BEST OF LUCK!!!

International Nurses Week 2014: Have You Thanked A Nurse For Their Hard Work?

Florence Nightingale, born in 1820, is considered the mother of modern nursing. She made a name for herself after taking charge of nursing British and allied soldiers in Turkey during the Crimean War.

She worked hours upon hours, tending to soldiers day and night (she was nicknamed “Lady with the Lamp”). She changed nursing from the verge of incompetency, widely influencing practices such as sanitation, military health, and hospital planning.

To this day, many of her practices are still implemented in hospitals worldwide, and the nurses are just as hardworking too.

In commemoration of them,International Nurses Week will begins today , and end on Nightingale’s birthday, May 12.

“Nurses are the first line of defense in the prevention of illness and injury,” the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration says on its website.

“They champion and promote the healthof our nation.” Indeed, that task doesn’t come easily. Ask any nurse what their hours are like, and they’re likely to tell you somewhere between 12 to 16 hoursa day. It’s not something they often complain about, though.

They’re dedicated to their work, and to showing the compassion and care that all patients need, from giving them medication to changing them, and planning their recovery to performing a whole array of tests and procedures.

They’re at their patients’ bedsides constantly.Though they tend to be targets of budget cuts, the bettering economy has given rise to hopeful projections, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which says that the number of employed registered nurses is expected to increase by 19 percent over the next eight years. That’s good news.

A February study looking into how budget cuts affected patients found that they would have a 30 percent lower chance of dying if 60 percent of the hospital’s nursing staff had a college degree and an average of six patients per shift, compared to a hospital with 30 percent of its nurses holding a degree and managing eight patients.


“The odds ratio suggest that each increase of one patient per nurse is associated with a seven percent increase in the likelihood of a surgical patient dying within 30 days of admission,” the authors wrote.Nurses will become even more integral to the health care system, as more Americans make use of the insurance they recently purchased on the Affordable Care Act’s insurance marketplaces.

With an additional eight million people, not including their families, enrolled in Obamacare, there are already shortages in physicians across the country — nurses will fill part of that gap.

So, the next time you see a nurse, thank them. Sooner or later, you will find themat your hospital bedside.


Source: http://m.medicaldaily.com/international-nurses-week-2014-have-you-thanked-nurse-their-hard-work-280198

Maternal deaths falling worldwide, says WHO

Maternal deaths have fallen worldwide, dropping by 45 per cent since 1990, according to new figures.

The statistics, released by the World Health Organization, also provide new evidence on the causes of women dying in pregnancy or childbirth.The WHO says most are preventable, highlighting the need for more investment in pregnancy care.


In 1990, more than half a million women died in pregnancy or childbirth –by 2013 the figure was 289,000.But the WHO say the figure it still too high – with 33 maternal deaths around the world every hour.

The gap between rich and poor countries is wide. In sub-Saharan Africa, a 15-year-old girl has a one in 40 risk of dying during pregnancy or childbirth. In Europe, that risk is one in 3,300.


The WHO says the study highlights the need for poorer countries to invest morein health care.But there is also evidence that in some rich countries such as the United States, maternal mortality is rising, say health experts.


More than one in four maternal deaths is caused by pre-existing conditions which complicate pregnancy, such as diabetes, HIV, malaria and obesity.

International Nurses Week 2014: Have You Thanked A Nurse For Their Hard Work?

Florence Nightingale, born in 1820, is considered the mother of modern nursing. She made a name for herself after taking charge ofnursing British andallied soldiersin Turkey during the Crimean War. She worked hours upon hours, tending to soldiers day and night (she was nicknamed “Lady with the Lamp”). Shechanged nursingfrom the verge of incompetency, widely influencing practices such as sanitation, military health, and hospital planning. To this day, many of her practices are still implemented in hospitals worldwide, and the nurses are just as hardworking too. In commemoration of them,International Nurses Weekwill begin on Tuesday, and end on Nightingale’s birthday, May 12.

“Nurses are the first line of defense in the prevention of illness and injury,” the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration says on its website. “They champion and promote the healthof our nation.” Indeed, that task doesn’t come easily. Ask any nurse what their hours are like, and they’re likely to tell you somewhere between 12 to 16 hoursa day. It’s not something they often complain about, though. They’re dedicated to their work, and to showing the compassion and care that all patients need, from giving them medication to changing them, and planning their recovery to performing a whole array of tests and procedures. They’re at their patients’ bedsides constantly.

Though they tend to be targets of budgetcuts, the bettering economy has given rise to hopeful projections, according to theBureau of Labor Statistics, which says that the number of employed registered nurses is expected to increase by 19 percent over the next eight years. That’s good news. AFebruary studylooking into how budget cuts affected patients found that they would have a 30 percent lower chance of dying if 60 percent of the hospital’s nursing staff had a college degree and an average of six patients per shift, compared to a hospital with 30 percent of its nurses holding a degree and managing eight patients. “The odds ratiosuggest that each increase of one patient per nurse is associated with a seven percent increase in the likelihood of a surgical patient dying within 30 daysof admission,” the authors wrote.

Nurses will become even more integral to the health care system, as more Americans make use of the insurance they recently purchased on the Affordable Care Act’s insurance marketplaces. With an additional eight million people, not including their families, enrolled in Obamacare, there are already shortages in physicians across the country — nurses will fill part of that gap.

So, the next time you see a nurse, thank them. Sooner or later, you will find themat your hospital bedside.

Source: http://m.medicaldaily.com/international-nurses-week-2014-have-you-thanked-nurse-their-hard-work-280198

International Day of the Midwife 2014

As May 5th is International Day of the Midwife, I would like to take this opportunity to share some inspiring stories of midwives from around the world. In midwife-led care, women experience less preterm births, less assisted deliveries and greater satisfaction with care; contributing directly to the achievement of Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 by 2015. Statistics, facts and figures are always useful when making a case for your cause, but I have found that it is the personal storiesthat highlight the difference midwives make, one family at a time...

Meet Nancy Ale:How Nancy changed a whole community by giving hope to a girl

Nancy Ale is a midwife with over 30 years experience working in a public hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Buenos Aires is not only the capital of Argentina, but also a province with 24 districts, the size of Italy.

The living standards between the capital and the provinces are extremely different with high standards in the capital and very low standards in the communities. Nancy says that universities need to offer courses that are centered on communities, so that students develop an understanding for the needs and stop ignoring the conditions in these underserved villages.

In Argentina there is a big shortage ofmidwives and they are often limited in their scope of practice.

In 2009 Nancy joined a group of health care professionals who knew about the dire conditions in far flung districts and volunteered their services. Conditions in some of these districts are harsh as infrastructure is lacking and so are health services.

Nancy's solidarity group decided to offer their help tothe millions of inhabitants, where 300,000 births are registered yearly and 28 percent are adolescent pregnancies.

Conditions are extremely poor andstand in crass contrary to the capital. Teenagers have reverted toa cruel but attention grabbing formof protest by committing suicide. They do not want to lead the life their parents have and take their life as a form of revenge against the wealthy. It is their way of protesting against inequality in society.

Nancy's group usually drives 18 to 20 hours with several buses from the capital to reach these communities and stays there in tents for about 10 days to provide medical care. Nancy volunteers herservices and has to take vacations from her regular work. The buses are equipped with surgery equipment as well as medications. Nancy attends births, provides family planning counseling and also conducts HIV tests and vaccinations. One day during her stay with the community she met aseven-year-old girl who was living with her grandmother because both parents had died of HIV. The girl called Daniela, was terrified that she would also soon die of HIV, like her parents did. Nancy and Daniela grew very fond of each other and Nancy even considered adopting the little girl. When she learned of Daniela's worry, Nancy initiated to have the whole population of the village tested of HIV and was overjoyed when she found out that the little girl was negative. Nancy saw that Daniela lived an isolated live with almost no friends and no social support. She took it upon herself toconnect the community members with each other and organized a so-called Murga. Murgas are mini carnivals where everyone dresses up, dances and enjoys themselves.These community events helped Daniela and other community members to meet and connect with each other. Now, each time the group of health workers travelsto the community, they are being welcomed by a Murga full of happiness and community support. Nancy has not only influenced one child's life, she has changed a whole community and significantly contributed to the well-being of it. Nancy hopes to serve as a role model for many midwives that then can bring hope, joy and health to communities.

Meet Claire Wankuju:"Lucky me, I met the midwives before my birth!" Read how an International Confederation of Midwives Workshop saved Claire Wankiju's life.

Claire Wankiju says: "I was very lucky to have so many midwives around me during the third ICM Africa Regional Conference". She assisted the ICM team in organizing the conference that offered a rich scientific program along with many hands-on workshops. Claire was six months pregnant during the conference; she said "The midwives are very understanding and caring." Claire took a special interest in one of theworkshops, called "Helping Mothers Survive Bleeding After Birth." This is a workshop ICM has run in several countries in close collaboration with Jhpiego and support from Laerdal Global Health that has developed the training material for the management of postpartum bleeding. The training has been designed to reinforce existing training in basic emergency obstetric and newborn care to help learners acquire the competencies required to effectively prevent deaths from postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), using MamaNatalie, an innovative simulator.


Although Claire wasn't a participant for the ICM workshop, she had familiarized herself with the content out of interest it came in very handy a couple of months later. For her second birth Claire had had a Caesarean section, leaving her with a scar thatcould potentially rupture during the next delivery. Luckily, she did not need a caesarean for the birth of her third child -- Matthew, but afterwards Claire was bleeding heavily for a few days. She felt drowsy, and would pass out every time she was breastfeeding. Despite reassurance from doctors and nurses, after having become very familiar with the HMS-BAB workshop Claire suspected that she was having complications afterbirth, possibly postpartum hemorrhage (bleeding after birth). Claire pressed the doctors to further examine her, and they then realized the scar tissue from the previous birth had indeed ruptured. Claire needed surgery tostop the bleeding. When she woke up, she said "I was just happy to be alive. I saw how women bleed to death, and sometimes nothing gets done." Claire said that thanks to ICM she knew what postpartum hemorrhage was, and that it needstimely and effective management."If I hadn't heard about bleeding after birth and that it was a complication (which I heard duringthe ICM conference), I would have assumed that it was normal." Even though she needed surgery to survive, Claire was happy that she was alive and her child was well."Lucky me, I met the midwives before my birth. I look at my child, and I'm so happy!" Claire's child, Matthew, is healthy and doing verywell. This is a great example how the work of ICM and midwives change the world, one family at a time.

Meet Midwife Sri:Ambassador for Health Workers"With patience and persistence I have established a relationship of trust with villagers and traditional birth attendants", says midwife Sri from Bandung, Indonesia.

Back in 2003 she opened her private practice at home, alongside her work at the Regency Government Hospital at Ujung Berung in West Java to make maternity services in her region more accessible. For Sri it was not only infrastructure that posed a challenge but also the culture to deliver with a traditionalbirth attendant called "paraji". Paraji are often older women with no formal education in midwifery, who have attended many births and provide care based on their experience and ancient traditions. These practices are deeply rooted in the culture but often do not takenecessary skills into account to prevent mortal complications.

Sri desperately wanted to reduce maternal and newborn mortality inher region, but she knew that she couldn't just impose her midwifery skills on the people. "I started walking from house to house in several villages to find out who is about to give birth this month", recalls midwife Sri her initial efforts. She wanted to make herself visible and accessible to the childbearing women as well as the parajis. Whenever the villagerssent for her, by night, in the early morning or during the heat of noon and in pouring rain, Sri would always show up. She was there, no matter the time or the weather. Often when Sri came to the village to assist in a delivery, she would find people asking her for more medical advice. She neverhesitated to help; she provided medication or referred to the doctor. With her willingness to helpbeyond midwifery care she demonstrated her sincere intentions and was able to show the villagers that she was there for them. Midwife Sri was often the first contact in the health system for many of the people in the village and thanks to her services they were able to develop trust for other health workers. "Being the first point of contact, midwives are Ambassadors for other health workers", is Sri convinced. She continued to work alongside the paraji in the villages and also incorporated some of their practices into her care such as massages or the use of certain herbs. Acknowledging and integrating the parajis practices when they are beneficial for the mother's and newborn's health, helped to further develop the relationship. Parajis now trust midwife Sri so much that they bring their patients to Sri's practiceat home. This change of behavior was also supported by a new governmental rule that deliveries at a midwife's practice are free of charge and there is a monetary incentive for parajis that refer theirpatients to a midwife. Sri now also is consulted in difficult cases, for example the case of a breech position (the baby's feet are facing the uterus instead of the head). The mother was advised by a Gynecologist that she needed to have a cesarean, but she was much too scared of such a surgery. She then decided to give birth at home with a paraji, who immediately called midwife Sri. When Sri arrived, she was shocked to be dealing with a breech birth and also felt uncomfortable working against the regulation, as breech positions are not allowed tobe delivered at home. Sri admits that she often feels confused about the government's regulation and the real situation demanding immediate action and care for the patient. Also in this situation, for the sake of the mother and the baby, midwife Sri left regulatory demands behind and fully concentrated on the birth. Baby and mother are healthy and happyand very grateful to Sri. It is for these situations that Sri worked so hard for almost a decade to establish trust with parajis. That they would call her in such delicatemoments and she would be able tointervene, provide midwifery care and save lives.

Meet Kingsley Musama:"I feel proud to be making a difference asa midwife!" Read how Kingsley Musama, a male midwife from Zambia, is changing the world, one family at a time.

Kingsley Musama is a direct-entry male midwife, who has been working for 4 years under the Ministry of Health, Zambia. He is the only midwife in the eastern part of Zambia, Muchinga province(Chama district), with a population of 11,880. Kingsley works at the Chikwa Rural Health Center, and being the only midwife in the area,he also provides midwifery services at 4 other clinics. "I work in a very remote and poor area, thus I came up with the idea of a better structure - which is providing services in the communities. This initiative that I took saved many women dying from complications," said Kingsley. Among the services he offers to women and families in the community are: family planning counseling, breast cancer awareness, health and reproductive education. He has setup focus groups in his community, where he educates mothers on safe motherhood, also encouragingexclusive breastfeeding. His contribution has helped reduce the maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity levels, which dropped considerably in theeastern part of Zambia. He is also working with the government to encourage women to deliver in closest health facilities, and not at home. "I feel proud to be making adifference as a midwife" said Kingsley.

Kingsley has changed the lives of many families by offering family planning education. He advises families by giving them short-term and long-term family planning advice. Both parents usually come to consult Kingsley during the antenatal period, as fathers prefer to be involved in the process as well and support their wives. Kingsley also advises couples on contraception and health education. "However, there are many challenges that I'm facing in my everyday work: lack of electricity, shortage of equipment, no motorbikes to take women to nearest health facilities. I would like to help as many women as possible, despite all the difficulties," said Kingsley. He once assisted a woman who delivered ina bush, and she started bleeding heavily. Due to birth complications her newborn could not be saved, and the mother was having postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). This was her 10th pregnancy, and her uterus was overstretched which was one of the reasons she experienced PPH. Kingsley took herto the nearest health facility wherePPH was successfully managed. Later, he advised the mother and her husband about long-term family planning, as well as healthy timing between pregnancies. It is an intervention to help women and families delay their pregnancies to achieve the healthiest outcomes for women, newborns, infants, and children, within the context of informed choice, taking into account the desired family size. Thinking ahead, Kingsley would like to pursue and advance his midwifery education. He aims to reach and help as many families as possible in his community, and continue making a difference.

Source: http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/5265593

International Day of the Midwife May 5th,2014

WHO joins partners in celebrating the International Day of the Midwife 2014, observed every year on May 5th.


The International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) theme this year is “Midwives: changing the world one family at a time” accompanied by the overarching theme “The world needs midwives now more than ever”.


WHO takes this opportunity of this day to highlight the critical role that midwives have in ensuring the care and survival of newborn babies.

Every day, midwives around the world are to be thanked for their work in providing care to women and their newborns, in particular at the critical time around childbirth.

Much progress has been made in recent years in increasing access to skilled care at birth and the proportion of women who give birth in facilities.

Nevertheless, every year, 2.9 million newborns die in the first month of life and another 2.6 million babies are stillborn with many of these deaths occurring around the time of birth.

In addition, an estimated 287 000 women die as a result of pregnancy and childbirth.The highest burden of maternal and newborn death is in low-income countries,especially in rural areas.

This year, Ministers of Health from countries around the world will discuss the“Every Newborn: an action plan to end preventable deaths” (ENAP) at the World Health Assembly in May in Geneva. With the support of WHO and UNICEF, the ENAP has been developed though a consultative process involving governments and concerned partners.


Many midwives from all regions have provided excellent inputs to the document.The ENAP highlights the critical importance of quality of care around childbirth and the immediate postnatal period for saving the lives of women and newborns, and preventing stillbirths – a triple return on investment. It recognizes that care for women and newborns - from before conception through the postnatal period - is best provided by a dedicated health professional qualified in midwifery,and that this care should be based on respect for the normal biological process of childbirth.


Professional midwives are uniquely placed to provide such care, working in teams with communities and specialists in order to create access and ensure timely recognition and management of complications when they occur.

”One of the ENAP's key objectives will be to encourage governments to allocate adequate resources for maternal and newborn health services within national health sector plans. This should include funds for the training and retention of midwives. We will continue to support countries to develop and strengthen their midwifery services as a critical intervention to save the lives of women and newborns” says Dr Elizabeth Mason, Director of WHOs Department for Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health.

WHO encourages countries to create universal access to a well-educated, regulated midwifery workforce in a health system with adequate equipment and supplies, as the means to prevent up to two-thirds of maternal and newborn deaths.

The Organization recognizes the pivotal role that midwives play in the provision of quality maternal and newborn health services. However, to ensure high levels of coverage and quality care, an estimated 350 000 more midwives are still needed globally.

JOHESU issues 15-day ultimatum, threatens suit against doctors

A coalition of workers in the health sector have threatened nationwide strike if government does not begin implementing over the next 15 days agreements both sides reached on worker welfare and conditions of service.

Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), an umbrella for four different unions of healthworkers, also threatened legal action against Nigerian Medical Association if doctors go on strike over labour issues.

JOHESU insists the doctors association is not a registered union and has questioned its authority to strike or negotiate salaries with government.

The agreement between JOHESU and government was reached and signed in May 2012, including reconstitution of boards of health institutions, staff promotion from levels 14 to 15 on the consolidated health salary scale for directors, and review of retirement age from 60 to 65 years.

The union says government is yet to implement the report of a job evaluation ordered in 2008 and a separate report on harmony in the health sector presented by a presidential committee headed by Abdullahi Bello.

At a press briefing in Abuja, JOHESU president Ayuba Wabba said, “We had negotiated desirable adjustment to the 2009 CONHESS salary table and allowances as was done for the NMA in January 2014.

Ironically, government reneged because of the threat by the NMA.

”In comments delivered by Felix Faniran, president of Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals called government action “provocative, insulting and unjust in the worst dimension.”JOHESU accused NMA of repeatedly flouting judicial pronouncements about its lack of right to strike.

“It has refused to comply with this law. But if they continue, we will be forced to take them to court,” the union said.

Source: DailyTrust

Boost for Health Care in Ondo State

Two leading pharmaceutical companies,Norvo Nordisk and Roche have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ondo State government on the care for diabetic patients.Towards this end, two diabetics support centres would be built in two hospitals inOndo State.

The Project Manager of Norvo Nordisk in Nigeria, Ameze Odia disclosed the plan of the company during the signing of the agreement between her organisation, Roche and the Ondo State government.

Odia explained that a Base of Pyramid (BOP) project would be introduced in order to break the barrier preventing people from accessing diabetes care and treatment saying the project would help to develop scalable, profitable and sustainable solutions to the benefit of allparties involved.She listed the BOP projects' benefits to include increased awareness for diabetes, early screening to prevent late complication of the diseases and to trainprofessional in diabetics management.

Other benefits to be enjoyed at the one-stop centre include medication support and periodic screening of diabetics patients noting that the projects has been established in India and Kenya where it worked.She said the One-stop Diabetes Support Centre had been established in Ikorodu General Hospital in Lagos assuring "that people with diabetes no longer have to travel far and to multiple places to receive comprehensive treatment."Nigeria is one of four countries in which Novo Nordisk has launched its Base of the Pyramid project.

Different business models have been established in India, Kenya and Nigeria. It is on the basis of successful pilot centres in Lagos that the concept is now being expanded to other states. We aim to establish at least four additional centres with the first two being Ondo State," he said.

Roche representative, Folashade Ajayi who said the company would be collaborating with other partners to reduce the spread of the disease noted that early detection would help to reduce diabetes.Ajayi pledged that Roche would supply drugs to the centres at a subsidised price while screening of patients would also be free saying the glucometer machine would be free for all patients.

Commending the two organisations, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju said the two partners came onboard at the right time saying the partners had keyed into the visions of the state government. Adeyanju said the presence of the BOP and the assistance to be rendered by the two pharmaceutical companies would help to arouse the consciousness of the public on the disease. He said the state government has embarked on periodic awareness prior to the signing of the agreement saying that awareness and screening of patients have been taken to the doorsteps of the people of the state.

He explained that the state government has partnered with the Diabetes Association of Nigeria screening people across all the 18 local government areas of the state.He said the state health sector has served as benchmark to other states in the country. He said the two BOP will be established in the State Specialist Hospital Akure and the General Hospital, Ondo.