Declaring the Programme open in Abuja, Nigeria, the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Mr. Mahmud Adam Kambari said the Scheme is in line with the present administration’s priority on Inclusivity, aimed at enhancing the value proposition of Civil Servants.

According to him, will also provide opportunity for serving Civil Servants to enjoy multiple streams of income through agriculture and its value chain, as permitted by the Constitution and the revised Public Service Rules while preparing prospective retirees for life after Service.

‘‘The programme is not merely a venture; it is a testament to our belief in the potential that lies within each individual regardless of their professional background,” he added.

The Permanent Secretary also noted that Agrepreneurship opens doors to new opportunities, harnessing the untapped potential in agriculture and entrepreneurship sectors that are vital for sustainable development and economic growth.

According to him, ninety-eight trainees from four Ministries, extra-ministerial Departments and Agencies are presently participating in the programme.

Earlier, the Administrator, Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN), Dr. AbdulGaniyu Obatoyinbo noted that an entrepreneurship and commercial orientation is a must have for all Civil Servants.

He said holding on to a skill or vocation is an avenue for creating wealth.

”If you cannot create wealth, you will be poor,” he opined.

For his part, representative of the participants, Mr. John Esabu said there is no longer fear in retirement as the scheme will enable retirees cope with life after service, and boost their lifestyles as well as wellbeing.

The theoretical component of the training, which will run from 20th to 24th November, 2023, is being handled by PSIN, the Hands-on practical Training will hold at selected farms from 27th November to 8th December, 2023, while the Bank of Agriculture, will provide loans to beneficiaries of the scheme at the end of the training.

READ ALSO: Kaduna state: AMLSN screens 300 people, advises on diabetes prevention

The experts disclosed this in separate interviews to commemorate the 2023 World Diabetes Day which is observed on November 14 every year.

Citing the rising cost of medicines and the economic hardships in the country, the physicians said people living with diabetes could no longer afford their routine medication.

A consultant endocrinologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Professor Olufemi Fasanmade, urged the government to support the prevention and diagnosis of diabetes.

Fasanmade said the government should ensure that every patient who visits the hospital for any health condition has access to a free blood sugar check.

“Diabetes tests should be mandatory for everybody, especially the adults. This is the way you can quickly detect diabetes outcomes in the country and prevent it.

“People should screen more and raise awareness and prepare more. We must prevent diabetes from occurring and those who already have it should try to avoid the complications that could lead to amputation and other risks.

“Everybody should know the risks he has because it’s not the best for one’s leg to be cut off because he doesn’t know that he is diabetic or knows but chose to do nothing. We need to know our risk and response to diabetes,” he said.

Also, a public health physician at Badagry General Hospital, Lagos, Dr Mohammadu Sani, said the World Diabetes Day provided an opportunity for people to check on their risks, advising those living with the disease not to allow their health to deteriorate.

He said, “This is a significant response to diabetes. So, if you have a brother or parent with diabetes, let them check their responses because there are many risks associated with diabetes. There are the risks of kidney failure, amputation, renal failure, and many other risks that can be prevented by knowing one’s diabetes status and monitoring it.”

According to the International Diabetes Federation, one in 10 adults worldwide have diabetes, saying that over 90 percent have type 2 diabetes and close to half are not yet diagnosed.

The global health body said, “World Diabetes Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness on diabetes as a global public health issue and what needs to be done, collectively and individually, for better prevention, diagnosis and management of the condition.”

READ ALSO: NAS calls for increased awareness on mental health in Abuja

He made the appeal when the group paid a courtesy visit to Hon. Alex Egbona, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Speciality Healthcare on Wednesday in Abuja.

Zion, who is also the Convener, Association of Mental Health Reform Organisations in Africa (AMHROA), said that the advocacy visit marks a significant step in the ongoing efforts to prioritise mental health in UHC in the country.

He expressed the hope that the appeal would be heard and acted upon by government.

He emphasised the importance of integrating mental health into the national healthcare system, adding that, “UHC aims to ensure that everyone, regardless of financial situation, can access healthcare services they need.

“We are calling for the promotion of rights-based national legislation that includes mental health, as well as the integration of mental health
into primary healthcare to strengthen the foundation of UHC.”

He also advocated increased financing of mental health issues through engagement with global health financing mechanisms such as the Global Fund and Gavi, the vaccine alliance.

In his response, Egbona highlighted the importance of mental health and the need to adopt the National Mental Health ACT 2021.

He commended the group for the visit and efforts made toward prioritising mental health.

The ameer (Leader) made the call after the Juma’at prayer in celebration of the NMA-FCT 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM).

READ ALSO: Medical Association Advises Members To Do Regular Check-ups

Gagarawa who is also a general surgeon by profession, praised the NMA, adding that it had been playing a good role in improving the health of the nation.

He said that the area he wanted the association to focus on was to help the government to get better policies that would make patient and health workers friendly.

He said that the two issues were long time overdue, stressing that implementing such idea would turn around the face of the healthcare system in the country.

“What I mean by being patient-friendly is, you could see that the health sector where the health system exist is not very friendly to the people who come to access its services.

“Accessing the healthcare services is very difficult financially, the procedures, the bureaucratic bottleneck is sometimes difficult and government should look into all these challenges and simplify them.

“The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) which covers the medical bills of all workers, or supposed to cover the medical bills in the country, is not being used optimally.

“Government should look into that and the NMA should advise the government on the direction to go about the scheme, we know how NHIS came into the country.

“It came suddenly and started abruptly, but now we have learnt a lot of lessons and experience.

“So I think the medical practitioners can give government advice on how best the NHIS can work, so this is my take on the NMA,” he said.

He also called on religious leaders to be sincere with the practice of their religions, saying they should put in their best, make things clear to their congregations and tell them the truth.

He called on medical doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and pharmacists to treat their patients with respect, and to know that while earning their daily bread, they are working for the sake of Allah who is the ultmost rewarder after death.

He said that if all medical workers had this perspective about Allah, they would put in their best to work, treat patients with respect and dignity.

According to him, with the less benefits from government which is not forthcoming, health workers can still give their best, while also hoping for the best on the side of the government.

He called on religious leaders to create awareness to their congregations about the special role religious leaders were playing, stressing that they represented God, and were chosen by Him, must continue to assist the sick.

Imam Khadir Alhassan, Imam of NHA, also called on health workers to be conscious of their profession, saying that consciousness of a profession mattered a lot.

He said that when a professional believed in supernatural being that rewards him for all he does, he would put every sense of hard work and effort on such profession.

READ ALSO:Pharmacists Hold Annual Conference In Anambra State

President of the society, Tunde Oyeniran, in a statement, said the government should prioritise drug security by adopting policies that would provide an enabling business environment for indigenous manufacturing of raw materials for the local production of medicines.

He noted that the country’s pharma industry is faced with enormous challenges, ranging from inadequate infrastructure, low capacity, less funding and patronage from the government and donor agencies, as well as a high cost of production and an unfriendly environment.

Oyeniran added that while the primary role of pharmaceutical sales and marketing professionals is promoting products and increasing sales, they also play a crucial role in helping to ensure national drug security by ensuring the availability of safe medications for citizens.

According to him, pharmacists marketing medicines play a role in improving healthcare professionals’ knowledge of drugs and thus, helping to minimise medication errors, while promoting safer drug practices.

“They are also responsible for ensuring compliance with regulatory guidelines which helps prevent illegal activities and unethical marketing practices that could compromise drug security. They serve as a link between pharmaceutical companies and healthcare professionals as such can collect valuable information about adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and report these incidents to the appropriate channels to enhance drug safety and security. They are at the forefront of communicating new safety information about their products as they emerge. This, they communicate to healthcare professionals and consumers ensuring they are well informed about potential risks,” he said.

WUMI/PUNCH

READ ALSO:NIMR Tests 50 Herbal Products For Malaria Treatment

The NIMR DG also noted that health research contributes higher than any sector of human development worldwide. He said: “If you take care of health, you have probably taken care of all Social development Goals indices because health is central. A nation with good health and high life expectancy is likely to have a good healthy workforce that will improve the economy in all ramifications. The advantage is that countries with Medical Councils can focus on the variance of health challenges and provide solutions,” he added.

Prof. Salako added that 70 per cent of medical research in Nigeria was funded by donor agencies, while only 30 per cent came from local stakeholders. “Inadequate funding is responsible for our poor indices in maternal mortality, and under-five mortality rate,” he added.

He said that unless the council is established and well-funded, the country would not have direct focus on health challenges.

Speaking in the same vein, the Chairman, House Committee on Health, Dr. Tanko Sununu, said medical research was a multi-billion investment globally, adding that Nigeria would benefit more if government invests in the sector.

Wumi/Punch

READ ALSO:Lagos Health Workers Suspend Strike Temporarily

Oladeji, who is also the Chairman of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria in the hospital, spoke alongside the chairman of the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals in FETHI, Ayodeji Ogunrinu, and that of the Senior Staff Association of Universities Teaching Hospital and Allied Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI) counterpart, Tunde Oluwaseun at a conference held at Ido Ekiti.

He said the health workers’ sundry welfare demands and non-adjustment of their Consolidated Health Salary Scheme for over 10 years were reasons for the strike.

He said, “We can’t be working without earning what is due to us. There is no way you can treat the patients happily when you are not happy. We plead with everybody to appeal to the Federal Government that these people on strike, whose actions have grounded hospitals, are the effective ones as far as the hospital setting is concerned. It is an indefinite strike which only meeting our demands can end,” he said.

The NUAHP boss, Ogunrinu, who said the Federal Government had since done adjustments to the Consolidated Medical Salary Scale of medical doctors, wondered why it could not do the same for CONMESS of the health workers despite having done the computation. He  attributed poor welfare to the brain drain plaguing the health sector.

He said, “One of the causes of brain drain is the poor welfare package of healthcare workers. The way out is to improve the welfare package for healthcare workers, hazard allowance, and CONHESS adjustment as agreed earlier by labour leaders and government,” he added.

The SSAUTHRIAI chairman, Oluwaseun, alleged injustice in the sector, noting that an adjustment was carried on a particular salary structure and none was done for the other.

“The caregiver also needs to be happy to make the patients happy. What we are clamouring for is that when you are adjusting one, please see to the other and adjust it such that our salaries would be able to take us home,” he added.

Wumi/Punch

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr Olufunso Adebiyi, stated this on Tuesday at the flag-off and hand- over of the palliatives to National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the State Emergency Management Agency in Yenagoa.

According to him, the palliatives were approved by President Muhammadu Buhari out of his love for people and commitment to alleviating the challenges that came with the flood.

He listed the items approved for distribution to include: social relief care packs, such as mattresses, pillows, blankets and cooking pots, amongst others.

Adebiyi said that the nutritional packs, included: cartons of noodles, bags of rice, garri and beans, with livelihood items like grinding machines, sewing machines, hair clippers and building materials (cement, roofing sheets and ceiling boards).

He said that the communities that were highly impacted by the effect of the flood were identified by NEMA, through the needs assessment conducted after the flood.

The permanent secretary, represented by the Director of Economic Empowerment in the ministry, Mr Philip Ndiomu, said the distribution exercise was the first phase.

He noted that the implementation of the second phase would also commence very soon.

“Even though the flood was predicted by relevant federal and state agencies, the density of the flood was, however, beyond our imagination.

“It was the worst flood, going by its destructive effect on the livelihood of the people.

“We are aware that no amount of relief provided by government can replace the losses as a result of the flood.

“However, it is our candid belief that the relief items will help alleviate the burden currently being faced by our people,” he said.

According to him, the gesture is not just a physical distribution of materials, but it represents the compassion and empathy of the government toward the people.

The palliative items will be handed over to NEMA for onward distribution to the beneficiaries, as identified in the affected communities/ LGAs.

In addition, government officials and security personnel have been assigned to monitor the distribution exercise to ensure that the items get to those for whom they are meant.

“These materials will be meticulously distributed in all the identified local government areas so as to forestall diversion or any irregularity,” he said.

In his remarks, the Assistant Chief Search and Rescue Officer, NEMA, Mr Fortunatus Anyanwu, said that the agency would ensure that the items were well distributed to the victims.

Speaking at the occasion, Chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency (BYSEMA), Mr Walaman Igrubia, commended the ministry for donating the palliatives to cushion the effects of the 2022 flood.

He called on other government agencies and ministries to also follow suit. Although this will not be enough for everybody that was affected by the flood, it will, however, go a long way in alleviating the suffering occasioned by the flood.

“We understand that government is winding down, but such gesture should be a continuous thing,” he added.

READ ALSO:UN advocates for total inclusion of Persons with disabilities

Schmale said that efforts were urgently required to avert food and nutrition crisis in the northeast, as years of protracted conflict and insecurity continued to prevent people from producing food.

The UN official noted that hunger and malnutrition has eaten deep into the region, hence the need for victims to get a survival strategy and the means to also earn income for food purchase.

Trond Jensen, Head of UN Office of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), said the March 2023 Cadre Harmonise (CH), projected that 4.3 million people in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, known as the BAY states, were at risk of severe hunger. According to Jensen, the situation will worsen at the peak of the lean season between June and August.

“More than half a million of these people will face emergency levels of food insecurity with extremely high acute malnutrition and cases of mortality predicted, unless a rapid and significant scale up of humanitarian assistance is undertaken.

“Approximately, two million children under five years of age, across the three states, will be acutely malnourished in 2023, and this will put them at a greater risk of dying from common infections, causing developmental stagnation,’’ he said.

He also disclosed that the 2023 Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP), was seeking 1.3 billion dollars to support six million people, and 396.1 million dollars was urgently needed to deliver lifesaving food security and nutrition assistance to 2.8 million persons in the region.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Country Representative, Fred Kafeero,  the number of food insecure people in the northeast had remained constant since 2020. He therefore, called for more assistance towards scaling up interventions, aimed at boosting local food production and income generation for the affected populations.

Kafeero added that about 40 million dollars is required during the 2023 lean season to enable the organisation reach 2.3 million people in BAY, and give them access to critical production inputs.

He said “Timeliness is a critical factor in food production as it is dictated by seasons, this is the time to invest before it gets too late,” he added.

Mrs sugra Mahamood, Director, Irrigation Agriculture and Crop Development, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), said that food security analysis provided valuable insights on the need for immediate and coordinated action.

Mahamood added that the people of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states, had endured immense hardships due to various factors, including conflicts, displacement and climate-related challenges.

“It is our collective responsibility to ensure that they have access to adequate and nutritious food to meet their basic needs. Our commitment is to mobilise funding and resources, in order to urgently scale up our responses to the challenges at hand,” she added.

Wumi/NAN

READ ALSO:D-G NICRAT Assures Improved Cancer Research, Treatment

Prof. Usman Aliyu, the Director-General of NICRAT disclosed that government was making concerted efforts to ensure that cancer patients get better treatment and care against the disease.

Aliyu further noted that the government has procured radiotherapy equipment to ensure adequate care for patients suffering from the cancer. According to him, such efforts on improving cancer care has not been made available in most of the cancer care facilities in the last ten years.

He said that proper measures were being considered in ensuring that more sub-radiotherapy equipment are available across the seven cancer centres nationwide which included linear accelerator. He said that government would continue to train more oncologist to bridge the existing gap.

Also speaking, Dr Nwamaka Lasebikan, President of the Association of Radiation and Clinical Oncologist of Nigeria (ARCON) revealed that the conference was organised to advocate for better care for cancer patients by addressing the challenges.

“Late presentation of the disease by cancer patients is making care for them difficult because the disease would have reached advanced stage. At this stage the treatment is what we call palliative care, we are just trying to do what we can do to stop the progression of this disease, it is a major challenge for us,’’ she said.

She further added that there were only ten facilities in Nigeria that had functional radiotherapy equipment.

The president also noted that the stigmatisation of cancer patients has discouraged many from accessing medical care from health centres, adding that more manpower and enlightenment are required in handling the situation.

Wumi/NAN