Kaduna Health Workers Begin Five-Day Warning Strike

Health workers across Kaduna State have commenced a five-day warning strike to press home their longstanding demands.

A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) check revealed that only doctors and laboratory technicians were present in some public hospitals, while many patients had been discharged due to the absence of nursing staff.

Chairman of the National Association of Nurses and Midwives in the state, Mr. Ishaku Yakubu, explained the reasons behind the strike in an interview on Monday in Kaduna. “The health workers embarked on the strike over issues that are yet to be resolved between them and the state government,” Yakubu stated.

Yakubu highlighted that the health workers have been on the CONHESS salary structure since 2009, and the 2012 and 2013 versions of this structure still need review by the state government. “We have been working on these for the government to do something but they approved the doctors and given them 100 per cent while we nurses are yet to receive anything from them,” he added.

Since 2015, the state government had promised a salary increase, but, according to Yakubu, “up till now, nothing has been done.” Additionally, the state government has not approved the 2003 hazard allowance sanctioned by the Federal Government.

The Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry for Health, Dr. Aishatu Mohamed-Saqid, stated that she would officially respond to the situation on Tuesday.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has notified Nigerians about the illegal production and sale of unregistered B-GAG mist pot CIT syrup.

The alert is contained in a public notice No. 023/2024, issued by the agency’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, in Abuja on Sunday.

The unregistered product is alleged to have been sold by a company named Babban Gida Agalawa General Enterprises.

According to the statement, the product, being presented in a pet bottle, was discovered during a surveillance operation carried out by the NAFDAC Post Marketing Surveillance Directorate Officers in Maiduguri, Borno, and Keffi, Nasarawa States.

It said that the product was found to be without a NAFDAC registration number and a misleading label.

NAFDAC in the statement said that illegal marketing of medicines or counterfeit medicines posed a risk to public health.

Adeyeye noted that without compliance with regulatory provisions the safety, quality, and efficacy of such products were not guaranteed.

The agency gave the batch number of the fake product as: 0070, manufacturing date as: 01/02/2024, as well as the expiring date as: 01/02/2027.

Adeyeye also gave the address of the manufacturer as No. 883/884 Western Bypass Ring Road, Kumbosto Local Government, Kano State.

Adeyeye further said that NAFDAC Zonal Directors and State Coordinators had been directed to carry out surveillance with a view to mopping up the illegal products within the zones and states.

She advised consumers and caregivers to avoid the use of the product, adding that all medical products must be obtained from authorised and licensed suppliers.

Adeyeye said that products’ authenticity and physical condition should be carefully checked before buying.

She also advised healthcare professionals and consumers to report any suspicion of either the sale of substandard and falsified medicines or medical devices to the nearest NAFDAC office.

Adeyeye called on the public to report any adverse reaction to NAFDAC on 0800-162-3322 or via email: sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng.

She encouraged healthcare professionals and patients to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of medicinal products through NAFDAC E-reporting platforms.

The e-reporting platforms, according to her are: www.nafdac.gov.ng, the Med- safety application available for download on Android, and IOS stores or via e-mail on pharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.ng.

She said the notice about the product would be uploaded to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Surveillance and Monitoring System (GSMS).

(NAN)

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has urged state governments to prioritise actions that ensure access to and use of safe water, basic sanitation, and proper hygiene practices in communities.

The call is contained in a comprehensive advisory released to the public, healthcare workers, and state governments on mitigating the spread of cholera.

The centre reported a total of 1,141 suspected cases of cholera, with 65 confirmed cases and 30 deaths across 96 local government areas (LGAs) in 30 states from Jan. 1 to June 11.

The NCDC highlighted that 10 states—Bayelsa, Zamfara, Abia, Cross River, Bauchi, Delta, Katsina, Imo, Nasarawa and Lagos—account for 90 per cent of the cholera burden in the country.

The centre explained that cholera is a food and water-borne disease caused by Vibrio cholerae, ingested through contaminated water and food.

Water contamination usually results from the faeces of infected individuals, occurring during water collection, transportation, or storage at home. Food can also be contaminated by unclean hands during preparation or consumption.

At-risk populations, the centre said, include those with limited access to clean water, poor sanitation and hygiene, consumers of potentially contaminated food or fruits without proper washing and cooking, and healthcare workers providing direct patient care without standard precautions.

The centre noted that symptoms of cholera include acute, profuse, painless watery diarrhoea (rice water stools), sudden onset vomiting, and may be accompanied by nausea and fever.

Severe cases can lead to death within hours due to dehydration from massive fluid loss.

However, NCDC stressed that most infected individuals (about 80%) may show mild symptoms or be asymptomatic.

NCDC cautioned that the best prevention against cholera includes ensuring access to safe drinking water, proper sanitation and waste disposal, and adopting appropriate hygiene practices, including regular handwashing.

It advised avoiding raw fruits and vegetables, food from street vendors, and raw or undercooked seafood.

“Protect cooked food and boiled water from contamination by flies and unsanitary handling.

“Leftover food should be reheated thoroughly before consumption,” he said.

The agency said that persons experiencing diarrhoea should avoid preparing or serving food or hauling water for others to prevent the spread of infection.

“ Avoid open defecation and indiscriminate dumping of refuse. Proper disposal of waste and regular clearing of sewage are essential.

“Anyone experiencing sudden watery diarrhoea should seek immediate medical attention and refrain from self-medication,” he said.

It said that Nigerians should always practice standard safety precautions, such as wearing gloves when handling patients or providing care to ill individuals.

The public health agency said that people should Intensify efforts to promptly report suspected cholera cases to facilitate timely intervention.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that according to the World Health Organisation(WHO), cholera is a food and water-borne disease, caused by the ingestion of the organism Vibrio Cholerae in contaminated water and food.

(NAN)