Environment

Nigerian Woman Develops Innovative Healthcare App

Published

11 years ago

January 8, 2016

Miss Kesandu
Nwokolo, a young Nigerian, has developed a mobile phone application to help reduce infant and maternal mortality in Africa.
According to an information credited to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the innovative healthcare application developed by Nwokolo and her team called ‘’Cradle Count,’’ would revolutionise the health sector in Nigeria and Africa.
It noted that about six out of 10 women have their babies at home, where the delivery was not supervised by a skilled birth attendant.
The information revealed that errors in estimating the expected date of delivery could lead to the baby being delivered supposedly unexpected.
“This is the problem faced by pregnant women in Nigeria and Africa, if this is not addressed, there will be increased pregnancy related complications resulting in more maternal and infant mortality.
“This is where technology and innovation come in.
“Seeing these shocking statistics and challenges faced by pregnant women led to the development of the mobile phone application, CradleCount.
“CradleCount helps pregnant women and also health practitioners to calculate accurately the expected date of delivery using the last menstrual period.
“The app informs pregnant women how many days to the delivery of the baby and has alerts that remind pregnant mothers to register and follow up with their antenatal care.
“It also sends regular pregnancy and health tips to expectant mothers and the app can also work without an internet connection,” it said.
According to the statement, the app is well designed with good aesthetic values and background colours that mothers can change the background of the app depending on the sex of the baby they are expecting.
The statement said that it was no longer news that Africa was faced with great challenges.
“What is interesting is that many young Africans with technology and innovation are beginning to provide the needed solution to the problems of the continent,” it said.
According to the statement, the health sector in Africa is such that needs a lot of innovative ideas to reduce poor health related deaths like maternal and infant mortality.
It quoted UNICEF as saying that, every single day, Nigeria loses about 2,300 under-five year olds and 145 women of childbearing age.
“UNICEF noted that it makes the country the second largest contributor to the under-five and maternal mortality rate in the world.
“Several research and statistics from organisations like WHO, UNICEF, National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) have shown that everyday about 90 women in Nigeria die of pregnancy related conditions.
“A woman’s chance of dying from pregnancy and childbirth in Nigeria is one in every 13. Nigeria has the 10th highest maternal mortality in the world.
“Although many of these deaths are preventable, the coverage and quality of health care services in Nigeria continue to fail women and children.
“Presently, less than 20 per cent of health facilities offer emergency obstetric care and only 35 per cent of deliveries are attended by skilled birth attendants,” the statement said.
It said that the reasons were hinged substantially on the fact that skilled birth assistants were not usually present during delivery.
According to the statement, even when eventually they are present, it happens late, due to delays at home or in the community.
It said that CradleCount was free to download and easy to use, as a pregnant woman or health practitioner for pregnant women could download it through Google Play store, by searching for CradleCount.
The statement said that the app could also be downloaded through this link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nwokolo.kesandunwokolo…
Culled from NAN

Environment

LWC, Julius Berger seek stronger coordination on Lagos infrastructure

Published

1 day ago

August 17, 2026

The Tide

The Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) has commenced discussions with Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to strengthen coordination between water and road infrastructure projects.

This is contained in a statement issued by the corporation.

The corporation said the engagement followed a courtesy and familiarisation visit led by its Managing Director, Mr Mukhtaar Tijani, to Julius Berger’s Ijora office.

It said the visit was aimed at strengthening institutional relations and creating opportunities for deeper collaboration between both organisations.

The corporation stressed the importance of cordial relationships with neighbouring organisations and strategic stakeholders to promote future collaboration.

The meeting focused on road construction, water pipeline protection, water infrastructure development and sustainable water supply across Lagos Island and its environs.

Both organisations highlighted the need for early communication and technical coordination to prevent conflicts between road projects and existing water infrastructure.

Julius Berger Regional Commercial Manager, Region West, Mr Alexander Bauer, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to sustainable engineering solutions rather than short-term fixes.

Bauer stressed the importance of early stakeholder engagement and proper coordination before construction activities begin.

The meeting also examined access to project drawings and technical information required to improve coordination between water and road infrastructure projects.

Julius Berger explained that releasing detailed project drawings remained subject to approval from the appropriate client.

Both organisations therefore agreed on the need to engage the Lagos State Government to secure necessary approvals and strengthen technical collaboration.

The discussions also focused on accurate pipeline information and its importance in planning future water infrastructure and urban development projects.

The LWC delegation raised concerns about uncoordinated borehole drilling and its potential effects on groundwater resources and the ecosystem.

Participants noted that stronger public water supply systems could reduce dependence on individual boreholes and help protect underground water resources.

Construction & Maintenance

They also agreed on the importance of sharing information on construction activities, road conditions, project schedules and potential disruptions.

Security and community considerations were also discussed, with Julius Berger highlighting its engagement with relevant authorities on security infrastructure within the area.

The meeting ended with a shared commitment to open communication, stronger technical coordination and exploring further opportunities for collaboration.

The engagement is expected to strengthen synergies between water and road infrastructure planning and support resilient and sustainable infrastructure development across Lagos.

Environment

IYD: Climate experts advocate investment in African youth

Published

1 day ago

August 17, 2026

The Tide

Some Climate Experts across Africa have called for investment in African youth to enhance future security.

They made the call on Wednesday during a webinar organised by Planet, People and Peace Foundation (PPPF), a non-governmental organisation, to observe 2026 International Youth Day (IYD).

According to them, there is a need to invest, listen and create opportunities for young African people.

The Tide source reports that the 2026 theme of the IYD is “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations’’.

Miss Bisi Kumuyi, the Secretary, Climate Beyond Border Caravan (CBBC), Nigeria, who canvassed for investment in youth, said the future of Africa would be determined by the opportunities the continent created for its young people today.

The CBBC, an initiative of PPPF, is a pan-African, youth-led campaign promoting climate action, cross-border cooperation and green economic transformation across the continent.

‘‘As Africa joins the rest of the world to commemorate International Youth Day on Aug. 12, 2026, we celebrate the energy, creativity, resilience and determination of young Africans who continue to shape the continent’s present and future.

‘‘This year’s theme reminds us that young people across Africa live in different social, economic and cultural circumstances.

‘‘They share common aspirations: access to quality education, decent employment, innovation, peace, inclusion, environmental sustainability and opportunities to fulfil their potential,’’ she said.

Also speaking, Mrs Nouran Farouk, an Egyptian Climate Activist, called for urgent investment in Africa’s youth.

According to her, Africa is the world’s youngest continent, and its youthful population represented one of its greatest assets.

Environment

PWDs: CCD Unveils Report On Climate Change Impacts, Urges Implementation

Published

1 day ago

August 17, 2026

The Tide

The Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) has unveiled a research report on impacts of climate change on Persons With Disabilities (PWDs), calling for its implementation in the country.

The Acting Director CCD, Mr Godwin Unumeri, made the call at the public presentation of the report titled: “Disability-Inclusive Greenhouse Gas Emission and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in Nigeria” on Wednesday in Lagos.

The event brought together government institutions, development partners, civil society organisations, persons with disabilities and other key stakeholder to foster dialogue, collaboration and stronger commitment to disability-inclusive climate change adaptation and mitigation in Nigeria.

Unumeri urged stakeholders to strengthen collaboration and policy commitment toward building climate resilience and ensuring the inclusion of persons with disabilities in Nigeria’s climate response.

He noted that valuable insights and recommendations from stakeholders at a validation workshop in February had been incorporated into the report.

According to him, effective implementation of the recommendations requires sustained collaboration, strong policy commitment, adequate resource mobilisation and coordinated action across sectors.

“By working together, we can translate these findings into practical interventions that strengthen climate resilience and ensure the full inclusion of persons with disabilities in Nigeria’s climate response,” he said.

In her remarks, the General Manager, Lagos State Office for Disability Affairs (LASODA), Adenike Oyetunde-Lawal, urged the stakeholders to ensure that the report would be translated into practical interventions to enhance full inclusion of PWDs particularly in climate change policies.