Health
Society Moves To Streamline Asthma Treatment
The Nigerian Thoracic Society (NTS), says that there is the need to streamline the various treatment options in the management and Asthma in Nigeria to meet international standards and practices worldwide.
To attain the standard, the society has initiated the “Guideline for Asthma Management in Nigeria’’, launched penultimate Tuesday in Lagos.
The National President, National Thoracic Society, Prof. Etete Peters, told newsmen in Lagos that the management of asthma in Nigeria over the decades had involved diverse therapeutic approaches.
“The challenges of managing asthma are still enormous because of the diverse approaches to it by many patients some of whom still adopt unorthodox methods of treatment.
“This gave room for the need to put together a concise method of treatment which was initiated in Uyo in November 2015,’’ he said.
Prof. Gregory Erhabor, Chairman, National Asthma Committee, said that asthma was an inflammatory disease that affects the lungs, causing repeated episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and nighttime or early morning coughing.
Erhabor, a Consultant Pulmonologist and professor of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, said that asthma had to do with genetic pre-dispositions.
“If the family had asthma history or allergies, one becomes predisposed to acquiring the disease.
“Asthma is a great killer in the world; annually, about a quarter of a million people die globally from asthma.
“Although we do not have written statistics here, we know that a lot of people equally die from asthma in Nigeria.
“They die because their conditions are poorly diagnosed, under-treated and they do not have the right guidelines for treating their conditions.
“Globally, guidelines are set but they have to be adapted to the local images and peculiarities.
“So, with the Nigeria Asthma Guidelines, what we are trying to get is local peculiarities toward helping the physician, healthcare providers, pharmacies and even the patient, on the proper way to manage asthma,’’ he said.
According to Erhabor, who is also the President of Asthma and Chest Care Foundation, this will help to reduce the burden of the disease.
On the significance of the guidelines, he said: “Almost every nation of the world has a guideline, but there is a global guideline which we call the Global Initiative for Management of Asthma (GIMA).
“However, we are creating a Nigerian guideline which will be useful to Nigeria and the West African sub-region as there is no other guideline in West Africa; South Africa has one.
“Again, not everything that is done globally for the management of asthma can be applicable to Nigeria because some of the drugs are not affordable and may not even be available.
“Also, some of the drugs have their way of working due to genetic predispositions; so, every year, we will look at what is new and upgrade the guidelines.
“This guideline will be distributed to hospitals, medical centres, medical schools and teaching hospitals; people will now have a way of managing asthma.
“We hope to distribute as many copies as possible, to make it accessible online and also include it in medical journals,’’ he said.
Erhabor said that asthma could be triggered by genetic predisposition and environmental conditions, including house dust, stressful situations, exercise and allergies.
“Some drugs, some occupation, laboratory and climatic conditions can also trigger attack in asthmatics.
“Attacks are common in early mornings and late at nights; if one does not have attacks in the night, then it may not be asthma
“Some symptoms of asthma include cough, restlessness and allergies,’’ Erhabor said.
Also, Dr Emmanuel Alabi, Past Membership Director and Administrative Secretary, NTS, said: “This guideline is one of its kind in Africa, especially in the Sub-Saharan Africa.
“Most countries like U.S. and U.K. have their guidelines to direct institutions and asthma caregivers on how to manage the disease; this is a written document which is revised from time to time.
“For Nigeria to have one, it is a good and laudable development and I urge all practitioners and caregivers in the management of asthma to adhere to the guidelines,’’ Alabi said.
To address the increasing number of rape and defilement cases in Lagos communities, the State Ministry of Health has trained healthcare workers on the prevention and management of sexual assault cases.
The Director, Public Affairs in the ministry, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, in a statement on Monday said the training equipped health workers with the knowledge and skills to provide professional, compassionate, and timely care to survivors.
Dr Folasade Oludara, Director, Family Health and Nutrition, State Ministry of Health, said the growing number of rape and defilement cases in Lagos communities necessitated the upskilling of healthcare workers who are often the first responders to survivors.
Oludara, represented by Dr Oluwatosin Onasanya, Deputy Director, Child Health, said the government recognised the critical role of health professionals in both clinical management and legal documentation of sexual assault cases.
She explained that the training was designed to ensure healthcare workers are adequately equipped to identify, document, and manage sexual assault cases effectively.
According to her, the training will strengthen Lagos’ coordinated health system response to gender-based violence.
She disclosed that the state government had already provided equipment and specimen collection tools to health facilities, noting that the training complemented this investment by building the competence of personnel handling such sensitive cases.
Oludara explained that doctors and nurses at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels who serve as first contact points for survivors were carefully selected from all 57 LGAs and LCDAs, particularly from areas with higher incident rates.
The SGBV Programme Manager, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Juradat Aofiyebi, emphasised that the capacity-building initiative was a strategic step toward improving survivor-centred healthcare delivery and prosecution outcomes.
Aofiyebi added that the training underscored the government’s commitment to reducing the prevalence of sexual assault through a robust, multi-sectoral approach.
“The training provides healthcare workers with the knowledge to properly identify survivors, document findings accurately, and provide comprehensive care, all of which contribute to justice delivery and prevention of repeat offences.
She said the ministry would sustain such training to ensure that every survivor who presented at a Lagos health facility received quality, non-judgmental care.
Mrs Adebanke Ogunde, Deputy Director, Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Lagos State Ministry of Justice, highlighted the importance of medical documentation in sexual assault trials.
She explained that most convictions hinge on the quality of medical reports and forensic evidence provided by healthcare professionals, noting that medical reports served as vital corroborative evidence in court, particularly in cases involving children.
“Your medical reports are crucial; they can determine whether justice is served or denied,” she said.
Ogunde reminded health workers of their legal duty to report suspected sexual assault cases to the police or the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA).
Similarly, Dr Oluwajimi Sodipo, Consultant Family Physician, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), underscored the importance of timely medical attention, psychosocial support, and non-stigmatising care for survivors.
Sodipo explained that immediate presentation within 72 hours of assault improved chances of preventing infections and collecting viable forensic evidence.
He commended Lagos State for sustaining its inter-agency collaboration and continuous professional training on SGBV.
Sodipo, however, called for the strengthening of DNA and forensic capacities, improved insurance coverage, and better remuneration for healthcare workers.
“We must sustain motivation and continuous retraining if we want to retain skilled professionals and enhance justice outcomes,” he added.
Also, Mrs Margret Anyebe, Claims Officer, Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA), said domestic and sexual violence response had been integrated into the ILERA EKO Health Insurance Scheme.
Anyebe explained that survivors of sexual and domestic violence are covered for medical treatment, investigations, and follow-up care under the state’s Equity Fund for vulnerable groups.
“Hospitals are to provide first-line care, document, and refer survivors appropriately, while LASHMA ensures prompt reimbursement and oversight,” she said.
The technical session of the ongoing National Council on Health (NCH) meeting on Monday reviewed 35 out of the 82 policy memos submitted ahead of full Council deliberations scheduled for later in the week.
Dr Kamil Shoretire, Director of Health Planning, Research and Statistics, disclosed this on Tuesday during the Technical Session of the 66th Regular meeting of the NCH ongoing in Calabar, Cross River.
He said that 10 of the memos considered were recommended for Council’s approval, eight were noted, and 18 stepped down for further work.
According him, two additional memos were deferred and will be re-presented after revisions are made.
At the reconvening of the session, Ms Kachallom Daju, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, said that there were five memos from the Coordinating Minister of Health, adding that they were all related to the Department of Food and Drugs.
Daju said that the memos were stepped down on Monday and scheduled for re-presentation.
She also provided clarification on the previously contentious healthcare waste-management memo, explaining that the N3.5 million requests tied to the proposal had already been repurposed by the Global Fund.
“I have followed up, and I am informed that the funds have been reprogrammed. Just so we put it to rest, we will not be discussing that memo anymore,” she said.
She also said that the final memo considered on Monday was the proposal for the inclusion of telemedicine services under the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA).
“The next memo scheduled for presentation is the proposal for the establishment of Medipool as a Group Purchasing Organisation (GPO) for medicines and health commodities in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Dr Oritseweyimi Ogbe, Secretary of the Ministerial Oversight Committee (MOC), formally notified the Council of the establishment of Medipool, a new public-private GPO created to strengthen the procurement of medicines and health commodities nationwide.
Presenting an information memorandum at the technical session, Ogbe explained that Medipool was the first nationally approved GPO designed to leverage economies of scale, negotiate better prices, and ensure quality-assured medicines.
He said this was beginning with primary healthcare facilities funded through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF).
According to him, Medipool was established after a proposal to the Ministry of Health, followed by appraisals and endorsements by the Project Implementation and Verification Committee (PIVAC) and the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI).
“It subsequently received Federal Executive Council approval, with MOFI now owning 10 per cent of the company’s shares. The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission has also approved its operations.
“Under the model, Medipool will work with Drug Management Agencies (DMAs) in all states to aggregate national demand and negotiate directly with reputable manufacturers to obtain competitive prices and guaranteed-quality supplies.
“The platform will function as a one-stop shop for DMAs, who will then distribute medicines to health facilities through existing state structures.”
Ogbe added that while Medipool will initially focus on BHCPF-supported primary healthcare centres, it was expected to expand to other levels of care nationwide.
“The organisation will provide regular reports to the ministry of health and participate in national logistics working groups to ensure transparency, oversight, and technical guidance,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Day One of the 66th NCH technical session opened with a call reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to advancing Universal Health Coverage under the theme “My Health, My Right”.
“The delegates also adopted the amended report of the 65th NCH, setting the stage for informed deliberations.
The implementation status of the 19 resolutions from the previous Council was also reviewed, highlighting progress and gaps.
The authorities of Police Clinic in Port Harcourt have reported high cases of Malaria in its facility.
The revelation was made by Mrs Udoh Mba Robert, a Chief Superintendent of Police and senior medical personnel in the Clinic.
She told The Tide that,”the Hospital admits sixty (60) to seventy (70) patients in a month”.
On how the facility runs, she stated that the hospital is under the National Health Insurance Scheme as most patients are treated almost free.
She maintained that staff of the hospital have been trained professionally to manage health issues that come under the purview of the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Mrs. Robert explained that malaria treatment also falls under NHIA, as patients are expected to pay only 10 per cent for their treatment while the government takes care of the outstanding bills.
NHIA, she further stated covers treatment and care for uniform personnel like the police force, military men, civil servants and all others working for the government.
Urging the public to seek professional medical attention, Mrs. Robert said the facility is open to workers in the federal services, especially police staff.
Favour Umunnakwe, Victory Awaji, Excel Nnodim
