PHSAI youth identifies high risk in adolescents’ sexual behaviour - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet: 

The youth arm of the Public Health Sustainable Advocacy Initiative (PHSAI) has attributed the high risk in sexual behaviour among Nigerian adolescents as responsible for the increasing teenage pregnancy, out of school girls, baby dumping, post abortion complication and death, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The Coordinator, Life Planning for Adolescents and Youth at PHSAI Lagos State, Abiodun Ajayi, made this disclosure while addressing participants at World Contraception Day 2019 hosted by the Pathfinder International.

Dwelling on ‘Adolescent and Youth Sexual and Reproductive Health (AYSRH) in Lagos,’ Ajayi noted that despite bold steps taken by the state and some stakeholders to increase young people access to youth-friendly Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services, the upsurge in sexual behaviour remained high.

He called for an urgent need to increase discussion around youth SRH cum family planning issues at all levels.

Ajayi also called for increase in funding to sufficiently meet the SRH-FP need of the high risk sexual behaviour of these rapidly growing young populations.

He identified further lack of adequate access and accurate life planning information and services, stressing that lack of youth friendly health facilities and provider bias as some of the worrisome issues.

Additionally, Ajayi said that poor knowledge of contraceptive options and benefits have been a stumbling block for the youth in the state.

“The Lagos State Youth Policy that could provide some backing to the state response to AYSRH has some significant gaps, especially the target audience which is youth between 18 and 35 years and its focus is more on poverty alleviation and other interventions as appendages,” he told NaijaAgroNet.

Ajayi lamented that though the policy had provision for reproductive health services, “it was not explicit on access to contraceptives or family planning services.”

Further, he proposed there should be an evidence based policy and legislative advocacy for implementation of AYSRH services in Lagos State.

“Enhance partnership with NGOs by the state government to establish youth friendly SRH services,” he said.

The PHSAI youth coordinator, maintained that trainings and supervisory programmes that effectively address medical and personal provider’s biases regarding young people’s use of all available contraceptives should be conducted.

Uj. N. Dominic/Editor

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UN sharpens focus on food safety, nutrition with observance day - NaijaAgroNet

NaijaAgroNet:

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has applauded the United Nations decision by the United Nations to create two new international days and one entire year devoted to central issues in global food security and nutrition, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The UN General Assembly, NaijaAgroNet gathered, had on December 20, approved three new resolutions creating three awareness-raising initiatives, focused on plant health, food safety and pulses.

FAO and the International Plant Protection Convention Secretariat, based at FAO, welcomed the decision to proclaim 2020 as the International Year of Plant Health. With up to 40 percent of global food crops lost annually due to plant pests, the importance of fostering healthy plants is critical for public opinion and policy makers. In economic terms alone, plant diseases cost the global economy around $220 billion annually and invasive insects around $70 billion.

"The International Year of Plant Health is a key initiative to highlight the importance of plant health to enhance food security, protect the environment and biodiversity, and boost economic development," FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo said.

Meanwhile, from now on, 10 February will mark World Pulses Day, keeping alive the positive momentum surrounding these healthy, nutritious, protein-rich, nitrogen-fixing legumes after FAO's successful 2016 International Year of Pulses Campaign. Growing pulses contributes to sustainable crop production.

And 7 June will be World Food Safety Day, paying tribute to an increasingly important issue in today's highly-interconnected food systems. FAO notes with satisfaction that the UN resolution expressly recognized that "there is no food security without food safety".

Isaac Oyimah/GEE

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2018 Children’s Day: Wanton killings worry MeCAM, says it compounds children malnutrition misery

NaijaAgroNet:

As the world gear up to mark the 2018 Children’s Day, the Media Centre Against Child Malnutrition (MeCAM Nigeria) has expressed worries over the wanton killings going on across the country, especially by suspected terrorist-herdsmen and urged the Federal Government (FG) to put a stop to it, because its effect compounds children nutrition status, reports NaijaAgroNet.

A press statement endorsed by the Director, Outreach for MeCAM, Mrs. Julie Ekong, in commemoration of the 2018 Children’s Day, MeCAM chairman, Mr. Remmy Nweke noted that the destruction of farmlands and killings by the terrorists-herdsmen have reduced the number of farmers; while some have been killed, others have fled their farmlands.

The deaths have also left many children motherless, aggravating the already low percentage of exclusive breast fed children in Nigeria, which according to UNICEF stood at 15 per cent.

Conflicts and resulting mass displacement, he said, often results in increased prevalence of acute malnutrition and mortality.

MeCAM, therefore calls on Federal Government to pay more attention to children in Internally Displaced camps with a view to reducing malnutrition and stunted growth through vitamin A supplementation.

Although MeCAM noted that Nigeria has made progress in micronutrient deficiency, UNICEF says half of the children aged 6-59 months do not receive Vitamin A supplementation. Whereas, some 11 million under age children are said to be stunted especially in the North East and North West part of the country, as well as the poorest sectors of the society.

MeCAM believes that this year’s theme ”Creating safe spaces for children: Our collective responsibility,” is apt because intervention by relevant authorities will lead to the protection of children and their mothers which will translate to less crises and interruption in the lives of the children that will aggravate malnutrition and stunted growth of children in the country.

Children, MeCAM insisted have a right to life and food.

NaijaAgroNet recalls that Media Centre Against Child Malnutrition (MeCAM) Nigeria was founded Thursday, August 28, 2015, as a media advocacy group against child malnutrition and well-being, as well as to strengthen the agro-nutrition capacity and interest of its members professionally in contribution to nation-building, especially in Nigeria and across the continent of Africa among developing countries of the world.

MeCAM is committed to showcasing successful and development efforts in the area of agro-nutrition for the benefit of mankind and for Africa emancipation from extreme hunger especially in children, women and society, centred on Goal 2 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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World Malaria Day 2018: AMMREN applauds African countries on free malaria by 2020

NaijaAgroNet:

As part of the 2018 World Malaria Day, the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN), has applauded some five African countries aiming to eliminate malaria by 2020, reports NaijaAgroNet.

AMMREN Executive Secretary, Dr. Charity Bika, applauded Egypt and Morocco which have been malaria free since 2000 as well as Algeria, which achieved this feat in 2016.

The network also acknowledged five African countries, namely, Botswana, Cape Verde, Comoros, South Africa and Swaziland, which have been identified as most likely to eliminate malaria by 2020.

April 25, 2018, Accra - World Malaria Day is here again to bring stakeholders together in the hope of winning.

Describing the fight against malaria as fight against one of the world’s oldest and deadliest diseases, Bika said that each year, 25th April has been set aside as the World Malaria Day to highlight efforts to control malaria and celebrate the gains that have been made.

Equally, she said, since 2000, the world has made historic progress against malaria, saving millions of lives. However, half the world still lives at risk from this preventable and treatable disease, which costs a child’s life every two minutes.

As the world commemorates this year’s World Malaria Day, the African Media and Malaria Research Network (AMMREN), made up of a group of African journalists and scientists leading a malaria advocacy agenda, “it is also gratifying that Algeria, Comoros, Madagascar, the Gambia, Senegal, and Zimbabwe have also been honoured this year by the African Leaders Malaria Alliance for leadership in scaling down malaria cases.”

As said by her, “we all look up to these shining examples of countries that are making progress in the fight against malaria.”

AMMREN further urged countries such as Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya to double the malaria control efforts to ensure they join or at least get close to the ranks of countries at the elimination stages by 2020.

Nenye Dom/GEE

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Merck Foundation marks World Cancer day 2018

NaijaAgroNet:

The Merck Foundation, a non-profit company and a subsidiary of Merck KGaA Germany has marked the 2018 ‘World Cancer Day’ by creating awareness around cancer and building cancer care capacity aimed at increasing the limited number of oncologists across Africa and developing countries, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The chief executive officer (CEO) of Merck Foundation Dr. Rasha Kelej recently visited Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Science, Tanzania to meet the alumni of ‘Merck Oncology Fellowship Program’ with the aim to evaluate the impact of the one and two-year medical oncology fellowship programs conducted in Tata memorial center in India. Through ‘Merck Oncology Fellowship Program’ foundation has trained the first medical oncologist in Tanzania, Dr. Christina V. Malichewe.

During her visit to Tanzania Dr. Rasha Kelej emphasized, “We strongly believe that building professional capacity is the right strategy to improve access to quality and equitable cancer care in the continent. Dr. Christina is one of the 59 future oncologists, Merck Foundation has committed to train for Africa.”

In June 2017, BIO Ventures for Global Health (BVGH), and the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), released a white paper on the African continent’s emerging cancer crisis.

Over 20% of African countries have no access to cancer treatments at all, while access is limited and sporadic in other countries. Later-stage diagnosis in African patients contributes to poorer outcomes. For example, 5-year female breast cancer relative survival rates are 46% in Uganda and 12% in The Gambia, compared with around 90% in developed countries.

The first medical oncologist in Tanzania, Dr. Christina V. Malichewe said, “I can now make difference for my patients. We don’t have medical oncology to manage patients through chemotherapy, we only have clinical oncologists and radiotherapists. Thus, one-year medical oncology fellowship in India has enabled me to save many lives, every day. Thanks to Merck Foundation for this opportunity in Tanzania.”

During her meeting with Dr. Christina, Dr. Rasha Kelej said “I’ve enjoyed every moment with her, witnessing the great impact she makes every day on her patients' lives. Through her, we transform people's lives every day.”

Hon. Sarah Opendi, Uganda Minister of State of Health said, “Merck Foundation and ministry of health of Uganda have been partners for a very long time, we have been working together on various issues with special focus on cancer and infertility. We appreciate the efforts of Merck Foundation in building cancer care capacity in Uganda and other African countries, and we hope soon we would have world class cancer facilities and expert locally in our beloved country.”

The first fellow for ‘Merck Oncology Fellowship Program’ from Uganda Dr. Sekitene Seei Buwambaza said, “Merck Oncology Fellowship program is very important to me because it is giving me an opportunity to learn and improve on the way, I have been doing things concerning the management of cancer patients. It is also ushering me into the new trend that cancer care and research is taking in this 21st century. A bond with Merck Foundation as an alumnus is going to keep me updated with new developments in cancer care.”

Fellowship Program’ from Uganda, Dr. Musana Othiniel, an obstetrician and gynaecologist from Uganda, “Uganda as a country lacks a national cancer screening program yet cervical cancer and breast cancer remains the most common cancers and accounts for the highest proportion of cancers requiring treatment. The country also has a shortage of good gynae-oncology clinicians, researchers and educators in Uganda hence limiting access for women with cancer to screening, diagnostic and treatment services.”

He further added, “The ‘Merck Oncology Fellowship Program’ will expand my knowledge on the selection of appropriate clinical and research methodology used in gynae-oncology. I hope to improve my skills in carrying out appropriate and evidence-based clinical diagnosis and treatment but also empower me with excellent clinical education skill to mentor other young health workers in gynae-oncology.”

Isaac Oyimah with agency report/GEE

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AMI, World Bank three-day workshop on media on agriculture opens

NaijaAgroNet:

 A three-day workshop on media on agriculture opened Monday in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire by the country’s Minister of Agriculture, Mamadou Coulibaly Sangafowa, who was represented by a director in the ministry, with over 50 media practitioners in attendance across Africa, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The meeting expected to last till Thursday, June 16 seeks indepth and informative media coverage on development themes was notably uninformed.

NaijaAgroNet reports that in addition, there have suspected superficial, perfunctory or lacking altogether in media across most of Africa, according to the organisers, the World Bank Group and the African Media Initiative (AMI).

They also said that the objective is to expand and deepen media understanding as well as coverage of agriculture and related issues by media on the continent.

The Chief executive, AIM, Mr. Eric Chinje, said the mission is to support the media to play a more decisive role in promoting democratic governance, economic growth, social development and citizen empowerment in Africa.

“It seeks to narrow the gap that currently exists between media content and national development agendas,”

He also said that AMI has two strategic pillars namely strengthening African media houses through viable business, models, technology use, effective audience measurement, and improved ethics, and improving media content by reinforcing the capacity of reporters to cover development stories, establishing platforms for program exchange and cross-fertilization, and identifying incentives for writers and other content producers. Its strategic goal is to reduce the gap between media content and the development agenda of countries on the continent.

Chinje also said that the organization supports the emergence of a media sector that is professionally proficient, financially sustainable, technologically efficient, and socially responsible so that it can best serve the public interest and informs the Africa narrative.

Thus, AMI seeks to engage, empower and strengthen the capacities of African media owners and operators by tackling key constraints to media action, and to drive the development content agenda through a programme of specialization among journalists in the critical sectors of the economy in Africa.

On the collaboration with the World Bank Group, he said, AMI look out to mainstream media coverage and promote content that enriches the continental dialogue on agriculture and its related issues. Both will work together with other relevant partners to develop training packages and generate the resources necessary to build a critical mass of media specialists to focus on agriculture, a sector that is critical to growth in national economies.

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