Health
LAAF Writes Attorney General to Decriminalize Suicide in Nigeria
▪︎UGC : Attorney General of the Federation, Honourable Lateef Fagbemi; Halima Layeni
Halima Layeni Men’s Mental Advocate Executive Director, Life After Abuse Foundation (LAAF), has urged the Federal Government to decriminalize suicide attempts in Nigeria.
” Countries like India, Canada, and New Zealand have decriminalized suicide attempts, recognizing the need for supportive health interventions rather than criminal penalties,” said Halima Layeni.
In an Open Letter to the Attorney General of the Federation, Honourable Lateef Fagbemi, Halima Layeni pointed out : ” Under Section 327 of the Nigerian Criminal Code, any individual who attempts suicide can be imprisoned for up to one year.
This law, which criminalizes suicide attempts, is not only outdated but also ineffective in addressing the root causes of the mental health crisis we face.”
She further noted that instead of offering treatment and support, the criminalization of suicide perpetuates suffering, pushing those in need further into silence and shame.
” The suicide crisis disproportionately affects men, who make up the majority of suicide cases worldwide, and Nigeria is no exception.
Men are often pressured to suppress their emotions, adhere to societal norms of masculinity, and face stigmatization when they seek help for mental health issues. Consequently, many men in Nigeria feel trapped in isolation, leading to higher rates of depression and suicide. Rather than being met with compassion and support, these men risk being labeled as criminals under the current law.
Criminalizing suicide attempts is, at its core, a violation of human rights. Article 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights both emphasize the right to dignity, health, and mental well-being.
Punishing someone for attempting suicide disregards their fundamental human right to access the care they need.
The act of criminalization perpetuates the idea that those suffering from mental health crises are less deserving of protection, violating principles of equality and human dignity.
Suicide is not a crime; it is a symptom of profound mental health distress. To view it through a legal lens rather than a medical one is to misunderstand the gravity of the issue.
Those who attempt suicide do not need punishment—they need mental health care, compassion, and a system that prioritizes their well-being.
Mental health is a critical element of overall health, and just as we treat physical illnesses, so too must we treat mental health crises with proper support, not prosecution.”
Health
From South Africa to US, ‘Cicada’ COVID-19 variant spreading
According to the latest available data from the health authorities, this variant has been spotted in 23 countries and in wastewater from 25 US states.
• New Cicada COVID variant detected across US states.
“Cicada” a nickname given to BA.3.2, a COVID-19 variant, is spreading around the world , according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization.
Like most other variants, the symptoms of the Cicada variant are the same as those of other COVID-19 variant infections.
According to the CDC, these includes:
Runny or stuffy nose, Fever, Headache, Fatigue, Sneezing, Sore throat,Cough, Muscle pain or body aches Vomiting, Diarrhea, and Changes to the sense of smell or taste.
According to the latest available data from the health authorities, this variant has been spotted in 23 countries and in wastewater from 25 US states.
In November 2024, BA.3.2 popped up in a nose swab of a 5-year-old boy in South Africa, and it looked very different than its parent virus.
It was first picked up in the US last summer, in a traveler from the Netherlands.
In January , the first clinical sample from a sick patient turned out to be BA.3.2.
It appears to be circulating in the US at low levels, although testing has been scaled back since the height of the pandemic, so it may be more widespread than currently known.
Health
Fire Razes Ebonyi Ministry of Health Section
” Different vaccines like BCG, penta, HPV vaccine etc that were all stored in that cold room were burnt”.
A section of the Ebonyi State Ministry of Health, weekend , was gutted by fire with property worth hundreds of millions of naira destroyed.
The inferno destroyed the cold store housing immunisation and solar units which contained vaccines, vaccine carriers, cold chain boxes, laptops, documents, five refrigerators, two solar refrigerators, 45 solar batteries, inverters, including hospitals beds and foams received from the National Primary Health Care Development Authority (NPHCDA), Abuja, for distribution to local government areas across the state, among others.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Moses Ekuma, lamented the disaster and thanked God that no life was lost. He thanked the Commissioner for Power and Energy, the fire service personnel, and the security men who alerted him on time for their prompt response, which made the fire not spread to other parts of the building.
He said, “Different vaccines like BCG, penta, HPV vaccine etc that were all stored in that cold room were burnt”.
Health
Health Workers Protest Against Regulatory Bill
They maintain that all health professions have their regulatory bodies, and that the new bill was seeking to make other health professionals second-class to medical doctors.
Health workers under the Joint Health Sector Unions and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations are protesting against the proposed health sector regulatory bill, which is before the National Assembly.
They said that if allowed to pass, the law would subject every medical profession to the regulation of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
They maintain that all health professions have their regulatory bodies, and that the new bill was seeking to make other health professionals second-class to medical doctors.
The protesters plan to also go to the National Assembly, where they hope to present their case to lawmakers.
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