By Our Correspondent

OBAJANA, Kogi State — Dangote Cement Plc has built, commissioned and donated a modern Cottage Hospital to the Obajana community in Kogi State as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives aimed at improving access to quality healthcare.

The hospital, officially inaugurated at the weekend, is expected to provide primary and secondary healthcare services to residents of Obajana and neighbouring communities, reducing the need for patients to travel long distances for medical treatment.

Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, the Acting Plant Director of Dangote Cement Plc, Obajana Plant, Engr. Panjala Sreedhar, said the project was conceived following extensive consultations and community needs assessments, which identified healthcare as a critical priority.

According to him, the facility is equipped with male, female and children’s wards, private wards, consulting rooms, a meeting room, 19 sanitary facilities, digital blood pressure monitoring devices, a dedicated borehole water supply and other essential medical infrastructure.

He said the hospital would significantly improve healthcare delivery in the host community while complementing government efforts to expand access to quality medical services.

The Bajana of Obajana, Engr. Idowi Isenibi, described the completion of the hospital as “a dream come true” for the community.

He assured that the people of Obajana would safeguard the facility and its equipment to ensure it serves its intended purpose.”Dangote is a blessing to this community,” the traditional ruler said.

Representing Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo at the event, the Special Assistant on Corporate Social Responsibility, Hon. Paul Sunday, commended Dangote Cement for its sustained investment in community development.

Governor Ododo also appealed to the company to provide medical personnel to operate the hospital pending the deployment of healthcare workers by the local government.

The Federal Ministry of Livestock Development has commenced a comprehensive tsetse fly surveillance, community sensitisation, and vector control campaign across livestock settlements, markets, and riverine communities in Akwa Ibom State.

The exercise is aimed at combating the spread of tsetse flies and reducing the incidence of African Animal Trypanosomiasis, commonly known as Nagana, which poses a major threat to livestock productivity.

Flagging off the operation in Uyo, the State Coordinator of the Ministry, Mrs. Ikankeabasi Ukpong, said Nigeria has identified about twelve species of tsetse flies under the Glossina genus, many of which are responsible for transmitting parasites that cause sleeping sickness in humans and trypanosomiasis in animals.

She noted that the disease results in weight loss, anaemia, reduced milk and meat production, and significant economic losses for livestock farmers.

Ukpong explained that the Glossina palpalis species is endemic in the South-South region and thrives in humid environments, particularly around rivers and wetlands.

She disclosed that the surveillance team would focus on riverine communities in Itu, Mbo, and Oron Local Government Areas, as well as cattle settlements in Itam, to assess and control the prevalence of the vector.

Speaking at the event, the Akwa Ibom State Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Teddy Essien, commended the Federal Government for prioritising the programme. He stated that the state had maintained strong collaboration with federal agricultural agencies and expressed confidence that the initiative would strengthen animal health management and contribute to economic growth in the state.

Essien assured the surveillance team of the state government’s support and called for regular feedback from field operations to aid planning and decision-making.

He stressed the importance of accurate data collection and reporting in sustaining efforts to eliminate the disease and protect livestock farmers.

Also speaking, the Team Leader, Mr. Gilbert Okoro, described the exercise as part of a nationwide intervention to combat transboundary pests and diseases affecting both humans and animals. He said that the team would deploy and monitor traps in identified hotspots before analysing findings to guide future control measures, reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to reducing the burden of tsetse fly infestation across the country.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed that more than 1,300 people have died in Europe since June 21 in connection with the record-breaking heatwave roasting much of the continent.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X that tens of millions have been braving the extreme temperatures in Europe as a deadly heatwave moves eastwards, with some countries announcing rising death tolls and health services warning of saturation.

On Sunday morning, French health officials said there had been around 1,000 more deaths than expected in that country just since Wednesday.

“Heat stress is often called the ‘silent killer’ – and European homes, workplaces and schools were not built for these temperatures,” he said.At least 191 million people are forecast to endure temperatures of at least 35 °C on Sunday in Europe, with the heat particularly intense in Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland, according to AFP estimates.