Health
NACA, National Assembly Partner on Sustainability of HIV Response

The National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), has partnered with the USAIDS, UNAIDS and Jhpiego for a 2-day retreat alongside the National Assembly House Committee on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (ATM) under the theme “Leadership for sustainability of the HIV response: The role of the Legislative”.
In her opening speech, the Director General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr Temitope Ilori assured of the agency’s determination in providing leadership to driving an accelerated decline in new HIV infections in the country.
She advocated for an integrated approach at tackling these diseases, one that will foster synergy and yield maximum health benefit.
“We are here today to continue in our efforts at targeting the eradication of HIV/AIDS by year 2030.
We are re-energised at fostering a commitment to the issues of HIV/AIDS with the legislators here present and help facilitate an efficient and sustainable response in Nigeria”, she stated.
The Country Director of UNAIDS, Dr Leopoid Zeken urged the leadership of the house to scale up efforts and help in terms of legislation for resource allocation.
He called for an increased awareness and improved accountability of resources in better management of the resources available to solving the major issues plaguing us.
He believes that the success achieved in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Nigeria will have an overbearing effect on the African continents’ success.
While also addressing the participants at the retreat, a seasoned Public Health Specialist and Country Director, Jhpiego, Oniyire Adetiloye spoke on the critical nature of the committee and believes if these three diseases are tackled heads on, it will portend a great success for the country.
He called for an integrated approach that will ensure the patients receive the best solutions to these health issues.
According to him, Jhpiego has been in the forefront of tackling HIV/AIDS and have reached millions of Nigerian women, men and children since 1978.
He noted that HIV testing services have been provided to more than 2.6 million people while more than 74,000 have been newly identified as HIV-positive and over 72,000, linked to care and treatment.
In his submission, Chairmman House Committee on AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (ATM), Honourable Godwin Ameobi insisted that Nigeria must address gender and human rights barriers as well as domestic financing to make progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
He stated that there is still much work to be done but believes that the summit is a right step in the right direction.
He encouraged the engagement between NACA and the legislature as a progress in knowing the right responses in eliminating HIV/AIDS.
He suggested that 1% of the consolidated National funds be dedicated to manage HIV/AIDS.”Government must take the lead by providing the needed funds.
NACA must also be improved upon to become a multi-sectoral agency to fight HIV/AIDS better”, he stated.
He stated that the committee will insist that all funds must be accounted for, to ensure transparency and accountability in attaining the renewed hope agenda of President Tinubu’s administration.
Ameobi called for more retreats on capacity building to help the legislators attend more events so as to keep them abreast of best global practices, while urging strict efforts against stigma and discrimination, especially in workplaces.
Participants at the retreat attended various sessions where speakers discussed National HIV response, statistics and the goals of the sustainability agenda.
Globally, about 39 million people are presently living with HIV while about 3 million are living with HIV in Nigeria , according to 2023 estimates.
4.9% of PLHIV globally and 41.6% of PLHIV in West and Central Africa are in Nigeria.
16 states in Nigeria have HIV prevalence above the national prevalence of 1.3%.
Health
Nigerian Nurses in Govt -Owned Hospitals Beginning Nationwide Strike Tonight
“Private hospitals are not included. This is because for now the private practitioner nurses are not spread over Nigeria,”

Twenty-five thousand nurses, under the umbrella of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Federal Health Institutions Sector, will begin a seven-day nationwide strike, tonight.
The strike is in response to issues which include poor remuneration, staff shortages, unpaid allowances, and unsafe working conditions.
On July 14, 2025, the union issued a 15-day ultimatum to the federal government, demanding immediate intervention to prevent a total healthcare shutdown.
The National Chairman of NANNM-FHI, Morakinyo Rilwan, said that the strike would involve a total withdrawal of services across all federal health institutions.
The 15-day ultimatum ends by Tuesday, July 29, 2025, by midnight, and the warning strike commences on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, at 12.01am.
“The action would include 74 federal hospitals – teaching hospitals, federal medical centres, specialist hospitals like orthopaedic, neuro-psychiatric, and eye centres, as well as all general hospitals and primary healthcare centres in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, and 774 local government areas.”
Health
UK doctors on five-day strike, shun PM’s plea
Starmer on Friday appealed to the doctors, saying patients were being put at risk and the strikes would “cause real damage”.
(AFP)

• Uk doctors on strike / AFP
Thousands of UK doctors launched a five-day strike early Friday after talks with the Labour government for a new pay increase failed to reach a deal.
Doctors were out on picket lines outside hospitals after negotiations with the government went down the wire late Thursday, without reaching an accord.
The move comes after the doctors accepted a pay rise offer totalling 22.3 per cent over two years in September, soon after Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour Party took power.
Resident doctors — those below consultant level — have said they felt they had “no choice” but to strike again to reverse “pay erosion” since 2008.
Starmer on Friday appealed to the doctors, saying patients were being put at risk and the strikes would “cause real damage”.
Launching a strike “will mean everyone loses,” Starmer wrote in the Times, highlighting the added strain it would put on the already struggling National Health Service (NHS).
He appealed to the doctors not to “follow” their union, the British Medical Association (BMA) “down this damaging road.
“Our NHS and your patients need you, ” Starmer warned.” Lives will be blighted by this decision,” Starmer warned.
Health
ODODO RESTORES MEDICINE PROGRAMME AT PAAU ANYIGBA AFTER A DECADE
Upon assuming office in 2024, Governor Ododo directed a fresh review of the requirements for restoring the MBBS programme and gave immediate approval for the provision of outstanding facilities.

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has granted full re-accreditation for the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) programme at the Prince Abubakar Audu University (PAAU), Anyigba, following a 10-year suspension.
This was disclosed in a statement issued in Lokoja on Thursday by the Kogi State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdulazeez Adams.
He described the approval as a landmark achievement driven by Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s commitment to revitalising healthcare and medical education in the state.
Dr. Adams recalled that the MBBS programme was originally accredited and commenced in 2012 at the then Kogi State University, but the accreditation was withdrawn in 2015 after a resource verification exercise by the NUC revealed the absence of key infrastructure and academic requirements.
He noted that the administration of former Governor Yahaya Bello, upon assuming office in 2016, swiftly intervened by approving full scholarships and facilitating the transfer of affected third-year medical students to other institutions. “Today, over 90% of those students have successfully graduated,” he said.
Alh. Yahaya Bello also approved the construction of a state-of-the-art clinical complex at the university, which has since been completed and put to use.
In addition, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Marietu Tenuche, was mandated to commence all basic sciences and allied health programmes required to support a robust MBBS curriculum—an instruction that has since been carried out.
Upon assuming office in 2024, Governor Ododo directed a fresh review of the requirements for restoring the MBBS programme and gave immediate approval for the provision of outstanding facilities.
These included a multi-purpose medical students’ teaching laboratory, lecture halls, a library, consultant offices, and student hostels.
“These projects received prompt approval from His Excellency, and I personally represented him at the official handing-over of project sites to contractors,” Dr. Adams stated, noting that construction work began immediately and is now at an advanced stage.
Following the infrastructural and academic upgrades, the university invited the NUC for a fresh round of resource verification.
Based on the successful outcome of the exercise, the commission has now granted approval for the full re-establishment of the MBBS programme at the university.
“This is a major milestone—ten years after the initial withdrawal—and it signals a new era of medical training in Kogi State,” the statement read.
Dr. Adams described the development as part of Governor Ododo’s holistic strategy to expand the state’s healthcare workforce.
He highlighted other strategic investments in medical and health education across the state, including the College of Nursing in Obangede, the College of Health Sciences in Idah, the College of Medical Sciences at CUSTECH, Osara, and now, the fully restored College of Medical Sciences at PAAU, Anyigba.“Governor Ododo’s commitment to healthcare is not in words, but in action.
These projects are not just about infrastructure—they are about the future of healthcare delivery in Kogi State,” he said.
Dr. Adams concluded by expressing gratitude to all stakeholders who contributed to the success of the initiative, and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to completing all ongoing infrastructure projects supporting the MBBS programme.
Also reacting to the development, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, described the re-accreditation as another promise kept.
“During his campaign, Governor Ododo promised to ensure the return of the MBBS programme to Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba. Today, he has fulfilled that promise. He continues to make difficult tasks look simple with his results-driven style of leadership.
This is a remarkable demonstration of an unyielding commitment to improving healthcare resources in the state,” Fanwo stated.
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