Health
NAFDAC DG says Staff shortage hindering regulatory duties
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has expressed concern over its staff shortage, which was limiting the agency’s effectiveness in its regulatory duties.
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC’s Director-General, discussed this challenge during a special interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
She explained that while NAFDAC was often associated with regulating substandard and falsified medicines, the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) was also involved in the process, specifically in the registration of drug-selling sites and practitioners.
However, Adeyeye noted that both agencies were severely understaffed, a situation that impacted their ability to effectively carry out their roles.
She called on the government to address the staffing issue to ensure efficient service delivery.
“PCN is responsible for registering drug-selling sites, whether a small kiosk or large shop, and also the practitioners.
But both NAFDAC and PCN face staff shortages, which hinder our ability to reach every corner of the country,” she said.
Adeyeye pointed out that while NAFDAC had been working closely with PCN, the staff shortage remained a significant obstacle.
She compared Nigeria’s staffing situation with that of Indonesia, which, with a population of 280 million, had 20,000 staff at its regulatory agency, while Nigeria, with 220 million people, had only 2,000 NAFDAC staff.
On the recent labour union crisis at NAFDAC, Adeyeye clarified that the unions’ demands, including promotions for staff based on the last promotion exam, were beyond the agency’s authority.
She explained that the number of promotions was determined by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOS), not NAFDAC management.
The Head of Service has the mandate for the number of staff to be promoted.
Health
Nairobi Hospital Beckoning Nigerians Seeking Treatment Abroad
The hospital also holds internationally recognised certifications in pathology, laboratory medicine, cardiac care and stroke services.
A report by Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi (AKUH), has disclosed that Africa loses an estimated $7 billion every year as patients travel abroad for medical treatment, with more than 300,000 Africans travelling to India alone yearly in search of specialist care.
The hospital disclosed this at a media roundtable in Lagos, where it called for a stronger investment in Africa’s healthcare systems, while positioning its Nairobi facility as an alternative destination for Nigerians who currently seek treatment in Europe, Asia and the Americas.
Chief Operating Officer of the hospital, Khurram Jamal, attributed the continued outflow of patients and healthcare spending to shortages of specialist services, inconsistent quality standards, fragmented medical travel pathways and the perception that quality healthcare was only available outside Africa.
According to him, reversing the trend requires building healthcare systems that inspire confidence rather than relying on appeals to patriotism.
He maintained that patients would only choose African hospitals if they consistently met international standards.
Jamal said Aga Khan University Hospital was the first in the region to attain Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation and has maintained the certification through successive reaccreditations.
He added that the hospital also holds internationally recognised certifications in pathology, laboratory medicine, cardiac care and stroke services.
Health
[UPDATES ] Nurse Mary Habila : Umahi clarifies possible cause of death
The lady in question was like a daughter to me. She had stayed with me for three years. She was a staff of the Federal Medical University. She was a nurse and not a physiotherapist,” Umahi said.
Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, on Thursday said that Miss Mary Habila, the nurse who died at a guest house within his residence in Uburu, Ebonyi State, spoke with her boyfriend on the night before her death and complained of a nosebleed.
Umahi, who addressed journalists for the first time since the incident, described the late Habila as “like a daughter” to him and called for an autopsy to determine the actual cause of her death.
Habila, a nurse with the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences, Uburu, died on June 27, 2026, in a guest house located within the minister’s residence in Umunaga, Uburu.
The minister clarified that the deceased was a nurse and not a physiotherapist, as had been reported in some media outlets.
” The lady in question was like a daughter to me. She had stayed with me for three years. She was a staff of the Federal Medical University. She was a nurse and not a physiotherapist,” Umahi said.
Narrating the events leading to her death, Umahi said Habila spoke with her boyfriend on the night before she was found dead and informed him that she was experiencing a nosebleed.
She told the boyfriend she was bleeding from the nose. The boyfriend advised her to report it to her boss. She later told him the bleeding had stopped.
“He then said he would end the call so she could rest. She pleaded with him not to end the conversation, but he did.
About three minutes later, he called back and she was no longer answering her phone,” the minister said.
He further disclosed that Habila had been receiving treatment for an undisclosed medical condition at Turkish Hospital in Abuja, with the medical expenses paid by his family.
Health
Sokoto upgrades 92 PHCs to national compliance standards
The upgraded facilities now operate in line with the standards of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, with skilled birth attendants, functional labour wards, essential drugs, medical equipment and improved infrastructure.
The Sokoto State Government said on Thursday 92 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) across the state’s 23 local government areas have attained national compliance standards under the Safe Delivery Initiative (SDI).
In a statement the government assured that all 244 designated facilities would be upgraded before the end of 2026.
Speaking at the flag-off ceremony in Sokoto, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Faruk Umar Abubakar, said that the initiative was transforming primary healthcare through improved infrastructure, skilled manpower, essential medicines and stronger accountability.
“Today, we are launching the third phase of the Safe Delivery Initiative with 75 facilities that have fulfilled all the national requirements. Together with those completed in the earlier phases, we now have 92 functional and compliant primary healthcare centres,” he said.
He said the upgraded facilities now operate in line with the standards of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, with skilled birth attendants, functional labour wards, essential drugs, medical equipment and improved infrastructure.
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