• A patient with headphones playing music during surgery in a hospital in Delhi.

Under the harsh lights of an operating theatre in the Indian capital, Delhi, a woman lies motionless as surgeons prepare to remove her gallbladder.

She is under general anaesthesia: unconscious, insensate and rendered completely still by a blend of drugs that induce deep sleep, block memory, blunt pain and temporarily paralyse her muscles.

Yet, amid the hum of monitors and the steady rhythm of the surgical team, a gentle stream of flute music plays through the headphones placed over her ears.

Even as the drugs silence much of her brain, its auditory pathway remains partly active.

When she wakes up, she will regain consciousness more quickly and clearly because she required lower doses of anaesthetic drugs such as propofol and opioid painkillers than patients who heard no music.

That, at least, is what a new peer-reviewed study from Delhi’s Maulana Azad Medical College and Lok Nayak Hospital suggests.

The research, published in the journal Music and Medicine, offers some of the strongest evidence yet that music played during general anaesthesia can modestly but meaningfully reduce drug requirements and improve recovery.

The study focuses on patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the standard keyhole operation to remove the gallbladder.

The procedure is short – usually under an hour – and demands a particularly swift, “clear-headed” recovery.

To understand why the researchers turned to music, it helps to decode the modern practice of anaesthesia.

“Our aim is early discharge after surgery,” says Dr Farah Husain, senior specialist in anaesthesia and certified music therapist for the study.

“Patients need to wake up clear-headed, alert and oriented, and ideally pain-free. With better pain management, the stress response is curtailed.”

Achieving that requires a carefully balanced mix of five or six drugs that together keep the patient asleep, block pain, prevent memory of the surgery and relax the muscles…

(From BBC)

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has urged the Federal Government to immediately conclude the long-delayed Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) as the union’s indefinite strike entered its 15th day on Saturday.

The doctors are also demanding a review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), which they described as outdated and inadequate in the face of rising living costs.

In a statement posted on X on Saturday, NARD said doctors have waited too long for a fair and clearly defined agreement on their work conditions and remuneration.

“For long we’ve waited for a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), a simple, written promise that ensures fairness, clear work terms, and proper pay. But the government keeps delaying, while doctors face rising costs and crumbling morale,” the union said.
“We demand the immediate conclusion of the CBA and review of the outdated CONMESS salary structure.”

The ongoing industrial action, which began earlier this month, has disrupted services in 91 hospitals across the country, including federal teaching hospitals, specialist centres, and federal medical centres.

NARD reiterated that its 19-point demand list is vital for improving the welfare of doctors and safeguarding the health sector. Among the demands are the payment of arrears under CONMESS, the disbursement of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund, prompt payment of specialist allowances, improved recognition of postgraduate qualifications, and better working conditions.

The union said these measures are essential to keep medical professionals in the system and maintain a functional healthcare delivery structure.

President Bola Tinubu had earlier directed the Ministry of Health to ensure immediate resolution of the strike, assuring that the government is working to address the doctors’ concerns.

However, NARD said the continued delay in signing the CBA and reviewing salaries has further dampened morale among resident doctors, many of whom are battling with economic hardship while providing critical healthcare services.

The union maintained that it remains open to dialogue but expects urgent government action to restore normalcy in the nation’s hospitals.

Kogi State has recorded a remarkable leap in its healthcare readiness, climbing from the 18th position in 2023 and 2024 to the 10th position in the 2025 SBM Health Preparedness Index (HPI).

The SBM Health Preparedness Index assesses the capacity of Nigeria’s 36 states to effectively respond to health emergencies and deliver quality healthcare services. The annual report draws data from credible national and international institutions including the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), World Health Organisation (WHO), The Lancet, Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), BudgIT, The Cable, the Faculty of Medical Sciences of Radboud University, and the Global Data Lab.

The index evaluates key indicators such as budgetary commitments, human resource capacity, and health outcomes, using the most recent available data.

Although no state in the country met the 30 percent national target for health preparedness, Kogi’s advancement represents a significant step forward in its healthcare reform journey. The improvement reflects the Ododo administration’s sustained investments in healthcare infrastructure, personnel development, and community-based health delivery.

Speaking on the development, the Coordinating Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdilazeez Adeiza Adams, described the improvement as “a testament to the strategic leadership of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and the dedication of the health workforce in Kogi State.”

He assured that the State Government remains “fully committed to strengthening the health system to achieve universal health coverage, enhance emergency response capacity, and surpass national benchmarks in the coming years”.

“This is an encouraging development, but we are not relenting. We are scaling up investments in primary healthcare, training more professionals, and expanding access to quality medical services across all local government areas. Our ultimate goal is to make Kogi a model of resilience and efficiency in Nigeria’s health sector,” Dr. Adams said.

Also commenting on the report, the State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Hon. Kingsley Femi Fanwo, said Kogi State continues to shine in healthcare delivery under the leadership of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.

“This is a positive response to the challenge posed to the Coordinating Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdilazeez Adeiza Adams, to move Kogi up from the 18th position she occupied in 2023 and 2024. The Ministry has done the needful, and now the Governor has further challenged the Health Team to push Kogi even higher,” he stated.

Hon. Fanwo added that the development reflects the tangible outcomes of the administration’s people-centered policies.

“Our investment in health is paying off. This is the real measure of development, when governance directly improves lives and strengthens our health sector capacity”, he asserted.