News

95% Of Fever Cases In Lagos Not Malaria – Commissioner

Published

3 months ago

June 21, 2025

Data now shows an astounding 95 out of every 100 fevers experienced in Lagos are not caused by malaria, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi says.

The critical finding is at the heart of a new, multi-pronged approach to fever management, designed to combat misdiagnosis and, crucially, to avert a looming crisis of antimicrobial resistance.

Abayomi said this at a three-day Study Kick-Off of Pathway to Pre-Elimination and Digitization Project in Lagos state.

The focus was Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test and Microscopy Comparative Study & Assessment of PPMVS’ Capacity to Manage Malaria and Febrile Illnesses.

Abayomi said: “We need to get malaria out of the region.

“It is very, very important that we do that once and for all, perform the mind shift in our healthcare providers that on average, 95 out of every 100 fevers that you may see are not caused by malaria.”

“For too long, the default response to fever in Lagos, and indeed nationwide, had been to administer anti-malarial drugs, often without proper diagnostic testing.”

This practice, the commissioner warned, was not only wasteful but dangerous.

According to him, the widespread, often unnecessary use of anti-malarials and antibiotics is accelerating Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), a global threat where common infections become untreatable.

“We are really sitting on a very major problem of microbial resistance. And we have to be careful how we dispense antimicrobials and how we dispense antibiotics.”

He cited recent research indicating significant AMR in animals, with 60 per cent of human infections originating from them, stressing the interconnectedness of the problem.

Under the new “test, treat, and track” pathway/strategy, he said that Lagos residents presenting with fever will first undergo a Rapid Diagnostic Test for malaria.

“ If the result is negative, which is anticipated for the vast majority, healthcare providers will then conduct thorough examinations and investigations to pinpoint the true cause of the fever, be it pneumonia, gastroenteritis, or other infections.’

“The ministry is also tightening regulations on pharmacies.

“It is illegal to walk into a pharmacy and say, give me an antimalarial, or give me an antibiotic without a doctor’s, or healthcare practitioner’s, accredited healthcare practitioner’s certificate.”

Underscoring the urgency of the situation, he urged the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria to enforce this, stressing, “If we don’t stop that practice, we are going to be the capital of antimicrobial resistance”.

To combat this, the ministry, with support from a World Bank grant, and in collaboration with the Prof. Wellington Oyibo’s Research Team, is instituting an evidence-based “test, treat, and track” pathway for fever management.

“The cornerstone of this approach is rigorous testing for malaria first.

“If negative—which is expected for over 90 per cent of cases in Lagos—healthcare providers are then mandated to investigate other potential causes of the fever, ranging from common colds to more serious bacterial or viral infections like E. coli, salmonella, or dengue.”

Oyibo, Director of the Centre for Transdisciplinary Research for Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases, who explained to the News Agency of Nigeria the grave consequences of not testing, also underscored the severity of misdiagnosis.

Oyibo, the study Coordinator, said: “If it’s a child that has pneumonia, pneumonia will present just the way you see some symptoms of malaria presenting.

“And you now give anti-malaria medicine without a test. What will happen to that child? That child will die quickly of pneumonia.”

According to Oyibo, key strategy to eliminating malaria in the state also includes a policy shift toward Rapid Diagnostic Tests over traditional microscopy due to RDTs’ proven accuracy and operational feasibility in low-resource settings.

He noted that Lagos state was the only state that epidemiological parameters qualified as a state at pre-elimination.

“This is significant milestone in the history of Nigeria but fever and other malaria-like symptoms, which are non-specific to malaria, are still diagnosed as malaria. this forms a significant contribution to high malaria burden reporting.

“This bold initiative aims to usher in an era of evidence-based medicine, where intellectual capacity and accurate diagnosis protect society from the cascading harms of incorrect treatment and drug resistance.”

(NAN)

News

Tinubu Approves Portfolios For 5 NCDC Executive Directors

Published

11 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

President Bola Tinubu has approved portfolios for five executive directors on the board of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC).

Mr Segun Imohiosen, Director, Information and Public Relations, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), made the announcement in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja.

The appointees and their portfolios are: Hajiya Biliquis Jumoke- Administration and Human Resources, Mrs Aisha Rufai Ibrahim-Commercial and Industrial Development.

Others are, Mr James Abel Uloko-Corporate Services, Prof. Muhammad Bashar-Finance and Atika Ajanah-Projects.

The president urged the executive directors to work closely with the governing board of the commission to promote and coordinate sustainable development of the North-Central geopolitical zone.”

News

Court Orders Arrest Of 2 Lawyers Over Alleged Forgery, Impersonation

Published

12 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, sitting at Apo, on Monday, issued a bench warrant against two lawyers charged with forgery and impersonation.

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie made the arrest order following repeated failure of the defendants- Victor Giwa, and Ibitade Bukola- to appear before the court to enter their plea to the charge that was preferred against them by the Inspector General of Police.

In the charge marked: CR/150/25, the duo were accused of conspiring to forge a legal document purportedly issued by the chambers of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Prof. Awa U. Kalu, with the intent to mislead the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF.

According to the three-count charge, the alleged offence occurred on June 28, 2024.

The prosecution alleged that the defendants forged and signed a letter on the official letterhead of the SAN, requesting the AGF to suspend a scheduled arraignment.

The contentious letter, titled “Urgent and Solemn Appeal to Suspend the Arraignment of Our Colleague Victor Giwa on Charge Number: CR/222/2023”, was allegedly addressed to the AGF.

It allegedly sought intervention of the AGF to halt an arraignment that was scheduled before trial Justice Samira Bature of the high court.

The IGP, in the charge, maintained that the two lawyers committed offences punishable under Section 97, 179 and 364 of the Penal Code Act, 2004.

At the resumed proceeding of the court on Monday, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Eristo Asaph, noted that the defence lawyer told the court that the 1st defendant was bereaved, hence his absence for the scheduled arraignment.

The prosecution counsel further noted that it was on the strength of an application by the defendant that the case was adjourned.

He, therefore, wondered why the duo were also absent in court for the case to proceed.

Responding, the defence counsel, Mr. Ogbu Aboje, told the court that the 1st defendant, Giwa, wrote a letter that was accompanied with a medical report dated September 3, indicating that he had a health challenge he described as “Degenerative disorder of the lumber vertebrae,” in addition to his hypertensive condition.

He added that the 2nd defendant equally went to the hospital on Monday morning to keep to a routine appointment for the immunisation of her daughter.

More so, he drew attention of the court to an application the defendants earlier filed to challenge its jurisdiction to entertain the case.

Dissatisfied with the developments, the prosecution counsel urged the court to issue a warrant for the defendants to be arrested y security agencies and produced for their trial.

In his ruling, Justice Onwuegbuzie held that having listened to both parties, he was minded to accede to the prosecution’s request.

He court stressed that the medical report did indicate that the 1st defendant would not be able to attend court, adding that the 2nd defendant did not adduce any material to justify her absence.

Consequently, relying on the provision of section 266 (2) and 352 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), Justice Onwuegbuzie issued a bench warrant for the defendants to be arrested and produced before the court on October 8.
(VANGUARD)

News

Community Attributes Access Road To Reduction In Maternal Mortality In Bauchi

Published

15 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Editor

A cross-section of residents in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State has attributed the reduction in maternal mortality to the ongoing construction and rehabilitation of the Kirjaule–Lame roads.

Mr. Samila Jauro, who spoke on behalf of the community, made the disclosure during a media tour of ongoing Bauchi State projects in the area.

He explained that in the past, no fewer than 50 pregnant women and their babies had lost their lives due to delays in accessing healthcare caused by the poor condition of roads.

“We have lost many of our pregnant women and their unborn babies in the past because of bad roads.

“But the present administration has changed our lives through its infrastructural development,” Jauro said.

While commending the state government, he appealed for the electrification of Kirjauke community.

“We are grateful for the road project, but we still call on the governor to provide us with electricity.

For the past 18 years, we have had no source of power,” he added.

The Bauchi State Government, through the Ministry of Works, in 2023 awarded a 40.5-kilometer road construction and rehabilitation projects in the aforementioned sites.

Speaking on the progress of the projects, the Site Engineer, Mr. Ado Shehu, said the project had reached 75 percent completion.

“The Kirjaule–Lame and Magama–Gumau roads were awarded at the end of November 2023.

“Some portions are already completed, while others are at the second layer and shoulder stage to ensure a successful outcome.

“The duration of the project according to the contract is 36 months.

” But with 75 percent already completed, the project will be finished ahead of schedule,” he said.