Flavoured Smoke and False Promises: How Tobacco Firms Are Targeting Nigerian Women and Girls
A new study has raised alarm over what experts describe as a growing and calculated push by tobacco companies to capture a new market in Nigeria: women and adolescent girls. Presented recently by Gatefield, an Abuja-based public policy firm, the study…
South Africa Confronts a New HIV Reality as US Pulls the Plug on Lifeline Funding
For more than two decades, American funding helped underpin one of the world’s most ambitious responses to HIV and Aids. Now, that era is drawing to a close. The United States government has announced that it will discontinue support for HIV and…
World Sickle Cell Day: Why Half of Children Born With Sickle Cell Disease May Never Reach Age Five
Long before science explained the mysteries of genetics, many Nigerian communities sought answers in folklore. Among the Yoruba, children who died repeatedly in infancy were believed to be Abiku, spirits doomed to return to the world only to die again.…
Nigerians with Albinism Are Fighting Stigma, Health Risks and Silence
Colour-based discrimination often hides in plain sight, in prolonged stares, mocking remarks, exclusion, bullying, stereotypes or subtle forms of dehumanising language. However, behind what is frequently dismissed as “harmless” behaviour lies a deeper…
One Rotten Tomato Could Endanger Your Health
For many struggling households, a basket of bruised or partially rotten tomatoes can feel like a blessing in difficult economic times. Sold at a fraction of the cost of fresh produce, these tomatoes, popularly known in parts of Nigeria as “Ata…
Could Kimchi Help Fight Plastic Inside the Human Body?
For centuries, Koreans have eaten Kimchi not merely as a side dish, but as a cultural tradition cuisine woven into everyday life. Spicy, sour and sharply aromatic, the fermented vegetable delicacy has long been celebrated for its digestive and probiotic…
Mental Disorders Tighten Their Grip on a Younger, More Vulnerable World
More than 1 billion person globally are battling mental health disorders. Unfortunately, mental health challenges no longer shows up in tattered clothes or stained teeth, it could come in perfect physique. As of today, the global health conversation has…
Nigeria’s Heavy Dependence on Imported Medicines Sparks Renewed Calls for Pharmaceutical Self-Sufficiency
Nigeria is at risk of losing grounds on its public health security, economic stability and industrial development if it continues to depend heavily on imported medical supplies. Industry estimates suggest that Nigeria imports between 60 and 70 per cent…
Hantavirus Outbreak: Countries on High Alert As Contact Tracing Begins
With memories of the COVID-19 pandemic still fresh, the emergence of another potentially deadly virus linked to human transmission has triggered concern among global health authorities. A hantavirus outbreak aboard the expedition cruise vessel MV Hondius…
Oyo Gets UNICEF-Backed Nutrition Boost as 20 LGAs Targeted in New Programme
The UNICEF, with funding support from the United States, has launched a nutrition intervention programme in Oyo State, selecting 20 local government areas to benefit from efforts aimed at tackling malnutrition in early childhood. The initiative, unveiled…