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Nigeria, Currently Dealing with Multiple Layers of Disease- Ministry of Health
Nigeria, Currently Dealing with Multiple Layers of Disease- Ministry of Health
By: Michael Mike
The Ministry of Health has raised the alarm over the changing health challenges in the country, warning that the country is currently dealing with multiple layers of disease at the same time.
Speaking at the official inauguration of the Nuparadigm Health Foundation, which marks a new era of health awareness and n the country, a representative of Ministry of Health, Abraham Emmanuel emphasized the urgent need for prevention, education, and lifestyle interventions to protect public health.
Nuparadigm Health Foundation is a non-governmental organisation committed to raising awareness about non-communicable diseases and the risk factors associated with them. The foundation aims to provide credible health information, educate communities, and encourage healthier lifestyles to prevent the onset of avoidable illnesses.
Emmanuel explained that Nigeria’s health challenges are changing, with the country now dealing with multiple layers of disease at the same time.
He said; “Africa, and Nigeria in particular, is no longer facing only communicable diseases. We are now experiencing a double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases, and some even describe it as a triple burden when pandemics are included.”
He decried that younger Nigerians are increasingly affected, stating that: “Non-communicable diseases are increasing in Nigeria, and the age limit is dropping. Conditions like hypertension, stroke and type 2 diabetes are now affecting people in their 30s.”
Emmanuel noted that lifestyle is the main risk factor. He said: “These are mainly lifestyle-related diseases, which means they can be managed and prevented through increased awareness and better choices.”
He also highlighted alarming national survey findings, warning that many Nigerians are unaware of the silent health threats around them. “The data from our national survey is alarming. Many Nigerians are developing non-communicable diseases without knowing the risk factors, such as unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol, tobacco use and even second-hand smoke,” he said.
Emmanuel, while lamenting that these risk factors which are often overlooked in daily life, are driving a surge in preventable illnesses, creating a hidden crisis that could overwhelm families and the healthcare system if urgent action is not taken.
On her part, the founder of Nuparadigm Health Foundation, Dr. Omolara Olagunju said her experience as a doctor led her to conclude that hospitals mainly treat disease, while true healthcare lies in daily prevention.
She said: “After about 15 years of medical practice, I realised that we don’t really have healthcare in the true sense. Hospitals are not health care systems; they are more like disease parlours. Real healthcare happens outside the hospital, and you should not have to be sick before you start thinking about how to be healthy.”
She explained that many Nigerians harm their health unknowingly because they lack access to simple, trustworthy information.
Olagunju said: “A lot of people are doing things every day that are damaging to their health, and they don’t even know it. When I tell them, they say, ‘Doctor, I didn’t even know.’ That is why we believe that everyone has a right to essential health information — the kind of information you need to maintain the good health that you already have.”
She also acknowledged the harsh realities of daily life, saying many people sacrifice health in the struggle to survive.
“People tell me they are too busy to come for health checks, and I later realised that their reasons are legitimate. People are trying to make ends meet in Nigeria. But sometimes we are working harder, winning the battle financially, and losing the war because our health is steadily deteriorating in the process.” She noted .
She emphasized that the foundation is designed to take health awareness directly into everyday spaces instead of waiting for hospital visits.
“Instead of waiting for people to come to the hospital, we decided to go to them to their offices, their schools and their social media platforms and share this information as widely as possible, because it may be just one piece of information that makes all the difference.” She said.
She also warned that unhealthy lifestyles learned early are already showing consequences in children.
“We were not born liking sugary drinks; these tastes were learned. Today, I see obese children everywhere, and I ask myself what will happen to these children in 10, 15 or 20 years if we don’t do something drastic now.” She warned .
In his keynote address, Consultant Physician and Interventional Cardiologist, Dr. Iseko Iseko said Nigeria invests more in treating illness than in preventing it.
“Over the last two decades in healthcare, most of what we do is secondary prevention treating diseases after they have happened and trying to prevent complications. But primary prevention, which is stopping diseases from happening through education and healthy practices, is where we should be investing more of our energy.” He said
Iseko warned that Nigeria’s fragile healthcare system is under strain from both infectious and lifestyle-related diseases
In his words he said “In Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa, we are still dealing with communicable diseases like malaria, tuberculosis and HIV, but at the same time we are now seeing increasing cases of heart attacks, strokes and diabetes. This double burden of disease is putting enormous pressure on our healthcare system.”
He described Nigeria’s low life expectancy as a reflection of widespread preventable illness and weak preventive care.
He said: “A lot of Nigerians are dying prematurely, and Nigeria is now among the countries with the lowest life expectancy in the world. This is not because we lack potential, but because we have failed to prioritize preventive health and protect our population from avoidable diseases”.
Iseko stressed that everyday habits are driving diseases that drain families financially and emotionally, noting that:
“Many of the diseases we see today are lifestyle-driven and preventable. Treating heart failure alone can cost over ₦1.85 million every month, and when you look at conditions like stroke and kidney failure, the cost to families is catastrophic. This is why prevention, early detection and lifestyle change are far better than waiting to treat advanced disease.”
He further warned about lifestyle-related risk factors, stating that: “Sitting too much, smoking, unhealthy diets and alcohol are silently destroying our blood vessels. These are preventable causes of heart disease and stroke.”
Iseko emphasized the financial and health benefits of prevention, stressing that: “The average cost of treating heart failure is not less than ₦1.85 million per month. Treatment is expensive, catastrophic, and it is far better to prevent these diseases than to manage them.”
The event brought together healthcare professionals, government officials, and key stakeholders, emphasizing the urgent need for prevention, education, and lifestyle interventions to protect public health.
Nigeria, Currently Dealing with Multiple Layers of Disease- Ministry of Health
Athena Graduates 13 Pioneer Fellows, Publishes Essays on Nigerian Unity
By: Michael Mike
The Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership has graduated 13 pioneer fellows of its Junior Fellowship Programme, with a call on young Nigerians to take up leadership responsibilities and help build institutions capable of delivering good governance and national development.
The six-month programme, implemented in partnership with Anchoria Group, brought together young Nigerians from the six geopolitical zones, 11 states, 11 universities and 11 academic disciplines to deepen their understanding of public policy, governance, institutional development and leadership.
The graduation ceremony in Abuja also witnessed the unveiling of a collection of 13 civic essays written by the fellows, titled Though Tribe and Tongue May Differ: Young Nigerians on Belonging, Equal Citizenship and the Work of Nation-Building.
The publication, produced by Athena Press, is the first volume in an annual series, The Republic We Are Building, designed to encourage young Nigerians to examine the country’s founding ideals against the realities of governance and citizenship.
Speaking at the event, Founder and Chancellor of the Centre, Osita Chidoka, said the fellowship was established on the conviction that building strong institutions required deliberate investment in the people who would eventually lead them.
“We cannot continue to demand better institutions without deliberately investing in the people who will lead them. Institutions do not build themselves. People build them,” he said.
Chidoka said the programme deliberately brought together young Nigerians from different geographical, educational and professional backgrounds to foster mutual understanding and develop their capacity to work across the country’s differences.
“We brought together young Nigerians who might otherwise never have met, from different regions, universities, disciplines and experiences, and asked them to learn, argue and grow as one cohort.
“If we are serious about building the Republic we all dream of, learning to live, think and work across our differences has to become a habit,” he said.
He said the fellows were exposed to intensive learning, mentorship and practical engagements with experienced professionals, including BudgIT’s Seun Onigbinde, Dr Sam Amadi and Dr Dakuku Peterside.
The programme featured six months of virtual learning and mentorship, during which participants received monthly stipends, followed by a one-week residential session. Each graduate also received an HP laptop to support continued research and writing.
Anchoria Group part-funded the initiative, which combined public policy, governance, research and leadership training with financial literacy, investment and practical economic decision-making.
Chidoka said the fellows’ essays were inspired by the line in Nigeria’s National Anthem, “Though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand”, and explored questions of belonging, equal citizenship, identity and nation-building.
He described the National Anthem, the National Pledge and Chapter II of the Constitution as embodying what he called “the promise of the Republic”.
“They describe the Nigeria we say we want: a country founded on justice, equality, dignity, unity and opportunity.
“Every generation inherits that promise, and every generation must convert the promise into performance through the institutions it builds, the standards it enforces and the everyday experience of the citizen,” he said.
According to him, subsequent cohorts of the fellowship will use the annual publication to assess how effectively the country is translating these national ideals into tangible outcomes for its citizens.
The fellows also benefited from engagements with prominent figures in public policy and national development, including Patrick Okigbo, Founding Partner of Nextier, who discussed the promise of Nigeria and the experiences of young Nigerians within the country.
Representatives of Nextier attended the graduation and interacted with the fellows on career opportunities in policy and advisory services.
The fellows were also received by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, who shared his experiences of international training, returning to Nigeria and contributing to national development.
One of the fellows was subsequently invited to participate in the forthcoming Ministerial Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance.
In his valedictory address, the Overall Best Fellow, Ezekiel Adebisi, said the programme had equipped participants with the analytical skills, intellectual discipline and sense of responsibility required to contribute meaningfully to national development.
He said the fellows arrived as young professionals seeking answers but were leaving with a deeper appreciation of the complexity of governance and the responsibilities associated with knowledge.
Adebisi urged them to approach public institutions with courage, integrity and a commitment to evidence-based decision-making.
He cautioned against equating access to political power with the ability to drive meaningful institutional reforms.
“We came to learn how institutions shape nations. We leave committed to shaping institutions that serve nations,” he said.
The graduating fellows are Augustina Enuwa Abakpa, Rashida Bafashi Abubakar, Yahaya Abubakar, Ezekiel Adebisi, Afodun Muhammad Saheed, Adaobi Ayogu, Kosisochukwu Praise Bosah, Enegbuma Angelica Onagiekhuwemhe, Haruna Hassan Suleiman, Mohammed Baba Kale, Daniel Nnamani, Eunice Olasunkanmi and Shedrack Owen.
Chidoka urged the graduates to measure their success not merely by the knowledge acquired during the fellowship but by their contributions to the institutions and communities they would serve.
“The value of this Fellowship will be measured over years: in the institutions you serve, the decisions you influence and the people you, in turn, help to develop.
“Today, we celebrate what you have learnt. Tomorrow, Nigeria will judge what you do with it,” he said.
He announced that the Junior Fellows Programme would continue with new cohorts, sustaining the Centre’s effort to develop a new generation of Nigerians committed to responsible leadership and institution-building.
Athena Graduates 13 Pioneer Fellows, Publishes Essays on Nigerian Unity
Tijjani Muhammed’s promotion to Lithuania’s top division excites Mailantarki Care FC
The management and entire family of Mailantarki Care FC proudly extend heartfelt congratulations to our former star forward, Tijjani Muhammed, on helping FK Babrungas clinch the 2026 I Lyga title and secure a historic promotion to Lithuania’s elite top-tier division, the TOPLYGA.
Mr Adamu Usman Ahmed, the
General Secretary of
Mailantarki Care FC conveyed the management’s message in a press statement issued to newsmen on Saturday.
Tijjani Muhammed’s remarkable journey from sharpening his craft at Mailantarki Care FC to making a decisive, high-impact presence on the European stage is a testament to his exceptional talent, discipline, and relentless work ethic.
Playing a pivotal role in guiding FK Babrungas to the summit of Lithuanian football marks a monumental milestone in his professional career and stands as a shining example for young talents across Nigeria.
Commenting on the milestone, the club leadership led by its President Hon Khamisu Ahmed Mailantarki noted that Tijjani’s success reflects the core vision of Mailantarki Care FC of developing world-class players equipped to compete and excel at the highest levels of global football.
“We celebrate this well-deserved achievement with Tijjani. His hunger for success and dedication continue to make us immensely proud. We wish him even greater milestones, stellar performances, and countless goals as he prepares to take on the challenge of the TOPLYGA next season,” the statement read.
Tijjani Muhammed earned his pathway into European football following a scintillating, star-making performance with Mailantarki Care FC, the champions of the 2024 Dana Cup in Denmark, where he clinched both the highest goal scorer award and the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) honor.
Mailantarki Care FC remains steadfast in its mission to discover, nurture, and project homegrown talent onto the international stage, living up to its mantra.
Tijjani Muhammed’s promotion to Lithuania’s top division excites Mailantarki Care FC
Zulum Orders Suspension of Dikwa Council Secretary, Directors Found Absent on Duty
…Halts Work on Nurses’ Quarters
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has directed the immediate suspension of the secretary and some directors of Dikwa Local Government Council over alleged neglect of duty.
The Governor issued the directives on Friday during a working visit to Dikwa, where he found several senior council officials absent from their duty posts.
He directed the affected officials to hand over to their respective assistants immediately.
However, the Director of Primary Healthcare and the Education Secretary were exempted from suspension because both were on duty at the time of the visit.
“Residents depend on the local government for essential services. Senior officials must report for duty and carry out their responsibilities.
Those who neglect their duties will face disciplinary action,” Zulum said.
The governor directed the Borno State Local Government Service Commission to compile a list of the affected officials and begin the administrative process of filling the posts to ensure that council services continue.
…Zulum halts work on nurses’ quarters
Governor Babagana Zulum also ordered the halting of construction at the nurses’ quarters after raising concerns about the quality of work.
During the visit, Zulum inspected ongoing projects at Dikwa General Hospital, the nurses’ quarters and a mega primary school.
Visibly dissatisfied with the standard of construction at the nurses’ quarters, he ordered work to stop immediately pending the engagement of another contractor.
“Public funds must deliver buildings that are safe, durable and fit for use. Every contractor must meet the approved specifications. Those who fail to do so will be held accountable in accordance with the law,” Zulum stated.
Governor Zulum warned that contractors who fail to meet contractual specifications and approved standards would face immediate sanctions.
Zulum Orders Suspension of Dikwa Council Secretary, Directors Found Absent on Duty
A Child’s Vow, A Nation’s Wound: Nigeria’s Tragic Encounter with Banditry
Athena Graduates 13 Pioneer Fellows, Publishes Essays on Nigerian Unity
Tijjani Muhammed’s promotion to Lithuania’s top division excites Mailantarki Care FC
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