FG Calls for Local Solutions, Better Partnerships to Curb Militating Effect of Climate on Health

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Government has called for local solutions and better partnerships to tackle the growing effects of climate change on health in the country

The call was made on Thursday by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate at the 10th Future of Health Conference in Abuja.

The minister noted that climate change is already affecting Nigeria and requires urgent action.

At the event themed “From Evidence to Action: Building Resilience in the Climate and Health Nexus,” Pate outlined major challenges Nigeria is facing to include political and economic problems, rapid urban growth, population increase, and the return of infectious diseases.

He however said none of these challenges compare to the threat of climate change, noting that the country has already seen impacts of flooding, droughts, cases of diseases like malaria and yellow fever, and food shortages caused by bad weather affecting farms.

Page said: “The future is here. Climate change is already affecting our health today, and it will continue to do so in the future. This is not just a health issue; it is a matter of survival for our country.”

The minister said while climate change is a worldwide problem, the solutions must fit Nigeria’s specific situation.

He applauded the efforts made by President Bola Tinubu’s government, especially through the Health Sector Renewal Agenda, noting that this agenda focuses on improving healthcare for everyone, investing in primary healthcare, strengthening health workers, and ensuring the country’s health security.

Pate also mentioned the government’s quick action during the flooding in Borno State, where they worked with partners like the World Bank to improve healthcare and respond to emergencies.

He noted that the government provided vaccines and clean water to prevent the spread of cholera, showing the importance of such coordinated efforts.

The minister further explained how climate change is affecting Nigeria’s food systems, causing food shortages due to flooding.

He however called for more partnerships between the government, private sector, civil society, and global organizations to solve these problems. Pate especially thanked the World Bank for its support in strengthening Nigeria’s health sector, saying that global and national efforts must continue to work together.

“The World Bank’s support, along with help from the UK, USA, and other partners, is crucial in building a stronger health sector. We are making real progress, and this broad approach is the way forward,” he added.

Pate also talked about how the communities most affected by climate change, like those displaced by floods or facing hunger, are often the least responsible for causing it.

He urged global partners to recognize this and provide more resources to help those affected.

“If we truly want to solve climate change, we must see it as a justice issue. The people suffering from droughts and floods did not cause this crisis, yet they are the ones paying the price,” Pate said.

He called for more awareness at the local level, especially in rural areas, so communities understand how climate change affects their lives and can help find solutions.

“We need to involve our people so they can help us respond to this challenge. Only then can we build true resilience in our health sector,” he concluded.

On his part, the Global Programme Lead for Climate and Health at the World Bank, Dr. Tamer Samah Rabie, who also spoke at the conference, commended Nigeria for making strong steps toward a climate-resilient health system.

Rabie pointed out that Nigeria is leading by example, developing policies and making investments to strengthen the health sector.

He said: “Nigeria is setting an example by putting evidence into action, developing policies, and securing investments. Although there is still a long way to go, I am confident that Nigeria is on the right path.”

The Future of Health Conference brings together global and national leaders to discuss how to improve health in the face of climate change.

Vivianne Ihekweazu, Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch, emphasized the importance of this year’s event, noting that commitments made today show the urgency of solving climate-related health challenges. She stressed the need for strong actions to turn climate awareness into policy changes.

Mandate Secretary for Health Services and Environment in the Federal Capital Territory, Dr. Dolapo Fasawe, also spoke about the link between climate change, public health, and food security.

She highlighted how air pollution, poor food production, and lack of environmental care are all affecting the health of Nigerians.

Dr. Fasawe mentioned how air pollution led to the death of a child in the UK, pointing out that similar dangers exist in Nigeria, where vehicles releasing harmful gases are not being regulated. He called for legislative action to address these environmental health issues.

She also stressed that Nigeria’s agriculture is suffering due to climate change, leading to rising food prices and a lack of access to affordable food. “Do we really have plenty when food prices are going up every day?” Dr. Fasawe asked.

Dr. Fasawe called for the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices and investment in research to help communities better cope with climate change. He also invited Nigeria Health Watch to work with the FCT Secretariat in their medical outreach program, stressing the importance of nutrition education as part of healthcare.

FG Calls for Local Solutions, Better Partnerships to Curb Militating Effect of Climate on Health

Removal of Cuban Blockage: Envoy Appeals to Nigeria, Others to Pile Pressure on US

By: Michael Mike

Cuba has called on Nigeria and other countries of the world to pile pressure on the United States of America(US) to end the 64-year-old blockade and economic sanctions on her.

The Ambassador of Cuba to Nigeria, Miriam Morales Palmero made the call during a press conference in Abuja, ahead of the vote against the US blockade scheduled to take place at the United Nations General Assembly on October 29, 2024.

The envoy who applauded Nigeria for always standing by Cuba, said the country’s friendship and alliance is needed at the time more than ever, noting that with the support of Nigeria and other African countries, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Middle East, her country will be free from the blockade.

While decrying the injustice of the prolonged blockade policy put in place in 1960 by the US on Cuba, Palmero said it has made negative impacts in various sectors of the Cuban political, social and economic life, calling for immediate lifting of the blockade against her country.

She noted that the US government started the blockade on March 14, 1958, when it banned weapons sale to Cuba via an arms embargo and later extended to a bigger ban on all exports to Cuba, food and medicine excluded.

She swid: “In 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis between the US and the Soviet Union, Cuba held nuclear weapons on behalf of the Soviet Union leading to a full- scale blockade on the Cuban island. The actions of the US have led to the UN having annual resolutions to dispel the blockage since 1992, this year’s resolution being on the 29th of October.”

The Ambassador covered various economic and social effects of the blockade on Cuba which include that the blockage prevents the US from trading with Cuba, greatly limiting Cuba’s access to goods, services and technology such as food, medical aid and the country’s ability to generate revenue.

She said: “With many countries being allies with the US, fearing the repercussions that might come with trading with Cuba, foreign investments and trades with Cuba are severely limited.

“Although Cuba has a wonderful health care system, this blockage limits the country’s access to medicine leading to the inability to properly care for its citizens in times of health crises,” she said.

Palmero said that Cuba has lost billions of dollars in various sectors due to the blockade, adding that regional responses from Latin America countries, the Caribbean community and the European Union have been expressly on the side of Cuba, all calling for the end of the embargo.

She noted that her country has survived these years of blockade because of the courage and resilience of its people and the determination of successive leaders of the country from Fidel Castro to Raul Castro and to the current President Miguel Diaz- Canel.

She said “Countries like China and Russia still show their willingness to invest in Cuba even though they receive backlash from the US. Many other countries have proclaimed a strong diplomatic relationship with Cuba, Nigeria included and the number of these countries is over 180.

“Moreover, various international NGOs have protested against the blockage stating that it has negative humanitarian impacts.”

She pointed out that Cuba is making spirited efforts to counteract the effects of the blockade while it struggles to form strong alliances globally, adding that it still sought to establish diplomatic relationships with China, Russia, Nigeria and other European countries.

She said “the government has focused on exporting medical supplies, biotechnology etc to these various countries.

“To fight against the food shortages caused by the blockage, Cuba has focused on organic farming and sustainable practices to ensure maximum efficiency and food security leasing to the country not having to depend entirely on other countries and organizations for food.

“Furthermore, Cuba actively promotes its culture with the help of globalization through: music, arts and even food leading to a strong cultural exchange enhancing its global image.”

She noted that Cuba has always been willing to negotiate with the US on how to end the blockade but insisted that her country will not allow any form of dictation from the US.

Removal of Cuban Blockage: Envoy Appeals to Nigeria, Others to Pile Pressure on US

IPCR, Others Insist All Hands Must Be On Deck to Minimize Conflicts in Nigeria

By: Michael Mike

The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) and other stakeholders in peace advocacy in Nigeria have said all hands must be on deck to minimize conflicts in Nigeria.

The stakeholders made the submission on Thursday in Abuja during a two-day stakeholders training in early warning response group (EWRG) to conflict resolution.

They said: “To minimize conflicts in our society, all hands must be on deck.”

While talking at the workshop, Deputy Director, Research National Conflict early warning and early response, who also double as coordinator partner project, Mr Steve Agbo said: “The essence of this project, is to enhance early warning, early response system in Nigeria to achieve sustainable peace in the country through conflict prevention, and to do that, the Institute as a peace promotion agency in Nigeria has carried out a research that indicated that lack of response is a major factor inhibiting the effectiveness of conflict early warning system in Nigeria, and has also a rollover effect on why Nigeria is having myriad of conflict across the country”.

He added that: “There is a need to establish this group that we are training today, the group called Early Warning response group is a mixture of security and non security response personnel from various agencies. We started the group in 2003 and today we have the group established at the state level in the nine selected states in Nigeria, that’s Benue, Nasarawa Plateau, Kaduna, Katsina and Kano”.

One of the participants at the training, a chief superintendent in NSCDC, Mr Oguntayo Olayinka said, “the training have help us to learn about the model on how to handle the conflict, which we were taught on how we can understand the interest indicator, the what that involved before you start the solution. So when you understand the needs and the interest of the individual, as a stakeholders, you will be able to analyze the conflict, very well, and to provide the next solution to it”.

The workshop had in attendance top-level security stakeholder representatives from the Directorate of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA), The Nigeria Police (NPF), representatives from Ministry Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

Moving forward, the training is expected to reach it targeted goal and formulate comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of conflicts while fostering cooperation and trust among all stakeholders.

Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) in partnership with Peace Action for Rapid and Transformative Nigeria Early Response (PARTNER) together with United States Agency for international Development (USAID) organised the workshop.

Agbo said: As highlighted in the UN-World Bank report Pathways for Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict, the number of violent conflicts has increased since 2010, thus raising the question of how violence and its escalation can be prevented. Conflict prevention mechanisms exist. And that is what is called, Early Warning and Response Systems (EWRS). Hence, the need for training to update those who are the key stakeholders involved in tackling the issue of conflict resolution using the modern technique and approach.