Health

Nigerian Govt To Meet With Health Workers Over Payment Of Hazard Allowances

The Federal Government has disclosed that it will meet with representatives of health sector workers in a fortnight to harmonise their proposals on new hazard allowance for workers in government health establishments.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, said this while addressing newsmen at the end of a meeting on Wednesday in Abuja.

The meeting was between the Presidential Committee on Salaries (PCS) relevant Federal Government stakeholders and health sector professional associations and trade unions to discuss the proposed new hazard allowance for health workers in government establishments.

According to Ngige, progress has been made in the discussions between the government and the two umbrella bodies of the health workers — the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU).

He added that “the meeting succeeded in making the health workers to appreciate the plight of the government, caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the country’s crude oil-based mono economy.

“We are making progress. At least one of the parties has agreed to the government recommendation. We urged the other party to go and dot the i’s, and cross the t’s in their own recommendation.

“Government will also go back and see what we can do within the ambit of the proposals being given by them. We have agreed to reconvene in a fortnight to harmonise the proposals.”

He explained that even those in agreement with the government proposal, still had a little problem with compartmentalisation of their health workers into junior and senior workers.

“We need to leave them to get back to their constituents and agree on that one, so that we can harmonise our proposals. We are discussing two associations.

“So, in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), you allow them to give their own position as it suits their members. The members are not the same. The only thing is that you have both workers in the hospital,” he said.

Health

Ebola Virus: NCDC Declares Index Suspects Negative

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has declared that there was no case of Ebola in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), after the index patient suspected of having the virus that causes haemorrhagic fever tested negative for Ebola and Marburg disease.

In a statement on his X handle on Friday, the Centre, however, noted that further tests for other VHFs like Lassa and Dengue are ongoing.

“Thanks to early reporting by a traveller and the swift action of vigilant health workers, the risk to the public was minimised.”

It advised the public to seek medical help immediately if they felt unwell, especially after travelling.

The NCDC also advised the public to shun rumours.

“If you feel unwell, especially after travel, seek medical care immediately. Wash hands regularly & practise good hygiene. Avoid contact with anyone showing unexplained fever, bleeding, vomiting, or diarrhoea.

“Rely only on official NCDC updates. Say no to rumours,” the Centre wrote.

The Centre’s update came after the suspect passengers aboard the Rwanda Air to Abuja were thought to have exhibited Ebola-related symptoms.

Similarly, a statement signed by the Director General of NCDC, Dr. Jide Idris, said: “We wish to inform the public that two recent suspected cases of viral hemorrhagic fever in Abuja both tested negative for Ebola and Marburg viruses.

“We are currently testing samples for other viral hemorrhagic fevers like Lassa Fever and Dengue Fever.
“The most recent case involved a traveller who, after returning to Nigeria from Kigali, responsibly presented himself immediately to a hospital in Abuja when he felt unwell.

“His decision to report early, combined with the vigilance of the attending clinician and hospital team, ensured that our public health system was promptly activated and that the risk to the public was minimised.

“This responsible action is highly commendable and a good practice all Nigerians are urged to emulate; when you feel unwell, especially after travel, seek care early. Doing so protects you, your family, and your community.”

Health

Doctors commence nationwide strike

Nigerians have been left stranded as the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, commenced a five-day warning strike to press their demands.

This was disclosed on Friday in a brief statement by NARD Secretary-General, Dr Oluwasola Odunbaku, via the association’s X account.

The strike follows NARD’s online National Executive Council’s decision to proceed after its ultimatum to the Nigerian government to meet its demands expired on September 10, 2025.

According to the statement: “The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors hereby notifies all members that the five-day warning strike has commenced today, in line with our NEC decision.

“We urge every member across all centres to comply fully with this directive. This action is aimed at pressing home our demands for better welfare, improved working conditions, and a stronger healthcare system for Nigerians.”

Health

NAFDAC seizes N1.2bn fake malaria drugs in Lagos

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Friday announced that it has seized fake Malaria drugs worth N1.2bn during a raid in Lagos State.

NAFDAC made this known via the microblogging platform, X formerly Twitter, disclosing that the drugs were intercepted in the Ilasa-Oshodi area of the South-West state.

“NAFDAC has intercepted 277 cartons of counterfeit and unregistered Malamal Forte malaria drugs, valued at over N1.2 billion, in a warehouse located in the Ilasa-Oshodi area of Lagos State,” the agency wrote.

The agency further stated that the fake drugs, which were concealed in cartons labelled as Diclofenac Potassium 50mg, were illegally imported from Shanxi Tianyuan Pharmaceuticals Group in China, and that they were falsely declared as spare parts in the shipping container.

Reacting, the NAFDAC Director-General, Mojisola Adeyeye, affirmed the Agency’s commitment to eliminating counterfeit and substandard medicines from Nigeria.

She further stated that this seizure is part of NAFDAC’s sustained nationwide operation to protect public health and ensure only safe, quality medicines are available to Nigerians.