Health
PDP Urges Buhari To Reflect On Nigeria’s Ailing Health Sector After Postponed Medical Trip
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to reflect on Nigeria’s health sector and other failing parts of the economy in the wake of his postponed medical trip.
Ripples Nigeria had reported that President Buhari shelved his medical follow-up trip to the United Kingdom which was earlier scheduled for Friday.
Initially, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, on Thursday disclosed that the President would yesterday proceed to London for “a scheduled medical follow-up.”
But Adesina in another statement titled, ‘President Buhari postpones London trip’, announced the postponement, adding, that a new date would be announced in due course.
However, the opposition PDP in a statement issued on Friday via its spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan urged Buhari to reflect on the ailing state of the economy and various challenges therein.
This came in the wake of widespread approval over the clampdown of citizens’s rights through the Twitter Ban.
According to the PDP, “Our party urges President Buhari to use this period to reflect on the suffering of millions of Nigerians who do not have access to foreign medical treatment, but who are dying on daily basis because of his failure to pay attention to our healthcare system, which has become decrepit under his watch.
“In his consideration, Mr. President must also reflect on how he has wrecked our country’s once robust economy that was handed over to him in 2015 by the PDP, to the extent that Nigerians can no longer afford to feed because their purchasing power has become depressingly low while he (Mr. President) recedes further into the luxury and the safety of the Aso Rock Villa at the expense of the well-being of the ordinary citizens.”
Health
Bayelsa records 98% immunisation coverage

Bayelsa has recorded a 98 per cent coverage in the first round of the 2025 National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs) programme conducted from the May 3 to May 6.
Mr Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, deputy governor of the state, disclosed this during a meeting of the state’s taskforce on immunisation in Yenagoa on Wednesday.
He said that the government’s ultimate target was to achieve 100 per cent coverage in subsequent immunisation campaigns.
Ewhrudjakpo lauded the WHO, UNICEF, the Ministry of Health and other critical stakeholders for the feat achieved so far.
He, however, urged the partners not to rest on their oars as much still have to be done to achieve its target of 100 per cent immunization coverage.
He underscored the need for early preparations ahead of the second round of 2025 NIPDs scheduled for July.
The deputy governor assured the partners that funds for the programme would be released not later than two weeks to its commencement.
He directed all council chairmen to flag-off the second round of the 2025 NIPDs programme at any community other than their respective local government headquarters.
The deputy governor urged the chairmen to meet with the traditional rulers, school proprietors, and religious leaders in their areas to sensitise them on the importance of immunisation.
He also called parents, schools and churches to allow children to participate in the immunisation programme.
”The state government is serious about enforcing its public health law and executive order on compulsory immunisation.
“We have taken our immunisation coverage up to 98 per cent. But we want to take it to 100 per cent this time around, and that is why we have convened this meeting.
“We are also going to make an upward review of the logistics to reflect the present economic realities in the country,” he said.
Presentations by Dr Marcus Oluwadare of the WHO, and Dr Gbanaibulou Orukari, Director of Disease Control, Bayelsa State Primary Healthcare Board, revealed that area councils scored high percentage in the coverage.
They, however, identified poor workload rationalisation, data falsification and lack of commitment on the part of some personnel.
According to Oluwadare, we commend the Deputy Governor of the state for flagging off the NIPDs and chairing all the state ERMs in spite of his tight schedule.
“Bayelsa State was the only state to have full complements of her stakeholders in attendance during the April NIPDs in the whole of Nigeria,” he said.
Health
NCDC records 832 Lassa fever, Mpox cases, 135 deaths

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has confirmed the country has recorded 832 confirmed cases of Lassa fever and Mpox.
Speaking during a press briefing on Friday in Abuja, the agency’s Director General, Dr. Jide Idris, revealed that 132 fatalities were recorded from Lassa fever and three from Mpox.
While acknowledging a recent decline in Lassa fever infections during epidemiological week 16 (ending April 20, 2025), he warned that the overall risk remains high, particularly in endemic regions.
“Cumulatively, as of week 16, Nigeria has reported 4,253 suspected cases of Lassa fever, 696 confirmed cases, and 132 deaths, resulting in a case fatality rate of 19.0 percent,” he stated.
Dr. Idris attributed recent improvements to intensified surveillance, treatment efforts, and enhanced community engagement. He emphasized, however, the continued need for vigilance and collaboration to sustain progress.
Regarding Mpox, the NCDC boss disclosed that three deaths have been recorded in 2025—two in Abia and Ebonyi States in week 10, and one recently in Rivers State involving a patient co-infected with HIV and tuberculosis. As of week 16, 723 suspected cases and 136 laboratory-confirmed cases of Mpox have been reported across 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The national case fatality rate currently stands at 2.2 per cent.
“The epidemic curve reveals multiple peaks in Mpox cases, indicating ongoing transmission. While most states have reported suspected cases, confirmed infections are heavily concentrated in Nigeria’s southern and central regions,” Dr. Idris noted.
To address these outbreaks, the NCDC has activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), deployed National Rapid Response Teams to affected states, and prepositioned essential medical supplies, including personal protective equipment and laboratory consumables. Five additional Mpox diagnostic laboratories have also been optimized in Bauchi, Kano, Cross River, Rivers, and Enugu States.
“Healthcare workers are undergoing specialized training in infection prevention, case management, and cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) care. Community outreach is being reinforced through public awareness campaigns, media engagement, and targeted health communication strategies,” he added.
On cerebrospinal meningitis, Dr. Idris reported a consistent decline in new cases and fatalities over the last three weeks.
He attributed the improvement to effective vaccination, early treatment, and adaptive surveillance strategies tailored to real-time data.
“Although the situation remains serious, strong national and state-level coordination is showing positive results. The response will continue until full containment is achieved and states take full ownership of the CSM Incident Action Plan,” he said.
Dr. Idris also expressed concern about the rising Mpox trend since its reemergence in 2017, with significant spikes recorded between 2022 and 2024, positioning Nigeria among the most affected countries globally. He warned that underreporting and delayed data entry remain challenges that need urgent resolution to ensure accurate and timely outbreak response.
A national mortality review for the recent Mpox deaths is being planned to further assess response effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
The NCDC reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding public health through timely surveillance, transparent reporting, and coordinated national response mechanisms aimed at reducing disease burden and preventing future outbreaks.
Health
Only 89 doctors left in Kwara Govt hospitals amid ‘Japa’ crisis – Health Board
The Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Hospital Management Board, Abdulrahman Malik, disclosed that there is an acute shortage of medical doctors in the state-owned hospitals.
Speaking at the state interministerial press briefing for the first quarter of 2025 on Tuesday, April 29, Malik said that due to the ‘Japa’ syndrome, doctors do not want to take up appointments with the state government, even when the government is ready to recruit them.
He lamented that while between 180 and 200 doctors are required in the government service, only 89 of them are available in the service.
He said the number of available doctors only recently became 89 from 86 when three who had left the service returned after the government introduced a new and improved salary for the doctors’ services.
The hospital board’s boss said the government had been trying to attract doctors to the state service with improved salaries and facilities that could encourage them to stay, especially in the rural areas where many of them do not want to go.
He also disclosed that the government has introduced an intern nurses programme for the training of nurses who would replace many nurses who had left the service for abroad.
“The mass exodus of health professionals is severely affecting our capacity to provide adequate care,” the official said.
“Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has approved an upgrade in the salaries of our doctors to match federal pay in a bid to retain the few we have left.
“The revised salary structure has led to the return of three doctors who had previously resigned, bringing the total number on the state’s payroll to 89.
“However, the figure still falls short of the estimated 180 to 200 physicians needed to serve the state’s population effectively.
“Nigeria’s doctor-to-patient ratio is currently estimated at one doctor to over 5,000 patients, far below the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended one doctor to 600 patients.”
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