Africa short of 5.5m health workers, 1m trained professionals jobless
More than one million trained health professionals across Africa are without meaningful employment despite a continent-wide shortage of 5.5 million health workers, highlighting a widening gap between health-sector needs, training and employment opportunities for young professionals. The figures, cited at the Ubuntu Rising 2026 gathering in Cape Town, South Africa, have prompted more than 80…
Will fortified seasoning cubes curb or worsen Nigeria’s hypertension crisis?
Sodium cubes Nigeria is facing a rising prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases linked to excessive salt consumption, which it is combating through the National Guidelines for Sodium Reduction. But the country is also in a micronutrients deficiency crisis, which it aims to tackle through fortified bouillon cubes. The problem? These cubes are often excessively…
Lagos TB samples pile up as GeneXpert machines run short of testing cartridges
Tuberculosis (TB) samples are piling up in some health facilities in Lagos due to shortages of diagnostic cartridges needed to process specimens, raising concerns about delays in detecting and treating the disease. The Lagos State Advocacy Team on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (ATM) said some laboratories could not process samples collected from people suspected of…
Why 30% of women in Togo turn to hairdressers for emotional support
Photo caption: Manuela Siakou, Heal by Hair ambassador, Lomé, 2026. A study has found that 30 per cent of women surveyed in Togo turn to their hairdressers first when facing personal difficulties, while fewer than one per cent approach health professionals initially, highlighting the role of trusted community relationships in mental health support. The findings…
Lagos converts former COVID-19 isolation centre to pharmacy training facility
Lagos State has converted the former CACOVID COVID-19 isolation centre at the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), Yaba, into a training facility for pharmacy students as part of efforts to address the shortage of healthcare professionals. The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, disclosed this on Monday in a post on his X handle, saying the…
Nigeria: 45% of women make fewer than four antenatal visits – Study
Forty-five per cent of women giving birth in Nigeria make fewer than four antenatal care visits, while 51 per cent do not deliver in a health facility, according to data from the Guttmacher Institute. The figures were contained in the institute’s Adding It Up 2024: Investing in Sexual and Reproductive Health in Low- and Middle-Income…
NAFDAC: Fake alcoholic labels, corks, packs worth N200m found in Aba market
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered counterfeit packaging materials worth more than ₦200 million in five shops at Old Court Road Market, Aba, Abia State, following an enforcement raid. The materials, bearing the identities of popular wine, spirit and other regulated product brands, were allegedly intended to make…
Nordica centre hits 1,000-treatment milestone in fibroid care
The Fibroid Care Centre (FCC) at Nordica is set to mark its 1,000th High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) treatment, five years after introducing the technology for fibroid treatment in Nigeria and West Africa. The centre will commemorate the milestone at an event in Lekki, Lagos, on October 3, 2026, bringing together healthcare professionals, former patients and…
Cosmetics top NAFDAC seizure records, drinks lead raids so far this year
Cosmetics accounted for the highest number of product seizure entries recorded by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) between January and August 2026, with 401 entries, according to the agency’s enforcement report. Drinks followed with 215 entries, while drugs accounted for 112, highlighting the categories that featured most prominently in…
How 2026 NLNG Prize winner’s AI innovation could cut MRI scan time by 90%
An artificial intelligence-powered medical imaging technology that could reduce magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan time by up to 90 per cent has been unveiled in Lagos, raising prospects of shorter waiting times and increased access to diagnostic services. The technology, GenScanAI, developed by Mary-Brenda Akoda, winner of the 2026 Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation,…