Latest Nigeria health news and updates
Photo: Dr. Paul Bangirana of Makerere University Severe malaria may affect children’s cognitive abilities and academic performance for years after recovery, with survivors recording lower overall cognitive ability and mathematics scores than children who did not experience the disease, a 2026 study has found. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association…
…Poor hygiene, untrained cleaners undermine infection control Patients seeking treatment in private or public hospitals risk contracting additional infections because of poor hygiene, inadequate infection prevention measures and the deployment of untrained cleaners and support staff, a medical research scientist, Dr Cashmir Ifeanyi, has warned. Ifeanyi said patients could develop infections they did not have…
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has begun investigating the death of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member at the orientation camp in Agwu, Enugu State, following allegations that substandard or falsified medicines caused his death. The agency said preliminary findings suggested that the corps member died from acute…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
The Nigerian Red Cross Society, Lagos State Branch, has urged households in flood-prone communities to adopt early disaster preparedness measures to protect lives and property. The call was made during an awareness walk through Makoko, Lagos, where about 120 volunteers and members of the humanitarian organisation sensitised residents on flood risks and practical steps to…
Admissions for malnutrition at health facilities supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in northeast Nigeria rose by 18 per cent in the first nine months of 2026, with young children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers worst affected. The facilities recorded nearly 20,000 cases between January and September 2026, up from about…