Resident doctors threaten strike over prolonged colleague abduction – Newstrends
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Resident doctors threaten strike over prolonged colleague abduction

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Resident doctors threaten strike over prolonged colleague abduction

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has warned of a nationwide strike if their kidnapped colleague, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, is not freed by August 26.

President of the NARD, Dr Dele Abdullahi, made the declaration at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday.

Dr Abdullahi said the association has lost patience with the government’s inaction over the abduction.

Dr Ganiyat, who is a registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna, was abducted on December 27, 2023, along with her husband and nephew.

While her husband was released in March, Dr Ganiyat and her nephew have remained in captivity.

Abdullahi stated, “Following notification of the incident, the association notified all security agencies through official written communication, requesting immediate action towards the prompt rescue and release of our incarcerated colleague.”

The association also charged the Nigerian Medical Association, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labour, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, the Chairman of the House Committee on Health, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and the Kaduna State Government in the statement.

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“For a country where we have placed a high value on healthcare providers and the need for them to remain within the country, it is imperative that the security of these healthcare providers is guaranteed at all times,” Abdullahi said.

He maintained that the association has written several letters to security agencies, the federal government, and the Kaduna State Government, without significant action.

“We’ve been engaging, but we’ve not actually had any opportunity to have any personal engagement with the security agencies and the state or federal government regarding this sad situation.

“NARD has resolved to organise a national press conference and a protest march in all tertiary hospitals across the nation to demand Dr Ganiyat’s release.

“The association will embark on industrial action on August 26 if Dr Popoola is not freed by then,” he said.

The association appreciated the efforts of well-meaning Nigerians and security agencies, but urged the government to take concrete steps to rescue their colleague.

“It’s appalling that in a country where we want healthcare providers to stay, one of us has been incarcerated for over seven months and 17 days without any form of relief or directive on how the rescue mission will proceed,” he added.

Resident doctors threaten strike over prolonged colleague abduction

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NAFDAC destroys N120bn ‘merchants of death’ fake products

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Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye

NAFDAC destroys N120bn ‘merchants of death’ fake products

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) announced that it destroyed over ₦120bn worth of seized products between July and December 2024 across the six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory.

NAFDAC also reassured Nigerians that measures are in place to safeguard their health before, during, and after the yuletide season.

This was disclosed in the Christmas message from NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, as contained in a statement signed by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, on Sunday.

Adeyeye emphasised the importance of eating safely during the Yuletide period and advised Nigerians to purchase food and drinks from outlets with identifiable addresses to facilitate the agency’s tracking processes.

She warned against eating pharmaceuticals and packaged food products that do not have NAFDAC registration numbers, noting that exceptionally low-cost products are likely to be contaminated.

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She also revealed that the agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate is continuing to remove substandard and fraudulent pharmaceuticals, as well as unwholesome food items, from marketplaces around the country.

“Officers from the Investigation and Enforcement, Pharmacovigilance, and Post-Marketing Surveillance Directorates are in the field confiscating falsified medicines, fake wines and drinks, and unwholesome food products that could jeopardise public health during the festive season,” she said.

In December 2024, the agency destroyed expired and unregistered drugs worth ₦11bn in Ibadan and seized counterfeit alcoholic beverages and medicines worth billions of naira in Lagos.

In Nasarawa State, the agency uncovered a factory packaging counterfeit rice and confiscated over 1,600 bags worth ₦5bn.

Adeyeye emphasised NAFDAC’s commitment to ensuring that the Nigerian market only contains safe, high-quality food and medicines.

She warned that the agency would step up efforts to put counterfeiters out of business, branding them as “merchants of death.”

NAFDAC destroys N120bn ‘merchants of death’ fake products

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NAFDAC destroys N5bn fake, expired products in Aba

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NAFDAC destroys N5bn fake, expired products in Aba

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut down 150 shops at Eziukwu Market in Abia over fake and expired products Worth N5 billion.

The agency disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday on X.

NAFDAC said the shops were shut during a two-day operation on December 16 and 17, while products valued at N5billion were destroyed at the market.

The director of the South-East zone, Martins Iluyomade, expressed dismay at the continued illegal activities despite a previous undertaking signed by market leaders in December 2023 to expose counterfeiters.

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According to the statement, Mr Iluyomade described the market as a hub for counterfeit and substandard products.

“Our team uncovered a large-scale production and distribution of fake and expired goods, including beverages, carbonated drinks, wines, spirits, and vegetable oils.

“Revalidated food items such as milk, yoghurt, noodles among others were also destroyed,” the statement said.

It reaffirmed NAFDAC zero tolerance for such practices and emphasised its unwavering commitment to safeguarding public health while working toward a permanent solution to the problem of counterfeiting in the market

 

NAFDAC destroys N5bn fake, expired products in Aba

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Eating fish regularly minimises risk of incurable hearing condition – Study

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Eating fish regularly minimises risk of incurable hearing condition – Study

Tinnitus is the sound of ringing in the ears. It may also be described as roaring, buzzing, hissing, or clicking inside the head. The sounds may come and go. Or they may be ongoing. The sounds range in severity from a mild distraction to a disabling condition and may manifest with buzzing, hissing, or clicking inside the head.

The sound may happen in one or both ears and may have different tones. A team from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston studied 73,000 individuals to understand how common this disorder is, which affects millions  with a constant ringing in their ears.

Over a span of 30 years, those who consumed more than two servings of fish weekly had nearly 25 percent lower odds of getting tinnitus compared to those who seldom or never ate fish. Even eating just one serving a week resulted in a 13 percent reduced risk.

Certain types of fish, like tuna, light-fleshed varieties such as cod or halibut, and shellfish, were linked to a reduced risk, while darker fish like salmon and swordfish seemed to increase the risk.

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Interestingly, fish oil supplements, known for their benefits to heart, brain, and joint health, were also connected to a higher risk of tinnitus. It’s estimated that tinnitus is diagnosed in almost 1 in 6 persons.

While age-related hearing loss, ear injuries, and circulation issues are known to contribute to tinnitus, the exact cause remains unclear. Previous studies have suggested that dietary factors, such as high levels of calcium, iron, and fat, might heighten the risk. However, this new research is the first to analyse data over such a lengthy period.

Past findings have also shown that seafood can lower the risk of hearing loss, with one study suggesting that increased fish consumption might reduce hearing issues by up to 20 percent. Scientists believe that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish could protect inner ear cells or reduce inflammation caused by loud sounds, chemicals, or infections.

The Boston team’s investigation, based on a database of US nurses, aims to shed light on the connection between fish consumption and tinnitus, potentially aiding future patients. The authors of the study expressed hope that identifying factors that can be changed might help in preventing tinnitus and guiding targeted treatments.

Eating fish regularly minimises risk of incurable hearing condition – Study

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