Health
Curbing Indoor Air Pollution in Nigeria
BY: Nmerichukwu Igewamaka
Around the world, more than three billion people, nearly half the world’s population, cook their food using solid fuels like firewood and charcoal on open fires or traditional stoves.
This produces a lot of smoke, creating indoor air pollution, which, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), kills millions of people annually.
This type of pollution is of particular concern in developing nations like Nigeria, where women and their young children, who typically stay close to their mothers while they are cooking, bear the brunt of the health problems caused by indoor pollution.
Though, air pollution occurs both indoors and outdoors, Nigerians often pay attention only to outdoor air pollution, underestimating the severity of the impact of indoor air pollution.
Due to this, these sources of energy (firewood and charcoal) have therefore been highlighted as a barrier to economic progress and a major source of illness.
It is in recognition of the dangers of indoor air pollution, that leading downstream Company, Enyo Retail and Supply have prompted a revolution in energy use that is already underway.
Part of this involves a massive shift from cooking with wood and other forms of biomass to cooking with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is a cleaner source of cooking energy. It has the potential to change the landscape of household energy utilization in developing countries. It has substantial potential benefit for health, and even in climate protection. It also plays an important role in reducing household air pollution.
According to Sales and Marketing Lead, Enyo Retail and Supply, Habiba Abubakar, as players in the LPG space, they are proud to be leading the charge as the leading suppliers of gas in Nigeria. “The question is how can cooking gas or LPG change our way of living? Simple! Cooking has been around forever and will always be part of everyone’s everyday life.
This is not a speculative market and because it is a part of everyone’s life, it is a very large target market. LPG will take this routine task and revolutionize the way in which we all do it,” says Habiba.
Also commenting, Chief Executive Officer, Enyo Retail and Supply, Abayomi Awobokun stated that although clean cooking energy transitions are extremely challenging to achieve, they offer enormous potential health, environmental, and societal benefits; hence all Nigerians need to key into it. “LPG was first introduced in Nigeria in the 1990s. For many years, it was considered to be the rich man’s fuel, due to its limited availability and lack of distribution facilities. However, Enyo’s SL-Gas has emerged as a reliable kitchen fuel in the country as its availability has increased significantly and we have built up distribution channels that make it accessable to a much wider population and at an affordable cost,” explains Awobokun.
Research shows that aggressive actions on the fight against indoor air pollution is ongoing in various countries including India, China, Pakistan and Bangladesh. These countries used to lead as the most polluted regions, with over 1.5 million air-polluted related cases. Proper sensitization by both the government and LPG providers on the use of LPG and the actual adoption of it has contributed to the reduction of indoor air pollution in these areas.
Nigeria needs to be become aggressive in this area as well, adopting measures that will promote clean energy. Thankfully, the provision of small sized LPG stoves like 3KG and 6KG by companies like Enyo Retail and Supply (SL-Gas) make LPG more affordable for the average man.
Sensitization campaigns by Enyo Retail is a step in the right direction and more efforts like this are required if Nigeria is to become fully aware of the dangers of indoor pollution and act to reduce the menace.
There would be greater benefits for all if a national policy is in place to accelerate the adoption of LPG and to address the challenges of supply, regulation, distribution and affordability of this clean cooking energy.
Health
Enhancement of Military Health Services: Matawalle Meets U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Health
In a significant move to bolster Defence Health Services and strengthen the partnership between the United States and Nigeria, the Minister of State for Defence, H.E. Dr. Muhammad Bello Matawalle, met with a U.S. delegation led by Dr. David Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Health.
A statement endorsed by Henshaw Ogubike, director of Information and PR at the Ministry, shows that the the meeting focused on enhancing the existing collaboration in defence health between the two nations, which has previously facilitated the establishment of high-tech laboratories in Nigeria.
The Honourable Minister commended the U.S. for their efforts and urged for the expansion of these medical facilities beyond Abuja and Lagos to reach more derserved regions.
Dr. Matawalle emphasized the strategic integration of health services to improve the welfare of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, stating, “A healthy military is the backbone of a strong nation.” He reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that military personnel have access to top-tier healthcare services and facilities. To this end, he called for an increase in the defence budget allocated to health, viewing it as a vital investment in the nation’s future and stability.
Furthermore, the Minister highlighted that these initiatives align with Nigeria’s broader commitment to enhancing military readiness while addressing public health challenges that affect both service members and the civilian population. He noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is dedicated to improving healthcare for military personnel and civilians, recognizing healthcare as a cornerstone of national security.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana mni, stated that this initiative would positively impact military health and serve as a model for strengthening Nigeria’s overall healthcare system. “This collaboration marks a turning point for Nigeria’s defence health system,” he asserted.
Dr. Smith praised the Minister for his proactive approach to health readiness, underscoring the critical connection between health systems and military effectiveness. “Health is as crucial as any weapon system in ensuring military success, and we are committed to supporting Nigeria’s efforts to enhance its defence health system,” he remarked.
The U.S. delegation is in Nigeria to further advance initiatives aimed at sustaining progress against HIV, accelerating efforts towards the United Nations’ 95-95-95 goals, and working towards the elimination of HIV as a public health threat by 2030.
Health
Neptune Prime publisher to unveil cancer clinic, school, foundation for late journalists’ families as son weds in Yobe
The publisher of Neptune Prime newspapers, Dr Hassan Gimba, has announced plans to commission three major projects in his home state, Yobe State
In an invitation letter sent to newsmen on Wednesday, the publisher disclosed that the event, which is scheduled to take place on August 31, is coinciding with the wedding Fatiha of his son, Barrister Suleiman Gimba.
According to the letter, the wedding Fatiha will take place by 11:00am at the residence of Mohammed Babate, Behind Water Board, Army Barracks, Potiskum.
“Immediately after the wedding Fatihah, we will be commissioning the Hafsatu Gimba Ahmed Memorial School located at VIO Street, Unguwar Jaji, Potiskum.
“This institution is dedicated to the memory of my late mother, aiming to serve the educational needs of our community,” the letter noted.
Dr Gimba added that as part of the launch programme, the Abubakar Monja Lifeline Foundation for Late Journalists’ Families, which he founded to cater to the families of journalists who have passed away, will be empowering youths it trained in tailoring and plumbing.
“Additionally, I would like to invite you to inspect the ongoing construction of the Lami Fatima Babare Cancer Outreach and Clinic situated nearby, also in Unguwar Jaji.
“The clinic is an initiative of the Lami Fatima Babare Cervical Cancer Foundation, which was founded in 2020 – in memory of my late wife, Lami Fatima Babare – to provide medical services and referrals to cancer patients,” the letter noted.
The Enugu State Government has announced its intention to revamp the existing infrastructural facilities to give the Enugu State College of Health Technology in Oji River a face-lift and also scale-up institution to a technology-savvy citadel of learning.
The government made this known during a meeting with the management, staff, and students of the institution at the Enugu State Government House at the weekend, stressing its commitment to ensuring quality health service delivery in the state.
The government, which made this known through the Special Adviser on Health Matters, Dr. Yomi Jaye, also asked the students of the institution to go back to school and continue with their academic calendar, as all those involved in the recent breach of security in the school’s neighborhood had been rounded up and now facing the law.
The governor equally gave the college management a two-week ultimatum to develop a workplan, which the government would work on to ensure that the school functions at its optimum level.
Briefing Government House correspondents after the meeting, Dr. Jaye said, “We interacted with the management, staff and students of the Enugu State College of Health Technology, Orji River, to come up with a strategic plan to revamp the college and restore its lost glory.
His Excellency, Governor Peter Mbah, has expressed his willingness not only to revamp the school, but to upscale it to a technology-savvy teaching community.
“As you can see, the government is bullish about building Type-2 Healthcare Centre in each of the 260 wards and this college will produce some of the qualified workers that will deliver quality healthcare services to Ndi Enugu.
“We appeal to the parents and guardians to allow the students to go back to school and resume their academic activities as more security personnel have been deployed to make sure that both Oji River and its neighbouring communities are properly secured.
“It is also important to inform you that those who perpetrated the security breach have since been arrested and the victims, which included one student, also freed,” he maintained.
Also speaking, the Provost of the College, Dr. Lazarus Ezugwu, expressed his happiness over the state government’s move to revamp the institution, saying he was optimistic that the glory of the institution would be restored in no distant time.
When commending Governor Peter Mbah and the security agencies for their swift response to the recent security breach at the College, he also confirmed that security had been strengthened around the institution and Oji River in general.
“The meeting is such a commendable one. It goes a long way in telling us the type of visionary leader we have in the state. To be sincere, the total overhaul that will be done in the college is going to be enormous. What is coming to the college cannot be imagined because the governor has shown both special interest and political will. This is what we have been yearning for, for so many years,” Dr. Ezugwu stated.
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