Health

400,000 Nigerian children may die from malnutrition – UNICEF

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1 year ago

July 23, 2025

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The United Nations Children’s Fund, on Tuesday, said 3.5 million children in Nigeria are suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

It also said 400,000 children risk preventable deaths in one month and eight days due to severe malnutrition.

UNICEF Nigeria’s Chief of Field Operations and Emergencies, Judith Leveille, stated this during a joint press briefing held in Abuja, focused on the European Union’s support for victims of the Yelewata crisis in Benue State and the nutrition emergency in the North-East and North-West.

Leveille said that with the development, the country faced a stockout of its essential nutrition commodities.

“So, we need to call on all forces to prevent a stockout of essential nutrition commodities used to treat severe acute malnutrition. As we speak, we can expect a stockout by September 1.

“So, we have one month and eight days to avoid the preventable deaths of over 400,000 children. That’s a lot of children.

“I’m sure that among them, there could be a Nobel Prize winner, a brilliant scientist who invents a life-saving solution, a great Nigerian musician, or a great actor.

“Nigeria has the potential to produce such individuals. A lot can be done to prevent this situation. By essential commodities, I’m talking about ready-to-use therapeutic food.”

The UNICEF chief added, “Today, we are gathered because we have a common understanding. More can be done to ensure that all severely acute malnourished children, and we are talking about a burden of 3.5 million children in Nigeria, are treated.

“The situation is dire. Over the weekend, we met over 100 children who needed urgent treatment. We met little Memunah, little Aisha, their mothers, and of course, my colleagues—Médecins Sans Frontières, Action Against Hunger- were there at the stabilisation centres.

“We met with committed nurses and doctors who work around the clock with Nigerian medical teams to save children’s lives. That is truly commendable.”

She, however, said more needed to be done, adding that the nutritional stabilisation centres were already overstretched.

“We still haven’t reached the peak of the lean season, we will reach that in about three weeks, and the peak season will last for over a month. What we saw in some communities in Sokoto is not unique.

“It can also be seen in many other states, particularly in the northern parts of Nigeria,” she said.

Leveille stressed the need not only for funding, but also for skilled personnel and essential medicines.

The Nigeria INGO Forum Director, Camilla Higgins, reiterated that an estimated 3.5 million children were suffering from severe acute malnutrition in the country.

She said: “That’s the equivalent of the national stadium here in Abuja times 60. You would have to fill it 60 times to capture that number of children, and they are all at risk of increased death.

“This demands urgent and coordinated action by the government, and we are very ready to support such an effort in coordination with international actors like UNICEF and our member organisations.

“In addition to what we’ve heard about the level of needs this year, we want to highlight that a major contributory factor to this worsening situation is the reduction of resources across the board, particularly from major international donors.

“We all know what happened earlier this year with the United States’ funding cuts and other major donors reducing their capacity as well.

“I have to highlight that international response capacity is collapsing in the Northeast and Northwest. The response system is stretched beyond its limits.

“We’ve seen severe acute malnutrition admissions surge up to 40 per cent in the Northeast and 73 per cent in some cities. Malnutrition is now visibly affecting adults, not just children. So, we have even more needs this year and more limited resources, just as we are approaching the peak of the lean season,” Higgins said.

She called on the government to take full leadership in coordinating the response, stating that INGOs were ready to collaborate.

The Head of Mission at MSF, Bilal Ahmad, said the organisation was concerned about the alarming situation of malnutrition, especially in Sokoto State.

“If we look at our site and our observations, what we were supposed to expect at the end of the rainy season, we’re just witnessing now at the start of the rainy season.

“For example, MSF is supporting 32 ambulatory therapeutic feeding centre sites and 11 inpatient sites where children come with complications in addition to malnutrition. Our bed capacity is 1,600, which is now not enough.

“In Katsina, we normally have 450 beds, but now we are increasing to 900 beds because we were putting two patients on one bed, and every day the number is increasing.

“From another state, where we planned for 60 beds during the lean season, we had to increase to 90 beds for the rainy season.

“Now, the rainy season has just started, and we’re already at 120 beds, and the team is asking for more. We cannot turn patients away. Malnourished children are coming from far away in critical condition, and it is very difficult. I’m really concerned about mortality,” he said.

He gave the mortality ranges from project to project, location to location.

“From 3.7 per cent to 7.7 per cent. These could be the children of families who waited a long time to have them, and now they are dying due to malnutrition. We are deeply concerned,” he highlighted.

He noted that many children arrived at the centre after travelling long distances, often too late to be saved.

With patient numbers rising, he warned that the situation would worsen unless immediate actions were taken.

He called for more treatment centres, especially to reduce travel distances, and emphasised the urgent need to increase the supply of therapeutic food.

The Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Yusuf Sununu, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda focused on strengthening local and international collaboration, particularly in humanitarian efforts.

He stated that the ministry’s goal was to enhance transparency, accountability, and trust so that international partners would feel confident in supporting Nigeria’s humanitarian response.

Dr Sununu reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that all collaborative efforts were transparent, traceable, and effective, expressing hope that the partnership would yield positive outcomes for humanitarian governance in Nigeria.

Health

5 infections you can still get even if you use a condom during sex

Published

2 weeks ago

August 13, 2026

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Condoms are among the most effective tools for reducing the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and preventing unintended pregnancy. Condoms are recommended because they offer strong protection against many infections spread through semen, vaginal fluids and blood.

However, condoms do not provide 100 per cent protection against every STI. This is because some infections spread through direct skin-to-skin contact and can affect areas that a condom does not cover. As a result, it is still possible to contract certain infections despite using a condom correctly.

Human papillomavirus (HPV)

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection globally. It spreads through intimate skin-to-skin contact and can infect areas around the genitals, anus and groin that may not be covered by a condom.

While many HPV infections clear on their own, some types can cause genital warts, while others increase the risk of cervical, anal, penile and throat cancers. Although condoms reduce the risk of transmission, they cannot eliminate it completely.

Genital herpes

Genital herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). It spreads through direct skin contact with an infected area, even when there are no visible sores. Because herpes can affect the skin around the genitals, buttocks or upper thighs, the virus can still spread from areas not covered by a condom. Appropriate condom use lowers the risk but does not completely prevent transmission.

Syphilis

Syphilis is a bacterial infection that often begins with a painless sore. The sore can appear on the penis, vagina, anus, mouth or nearby skin. If the sore is outside the area protected by a condom, the infection can still spread through direct contact during sex.

Early diagnosis and treatment are important because untreated syphilis can lead to serious health complications.

Mpox

Although mpox is not classified as a traditional STI, it can spread during sexual activity through prolonged skin-to-skin contact, contact with body fluids or exposure to infectious skin lesions.

Condoms cannot protect areas such as the thighs, buttocks or other parts of the body where mpox lesions may be present.

Avoiding intimate contact with anyone who has symptoms remains an important preventive measure.

Molluscum contagiosum

Molluscum contagiosum is a viral skin infection that can spread through direct skin contact, including sexual contact in adults. It causes small, smooth, raised bumps that may appear on or around the genitals.

Since these bumps can develop outside the area covered by a condom, transmission is still possible despite condom use.

Health

Lassa fever: Nigeria records 37 new cases, eight deaths in two weeks

Published

2 weeks ago

August 11, 2026

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Nigeria recorded 37 new confirmed cases and eight deaths from Lassa fever in epidemiological weeks 29 and 30, taking the cumulative number of confirmed cases in 2026 to 1,000 and fatalities to 237 across 23 States and 116 Local Government Areas (LGAs).

The figures, covering July 13 to 26, 2026, also show a rise in the cumulative case fatality rate (CFR) from 23.5 percent at the end of week 29 to 23.7 percent in week 30, both higher than the corresponding figures recorded in 2025.

In epidemiological week 29, covering July 13 to 19, Nigeria recorded 20 new confirmed cases and two deaths, bringing the cumulative number of confirmed cases to 983 and fatalities to 231.

The CFR stood at 23.5 percent, compared with 18.9 percent recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.

By the end of week 29, the outbreak had spread to 23 States and 114 LGAs, with five States of Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo and Benue accounting for 86 percent of all confirmed cases.

Ondo recorded the highest proportion of cases at 32 percent, followed by Bauchi at 25 percent, Taraba at 13 percent, Edo at 10 percent and Benue at six percent.

The remaining 14 percent of cases were distributed across 18 other States.

The 21–30 age group remained the most affected, with the median age of confirmed cases standing at 30 years.

Cases were recorded among people aged between one and 93 years, while the male-to-female ratio was 1:0.9.

No new infection among healthcare workers was recorded during week 29.

The situation recorded a further increase in week 30, covering July 20 to 26, when 17 new confirmed cases and six deaths were reported.

The additional cases and deaths pushed the cumulative figures to 1,000 confirmed cases and 237 deaths, while the number of affected LGAs increased from 114 to 116.

The cumulative CFR also rose to 23.7 percent, compared with 18.8 percent during the corresponding period in 2025.

The geographical distribution of the outbreak, as indicated by the report, remained unchanged, with Ondo, Bauchi, Taraba, Edo and Benue still accounting for 86 percent of confirmed cases, at 32 percent, 25 percent, 13 percent, 10 percent and six percent respectively.

Young adults aged 21 to 30 years continued to constitute the most affected age group, with the median age remaining at 30 years.

Unlike the preceding week, the report showed that one new infection among a healthcare worker was recorded in week 30, highlighting the continuing risk of occupational exposure to the disease.

NCDC assured that the National Lassa Fever multisectoral, multi-partner Technical Working Group will continue to coordinate the national response, including surveillance, containment, environmental sanitation campaigns and healthcare logistics.

The agency urged preventive measures aimed at reducing exposure to Mastomys rodents, the primary reservoir of Lassa fever, as well as preventing human-to-human transmission.

Residents were advised to maintain clean surroundings, dispose of refuse properly, eliminate conditions that attract rodents and store food in rodent-proof containers.

They were also advised to seal openings through which rodents can enter homes and avoid handling or consuming wild rodents.

According to the agency, for suspected cases, early detection, immediate isolation and appropriate use of personal protective equipment by healthcare workers and caregivers remain critical to limiting further transmission.

Health

NMA: 1, 200 doctors serving estimated nine million Ogun residents

Published

4 weeks ago

July 31, 2026

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The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has commended Governor Dapo Abiodun for approving and commencing the payment of the professional allowance table (PAT) and specialist allowance for medical doctors.

The state Chairman, Luqman Ogunjimi, stated this at a news conference heralding the 2026 Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the association in Abeokuta on Thursday.

Mr Ogunjimi described the approval as a demonstration of Mr Abiodun’s commitment to improving doctors’ welfare and strengthening healthcare delivery in the state.

He said the implementation of the professional allowance table followed the approved federal government structure, while the specialist allowance took effect from July.

According to him, the development will boost the morale of medical practitioners and enhance the delivery of quality healthcare services to residents of the state.

He expressed appreciation to Mr Abiodun for what he described as responsive and worker-friendly leadership in addressing the welfare of medical doctors.

He reaffirmed the association’s commitment to sustaining a cordial working relationship with the government in addressing other welfare issues and advancing healthcare services across the state.

He, however, raised fresh concerns over the shortage of medical doctors in the state.

He said only about 1,200 doctors were currently serving an estimated population of nine million people in the state.

“This goes to show that there is currently a ratio of one doctor to about 7,500 residents in the state. Notwithstanding this shortage, the few doctors that have also decided to stay behind and shun the temptation of emigrating abroad are daily faced with unwarranted attacks.

“If you have an estimated population of about nine million in Ogun State and we have only 1,200 doctors working in the state, you know this is a far cry. The 1,200 doctors remaining have decided to stay back to give back to their country.

“It is important for the government and the public to prioritise the welfare of healthcare workers who remained in the state despite the manpower shortage,” he said.

The NMA chairman estimated that the state required between 5,000 and 10,000 doctors to provide adequate healthcare services.

“If we have between 5,000 and 10,000 doctors in Ogun State, it will not be too bad. But those 1,200 doctors who are still here are trying their best,” Mr Ogunjimi said.

(NAN)