By Francesca Hangeior

The National Population Commission has begun the 2024 Nigeria Verbal And Social Autopsy study which seeks to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates in Lagos State and other states in the country.

The Federal Commissioner, NPC Lagos State, Mrs Saidat Oladunjoye, said the study was an important health initiative.

Oladunjoye said that it would have a lasting impact on the well-being of mothers and children across the state and the entire nation.

She described the VASA study, which was implemented nationwide, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, as a crucial survey, designed to provide insights into the causes of under-five and maternal deaths in the communities.

According to her, this round of VASA study builds on previous efforts from 2014 and 2019, which provided valuable information that helped shape health policies and interventions, aimed at reducing preventable deaths.

“The study is a follow-up to the 2023-2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey that was concluded in May this year.

“We will be going back to the NDHS households to ask for information that will help the government understand and plan to address the biomedical and social causes of death of children under age five and for women of reproductive age.

“This study will collect essential data on both maternal and child mortality, focusing on the social and health-related factors that contribute to these tragic losses.

“This information will empower decision-makers to address the underlying issues that lead to these deaths, and will ultimately inform policies aimed at improving maternal and child health in the state and beyond.

“Fieldwork for this study will be conducted in selected communities throughout the state from Nov. 21 to Dec. 15.

“Our trained data collectors will visit households to conduct interviews with family members, gathering information that will help us understand the circumstances surrounding maternal and child deaths,” she said.

Oladunjoye said the sensitive but essential process of the interview required the cooperation and support of every individual and community.

She urged the public to cooperate with the interviewers, as they would listen, gather, and document experiences with the utmost respect and confidentiality.

“In sharing your experiences and welcoming our data collection teams, you are contributing directly to a project aimed at preventing unnecessary losses in our communities and securing a healthier future for our families.

“Together, let us make the 2024 Nigeria VASA Study a success in Lagos State. By supporting and participating in this study, we are all contributing to a brighter and healthier future for our communities and our country,” Oladunjoye said.

Also speaking, the VASA Coordinator, Mrs Samiat Lawal, said the data collection teams had undergone three weeks of training at Akwanga, Nasarawa State.

Lawal said the study would be carried out in 14 Local Government Areas in Lagos State, which were found to have cases of maternal and child mortality, during the NDHS conducted in May.

She said the LGAs included Alimosho, Ifako Ijaye; Agege; Oshodi-Isolo; Mushin; Shomolu; Ikorodu; Amuwo Odofin; Ajeromi Ifelodun; Eti-osa; Ibeju, Epe; Ojo and Badagry.

By Francesca Hangeior

Former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Saturday, begged African youths to stay away from drugs, describing substance abuse as very destructive.

Obasanjo said drug abuse could cut short the life of anyone indulging in the unwholesome practice.

He lamented the growing challenge of drugs and substance abuse in sub-Sharan Africa, urging the youths having challenges with drug abuse to speak out and seek help to be delivered from the consequences which include untimely death.

“Against the notion that African was only being used as a transit for drugs coming from Latin America, consumption of drugs too in Africa is an issue and it has grown the more in the last 10 years, even getting worse,” he stated.

The former President spoke on Saturday at the 2nd edition of Fly Above The High sensitisation programme on drugs abuse which was organised by the Recovery Advocacy Network, at Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta.

Obasanjo said, “While serving as the Chairman of West African Drug Commission under the auspices of Kofi Anan Foundation. We were nine on the commission.

“We went around West Africa on the belief that we were free from drugs which come mainly from Latin America and go to North America and Europe
“But to our dismay, displeasure, and pain, at the end of the exercise, we found out that West Africa has equally been a centre for drug consumption in a very bad way. That was more than 10 years ago, so the situation has since gone worse. And whatever applies to West Africa applies to all other parts of Africa.”

Obasanjo lamented the havoc drug abuse was wrecking in the life of the youth, pleading with them never to succumb to the temptation of going near it for any reason.

The former president said he always talked about drugs with all soberness, recounting that there was a time when one of his cousins, who got involved in drugs died a drug-related death, despite doing everything possible to rehabilitate him and make him live a normal life.

“Addiction is a form of disease, some diseases cannot be cured but can be managed. I have been living with diabetes for over 40 years and I am still here by the grace of God.

The former President equally called on the people to support those who had gone into drugs and were willing to come out of it, adding that saying a word of prayer for them too could prove to be the turning point.

Speaking at the event, the President of Recovery Advocacy Network, Dr Kunle Adesina, said the need for the sensitisation was to step up the campaign against drug and substance abuse.

A mental health expert, Dr Sam Abah, who spoke on “Rewired for Dependency: How Drug Use Affect The Brain,” urged the youth to stay away from drugs, noting that drug addiction destroyed the brains.

By Francesca Hangeior

Nigeria’s population may rise to 450 million in 2050 if urgent action is not taken to address the growing population, family planning experts have said.

The experts expressed their concerns at a media roundtable on Tuesday ahead of the eighth Nigeria Family Planning Conference organised by the Association for the Advancement of Family Planning in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and other family planning stakeholders in Abuja.

In his opening remarks, the Chairman of the Management Committee, AAFP, and Chairman of the Local Organising Committee for the conference, Dr Ejike Oji, said Nigeria’s fertility rate was high and there was a need to reduce the rate to four per cent.

Ejike, who is also the Nigeria CSO Focal Point FP 2030 stated, “If we continue with the same fertility rate that we have now, our population is going to be driven to 450 million by 2050.

“If we do not bring down our fertility rates, by the year 2050, we will be 450 million, based on the percentage increase every year. Every year, we add about four million people to our population. So if you look at that, you know that it’s going to be a lot of problems for us.”

He further noted, “Remember that the increase is geometric. It’s not that it will stop at four million because there’s a percentage driving it. It’s four million this year; next year, it might be 4.2 million; the following year, it might be 4.5 million; it may get to a point where it might be five million or 10 million every year.”

The gynaecologist referenced China and India, the world’s two most populous countries, as models for managing population growth.

“About 50 years ago, China and India were among the poorest nations. However, today, China is the second-largest economy in the world, and India is rapidly growing.

“Both countries achieved this by lowering their fertility rates and investing in their youth. Nigeria has that opportunity. If we miss it now, if we don’t bring our fertility rate down to four per cent, by the year 2030, we’re going to be in serious trouble.”

Ejike stated that the fertility rate has, however, reduced from 5.3 per cent to 4.8 per cent.

The expert said the forthcoming conference, themed “Sustaining commitments for family planning within the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative; advancing progress toward achieving FP2030 goals,” will reemphasise the importance of family planning.

Corroborating his statement, the Managing Director of FP 2030 North, West, Central Africa Hub, Dr Martin Migombano, said Nigeria’s population may hit 450 million by 2050 because of the size of the country.

“Also, 28.5 per cent of maternal mortality in the world happens in Nigeria. So there is still a lot that needs to be done by our partners, religious leaders, the government, financial partners who are donors, and others.

“They are all coming to the conference to pledge again and make sure that whatever investments are being made is going to the grassroots, where women actually should access family planning.

“But the key one is how can a woman get access to family planning? How about commodities? How about the education of the population? So, we need all the partners. It’s a collaborative way of working. And again, after two years, we’ll come and assess whether we have made progress again or not, or we are still stagnating,” he said.

A consultant at Amref International, Mrs Ifesinachi Eze said disruptions in family planning and reproductive health services in humanitarian settings leave women with unmet family planning needs, as the disruptions strain the health systems and require collaborative solutions.

“To address these issues, USAID’s Propel Adapt project is developing a private sector engagement guide for FP/RH supply chains in humanitarian settings.

“This guide, created in collaboration with FP2030, supports countries in rapidly assessing private sector capacities, fostering public-private collaborations, and strengthening FP/RH supply chains during emergencies,” she noted.

Eze stated that collaboration is key to maximising impact in the health sector as no organisation can achieve sustainable development alone.

“Governments and the private sector need to work together to create the regulatory frameworks, financial incentives, and infrastructure that allow the health sector to thrive,” she added.