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LASG targets 250,000 residents to reduce hearing, visual impairments

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LASG Issues Travel Advisory over Tuesday's APC Presidential Mega Rally Slated for Balogun Stadium

L-R: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, presenting eye-glasses to one of the beneficiaries, Apostle Titus Oridota at the Re-launch of Jigi-Bola and 4th edition of BOSKOH HMI.

The Lagos State Government says it is targeting 250,000 beneficiaries in the 4th edition of the BOSKOH HMI Medical Outreach to reduce cases of visual and hearing impairment.

Gov Babajide Sanwo-Olu stated this at the Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu/Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat (BOSKOH) Health Mission International (HMI) Medical Outreach tagged “JigiBola Relaunch”, on Thursday at the Police College, Ikeja, Lagos.

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According to him, no fewer than 250,000 Lagos residents in eight local government areas community sites, eight market sites, and eight Police Barracks are to benefit from the 2022 edition of the program.

The local government areas include Oshodi/Isolo, Ibeju/Lekki, Surulere, Amuwo-Odofin, Eti-Osa, Kosofe, Mushin, and Somolu.

Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, said there was a need to ensure optimal healthcare that cuts across the age divide in society.

“Health as we all know is wealth, and only healthy people make a healthy nation; this underscores the importance of healthy living in any society.

“We must look after our health and every part of our bodies hence the need to relaunch the Jigi-Bola Initiative in conjunction with BOSKOH HMI.

“The massive impact recorded during the introduction of this initiative and the joy of residents in Lagos State who benefitted from the Jigi-Bola Initiative under the leadership of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Governor of Lagos State saved several lives from preventable blindness.

“The initiative restored beneficiaries back to their livelihood, and this justifies our decision to keep it on after the initial relaunch in 2019,” the governor explained.

Sanwo-Olu assured that his administration had made enough provisions to carry out free sight and hearing aid screening on residents across the state, to ensure residents did not lose their vision and hearing organs when it could be prevented.

He said that through the BOSKOH HMI, his administration had continued to lead the frontiers in delivering good healthcare.

“We have taken a bold step of broadening the scope of the mission to include other health provisions beyond the provision of visual and hearing aids program, to cater for the need of Lagos residents whose health needs do not fall within visual and hearing impairments.

“Vision and hearing difficulties before they become impaired can be prevented with early detection, care, and other medical interventions.”

The governor, therefore, reassured of his administration’s commitment to improve the well-being and welfare of the people through the BOSKOH HMI.

L-R: Wife of Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat; Wife of Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu and Convener and CEO, BOSKOH HMI, Mrs. Nike Osa

Earlier, the wife of the governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, said the Jigi-Bola Initiative through the BOSKOH HMI, was designed to strengthen the state’s capacity for efficient eye-care delivery at the grassroots.

According to her, the initiative will continue to be a legacy that would help reduce visual impairment to the barest, especially among the Lagos residents.

She explained that different medical professionals would engage the people in order to identify citizens who needed visual aids by screening eligible patients for prescription glasses.

She, therefore, urged residents, especially those suffering from visual impairments to take advantage of the Initiative to improve their health.

Dr. Sanwo-Olu stated that a large number of cases of visual impairment could have been prevented if they were detected early and treated effectively.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer, BOSKOH HMI, Mrs. Nike Osa, said that the initiative had recorded significant milestones since its inception in 2019.

Osa said it had continued to render free medical and humanitarian services to citizens in the state.

She noted that its focus was to ensure that people who were unable to afford medical care got free treatment through its immediate intervention.

Osa disclosed that the free medical services and screening would be extended to Police Barracks and markets in the state starting from now till the end of August.

 

Health and Safety

NAFDAC urges journalists to join in fight against circulation, use of bleaching creams 

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NAFDAC urges journalists to join in fight against circulation, use of bleaching creams 

 The National Agency For Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has urged journalists to collaborate with the agency in the fight against the circulation and use of bleaching creams in the country.

Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General (D-G), NAFDAC, made the call while sensitising journalists in the North Central States on the dangers of bleaching creams.

She made the call at a North Central Zonal Media Sensitisation Workshop on the dangers of bleaching creams and regulatory controls which was organised for the Association of Nigeria Health Journalists on Friday in Jos.

Adeyeye said the workshop was aimed at educating and challenging health journalists in Nigeria to play frontline role in the agency’s effort to eradicate the menace of bleaching creams.

The D-G was represented by Dr. Leonard Omokpariola, Director, Chemical Evaluation and Research of the Agency.

 “Bleaching creams damage vital organs in the body, cause skin irritation, allergy, skin burn, rashes, wrinkles and prolong the healing of wounds.

“Black is beautiful, we don’t need to change our color.

“NAFDAC will constantly engage the mass media as we strive to bring down to the grass root levels positive impact of our regulatory activities,” she said.

On his part, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh, Director,  Public Affairs of the Agency, said: “The workshop was meant to educate the mass media with the right information and campaign against the use of bleaching creams in Nigeria.

“Public ignorance is not an excuse before the law. The role of the mass media in the promotion of public health is very important not only for cosmetics and all other NAFDAC regulatory products”. 

In a remark, Mr. Hassan Zaggi, President, Association of Nigeria Health Journalists, said: “Skin bleaching cream is a serious concern among the citizens in the country.

“Why would somebody use his hard-earned money to buy a cream that will endanger his skin?.

“As journalists, we have a responsibility to educate people on the dangers and as well shape the opinion of the people,” Zaggi said.

He appealed to the journalists to pay attention to the workshop for onward circulation of learning outcomes to members of the public. 

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Health and Safety

Troops eliminate 46 terrorists, rescue 97, apprehend 50 in 2 weeks – DHQ

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Troops eliminate 46 terrorists, rescue 97, apprehend 50 in 2 weeks – DHQ

The Defence Headquarters says Nigerian troops have eliminated 46 terrorists, bandits and other criminals across North East, North Central and North West in the last two weeks.

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Musa Danmadami said this during the biweekly news conference on the operations of the armed forces on Thursday in Abuja.

Danmadami said the troops also apprehended more than 50 terrorists and other criminals as well as rescued 97 kidnapped victims within the period.

In the North East, Danmadami said the troops of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) had sustained and continued to dominate the theatre of operation with commendable successes.

He said the troops had within the weeks in focus, neutralised 18 Boko Haram/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists, arrested six logistics suppliers and rescued 119 abducted civilians.

He added that a total of 1,506 terrorists and members of their families comprising 154 adult males, 514 adult females and 838 children, surrendered to troops at different locations within the theatre of operation.

According to him, troops also recovered 16 AK 47 rifles, one 60mm mortar bomb, 10 Dane guns, 12 dummy rifles, 280 rounds of 7.62mm special, 118 rounds of 7.62 x 50mm NATO, 13 rounds of 5.56mm ammo and 10 rounds of 7.62 x 54 mm NATO ammo.

“Also recovered are one round of 12.7mm NATO, 17 AK47 magazines, one firing pin, one mechanic tools box, two knives, six motorcycles, 24 mobile phones, 41 livestock, assorted food items, one vehicle, four sim and other sundry items as well as the cash sum of N2.2 million.

“All recovered items, rescued civilians and apprehended suspects have been handed over to the appropriate authority for further action, while surrendered terrorists and members of their families are been profiled for further action,” he said.

Danmadami said the air component of Operation Hadin Kai conducted several air interdiction operations against terrorists enclaves and logistics in support of ground operations during the period.

He said that several air interdictions operations were carried out in some forests in Borno and Yobe where several terrorists were neutralised in the airstrikes.

According to him, the ground forces on mop-up operations, recovered one gun truck, three AK 47 rifles, one PKM gun, one PKM metal link with 19 rounds, two Improvised Explosive Devices, 129 rounds of 7.62mm (39mm) ammunition, 60 solar panels among others.

Danmadami added that two terrorist logistic depots were destroyed.

In North Central, the defence spokesman said troops of Operation Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke, apprehended 28 bandits, criminals and political thugs during the March 18 election across the zone.

He added that a total of eight bandits were eliminated in different operations while five kidnapped victims were rescued.

Danmadami said the troops had on March 12, apprehended two suspected kidnappers while attempting to collect ransom at Gegu-Beki village in Kogi Local Government Area, Kogi

According to him, a preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect was sent to collect the sum of N2 million.

Danmadami said the troops of Operation Whirl Stroke, between March 16 and March 22 neutralised eight terrorists, recovered arms and ammunition, rescued five kidnapped civilians and arrested seven other criminals in Benue.

“In another development, troops conducted fighting patrol to the Independence National Electoral Commission office in Ilorin-West Local Government Area of Kwara on March 18 and intercepted some armed thugs.

“Troops search the area where the thugs were seen and recovered two pump action guns, four locally made dane guns, two machetes, four mobile phones and one vehicle, as well as arrested six thugs,” he said.

In North West, Danmadami said the troops of Operations Hadarin Daji, within the period neutralised 14 terrorists, arrested 12 logistics suppliers and rescued 16 abducted civilians.

He added that the troops recovered a large cache of arms, hard drugs, assorted food items and the sum of N9,670.

According to him, all recovered items, arrested suspects and rescued civilians have been handed over to relevant authorities for further action.

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Health and Safety

Court dismisses Abba Kyari’s plea seeking to void charge against him

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Court dismisses Abba Kyari’s plea seeking to void charge against him

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, dismissed an application filed by suspended DCP Abba Kyari seeking an order dismissing the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)’s charge against him.

Justice Emeka Nwite, in a ruling, held that the court had the exclusive right and jurisdiction to hear drug-related cases as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the NDLEA Act.

Justice Nwite had on Jan. 18, adjourned for ruling in the application filed by Kyari and three other co-defendants in the suit bordering on drug offence.

The applicants are Kyari, ACP Sunday Ubia, Insp Simon Agirigba and Insp John Nuhu.

They had prayed the court to quash the criminal charge against them, in fresh motions on notice filed by their lawyers on the grounds that the suit was incompetent.

They urged the court to stop their trial because they had not been subjected to the internal disciplinary action of the Nigeria Police Council (NPC) and the Police Service Commission (PSC), as provided by the constitution.

They said that the failure of the complainant (NDLEA) to await the disciplinary action against them rendered the charge incompetent and deprived the court of jurisdiction to entertain the charge.

But the NDLEA counsel, Mr. Joseph Sunday, opposed the application.

He argued that most of the cases cited by lawyers to the defendants did not relate to Police Service Act, saying the instant charge against the defendant was a criminal matter.

He submitted that the defendants through their applications had not, by way of affidavit or legal argument, established any condition precedence required for the filing of this charge.

“To that extent, their application must fail and be bereft of any factual evidence,” he said.

Sunday urged the court to dismiss the application and proceed to the hearing of the matter.

Delivering the ruling, Justice Nwite held that the powers of the Police Service Commission did not supersede the powers of the FHC.

He said that the subject matter of the case was within the jurisdiction of the court.

According to the judge, Section 251(2)(F) and (3) of the Constitution confers the court the power to hear and determine the charge.

It would be recalled that on Sept. 5, 2022, in a fresh suit filed at the federal high court, the NDLEA accused Kyari of non-disclosure of assets.

According to the fresh 24 charges, the NDLEA said Mr. Kyari failed to declare his ownership of the property in different locations in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and Maiduguri.

The anti-drug agency also said over N207 million and 17,598 Euro were also found in his various accounts in three banks.

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