Meningitis: 26.7m Children Aged 1-7 At Risk In Nigeria ― NPHCDA

Published

6 years ago

August 16, 2019

Meningitis: 26.7m Children Aged 1-7 At Risk In Nigeria ― NPHCDA

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), has said that 26.7 million Nigerian children between one and seven years of age are at risk of contracting meningitis.

The Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, revealed this on Friday in Calabar in a message during the introduction of the “Men A” vaccine into routine immunization in Cross River.

In the signed message, made available to journalists at the occasion, Shuaib said that Nigeria had 25 states and the FCT that fell within the meningitis belt.

He said that the use of vaccines was the only way to prevent meningitis for now

“The introduction of “Men A” vaccine into the EPI schedule will provide protection against Neisseria Meningitis Serotype A,” Shuaib said.

In his speech, Prof. Ivara Esu, Deputy Governor of Cross River, said the state had trained hundreds of health workers to ensure the success of the exercise.

Esu said that since Cross River was among the 25 states that fell within the belt, the government would do everything possible to ensure that every eligible child was immunized.

“Immunisation remains the protection against Meningitis. Meningitis is a devastating disease that affects children.

“We will ensure that every eligible child in the state is immunized,” he said.

The deputy governor urged all women to take their children within 15 months of birth to the nearest government health facility for immunization.

He expressed appreciation to all the partners in the fight against meningitis, including the World Health Organization (WHO) United Nations Children Education Fund and the NPHCDA.

Also, Mr Rilwan Raji, the State Coordinator of WHO in Cross River, appealed to the state government to ensure the vaccines were well protected.

Raji said there was a need for a periodic review of routine immunization in the state.

He appealed to traditional rulers, religious and opinion leaders to sensitize their subjects and followers on the need to take advantage of the exercise to immunize their children.

NAN reports that a lot of children were immunized during the occasion.

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FG To Seize Mortgaged Property of Defualting Retiring Public Servants

Published

4 days ago

April 23, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board will henceforth seize mortgaged properties of retiring federal public servants who failed to fully repay the housing loans advanced to them by the board.

In a statement issued by the Staff Housing Loans Board Head, Information & PRU Obiechina Ngozi on Wednesday in Abuja reveals that this is in accordance with the Public Service Rules 021002 (p) as issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

The OHCSF sent out the memo as a reminder for the federal public servants who are about to retire to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Public Service Rules.

The memo reads; “I am directed to bring to your attention the provision of Public Service Rule (PSR) 021002 (p), which mandates all public servants to obtain a Certificate of Non-indebtedness to the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board (FGSHLB) and any MDA Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society, as issued by the OHCSF, as a prerequisite for retirement.”

“Further to the above, it should be noted that in the event of exiting the service prior to full repayment of the housing loan advanced by the FGSHLB, the Board shall exercise its legal right to seize the mortgaged property.”

Speaking on the above, Salamatu Ladi Ahmed, Executive Secretary, FGSHLB, reiterated that the warning is also for retired officers who defaulted.
She stated that the management of the Board, on its part, is compiling the list of all retired federal public servants who are still owing the housing loans they obtained while in service, to be sent to relevant regulatory agencies to recover the debts from them.

FGSHLB is committed to ensuring that all public servants comply with this rule and obtain the necessary Certificate of Non-indebtedness before retirement, and urge all those affected to take immediate action and settle any outstanding debts or liabilities with the Board.

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