Dr. Ebere Okereke is new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Africa Public Health Foundation
Dr. Ebere Okereke is new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Africa Public Health Foundation

Okereke appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of Africa Public Health Foundation

Dr. Ebere Okereke brings with her over 30 years of experience as a global health physician in various fields, notably in the United Kingdom, Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Trinidad & Tobago.

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Man Kills Wife Over Fear He Had Given Her HIV

An Arizona man charged with stabbing his wife and son to death admitted to committing the crime over fear he had infected her with human immunodeficiency virus and his belief that their son was handicapped.

ABC 15 reports Eugene Maraventano told police he had been with prostitutes and feared he had “contracted HIV or other diseases and passed them onto his wife Janet."
 
The 64-year-old man also told detectives his wife was ill and he was afraid she'd test positive for cancer, so he decided to terminate her life.
 
Court documents indicate Maraventano attacked his wife with a kitchen knife as she was sleeping. He confessed to having considered buying a gun to kill her, but decided not to because "[he's'] not a violent person."
 
After stabbing his wife the suspect allegedly tried to commit suicide, but instead decided to kill his 27-year-old son Bryan. Maraventano told detectives he thought his son was handicapped because he spent too much time playing video games and had no job, friends or a girlfriend. So he went into his son's room and stabbed him twice.
 
According to the medical examiner, Janet and Bryan had been dead for a few days when Maraventano called 911. He is facing two counts of first-degree murder.
 

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National Hospital Confirms Conjoined Twins Dead

The National Hospital, Abuja, on Tuesday confirmed the death of the conjoined twins, saying they did not die during separation.

The newsmen reports that the twins were born to a 17-year-old woman, Safiya Sani on Thursday, Jan. 3 at Mararaba Medical Centre, Mararaba Gurku in Nasarawa State.

They were later transferred to the National Hospital, Abuja.

 The Director, Chief Clinical Services of the hospital, Dr Obasi Ekumankama, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the twins had not been separated before they died.

Ekumankama, who confirmed to NAN that the twins died on Sunday when medical investigation was yet to be completed, said the bodies had been deposited at the mortuary for autopsy.

The director also said the twins had some connection in the heart, down to the abdomen and the upper side of the intestines.

“The doctors carried out medical investigations and they were supposed to complete the investigation on Monday to know to what extent they were connected.

 “You cannot operate on them until you know what you are going to do.

 ``The initial thing showed there were some connections in the heart and between the intestine the upper side of the intestine.''

 Ekumankama said that part of the outcome of the investigations showed that the twins were joined from the thorax to the abdomen called thoraco-abdominal conjoined twins.

 He said other investigations that were to be carried out included a CT-Scan to determine if they had one liver.

The director, however, said that if the investigations were successfully carried out, a team of seasoned experts would have been assembled to carry out the operation to separate them.

 

 

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Polio Immunisation: Monarch Seeks Legislation Against Defaulting Parents

As the nation continues to battle the challenge of Wild Polio Virus, with 117 new cases this year, a traditional ruler, the Sa’ Peyi of Garki, Alhaji Usman Nga Kupi, has called on the National Assembly to provide legislation to punish parents who...

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Nigeria To Start Printing Of New Encoded Yellow Fever Card – Health Minister

The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, on Monday said that the ministry had started the printing of new yellow fever cards with encoded security details to replace the old ones.

Chukwu said this when the newly appointed WHO Country Representative to Nigeria, Dr Rui Gamavaz, paid a courtesy visit to the ministry.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), recalls that in May, about 125 Nigerians were deported by the South African authorities because they were alleged not to have possessed genuine yellow fever card.

He said that Nigeria had established collaboration with the Global Alliance for Vaccine Immunisation (GAVI) to ensure effective control of any unforeseen eventuality that might arise as a result of outbreak from neighbouring countries.

``On the yellow fever aspect, the issue we have with South Africa diplomatically, it has been resolved but for the health aspect.

``What we are doing now, we are printing new yellow cards, which once they are printed, these ones have better security features and they will gradually replace the old yellow card.

`` We are walking with GAVI now to some extent they have accepted our proposal for a campaign for yellow fever.

``So, if able by next year with the assistance of GAVI we will source yellow fever vaccines we will begin a special campaign.

``Because we remain at risks, even recently Cameroon had some outbreak and we are neighbours with them and from either ways the disease can cross from either ways but we need to get more people immunised in Nigeria if we are not to have recurrence of 1995 disaster.’’

Chukwu expressed concern over the ineffectiveness in the use of mosquito treated net to eradicate malaria in Nigeria.

He said that the method did not conform with the country's weather condition, stressing that a lot of people complained that it was generating a lot of heat.

Chukwu said that the indoor residual spraying was an expensive method to embark on, besides, many Nigerians preferred staying outside to receive fresh air.

The minister also appealed to WHO to collaborate with the country in ensuring that polio was totally eradicated.

He said that more laboratories would be established for polio diagnosis.

Chukwu said that Nigeria was also making progress in reducing maternal and new born mortality through the Save One Million Lives initiatives.

He pledged Nigeria's cooperation with the new country representative to achieve success in promoting the health of the citizens.

Responding, the WHO country representative appreciated the Federal Government's efforts in promoting the health of Nigerians.

Gamavaz gave the assurance that WHO would identify the health challenges in Nigeria and work toward addressing the issues.

He pledged to build on the existing relationship of his predecessors, stressing that efforts would be put in place to ensure success in promoting good health of the people.

 

 

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