NAFDAC nabs 2 selling banned Analgin injection in Aba

August 31, 2017


By Ijendu Iheaka
 

The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has arrested a man and a woman in Aba for selling banned Analgin injection to unsuspecting residents.

Mr Olisa Okeke, the Abia Coordinator of NAFDAC, made this known on Thursday in Aba in an interview with our reporter.

He said although the woman had been released on bail, she was being monitored and would be helping NAFDAC to further the investigation to burst other dealers in that drug ring in Aba.

Okeke said that the man who also stocked the products in his shop has been made to pay a fine of N200,000, while NAFDAC confiscated the remaining drugs in his shop and sealed it.

However, he said that full details of the suspects would not reveal now as they were helping in the investigation and possible arrest of those in their ring.

“We got some expired injections in a shop and also found that the woman who is the owner is a nurse and she is using Analgin injection, a banned product.

“As I am talking to you now the woman has been arrested and have been taken on bail, she is helping NAFDAC to further the investigation.

“We are trying to trace where she bought the analgin injection. Novalgin tablet and Analgin are banned drugs.

“We also got a shop around Umuigbo area where we found analgin injection stocked; we confiscated it and sealed the shop. He has paid N200,000 fine,’’ Okeke said.

The coordinator said that his office stepped up surveillance on faking and selling of expired and adulterated drugs and food products in Abia during the month of August.

He said that the rains and bad roads have not prevented the agency from discharging its mandate.

“I can say that within August we have done a lot of activities and we did not want the rains to deter us because we know the unscrupulous elements in the society, the fakers, would always use this as the period to do their wicked work so we did not want the rain to deter us.

“Most times, wherever our car could not take us, we hire tricycle or motorcycle. There was an operation we had at Omumua road, our officers were able to access the place with a motorcycle and were able to arrest the woman who operates a maternity,” he said.

Okeke therefore called on residents to report unscrupulous persons faking products or selling expired drugs or food products to NAFDAC to safeguard lives. 

Don links belly fat to cardiovascular diseases

Aug. 29, 2017

By Ijendu Iheaka


Prof. Basil Okeahialam of University of Jos has warned Nigerians of the dangers of fat bellies which he said causes cardiovascular diseases.

Okeahialam gave the warning during the maiden edition of the Eminent Scholars lecture organized by the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Aba, on Tuesday.

He cautioned Nigerians against increasing their weight at the bellies and around arteries to avoid cardiovascular health challenges.

The don said that there was nothing healthy about obesity, adding that over-weight has been found to be a major cause of hyperinsulinimia, atherosclerosis, dyslipedemia or hypercholesterolemia and other diseases.

He said that doctors should check people for overweight using a combination of Body Mass Index and other measurements like Waist Line Circumference and Waist to Height ratio to get accurate readings.

Speaking on what was appropriate, the don said: “Thou shall not pack your fat in the abdomen. The day you do that you begin to die, moving towards morbidity and mortality.”

He also said people should avoid meat from the organs of animals which he said is laden with fat that could result in renal blood fat and cause dangerous developments in their bodies.

He warned young men who feel that increasing their bellies was a sign that they have touched money and are eating it to desist from such dangerous perceptions or face untimely death.

Okeahialam also urged women who think that being overweight was going to make their husbands love them more or make their cloths fit them more to stop toying with death.

He said that the adage in Igbo which says “Ovuru Ivu ma Ogbaghi Mkpuru” (big but empty) shows that traditional Igbo societies have long rejected overweight.

The don noted that when a doctor first sees the belly of a patient at his door before seeing his face, he should know that he is handling a time bomb and have to act quickly.

Okeahialam urged Nigerians to check their blood sugar, weight and blood pressure regularly to save them from the danger of slipping into overweight and its many health risks.

He said that he was using the lecture to remember the effort of Dr Ubani Ukoma and his sacrifices to improve the standards of practice and learning at ABSUTH’s Cardiology Department.

Earlier, Dr John Chikezie, explained that the lecture was organised to expose students of the institution to the work of distinguished academics and to encourage them to develop passion for their career.

He said that teaching students and preparing them well for their examinations reflects on their excellent performances at the examinations and promised to do his best to uphold the lecture series.

The title of the lecture was “Appropriate Anthropometry for Cardiovascular Health: Remembering Dr R.N. Ubani Ukoma”.

ABSUTH workers threaten strike over unpaid 8 months’ salaries, Govt. pledges to pay Monday

August 24, 2017

By Ijendu Iheaka


Workers of the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Aba, have threatened to embark on strike if the state government failed to pay their eight months’ salary arrears on or before Friday.

 Chief Emea Ukariwe, the Chairman, ABSUTH Joint Workers Union, disclosed this to our reporter at the end of a meeting with union leaders in Aba on Thursday.

 Ukariwe said that the call became necessary following the failure of the government to pay their eight months’ salary arrears with the Paris Club refund.

 Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary, Abia state Ministry of Health, Mr Nkwachukwu Agomoh has urged staff of ABSUTH not to go on strike but to expect their salaries on or before Monday.

Agomoh told our reporter, in his office in Umuahia, that he had the assurance of the State’s Commissioner for Finance, Mr Obinna Oriaku that the staff of ABSUTH would be paid part of their 8 months outstanding salaries on or Monday.

He said that the ministry was not happy that the hospital workers were being owed; adding that he had spoken with the Medical Director Prof. Chucks Kamalu to ensure the situation was checked and to plead with workers.

According to Ukariwe, my members are not happy, but I have been pacifying them hoping that the government will keep its promises but up till now, it has not complied nor fulfilled its promises to us.

“Based on the salary arrears government owed, we gave seven days ultimatum last year and within that time, it hurriedly paid the remaining salaries of 2016 it had already scheduled to pay but later withdrew.

 “And after, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Mr Nkwachukwu Agomoh, called us for a meeting this year and pleaded with us not go on strike, that with the Paris Club Fund, ABSUTH would be taken care of and we agreed.

 ‘‘Then the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Obinna Oriaku called us for a meeting and promised that ABSUTH staff would be given priority when the second tranche of the Paris Club refund is paid.

“But now we have heard that they have started paying other organisations and still not a dime has dropped into ABSUTH’s salary account.

“So we have no other option according to Labour Law, than to give the government seven days ultimatum, which had lapsed and government had failed to act.

 “We have now given the final three days of grace starting from Wednesday after which the workers will act accordingly,” Ukariwe said.

 Dr Azuma Emmanuel, Secretary, Association of Resident Doctors, ABSUTH, said that workers of the institution have not been paid any salary this year which had caused them untold hardships.

“We are calling on the state government to do everything humanly possible to ensure that our salaries are paid promptly to alleviate the sufferings of our members,” he said.

 Mr Princewill Okorie, Secretary, Medical and Health Workers Union, ABSUTH Branch, regretted that the state government was not appreciating the sacrifice of the staff.

 Mr Samuel Kalu, Secretary, Senior Staff Association of Universities Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), condemned the non-payment of workers’ salaries.

 He said that workers of the Teaching hospital returned from their January strike hoping to be treated better, but the government kept failing them.

 Kalu said that since the government of Abia has vowed not to keep its promises, the institution would no longer take them seriously, hence the resolve to shut the hospital if government failed to pay by Friday.

Don canvasses exclusive breast feeding awareness during August meetings

Aug. 16, 2017


By Ijendu Iheaka

  
Prof. Assumpta Chapp-Jumbo, a don, has urged women’s groups, market associations and churches to take advantage of the August meetings to enlighten nursing mothers on the benefits of exclusive breast feeding.

Chapp-Jumbo, the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), made the call in an interview with our reporter on Wednesday in Aba, Abia.

She suggested that most of the teaching on exclusive breast feeding should be anchored from outside the hospital, to increase the impact of the campaigns.

“Because this is a social cum medical issue, it is best anchored from outside the hospital. It is something that will impact on the society in the long run.

“So, we encourage women’s groups, market associations, churches to engage nursing mothers in health education and enlightenment, especially now that women are going to August meetings.

She attributed the low response to the campaign in Abia to some negative influences, saying that proper education of mothers would address such negative influences and boost the impact of breast feeding campaigns.

“Some friends, family members, even their own mothers sometimes do not give them the encouragement that we would have wanted them to give because of some ingrained practices of the past.

“When you tell them to adopt exclusive breast feeding which means giving breast milk only, no water, no other additional thing; they will ask how can a baby not take water?

“But they forget that the breast milk already has water in it. We know that those who have practiced it have come out with very healthy babies that are not sick all the time.

“They do not have to be running from pillar to post, coming to the hospital often because their baby is sick and even the mother is more confident.

“Over the years, it has been proven that those who breast feed their babies exclusively have healthier babies.”

Chapp-Jumbo noted that an Igbo adage which describes a wise and intelligent person as someone who was breast fed very well, attests to the fact that exclusive breast feeding benefits a child and its family.

She said that ABSUTH would do its best to propagate the exclusive breast feeding policy by creating the needed awareness among women.

Chinese company adamant on logjam caused by its activities

August 16, 2017

By Ijendu Iheaka

The Zone Manager, China Zhonghao Nigeria ltd, Mr Zhuang Wei has said his company can do nothing to decongest the logjam on Osisioma Junction along the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway in Aba caused by its activity.

The Zone Manager made the disclosure on Wednesday during an interview with our reporter in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State.

He said that his construction work would go on even in the face of the inconvenience the company was causing the road users in the Aba.

“I cannot do anything because that place is too small. The work is not a small work. The road will remain as it until we finish the work”, he said.

When asked if he could not use graders to smoothen the surface and make the road passable, Wei said that he cannot do so for reasons he could not disclose.

 The construction which narrowed the road had increased the potholes in the area and resulted in daily logjam around Osisioma junction which was free prior to the construction work.

Wei had during the flag-off ceremony promised to ensure that his company’s work on the interchange would not in any way cause logjams on the Enugu – Port Harcourt Expressway.

The China Zhonghao construction company was contracted in January 2017 by the Abia state government to construct the Osisioma interchange to improve access to Aba and its many markets.

Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu said that the contract would cost Abia state tax payers the sum of N4 .1 billion but the construction work would be completed in about 2 years according to the firm.

US-based Entrepreneur promise to provide 1, 360 jobs for Abia youths

August 13, 2017

By Ijendu Iheaka

 Dr John Nwankwo, a US-based international entrepreneur and proprietor of Comfort Stevens Nigeria limited (CSNL) has promised to provide jobs for about 1,360 youths through the company in the next six months.

Nwankwo disclosed this on Friday during an interview with our reporter in Aba.

He said that the technology-driven online company would employ the services of youths to connect artisans, manufacturers, producers, entrepreneurs, and exporters to sale their goods and dreams for profit.

He said that the company would combine the running of an online marketing and sales platform with production of goods such as bags, shoes, garments and other fashion accessories in its operation.

“Our production for now is a mixture of automation and manual. Our machines are coming into Nigeria. Some of them will get here in October. We have a factory already. 

“Our goal is that by January 2018 we would be fully automated and then we would start turning out 5000 unit pairs of shoes”, he said.

Nwankwo said that CSNL defer from existing marketing platforms on the internet, because it has  own product lines through which to sale its products and those of other vendors to customers.

He said that the platform would sell its products to people in Aba, around Africa and the world and would help other entrepreneurs create economic value for their products and empower them.

According to him, the platform and its services will discourage people from importing from China or Dubai fashion accessories for retailing in Nigeria.

“CS is not just going to be a local or national platform, it is a global brand. A multi-national brand with the foremost goal of creating economic value and empowerment that will discourage people from going to places like China to get goods or products for retailing. 

“Whether you are in Kafanchan or Abuja or Lagos or Kenya or California, the goal is that you can go through the CSNL platform and order the products if you are a retailer. 

“You order from wholesalers. Aba produces about 1 million pairs of shoes every day. 

“Now you don’t need to fly from Tanzania, Kenya or Dubia, you only need to sit in the comfort of your home and order the goods in the quantity you want and it will be exported to you”, he said.

Nwankwo said that vendors willing to sale through the platform will submit their products for quality verification after which they can be subscribed if their products passed the quality test.

He promised that the online platform will not know power outage problems stressing that it operates a cloud technology from California in the United States of America with foreign and local IT specialists.

Be upright, industrialist counsels Igbo business people

August 10, 2017


By Ijendu Iheaka


An industrialist, Mr Emmanuel Adaelu, has counselled Igbo people to be upright in transactions, in order to sustain their businesses and grow them internationally.

Adaelu, the Chairman of Chemlap Industries Ltd., Aba, Abia, gave the advice while addressing guests at the launch of an Aba-based e-Commerce platform called Comfort Stevens Nigeria Ltd. on Thursday in Aba.

He said that being upright in business included repaying borrowed funds, adding that it engendered trust as well as being the backbone of international businesses.

He commended the President of Comfort Stevens, Dr John Nwankwo, for bringing to Aba a new system of merchandising which would improve the perception and patronage of Aba products.

Adaelu, who was chairman of the occasion, said it was time Aba products were showcased and sold worldwide.

“If Nigerians will tell the world that they are exporters, the world will open its doors to Nigerian products.’’

Nwankwo, in his address, said that the company was established in April 2015 in California, U.S., to give Nigerians a platform to sell their products globally, especially Made-in-Aba products.

According to him, Aba products have the potential of selling abroad at the right prizes but expressed regret that this has not been possible due to the lack of the right platform.

Comfort Stevens, he said, had come to offer Aba business people the opportunity to market their products abroad.

In a remark, the Vice-President, Comfort Stevens, Mrs Jane Nwankwo, decried the continued celebration of Chinese and Italian shoes, saying that Nigeria has better quality products.

She said that Aba products would now be showcased internationally to celebrate Made-in-Nigeria products.

“Aba has what it takes to make it a global name, which Comfort Stevens has come to help it do,’’ she said.

The company unveiled some of its products which included shoes and clothes packaged with the logo of the company and an inscription showing that the products were made in Aba.

Drug control facility will save lives, eliminate sharp practices — Association

August 9, 2017


By Ijendu Iheaka


Mr Henry Osuagwu, the President, Ariaria Patent Medicine Dealers Association (APAMDA), says plans to build a drug control facility will save lives and eliminate fraudulent practices in the business.

Osuagwu said this in an interview with our reporter in Aba, Abia on Tuesday.

He said that the Wholesale Coordinating Centre (CWC) for Abia medicine dealers would ensure controlled distribution and sale of drugs in Aba.

Osuagwu said that the plan was in line with the Federal Government’s desire to end the open market operation of medicine dealers, which had increased the sale of adulterated and fake drugs.

According to him, the facility, when completed, will assist in checking sharp practices in drug business in the commercial city.

“The Federal Government directed that medicine dealers should no longer stay in the open market to transact their business.

“When the dealers met with stakeholders comprising importers and the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria among others, they told us that they want us to change how drugs are sold in Nigeria.

“They asked us to go with them to India to see how drugs are sold in other countries, stressing that drugs are not sold in the open market.

“We went to India and they showed us how drugs are sold in that place. There, individuals manage it but government monitors how the drugs are bought and sold.

“So, when we returned, the Federal Government approved four states for the construction of drug marts. The states are Lagos, Kano, Anambra (Onitsha) and Abia (Aba).”

Osuagwu warned that dealers who refused to enlist in the plan by obtaining their form now, would regret their actions soon.

He said that the association had bought a land along Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway for the project.

He said that the next stage was securing the approval of the Minister of Health for the commencement of the construction of the facility.

According to him, the Minister of Health will visit Abia in September to finalise arrangements for the commencement of the facility.

Meanwhile, the president said that the association had asked for the extension of the time given to the members move from Ariaria, following the expiration of the July deadline

Satisfy your husbands’ with breast milk if they desire it, Physician counsels women

Dr Ejiro Iwuoha, a Consultant Public Health Physician, Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) Aba, has charged women to satisfy their husbands with breast milk if they desire it while nursing babies stating that men sharing babies's breast milk is not harmful.
 

Iwuoha gave the counsel in her office Tuesday during an interview with our reporter in Aba.

She said that men from time past loved the breast hence“the Bible says that the breast of your wife should satisfy you so men are already used to breast-feeding. 

“So if the babies come and the men are still interested, although the breast milk does not taste wonderful, your husband’s interest in suckling does not spoil the breast milk for the baby. 

“Breast-feeding mothers whose husbands want to suckle should not worry because it will not affect the baby”.

The physician also counseled women to desist from believing their breasts would sag because they breast-fed their babies exclusively adding that breasts are timed products which would fall with age.

Iwuoha also called for the establishment of crèches in work places to improve compliance with exclusive breast feeding.

Crèches are workplace nurseries where babies are cared for by women who are paid for the service given while a nursing mother is at work.

Iwuoha said that the absence of crèches in most work places and markets was a challenge needing attention because of their contribution to effective exclusive breast feeding.

“Crèches are very important. With the awareness we are creating for mother to breastfeed their babies appropriately, this is a challenge that should be addressed.

“It could be attended to by non-governmental organizations. A group can decide to provide a space which does not cost much, just paying those that will take care of the space and the babies while their mothers work.

“What it takes is a convenient space with seats where mothers can seat comfortably and feed their babies and somebody that will care for the babies while the nursing mothers work or do their businesses.

 “I want to use this opportunity to call on non-governmental organizations, Organized Private Sector (OPS) to make this provision for the betterment of our children because if we have healthy children, we will have healthy communities and a healthy nation,” Iwuoha said.

She said that the provision of crèches would increase the rate of compliance with exclusive breast-feeding which the government and its agencies are campaigning for.

Victims of Aba flooding call for assistance

August 2, 2017

By Ijendu Iheaka

Residents of Onyembi, Amucha, Emole, Udoka and Ihuoma streets along Ohanku road in Aba have called on the Abia state government to rescue them from flooding which threatens their existence in the area.

The residents made the call when the Aba South LGA Chairman, Mr Emma Emeruwa visited them to see the recent level of damage done by floods in the area on Tuesday

They also asked for the help of donor agencies, philanthropists and other organizations to enable them live normal lives again after floods last week rendered many of them homeless and destroyed the properties of others.

During the visit, landlords, zonal leaders and some victims of the flood, represented by Chief Sunny Onyembi, Chief Samuel Uka, Onwuka Chukwuemeka and Chief Uche Dimgba respectively spoke.

They said that the perennial flooding of the area was caused by lack of water channels and the failed and impassable state of Ohanku road.

They further noted that the overwhelming floods had damaged their properties and buildings and caused them losses to the tune of over N 800 million.

They said that the only solution to the problem was to reconstruct Ohanku road with standard drainage systems to ensure run-off water from houses has a path to enter Aba River easily.

The traditional ruler of Ohazu Ancient Kingdom in Aba South LGA, Eze Sunday Emejiaka consoled the victims on their losses.

Emejiaka said that the state had in the past awarded a contract to a company to build a drainage system to link Ohanku road and other streets through Akoli road to Aba River.

He however regretted that contractor abandoned the project without doing anything in the area and urged the state government to act quickly to save the residents from flood induced hardship.

Responding the Aba South Council Boss, Mr Emma Emeruwa said that the State governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu was running a people-oriented administration committed to improving the lives of the citizens.

He assured the residents that their plights would be relayed to the appropriate quarters while the council will ensure that palliative measures were put in place to check the floods.

Meanwhile, government sources say Abia state has about 45 active flood-prone sites threatening the lives and properties of residents of the state with Aba South LGA being the worse hit.

According to National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in 2012 about 363 persons died in floods and 2.1 million persons displaced with material losses put at N2.5 trillion across 32 affected states of the nation.

Bad roads: Aba residents task Ikpeazu

Residents of Aba, Abia state’s commercial hub have called on Gov. Okezie Ikpezu to cause Abia State Road Management Agency (ABROMA) to resume road maintenance in Aba to reduce gridlocks.

The residents made the call in separate interviews with our reporter in Aba on Tuesday.

They said that incessant rainfall was increasing the number of potholes on roads in the city adding that ABROMA’s absence from Aba was worsening the matter.

Hope Efiong, a resident said that the gridlocks which had been gripping the city from Osisioma Expressway junction to Aba Main Motor Park were caused by potholes on the roads.

He called on Gov. Ikpezu to ask ABROMA to return to Aba and start fixing the potholes on the roads to ease the stress road users from Abia and other states face on Aba roads now.

Effiong said that since 2017 ABROMA has not been seen at work in Aba adding that their resumption would help to bring relief to road users in Aba.

Onweremmadu Nwoke said that the on-going construction work on Faulks road and other adjoining roads in Aba had caused road users to resort to using few motorable roads in the city.

Nwoke said the effect of the rain on roads had resulted in increased and enlarged potholes on Aba roads which were causing avoidable gridlocks.

Nwoke said that the gridlocks consume many man hours hence urgent attention was required by ABROMA to fix the roads.

He urged the governor to ensure he returned the agency to work on Aba roads to ease the suffering of the people in the city stressing that whenever Ikpeazu brings them, the roads get better.

Nnanna Egwu praised Ikpeazu for his determination to improve the condition of Aba and begged him to urge ABROMA to return to work in Aba.

He noted that since the governor meant well with his road rehabilitation programme in Aba, it would be counter-productive for him to allow the traffic condition resulting from the projects to continue.