Health
DRC Ebola cases rise to 1,274, 96 health workers infected
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) says the worsening Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reached 1,274 confirmed cases.
The agency also said infections among healthcare workers have risen to 96.
Wazih Cho, Data Analyst and Epidemic Intelligence Officer at Africa CDC, disclosed this on Monday during a webinar on the Ebola outbreak.
“In the past 24 hours, 47 new confirmed Ebola cases and 12 deaths were reported in the DRC, 96 per cent of which originated in Équateur Province,” he said.
“Cumulative figures now stand at 1,274 confirmed cases with 360 deaths, indicating sustained transmission at the provincial level.”
He said Équateur Province accounted for 45 of the 47 new cases reported, making it the leading hotspot of transmission on the continent.
Mr Cho attributed the spread partly to exposure in health facilities, noting that 92 healthcare workers had been infected in the DRC and four in Uganda, bringing the total to 96.
According to him, confirmed cases have now been reported in 35 health zones across the DRC, indicating widespread transmission beyond the initial epicentre.
“For Uganda, cumulatively we have 20 confirmed cases, mostly spillover from DRC. That includes 15 imported cases, four healthcare worker infections, and two fatalities.
“All Uganda cases are classified under Kampala. Contact follow-up in Uganda stands at 100 per cent, with only nine contacts still under active monitoring. Case fatality in Uganda as of day 27 is 10 per cent,” he said.
Mr Cho said Uganda had recorded no new Ebola case since 21 June, although active surveillance remained in place.
More cases
He added that 23 of the 36 health areas in Équateur Province had confirmed cases, confirming sustained community transmission within the province.
According to him, North Kivu, which borders Équateur and Uganda, is also reporting cases, while South Kivu has recorded no new infections for at least 30 days after reporting three cases.
Mr Cho added that Africa CDC also received alerts on 28 June from Tshopo Province, which borders Ituri Province and South Sudan.
He said two confirmed male cases recorded between 9 June and 23 June suggested the outbreak had spread into a previously unaffected province.
According to Cho, the epidemic curve indicates that the first positive case was detected late, after community transmission had already begun.
He said seven-day and three-day moving averages showed the outbreak remained at or near peak transmission, with modelling projecting additional case increases over the next three weeks.
Mr Cho added that a small number of health zones accounted for about 80 per cent of confirmed cases, while several treatment centres were operating above capacity.
He said more than 20,000 community health workers had been mobilised to strengthen case detection, contact tracing and community sensitisation efforts.
In his remark, Oyewale Tomori, former President of the Nigeria Academy of Science, commended Africa CDC and the World Health Organisation (WHO) for working collaboratively in responding to the outbreak.
Mr Tomori described the One Health approach as an integrated strategy recognising the close links between human, animal and environmental health.
He said that about 70 per cent of emerging infectious diseases were zoonotic, spreading from animals to humans.
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“Ebola, SARS, and other viruses reflect this animal-human interface, with diverse modes of transmission and host species,” he said.
Mr Tomori identified deforestation, urban expansion, mining, conflict-driven migration, bushmeat trade, climate change and weak public health systems as major drivers of emerging infectious diseases.
He emphasised that stronger surveillance, early detection and coordinated response systems were essential to preventing and containing outbreaks before they escalated.
Mr Tomori said One Health required veterinarians, physicians, social scientists, engineers and economists to work together to achieve effective outbreak prevention and response.
(NAN)
The Yobe State Government has approved the enrolment of state and local government retirees into the Social Equity Programme of its health insurance scheme.
The Executive Secretary of the Yobe State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency (YSCHMA), Babagana Tijjani, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Damaturu.
Mr Tijjani said the approval was granted by Governor Mai Mala Buni following a recommendation from the agency.
He said the initiative aims to reduce out-of-pocket healthcare spending among pensioners and improve access to comprehensive, quality healthcare services at YSCHMA-accredited health facilities.
According to him, the approval underscores the state government’s commitment to improving the welfare of retirees by ensuring they continue to access quality healthcare after retirement.
“This approval is another demonstration of the governor’s commitment to protecting the health and well-being of residents of the state,” he said.
“By bringing retirees under the social equity programme, the government is ensuring that senior citizens can access quality healthcare without suffering financial hardship.”
The executive secretary further said that the inclusion of retirees in the scheme aligned with the administration’s healthcare reform agenda and the state’s drive towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030.
He also described the development as a significant step in expanding access to healthcare and strengthening social protection.
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Mr Tijjani commended the governor for approving the initiative and reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to its effective implementation.
He said the YSCHMA would work closely with pension unions, relevant government institutions and healthcare providers to ensure a transparent enrolment process and seamless access to healthcare services for eligible beneficiaries.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the YSCHMA was established under Yobe State Law No. 7 of 2019 to implement the state’s contributory healthcare scheme and promote equitable, affordable and qualitative healthcare services for residents.
The federal government has launched the National Guidelines for Public Procurement of Food and Related Services.
The framework introduces nutrition standards for food purchased with public funds as part of efforts to reduce unhealthy diets and curb the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in Nigeria.
The guidelines, unveiled on Monday in Abuja at an event themed “Public Procurement of Food: Promoting a Culture of National Wellness Through the Food Value Chain,” are expected to influence food served in public institutions, including schools, hospitals, correctional centres and military establishments, by setting evidence-based standards on nutrition, food safety and quality.
Delivering his keynote address at the launch, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, said the initiative marks a shift from viewing public procurement as a routine administrative process to using it as a strategic tool to improve public health and national development.
“When the government demands healthier, safer and more nutritious food, it creates incentives for the entire food system to innovate, improve quality and align with higher public health standards,” he said.
Why it matters
Mr Salako said the government remains the country’s largest institutional purchaser of food, meaning procurement decisions have the potential to influence food production, consumer behaviour and nutrition standards across the food value chain.
According to him, the guidelines establish limits on sodium, sugar and unhealthy fats in foods procured by public institutions while encouraging balanced and nutritious diets.
He said the document complements existing national policies, including the National Guideline for Sodium Reduction, the Trans Fat Regulation and the 2023 National Policy on Food Safety and Quality.
Rising burden of unhealthy diets
Mr Salako noted that unhealthy diets contribute to about 7.2 million deaths globally every year, driven largely by excessive consumption of salt, sugar and unhealthy fats as well as inadequate intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
He revealed that the average Nigerian adult consumes between 3.9 grammes and 4.9 grammes of sodium daily, almost double the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended limit of 2 grammes.
Mr Salako added that increasing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has contributed to rising rates of obesity and diabetes, prompting the introduction of the sugar-sweetened beverage tax, while industrial trans fats have also been restricted under Nigeria’s Trans Fatty Acid Regulation.
“These measures are designed to control dietary patterns that fuel the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, placing enormous pressure on health systems, national economies and household incomes,” he said.
Child malnutrition remains a concern
Mr Salako also highlighted the country’s persistent nutrition challenges, noting that malnutrition remains a direct or underlying cause of nearly half of the deaths among children under five years.
He said the Nigeria Mini Demographic and Health Survey found that about four in every 10 Nigerian children under five are stunted, while nearly two million children suffer severe acute malnutrition annually.
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“These are not merely health statistics. They represent profound human capital challenges with significant implications for educational attainment, labour productivity, household prosperity, national competitiveness and sustainable economic growth.”
Implementation key
Mr Salako stressed that the success of the guidelines would depend on effective implementation rather than their launch.
He urged procurement and accounting officers across government institutions to ensure compliance, noting that procurement decisions influence health outcomes, productivity and public confidence in government.
He added that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare would continue to promote disease prevention through healthier public policies as part of efforts to achieve universal health coverage.
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