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Oyo: Pregnant women, children under 5 to get free health care services.
PREGNANT women and children under five in Oyo State are being given a new lease of life through a free health programme under the newly launched health insurance scheme by the Ajimobi – led administration.
The state governor, Abiola Ajimobi Thursday in Ibadan, made this declaration during the flagged off of the State Health Insurance Scheme, just as he restated his administration’s commitment to improve health care service delivery of the people.
The scheme was also lauded by stakeholders in the health industry in their goodwill messages.
The insurance scheme, the Governor assured, will benefit the poor as the registration has been pegged at N200 only and a monthly premium fee of N650. It will be free for children under age 5 and pregnant women.
“This health insurance scheme is one among the various health initiatives we offer our people to give them accessible and affordable quality health care. The free health, where several people are being treated, is presently going on across the state.
“We have improved safety and security across the state and we want our people to support our agriculture initiatives for food security. We are committed to making life meaningful to our people and everything humanly possible to achieve this will be done,” said Ajimobi.
The governor, however appealed to the people not to deviate in their support for his administration and consequently urged them to get involved in the state Health Insurance Agency.
In their separate goodwill messages, the Chief Medical Director of University College Hospital UCH), Professor Tope Alonge, the Managing Director/CEO Ultimate Health Management Services, Mr. Lekan Ewenla and the Managing Director of Alafia Hospital, Mr. Babatunde Agbaje commended the state government for the initiative, saying that the scheme would give the citizenry access to quality health care.
Professor Alonge promised that UCH would partner with the state government to improve its health sector, appealing that the people should take advantage of this first of its kind health insurance scheme by a state government by being beneficiaries of affordable health care.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Commissioner of Health, Dr. Azeez Adeduntan noted that there is no where in the world that health is totally free, explaining that health care is subsidized through health insurance scheme.
The Acting Executive Secretary of Oyo State Health Insurance Agency, Dr. Sola Akande remarked that the health insurance scheme is backed by an enabling law for formal and informal sectors, adding that attempts by previous administrations to institutionalise the health insurance in the state suffered “Abortion at different stages of gestation”.
According to him, the scheme will cater for those who need the services, and even those who cannot pay and promote a standard plan with a benefit package that covers over 90 per cent of disease pattern communities while the remaining 10 percent will come with top up packages for interested residents.
He added that the scheme will provide immediate employment for 627 health workers while local government health facilities will have more than one medical officer rendering services to the people.
Akande stressed that some other residents of the state can be gainfully employed at biometric centres and vouchers’ sales points.
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Two-Thirds of Nigerians Can’t Afford Healthy Meals — NBS
A recent survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has highlighted the severe economic challenges faced by Nigerian households, revealing that two-thirds of the population struggle to afford healthy and nutritious meals. The survey, titled Nigeria General Household Survey – Panel (GHS-Panel) Wave 5 (2023/2024), underscores the worsening multidimensional poverty and the erosion of purchasing power due to the persistent rise in the cost of goods and services.
The report shows that approximately 63.8% of households have been forced to eat only a few kinds of food due to financial constraints. About 62.4% of respondents admitted worrying about food insufficiency, while 60.5% ate less than they thought they should. The situation has deteriorated significantly since the last survey, as the proportion of households expressing food insecurity concerns rose from 36.9% in the previous wave to 62.4% in the current one.
Power Outages and Access to Energy
The survey also sheds light on the nation’s energy crisis, revealing that Nigerian households experience an average of 6.7 power blackouts per week. While 82.2% of urban households have access to electricity, the figure drops to 40.4% in rural areas.
Cooking remains predominantly dependent on traditional methods, with 65% of households using three-stone stoves and 70.2% relying on firewood. However, the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is reportedly increasing.
Sanitation and Asset Ownership
In terms of sanitation, the report highlights that many households still lack basic toilet facilities, relying on bushes or streets for waste disposal. Access to clean drinking water is often through tube wells or boreholes, reflecting a lack of formal infrastructure in many areas.
On asset ownership, the survey indicates a decline since 2018/19. While two-thirds of households own mobile phones, only 21.3% have internet access. Housing ownership remains significant, with 70.4% of households owning their homes—80.1% in rural areas compared to 49.1% in urban centers.
The NBS report provides a stark reminder of the challenges many Nigerians face daily, from food insecurity and power outages to inadequate sanitation and declining asset ownership. It calls for urgent policy interventions to address these critical issues and improve the living standards of the population.
News
Ford Trims Workforce: 4,000 Jobs to Go in Europe
US car giant Ford on Wednesday announced 4,000 more job cuts in Europe, mostly in Germany and Britain, in the latest blow to the continent’s beleaguered car industry.
“The company has incurred significant losses in recent years,” Ford said in a statement, blaming “the industry shift to electrified vehicles and new competition”.
The move will affect 2,900 jobs in Germany, 800 in the UK and 300 in western Europe by the end of 2027, a Ford spokesman told AFP.
“It is critical to take difficult but decisive action to ensure Ford’s future competitiveness in Europe,” said Dave Johnston, Ford’s European vice-president in the statement.
The company also said it was adjusting the production of its Explorer and Capri models, resulting in reduced hours at its Cologne plant in the first quarter of 2025.
Europe’s car industry has been plunged into crisis by high manufacturing costs, a stuttering switch to electric vehicles and increased competition in key market China.
Germany’s Volkswagen has been among those hardest hit, announcing in September that it was considering the unprecedented move of closing some factories in Germany.
“The European automotive industry is in a very demanding and serious situation,” Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said at the time.
Ford had already announced in February 2023 that it was planning to cut 3,800 jobs in Europe, including 2,300 in Germany and 1,300 in Britain.
The company said then it was planning to reduce the number of models developed for Europe, concentrate on the profitable van segment and speed up the transition to electric vehicles.
Ford currently has around 28,000 employees in Europe with 15,000 in Germany, according to the company’s works council.
News
Tinubu Dissolves UNIZIK Council, Sacks VC, Registrar, Otukpo Pro-Chancellor
President Bola Tinubu has approved the dissolution of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, and the removal of the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh, and Registrar, Mrs. Rosemary Ifoema Nwokike.
The council, chaired by Ambassador Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe, comprised five other members: Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, Engr. Amioleran Osahon, and Rtd. Gen. Funsho Oyeneyin.
A statement released on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, revealed that the council was dissolved following reports of procedural violations in appointing the vice-chancellor.
According to the statement, the council had allegedly appointed an unqualified candidate, disregarding due process, which triggered tensions between the university’s Senate and the council.
The Federal Government expressed dismay over the council’s actions, emphasizing the need for adherence to the university’s governing laws in decision-making.
“The council’s disregard for established rules necessitated the government’s intervention to restore order to the 33-year-old institution,” the statement noted.
In a related development, President Tinubu also approved the dismissal of Engr. Ohieku Muhammed Salami, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State.
Salami was accused of suspending the university’s Vice-Chancellor without following the prescribed procedures, a move the Federal Ministry of Education had previously directed him to reverse.
Despite the Ministry’s directives, Salami reportedly refused to comply and resorted to issuing threats and abusive remarks towards the Ministry’s officials, including the Permanent Secretary.
The Federal Government reiterated that the primary role of university councils is to ensure the smooth operation of academic activities, strictly adhering to the laws establishing each institution.
Tinubu warned university councils against engaging in actions that could destabilize their institutions, as his administration remains committed to enhancing the nation’s education system.
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