Umo Eno Upgrades General Hospital With New Hemodialysis Unit, Refurbished Accident, Emergency, Pediatric Wards

Umo Eno upgrades general hospital with new hemodialysis unit, refurbished accident, emergency, pediatric wards. Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has re-echoed his administration’s commitment to delivering effective and efficient healthcare under the ARISE Agenda as he commissions, Monday, March 24, a new Hemodialysis Unit alongside refurbished Accident, Emergency, and Pediatric wards at General Hospital, Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of the State .

Represented by Dr. Patrick Umoh, Member for Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara Federal Constituency, Governor Eno expressed heartfelt appreciation for the community’s support.

He assured that his administration would continue delivering democratic dividends and fulfill its campaign promises by further enhancing healthcare services in the region.

Hon. Umoh, Chairman of the House Committee on Health Institutions, commended the Governor for his developmental efforts in healthcare and other sectors.

He pledged support for the enrollment of 100 women in the State Healthcare Insurance Scheme and announced the donation of three ambulances to the State government for emergency health response.

Earlier, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ekem John, explained that the rising cases of renal failure necessitated the Governor’s investment in the dialysis facility.

He further revealed plans to establish hemodialysis units across all 10 federal constituencies, showcasing a systematic approach to healthcare delivery.

Umo Eno Upgrades General Hospital

Chief Medical Superintendent Dr. Nene Andem described Governor Eno as a beacon of hope, noting that the new facility will benefit not only Ikot Ekpene but also neighboring communities. Local leaders,including Ikot Ekpene Local Government Chairman Hon. Aniefiok Nkom and Environment Commissioner Hon. Nsikak Ekong, lauded the Governor’s passion for healthcare and commitment to affordable services.

In a goodwill message, APC State Chairman Obong Stephen Ntukekpo commended Governor Eno for his quality projects, hailing him as the most performing governor in Nigeria.

Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, in his vote of thanks, conveyed the community’s gratitude and pledged continuous support toward securing a second term for the Governor.

NAFDAC Seals 4 Water Factories Over Poor Manufacturing Practices

NAFDAC seals 4 water factories over poor manufacturing practices. She warned producers in the area to be cautious of producing substandard products.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC)  has invited the operation managers of four table water production factories for failing to meet good manufacturing practice (GMP) standards.

The factories in question include Oral Water and Logistics Limited, producers of Yireh Yaweh Table Water in Jikwoyi, and Le-Starlight Table Water in Jikwoyi, Abuja.

Others include Daraja Table Water and Iris Table Water and Beverages, producers of Siris Table Water, both located in the Karshi, Nasarawa axis of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

During its enforcement operations in Abuja on Monday, NAFDAC also sealed and locked the four factories in question.

Wilberforce-Glory Albert, the subunit head of NAFDAC’s Mararaba Office, also known as Greater FCT, explained that the agency initiated the raid due to concerns over the quality of water produced by these factories.

She stated that all the facilities sealed had poor GMP practices, necessitating immediate action to rectify the situation.

Mrs Albert pointed out that several of these factories lacked pallets for stacking their finished products, and some did not have a production manager to ensure GMP compliance.

She also highlighted that some facilities were operating without licenses, lacked proper packaging materials, had no building lights, and had staff that were not properly kitted, all of which contributed to the poor GMP.

“These are the reasons we sealed the facilities and invited them for further investigation at NAFDAC’s office,” Mrs Albert said.

She further disclosed that the raid in this area marked the beginning of broader enforcement actions, as NAFDAC had established a new office to oversee Mararaba, Keffi, Nyanya, Jikwoyi, and Kurudu.

NAFDAC

“This new office falls under the FCT Directorate and is known as “Greater FCT.”
Mrs Albert warned producers in the area to be cautious of producing substandard products, emphasising that the law would catch up with those who continued to operate improperly.

“This raid will continue. We’ve just started, and we won’t stop until these factories comply with GMP standards.

“There is no hiding place for producers of substandard products, everyone must do the right thing, obtain the necessary licenses, and produce under proper conditions,” she stated.

Mrs Albert also revealed that some of the sealed facilities claimed to be registered with NAFDAC but were unable to provide the required documentation, which was another reason for their invitation to the agency.
She urged them to bring all relevant documents to NAFDAC’s office.

The NAFDAC team leader added that the factories would be required to pay for any sanctions imposed by the agency.

“If their licenses had expired, they would also need to pay for renewals and investigation charges.”

NAFDAC emphasised its commitment to investigating and taking action against any other illegal activities being carried out by these factories.

WHO Warns Funding Cuts Threaten Global Tuberculosis (TB) Progress

WHO warns funding cuts threaten Global tuberculosis (TB) progress. The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised concerns that recent global health funding cuts could undermine progress in the fight against tuberculosis (TB), the world’s deadliest infectious disease, which kills over a million people annually.

Marking World TB Day under the theme “Yes! We Can End TB: Commit, Invest, Deliver,” WHO urged urgent financial commitments to sustain TB prevention, screening, and treatment efforts.

WHO Warns Funding Cuts

The organization warned that funding shortfalls have already disrupted services in high-burden countries, particularly in Africa and Southeast Asia, threatening gains made over the past two decades.

WHO called for immediate global action, emphasizing that every dollar invested in TB yields significant economic returns.

The agency is also promoting TB vaccine development and the integration of TB care into primary healthcare as part of long-term solutions.