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Routine immunization: Dangote Foundation, KNSG, UNICEF, Billgate sign another MoU

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Commissioner of Health during the signing

 

 

Aliko Dangote Foundation, in collaboration with Kano State Government, United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding on routine immunization, RI, in the state.

The MoU was first signed in 2012, when Aliko Dangote Foundation, Kano State Government and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation decided to work towards improvement of health of women and children in Kano, second most populous state in the country.

Appraising the success of the first MoU, the three parties also signed second addendum in 2017 in a bid to improve on the goal earlier achieved.

However, the third Health MoU signing, this time around, has witnessed the involvement of UNICEF as the fourth participating party in the agreement.

Speaking shortly before the official signing of the MoU on Wednesday, at the Kano State government house, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Aliko Dangote Foundation, Zouera Yousefou, congratulated the Kano state government for achieving the objectives of the addendum ll.

Mrs Yousefou commended the state government for its efforts to sustain funding for all RI activities, thereby increasing the state’s RI budget by 22 percent over the past 6 years, despite challenges to the fiscal space.

The MD/CEO also noted with the signing of the third addendum, it is important to note that while the parties have made a lot of progress together, they remain far from achieving the target maternal and child health outcomes.

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“We need to ensure that we use the lessons learned from the prior years to develop and effectively execute better-suited strategies that ensure we fast-track progress and ultimately achieve the Health MoU addendum lll’s targets.

“One such area of improvement is the need to devolve the programme’s oversight to lower levels and ensure LGA health teams are responsible for driving implementation across the wards in their LGA.

“Wr need to ensure that our health teams at LGA and Ward levels have the autonomy and resources they need to deliver within their specific contexts while holding them accountable for the results,” she said

Mrs Yousefou also urged traditional rulers to remain tireless in their efforts to ensure the people take demand and utilize essential health services, including immunization, nutrition and maternal and reproductive health services.

The MD/CEO applauded the the effits of the Kano State government and encourage the administration to continue to improve it’s performance by ensuring timely release of funds for both RI nd PHC activities.

She restates the commitment of the Aliko Dangote Foundation in supporting Kano in its of ensuring all residents live long and healthy life.

In his remarks, the Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, said the state had achieved significant milestone in healthcare services to the citizenry.

According to him, his administration had not rest on its ores on repositioning the health sector in the state, though improvement of primary and secondary health facilities, as we as provision of qualified personnel to manage them.

Ganduje noted that signing of the health MoU addendum lll is the testimony to the commitment of the state towards improvement of healthcare services.

He assured the state’s promptness in donating counter funds in a bid to achieve the success of the programme.

Speaking earlier, the Country Director, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Jeremie Zoungrana expressed delight to witness the signing of the MoU.

He said the event was the perfect opportunity to implement new and advanced programmes in the area of RI, noting that Kano state had the potential to do better on that regard.

“With its commitment, technical, capacity and resources at its disposal, i believe Kano State has the potential to do better

“We will be committed to make sure that in this addendum lll will help in addressing the key issues raised during the review meeting.

“We will contribute our own quota in the improvement of health care in Kano State,” he said.

Mr Zoungrana urged the Kano State government to ensure timely release of resources for the success of the programme.

It was learned that each party would be contributing the sum of N185 million annually for the five years duration of the programme.

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Lubricants and Nigeria’s economy

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By Cosmas Chukwunonso Nwobi

Every engine depends on oil, which serves as the heat transfer medium and lubricant for moving parts. It stops wears and damages from happening because the moving parts won’t be rubbing against one another.

The primary consumers of engine oil in Nigeria are those who own cars, generators, enterprises, tricycles, and motorcycles. Diesel and gasoline engines both utilize various grades of engine oil. Diesel engine oil is used to maintain heavy vehicles (diesel vehicles), small and large generators, as well as passenger vehicles (light vehicles). Petrol engine oil is used to maintain passenger vehicles (light vehicles).

The overall annual requirement for lubricating oils across the globe is projected to be 50 billion liters, or 60 percent automotive and 40percent industrial. However, industrial lubricants account for more than 70% of total global gross revenues and profit margins.

According to projections, Nigeria, with a gross domestic product of N150 billion in 2013 and more than N450.37 billion by the end of Q1 2021, is the third-largest user of lubricating oils in Africa, consuming 700 million liters of the substance per year (or 1 percent of the global demand).

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The aggregate profit margins of the blending plants were N45 billion in 2013 and N120 billion in the first quarter of 2021. Their total assets are projected to be worth N20 billion. This indicates that domestic production of lubricating oils meets 75 percent of the country’s total demand, with imports from specialist marketing companies providing the remaining 25percent.

You might also be interested to know that, over the projected period (2021-2026), the market for lubricants in Nigeria is anticipated to develop at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1.54%, reaching 300,399.52 kilo tons by 2026. which demonstrates that the market for automotive lubricants in Nigeria is anticipated to grow to $683 million by 2023.

This demonstrates that the significance of engine oil cannot be overemphasized and that lubricant production would be a very profitable business endeavor that would considerably boost Nigeria’s economy.

However, this industry was adversely affected by Nigeria’s slowing economic growth. The 2016 recession brought on by the sharp decline in global oil prices was the root cause of the downturn. Oil prices started the year at $36.76 a barrel and reached a high of $54.06 for the year. The lack of foreign exchange had a serious negative impact on the ability of various lubricants manufacturing companies to conduct business and imposed severe costs on key sectors of the country, which further cascaded into all areas of the economy. Given that many players in the industry imported large volumes of base oil and other raw materials needed to blend lubricants at the time, this meant that the shortage of foreign exchange affected all sectors of the economy.

However, the investment landscape is currently changing and Nigeria’s lubricant industry, if properly managed, will surely triple it’s current position in a few years to come. This is due to large oil marketers taking advantage of the lubricants market’s deregulation and lack of significant government intervention.

I commend the effort of the Nigerian Government so far in reducing import charges for Lubricant Blending plants firmly advocate for the need of a driving and I strongly advocate that more can be done in this area since Nigeria’s lubricant business has great prospects for investors. Should we succeed, early investors will also benefit from pioneer status and a five-year tax break.

I firmly believe that better consumer education, cooperation with transportation companies, increased consumer knowledge, and the provision of higher-quality lubricants at lower prices would help Nigeria’s lubricant manufacturers expand and make more money.

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Best choice Specialist Hospital Launches First Intensive Infant Phototherapy Machine In Kano

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_”A Beacon of Progress in Northern Nigeria!”_

In a groundbreaking move, Best Choice Hospital has taken a significant leap forward in pediatric care with the introduction of the Infant Phototherapy Unit, a groundbreaking technology designed to treat jaundice and prevent brain damage in newborns.

In a statement signed by Auwal Muhammad Lawal Group Managing Director of the Hospital noted that pioneering technology enables medical professionals to transfuse blood with unparalleled precision, safety significantly enhancing treatment outcomes for children.

…. Noted that the innovative machine boasts a remarkable 70% radiance output and features a standard phototherapeutic unit, eliminating the need for blood transfusions.

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Auwal reiterated that introduction of this advanced state-of-art machine marks a significant milestone in Best Choice Hospital’s ongoing commitment to pediatric excellence.

With its advanced capabilities, the Infant Phototherapy Unit can effectively treat jaundice in a targeted manner, providing a beacon of hope for families.

“We understand the distress and hardship that comes with pediatric medical conditions”

“That’s why we’ve invested on this to ease the burden on families and provide children with the best possible chance at a healthy life”. Said Lawal

As the first of its kind in Northern Nigeria, this cutting-edge technology offers a comprehensive treatment solution for infants, covering the entire body with its optimal wavelength.

Dr. Abdulmalik Saminu, a leading medical expert expresses optimism that the development reinforces Best Choice Hospital’s position as a leader in pediatric care, providing families with renewed hope and confidence in the treatment of their loved ones.

Saminu further conveyed heartfelt gratitude to the hospital’s proprietor for his tireless efforts in making this life-changing technology available.

With the Infant Phototherapy Unit, families no longer need to travel abroad for medical treatment, as Best Choice Hospital now offers world-class care right in their own backyard.

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Naira depreciates to N1,635 in parallel market

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The Naira yesterday depreciated to N1,635 per dollar in the parallel market from N1,625 per dollar last weekend.

However, the Naira yesterday appreciated to N1,585.77 per dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market, NAFEM.

Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative exchange rate for NAFEM fell to N1,585.77 per dollar from N1,598.56 per dollar last weekend, indicating N12.79 appreciation for the naira. The volume of dollars traded (turnover) in the market declined by 58.8 percent to $71.18 million from $172.8 million traded last week Friday.

Consequently, the margin between the parallel market and NAFEM rate widened to N49.23 per dollar from N26.44 per dollar last weekend.

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