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WHO says life expectancy increased from 46 to 73 years

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2 years ago

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The World Health Organisation (WHO) says global life expectancy for both sexes has increased from 46 to 73 years, with the biggest gains in the poorest countries.

Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General, said this during an online media conference.

Ghebreyesus said after years of war, the organisation realised that it was better to work with one other than fight with one another.

He said that the organisation also realised that a healthier world was a safer world.

“Their vision was clear, but bold: the highest possible standard of health, for all people. To achieve that vision, they agreed to set up a new organisation.

They debated and and agreed what this organisation would be and do in a document called the Constitution of the World Health Organisation,” Ghebreyesus said.

According to him, the organisation marked the 75th anniversary of the day that constitution came into force.

He said that the organisation’s constitution was the first document in history to formally recognise health as a human right.

The WHO boss said that since then, the world has made significant progress towards realising that vision.

He said that smallpox has been eradicated and polio was on the brink.These are actually two of the important highlights during the 75 years of existence of the organisation.

Forty-two countries have eliminated malaria, the epidemics of HIV and TB have been pushed back.

“Forty-seven countries have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease,” he said.

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<span;>Ghebreyesus said in the past 20 years alone, smoking has fallen by a third, maternal mortality has fallen by a third and child mortality has halved.

According to him, just in the past five years, new vaccines for Ebola and malaria have been developed and licensed.

He said that just in the past five years, new vaccines for Ebola and malaria have been developed and licensed.

“And for the past 3 years, WHO has coordinated the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic – the most severe health crisis in a century.

“We can’t claim sole credit for these achievements, but we have played a leading role in all of them. Partnering with many partners, especially our Member States.

“And although we have many achievements of which to be proud, we still face many challenges – some old, some new.

“Around the world, people still face vast disparities in access to health services, between and within countries and communities,” Ghebreyesus said.

According to him, since 2000, access to essential services has increased significantly, but at least half the world’s population still lacks access to one or more services like family planning, basic sanitation, or access to a health worker.

He said that often it was because of where people live, their gender, their age or who they are people living in poverty, refugees and migrants, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities and other marginalised groups.

Meanwhile, since 2000, the number of people who experience financial hardship from out-of-pocket health spending has increased by a third, to almost two billion.

“Noncommunicable diseases now account for more than 70 per cent of all deaths globally. Rates of diabetes and obesity have increased dramatically, driven by unhealthy diets and physical inactivity.

“Progress against malaria and TB has stalled, antimicrobial resistance threatens to unwind a century of medical progress.

“Air pollution and climate change are jeopardising the very habitability of our planet;

“And as COVID-19 has exposed so brutally, there remain serious gaps in the world’s defences against epidemics and pandemics.

“For all these reasons and more, the world needs WHO now more than ever,” he said. (NAN)

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Kano State Hosts 8th Annual Audit Forum to Enhance Transparency and Accountability

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11 hours ago

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November 21, 2024

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The 8th Annual Audit Forum, organized by the Office of the Auditor General of Kano State, was held recently, focusing on strengthening transparency and accountability in public financial management. .

Isma’ila Musa, the Auditor General of Kano State, welcomed the participants and highlighted the constitutional and legal mandates that guide the auditing process. “Sections 125(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and 36(i) of the Kano State Audit Law, 2021 (as amended) mandate the Office of the Auditor General to audit the accounts and financial statements of the State Government and all Offices and Courts,” he stated.

Musa expressed immense gratitude to His Excellency, Engineer Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Governor of Kano State, for his support in making the event possible. “It is very important to note that a strengthened fiscal transparency will help build trust in governance,” he emphasized. He added that the Audit Forum is a reform intended to reduce opportunities for corruption and abuse of public resources, thereby increasing the efficiency of public expenditures.

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The Auditor General also acknowledged the contributions of various officials, including the Hon. Commissioner Ministry of Planning and Budget, the Accountant General, the Executive Chairman of Kano Internal Revenue Services, and former Auditors General, among others. “My sincere appreciation to all the invitees here present for honoring our invitation. I wish us a successful 8th Kano State Annual Audit Forum,” Musa concluded.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the House Committee on Public Accounts, Honorable Tukur Fagge, praised the exercise for its potential to enhance resource management and ensure the success of the tasks at hand. “This exercise will enhance resources management and will realize the success of the task,” Fagge stated.

Sarkin Shanon Kano, Shehu Muhammad Dankadai, who served as the royal father of the day, also graced the event, adding to the significance of the occasion.

The forum underscored the commitment of the Kano State Government to upholding transparency and accountability, reflecting the administration’s dedication to effective and efficient service delivery.

 

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Breaking: Former Secretary of Federal Electoral Commission, FEDECO, Ahmadu Kurfi Passes On at 93

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18 hours ago

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November 21, 2024

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Late Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi

 

A former secretary of the Federal Electoral Commission, Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi, has passed away.

A family source, Jafar Yakubu, informed NIGERIAN TRACKER about the death of the pioneer secretary of the Federal Electoral Commission, who supervised the 1979 general election.

 

Jafar Yakubu said Alhaji Ahmadu Kurfi died at the age of 93 and his Janaza funeral prayers will take place by 2:30 PM at Kurfi in KATSINA state .

 

Dr. Amadu Kurfi, OFR, was born in 1931. He was a former chairman of the then Marketing Board, former Federal Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Defence, and the first person to acquire a BSc degree in the whole of Katsina State, at University College London in 1957.

 

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President Tinubu Sacks UNIZIK Vice-Chancellor, Registrar

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1 day ago

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November 20, 2024

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The governing council of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University has been dissolved by President Bola Tinubu.

The president dissolved the council and approved the removal of the institution’s vice-chancellor Bernard Odoh and the university registrar, Rosemary Nwokike.

A statement by Bayo Onanuga, the special adviser to the president on information and strategy said the action by Tinubu follows allegations of procedural violations in the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor.

He also said that the council led by Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe and including five other members—Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, Engr. Amioleran Osahon, and Rtd. Gen. Funsho Oyeneyin was accused of bypassing due process to appoint an unqualified candidate, prompting federal intervention.

Onanuga said, “The sacking of the governing council and officials followed reports that the council illegally appointed an unqualified vice-chancellor without following due process.

He added that following the controversial appointment, the Federal Government stepped in to address the rivalry between the university’s Senate and the governing council of the institution.

“The government expressed concern over the council’s apparent disregard for the university’s governing laws in its selection process”, Onanuga added.

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