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New Recommendations To Help End Deaths From Postpartum Haemorrhage —Global Health Agencies

Through landmark new guidelines released , leading reproductive health agencies are calling for a major shift in how postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is prevented, diagnosed and treated.

According to a press release by WHO ,the recommendations highlight the urgent need for earlier detection and faster intervention — steps that could save the lives of tens of thousands of women each year.

Defined as excessive bleeding after childbirth, PPH affects millions of women annually and causes nearly 45 000 deaths, making it one of the leading causes of maternal mortality globally. Even when not fatal, it can lead to lifelong physical and mental health impacts, from major organ damage to hysterectomies, anxiety and trauma.

“Postpartum haemorrhage is the most dangerous childbirth complication since it can escalate with such alarming speed. While it is not always predictable, deaths are preventable with the right care,” said Dr Jeremy Farrar, Assistant Director-General for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and Care. “These guidelines are designed to maximize impact where the burden is highest and resources are most limited – helping ensure more women survive childbirth and can return home safely to their families.”

New diagnostic criteria for rapid action

Published by the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), the guidelines introduce new objective diagnostic criteria for detecting PPH, based on the largest study on the topic to date – also published today in The Lancet.

Many PPH cases occur without identifiable risk factors, meaning early detection and rapid response is critical. Yet in many settings, especially where healthcare resources and labour wards are overstretched, delays in treatment result in devastating consequences.

Typically, PPH has been diagnosed as a blood loss of 500 mL or more. Now, clinicians are also advised to act when the blood loss reaches 300 mL, and any abnormal vital signs have been observed. To diagnose PPH early, doctors and midwives are advised to monitor women closely after birth and use calibrated drapes – simple devices that collect and accurately quantify lost blood – so that they can act immediately when criteria are met.

The guidelines recommend the immediate deployment of the MOTIVE bundle of actions once PPH has been diagnosed. This includes:

Massage of the uterus;
Oxytocic drugs to stimulate contractions;
Tranexamic acid (TXA) to reduce bleeding;
Intravenous fluids;
Vaginal and genital tract examination; and
Escalation of care if bleeding persists.
In rare cases where bleeding continues, the guidelines also recommend effective interventions such as surgery or blood transfusion to safely stabilize a woman’s condition until further treatment becomes available.

“Women affected by PPH need care that is fast, feasible, effective and drives progress towards eliminating PPH-related deaths,” said Professor Anne Beatrice Kihara, President of FIGO. “These guidelines take a proactive approach of readiness, recognition and response. They are designed to ensure real-world impact – empowering health workers to deliver the right care, at the right time, and in a wide range of contexts.”

Reducing risks through effective prevention

The guidelines emphasize the importance of good antenatal and postnatal care to mitigate critical risk factors such as anaemia, which is highly prevalent in low- and lower-middle income countries. Anaemia increases the likelihood of PPH and worsens outcomes if it occurs. Recommendations for anaemic mothers include daily oral iron and folate during pregnancy and intravenous iron transfusions when rapid correction is needed, including after PPH, or, if oral therapy fails.

The publication also discourages unsafe practices such as routine episiotomies while promoting preventive techniques like perineal massage in late pregnancy, so as to reduce the likelihood of trauma and severe bleeding after birth.

During the third stage of labour, the guidelines recommend administering a quality-assured uterotonic to support uterine contraction, preferably oxytocin or heat-stable carbetocin as an alternative. If intravenous options are not available and the cold chain is unreliable, misoprostol may be used as a last resort.

“Midwives know first-hand how quickly postpartum haemorrhage can escalate and cost lives,” said Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent OBE, ICM’s Chief Midwife. “These guidelines are a game-changer. But to end preventable deaths from PPH, we need more than evidence and protocols. We call on governments, health systems, donors, and partners to step up, adopt these recommendations, adopt them quickly, and invest in midwives and maternal care so that postpartum haemorrhage becomes a tragedy of the past.”

The guidelines are accompanied by a suite of training and implementation resources, developed with partners including UNFPA. These tools consist of practical modules for frontline health workers, national-level guides for introducing new practices, and simulation-based training to strengthen emergency response.

These consolidated guidelines–the first to uniquely focus on PPH–are being launched at the 2025 FIGO World Congress in Cape Town, South Africa. They are a crucial step in the implementation of the Global Roadmap for Combatting PPH between 2023 and 2030.

The world is smoking less, but the tobacco epidemic is far from over. A new WHO global report shows the number of tobacco users has dropped from 1.38 billion in 2000 to 1.2 billion in 2024. Since 2010, the number of people using tobacco has dropped by 120 million – a 27% drop in relative terms. Yet, tobacco still hooks one in five adults worldwide, fuelling millions of preventable deaths every year.

“Millions of people are stopping, or not taking up, tobacco use thanks to tobacco control efforts by countries around the world,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “In response to this strong progress, the tobacco industry is fighting back with new nicotine products, aggressively targeting young people. Governments must act faster and stronger in implementing proven tobacco control policies.”

For the first time, WHO has estimated global e-cigarette use – and the numbers are alarming: more than 100 million people worldwide are now vaping. This includes:

Adults: at least 86 million users, mostly in high-income countries.
Adolescents: at least 15 million children (13–15 years) already using e-cigarettes. In countries with data, children are on average nine times more likely than adults to vape.
The tobacco industry is introducing an incessant chain of new products and technologies for its aim to market tobacco addiction with not just cigarettes but also e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, heated tobacco products among others, which all harm people’s health, and more worryingly the health of new generations, youth and adolescents.

“E-cigarettes are fuelling a new wave of nicotine addiction,” said Etienne Krug, WHO Director of Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention Department. “They are marketed as harm reduction but, in reality, are hooking kids on nicotine earlier and risk undermining decades of progress.”

More women are quitting tobacco than men
While there has been a steady decline in tobacco use for both men and women across all age-groups during 2000–2024, women have been leading the charge to quit tobacco. They hit the global reduction target for 2025 five years early, reaching the 30% milestone back in 2020. Prevalence of tobacco use among women dropped from 11% in 2010 to just 6.6% in 2024, with the number of female tobacco users falling from 277 million in 2010 to 206 million in 2024.

By contrast, men are not expected to reach the goal until 2031. Today, more than four out of five tobacco users worldwide are men, with just under 1 billion men still using tobacco. While prevalence among men has fallen from 41.4% in 2010 to 32.5% in 2024, the pace of change is too slow.

Regional picture
South-East Asia: Once the world’s hotspot, prevalence among men nearly halved – from 70% in 2000 to 37% in 2024. The Region alone accounts for over half of the global decline.
Africa: Prevalence is the lowest of all regions at 9.5% in 2024, and the Region is on track to meet the 30% target. However, because of population growth, the absolute number of tobacco users continues to rise.
Americas: The Region has achieved a 36% relative reduction, with prevalence dropping to 14% in 2024, though some countries still lack sufficient data.
Europe: This is now the highest-prevalence Region globally, with 24.1% of adults using tobacco in 2024, with women in Europe having the highest global prevalence at 17.4%.
Eastern Mediterranean: Prevalence is 18%, with tobacco use continuing to rise in some countries.
Western Pacific: With 22.9% of adults using tobacco in 2024, down from 25.8% in 2010, the progress in this Region is the slowest. While women have low prevalence at 2.5%, men have the highest prevalence of all regions at 43.3%.
Actions needed
WHO is urging governments everywhere to step up tobacco control. This means fully implementing and enforcing the MPOWER package and the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, closing loopholes that allow the tobacco and nicotine industries to target children, and regulating new nicotine products like e-cigarettes. It also means raising tobacco taxes, banning advertising, and expanding cessation services so that millions more people can quit.

“Nearly 20% of adults people still use tobacco and nicotine products. We cannot let up now,” said Jeremy Farrar, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and Care. “The world has made gains, but stronger, faster action is the only way to beat the tobacco epidemic.”

Source: WHO

Forgery Scandal: Carry Your Cross, Enugu Govt Tells Minister Uche Nnaji

Forgery Scandal: Carry Your Cross, Enugu Govt Tells Minister Uche Nnaji |  Independent Newspaper NigeriaLarryBravo Nwaiwu
The Enugu State Government has denied sponsoring allegations of certificate forgery against the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, urging him to “carry his cross” and clear his name before Nigerians.
The government, in a press statement issued in Enugu on Monday by the Director of Information in the Ministry of Information and Communication, Mr. Chukwuemeka Nebo, said it had no hand whatsoever in the controversies surrounding the Minister’s academic records.
“The Enugu State Government dissociates itself completely from these allegations. The Honourable Minister must carry his own cross and clear his name before Nigerians, instead of dragging the government into issues that are entirely personal to him,” Mr. Nebo declared.
The Director of Information recalled that Chief Nnaji had invited journalists to a world press conference scheduled for Monday at 2:00 pm to address the matter, but failed to show up.
“A large number of Nigerian and international journalists reportedly gathered on the Minister’s invitation to hear directly from him. But rather than appear before them to answer questions and establish his innocence, the Minister absconded, leaving behind proxies who could not withstand the barrage of legitimate questions from journalists.
“Who can narrate Chief Nnaji’s UNN story better than him? Why invite the media, only to outsource the conference? Why send third parties, who lack the answers to critical questions, if he truly has nothing to hide?” Mr. Nebo queried.
“Did he, for his screening, present a purported degree certificate to the Senate showing that he graduated from the prestigious University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), in July 1985?
“Is it true that he deposed in a Federal High Court filing in Abuja that he was not issued any degree certificate by UNN and, if so, how did he come about the degree certificate he presented to the Senate?
“Is it also true that while he claims to have graduated in July 1985, he applied to the university to retake Virology (Course code: MCB 431) in the September 1985 Supplementary Examination, having failed the course?
“Is it also true that the university, in a November 8, 1985 letter, informed Uche Nnaji that he again failed Virology (Course code: MCB 431) in the Supplementary Examinations, but could register to retake the course in the June 1986 examinations, provided he paid an examination fee of N4.00 (Four naira)?
“Is it true that on January 3, 1986, he again applied to retake the Virology (Course code: MCB 431) examination in June 1986, stating in his letter that the receipt for the payment of the N4.00 (Four Naira) resit fee had been attached?
“Is it true that while he claims to be in possession of a university degree, he only submitted his Secondary School WASC Certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for his participation in the 2023 governorship election?
“Why did Uche Nnaji’s proxy state at the Abuja press conference that the Minister “graduated”, while avoiding stating categorically that he was issued a degree certificate?
“Did he also present a purported NYSC discharge certificate showing that he commenced his national service in April 1985, three months before his supposed graduation, and served until July 1986 — an unusual duration of 13 months instead of the usual 12 months of national service?
“Whereas the CEO of the NYSC at the time he claimed to have undergone the national service was Col. Edet Akpan (January 1984 to December 1987), Uche Nnaji’s NYSC discharge certificate was signed by Col. Animashaun Braimoh, who was NYSC CEO from January 1988 to December 1990.
“Is it true that NYSC certificates issued up till October 1990 had six-digit numbering devoid of alphabetic characters, but Uche Nnaji’s discharge certificate, supposedly issued in 1986, was numbered A231309, which includes the alphabet ‘A’?
“And above all, is it a fact that he deposed to an affidavit in the suit he filed in court that UNN did not issue him any certificate? And if that is the case, Nigerians want to know how he came about the certificate he submitted to the Senate of his own free will in 2023.
“These are the clarifications Nigerians earnestly yearn for, and Chief Uche Nnaji is urged to brave up to clear his name, if he is truly innocent, rather than trading blames,” Nebo stressed.
Vice President Kashim Shettima Commends Shell Investments At Nigeria Economic Summit

Vice President, Kashim Shettima, Ministers and other distinguished dignitaries at Shell’s exhibition booth during the Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja… on Monday
L-R: Business Value Manager, Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited, Chidi Nkazi; Vice President, Kashim Shettima and Shell’s General Manager, Corporate Relations, Abukakar Ahmed visiting Shell’s exhibition booth during the Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja… on Monday

 

Amaka Obiefuna

Vice President Kashim Shettima today commended the investments of Shell in Nigeria as he visited the company’s exhibition stand at the opening of the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit (NES) in Abuja.

 

The exhibition complements the participation of Shell in the summit and features the operations of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Ltd (SNEPCo), Shell Nigeria Gas (SNG), All On and Daystar Power.

 

Vice President Shettima who had earlier declared the summit open on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,was briefed on the contributions of the companies to the economic development of Nigeria, especially the energy sector.

 

Accompanied by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, the Minister of Trade and Investment Jumoke Oduwole and the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Vice President Shettima said he was impressed with the investments of Shell in deep-water including the $5-billion Bonga North development. Work on the project is in progress following the FID which was taken early last year.

 

Business Value Manager Chidi Nkazi, who conducted the VIPs round the exhibition stand, also highlighted the impact of Shell’s social investments in health, education and employment generation. “Every year our operations generate revenues which are used to finance development,” Chidi said, adding; “In 2024 alone, Shell Companies in Nigeria paid $1.209 billion in taxes and royalties to the Federal Government.”

 

Collecting Now Exhibition : Yemisi Shyllon Museum Of Art Presents Its Second Edition

Participating Collectors and Exhibition Insurance Partner at the Opening Event of Collecting Now 1. L-R Mr Adeniyi Adenubi, Mrs. Eyamba Dafinone, Mr. Stanley Evans, Mr. Adedotun Sulaiman, Dr. Jess Castellote
Works on Display at the Olori Funmilayo Exhibition Gallery of the YSMA

By Winifred Bosa

The Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art (YSMA), Pan-Atlantic University, is proud to announce the public unveiling of the second edition of its landmark exhibition, Collecting Now.

 Opening on October 11, 2025, the exhibition presents 90 significant works on loan from six distinguished Nigerian collectors – Olufemi Akinsanya, Ifeyinwa Momah, Tayo Odunsi, Nonso Okpala, Bimpe Nkontchou and Yemi Ogunbiyi – offering audiences privileged access to a diverse range of traditional, modern and contemporary art rarely seen outside private collections.

Following the success of its maiden edition in 2024, Collecting Now has become an important platform for highlighting the practice of art collecting in Nigeria and its role in sustaining the country’s cultural and creative economy. Featuring works across painting, sculpture, photography, and mixed media, the exhibition illuminates the interplay between individual taste and collective heritage.

This year’s showcase is particularly notable for spotlighting two women collectors whose perspectives illustrate the multifaceted power of collecting—as a way of living and as an act of advocacy.

“The Collecting Now series reinforces YSMA’s role as a pioneering institution that brings private visions into public spaces,” said Dr. Jess Castellote, Director of the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art. “We are not only presenting exceptional works of art but also shaping a critical conversation about collecting as a cultural practice that ensures continuity, strengthens our art ecosystem, and connects Nigeria’s artistic legacy with future generations.”

Reflecting on her participation in the exhibition, one of the featured collectors, Ifeyinwa Momah, shared: “For me, art is everyday living—it fills my spaces, shapes my memories, and inspires how I see the world. This exhibition is deeply meaningful because it allows these personal experiences to be encountered publicly, sparking conversations that affirm the value of art in our daily lives. I am proud to stand alongside fellow collectors in sharing our journeys through this platform at YSMA.”

The exhibition enjoys the continued support of Ark Insurance Brokers, who, for the second time, are sponsoring the insurance of the entirety of works on display.

 Their renewed partnership underscores their position as a leading brokerage provider for the arts in Nigeria, with a longstanding commitment to supporting culture and creativity alongside their broader insurance expertise.

“Our partnership with YSMA for Collecting Now reflects our enduring belief that Nigerian art is a national treasure worthy of world-class protection,” remarked Kayode Awogboro, Managing Director of Ark Insurance Group. “As a trusted name in insurance, we take pride in safeguarding collections of immense cultural value, while affirming our commitment to the arts as part of the fabric of society.”

Through this initiative, YSMA affirms its position as a pioneering institution dedicated to advancing cultural scholarship, deepening public access to art, and celebrating the vision of Nigerian collectors as curators and preservers of history and heritage.

The general public is invited to see Collecting Now II between October 11, 2025 to February 9, 2026 at the Olori Funmilayo Shyllon Exhibition Gallery of the YSMA at Pan-Atlantic University.
Court Strikes Out Ismaila Isa Funtua’s Suit Against 9mobile

The Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out a suit filed by businessman Abubakar Ismaila Isa Funtua, who alleged that his 43 million shares were transferred without his consent to Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Limited (EMTS), operators of 9mobile.
Delivering judgment in the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1971/2024 on September 24, 2025, Justice Mohammed Umar held that Isa, the lone plaintiff, lacked the locus standi (legal capacity) to institute the action against the nine defendants.
The defendants in the case were: Seltrix Limited, Hayatu Hassan Hadejia, Teleology Nigeria Limited, Mohammed Edewor, EMTS, the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), LH Telecommunication Limited, and General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma.
Isa, through his counsel Femi Atteh, SAN, had commenced the suit on December 27, 2024, seeking 11 reliefs, including a declaration that he was the beneficial owner of the disputed shares allegedly held in trust for him by Seltrix Ltd in Teleology Nigeria Ltd.
However, the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th, and 9th defendants, represented by Michael Aondakaa, SAN, C.I. Okpoko, SAN, R.O. Atabo, SAN, A.T. Kohol, Esq., and C.C. Ogbonna, Esq., filed a joint preliminary objection dated February 5, 2025, urging the court to dismiss the case for want of jurisdiction and as an abuse of court process.
After reviewing arguments from all parties, Justice Umar upheld the objection, ruling that Isa failed to show any legal interest in the subject matter.
Justice Umar held: “I carefully perused the said exhibit to see if the allegation of the Plaintiff is substantiated, I did not find any. Nowhere was there any figure of the 43,000,000 million ordinary shares held in trust for the Plaintiff by the 1st Defendant mentioned.
“In fact, the 2nd Defendant denied any business dealings with the Plaintiff and these facts were not controverted by the Plaintiff. The said exhibits cannot by any imagination constitute a trust to confer locus standi on the Plaintiff. The said exhibits were tendered by the Plaintiff, but nowhere did it link the Plaintiff to his claims to enable him to institute an action on the facts alleged therein.”
Furthermore, the court held that the plaintiff failed to establish the facts he asserted and to link his claims to the exhibits he himself tendered by virtue of averment in this suit.
“I find that the Objectors have adequately countered the said exhibits in their reply on points of law in tandem with the law that failure to respond to a counter affidavit is deemed to be an admission,” Justice Umar held.
In the final analysis, the judge added: “I resolve the issue of locus standi against the Plaintiff, and the law is that where a Plaintiff has been adjudged to lack locus standi, it does not matter what other issues have been raised for determination in the suit.”
The court noted that since the Plaintiff lacked the capacity to institute the action, there was no need to make a pronouncement on grounds two to nine (2-9) of the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th and 9th Defendants’ Notice of Preliminary Objections, which included claims that the suit was statute-barred, incompetent, and that Isa was a “meddlesome interloper” seeking to frustrate the operations of EMTS.
“I therefore make an Order striking out this action for lack of locus standi of the Plaintiff. This is the Order of this Court,” the judge added.
The case was marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1971/2024.
Fidelity Bank Commences Disbursement Of FGN MSME Intervention Funds: Reaffirms Support For Women Entrepreneurs


Amaka Obiefuna

 

 

Tier One Lender, Fidelity Bank Plc, has commenced the disbursement of the Federal Government of Nigeria’s (FGN) MSME Intervention Funds, administered by the Bank of Industry (BOI), to qualified SMES with a strategic focus on empowering women-owned businesses across the country.

 

The FGN MSME Intervention Fund is designed to provide accessible financing to micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across all 36 states of the federation.

 

The intervention aligns with Fidelity Bank’s commitment to inclusive economic growth and its long-standing support for Nigeria’s SME sector. In this phase of the disbursement, the bank is prioritizing women entrepreneurs, reinforcing its belief in the catalytic role of women-led enterprises in driving sustainable development and job creation.

 

Speaking on the development, Osita Ede, Divisional Head, Product Development at Fidelity Bank Plc, said, “As a bank deeply committed to the growth of SMEs, we are proud to partner with the Federal Government and the Bank of Industry on this critical intervention. For this phase, we are placing women at the forefront because we recognize their resilience, innovation, and pivotal contributions to wealth creation and employment generation in Nigeria.”

 

Fidelity Bank has also put in place a robust structure to ensure seamless onboarding and fund disbursement. Leveraging its nationwide branch network, digital banking platforms, and experienced relationship managers, the bank is poised to reach and support entrepreneurs across urban and rural communities.

 

The bank’s emergence as a critical player in the disbursement of the FGN MSME intervention Fund strongly aligns with its ongoing initiatives as the leading supporter of SMEs in Nigeria. Recently, the Fidelity SME Empowerment Programme (FSEP) was launched at its Gbagada SME Hub in Lagos.

 

This flagship initiative provided 100 growth-ready SMEs with ERPRev-enabled POS systems, business software, receipt printers, barcode scanners, inventory support, bookkeeping and branding training, three-day masterclasses, and six months of post-installation monitoring—all at no cost.
Earlier in May 2025, Fidelity Bank also signed an MoU with SMEDAN, Nigeria’s Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency, to deliver SME-friendly low-interest financing, capacity-building support, and market access for SMEs referred under the agreement.

 

“Our vision goes beyond financing. We are building an ecosystem of support for SMEs by offering capacity-building programs, mentorship opportunities, and market access. Women entrepreneurs, in particular, will benefit from a larger share of the fund as part of our broader strategy to promote gender inclusion,”Ede added.

 

The FGN MSME Intervention Fund will further advance the bank’s commitment to empowering small and medium-sized enterprises by expanding access to affordable financing and strategic support. Through this fund, Fidelity Bank aims to deepen its impact on Nigeria’s MSME ecosystem, fostering sustainable growth, job creation, and economic resilience across the country.

 

Ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 9.1 million customers through digital banking channels, its 255 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.

 

The Bank is the recipient of multiple local and international Awards, including the 2024 Excellence in Digital Transformation & MSME Banking Award by BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards; the 2024 Most Innovative Mobile Banking Application award for its Fidelity Mobile App by Global Business Outlook, and the 2024 Most Innovative Investment Banking Service Provider award by Global Brands Magazine.

 

Additionally, the Bank was recognized as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence and as the Export Financing Bank of the Year by the BusinessDay Banks and Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards