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NHEA 2024 Celebrates Healthcare Excellence in Grand Style
The 10th edition of the Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Award (NHEA) was held on Friday, June 21, 2024, at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The Emir of Songa, HRH Alh. Dr. Haliru Yahaya celebrating with the Katsina State delegation to the NHEA award led by the Commissioner of Health Dr. Bashir Gambo Saulawa (holding the trophy). Joining them to celebrate also are: Clare Omatseye, Managing Director , JNC International (left of Commissioner) and Njide Ndili, Country Director, PharmAccess (right of Emir)
The prestigious event recognized 35 individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions and achievements in the Nigerian healthcare sector.
The evening was a celebration of innovation, dedication, and excellence in healthcare, with key stakeholders, medical professionals, and dignitariesin attendance.
Three distinguished individuals received the Lifetime Achievement Award for their lifelong dedication and impact on healthcare.
They are Chief Varkey Verghese, MFR, Founder of Jawa Group of Companies, who was honored for his significant contributions to the pharmaceutical industry and his numerous philanthropic activities; Dr. Fidelis AkhagbosoAyebae, Managing Director of Fidson Healthcare Plc, was recognized for his pioneering innovations and leadership in pharmaceutical manufacturing in Nigeria, and Professor Uche Veronica Amazigo was awarded for her exceptional work in public health and her contributions to combating neglected tropical diseases.
The following individual and organisation also received Special Recognition Award for excelling in specific areas of healthcare.
They include, Dr. Benjamin Anyanwu, Executive Medical Director of Regions Healthcare, he was honored for his excellence in Neuroscience and advancing neurological care, and Smile Train Inc. received recognition for their impactful initiative of installing solar power systems, including inverters and batteries, in hospitals across Nigeria, ensuring uninterrupted medical operations.
The Special Diaspora Excellence Award, was presented to Dr. Muktar Aliyu, Professor of Medicine and Health Policy at Vanderbilt University, for his significant contributions to global health, particularly in Nigeria, through research, training, and clinical care.
In his address, Dr. Anthony Omolola, chairman, NHEA Advisory Board, highlighted the importance of recognizing and celebrating excellence in the healthcare sector. He emphasized the critical role of innovation, dedication, and collaboration in improving healthcare outcomes in Nigeria and reiterated NHEA’s commitment to fostering excellence and supporting initiatives that advance the health and well-being of Nigerians.
As stated by the Chairman, “The Nigerian Healthcare Excellence Awards is not just an event; it is a movement towards better healthcare standards and practices in Nigeria. We are proud to honor these exceptional individuals and organizations whose work has had a lasting impact on our healthcare system.”
A significant highlight of this year’s award was the unprecedented tie in the Public Tertiary Healthcare Facility of the Year category. The honour was jointly awarded to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, and the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Meta, Lagos.
The event was graced by several notable personalities, including the Emir of Songa, Dr. Aliyu Yahaya, who served as the father of the day; Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina Ahmed El-lmam; Commissioner of Health; Katsina State, Dr Bishir Gambo Saulawa; Dr. Pamela Ajayi, the President of Health Federation of Nigeria was represented by Pharm. Abimbola Adebakin, Founder of Advantage Health Africa; Claire Omatseye, Managing Director of JNCI; and Njide Ngele, Country Director of PharmAccess Foundation. Also present were Dr George Uduku – General Manager, West Africa – GE Healthcare; Pharm. Ifeanyi Atueyi, publisher Pharmanews; Dr Femi
Olugbile , former PS Lagos State Ministry of Health and member NHEA Advisory board among others. The Federal Ministry of Health and the Lagos State Ministry of Health were highly represented.
The NHEA 2024 was supported by PharmAccess Foundation, Sterling Bank, Nigeria Health Watch, and the Global Health Advocacy Initiative. Organized by Global Health Project & Resources in collaboration with Anadach Group USA, the event left an indelible mark on all attendees, reaffirming the importance of dedication, innovation, and service in the healthcare sector.NHEA 2025 will be held on June 27, 2025.
Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has issued a Public Health advisory on the spread of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM).
It said that the caution is particularly for states within the African Meningitis belt.
In a statement by the Corporate Communications Division of NCDC urged all Nigerians to remain vigilant and adopt preventive measures.
The statement said: “As Nigeria continues through the peak dry season months, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) alerts the public to the ongoing risk of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM), particularly in states within the African meningitis belt.
“Cerebrospinal meningitis occurs more frequently between December and April, when dry, dusty conditions, overcrowding, and poor ventilation increase the risk of transmission.
“The NCDC urges all Nigerians to remain vigilant and adopt preventive measures. Surveillance and response activities remain ongoing nationwide, and laboratory testing is being conducted at the state level while national laboratory capacity is being strengthened.
It explained that Cerebrospinal meningitis is a serious infection of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.
According to NCDC the affliction is most commonly caused by bacteria, particularly Neisseria meningitidis.
“Bacterial meningitis can progress rapidly and may be fatal within hours if untreated.
“However, early diagnosis and prompt antibiotic treatment significantly improve survival and reduce complications. CSM spreads through respiratory droplets during close contact, especially in overcrowded or poorly ventilated environments.”
It said that symptoms to watch out for include sudden high fever, severe headache, and neck stiffness.
It said other symptoms may include: nausea or vomiting, sensitivity to light, confusion or altered consciousness and seizures.
For In infants and young children, NCDC said the symptoms could bulging soft spot on the head.
The Centre said that early recognition and treatment can save lives.
According to a Kaspersky report “Mobile malware evolution,” the number of Trojan banker attacks on Android smartphones increased by 56% in 2025 compared to the previous year*.
This type of malware is designed to steal user credentials for online banking, e-payment services and credit card systems. Cybercriminals commonly distribute Trojan bankers through messaging apps, as well as through malicious webpages.
The number of new Trojan banker installation packages for Android (unique APK files) also increased sharply, reaching 255,090 packages – a 271% increase over 2024. This may indicate that these tools generate substantial profit for cybercriminals.
Kaspersky experts believe threat actors will continue both to expand delivery channels and develop new Trojan variants trying to evade detection by security solutions. Among all detected Trojan bankers, the leading families were Mamont and Creduz.
“Although Trojan bankers for smartphones are the fastest-growing type of malware, we also observed another important trend: preinstalled backdoors such as Triada and Keenadu appeared more frequently compared to previous years. People purchase completely new, but infected, Android devices and may be unaware of the threat.
Once integrated into the firmware fully functional preinstalled backdoors provide attackers with unlimited control over the victims’ smartphones and tablets. As a result, all information on infected devices can be compromised.
It’s quite difficult to remove such malware. If the device is infected, we recommend users check for firmware updates. After the update, run a scan of the device with a security solution again to make sure newly installed firmware is not infected,” comments Anton Kivva, malware analyst team lead at Kaspersky.
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