Scientists say early experiments suggest it may one day be possible to make babies without using eggs. They have succeeded in creating healthy baby mice by tricking sperm into believing they were fertilising normal eggs. The findings in Nature Communications, could, in the distant future, mean women can be removed from the baby-making process, say the researchers.  For now, the work helps to explain some of the details of fertilisation They used chemicals to trick it into becoming a pseudo-embryo.  These “fake” embryos share much in common with ordinary cells, such as skin cells, in the way they divide and control their DNA. …

During a workshop on tracking and monitoring of nutrition budget in Dutse, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) Programme Officer, Mohammed Murtala has disclosed in a presentation that survey by the CISLAC has indicated that about 102,000 children under 6 years in Jigawa state have been denied exclusive breastfeeding. He added that following a poor intake of nutrition among the under six children, Jigawa state has a record of 50 percent prevalence rate of acute malnutrition among its children, which is above the national average of 32 percent.

More than 300,000 children between the age of six months and five years old were screened for tuberculosis during Mozambique’s National Health Week which ended on 29 July. According to figures released by the Ministry of Health on Tuesday, over eight thousand children presented signs of tuberculosis. The Deputy National Director of Public Health, Quinhas Fernandes, told reporters that some of the children had direct contact with patients with tuberculosis and have been referred to health units where a more accurate diagnosis can be carried out. …