Visionscape Sanitation Solutions, an organization that provides solutions to waste management, has partnered with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in a bid to create solutions to plastic pollution. This was made known at an event to commemorate the World Environment Day, by Motunrayo Elias, head corporate communications, Visionscape Group. She said the group’s collaboration with the CBN would support global climate change targets that would reduce waste generation through prevention. “We are growing the recycling industry in Nigeria. This increases the share of manufacturing in the GDP and foster inclusive and sustainable industrialisation,” she said.Our collaboration with the CBN supports global climate change targets to substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse by 2030.” Also Godwin Emefiele, governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), said the partnership would afford the apex bank an opportunity to achieve the UN’s sustainable development goals. Emefiele said, “This game-changing celebration will provide an opportunity for the CBN to renew its commitments towards the implementation of the Nigeria Sustainable Banking Principles and... ...

The German government is set to deport close to 30,000 Nigerians seeking asylum in Germany. The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Diaspora and Foreign Affairs, Hon. Abike Dabiri Erewa disclosed this at a programme; “Developing a mixed migration strategy for UNHCR Nigeria” in Abuja on Tuesday. “Germany said it has about 25,000 to 30,000 Nigerians seeking asylum and they can’t guarantee they will get it. So, there is every possibilities that they will be returned to Nigeria,” she said. According to her, the reasons for asylum by the Nigerians were not genuine as “some who are from the East and West are saying they are running away from Boko Haram while some others say they are gays and were having challenges expressing themselves in Nigeria.” The SSA to the President said a date has not yet been set for the deportation of the asylum seeking Nigerians. “Germany has set up a team working with the ministry of foreign affairs to see how the whole process [of deportation] can... ...

Coca-Cola Co.’s first-ever alcoholic drink, a canned beverage called Lemon-Do went on sale this week in Japan. Several varieties of the product will be available featuring 3%, 5% and 7% alcohol, plus a salty lemon version and one flavored with honey and lemon, according to The Wall Street Journal. Fizzy fruit-flavored drinks containing alcohol, known as “alcopop,” are popular in Japan, especially those with citrus flavors such as lemon and grapefruit. Food Ingredients First reported the products are sold as beer alternatives. Lemon-Do’s debut took place on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, although further Coca-Cola plans for distribution were unclear, The Wall Street Journal noted. Euromonitor Analyst Akari Utsunomiya told the newspaper that the company has tested products before in Japan and that the limited rollout might help Coca-Cola decide how to debut it elsewhere. Coca-Cola’s move into Japan’s alcopop market is quite a departure for the soft drink maker, but slumping sales in some of its core areas have driven the company to look for profits in new... ...

Vesico-vaginal fistula, VVF is a medical condition whereby a hole is between the birth canal and the bladder leaving the women in a state of not being able to control their urine. Women with a hole between the birth canal and the rectum, recto-vaginal fistula (RVF) experience uncontrollable leakage of stool. Some women have both VVF and RVF. Some women are born with fistula, which is rare. Other causes include injuries sustained during pelvic surgery and hysterectomies, inflammation and infections in the genital area, and sexual violence. But the leading cause of fistula is prolonged and obstructed labor.  In Nigeria, between 400,000 and 800,000 women is currently living with fistula. The World Health Organization describes fistula as “the single most dramatic aftermath of prolonged or neglected childbirth,” and estimates more than two million women live with fistula worldwide. Nigeria has the world’s highest occurrence of obstetric fistula and the Nigerian government says early marriage is largely to blame. Often, the bodies of young wives are not physically prepared for childbirth.... ...

The Benin Zonal Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person NAPTIP, has arrested an unrepentant trafficker who specialty is in recruiting young girls for her own children abroad.  A statement by the Zonal Commander of NAPTIP, Nduka Nwanwene, identified the suspected trafficker as Mrs. Ehis Edoghien, a 56-years-old from Orhionwon Local Government Area of Edo State. Nduka said the suspect has been on the surveillance of the command after series of reports concerning her activities and that she has been warned several times by neighbors to desist from human trafficking. The statement said, “The suspect usually takes her victims to her house for some weeks during which they undergo orientation and tutelage before they “graduate” to make the journey. The suspect is also known to take her victims to churches for prayers within the period of the orientation.” “In an early morning operation, which led to her arrest, the suspect had taken the two victims to the Life of Christ Fellowship at the Sakponba area of Benin... ...

 Nigeria is committed to joining forces to ensure we not only develop a HIV vaccine, but ensure we address barriers and challenges to its access when developed. Stating this in commemoration of HIV Vaccine Awareness Day on the 18th of May, 2018, Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, Prof. Babatunde Salako, said the nation is leading the policy formulation landscape, through relevant trainings and advocacy for access to the finished product. “We are committed to ensuring Nigeria is not left behind in the race to end the HIV and AIDS epidemic. We join HIV vaccine advocates to urge the international community to continue to recognise the importance of investing in new technologies as a critical element of comprehensive response to the HIV and AIDS epidemic. “The race to developing a HIV vaccine is a marathon race. Slow and steady but assuredly that the end will be sooner than later. It requires investment, hard work, and the non-stop commitment towards a goal. The race requires countries around the... ...

Tobacco use and second-hand smoke is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), including coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease; contributing about 12 per cent death from heart disease, the Nigerian Heart Foundation (NHF), has said. Addressing journalists at a press briefing in Lagos recently to commemorate the World No-Tobacco Day 2018, themed ‘Tobacco and heart disease’, the Chairman, Executive Council, NHF, Dr. Olufemi Mobolaji-Lawal noted that according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), tobacco use kills seven million people worldwide each year and that number is predicted to grow unless anti-tobacco actions are increased. He said: “In Africa, the number of smokers continues to increase progressively in spite of more than 52 countries becoming signatory to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) since 2005. Though the prevalence of tobacco use remains low in African region, the positive economic growth in some countries , and the rapid inflow of transnational tobacco companies in many African countries continue to contribute to increasing tobacco use rates” he... ...

The last abortion clinic in Toledo, Ohio, has been granted a license allowing it to resume performing most abortions. Capital Care of Toledo applied for the license after receiving a state-mandated patient-transfer agreement from the ProMedica hospital system in February. Restrictions passed by Ohio lawmakers in 2013 mandated the transfer agreements be with local hospitals and barred public hospitals from providing them. The University of Toledo Hospital ended its transfer arrangement with Capital Care two months before the law was enacted. The state Department of Health on Wednesday notified Capital Care of the ambulatory surgical license it issued May 8. The Ohio Supreme Court ruled this year the state was within its rights when it revoked the clinic’s license in 2014 because it didn’t have the patient-transfer agreement. ...