Cholera death toll in northeast Nigeria rises to 90

At least 90 people ​have died and more ‌than 12,000 others have been infected in a fast-spreading cholera ​outbreak in Nigeria's conflict-hit ​Borno state, the U.N. Office ⁠for the Coordination of ​Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on ​Thursday.

Death toll from the outbreak that began in early May rose from ​74, with about 7,800 ​infections reported.

OCHA said aid agencies were ‌scaling ⁠up treatment, surveillance and access to clean water to support government efforts to contain ​the ​outbreak.

A $4 ⁠million injection from OCHA-managed funds was bolstering ​the emergency response, but ​more ⁠resources were urgently needed to strengthen prevention and treatment, ⁠OCHA ​said.

By Ahmed Kingimi, Reuters

Nigeria Lassa Fever Crisis Kills 191 Across 23 States

A severe and rapidly escalating outbreak of Lassa fever has claimed 191 lives across Nigeria since the start of the year, overwhelming regional treatment centers and exposing critical vulnerabilities in the nation's infectious disease surveillance networks. The surging death toll highlights a systemic failure to contain a preventable virus that continues to decimate rural and urban communities alike.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed on Wednesday that the viral hemorrhagic illness has now infiltrated 23 states across 106 local government areas. With the median age of victims hovering at 30, the epidemic is systematically striking down the nation's most productive demographic, triggering urgent calls for international medical intervention and sweeping structural reforms.

The Numbers Behind the Crisis

The epidemiological data paints a grim picture of a public health apparatus under siege. In its latest situational report covering Epidemiological Week 18, the NCDC revealed that the case fatality rate has skyrocketed to 24.6 percent, a terrifying increase from the 19.2 percent recorded during the same period in 2025.

The geographic concentration of the virus is equally alarming. A staggering 84 percent of all confirmed infections are isolated within just five states: Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Edo, and Benue. Bauchi and Ondo alone account for 52 percent of the national caseload, transforming local hospitals into overwhelmed triage centers.

. Total Fatalities: 191 recorded deaths across 23 states in 2026.
. Case Fatality Rate: Surged to 24.6 percent, up from 19.2 percent the previous year.
. Demographic Impact: The 21–30 age group is the most heavily affected, with a median victim age of 30.
. Hotspot Zones: Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Edo, and Benue account for 84 percent of all infections.

A Structural Healthcare Deficit

The primary driver of the soaring fatality rate is the late presentation of cases at medical facilities. Early symptoms of Lassa fever—including fever, general weakness, headache, and muscle pain—are frequently misdiagnosed as malaria or typhoid. By the time patients exhibit the definitive hemorrhagic symptoms, such as bleeding from the mouth, the virus has often caused irreversible organ damage.

Dr. Jide Idris, Director General of the NCDC, emphasized the lethal consequences of these diagnostic delays. Experts warn that the high cost of treatment and the sheer geographic distance to specialized clinical management centers deter impoverished citizens from seeking immediate care. The financial burden of intensive antiviral therapy can exceed KES 150,000 equivalent per patient, a catastrophic out-of-pocket expense for rural farming families.

The Agricultural Vector

Lassa fever is primarily transmitted to humans through direct contact with the urine or feces of the infected multimammate rat. The deeply entrenched agricultural practices in Nigeria's middle belt and northern regions inadvertently create perfect breeding grounds for the rodents. Poor post-harvest storage allows rats to contaminate food supplies, bridging the species barrier.

Furthermore, climate change and erratic rainfall patterns are forcing rodent populations closer to human settlements in search of food. Without comprehensive environmental sanitation protocols and aggressive community education regarding safe grain storage, medical interventions remain purely reactive.


Voices From the Frontline

The crisis is taking a severe psychological and physical toll on healthcare professionals. The NCDC report confirmed that an additional healthcare worker contracted the disease during the latest reporting week, underscoring the lethal risks faced by frontline responders operating in under-equipped facilities.

Treatment centers in Owo and Irrua are stretched beyond capacity. Medical personnel report dire shortages of personal protective equipment and ribavirin, the primary antiviral drug used to treat the infection. The constant exposure to highly contagious bodily fluids without adequate biomedical safeguards threatens to precipitate an exodus of specialized infectious disease clinicians.

Global Implications

The Nigerian epidemic reverberates beyond West Africa. Lassa fever is classified by the World Health Organization as a priority pathogen with pandemic potential. The absence of a licensed vaccine means that containment relies entirely on isolation and rigorous contact tracing.

Global health organizations, including the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Médecins Sans Frontières, have deployed tactical teams to assist Nigerian authorities. However, relying on foreign medical non-governmental organizations to patch structural deficits in a sovereign nation's healthcare grid is ultimately unsustainable.

As the death toll approaches 200, the Nigerian government faces a stark imperative. Without immediate capital deployment to decentralize testing laboratories and subsidize antiviral treatments, Lassa fever will continue its silent, annual massacre of the nation's youth.

Streamline

Nigeria intensifies surveillance as Ebola outbreak spreads in Central Africa

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has stepped up surveillance and emergency response following an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a confirmed imported case in Uganda.

Although Nigeria has recorded no confirmed case of Ebola, NCDC emphasised that it is maintaining heightened vigilance due to increasing regional mobility and the risk of cross-border transmission.

In a public health advisory signed by NCDC Director-General Jide Idris, the agency said it is closely monitoring developments in affected countries and coordinating preparedness efforts with the Port Health Services and other stakeholders.

“Response activities are ongoing in affected areas, and we are ensuring continued vigilance within Nigeria’s public health system,” Mr Idris said.

Highlighting preparedness measures that have been activated, Mr Idris said NCDC had strengthened nationwide surveillance systems for Ebola and other epidemic-prone diseases, while intensifying event-based monitoring and coordination with state health authorities.

Other measures include enhancing laboratory and diagnostic readiness, strengthening infection prevention and control awareness in healthcare settings, and expanding community engagement and public risk communication.

He further said the agency is closely tracking global and regional developments to ensure a rapid response if the situation changes.

Ebola Virus Disease

Ebola Virus Disease is a severe and often fatal viral infection transmitted through direct contact with the blood, bodily fluids or contaminated materials of infected persons or animals.

According to the NCDC, the disease has an incubation period ranging from two to 21 days.

It typically begins with symptoms such as fever, weakness, headache, muscle pain and sore throat before progressing to vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, unexplained bleeding.

The director-general warned that early detection and isolation are critical in preventing outbreaks from escalating.

Mr Idris advised healthcare workers across the country to maintain a high index of suspicion for Ebola in patients presenting symptoms consistent with the disease, particularly those with recent travel or exposure history linked to affected areas.

He urged medical personnel to strictly adhere to infection prevention protocols, including hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment, early isolation of suspected cases and prompt reporting through established surveillance channels.

Mr Idris appealed to Nigerians to avoid panic or the spread of misinformation, stressing that there is currently no confirmed Ebola case in the country.

“Residents are advised to maintain regular hand hygiene, avoid contact with bodily fluids of sick persons and refrain from handling dead animals or bushmeat from unknown sources.”

He also encouraged members of the public to promptly report unusual illnesses to health facilities and rely only on verified information from official public health authorities.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the latest alert has renewed concerns about the potential regional spread, particularly in countries with high levels of border movement and trade.

Nigeria’s extensive travel connections and large population make preparedness essential, especially given the country’s previous experience managing Ebola outbreaks.

Nigeria was internationally praised for containing the 2014 Ebola outbreak after swift tracing and isolation measures prevented widespread transmission following the arrival of an infected traveller from Liberia.

NAN reports that the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak linked to the Bundibugyo virus in the DRC and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), warning of significant regional and global risks.

The decision, announced on 16 May by the WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus under the International Health Regulations (2005), follows rising infections and deaths, alongside evidence of cross-border transmission.

However, the organisation clarified that the situation did not yet meet the threshold for a pandemic emergency.

Data from WHO showed that as of 16 May, eight laboratory-confirmed cases, 246 suspected infections, and 80 suspected deaths have been recorded in Ituri Province in eastern DR Congo.

The affected areas include Bunia, Rwampara and Mongbwalu, where clusters of unexplained community deaths have raised alarm.

In Uganda, two confirmed cases, including one fatality, were reported in the capital, Kampala, within 24 hours of each other.

Both individuals had recently travelled from DR Congo, marking a confirmed international spread of the virus.

Unlike other strains of Ebola, there are currently no approved vaccines or targeted treatments for the Bundibugyo variant, raising concerns among global health authorities.

NAN

Why condoms, safe sex may soon cost more in Nigeria

Karex BhD, the Malaysian company described as the world’s largest condom maker, announced plans to raise condom prices. The company’s chief executive officer, Goh Miah Kiat, stated that the hike, between 20% and 30%, is in response to rising production and logistics costs caused by the Iran conflict.

The war between the United States (US), Israel and Iran, which came to a head in February 2026, has affected the global supply and transport of basic goods for the manufacturing sector, among other impacts.

The geopolitical instability in the Persian Gulf has gone beyond dominating international news, with several basic essentials in the manufacturing sector becoming luxury items.

Nigerian retailers and buyers, unaware of the war’s impact on the global economy, will largely blame local inflation, which stood at 15.38% as of March 2026, up from 15.06% the previous month.

Advocates of safe sex and healthcare should brace for a slight hit in their mission as condoms, one of the most common contraceptives, are about to experience a price hike. The expected development threatens a drop in usage rates, likely leading to unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

DUBAWA, in this explainer, analysed the direct link between instability in the Middle East and local healthcare costs in Nigeria, showing how a distant conflict threatens Nigerians’ health security.

The Nigerian dilemma

Structural dependence on the outside world had already weakened the nation’s sexual healthcare efforts even before the Iran war.

The foreign exchange market’s volatility and the donor support system, which had started to fade as early as 2025, made the looming condom price increase hit harder. The January 2025 executive order signed by Donald Trump, America’s current president, was intended to reevaluate US foreign aid.

However, it led to a massive pause and eventual cut of over $40 billion in support for the global healthcare landscape. The US Agency for International Development (USAID), which used to be a primary supplier of contraceptives in Nigeria, had ceased to exist as an active funding entity. The Global Fund, which also provides grants and support for national responses to HIV, malaria and tuberculosis (TB) in low- and middle-income countries, reduced its 2024-2026 grant cycle by $1.4 billion. The drop forced many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the affected countries, including Nigeria, to pause the distribution of contraceptives.

Condoms, in the production process, require petroleum derivatives like dimethicone, BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), and naphthalene, among others, to lubricate and preserve the product’s lifespan. The ongoing Iran war, which led to the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz, disrupted the steady flow of crude oil and liquified natural gas (LNG) globally. The logistical hurdles of these petrochemical products complicated the manufacturing dilemma faced by condom-making companies.

As a non-manufacturing country, Nigerians bear the brunt of the landing costs and other related expenses associated with imported products. Any factory price increase from manufacturing countries affects costs in the Nigerian market. Considering the unstable exchange rates and the healthcare inflation, which jumped to 30.35% in January 2026, safe sex may end up becoming a luxury too high for a youth population facing a high unemployment rate.

Risk to public health

To further assess the potential risks to public health, DUBAWA sought the opinions of medical experts on how rising condom prices and reduced access could affect disease prevention, sexual health behaviours, and the capacity of Nigeria’s healthcare system.

We spoke to Okolo Patrick, a clinical microbiologist at Edo State University Iyamho Teaching Hospital, on the potential impact of rising condom prices and reduced access. He explained that, from a clinical and public health perspective, such changes would likely lead to a measurable increase in sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, as well as unintended pregnancies in Nigeria.

According to him, condoms remain a primary and affordable prevention tool. When they become less accessible due to higher costs or limited supply, individuals are more likely to engage in unprotected sex, increasing the risk of transmitting infections such as HIV, gonorrhoea, and chlamydia. He added that even a slight decline in condom use across a population can significantly raise transmission rates over time, particularly in communities where infection rates are already high.

He noted that young people and low-income populations are especially vulnerable, as they often depend on free or subsidised condoms and may struggle to afford alternatives. This, combined with limited access to sexual health information and services, can worsen outcomes and lead to delayed treatment.

On how cost barriers affect behaviour, Okolo stated that rising prices influence not just access but also usage patterns. He explained that higher costs can reduce demand and even affect supply, while also pushing individuals toward risky practices such as reusing condoms or abandoning protection altogether.

DUBAWA also spoke with Andrew Edo, a Professor of Medicine and Consultant Endocrinologist at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, on the broader health system implications.

Responding to concerns about Nigeria’s healthcare capacity, he noted that a decline in condom use could place significant strain on the system. According to him, condoms remain one of the most affordable and widely accessible forms of protection, and any reduction in their availability or use would likely lead to an increase in cases of STIs and unplanned pregnancies.

He explained that such a rise would not only increase the burden on already stretched health facilities but could also undermine the effectiveness of ongoing public health interventions. More patients would require testing, treatment, and long-term care, particularly in the case of HIV, which demands sustained medical support.

Edo added that this trend could reverse the progress made over the years in HIV prevention, STI control, and reproductive health, especially if preventive measures become less accessible to vulnerable populations.

By Amarachi Onwuzulike and Phillip Anjorin, dubawa

Nigeria races to contain deadly meningitis outbreak

As Nigeria’s dry season peaks, health authorities have placed 11 states on high alert. Despite years of vaccination campaigns, meningitis continues to claim lives. A new vaccine offers hope — but is it enough to finally break the cycle?

DW

Fresh COVID-19 case reported in Nigeria

The Government of Cross River State has reported an occurrence of COVID-19 in the state, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

Henry Ayuk, the state’s Commissioner for Health, made the announcement at a news conference on Tuesday in Calabar.

According to him, the fresh case involved a Chinese national, who worked with Lafarge and flew into the country on 17 March, before taking ill.

The commissioner stated that the Chinese’ case became worse at the medical facility of his office and had to be taken to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH).

He explained that at the UCTH, his samples were taken and all protocols followed; it was subsequently confirmed that he had symptoms of COVID-19.

“We are, however, happy to report that he is doing well,” the commissioner said.

Mr Ayuk, a medical doctor, asserted that the Ministry of Health had, however, been repositioned by the current administration, to handle and manage any situation – diseases or epidemic outbreaks.

According to him, unfortunately, there have been silent infections and clear cases from time to time.

“But we are determined that for every ailment, every disease or outbreak, if it is identified here in the state, there should be no alarm.

“The state will do well in terms of surveillance or containment of an outbreak. Whatever it is, we will do our best to contain it. So, there is no alarm.

“When this case was reported in about three or four days ago, we decided to be careful to confirm and ensure that the processes involved with identifying and confirming every case of COVID-19, are duly followed.

“The protocols have been followed and confirmed that a 53-year-old Chinese who work in Akamkpa Local Government Area of the state has COVID-19,” he said.

On her part, Inyang Ekpenyong, the state epidemiologist, announced that in response to the case, the state emergency response unit had been activated.

She, however, noted that there was currently an ongoing contact tracing and line listing of those the Chinese may have been in contact with.

While noting the last case of confirmed case of COVID-19 in Cross River to be in 2022, the epidemiologist, however, feared that the Chinese may have contacted the virus here in Nigeria.

“The incubation period for this virus is usually between two to 14 days, but the Chinese flew into Nigeria from China on 17 March and started developing the symptoms on 10 April.

“This is well beyond the 14 days incubation period. Like I said, we are doing the line listing of those he may have come in contact with, as part of our containment efforts.

“We have also activated the emergency response center and deployed rapid response teams to Akamkpa, where the victim works.

“There is no way we can stop this disease, but we can stop the disease outbreak.

“It will be wrong not to contain or manage it by ensuring that people do not die,” she stated.

Similarly, Yewande Olatunde, a medical doctor and the World Health Organisation coordinator in Cross River, stated that the disease was still around.

“We must explore all preventive measures to protect ourselves.” she stressed.

Premium Times

Women at the frontline of Nigeria’s disease detection and response

Women are at the frontline of Nigeria’s disease detection and response. Their work drives faster reporting, higher vaccination coverage and stronger trust between communities and health services.

“When my son developed a rash, I was scared,” says Hauwa Mohammed, a mother from Angwan Gangaran Tudu in Keffi, Nasarawa State. “But the women health workers came to our home, explained what to do and helped us get care quickly.”
Her experience reflects what is happening across many parts of Nigeria. When health threats emerge, women are often the first to respond. They support families, counter misinformation and connect communities to care.

Women protecting children during a measles outbreak

When measles cases began to surface in Angwan Gangaran Tudu, concern spread quickly among caregivers. Measles remains one of the leading causes of vaccine‑preventable child mortality in Nigeria, particularly among children who miss routine

Women health workers mobilised immediately. They went door to door to share accurate information, encourage early reporting of symptoms and explain when and where to seek care. Their actions helped families act early and supported wider outbreak containment efforts.

Across Nigeria, women form many frontline health workers involved in maternal, newborn and child health services . They provide essential care in clinics, laboratories, emergency operations centres and rural communities, supporting national priorities under the National Strategic Health Development Plan II and National Primary Health Care Development Agency programmes.

Serving a population of around 220 million people , Nigeria’s health system relies heavily on trusted community health workers, many of whom are women, especially in rural and hard‑to‑reach settings.

From community action to measurable results

The response also showed how investing in women strengthens routine systems, not only emergency response.
“When women are trained and trusted at the community level, the results are clear,” said Dr Zeenat Kabir Asma’i, World Health Organization (WHO) North Central Zonal Coordinator. “We see earlier case detection, higher vaccination uptake and better follow‑up with families. These are not short‑term gains. They improve how the health system works every day.”

During the recent measles response in Nasarawa State, women mobilisers supported surveillance teams to reach households early.

Outputs included:

. 76 500 doses of measles vaccines delivered
. 11 cold chain units deployed
. Five health facilities supported to strengthen routine immunisation and reporting
. A vaccination workforce made up of 78 percent women

These outputs led to outcomes:

. Vaccination coverage increased from 60 percent to 97 percent in targeted communities
. Faster reporting of suspected cases
. Fewer non‑compliant households
. Stronger trust between caregivers and health workers

At Angwan Waje Primary Health Care facility, community health worker Jamila Musa Zakari identified suspected measles cases and referred them for documentation. Women volunteers used immunisation sessions, antenatal clinics, home visits and community announcements to address rumours that had previously delayed care‑seeking.

“When we visit homes, mothers listen to us because we understand their worries,” says Hauwa Nasir, a community volunteer vaccinator. “We explain how early reporting protects their children.”

Some settlements, including Karama, initially resisted vaccination, particularly among nomadic families who had migrated from Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina States. Many households prioritised food and basic needs over health services. Women volunteers worked with village heads and fathers to address concerns, improving vaccine acceptance.


Women’s leadership strengthens health systems

Before the intervention, measles reporting in the affected local government area followed a three‑year trend: 22 cases in 2023, 24 in 2024 and 17 in 2025 . After the women‑led response, reported cases declined further.

WHO supported the response with technical guidance, training and supplies, while the Government of Nigeria led implementation through state and local health authorities, ensuring national ownership and alignment with public health priorities.

“Women contribute as community volunteers, health professionals and programme leaders,” said Dr Pavel Ursu, WHO Representative in Nigeria. “When women are supported to lead, health services become more responsive to the people they serve.”
Dr Grace Amos Tsakpa, State Epidemiologist, Ministry of Health, Nasarawa State, added:

“Strengthening women’s leadership is not only a matter of equity. It is essential for building a resilient health system that serves every community.”


A growing impact across Nigeria

From community volunteers in Borno to surveillance officers in Kano and midwives in Rivers State, women are strengthening disease surveillance, improving vaccination uptake and building confidence in health services, including in conflict‑affected and hard‑to‑reach settings.

Back in Angwan Gangaran Tudu, families say they feel better prepared.
“Now we know what to look for, and we report quickly,” Hauwa Mohammed says. “The women health workers helped us protect our children.”


What needs to happen next

Nigeria has made progress, but gaps remain in women’s access to leadership roles, training and career advancement.
A clear call to action:For policymakers: Invest in women’s leadership across the health workforce
For partners and donors: Support gender‑responsive health systems and community‑based surveillance
For communities: Continue early reporting and ensure children receive routine immunization

Women are not only delivering health services in Nigeria. They are shaping stronger, faster and more trusted responses that protect families and save lives.

WHO

Nigeria imports 70% of its medicines – why local manufacturing doesn’t meet demand

Nigeria imports at least 70 per cent of its medicines. This is striking for a country of over 230 million people and at least 120 active pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Domestic manufacturing is largely concentrated in lower-end medicines that require relatively simple production processes. The more complex and higher-value pharmaceutical products continue to be imported.

This pattern has persisted for decades. It reflects two things. First is the limited impact of policies aimed at reducing import dependence. The other is the entrenched interests across pharmaceutical companies. An incentive structure that favours imports over local production.

I recently completed my doctorate studies focusing on the political economy of pharmaceutical manufacturing in Nigeria, with comparisons to Uganda, Bangladesh and India. My research looked at how the industry had evolved and analysed how the distribution of organisational power and manufacturing capabilities has made it difficult for reforms to work.

I found that policy interventions have largely failed because weak institutions cannot influence manufacturers to expand their production capabilties.


The biggest obstacles stem from how power and benefits are distributed across political, bureaucratic and pharmaceutical actors.

Any policy that does not fully take this into account will likely be resisted.

Factors militating against Nigerian manufacturers

Nigerian manufacturers face:

. a lack of protection and incentives to produce certain medicines
. high levels of imports of finished medicines
. pressure to import as well as manufacture
. low manufacturing capabilities.

Weak incentive structure:

The first policy to specifically support domestic manufacturers of medicines was introduced in 2005, when the Nigerian government restricted the importation of 17 lower-end medicines. The prohibited medicines included paracetamol, aspirin and metronidazole (antibiotic) tablets.

The protectionist policy has not been expanded since then. So manufacturers have no incentive to invest in technological upgrading to make more complex medicines.

Importation of finished medicines:

At least 100 manufacturers also import medicines – including some that are produced locally. In some cases, manufacturers both produce and import the same medicine, marketing them under different brand names.

Two medicines illustrate this. The antibiotic ciprofloxacin (tablet form) is currently imported by at least 93 registered pharmaceutical companies, even though 21 domestic producers make it too.

A similar pattern is evident for artemether-lumefantrine, a widely used antimalarial medicine. Fewer than 30 pharmaceutical companies produce it locally. More than 200 import it – including some established manufacturers.

Manufacturers as producers and importers:

Many companies combine local manufacturing with importing finished medicines as a way of managing risk.

This creates commercially attractive, lower-risk revenue streams for manufacturers. They are likely to resist policy or reforms that would limit imports in favour of expanded local production.

Low manufacturing capacities:

Nigerian pharmaceutical companies have low manufacturing capacities. And the learning process involved in complex manufacturing is time consuming, costly and risky.

It is also difficult to compel a company to do something where governance is weak.

In the absence of adequate and sustained policy support, many manufacturers rely on political networks to protect their interests or challenge policies that threaten them.

An example is the modification of a regional tariff in 2016 because it threatened locally manufactured medicines. The regional trade policy had imposed zero duty on essential finished medicines and up to 20% on the raw materials used in medicine manufacturing. This was to increase the availability and affordability of essential medicines across the region. Nigerian manufacturers exerted pressure on government to reject it.

In the absence of credible policy support for upgrading into technologically sophisticated medicines, manufacturers continue to rely on imports. Similarly, they continue to influence policy decisions that could disrupt existing revenue streams.

Why the problem persists

When some pharmaceutical companies manufacture medicines locally while others import the same products, it weakens collective action. It’s harder to mobilise around shared policy demands.

The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, an influential trade association, illustrates this challenge. One of its objectives is to lobby for increased market protection for locally produced medicines. But member firms have differing commercial interests in locally manufactured and imported medicines. This often works against policy objectives.

It impedes how member firms form alliances to support or oppose policies. It also affects influence over them.

Nigeria’s reliance on imported medicines has less to do with the commonly cited capability constraints. It is the outcome of a policy vacuum that has made it more attractive to import products.

This dynamic is also evident in some other African countries, such as Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda. Manufacturers similarly import more complex medicines and produce simple medicines locally. There is limited support for domestic manufacturing of more complex medicines.

Moving forward

High levels of imports limit the rewards for expanding manufacturing capabilities and any credible path to competitiveness. The significant revenues generated from imports also weaken incentives to invest in learning how to produce more complex medicines.

Recognising this matters for policymakers and international development organisations.

The challenge is not simply increasing financial support or political commitment. It is designing policies that reconfigure current benefits. They need to make it worthwhile to invest in more complex pharmaceutical manufacturing.

By Efefiom Kofon, ICIR

Families in Nigeria With Autistic Children Fight for Better Support

Autism is gaining more global attention, but awareness and support remain limited in many parts of Africa. In Nigeria, families raising children on the spectrum often face stigma, isolation, and limited access to care.

DW

146 deaths recorded, 38 health workers infected as Lassa fever spreads in Nigeria

Nigeria has reported 146 deaths from Lassa fever between January and mid-March, as infections continue to spread across the country.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) disclosed this in its latest situation report for Epidemiological week 11, spanning 9 to 15 March.

The infectious disease agency said 38 health workers have also been infected so far this year, highlighting ongoing risks within healthcare settings.

The report shows that the case fatality rate (CFR) stands at 25.1 per cent, significantly higher than the 18.7 per cent recorded during the same period in 2025.

During the reporting week, confirmed cases rose from 40 in week 10 to 66, with new infections recorded in Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Plateau, Edo, Benue, Kogi, Gombe and Niger states.

Cumulatively, 21 states and 82 local government areas have recorded at least one confirmed case in 2026.

According to the NCDC, five states —Bauchi, Ondo, Taraba, Benue, and Edo—account for 85 per cent of all confirmed cases.

Bauchi leads with 28 per cent of infections, followed by Ondo (21 per cent), Taraba (20 per cent), while Benue and Edo each account for eight per cent. The remaining 15 per cent of cases are distributed across 16 other states.

More details

NCDC noted that young adults aged 21 to 30 years remain the most affected group, although cases have been recorded across a wide age range, from 1 to 90 years.

Despite the rise in weekly cases, the NCDC said no new infections among health workers were recorded in week 11.

However, the cumulative figure of 38 infections among frontline workers highlights the persistent gaps in infection prevention and control measures.

Infections among health workers have consistently been attributed to inadequate use of personal protective equipment (PPE), low suspicion for Lassa fever during early patient contact, and weak infection control practices in some facilities.

Contributing factors

The report also indicates that while the number of suspected and confirmed cases is lower compared to the same period in 2025, the proportion of deaths remains high, suggesting continued challenges with late presentation and case management.

To strengthen response efforts, the NCDC said the national multi-partner, multi-sectoral Incident Management System has been activated to coordinate interventions across affected states.

However, several challenges continue to hinder effective control of the outbreak. These include poor health-seeking behaviour driven by the high cost of treatment, low awareness in high-burden communities, and poor environmental sanitation, which contributes to the spread of the virus.

The agency urged state governments to intensify community engagement and prevention efforts year-round, particularly in high-risk areas.

It also advised healthcare workers to maintain a high index of suspicion for Lassa fever, ensure early diagnosis and referral, and strictly adhere to infection prevention and control protocols.

About Lassa Fever

Lassa fever is a viral haemorrhagic disease transmitted primarily through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine or faeces of infected rodents.

Human-to-human transmission can also occur through contact with bodily fluids.

Symptoms typically begin with fever, weakness and headache but can progress to severe complications, including bleeding, respiratory distress and organ failure if not treated early.

By Mariam Ileyemi, Premium Times

Nigeria’s TB fight highlights urgent need for early diagnosis

On World Tuberculosis Day, Nigeria faces one of the highest TB burdens globally, with an estimated 510,000 new cases each year. Children are especially vulnerable, often showing symptoms similar to common respiratory infections, making early diagnosis critical. Families like Aisha Peter highlight the human impact behind the statistics, showing that timely treatment can save lives.

CGTN Africa

Demand surges in Nigeria for new HIV prevention injection ahead of rollout

Interest is rising across Nigeria in a new long-acting HIV prevention injection, even before its full nationwide rollout.

Health workers and community organisations say people are actively seeking access to Lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable drug designed to prevent HIV infection. The treatment, developed by Gilead Sciences and endorsed by the World Health Organisation in 2025, offers an alternative to daily preventive pills.

Nigeria’s government has begun introducing the drug in selected pilot states, with an official launch expected this week. Authorities say more than 11,000 doses have already been delivered, out of a planned 52,000.

The rollout will initially cover several states, including Lagos, Kano and Benue, as well as the federal capital, Abuja. The injection will be administered free of charge at designated public health facilities, not through private pharmacies.

High demand-and confusion

Civil society groups and frontline health workers report strong demand, particularly among people at higher risk of HIV exposure, including couples where one partner is HIV-positive.

However, some organisations say there is widespread misunderstanding about the drug. Many people believe it can cure HIV, when in fact it is only designed to prevent infection in those who are HIV-negative.

“People are asking for it even before it becomes widely available, but some think it’s a treatment rather than prevention,” one health worker said.

Nigeria has one of the largest HIV burdens globally, with around two million people living with the virus, according to recent estimates.

Caution from experts

Medical professionals have welcomed the innovation but stress the need for careful rollout. Pharmacists and regulators say the drug must undergo strict safety and quality checks before broader distribution.

Authorities have also issued guidance on its use, noting that it is currently approved only for non-pregnant individuals.

Despite these concerns, public health advocates say early adoption could help reduce new infections, especially among high-risk groups, if awareness improves and access expands nationwide.

Africa News

Related story: US withdrawal from WHO puts strain on Nigeria’s health budget

Nigeria Overhauls Cosmetic Safety Standards to Stem Health Crisis

Nigeria has launched a new national policy to regulate cosmetic safety, aiming to curb toxic chemical exposure and protect public health across the nation.

A shopper in a bustling market in Kano, seeking a solution for minor skin blemishes, purchases an unlabeled brightening oil from an unmarked vendor. She believes the product is organic, yet within weeks, the skin barrier is compromised, and the chemical composition—unknown to both the buyer and the seller—begins to leach heavy metals into her bloodstream. This scenario, repeated in millions of daily transactions across Nigeria, has become the catalyst for a radical shift in federal regulatory oversight.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially inaugurated the National Policy on Cosmetics Safety and Health, a landmark regulatory framework designed to sanitize an industry long plagued by the proliferation of toxic, counterfeit, and hazardous products. This policy, launched following approval at the 66th National Council on Health in Calabar, aims to dismantle the informal economy of dangerous substances that threaten public health. With the cosmetics sector in Nigeria valued at billions of naira, the initiative represents the most significant state intervention in the country’s beauty industry in two decades, positioning Abuja to curb a quiet health crisis that has fueled rising rates of skin diseases, kidney damage, and endocrine disruption across the nation.

The Hidden Toxicity in Everyday Products

For decades, the Nigerian beauty market has operated with limited standardized supervision, allowing unscrupulous manufacturers and importers to flood the market with products containing banned preservatives and heavy metals. Public health experts have long warned that the cumulative exposure to these chemicals—often applied daily over years—creates long-term systemic risks far more dangerous than occasional pharmaceutical use. The new policy identifies specific threats that have become endemic to the local market:

Formaldehyde-releasing agents: Used in some hair products, these are known carcinogens that have slipped past basic inspections.
Heavy metal contamination: Mercury and lead, frequently found in skin-lightening creams, have been linked to irreversible neurological and organ damage.
Endocrine disruptors: Parabens and phthalates in lotions and perfumes interfere with hormonal functions, impacting reproductive health and developmental outcomes.
Unregulated manufacturing: Back-alley mixing of potent chemicals has created a category of products that are effectively poison sold as wellness.

These substances are not merely irritants they are vectors for chronic illness. Research suggests that the informal beauty sector has thrived on a lack of transparency, where ‘organic’ labels are frequently used as marketing camouflage for synthetic, caustic ingredients. The new policy mandates a shift toward rigorous laboratory testing, clear labeling, and enforced manufacturing standards that align Nigeria with international benchmarks for consumer safety.

NAFDAC and the Teeth of Enforcement

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has moved rapidly to operationalize the policy. Under the new directive, the agency has initiated a comprehensive sweep of imported and locally manufactured goods. Princewill Nsofor, the Deputy Director in charge of Cosmetics and Household Products, has issued a clear warning to stakeholders: no cosmetic product will circulate within the Nigerian market without stringent regulatory clearance. This represents a pivot from reactive policing—responding to outbreaks of skin damage—to proactive market surveillance.

The policy establishes a National Cosmetics Safety Management Technical Working Group, a body mandated to harmonize the efforts of various agencies, including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Health. This institutional collaboration is intended to close the enforcement gaps that previously allowed unsafe products to migrate from ports of entry to rural markets unchecked. For the NAFDAC inspectors on the ground, the mandate is clear: identify, intercept, and eliminate substandard products. The agency has communicated that enforcement extends beyond major distributors to the micro-level markets, where the most vulnerable populations are often the primary consumers of high-risk items.

Economic Implications for a Growing Sector

Nigeria’s beauty industry is a powerhouse of the African economy, serving as a critical entry point for international brands and a fertile ground for local entrepreneurship. However, the unchecked expansion of the sector has created a duality: a formal, regulated market and a parallel, shadow market that thrives on opacity. Industry analysts argue that the new policy, while initially disruptive, may provide the long-term infrastructure required for the sector to scale globally. By mandating safety compliance, the government is essentially raising the barrier to entry, which may squeeze out fly-by-night operators while providing a competitive advantage to legitimate, standardized Nigerian brands.

Development partners, including the World Health Organization and Resolve to Save Lives, have praised the policy as a pro-health and pro-industry framework. They contend that a safer, more transparent industry will increase consumer confidence, which is currently eroded by reports of cosmetic-related injuries. If Nigeria successfully executes this, the country could set a precedent for other nations in the Economic Community of West African States, demonstrating that strict safety regulation does not stifle growth but rather matures it into a sustainable, export-ready enterprise.

The Regional Mirror

The ripple effects of this policy will likely be felt far beyond Abuja. As a regional economic hub, Nigeria’s regulatory stance on consumer goods often dictates the flow of products across West Africa. For observers in Nairobi and other East African capitals, the Nigerian experiment offers a blueprint for balancing the demands of a rapid-growth consumer market with the necessity of public health protection. The challenges identified by Nigerian officials—specifically the difficulty of policing decentralized, informal markets—are common across the continent, where cross-border trade frequently outpaces regulatory capacity. Whether Nigeria can successfully translate policy into meaningful, on-the-ground change over the next five years will determine if this serves as a model or a missed opportunity.

As the National Cosmetics Safety Management Technical Working Group begins its five-year tenure, the true test will not be the policy document itself, but the persistence of the enforcement teams on the streets of Lagos, Kano, and beyond. Every bottle of cream removed from a shelf or warning label enforced represents a potential medical crisis averted, marking a significant, albeit difficult, transition toward a more accountable consumer economy.

Streamline

Nigerian doctors suspended over death of Adichie's son

 

Nigeria's medical council has provisionally suspended the director of a private hospital and two other doctors following the death of the 21-month-old son of renowned author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Nkanu Adichie-Esege, one of twins, died on 7 January after complications arose during preparatory medical procedures at Euracare Hospital in Lagos.

The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) investigation panel established a prima facie case of medical negligence against Euracare and Atlantis Hospital over the child’s management.

The three doctors have all been suspended from practising medicine pending the determination of their cases by a disciplinary tribunal.


Dr Munir Bature, publicity secretary for the Nigeria Medical Association, confirmed the suspensions to the BBC.

"What will ultimately happen to those affected will be determined after another panel sits on their case," he said.

He added that they could permanently lose their licences.

The doctors have not commented.

Butare encouraged Nigerians to report any perceived wrongdoing by medical personnel so the council could intervene.

The family of Adichie had accused the hospital of negligence, alleging that medics denied oxygen to her son and administered excessive sedation, which they say led to cardiac arrest.

In a statement, the hospital expressed its "deepest sympathies" over the child's death but denied any wrongdoing.

An inquest into Nkanu's death is due to begin on 14 April at the Yaba Magistrate Court in Lagos.

The coroner will hear from medical experts and hospital representatives to establish the circumstances and cause of death.

The case has sparked a wider debate about patient safety in Nigeria's healthcare system.

Following a public outcry, Nigeria's health ministry admitted there were "systemic challenges" and announced the creation of a national task force on "clinical governance and patient safety" to improve the quality of care.

Adichie is an award-winning writer known for novels including Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah.

Her 2013 essay We Should All Be Feminists was sampled by Beyoncé on her track Flawless, while the author was named among Time Magazine's 100 most influential people in 2015.

She explores themes around gender and immigration in her works, establishing her as a leading voice in postcolonial feminist literature.

By Mansur Abubakar and Makuochi Okafor, BBC

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Death of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s son prompts calls for overhaul of Nigeria’s healthcare sector

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US withdrawal from WHO puts strain on Nigeria’s health budget

Nearly N400 billion, or 20 percent of Nigeria’s 2026 health budget, depends on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) technical support, funding, and disease-surveillance operations. This has raised concerns among experts who believe that the United States’ exit from the global organisation could affect the speed and efficiency of health policy interventions in Nigeria.

From disease surveillance to strategic partnerships in vaccine programmes, training, and medical research, WHO plays a critical role in Nigeria’s health sector. However, with the United States’ withdrawal from the organisation, experts warn that the country’s health budget could come under significant strain.

BusinessDay analysis shows that about 12 items in the 2026 health budget rely on WHO’s technical support, international donor funding, policy guidance, and adherence to global standards. These items together amount to nearly N400 billion, representing about one-fifth of the N2.1 trillion proposed health budget for 2026.

For instance, the allocation for the National Blood Bank Service Commission, item 142 of the 2026 proposed health budget,worth N42.8 billion, largely depends on WHO’s technical support. Blood screening, safety standards, and quality assurance are critical aspects of the commission’s operations and are guided by WHO protocols.

Similarly, the allocation for the National Centre for Disease Control,item 90 of the 2026 proposed health budget,worth N22.4 billion, is heavily dependent on WHO’s technical capacity. Disease surveillance, health-emergency coordination, and laboratory safety standards are largely WHO-led, and any weakening of this capacity could undermine Nigeria’s preparedness for disease outbreaks or pandemics.

Ebuta Agbor, vice president of the Medical Initiative for Africa, expressed similar concerns, warning that Nigeria may need to draw up a supplementary health budget to address potential funding and capacity gaps.

“The withdrawal of the United States from WHO could have significant and unprecedented impacts on sub-Saharan Africa, as over 50 percent of countries in the region allocate less than five percent of their annual budgets to the health sector,” he said.

On the contrary, some budget items, including allocations to Federal Medical Centres, teaching hospitals, and psychiatric and orthopaedic hospitals, are not directly dependent on WHO support, according to BusinessDay analysis.

Recall that U.S. President Donald Trump officially announced on January 22, 2026, that the United States had completed its withdrawal procedures from WHO. As the organisation’s largest donor,contributing between $500 million and $700 million annually, representing 15 to 18 percent of its funding,the U.S. exit has raised concerns among experts about increased health security risks for many African countries.

Winners, losers of US exit from WHO

While some experts have raised concerns about the impact of the United States’ withdrawal from WHO on Nigeria’s health system, others argue that it presents an opportunity for the country to become more self-reliant and exercise greater control by dealing directly with the U.S.

Oyebade Funmilade, a public health specialist and expert in HIV/AIDS prevention and control, highlighted an increased disease burden as one of the possible impacts of the U.S. withdrawal from WHO in Nigeria.

“The HIV disease burden could spike if the PEPFAR programme slows its operations due to a shortage of funds,” he noted.

“However, it also creates an opportunity for increased investment in pharmaceutical research and the promotion of local products, thereby reducing our dependence on external sources,” he added.

Neto Ikpeme, a health economist and analyst, pointed out that although the U.S. withdrawal from WHO might affect some ongoing health programmes, it also offers Nigeria an opportunity to deal directly with the United States. He referenced a $2.1 billion five-year health partnership deal between Nigeria and the U.S. signed in December 2025.

“Although the U.S. withdrawal from WHO could slow the progress of some ongoing health programmes, it also presents an opportunity for direct partnerships with foreign partners, giving the country more control, as seen in the recent $2.1 billion deal signed by both countries,” he added.

In addition, African countries with relatively higher health budget allocations, such as Rwanda (18.8 percent), Botswana (17.8 percent), and Niger (17.8 percent), are better positioned to experience minimal disruption from the United States’ exit, according to WHO. In contrast, countries with significantly lower health spending, including Nigeria (4.2 percent), South Sudan (2.1 percent), and Cameroon (2.8 percent), are likely to face greater adverse impacts.

Increased budget, reduced percentage allocation

Nigeria’s health budget increased by 157.4 percent, from N816 billion in 2022 to N2.1 trillion in 2026, BusinessDay analysis shows.

However, the percentage share of the health budget allocation remained relatively stable over the five-year period but declined by 1.3 percentage, from 5.5 percent in 2025 to 4.2 percent in 2026.

Stakeholders in the health sector have raised concerns, noting that the allocation does not meet the Maputo Declaration target of 15 percent annually.

Taiwo Obindo, President of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APIN), highlighted the impact of low funding in the health sector.

“Nigeria’s health budget falls short of the Maputo Declaration target of 15 percent, further putting the country’s health system at risk of poor emergency response and threats to lives,” he noted.

By Faith Donatus, Business Day

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NARD Warns Nigeria Could Lose More Doctors In Next Decade After Exit Of 15,000 Doctors

The National President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr. Mohammad Suleiman, has warned that Nigeria’s health sector is approaching a critical breaking point, revealing that more than 15,000 doctors have left the country since 2014, with 4,700 exiting in 2024 alone.

Speaking on Monday at the opening of a five day training on effective policy-making and strategic leadership for NARD leaders at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Suleiman said the trend, if unchecked, could see Nigeria lose another 15,000 doctors within the next decade.

“Facts don’t lie. Figures don’t lie. In 2024, 4,700 doctors left the shores of Nigeria. Every year we produce 2,000 to 3,000 doctors, yet we lost far more than we produced. If this continues, Nigeria cannot survive it,” he argued.

Suleiman painted a stark picture of the country’s doctor to patient ratio, noting that Nigeria currently has fewer than 30,000 doctors serving an estimated 240 million people, a ratio of roughly one doctor to over 10,000 citizens.

“This is not sustainable,” he warned. “In 10 to 15 years, Nigerians will walk into hospitals and find no doctors to attend to them,” he said.

He added that the association’s recent engagements with the federal government were driven by the urgency of preventing a total collapse of the health system. “These decisions are not easy. They are tough. But we take them because we know what lies ahead if nothing changes,” he stressed.

Suleiman emphasised that NARD is not presenting new demands to the government, but simply asking for the implementation of previously agreed policies that require no additional financial burden.

“These are agreements that won’t cost the government a penny,” he said. “Issues like membership certificates, employment processes, workload management, and local training policies — these are measures that strengthen the system, not just resident doctors,” he explained.

He expressed optimism that the renewed commitment between NARD and the government could avert future strikes. “If the understanding we have now is sustained, I don’t foresee any strike in the near future.”

Earlier, the Director General of NIPSS, Prof. Ayo Omotayo, commended NARD for prioritising leadership development and policy literacy, describing their presence at the institute as a sign of foresight.

He said the training would equip young medical leaders with the tools needed to engage constructively with policymakers and address the complex challenges facing Nigeria’s health sector.

By Yemi Kosoko, Arise

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Death of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s son prompts calls for overhaul of Nigeria’s healthcare sector

Nigerians have called for urgent reforms to the healthcare sector after the death of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s 21-month-old son prompted an outpouring of grief and accounts of negligence and inadequate care.

In a leaked WhatsApp message, the bestselling author said she had been told by a doctor that the resident anaesthesiologist at the Lagos hospital treating her son Nkanu Nnamdi had administered an overdose of the sedative propofol.

Adichie and her husband, Dr Ivara Esege, have begun legal action against the hospital, accusing it of medical negligence.

For decades, the state of Nigeria’s public health sector has made national headlines with accounts of underpaid doctors carrying out surgeries by candlelight in the absence of power supply, patients paying for gloves and other missing basics, dilapidated facilities and nonexistent research departments. Those who can afford to seek care abroad typically do so.

There is also a dearth of emergency response services. When the former world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua survived a car accident in Nigeria in December, he was helped at the scene by bystanders, with no ambulance in sight.

Adichie’s sister-in-law Dr Anthea Esege Nwandu, a physician with decades of experience, has called for change.

She told Agence France-Presse: “This is a wake-up call, for we, the public, to demand accountability and transparency and consequences of negligence in our healthcare system.”

An exodus of medical personnel has exacerbated the situation, resulting in a doctor-to-patient ratio at the last count of 1:9,801. According to the health ministry, an estimated 16,000 doctors have left Nigeria in the last seven years.

‘The will of God’

As Nigerians at home and abroad mourned Adichie’s son this week and the Lagos state government ordered an inquiry, stories flooded social media about a crisis of errors by medical personnel.

In Kano state, authorities said they were investigating the case of a woman who died four months after doctors left a pair of scissors in her stomach during surgery. The woman repeatedly visited the hospital complaining of abdominal pain, but was only prescribed painkillers. Scans revealed the scissors just two days before she died.

For Ijoma Ugboma, who lost his wife in 2021, the tragedy felt painfully familiar. Peju Ugboma, a 41-year-old chef, had gone into hospital for fibroid surgery and died due to complications exacerbated by staff putting “the wrong setting of the ventilator [on] for 12 hours”, her husband said.

“Surgery on Friday, ICU on Saturday, dead on Sunday. I asked for the death certificate … but at that point I knew that I wasn’t going to let this thing go like that,” he told the Guardian.

Almost two years after Peju’s death, after a battle Ugboma said had tested him “mentally, emotionally and financially”, three of the four doctors in the operating theatre were indicted for professional misconduct.

The law firm of Olisa Agbakoba, a medical negligence lawyer with two decades’ experience, was one of two that represented the Ugboma family in court. He said in Nigeria there was no rigorous regulatory structure in place in the health sector.

“There is no requirement for routine submission of reports, no systematic inspections, and no effective enforcement of professional standards,” he said.

Agbakoba said his brother had undergone surgery by a physician who was not suitably qualified, resulting in sepsis that required a month-long treatment. “That was absolute incompetence,” he said.

Despite the abundance of medical malpractice claims, formal complaints and lawsuits remain remarkably low, partly because negligence is hard to prove. But many say there is also a cultural and spiritual dimension involved.

“People say it’s the will of God,” said Agbakoba. “They just go home and don’t talk about it … It’s underreported because many people don’t really do anything about it.”

Finding justice

Even when issues are escalated legally, medical personnel are reluctant to give professional opinions in court. Two of the three expert witnesses that testified for the Ugbomas live outside Nigeria.

“People told us they’d read through the case notes, they’d seen all the fault lines … but nobody wanted to talk and that is part of the rot in the system because there’s an unwritten oath of secrecy,” Ugboma said.

Some people are cautiously optimistic that the high-profile death of Adichie’s’s son will trigger an overhaul of the health regulatory framework.

For Ugboma, his long fight for accountability was worth it. “Right now, I can talk to my children and tell them I fought for their mother even in death,’ he said. “There’s justice out there if only one can persevere. It’s a marathon. But we can only have a better system if more people begin to challenge them.”

By Eromo Egbejule, The Guardian

Related story: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reveals her one-year-old son has died after a short illness