TheGuardian Conscience, Nurtured by Truth
Monday, April 7, 2014
Vol. 30, No. 12,884
www.ngrguardiannews.com
N150
Nigeria, 149 others gather for World urban forum in Colombia RESH steps are being takFsuchen by all the urban actors as governments, local authorities, civil society, private sector and academy with the view of making a ‘New Urban Agenda’ for the 21st century at the Seventh Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF7), starting from today in Medellin, Colombia. The urban settlement actors
DETAILS ON PAGE 31 are coming together under the largest United Nations conference on sustainable urban development and cities. Nearly 25,000 people have registered as participants from about 150 countries including Nigeria. They will examine the most pressing issues facing the world today in the area of human settlements, including rapid urbanization and its impact on cities, communities, economies, climate change and policies.
30 feared killed in Zamfara attack A cross section of pro-Russian protesters with national flags during a rally in eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk… yesterday.
PHOTO: AFP
WHO, NMA alert on vector-borne diseases By Chukwuma Muanya (Lagos) and Emeka Anuforo (Abuja) UMANITY was yesterday H alerted by World Health Organisation (WHO) and Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) over the rising cases and risk from vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, leishmaniasis, Lyme disease, schistosomiasis and yellow fever that are carried by mosquitoes, flies, ticks, water snails and others. WHO, in the newly-published document entitled “A global brief on vector-borne diseases”, said more than half the world’s population is at risk from vector-borne dis-
• No vaccine for Ebola, dengue, says ministry • Herbal medicine studies for Nigerian varsities eases and every year, more than one billion people are infected and more than one million die from diseases – borne by the aforementioned vectors. The NMA in a statement yesterday by its president, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, blamed the situation on dwindling poor allocation for health. Enab-
ulele said that not until an aggressive, deeply committed, well-funded and supervised environmental management programme is instituted, Nigeria may not heave a sigh of relief in her fight against the menacing unsolicited advances of the disease-laden organisms which have undoubtedly contributed to the
huge disease burden in Nigeria. To mark World Health Day, April 7, WHO is highlighting the serious and increasing threat of vector-borne diseases, with the slogan “Small bite, big threat.” According to the WHO, vector-borne diseases affect the poorest populations, particu-
• I have not boycotted confab, says Braithwaite –Page 7 • Tiv flee Taraba over insecurity –Page 8
larly where there is a lack of access to adequate housing, safe drinking water and sanitation. Malnourished people and those with weakened immunity are especially susceptible. Dengue fever, also known as break-bone fever, is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Symptoms include fever, headache, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic skin rash that is similar to measles. According to the WHO, mosquito-borne dengue, for example, is now found in 100 CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
• Arewa chief links insecurity to local collaborators From Saxone Akhaine Northern Bureau Chief with agency report UNMEN suspected to be Fulani herdsmen stormed a meeting in Zamfara State killing 30 people, police said yesterday. Meanwhile, against the backdrop of the unabated violence in the northern part of the country, Arewa chieftain and former spokesman of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Mr. Anthony Sani, has blamed the situation on the activities of dreaded al-Qaeda militant group and their local collaborators in the country, adding that the recent community clashes in parts of the North were part of their scheme to destabilise the nation. “Thirty people were killed and several others injured,” Zamfara State police spokesman, Lawal Abdullahi, told Agence France Presse (AFP). “The incident happened in Galadima yesterday during a meeting of community leaders and representatives of vigilance groups who were discussing ways to thwart CONTINUED ON PAGE 4
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