Aliyu harps on public enlightenment to fight lupus

Stakeholders laud NAFDAC for trans-fat-free campaign

As Nigerians join the world to mark the World Lupus Day (WLD), the Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr. Ramatu Aliyu, has described enlightenment as a powerful tool that can defeat lupus or any existential challenge.

The minister stated this at the 2021 World Lupus Day organised by the Arise Monalisa Foundation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

She specifically noted that in view of the complexities associated with the silent killer disease, public awareness and its impact on the lives of those who are affected, must be scaled up.

Aliyu, who described lupus as a common, but often overlooked disease, lamented that it had affected approximately five million people globally.

Represented by the Acting Executive Secretary of FCT Primary Healthcare Board, Dr. Iwot Ndaeyo, the minister stressed that the singular fact that lupus is one of the most severe comordities and could lead to end-stage kidney disease and kidney failure, makes it the scarier.

Pledging the FCT Administration’s commitment to support any organisation or group to end the devastating impact of lupus, she called on stakeholders to make lupus visible using every available medium to show the world the many faces of lupus and its impact on patients.

MEANWHILE, the Trans Fat-Free Nigeria Campaign stakeholders, have commended the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for their partnership and commitment to the #TransfatFreeNigeria campaign.

The stakeholders include Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED), Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

They stated this at a meeting with the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, and senior officials of the agency at the behest of NHED to deliberate on the draft of the Fat and Oils Regulations 2019 and the Pre-Packaged, Ice and Labelling Regulations 2019.

At the meeting, the Programme Manager, Trans Fat-Free Nigeria Campaign of CAPPA, Prudence Eboagwu-Ijah, in a statement yesterday, noted that participants also explored opportunities for working with the agency and other stakeholders on how to seek viable alternatives to the use of industrial Trans Fatty Acids (TFAs) in country’s food chain.