Mirian Gom 
Nigeria and Africa’s defining health and development stories for the week of December 8–14, 2025.
📰 Editor’s Note
This week, Nigerian health and development sectors face both urgent crises and transformative initiatives. From rising Lassa fever deaths and polio vaccination campaigns in Lagos to the resident doctors’ strike in Abuja, these stories reveal the challenges threatening public health.
At the same time, Kaduna plans to recruit 9,000 health workers, and telemedicine access expands nationwide, signaling efforts to bridge healthcare gaps. Reports also highlight ongoing risks from female genital mutilation, banned pesticides contaminating food, and critical interventions in Borno’s digital learning and child health programs.
Stay updated with AHR’s Top 10 health and development stories, where policy, innovation, and on-the-ground realities shape Nigeria’s path to better health outcomes.
🔟 Top 10 Stories This Week
🔟 Ondo Issues Strict Performance Warning to Underperforming Primary Health Workers
The state government cracks down on underperforming PHC staff, aiming to strengthen service delivery and community health outcomes…
9️⃣ Rising Lassa Fever Deaths Trigger National Health Response
Increasing Lassa fever fatalities prompt federal and state agencies to mobilize a coordinated health emergency response…
8️⃣ Lagos Launches Emergency Polio Vaccination After Virus Found in Makoko
Authorities in Lagos initiate urgent immunization campaigns to prevent the spread of detected poliovirus…
7️⃣ Kaduna to Recruit 9,000 New Health Workers in Five Years
Kaduna State commits to strengthening healthcare delivery by hiring thousands of medical professionals…
6️⃣ Hospitals in Abuja Crippled as Resident Doctors’ Strike Enters Fifth Day, Patients Stranded
Prolonged industrial action by resident doctors disrupts services at federal hospitals, affecting patient care….
5️⃣ UNICEF Expands Digital Learning, Enrols 33,532 Borno Children
UNICEF’s initiative ensures continued education for children in conflict-affected Borno State through digital platforms…
4️⃣ Nigeria Expands Telemedicine Access to Bridge Healthcare Inequality Gap
Telemedicine programs aim to reduce rural-urban health disparities and provide timely care across underserved communities…
3️⃣ Researcher Raises Alarm Over High FGM Rates in Nigeria
New findings highlight the persistent prevalence of female genital mutilation and the urgent need for enforcement of protective laws…
2️⃣ Nigeria’s Silent Food Poisoning Crisis: How Banned Pesticides Are Endangering Millions
Investigative reporting exposes the widespread use of toxic pesticides threatening public health and food safety nationwide.
1️⃣ NARD Disputes FG’s ₦11.9bn Payment Claim Amid Ongoing Strike
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors challenges government claims on arrears, escalating a critical health sector labor dispute…
About the Author
Oluwatobi Adu 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
Koko Maxwella 