Mirian Gom

Gom Mirian AHR Senior Correspondent, has over 8 years’ experience reporting on health, crime, education, investigations, and development issues across Nigeria and Africa. With dual degrees in Economics, she combines analytical skill with compelling storytelling. Widely recognised for her public health and humanitarian reporting, she earned a Nestlé Award nomination for compelling human-interest journalism. Follow her on Twitter @mirian_linus.

El-Rufai’s Wife Warns of Healthcare Intimidation

Only 5% of Fevers Are Malaria LAGOS, Nigeria - Only five per cent of patients presenting with fever in Lagos are confirmed to have malaria, prompting the state government to overhaul its approach to diagnosing and treating febrile illnesses, Health Commissioner Akin Abayomi says. Speaking after a fever management session hosted by the World Bank Nigeria Country Office, Abayomi said findings from the World Bank-supported IMPACT Project show that routinely treating every fever as malaria is fuelling misdiagnosis, unnecessary drug use and antimicrobial resistance. The study assessed nearly 78,000 patients with fever across 392 health facilities, including community pharmacies and Patent and Proprietary Medicine Vendor outlets, making it Nigeria's largest field evaluation of malaria diagnosis. According to Abayomi, malaria was historically diagnosed in about 70 per cent of fever cases, but laboratory testing found the actual prevalence to be only five per cent. "For decades, fever has become synonymous with malaria in our communities. Today, the evidence tells a different story," he said. He said the findings were confirmed using World Health Organization-accredited malaria rapid diagnostic tests, validated through expert microscopy and polymerase chain reaction testing. The commissioner announced that Lagos has adopted quality-assured Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) as the first-line diagnostic tool for all suspected malaria cases. The state is also working with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria to expand access to accredited malaria test kits in community pharmacies and medicine vendor outlets. Abayomi said Lagos has introduced a new fever management strategy built on the principle of "Test. Treat. Track." Under the approach, every patient with fever will receive laboratory testing before treatment begins, while confirmed malaria cases will trigger surveillance and environmental interventions to reduce transmission. He stressed that patients who test negative for malaria should be assessed for other illnesses, including dengue fever, Lassa fever, respiratory viral infections, bacterial diseases and inflammatory conditions. "Perhaps the most important message is this: A negative malaria test is not the end of the story. It is the beginning of finding the true cause of a patient's illness," Abayomi said.

El-Rufai’s Wife Warns of Healthcare Intimidation

Mirian Gom July 9, 2026

ABUJA, Nigeria – Healthcare intimidation in Nigeria could deepen the country’s medical workforce crisis if doctors are...

Only 5% of Fevers Are Malaria Healthcare workers and officials during a Lagos health sector briefing on doctors’ welfare reforms.

Only 5% of Fevers Are Malaria

Mirian Gom July 9, 2026

LAGOS, Nigeria – Only five per cent of patients presenting with fever in Lagos are confirmed to...

Africa CDC Warns Ebola Cases Outpace Response Africa CDC officials discussing Ebola screening measures at African border points.

Africa CDC Warns Ebola Cases Outpace Response

Mirian Gom July 9, 2026

NAIROBI, Kenya – The Africa CDC Ebola response has recorded important gains in containing the Ebola outbreak...

Nigeria Suspends US Visa Application Centres NIS

Nigeria Suspends US Visa Application Centres

Mirian Gom July 9, 2026

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Nigeria visa application process in the United States has changed after the Nigeria...

Senate Approves ₦404bn Police Trust Fund Nigerian Senate plenary discussing mandatory antivenom stocking policy

Senate Approves ₦404bn Police Trust Fund

Mirian Gom July 9, 2026

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Senate has approved ₦404.07 billion for the Nigeria Police Trust Fund, endorsing the...

Reps Advance Nigeria Nutrition Council Bill Nigerian Senate reacting to rising school abductions and insecurity

Reps Advance Nigeria Nutrition Council Bill

Mirian Gom July 9, 2026

ABUJA, Nigeria – A bill seeking to establish the Nigeria Nutrition Council has passed second reading in...

Nigeria Sets New Standards for Public Schools, Mandates Perimeter Fences, Solar Power UBEC ES

Nigeria Sets New Standards for Public Schools, Mandates Perimeter Fences, Solar Power

Mirian Gom July 9, 2026

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) has introduced new minimum infrastructure standards for public...

AI Boom Drives Record Global Intangible Investment

AI Boom Drives Record Global Intangible Investment

Mirian Gom July 8, 2026

GENEVA – AI investment is driving global spending on software, research, data and other intangible assets to...

Oil Prices Jump After US Strikes Iran Nigerian fuel station as global oil prices rise after Middle East conflict

Oil Prices Jump After US Strikes Iran

Mirian Gom July 8, 2026

LONDON – Oil prices climb to their highest level in two weeks after fresh United States military...

FG Transfers Recovered Assets to Schools Education Minister Tunji Alausa receives recovered assets from the EFCC for distribution to Nigerian schools.