By Michael Lim, Jos

All public and private primary and secondary schools across Plateau state have been ordered closed, by the Plateau State governor as a precautionary measure against the spread of diphtheria in the state.

The government gave the order on Saturday in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Joyce Ramnap.

According to the statement, the closure takes effect from Monday, September 7, 2026, and will remain in force “until further notice.”

The directive ordered by Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang is part of efforts to curb the spread of the infection.

The directive is a preventive measure against the Diphtheria Infection as suspected cases are reported in some parts of the State, notably Jos North, Wase, Jos South & Bassa Local Government Areas.

The government said the closure applies to all schools, including those that have already resumed for the new term.

“Accordingly, schools that have already resumed academic activities are also directed to close from Monday, September 7, 2026, and remain closed until further notice,” it added.

Parents, teachers and school owners have been urged to comply fully with the directive.

“Furthermore, school proprietors, administrators, teachers, parents and guardians are to comply fully with the directive and ensure that students and pupils remain safely at home throughout the period as part of measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of pupils, students, teaching and non-teaching staff during the period under review,” the statement stressed.

Health authorities in Plateau confirmed that suspected cases have been reported in Jos North, Wase, Jos South and Bassa Local Government Areas in recent weeks, prompting the Ministry of Health to activate surveillance and response teams in the affected communities.

Diphtheria spreads through direct contact or respiratory droplets and is common in crowded settings such as schools. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has, in the past, advised states to intensify vaccination, public sensitisation and early case detection to prevent wider transmission.

In response, the Mutfwang administration said the school closure was intended to limit exposure among children while health workers conduct contact tracing, vaccination mop-up and decontamination in the identified areas.

“The Government appreciates the understanding and full cooperation of all stakeholders as it continues to take appropriate measures in the best interest of the people of Plateau State,” the statement said.

The commissioner added that updates would follow.

“Further information on the resumption of academic activities will be communicated to the public in due course,” it concluded.

Meanwhile, health officials are urging parents in plateau state to ensure that children complete their routine immunisations, practise hand hygiene and report symptoms such as fever, sore throat and difficulty breathing to the nearest health facility immediately.

By Isa Abdul

To counter the rising trend of Nigerian-trained health personnel migrating for greener pastures abroad, the Federal Government is expanding the country’s healthcare workforce and strengthening practical training for medical and other health professional students.

Consequently, it has disclosed plans to increase the annual medical school admissions to 20,000 within the next three years. Along with this is the targeted establishment of world-class medical simulation centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed this while receiving the report of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund Medical Simulation Committee.

This was part of a statement issued on Sunday and signed by Ikharo Attah, the Special Adviser on Media and Communications to the Minister of Education.

Alausa said the proposed centres would provide world-class practical training for medical, dental, nursing, pharmacy and other allied healthcare students. The said:

“I would like to thank the members of the committee that has worked so hard and assiduously to get us to this point in which we are now talking about building several simulation centres across the country to provide world-class training for our medical students, dental students, nursing students, pharmacy students and other allied healthcare professionals.”

Alausa said the expansion had become necessary to meet the country’s health needs.

He disclosed that nursing enrolment, which stood at about 38,000 three years ago, had risen to more than 120,000 students across nursing schools in the country.

The minister added that annual admission into medical schools had increased from about 5,000 students when Tinubu assumed office to almost 12,000 currently.

“Today, I’m happy to report that we’re admitting almost 12,000 students. Our goal in the next three years will be to increase the number of annual medical student enrolment in medical schools to about 20,000.”

He added that the number of students admitted into pharmacy and dental schools had also increased.

The minister commended the Chairman of the Medical Simulation Committee, Dr Wale Suleiman, and other members for their work in preparing the report and advancing plans for the centres.

He said the initiative would help ensure that the increasing number of students entering healthcare professions received adequate practical training.

The planned expansion comes against the backdrop of persistent concerns over the migration, popularly known as “Japa,” of Nigerian doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals seeking better remuneration, working conditions and career opportunities abroad.

The migration of health workers has raised concerns among professional bodies and health-sector stakeholders about its impact on Nigeria’s already strained healthcare system, particularly shortages of skilled personnel in public hospitals.

With the proposed simulation centres, the government is seeking to expand training capacity while improving the quality of practical education for a growing pool of health professional students.

–Prof. Ken Anugweje

This will open your eyes to the full benefits of eating fruits!

*Prof Anugweje has been treating terminal ill Cancer patients by an “unorthodox” way and many patients recover. He is also a sports medicine specialist.
He insists that all athletes eat fruits on empty stomach.

Before he used solar energy to clear the illnesses of his patients, he believes on natural healing in the body against illnesses. See his article below.

It is one of the strategies to heal cancer. As of late, my success rate in curing Cancer is about 80%.

Cancer patients shouldn’t die. The cure for cancer is already found – it’s in the way we eat fruits.

It is whether you believe it or not.

I am sorry for the hundreds of Cancer patients who die under the conventional treatments.*

EATING FRUITS

We all think eating fruits means just buying fruits, cutting it and just popping it into our mouths.

It’s not as easy as you think. It’s important to know how and when to eat the fruits.

What is the correct way of eating fruits?

IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS!

FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH:*

If you eat fruits on empty stomach, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.*

FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD.

Let’s say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit.

The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it is prevented from doing so due to the bread taken before the fruit.

In the meantime, the whole meal of bread & fruit rots and ferments and turns to acid.

The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil.

So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals!

You have heard people complaining :
Every time I eat watermelon I burp, when I eat durian my stomach bloats up, when I eat a banana I feel like running to the toilet, etc.. etc..

Actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach.

The fruit mixes with the putrefying of other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat !

Greying hair, balding, nervous outburst and dark circles under the eyes all these will NOT happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach.

There is no such thing as some fruits, like orange and lemon are acidic, because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter.

If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the SECRET of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight.

When you need to drink fruit juice – drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans, packs or bottles.

Don’t even drink juice that has been heated up.

Don’t eat cooked fruits because you don’t get the nutrients at all.

You only get its taste.
Cooking destroys all the vitamins.

But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice.

If you should drink the fresh fruit juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it.

You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse or detoxify your body.

Just eat fruits and drink fresh fruit juice throughout the 3 days.

And you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look !

KIWI fruit:
Tiny but mighty.
This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.

APPLE:
An apple a day keeps the doctor away?
Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.

STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit:
Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging and free radicals.

ORANGE: Sweetest medicine.
Taking 2-4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer.

WATERMELON:
Coolest thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system.

They are also a key source of lycopene the cancer fighting oxidant.
Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium.

GUAVA & PAPAYA:
Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content.

Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation.

Papaya (pawpaw) is rich in carotene; this is good for your eyes.

Drinking COLD water or drinks after a meal = CANCER.

Can you believe this ?

For those who like to drink cold water or cold drinks, this article is applicable to you.

It is not nice to have a cup of cold water or cold drinks after a meal.

However, the cold or drinks will solidify the oily stuff that you have just eaten.

It will slow down the digestion.

Once this ‘sludge’ reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food.

It will line the intestine.

Very soon, this will turn into FATS and lead to CANCER!

It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

Let’s be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive.

Prof Ken Anugweje, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria