GOSPEL CORNER: IT SO HAPPENED THAT ARAM, ON ONE OF ITS RAIDING EXPEDITIONS AGAINST ISRAEL, CAPTURED A YOUNG GIRL WHO BECAME A MAID TO NAAMAN’S WIFE. ONE DAY SHE SAID TO HER MISTRESS, “OH, IF ONLY MY MASTER COULD MEET THE PROPHET OF SAMARIA, HE WOULD BE HEALED OF HIS SKIN DISEASE.”2 KINGS 5:2–3, MSG

29/11/23

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
TODAY’S WORD

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
It so happened that Aram, on one of its raiding expeditions against Israel, captured a young girl who became a maid to Naaman’s wife. One day she said to her mistress, “Oh, if only my master could meet the prophet of Samaria, he would be healed of his skin disease.”
2 Kings 5:2–3, MSG

Share the Precious Gift of Faith
Naaman was a captain in the Syrian army, very respected and influential, but he had leprosy. Despite all his success, all the honor, he had this painful disease that would eventually take him away from his family. His future did not look good. There was a young girl who had been captured and taken against her will from Israel and now was the maid to Naaman’s wife. This young lady could have been bitter, but instead she offered the hope of healing to a man who was not raised to know about Jehovah. She was a friend with faith who shared her faith. Naaman went to the prophet Elijah, received his healing, and became a believer in the true God.

Be a friend with faith who prays for a coworker, encourages a neighbor, gives help to someone in need. You are full of power, full of healing, full of freedom, full of victory. Your faith can lift them up and your words can speak life into them. God is counting on you to share the precious gift of faith you have.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for showing me Your mercy over and over again and bringing me to faith. Help me to have a heart that is always looking for opportunities to share my faith with others, even if it’s a Naaman. I want to be a friend with faith. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

SECTION TWO

Cruel words spoken in anger. A betrayal of trust. Promises broken. A destructive relationship you knew you should not have entered into.

Have you been down those dark paths before? There are so many people who are living in the shadow of guilt and condemnation. The mistakes of their past haunt them and it is a painfully lonely and arduous journey for them.

Perhaps the paralyzed man who was let down through the roof by his four faithful friends in the book of Mark understood a little of this. The Bible tells us he was paralyzed to the point where he could only lie on a mat, which was how his friends carried him to the house Jesus was in.

With the man lying helpless on his mat, his four friends lowered him through the roof, right in front of Jesus—the only way they knew how to bring their crippled friend before Jesus and secure his healing. Scripture tells us that when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you” (Mark 2:5).

To all who were watching this scene unfold that day, that must have been a very strange thing for Jesus to say—”your sins are forgiven you.” The man was clearly paralyzed. He was obviously there for healing. What had forgiveness to do with his condition or healing?

But Jesus knew it was exactly what this poor man needed to hear for his healing to manifest. And indeed, at Jesus’ next words, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home,” the paralyzed man “jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers” (Mark 2:11–12 NLT).

What had transpired? Jesus saw, when no one else could, that the man needed to hear he was forgiven, that God was not condemning him. And those words opened the door to his healing and broke him loose from his paralysis. No wonder the onlookers were stunned—the man went from being immobile and helpless to being active, strong, and completely whole right before their eyes!

My beloved friend, if you are paralyzed by a heavy sense of condemnation over something in your past, I want you to know beyond any doubt that God is not withholding your breakthrough from you. He loves you, understands your pain and suffering, and has forgiven you through the cross. He wants you to know that your past does not have to poison your future.

No matter how many dark days you have experienced, God has prepared many wonderful open doors of opportunity, favor, and good success for you to walk through in the days ahead. Your brightest and most glorious days are still ahead of you.

GOSPEL CORNER:MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY LIVING AND BREATHING MOMENT BECAUSE THESE ARE EVIL TIMES.EPHESIANS 5:16, VOICE.

28/11/23

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
TODAY’S WORD

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Make the most of every living and breathing moment because these are evil times.
Ephesians 5:16, VOICE

SHOW UP FOR LIFE
If you’re going to be fulfilled, you have to show up for life, meaning you have to be there when you get there. Don’t show up focused on the future or on the past, living in regrets. Come into today. Yes, it’s good to have goals and vision, but you can’t be so focused on what’s next that you miss what you have right now. I know people who lost what they had by being so intent on going after what they wanted. They missed their child growing up and the joy of their relationship with their spouse. They came home, but they weren’t there. They were distracted, always planning for the future, and never came into the present.

Today’s Scripture says to make the most of this very moment. What are you doing with today? Are you embracing where you are, present and connected, or are you present and disengaged? Make up your mind that you’re going to enjoy each moment, enjoy your family, enjoy the people with whom you work, and enjoy the beauty of creation.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
“Father, thank You that You are calling me to make the most of every moment of every day. Thank You for the people You have brought into my life. Help me to give them my full focus and love. I declare that I have made up my mind to enjoy them and not miss out. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

SECTION TWO


If we’re honest, we all have some measure of wrong believing in our lives. Just ask yourself, “Have I often felt anxious, worried, or fearful that the worst would happen to me and my loved ones?” These negative, exhausting emotions are merely flags that indicate what we truly believe about ourselves, our lives, and God.

When we are fearful and worried all the time, we are living as if we don’t believe that we have a strong and able Shepherd who is tenderhearted toward us, who leads us to good places, who protects us and lovingly watches over us. So if worrying or being fearful seems to be your natural default mode, what you need to do is to keep hearing and learning about how much God loves you, and how precious you are to Him.

That is why the way out of constant worrying is not a matter of just thinking positively; it’s birthed out of knowing you have a personal and intimate relationship with a loving Savior who watches over your needs and tends to you as a loving Shepherd. The more strongly you believe that He is taking care of you, the more it will change your thoughts and feelings, and the less you will fall victim to unhealthy emotions and behaviors.

Today, if you need freedom from a bad situation, see Jesus, your good Shepherd, leading you out of it by His Word that brings life and illumination. The psalmist says it this way: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105). In The Message translation, it says, “By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path.”

My friend, the Lord wants to throw a beam of light on your path today. Whatever you are struggling with presently, no matter how insurmountable your challenges appear, when you start believing right, things are going to start turning around for your good!

GOSPEL CORNER: MY FRIEND, NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO GIVE UP, BUT TO LISTEN TO YOUR WONDERFUL LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS. HEAR HIM. RATHER THAN DEPEND ON YOUR EXPERIENCE

27/11/23

Do you feel as if you have toiled all night and caught nothing? Perhaps you feel as though you are in a dead-end situation in your career. Or perhaps whatever you have been trying to do to save your marriage just isn’t working. Maybe your toil is in the area of your parenting—no matter how much effort you put into reaching out to your child, the relationship just seems to grow colder and more distant by the day.

My friend, now is not the time to give up, but to listen to your wonderful Lord and Savior, Jesus. Hear Him. Rather than depend on your experience and expertise, lean in to Him. You are not alone in your boat.

Listen to Him and do exactly what He tells you to do. Our Lord Jesus told Peter to let down “your nets”—plural. Peter said, “At Your word I will let down the net”—singular (Luke 5:4–5). It is no wonder the net began to break and Peter had to call for his friends to come and help him.

Jesus is your very present help in time of need. Whatever your struggle is today, you can know beyond the shadow of a doubt that He is with you and knows exactly how to help you.

There are also people who have been toiling relentlessly, trying everything they know to get their lives right and win God’s approval. The more they try, the more distant they feel from Him. The harder they push, the more they feel that they consistently fail and disappoint Him. They are just as exasperated, fatigued, and frustrated as the fishermen who had labored all night and caught nothing.

My dear reader, if this describes you, I want you to know that God loves you even with all your imperfections. Yes, in all your failings, in all your mistakes, God still loves you! Come to Him just as you are.

But Pastor Prince, you don’t understand. Let me sort out my life first, then I will come.

My friend, no one tries to clean himself before he takes a bath. Jesus is the bath! Come to Him with all your inadequacies, all your addictions, all your habits, and all your hang-ups, and let Him do what He does best. Let Him save you and restore you to wholeness! Jesus will transform you with His perfect love.

GOSPEL CORNER:YOU CAN GIVE THANKS TO HIM FOR EVERYTHING. JUST SAY, “LORD, I THANK YOU FOR THIS BEAUTIFUL SUNSET. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE AND FOR SURROUNDING ME.”

26/11/23

There are Christians who know in theory that Jesus is with them, but they do not actively practice His presence. For me personally, one of the best ways to practice the presence of the Lord is to thank Him all the time.

You can give thanks to Him for everything. Just say, “Lord, I thank You for this beautiful sunset. I thank You for Your love and for surrounding me with good things and good friends.”

There is no limit to what you can thank Him for since every good and perfect gift that we enjoy today comes directly from Him (James 1:17). Even if you have had a rough day at work and you are facing a seemingly impossible challenge, you can practice His presence.

The moment you realize that your heart is heavy with worry and your mind is plagued by anxiety, share your challenge with Jesus and thank Him that this problem is not bigger than His hands. Begin to surrender it to Him and depend on Him for His strength, power, and peace.

As you do that, you are already practicing the presence of the Lord. And as you honor His presence and behave like He is indeed with you, He sees it as faith in Him and intervenes on your behalf for your success in whatever situation you may be in.

It is sad when Christians behave like some husbands who bring their wives to a party, only to ignore them completely. Their wives could be right there with them physically, but these guys are so engaged with their own friends, talking about the stock market, economy, or latest game on television, that their wives might as well not be with them.

Ladies, do you know men like that? Now, men who are reading this, I know you are not like that, so don’t get offended, all right? I know you cherish and love your wife.

What I am trying to illustrate is that just because someone is with you physically, it does not mean that the person feels appreciated by you. Appreciation only occurs when you start acknowledging the presence of that person.

Now, what does the word “appreciate” mean? It means “to increase in value.” If you appreciate someone, the person increases in value in your eyes.

My friend, the Lord is already with you, so start to practice His presence. Begin by thanking Him, appreciating Him and increasing His value in your eyes, and you will see Him acting on your behalf.

VIRAL HEPATITIS: LAGOS EMBARKS ON STRATEGIC MEASURES, DATA DRIVE FOR DISEASE CONTROL

25/11/23DA

DANIELS OG

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

 

In a proactive move to combat Viral Hepatitis, Lagos State Government rallied key stakeholders for an impactful engagement session geared towards developing preventive strategies and streamlining data collection for effective disease mitigation.

 

At the meeting, held at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Ikeja, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Mrs. Kemi Ogunyemi, emphasized the criticality of preventive measures and data accuracy in curbing the silent threat of Viral Hepatitis. 

 

She explained that Viral Hepatitis remains a silent adversary which can be mitigated by the provision of preventive strategies as well as the efficient collection and rendition data which will guide the development of efficient plans, interventions and resource allocation to fight the disease.

 

“The foundation of well-informed decision-making is data; data forms the bedrock of informed decision-making, guiding efficient plans, interventions, and resource allocation crucial in addressing complex issues like Viral Hepatitis,” she highlighted.

 

Ogunyemi explained further that the stakeholder’s engagement meeting which was organized in collaboration with relevant stakeholders is targeted at evaluating the state’s efforts to mitigate viral hepatitis and develop a cooperative plan of action involving all stakeholders to end viral hepatitis as a public health threat in the state.

 

In her words: “This collaborative effort aims to evaluate the state’s ongoing initiatives against Viral Hepatitis, leveraging insights from the recent African Hepatitis Summit.

 

“The goal is geared towards crafting a unified action plan involving all stakeholders to eradicate this public health threat”.

 

Highlighting the strides made under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s leadership, Mrs. Ogunyemi praised the Viral Hepatitis Control Program, initiated in 2016. “This program has significantly contributed to prevention, care, awareness, and treatment, thanks to robust political and financial support”, she said.

 

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye stressed the need for collective action, citing alarming statistics that over 16 million individuals in Nigeria are unaware of their Hepatitis B and C status, leaving them vulnerable to severe liver complications.

 

“This joint effort is essential in the fight against Viral Hepatitis. We aim for a lasting impact, driven by our commitment to health equity and compassion for all. We hope that our combined efforts will have a lasting impact on the battle against viral hepatitis and that our dedication to equity, health, and compassion will pave the road for a better, healthier future for all”. Dr. Ogboye remarked.

 

Ogboye stated further that the stakeholders meeting will serve as a critical platform to unite, share knowledge and collectively chart a course towards shaping the future of hepatitis prevention, diagnosis and treatment adding that the state government will delve into prevention strategies and also prioritize collaborative efforts between governmental bodies, non-governmental organizations, healthcare professionals as well as the wider community.

 

Also, Director, Disease Control, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Rotimi Agbolagorite who was also at the meeting added that the government recognizes the impact viral hepatitis has on the health and well-being of the people adding that the agenda of the government will encompass a comprehensive exploration of the state’s epidemiological landscape, solutions to data renditions as well as challenges in diagnosis and treatment.

 

State viral hepatitis control program Coordinator, Dr. Mazeedat Erinosho, assured that the present administration will not relent in putting in place various strategies in the fight against viral hepatitis adding that the state will always be open to productive collaborations with the private sector in the fight against the disease.

 

“We want to expand our horizon, to have more interface with the private sector because we know our data is more dominant with the private sector, and we realise that we cannot do it alone as governments. We need to have a robust collaboration with the private sector such that we’ll have a basis for an advocacy tool”, she said.

 

Signed 

 

‘Tunbosun Ogunbanwo 

Director Public Affairs 

24th November, 2023

 

GOSPEL CORNER: THE GOD WHO SUMMONS HORSES AND CHARIOTS AND ARMIES—THEY LIE DOWN AND THEN CAN’T GET UP; THEY’RE SNUFFED OUT LIKE SO MANY CANDLES: “FORGET ABOUT WHAT’S HAPPENED; DON’T KEEP GOING OVER OLD HISTORY. BE ALERT, BE PRESENT. I’M ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING BRAND-NEW.”ISAIAH 43:17–19, MSG

25/11/23

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
TODAY’S WORD

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
The God who summons horses and chariots and armies—they lie down and then can’t get up; they’re snuffed out like so many candles: “Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new.”
Isaiah 43:17–19, MSG

WOW!
In today’s Scripture, God reminded the Israelites who were held captive in Babylon that He opened a way through the Red Sea in the exodus, that He called forth the mighty armies of Pharaoh and drowned them in the waters. “But forget about all of that. It’s nothing compared to what I’m about to do when I bring you out of captivity.” This brand-new thing was going to be far greater than anything they’d seen in the past.

We all can look back and see when God parted Red Seas for us. He’s opened doors that shouldn’t have opened, had us in the right place at the right time to meet someone special, turned our health around. We’re grateful. We know it was the hand of God. But God is saying, “You haven’t seen anything yet. Forget about all that and get ready for something awesome, something that you haven’t seen, something that propels you to a new level.” When you see this new thing, you’re going to stand in amazement and say, “Wow, look what the Lord has done!”

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You for the countless blessings You have brought me and how Your hand has been upon my life in so many ways. Thank You that I can get my hopes up and know that You have something bigger and better than I’ve expected. I stand in awe of Your goodness to me and can only say, ‘wow.’ In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

SECTION TWO


Psalm 103:20 tells us that angels heed “the voice of His word” (boldface mine). Who gives voice to God’s Word? YOU do.

Every time you quote Scriptures out loud, you are giving voice to His Word, and angels will respond. When you say, “Father, I thank You that no evil shall befall me today, nor shall any plague or disease come near my dwelling,” angels harken to the voice of the Word of God being spoken. Angels cannot read your mind—so speak forth His Word!

Hebrews 1:14 says that God’s angels are “all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation” (boldface mine). Notice that it doesn’t say “minister to” but “minister for” those who will inherit salvation (that refers to children of God—you and me).

That’s an important distinction—”minister for” means that they are waiting for our instructions. We need to speak to activate them. They are waiting to respond to our words; they will not automatically look into every need that we have.

You activate angels when you declare, “Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.” Trigger your heavenly army when you proclaim, “A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.”

Our Lord Jesus Himself demonstrated the importance of speaking aloud God’s Word in the wilderness when three times He said, “It is written” and quoted God’s Word. I don’t know about you, but I intend to speak forth God’s Word!

CANADA: AVOID IRREGULAR MIGRATION, IT IS NOT WORTH IT- DABIRI-EREWA WARNS.

24/11/23

SHINA JO

PRESS RELEASE

CANADA: AVOID IRREGULAR MIGRATION, IT IS NOT WORTH IT- DABIRI-EREWA NOV. 23, 2023.

The Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, (NiDCOM) Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has urged Nigerians travelling abroad to go legitimately, and with proper documentation to avoid unpleasant consequences.

Dabiri-Erewa stated this when she visited some Nigerians in one of the shelters in Brampton, Canada.

The NIDCOM Boss sympathised with their condition and urged others planning to travel without proper documentation, arrive the country to seek asylum, to desist, as the situation is getting tougher in many countries, adding that “ it is just not worth it, more often than not”.

Pastor Vivian Eruka , who runs the Bethel food bank and works with those in Shelters , informed that the Mayor of Brampton promised to make 800 more beds available and shelter.

Mr Wale Rabiu , owner of Matlock bakery donated hundreds loaves of Agege bread to the shelter inmates, while Mr Bayo Adedosu, a Nigerian living in Canada, and an immigration consultant also gave some words of counseling, adding that they should not talk ill about their home country, Nigeria, to avoid future repercussions.

Adedosu equally urged them to be patient and law abiding.

Migration is a human right issue but must be done legitimately and not irregularly.

E-signed
Abdur-Rahman Balogun
Director:Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit,
NIDCOM.

ENTER HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING AND HIS COURTS WITH PRAISE. GIVE THANKS TO HIM AND PRAISE HIS NAME.PSALM 100:4, NIV

24/11/23

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
TODAY’S WORD

Today’s Scripture
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
Psalm 100:4, NIV

A TIME TO GIVE THANKS
Today is a special day for us to give thanks to God for the good things He has done in our land, in our lives, and in the lives of our family members. When you take the time to pause and remember, you can see those times in your life when God brought you victory, brought you success. When you remember that He is providing for all your needs and give thanks to God for who He is and the miracles He has done in your life, you will be transformed.

And let us remember that thanksgiving is an attitude of our heart. Living with an attitude of gratitude means you don’t just thank God for what He did in the past, you also thank Him for what He will do in the future. You thank Him for opening new doors, for increasing you, and for bringing the right people into your life. When you thank God in advance, that’s really a declaration of faith. Live every day with an attitude of gratitude and thanksgiving.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that I can enter into Your presence with a heart full of thanksgiving. Thank You for providing for all my needs and doing exceedingly abundantly above all I could ever ask or imagine. I give You a sacrifice of praise for You are good, and Your mercy endures forever! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”


When negative thoughts come your way, you must not give them time to take root in your heart. That correlates with the wise saying that you can’t stop birds from flying over your head, but you can surely stop them from building a nest on your head. We can’t stop the enemy from attacking our minds, but we can surely defend ourselves with the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (Eph. 6:17).

God’s Word is infallible, unshakable, and everlasting (Isa. 40:8, 1 Pet. 1:25). Our Lord Jesus Himself showed us what to do when we are under attack by the devil. Three times He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. Each time, His response was the same—He quoted the written Word of God. Against each attack, His response was to say, “It is written” (Matt. 4:1–11).

I know of believers who say, “God spoke to me and told me that He will do that for me.” I want to encourage you not to go by what you think the Lord said to you. You cannot fight the devil by saying, “God spoke to me,” apart from the written Word. Please understand that I am not at all against God speaking to you, but coming against the enemy and his attacks with “God spoke to me” is not what our Lord Jesus did.

My friend, if you want to combat the enemy’s attacks, stick to the pattern that our Lord Jesus showed us. In the first temptation, the devil challenged our Lord Jesus to prove His identity, saying, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread” (Matt. 4:3).

Don’t you think it is interesting that our Lord did not rely on what His Father had audibly spoken over Him at the River Jordan? A voice had come from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17).

Yet, the Lord did not point Satan to the spoken word of God. Over and over again, He declared, “It is written.” Now, if the Son of God used “it is written” to defeat the devil, how much more you and I need to.

When fear grips your heart or evil thoughts plague your mind, quote His written Word!

GOSPEL CORNER: YET NOW HE HAS RECONCILED YOU TO HIMSELF THROUGH THE DEATH OF CHRIST IN HIS PHYSICAL BODY. AS A RESULT, HE HAS BROUGHT YOU INTO HIS OWN PRESENCE, AND YOU ARE HOLY AND BLAMELESS AS YOU STAND BEFORE HIM WITHOUT A SINGLE FAULT.COLOSSIANS 1:22, NLT

23/11/23

JOEL OSTEEN MINISTRIES
TODAY’S WORD

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault.
Colossians 1:22, NLT

WITHOUT A SINGLE FAULT
It’s so important that you learn to forgive yourself. We have an enemy who loves to accuse us of our past failures and the times we got off course, bringing condemnation and guilt to cause us to be against ourselves. The accuser will tell you that you’ve given in to temptation so many times that you aren’t worthy of God’s forgiveness, that you’ll always be guilty. Don’t believe that lie. The apostle Paul says that God sees you as holy, blameless, and without fault. We see our faults and all we’ve done wrong, but when you asked God to forgive you, He cleared your record. He sees you without a single fault.

The question is, do you see yourself without a single fault, as holy, as blameless? As long as you’re still beating yourself up for what was in your past, as long as you’re living condemned, you are your own enemy. You have to get in agreement with God and believe that what He says about you is true. You are holy and blameless in Christ.

A Prayer for Today
“Father, thank You that when the accuser tries to dump a load of guilt on me, I can say with authority, ‘Condemnation is not acceptable here. Jesus paid the price.’ I am far from perfect, but I will not drag yesterday’s failures into today. I am holy, blameless, and without a single fault. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

SECTION TWO


I see a new generation of God’s people emerging as the grace revolution sweeps the globe. The truth is that only grace, found in the person of Jesus Christ, can lead us into the promised land.

Moses, who represents the law, is dead (Josh. 1:2). And only Joshua, a type of Christ, can bring us into the promised land.

We can’t enter it based on the obsolete Mosaic covenant. We can’t inherit it based on our efforts to be justified through keeping perfectly the Ten Commandments. We can inherit it only through faith in the grace of our Lord Jesus. It is not by our works that we inherit God’s promises, but by Christ’s perfect, finished work.

How did the wall of Jericho that stood between God’s people and the promised land come crashing down? Did God’s people have to use their own might to push down the wall? Did they have to fight an army? No, at just the blast of the rams’ horns and with a great shout, God caused the wall to crumble.

The ram’s horn is a beautiful picture of the death of our Lord Jesus. The ram had to die for the horn to be obtained. The sounding of the ram’s horn is thus a proclamation of our Lord’s death and finished work. At the cross, when Jesus had paid fully for all our sins with His blood, He proclaimed, “It is finished!”

It is the shed blood of Jesus that brings us out of captivity and into the promised land. What the ten plagues of Moses could not do, the blood of Jesus did. It was the blood of Christ, typified by the lambs’ blood applied to the lintels and doorposts of the Hebrew homes, that caused Pharaoh, a type of Satan, to finally release God’s people.

God threw down His trump card—the blood of His Son! So it was His Son, the true Lamb of God, Who brought them out of Egypt, and it was also His Son Who brought them into the promised land. It is all Christ and Christ alone!

Why couldn’t the miracles of Moses free God’s people? Because they were miracles of judgment. Judgment and condemnation will not free you, only the love and grace of our Lord Jesus, Who shed His blood at Calvary for you, can do that.

My friend, are you hearing about the judgments of the law today, or are you hearing the ram’s horn being blown? One condemns and brings death, the other liberates and gives life. One causes you to remain in bondage to sin and live a defeated life, the other empowers you to break free and reign in life.

Today, make sure you are hearing the true gospel that makes bondages and addictions crumble and fall away like the walls of Jericho did!

LAGOS COMMENCES FREE MASS DEWORMING EXERCISE FOR 1.4 MILLION SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN

22/11/23

PRESS RELEASE

 

LAGOS COMMENCES FREE MASS DEWORMING EXERCISE FOR 1.4 MILLION SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN

 

… Targets 10 STH Endemic LGAs

In a move to tackle Soil-Transmitted Helminthiasis (STH), the Lagos State Government has initiated a free school-based mass deworming program across ten endemic Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the State.

Partnering with the Federal Ministry of Health and a Non-governmental organization, Evidence Action, the campaign aims to treat 1.4 million school-aged children between five and 14 years old, who are susceptible to parasitic worm infections in Lagos State.

Speaking at the flag-off of the exercise today, at CMS Primary School, Bariga, the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi explained that the mass deworming exercise will hold in 10 soil transmitted helminthiasis endemic local governments including of Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Amuwo-Odofin, Apapa, Badagry, Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Ojo and Shomolu.

Prof. Abayomi who was represented by the Lagos State Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) Coordinator, Mrs. Modupe Dawodu further disclosed that the exercise would run for five days, from Tuesday 21st to Saturday 25th November, 2023.

He added that, children, aged five and 14 years, in Schools and communities in the 10 LGAs will be dewormed and treated for soil transmitted helminthiasis using Mebendazole Tablets (500mg) during the exercise. 

In his words: “The Lagos State Ministry of Health is happy to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and Evidence Action to commence implementation of the school based deworming exercise targeting children 5 to 14 years to treat soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) using Mebendazole; a medication used to treat infections caused by worms.

“This round of treatment will focus on 10 endemic LGAs – Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Amuwo-Odofin, Apapa, Badagry, Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Ojo and Shomolu reaching approximately over 1.4 million at-risk children in public and private primary and junior secondary schools and the communities with safe and free medicines received from the Federal Ministry of Health through the World Health Organization drug donation program to be administered at no cost to eligible children.”

Abayomi noted that School-based deworming is an important evidence-based strategy to treat children at risk of parasitic worm infections adding that teachers and community health workers have been trained to safely and effectively administer the medicines to the children. 

While urging residents in the affected LGAs to take advantage of exercise, the Commissioner noted that the exercise reflects the State Government’ commitments towards a worm-free state for all, especially school aged children.  

Also speaking, the Country Director, Evidence Action, Pharm Tope Ogunbi who was represented by the Senior Program Manager, Maryann Edeh noted that the school based deworming programme is an effective and cost effective strategy to ensure that the diseases disrupting the educational growth of children are treated.

She noted that the mass deworming campaign reflects the commitment of the Lagos state government through the ministries of health, basic education and State Universal Education Board (SUBEB) and Evidence Action towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals one and three, as well as the Government’s top health priorities in reducing poverty.

The Country Director explained that Evidence Action has delivered over 1.8 billion deworming treatments globally and is happy to continue to support governments across the world and in Nigeria with cost-effective and evidence based health interventions to reduce the burden of poverty. She stressed that Evidence Action through the Deworm the World program is proud to collaborate with the Lagos State Ministry of Health to provide mass deworming treatment of STH targeting 1.4 million children across the 10 endemic LGAs through active collaboration with other line ministries in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Health.

“Public school teachers and community health workers have been trained to safely and effectively administer this medicine to children, during the school days, and in communities with supervision and support of frontline health workers in the state”, She said.

She encouraged parents residing in the affected LGAs where the exercise is being held to ensure that their children and wards within the target age bracket receive deworming treatment, noting that the treatment is free and effective.

Signed

Tunbosun Ogunbanwo

Director, Public Affairs

21st November, 2023