The Nation Newspaper

Category: Health

  • NOT yet time to loosen lockdown belts?

    NOT yet time to loosen lockdown belts?

    ABHIGYA ANAND, the 14 years old Indian boy who predicted COVID-19 has released another astrologycal prediction  in which he says:

    • COVID-19 will disapper on September 5, the week in which the universe celebrates receipt of spiritual strengthening for the purification of womanhood;
    • The storms of a new pandemic would begin together from about December 20 and explode on the earth by March 2021.

      Anand holds a post-graduate degree in Ayurvedic Microbiology. Anand says in the new forecast that humanity may help itself by not killing animals and dis-respecting Mother Nature.

     

     

  • Coronavirus: Look-alike symptoms join the lexicon

    Coronavirus: Look-alike symptoms join the lexicon

    FEMI KUSA

     

    COVID-19 look-alike symptoms are making the rounds in Lagos. Months ago, the purveyor would more or less be arrested and bundled into a corona virus isolation centre.

    But now, the government says these centres have beds and medical personnel for only patients with the worst conditions, and that means people who are merely sneezing and coughing should self isolate at home.

    This has brought relief to many sufferers of look-alike symptoms, and encouraged them to explore natural options for their condition. In this regard, I receive many enquires every day.

    They are similar to enquiries often made over the past 25 or 30 years which were visited with suggestions the enquirers always said worked for them.

    When I noticed an upsurge of these enquiries in the past few weeks or there about, I decided to restock my personal medicine chest with almost anything imaginable that may be good to dispel these symptoms… Just in case. And it is from this experience that the following column has emerged.

     

    Intense malaria heat

     

    Many people report severe malaria fever with or without headache. Some people link it with typhoid fever. Others suspect it may be a symptom of Covid-19. Different people describe it in different ways. Some say it is as if red hot charcoal is placed all over them.

    Others say it is like their bodies are pasted with pepper puree. Their physiological functions appear impaired in many ways…urine output is poor, making some men suspect prostate gland dysfunction.

    In some people, the intestine slows down with no output over, say for about four or five days. This situation always reminds me of Dr. F. Batmangheledj’s book, YOUR BODYS MANY CRIES FOR WATER, and the follow-up book, YOU ARE NOT SICK, YOU ARE ONLY THIRSTY.

    This suggests that the body may have become like a car carburetor in which cooling or coolest water has dried up or almost done so.

    In the doctor’s care in hospital, this would mean an ORT and electrolyte fluid in drip sets. In the kitchen cure back home, this is a job for refrigerant herbs, vegetables and fruits such as mango, water melon, avocado pear and orange with pinches of sea salt to make the body retain water.

    This season also invites us to drink a lot of water so that we do not easily  burn up with malaria or Covid-19 look-alike fever symptoms.

    I will forever remember CAROLYN DEAN in this special area. She is a researcher and physician in the United States who is helping to popularise IONIC MINERALS and VITAMINS. Her ionic magnesium is called RE-MAG. One teaspoonful in a litre of water drunk slowly throughout the day over time rebalances the body with magnesium.

    It has always turned out that many people were grossly magnesium deficient before their RE-MAG experience – They calm down within one or two days of being on it.

    There is, also, IONIC CALCIUM, when nerve tremour (shaking finger etc) are presented, IONIC B-COMPLEX goes with them.

     

    Chanca Piedra and Epo igi Awopa

     

    We cannot rule away the possibility that PLASMODIUM FARCIPARUMY, the mosquito-borne malaria parasite, is a functional part of the equation. Otherwise, doctors would-not have been rooting for HYDROXYL CHLOROQUINE.

    So, I tried to add two non anti-malaria regimens to many traditional kitchen resources. My friends know that I enjoy the juice of male pawpaw leaf on empty stomach or with a meal. They know  that I present the leaf on meals like salad.

    To it, I add chanca piedra and Epo igi Awopa. My family took chanca piedra tea when my children were growing up, and  knew of no malaria crisis fever even among our AA Genotype members.

    This time, I decided to be more creative about it… I solarised some on a clean clear glass bottle filled with water which I kept in the sun. To my joy, it brought out the golden and yellow colour within about 30 minutes without the risk of stove heat damaging the contents.

    This is in addition to solar energy water. Where I may have missed it was when I infused chanca piedra (Ehinbisowo or Ehin olube) in Seaman’s Aromatic Schnapps.

    Within about 15 minutes, the gin became completely green. This meant the gin must have extracted not only chanca piedra’s medical properties but the chlorophyll as well, making it a very powerful tincture.

    When, experimentally, I took half a tort, I almost couldn’t get up from my seat. My blood sugar must have gone down the drain, and my blood pressure must have crashed.

    I should have taken only about three or four drops under the tongue from a dropper. The rest of the story may be told another day. Suffice it to say that I later gave the bottle away to somebody who needed it more than I did. Awopa was like that too.

    I was introduced to it by the stories of Nigerians it helped in London when the hospitals had no bed for them. Now, I would rather use water infusions of these herbs.

     

     Gums and root canal

     

    When we are made hot by the toxins from micro-organisms in our bodies, we hardly think of infected gums and the canals of dead or dying teeth as areas of the body which require treatment.

    Many of us, especially aging people, have weak and infected gums which smell, however well and hard we try to clean and help our mouth, or to rescue the hollows of the teeth that can no longer protect themselves against disease germs.

    These germs, in perforated gums, pouches or crevices,  periodically release toxins which may generate the look-alike  symptoms of even relapsing fever. Dentists charge a lot of money for a root canal or clean up surgery.

    Nigeria may have lost a beautiful gum and teeth medicine for this condition produced by Dr. FAFURE, once a deputy to BISHOP MAGNUS ATILADE, a Cuba-educated chiropactor, who was president of the National Association of Physicians of Natural Medicine (NAPNM).

    Before his physical demise, Atilade became the representative of NAPNM for the Alternative, Traditional and Complementary Medicines on the enlarged council of doctors and dentists. Fafure was a laboratory technologist. His product in reference was named PAPITEETH.

    He was to turn it into a toothpaste at a pharmaceutical factory in Awe, Oyo State, but did not have money for the venture. I helped him generate public awareness for the product. About four years later, Dr Fafure had none of of his product, PAPITEETH, when one of the young women who worked with me at THE COMET Newspaper developed “terrible” tooth pain.

    The dentist demanded about N200,000. She did not have the money. I told her I had one bottle of PAPITEETH which “expired” about three years earlier.  She did not mind. Her pain disappeared on a few applications with her tooth brush, and she had no need for the dentist there after!

     

    Virus or Bacterium?

     

    There appears to be a disagreement now on what causes COVID-19. Until last month,the World Health Organisation (WHO) told us it was a new Corona virus. But now, the Italians say it is a bacterium. In some medical groups, it is suggested that the bacterium may be a more potent mutant version of the virus, in which case ‘’pap water is pap water “(omi eko, eko ni), as we say in this  part of the world.

    Accordingly, our treatment approach should be comprehensive. That means we would continue to engage malaria fever in all its ramifications, confront the virus and challenge the bacterium.

    To me, the foundational therapy consists of alkalinsing the system and lowering the toxin and pathogen load. For years, I have  been taking a cue from my medical doctor friend since our MARIANDINA days in the 1990s, Dr. Sam Asemogha.

    He cleans his patients up with ORGANIC COFFE ENEMA, an idea bequeathed to laymen and physicians alike by Dr. MAX GERSON. Recently. Asemogha had a bad case of Non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a deadly cancer worsened by chemotherapy. The patient began to cough as though he would die the next minute.

    Water had filled his lungs.  Dr. Asemogha had to place him on five organic coffee enemas a day and soon, the coughing stopped.

    Since the 1990s, I have routinely suggested organic coffee enema for many conditions. But, interestingly, I had not had one myself.

    So, two weeks ago, I had cause to get on board. Not only did I evacuate lots of intestinal stuff, their contents showed yellowish, fat waste.

    Did this mean I was not digesting fat well enough or the liver had been too congested to support fat metabolism, with its many attendant organ health challenges, including kidney deficiencies and blurry vision? Well, we continue our March on the virus and bacterium in a small battle as this column would permit today.

    I no longer have RED  MARINE ALGAE and AMAZON A-V for viruses. But colloidal silver is always not too far away. My best friend now has not been OLIVE LEAF EXTRACT either. The international lockdown has kept it beyond reach. Somehow, BLACK SEED OIL is very much around.

    Two tablespoonfuls in the  middle of  a meal thoroughly mixed with the morsel do a lot of wonders. Of course, it comes with an army which includes raw garlic, vitamin C, Zinc, Cayenne pepper and Curcumin 2000x. Garlic is anti-viral and anti-bacteria.

    Zinc helps T-4  cells to rapidly mature. T-4 cells are  herculian warriors for the immune system. CAYENNE is a member of the regimen, for understandable reasons. It does not allow blood to congeal to form clots in the blood vessels.

    In some COVID-19 cases, massive blood clots have been established as causes of death. Autopsies also mention inflammation and tissue collapse. We try to address inflammation with such naturals as ginger and tumeric, via the diet.

    The anti-inflammatory power of tumeric is in one of its components called curcumin. In a proprietary product named CURCUMIN 2000x, which I like to take, the power of curcumin is said to be enhanced 200 times over with modulation with cayenne.

    I cannot forget CBD oil as an anti-inflamatory. Some people prefer the capsules, others the tincture extracts. Some of the tinctures contain specially added anti-inflammatories,  such as cumin (not curcumin) oil, beet root oil and Ashawagandah etc.

    As potassium is good for energy and tissue regeneration, potassium-rich fruits and vegetables are generally well recommended. In particular, mangoes and avocado pear are in season. I do not forget to give myself a treat with APPLE CIDER VINEGAR in the water I drink.

    Sometimes, I add lime juice in the search for potassium from the plant kingdom. I wish to re-emphasise CBD oil or the capsules. It is made from hemp leaf from which the head turning psychoactive factors, TETRAHYDROCANNABINOIDS (THC), have been removed as much as possible.

    The body is now known to produce this oil as ENDOCANNABINOIS. ENDO means internal production. In fact, an Endocannabinol system has been identified now to exist throughout the body with a generous number of receptions in various systems of the body.

    This system has been found to be the equivalent of, say, the skeletal system, the vision system, the digestive system and the nervous system.

    What doctors are telling us now is that the endocannabinol system governs other systems of the body to ensure that none is run down or that some are weakened by others. Somehow, the body appears not to produce enough endiocannabinol all the time.

    This may cause system imbalance, such as a weakened immune system or a weakened blood circulation system which, for example, it may make the blood coagulate or clot as in COVID-19 infection. Now, CBD oil therapy is appreciated in many disease situations.

    CBD oil has been allowed in the United States and in the United Kingdom for the treatment of SEIZURES in persons as young as 30 months. As CBD oil receptors are plentiful in areas often devastated by COVID-19, it should not be out of place to arm them for their defence with CBD oil.

    I have in mind, especially, the immune SYSTEM. And that is why you are unlikely to find CBD oil missing in my medicine chest.

    These days, I like to start the day with one capsule with hot water, followed immediately with cayenne, vitamin C and zinc. Cayenne is an anti-coagulant known for taking the blood circulation to the innermost corners of the body.

    So, it may not be taken with Waffarin or Aspirin, both pharmaceutical blood thinners. Cayenne helps me take vitamin C and zinc as well. Those of us who are used to FERRUM-PHOS (ferrous phosphate), one of the 12 BIOCHEMICAL or TISSUE CELL SALTS, may  have wondered  why I left  out this anti-coagulant tissue salt.

    No, I didn’t forget it. And I hope this will still be  my Biochemist friend in Warri, Mr. A.A IRIFERl’s favourite. It is just not easily available in the country now.

    It is one tissue salt I would have wished to try alongside GOTU KOLA in the place of Cayenne as a blood mover, especially in the evenings when cayenne may be too “ strong” for some people.

    Gotu Kola is a gentle blood circulation herb and a longevity herb as well. Every organ, especially the brain, feels its impact.

    Which better way to knock out for the night on CBD oil than with three to four drops of the tincture under the tongue, followed about 30 minutes later with Gotu Kola or magnesium.

     

    COVID-19

     

    Look-alike symptoms may be with us for a long time. In fact, I advisedly use the words look-alike symptoms. Only medical doctors may relate symptoms with COVID-19, especially after valid testing.

    There is repeated testing failure and insufficiency of beds and medical personnel in isolation centres. These look-alike symptoms rear their ugly heads and bodies everywhere. We cannot afford to ignore them.

    We must suspect them for what they may be and engage them before they can cause harm – at least until Nigeria’s medical officials come up with a prophylactic medicine or a cure.

    I have presented, on this page, what we have been doing in the Alternative Medicine arena as a prelude to a Covid-19 cure…

  • Who tames the brute?

    Who tames the brute?

    There is a veneer that masks the beast in man. The bulwark that shields the vile instincts in him. It is self-restraint. That sense of cognition to say, ‘No, this is bad, I will not do it’.

    However, when a man chooses to descend from that pinnacle of decency into the pit of infamy, he is not better than a brute; what the late Afrobeat legend,  Fela Anikulapo-Kuti called “animal in human skin”; or how else does one describe a man, in a brawny show of force, holds down a hapless woman and debase her?

    I shudder greatly at the level of savagery and bravura that rapists now tend to display. They no longer stop at just violating their victims, they have taken their debauchery to the level of now snuffing life out of them.

    Now, the poser: Why will a rapist go ahead to kill his hapless victim after debasing her? One possible explanation could be that the latter recognises her tormentor-in-chief and just as it presages big trouble for an armed robbery victim to recognise his attacker and show it, the rapist mows down his victim probably to escape the trap of the law, especially, as already noted, if the latter knows him. Afterall, in many cases, it is trusted persons that end up raping their unsuspecting victims.

    The other hypothetical surmise is the possibility of a ritual undertone. Could it be another emerging trend in ritual adventure? In the first of the two recent cases, which have continued to generate public obloquy, the victim, Vera Omosuwa, a first year student of the University of Benin, was reportedly attacked on May 29, while reading inside the auditorium of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Ikpoba Hill, Benin-City, Edo State capital. Twenty-two-year-old Vera, who was, presumably, gang-raped, however, did not die immediately. She gave up the ghost three days later at the Intensive Care Unit of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).

    In the second case, exactly six days after the Benin ghoulish show, 18-year-old Barakat Bello, a year one student of the Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology, Ibadan, Oyo State, was also gang-raped and murdered outright.

    However, there is really no indication that the two cases had a ritual undertone, since it is not established yet if any body part was removed from the victims’ bodies. Nevertheless, the rampancy of rape cases and other predatory tendencies is startling. Social values are breaking down fast. Human life now means little or nothing. Paedophiles are prowling, rupturing the innocence of minors at will. The abominable trend has even degenerated to the level of incest; fathers are now known to defile and even impregnate their own daughters!

    Too bad! But how did we come to this gristly state?  Who is to blame? Oh yes, our change agents in the business of raising the child – the home, the school, the religious institutions – appear to have abdicated their responsibilities in the chain. Many parents these days are too busy bustling around, hunting for the proverbial daily bread, to be bothered about how their children grow up. They feel once the children are well fed, their school fees are paid and they lack nothing in the home, all is well; they move on.

    In many homes, it is the domestic aides and/or nannies who are left to nurture the kids. And through the adolescent and teenage years, the children are mostly alone in the house, left to their whims most of the time. Some children grow up in broken homes; they usually lack the touch of the mothers or fathers, as the case may be.

    Children reared in this kind of environment normally lack the essential moral ingredients that will make them grow into responsible adults. It is such children who take to robbery, thuggery, cultism, rape and other vices when they grow up.

    How about schools? In those days, teachers were very strong change agents for the children because their moral probity was high. At the mention of a teacher, the particular child would begin to whimper in fright. He would then confirm immediately to avoid the teacher’s gospelic cane and other forms of dreadful punishment.

    Not anymore! These days, pupils have nothing but scorn or contempt for many of their teachers. The moral authority of many of the teachers over their pupils has waned drastically, as many are known to court illicit relationship with their pupils. A school principal ran into trouble recently for impregnating teenage twin sisters simultaneously in his school! This is not, however, to say that there are no more upright teachers in schools; they abound but they are fewer than the bad ones.

    The religious institutions are ideally a bastion of moral-cum-religious instructions needed to mould the children into complete morally upright adults. But the societal depravity has also infested many of the otherwise hallowed sanctuaries. Perhaps, as a sign of the abominations characteristic of the end-time, lascivious indulgencies have also crept into and tainted many of those reverent abodes. Many servants in the vineyard have lost the respect attached to their calling owing to immoral indulgencies and love for filthy lucre.

    However, the presence of the counterfeit is indicative of the existence of the genuine. In the face of the morose setting, upright men of God still abound who are raising godly congregations.

    However, I believe rapists are getting bolder by the day because most of them get away with the crime. In the first place, most victims are either too scared or ashamed to relive their experiences. They fear the resultant stigma. They rather sulk in silence. They bottle up the gloom; the hurt haunts them for a long time. Some never recover from the experience. It dovetails into their marital lives, making them miserable.

    Many of the few victims who choose to come out boldly to fight for their rights often end up abandoning the cause midway for lack of diligent prosecution and the labyrinth they run into in the cause of pursuing their cases. A vital requirement in law to prove rape is a medical report based on an examination of the victim, which usually shows evidence of penetration and traces of semen. However, in some cases, victims, highly nauseated by the experience, clean up first before they make a report. In that instance, the medical report may not help much and the case suffers a setback.

    There is also the lure of lucre. This is particularly common. Usually, the culprits’ families, especially if they are the well-heeled type, pile a lot of pressure on the victims’ families to shield the cases from the prying eye of the law. They then offer money to assuage the victims’ pains. And the temptation to buckle under the pressure and opt for monetary compensation is high, especially if the victims’ families are the poor type. Many rape cases are traded off under this kind of arrangement.

    We have treated the rapists with kid gloves enough. It is time we tamed them; their monstrous activities must be curtailed. And deterrence through diligent prosecution of offenders and a modernised law that addresses new realities appear to be the way to travel to put paid to this insidious evil. This requires that the relevant authorities – federal and state governments, national and state legislative chambers as well as the law enforcement agents – recognise this as a national malaise that must be tackled head on.

    This begins with strengthening the anti-rape laws and getting all the states in the federation to domesticate and apply those laws, which include the Child Rights Act and Violence Against Persons Act. The audacious rapists must be stopped from further watering the altar of their whims with the blood of the innocent.

  • Abiodun outburst against OOUTH doctors, unwarranted – NARD

    Abiodun outburst against OOUTH doctors, unwarranted – NARD

    By Adeola Ogunlade

    The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) South West Caucus has described the recent outburts of Ogun Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun against members of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH) Sagamu as “least befitting and unacceptable of any occupant of such dignified position”.

    In a statement jointly signed by the caucus leader, Dr. Oiwoh Sebastine and the Deputy caucus leader, Sanni Taofeek to The Nation, said the doctors didnt deserve such tongue-lashing.

    The statement titled: Ogun State Governor And Association Of Resident Doctors (ARD), OOUTH Sagamu: The Black And The White noted “for the avoidance of doubt and to place the records straight, the most noble profession of Medicine is a veritable and time proven repertoire of highly cerebral, emotionally matured, administratively astute and clinically sound Hippocratic progenitors as exemplified by our esteemed members in Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu who are demanding for proper and adequate working conditions while keeping the interest of our most esteemed patients at heart always”.

    According to the doctors, without going pedestrian, the demands by our members in the employment of the Ogun State Government is not out of place as these are all in line with international best practices needed for the care of the entire populace especially at this time of COVID-19 pandemic where Ogun state is one of the epicentres in Nigeria.

    Read Also: Abiodun faults doctors’ strike

    “The Federal Government and other State Governments have since ramped up the needed policies, plans and protocols to properly position our members at a vantage position for victory over this unseen enemy”.

    “The aggrieved doctors however said surprisingly, owing to the utmost respect our members have for the seat of power in the State, our members had expected that His Excellency the Governor of Ogun State will carefully, holistically and with needed pragmatism look into the demands devoid of any emotional blackmail but the use of unprintable words by the Governor is in the least befitting of and unacceptable from the occupant of that exalted seat.

    “While attempting to falsely drag our members into the apparent politicisation of the health of the populace, Mr. Governor went further to misinform the public that he has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the doctors when such never existed”.

    “The South West Caucus of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) consisting all NARD members in Ogun, Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo states is using this medium to show our solidarity  and appreciation to our members in the State for managing to provide necessary health services to the good people of Ogun State despite discouraging working conditions, inadequate facilities, poor remuneration and obvious provocations from the Government.”

  • Post-COVID-19: ‘Our minds may not remain the same’

    Post-COVID-19: ‘Our minds may not remain the same’

    Our Reporter

     

    THERE is the need to focus on the mental health  impact of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the lockdown, a consultant psychiatrist, Dr. Olufemi Oluwatayo, has said.

    He said the mental health impact of the pandemic was attributable to the virus itself and the effect of the stay-at-home orders while the long-term impact was linked to the impending recession and the outcome of the immediate mental health effects.

    “The fear of contacting the virus and becoming ill and potentially dying from it naturally leads to worrying thoughts and anxiety. So also the uncertainty of whether one has it or not and the general anxiety about the future. There is in addition, the anxiety associated with hospitalisation of loved ones and the grief for those that, unfortunately, dies.

    “These fears and anxieties are associated with feelings of stress, inability to relax, poor sleep and frequent checks for body symptoms that may suggest that one has the virus, such as fever. When anxiety becomes overwhelming it presents as generalised anxiety disorders or it can lead to depression,” he said.

    Oluwatayo, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Retreat Healthcare, Ikorodu, Lagos, said lockdown and enforced stay-at-home directive mean a change in daily routines and reduced social contacts, especially with work colleagues and lack of social activities like parties.

    This leads to boredom, feelings of loneliness and social isolation. The lockdown is also associated with financial difficulties, fear of burglary and domestic violence. Alcohol and drug abuse, gambling and self-harm behaviours are common as people resort to these adverse coping behaviours.

    Read Also: Coronavirus and the state of the nation

     

    Oluwatayo, also the President, Good Mood Charity Foundation, Nigeria, all these are among the spectrum of mental health difficulties associated with COVId-19. They can easily trigger a relapse of pre-existing mental disorders such as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) or a psychosis.

    “In the long term, the impact on mental health is likely to remain significant. This is because mental health challenges usually build up slowly over time and get worse if untreated. Help seeking behaviours and contact with services can only start after the lockdown is lifted. The services that can help are of very limited availability in Nigeria and are often not affordable to the common man.

    “The impending global economic recession can only worsen the outlook as further inequalities in the society and financial difficulties lead to an increase in mental disorders and suicide.

    For the relatively few people that contact and survive the severe form of COVID-19 illness, their near death experience and the treatments (e.g intubation in ICU) may lead to long-term psychological damages, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

    Furthermore, based on the effect of similar viruses on the brain, early indications are that COVID-19 may lead to long term brain damages with symptoms such as confusion, memory loss and shakes amongst other effects”, he added.

    The Principal of Emotions City, OyinkansolaAlabi, an emotions doctor, said the effect of COVID-19 on the physical health of individuals across the globe is mostly the same. The difference, however, is the impact of the pandemic on mental and emotional stability, she added.

  • Over 60 frontline workers benefit from support fund

    Over 60 frontline workers benefit from support fund

    Our Reporter

     

    The N1 billion Health Workers Fund set up to support frontline health workers combating the COVID-19 pandemic has supported more than 60 frontline health workers since it was launched in March, the organisers have said.

    Dr. Olaokun Soyinka, who is the chairman of governance board of the fund, disclosed this in a statement. The former Commissioner for Health in Ogun State said almost N59 million has been donated to the Health Workers’ Fund by public-spirited corporate organisations and individuals.

    “We are very proud of our strides so far, and are excited by the opportunity to provide succor to frontline health workers in the country. More than 60 health care workers from different parts of the country have been paid tokens in appreciation of their service at this critical time.

    Read Also: Sanwo-Olu declares frontline health workers as face of his 1st year anniversary

     

    We want them to be motivated when they walk into COVID-19 Isolation centres because some of their basic needs are sorted.

    “With the rising cases of infections daily, we urge Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora to donate now in support of frontline health workers wherever they are in the country. They are doing whatever it takes to protect us.

    “We can all play a part in empowering and motivating to function effectively on the job,” Soyinka said.  He called on public-spirited Nigerians to contribute their quota by visiting www.giving.ng/covid19 to make donations.

    Leading the donor’s chart, Sterling Bank Plc, Nigeria’s leading commercial bank, supported the N1 billion Health Workers’ Fund with N25 million.

  • Telemedicine to the rescue

    Telemedicine to the rescue

    By Adekunle Yusuf

     

    With rising community infections and mortality, the coronavirus pandemic seems to have opened the eyes of many countries to the need to strengthen and maintain their healthcare system through innovative means.

    As the battle against non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is yet to be won, COVID-19 sneaks into the global consciousness, throwing the entire world into “epidemiological transition.”

    In low-income nations like Nigeria, COVID-19 has shown the dearth in the supply of essential yet affordable and quality healthcare.

    It is towards changing this narrative that the EKOCORP Plc, owners of EKO Hospitals, has rolled out the EKODOC telemedicine initiative in line with social distancing guidelines set out by the state and federal governments.

    The publicly-quoted private hospital has taken the bold step as a way to augment the effort of the government in lessening the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare access.

    Through EKODOC, health management organisation patients, corporate enrollees, and private patients can access over 50 medical experts and super specialists from the comfort of their homes. This means only patients that cannot be handled virtually are invited to the hospital.

    According to the hospital, this initiative makes it possible for Nigerians to be able to speak with a healthcare worker or specialist as the need may be when needed.

    Other benefits include reduction of waiting time in the hospital as patients who do not necessarily have to visit the hospital can consult a medical expect either on scheduled appointment or by emergency from the comfort of their homes.

    This also reduces the risk to all healthcare workers and patients as the initiative further helps to maintain the federal government’s guidelines on social distancing during this pandemic, as patients can also receive their drugs in the comfort of their homes without visiting the hospital or via hospital drivethru system.

    With this, the future of doctor consulting is here now, as the trouble of commuting for several hours in traffic and associated cost has been removed by this initiative.

    With a huge demand for healthcare services from a population of over 200 million people and a reducing number of healthcare workers due to brain drain, management of Eko Hospitals said there is an urgent need to create innovative solutions to mitigate the shortage in health service supply.

    The new initiative will help to address the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic through innovative health intervention that can address the deficiency in the access and availability of essential and quality yet affordable healthcare in Nigeria. The EKODOC seeks to bridge the gap between the demand (people in need) for healthcare and the supply (skilled personnel, consumables, and equipment) of health services.

    Another highpoint of EKODOC is that emergency response and consultation are offered to the general public at no cost; while patients who are on HMO plans, NHIS and corporate enrollees do not have to pay anything extra to access this initiative.

    According to the Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer, Dr. Kunle Megbuwawon, the initiative was carefully designed with Nigeria and Nigerians in mind.

    “No one can predict the time of emergency and at most times it happens in the night when help is difficult to find. At that time it is difficult to talk about money.

    Access to affordable healthcare is a fundamental human right and as such the goal of the universal health coverage.

    You can call our emergency line at 080 841 25712 OR 090 24564079 if you find yourself in need of medical care at night,” he said.

    He further opined that telemedicine will deliver medication at the comfort of user’s home or through the drive-thru pharmacy in the user’s car.

    Furthermore, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of EKO Hospitals, Dr. Ademolu Owoyele, within 2 weeks of commencing the telemedicine initiative, the hospital has attended to hundreds of clients remotely while some have been mandated to visit the hospital for further management.

    “Patients have called us from Dubai and we have clients from the United States of America who needed care for their elderly ones in Nigeria,” he said.

    According to the CEO, EKODOC telemedicine and telepharmacy involves the use of electronic communications and software to provide medical services to patients without an in-person visit to the hospital for such patients that do not necessarily have to come to the hospital.

    “The Pharmacy Drive-Thru system also allows pick-up of drugs through a drive through system without entering the hospital pharmacy within minutes in the comfort of patient’s cars.

    This has been used effectively with good result in other developed countries of the world. Our goal as a trusted health provider is to create access to healthcare for all Nigerians.

    The range of services covered by the tele-consultation and tele-pharmacy includes but not limited to new consultation, follow-up visits, management of chronic conditions, medication and drug management, specialist consultation, physiotherapy session, and our novel EKODOC Tele Cancer Care as well as a host of other clinical services that can be provided remotely via secure video and audio connections. It’s accessible, affordable, and convenient,” Owoyele said.

  • Coronavirus: May 29, Power of Pentecost over viral foments

    Coronavirus: May 29, Power of Pentecost over viral foments

    By Femi Kusa

    Last Friday was May 29. I had planned on May 28, the previous Thursday, to publish this column in tandem with one of the most wondrous events in the universe at this time. May 29 is a date I have held in high regard since about 1977 when I first learned of its importance, along with May 30 and May 31, for the well-being of all creatures in the universe.  I know of thousands of other people in Nigeria, not to mention in other nations, who observe May 29 in spiritual retreat to celebrate PENTECOST the following day, May 30, and absorb its powers and blessings mediated to man as once did the disciples of Jesus of Nazareth in the Upper Chamber.

    Pentecost is the Christian word I can immediately turn to, to anchor the wondrous event which has been taking place from the beginning of Time, coincided with the first reported PENTECOST, and has not failed to take place on May 30 every year after that. I would like to quickly add that this Outpouring of Power to man from Above is not for Christians alone. It has been happening before Jesus came to the earth. It is, therefore, meant for any soul which consciously or unconsciously opens itself to it according to its receptive capacity.

    So, quite naturally, I awoke inwardly when I  learned about the astrological prophecy of a 14-year-old Indian boy, ABHIGYA ANAND, in August last year. At that time, he said:

    • A natural pestilence of the magnitude of a war would devastate the earth from November 2019.
    • The devastation would hit a climax about March 26, 2020.
    • The pandemic disease would begin to lose its sting and, therefore, clip its wings from May 29 this year. I have not seen anyone who knows about May 29 in the spiritual calendar of our Universe who has not tried to figure out or contemplate the possibility of a linkage between the prophesy of Anand and long-standing prophesies of the warning signals of an END time for planet Earth. In 1999, American journalist TOMKAY took us through many of them in his book entitled: When The Comet Runs. He let us know that the Comet he referred to was not HALEY’S COMET, which visits the earth  every 75 years or so and was around again in1984.That year, I wrote  a number  of Haley’s comet articles in The Guardian newspaper to recall devastating earth events which often accompanied the visit of this Comet and to suggest the crashing of some notable  settled scientific notions.

    Two of these notions that I suggested were THE LAW OF GRAVITY and THE LAW of BIOGENESIS. The law of Gravity then, and perhaps even now, was  that a force in the centre of the earth pulled everything to a resting point on the surface of the earth. But what if it was the other way round, that everything floats to or sinks to  the level consistent with its  density, always forced to an homogeneous environment? If you are a heavy soul, you cannot float to paradise upon your departure from this earth. If you are a light soul, you would easily ascend or float home-ward.Very heavy departed souls may be earth-bound and roaming about aimlessly, disturbing people and even trying to possess the bodies of negligent ones with weak blood radiations. Regarding biogenesis, the settled law was that like begets like – Dogs give birth to dogs and chickens to chickens.  The bottom line is that NOTHING gives rise to NOTHING or SOMETHING comes from SOMETHING. But from the re-emerging knowledge of RADIATIONS at that time, which was taking us back to the days of the  ALCHEMIST when he probably  transmuted sand grains into gold dust and sand, it is possible now to  salute  BIOGENESIS, the conception that something may arise not from its kind.

    I have not been surprised, therefore, that thinkers and researchers, such as Dr ROBERT O.YOUNG have been vehemently trying to lift the lid off this subject. He has been challenging vaccination and vaccines, which, he says, are loads of poisons on the human system. Even in respect of a Coronavirus vaccine, which all nations are competing to develop, Dr Young says this is perverted thinking. In a short while, we should hear from him on this page. Meanwhile, in his book, THE pH MIRACLE which I read in the 1990s, he showed that a micro-organism, named MICROZYMA lives in every cell, human, animal  or plant. Microzyma are natural guests or tenant in every cell and is inert or inactive for as long as the cell is slightly alkaline in its biochemistry. When the cell turns acidic, microzyma DEVOLVES  or degrades itself into bacteria to destroy the cell.

    By the command of nature, acidity tells microzyma the acidic cell is dying and should be destroyed. That is why corpses decay in the graves and why acidic breasts and other organs are attacked by cancer. Microzyma did not give birth to microzyma in this condition but to bacteria. The doctor wipes the bacteria with antibiotics. The residue  of antibiotics makes the cell more acidic and a stronger strain of bacteria emerges which the original antibiotics cannot kill. So, the doctor goes for much stronger antibiotics, which leaves a stronger acidic residue. This time, microzyma is converted by the acidosis to fungi or mould, a microbe more difficult to deal with. It has been suggested that the vaccinations many of us took as children about 70 years ago may be the foundations of today’s cancer epidemic and viral pandemic. And more acidosis may lead to viruses emerging in the continual pleomerphism of microzyma. It may be shown here today that acidosis comes not only from what the body is fed with but, also, from toxic emotions and cosmic radiations such as ANAND prophesied when he sighted an astrological formation in the cosmos.

    May 29, May 30 & May 31

    I left something hanging about May 29 in the cosmic calendar. To talk about it, we would need to visit the beginning of all things, LIFE or GOD. There is hardly any human being who, as a child, did not wish to know how God was created and what HE looks like. Now, we know we will never know, because our specie of creature cannot behold or withstand the energy of HIS Radiance, let alone of HIS Being. We would simply melt like snow in the tropical sun or like candle-stick in the fire place. But through the Grace of  REVEALED KNOWLEDGE, we are now privileged to be content that HE is UNSUBSTANTATE while everything outside of HIM is in SUBSTANTIATE form. The first of these forms, as the Christian Bible informs us, are the FOUR ANIMAL BEINGS at the foot of the throne of the Almighty God. It should be of interest to us that it is not human beings but animal beings who are the guardians at the foot stool of the throne. That is, they have identifiable forms and shapes. These are the first forms and shapes to extricate themselves from the surging oceans of  fire which surround the unsubstantiate  worlds of the Almighty Creator. They are to be seen, therefore, as the strongest pillars for our creation or universe.

    The Christian Bible tells us they are EQUIDISTANT from one another and form a perfect SQUARE. If we project each point of the square upwards to a common equidistant point, we obtain a PYRAMID. Everyone knows the high point of a Pyramid signifies a starting point which passes power into the pyramid.  If we project the SQUARE downwards, we obtain THE CUBE, the  shape of the universe. When we recognise that forces in cyclic motion are active in the gigantic structure, we may be on the Terrain of the Quadrature of the circle. These bits of knowledge were borne down to earth by knowing ones over millenia. From  the scriptures, we are familiar with the fact  that  GOD cannot be pinpointed in substantiate form in the Light of HIS luminence. So, we are content to accept that HE is LIGHT.

    Light radiates and  produces energy. Energy produces pressure, heat and motion. In these Radiations of THE LIGHT are the seed germs of the specie of everything capable of existence. Existence is either conscious or unconscious. In the law of development, movement is from the unconscious to the conscious. From pristine  times, it was known that the world of Angels existed in substantiated forms far away from the unsubstantiated Divinity of the most high. They were able to become conscious because their species were able to extricate themselves from the surging oceans of fire at a point far away from him and form themselves into the shapes we know as angels. We human beings on earth were too weak to do that. The human specie could not, and needed farther worlds away. When the longing arose in the strongest specie of the human spirit for conscious existence, their prayer was granted with the CREATION COMMAND LET THERE BE LIGHT.

    Hitherto, the Radiation from the unsubstantiate being of the creator, LIFE, were recalled to HIM at the boundary of the Divine substantiate worlds in a temple where the Bible, for example, informs us that 24 ELDERS sing HOLY, HOLY, HOLY from Eternity to Eternity. To create a new world for the human spirit, a part of THE LIGHT had to be placed at the boundary of The Temple of the Elders. It is this boundary that is the well reported cold, lifeless void where nothing existed. The command LET THERE BE LIGHT brought a part of unsubstantiate aura of the Almighty to the boundary of the Temple Elders which interfaces with a cold, lifeless and void below. That was how the human spirit, which was created IN THE IMAGE  OF GOD of that part of THE LIGHT, came about. They were the strongest of the human specie, and did not have to journey to the earth for their development. The radiations of the part of the LIGHT was sufficient for their creation and sustenance. They are the ones created in the images of God. Their part of paradise is the original paradise which none of us on earth can ever attain because we are not created beings but, at best, are developed beings, whose own spiritual worlds is far, far below.

    John the Baptist was one of those created beings. And that was why The Lord Jesus said no man on Earth is as great as John the Baptist. Human beings on earth, were therefore, not those created in the image of God. At best, when they become mature through their wandering, they might have become images of the images of God. We, earth men and women, are, therefore, better labelled as developed Beings whereas the images of God are created beings. The universe in which we exist for our development from spirit seed germ to spirit  being, including the earth, did not issue directly from the hands of God. It arose from the loving wishes  of the images or the Created Beings who wanted their immature spirit brothers and sisters to become developed Beings.

    That was why a lot of work over billions of earth years was involved in putting together the seven universes, including our own, EPHESUS. This subsequent Creation is maintained by the WILL OF GOD, HIS SPIRIT, which we are told, “hovered over the land”. We know what would happen to the human body if the heart stops beating. It would die! Subsequent Creation is a much bigger version than all the human body systems put together. Once a year in terms of human reasoning, an event takes place in the annex Temple through which the circulation of Divine Power in Subsequent Creation is renewed. On earth, Knowing ones have pinpointed the highpoint of it as May 30. So, from May 29 every year, they join the entire universe to beseech God to send down into the universe that sustaining power which will keep it going for another year. The created Beings do the same in their own Paradise and Temple.

    When the DOVE appears in the Temple on May 30 to confirm the Goodness, Grace, and Mercy of God for his creation, there is jubilation throughout the Universe, including, on earth, for those who have opened themselves up to partake of this Blessing.Time does not permit to explain how the power, which streams down, has been used aright or wrongly by mankind.  It is possible that the Power is what  the boy astrologist ANAND intuitively sensed would break the constellation of stars which may have  produced such radiation reactions on earth to aggravate existing conditions for a devastating pandemic now known as COVID-19. It is possible May 29, 30, 31, would bring a breather for a while to the impact of the Radiations of THE CREAT COMET which is fast approaching the earth. What we know from Revealed Knowledge is that its Origin is the same as the STAR OF BETHLEHEM, which was a greeting from the Father at the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. The Great Comet is reserved for THE JUDGEMENT.

    Coronavirus: Vaccines are not the safest Medicine

    CORONAVIRUS (CoV): DR. ROBERT YOUNG SAYS THE VIRUS STORY IS A FRAUD

    Controversial American Naturopath and author of The pH Miracle Series, 68-year-old Robert Young, Ph.D, D.Sc, says CoV is a concept that only exists on paper. Let Dr. Young speak for himself: All viruses, from HIV, EBV, CMV, Hepatitis C, Ebola, Measles, Zika and now CoV, are all phantom viruses.Viral existence has not been scientifically demonstrated and never proven.

    He continues: Most virologists have very little interest in the possibility that HIV doesn’t cure AIDS, or that the CoV doesn’t cause hypoxia that leads to acute respiratory disease syndrome (ARDS), because if it does, their experience is useless. Their embarrassment, humiliation and scientific fraud would have been exposed. Furthermore, Young says you can’t catch viruses. On the frenzy over whether the eventual production of a vaccine for Covid-19 could end the challenge posed by the virus, he says the proposed vaccine could be toxic!

    Besides, some of the vaccines tested so far, give false positives on CoV tests. For Young, the prolonged use of N95 masks could disrupt the normal airway breathing, and inhaling excessive amounts of carbon dioxide instead of oxygen could cause hypercapnia (excess carbon dioxide build up in the body . This is toxic). Young then asks the question: Is Covid-19 contagious? In his study published May 13, 2020 entitled: A study of infectivity of asymptomatic SARS-COVID carriers, he said in the experiment, an asymptomatic Covid-19 person was exposed to 455 uninfected persons and the infection rate was tracked. Of the 455, zero became infected!

    On the pathology of all sickness, Young, in the most important scientific article he has ever written, says a rise in alkalinity of the body prevents CoV, dementia, diabetes, heart attack, etc. This postulation is based on the pH Miracle principle, where he says the more alkaline the body, the more it resists diseases, including Covid-19.Young then quoted Hippocrates: Let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food.

    Based on the pH Miracle diet, we humans should be eating more of fruits and vegetables and not heart and body damaging fast food that causes inflammation. Hear Young: The body is alkaline by design and acidic by function. He recommends ionised water. He also gives the benefit per colour of fruits and vegetables:

    • Green: Contain leutin for vision, vitamins C and K, potassium and folic acid.
    • Orange: Rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C for vision, skin and immune system.
    • Red: Rich in phyto-chemicals like lycopene and anthocyamins that improve the heart and diminish cancer risk.
    • Purple: Rich in anti-oxidants and phyto-chemicals. They are anti-ageing, reduce cancer risk and support mental health.
    • White: Rich in phyto-chemicals and potassium and help reduce cholesterol levels. Young says balance your diet, regain your health and prevent Covid-19. He says your body’s pH balance is the key to optimal health that prevents Covid-19. The pH diet works with your body chemistry to re-vitalise and maintain your health.

    The following are testimonials about the pH Miracle book:

    • Love the pH Miracle book. Went out and bought pH strips, checking out pH on everything. Im afraid to loan out the book because I may not get it back. Told my son about it, he and his wife ordered their own copy. Called in this morning to say they love it too. Im reading labels more than ever before due to this book. I recommend it to every household – Bonnie C.
    • The pH Miracle book may have saved my life. Simple truth: It works and so many people could help themselves. My Doctor says I’m doing so well, she may discontinue my medication. Just three months ago, they said it was a good thing I checked into the hospital because I was lucky to be alive – Micky F.

    For more on Young’s views on vaccines, prevention, treatment and core for Covid-19, see his Blog https://www.drrobertyoung.com/blog for his numerous world acclaimed articles and presentations on YouTube and at scientific seminars. Young, though controversial, has his own well respected world view. There you have it.

  • Pyramax as candidate for COVID-19?

    Pyramax as candidate for COVID-19?

    On 31st December 2019, COVID 19 the novel corona virus detected in Wuhan, China was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office in China. On 30th January 2020, it was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and by March 11th COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, pointing to the over 118,000 cases of the coronavirus illness in over 110 countries and territories around the world.

    Since then it is on record that no drug or vaccine has been officially approved for the treatment of COVID-19.

    However, several candidate drug molecules, including the repurposed are emerging through anecdotal reports as providing benefits to COVID-19 patients. Drug molecules developed for treatment of ailments like Malaria and Ebola in different parts of the world.

    Read Also: COVID-19: Chloroquine trial to continue in Nigeria

    Pyramax is a WHO prequalified artemisinin-based combination therapy for the treatment of malaria contains the active substances Pyronaridine tetraphosphate and Artesunate is presently undergoing phase 2 clinical trials for the treatment of COVID-19. Pyramax a drug of choice in the treatment of malaria is registered and was launched in Nigeria in 2018 being available in Hospitals and Pharmacies in Nigeria.

    Pyramax has officially been approved for clinical trials in South Korea to compare and evaluate efficacy and safety in treating patients infected with the novel coronavirus after its manufacturer, Shin Poong Pharmaceuticals received approval of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety South Korea to conduct clinical trials on Pyramax .

    While following up on the potential of Pyramax during the clinical studies it is good news that this medicine can be accessed in the Nigeria pharmaceutical space.

  • Coronavirus: ‘one minute cure’ and banga soup

    Coronavirus: ‘one minute cure’ and banga soup

    Femi Kusa

     

    ALTERNATIVE medicine and traditional  medicine  looked set for upgrading from the side-lines last week in Nigeria’s search for a home grown  COVID-19 cure.  But a last minute push of chloroquine to the front burner in Lagos State appeared likely to block them.

    The Presidential committee which is trying to involve alternative medicine and traditional medicine  practitioners in the search for a COVID-19 cure finally got  some prominent figures in the industry to have a meeting with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control ( NAFADAC).

    But at  the same time, Lagos State, the most respected and most influential of Nigeria’s 36 states when it comes  to epidemic and pandemic controls, signalled it might begin hospital prescriptions of  Chloroquine this week for COVID-19 patients and served  NAFDAC the notice.

    Incidentally, Nigeria, through Lagos State, has one of the best cure rates world-wide on its present, undisclosed protocols whereas Chloroquine dependent United States has  the world’s worst affiliation and death records. Incidentally, too, NAFDAC as yet,  has no official word  on Chloroquine.

    Last week, this column reported that some doctors in India who used Chloroquine and Azithromycin for protection  died in the process because they did not take Omega-3 fatty acids along with them and the two drugs damaged their hearts. World -wide, the search for a COVID-19 cure continued with a World Health Organisation (WHO) plan to send Madagascar’s COVID ORGANICS, a herbal formula, for international clinical trials. COVID ORGANICS is a lucky natural medicine contender against contending vaccines because there are many suppressed possible cures which lie forgotten in medicine’s dung hills.

    One such side-lined remedies which may offer a cure is the One-minute cure of Dr. Holda Clark who was literally chased out of the United States into Mexico, a safe haven for Alternative Medicine and Traditional Medicines of all sorts. Incidentally, COVID-19 is a judge of both nations.

    A May 5,  2020 update revealed total confirmed cases of 1,299,715 for the United States against 29,616 for Mexico. With a 14 percent death rate against 26 percent  in the U. S, Mexico can beat it’s chest and say laissez faire in Medicine pays off.

    The Americans showed  Dr. Clark  the door to Mexico because she dared  to say all diseases were caused by germs( bacteria, fungi, yeast, mold, viruses etc).

    According to Dr. Clark, such diseases can be cured within one minute through a radio frequency machine which she developed and offered free to whosoever may wish to personally build and use it.

    Her hypothesis is that everything which exists is a form of energy and broadcasts its existence to all else through energy vibrations on a sound wave length frequency peculiar to it. Therefore, everything which exists is recognised by all else through its peculiar broadcast frequency.

    This identity card of sorts becomes useful in disease fighting either when helping the immune system to recognise foreign bodies inside the human body or when the skilled radio frequency doctor jams the frequency of an invading army of germs.

    Dr. Clarke says if we know the broadcast frequency of a germ, we can destroy its army in the body by jamming this frequency and, thereby, immobilising that foreign Army.

    That is exactly what happens in Star Wars among nations when one nation jams the early warning system (s) of another, such as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) did to those of the United States in the 1970s.

    In war situations and other circumstances, we have witnessed, also, the jamming of the frequencies  of “enemy” broadcast stations. In the Biafra war, Nigeria always tried to knock out the more propagandist Radio Biafra.

    And during the JUNE12 political discontent, Nigeria marked out Radio Kudirat for elimination on the air waves. Dr Clarke’s healing methods consisted of developing a radio frequency generating device which would jam the broadcast frequency of an army of germs, and making the patient pass this healing frequency into his or her body by holding in the hand for some time terminals of the device when it is switched on.

    As the radio frequency moves through the body, it would destroy  the invading germs, she says, in not more than one minute. Orthodox Medicine rose against her with several law suits, the contest of which she could not finance, and she had  to migrate to Mexico to continue her practice.

    Her drugless healing method which  offended the pharmaceutical drug industry on which orthodox medicine is founded,  is one of the several suppressed Alternative Medicine pathways to health which remained silenced till this day and are, thus, unavailable to  suffering  and dying humanity at this time of scare mongering for yet another vaccine, a load of poisons

    Any- one who is interested in finding out the truth about the poisons to inhibit or even  kill germs and eventually harm or disable human cells may follow Dr. Robert O. Young, authur of some books, especially  Sick and Tired and his peer reviewed scientific article called A second thought about viruses, vaccines and theHIV/AIDS hypothesis. We will return to him some day.

    I would like to quickly visit the ideas of our own Dr. Ignatius  Onah about how palm oil may help out in Coronavirus infection.  The reference to Banga soup is mine. It appealed to me because I enjoy Banga Soup which is made from palm kernel, from which we obtain oil and palm kernel oil

    Dr. Ignatius Onah

    This is a revolutionary doctor and researcher of sorts. He emerges from a crowd of settled thoughts with strange and disturbing ideas that cannot be ignored. Once or twice or so, l  contested some  ideas with him. He yielded no ground. I shrugged my shoulders, and let go.

    In respect of the politics of research which held down palm oil and coconut oil for the Western world to push and sell soy oil in the world market, we speak the same language.

    He takes me beyond this boundary into the realms of how palm oil may help to combat COVID-19.  His opinions are a response to the attempt by Western researchers to again denigrate palm oil. You should find it useful.

    Dr Onah has the floor….

    Coronavirus: Palm Oil, best oil against COVID-19!

    The following WhatsApp message was sent to me by Dr Ignatius O. Onah, whose brief introduction I made in the upper part of this column gave me the idea of Banga Soup as a possible immunity enhancer against COVID-9 infection.

    While thousands of people continue to die needlessly, in my view, and as scientists dismiss possible natural cures not founded on clinical trials which may take years to flower and fruit, here is yet another widow’s mite contribution to ideas which may save our lives in this dangerous period. The contribution comes from  Dr Ignatius O. Onah

    Culled from “Unrefined Palm Oil Boosts Lung Immunity Against COVID-19”, published  on May 2, by Prof.Nur Yasmin.

    Excerpts only[Emphasis is ours}

    “…Unrefined Palm Oil Boosts Lung Immunity Against COVID-19

    • “…A study shows that unprocessed red palm oil helps to maintain lung immunity and respiratory health, strengthening one’s body defences against the coronavirus that is causing the COVID-19 disease.
    • The product, also known as virgin red palm oil, can help maintain an adequate amount of a substance crucial for the body’s immune system.
    • Sri Raharjo, researcher of food technology and agricultural products at Gajah Mada University, said that alveoli, tiny sacs in human lungs where oxygen and carbon dioxide exchanges, are covered with emulsifiers or surfactant which contains palmitic acid (palmitate).

    “Palmitate covers 60 percent of alveoli inner walls. It is synthesised directly from fat, and the virgin red palm oil has the palmitate needed by the alveoli surfactant,” Sri Raharjo said in a virtual seminar on Thursday.

    • The body does produce surfactant naturally, but consuming palmitic acid should help keep it at an adequate level needed for the body.

    When the coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, enters the body, it will go through the alveolus, self multiplies and disrupts the surfactant synthesis process. Macrophage, a type of cell in the alveoli, will counterattack by releasing cytokines, causing blood vessels to widen, then leaking water into the alveoli.

    “If alveoli are drowned in water, the surfactant will no longer be effective and cannot synthesize. The gas exchange will not run smoothly, and the person will have breathing difficulty. In this state, the person requires ventilators to breathe,” Sri Raharjo said.

    Virgin red palm oil also contains pro-vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, and beta carotene, nutrients that are essential to guard the body against COVID-19.

    Sri Raharjo said that virgin red palm oil also has 15 times higher pro-vitamin A than carrots and high tocotrienols, which boosts the immune system.

    “Vitamin E, tocotrienol, and pro-vitamin A dissolved in virgin red palm oil are powerful antioxidants that can ward off free radicals. Vitamin C, which is available in many fruits, functions to refresh vitamin E as a weakened antioxidant after reacting with free radicals,” he said.

    * Sri Raharjo said the clearer the oil, the fewer nutrients left in the oil. Therefore, unprocessed oil is the best way to consume red palm oil.”It is best to use virgin red palm oil as cooking oil or for stir fry, instead of frying oil.

    The oil can be mixed when the meal is finished cooking, so the beta carotene and vitamin E are not damaged,” he said.

    “In Africa, virgin red palm oil is the basic ingredient of daily food for its people, …

    Despite the benefits, red virgin palm oil remains under negative perception surrounding its refined form, the palm oil. The World Health Organisation said that palm oil is unhealthy and causes heart attacks because of its high saturated fat.

    • The global agency body suggested avoiding saturated fat consumption such as fatty meat, butter, palm and coconut oils, cream, cheese, ghee, and lard to protect the body against COVID-19…”

    Editor’s Remarks:

    1. “Virgin’ Palm oil, ” Unprocessed palm oil’, and ‘Unrefined’ palm oil mean the SAME thing here, and they represent the regular hand – processed palm oil in use for centuries in the tropics.
    2. The ‘global agency’, WHO, is inside the deep pockets and suffocating spell of their Sponsors — producers/makers of the Uniformly toxic unsaturated fats , like Soy, Canola, Sunflower, etc.

    Why?  Their own people do not produce palm oil, coconut oil, etc.

    Anything wrong with saturated fats?

    No!, there is nothing wrong with something that constitutes more  than 80percent of total fatty acids in the human body; that something is called saturated fats!

    Yet, WHO is goading people into pouring unsaturated fats into their system; in fact, in most Americans, the pro – inflammatory Omega 6 acid alone constitute more than 50percent of their total fat intake!  This bad fats are sourced from soy, corn, peanuts, etc.  Any wonder that inflammation reigns supreme in their bodies? No!!

    Last Line: A few citations which exonerate saturated fats as being bad, and showcase their manifest nutritional edge over unsaturated fats like soy, corn,etc:

    1. Dr Eric C. Westman, MD, MHS:

    “Saturated fats never cause heart attack, nor stroke!!”

    He continues: “The thing that concerns people the most with a high fat diet is that it will give you a heart attack…. I was taught the same thing in Medical school!.

    I was taught that fat in the diet is related to heart disease and stroke, and actually caused those things. Well, the science just hasn’t shown that to be true. … Fat in the diet is not the causal factor we were led to believe”               Dr Westman, MD, MHS,  is Associate Professor of Medicine at Duke University, and Director of the Duke Lifestyle Medicine Clinic. ; Chair of the KE Diet® Scientific Advisory Board, is the author of  “A Low Carbohydrate Ketogenic  Diet  Manual”, and New Atkins for a new you”

    1. Dr Stephen Byrnes, PhD,: ” All recent, peer – previewed researches favour consumption of  saturated fats “

    Dr Byrnes continues,…”Recently, experts selected by WHO and FAO published a new report . Here the authors concluded that there was no satisfactory or reliable evidence to support the idea that saturated fat causes heart disease, or diabetes or obesity…

    “A meta-analysis of properly performed previous studies on heart health and saturated fats concluded there was no association between cardiac issues and saturated fats. This was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) on January 13th, 2010.

    1. Dr Chris Kresser…”And what if I told you that a review of large, well-designed studies published in reputable medical journals showed that there is no association between saturated fat and heart disease?

    Well, that’s what I’m telling you. We’ve been duped and  lied to. And we’ve suffered greatly as a result. Not only have we suffered from being encouraged to eat packaged and processed foods made with cheap, tasteless vegetable oils and refined carbohydrates (low-fat cuisine), but these very foods we were told would protect us from heart disease actually promote it!

    The recent review I’m talking about is a meta-analysis published in January, 2010 in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It pooled together data from 21 unique studies that included almost 350,000 people, about 11,000 of whom developed cardiovascular disease (CVD), tracked for an average of 14 years, and concluded that There is no relationship between the intake of saturated fats and the incidence of heart disease, or stroke !! Let me put that in lay persons terms for you:  Eating saturated fat doesn’t cause heart disease”  –;Dr Chris Kresser.

    1. Professor Linus Pauling, PhD, DSc. Double, unshared Nobel Laureate, (one on Vitamin C)     Hear him: “The bodyhas an almost insatiable hunger for saturated fats!!”

    He continues,   “If you do not eat enough saturated fat in your diet, your body will manufacture the saturated fat it NEEDS. … low saturated fat can injure your arteries just as does low vitamin C. Your arteries are constructed,  in large part , of saturated fats and  vitamin C”

    Prof  Linus Pauling, PhD, D Sc.(Double, unshared Nobel  Laureate, one on Vitamin C) , wrote the book,” How to live longer  and better ”

    1. Dr Russell Smith,PhD: “Without enough saturated fats, your body cannot utilise essential fatty acids,calcium, ,vitamin D etc etc. ”  According to him,  ” The body needs saturated fats in order to properly utilise essential fatty acids.

      Saturated fats are needed for proper calcium utilisation in the bones;  …..to power  the immune system;… are the preferred food for the heart and other vital organs; and, along with cholesterol, add structural stability to the cell and intestinal wall”

    Dr Smith wrote the book, “The cholesterol Conspiracy

    1. Dr Chris Masterjohn: “…these saturated fats are found mostly in the milk and meat of ruminant animals like cattle and sheep. They also form the core structural fats in the human body, comprising 75-80percent of fatty acids in most cells, … assuming you are metabolically healthy, you can eat as much saturated fat as you like without adverse consequences…..”
    2. Dr Mary Enig, PhD (1931-2013)

    “It was determined many years ago that humans need saturated fats because we are warm blooded. Our bodies do not function at room temperature, but at a tropical temperature. Saturated fats provide the appropriate stiffness and structure to our cell membranes and tissues.

    When we consume a lot of liquid unsaturated oils, our cell membranes do not have structural integrity to function properly, they become too floppy, and when we consume a lot of transfat, which is not as soft as saturated fats at body temperature, our cell membranes become too stiff”.

    Epilogue: “…A study shows that unprocessed red palm oil helps to maintain lung immunity and respiratory health, strengthening one’s body defenses against the corona virus that is causing the Covid-19 disease..” — Prof.NUR YASMIN.

    •   About Dr Onah.  Dr (Pharm.) IGNATIUS O. ONAH(69), is a Pharmacist , Nutritionist, and Naturopathic Doctor.

    WhatsApp :07065744004.                      Website:sikamoretree.com.ng.