The Nation Newspaper

Category: Health

  • COVID-19: NMA decries lack of doctors in Kaduna

    COVID-19: NMA decries lack of doctors in Kaduna

    Our Reporter

    The Nigerian Medical Association, Kaduna State chapter, has lamented that about 200 medical doctors on the payroll of the state government are grossly inadequate to man its 33 general and rural hospitals and supervise the 255 primary healthcare centres.

    The association noted that the state is the least among other Northwestern states in terms of health workers renunciation, thereby causing frequent migration of health workers from the state.

    Addressing reporters in Kaduna on the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of the healthcare delivery in state, and the strike embarked upon by the Association of Resident Doctors, the state NMA Chairman, Dr Stephen Kachi Akau said: “It is worthy of note that at the beginning of this struggle in 2017, Kaduna State government hospitals had over 400 doctors but today, there are little over 200 doctors to man 33 general and rural hospitals and supervise the 255 primary healthcare centres across the state.

    “This is despite the fact that several employments and replacement of doctors was done during the period under review. How does the state wants to attract and retain experienced hands when an entry-level medical doctor in the surrounding states and federal institutions earn much higher than a senior medical officer in Kaduna who had put in at least eight years of service?”

    The NMA regretted that while Kaduna still drags its foot on the implementation of the CONMESS salary scale for doctors, their counterparts in the Northwest have for over three years have been enjoying, thereby earning higher than doctors in the state.

    On the ongoing strike,  Kachi said: “As it stands, the Nigerian Medical Association, Kaduna State is constrained to take the stand of unequivocally identifying with its members in the Association of Resident Doctors who are being threatened, albeit unjustifiable.”

    He called on the government to expedite action and approve the corrected CONMESS for the doctors to at least bring them at par with their colleagues in the surrounding states.

    “We are shocked at the ongoing threats of sack being peddled against our members who are on a legitimate strike and state categorically that this will only worsen the situation,” NMA warned.

    The association added: “We, therefore, call on the state government to rather invest it’s time and efforts in coming up with a realistic proposal for constructive engagements targeted at addressing the injustice being meted on the doctors and the embarrassing poor remuneration being paid to doctors in Kaduna state.”

     

    On the issue of COVID-19, NMA called on the federal government to immediately restrict entrance of travellers from high and medium risk countries, “We call on Kaduna State government to step surveillance system, make every equipment available and ensure adequate equipment at the isolation centres,” the association advised.

     

     

  • Some lung issues: Pneumonia, Oedema, Pleurisy (COPD)

    Femi Kusa

     

    From time to time, some organs in the body take the centre stage of health concerns. Currently, the lungs or, better still, the respiratory system sits on that  “throne”. And they probably will until Corona Virus Covid 19 vacates the stage. As a higher school certificate (HSE) class boy in 1969, I noticed my maternal grandmother fought pneumonia, a  respiratory system disease, in an ingenious way frightening to me. She would place a cube of sugar in a tablespoon of Sloanes, a liquid liniment for sprains and joint pains. When the cube of sugar had soaked up the Sloanes, she would put the sugar in her mouth, crush and swallow it. Whenever I angrily told her it was “for external use only”, as stated on the label, she would angrily retort that she had been using it for pneumonia long before I was born in 1950. She was born in 1909 and died at 69 in 1980. Early this week, I checked Sloane’s in www.drugs.com and was not surprised that it worked for the conditions it was indicated for. One of the ingredients was capsaicin found in chilli peppers, which became popular in the last decade as a blood circulation enhancer and pain blocker. The website says of chilli pepper “capsaicin is the active ingredient in chilli pepper that makes it hot. Capsaicin is used in medicated creams and lotions to relieve muscle or joint pain.

    Capsaicin used on the body causes a sensation of heat that activates certain nerve cells. With regular use of capsaicin, the heating effect reduces the amount of substance P, a chemical that acts as a pain Messanger in the body.

    Sloan’s liniment is used for temporary relief of muscle or joint pain caused by strains, sprains, arthritis, bruising or backaches. This medicine is also used to treat nerve pain (neuralgia) in people who have had herpes zoster, or shingles. Sloan’s liniment may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide…”

    One of my juniors at Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo, Mr Oguntuase, drove into a ditch on the way back home in Ibadan from the north of Nigeria and ended up in hospital with fluid in his lungs. The fluid was aspirated and he was given some antibiotics. One of these reportedly affected his bone marrow… and he died of blood and oxygen deficiencies.

    This year, I have mentioned no fewer than three senior citizen’s deaths  caused by pneumonia. Last week, a case of pleurisy came up. The first pneumonia death was the passage of a gentleman in his eighties who coughed for some time before he went to hospital. His lungs were shutting down, and oxygen therapy couldn’t help him.

    Since the passing away of my father in 1998 due to congestive heart failure, I have learned to take cough, especially in old people, more seriously than many people still do. He had an enlarged heart which could not easily pump blood out of his lungs, causing them to try to expel the blood through muscle spasms we recognise in this case as cough. As for the second case of pneumonia death, it came through tuberculosis.

    She was in her late sixties, and suffered from shallow breathing, as well as cough. Doctors at an infectious disease hospital said they got rid of the tuberculosis and passed her on to the Lagos University Teaching hospital (LUTH) where she spent some months on oxygen support before she died some weeks ago.

    A few years ago, this column reported some cases of breathing difficulty named chronic obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and how some of the challenged persons were coping. That column showed that many of us take breathing for granted and do not take steps everyday necessary to protect and strengthen our respiratory systems.

    Although chilli’s have been overtaken in popularity by Cayenne in our time, their wide array of minerals,vitamins and antioxidants recommend them for use in a variety of conditions but are contraindicated in peptic ulcer, acidity, hyperacidity and gastritis. They help in diarrhoea, inflammation, hypertension, high blood cholesterol, weight control, insomnia, diabetes, numbness, heart attacks, migraine, and sinusitis, among others.

    I am, therefore, not surprised that Prof Adefule-Oshitelu, an opthalmologist for about 40 years and current chairperson of Lagos State Board of Traditional Medicine, would recommend Chilli     Pepper, miracle plant (Bryophylum pinnatum) and honey for Corona virus, the current scourge of humanity.(The prescription and those which saved four thieves in the Black Plague pandemic which killed more than 100million people in Europe in the 14th century, appeared in the article Corona Virus: Nature, Big Pharma, U.S/CHINA at play and posted in www.olufemikusa.com.

     

    The lungs

     

    These are wet, air filled tissues found on either side of the chest and connected to the breathing system as receptors of fresh and spent air. When we breathe in, the air passes through the nostrils to a pipe called Trachea and from there  to the wind pipe, the bronchus (pl BRONCHI). The bronchi conduct  oxygen rich air downwards, subdividing into two sets of bronchioles, tinier  air conducting pipes, the bronchioles, about 30,000 of which exist in an adult person’s lungs. The first set of bronchioles are the conducting bronchioles. The second set are respiratory bronchioles.  The respiratory bronchioles  open into air ducts which contains  air sacs called alveoli, about 6,000000 of which exists in an adult person’s lungs. Each of the lungs is enclosed in a pleural sac. Air exchanges are designed to take place in each of the air sacs called Alveolus (PL) alveoli across a wet surface area. That is why dryness of the air sacs is dangerous. Oxygen Rich air from the bronchioles is passed  to tiny blood vessels across the alveoli and conducted to the heart for pumping to all parts of the body. Carbon dioxide-rich air is conducted to the air sacs for passage to the respiratory tract which expunges it through the nostrils as used, unwanted air. It is this beautiful and life sustaining system which many respiratory system diseases, including at this time Corona virus fever, seek to crash and destroy.

    Many people do not help matters by not eating well for the health of their lungs, inhaling clean air, detoxifying their lungs regularly and filling the six million or so air sacs with air  by exercising regularly and breathing deeply. Thus, inconspicuous as the lungs may appear to be, they are assailable by multitudes of diseases that even a medic of medics may hardly fathom half of them all. The ones I mention here are among the ones which frequently occur in Nigeria.

     

     Pneumonia

     

    One sixth of deaths in the United States is said to come from pneumonia. And as Corona virus may cause or aggravate pneumonia,it should be easy to understand why Americans are trying to hibernate from a world in which they like to act as policemen or big brother. They have banned Europeans from more than 25 nations from coming to their country.The entire country has been shut down for two weeks to get everyone self quarantined at home following thousands of Corona virus cases and rising death toll. “Everyone is afraid of everyone and hiding from everyone”, Cordelia Dike telephoned me from New York, last Monday. One of her relations in Lagos Nigeria has just bowed to pulmonary problems, and she is still feeling the shoe where it pinches. It has been a period of anxiety for families in Nigeria whose children are living or working in the United States. Pneumonia and other pulmonary (lung) diseases which Corona virus is said to cause are not strangers to many Nigerians. Everyday we hear of people coming down with them or dying of them as I said earlier. By the time this condition presents cough, dry or wet, chest pain, mucus or phlegm build-ups, lethargy, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, constipation, nausea and vommitting, extensive damage may have been done to the lung(s).

    Pneumonia may be caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. Bacterial and viral pneumonia are contagious whereas fungal pneumonia is not. Bacterial pneumonia responds to antibiotics. Viral diseases generally like to run their full cycles . Fungal ailments can be hard nuts which require specific anti fungals.

    The problems may start from the upper respiratory system, the trachea and bronchi and percolate. In full swing, the air sacs are inflamed and filled with fluid and pus, inhibiting easy exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Breathing becomes hectic. Once the doctor has determined the culprit germ (s), prescriptions are given to clear them and arrest the symptoms. It may not be always right to suppress a cough because it helps to remove excess fluid and mucus from the lungs.

    In Alternative medicine, herbs are often suggested as main treatment or back ups for hospital treatment. One of the herbs used is Golden Seal Root. A component of it called berberine coats the lining of hollow tissue such as air sacs or air pipes, in this case, to prevent adherence of germs to them. Germs need adherence to suck nutrients for their growth, vitality and proliferation.  Denied  adherence, they shrivel and die of malnutrition or the immune system easily gets rid of them. Golden seal root is contraindicated for prolonged use, though, as it may dry out the lungs. Mullein and fenugreek seeds help to liquify mucus for easier expectoration or discharge. CBD oil and fish oil, like curcumin and ginger root, help with inflammation and pain. While I will not recommend my grandmother’s ingenious use of Sloane’s liniment, there is, surely, a place for chilli and cayenne pepper. It not only improves blood circulation generally, evacuating toxins fast and bringing phargocytes to distressed tissue, it brings in the medicines and repair proteins  as well in double quick time. In the anti inflammatory proprietary formula called CURCUMIN 2000X, cayenne is added to curcumin to make curcumin 2,000 times more active than it is in its natural form. Dr Robert Atkins recommends that inflammation and spasms in the respiratory system be combated with magnesium. Happily, ionic magnesium, that is magnesium that is more bio available and bio effective, is now available in Nigeria. Astragalus strengthens weak lungs, raises immune count, but is contra-indicated  when fever has set in. Fenugreek tea should crash high fever as should lemon grass tea. Garlic and thyme, either used as culinary spices or taken as healing oil, capsule, tincture or powder, help breathing. There are more herbs which help lung health that cannot be mentioned here for want of space. Two of them I will never the less like to mention are Lungwort and Pleurisy root. Besides, there are many proprietary blends which include Amazon lung support and bronchitis and decongestant tea.

     

    Pulmonary Edema

     

    Mrs Folake Sanusi, of Oshogbo , must be giggling now. Sometime last year, she experienced how Horsetail and Dandelion resolved a case of pulmonary edema, a condition in which water fills the air sacs and probably the limbs as well, making breathing difficult and even threatening life. This week, I sensed in her voice that there was fire on the mountain. A gentleman had fluid in the lungs, produced blood stained frothy sputum, was experiencing shortness of breath, felt he was suffocating whenever he lay down, sometimes gasped for breath, experienced rapid heart beat  (tarchycardia) and irregular heart beat, was sometimes woken from sleep at night by a cough which eased when he sat up. These are signs of pulmonary edema caused by some challenges of the heart. This man did not want the water or fluid in his lungs aspirated. What if the fluid returned? He asked. To avert a return, if he did not accept aspiration, he would have to help his kidneys move more water out of his body and resolve the weakness of his heart.

    Dandelion and horsetail are diuretic herbs. While some pharmaceutical diuretics remove the water alright but pull out potassium as well, making the doctor prescribe slow release potassium tablets (SLOW K) to replace the lost electrolyte, dandelion pulls out the water, too, and gives the body a potassium gift. Potassium is needed by the muscles and the heart to maintain a sodium/potassium balance in and around the cells. Insufficiency of potassium would weaken the sodium battery and the cells electrical circuit, make sodium invade the inside of the cell from the outside, possibly cause tumour growths and edema throughout the body. So, to chase out sodium and reduce fluid build ups, a good first step to take is to eat potassium rich foods such as vegetables, banana, plantain, yam, pears e.t.c.

    Thirdly, to strengthen the heart, ubiquinol, a more bioactive form of Co Q 10(co enzyme Q 10)is a leading star here. It energises the heart by helping to increase the number of mitochondria (energy producing factories )in each of its cells. L Arginine helps the production of nitric oxide (NO) which helps to dialate coronary arteries and supply the heart with more blood and oxygen. Hawthorn berries does this, too. L- Arginine also helps the kidneys excrete toxins efficiently. L Carnitine transports long chain fatty acids into the heart’s mitochondria for conversion to energy.

    As for CBD oil, evidence is growing that it may reduce hypertension and heart rate in stressful conditions.

     

    Pleurisy

     

    Chest pain should not be treated with irreverence… for something serious may very well be going on inside the protecting lining of the lungs. Every cavity of the body, such as the mouth and intestine, has a lining. The lungs, too, have a lining. So does the chest cavity in which the lungs reside. In other words, there is a lining in the inner cavity of the chest, parietal pleura. Cohabiting with the parietal pleura is the lining of the lung, visceral pleura.

    The two layers of pleura lining are lubricated by pleura fluid. Sometimes, however, fluid accumulates in the space between the two pleura linings. This is called pleura effusion. The effusion may cause inflammation or inflammation may follow it. As the pain fibers of the lungs are in this region, pain may occur and the chest may become tender. Normally, the lungs expand during breathing to bridge this space. But when the lining become inflammed, this is difficult and causes more pain. The inflammation is called pleuritis and has many possible origns. Some of these are pneumonia, tuberculosis, cancer, congestive heart failure, clots, collagen structure damage and bacterial and other infections.

    Pain in the chest is a manifestation of this condition. Inhalation of air may worsen it. Shortness of breath may be evident, too. Pain may be felt in front or at the back of the chest or on the shoulders.

    This condition may be treated with pneumonia therapies. But in North America, pleurisy root has been used for centuries to treat and to heal swellings throughout the lungs…lungs(pleurisy), sacs (pneumonitis), airways (bronchitis), pain, infections, pneumonia. Between 1820 and 1905, pleurisy root was an official herb in United States pharmacopeia.

     

    Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

     

    This is a lung catastrophe caused by exposure to cigarette and tobacco smoke, chemical effusions, dust, kitchen smoke, traffic smoke, factory materials and wastes, foul air etc. Exposure begins early in life and symptoms begin to appear about mid life. People who live next door to filling stations and imperceptibly inhale petrol vapour, but think nothing amiss is going on may already be treading the path of COPD.

    In COPD, the elasticity of the airways is damaged. This means they can hardly expel all used air meant for exhalation. Thus, some poisonous air gets trapped in the airways, further damaging them.  Even mucus build ups cannot be expelled because the tubes have become static (bronchiestasis). Emphysema is another route to COPD. In this condition, the tiny air sacs are damaged. Literally speaking, it is like all the rooms in a 500-bed hotel are broken down to create only 10 rooms which can accommodate only ten guests. In like manner, imagine the surface area for gas exchange in the 6 million alveoli cut down to about a quarter of this number. It means the lungs will bring in only a quarter of the air required to stay alive.  This, the breathing apparatus is compromised and the grave is beckoning.

    Where the system cannot be saved, oxygen may be brought in through oxygen tablets or drinks and oxygen rich greens. But how will carbon dioxide be expelled with the alveoli and their delicate walls and blood capillaries gone?

    The respiratory system will continue to excite our interest till Corona virus takes its leave. It has taught us to not take breathing for granted . It has taught us that no nation, however powerful, created the universe. It has taught us that coveteousness is destructive. When nations develop biological weapons of war so they can control the resources of other nations, they covet, against the universal will, and the economy built on covetousness must inevitably bow to that universal will as the world economy is now bowing.

  • ‘Infected Italian still potentially contagious’

    ‘Infected Italian still potentially contagious’

    By Omolola Afolabi 

    The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof Akin Abayomi, has said the Italian who brought Coronavirus to Nigeria is still potentially contagious and will remain in isolation at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Yaba, until he no longer secretes the virus.

    Abayomi during a briefing earlier today said the Italian was recuperating  and in a stable condition he will continue to remain in isolation until he is no longer poses a health risk to other members of the community.

    “The Italian has continued to remain in excellent form; our last test on Monday shows he is still potentially contagious. We are going to do more tests. The global practice is to conduct two negative tests 48 hours apart before releasing the Coronavirus patient”

    “We are still going to test the secretion from his lungs and urine to make sure he does not have any virus from his secretion. As soon as he is negative, we will discharge him.

    “The secondary case first tested positive and later tested negative, he has been discharged yesterday (Monday) morning as he has recovered from the virus,” the commissioner pointed out.

  • Hepatitis B: A pestilence and emerging trends

    Dr Joel Akande

     

    Hepatitis B is one of the most dangerous and virulent silent pestilence known to mankind. With over 400 millions affected worldwide (with Hepatitis C), it dwarfs HIV by a multiple of 10. 1.4 million deaths due to these infections every year and many more become newly infected. Unfortunately, Nigeria harbours a large population of Hepatitis B sufferers.

    Hepatitis B (and C) shares some similarities with HIV. While Hepatitis B may cause an acute illness becoming chronic, it may like HIV become a crawling illness in the body of the sufferer who may not even realise that he or she has been affected until the very late stage is reached: at which time, little or no help could be offered to the victim. Just as in HIV, the mode of transmission is similar: Hepatitis B is transmitted through unprotected heterosexual intercourse.

    Also by mother to child transmission during pregnancy. Unscreened blood transfusion can transmit the virus. The use of needle resulting in stick injuries and sharing of sharp objects as well as during formal and informal surgeries may lead to hepatitis B (and C) transmission. In fact, some groups are particularly vulnerable: drug addicts who inject drugs into their veins are open to the attack of the virus.

    Read Also: Hepatitis B, C major causes of liver cancer — Hepathologist

    Prevention: Just as for HIV, the preventive measures are similar. Also, preventing hepatitis B is far cheaper than treatment.  Know you sex partners.

    Screen your sex partners before sex. Stick to each other and avoid the risk of contracting infections from unfaithful partners. If unsure, use barrier methods to prevent infections.

    Also, if you have taken undue risks, go for pre-exposure preventive medicines within 72 hours of such exposure. Doctors will generally screen pregnant women and patients who are to undergo medical procedures.

    Never share needles, blades, clips within anyone. Blood meant for transfusion will be and should be thoroughly screened for relevant infections including hepatitis B (and C).

    Luckily, hepatitis B do have vaccines. Note: hepatitis C have no vaccine. This vaccine is effective and should be taken by all.  Vaccination against hepatitis B is amongst the national vaccination programme for children in Nigeria.

    Adults who are currently negative without natural immunity should receive vaccinations.  Also, if the benefit outweigh the risk, pregnant women may be vaccinated. The starting point is to be tested so you know your status.

  • How to optimise children’s brain development

    How to optimise children’s brain development

    Nutrition experts say docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is critical for brain growth in children because its consumption helps neurological and visual development, reports Associate Editor ADEKUNLE YUSUF

     

    A casual conversation about best dietary practices later snowballed into a heated session. While waiting for their turn to get their babies immunised at the Federal Medical Center in Ebutte Meta, Lagos, six nursing mothers started comparing notes on their nutritional choices during and after their pregnancy months.

    This grew into an argument. But by the time the dust had settled, it was apparent that only one of them could earn a pass mark in the subject.

    Unlike her counterparts who admitted during the lengthy discussions that their dietary choices are often largely determined by impulse or whatever is available, Margaret Udem, a fairly educated mother of three, knows the importance of getting enough omega-3 fats, including docosahexaenoic acid or DHA, in her diet.

    According to her, no day passes without including a healthy dose of this fatty acid in her diet – a habit of sorts. “I have known this fact since my childhood days that fatty acid is good for pregnant or lactating mothers,” she said.

    However, that is where Udem’s knowledge about appropriate nutritional requirements ends. In a twist of irony, she too did not know that DHA is especially critical for brain growth in infants.

    A woman of refreshing candour, she admitted that “it has never occurred to me that children too need DHA and nobody has told me it is also useful for children.”

    Yet, nutrition experts say omega-3 fatty acid is a significant contributor to the brain development that takes place during the first two years of life – and beyond.

    As parents marvel at how rapidly children grow and develop during the first months of life, it is usually a feeling of fulfillment seeing infants increasingly respond to sights and sounds, and become ever more curious about the world around them and ever more determined to explore it.

    According to medical experts, behind those milestones and captivating moments of a child’s developmental progress, a vast neurological project is underway. Reason is that children’s brain grows more quickly during their first year than at any other time in their lives.

    That is why it is important to know that Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, help to fuel that growth in children, experts explained. Dr. Oluwatosin Adu, chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN), explained that DHA is a component of the brain cells.

    “The more the DHA that is there, the better it is for the communication between the brain cells and transmission of information. The more of the DHA that is present in the brain, the better for brain development.

    It helps in memory. It helps in coordination and all of those. The area of the brain where you have it is the area of the brain that is responsible for memory, attention.

    That is DHA is good for children and pregnant women because a lot of it is accumulated when the brain is developing,” Adu, also a Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry Department, Lagos State University (LASU), said.

     

    Giving children the DHA they need to grow optimally

    Docosahexaenoic acid is one of three main omega-3 fatty acids, with ALA and EPA being the other two big ones. DHA and other omega-3s play essential roles in the body throughout a person’s lifespan.

    They’re a rich source of energy, and they also help maintain the healthy functioning of our heart, lungs, and immune system. Omega-3 fatty acids help to control inflammation, stabilise mood, and may reduce anxiety and depression.

    According to health experts, the beneficial work of omega-3s takes place at the cellular level. DHA and other omega-3s are absorbed by our cells, where they help cells maintain their optimal structure and also to communicate effectively with one another.

    Among omega-3 fatty acids, DHA is said to be particularly critical for healthy brain development and function; besides giving structure to brain cells and facilitating their communication.

    That is not all. DHA has other vital roles to play such as helping the human brain create and maintain what’s known as plasticity or the ability of the brain to modify its structure and the ways it functions.

    Human brains’ plasticity supports a person’s ability to learn, to change behaviours, to process emotions and emotional experiences, and to recover from brain injury or damage.

    Also, DHA continues to fuel the growth of new brain cells as a person ages and develops beyond the first two years of life. It is equally critical to cellular development in the eyes and helps to maintain healthy vision.

    Although DHA has a unique significance for infants, this fatty acid is an essential nutrient throughout a person’s life. That’s because, during the earliest months and years of life, DHA helps to fuel an incredible pace of growth and development of the brain of children.

     

    How children’s brain grows

    DHA’s role in infant health and development actually begins before birth. Significant amounts of DHA collect in the brain during the second half of pregnancy (especially during the third trimester), when the fetal brain undergoes a breathtaking pace of growth.

    The infant’s brain continues a rapid pace of growth and development during the first 12 months of life. During that first year, the infant’s brain grows to nearly three-quarters the size of the adult brain. Whereas, at birth, the infant’s brain is roughly one-quarter to one-third the size of an adult brain.

    What’s happening during this time of intense growth and development? The infant’s brain is building itself out structurally and foundationally, laying the groundwork for a lifetime of neural activity that includes all our thinking and reasoning, our social, emotional, and behavioural regulation, our learning and decision making.

    Research shows the amount of brain growth that takes place during their first year is one significant factor influencing a child’s intelligence later in life.

    Read Also: Chinese doctors perform robot-assisted brain angiography

     

    How DHA benefits children’s brain development

    Because DHA is a structural constituent of membranes specifically in the central nervous system, its accumulation in the fetal brain takes place mainly during the last trimester of pregnancy and continues at very high rates up to the end of the second year of life.

    Since the endogenous formation of DHA seems to be relatively low, medics say DHA intake may contribute to optimal conditions for brain development.

    Studies have also shown that the DHA that accumulates in the brain during infancy is an essential building block for children’s cognitive, social, emotional and behavioral development.

    Higher levels of DHA in infants are linked to stronger development of language, cognition, social and motor skills as they move out of infancy and into young childhood.

    Over the longer term, research shows higher DHA levels during infancy are linked to better vocabulary, stronger learning, and information processing skills, and stronger behavioural skills in infants.

    Infants with higher DHA show better visual development and acuity during infancy and later childhood, according to research; while poor vision in children is associated with lower levels of DHA during infancy.

    In older children, lower levels of DHA are linked to academic challenges, behaviour issues, and mental health conditions including hyperactivity, aggressiveness, anxiety, and depression.

     

    Getting children the DHA they need

    Breast milk carries high levels of DHA, a way to transfer this essential fatty acid to newborns. Because of the scientifically recognised importance of DHA to brain development during the first months of life, many infant formulas are now fortified with DHA.

    Experts add that levels of DHA in breast milk vary, depending significantly on the mother’s diet. Genetics also may play a role. Dr. Adu said women who are pregnant and breastfeeding should be encouraged to include generous amounts of omega-3 fatty acids in their diets and to pay particular attention to dietary sources of DHA.

    Those include fatty, cold-water fish such as tuna, trout, and salmon, as well as eggs. Other important sources of omega-3s include walnuts, flaxseed, and other nuts and seeds, and their oils. For infants not receiving breast milk, experts say it’s essential to use a DHA-fortified formula.

    Unfortunately, the typical Nigerian diet usually falls short in delivering enough supply of omega-3 fatty acids. Many breastfeeding mothers also have a dietary imbalance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in their diets.

    In Nigeria, there are specially formulated milk products for children between four and six years and pregnant women; while some also provide essential vitamins, minerals, protein and carbohydrate to meet the nutritional requirements of those vital years after a child’s third birthday.

    Experts said the years from four to six are often termed early childhood, being a period of rapid skeletal and muscular development, as well as continuing brain growth.

    Studies have revealed that 90 per cent of brain growth occurs during the first five years of life and this is a critical period when adequate nutrition is particularly important.

    Many of the products are fortified with DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid which is a major structural fat found in the brain and retina of the eyes. DHA influences a child’s developmental milestones such as motor skills, speech, learning, thinking, and visual development.

    Research also shows that under-nutrition early in life can impair physical and brain development in a child resulting in a reduced capacity to learn, poorer performance in school and a lifetime of lost earning potential.

    Adu said DHA can be sourced from consuming fish that any has oil, stressing that fish is the major natural source of it.

    “It is also present in milk, though it is not as high as in fish. If the milk is sourced from a cow that grazes on natural grass, it will DHA in it. In most of the products, they are fortified with DHA to make it richer and improve the content,” he said.

  • COVID-19: NYSC moves to protect Corps members

    COVID-19: NYSC moves to protect Corps members

    Chris Njoku, Owerri

    The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has embarked on a number of far-reaching measures to guard against possible contraction of the deadly coronavirus infectious disease by corps members.

    The scheme said it has been in constant touch with the Nigeria Centre For Disease Control(NCDC) as well as the Federal Ministry of Health for technical support on the outbreak.

    Imo State coordinator of the scheme, John C Eloeboh, disclosed these on Thursday at the official opening of the orientation course for the 2020 Batch ‘A” corps members deployed to the state.

    A total of 1,751 corps members, comprising 853 males and 898 females, were posted to Imo.

    READ ALSO: CONVID-19 sensitization: Sen Al-Makura distributes over 100 generators to monarchs

    According to Eloeboh, infrared thermometers as well as hand sanitisers, wash hand basins and soap had been provided in all the 37 NYSC secretariats and at strategic locations at orientation camps of the scheme nation wide.

    “Similarly, sensitisation leaflets on lassa fever and coronavirus have been shared to all the 2020 Batch “A” corps orientation course so as to arm them with the requisite information on the virus and how to prevent infections,” he stated.

    The NYSC coordinator also disclosed that camp communities and other serving corps members are regularly sensitised on the best approach to adopt to prevent contraction of the viruses.

  • The rains, asthma, arthritis, other Seasonal Affective Disorders (SADs)

    The rains, asthma, arthritis, other Seasonal Affective Disorders (SADs)

    Like all things, news  comes and goes. Corona virus news, hot cake in Nigeria for some weeks, appears to be ebbing. The Italian man who brought it to Lagos has been declared cured.

    Many of the people he was in physical contact with have been located, isolated and have tested negative to checks. The Corona heat wave is cooling and the rain cycle has reopened again,  with its bundles of health challenges. In other words, from this season of hot weather, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, we are entering another season which demands belt tightening by people who easily go under the weather from such ailments as cold, cough, malaria  fever, asthma, arthritis and water infections among several others. Together, this host of ailments is called  Seasonal  Affective  Disorders (SADs).

    When the eyes redden and water, and the nostrils run, perhaps  accompanied by cough, mucus builds up in the throat and the voice becomes hoarse, It may be wrong to think Corona virus. SADs are forms of depression which may range from mild to severe when the weather changes. In temperate countries, Seasonal Affective Disorders are rampant in winter months. They express differentials in the quality of life between two seasons. These differentials or changes in the quality of health may sometimes be difficult to correctly diagnose if the physician relies solely  on external symptoms. Broadly speaking, SAD has to do more with decreased energy from sunlight when winter or rainfall shuts away the sun and the body does not readily adjust to the shortfall. This situation may compound underlying problems of unresolved psychological conflicts which may trigger in such a season moderate or severe psychiatric challenges. Such challenges may in turn become seasonal for some challenged persons who are unable on their own to cope with these conditions.

    This is why Dr Sunshine is one of the remedies for SADs. By Dr  Sunshine, it is suggested that the patient try and be outdoor for a few hours everyday, take Vitamin D food supplement or, if he or she has to be indoor most of the day, stay by large windows which bring in some lighting. In cold countries, Light Board therapy is often prescribed. This entails exposure to full light spectrum lighting from bulbs of high waltage in a board. The lighting alters the circadian rhythm of the patient to make him or her produce more Serotonin in relation to Melatonin. Serotonin and melatonin are chemical substances which work on the brain to make us keep awake or to become sleepy and fall asleep. Thus, during day hours, we produce more Serotonin. When night falls and our eyes send the impression of nightfall or decreased sunlight to the brain, we produce less serotonin and more melatonin and fall asleep. Some people may experience the tendency to fall asleep in the rain season because there is more melatonin in their brains than they need to keep awake. Their systems literally shut down, and they are weak and unproductive.

     

    Pollen  and asthma

     

    In the season of the rain, withered fields green up and mushroom again. Pollen flies all over , blown about by wind, carried by water, butterflies, insects or birds, to mention a few of the vectors. Even thunder may splash pollen around. Hay fever may be the onset of oncoming asthma attack. The eyes become red, watery and itchy, and the nostrils may begin to run. This period calls for high dosages of vitamin c. If we go by Dr Linus Pauling(1901-1994), who won the Nobel prize two times, unshared with anyone, first in 1954 and then in 1962, we may go up to 1000mg three or more times in one day, where many conservative doctors hold it down to 60mg a day. Dr Robert Atkins may be unfit to loosen the shoelaces of Dr Pauling, who was named by The New Scientist as the 20th greatest scientist of all time, he, nevertheless, too was a mega dosage doctor. He went up to 6,000mg of vitamin c for pulmonary problems, including asthma, and adds vitamin A (15,000 to 30,000 i.u.), essential fats formula (3,600 to 7,200mg), Nacetyl cysteine(500-1000mg), magnesium(400-800mg), pantethine(300-600mg). Lime or lemon also provides a vitamin c cushion. At about 500mg, vitamin c raises immune count and is a good anti-histamine like orange peel powder. Magnesium is good as an anti spasmodic. The Nigerian market now features ionic magnesium from frontiers expanding Dr Caroline Dean of the United States. Ionic medicines are more readily absorbed, many of them from under the tongue. Orange peel powder is a terrific anti histamine, a cause of hay fever and asthma. It also combats cough like oregano oil and stems inflammation as well as lower high blood cholesterol levels. Fenugreek loosens cough, dries up mucus which makes breathing difficult and threatens life. On the Nigerian market, too, are different brands of bronchitis and decongestant herbal teas.

    CBD oil or hemp oil cannot be kept out. Many studies on how CBD oil combats Asthma have proven it is a broncho-dialator and that it forbids constriction of the air passages. It has many receptors in the respiratory system which makes it readily welcome and effective there. Asthma constricts or narrows the bronchial tubes, thereby reducing the flow of oxygen, making breathing difficult and threatening life. Besides, CBD oil is anti inflammatory, and, therefore, makes breathing not  burdensome for asthma challenged persons. Allergies of all sorts are a part  of this sometimes huge picture. Traditionally, Stinging Nettle Root has been used against them for ages. While CBD ointments may help skin irritations, itchiness or rashes, the oil and nasal spray may help out to resolve respiratory conditions such as cough, congestion and breathing difficulties.

     

    Craving for carb

     

    An SAD symptom may be the craving for carbonhydrate or sugars. The challenged person may eat compulsively and have a penchant for several large or extra large meals packed with huge calories. What may be going on here? Depression is a possible underlying trouble. Serotonin and melatonin activities may have become so poor that the mood or behaviour may have been changing or swinging. Grumping, anger and tiredness are not too far fetched, as in cases when the brain needs serotonin to keep awake. The long standing herbal therapies for these conditions may now have been joined by quantum energy gadgets, which are becoming a global rave for packaging energy into the depressed and weak body. Time will tell if they are not better choices than anti-depressant drugs. One of the quantum energy gadgets on the Nigerian market today is in the form of a finger ring. Some people wear it on the wedding ring finger. There are, also, bracelets and pendants. Iam yet to experiment with the one called quantum energy spray. Said to have a 200 years shelf life, it is about the size of a standard ladies perfume bottle. It is filled with water which is left on to be energised for between 15 and 20 minutes. The water may be sprayed on the forehead during headaches or migraines or any part of the body to quieten pain, or sprayed in the mouth to remove food smell or mouth odour, on the feet to relieve tiredness, on sores to heal wounds, on foul smelling food to kill bacteria and other germs and to neutralise the toxins they produce, and under the feet to remove odour. I use the quantum energy eye glasses. There are men who wear the quantum energy boxer. I have heard of quantum energy shoes but have not seen or tried one on. The boxer lights a rechargeable light bulb.  Its version for women is said to energise pelvic region organs such as the  vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus, endometrium, fallopian tubes and ovaries. For men, this region houses internal and external organs of the reproductive system as well.

    For people who would rather stick to herbs which have helped them cross the bridge from one season to another, the earth still brings forth these plants in abundance. Some of the herbs which help us make serotonin as needed are St John’s wort, panax ginseng, kava, tumeric, avocado and green tea. These herbs may not be taken towards retirement for the night as they may infuse the brain with such amounts of energy as may delay or disturb restful sleep.

    Gotu Kola would appear to be in a world of its own. For many studies say it balances the two hemispheres of the brain. Studies with rats have proven over and over that one of its chemicals, Triterpenes, increases brain levels of serotonin noreadrenaline and dopamine and reduces corticosterol levels. The bottom line of these rat studies is that the Triterpenes of Gotu Kola are responsible for its anti depressant and brain balancing activities.

    Gotu Kola has a wide range of uses in Indian and Asian traditional medicines. This includes the treatment of bacterial, viral and parasitic infections. In this group are cholera, shingles, dysentry, urinary tract infections, leprosy, syphilis , the common cold, the flu, elephantiasis, tuberculosis and schistomiasis, a bloody bladder/urine condition. It goes as well for Alzheimer’s disease, anxiety, depression, cognition, intelligence, seizures, epilepsy and memory enhancement. It is known for improving blood circulation. In this respect , it is used for venous insufficiency, a broad term which embodies conditions such as varicose veins, plaques in blood vessels, blood clots in the lower extremities, small blood vessels damaged by diabetes. According to www.rxlist.com, gotu kola is useful also for the following conditions:

    “wound healing, sunstroke, tonsillitis, fluid around the lungs, liver disease, jaundice, systemic Lupus erythematosus, stomach pain, diarrhoea, indigestion, stomach ulcer, swelling in the lining of the stomach, epilepsy, asthma, tired blood(Anaemia) and for helping them live loner”.

     

    The rain and arthritis

     

    While many causes have been labelled on arthritis, such as degeneration of cartilage and bone, the synovial fluid lubrication drying up, infections, enzyme action, nutritional deficiencies, auto-immune attack etc the rain season has been given its own pride of place in what is going on inside the joint capsule.

    Some people are said to be able to predict if the rains are coming simply because their arthritis get worse just before or during rainfall. More than 200 bone joint conditions are grouped under two broad types of arthritis. These are Osteo-Arthritis, (OS),  in which the bone joint wears, and  movement is stiff and painful because of inflammed tissues.The other, Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), has to do with the immune system attacking and damaging the joints. In 2014, a study was carried out which involved 222 patients who were suffering from osteoarthritis of the joints. The findings suggested that “barometric” pressure and  humidity influenced symptoms”. This is saying that the conditions get worse when air pressure falls, the air becomes heavier and colder, and the atmosphere is stormy with thunderclaps and lightening. A drop in pressure which portends cold is believed to cause an already inflamed tissue to expand and induce pain. It is, therefore, not surprising that heating pads, infra-red applications and hot water bottles are popular in the winter or rainy season.

    Some arthritis challenged persons often migrate from cold weather areas to warm weather. But while the symptoms may reduce in severity, the condition does not always disappear on account of  this alone. Scientists are divided over whether there is any connection between the sun or the weather and arthritis, but many sufferers insist they predict thunderstorms and rain from the pains they experience ahead of these natural phenomena . Of all the studies I have followed which agree that the sun and weather may affect arthritis, I always check on the one summarised by Jonathan O Callaghan in www.dailymail.co.uk under the title Does the sun cause Arthritis? Scientists in New Jersey discovered that “arthritis cases peaked every 11 years”, he says. This aligns with an 11-year solar cycle. The peaking is suspected to be caused by geo-magnetic activities which decreases the body’s output of Melatonin. In the joint capsule, as probably elsewhere, melatonin is a time keeper of the circadian cycle(cosmic clock). Melatonin shortfall, therefore, implies inadequate response by the immune system in particular to cosmic and athmospheric changes. The human body is between 65 and 70 percent water. Stellar, solar and other radiations affect not only athmospheric and underground water bodies, but the water content of the human body as well. If the human body content does not respond to the solar cycle, trouble may arise. Dr Masaru Emoto of Japan has proven that the molecular structure of water changes in accordance to the type of music and  sound  it is exposed to, and the type of word or prayer said on it. Melatonin shortfall depletes cellular responses in the cases of rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Giant Cell Arteritis(GCA) to the solar cycle. Melatonin boosts the immune system and a deficit of it means depleted protection for the joints of the body. The study was led by Dr Simon Wing of John Hopkins University.

    In my view, it all boils down to cosmic rays and earth rays interplay with living forms. The stars are not decorations in the sky. They emit radiations to the galaxies and to the solar systems, all of which beam on the earth. The earth beams back. We absorb atmospheric solar magnetic rays but less of the Earth’s in counter balance, thus creating an imbalance in our bodies because we no longer properly connect with the earth. Observe chickens, as they lie in Earth crevices they dig. They soak up negative currents or electrons from the earth surface. These negative electrons counterbalance positive charges, from the atmosphere to create bio electrical balance in their  systems. Humans, whose bodies are also derived from the earth, have woefully failed to connect to the earth for these negative currents because they no longer sleep on the ground but on foam matresses which cannot easily conduct the negative earth currents to them, or walk barefoot, especially on dew covered grass in the mornings. They are, therefore, overstuffed with positive currents from the atmosphere. This not only create an electrical imbalance which does not allow the cells and the organs and the systems to function properly, it also overloads the systems with free radicals in the form of positive charges which damage the systems, cause diseases, premature aging and short life spans. Earthing the body of man, as man earths his electrical appliances to protect them from lightening and thunderstorms, helps to produce within the body a stable electrical environment in which all cells can flourish. Electrical or ionic imbalances in the body may, therefore, be a cause of arthritis flare ups in cold or rain season.

    All the grammar can boil down to acidosis and alkalinity. Certain foods, like too much positive current, may cause arthritis. Negative currents, like alkaline forming foods can repair arthritic damage or cure it. Arthritis-causing foods to avoid begins with the NightShadefamilyFoods. In this family are tomato, potato, peppers, egg plant etc. Foods to avoid include red meat, egg, poultry meat especially chicken, white flour foods, fried, processed and packaged foods, citrus foods such as grape and orange. Although lime and lemon taste acidic, they end up in alkaline radicals in the blood. Vegetables and other fruits are alkalising. Traditionally, the following herbs have been found useful. Shark cartilage provide chondroitin and glucosamine which repair and prevent degeneration of cartilage tissue, and hydrate bone mass. Where shark cartilage is not available, bovine (cow) cartilage (trachea and windpipe) may be substituted. Ginger, fish oil and curcumin are anti inflammatory. Horsetail and stinging nettle used alone or together are known to have eased many conditions. The mineral boron is indispensable. So are calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and zinc. Ionic forms of these minerals are ideal because they are easily bio available. Cheap calcium is not readily absorbed and may cause nuisance coating of the intestine which hinders nutrient absorbtion. Coral calcium and vitamin D3 are suggested. Omega 3 oil, from fish, evening primrose or flaxseed is good for inflammation. Although borage oil is an Omega 6 oil which fuels inflammation, it is good for stress, especially of the adrenal glands, and contains gama linoleic acid (GLA) which the body converts to anti inflammatory arsenal. Green tea is worth mentioning. So are avocado oil, CBD oil and black currant oil. The place of cell or tissue salt is an important one. The 12 biochemic cell salts may be incorporated into a therapy or their use may be limited to those specific for pain, mobility and joint health. Bromelain, from pineapple, a pain reliever, has been successfully used with rutin. Let us be grateful to mother nature for these gifts and many more for arthritis. Let us today resolve to obey the LAW OF BALANCE between the earth and the atmosphere. Let us start walking barefoot within our homes and the premises. We may also buy mats made from natural products and learn to sleep on the floor as a way of grounding our bodies to mother earth from which they came for its radiations which eliminate free radicals from our bodies. As children, we enjoy the heat from our mother’s backs. Mother nature is more than mother to us. Let us enjoy her heat.

     

  • Nigeria confirms second case of coronavirus

    Nigeria confirms second case of coronavirus

    The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, has confirmed the second case of Coronavirus in Nigeria.

    Ehanire, this morning, during a news conference at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), disclosed that the second victim had contact at work in Ewekoro, Ogun State with the Italian index man, currently being managed in Lagos.

    The health minister, in company with the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of UBTH, Prof. Darlington Obaseki; and the Chairman of the Board of the federal hospital, Bashorun Adedoja Adewolu, among other eminent personalities, insisted that the second case was not the driver who drove the index from Lagos to Ewekoro.

    Ehanire revealed that many persons who had contact with the index were still being thoroughly traced by experts, while urging Nigerians and other residents not to panic, with all the health professionals and other stakeholders working round the clock to address developments, with researches ongoing.

     

    Details Shortly…

  • Agency educates traders on diseases

    Agency educates traders on diseases

     Tokunbo Ogunsami

     

    THE Director-General, Lagos State Safety Commission (LSSC), Mr. Lanre Mojola, has advised Lagosians to be safety conscious and protect themselves against diseases, especially Coronavirus.

    He spoke at the weekend during his sensitisation visit to Kairo Market in Oshodi, Lagos on the need to be more health and safety conscious as regards the outbreak and possible spread of the deadly virus.

    Mojola said Coronavirus is transmittable through coughing, sneezing and touching infected objects or persons and then touching one’s eyes, nose and mouth, adding that some of the symptoms include running nose, sore throat, fever, headache, shortness of breath and chest pain.

    “We and our team are in this market to educate traders on the outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus and the preventive measures to take to curtail the outbreak. All of us know that only healthy citizens can transact business in this market, hence the need to come and tell you what our government expects from us. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu wants all of us to be healthy. We need to be hygienic too to remain healthy at all times,” he said.

    Read Also: Suspected cases of coronavirus in Edo tested negative, says govt

    The director-general urged the residents to remain healthy and avoid contracting the disease and other diseases, adding that they should wash their hands after using the toilet, sneezing or coughing. He stressed the need for Lagosians to imbibe the habit of regular hand washing with soap and water as well as eating fruits to build immunity against Coronavirus.

    Mojola advocated the use of hand sanitisers and keeping a safe distance from someone coughing or sneezing, saying people with any of the symptoms should desist from self-medication and report to the government hospitals for free medical check-up and treatment if required.

    He said market sanitation was a critical factor in protecting the health of residents, adding that the government would ensure hygiene at markets in line with the Health and Environment component of the T.H.E.M.E.S. agenda of the current administration.

    The LSSC boss hailed the good hygienic condition of Oshodi market.

    He encouraged the traders to intensify their efforts at ensuring good hygienic situation at the market at all time, saying this would prevent diseases.

     

  • Coronavirus cases pass 100,000 mark as death toll hits 3,400

    Coronavirus cases pass 100,000 mark as death toll hits 3,400

     

    Our Reporter

     

    EXPERTS say the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus has passed the 100,000 mark with 3,398 people dead.

    John Hopkins University, which is tracking the global spread of the disease, updated its figures yesterday.

    The bulk of the cases are in China – 80,556 – but while the spread there appears to have slowed down, it is increasing in other parts of the world.

    The Vatican, Togo and Cameroun reported one confirmed case each while Egypt returned 12 new cases.

    The number of people in the UK confirmed to have the disease was 115 yesterday.

    The head of the UN’s food agency, the World Food Programme, warned of the potential of ‘absolute devastation’ as the outbreak’s effects ripple through Africa and the Middle East. Across the West, there was a sense of deja vu as the virus’ spread prompted scenes that already played out in Asia, with workers leaving offices, vigorous sanitizing in public places and runs on household basics.

    The global scare is currently threatening livelihoods and prompting quarantines in its spread.

    Halted travel and a broader economic downturn linked to the outbreak threatened to hit already-struggling communities for months to come.

    China reported 143 new cases yesterday, the same as Thursday and about one-third what the country saw a week ago.

    Just a month ago, China was reporting several thousand new cases a day, outnumbering infections elsewhere in the world about 120 to one.

    The second hardest-hit country, South Korea, was also registering a notable decline in new infections, and the World Health Organisation’s leader said he was seeing ‘encouraging signs’ there. South Korea reported 505 additional cases yesterday, down from a high of 851 on Tuesday.

    Egypt records 12 new cases

    Egypt detected 12 new cases yesterday of the novel coronavirus among workers aboard a Nile cruise boat heading from Aswan to Luxor, a healthy ministry statement said.

    “Twelve new cases tested positive for the coronavirus among Egyptian staff on the cruise boat without showing any symptoms,” the joint statement with the World Health Organization said.

    Authorities were alerted after it was found that a Taiwanese tourist who travelled on the ship had caused the virus to spread, they said.

    Togo, Cameroun confirm first coronavirus cases

    Togo and Cameroun on Friday confirmed their first cases of the novel coronavirus.

    The authorities in Lome said a 42-year-old woman tested positive following her return from a trip to Benin, Germany, France, and Turkey.

    The patient, who lives in the capital Lome with her family, is currently isolated in a treatment centre for infectious diseases after testing positive on Thursday, the Presidency said in a statement.

    “From February 22 to March 2, 2020, she visited Benin, Germany, France and Turkey before returning to Togo via the land border with Benin,” it said, adding that all people who had contact with the patient in the country “have been identified and put in quarantine.”

    The health ministry in Cameroun identified the first case of coronavirus in the country as a 58-year-old French citizen who arrived in the capital Yaounde on February 24.

    It said the man has been quarantined in the city’s Central Hospital while “all measures have been taken by the government to contain potential risks of the virus spreading.”

    In other parts of sub-Saharan Africa, Senegal has already registered four cases, all foreign nationals, while South Africa and Nigeria have one case each since the outbreak emerged in December in China.

    The Director-General of the West African Health Organisation (WAHO), Professor Stanley Okolo, said yesterday that all the 15 member countries have acquired the capacity to test for the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

    “All the 15 countries in the West Africa region, now have the capability to test for coronavirus. They have just completed training of the laboratory experts and we have testing kits in all the countries,” Okolo said in Abuja.

    Nigeria, according to him, is better prepared for the coronavirus than it was for Ebola.

    He was confident that that the disease threat would be adequately tackled.

    First coronavirus case confirmed at Vatican

    The Vatican said a patient in its health services tested positive for the viral illness.

    Spokesman Matteo Bruni said that the person tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, and that non-emergency medical services at the walled city-state have now been closed for sanitizing.

    Bruni did not disclose any further information regarding the identity or occupation of the infected person, whether they may be an employee, or among the “relatively few” clergy or guards who live at the home of the pope.

    Pope Francis has been recovering from a cold in recent days and tested negative for the coronavirus after falling ill last week.

    The leader of the Catholic Church does not have another pathology, the Vatican said.