The Nation Newspaper

Tag: deaths

  • UK heat-related deaths to soar with 3 degrees celsius warming

    UK heat-related deaths to soar with 3 degrees celsius warming

    The number of heat-related deaths in the UK is predicted to increase more than six-fold by the end of the century if the world warms by 3 degrees Celsius, a study shows.

    But deaths related to cold, at the moment much higher than from heat, were predicted to rise only slightly, reaching nearly 70,000 per year by 2100.

    This is according to the analysis published in the journal Lancet Global Health.

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    Modelling data from 30 European countries also suggests heat-related deaths could triple in the continent by the end of the century under current climate policies, increasing from 43,729 to 128,809 per year.

    In the same scenario, deaths attributed to cold would remain high, with a slight decrease from 363,809 to 333,703 by 2100, scientists said.

    Juan-Carlos Ciscar, of the Joint Research Centre at the European Commission, said.

    “Our analysis reveals that the ratio of cold-heat deaths will shift dramatically over the course of this century, with those attributed to heat increasing in all parts of Europe and surging in some areas.

  • Avoidable deaths

    Avoidable deaths

    • FRSC and other traffic personnel should do more to curb road crashes

    Nigerians must find media reports that about 4,387 persons died in road crashes in the first six months of this year sobering. The shocking statistic was released by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC). This figure translates to an average of 731 fatalities each month or about 24 lives daily. Also, 14,108 persons sustained various degrees of injuries from the crashes while 15,789 others were rescued unharmed by the corps.

    FRSC’s public education officer Bisi Kazeem, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, last week, that “from January to June, a total of 4,387 people were killed as a result of road traffic crashes. The corps also recorded 14,108 injuries from the crashes within the same period.”

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    And these are for reported cases; several other accidents would have occurred within the period unrecorded. Suggesting that the figures can only be higher.

    Although casualty figures for the corresponding year were not readily available, the FRSC said there were fewer accidents involving articulated vehicles. Yet, the fewer accidents recorded an increase in fatality rate. So, even in this regard, it is not yet time for celebration.

    The rate of accidents in the country might seem negligible, but this is at the face of it. In real terms, it is quite significant and worrisome, especially when factors like the number of road networks, vehicles and drivers are considered.

    The United States has the highest number of accidents in the world. It recorded two million motor accidents in 2018, with more than three million injuries and over 37,000 deaths. But the country also has one of the highest road networks, one of the highest rates of drivers and it is also the highest consumer of automobiles globally.

    The same thing applies to Japan which had about 500,000 car accidents in 2018, with about 4,700 fatalities and 600,000 injuries. We can only imagine how many more lives we would have lost to road crashes if the country has anything near any of these indices considered in those countries.

    What this tells us is that we still have a lot to do to bring road crashes down to a bearable level.

    Road accidents, like most other accidents, are likely to happen when least expected. But there are predictable accidents. A driver who goes behind the wheels heavy on alcohol is danger waiting to happen. This is the situation with many accidents in Nigeria.

    The causes of road crashes in the country are too well known. Most, if not all, have to be addressed by the government, which, unfortunately is also a major cause. Here we are talking of bad roads, for example. Then, enforcement of traffic rules and regulations.

     There are too many bad roads all over the country. And, in a manner that seems to suggest the preference of the traffic and security officers for the bad roads, they erect check points on the bad portions of the roads. Governments at all levels must devote more resources to road networks in their jurisdictions. Fixing  bad roads not only help in reducing the rate of accidents, it also helps to reduce the man-hours lost on the roads.

    The FRSC itself has identified several other factors responsible for road crashes in the country.

     The corps should address these other factors. These include strict enforcement of highway codes, over-speeding, drunk-driving, the prevalence of untrained or partially trained and inexperienced drivers on the roads, etc. The corps should continue to enlighten road users on the advantages of ensuring sanity on the roads. They should constantly be reminded that life has no duplicate. It should also try as much as possible to discourage night travels.

    In all, we acknowledge the contributions of the FRSC towards ensuring that accidents, especially those involving trucks and tankers, are reduced to the barest minimum on our roads. It can and indeed should do more.

  • Deaths, destruction as floods ravage states

    From Adamawa to Gombe and other parts of the country, floods are wreaking havoc.

    10 killed, hundreds

    displaced in Adamawa

    Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency ( ADSEMA) said flood had killed 10 persons and displaced scores of others, following the recent heavy rainfall recorded in the state.

    Dr Muhammed Suleiman, the Executive Secretary of the agency, made the disclosure in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Yola.

    Suleiman said hundreds of domestic animals, including cattle, were also lost to the flood.

    He said the deaths recorded were particularly from Yola South, Guyuk,  Lamurde and  Song  Local Government Areas of the state.

    “Flooding is becoming a serious challenge for us in Adamawa and the situation is indeed alarming.

    “We lost 10 people and hundreds of people have been displaced. Domestic animals in large numbers were equally lost to the deadly flood. Also, hectares of farmlands especially in nine local government areas located at the bank of River Benue have been completely submerged,” Suleiman said.

    He said the flood was also posing serious challenge to farming activities in the state, adding that it could be a threat to food security in the state.

    Suleiman said that more than half of the state population was currently under threat of impending flood and urged residents to be on the alert.

     

    Nine killed, 200 houses

    gone in Gombe

     

    Nine people lost their lives while over 200 houses were destroyed and numerous farm lands washed out by flood in Gombe between May and August, an official has said.

    Mrs Lamis Benjamin, Deputy Director, Rescue and Rehabilitation, Gombe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), disclosed this to newsmen in Gombe on Thursday.

    Benjamin said four out of the nine deaths were recorded in May following a downpour in Gombe town.

    She said the remaining five deaths were recorded in Cham community of Balanga Local Government Area of the state in August also after a downpour.

    The deputy director also said over 200 houses and numerous farm lands were washed away in Nyuwar, Jesu Cham in Balanga and Komta Ayaba in Biliri Local Government Areas.

    According to her, the state government through SEMA acted promptly by providing 1,200 bags of maize as relief material to victims in the two councils.

    “For now, 1,200 bags of 100kg of maize were distributed as relief material to the affected persons. We are now waiting for the National Emergency Management Agency to come with their relief materials,” she said.

    She appealed to wealthy individuals and corporate bodies in the state to assist the needy to ameliorate the plight of the victims.

     

    Thousands homeless in Cross River

     

    Massive flooding has destroyed more than 175 houses, rendered at least 3,000 people homeless in Cross River, according to Mr John Inaku, Director-General of State Emergency Management Agency(SEMA).

    Inaku gave the update on flood situation in the state yesterday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar.

    Inaku, who said that the flood had seriously affected the victims, also told NAN that most of them had since relocated to upper lands for safety.

    He, however, said that no life had been lost in the menace,but disclosed that the flood started in the state in July.

    According to him, most of the victims are living along the water channels while others in swampy areas.

    He said that the agency had embarked on aggressive campaign, to sensitise residents in the state on the need to stop dumping refuse on drainage and building along water channels.

    He explained that the flood had affected residents in Boki, Ogoja, Yala, Calabar Municipality, Calabar South and other local government areas in the state.

    “Cross River has always been affected by flood during the raining season. Currently, we have over 175 houses destroyed and as a result, over 3,000 persons have been displaced.

    “This menace has greatly affected farming activities, especially in Boki, Yala and a few others areas.

    “We are looking at NEMA and other corporate organisations to come in and assist the victims,’’ he said.

    He listed the flooded areas in Calabar to include, Muritala Mohammed Highway, Ebito, Murray, Target and Nelson Mandela, Atu, Yellow Duke, Parliamentary, Efiote roundabout and Mayne Avenue streets.

    He appealed to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to assist the state with relief materials for the victims.

     

    NEMA sends delegations

    to flood-prone states

     

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has sent delegations to flood-prone states following the flood alerts issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET).

    The Director of Legal Services, NEMA, Mr. Umar Mohammed, confirmed the development when he led a five-man delegation to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, capital.

    Speaking in a courtesy visit to the state’s Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd), Mohammed said they were in the state to interface with relevant stakeholders concerning the impending flood,.

    “NEMA as the coordinating agency on disasters has constituted five teams to visit States that are likely to be affected by flood this year, with a view to assessing their level of preparedness in the event of flood as predicted by NIMET.

    “The essence is to articulate some proactive measures , identify flash-points as well as inspect equipment that could be deployed to tackle flood within the shortest possible time”, Mohammed said.

    Jonah reiterated the need to build flood shelter stations in all the local government areas of the state to accommodate displaced persons.

    He recalled that in 2012, the state government recommended the building of such stations to the Federal Government,  but said no concrete steps had been taken, except the designing of engineering drawings for the project .

    “Every flood-prone area should have a high ground identified and a big hall built to accommodate displaced persons whenever there is flood”, he said.

    The deputy governor also decried the “situation whereby relevant agencies of government do not do anything concrete concerning flood matters until the next flood season”.

    He said instead of the usual fire-brigade approach, proactive measures and early preparations should be made to deal with the perennial issues of flood.

    He said the state government appointed Incident officers  for all the local governments in the state with a responsibility to coordinate flood-related activities in their respective councils.

     

    5,000 hectares rice farms

    destroyed in Kano

     

    The Rice Famers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in Kano state says the recent flood has destroyed over 5,000 hectares of rice farm in some local government areas of the state.

    The RIFAN state chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Aliyu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Thursday that the rice farms were affected in 10 local government areas of the state.

    Aliyu, who spoke through his Assistant Secretary, Alhaji Ado Yakasai, listed the affected local government areas as: Warawa, Minjibir, Bunkure, Wudil, Gaya, Garko, Gabasawa, Kabo, Rimin Gado and Ajingi.

    He said the disaster, which occurred in August affected most of the rice farms situated in Fadama areas, pointing out that only farms located upland were not hit by the disaster.

    “Each hectare of farm was expected to produce between six and seven tonnes of the commodity but with this disaster, the production will be seriously affected.

    “You know most of the rice farms are situated at Fadama areas which are water settlements. So when the incident happened many farms were submerged by water,” he said.

    Aliyu said the farmers, who collected loan facility under the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrower Programme, had lost over N5 billion as a result of the flood.

    “Each of the farmers collected fertilizer and other inputs worth N210,000 as the total loan package while some of them have even spent additional amount of money on top of the total loan package.

    “The association has already reported the incident to the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Scheme (NAISL) since the farmers are covered by the insurance company,” he said.

    He noted that the collapse of an earth dam in Bunkure local government area aggravated the situation.

    The chairman, however, called on the Federal and state governments to come to the aid of the affected farmers in view of the huge loss they incurred.

    He disclosed that no fewer than 44,800 rice farmers benefited from the Federal Government’s agricultural loan under the Anchor Borrower Programme this wet season.

     

    Evacuation flood prone areas,

    NEMA advises residents

     

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has urged the Anambra Government to begin immediate evacuation of people living in flood prone areas to emergency centres.

    Mr Vincent Owen, Director of Planning, Research and Forecasting of NEMA, Abuja, made the urgent call when he visited a flood prone area in Enugwu-Otu in Anambra East Local Government Area (LGA) on Thursday.

    “There is nothing to wait for in evacuation of the people living in the flood prone areas in Anambra, the indices seen in 2012 flood has manifested in all the areas NEMA visited.

    “In Ogbaru LGA, all the towns have been washed with flood, in Enugwu-Otu and Nkpundo Otu, the story is not different,” he said.

    The director warned that the forecast of the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) that 2018 flood might come in same magnitude of 2012 should not be treated with kid’s glove.

    According to him, the update regarding the flood is so alarming and should not be treated lightly as  all the indices  during the 2012 flood has been seen and the speed at which the river is rising needs proactive actions.

    “The Anambra government should as a matter of urgency begin immediate evacuation of people living in the flood prone areas to the emergency shelter centres in the state,” he said.

    Owen said NEMA under Mr Mustapha Maihaja, the Director-General of NEMA was committed in providing relief materials to all states either in flood or other emergency issues in the country.

    He urged all the 12 states that were in flood prone areas not to play with the forecast and assured them of the agency’s speedy assistance whenever the need arose.

    Owen said the Federal Government had received a message from the Cameroon Government of its intentions to open its dams and asked for proactive measures by the affected states.

    He said if the forecast was not timely adhered to by the 12 states, it would be worse than 2012 flood experience and “NEMA do not pray for it”.

    Owen said NEMA was visiting the states that were flood prone to have a firsthand information on the preparedness of the states in moving the victims to higher grounds and providing decent camps for the affected communities.

    Owen said the volume of water noticed in Ogbaru and Enuwgu Otu was alarming and portended disaster if not proactively managed.

    He said NEMA was in the state to ascertain the level of preparedness of the government in response to the flood warning signals as issued by NIHSA and urged the government not to delay action .

    Mr Cprian Agupugo, Anambra Executive Director of SEMA, said the state government had since embarked on sensitization and enlightenment campaigns on needful actions to be taken by the people.

    Agupugo said the state had made ready 28 emergency shelter centres in the flood prone areas of the state and assured the agency that other necessary materials would be provided.

    “Now that it is evident that the flood is rising, the displaced persons will be evacuated and taken to centers closest to them in no distant time,” he said.

    He said that state government was committed towards safeguarding the lives of its citizens and would run to the NEMA before they exhaust the relief materials in their storage.

    Agupugo commended NEMA for reiterating the warning and reassuring SEMA on its willingness to play its part to ensure that nothing hinders the success of evacuation and safe keeping of the people living in the flood prone areas.

    Mr Sunday Ochie, a native of Enuguw- Out, said that the flood which started around July had increased beyond their expectation this September and had destroyed their farmland.

    Ochie said they were monitoring the rise and was still farming trusting that it was not going to be heavy but it had played out negatively and urged state government to give quick assistance.

    Mrs Grace Oneh, a health worker at the Christ the King Maternity in the community, said that the flood had covered the homes of many people adding that most of the victims had gone upland to stay with their relatives.

    Oneh said she was watching to see if the flood would recede if not, she would leave to upland where centers had been provided by the state government.

    She said that relief material should be distributed on time before it got too rowdy and the distribution should be monitored.

  • Ranches and deaths and government-inspired tradeoffs

    PRESIDENTIAL spokesman Femi Adesina will hope that the controversy surrounding his latest gaffe will blow over very quickly. He had misspoken on a television programme last Tuesday when he appeared to suggest that to avert the killings perpetrated by herdsmen it would not be a bad idea for besieged states to provide land for ranching as advised by the National Economic Council. It did not occur to him that he seemed in the same breath to have suggested that herdsmen could continue the killings until ranches were provided.

    Mr Adesina had been asked how easy it was for landowners to part with lands with which they had ancestral attachment. Here is his incredible answer: “Ancestral attachment? You can only have ancestral attachment when you are alive. If you are talking about ancestral attachment, if you are dead, how does the attachment matter? The National Economic Council that recommended ranching didn’t just legislate it, there were recommendations. So, if your state genuinely does not have land for ranching, it is understandable; not every state will have land for ranches. But where you have land and you can do something, please do for peace. What will the land be used for if those who own it are dead at the end of the day?”

    The presidential spokesman very clearly did not think his response through before venturing an explanation that suggested land could be used as ransom for people’s souls. It is unlikely that Mr Adesina’s view does not reflect the thinking of the presidency. As a spokesman, he is sensible enough to know that he could offer no private views on national issues. Taking the job implies that he had agreed to subordinate his views to his employer’s view for the duration of his national assignment. But he has a responsibility to make it easier for his media colleagues not to keep criticising him on account of some of his indefensible opinions.

    Examined closely, Mr Adesina’s views are atrocious and difficult to rationalise. How can he make light of people’s ancestral attachment to their lands? Does he not know that he seems to justify the killings on account of states failing to provide land for ranching? Even if someone is dead, his family survives him and sustains the attachment to their lands. So, dead or alive, the attachment goes on. And given Mr Adesina’s horrifying explanation, which is even crueler than the bewildering explanations given by the president and his appointees, it is not surprising that the problem has defied sensible and lasting solutions. Astonishingly, the president is now going after politicians whom he said are sponsoring the killings. But which of the killings? The ones masterminded by herders who boldly but indifferently claim responsibility? or the ones masterminded by landowners resisting the appropriation of their lands and the killing of their people?

    Well, it is now clear that the sum of all what the federal government is saying is that to avoid deaths at the hands of herdsmen, states should offer land ransoms. Although he qualifies which states should offer ranches by suggesting that only those with lands to give should give, that qualification is meaningless and provocative. It is enough to know that the federal government has taken sides with herders, and caused a link to be established between donation of ranches and peace. It is also clear that the federal government will do little to curb the killings going on especially in the Middle Belt. Having made their position known, the federal government has passed the buck to Nigerians to determine how to proceed in this gory and maddening situation, whether to buy their lives with donation of ranches or to defend their lands. This is truly depressing.

    • First published July 8, 2018
    • Palladium returns next week

  • Ranches and deaths and government-inspired tradeoffs

    PRESIDENTIAL spokesman Femi Adesina will hope that the controversy surrounding his latest gaffe will blow over very quickly. He had misspoken on a television programme last Tuesday when he appeared to suggest that to avert the killings perpetrated by herdsmen it would not be a bad idea for besieged states to provide land for ranching as advised by the National Economic Council. It did not occur to him that he seemed in the same breath to have suggested that herdsmen could continue the killings until ranches were provided.

    Mr Adesina had been asked how easy it was for landowners to part with lands with which they had ancestral attachment. Here is his incredible answer: “Ancestral attachment? You can only have ancestral attachment when you are alive. If you are talking about ancestral attachment, if you are dead, how does the attachment matter? The National Economic Council that recommended ranching didn’t just legislate it, there were recommendations. So, if your state genuinely does not have land for ranching, it is understandable; not every state will have land for ranches. But where you have land and you can do something, please do for peace. What will the land be used for if those who own it are dead at the end of the day?”

    The presidential spokesman very clearly did not think his response through before venturing an explanation that suggested land could be used as ransom for people’s souls. It is unlikely that Mr Adesina’s view does not reflect the thinking of the presidency. As a spokesman, he is sensible enough to know that he could offer no private views on national issues. Taking the job implies that he had agreed to subordinate his views to his employer’s view for the duration of his national assignment. But he has a responsibility to make it easier for his media colleagues not to keep criticising him on account of some of his indefensible opinions.

    Examined closely, Mr Adesina’s views are atrocious and difficult to rationalise. How can he make light of people’s ancestral attachment to their lands? Does he not know that he seems to justify the killings on account of states failing to provide land for ranching? Even if someone is dead, his family survives him and sustains the attachment to their lands. So, dead or alive, the attachment goes on. And given Mr Adesina’s horrifying explanation, which is even crueler than the bewildering explanations given by the president and his appointees, it is not surprising that the problem has defied sensible and lasting solutions. Astonishingly, the president is now going after politicians whom he said are sponsoring the killings. But which of the killings? The ones masterminded by herders who boldly but indifferently claim responsibility? or the ones masterminded by landowners resisting the appropriation of their lands and the killing of their people?

    Well, it is now clear that the sum of all what the federal government is saying is that to avoid deaths at the hands of herdsmen, states should offer land ransoms. Although he qualifies which states should offer ranches by suggesting that only those with lands to give should give, that qualification is meaningless and provocative. It is enough to know that the federal government has taken sides with herders, and caused a link to be established between donation of ranches and peace. It is also clear that the federal government will do little to curb the killings going on especially in the Middle Belt. Having made their position known, the federal government has passed the buck to Nigerians to determine how to proceed in this gory and maddening situation, whether to buy their lives with donation of ranches or to defend their lands. This is truly depressing.

  • WHO confirms three deaths in Taraba

    WHO confirms three deaths in Taraba

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday confirmed that three persons died of Lassa fever in Taraba State.

    A WHO Surveillance Officer, Dr. Bello Ahmed, disclosed this at a sensitisation workshop on Lassa fever in Jalingo, the state capital. The workshop was organised by the Ministry of Health.

    Represented by Dr. Zeto Philip, the officer said 12 cases had been reported, three confirmed dead and three positive cases placed under close monitoring.

    Bello, who said six local governments –Bali, Ibi, Gassol, Gashaka, Jalingo and Ardo-Kola – had been placed under red alert, explained that two deaths were recorded in Jalingo and one in Ardo-Kola, putting the state at 25 per cent infection rate.

    The WHO representative explained that the survey was conducted between January 1 and January 28, with 367 contacts identified across the country.

    He urged the public to be mindful of their personal hygiene and safety to mitigate the spread of the disease.

    He said: “We are planning a collaboration with the federal government to develop a test kit for rapid diagnosis to complement the diagnosis centre at Irrua specialist hospital.

    “We want to call on the federal government to consider the establishment of at least one diagnostic and treatment center in each of the zones across the country to effectively tackle the spread of the disease.”

    Commissioner for Health Innocent Vakkai said the workshop was part of the state government’s efforts aimed at creating awareness to mitigate the spread of the disease.

    Vakkai said early detection and treatment were key in preventing the spread of the disease. He called on the people to always report cases of fever timely to medical personnel, even as he advised doctors handling victims to always protect themselves from contracting the disease.

    State Epidemiologist Dr. Udi Aketemo cautioned against eating of rats and advocated good hygiene practices.

  • Strange deaths cause fear in Abia community

    The death of Mrs. Emereole, a retired headteacher, and a yet-to-be-identified woman, at Umuala Nsulu village in Isiala Ngwa North Area of Abia State, is causing ripples in the community.

    The deceased are co-tenants, it was gathered.

    According to a source, Mrs. Emereole’s mutilated body was found in her room; her neighbour’s at the backyard.

    “We didn’t know what happened until members of her church (Faith Tabernacle) raised the alarm. They came to visit her since she was absent in church.

    “After knocking without getting response, they were forced to break the door. They saw her body in a pool of blood.

    “They went round to see if her neighbour was aware of what happened. They also saw her dead body in a plantain farm at the backyard,” the source said.

    He added that residents now live in fear, as more people have gone missing without trace.

    They called on the Commissioner of Police, Anthony Ogbizi, and Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, to intervene.

    The matter, first reported at the Isiala Ngwa North police station, has been transferred to Umuahia, the capital, for further investigation.

    Efforts to reach police spokesman Geoffrey Ogbonna were unsuccessful.

  • Averting untimely deaths

    •Corps members must shun avoidable travels even as governments should fix bad roads

    With about 60 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members lost to road crashes in different parts of the country in the last year, it has become necessary to warn corps members against frivolous journeys even as it is important for governments, state and federal, to ensure that our  roads are motorable. NYSC director-general, Brigadier-General Suleiman Kazaure, told corps members during his visit to the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Wannune, Tarka Local Government Area of Benue State that they should avoid making unnecessary travels, and that when they must travel, they should get the approval of their state coordinators or the director-general as the case may be.

    “Do not embark on unnecessary journeys. Any journey you want to embark on, especially if it is outside the state, make sure you get the permission of the state coordinator and if it is outside Nigeria, get the permission of the DG because so many corps members are dying. Last year, we recorded not less than 60 deaths of corps members.”

    Obviously, the figure excludes the two youth corps members who died on Tuesday alongside other passengers that were travelling home to reunite with their relations for the Yuletide. The two had just completed their orientation camping in Enugu and Taraba states when the accident occurred. One of them, according to reports, broke his spinal cord in the tragic accident that left the vehicles involved in the accident mangled. Also, in February, at least two 2016 Batch B Stream 2 corps members died in a road accident.

    This has always been the trend. It explains why the admonition by the NYSC authorities is necessary. In our part of the world, most parents train their children with the hope that the children so trained would take care of them in old age. Therefore, no parent would be happy to see their children on whom they had invested a lot of money and care to just die without fulfilling their destiny.

    However, the issue goes beyond asking youth corps members to avoid travels. There will sometimes be compelling reasons for them to travel. At least, many of them have to travel to their states of deployment and back. These cannot qualify for frivolous travels.

    The point is that some of our corps members have only been unfortunate to experience what many other Nigerians experience daily on our roads. Many Nigerians have died in avoidable road crashes, unsung and, perhaps, unreported.  But the corps members cannot be treated as mere statistics when they are involved in road accidents because of their peculiar circumstances that make it imperative for those watching over them to keep tabs on their movements. s

    Governments must be ready to play their part in reducing road accidents. They should fix the death traps that pass for roads in many parts of the country. Road signs appear to be going out of fashion even as many drivers exhibit so much indiscipline on the roads, without sparing a thought for other road users. This manifests through over-speeding, dangerous and drunk-driving, especially on the part of commercial vehicle operators. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other government agencies charged with ensuring sanity on the highways have to wake up to their responsibilities.

    We sympathise with the relatives of youth corps members who died in road crashes and pray that God will give them the fortitude to bear the loss. We hasten to add, too, that since we have known the inadequacies on our highways, prevention is better than cure: That is to say, our NYSC members in particular, and Nigerians generally, should avoid unnecessary travels. Information and Communication technology has revolutionised the way we do things such that it is possible to avoid journeys that are not compelling.

  • ‘Stroke common cause of disability, preventable deaths’

    The Stroke is the commonest cause of disability and the second largest cause of preventable deaths globally, President, Nigerian Stroke Organisation (NSO) Prof. Yomi Ogun has said.

    Ogun made the assertion at a campaign in Lagos to raise awareness on the prevention of stroke in commemoration of the 2017 World Stroke Day.

    The theme for the 2017 World Stroke Day is: “What is Your Reason for Preventing Strokes?”

    “World Stroke Day marks every Oct. 29 provides an annual opportunity for stroke stakeholders to coordinate awareness and advocacy campaigns and build commitment to reducing the burden of stroke at global, regional and local level.

    “By creating a global platform from which we can speak out, World Stroke Day amplifies our individual voices and brings more people into the conversation about stroke prevention, treatment and support,’’ an Online publication-worldstrokecampaign said.

    Ogun said: “NSO today joined the global calls for urgent action to prevent stroke and respond to new data, which indicates stroke as being responsible for years of life lived with disability worldwide in 2016.

    “Stroke happens when the blood supply to parts of the brain is cut off, without the blood, brain cell can be damaged or die, affecting a person’s body, mobility, speech and how they think or feel.

    “There are estimated 17 million stroke cases worldwide each year and at least, 200, 000 of which occur in Nigeria.

    “In Nigeria today, stroke is the most medical emergency in all teaching hospitals, while other hospitals account for up to eight to 10 neurological hospital admission.”

    According to Ogun, the theme for 2017 focuses attention on creating awareness on the risk factors and preventive measures by all stroke stakeholders.

    “Stroke can affect anyone, can occur anywhere and at any time; it calls for urgent mass health education on strategies to prevent first and recurrent strokes.

    “We know that 90 per cent of strokes are associated with risk factors that we can all do something about.

    “They include the control of high blood pressure, doing moderate exercise, stop smoking and reduce alcohol intake and also maintaining healthy diet, amongst others.

    “Addressing the risk factors will not just have major impact on stroke prevention, but will also prevent deaths from other non-communicable diseases,” Ogun said.

    The president of the organisation said that giving urgent priority to prevention would yield obvious benefits in terms of reduced human, social and economic cost.

    Also, Prof. Mustapha Danesi, the Board of Trustee of the organisation, said it was important for the public to note that stroke was potentially preventable and treated when presented early.

    Danesi said: “The important thing is if a stroke case is presented within one hour of noticing, the better the chance of recovery.

    “We are here to draw the attention of the public to the devastating effect of stroke to the populace, as a public health, as well as a disease.

    “It is important because, we have to stop the myth and believe that once a person develops stroke, one will no longer be useful.”

    Vice-President of NSO Prof. Njideka Okubadejo, said that the key steps to prevent stroke include checking the blood pressure and blood sugar to know personal risk factors.

    “Eating a healthy balanced diet, avoid excessive salt intake, engage in moderate exercise five times a week and learn to recognise warning signs of stroke.

    “Also, a diet that is high in fruits, nuts, vegetables, fibre, but low in red meat, is desirable for the prevention of stroke.

    “A low salt diet will prevent stroke, either the first occurrence or recurrence of a repeat stroke in someone who has survived a stroke,” Okubadejo said.

  • The deaths around Boko Haram’s Shekau

    The deaths around Boko Haram’s Shekau

    Fresh from killing off — apparently metaphorically — the Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau, the Nigerian military has in frustration leapt on his wife and has begun to also kill her off, probably also metaphorically. It was never understood why the military would not wait for battlefield confirmation before claiming to have killed Mallam Shekau in the many times they believed he had died from battle wounds, now the public is set to be even more perplexed why the military would rush to the media to claim the possible killing of Hajiya Shekau before confirming the gory fact.

    Even if she were dead, it is hard to see of what tactical value that would be to the military and the country. Killing Mallam Shekau would not guarantee the end of the rebellion in the Northeast; killing his probably non-combatant wife means nothing to the rebellion nor to anybody, including the Boko Haram leader whose warped sense of martyrdom can only be grasped by similarly demented fellows like himself. Announcing her death, even if it were true, is totally needless. They must hope that Mallam Shekau, who probably has a harem anyway, and who is destitute of all human feelings, does not come out to refute their story of Hajiya Shekau’s death. For should the military’s story be also debunked, no one will ever believe their body counts again, let alone their constant harangue about Boko Haram’s decimation and degradation.