Why do people come down with diseases, especially renal failure? It is because of toxins in their system and lack of oxygen, says a naturopath, Dr Benjamin Afolabi.
According to him, people have toxic in their system because of the kind of food and drinks they take. This, he added, causes lack of adequate flow of oxygen in their system.
Most people, he said, do not eat healthily as they consume junk food only.
This, according to him, usually affects their system because the food would have formed mucus that causes blockages to the flow of oxygen to various parts of the body.
Besides, this usually prevents the body from protecting itself from external attacks.
Afolabi, Chief Executive Officer of Health Eternal Naturopathic Clinic in Ile Ife, Osun State, said many suffer from all kinds of ailments because they have abused themselves over the years with what they consume.
“Some food and drinks are dangerous to people’s health. So, troubles usually start when the system is overwhelmed as immunity wanes,” he said.
He identified food made of white flour such as bread and cake as mucus forming food that can clog the body.
He added: “Dairy products, such as cheese, yoghurt and milk are other foods that can affect the system. People cannot keep away from these food because they are delicious”.
The disease, he said, often brews when oxygen cannot reach some vital organs of the body. “Bacteria in the body like an environment where oxygen cannot reach. But when the body is flooded with oxygen diseases are put at bay. Anybody with kidney disease or renal failure, has many problems with bacteria and lack of oxygen,” he said.
He said people should eat organically grown food because chemicals, such as fertilizers, additives, colouring and preservatives usually end in people’s body to form toxic.
“When they are in the body, they provide environment for disease to develop. Seventy percent of the body is water and once the water is clogged oxygen cannot flow to all parts of the body,” he said.
The kidneys, he said, do a lot of work to filter junks circulating in the body. The liver detoxifies the chemicals to correct them to something that can be passed to the kidney.
“If the body is not well-made by God, people would not last for five years because poor eating habit,” he said.
The human system, he said, would succumb to toxicity and lack of circulation of oxygen. People, according to him, can do without food and drinks for days, but not so with oxygen.
“People die within minutes when there is no oxygen. Oxygen is one of the principal things the body needs to survive. So, when water and blood are clogged because of “murky” environment caused by food, they automatically lose the oxygen. They would not be able to carry oxygen to all parts of the body,” he said.
Oxygen, he said, is very important, adding that once the heart cannot take oxygenated blood to some parts of the body, the person dies.
He said human system makes all organs linked, and as such, holistic care must be initiated.
Afolabi said the first step to nurture the sick to life was to detoxify the system with herbs.
“For kidney disease, herbs such as juniper berries and palsey roots are used. We use wormwood, barberry and wild yam for liver detox,” he said.
The naturopath said most people having the treatment may first look worse-off because the herbs would have gone to all nooks and crannies of the body to push out the toxins into the blood stream.
Why? The body would have been overloaded with toxins. This makes the patient feel groggy and weak. He may also be vomiting, but he should not be alarmed because it is the healing process taking place.
To make the detoxification effective, he said, the elimination channels, such as the bowels must be opened, that is, the sick must pass out waste products.
“It should be one meal in and one meal out. If there is no waste coming out it can cause what naturopathic doctors called auto-detoxification, which is the back flow of waste product,” Afolabi said.
He recommended that the body be nourished or fed with all the vitamins, minerals and enzymes it needs to repair all the damage. This, he said, comes after cleansing and detoxification.
“One thing we all should be mindful of is the fact that it’s the body that heals itself, not the doctor or drugs or any outside influence.
“What we can only do is to provide the body all the tools it needs to heal itself and these can be found in proper nourishment that contains all the building blocks of the human cells and organs, that is, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids, among others,” Afolabi said.
•Nigeria must prepare itself for the possible onset of a new ailment
As if the ravages of consistent killers like malaria and HIV/AIDS were not enough, there are warnings that a new disease which is potentially deadlier than Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Zika Fever could emerge on the global landscape.
Called WIV1-coronavirus (CoV1), the disease is caused by a virus found in Chinese Rufous Horseshoe bats and is apparently capable of direct transmission to humans without intermediaries as was previously believed. It begins with flu-like symptoms which rapidly worsen to pneumonia. Current SARS vaccines are ineffective against it, and its ease of transmission could ensure that hundreds of thousands of people across the world are affected.
This is a warning Nigeria must take with all the seriousness that it deserves. The outbreaks of EVD, SARS, Lassa fever and Avian influenza have clearly shown that the emergence of new diseases and new variations of old ailments is a grim reality that the world can only ignore at its own cost. The ease and rapidity of modern travel mean that any outbreak in one part of the world can spread in a matter of days, if not hours. WIV1-CoV1’s status as a respiratory disease makes Nigeria’s often-crowded, insanitary towns and cities perfect for its transmission if it eventually reaches humans.
Any viable strategy against this so-called “Super-SARS” virus must be comprehensive enough to take prevention, detection, tracking, isolation and cure into consideration. All points of entry must be given adequate equipment to monitor all visitors and indigenes coming into the country. Hospitals and laboratories will require training and tools to detect the virus and develop treatment regimens. Communities across the nation will have to be fully informed about WIV1-CoV1, especially its symptoms and the steps to take if it is suspected; those parts of the country where bats are a delicacy must be warned against further consumption.
However, none of these strategies will be successful without the development of Nigeria’s social infrastructure. Increased access to healthcare and educational services, potable water and regular electricity supply is essential in the fight against traditional ailments and new diseases. The better-prepared a nation is to face a public health emergency, the fewer the casualties are likely to be.
Unfortunately, Nigeria still continues to face fundamental challenges in this area after decades of effort by successive governments. Primary, secondary and tertiary health institutions are still plagued by inadequate financing, a dearth of competent personnel, equipment, drugs and consumables. Strikes by doctors and other medical workers are distressingly frequent.
The lack of water and power in these institutions, as well as in the larger society, has made it much more difficult to maintain the standards of cleanliness that are vital to disease prevention. Poor town-planning has resulted in congested and fetid conditions that do much to enhance epidemics.
This is why malaria continues to kill more than 300,000 Nigerians annually. It is the reason why life-expectancy rates are 54 years for men and 55 years for women, in spite of the country’s oil wealth. It explains why the country’s maternal and infant mortality rates are among the highest in the world, with 145 women and 2,300 children under five years of age dying every day.
Indeed, it would appear that the failure to deal effectively with diseases that have tormented the citizenry for decades has ominous consequences for the country’s ability to tackle WIV1-CoV1. Although the heroic response to the EVD outbreak in 2014 does demonstrate Nigeria’s capacity to rise to the occasion, it was essentially reactive in nature.
The possible advent of a terrifying new disease offers Nigeria yet another opportunity to get things right by proactively ensuring that it is ready to meet the challenges of any emerging ailment. An effective social infrastructure is the bedrock of a healthy nation.
Another health worker has been infected with the Lassa fever virus in Kaduna State and is currently being isolated at the Infectious Disease Centre (IDC), Kakuri, Kaduna South Local Government Area of the state.
Chairman Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) Dr. Muhammed Sani Ibrahim who disclosed this said the whereabouts of two patients suspected of having the virus, a male from Kachia Hospital and a female from Kawo General Hospital who were referred to Barau Dikko Specialist Hospital cannot be ascertained.
The NMA Chairman while briefing newsmen on Monday on the Lassa Fever outbreak which has so far claimed the lives of three persons called on the public to observe a good community hygiene including food hygiene and food protection practices.
As part of measure to address the situation, Dr Ibrahim said, the association is creating awareness on preventive measures, sensitizing the clinicians both in public and private set up to observe a. Very high index of suspicion and to observe universal precautions as they handle patients in all facilities.
He assured that the medical association intend to sustain their sensitization and awareness creation efforts as a sure way to forestall spread and reduce death from infection.
“We are aware of the various efforts of the Federal and state governments in the creation and circulation of management protocols as well as supply of the antiviral drug( Ribavirin) which if given early can reduce morbidity and mortality.
“We are also aware of the efforts of the state Epidemiology Unit and the State Rapid Response team who have ensured a timely response to all reports in the state.”
He also urged all to ensure that they avoid contact with rats as well as food or objects contaminated with rat secretion/excretions, “people must avoid drying food in the open and along the road side and also to cover all food to prevent contamination,” he added.
“Family members and health care workers are advised to always exercise caution and avoid contact with blood fluids while caring for sick persons, while suspected cases should be reported immediately because the treatment outcome is best if the treatment is commenced early.”
Meanwhile, he said the 10 primary contacts and 28 Secondary contacts of the Doctor and Nurse that died as a result of the lassa fever virus are currently placed on surveillance.
A Somali town has poisoned 400 stray dogs out of concern that they could spread diseases and kill livestocks.
An unnamed regional official said on the condition of anonymity on Monday in Mogadishu that the campaign was launched in Borama in the breakaway northern region of Somali land over the weekend.
He said during the campaign, residents were advised to kill dogs by giving them poisoned meat.
The official said the directive has become imperative because the streets are full of hundreds of dogs and there was fear of possible diseases.
“None of the dogs had been found to have rabies so far, but they were killing goats.
“Bodies of dogs were lying on the streets after about 400 of them were killed,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, the regional animal rights activists investigating the case have condemned the killings, saying there were no proofs that the dogs had diseases.
Less than two years after the dreaded Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) shook the country to its foundation, Nigerians have come under another round of palpable anxiety following the outbreak of Lassa fever, a viral hemorrhagic fever, recently.
Unlike Ebola that was recorded in few states with less than 10 people killed over the long period that the disease occurred in the country, Lassa fever has spread through 17 states killing more than 40 people with over 200 people diagnosed and treated within the few weeks of its outbreak.
The Nation’s investigations revealed that the rising number of casualties and the spread which appears intractable have triggered crippling fears in the minds of the people.
Those who spoke with our correspondent said they have been having bated breath since the outbreak became public, adding that it has compelled them to have zero tolerance for rats in their homes.
Bolaji Amisu, a civil servant, said he has been fear-stricken since the disease was reported in many states.
“I have never had reasons to worry about Lassa fever because it has always come and gone but this particular one is too serious to be ignored. I have decided to stop eating in public places because one is not sure of what must have gone wrong in the course of preparing the food. But the truth is that if you are careful about what you are eating, how do you monitor your children? You wouldn’t know if a friend in the school has given them something that rat has eaten or urinated on. I am always calling my children to remind them that they shouldn’t eat anything outside.
“To save my family from the disease, I have declared war on rats in my house. I started by fumigating the house and later took to buying rat poisons and gum traps. When there is no light to preserve my food in the refrigerator, I make sure that they are properly covered. If by mistake I see my pot open, I will not hesitate to throw the content away. It might be tempting to keep it but it is cheaper to throw it away and avoid any problem.”
Another respondent who gave his name as Okafor Blessing, said the fear of contracting the disease has made him to employ multiple ways of combating rodents in his house. He said: “ I am always buying rat killers and gums every week. When I saw that, that was not enough, I bought a cat to further scare them away. I know that there is no way they could be totally flushed out of the house but I won’t give up.”
Expressing fears about the spread of the disease, Jide Oki, a trader said: “ The fear of rats has become the beginning of wisdom for me because of the Lassa fever. Before now, I could use my hand or leg to crush a rat but I can’t do that again for fear of having contact with the body fluid. I resorted to buying rat killers but the challenge is that the rats don’t dry up after they die.
“Instead, they would start decaying and smelling. I can hardly stand the smell but I don’t have the courage to search for their decomposing bodies. I have been using air freshener to reduce the smell hoping that one day, they will dry up and the smell will stop. I really don’t mind the smell as long as I am killing and stopping them from tampering with my food.”
A resident of Tudunwada Jos, Mr. Habila Joseph, said: “This is not a joking matter, I have declared war against rats in my house. I have rat poison of different types. If there is any rat in my house, that rat is in trouble. I better deal with the rats before the rats deal with my family.”
Rat killer sellers, fumigators smile to the banks
Mr. Rat in Port Harcourt
For rat killer sellers and people who are into fumigation business, the outbreak appears to be a blessing in disguise as they have continued to witness unusual boom in their businesses.
One of the rat killer sellers at Iyana Ipaja area of Lagos State, as part his marketing strategy, said: “ Stop rats or they would stop you. If you don’t know, rats have been killing many people by causing Lassa fever. If you fail to kill them, they will wipe out your family.”
As he was telling the story, people took time to stop and listen to his story. Before he would finish, they would quickly bring out money to buy from him.
In a chat with our correspondent, he said: “ I have never been this blessed since I started this business. I must confess that I have been making huge sales in recent times. I wish the sales could continue because the lull in business activities before the outbreak was terrible.”
In Jos, One of the hawkers, Bala Shuaibu, said: “I was not even aware of any disease until somebody asked me if I have rat poison or rat gum. I said I left them at home because people were not buying them. I told him I’m tired of carrying them. But he said I should go and bring them immediately that people are looking for it. So, I went home to pick them. But to my greatest surprise, before I could reach the man that asked me to bring them, people who saw me with it rushed and bought the whole stock from me.
“I decided to rush to market and buy more, but by the time I got to the market, those warehouses had already sold out their own. I went round several shops in the market, everybody had exhausted their stock. I now asked why the sudden rush for the products? I was told it is because of one disease called Lassa fever”.
A 24-year-old, Umar Musa, who sells pesticides and insecticides at the entrance of the popular Wunti Market, in Bauchi State, said he makes over N30,000 daily since the outbreak of the Lassa fever.
“These days, my customers have increased very well, walahi. Some are people living in the town, others are from villages. They come to buy our chemicals to go and kill rats so that they will not die of Lassa. I am really happy and pray that my business will continue to thrive but I don’t pray that Lassa fever should continue.”
His colleague, Chibuzor Anikwe, who sells rat killer at Muda Lawal market, also spoke about how the outbreak which he described as a bad development has brought a sudden boom to his business. I am thinking of opening branches at Yelwa and other places now that there is good business.”
Segun, a rat killer seller in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), likened the present state of his business to engaging in black-market business during fuel scarcity. He said: “Those who never reckoned with rat sellers are now forced to look for us.It is an opportunity to make legitimate money. What I have sold in the last one week is the double of what I used to sell in a whole month”.
Jacob, one of the sellers in Port Harcourt said: “Although I do not know much about the Lassa fever, but people are buying rat killers so much this period. Since the news of the rat disease broke in December, rat killer medicines have been in such high demand that I sell over 50 of the rat gum every day, but the price has remained between N100 (the poison in wraps) , N200(the gum on cardboard paper/rat bible) and N500 for the rat poison in packet).
It was, however, a different story for Nneka Chide, who sells garri at Muda Lawal market and her colleagues as the number of people who patronise has drastically reduced.
“This Lassa fever has stopped many people from buying garri from us. I returned from the east with eight bags of garri and only sold three, because of the announcement on radio and television that people should stop drinking soaked garri. I am now recording huge losses instead of making profit and if the garri stays for a long time, it will go bad.”
Abibat, a seller of the product in Lagos, said: “Please, tell the government and the people to change their announcement because people are not buying garri as they used to do before. I often tie garri in small nylon bags that sell for N20. A lot of people used to buy and soaked it but since they made that announcement, they have not been buying it again because they are afraid. It is not true that people will die if they drink soaked garri. They should not spoil our business because we have no other source of income.”
Rats are our co-tenants- Residents of shanty communities
Residents of shanty communities, who spoke with The Nation, described rats as their co-tenants, saying that there is little or nothing they can do to get rid of them.
Mati, a resident of Ijora area of Lagos State, said buying poison to kill rats is a waste of time, adding: “Lassa fever cannot affect us in this area because there is no angle you don’t find rats. It is only someone that is ready to waste his money that would go about buying rat killers or traps. If you kill all the rats in your house this minute, be certain that more than that number will invade your house the next minute because the rats are too many. We have big rats but the small ones are too many. They are very fast and difficult to kill. If you see it now, before you say Jack Robinson, it would have vanished and reappeared elsewhere.”
Balqis Ojeniran, another resident of the area, said: “Our environment is not where you can use such things to kill rats. The number of rats in the community is almost more, if not more, than the number of human beings living in the area. When you are eating, you will see at least two of them standing in strategic corners waiting for their turn. We eat and dine together.”
The situation was also the same at Makoko where residents said the rats in the area are incomparable with those in other areas.
Mama Bose, a fish seller, said: “ I can never use my money to buy rat killers. The rats we have here are detectives. They can differentiate between food items that have been poisoned and the ones that are healthy for them to eat. I have tried on different occasions to decimate them using rat killers but they refused to touch them; not even one of them ate the poison that I dropped all over and I ended up sweeping them away after some time. I guess the rats are used to eating fish and would not eat anything that is less delicious.”
We’re not aware of Lassa fever, says aged Nigerians
In spite of reports about the havoc the disease has been wreaking across the country, some aged Nigerians who spoke with The Nation said they were not aware of the outbreak. They called on the government and the relevant agencies to always device means of passing information about such critical issues to the people at the grassroots.
Alhaji Salami Yussuf, an 73-year-old trader, said the information was new to him. He said: “I didn’t know anything like Lassa fever before now. I am surprised that you are saying that such a lethal disease is in circulation. It triggers fears because we all live with rats. It is a serious matter and we hope the relevant authorities would always do everything possible to get information about this kind of issues down to us.
“Although, I have long learnt to always keep food away from rodents, I will intensify efforts in ridding my apartments of rodents. I will use the combination of rat poison and traps in flushing them out.”
He was not left alone in this as 70-year-old Jimoh Aweda also said he wasn’t aware of the outbreak. “It is shocking to know that such a disease is in town. I am afraid because rats are all over the place and that makes it very dangerous. There is no how one would hear about something that could cost him his life and not be afraid. The government should have gone beyond the use of radio and television to disseminate such an important message because it is not everybody that has access to them. If not that you mentioned it to me, I wouldn’t have known that such exists. It will not stop me from taking garri but I would always check to make sure that it doesn’t have rat’s feaces or urine”.
Also speaking, Madam Iyabo Jimoh said: “I am not aware of Lassa fever. I don’t have a radio set to know what is happening. I must confess that I have heard people saying that we should avoid rats but they didn’t say why we should do that. That did not make any meaning to me because I have always had nothing to do with rats. I am happy that you have enlightened me about it. I will certainly take the necessary precaution in protecting my food and every edible in the house. In fact, I will launch a total war on the rats in my house and make sure that everything that could make them come into the house is adequately taken care of. If eating soaked garri will bring problems, I will do away with it. It is better not to drink soaked garri than to eat a contaminated one and develop health problems”.
“I had no information about Lassa fever. All I know is that different people in my neighbourhood have been saying conflicting things about rats. This made me not to pick interest in asking them questions about it because their stories would not be the same. This is the kind of problem that would always occur when information is not coming from the right source. The earlier the government and the relevant authorities begin to allow information to get to all nooks and crannies of the country to save the lives of poor people that have no access to information,” 74-year-old Alimo Yussuf said.
Medical experts speak
Aside from the anxiety generated among individuals by the disease, findings showed that it has also taken different dimensions among medical personnel.
In Rivers State, the Commissioner for Health, Theophillus Adagme, said no fewer than 250 persons, mostly medical personnel, have been placed under surveillance in the state. At present, one medical worker from the BMSH is on admission in one of the three treatment centres made ready in the state.
In Bauchi State, there seems to be a sharp disagreement between the state government and the management of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) , Bauchi, over the casualty rate of the rampaging dreaded Lassa fever in the state.
The Bauchi State government had on January 10,2016,said the state had Lassa fever victims only last year, contrary to the assertion by the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, that it is one of the states the disease has been ravaging.
A Permanent Secretary in charge of the state Ministry of Health, Dr. Saidu Aliyu Gital, had said: “ The first Lassa fever in the state was between March and December 2012. Six suspected cases were recorded, out of which five died.
Between January and December 2013,27 suspected cases were reported,10 died, while 17 were treated and discharged. In 2014,30 cases were recorded out of which six died and others were treated and sent home.
“In 2015, from January to December,14 cases were received, six were confirmed cases, three died but others went home healthier. Those three died, however, between November and December, 2015.”
But a source close to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), who responded to our enquiries after five visits to the hospital, said: “As I am talking to you, we have been warned not to talk to the press, but actually, three Lassa fever patients died last week.
“Two suspects are in critical condition right now, while others about 28 are under close observation”.
The hospital source could not, however, explain why the state ministry is keeping the death rate and other details on the Lassa suspects a secret.
Bread kept in unhygenic place
A consultant on infectious diseases in the state, Dr. Tahir,while speaking to The Nation on the treatment of the disease, said: ” The cost is high, because the kits cost at least N20,000 each. The teaching hospital currently has a limited number of such kits.”
Attributing the outbreak of Lassa fever to poverty and ignorance, Dr Tahir cautioned against consumption of rats either cooked or roasted, saying: “It is the easiest way to curb the spread of the disease. He further stressed that if people have enough food and meat to eat, they would not go after rats, because ignorance causes people to spread foodstuffs on the street where rats would eat.”
As a measure to minimise the human casualties occasioned by the outbreak, the Plateau State government has embarked on public awareness campaign to enlighten the people on the danger of the disease as well as the preventive measure they should adopt. One of the preventive measures canvassed by the government is for the residents to clear their rooms and surrounding of rats, the animal believed to be the primary cause of Lassa fever.
Parkinson’s disease, which is a degenerative disease of the nervous system, can now be better managed as Nigerian doctors receive training.
According to a neurologist at Apollo Hospital, India, Dr. Pushpendra Renjen, there is a new technology called ‘Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)’ surgical procedure, in which the implant is inserted into the brain of patients to improve their quality of life.
Renjen, who spoke at a Continuing Medical Education (CME) organised by Diamond Helix Medical Assistance Limited in Lagos, said Nigerians suffering from movement disorders, especially Parkinson’s disease, would now get a new lease of life.
Symptoms of the disease, he said, are tremour, stiffness and slow movement of the body.
He said: “The causes of the disease are unknown. The risk factors are age, heredity and smoking. Adults, who are 60 years and above, are most vulnerable to the disease. Parkinson affects more people from 60 years and it is very common in male than female. For patients from 40 years, the disease is called young Parkinson’s disease. But, when it starts in an adult above 60 years, it is referred to as Parkinsonism or Parkinson’s disease.”
Renjen, who is a senior neurologist, said there were advances in the last 20 years to improve the quality of life of the patients by 60 per cent.
He continued: “Researches on the disease are ongoing across the world to ensure better management of the disease. There is headway in the long term treatment of the disease. But, there is no cure for the disease despite all that is available to the world today.”
He said the disease, which was first described by Sir James Parkinson in 1880s, can be managed with DBS. “It is a safe procedure, which is done by placing the implant into the deep area of the brain where the tremor comes from. More than 100 patients have had the DBS procedure in our hospital. About 20 of them are from Nigeria and the results were excellent.
“This is a major improvement in the treatment of movement disorders associated with Parkinson’s disease. We achieve between 70 to 80 per cent of stop tremour and other conditions in the patient with only small dosage of drugs given,” he said.
He said DBS can last a lifetime, but doctors should be careful to avoid infection while inserting the implant.
Besides, it has a chargeable battery, which lasts for about five years while non-chargeable ones last for about 12 years.
Renjen said the implant and treatment cost about N2 million. “The implant, which is manfactured in the United States, can also be used for epilepsy management. There are drugs for epilepsy, which are not in Nigeria,” he added.
He said patients with DBS now enjoy 80 per cent of tremor reduction, which is an improvement, adding that 65 per cent of Parkinson’s disease can be controlled with drugs.
June 13 was World Albinism Day. What does it feel like being an albino? Bisi Bamishe tells Wale Adepoju her experience.
When I was a child, I grappled with what it meant to be a person with albinism. At a tender age, I realised the colour of my skin was different from those of my peers, siblings, parents. It was difficult performing the same tasks with my peers because I had low vision. At school, I was unable to see what was written on the blackboard and so, had to rely on the assistance of my classmates. Moreover, teachers were not all that helpful because they couldn’t understand why I could not see what was written on the blackboard despite the fact that I was always sitting on the front seat.
Consequently, learning was a struggle. This continued even to my university days (first and second degrees) and participating in sports was hard, as most were eye hand co-ordination. Social exclusion, of course, almost crept in and even disdain. I had my own share of name calling with special songs attached.
My professional life was another issue. In the early years of my journalism career, walking about under the harsh sun scouting for stories was hardly unproblematic. The sun was my greatest enemy. I suffered from sunburn because I had no knowledge of sunscreen creams. This was the kind of life I grew up with.
Today, I am proud to be who I am created by God for His glory-without fear of resentment of being a person with albinism.
Albinism is a rare, non-contagious, genetically inherited condition from both parents that occurs in both genders regardless of ethnicity, in all countries of the world. Both the father and the mother must carry the gene for it to be passed on even if they do not have albinism themselves. The condition results in a lack of melanin pigment in the hair, skin and eyes causing vulnerability to sun exposure, which may lead to skin cancer and visual impairment. While numbers vary, it is estimated that one out of every 5,000 persons in sub-Saharan Africa and one in every 20,000 people in Europe and North America have albinism.
Every person with albinism is intricately unique. Almost all people with albinism are visually impaired with the majority being classified as ‘legally blind’. They thus face many challenges due to low vision. The term ‘persons with albinism’ is referred to ‘albino’, which is often used in a derogatory way.
In some countries, people with albinism suffer discrimination, poverty, stigma, violence and even killings. Discrimination and violence against people with albinism mostly affect children, the elderly and women. The physical appearance of people with albinism is often the object of erroneous beliefs and myths influenced by superstition, which foster marginalisation and even violent attacks against them.
For example some persons with albinism choose not to drive as a result of fear while others may not due to their inability to pass the vision requirement for driving. Besides, on account of their unique appearance, dating and meeting can be challenging for some. In many parts of Africa, people with albinism are misunderstood, disadvantaged and even attacked and killed. Having albinism is a sentence to harsh life and early death.
Between 2000 and 2013, the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Office received over 200 reports of killing and dismembering of people with albinism for ritual purposes in 15 countries. In some countries, women who give birth to children with albinism are rejected by their husbands and their children abandoned.
In Tanzania for example, their body parts are sold to witchdoctors for use in charms and magical portions believed to bring wealth and good luck. Politicians have been warned in Tanzania to steer off witchcraft ahead of elections in the country later this year. The government admitted that politicians may be behind increased attacks and killings of persons with albinism in the country. Similar attacks have been recorded in neighbouring countries of Burundi and Malawi. To protect persons with albinism, police in Malawi were ordered to shoot attackers. The violence has left persons with albinism in the region living in abject fear.
Without effective and affordable access to justice, persons with albinism cannot claim their rights and challenge the human rights violation to which they are daily subjected. The voice of people with albinism is seldom heard and, therefore, no justice. Prejudice impedes persons with albinism from accessing adequate healthcare, social services, legal protection and redress for right abuses.
Concerned about the attacks against persons with albinism, which are committed with impunity, the UN has officially declared June 13, as International Albinism Awareness Day. It was on that day in 2013 that the body adopted its first ever resolution on albinism. On November 18, last year, due to advocacy by the Under The Same Sun (UTSS), an international non-governmental organisation advocating the human rights of persons with albinism and cooperation with various UN agencies, a third historic resolution on albinism was adopted by vote by UN General Assembly in New York. The resolution proclaimed June 13 as International Albinism Awareness Day, effective from this year. The action has been enthusiastically applauded by UTSS and World Albinism Alliance Inc, the international umbrella group for albinism associations around the world.
This is because many local albinism groups across the world have needed a viable platform to raise awareness, especially in countries with recent records of attack and severe discrimination. About 92 albinism associations around the world belong to the umbrella body WAA to ensure equity in citizenship rights for person with albinism
As the Chief Executive Officer/Founder of UTSS, Peter Ash (who is also a PWA) stated, “we are grateful to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, which made a recommendation to the General Assembly on June 13, 2014 that the day be proclaimed”. The resolution establishing International Albinism Awareness Day (IAAD) welcomes increased international attention, noting that in many parts of the world, awareness of the human rights situation of persons with albinism remains limited.” It also recognises the importance of increasing awareness and understanding of albinism in order to fight against global discrimination and stigma against persons with albinism.
The UN urges member states to continue with their efforts to protect the rights to life and security of persons with albinism, their right not to be subjected to torture and ill-treatment and to ensure access to adequate health care, employment education and justice for persons with albinism.
The UN has invited all member states, organizations of its system and other international and regional organisations as well as civil societies including non-governmental organisations and individuals to observe IAAD in an appropriate manner.
According to the declaration and adoption of this day, member states are to provide the UN High Commission for Human Rights with information on the initiatives taken to promote and protect the human rights of persons with albinism including efforts to increase awareness of human rights situations of persons with albinism and understanding of albinism.
Following the official ratification of IAAD, as June 13, by UN, activities have been lined for this auspicious day in Nigeria by a charity organisation called The Albino Network Association of Nigeria (TANA). According to its founder, Adeyemi Dada, who is also a person with albinism, the activities include a symposium, television talk show and press conference. Speakers for the symposium are Dr. Ayanlowo, a dermatologist who will present a paper on Dispelling Ignorance through a Working Knowledge of Skin Care for Persons Living with Albinism and Dr. Segun Ikuomenisan, an ophthalmologist’s paper will be on Providing Adequate Eye Care and Protection for Persons living with Albinism. Commenting about the day, he said: “We are very grateful that we are getting heard and our plight is beginning to be addressed. We now have a unique platform to raise awareness and increase international attention to human rights situation of persons with albinism.”
He explained that TANA was formed as a result of the need to inform the public on health and genetic truths to diffuse existing myths about albinism that often lead to dehumanising stigma and discrimination. Major objectives of TANA are to encourage persons with albinism to; care for their skin in order to prevent skin cancer, maintain positive mental attitude and overcome rejection and support them in getting employed. Others are to educate the public especially educators, health professionals and parents on how to handle persons with albinism.
TANA is committed to educating feelers and educators on how to help them aside from the immediate family.
According to Dada, teachers and educators bear the responsibility of helping students with albinism grow, learn and ultimately realise their full potentials in life. The visual impairment associated with albinism can keep a student with albinism (SWA) especially infants or toddlers from progressing as quickly as their peers. Early intervention services can help them stay on level with others.
Overcoming classroom challenge can help them become successful students and encourage them to make significant future contribution to the society.
Lies being told about albinism in Nigeria include; one can catch albinism like a sickness, persons with albinism are a curse and they disappear when they die and that people can use their bodies to become healed, rich or lucky. But Dada disagreed with these lies. In reaction, he said “you can’t catch albinism because it is genetic condition passed from both parents to children and only through birth. No one has or can become lucky or rich or healed from the use of albino body part. And person with albinism are not curse of ghost and certainly do not disappear when they die. In fact, they are human beings with a simple genetic condition who deserve the same right that all other Nigerians enjoy”.
Persons with albinism all over the world, regardless of heritage, socio-economic status, cultural background, religion or gender need to know and understand their albinism in order to survive. They deserve to have their rights to life and security protected as well as the right not to be subjected to torture and maltreatment.
‘We are very grateful that we are getting heard and our plight is beginning to be addressed. We now have a unique platform to raise awareness and increase international attention to human rights situation of persons with albinism’
In 2013, an estimated 6.3 million children under five died, 2.9 million of them in the WHO African region. This is equivalent to five children under 5 years of age dying every minute. Two thirds of these deaths can be attributed to preventable causes. A third of all these deaths are in the neonatal period.
Pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria and HIV are the main causes of death in infants and young children. In the African Region, about 473 000 children die from pneumonia, 300 000 from diarrhoea, and a further 443 000 from malaria every year. In 2012, 230 000 new HIV infections were recorded among children under 5 years of age.
“Although tremendous progress has been made in identifying and treating infants and children with HIV, much remains to be done to scale-up and sustain effective prevention, care and treatment, especially of pneumonia and diarrhoea,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
Pneumonia is the single biggest killer of children worldwide, accounting for nearly one in seven deaths among young children, with an estimated over 950 000 deaths annually. Most of the deaths occur in resource-constrained countries, with 50% in sub-Saharan Africa.
Globally, diarrhoeal diseases account for nearly one out of every six deaths in children under 5 years of age, equivalent to over 578 000 deaths per year. Diarrhoeal disease occurs more commonly in HIV-infected people, with worse outcomes than in uninfected children.
Persistent diarrhoea in particular is associated with a high risk of death in HIV-infected children. Administration of oral rehydration and zinc in combination with antiretroviral therapy (ART) and restoring immune function are critical for the treatment of diarrhoea in children with HIV.
“Undernutrition is another critical risk factor in most countries in the African Region, and nutrition and food security remains a fundamental challenge to child survival. Breastfeeding is one of the best ways to provide newborns, infants and young children with the nutrients that they need while protecting them against conditions like pneumonia, diarrhea and undernutrition,” Dr Moeti added.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that exclusive breastfeeding starts within one hour after birth and lasts until a baby is six months old. Continued breastfeeding and appropriate complementary foods should be made available for up to 2 years of age and beyond.
In mid-2013, WHO issued new guidelines for breastfeeding and the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV. These recommendations were intended for use in resource-poor settings in low-and middle-income countries.
One of the recommendations for PMTCT is to promote the use of ART in all pregnant and breastfeeding women. These recommendations also include providing ART – irrespective of one’s CD4 count – to all children under 5 years of age with HIV, all pregnant, and all breastfeeding women with HIV including their infants until they cease to breastfeed.
Health systems in Africa are often not able to adequately address the severe burden of childhood disease. Low total health expenditure with high out of pocket health costs hamper progress in child survival. Hence just as health can drive economic growth, ill-health can push people into poverty and make it very difficult for them to escape the vicious cycle of poverty and disease.
WHO said it will continue to work with governments and partners to strengthen health systems to reduce unacceptably high infant and child deaths in the African Region.
ALABA Oloye, a 30-year-old 400 level student at the Department of Sociology, Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba, Ondo State is facing a serious health challenge that could claim his life.
He is suffering from what his doctors called Ameloblastic carcinoma, a disease which could lead to heart problem and probably death if not properly managed.
An indigent student managing to pay his fees in schools,Alaba has been placed on a N5,000 daily drugs to ameliorate his health condition, a situation that has virtually drained him monetarily. Several times, he contemplated leaving school and abandoning his unversity-education altogether because of the pain from his worsening health conditions.
He needs just N1million to get the corrective surgery that could restore him to good health. His case is critical and demands urgent attention.
According to Alaba, his terrible health condition which began in 2007 when he noticed a smallboil on his chicks has affected both his health status, his academic standard along with social stigma associated with the disease.
A consultant of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon at the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Doctor I.O Ojo who diagonised him said Alaba is being planned for jaw resection and reconstruction using titamin reconstruction plate and screws with lilac bone graft under general anaesthesia.
Doctor Ojo noted that if the disease is not properly managed, it could result to heart problem which is dangerous to his health.
Since the demise of his father several years ago, Alaba has been paying school fees and fend for himself all alone a development which almost made him withdrawn from school when the disease surfaced.
Speaking with The Nation in Ibadan, Alaba said he was going through a lot of pains and agony. He said he was has been going from pillar to post, seeking for help from well-meaning Nigerians.
Narrating how it started, he said he noticed he was having pains in his tooth which he thought it was a toothache. “ I noticed pains in my tooth and I thought it was a toothache. I visited a general hospital in Ikare area of Ondo State where they refered me to the Specialist hospital in Akure. The Doctor said they did not have equipment to operate it and als refereed me to Obafemi Awolowo University teaching hospital, Ile-Ife.
“When I got to OAU teaching hospital, Doctor Ojo diagonised me for Ameloblastic Carcinoma and asked me to operate it within a shortwhile because it could later affect my heart and result to death. I hustle to pay school fees and buy 5,000 Naira drugs every week. Nigerians should help me.”
“I don’t want to die of this disease. Please help me. I am going through serious pains now. My dad is late and my mum is a bean-cake seller. Many students avoid to talk to me as a result of this disease. I have approached Ondo State government severally, but nobody was ready to help.
“The State House of Assembly promised severally but could not fulfil their promises. It is only my school that donated a sum of 100,000 for me. I want Nigerians to help me!”
Alaba said he decided to reach out to and well-meaning Nigerians through this newspaper so that he can live again. “I hope that Nigerians would come to my rescue.” Alaba cries out.
Help could be given to Alaba through his bank account and details.
As poultry farmers count their losses after an outbreak of bird flu, a livestock expert, Dr Ademola Adeyemo has called for increased surveillance to prevent outbreak of deadly livestock diseases.
Adeyem, Deputy Director, General Administration, Agricultural and Rural Management Institute (ARMTI), said the sudden outbreak of bird flu required the strengthening of animal disease surveillance nationwide.
He said there was the need to strengthen surveillance and early detection systems for diseases of domestic and wild animals as poultry have already fallen victim to highly pathogenic avian influenza in less than four months.
Although the outbreaks of the virus have so far been rapidly controlled by the health authorities, he said the virus had important economic repercussions for the poultry sector.
According to him, the impact of the globalisation of movements of animals, people and commercial products has greatly increased the possibilities for pathogens to spread from one side of the world to the other in record time.
Adeyemo said it was important to be on the alert given the capacity of influenza viruses to mutate. One of the measures, he suggested was combating diseases at their animal source, adding this can be achieved if the government can put in a competent, well-organised national Veterinary Services.
This, he noted, is a precondition for early detection of animal disease outbreaks and a rapid, transparent response.
While this will ensure extensive, optimal surveillance for animal diseases, the expert urged animal producers, hunters, and other key players to cooperate with the government in the campaign to boost survelliance and promote stricter veterinary control in livestock production.
He urged them to provide information about diseases to the public health centres.
