The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Diseases

  • ‘Eat heart-friendly oil, avoid diseases’

    •Oil health team visits Kano, Abuja communities

    Nigerians have been urged to eat heart-friendly foods to avoid contracting cardiovascular diseases.

    Two experts, Dr Barba Miko and Dr Teju Adeyekun, gave the advice during a visit by a Power Oil Health Camp team to Mariri community in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State and Tunge-Maje community in Gwagwalada, Abuja.

    It was part of the Power Oil Health Camp initiative by Raffles Oil LFTZ Enterprise, makers of the “heart- friendly” vegetable oil brand, which began in 2013 in nine locations in Nigeria.

    It is a project aimed at bringing free basic health check-ups closer to the people, sensitising them on how to keep the heart functioning properly and  maintaining a low cholesterol system.

    The doctors said heat and light could affect oils’ taste and quality and that it was better to use one or two types of oil  that are stored in a cool, dark place. They warned that if oil smells or becomes bitter should be thrown away.

    Also, they said it was important to choose the right oil and quantity for cooking.

    Its Public Relations Manager, Miss Omotayo Azeez, said: “As a brand, our main focus and commitment is the well-being of our consumers, considering the alarming rate of the  health complications in the society, we are taking this as a part of our responsibilities to sensitise Nigerians on the need to lead and maintain a healthy lifestyle through regular checkups and healthy choice of food consumption to achieve a sound health.”

    In Kano, the Power Oil medical checkup was attended by  some leaders in the community.

    The District Head, Mariri community, Kano State Kumbotso, Alhaji Saminu Garba, said: “I am a strong advocate of the saying that you are ultimately what you eat, that is why we would always throw our support behind Power Oil for not only helping the public by propagating the importance of eating healthy but also going some steps higher in providing free medical checkup for us, we are sincerely grateful.”

    The councillor of the Mariri community, Alhaji Bashir Hassan, said:  ‘’I praise the firm for floating such a laudable project. Power Oil is driving a spectacular initiative and we implore other corporate organisations to follow suit and take responsibilities in certain areas, in support of the government.’’

    The Abuja Health Camp team also recorded a huge turnout in Tunge-maje community, Gwagwalada,  when the community members, particularly women, came out enmasse with their leader, Hajia Rabi Usman.

    Hajia Rabi said: “We all understand the current economic situation not being favourable to the poor, going to the hospital for a medical check and consultation will definitely drill a large hole in one’s pocket. However, we are glad that Power Oil has been looking into this, encouraging the drive to a healthy society”.

    Alhaji Hussani Barde, Tunga-maje district head, said: “This is an unprecedented health initiative being brought into our community, and we are so happy to be part of it, we enjoyed the opportunity of free blood pressure/pulse/ body mass Index check alongside other medical consultation from the medical consultants. It has also become clearer what lifestyles to adopt and habits to shun to ensure a sound heart”.

    Power Oil also has other various heart-supporting initiatives which inspire consumers to take good care of their health, such as the Power Oil Walk-Heart-on & Pay with calories which held its third edition recently at three locations.

  • Minister seeks increased vaccines production for animal diseases

    Minister seeks increased vaccines production for animal diseases

    The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, has called on the Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association to intensify vaccines production to curb Avian Influenza and other animal diseases in the country.

    He made the call when the association’s executives visited him in his office in Abuja.

    Lokpobiri said for the government to achieve a sustainable food security, more funding was required to support commercial vaccine production.

    He said: “For us to achieve the objective, we need more funding. If the Veterinary Council of Nigeria and your association intensify efforts in vaccines production, we will be able to control or combat the spread of Avian Influenza and other deadly diseases.”

    The minister commended the collaboration between the Veterinary Council and the Veterinary Medical Association, assuring that the ministry would complement their efforts by providing standard abattoirs,cattle grazing and other problems.

    He promised to direct the Director, Legal Department in the ministry to work with the association in reviewing relevant laws that would enhance their operations.

    Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association President, Dr. Edgar Amos Sunday, who led the delegation, noted that the group had contributed to the development of the agricultural sector, especially in the containment of livestock and zoonotic diseases, curbing of cattle rustling and herdsmen/farmers clashes.

    He highlighted the need to review laws hindering veterinary service delivery and livestock development.

    “This should aim to repeal obsolete sections and insert new ones to suit contemporary realities,” he added.

  • FCT to build special infectious diseases centre

    The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration plans to construct a special infectious disease centre in Abuja.When completed, patients with highly infectious diseases in the FCT will be quarantined in the centre and given adequate treatment.

    Minister of the FCT Mallam Muhammad Bello made the revelation when members of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), FCT Chapter, paid him a courtesy call.

    Chief Press Secretary, FCT, Muhammad Sulemade this known in a statement.

    The statement read,”The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has announced plans to build a specialised centre where patients with highly infectious diseases in the Federal Capital Territory will be quarantined and given adequate treatment.

    “According to him, ‘“plans are underway by the FCT Administration to build a modern specialised health facility where patients with highly infectious diseases could be kept and given special attention.”

    “I have discussed also with some of your colleagues on the need to have a specialized centre for infectious diseases especially during the Lassa fever saga some months ago; I was surprised that patients that were suspected to have had the virus were kept initially at the National Hospital. I asked why we didn’t have a specialised centre in the territory for cases of such nature, where we will be able to quarantine affected people,” he stressed.

    “The Minister emphasised that such centre is on the front burner of his administration; noting, “We are working assiduously, believing that at some point, we should be able to have such facility in the city to serve the whole Territory”.

    “Malam Bello disclosed that the FCT Administration is currently partnering with some private individuals to set up new hospitals in the FCT in order to shore up the shortage in the number of hospital bed spaces noticed in the Territory; adding that government cannot do it alone.

    “His words: “For a long time, the issue of inadequate bed spaces in the FCT has really been something of great concern to me. Based on the briefings I got from the Health & Human Services Secretariat when I assumed office, I was amazed by the numbers I saw in terms of available bed spaces and since then, we have encouraged many private sector people that want to set up a hospital to come over and do it because government alone will not be able to bridge this huge gap”.

    “The Minister added, “Also, I have impressed upon owners of one or two of the hospital projects that you have seen on ground to try to get them completed because the more they are the better the services to humanity”.

    “Speaking earlier, the Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, FCT Chapter, Dr. Chiedozie Jude Achonwa remarked that the Chapter intends to resuscitate its existing rural health programme to further serve the rural dwellers and contribute to the sustainable goals of the Federal Capital Territory.

    “While assuring the government of industrial harmony, Dr. Achonwa called for increased health infrastructure in the Territory considering the ever influx of people.”

  • Rest to avoid stress-related diseases, experts advise

    A medical doctor, Dr Joseph Okonkwo, has advised Nigerians to devote enough time to resting to avoid contracting stress-related diseases.

    He gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of a health talk, organised by Christ the King Catholic Parish, Kubwa in Abuja.

    The conference had as theme: ‘’Health for all’’.

    He said stress-related diseases, especially high blood pressure, was a silent killer ailment, if not checked early.

    He stressed the need for people to take proper care of their health, adding that only the healthy could contribute to national development.

    Okonkwo said many people, including members of the parish, were not aware of some untreated stress-related diseases and their implications for their health.

    He described the forum as an important medium of making the parishioners aware of such diseases and how to treat or avoid them.

    The medic said six doctors and five nurses volunteered to offer free services, such as consultation, drug dispensing and conduct tests on the parishioners and the public.

    Okonkwo said doctors offered free treatment of  hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases, weight control, eye diseases, cancer of the cervix and blood pressure, among other patients.

    ”Ordinarily, the parishioners would have gone to conventional hospitals and pay for the cost of treatment of these diseases, but we offer to treat free of charge,” he said

    Okonkwo said the doctors enlightened the people on some diseases and the need for them to take precautionary measures to avoid them.

    “We are imparting the health knowledge in them, more like creating awareness for them to know what to do to avoid these diseases,” he said.

    The doctor expressed concern over the increased rate of hepatitis in the society, noting that the disease was caused by toxins, such as alcohol and hard drugs. He said the commonest way of getting the disease was through unprotected sex and blood transfusion.

    Okonkwo described the turnout for the event as very encouraging.

    Mrs Ikhumi Florence, a parishioner, described the conference as very educative.

    “I am really happy that I have learnt a lot from this event and it will help me to be more conscious of my health,” Florence said.

    Mrs Esther Edawu, another participant, commended the church for contributing to the health of its members.

    She said the event was an eye opener for her to be more conscious about some diseases and how to avoid them.

    “I did not know a lot about cancer of the cervix before the event, but after the lecture, I have been better informed about the causes and preventive measures of such diseases,” Edawu added.

     

  • Practitioners urge healthy lifestyle to fight diseases

    Natural and alternative medicine practitioners have advocated a healthy lifestyle to prevent or reverse chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart attack and kidney failure, among others.

    According to them, the major causes of death are chronic diseases due to people’s bad lifestyle choices.

    A  health and wellness coach, Dr Biyi Olusanya, who spoke during Wholesome Health seminar with the theme: Maintaining a healthy human body in the 21st century, said people needed to be adequately informed about risk factors of chronic diseases to avoid them.

    Olusanya said there was the need to proffer alternative healthcare solutions that are affordable, cost effective and sustainable in giving hope to people suffering from chronic diseases or non communicable diseases.

    He said nutrition promotes the body’s self healing therapy, stressing that by adopting a healthy lifestyle people can put diseases at bay.

    Besides, it is important for people to know that making the right  choices  promotes their health.

    “People should embrace diet, fitness and spirituality, have a good state of mind and rest appropriately,” he said.

    He said a holistic approach to treatment will help to prevent chronic diseases, adding that natural medicine provides total or complete healing.

    Olusanya said: “The seminar was organised to change people’s lifestyle culture by educating them on the predisposing risk factors and alternative lifestyle options that promote healthy living. These are based on natural, scientifically proven and cost effective options that are easily available and affordable to everyone. This in turn will allay the fear of chronic diseases, reduce dependence on medication, which has deleterious side effects and increase life expectancy”.

    Reverend Tony Akinyemi, a natural medicine practitioner, said people are looking for alternative methods to healing.

    “Moreover, people are sick and tired of being sick and tired,” he said.

    He said people should take ownership of health, adding that their role in managing their health is much more than that of the doctor.

    Speaking on 21 steps to holistic health plan, he urged the people to increase their knowledge of healthy eating/ lifestyle.

    He continued: “They should also abstain from taking every food that they can lay their hands upon, and thus be moderate. People should maintain personal hygiene and detoxify their system. Taking nutritious food is non-negotiable. They should drink water to prevent dehydration and exercise regularly. Rest and sunshine will also do them a lot of good.”

    The reverend said people need to be pro-active by having regular check-ups, adding that they also need to laugh and be safety conscious.

    “They should engage in healthy relationships, pray and worship God. Many are proud but humility helps. It is also good to show gratitude. They should exercise faith, which is a word therapy and have the will to live as well as have purpose so that their lives can count,” he said.

    A naturopath, Dr Tina Mba, said people can improve their health by simply taking water to move their bowel and, as such, reverse constipation.

    According to her, water should be drunk first thing in the morning and last thing at night to prevent or reverse constipation.

    Getting rid of waste products from the system, she said, was a good way for people to begin their daily activities.

    Dr Mba said vegetables and fruits can reverse chronic diseases, such as cancer and heart attack, and obesity.

    She enjoined Nigerians to take fruits and vegetables to boost their immunity and, as such, prevent chronic diseases.

  • Avoiding sudden death: Silent killer diseases to watch

    Avoiding sudden death: Silent killer diseases to watch

    First it was the sudden death of ex-Super Eagles’ coach, Stephen Keshi, on the day he was booked to travel abroad, that sent shivers down the spines of many Nigerians. Four days after, news followed of another ex-Eagles coach, Shuaibu Amodu, who died in his sleep after medical treatment for high blood pressure the previous day.

    As if the tales of woe were not enough, death crept into the movie industry, snatching away Henrietta Kosoko, one of the wives of veteran actor, Jide Kosoko, who died after she slumped. As sudden as the death was, one gets a better impression of what might have transpired after learning that the late actress had battled diabetes for some time.

    Hypertension, hypotension and diabetes – these are the three known silent killers common among Nigerians, rich and poor. A biomedical scientist, Dr Bola John, said that a silent killer is a disease that a person lives with for some time not knowing he or she has it until it hurts enough to kill.

    Listing silent killers to include hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, osteoporosis, heart disease, colon cancer and others, Dr John is of the opinion that there are many silent killers and the likelihood of anyone falling victim to at least one of them is very high.

    More than being a rich man’s disease like some people are wont to believe, hypertension and hypotension are among the most prevalent non-communicable diseases worldwide, even among the less-privileged. What makes the case worse in Nigeria is that health services have focused on treating infectious diseases such as Malaria and tuberculosis. Also, the harsh economy and the overburdened health facilities seem to have taken medical care beyond the reach of many who cannot afford regular medical check-up.

    Globally, hypertension is responsible for an estimated 45 percent deaths due to heart disease and 51 percent of death due to stroke, according to UNICEF statistics.

    Dr. Olukayode Fasekula described hypertension as a disease of the heart and blood vessels. He said: “When there is high blood pressure, it is usually above the normal range, which is 110/70mm of mercury to 140/90mm of mercury. Anything after that is hypertension. When it is about 150, it is moderate; when it is about 180, then it is abnormal. Hypertension is also related to diabetes. When somebody has diabetes, the blood vessel becomes thickened and the passage of blood would become forceful.”

    There are also two types of hypertension, noted Dr Babatunde Saheed, a Lagos-based medical practitioner. “The first is essential hypertension,” he said. “For this, a cause may readily not be available. For instance, it may be through hereditary. Hypertension can also develop on its own. Secondary hypertension could be caused by diseases in the body. It could also be through adrenal gland problem or kidney problem.”

    Dr Saheed added that hypertension can also be induced by pregnancy, obesity or smoking. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a person with a blood pressure of over 140/90 is said to be hypertensive.

    Proffering ways of managing the ailment, he said: “To manage hypertension, investigation has to, first of all, be made. The heart needs to be looked at, an EEG could also be done or eco-cardiogram to show the cause. Renal cause can also be checked, along with liquid sugar level. These will help to know the treatment to give such patient.”

     

    Causes and prevention

    An Abuja-based medical practitioner, Dr Dan Gadzama, said that hypertension has no specific cause. He however, added that there are risk factors as well as the modifying and non-modifying causes. He said: “For the modifiable causes, we have smoking, indulging in tobacco, obesity and sedentary lifestyle. And then for the non-modifying causes, the elderly are more affected, while for the younger ones, the female are more at risk than the male.

    “There are secondary causes that result from diseases risk factors like kidney disease because of retention of salt; a diabetic is also at risk too. When ones adrenaline produces lots of adrenaline tumours, it leads to hypertension.”

    Dr Gadzama advised that the best way to avoid hypertension is to adopt a healthy lifestyle by doing lots of exercise, and avoiding alcohol, tobacco and coffee.

     

    Hypotension: the opposite diagnosis

    Appearing to be the exact opposite of hypertension is hypotension, which is associated with low blood pressure. It is no less dangerous as it is also life-threatening. Symptoms to watch out for include dizziness and fainting.

    “When the blood pressure is below the normal range of 110/70mm, it could be even more dangerous when it is not easily managed.  It is as a result of hypo-volume of blood when we have shortage of blood (anaemia),” said Dr Fasekula.

    Another risk factor for hypotension could be the overdose of hypertensive drugs, from the explanation offered by Dr Saheed. “On the other hand, hypotension could be normal for some people. For others, it could be through overdose of hypertensive drugs. Such can cause a crash and it becomes a hypotensive situation. To manage this is to treat the cause.”

    On the causes, Dr Gadzama added that hypotension can be caused by excessive vomiting, bleeding and cushion syndrome, a metabolic disorder, and low tyrosine level in the body.

    Medical experts note that while hypertension can be hereditary, it can also result from diet and lifestyle habits. Smokers can easily develop hypertension because of the nicotine in the cigarette as well as alcohol addiction.  The doctors who spoke with The Nation said that anyone aged 35 years and above should watch his or her cholesterol level and reduce the excessive intake of eggs. Doctors recommend more intake of vegetables as it is said that vegetarians cannot easily develop hypertension.

     

    The link between high blood pressure and diabetes

    The occurrence of diabetes is a call to high blood pressure. Excess sugar, it was learnt, can line the blood vessels and make thicken such that when the heart is pumping, it becomes more difficult for the blood to pass through the blood vessel.

    Mrs. Christiana Adeyemi, a health care provider, said that diabetes increases the risk of developing high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems since it affects the arteries, which leads to atherosclerosis. “The clogging of blood vessels (atherosclerosis) can cause high blood pressure, which, if not treated, can lead to further blood vessel damage, stroke, heart failure and heart attack. One thing people should know is that diabetes, if not managed well, can lead to hypertension.”

    Dr Bola John wrote that diabetes varies in type and may include excessive thirst, excessive urination, fatigue, slow healing wounds, blurred vision and weight loss. “Type 2 Diabetes generally results from pre-diabetes in older adults and takes a long time to develop. Symptoms may not emerge or be noticeable for years.”

    Children are also likely to develop Type 1 Diabetes. Diabetes can be detected from a fasting blood glucose test using blood samples and by analysis of the urine for excess sugar. Left untreated, hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) can lead to serious long-term complications such as kidney failure, blindness, serious skin infections, worsening of acne, gangrene, cardiovascular disease, disability, diabetic neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease, cardiovascular disease, stroke, disability, sexual problems, erectile dysfunction, vaginal dryness, premature menopause, birth defects, bed wetting in children.

  • Practitioners urge healthy lifestyle to fight diseases

    Practitioners urge healthy lifestyle to fight diseases

    Natural and alternative medicine practitioners have advocated a healthy lifestyle to prevent or reverse chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart attack and kidney failure, among others.

    According to them, the major causes of death are chronic diseases due to people’s bad lifestyle choices.

    A  health and wellness coach, Dr Biyi Olusanya, who spoke during Wholesome Health seminar with the theme: Maintaining a healthy human body in the 21st century, said people needed to be adequately informed about risk factors of chronic diseases to avoid them.

    Olusanya said there was the need to proffer alternative healthcare solutions that are affordable, cost effective and sustainable in giving hope to people suffering from chronic diseases or non communicable diseases.

    He said nutrition promotes the body’s self healing therapy, stressing that by adopting a healthy lifestyle people can put diseases at bay.

    Besides, it is important for people to know that making the right  choices  promotes their health.

    “People should embrace diet, fitness and spirituality, have a good state of mind and rest appropriately,” he said.

    He said a holistic approach to treatment will help to prevent chronic diseases, adding that natural medicine provides total or complete healing.

    Olusanya said: “The seminar was organised to change people’s lifestyle culture by educating them on the predisposing risk factors and alternative lifestyle options that promote healthy living. These are based on natural, scientifically proven and cost effective options that are easily available and affordable to everyone. This in turn will allay the fear of chronic diseases, reduce dependence on medication, which has deleterious side effects and increase life expectancy”.

    Reverend Tony Akinyemi, a natural medicine practitioner, said people are looking for alternative methods to healing.

    “Moreover, people are sick and tired of being sick and tired,” he said.

    He said people should take ownership of health, adding that their role in managing their health is much more than that of the doctor.

    Speaking on 21 steps to holistic health plan, he urged the people to increase their knowledge of healthy eating/ lifestyle.

    He continued: “They should also abstain from taking every food that they can lay their hands upon, and thus be moderate. People should maintain personal hygiene and detoxify their system. Taking nutritious food is non-negotiable. They should drink water to prevent dehydration and exercise regularly. Rest and sunshine will also do them a lot of good.”

    The reverend said people need to be pro-active by having regular check-ups, adding that they also need to laugh and be safety conscious.

    “They should engage in healthy relationships, pray and worship God. Many are proud but humility helps. It is also good to show gratitude. They should exercise faith, which is a word therapy and have the will to live as well as have purpose so that their lives can count,” he said.

    A naturopath, Dr Tina Mba, said people can improve their health by simply taking water to move their bowel and, as such, reverse constipation.

    According to her, water should be drunk first thing in the morning and last thing at night to prevent or reverse constipation.

    Getting rid of waste products from the system, she said, was a good way for people to begin their daily activities.

    Dr Mba said vegetables and fruits can reverse chronic diseases, such as cancer and heart attack, and obesity.

    She enjoined Nigerians to take fruits and vegetables to boost their immunity and, as such, prevent chronic diseases.

  • How malnutrition fuels childhood diseases, by experts

    How malnutrition fuels childhood diseases, by experts

    The sights are scary. The sight of children lying down on mats or cloth-beds spread on bare floors could strike terror in the hearts of many parents.

    Some are carried by their mothers, they hungrilly suck on dry breasts. The mothers too looked malnourished, having nothing left to eat. These are Nigerian Internally Displaced People (IDP).

    Hauwa Salah (not real names) is two years old. She got integrated in one of the camps, but could not get enough food. She became emaciatedand her skin clung to her dry, skinny bones. A  non governmental organisation, Adopt -A- Camp,an initiative that assists internally displaced persons in the Northeast,came to her rescue and a few others were provided with life saving nutritional needs. Now, she is bouncing back to life.

    Since May 2013, Nigeria has seen an intensification of conflict due to Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe. Insurgency and counter-insurgency have inevitably resulted in the displacement of people across the troubled states.

    Over 56 percent of the total IDP population are children of which more than half  are aged up to five years while 42 percent are adults. 1,188,018 IDPs (149,357 households) were identified in Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states. (DTM) Another 47,276 IDPs (5910 households) were identified in Plateau, Nasarawa, Abuja, Kano and Kaduna states.  According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the total population of IDPs in northern Nigeria is 1,235,294. The highest number of IDPs however are in Borno state with 672,714, followed by Adamawa 220,159 and Yobe state with 135,810.

    According to statistics, in war and unrest, women and children are the most vulnerable groups and according to NEMA records, this group formed the bulk of the IDPs all over Nigeria.

     

    The war against Measles

     

    It is becoming increasingly difficult for Nigeria to win the war against measles.According to new scientific research, there is an important link between nutrition and the prevention and management of diseases.

    According to a foremost virologist, Prof Oyewale Tomori, young children (six to 60 months of age) with mild-to-moderate malnutrition had 2.2 times the risk of dying from measles during the follow-up period than their better nourished counterparts.

    Severely malnourished children had 6.8 times the risk of dying during the follow-up period than better nourished children.”Therefore, since measles is a very severe disease, which in malnourished children can carry a case fatality rate as high as 50 percent, malnutrition should be a prime indication for measles immunization, and certainly not a contraindication,” he argued.

    Prof Tomori’s concern is justified because the coalition of experts from Federal and State Governments, development partners, civil society and academia after concluding a two-day meeting to discuss the results of research on activities carried out by the Working to Improve Nutrition in Northern Nigeria (WINNN) programme in the states of Katsina, Kebbi, Jigawa, Yobe, and Zamfara, also announced the urgent need to address the root causes of child malnutrition in this region.  According to WINNN, this is germane to reducing the staggeringly high rate of child malnutrition in northern Nigeria, nay the childhood diseases, especially measles.

    WINNN has more scary statistics. As a result of malnutrition, 58 per cent of children under five in these states suffer from stunting, meaning their physical and mental development has been impaired. An estimated 370,000 children with severe acute malnutrition in these states will require lifesaving treatment this year. Without such treatment, some 70,000 of those children are likely to die.

    While treatment for severe malnutrition remains essential and has been the focus of State Governments’ activities, the participants at the WINNN meeting said increased attention should be paid to prevention, which is critical to addressing the problem in the long term. Research presented at the meeting confirmed that many mothers do not understand the importance of exclusive breastfeeding, even when healthy and even giving water to a baby under six months old can lead to illnesses and malnutrition.

    A researcher/microbiologist at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Dr  Adesina Adeiga, said children with severe malnutrition will be highly susceptible to diseases especially measles. He explained: “Cells in the body need protein to develop and perform body activities. Due to less protein intake, the white blood cells will be poorly developed and will not be able to defend the body. This makes the immunity both at the cellular level and the soluble antibody to be highly compromised. This makes the children in this nutritional compromised situation to be susceptible to diseases and when they are not able to withstand the disease, they die in the process.”

    He however explained that Measles infection is vaccine preventable, “When children are immunised at nine months, they are protected from infection. This can only happen when they are not nutritionally compromised.

    “When there is poor nutrition or  problem of protein calorie malnutrition, they will not be able to develop immunity when vaccinated. When there are many of such children in the community, most of them will be infected in measles outbreak. But if many of the children develop immunity upon receiving measles vaccination, the unvaccinated children in such community will not be seriously affected in Measles outbreak unless the vaccine is of poor quality,” he stated.

    Immunization: Measles (% of children ages 12-23 months) in Nigeria was last measured at 51 in 2014, according to the World Bank. Child immunization measures the percentage of children ages 12-23 months who received vaccinations before 12 months or at any time before the survey. A child is considered adequately immunized against measles after receiving one dose of vaccine.

    “Immunity of the children in the community is called Herd Immunity. When there is high herd immunity, the spread of measles during outbreak is very low. But if the herd immunity is low, which can occur when there is severe malnutrition. This can cause mass death of children from measles infection,” Adeiga said.

    Mrs Bukola Shonibare of Adopt-A-Camp is of the opinion that a child can win the war against malnutrition, nay any childhood disease, as evidence by the output of her NGO activities that saw some of these malnourished children bounce back, after feeding them adequately.

    One wonders where all the money budgeted for such have gone. For a study by Displacement Tracking Matrix/DTM Round II Report (February 2015) revealed that households in 20 states have access to food distribution. In terms of frequency, 13 sites receive food distribution every day; another 13 sites receive irregular food distribution. In three sites (all located in Adamawa) individuals have never received food distribution. Households in all sites with the exception of one reported having no supplementary feeding for children or breastfeeding mothers. Screening for malnutrition has not been conducted in 27 sites.

    This does not sit well with Civil Society Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN).

    CS-SUNN believes without good nutrition, human mind and body cannot function well. Malnourished children have an increased risk of disability and premature death and are highly predisposed to infectious diseases.

    It explained that nutrition programs and interventions are still largely under funded by government at all levels.

    “Hence strategic actions needs to be taken to reduce malnutrition, the window of opportunity is the first 1000 days of life- a critical time for physical and mental development of a child. By making extra effort through investing in maternal nutrition, Infant and young child feeding (MIYCF), Nigeria can stop the death of about 700000 children every year, and mitigate human pain of families that lose their children,” it stated.

  • Parable of a truck load of terrible diseases

    This week, Mr Hycinth Uzor is likely to be in mourning mood again. He does for long whenever one of his friends or class-mates at Fatimah College, Ilesa passes away. Fatimah College, in Osun State, Nigeria, was one of the best schools in the Western Region of Nigeria during the country’s First Republic. It wasn’t surprising, therefore, that Mr Uzor, became national sales Manager at the Nigerian Breveries Ltd, (NBL) after studying for his first degree at Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, a feat in those days.

    I have the privilege of offering Mr Uzor information about whatever any of his friends or classmates died of. They are all now in their seventies, a period in one’s life when, I guess, one cannot escape thinking about existence in the world beyond the comprehension of physical earthly senses. I remember him worrying for weeks about one of his class-mates who faced the challenge of shingles, an inflammatory nerve ending disorder. So bad was it that the gentleman travelled to India, only to return home and pass away soon after.

    Uzor would also speak about Dr. Awomolo, one of his juniors at school, who treated many cases of prostate cancer, of which he, too, was later to die in his prime. The latest concern of Mr Uzor is a classmate he lost contact with for about 20 years. Then, about six months ago, someone gave him a description to the gentleman’s village somewhere in the east. And off to that village Mr Uzor went. What he discovered was heart-shattering. One of the feet of this gentleman was amputated. But that was the least of the problems Mr Uzor was to discover had befallen him over the years. First, this man suffered from prostate cancer for which he had a successful surgery.  Later, he had such problems with his intestines which warranted that some parts that were diseased be surgically removed and the loose ends sutured together. Later, still, this man developed diabetes and a diabetic sore in the foot. The sore would not heal, became infected and gangrenous… and had to be surgically removed. As he was learning to cope with this new experience, the prostate gland struck again. He could not pass water, and he died. It is possible a remnant cancer cell or a group of them resurged, and wreaked the havoc. It is possible the root cause (s) of this condition were not addressed.

    It reminds me of the saying of a Wise One that “neither drugs nor injections, but the right kinds of foods and drinks bring lasting health”. How I wish this gentleman was alive today to read in this column last Thursday of how, with Vegetable and Fruit Juices, Dr. Bernard Jenson healed the thirteen leg sores of a young woman that had been irresponsive to treatment by doctors at two leading hospitals in the United States. I wish, also, that he knew of one of the friends of Sunday Danson who had a diabetic sore which would not heal for years but, to his shock gave way to some herbs and topical application of a Nigerian bitters formula. While these events are regrettable and are sources of pain to survivors of people who yield to them, they help to warn the rest of us to take health matters seriously and to watch what goes into the mouths and stomachs, as ultimately, “we are what we eat and drink”.

    Congratulations, Mr Uzor these events have encouraged him to slow down on lager. And he has become a constant repriminder of his bossom friend, Mr Schraps who, given his latest experiences, is learning to curb his appetite for his own pass time. These matters will be visited in more detail in due course. Suffice it to say today that many cases of benign prostate enlargement respond favourably to Small-flowered Willow herb, antiviral, anti-candida and anti-bacteria herbs in addition to anti-inflammatories the latest of which is Orange Peel. Diabetes should not be a scourge any more. Sugar burns well and doesn’t accumulate in the blood to cause havoc when certain food factors, including Chromium Picolinate, Vitamins and Minerals are present in the diet. Diabetics are nutrient-deficient for years, they probably subsisted in white flour bread, cow’s milk, sugar, margarine and fried egg for breakfast, simple carbohydrates for launch and trash meals for dinner.

    Yinka Peter the young woman who checks my blood sugar at Keysley Pharmacy in Lagos has just learned her lesson when I hit 144 in a random check one day and crashed the following day to 80, she was prepare to agree that herbs work. The first day, I had indulged in about six bananas and sweetened yoghurt for breakfast. The following day, I challenged the sugar-balancing mechanism with the same diet with a copious serving of DIATOM. Besides Diatom, there are many sugar-burning herbs in the plant kingdom. Among them are Fenugreek, bitter melon, turmeric, Chanka Piedra (Ehibisowo or Ehin Olube: Yoruba), Orange peel, Cinamon e.t.c. intestinal problems are caused by many factors. But the one which appeals to me more are micro-organisms. It is said that, in a measure of stool, there are between 10 to 100 times more micro-organisms in the intestine than there are cells in our bodies. In the average adult human body, there are about 100 trillion cells! The micro-organism wish to make a home of our bodies, especially the intestines. Some of them are friendly bacteria, no doubt, working to inhibit the growth of the dangerous ones. But the dietary life styles of many people support the over population of the dangerous microbial flora. It isn’t, surprising, therefore, that many Nigerian men are “pregnant” walking the streets with protruding abdomen. There are, also, many women who are not bearing babies in their wombs but are merely parading bloated intestines filled with germs, gas and food sludges that would not easily digest or lend themselves to excretion due to constipation. Today, this column wishes again to invite attention to the health of the intestines through the photograph published elsewhere on this page. Note the robust colon and the varieties of the sickly colon. Many people whose footstool are the lead pencil-type and not the robust banana type probably have inflamed, narrowed or blocked intestinal passage which, as in the case of Uzor’s friends, may warrant surgical removal of the diseased portions. Surgery doesn’t restore the good life, it must be stated. For every portion of the intestines performs a specialised function. This then means that, after surgery, the specialised functions of those parts removed are lost for ever. If it is a simple case of the absorbtion of vitamins B12, for example such a person may become deficient in this Vitamin for life or resort to Vitamin B12 injections or the sublingual form of this vitamin. Such a person may be prone to anaemia. It is, therefore, better always to prevent health mishaps. Cheer up, Mr Uzor. As the Yoruba would say, iku ti o n pa ojugbaeni, owel’o n pa fun wani.  This means death speaks in a parable through the dead of our contemporary. That parable means it may soon be our turn. That suggests we study his foot marks, gird our loins and strive to live a better life, health-wise.

  • ‘Heart diseases are preventable, treatable’

    To prevent cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), it is necessary to undergo regular blood pressure checks, experts have said.

    They spoke at the re-launch of one of Pfizers Nigeria’s  leading cardiovascular brands, a molecule comprising amlodipine besylate to mark the company’s 25 years of commitment to cardiovascular health.

    CVDs are a group of disorders of the heart and blood vessels and they include: Coronary heart disease – disease of the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle; cerebrovascular disease – disease of the blood vessels supplying the brain; peripheral arterial disease – disease of the blood vessels supplying the arms and legs; rheumatic heart disease – damage to the heart muscle and heart valves from rheumatic fever, caused by streptococcal bacteria; congenital heart disease – malformations of heart structure existing at birth; and deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism – blood clots in the leg veins, which can dislodge and move to the heart and lungs.

    An Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Lagos and a consultant cardiologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Dr Amam Mbakwem said most cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by addressing behavioural risk factors, such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and obesity, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol using population-wide strategies.

    “People with cardiovascular disease or who are at high cardiovascular risks (due to the presence of one or more risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia or already established disease) need early detection and management using counselling and medicines, as appropriate,” said Mbakwem, who is President of Nigeria Cardiac Society.

    Mbakwem described heart attacks and strokes as acute events mainly caused by a blockage that prevents blood from flowing to the heart or brain.

    “The most common reason for this is a build-up of fatty deposits on the inner walls of the blood vessels that supply the heart or brain. Strokes can also be caused by bleeding from a blood vessel in the brain or from blood clots. The cause of heart attacks and strokes are usually the presence of a combination of risk factors, such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and obesity, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol, hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidaemia,” she said.

    The professor added: “For instance, the rate of hypertension in the country has moved from 11 percent to 20 percent. And now, we are talking of 40 percent. This is not too good because the condition can damage the heart, or the brain, leading to stroke, heart failure, systemic or pulmonary failure. But if we can get the hypertension controlled through medicine, a lot of damages can be averted.”

    The Medical Director and Chairman of the Country Medical Council (CMC), Pfizer Worldwide Bio-Pharmaceutical Businesses, Dr Kodjo Soroh, said to understand CVDs the most important behavioural risk factors of heart disease and stroke should be known. These, he said, were unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol.

    Dr Soroh said: “The effects of behavioural risk factors may show up in individuals as raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose, raised blood lipids, and overweight and obesity. These ‘intermediate risks factors’ can be measured in primary care facilities and indicate an increased risk of developing a heart attack, stroke, heart failure and other complications. Cessation of tobacco use, reduction of salt in the diet, consuming fruits and vegetables, regular physical activity and avoiding harmful use of alcohol have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, drug treatment of diabetes, hypertension and high blood lipids may be necessary to reduce cardiovascular risk and prevent heart attacks and strokes. Health policies that create conducive environments for making healthy choices affordable and available are essential for motivating people to adopt and sustain healthy behaviour.”

    He said there were also some underlying determinants of CVDs or “the causes of the causes”. Other determinants of CVDs include poverty, stress and hereditary factors, Soroh said, noting that often, there are no symptoms of the underlying disease of the blood vessels. “A heart attack or stroke may be the first warning of underlying disease,” he said.

    The Marketing Director, Nigeria, Ghana and East Africa Pfizer Worldwide Biopharmaceutical Businesses, Winston Ailemoh, said his company prevents and treats the disease.

    “And that is why we partner specialists in CVDs, cardiologists, physicians and consultants in internal medicine.”

    The firm’s Corporate Affairs/Health and Value Director, Margaret Olele said: “The re-launch is also an opportunity to engage decision makers and strengthen our relationship in the medical community. We will continue to work closely with relevant stakeholders to increase awareness on cardiovascular diseases.”