The Nation Newspaper

Tag: health

  • The rich to subsidise health in Anambra

    The rich to subsidise health in Anambra

    Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano has said a new health scheme is underway in the state under which the rich will offset part of the medical bills of the poor.

    It was also stated that a category of Anambra people including prisoners will not have to pay for their hospital bills under the scheme.

    Governor Obiano announced this during a pontifical High Mass to mark the 62nd birthday of the Catholic Archbishop of Onitsha Ecclesiastical Province, Most Rev Valerian Okeke at the Onitsha Prisons.

    Addressing the inmates and dignitaries who joined the Archbishop for Mass at the prisons, Governor Obiano said that his government is aware of the health challenges facing the prisoners and is making frantic efforts to ameliorate them while presenting drugs, toiletries, bottled water and a cash donation of 400 thousand naira to the inmates.

    The State Health Insurance Scheme is organised to enable people who work to contribute for health delivery according to their capability into a pool of funds. It is expected that the pool of money will enable government take care of the health needs of those who have and those unable to cater for most of their health needs. The arrangement is seen as a welcome development for citizens, the state and workers who have not been able to take advantage of the National Health Insurance Scheme.

    Most of the inmates are among the 760 awaiting trial. The governor urged the inmates to see their stay in prison as an avenue through which they would ponder over their lives both present and future and utilise theopportunity to reposition themselves.

    Earlier in his homily, the celebrant Most Rev. Valerian Okeke expressed appreciation to the governor for supporting the prison inmates, describing him as the most prisoner-friendly governor so farin the history of the state. The Archbishop reminded the prisoners not to see their situation as the end of the world but to utilise it to the glory of God. Archbishop Okeke announced that the Archdiocese would within three years construct a modest skill acquisition center in the prisons to allow them use their time gainfully.

    Most Rev Okeke promised to give the inmates a live cow in addition to bags of rice. He brought with him cooked rice, toiletries, and biscuits among other items for the celebration, and later toured the cells with governor Obiano which he explained the Archdiocese had  tiled and fixed ceiling fans and sunk boreholes to supply water to all the cells.

    Also in his vote of thanks, the Auxiliary Bishop of Onitsha Archdiocese Most Rev Dennis Isiuzo regretted that the inmates are mostly young and thanked the governor for not only arranging for the Skills acquisition training and re-integration of the 25 inmates he granted amnesty but also the promise to give them one  million Naira each to start life anew. Most rev Isiuzo said a good state is measured by how the poor and down trodden are treated for which Anambra is rated high.

    Earlier, the comptroller of prisons Mr. Anthony Ubaike, and the deputy comptroller Onitsha prison Mr. Alex Oditah recalled that Governor Obiano is the only governor that visited and granted amnesty to 25 inmates, and gave them soft landing with cash and skill acquisition.

    The highpoints of the event were the cutting of the birthday cake and a novelty football match with the inmates.

  • Food and mental health

    Ordinary life may constantly present to us many hardships, challenges, problems, and undesirable issues (as well as joys and positive experiences).   The comforts of good food, a good home, and a good family life are the ordinary means of retirement from each day’s work and social experiences.

    If you could invent or find a moodometer to measure your mood, you may find a depression in mood when hungry and tired and an elevation in mood after eating a meal that is good, nice, and delicious.

    The human mind of a person in a civil society requires an ability to keep its balance or to keep balancing itself throughout a life of mental bombardments.  Many factors make up a fit mind and the chief amongst these factors may be good nutrition of the brain, regular use of the brain in thinking, and regular use of the mind in prayer.  Nutrition of the brain may be ultimate as the living brain is what makes thinking and prayer possible.However, a biologically alive brain does not always make a good mind without regular and effective exercise of thought and prayer.

    Food that yields good nutrition is important.  What a person eats or doesn’t eat can help him or her remain mentally balanced or can make him mentally unbalanced.“A hungry man is an angry man” says an English proverb. Can food and eating habits run us psychotic, depressive, or manic? Bloody uprisings and revolutions arise from hungry people exploding against real or perceived oppressors. Women know that one of the easiest ways to a man’s heart or wallet is his stomach.  A man will think positively towards you if you feed him well.

    The Mental Health Foundation (http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/help-information/mental-health-a-z/d/diet/) indicates that someresearch show that:  “Nearly two thirds of those who do not report daily mental health problems eat fresh fruit or fruit juice every day, compared with less than half of those who do report daily mental health problems. This pattern is similar for fresh vegetables and salad. Those who report some level of mental health problem also eat fewer healthy foods (fresh fruit and vegetables, organic foods and meals made from scratch) and more unhealthy foods (chips and crisps, chocolate, ready meals and takeaways).”  Now all these foods are good to some extent but the proportion or frequency in which they are consumed is what matters for good brain function.

    Generally, it may pay us well to eat sufficient proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats with a variety of vegetables and fruits from meal to meal.  The vegetables and fruits provide us with minerals and vitamins which are vital for good health.

    We do not need numerous varieties of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats except for pleasure but we do need sufficient quantities of these.  The brain needs proteins and fats from the meat, fish, milk, and vegetables that we consume in order to preserve brain tissues, as well as energy from the carbohydrates we consume in order to fuel brain activities. Many of the hormonal and chemical players involved in brain function are built from amino acids from the proteins that we consume.

    On the other hand, the required minerals and vitamins are numerous but are only needed in minute amounts.  Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables from day to day allows us to get a little bit of the various vitamins and minerals every now and then.

    WebMD (http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20150820/food-mental-health?page=3) tells us how some of these nutrients help the brain.

    “People with low B12 levels have more brain inflammation and higher rates of depression and dementia. Falling short on folate has long been linked to low moods.”

    “Too little iron in the blood (iron-deficiency anemia) has been linked to depression.”

    “Omega-3….fatty acids improve thinking and memory and, possibly, mood.”

    “Zinchelps control the body’s response to stress. Low levels can cause depression”.

    “Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel provide omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, zinc, selenium and other brain boosters.”

    We will take a closer look at nutrients and brain composition and function.

     

    Dr. ‘Bola John is a biomedical scientist based in Nigeria and in the USA.   For any comments or questions on this column, please email bolajohnwritings@yahoo.com or call 08160944635

  • Council sensitises residents on health

    Council sensitises residents on health

    As part of its commitment towards ensuring safe and healthy environment for the well-being of the residents, the Executive Secretary of Oriade Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, Hon. Bola Badmus–Olujobi has advised members of the public to be dedicated in their garbage generation and disposal.

    Hon. Badmus-Olujobi gave the advice during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the council’s secretariat.

    At the meeting whose theme was “Community Advocacy Review on the Private Sector Participation (PSP) and Household Refuse Collection in Lagos State”, she expressed discontent over the unbridled manner in which residents litter the environment indiscriminately without minding the health consequences.

    She said: “I implore all communities to imbibe the culture of keeping our environment clean and healthy. All of us should patronise operators of Private Sector Participation (PSP) as they are the people that Lagos State Government has commissioned to cart away our garbage as at when due. Also, all households should cultivate the habit of bagging their garbage and dropping them at the designated points. They should not patronise the cart pushers (kole-kole).

    “All community heads should try and inspect their surroundings at all times and not only on Lagos State Environmental Sanitation days.

    “I want to inform us all that Meteorological (MET) office has forecast that rainfall in latter part of this year will be heavier than that of the previous years. We should recall the recent flood disaster in Kaduna that destroyed a lot of lives and properties.

    “Let’s imbibe the culture of dislodging our gutter and stay away from littering our surroundings. I would urge us all to embrace these causes so as to stay away from communicable disease.”

    Also speaking at the event, the representative of the Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA), Mrs. O. A. Osonuga said “through the advocacy programme, we have been able to influence individual and collective behaviours on waste generation and disposal. It is a continuous enlightenment campaign. We educate on waste sorting, reduce re-use and recycling for a cleaner and healthier environment. We are joining the whole world by having recovery facility to recycle our wastes and turn them into wealth.

    “The establishment of the resource recovery facility demonstrates the state government’s resolve to ensure a clean, healthy and sustainable environment in line with the vision of the Ministry of the Environment.”

    She advised the residents to take the programme seriously as it will assist them in staying safe, noting that waste bins are placed at strategic locations, while sweepers remove litters and bags for collection. The garbage bags were distributed to residents for proper waste storage.

    Some of the residents complained about the inadequate services of waste managers in the metropolis. They said evacuation of refuse was always delayed by waste collectors.

    However, some who live in Ade-Oshodi Street, Ijegun expressed satisfaction with the performance of waste managers.

  • Ogun NYSC begins rural health care scheme

    Ogun NYSC begins rural health care scheme

    The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Ogun State has begun rural health care programme for rural communities.

    Its Coordinator, Mr. James Afolayan, said no fewer than 10,000 rural dwellers will benefit from the newly inaugurated Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) programme.

    Afolayan, who spoke with newsmen at the launch of the programme in Ilubere village, Odeda Local Government Area said bringing free health care delivery to people at the grassroots became necessary because of lack of quality medical facilities in rural communities across the country.

    He said the HIRD programme aims at mobilising corps medical volunteers in the provision of health intervention through diagnosis, treatment, referrals and proper prevention mechanism.

    Afolayan further said that in driving the health initiative scheme, the NYSC hopes to enhance the general well-being of rural dwellers across communities in Nigeria.

    Afolayan, who said the programme in Ilubere village would cater for about 1,500 residents from 11 communities, assured that the programme would be sustained by the NYSC scheme.

    “Our confidence in the success of this programme lay in the fact that we have been able to secure the support of stakeholders who are assisting our personnel with medical supplies and logistics.

    “The health outreach, which is taking place simultaneously in selected rural communities across the nation, has been designed to address our people’s health challenges.

    “The initiative is for the benefit of everyone; hence our people must take ownership and participate fully for everyone’s  benefit,” he said.

    The chairman, Odeda Local Government Area transition committee, Mr. Segun Adebowale, urged the people to take advantage of the programme for their health benefit.

    He discouraged the use of self-medication and local methods of treatment, even as he emphasised more on preventive medicine and the need to adopt healthy lifestyles.

    The community head of Ilubere, Mr. Rasheed Olaleye, thanked the NYSC for the HIRD programme, saying it would bring much succour to their lives.

  • Invest in health sector, private firms urged

    Private business organisations have been urged to invest in the health sector as the responsibility of a virile medicare cannot be left to the government alone.

    The Nigerian Breweries (NB)  Plc Human Resources Director, Victor Famuyibo, who made the plea during the inauguration of Accident and Emergency (A and E) Centre of Ikorodu General Hospital and a renovated Paediatric Ward of Agbala Health Centre, Ikorodu, said there was need for collaboration between the government and the private sector.

    The centres were donated by the Heneiken Africa Foundation (HAF) in collaboration with NB.

    His words: “The population is growing and there is need for the private sector to join hands with the government. This is to reduce mortality rate to the barest minimum by investing in the health sector.”

    According to him, Ikorodu has assumed a larger setting as a result of the newly built road infrastructure.

    “So many citizens, who ordinarily had lived their lives in the greater cities of Lagos, have moved to Ikorodu because of the development the community is witnessing,” he said.

    Accidents, he said,  were  predicted to increase due to the new road, adding: “That is the reason for this 12- bedded accident and emergency centre to curb the menace of accident.”

    He continued: “For us it is money well spent and we are sure that value will be derived from this equipment.”

    Permanent Secretary, Lagos Ministry of Health, Dr Modele Osunkiyesi, thanked the HAF and NB for their laudable effort, urging other private companies to support the sector.

    About the importance of the centre, she said, the prevalence of vehicular accidents has increased due to the opening of the Ikorodu road and the entry of people into the town.

    According to her, 13 per cent of the 13, 458 and 7, 914 cases managed at the Casualty Department in 2014 and January to August 2015 respectively, were due to road traffic accidents.

    She continued: “The face of optimal pre- hospital cares provided by Lagos State Ambulance Service fleet and the inadequacy of the general hospital casualty department, which hitherto managed cases became apparent.”

    Osunkiyesi thanked the HAF and NB on behalf of the management and residents of Ikorodu, for the 12- bed accident and emergency centre and the rehabilitation of the Agbala paediatrics centre.

    Her words: “The only purpose built Accident and Emergency Centre before this was the 20- bed facility at the Toll gate constructed and equipped by the state in Lagos West Senatorial District.”

  • NYSC’s health initiative excites rural dwellers

    Rural communities in Akwa-Ibom State have become lively. Residents of these rural areas are happy with the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) in the state for obvious reason. Their health and welfare have become priority through a programme initiated by the NYSC.

    A one-week medical outreach programme tagged “NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (NYSC-HIRD)” which aims at ensuring that the residents are healthy has been inaugurated.

    Speaking while inaugurating the programme at Abama community, Obot Akara Local Government Area, the NYSC Director-General, Brig-Gen. Johnson Olawunmi, said HIRD, which was conceived over a year ago, has become not only a reality but also a programme that has gained national acceptance.

    The D-G further explained that the successes recorded in the two pilot states of Kwara and Lagos are now being replicated in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The goal of the HIRD programme, according to the D-G, was to mobilise Corps medical volunteers in the provision of health intervention through diagnosis, treatment, referrals and proper prevention mechanism, thereby enhancing the general well-being of rural dwellers across the nook and cranny of the country.

    His words: “Volunteer Corps medical personnel, who will form the core of the team, will work as health intervention agents in driving the wheel of the health initiative.  The one-week health outreach, which is taking place simultaneously in selected rural communities across Nigeria, has been designed to address health challenges of our people.

    “Our confidence in the success of this programme also lay in the fact that we have been able to secure the support of some stakeholders, who are either assisting us with their personnel or providing other material support in the areas of drugs, medical supplies and equipment.

    “Therefore, we shall continue to forge further collaboration with specific partners in the health sector. The partners include federal and state ministries of health, National Primary Health Development Agency (NPHDA), the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), World Health Organisation (WHO), Society for Family Health (SFH), Family Health International (FHI) as well as non-governmental and international organisations. They include but not limited to Royal Heritage Health Foundation, Ilorin, Grace Project International, MTN Communication Nigeria and Guinness Nigeria Plc, among others.”

    In her remarks, the Coordinator of Akwa-Ibom State NYSC, Lady Ngozi Chukwuka, explained that unless mothers are enlightened on basic health issues such as family planning, proper nutrition and hygiene, not much could be done in the quest to prevent diseases.

  • Rotary ends family health week

    Rotary International at the weekend ended its yearly family health week nationwide.

    National Chairman, Rotary Family Health and Aids Prevention (RFHD), Oluwagbemiga Olowu, who said overall the turnout was impressive, described the programme as a big one in Rotary. He added that in Lagos over 1,000 participants were recorded in each site. There were over 50 of them. They included the Police College, Maryland, Onigbogbo, Isolo, Ire Ikari, and Palmgrove. “I had calls from Enugu, Abakaliki and other places. The reports were good. Despite the rain in Lagos on Thursday, many people still came,’’ he said.

    Olowu said the health programme, which started in 2012, was aimed at the people to enable them know their health status and, ultimately, avert any danger. Participants received free screening, treatment and drugs. He said assistance in terms of logistics and materials came from the Rotary Foundation, federal and state ministries of health, agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). “We work with big organisations and NGOs. We are well-covered when it comes to men and materials,’’ he added.

  • Medical doctor urges Akwa Ibom indigenes to be health conscious

    The Chief Executive Officer, House of Diagnosis, Medical Diagnostics Service Eket, Akwa Ibom, Dr Kelechi Anyanso, has advised the indigenes of the state to be more health conscious.

    Anyanso spoke last weekend during a three-day free medical test and treatment with the theme: “Caring for the Masses,” in Eket Local Government Area.

    She said the people should continue to be conscious of their health, environment and life-style patterns, to minimise the development of diseases in their bodies.

    Anyanso also advised the people to visit medical experts for regular check up.

    “We should also strive to widen our knowledge of disease prevention as we carefully listen to the numerous workshop and seminar packaged for us in the course of the event.

    “Sometimes, we are the causes of our own sickness, sometimes we do not know because I am sure if we know better we will not do things that will make us sick,’’ she said.

    She said the free medical test and treatment was to commemorate the 55th Independence Anniversary Celebration of the country.

    She added that the essence of the free medical test and treatment was to add value and reach out to the people.

    Anyanso expressed commitment to make the House of Diagnosis to become a global phenomenon in the field of diagnosis, research and a one-stop shop for any kind of investigative procedure.

    “We are using this forum to give back to the community that has welcomed and accommodated us for years,’’ she said.

    Anyanso said that beneficiaries were treated for different kinds of sicknesses included malaria, typhoid, fever, cancer and HIV.

    She explained that if the treatment could not be handled by Diagnosis House, she referred them to the hospital.

    She said that the institution was collaborating with the Society for Family Health (SFH) and Family Health International (FHI) to achieve its objectives.

    Dr Ogbobe Clement, one of the doctors in the House, said that diagnosis entailed treatments of ailments and creation of awareness of the ailments to the people.

    Clement said the House would continue to seek and promote preventive measures rather than curative measures.

    He noted that some of the ailments could be cured if detected earlier.

    “We are also here to correct some misconceptions bordering on some health issues; we all know that HIV is not a killer disease any more.

    “You can live comfortable with it and live your normal life with it; if you know your status early and do what you expected to do,’’ he said.

    Chairman of the occasion, Chief Assam Usoro, thanked the organisers for improving the life of the people, saying that health is wealth.

    Usoro urged other professional bodies to take a cue from the House.

    He called on the indigenes to come out en-mass and make the best out of the free medical test and treatment in the area.

    He advised the people to check their status regularly, to maintain a good healthy living.

    Chairman, Eket Transitional Committee, Mr Frank Archibong, expressed appreciation to the organisers.

  • Teachers stage ‘walk for sound health’

    The Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Oshodi/Isolo, Lagos branch, staged a walk to keep themselves fit for the tasks ahead of them.

    The teachers, who adorned themselves in green polo attire, were led by the Chairman of the state wing of the union, Mr Adesegun Raheem.

    He said the exercise tagged: ‘walk for sound health’, would help prevent untimely death resulting from lack of regular exercise by teachers.

    “We discovered that most deaths that occurred to teachers are as a result of excessive stress; we feel that the cheapest way to reduce this is through exercise because it is not all of them that understand the importance of sound health to their health mentalities. That is why we introduced a monthly walking scheme as a form of exercise to keep them fit,” he said.

    According to him, the fitness and sound health of a teacher will ultimately tell on students’ academic performance.

    “This in turn will help improve their teachings in schools which will in turn improve academic performance,” he added.

    He called on the government to improve on its welfare package to the teachers. He also called for a total revamping of the education system.

    “The best way to improve the society is through education and this is possible by investing in teachers through improved welfare package.  The learning environment must also be looked into for improved education system,” he said.

    Chairman, Oshodi/Isolo branch of the Union, Mr Salawu Adams, said: “We discovered long time ago that as our teachers grow old, their health deteriorates; hence the unions’ decision to organise a monthly walk for health exercise to help maintain sound health for our teachers, to watch their weight and body system for them to be able to discharge optimally in their various schools.’’

     

  • Free health programme for Lagos community

    No fewer than 500 residents of Sari Iganmu in Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State benefited from free malaria and HIV screening programme.

    The event, organised by Apapa-Iganmu LCDA for members of Olaitan and Ojoafeje Community Development Associations, was attended by the young and elderly who were screened of the diseases by medical personnel.

    Besides the free medical screening, the people were also sensitised to the need to keep their surroundings clean by fumigating them.

    After conducting the tests on the residents, free drugs were given to the them as well.

    Deputy Majority Leader, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Olumuyiwa Jimoh, represented by Hon. Alabi Fatai, said the programme was organised in order to improve the health of the people.

    Executive Secretary of the LCDA, Mrs Olufunmilayo Akande identified malaria as the most common disease in the community.

    She said the incidence of malaria increases during the rainy season because mosquitoes find ready breeding ground on stagnant water during the wet season.

    Coordinator, Environmental Coppers, Alhaji Shoremekun Safarudeen, who recommended the programme to the council, said the programme would encourage the people to keep their environments clean.

    He lamented that the canal in the area had been blocked because of poor sanitation, adding: “during rainy season, the gutters are waterlogged; hence it became a breeding ground for mosquitoes”.

    Safarudeen urged the government to intervene in order to get rid of mosquitoes that cause malaria that is usually life-threatening.

    The chairman of Olaitan Ojoafeje CDA, Alhaji Alogbo urged the people to always participate in environmental sanitation exercises.

    For him, it is vital to engage in sanitation exercises in order to prevent some diseases that are associated with dirty environment.