A Middle-Aged physically challenged woman, Ms Sariyu Oluwatoyin Salawu, has expressed deep appreciation to God, the Lagos State Ministry of Health and the management and staff members of Isolo General Hospital for successfully helping her regain her sight.
Mrs Salawu disclosed that she suddenly realised she could no longer see properly with her two eyes. With time, she said the eyes condition worsened until she could no longer see at all.
“I was confused and did not know what to do, especially since I had no money for any hospital bill,” she said.
Prodded by her family members, she said she went to Iba Primary Health Centre for medical attention, but was told that her case was beyond them. They, however, confirmed that she had cataract and referred her to Alimosho General Hospital, Igando. At Alimosho, she was asked to undergo several tests, the results of which prompted them to refer her to LASUTH for the tests.
In the course of her struggle, she informed one of her schoolmates, Ms Bisi Omotayo; but unknown to her, she had taken it up. Not long after, she got a call from the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Alausa, where she was given a referral letter to Isolo General Hospital.
According to Mrs Salawu, she did all the tests at Isolo General Hospital and the surgery at no cost to her. Mrs. Salawu, who shed tears of joy during this interview, thanked the management of the hospital for restoring her sight for free.
The Medical Director of the Hospital, Dr Saliu Oseni, told The Nation that he had no choice but to conduct the two surgeries for free because it was confirmed that Salawu was an indigent patient.
Dr. Sikirat Akinremi, Consultant Ophthalmology and Head of Ophthalmology Department who carried out the surgeries on Mrs Salawu, said they were moved with compassion seeing her condition. According to her, they were concerned with her difficulty in walking, adding that losing her sight would have been doubly tragic and too much for her to bear.
“I consulted with the Medical Director, who approved that everything be done for her for free, so we swung into action,” she said.
Dr. Akinremi said that Mrs Salawu was practically blind when she came. She said that she was examined the same day she came and did the required tests, and the following week the first eye was operated upon while the second surgery was done on the second eye six weeks after.
“Her surgery was a bit challenging because the theatre is upstairs and she had to be carried as she cannot walk. Because of her condition, she had difficulties lying down and staying still,” she added.
Dr Adetoun Agbe-Davies, a Community Health Physician and retired Permanent Secretary from the Lagos State Ministry of Health, is now the new president of Rotary Club of Ikoyi, District 9110.
Her election makes her the 34th president of the club since it was founded in 1984.
The investiture ceremony held at the Golden Gate Chinese Restaurant and Hotel, Alfred Rewane Way in Ikoyi on Saturday, July 28.
Though she took over the mantle of leadership of the club since July 1, the investiture ceremony proper took place only last weekend, with fellow distinguished Rotarians and guests in attendance. There were a handful of Rotaractors, the media and friends of the club to witness the investiture.
In the club’s usual practice, immediate past presidents in person pass the baton of leadership to their successors. So, Rotarian Isichei Osamgbi, President from 2017 – 2018, was around to do just that even though his mother passed on few days before this date. Members of the club showed respect to the deceased by observing a moment of silence for her.
In his handover message, Rotarian Osamgbi noted that Rotary Club of Ikoyi provided health-oriented and educational services to the needy in Ikoyi and its environs. He also expressed his deepest appreciation to past presidents of the club ‘’for the deep-rooted foundation you have given the club, and which I inherited. It is my hope to bequeath no less a standard and quality to the next generation.’’
The new President, Rotarian Adetoun Agbe-Davies, has a solid pedigree in the club. Her husband, Sunmade Agbe-Davies, has been a member of the Rotary family for nearly four decades and has been President of two different Clubs. As for the new president, she joined Rotary Club in 2012, membership of which she describes as been a “wonderful experience.”
To her, being a Rotarian is satisfying because “if you join others to form a club devoted to service to others, the rewards can be astronomical.’’ The club, she said, takes on community services headlong, insisting that the primary role of members is “service to others.’’
The theme for this year 2018/2019 is “Be the inspiration” in line with the President 2018/2019, of Rotary International. Thus, the chairman of the investiture ceremony, Her Excellency (DR) Erelu Olusola Obada,CON, former Deputy Governor of Osun State and guest speaker, Hon.Justice Ayotunde Adeyoola Phillips, former Chief Justice of Lagos State, spoke eloquently of the focus of the club.
In her welcome address and in the spirit of the primary objective of philanthropy by the club, Her Excellence Olusola Obada asserted that ‘’we do not have to be a Bill Gates to give’’ while Hon.Justice Phillips praised the club’s unparalleled desire to always ‘’light up every dark alley with a torch of hope.’’
The investiture ceremony of Agbe-Davies doubled as a fund-raising occasion during which a raffle draw was organised and prizes given to respective winners. Agbe-Davies’ tenure will come to an end next year (July 2019) when another president will be elected.
Nigeria had the second largest HIV epidemic in 2016, with over 196,000 adolescents representing 10 per cent of the global burden said to be living with HIV/AIDS, according to a World Health Report.
The report was given by Mrs Esther Samuel, The Chief Matron, Lagos State Ministry of Health, at a programme by a Non-governmental Organisation ( NGO ) Lisa Demi Project, in Lagos.
The Lisa Demi Project, initiated in the U.K., seeks address the sexual health issues through Talks, Counselling and Entertainment among others.
The programme, held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium Surulere, Lagos on Thursday, and title “ Let’s Talk about Our Sexual Health’’, is targeted at teenagers between the ages 14 to 24.
Speaking on the dangers of unrestrained sexual activities among the youths, Samuel said the statistics from the health sector remained a concern.
“Nigeria has the second largest HIV epidemic. About 3.2 million people Nigerians were living with HIV in 2016.
“In Nigeria, over 196,000 adolescents, representing 10 percent of the global burden, are said to be living with HIV/AIDS.
“Also. 230,000 babies were born by girls aged 15 to 19 in 2015. This is a frightening report. However, 1 million STIs are acquired every day,’’ she said.
Relaying the statistics further, Samuel said that the world was groaning under the heavy burden of sexually transmitted diseases.
“Each year, there are estimated 357 million new infections, while globally more than 2 million 10 to 19-year-olds are living with HIV.
“About one in seven of all new HIV infections occur during adolescence.
In the U.S., 21 per cent of the adolescents had drunk alcohol or used drugs before last sexual intercourse.
“About 85 per cent of these youths live in developing countries, while we also have 32 per cent of Nigerian population as youths which half (48.6 per cent) of adolescents aged 15 to 19 are sexually active.
“About 1 in 5 of sexually active females and 1 in 12 sexually active males had already engaged in sexual intercourse by the age of 15,’’ she said.
Samuel said that the alarming statistics should call for urgent action so as not to lose the bulk of the productive population to untreatable diseases such as STDs and STIs.
“These are real figures which should bring something to our mind and it is no other thing than fear, and a call to action, especially among our youths.
“Our youths must be cautioned to refrain and advise. They all need to be guided not to waste their lives on what is worth waiting for.
“The youths should start to avoid something they call a little thing that does not matter but are sexual behaviours such as kissing, keeping secret friendships and others.
“We should focus on health education and STI prevention through school seminars, clubs, social media, parents, peer groups and proper counseling when STDs are detected early,’’ she said.
NAN reports that the event has in attendance over 1,000 students drawn from schools in Lagos.
Lagosians risk death by instalments as laboratory tests reveal poisonous contents paraded as pure water
In this first of a two-part series, HANNAH OJO reports the result of the first 15 laboratory-tested sachet water samples randomly selected in the five divisions of Lagos. From the presence of pathogenic bacteria to coliform, high microbial levels, acidity and objectionable odour, the hygiene and safety status of many of the brands of ‘pure water’ consumed by the majority of Lagosians are questionable.
Lagosians may be killing themselves in instalment through the sachet water they drink, an investigation by The Nation has revealed. For three months, 30 sachet water brands popularly known as ‘pure water’ were randomly selected in the five divisions of Lagos. A laboratory test contracted to the University of Lagos Consult Limited examined the physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics of each sample, which were coded to conceal their brand names. A registered public analyst and chartered chemist from the University of Lagos’s chemistry department issued an analyst’s certificate on each sample, in accordance with the Institute of Public Analysts of Nigeria (IPAN). The test ran from the month of May to August.
Out of the first batch of 15 sachet water samples analysed, only six met the recommended World Health Organisation (WHO) standard on potable water. The other nine showed a high level of contaminants ranging from the presence of pathogenic bacteria and faecal coliform to high microbial levels, objectionable odour and low pH (acidity), which falls short of the minimum WHO pH parameter of 6.50.
The names of the tested sachet water are Maja Water, Makus Water, Unilag Water, Haars Premium Water, Skord Water, Le Harmonious Water, David’s Key, Fizco Water, Dis Day Water, Clock Water, Austin Water, Vic Water, Ray Queen Water, Troven Water and Vida water.
Interpreting the health implications of the contaminants found in the tested water samples, a professor of Chemical Pathology at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Prof Oluwole Adedeji, stated that low pH in water represents acidity.
“pH is the concentration of hydrogen iron which represents acidity. The neutral pH is seven. Anything below seven is acidic. Anything above seven is basic and denotes alkalinity,” he said.
The consultant also described odour as a product of metabolism which shows some form of decay with grave implications for the human body if ingested through contaminated water.
Asked about the health implications of coliforms and other forms of pathogenic bacteria, he offered that the coliform count in potable water should not go beyond a certain percentage.
“Our intestines have what is called the resident coliform. But when immunity is reduced, they become a problem. Adding more from outside means exposing the body to higher risks of toxic effects, especially when a person is stressed,” he said.
At risk of diseases and terminal illnesses
A wheelbarrow pusher, hawking bags of sachet water in Lagos
Beyond water borne diseases such as typhoid, diarrhoea, cholera and hepatitis, drinking contaminated packaged water can also expose the body to carcinogenic agents, The Nation learnt. This happens when the polythene bag used to package the water is of low quality whilst being exposed to sunlight or stored in an unwholesome condition.
Findings revealed that the drive for-profit often makes many sachet water manufacturers patronise low-quality polyethene bags, which causes dissolution of chemical into the water.
“Most of these bags have pores. They have holes which may not be visible to the human eye, which allow some elements in the environment to diffuse gradually into the water. The chemicals can be very carcinogenic,” Prof Adedeji intoned as he connects poorly packaged sachet water with cancer and other terminal illnesses associated with the lungs, liver and the heart.
With the acute water shortage in Lagos owing to the inability of the state’s Water Corporation to supply potable water to the majority of residents, there is a high reliance on sachet water as a means of potable drinking water by over 70 per cent of the citizens.
In a twitter poll conducted by the reporter on potable drinking water source for Lagosians, 44 per cent of respondents chose sachet water as their source of potable water while 39 per cent chose boreholes. Another 12 per cent voted bottled water and the lowest vote stands at 6 per cent, representing those who source potable water from the Lagos State Water Corporation.
Majority of sachet water producers interviewed by The Nation source their water from boreholes. Although there are strident measures laid down by regulatory agencies such as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), and the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission; enforcement to these standards is not often adhered to, findings have revealed.
Kabir Ahmed, the chairman of the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission, an agency responsible for regulating water supply and wastewater management, told The Nation that indiscriminate sinking of boreholes and wells have negatively impacted on the quality of ground water in Lagos.
Ahmed said: “Underground, we have four aquifers of water. As we speak, the topmost aquifer has been polluted by human activities. As recent as 25 years ago, we used to fetch water from shallow wells in Lagos to drink. Now, water from that depth of 0-12m is not drinkable because it is practically impure.”
Lamenting the fact that many borehole drillers in the state use sub standard equipment which drips oil into the underground water, Ahmed further stated that sinking of soak-away and pit latrines close to a water source is responsible for the presence of coliform in some water sources across the state.
Cheap death channel
At N10 per sachet and N150 for 20 pieces, ‘pure’ water in Lagos appears a cheaper alternative to bottled water. A 75 cl bottled water sells between N50 and N100, depending on the brand. However, low costing sachet water might be a bait to a cheap death channel.
Data exclusively obtained by The Nation from the Lagos State Ministry of Health, showing the prevalence of water-borne diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid and cholera in the 25 general hospitals in Lagos, revealed higher rates of water-borne diseases in areas of the state faced with the most pressing cases of inadequate Water Hygiene and Sanitation (WASH) facilities. Such areas include Badagry, Ikorodu, Epe and Orile Agege.
In 2014, General Hospital Orile Agege recorded a total of 1,690 cases of typhoid fever and 3,213 cases of diarrhoea. The Ijede Health Centre recorded the highest cases of cholera with 48, followed by General Hospital Epe with 15 cases. Also, in the year under review, The Massey Children Hospital also recorded 2,612 cases of diarrhoea while the General Hospital, Epe treated 893 patients out of a total diarrhoea prevalence rate of 12,413 in 2014.
Diarrhoea prevalence rate in Nigeria, put at 18.8 per cent, is one of the worst in sub-Sahara Africa.
Although data from 2015 and 2016 showed a slight reduction in the prevalence of water borne diseases in the state, local government areas such as Ikorodu, Epe and Badagry recorded highest prevalence rates.
The Orile Agege area, which follows closely, is one of the most densely populated urban slums in Lagos. Also, areas such as Epe and Badagry are urban isolated bubbles in Lagos where manufacturing of counterfeited sachet water is common. While the results of the tests of the sachet water samples selected in Ikorodu recorded cases of contamination with acidity, those of Epe and Badagry are being awaited and would be published in the second series of this report next Saturday.
Shocking source of unhealthy sachet water
Poster of “best water practices” at the entrance of UNILAG water factory
The most shocking results of the scientifically tested sachet water samples were the one produced by UNILAG, which recorded the presence of coliform and high microbial load on two separate occasions. On May 15, our reporter purchased three sachets of UNILAG’s water at the Iya Ibeji store located at the campus shuttle park. Another set of samples of sachet water purchased from the same outlet on August 1 and subjected to laboratory test showed the presence of high microbial loads, with the analyst recommending that the water should be treated to make it potable.
Confronted with the result, officials of the university debunked the claim, saying the tested water samples selected could be counterfeited products smuggled into the campus illegally.
The University’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Toyin Adebule, told our correspondent that the university had been having a running battle with fake sachet water producers who counterfeited the university’s brand.
Adebule said: “Our Department of Chemistry on a weekly basis conducts quality assurance test on UNILAG water. There is fake UNILAG water around, and the authority is clamping down on the perpetrators.”
The Nation paid a visit to the UNILAG factory penultimate Wednesday. At the door post, a banner displaying good water storage practices greets visitors.
The UNILAG water factory which started in 1995 was privatised recently and is now managed by the University of Lagos Holding Company Limited.
Speaking with our correspondent, the General Manager of UNILAG Ventures, Mrs Oyewunmi Onanuga said: “We challenge anyone with claims to contamination of our water to buy directly from our factory and subject it to laboratory tests. Only last year, we had a case of adulterated UNILAG water counterfeited by some people.
“We also emphasise to retailers that storage condition is important. If the water is left under the sun, on the bare floor or stored for a period exceeding validity, then there could be the possibility of contamination.”
Another ironic twist also occurred with Troven Water, a sachet water brand sourced from the central cafeteria of the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja. Produced by Treasured Rocks Ventures, Troven Water, which also has an LWRC registration number, recorded a low pH of 6.20.
Damming verdict…pathogenic Faecal Coliform
The laboratory sample which recorded the most damning verdict was Fizco Water, produced by Akanji Ola and Sons, located in Mushin, a densely populated suburb of Lagos. A very popular brand in the area, the sample was selected at an open market in Mushin and taken to the lab on May 17. When the physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics were analysed, it showed the presence of pathogenic bacteria totalling 1.50x 103, exceeding the WHO limits of 1.0×101 in threefold. Also, the total coliform count was 3.0×101, a far cry from the WHO recommended 0.00 limits. The acidity was also high at a record 5.60 against the WHO recommended a maximum of 6.50. Fizco Water is registered with NAFDAC registration number B1-5761L.
According to a study by the African Journal of Food Science and Technology, Faecal coliforms are bacteria found in the faecal material of humans and warm blooded animals. Diseases such as typhoid fever, hepatitis, gastroenteritis, dysentery and ear infections can be contracted from waters with a high faecal coliform count, the study further revealed. Faecal coliform bacteria can come from surface water through improperly treated wastewater.
Last month, there was an outbreak of diarrhoea in Lagos State where two people died and 25 others were quarantined. The incident occurred in Shomolu, the locale where Ray Queen Water, another brand contaminated with high acidity, was sourced from. Findings show that Shomolu/Bariga is also a hub for counterfeited sachet water.
NAFDAC investigates, urges proper storage of packaged water
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), regulates and controls the manufacture and distribution of food, drugs, chemicals, medical devices and packaged water.
A summary of the results of the first 15 samples was directed to be submitted to the pharmaco-vigilance arm of the agency. Also, NAFDAC ran a cross check on the registration status of the selected water samples. A particular brand, Vic Pure Water, produced by Kroxxing Ventures in Abule-Egba, was not in the agency’s record of registered sachet water producers, even though the sachet has the registration number C1-4773L boldly printed on it. Another brand, Dis Day Water, was registered as Oniks Water while Austin Water produced in Fatai Atere has an expired registration status.
NAFDAC’s director of Special Duties, Dr Abubakar Jimoh in a chat with The Nation cited storage and counterfeiting as reasons why packaged water registered by the agency may turn out to be contaminated.
Dr Jimoh said; “Even if a product is registered but it is stored in bad condition, it will return as poison. Bottled water has a life span of one year and sachet water is two months.
“Secondly, the fact that a water company carries a NAFDAC registration number does not mean it is registered. We have arrested printers who printed labels for those adulterating fast selling sachet water brands.
“Then the third layer is where the real owner of the product would be compliant when seeking registration but lower their standards once they get registered. We are also warning people not to buy packaged water from hawkers because of the exposure to the sun,” he submitted.
How corruption and multiple taxation affect quality of sachet water
Nothing gives the indication that Dame Clementina Ativie, the National President of the Association of Table Water Producers (ATWAP), is a forceful woman until she took hold of the microphone to state the grievances of packaged water producers in Lagos at a stakeholders’ meeting on taxation and revenue generation, convened by the state’s Ministry of Finance on August 1.
She lamented the fact that water producers are vulnerable to tax and revenue collectors from both local government and state levels. The development, she said, is forcing many water producers to relocate to suburbs where there is ease of doing business. She hinted that multiple taxations could be the reason for low-quality sachet water in the state.
“Consultants and touts are used to threatening us both at the local government and state levels. As I speak, we have over 20 people all going for revenue collection from water producers. More than six agencies alone from the state’s Ministry of Environment, each with an independent letter, with the Lagos state government letter-headed paper.
“Ninety-nine per cent of the money goes into private pockets because there are no receipts. When government says pay N5,000, the touts will tell you, ‘Give us N2000 and forget the balance.’ The N2,000 is not remitted to the state’s coffers.
“With the way things are going, those that can continue to pay will start cutting corners on the quality of water,” she said.
No respite for the poor
On a hot sunny day in Maryland, Lagos, John Nwordi, a pharmacist carries a fast food branded polyethene bag, heading back to work to have lunch after a hectic morning duty. Asked if he would wash down the food with sachet water, he gave a sharp retort; No!
Said John; “Gone are those days I drank sachet water. These days, I don’t. Some of the sachet water I have bought in the past had funny outlook and sometimes you’d see substances flying inside the sachet.”
Not far away, a teenager and aspiring rapper, Micheal Odion, flags down a sachet water Hawker. Asked if he’s not afraid of contamination, his response, “The blood of Jesus covers me!”
Odion’s response resonates with the thought of many Lagosians who hope for a spiritual force that will cover them from diseases after drinking sachet water. A purified water source is beyond the purchasing power of many Lagos residents.
Reporting for this story was supported by Code for Africa’s impactAFRICA fund and the Bill & Melinda Gate Foundation.
The Lagos State Government on Thursday said it was committed to ensuring the control of malaria, as it was endemic in the state and affected human development.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, who made the assertion at the 5th “Doctors Discuss Malaria’’ Progamme, in Lagos, said the state recorded 1, 199, 002 cases in 2016.
According to Idris, represented by Dr Rebecca Ayorinde, Assistant Programme Coordinator, Lagos State Malaria Elimination Prevention, the cases of malaria were documented through routine data collection processes.
The event, which has the theme, “Maternal Health and Malaria Priority Access for Women’’, was to commemorate the 2017 World Malaria Day 2017.
Idris said: “Malaria is endemic in Lagos State.
“It poses major challenges to the state as it impedes human development.
“It is both a cause and consequence of under-development and remains one of the leading causes of morbidity in the state.
“The cosmopolitan nature of the state, coupled with people’s behaviour and the abundant distribution of coastal areas, encourage the availability of stagnant water for the breeding of anopheles mosquitoes.
“This is responsible for the stable pattern and continuous transmission of malaria all year round.
“Malaria therefore remains a priority disease and the state government will continue to demonstrate its commitment to its control’’.
Idris said the government was tackling the scourge of malaria through some preventive measures that included environmental management and integrated vector control.
“Others are monitoring and evaluation with emphasis on operational research and the use of its results for evidence-based programming.
“Lagos State Ministry of Health provides Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets to pregnant women at antenatal clinic booking and children under the age of five years.
“It also provides Sulpahdoxine Pyrimethamine for the Intermittent Prevention of Malaria in Pregnancy (IPTp) in antenatal clinics.
“Also, the state conducts Indoor Residual Spraying and Larviciding in selected local governments in the state,’’ he said.
Idris said that the routine data collected from the private health sector in 2016 showed that 56 per cent of pregnant women received at least one dose of IPTp.
“About 93 per cent of confirmed cases received appropriate treatment for malaria and 74 per cent of persons with fever received a parasitological test.
“These statistics show there is still a lot to be done to increase access to malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment services in the state,’’ he said.
The commissioner advised that all fever cases be tested for malaria before treatment.
“It is important to test before treatment, a policy by the Federal Ministry of Health, which states that all fever cases should be tested and confirmed before treatment,’’ he said.
Contributing, Prof. Akin Osibogun said that in spite of the progress and improvement in malaria prevention globally, it still remained a major concern to public health.
Osibogun, a former Chief Medical Director of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, said that 92 per cent of deaths in Africa were as a result of malaria.
On the effects of malaria on maternal health, he said: “Most times, pregnant women and children are at higher risk of malaria, particularly pregnant woman because of their weak immunity.
“Malaria in pregnant woman can lead to preterm babies or even still birth babies.
“The foetus gets most of the nutrition through the placenta but once the placenta is affected by malaria parasites it leads to reduction of the foetus; this causes low birth weight in the babies.’’
On some prevention strategies, Osibogun said: “According to WHO, the new guidelines says that pregnant women should have IPtp till delivery.
“The usage of Long Lasting Insecticidal Net (LLIN) must be used regularly by pregnant women and children.
“It is also important to control the vector that transmits malaria, which is mosquito, by making sure there is no stagnant water in the environment.
“The critical strategy to prevent malaria in pregnant woman is to increase the use of Insecticide-Treated Nets and indoor spraying with insecticides,’’ Osibogun said.
In her remarks, Dr Yetunde Ayo-Oyalowo, the convener of “Doctors Discuss Malaria’’ said that preventing malaria in pregnancy was critical to elevating health and welfare of Nigerian families.
She said that the training of doctors and nurses was also critical to end the scourge of malaria.
“A lot of this responsibility is on us as doctors to understand how to break the malaria cycle.
“We must be able to recognise and treat malaria and propagating testing before treating.
“Over the past years, we have trained a total of 1,542 doctors on the management of malaria.
“This is aimed at creating a strong health system of which the human resource is of great importance to offer access to prevent new cases and ensure lifesaving treatment for patients,’’ Ayo-Oyalowo said.
