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Tag: Prevention

  • Abuse: Prevention and treatment (1)

    Introduction

    Sexual intercourse is a purposeful biological function. But then, sex in every culture is revered and guided by local customs and laws. In modern and in most decent societies, sex is prohibited under certain age. A child is not competent to consent to sex.  In a lot of cultures, sexual intercourse is frown upon between close relatives. Therefore, for avoidance of doubt, let us define sex even though the wave for expanded definition is staring down various nations. For our purpose, I will limit my definition of sex being a biological engagement of a male and female whereby the penis of a male enters or attempts to enter the vaginal of the female.

    Incest: It’s a taboo in a decent family that siblings should have sex with each other. Father and mother are not allowed to have sex with their children or close relatives of the same biological linage. If this happens, a medical term called incest is said to have occurred.

    It’s not for nothing that various cultures and religions prohibit incest. When there is a disease that runs in a family for example, incest may allow such disease to be passed from one family member to the other. This is why intermarriage is encouraged which may neutralise such diseases. Incest is an illegal activity apart from it being morally repugnant. Most good societies frown at it.

    Child Sexual Abuse: When incest happens to an underage child be it a girl being sexualised by the father, mother or by siblings or a boy being subjected to forceful male attack or an adult female coercing the male child into sex, such activity is clearly a sexual abuse of the said child.

    Without doubt, under the law, a child is someone who is under 18 years. We should remember that children are easily led and vulnerable to being deceived because they relate to others and adults on the basis of trust. Sexual abusers simply break such trusts and harm the child.

    Rape/Sexual Assault: Rape is a forceful or unconsented sexual intercourse with another individual. For our discussion, this relates to intercourse between a female and a male. Male to male encounter is illegal in Nigeria and if it happens in form of forceful entry, it’s a double criminal offence.  Female to Female encounter is also prohibited by law in Nigeria and for that reason; the definition of rape does not extend to such activities. In other climes, definition of rape as I have provided here may not be applicable.  A forceful or “consented” sex with a child is child rape. An unconsented sex with adult is rape. The adult may be fully competent or disabled mentally, it does not matter. A forceful male-to male entry either via the mouth or anus against a child or against an unconsented adult male is an abuse. A forceful female to female encounter against a child is an abuse and rape. Also, even if the child consents or “enjoys” to the encounter and the adult does not know or knows that the victim is under age, the perpetrator is abuser and a rapist as the case may be. Rape can also happen between married couples: sex is a matter of consent between mentally competent adults.

    A child-to-child case is even more difficult but a male individual being likely to be the aggressor, driven by his testosterone hormone, is likely to be blamed for the sex encounter. That said, females can also instigate sexual encounters. Therefore, child female who abuse male child will be regarded as an abuser.  A child cannot consent to sex no matter how physically compelling that such child may be.

    Notwithstanding the definition of sex, abuse can take the form of anal or oral “sex”. It may even not take any of these forms but simply invading the victim’s personal space (touching, fondling, and fingering) without consent is enough to lead to being an abuser.

    Consequences of Sexual Abuse: Being an assault, sexual abuse has wide and serious ramifications.

    For the child, abuse can leave a permanent scar in the body and the mind of the victim. Physically, there could be tears due to forceful entry during rape. Bleeding could follow. Even if the tear heals, it could leave a permanent scar. For the female with a vaginal scar, future sexual intercourse could become a major problem. Still, for the female, childbirth may be difficult. Transmission of infection is a real possibility. Such infections as HIV, hepatitis, herpes, gonorrhoea, Chlamydia and other deadly diseases may be transmitted to the victim and even vice versa.  Forming a legitimate relationship in future may be thrown in doubt.  Marriage could end prematurely. Depression, anxiety, frank psychotic illness, sleep disorder, post-traumatic stress syndrome may all set in. Drug and substance misuse such as cannabis, alcohol, and cocaine, heroin misuse may all become difficult problems for the victim. Lack of trust, loss of self esteem, self-abuse and suicide are all likely consequences of sexual abuse. Continue next week…

  • Abuse: Prevention and treatment

    IntroductionAbuse

    Abuse is a combination of two words: “Abnormal” (Ab) and “Use” to form “Ab-use”. For a fact, abuse is rampant. Abuse takes different forms and is everywhere. Abuse occurs in private and public places. Parents abuse children.

    Strangers abuse others. Spouses abuse each other in the name of love. Various governments at different levels and their agents in different countries abuse the citizens that they are supposed to lead and govern.

    Religious authorities abuse their followers in the name of God. Some professionals, doctors, accountants, lawyers, teachers, bankers and so forth abuse their clients under the cover of providing services. Brothers and sisters abuse their siblings in the name of families. Friends do abuse each other after all, its familiarity.

    However, unknown perhaps to abusers or as a matter of deliberate determination to cause harm, abuse do have consequences, serious consequences. In the coming weeks, we will explore the subject of abuse, in great details.

    In any society that is serious enough to want to deal with all or any form of abuse, dealing with abuse cuts across the police, education, social services, healthcare professionals, legal and justice system as well as other relevant professionals.

    Forms of Abuse: Abuse can take different forms: sexual abuse, physical abuse, financial or economic abuse, psychological abuse and abuse of one’s position or authority otherwise called abuse of privileges. Each of these will be explored and what you the reader can do to prevent you from getting into harm will equally be looked into.

    For the moment, let us look into the rudiments of what constitute abuse. Before I make my definition, let me state that everything that exists has its own use and has a purpose.

    Also, the purpose of the thing or mission of a person may not be so obvious at the start. Regardless, some persons are often put in charge of looking after another person or service in as much as a person in adulthood looks after himself or herself. When we are ignorant of the purpose of a thing or person, we say such thing or person is not good. The next step is to devalue or reduce the value of the person or thing. The final phase in the abuse process is to start misusing the person or thing. Thus, apart from an individual or another human beings being abused, a person can abuse himself /herself or misuse parts of his body or entire body to his/her own detriment.

    One can abuse one’s animal or another animal by mistreating the animal. Example, the owner of a dog (man’s best friend) may deprive the dog of food, beat the dog mercilessly, and ignore the illness that the dog suffers.  A person can abuse his own car by misusing the car away from the intended purpose of the car.  With these brief explanations, let us now consider what constitute abuse in general.

    Definition: My definition is that abuse is simply mistreating and misusing an entity such as human beings or a thing or animal. Abuse is also misusing an entity such as power/authority away from its intended purpose.

    Let us take an individual who is abusing himself as our starting point. Assuming that in spite of all, he constantly knocks his head on the floor without justifiable reason or believing that such knocking will add any value to his life. Over time, the knocks will have serious effects on his health. Remember, our head is the powerhouse of the human body and is the seat of our bodily control. Someone who is knocking his head on the floor is without doubt misusing and mistreating his body.

    Similarly, if a person has a cow and he is in charge of looking after the cow but rather deprived the cow of water, food and proper care, he or she is abusing the cow. If a person has a farm crop put in his care, but does not care for the crop, allow disease to overcome the crop, despite the fact that the crop is in his care and he has a duty to look after it, then he has misused his authority.  You can imagine or extrapolate this simple principle to human beings.

    From this the reader can now see that abuse is a major problem worldwide and more so in societies like ours where injuries from abuse do go unchallenged and unremedied. There are few if any, mostly inaccessible routes to redress in Nigeria. Abuse has serious clinical or medical consequences which are often overlooked by the abuser and the society.

    Consequences of Abuse: Depending on the nature of abuse which I will deal with under the respective form of abuse, abuse has a lot of unpleasant results. For practical reasons, all forms of abuse may lead to the victim seeing a doctor for a short or long term. For example, sexual abuse otherwise called sexual assault, may lead to physical tears of the reproductive organs, bleeding, various forms of infection such as HIV, hepatitis virus infection, herpes infection, gonococcus infection amongst others. Sexual assault may leave a permanent damage on the victim psychologically. Such an abuse may affect the sufferer’s ability to procreate and impair even the next generation.

    Take another issue of financial abuse for example. Someone who had been so brazenly derived of his money may even commit suicide. If suicide is even put aside, such individual may become anxious and depressed. I will deal these consequences under each heading later in the series.

    At this stage, my very strong recommendation is that all forms of abuse should be challenged and perpetrators be pursued for restitution. Injuries should be taken to medical doctors for treatment.A

  • World AIDS Day: Hands up for HIV prevention

    SIR: The first world AIDS day was held in 1988 after health ministers from around the world met in London and agreed to such a day as a way of highlighting the enormity of the AIDS pandemic and nation’s responsibility to ensure universal treatment, care and support for people living with HIV and AIDS.

    The idea was conceived in 1987 by two public information officers, James W. Bunn and Thomas Netter, who were workers of the WHO’s global programme on AIDS but the final approval was given by Dr Jonathan Mann ,former head of the Global programme on AIDS but now known as UNAIDS . It is observed annually on December 1. It is recognized by United Nations and all her affiliate international organisations and member countries.

    The theme for this year is ‘Hands Up For HIV Prevention’.

    In Nigeria, UNAIDS reports that about 60,000 babies are born with HIV annually .The figure has remained unchanged since 2009 and Nigeria remains the highest contributor of children acquiring HIV. The USA Consul-General reports that about 600,000 Nigerians on Anti-Retroviral medications.

    As of 2013, AIDS has killed more than 36 million people worldwide (1981-2012), and an estimated 35.3 million people are living with HIV, making it one of the most important global public health issues in recorded history. Despite recent improved access to antiretroviral treatments in many regions of the world, the AIDS epidemic claims an estimated 2 million lives each year, of which about 270,000 are children.

    The National Agency for the Control of Aids (NACA) should map out strategies to go to our rural settings to enlighten the masses because many people in those settings are still naive of this deadly virus. NACA can as well go to secondary schools in order to enlighten the fledgling students there and sex education can also be included in our academic curricula.

    People should be enlightened on the ways of transmission of the virus and how to avoid them through safe sexual and good hospital practices, Safe antenatal and postnatal care, proper use of uncontaminated sharp objects/instruments and safe disposal of contaminated objects etc. The governments, at the federal, state and local government levels, need to do more in ensuring that not only the ART drugs but also other tests and services are rendered free to the HIV patients. In some settings, some of them are mandated to pay for laboratory services hence those that don’t have the money for the tests may not be able access full medical treatment.

    If Nigeria is truly the Africa’s largest economy, we don’t need to overemphasise on the need for all services and treatments to be rendered free to the victims of HIV infections. Legislation can be enacted to ensure that multinational companies contribute a particular percentage of their income to the HIV campaign. All forms of discrimination against people living with the virus must be stopped.

     

    • Dr Paul John,

    Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

  • Environmental sanitation key to malaria prevention

    Environmental sanitation key to malaria prevention

    Key players in the health sector have urged Nigerians to clean their environment, especially by draining stagnant water to put malaria, a disease caused by anopheles mosquitoes, at bay.

    They said malaria thrives in dirty environment, thus cleaning the surroundings is non-negotiable to rid the country of the disease.

    The forum was the 1000-man walk in Lagos to commemorate the World Malaria Day. The theme was: End malaria for good.

    A consultant at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH),Dr Omolola Salako, said environment sanitation is a good strategy, which must be promoted to discourage  mosquitoes from breeding.

    Besides this, people should sleep under the long lasting insecticide nets (LLINs).

    “They should also test for malaria before they commence treatment. This is because there are several diseases, which present themselves as a fever. So, people must be sure its malaria before taking medications,” she said.

    Marketing Director, Greenlife Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Mr Olufemi Ayekun, said malaria kills over 500,000 people yearly across the world.

    According to him, one person dies every minute to the seemingly preventable disease.

    He also advocated a clean environment devoid of stagnant water and dirt.

    “We must clear our environment to stop mosquitoes from breeding. In Lagos, we must do something about canals that are opened. People should stop throwing their wastes, especially nylon and cans into the drainage that water should be flowing through. All these are breeding areas for mosquitoes,” he said.

    Quoting the World Health Organisation (WHO), Ayekun said people should have a malaria test, which is the gold standard,  before starting the treatment.

    “The Federal Government should declare a war against malaria because mosquitoes bite people in the car, at offices and in homes. The disease is everywhere in the country,” he said.

    Nollywood diva Foluke Daramola said many people see malaria as a common illness, adding that the danger it poses is unimaginable.

    “We are walking to make people aware of the danger associated with the disease. When the common man sees what we are doing to prevent malaria, they might be spurred to take the issue more seriously,” she said.

    Another Nollywood star Chioma Apotha said everybody should be involved in the fight against malaria.

    She said malaria affects everybody, and as such, it should be tackled headlong.

    An advocate for better healthcare, Eniola Salu, said many lives are lost to malaria daily.

    She said malaria has continued to thrive because of poor environment sanitation, adding that people need to change their attitude so that it can be totally eradicated.

  • LASSA FEVER: symptoms, prevention, treatment

    LASSA FEVER: symptoms, prevention, treatment

    According to Dr. Ejike Orji, a virologist and immediate past chairman of the Guild of Medical Directors, Abuja, Lassa fever is asymptomatic   and the process of detecting the virus is complicated. The incubation period is about 6 to 21 days.

    “The virus is very acute and can affect all the organs of the body.  Carriers might be complaining of fever, muscle pain, fatigue and occasionally muscle swelling. They could also complain that their eyes are red and that is because of itching since Lassa causes haemorrhagic fever”.

    Speaking further, Dr Orji said because of the haemorrhagic nature of the virus, it can also affect the gastrointestinal tracts so much so that an affected person might present with cases of nausea and vomiting which may be bloody. He added that apart from a bloody diarrhoea which an infected person is likely to come up with, there might also be some forms of stomach pains and even constipation.  There could also be  evidence of hepatitis.

    Also, Lassa fever can affect the cardiovascular system as it might lead to hypertension or hypotension, causing the blood pressure to be high or low and the victim would have abnormal high range.  Another grim picture of the virus is that the brain is not spared.  Lassa fever can affect the brain or the nervous system and it might mimic meningitis.

    “The respiratory system is also at risk as an infected person can also come down with cough, chest pain and difficulty in breathing”, Dr Orji added.

     

    Treatment

    Being a haemorrhagic fever which is viral in nature, the Lassa virus is diagnosed by doing a laboratory test in a test centre.

    Dr.  Orji said the first step in the treatment of a carrier of the virus is admitting and isolating the person, while also ensuring that the patient’s body fluid and excreta are properly disposed in order to prevent the spread.

    “For people to have a chance of survival, there must be early and aggressive treatment with a drug called ribavirin and of course the normal treatment you give to patients. There is also a drug we call interferon which can boost the immune system.

    “The normal treatment for people who have such viral infection is you must make sure you test the person and ensure the patient has enough (intravenous) fluids.  Also if the person has bled so much, there might be need for some level of transfusion.”

     

    Prevention

    Being a viral infection, which can be easily spread, medical practitioners have always harped on prevention as the best form of treatment.  Preventive measures in this regard refer to making efforts to control the rat population around the house, while also ensuring that no food is exposed to rodents since the urine and body fluid of rodents are the key things which cause Lassa fever transmission.

    “Some people eat rats; those people should be discouraged because transmission could happen when it is being prepared. It is just like we told people not to eat bats and bush meat during the Ebola period so people must make sure that they prevent contacts with rats and then they should cover their food very well”.

    For those who also like to gulp down canned drinks without running a careful check, there could also be a grim picture as using a tissue paper to clean the opening  is not enough to safeguard against the virus. For it to be safe for drinking, there would be need to use soap and water, the medic added.

    “I always tell people not to drink directly from a canned drink.  It can be dangerous because you don’t know whether rodents have urinated on them in the process of storage.  It is important that we use soap and water to clean the openings of those things before they are served to people”, Dr Orji submitted.

    He added that another  way of treating the virus is to get a person who has survived it since the anti-body can be used to treat someone that has the disease.

    Dr Lazarus Eze
    Dr Lazarus Eze

    Also commenting on the issue, Dr Lazurus Eze, an Abuja-based public health physician,   canvassed for government to ensure a safer environment by ensuring a timely and regular waste disposal  and management in order to curb the spread of the virus.

    For him, Lassa fever can be prevented by keeping a clean environment and practising good personal hygiene. He harped on the need for individuals to ensure proper refuse disposal and avoid dumping of refuse in drainages and indiscriminately.

    “Lassa Fever is a viral haemorrhagic fever caused by multimammates rats (Mastomy natalensis). The rats may transmit the virus to our uncooked food. Government at all levels should provide leadership and coordinate efforts to prevent further spread of Lassa fever. Health education at the community level, behavioural change, communication and proper waste management are effective primary prevention measures,” he asserted.

    Furthering, Dr Eze called on government at all levels to provide leadership and coordinate efforts to prevent further spread of Lassa fever.

    “Health education at the community level, behavioural change, communication and proper waste management are effective primary prevention measures”, Dr Eze said.

     

    Measures for health care workers

    Both medical practitioners also harped on the need for health workers treating the virus to be careful by observing universal precautionary methods and treating every fever with suspicion.

    “We know that in Nigeria, a lot of illnesses are due to Malaria, but now we have had Ebola and now we have Lassa so any health care personnel should manage feverish conditions with a lot of suspicion and maintain all universal precautions in terms of protecting themselves and then the other thing is making sure the patient is properly isolated, said Dr Orji.

    Dr Eze on his own part urged that personal protective equipment must be provided for health workers who are expected to observe universal precautions and best practices.

     

    Lassa fever and garri consumption

    Speaking on the likelihood of being infected with the virus through garri, fruits and other uncooked food items, Prof Oyewole Tomori, a former regional virologist for the World Health Organisation (WHO) and president of the Nigeria Academy of Science, confirmed that any food eaten raw or uncooked and contaminated with urine, blood, etc of a Lassa virus infected rodents can be a source of infection.

    “Our food can get contaminated and if you eat without cooking, the possibility of getting infected is high. Once you cook the food items, you destroy the virus, so people smoking garri and all those kind of things are at risk. If the rodents urinate on the fruits and you pick up banana or carrot and you just start chewing it without washing, that could be dangerous, so it boils down to hygiene and cleanliness”.

  • How to achieve complete health: Illnesses and their prevention

    Do not delay in seeking medical help even for the faintest symptom or sign lest it develops into bigger problem.

    Accidents, Negligence, Suicides, Self-Harms, Assaults and Murders Poor health and death may occur due to the action of other persons around us or be due to the effect of decisions of economic and political leaderships at home or in public places. Personal vigilance is crucial in these cases. Death and assault on others or any harm on us or another person may be by our own fault or due to ongoing mental health issues or anger in us.  Imagine if we are careless in driving our car or looking after our health or that of our children. Imagine if other drivers on the roads are less careful or they simply disobey the law. Simple offensive words may cause mental health problem or even assaults on us or against others.

    Prevention: Take due care always: at home and when you are away from home. Simply, be very careful. Be watchful against careless individuals. There is no alternative to good personal vigilance, obeying the laws, be kind to our own  and to  others around us as well , treating existing diseases in us:  This may be mental or physical illness We owe it to our self to ventilate or resolve our life frustrations in a reasonable way. These simple measures can go a long way in helping our health.

    Absence of Spiritual Health Has it not been said that “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God?”   Clinicians call this combination of spiritual needs with scientific healing methods: holistic medicine (meaning treating the whole person). You need religion to be sane and healthy in an insane world. There are clear and well proven advantages of these combinations. You need to have meanings to this complex world; Absence of which can lead to confusion and self-denials.

    Dr Joel Akande is an Infertility Specialist and Consultant at THE HOSPITAL in Lagos.  Inquiries and questions about this article can be sent to managementlease@yahoo.com or directed to The Editor of The Nation

  • How to achieve complete health: Illnesses and their prevention

    How to achieve complete health: Illnesses and their prevention

    Other examples of metabolic disease include liver cirrhosis which may be due to alcohol misuse or viral infection(Hepatitis A,B,C,D,E). Obesity is another form of metabolic illness.  In a lot of ways, metabolic diseases may be made worse or minimised by the lifestyle you live such as substance misuse, alcohol misuse, overeating and lack of exercise.

    Prevention: First know your family history. Get tested.  Are you carrying any disease without you being aware?  Lead a modest life-style: Exercise, your mind and body. Eat healthily.   Environmental Changes and Poisoning: In the world today, we hear of global warming. There are illnesses and deaths from changes to our environment. Such changes do influence the health of human beings in an adverse way (such as pollution causing skin illnesses, respiratory illness such as asthma, food poisoning from industrial chemicals, and food poisoning from insecticides being used by farmers). Floods, earthquakes and mudslides may spread diseases such as cholera and typhoid when the sewage systems are affected.

    Take the impact of the sun on the skin for example. Excessive sunrays may cause human illness such as dehydration in the short term and melanoma in the long term. To reduce the risk, take good care and protection against sun radiation via sun shades, sun creams and do minimal exposure to sunlight. Watch carefully if there are any changes taking place in your birthmarks (such as colour changes, or if getting bigger).

    On the other hand, chemicals from industrial pollution, chemicals to aid manufacturing and farming as well as products from vehicles, aircrafts, ships and home/domestic  wastes are all discharged unto our environment. Some, if not all, pollute our foods and water. In turn, we eat food or drink the polluted water with some dire consequences. People could get poisoned if water and food are not properly treated. Skin rashes, breathing problems such as asthma, bronchitis, cancers of bladder and of lungs are some of the results of chemical pollution to our bodies.

    Environmental pollution can also be from germs such as from viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites that are used industrially (See more under Infections).

    Prevention:  Very often the prevention starts from exerting pressure on governments and intergovernmental organisations to enact laws and execute proper guidance for farmers, factory owners and related industries. At individual level, the precaution under infection, as above suffices. Also, there is no substitute for good air, properly prepared food and water and avoiding overcrowding as well as paying prompt attention to our health if affected.

    Degenerative Diseases There are a lot that we could do to ward off some degenerative diseases. The key to it all is continuous and reasonable use of our body and brain even into old age.  Example of degenerative diseases is dementia and arthritis.

    Prevention:  Suffice to say that, osteoarthritis may be helped by good nutrition and avoidance of certain foods or addition of certain foods that our doctors may advice. Good exercise, adequate rest, avoidance of obesity is highly recommended as preventive measures. In sum, good use of our brain and body in exercise will help prevent degenerative illnesses.

    Cancers Cancers kill millions of people every year in every countries of the world and in all races. Some are due to genetic disorders such as the case in breast and ovarian cancers. Others are due to environmental influences such as mesothelioma (due to exposure to asbestos) and melanoma (in some cases, excessive influence of the Sun on the skin). Yet, some are due to infections such as cervical cancers, throat, and mouth cancers being caused by human papiloma virus

    Many cancers are in fact due to our own habits such as what we eat (red meat are known to cause cancer of the colon) or what we do not eat (vegetable meals can prevent cancer of the colon). Cancers could also be as a result of social habits such as sexual (cancer of cervix, anus, throat, lips etc) and substance misuse habits. Such illness as cancer of the liver may be seen in alcoholic abusers or cancer of pancreas may develop from misuse of alcohol.

    Prevention:   Pay attention to your social habits including avoiding infections and avoiding cigarette smoking that clearly is linked to causing cancer of the lungs. Physical exercise helps to prevent cancers of the breast, bowel and many more. Taking simple precautions such as protection against excessive sunlight may help as well as good nutritional habits and good sleep. Track your genetic make-up and know your history so as to help you determine where you are heading.

    Mental Health Disorders In general, mental health incapacitates the sufferers and their families. Many infirmities and deaths are due to mental health illness such as depression and serious disorders such as of schizophrenia or mania. Death may be by suicide or homicide (murder). In some cases, the consequences of mental health may be self-harm or assault on other innocent persons. Mental health illness may be as a result of genetic impairment such as in some cases of mania, depression or schizophrenia.  Diseases of the mind may also be due to our own social habits such as substance misuse (cocaine, cannabis, LSD, Speed, heroine, magic mushrooms etc). Yet, a person may break down because of life frustrations such as death in the family or friends demise. Mental illness may also develop due to personal illnesses (say cancers and long-standing diseases),  loss of job, relationship issues, frustration of life ambitions, lack of achievements, financial difficulties or general frustrations about not understanding the dynamics of life.   Prevention Once again, there are social, genetic, family histories and life stressors that can best be avoided in order to escape mental health disorders. You only need to take note of what I have been mentioned above. Also, once again simple measures such as physical exercise, good sleep, good rest, knowing ones limit, and avoiding misuse of substances can go a long way to prevent mental health break downs. Deal with physical illness promptly.

    Do not delay in seeking medical help even for the faintest symptom or sign lest it develops into bigger problem.

    Accidents, Negligence, Suicides, Self-Harms, Assaults and Murders Poor health and death may occur due to the action of other persons around us or be due to the effect of decisions of economic and political leaderships at home or in public places. Personal vigilance is crucial in these cases. Death and assault on others or any harm on us or another person may be by our own fault or due to ongoing mental health issues or anger in us.  Imagine if we are careless in driving our car or looking after our health or that of our children. Imagine if other drivers on the roads are less careful or they simply disobey the law. Simple offensive words may cause mental health problem or even assaults on us or against others.

    Prevention: Take due care always: at home and when you are away from home. Simply, be very careful. Be watchful against careless individuals. There is no alternative to good personal vigilance, obeying the laws, be kind to our own  and to  others around us as well , treating existing diseases in us:  This may be mental or physical illness We owe it to our self to ventilate or resolve our life frustrations in a reasonable way. These simple measures can go a long way in helping our health.

    Absence of Spiritual Health Has it not been said that “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God?”   Clinicians call this combination of spiritual needs with scientific healing methods: holistic medicine (meaning treating the whole person). You need religion to be sane and healthy in an insane world. There are clear and well proven advantages of these combinations. You need to have meanings to this complex world; Absence of which can lead to confusion and self-denials.

    Dr Joel Akande is an Infertility Specialist and Consultant at THE HOSPITAL in Lagos.  Inquiries and questions about this article can be sent to managementlease@yahoo.com or directed to the Editor of THE NATION

     

     

     

     

  • How to achieve complete health: Illnesses and their prevention

    Parasites:  Malaria. Be wary of parasites causing such illness as malaria. Malaria kills over 600,000 people every year in the world. Most of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa which includes Nigeria. Female mosquitoes transmit malaria when they bite the person to suck blood.

    In return they leave plasmodium parasite in our blood.  To some extent, people living in places like Africa and Asia that have malaria problems are little protected (semi-immune) from the disease. That is illness in semi-immune persons may not be as deadly in the people as those from outside malarious zone such as in Europe and America.  Except you are semi- immune or live in the area where malaria or mosquito is a daily contact, you will need a long and vigilant preventative measure to combat bites and prolong your life. Children and pregnant women are at higher risk of serious malaria and they need good protection too.  For everyone who may come in contact with mosquitoes, you may require medications on daily or weekly basis to protect you against malaria.

    Window netting, use of suitable insecticides within the house and appropriate insecticide without the house, clean and clear drains are necessities as is general tidy environment with good ventilations are means of preventing this deadly disease. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that you should be aware of peak exposure times and places. Carriers of malaria are most active in twilight periods (dawn and dusk) or in the evening after dark. Avoiding the outdoors or focusing preventive actions during peak hours may reduce risk. Wear appropriate clothing. You can minimise areas of exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts and long trousers.  Repellents or insecticides, such as permethrin, can be applied to clothing and gear for added protection. Use Bed nets. When accommodations are not adequately screened or air conditioned, bed nets are essential to provide protection and to reduce discomfort caused by biting insects. If bed nets do not reach the floor, they should be tucked under mattresses. Bed nets are most effective when they are treated with a pyrethroid. Pre-treated, long-lasting bed nets can be purchased or nets can be treated after purchase. Nets treated with a pyrethroid insecticide will be effective for several months if they are not washed. Long-lasting pre- treated nets may be effective for much longer. There is good news on the horizon. While it’s not a substitute for good personal and environmental hygiene, there is positive evidence now that vaccination against malaria disease is possible. Tests are now being conducted to make the vaccination usable in human beings. The vaccines will in future be available globally.

    Insecticides and spatial repellents. An increasing array of products to be used as spatial repellents (containing active ingredients such as metofluthrin and allethrin) is becoming commercially available. These augment the aerosol insecticides (You can use “Raid” “Mobil” or other branded products), vaporising mats, and mosquito coils that have been available for some time. Such products can help to clear rooms or areas of mosquitoes (spray aerosols) or repel mosquitoes from a circumscribed area (coils, spatial repellents). Insecticides and repellent products should always be used with caution, avoiding direct inhalation of spray or smoke.

    Other Parasites: There are other parasites like guinea worms, intestinal worms, skin worms and urinary bladder worms such as Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia that can be prevented by clean drinkable water, clean food and hygienic environment and by taking precautions when operating in infected areas and water. Often these parasites including malaria are not contagious.

    Please note that parasites and other infections may be transmitted to another person through blood transfusion.

    Fungus Fungus such as thrush in the mouth or vagina and indeed athlete’s foot are opportunistic infections that take advantage of moist and humid environment. Like warts, it can be contacted where there are mass of people using same facilities such as swimming or bathroom areas.

    Prevention: What has been advised above should be noted. In addition, de-worm yourself and your children as may be required from time to time. For fungus, it just must be cleared with anti-fungal medication.  For all forms of infection, please get medical attention as soon as you feel unwell or you believe you have contacted any of the germs and parasites.

    Genetic diseases There are many genetic diseases, some of which are yet to be discovered. However, at the current level of knowledge, you may not be able to remove your genetic disease if it’s already established in you but you are in position to prevent your disease from occurring in your children and forth-coming generations. Even at that, gene-therapy is making wave these days and giving hope to otherwise incurable diseases. Examples of genetic diseases that you can prevent are: Down’s syndrome and in some families, cancer of the ovary, cancer of the breast, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, some forms of diabetic mellitus (inherited)  some dementia to mention the common ones and a few. Just for completion, some diseases, such as Turners, intersex and other gender variations may have genetic origin.

    Prevention:  Get tested. The test may require little blood sample from you or just a sample of your saliva or scrape of your inner cheek.  Work through your family genetic history before you marry or before you starting to have children.  Know yourself too. What genetic diseases are you carrying without you knowing? Ask your doctor to carry out some genetic testing to discover your real you. You can plan your life and live healthy around some of these diseases.

    Metabolic Diseases There are many diseases that relates to the organs or the way our body works in general. Commonly, metabolic disease may be due to our lifestyle. The commonest example is diabetic mellitus (More later) which sadly like genetic disease can be inherited.

    Other examples of metabolic disease include liver cirrhosis which may be due to alcohol misuse or viral infection(Hepatitis A,B,C,D,E). Obesity is another form of metabolic illness.  In a lot of ways, metabolic diseases may be made worse or minimised by the lifestyle you live such as substance misuse, alcohol misuse, overeating and lack of exercise.

    Prevention: First know your family history. Get tested.  Are you carrying any disease without you being aware?  Lead a modest life-style: Exercise, your mind and body. Eat healthily.   Environmental Changes and Poisoning: In the world today, we hear of global warming. There are illness and deaths from changes to our environment. Such changes do influence the health of human beings in an adverse way (such as pollution causing skin illnesses, respiratory illness such as asthma, food poisoning from industrial chemicals, and food poisoning from insecticides being used by farmers). Floods, earthquakes and mudslides may spread diseases such as cholera and typhoid when the sewage systems are affected.

    Take the impact of the Sun on the skin for example. Excessive Sunrays may cause human illness such as dehydration in the short term and melanoma in the long term. To reduce the risk, take good care and protection against Sun radiation via sun shades, sun creams and do minimal exposure to sunlight. Watch carefully if there are any changes taking place in your birthmarks (such as colour changes, or if getting bigger).

    On the other hands, chemicals from industrial pollution, chemicals to aid manufacturing and farming as well as products from vehicles, aircrafts, ships and home/domestic  wastes are all discharged unto our environment. Some, if not all, pollute our foods and water. In turn, we eat food or drink the polluted water with some dire consequences. People could get poisoned if water and food are not properly treated. Skin rashes, breathing problems such as asthma, bronchitis, cancers of bladder and of lungs are some of the results of chemical pollution to our bodies.

    Environmental pollution can also be from germs such as from viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites that are used industrially (See more under Infections).

    Prevention:  Very often the prevention starts from exerting pressure on governments and intergovernmental organizations to enact laws and execute proper guidance for farmers, factory owners and related industries. At individual level, the precaution under infection, as above suffices. Also, there is no substitute for good air, properly prepared food and water and avoiding overcrowding as well as paying prompt attention to our health if affected.

    Degenerative Diseases There are a lot that we could do to ward off some degenerative diseases. The key to it all is continuous and reasonable use of our body and brain even into old age.  Example of degenerative diseases is dementia and arthritis.

    Prevention:  Suffice to say that, osteoarthritis may be helped by good nutrition and avoidance of certain foods or addition of certain foods that our doctors may advice. Good exercise, adequate rest, avoidance of obesity is highly recommended as preventive measures. In sum, good use of our brain and body in exercise will help prevent degenerative illnesses.

    Cancers Cancers kill millions of people every year in every countries of the world and in all races. Some are due to genetic disorders such as the case in breast and ovarian cancers. Others are due to environmental influences such as mesothelioma (due to exposure to asbestos) and melanoma (in some cases, excessive influence of the Sun on the skin). Yet, some are due to

    infections such as cervical cancers, throat, and mouth cancers being caused by human papiloma virus

    Many cancers are in fact due to our own habits such as what we eat (red meat are known to cause cancer of the colon) or what we do not eat (vegetable meals can prevent cancer of the colon). Cancers could also be as a result of social habits such as sexual (cancer of cervix, anus, throat, lips etc) and substance misuse habits. Such illness as cancer of the liver may be seen in alcoholic abusers or cancer of pancreas may develop from misuse of alcohol.

    Prevention:   Pay attention to your social habits including avoiding infections and avoiding cigarette smoking that clearly is linked to causing cancer of the lungs. Physical exercise helps to prevent cancers of the breast, bowel and many more. Taking simple precautions such as protection against excessive sunlight may help as well as good nutritional habits and good sleep. Track your genetic make-up and know your history so as to help you determine where you are heading.

    Mental Health Disorders In general, mental health incapacitates the sufferers and their families. Many infirmities and deaths are due to mental health illness such as depression and serious disorders such as of schizophrenia or mania. Death may be by suicide or homicide (murder). In some cases, the consequences of mental health may be self-harm or assault on other innocent persons. Mental health illness may be as a result of genetic impairment such as in some cases of mania, depression or schizophrenia.  Diseases of the mind may also be due to our own social habits such as substance misuse (cocaine, cannabis, LSD, Speed, heroine, magic mushrooms etc). Yet, a person may break down because of life frustrations such as death in the family or friends demise. Mental illness may also develop due to personal illnesses (say cancers and long-standing diseases),  loss of job, relationship issues, frustration of life ambitions, lack of achievements, financial difficulties or general frustrations about not understanding the dynamics of life.   Prevention Once again, there are social, genetic, family histories and life stressors that can best be avoided in order to escape mental health disorders. You only need to take note of what I have been mentioned above. Also, once again simple measures such as physical exercise, good sleep, good rest, knowing ones limit, and avoiding misuse of substances can go a long way to prevent mental health break downs. Deal with physical illness promptly.  Do not delay in seeking medical help even for the faintest symptom or sign lest it develops into bigger problem.

    Accidents, Negligence, Suicides, Self-Harms, Assaults and Murders Poor health and death may occur due to the action of other persons around us or be due to the effect of decisions of economic and political leaderships at home or in public places. Personal vigilance is crucial in these cases. Death and assault on others or any harm on us or another person may be by our own fault or due to ongoing mental health issues or anger in us.  Imagine if we are careless in driving our car or looking after our health or that of our children. Imagine if other drivers on the roads are less careful or they simply disobey the law. Simple offensive words may cause mental health problem or even assaults on us or against others.

    Prevention: Take due care always: at home and when you are away from home. Simply, be very careful. Be watchful against careless individuals. There is no alternative to good personal vigilance, obeying the laws, be kind to our own  and to  others around us as well , treating existing diseases in us:  This may be mental or physical illness We owe it to our self to ventilate or resolve our life frustrations in a reasonable way. These simple measures can go a long way in helping our health.

    Absence of Spiritual Health Has it not been said that “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God?”   Clinicians call this combination of spiritual needs with scientific healing methods: holistic medicine (meaning treating the whole person). You need religion to be sane and healthy in an insane world. There are clear and well proven advantages of these combinations. You need to have meanings to this complex world; Absence of which can lead to confusion and self-denials.

    Dr Joel Akande is an Infertility Specialist and Consultant at THE HOSPITAL in Lagos.  Inquiries and questions about this article can be sent to managementlease@yahoo.com or directed to the Editor of THE NATION

     

     

     

     

  • How to achieve complete health: Illnesses and their prevention

    How to achieve complete health: Illnesses and their prevention

    There are many ways in which we can prevent death and diseases reaching us by undertaking simple procedures via our own actions. Lives may be cut short as a result of one or combination of:

    • Infection such as E-coli, typhoid, malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDs,

    • Genetic diseases: sickle cell disease

    •Metabolic diseases such as diabetics or even nutritional disorders such as obesity

    • Environmental poisoning and allergy: such as salmonella food poisoning and asthma.

    • Degenerative diseases such as dementia

    • Cancers such as breast and lung cancer

    • Mental health disorders such as depression and schizophrenia

    • Accidents, murders and suicides

    •Absence of credible spiritual guidance in the manner of holistic care

    Let us now discuss each of the above topics so as to help us live a healthy lifestyle.

    Infections: Avoid all forms of infections. No infection is a good infection.

    Viral infections:  Beware of herpes infection that you can contract via kissing (Herpes Type 1) and through sex (Herpes Type 2). Note that Type 1 can become Type 2 and vice versa. Human Papiloma virus (HPV) can also be transmitted by getting in contact with infected genitals (penis, vagina, cervix and their surrounding areas), anus, mouth and throat. HPV can cause cancers.  On its own, HP virus can lead to cervical, throat, mouth and anal cancers. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)  and hepatitis B and C viruses you will remember, are a viruses commonly contacted via sex, blood transfusion, sharing of blood containing germs:  such as in needles, blades, razors and of course through saliva (for HIV)  or body fluids in general.

    Other viral infections that you may need to be aware of include flu infections that occur sporadically such as “swine” flu and the other common cold flu. Again, this can be transmitted via kissing and inhaling infected air. Thus, you may need to protect your family against any breakout of these viruses.  Other methods of contacting viral infection are by use of tools or household things that have not been disinfected but had been used by infected person. Razor blades, shaving blades are examples. For some viral diseases such as wart affecting the feet, hands and legs, they can be transmitted by sharing infected common media such as shower floors, mats and swimming pool.   There are other viruses that may be a danger to new born or pregnant women and the baby: They are rubella and chicken pox viral infections. They are usually contacted if you get in contact with infected person. In early childhood, measles, polio virus are a serious threat to lives.

    Prevention:  The key to it all is not to come in contact with any infection.  With the methods of transmission that have been mentioned above, you can identify how to avoid them and to protect yourself from these infections. The other method of prevention is to receive vaccination against these viruses. Some vaccinations are available for such as rubella, hepatitis B, polio (for children and adults) infections.  HPV vaccinations are available for teenagers: boys and girls. Get vaccinated.    b)  Bacteria  infections are very common. You can live without them if you are careful. In some occasions, being infected by them has nothing to do with you but your handlers and carers including parents. Nevertheless, unlike viral infection, bacterial infection requires in most cases, a direct contact with them. In some occasions, as in tuberculosis, you can contact them via the infected air.  MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) , E-coli, requires to a large extent, a direct contact with infected source.  Tetanus, on the other hand, requires you to get in touch with infected and dirty earth or have the bacteria enclosed in your wounds. Getting sexually transmitted bacteria such as gonorrhoea, Chlamydia, and syphilis means you have to contact infected person to get it (through sex), although you are as good as getting it if you have infected blood or you are injected with it. Other methods of getting bacteria infection are via water and food that we eat. Examples are typhoid (Salmonella Typhi) and Cholera. They can be found in infected stools, food and water.  In most cases, this is how E-coli, typhoid and cholera get into a person.

    Prevention: Always cook your food well. Wash your hands with water and soap after visiting toilets or handling earth. Wash fruits thoroughly before eating. Disinfect with simple food disinfectants.  Bathroom/toilets should be spring clean and human, animal and plant wastes should be well disposed of. Live in a tidy environment. Ensure well ventilated living and home areas. Some infections can be vaccinated against. Example of this is TB (tuberculosis) and tetanus.  But there is no substitute for good personal and environmental hygiene. Avoid overcrowding. Needless to say that, one way to prolong life is to have all forms of infection and wounds contained and treated very promptly.  Have a trusted sexual partner and stick to the person.
     

    Parasites:  Malaria. Be wary of parasites causing such illness as malaria. Malaria kills over 600,000 people every year in the world. Most of these deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa which includes Nigeria.  Female mosquitoes transmit malaria when they bite the person to suck blood.

     

    In return they leave plasmodium parasite in our blood.  To some extent, people living in places like Africa and Asia that have malaria problems are little protected (semi-immune) from the disease. That is illness in semi-immune persons may not be as deadly in the people as those from outside malarious zone such as in Europe and America.  Except you are semi- immune or live in the area where malaria or mosquito is a daily contact, you will need a long and vigilant preventative measure to combat bites and prolong your life. Children and pregnant women are at higher risk of serious malaria and they need good protection too.  For everyone who may come in contact with mosquitoes, you may require medications on daily or weekly basis to protect you against malaria.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Window netting, use of suitable insecticides within the house and appropriate insecticide without the house, clean and clear drains are necessities as is general tidy environment with good ventilations are means of preventing this deadly disease. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that you should be aware of peak exposure times and places. Carriers of malaria are most active in twilight periods (dawn and dusk) or in the evening after dark. Avoiding the outdoors or focusing preventive actions during peak hours may reduce risk. Wear appropriate clothing. You can minimize areas of exposed skin by wearing long-sleeved shirts and long trousers.  Repellents or insecticides, such as permethrin, can be applied to clothing and gear for added protection.  Use Bed nets. When accommodations are not adequately screened or air conditioned, bed nets are essential to provide protection and to reduce discomfort caused by biting insects. If bed nets do not reach the floor, they should be tucked under mattresses. Bed nets are most effective when they are treated with a pyrethroid. Pre-treated, long-lasting bed nets can be purchased or nets can be treated after purchase. Nets treated with a pyrethroid insecticide will be effective for several months if they are not washed. Long-lasting pre- treated nets may be effective for much longer. There is good news on the horizon. While it’s not a substitute for good personal and environmental hygiene, there is positive evidence now that vaccination against malaria disease is possible. Tests are now being conducted to make the vaccination usable in human beings. The vaccines will in future be available globally.

    Insecticides and spatial repellents. An increasing array of products to be used as spatial repellents (containing active ingredients such as metofluthrin and allethrin) is becoming commercially available. These augment the aerosol insecticides (You can use “Raid” “Mobil” or other branded products), vaporizing mats, and mosquito coils that have been available for some time. Such products can help to clear rooms or areas of mosquitoes (spray aerosols) or repel mosquitoes from a circumscribed area (coils, spatial repellents). Insecticides and repellent products should always be used with caution, avoiding direct inhalation of spray or smoke.

    Other Parasites: There are other parasites like guinea worms, intestinal worms, skin worms and urinary bladder worms such as Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia that can be prevented by clean drinkable water, clean food and hygienic environment and by taking precautions when operating in infected areas and water. Often these parasites including malaria are not contagious.

    Please note that parasites and other infections may be transmitted to another person through blood transfusion.

    Fungus Fungus such as thrush in the mouth or vagina and indeed athlete’s foot are opportunistic infections that take advantage of moist and humid environment. Like warts, it can be contacted where there are mass of people using same facilities such as swimming or bathroom areas.

    Prevention: What has been advised above should be noted. In addition, de-worm yourself and your children as may be required from time to time. For fungus, it just must be cleared with anti-fungal medication.  For all forms of infection, please get medical attention as soon as you feel unwell or you believe you have contacted any of the germs and parasites.

    Genetic diseases There are many genetic diseases, some of which are yet to be discovered. However, at the current level of knowledge, you may not be able to remove your genetic disease if it’s already established in you but you are in position to prevent your disease from occurring in your children and forth-coming generations. Even at that, gene-therapy is making wave these days and giving hope to otherwise incurable diseases. Examples of genetic diseases that you can prevent are: Down’s syndrome and in some families, cancer of the ovary, cancer of the breast, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, some forms of diabetic mellitus (inherited)  some dementia to mention the common ones and a few. Just for completion, some diseases, such as Turners, intersex and other gender variations may have genetic origin.

    Prevention:  Get tested. The test may require little blood sample from you or just a sample of your saliva or scrape of your inner cheek.  Work through your family genetic history before you marry or before you starting to have children.  Know yourself too. What genetic diseases are you carrying without you knowing? Ask your doctor to carry out some genetic testing to discover your real you. You can plan your life and live healthy around some of these diseases.

    Metabolic Diseases There are many diseases that relates to the organs or the way our body works in general. Commonly, metabolic disease may be due to our lifestyle. The commonest example is diabetic mellitus (More later) which sadly like genetic disease can be inherited. Other examples of metabolic disease include liver cirrhosis which may be due to alcohol misuse or viral infection(Hepatitis A,B,C,D,E). Obesity is another form of metabolic illness.  In a lot of ways, metabolic diseases may be made worse or minimised by the lifestyle you live such as substance misuse, alcohol misuse, overeating and lack of exercise.

    Prevention: First know your family history. Get tested.  Are you carrying any disease without you being aware?  Lead a modest life-style: Exercise, your mind and body. Eat healthily.   Environmental Changes and Poisoning: In the world today, we hear of global warming. There are illness and deaths from changes to our environment. Such changes do influence the health of human beings in an adverse way (such as pollution causing skin illnesses, respiratory illness such as asthma, food poisoning from industrial chemicals, and food poisoning from insecticides being used by farmers). Floods, earthquakes and mudslides may spread diseases such as cholera and typhoid when the sewage systems are affected.

    Take the impact of the Sun on the skin for example. Excessive Sunrays may cause human illness such as dehydration in the short term and melanoma in the long term. To reduce the risk, take good care and protection against Sun radiation via sun shades, sun creams and do minimal exposure to sunlight. Watch carefully if there are any changes taking place in your birthmarks (such as colour changes, or if getting bigger).

    On the other hands, chemicals from industrial pollution, chemicals to aid manufacturing and farming as well as products from vehicles, aircrafts, ships and home/domestic  wastes are all discharged unto our environment. Some, if not all, pollute our foods and water. In turn, we eat food or drink the polluted water with some dire consequences. People could get poisoned if water and food are not properly treated. Skin rashes, breathing problems such as asthma, bronchitis, cancers of bladder and of lungs are some of the results of chemical pollution to our bodies.

    Environmental pollution can also be from germs such as from viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites that are used industrially (See more under Infections).

    Prevention:  Very often the prevention starts from exerting pressure on governments and intergovernmental organizations to enact laws and execute proper guidance for farmers, factory owners and related industries. At individual level, the precaution under infection, as above suffices. Also, there is no substitute for good air, properly prepared food and water and avoiding overcrowding as well as paying prompt attention to our health if affected.

    Degenerative Diseases There are a lot that we could do to ward off some degenerative diseases. The key to it all is continuous and reasonable use of our body and brain even into old age.  Example of degenerative diseases is dementia and arthritis.

    Prevention:  Suffice to say that, osteoarthritis may be helped by good nutrition and avoidance of certain foods or addition of certain foods that our doctors may advice. Good exercise, adequate rest, avoidance of obesity is highly recommended as preventive measures. In sum, good use of our brain and body in exercise will help prevent degenerative illnesses.

    Cancers Cancers kill millions of people every year in every countries of the world and in all races. Some are due to genetic disorders such as the case in breast and ovarian cancers. Others are due to environmental influences such as mesothelioma (due to exposure to asbestos) and melanoma (in some cases, excessive influence of the Sun on the skin). Yet, some are due to

    infections such as cervical cancers, throat, and mouth cancers being caused by human papiloma virus

    Many cancers are in fact due to our own habits such as what we eat (red meat are known to cause cancer of the colon) or what we do not eat (vegetable meals can prevent cancer of the colon). Cancers could also be as a result of social habits such as sexual (cancer of cervix, anus, throat, lips etc) and substance misuse habits. Such illness as cancer of the liver may be seen in alcoholic abusers or cancer of pancreas may develop from misuse of alcohol.

    Prevention:   Pay attention to your social habits including avoiding infections and avoiding cigarette smoking that clearly is linked to causing cancer of the lungs. Physical exercise helps to prevent cancers of the breast, bowel and many more. Taking simple precautions such as protection against excessive sunlight may help as well as good nutritional habits and good sleep. Track your genetic make-up and know your history so as to help you determine where you are heading.

    Mental Health Disorders In general, mental health incapacitates the sufferers and their families. Many infirmities and deaths are due to mental health illness such as depression and serious disorders such as of schizophrenia or mania. Death may be by suicide or homicide (murder). In some cases, the consequences of mental health may be self-harm or assault on other innocent persons. Mental health illness may be as a result of genetic impairment such as in some cases of mania, depression or schizophrenia.  Diseases of the mind may also be due to our own social habits such as substance misuse (cocaine, cannabis, LSD, Speed, heroine, magic mushrooms etc). Yet, a person may break down because of life frustrations such as death in the family or friends demise. Mental illness may also develop due to personal illnesses (say cancers and long-standing diseases),  loss of job, relationship issues, frustration of life ambitions, lack of achievements, financial difficulties or general frustrations about not understanding the dynamics of life.   Prevention Once again, there are social, genetic, family histories and life stressors that can best be avoided in order to escape mental health disorders. You only need to take note of what I have been mentioned above. Also, once again simple measures such as physical exercise, good sleep, good rest, knowing ones limit, and avoiding misuse of substances can go a long way to prevent mental health break downs. Deal with physical illness promptly.  Do not delay in seeking medical help even for the faintest symptom or sign lest it develops into bigger problem.

    Accidents, Negligence, Suicides, Self-Harms, Assaults and Murders Poor health and death may occur due to the action of other persons around us or be due to the effect of decisions of economic and political leaderships at home or in public places. Personal vigilance is crucial in these cases. Death and assault on others or any harm on us or another person may be by our own fault or due to ongoing mental health issues or anger in us.  Imagine if we are careless in driving our car or looking after our health or that of our children. Imagine if other drivers on the roads are less careful or they simply disobey the law. Simple offensive words may cause mental health problem or even assaults on us or against others.

    Prevention: Take due care always: at home and when you are away from home. Simply, be very careful. Be watchful against careless individuals. There is no alternative to good personal vigilance, obeying the laws, be kind to our own  and to  others around us as well , treating existing diseases in us:  This may be mental or physical illness We owe it to our self to ventilate or resolve our life frustrations in a reasonable way. These simple measures can go a long way in helping our health.

    Absence of Spiritual Health Has it not been said that “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God?”   Clinicians call this combination of spiritual needs with scientific healing methods: holistic medicine (meaning treating the whole person). You need religion to be sane and healthy in an insane world. There are clear and well proven advantages of these combinations. You need to have meanings to this complex world; Absence of which can lead to confusion and self-denials.

    Dr Joel Akande is an Infertility Specialist and Consultant at THE HOSPITAL in Lagos.  Inquiries and questions about this article can be sent to managementlease@yahoo.com or directed to the Editor of THE NATION

     

     

     

     

  • Guide to fraud prevention

    Guide to fraud prevention

    As a result of the prevalence of fraud in our society today, there is need for a sustained campaign against the menace. This is why we are examining this book on fraud prevention this week. It is written by Adebisi Abiodun, a professional accountant. Abiodun studied Accountancy at the Nigerian Army School of Finance and Administration, Lagos, Nigeria. He bagged a Master of Business Administration (MBA), with specialisation in Marketing, from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

    Abiodun is an Associate member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN); Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM). He was formerly part-time lecturer at the Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos; Yaba College of Technology, Lagos and Kwara State Polytechnic, Lagos Centre, Iponri, Lagos.

    Abiodun says publication of this text became necessary due to frequency of (attempted) fraud in the banking sub-sector and the fact that knowledge of this aspect of banking has not been properly developed in proportion to the rate of fraud increase in the industry, especially after the last bank consolidation.

    This text contains five sections of 15 chapters. Section A has the overall thematic focus of “Fraud, prevention and detection” and contains the first two chapters. Chapter one is entitled “Fraud”.

    In the words of Abiodun here, “Fraud has been in existence from the beginning of creation. From biblical account, it started in the Garden of Eden, where the serpent deceived Eve, resulting in the fall of man… The reality is that fraud can happen anywhere….” He adds that the risks of fraud may only continue to increase as we experience stronger globalisation, more competitive markets, etc.

    The author educates that fraud can originate from within or outside a bank. According to him, “From within, the staff involved may use their position as an avenue to steal from the bank’s assets or customers’ accounts. However, when fraud originates from outside, the fraudsters simply use a bank as conduit.”

    Chapter two is based on the subject matter of fraud prevention and detection. Here, Abiodun explains that based on the earlier discussion as to why people commit fraud, it is clear that one of the most effective ways to deal with the problem of fraud is to adopt methods that will decrease the motive, restrict the opportunity and limit the ability for potential fraudsters to rationalise their actions.

    Section B is generically christened “Customer service activities” and covers four chapters, that is, chapters three to seven. Chapter three is on customer information management. Abiodun says the aspect of customer information management is that based on the relationship between the customer and the bank.

    This author explains that there are rules expected to be observed and the moment these rules are improperly applied, any future issue on such an account may lead to a great loss to the bank. He says it is the aspect that ensures that information indicated by the customer is correct or verifiable, in addition to being in compliance with the entire statutory, regulatory and organisational requirements.

    In chapters four to seven, this author beams his analytical searchlight on the concepts of deposits and withdrawal administration; clearing activities; bank guaranteed cheques and local fund transfer.

    Section C is summarily woven together as “Creation of risk assets” and contains chapters eight and nine. Here, Abiodun examines risk assets and facility processing.

    Section D has eclectic subject matter of acceptable collateral and covers five chapters, that is, chapters 10 to 14. Chapter 10 is entitled “Land”. Here, this author says land is the most important and most acceptable form of security to banks.

    “In law, land comprises the earth surface, everything above and below it, in as much as such things are physically attached to the land. Hence, land in this context may be of developed and undeveloped nature. The property right over land can be in two forms,” Abiodun educates.

    In chapters 11 to 14, he X-rays concepts such as stocks and shares; guaranteed and indemnities; life assurance policy; and miscellaneous securities.

    Section E, the last section is summarily labelled “Bad debt management” and contains just a chapter, that is, chapter 15 entitled “Debt management”.

    As far as articulation of concepts is concerned, the intellectual efforts of the author are commendable, especially that the ideas are highly didactic and rich. Stylistically, this text is okay.

    For example, a legendary quote, classical allusion or biblical allusion is used at the beginning of every chapter as a prelude to the conceptual focus. Abiodun also uses detailed illustrations to enhance the understanding of readers. He proves that he was once a lecturer with his simplicity of language and depth of research.

    What’s more, this author also aligns with academic culture by including rich references and index at the end of the text in addition to inclusion of legislation and cases. Another thing worthy of note is the attractiveness of the cover design and its visual communication which reinforces the book title. The layout of the inside pages is also aesthetically seductive.

    However, the uncountable noun “Collateral”, which has the lexicographical symbol of “U” (that is, “Uncountable”) against it in the dictionary, is wrongly used in a countable form on page 217.

    Another error found in the book is a common error in Nigerian English, that is, “…was yet to…” (page vi), instead of the Standard British English version “…had yet to…” Confirm this from pages 913 and 1918 of the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, 2005 edition.

    On the whole, this text is fantastic. It is a book that everybody in the financial services industry, especially bankers must have. It is highly educative.