The Nation Newspaper

Tag: wellbeing

  • Hajj 2024: Board vows to uphold welfare, wellbeing of pilgrims

    Hajj 2024: Board vows to uphold welfare, wellbeing of pilgrims

    The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board (MPWB) has pledged to uphold the welfare and wellbeing of its pilgrims who journeyed to Saudi Arabia for this year’s pilgrimage, promising not to compromise on their care.

    The director of the FCT Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board, Malam Abubakar Adamu Evuti gave the assurance while speaking to reporters in Makkah, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

    Evuti urged the pilgrims to be rest assure that the Board is committed and will continue to give priority to their wellbeing in terms of accommodations, Feedings and health throughout their period of stay in the Holy Land up to the end of June when the FCT contingents are expected back home in Nigeria after the completion of the Hajj rites.

    He said: “But we want to assure them that their feedings is not going to be compromise, their accommodations where there is challenge it will not be compromise, we will also make sure that even the healthcare system will be provided so let them be rest assure that up to the time that we are going to stay here to the end of June as the case may be FCT pilgrims will be giving the best of it provisions in terms of health, accommodations and feeding.”

    While commenting on the likelihood of any health challenge that would be above the capacity of the FCT Pilgrims Body, Malam Evuti noted that such a person will be referred to the National Body of Hajj Coordination in Nigeria, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, for immediate action.

    According to the Director: “We as a Board, our job here is the welfare and wellbeing of the pilgrims and that is the paramount responsibility here. And we have to be very vigilant from the beginning to the end.”

    Evuti also explained that the FCT pilgrims started arriving in the holy land on the 15th of May 2024, first in Medinah and after 4 days they were moved to Makkah where the Hajj exercise will be observed.

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    He disclosed: “Before now all the pilgrims of Nigeria from FCT are already in the country and once they have arrived, we are doing the best we can, their welfare, their wellbeing, in terms of accommodations, feedings, in terms of health, we want to assure them it will be provided from the time they arrived into this country and upto the time we are going to leave this country inshallah.”

    The director who noted that any Nigerian who is in the Holy land is an ambassador of the country either as Pilgrims, journalists, or Hajj workers, urged them not to create any kind of propaganda in such a manner that the whole world will look at them as the worst people in the world.

    He said: “Other countries are here, they are been fed, they are not even been fed properly but nobody is complaining not only that even in terms of accommodations and where they’re located you will find out that they are very far away from Haram and nobody is complaining but you see FCT pilgrims apart from being provided with nice food and being given an accommodations very close to Haram, unlike other states but yet they are not satisfied, a little matter that need to be resolved amicably, they go on social media all in the name of mischief.

    “I want to appeal to all of us that this is a country which belongs to all of us, we don’t have any other country but Nigeria. So, once we are outside our country and we are in another country, we should project the image of the country not going to bring the country into disrepute in terms of making a wrong report of what actually was not happening.”

  • Censors Board: Adedayo allays fears of RATTAWU on staff wellbeing

    Censors Board: Adedayo allays fears of RATTAWU on staff wellbeing

    ASSURING the leadership of Radio, Television, Theatre, and Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU) of Nigeria of President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive to political appointees on the need to maintain industrial harmony in their parastatals, new Executive Director of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), Mr. Adedayo Thomas, noted that staff welfare will be one of the top priorities of the NFVCB under his watch.

    Thomas was responding to an appeal by the National President of RATTAWU, Comrade Kabir Garba Tsanni, who led the Union executives on a courtesy call to the Censors Board chief in Abuja, on Wednesday.

    Comrade Tsanni who acknowledged the sensitive role of the NFVCB in safeguarding the values of the society, enthused that films were carriers of values which no society should neglect. He informed the management of the Board that his delegation came to seek the understanding of the Board on the need for continuing staff training and labour-friendly work environment.

    National General Secretary of the union, Comrade Akpausoh Akpausoh, had earlier praised the ED and the Board for being labour and gender-friendly in the composition of the management of the Board and their relationship with staff.

    Although Thomas lamented the financial challenges faced by the Board, he assured of his commitment to make the organisation stable and buoyant in executing its statutory roles. He maintained that despite the operational constraints of the Board, he was able to, within few days of assumption of office; influence the approval of promotion for some staff members with the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

    He however, urged the union to help enlighten staff of the Board to resume by 8am and close by 4pm on every work day, so as to adhere to their part of the contract with the government.

  • For their host communities’ wellbeing

    For their host communities’ wellbeing

    The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has launched its Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD) in Imo State. The scheme was designed to render free medical services to people living in rural communities, reports AKPET OBAJI.

    People living in rural communities in Imo State may soon smile, following the launch of Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers (HIRD), a healthcare initiative of some National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members. The initiative is aimed at making healthcare delivery accessible to rural dwellers in the 27 Local Government Areas of the state.

    •Mrs Azuzu demonstrating how to perform hand washing
    •Mrs Azuzu demonstrating how to perform hand washing

    At a ceremony organised at Ebitoro Health Centre in Ikeduru Local Government Area to kick off the initiative, Governor Rochas Okorocha promised to sustain the initiative. The governor, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry Health, Mrs Lilian Azuzu, hailed NYSC Director-General, Brig-Gen Johnson Olawumi, and his management for the initiative. The programme, he said, was imperative to delivering affordable healthcare to rural dwellers in the state.

    Okorocha described the initiative as a noble gesture, saying his administration would partner with NYSC to sustain the scheme.

    The governor enjoined residents, community-based organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and socio-cultural groups to embrace the initiative.

    Brig-Gen Olawumi, represented by the NYSC coordinator in Imo State, Mr Isaac Fasanu, said HIRD was conceived a year ago to engage Corps members’ host communities on health issues. He said the initiative had gained acceptance.

    He said: “The initiative is NYSC’s way of improving the wellbeing of the people in rural communities. The volunteer Corps medical personnel will be deployed as core HIRD team, who will work as health intervention agents in driving the initiative.”

    Beneficiaries of the scheme in Ikeduru hailed NYSC for the initiative, saying it afforded them an opportunity to maintain their health. One of them, Mrs Angela Okorie, who is regarded as a leader thought in Ebikoro community, praised the NYSC for bringing free healthcare to their doorsteps. She described the initiative as humanitarian.

    Highlights of the event included the demonstration of healthy hand wash, which the governor’s representative said had good health benefits. Azuzu was supported to demonstrate the hygienic exercise by Fasinu, and NYSC Monitoring Officer, Florence Yaakugh. They enjoined the indigenes of Ebikoro community to always keep their environment clean.

    An epidemiologist in the community, Dr George Obi, donated treated mosquito nets to support the initiative, which was ended with health seminar by Corps members in the council.

    The event was attended by high-profile personalities, including chairman of NYSC State Governing Board, Dr C.C. Iwuagwu, member Representing Ikeduru State Constituency, Hon. Teddy Oguche, facilitators from Family Health, Forward Africa, officials of the Ministry of Health.

    The health outreach was replicated in all the four NYSC zonal offices in the state, which are Owerri, Orlu, Mbaise and Okigwe.

  • Exercise and wellbeing

    Exercise and wellbeing

    Are you one of those who think exercise is a waste of time and of no benefits at all to the body? You might have to have a rethink, considering the immense advantages and benefits of regular exercise to the overall health and wellbeing of the body.

    Research shows that regular physical activity can improve your overall quality of life as well as  reduce risks for several diseases and health conditions. Besides, exercise will make you feel better, have more energy and even live longer.

    On this Dr Wole Ogunkoya, a medical practitioner stated:

    “Muscle cannot work by itself. When it is attached to a particular part of the body, the tendon for instance, it contrasts like an elastic, pulls the bones, that is how God created it. So if the fibers around the body are not exercised, they will become dormant. After a while, they go weak and once they go weak, they die slowly. So they need to be exercised and developed.

    That happens to every part of the body. We need to exercise every part of the body, every muscle must be exercise. For people with pot belly, they need to exercise the muscles in that part of the body. If you exercise that part, it comes alive and starts to work and slowly the belly returns to normal shape.

    “Same goes for people who are fat, they need to exercise and burn off the fat. Food on the other hand, is important while exercising because in doing exercises, you are burning out. While doing exercises, we use glucose and lots of it. So most of the carbohydrates that we eat, are used up at that period. But if the carbohydrates in the body are not enough, then the body borrows from the protein in the body but that must be replaced. That is because some muscles can function during exercise when there is shortage of glucose but it is advisable that we take lots of food that can give us glucose which we need during exercises. Vitamins are vital too, eat food that gives vitamins.”

    To health experts, regular physical activity, can help protect from some health problems such as high blood pressure. It does this by reducing body fat which is associated with high blood pressure. So, those with high BP can benefit from regular exercise, experts note.

    Exercise also controls weight. Exercise can help prevent excess weight gain or help maintain weight loss. For the obese, exercise is very important as it helps reduce body fat by building or preserving muscle mass and improving the body’s ability to use calories. When physical activity is combined with proper nutrition, it can help control weight and prevent obesity, a major risk factor for many diseases.

    When you engage in physical activity, you burn calories. The more intense the activity, the more calories you burn. Besides workouts at the gym, your body can benefit from other forms of exercise such as jogging, fast walking, running, playing games, taking the stairs (instead of the lift) among others.

    Daily physical activity can help prevent heart disease and stroke by strengthening your heart muscle, lowering your blood pressure, raising your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels (good cholesterol) and lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (bad cholesterol), improving blood flow, and increasing your heart’s working capacity. Optimizing each of these factors can provide additional benefits of decreasing the risk for Peripheral Vascular Disease.

    Self Esteem And Stress Management. Studies on the psychological effects of exercise have found that regular physical activity can improve your mood and the way you feel about yourself. Researchers have found that exercise is likely to reduce depression

    Regular physical activity can improve your muscle strength and boost your endurance. Exercise and physical activity deliver oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and help your cardiovascular system work more efficiently. And when your heart and lungs work more efficiently, you have more energy to go about your daily activities.

    Another benefit of exercise is mood improvement, say experts. A workout at the gym or a brisk walk can help. Physical activity stimulates various brain chemicals that may leave you feeling happier and more relaxed. You may also feel better about your appearance and yourself when you exercise regularly, which can boost your confidence and improve your self-esteem.

    Exercise is also a sleep booster. So, if you struggle to fall asleep at night or suffer from insomnia, regular  physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and make you sleep deeper. You should avoid exercising too close to bedtime so you don’t feel too energized to fall asleep.

  • Supplement good for overall wellbeing

    Supplement good for overall wellbeing

    An indigenous herbal preparation, Jobelyn is actually food that meets nutritional needs, and corrects imbalances in the human system. This is according to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Health Forever Limited (FLP), Dr David Abia-Okon while talking to medics at the Department of Hematology, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.

    Dr Abia-Okon said some of the health benefits of Jobelyn, made from sorghum bicolour include its ability to prevent certain types of cancer, help control diabetes, offer a dietary option for people with Celiac disease, improve digestive health, build strong bones, promote red blood cell development (including in people with sickle cell disorder), boost energy and fuel production.

    He said the nutritional benefits from Jobelyn is the reason why it is not just a preparation but food ‘in a capsule’.  “Sorghum is a powerhouse and can provide those wise individuals who add it to their diet with vitamins like niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin, as well as high levels of magnesium, iron, copper, calcium, phosphorous, and potassium, as well as nearly half the daily required intake of protein and a very significant amount of dietary fiber (48 per cent of the recommended intake).”

    In particular, it helps in circulation and Red Blood Cell development: Copper and iron are also found in sorghum, and in a similar way as magnesium and calcium, copper helps to increase the uptake and absorption of iron into the body. This means a decreased likelihood of developing anemia, which is another name for iron deficiency. With enough iron and copper in your system, red blood cell development is increased, thereby boosting circulation of the blood, stimulating cellular growth and repair, and increasing the hair growth of the scalp, while also boosting energy levels throughout the body. A single serving of sorghum contains 58% of your daily recommended intake of copper.

  • Use of rests, breaks, relaxations, and vacations for wellbeing

    Rest is not just a desirable aspect of life but it is physically, mentally, and spiritually mandatory.  The body reacts and collapses when it is refused rest.  The mind goes crazy when it is refused rest.  From time immemorial, rest was prescribed through Mosaic religion and biblical story described God resting one day after six days of creation.  Perhaps other various religions indicate a need for rest.  Regular rest is biologically imposed on life and the elements of creation and their cycles of day and night and seasons are in concert with biology bringing us to times and stages of rest.  Through this circadian rhythm or system of biologic clocks we are able to stay healthy, feel well, and function optimally.  A healthy psychology should positively look forward to rests, whether the temporary ones all along life or the rest at the end of life in this world.  Even though we are bound to rest regularly, we enjoy rest best when we deserve it.  The body can always benefit from inactivity and sleep but psychological and spiritual gratification in rest occurs when we have spent ourselves well and are fulfilled.  Thus the actual experience of rest is more a consequence than a goal.

    A rest is a state of retreat from effort and labor that enables us to regain energy and momentum for our normal functions in life. Thus being in a prison cell or in any sort of real or virtual prison can never psychologically or spiritually give us true rest. We need to rest daily and our bodies have a system of hormones and sensitivity that rhymes with sunlight and other physical elements of the day to bring us to rest at night.  Nocturnal workers, through their activity, force their body regulatory functions to go against this natural system and reset it.

    We should take care of our daily rest whether it falls within the natural night time or, as in the case of nocturnal workers, it falls at another time.  Sleep is our major daily rest.  During sleep, the body, including the brain, is being serviced through involuntary and vital biological functions.  During sleep, most systems in our bodies are in a heightened anabolic (building/repairing) state.  The growth and rejuvenation of the immune, nervous, skeletal, and muscular systems are taking place. Sleep deprivation can make us feel sleepy at odd times and in odd places during the day.  A sleep-deprived person can function as poorly as a drunkard.

    One of the important effects of inadequate sleep is diminished brain function expressed in inability to pay attention, remember new information, react to signals, make decisions, and perform attention sustained tasks safely.  Another effect is on the mood expressed in lack of motivation, irritability, and inability to cope with common daily pressures.  Sleep difficulties are associated with some psychiatric disorders.  About 90% of adults with depression have sleep difficulties.  Many relationship problems within the family, in the workplace, and in society may ensue from such diminished mental functions.  Chronic sleep deprivation leads to less servicing of the body, cardiovascular problems, reduced immunity, increased susceptibility to infectious diseases, compensatory overeating, weight gain, and type II diabetes.

    We have a lot to lose by not sleeping well and a lot to gain by sleeping well.  Therefore, if we are ambitious to live life to the fullest, to be as fruitful as we ought to be with our lives, and to have continuous well being, one of the factors in our lives that we should take good care of is our sleep.

     

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