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Tag: World Health Organisation

  • WHO urges healthy eating in schools to shape lifelong habits

    WHO urges healthy eating in schools to shape lifelong habits

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called on countries to prioritise healthy eating in schools, highlighting the crucial role of school food environments in shaping children’s long-term health. In a statement, the organisation released a new global guideline offering evidence-based policies and interventions aimed at improving nutrition for students worldwide.

    For the first time, WHO recommends a whole-school approach to ensure that all food and beverages provided and available within school environments are nutritious and supportive of healthy diets. The organization said this approach is critical in addressing the so-called “double burden of malnutrition”—where childhood overweight and obesity rise alongside persistent u ndernutrition. “In 2025, about one in ten school-aged children and adolescents—roughly 188 million—were living with obesity worldwide, surpassing for the first time the number of children who are underweight,” WHO noted, underscoring the scale of the problem.

    WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, stressed that the foods children consume at school—and the environments shaping their choices—have profound implications for both learning and lifelong health. “Getting nutrition right at school is critical for preventing disease later in life and creating healthier adults,” Ghebreyesus said.

    Children spend a significant portion of their day in school, he added, making the school setting a powerful platform for instilling healthy dietary habits and reducing nutrition inequities. Yet, despite the fact that an estimated 466 million children worldwide receive school meals, there remains limited information on the nutritional quality of those meals. The new guideline urges countries to improve school food provision to encourage greater consumption of nutritious foods while limiting unhealthy options. Among the recommendations are the adoption of standards that increase the availability of healthy foods and beverages, alongside interventions that “nudge” children toward better choices. Such nudges could involve changing the placement, presentation, or pricing of food items to make healthier options more appealing and accessible.

    However, Ghebreyesus emphasized that policies alone are not enough. Effective implementation requires strong monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to ensure consistent compliance. According to data from the WHO Global Database on the Implementation of Food and Nutrition Action, as of October 2025, 104 member states had policies promoting healthy school food. Nearly three-quarters of these include mandatory criteria guiding the composition of school meals, though only 48 countries restrict the marketing of foods high in sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats.

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    The guideline was developed by a multidisciplinary team of international experts through a transparent, evidence-based process, reflecting the latest research on childhood nutrition. Ghebreyesus described it as a cornerstone of WHO’s broader mission to create healthier food environments, implemented under initiatives such as the WHO Acceleration Plan to Stop Obesity and the Nutrition-Friendly Schools Initiative.

    The recommendations also recognize the importance of local action. National, state, and city authorities all have roles to play in advancing school food initiatives, adapting policies to the realities of each community. WHO has pledged to support member states through technical assistance, knowledge-sharing, and collaborative efforts to implement the guideline effectively. Ultimately, WHO’s call underscores a simple but powerful idea: schools are not just places for learning mathematics and language—they are vital settings for shaping lifelong health habits. By improving what children eat at school and guiding them toward better choices, countries can make meaningful progress against obesity, undernutrition, and chronic disease, laying the foundation for a healthier, more resilient generation.

  • WHO, experts call for tougher action against tobacco industry

    WHO, experts call for tougher action against tobacco industry

    As the global death toll from tobacco-related illnesses surpasses eight million annually, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and public health advocates have intensified calls for governments to hold the tobacco industry accountable, amid growing concerns over its renewed strategies to derail progress in tobacco control.

    The latest WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2025, launched recently, alongside the outcomes of the World Conference on Tobacco Control (WCTC) in Ireland, spotlight a recurring theme: the tobacco and nicotine industries continue to obstruct efforts aimed at saving lives, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

    According to the WCTC declaration, governments must accelerate implementation of measures under the global tobacco treaty, the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), and recognise the tobacco industry as a primary barrier to public health progress.

    The declaration also calls for legal and financial accountability from tobacco companies, including compensation for the health and environmental harms they have caused.

    Despite two decades of global commitment, 183 State Parties have ratified the FCTC, tobacco remains the leading preventable cause of death worldwide, with the majority of fatalities occurring in the Global South.

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    Executive Director of Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Oluwafemi, during a virtual media briefing, said, “Products that cause preventable deaths like tobacco and nicotine cannot be labelled as ‘innovation.’

    He raised alarm over the tobacco industry’s deceptive rebranding, using buzzwords like “techno-innovation” to market new nicotine products such as e-cigarettes and vapes, especially targeting young people across Africa.

    Citing Philip Morris International’s (PMI) recent event in South Africa, Oluwafemi described it as a deliberate attempt to derail legislative reforms in that country.

    “PMI’s renewed focus on South Africa is not a coincidence. The country passed one of Africa’s strongest tobacco control laws 20 years ago and is now updating it to better regulate e-cigarettes and advertising. The tobacco industry is working overtime to dilute these laws before they take effect,” he said.

    He added that Africa’s relatively weak regulatory environment makes it vulnerable to exploitation by tobacco multinationals seeking new markets.

    WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that e-cigarettes are especially harmful to children and adolescents, adding that industry marketing tactics are designed to hook a new generation on nicotine.

    “The evidence is clear. We cannot allow a new generation to become addicted,” Tedros said during the report’s launch.

    The report traces over a century of tobacco industry interference in public health policy, highlighting how the same tactics are being recycled under new branding.

    Noted health lawyer Daniel Dorado Torres, Tobacco Campaign Director at Corporate Accountability, criticised the industry’s pivot toward “harm reduction” narratives.

    “This is not a transformation; it is vertical integration. The industry sells the harm, the addiction, and now the so-called solution,” Dorado said, pointing to marketing activities like music festivals in Colombia, where tobacco brands promoted products to youth under the guise of cultural sponsorships.

    Meanwhile, Dr Tara Singh Bam, Board Director of the Asia Pacific Cities Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT), stressed the need for a whole-of-government approach to tobacco control.

    “This is no longer just a health ministry issue. To #EndTobacco and #EndNicotine, we need clear, time-bound targets, strong inter-sectoral collaboration, and policy shields against industry influence,” he said.

    Journalists from Nepal, Kalpana Acharya and Ram Prasad Neupane, also shared success stories of how media scrutiny has helped expose tobacco lobbying in public policy spaces, urging stronger global media engagement in the fight.

    With a renewed global spotlight on the tobacco industry tactics and growing scientific consensus on the dangers of emerging nicotine products, public health advocates are urging governments to act decisively.

    The message is clear: Make Big Tobacco Pay. Not just with words, but through enforced regulations, legal liability, and a refusal to allow corporate interests to undermine public health.

  • WHO finds link to new COVID strain

    WHO finds link to new COVID strain

    World Health Organisation has linked new COVID variant, NB.1.8.1, detected in January, as a descendant of Omicron JN.1.

    WHO had announced the variant, spreading across the world and causing concern among global health authorities.

    It confirmed the variant was responsible for a number of infections globally, prompting it to designate it as a “variant under monitoring” due to its prevalence and potential to evade immunity from previous infections or vaccination.

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    It had gained ground, with WHO data showing it accounted for 10.7 per cent of globally sequenced cases between April 21 and 27, a significant rise from 2.5 per cent a month earlier.

  • Russia still reaping blessings of 2018 World Cup Hosting

     

    Hosts of 2018 World cup Russia, are still reaping the gains of the event which was held between June 14 and July 15 2018 in eleven Russian cities.

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared Tuesday that alcohol consumption in the country has dropped to all time low of 43%.

    The Organisation opined that the achievement was made under sport-loving president Vladimir Putin who has continued to approve moves at restrictions on alcohols sales and consumption and promotion while promoting healthy lifestyles.

    Recall that the authorities announced restrictions of alcohol sale and bans in some areas during the World cup in apparently to prevent a repeat of 2016 incident where fans clashed after Euro 2016 match between England and Russia.

    Moscow official Kirill Malyshkin had said during the World Cup “Executive power bodies have set the borders where the sale and consumption of alcohol will be banned, on the eve of a football World Cup match and the day it is held.”

    Gallant Russia players after losing to Croatia in the Q/final

    ‘The Russian Federation has long been considered one of the heaviest-drinking countries in the world,’ the report said, adding that alcohol was a major contributor to a spike in deaths in the 1990s.

    The report further linked the achievement to in increased life expectancies, which reached a historic peak in 2018, at 78 years for women and 68 years for men.

    Host Russia began their opening match of the 2018 World cup with a 5-0 demolition of Saudi Arabia and went all the way to the Quarter finals where they lost to eventual finalists Croatia on 3-4 on penalties after the match ended 2-2 after extra time.

  • 24m Nigerians at risk of mental disorder, WHO warns

    The World Health Organisation yesterday warned that over 24 million Nigerians may suffer from various mental illnesses, a situation worsened by the dismal number of health institutions and professionals.

    The frightening revelation was contained in the global agency’s 2018 report released at a workshop on health reporting during emergencies in Yola.

    The document observed that with the prevalence of mental disorder among Nigerians put at 12.1 per cent, many people from the North East might suffer one form of disorder or the other.

  • ‘Why men die earlier than women’

    A World Health Organisation (WHO) report says men are more likely to die earlier than women due to uneven access to health services.

    According to “2019 World Health Statistics” published on the WHO website on Thursday, the trend is similar in low and high-income countries as men often seek health care services less than women.

    The health statistics, which according to the report, was disaggregated by sex for the first time, stated that women outlived men everywhere in the world particularly in wealthy countries.

    The report said that where men and women faced the same disease, men often seek health care less than women.

    It said that only by intensifiying efforts to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) can countries close this health gap and improve the health and wellbeing of everyone.

    “Women outlive men everywhere in the world particularly in wealthy countries and the World Health Statistics 2019 disaggregated by sex for the first time explains why.

    “Attitudes to healthcare differ. Where men and women face the same disease, men often seek health care less than women.

    “In countries with generalised HIV epidemics for example, men are less likely than women to take an HIV test, less likely to access antiretroviral therapy and more likely to die of AIDS-related illnesses than women.

    “Similarly, male Tuberculosis (TB) patients appear to be less likely to seek care than female TB patients.

    “Where women can access health services, maternal deaths decrease thereby lengthening women’s life expectancy.

    Read also: World Health Day: WHO says depression affects 322m people worldwide

    “In many circumstances, men access health care less than women. The report also highlights the difference in causes of death between men and women.

    “Some are biological, some influenced by environmental and societal factors while some are impacted by availability of and uptake of health services,” the report said.

    It said that of the 40 leading causes of death globally, 33 causes contribute more to reduced life expectancy in men than in women.

    The report stated that in 2016, the probability of a 30-year-old dying from a non-communicable disease before 70 years of age was 44 per cent higher in men than women.

    According to the report, global suicide mortality rates are 75 per cent higher in men than in women in 2016.

    The report revealed that death rates from road injury were more than twice as high in men than in women from age 15 adding that mortality rates due to homicide were also four times higher in men than in women.

    The report quoted Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General, as saying that breaking down data by age, sex and income group was vital to understanding who was being left behind and why.

    Ghebreyesus said that behind every number in the World Health Statistics was a person, a family, a community or a nation.

    He said that the task of the organisation was therefore to use the data to make evidence-based policy decisions that would move everyone closer to a healthier, safer and fairer world.

    “The gap between men’s and women’s life expectancy is narrowest where women lack access to health services.

    “In low-income countries, where services are scarcer, one in 41 women die from a maternal cause, compared with one in 3,300 in high-income countries.

    “In more than 90 per cent of low-income countries, there are fewer than four nursing and midwifery personnel per 1000 people.

    “The report was published to coincide with World Health Day commemorated on April 7 yearly.

    “This year, the celebration focuses on primary health care as the foundation of UHC; the new WHO statistics highlight the need to improve access to primary health care worldwide and to increase uptake.

    “One of WHO’s triple billion goals is for one billion more people to have UHC by 2023.

    “This means improving access to services especially at community level and making sure those services are accessible, affordable, and effective for everyone regardless of their gender,” the director general said.

    Also, Dr Samira Asma, the WHO Assistant Director General for Data, Analytics and Delivery, said that these statistics underscored the need to prioritise primary health care urgently to effectively manage noncommunicable diseases and to curb risk factors.

    Asma explained that for instance, achieving something as simple as controlling blood pressure was just not happening on the scale needed and tobacco use remained a leading cause of premature death.

    She said however, that irrespective of the challenges, life expectancy has improved since 2000.

    The director general said that between 2000 and 2016, global life-expectancy at birth increased by 5.5 years which was from 66.5 to 72.0 years.

    “Healthy life expectancy at birth which is the number of years one can expect to live in full health has increased from 58.5 years in 2000 to 63.3 years in 2016.

    “Life expectancy remains strongly affected by income; in low-income countries, life expectancy is 18.1 years lower than in high-income countries. One child in every 14 born in a low-income country will die before their fifth birthday,” Asma said.

    She said that the organisation has for the first time published a Global Health Statistics disaggregated by sex.

    Asma said that this new analysis has provided insights into the health and needs of people around the world. (NAN)

  • Day Corona tackled child’s mental health, depression

    Mental health has been identified as a condition that can interfere with a child’s ability to function well. In  response to the alarming  rate at which teenage depression, suicide, and substance abuse is increasing in Nigeria, the Corona Schools’ Trust Council organised a one-day symposium to address. CHINAKA OKORO reports.

    According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), half of all mental illnesses begin at the age of 14 and three-quarter of this number occur in the mid-20. This statistics reveals that most of the mental cases experienced in children began at an early age.

    However, 70% of children and young people who experience mental health problem have not had appropriate interventions sufficiently, at least at the early age, the development that eventually prevent them from the resilience to cope with whatever life throws at them and grow into healthy adults.

    As part of its corporate social responsibilities, and in line with the Corona Schools Trust’s core value of providing service to the community, a one-day free symposium on mental health awareness for parents, teachers and school management was held at Tafawa Balewa Square Auditorium, Lagos on Saturday, March 23.

    The well-attended event led by the CEO of Corona School’s Trust Council, Mrs. Adeyoyin Adesina brought together experts who highlighted some factors militating against child’s mental health. In its first edition, topics such as how to raise a total child devoid of depression and suicidal thoughts, child abuse and personality disorder, building a child’s self-esteem, revealing the secret signs of hidden depression and proffering solutions to post-trauma stress disorder, were discussed.

    In her welcome address, Adesina said: “Lending our voice to this growing global menace militating against child’s mental health became imperative especially in our environment where such developments are often swept under the carpet, where information on mental health service is lacking and there is considerable neglect of mental health issues.

    “The statistics of young people recorded annually to be suffering from depression, suicide, sex, child and substance abuse is heart-breaking. Mental health issues have become more disastrous than sicknesses such as diabetes, asthma, cancer and even HIV. “It is a reality that mental illnesses cost families, communities and our nation much in terms lives. This is the time for parents, teachers and caregivers to be more sensitive and deliberate about moulding the next generation and be well knowledgeable to do it the right way because times are changing.

    “The parenting methods that worked in the past may no longer be effective in this era. More so, the level of exposure of our youths and children to substance, physical and emotional abuse has grown exponentially. We need to be equipped with the right information to identify the signs, make a difference and a positive impact in the lives of these young ones, and even adults who are so affected.”

    On ‘ways to build a child’s self-esteem, one of the guest speakers and Psychotherapist, Gbemisola Ogunrinde said self-esteem issue is mental related.  According to her, it is when an individual sees himself or herself differently from who he or she thinks should be that it dawns on the individual that something is wrong. This is very common with children who lack the right upbringing. When we talk about mental illness, it can be attributed to several factors  and  ‘not spiritual’ as we always think in this part of the world. It could be genetic; mental illness is more common in people whose blood relatives also have mental illness. Certain genes may increase one’s risk of developing a mental illness, and one’s life situation may trigger it., as a result of adverse childhood experiences, or exposure to environmental stressors, inflammatory conditions, toxins, alcohol or drugs while in the womb can sometimes be linked to mental illness.

    Throwing more light on causes of low self-esteem, Ogunrinde said it can occur when a child is struggling academically without parental support. Children who do have a hard time in school in general, or even in a particular subject, who do not receive the help and support they need at school, or at home, are at a great risk of suffering from low self-esteem. This makes them feel like they cannot be successful, and that they are not smart or good at school.

    She added that “bullying is another issue that can start young, and lasts a lifetime. Children and teens who are bullied, teased, and put down, develop a negative self-image that can carry over into their adult lives. If parents, teachers, administrators, or a solid peer group does not step in to undo the damage that a bully is causing, the individual can hold on to this pain and negative self-image for a lifetime. But as parents and teachers, the bulk of the work is with us. “We should endeavour to pay attention to our children. Don’t be too busy not to have time for your child. Symptoms of low self-esteem include feeling hopeless or worthless, blaming oneself unfairly, hating oneself and worrying about being unable to do things, among others.”

    The only solution, Ogunrinde said, is  that “parents, teachers and guardians must teach children how  to like and value themselves, trust them to be able to make some decisions that affect their lives, recognise their strengths, help them to be able to try new or difficult things, show kindness towards themselves, move past mistakes without blaming themselves unfairly, help them believe they matter and are good enough and deserve happiness.”

    Speaking on how to raise a total child devoid of depression and suicidal thoughts’, Mental Health Physician and Advocate, Dr. Maymunah Yusuf Kadiri first debunked the notion that children can’t get depressed, even as he said  mental illness in children is real, but manageable.

    “People often believe that children can’t get depressed, but forget that depression is not bound by age, colour or race. Although, depression could be hereditary, it often times, caused by several incidences occurring in the child that he is bottling up; especially when the parents are not there for him or her.

    “As a parent, you must note that your biggest asset in life is your children, hence you must intentionally connect with them. Because it is only when you connect with them that you will notice decline in school performance, their poor grades despite strong efforts, constant worry or anxiety, repeated refusal to take part in normal activities they used to enjoy doing before, hyperactivity or fidgeting, persistent nightmares, persistent disobedience or aggression, frequent temper tantrums, sadness or irritability which are all signs of depression in children. They could even take to alcohol and drug abuse, have sleep disorder or often lose appetite even for favourite foods.

    “Parents, do not be shy to seek help from specialist once any of these signs are noticed. Then try and engage with your child a lot. Listen to them without being eager to respond. Hear all they have to say, and know that, the mind of a child is more fragile than that of an adult. They pay attention to everything, especially how you treat them and attend to their calls.”

    The Director of Education CSTC, Mrs. Amelia Dafeta said: ”The Corona Trust Council decided to lend a voice to the issue of mental health having noticed the rate at which the ailment is growing as you sometimes hear of children committing suicide. Hence, we decided to contribute our own quota to the society by raising awareness about this and creating the consciousness in parents and teachers to pay attention to their children.”

    Commenting on the significance of the event, Principal, Corona Secondary School, Mrs. Chinedum Oluwadamilola noted that “the event is a wake-up call to parents to take their mental health and that of their child seriously”, as a stitch in time saves nine.

    Also speaking about the continuity of the event, Mrs. Adesina said: “As you know, Corona is the best and always stand for the best. This is the first edition. Hopefully, we would be replicating this in subsequent years and definitely on a bigger scale.”

  • ‘Nigeria has highest world burden in measles’

    Nigeria occupies the top position on the global burden of measles with 3.3 million un-immunised children.

    Borno State Coordinator of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Dr. Audu Idawo said this at a stakeholders’ meeting in preparation for the launch of the measles vaccination campaign in the state.

    “Despite the availability of safe and effective vaccines, Nigeria accounts for the highest burden of measles globally, with 3.3 million unimmunised children,” Dr. Idawo said.

    The campaign  is to run from March  21-25 in conjunction with the Ministry of Health, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and WHO.

    It targets 1.7 million children from the age of six months to 10 years.

    Director of Disease Control in the state’s Primary Health Care Agency Babagana Adiso said: “Immunisation remains one of the most effective ways to protect children from killer diseases. This campaign gives us the opportunity to protect the lives of children at risk of missing out on routine immunisation in Borno.”

    According to the Nigeria 2017 Demographic Health Survey, only 65 per cent of eligible children received their first dose of measles vaccine every year. In Borno, this low coverage led to the deaths of 13 children in the current measles outbreak. Routine vaccination for children, combined with mass immunisation campaigns, remained a key public health strategy to reduce measles deaths.

    UNICEF’s Borno Chief of Field Office Geoffrey Ijumba said “UNICEF will continue to support Nigeria to reach every child with the measles vaccine. I urge everyone to ensure that all children access the vaccine during the campaign period.”

    Reports showed that measles is one of the most contagious infections known to humans, and ranks among the top four childhood killers worldwide.

    The measles vaccine will be administered free-of-charge in mosques, villages, IDP camps and health facilities, targeting children under the age of 10 in high-risk areas of Borno, irrespective of their previous measles vaccination status or history of disease.

    The campaign is planned in two phases. The first phase will take place in Maiduguri Metropolitan Local Government Authority in Borno from March 21-25, and includes the most affected and at-risk areas as well as accessible settlements. The second phase will be done later in the year, and will cover the remaining 12 councils.

  • When not to take ‘agbo’

    According to the World health organisation (WHO), traditional medicine is generally available, affordable, and commonly used in large parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

    WHO estimates that about 80 per cent of the population in developing countries still depends on traditional medicine for their Primary Healthcare (PHC) needs; however, this percentage may vary from country to country.

    In Nigeria, many people, especially in the South-West region, believe and rely on local herbs for medication.

    ‘Agbo’, the Yoruba name for herbal medicines, is a concoction prepared from a variety of herbs and; it is one of the most popular herbal preparations taken for various ailments, especially by the native Yoruba people.

    It has also seen a lot of patronage and acceptance by other tribes too; Agbo can be soaked in water, alcohol or even palmwine before one drink it.

    However, medical experts raise concerns on the after effects of taking Agbo, especially over a long period of time.

    One of such concerns is that it can damage the kidney and liver; also, there are concerns on its preparation which include the handling, dosage requirement for each ailment, shelf live and expiration date.

    Recently, at an event to commemorate the 2019 World Kidney Day on March 14, experts raised awareness on the importance of guarding against acts which can lead to kidney disease.

    The event which was organised by the Renal Dialysis Centre, Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, saw experts also empahsising the need to reduce or even desist from consuming local concoctions, especially Agbo because of the possible resultant effects.

    Dr Chinedu Odum, a Nephrologist, said: “In this environment we talk about herbs and we hear many people say the take Agbo’’ or herbs.

    “They say the herbs clean their system but the truth is that this concoction people are taking, some of them have bad effect on the kidney. It can damage the kidney

    “It is a lot cheaper to prevent kidney damage because once you have kidney damage there is no going back; even those who are rich can’t maintain, afford or keep up with dialysis.

    “They can’t even maintain or afford to have kidney transplantation, not to talk of the masses who are not generally or financially equipped to take care of the disease.

    “So, we want to implore people to be aware of kidney disease but more importantly, to be more aware of the factors that increase the illness.’’

    However, Odum highlighted other causes of kidney disease to include high blood pressure which is the number one causes of kidney disease in Africa and of which many people don’t know that they have it.

    “Apart from blood pressure, diabetics and anyone who has long standing high blood sugar can come down with complications; one of the complications is kidney disease.

    “Also, bleaching; some of those creams have some components which can damage the kidney; they also have components that will increase the risk of diabetes and blood pressure.

    “The environment we live in is also very important; infection in this environment too contributes to kidney disease; so we have people who come down with frequent urinary tract infection.

    “If it is not taken care of, they can have chronic kidney infection which can lead to kidney disease and if that’s not channelled, we will be talking of dialysis,’’ the Nephrologist said.

    Dr John Okoh, Founder and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the RDC, confirms that these concoction of herbs have negative impact on vital organs of the body, especially the kidney.

    He urged Nigerians to be aware of the causes and risk factors of getting kidney disease.

    Dr Nkem Achor told NAN that one of the major concerns in consuming Agbo is that one cannot ascertain the dosage and expiration of the mixture, hence the tendency to either under-dose or over-dose.

    “People who take Agbo do not know when it becomes under dose or over dose and this can affect the multisystem functions of the kidney and liver, which are critical to the functioning of the body.

    “Also, it can lead to blood poisoning, gastrointestinal challenges, vomiting, diarrhea, anemia and even death, if mismanaged or not detected early.

    “However, one is not ruling out the efficacy of these herbs, but it is worthy to emphasise that if it is to be taken, it should be after thorough scientific research and approval.

    “Also, the preparation has to follow standard supervised procedure under hygienic circumstances with appropriate dosage requirements spelt out and expiration date written.

    “If these are not adhered to, people will continue to take Agbo indiscriminately; some may get lucky and be healed but a majority will come down with more debilitating and chronic situations which may be too late for hospitals to handle.’’

    Dr. Ebun Bamgbose of the Dialysis/Transplant Unit and Clinical Director of St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos, in an earlier interview said that most of the kidney failures, also known as renal failure or end stage renal disease, could be linked to indiscriminate use of these concoctions.

    This is because the herbs are mixed with all sorts, including local gin and there are toxic substances in the unprocessed materials and fermentation.

    A research was conducted by Akande IS, Adewoyin OA, Njoku UF and Awosika SO of the Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Nigeria.

    The research, “Biochemical Evaluation of Some Locally Prepared Herbal Remedies (Agbo) Currently on High Demand in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria’’, was published in the Journal of Drug Metabolism & Toxicology, affirmed the negative effects of Agbo on the body.

    It said: “Based on these findings, we conclude that though these preparations are potential sources of natural antioxidants, but majority of those being hawked on Lagos metropolis may be harmful to human health.

    “This is because many of the hawkers are likely to be quacks. There is also a need for standardisation of dosage regimens and close scrutiny of pedigree of the peddlers of these herbal remedies by appropriate government agencies,’’ the research prescribed.

    • Ihechu is of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

  • Kidney disease: why you should not take ‘agbo’

    According to the World health organisation (WHO), traditional medicine is generally available, affordable, and commonly used in large parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

    WHO estimates that about 80 per cent of the population in developing countries still depend on traditional medicine for their Primary Healthcare (PHC) needs; however, this percentage may vary from country to country.

    In Nigeria, many people, especially in the South-West region, believe and rely on local herbs for medication.

    `Agbo’, the Yoruba name for herbal medicines, is a concoction prepared from a variety of herbs and; it is one of the most popular herbal preparations taken for various ailments, especially by the native Yoruba people.

    It has also seen a lot of patronage and acceptance by other tribes too; Agbo can be soaked in water, alcohol or even palmwine before one drinks it.

    However, medical experts raise concerns on the after effects of taking Agbo, especially over a long period of time.

    One of such concerns is that it can damage the kidney and liver; also, there are concerns on its preparation which include the handling, dosage requirement for each ailment, shelf live and expiration date.

    Recently, at an event to commemorate the 2019 World Kidney Day on March 14, experts raised awareness on the importance of guarding against acts which can lead to kidney disease.

    The event which was organised by the Renal Dialysis Centre, Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, saw experts also empahsising the need to reduce or even desist from consuming local concoctions, especially Agbo because of the possible resultant effects.

    Dr Chinedu Odum, a Nephrologist, said: “In this environment we talk about herbs and we hear many people say the take Agbo’’ or herbs.

    “They say the herbs clean their system but the truth is that this concoction people are taking, some of them have bad effect on the kidney. It can damage the kidney

    “It is a lot cheaper to prevent kidney damage because once you have kidney damage there is no going back; even those who are rich can’t maintain, afford or keep up with dialysis.

    “They can’t even maintain or afford to have kidney transplantation, not to talk of the masses who are not generally or financially equipped to take care of the disease.

    “So, we want to implore people to be aware of kidney disease but more importantly, to be more aware of the factors that increase the illness.’’

    However, Odum highlighted other causes of kidney disease to include high blood pressure which is the number one causes of kidney disease in Africa and of which many people don’t know that they have it.

    “Apart from blood pressure, diabetics and anyone who has long standing high blood sugar can come down with complications; one of the complications is kidney disease.

    Read Also: Dangote Foundation boosts Nigeria’s WHO certification

    “Also, bleaching; some of those creams have some components which can damage the kidney; they also have components that will increase the risk of diabetes and blood pressure.

    “The environment we live in is also very important; infection in this environment too contribute to kidney disease; so we have people who come down with frequent urinary tract infection.

    “If it is not taken care of, they can have chronic kidney infection which can lead to kidney disease and if that’s not channelled, we will be talking of dialysis,’’ the Nephrologist said.

    Dr John Okoh, Founder and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the RDC, confirms that these concoction of herbs have negative impact on vital organs of the body, especially the kidney.

    He urged Nigerians to be aware of the causes and risk factors of getting kidney disease.

    Dr Nkem Achor, told NAN that one of the major concerns in consuming Agbo is that one cannot ascertain the dosage and expiration of the mixture, hence the tendency to either under-dose or over-dose.

    “People who take Agbo do not know when it becomes under dose or over dose and this can affect the multisystem functions of the kidney and liver, which are critical to the functioning of the body.

    “Also, it can lead to blood poisoning, gastrointestinal challenges, vomiting, diarrhea, anemia and even death, if mismanaged or not detected early.

    “However, one is not ruling out the efficacy of these herbs, but it is worthy to emphasise that if it is to be taken, it should be after thorough scientific research and approval.

    “Also, the preparation has to follow standard supervised procedure under hygienic circumstances with appropriate dosage requirements spelt out and expiration date written.

    “If these are not adhered to, people will continue to take Agbo indiscriminately; some may get lucky and be healed but a majority will come down with more debilitating and chronic situations which may be too late for hospitals to handle’’.

    Dr. Ebun Bamgbose of the Dialysis/Transplant Unit and Clinical Director of St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos, in an earlier interview said that most of the kidney failures, also known as renal failure or end stage renal disease, could be linked to indiscriminate use of these concoctions.

    This is because the herbs are mixed with all sorts, including local gin and there are toxic substances in the unprocessed materials and fermentation.

    In summary, a research was conducted by Akande IS, Adewoyin OA, Njoku UF and Awosika SO of the Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Nigeria.

    The research, “Biochemical Evaluation of Some Locally Prepared Herbal Remedies (Agbo) Currently on High Demand in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria’’, was published in the Journal of Drug Metabolism & Toxicology, affirmed the negative effects of Agbo on the body.

    It said: “Based on these findings, we conclude that though these preparations are potential sources of natural antioxidants, but majority of those being hawked on Lagos metropolis may be harmful to human health.

    “This is because many of the hawkers are likely to be quacks.

    “There is also a need for standardisation of dosage regimens and close scrutiny of pedigree of the peddlers of these herbal remedies by appropriate government agencies,’’ the research prescribed. (NANFeatures)

    **If used, please credit the writer and the News Agency of Nigeria