Month: June 2022

By Uzair Adam Imam 

The level of dilapidation in Sir Muhammadu Sunusi Specialist Hospital, Yankaba, Kano, has graduated something not less monstrous.

Despite the Kano State Government’s claim that Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje’s second tenure would pay more attention to health and education, patients in the hospital have recounted their harrowing tales of how they live miserably without water and light.

Our reporter visited the hospital. He met some patients in dire situations, fighting excessive heat with their hand fans, which has thrown many of them into a dilemma.

The Daily Reality learned that all the taps in the hospital are not working, except one borehole, which the patients said works for less than one hour every day.

Recounting their experiences, some patient sitters complained that they used sachet water, alias pure water, to bathe, flush toilets, make ablutions and wash their dishes. 

They also complained about the lack of electricity, which they said was responsible for many problems in the hospital. 

A patient, who pleaded anonymity, complained that he spent days without bathing because almost all the sources of water in the hospital were dead.,

He said, “I spend days without bathing because there is no water. Sometimes our brothers go outside the hospital and call a water vendor (“dan ga–ruwa“).

“Also, after all these difficulties, we slept in the dark without light at night. Mosquitoes exploit the opportunity to disturb our nights. The situation is just terrible.” 

Also, a patient sitter, Mukhtar Muhammad (not real name), stated that they really faced difficulties mainly at night.

He said, “There is neither electricity nor water in the hospital. Thus we live in the heat with mosquitos singing and biting our patients and us.

“I have wanted to use water since yesterday. But there is no water in the tap. So I had to go outside in search of a water vendor.”

No water to wash new-born babies 

Aishatu Isma’il decried that it was indeed a slap on the face for a big hospital like Sir Sunusi to allow this problem to be exacerbated.

“How can you imagine the state of a hospital without water or electricity? You would have shaded tears if you see women as they gave birth; there would be no water to clean the mother or her baby,” she bitterly said.

A group of four women, who happened to be patient sitters of their relatives, confided in our reporter that they used sachets water for there was no water in the hospital. 

They added that there was no water in the hospital to even flush the toilets after being used.

They added that the condition of the hospital’s pharmacy too was deplorable as one would only get one or two medicine out of the five or six he was looking for. 

The patients also urged the Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to set up a committee to investigate the matter.

Responding, the Managing Director of the hospital, Dr Abdussalam Usman Danjaji, told our reporter that all preparations to address the issues were in top gear.

Danjaji said, “Due to the electricity problem, the diesel provided to us by the government was never enough to use for thirty days.

“And we don’t want to add additional charges to what people are paying. If we do that, we can provide people with light, only that many people cannot afford to settle their bills,” he added.

By Audu Haruna J.

There are so many simple ways through which each and every individual can take very good care of himself. In fact, there is no one to take good care of you, more than you. These easy procedures can vary, to some extent, between ladies and gentlemen, this is probably due to their biological and physical composition. Therefore, let us see these tactics for men, and for women.

● Care of the Genitals – For Men
Change your boxers frequently. Instead of sniffing it to know if it is still suitable for reuse simply have a ‘1 boxer a day’ policy. Let me further explain why you shouldn’t reuse boxers. You will recall the previous write up I did on understanding body odours. The pubic area has an abundance of apocrine glands that produce sweat rich in substances suitable for use by microorganisms. There is therefore more microorganism-sweat interaction in the pubic area (and armpits) than any other part of the body making them the most prone to bad smell. These microorganisms are also collected by your boxers. When you have your bath, you wash them off your genital area. But when you reuse the boxers of yesterday, rather than start afresh, you simply reintroduce those populations stuck on the boxers back into the genital area. Thus people who reuse boxers are more likely to have a smelly pubic area.

●Shave your pubic areas when due.
You would wonder why anyone will neglect his most prized organ to be overgrown by ‘bushes’. Not only will you sweat more, you simply create a good environment for microbial ‘wildlife’ to thrive (pardon my sarcasm). Shave the pubic hairs when they are dyed and do it properly. Some men don’t know how to shave down there. They only shave off the visible/frontal part alone. You should include the hairs on the scrotal sack, that hidden crevice where the scrotum meets your thigh, and the stretch all the way to the anus. These hidden places are even the reservoirs of genital smells. A person may shave regularly but these parts he hasn’t touched in nearly a year. Please be thorough. This may not be related, but your pregnant wife in the last trimester may need your help with shaving because the bulging stomach may make it difficult for her to do it herself unless you don’t mind someone else doing it for her in the labour ward.

●Try to keep the genital area dry, don’t leave it damp. Dry yourself properly after having your bath before wearing your boxers (men know how impatient they can be about this especially when late for work). Due to the impact of water activity on microbial growth, a moist genital area makes life conducive for bacteria and fungi to thrive. The most common infection that results from a damp genital area is Tinea cruris (Jock itch) which causes an itchy, smelly and sometimes reddish ring-shaped rash on the genitals. If you notice this increases your hygiene in the genital area, avoid undies unless it becomes necessary (for instance go boxer less while at home) and seek medical assistance for an antifungal prescription.

So, if you don’t shave regularly and properly, don’t change your boxers frequently, and still keep a damp genital area, I can not begin to imagine how you smell down there. You can do better! May I add that it will be cruel for someone like you to demand oral sex from your wife!

●Avoid Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) as much as you can. Abstain from random sexcapades and stick to your wife. Use condoms if you insist (at least to protect your innocent wife at home). However, know that condoms do not protect you from all STIs.

For Women

It is important that as a woman you have a female who is a health professional with whom you can easily discuss changes in your body and get the right advice. This could be a friend, relative, acquaintance or even a social media personality you follow. You need the right information as there is a lot of misinformation out there.

● You need twice as much, all that has been said above about men. Biologically you are more ‘delicate’ and need more ‘maintenance’ than men. If men are Nokia -cheap and rugged, women are like Samsung – expensive and fragile, to be handled with care.

●The vagina is self-cleansing. You don’t need yoni pearls and those other ‘vagina cleansers’ out there whatever the claim of miracles. If you notice ‘abnormal’ changes in the smell and discharge from your genitals consult your Doctor.

●White and 100% cotton underwear is what is recommended, for proper aeration of the genitals and to reduce the chance of trapping microbes. Nylon, acetate and other kinds of underwear made from synthetic (man-made) materials make you prone to irritation. They may be sexier but not necessarily ideal.

●Insertions, especially when done for masturbation (making it frequent) makes you prone to infection.

●Use mild soaps only to wash the (outer) genital area to avoid irritation.

●Do not abuse antibiotics as this may upset the balance of beneficial bacteria (LAB) in your vagina allowing for pathogens to colonise the area.

●Follow female health professionals on social media for more health tips (you may tag and appreciate some you know doing a wonderful job).

‘Dirty’ and ‘woman’ are two words that should never go together for it will be a sight for sore eyes.

Audu Haruna J. is a lecturer from the Faculty of Pharmacy, Kaduna State University, Nigeria. He can be reached via:
harun1789@yahoo.com

By Aminu Adamu Naganye

Kano State Fire Service said fire incidences have killed 14 people and destroyed properties worth over 17 million Naira in the month of May in the State.

This is contained in a statement of monthly of activities of the service made available to journalists in Kano Wednesday by the Service Public Relations Officer, PFS Saminu Abdullahi.

The statement added that 112 people were rescued at different locations by the officers of the Service.

PFS Abdullahi further revealed that People’s properties worth over 52 million naira were saved.

The statement reads in part: “State Fire Service received emergency calls from our twenty seven 27 fire stations across the State in the month under review. We received 59 fire calls, 74 rescue calls and 19 false alarms.

“Estimated properties destroyed by the fire :#17,730,000.00k; estimated properties saved# 52,080,000.00k; the total number of deaths in the month of May we registered 14 lives were lost.

“The number of people that we successfully saved from different incidences 112 people.”

Meanwhile, PFS Abdullahi further said 20 animals were burnt to death while three people were hospitalised in Unguwar Gyartai community of Kunchi Local Government Area of Kano State on Tuesday.

The PRO noted that 20 other people were rescued while eight local food storage (silos) were burnt to ashes in the inferno.

He said Firemen from nearby Bichi Fire Station were mobilised were they saved numerous animals and houses adjacent to the scene of the fire incident.

“Twenty (20) sheep’s and goats burnt to death, and one (1) sheep, one (1) goat were rescued…eight (8) local food storage (Rumbu) well alight.

“While fire escalated to one ground floor of about 200 X 200ft used as a dwelling house with four (4) rooms involved.”

“With good effort of our men, the fire became under control, and successfully saved Twenty (20) rooms, Two (2) local food storage, and forty (40) domestic animals from the fire and control the spreading of fire to the near by structures.”

PFS Abdullahi therefore called on the general public to always abide by the fire safety guidelines to save lives and properties.

By Muhammad Aminu

A Nigerian based agro-allied company, Silvex International, in partnership with a UK and US based Kingston Organic and Regen Farm have trained 220 farmers from Kano and Jigawa States on climate smart agriculture in Ajingi Local Government Area of Kano State.

At least 30 field officers were equally trained in the programme.

This was made known in a statement by the Vice President-Nigeria Operations, Kingston Organic PLC, Sunusi Bature.

Bature said that the programme is part of the Silvex’s preparation for the full scale implementation of this new innovation of producing organic foods in Nigeria.

The training conducted in Ajingi Local Government with 220 farmers and 30 field coordinators from Kano and Jigawa States focused basic concept of the regenerative agriculture, digital platform for farmers and contract farming.

The statement reads: “The farmers were sensitized on the techniques involved in producing organic food items with a priority given to hibiscus, sesame seed and groundnut. The participants are expected to step down the training to other farmers across the two states of Kano and Jigawa.”

“Silvex International Limited with the support from the British FCDO LINKS Project has already enrolled thirty thousand (30,000) farmers in its digital platform for the regenerative and climate smart agriculture in Kano and Jigawa states and it’s expected to onboard up to one hundred thousand farmers by the end of 2022.”

“The digital platform gives access to real time and verifiable data on the farmers and their activities at the farm, which include farm size, socio-economic profile, weather condition, date of planting, projected date of harvest and expected yield.”

By Ahmad Deedat Zakari

An investigation by the United Kingdom media regulatory agency, Ofcom, has shown that women are more prone to online attacks than men. 

According to the study, women are wearier of their online presence and prone to discriminatory, hateful and trolling content. They also feel less able to have a voice and share opinions online than their male counterpart. 

Ofcom then calls for technology firms that build sites and apps used by millions of people in the UK to act and make online space safer for women and girls.

Also, according to the study, women from minority ethnic backgrounds are more likely to be affected by their painful online experiences. 

“The message from women who go online is loud and clear. They are less confident about their personal online safety, and feel the negative effects of harmful content like trolling more deeply.

“We urge tech companies to take women’s online safety concerns seriously and place people’s safety at the heart of their services. That includes listening to feedback from users when they design their services and the algorithms that serve up content,” says Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom’s Chief Executive.