Health

By Uzair Adam Imam 

Kano State has recorded more than 2.8 million hospital visits due to the menace of malaria in 2021, the Commissioner for Health, Aminu Tsanyawa, said.

Tsanyawa spoke yesterday at a press briefing to commemorate 2022 World Malaria Day.

This, according to Tsanyawa, made the disease the single most common reason for about 60 per cent of outpatient visitations and consultations in Kano state. 

However, Tsanyawa recalled that the Kano state government, in collaboration with its partners, did its best to mitigate the menace.

He said, “between July and October 202, the state government, in collaboration with its partners, administered more than 13,110,365 doses of malaria prevention drugs (sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine and Amodiaquine SP+AQ) with a view to preventing malaria and deaths in children under the age of five.”

Furthermore, Tsanyawa sounded a clarion call on residents to avail their children aged 3-59 months for the forthcoming 4-day cycles of mass distribution of malaria prevention drugs. 

By Ja’afar Ja’afar

As your little one starts to explore the world of solid foods, he will learn to differentiate the tastes of different food items. This is where the struggle of a parent begins. Despite being a picky eater, making sure your child gets all the required nutrients can be frustrating. At times this frustration makes parents go overboard, and they pressurise their children to eat. Even though done with good intentions, force-feeding is never a good idea when it comes to the developing years of your child.

What is force-feeding?

Force-feeding is basically forcing your child to finish the whole served food against their will. When happy mealtimes turn into a war between parents and children with a plate full of healthy foods in between, parents generally end up using force-feeding as the ultimate strike. Even though it seems harmless, it never leads to a “win-win” situation and can do more harm than good to your child.

Instead of force-feeding your child to eat a particular food, try to prepare different variants of dishes, including that food along with the food groups your child enjoys eating.

How do parents force-feed?

Here are a few common ways parents tend to force-feed their children –

• Deciding on your own what, when and how much your child should eat.
• Nagging, scolding or threatening your child to finish his plate.
• Bribing or blackmailing your child into finishing his food and rewarding him later.
• Punishing your children if they don’t eat.
• Comparing your child with siblings or other children to make them feel shame or competitiveness.
• Literally forcing food into your child’s mouth and making him swallow.
• Ignoring his pleas to eat less and using fear to force him to eat.

Force-feeding seems to get the work done for the time being and may give you the “mission accomplished” feeling too. However, it actually can have harmful effects on your child. Let’s discuss seven negative effects of force-feeding that are usually seen among children:

1. Destruction of your child’s natural appetite

The natural desire to eat is known as one’s appetite. During mealtime, constant nagging and force-feeding will make your child lose interest in food and disrupt your child’s natural appetite. Forcing your child too much may lead to him puking out everything and hating even the idea of eating.

2. Strong aversion towards food

Studies have shown that force-fed kids often end up developing a strong aversion toward food. The negativity associated with food makes them traumatised and nauseous. This aversion sticks around even when they grow up as these foods continue to subconsciously remind them of the panic and bad memories of childhood.

3. Stressful meal-times

It is in human nature to avoid anything that causes stress or discomfort. The only way a child will accept something is if they enjoy it while doing it. Forcefully feeding your child healthy foods on his plate can leave him with a stressful and unpleasant experience. Hence instinctively, he will only learn to hate mealtimes and continue to struggle with food.

4. Inclination towards sugary or junk foods

Force-fed children often learn to develop unhealthy food habits. This happens because a force-fed child never learns when to stop eating as they get accustomed to overeating during those force-feeding sessions. Also, due to their hatred towards healthy foods, they get attracted more to sugary or junk foods.

5. Lose control over their eating habits

As parents, your ultimate focus should be on making your child less dependent on you and learning to do everything themselves. But, the more you take control and force-feed your child, the less control he will have over his own eating habits. This will hamper his life and food habits even as he grows up.

6. Development of eating disorders

Since force-fed children never learn how much food their bodies require, they tend to overeat or undereat even when they grow up. This loss of control over eating habits can lead to serious eating disorders such as obesity, anorexia, bulimia, etc.

7. Disrupted eating pattern

Every human body has a different food capacity and metabolism rate. The amount you decide to give your child may be much more than his capacity to digest. If you force-feed him to finish the entire serving even after he tells you that he is full, you are feeding him an excess amount. He will need more time to digest that portion, so he won’t be hungry when you serve his next meal. As the cycle continues, your child’s natural digestive pattern will end up getting disrupted.

Ja’afar Ja’afar sent this article via mrjaafar64@gmail.com.

By Kabir Fagge Ali

The rate of drug and illicit substances abuse among Nigerian youths is alarming. It is heading towards a national emergency, which should be considered and treated appropriately with the kind of attention it deserves in our today’s modern society.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in the last 24 years, cannabis potency has increased by as much as four times in parts of the world, even as the percentage of adolescents who perceived the drug as harmful fell by as much as 40 per cent.

This is despite the evidence that cannabis use is associated with various health issues and other harms, especially among regular long-term users.

Meanwhile, a worrisome development that should not be treated with levity is that there are 11 million cannabis users in Nigeria, a third of whom seem to be regular users needing drug counselling.

Similarly, the world drug report further noted that “Between 2010 and 2019, the number of people using drugs increased by 22 per cent, owing to global population growth. Based on demographic changes alone, current projections suggest an 11 per cent rise in the number of people who use drugs globally by 2030 – and a marked increase of 40 per cent in Africa due to its rapidly growing and young population. In Nigeria, this would signify that the country will have to grapple with approximately 20 million drug users by 2030, further deepening the public health and public security challenge”.

Recall that the Chairman of the National Drug and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Buba Marwa, a retired major general, while reeling out some statistics, said Nigeria was not only the highest user of cannabis worldwide but that revelations from kidnapped victims had corroborated the facts that illicit substances were enablers of insecurity currently plaguing the country.

He noted, “it is not difficult to conclude that drugs have been catalysts of terrorism, kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery and various violent conflicts currently troubling the country.

The consequences of drug abuse can never be overemphasized, as it has birthed a lot of problems not only in the family but in the nation and the international community. Medical issues associated with drug abuse include mental disorders, liver cirrhosis, lethargy, irritability, and heart disorders. Studies also reveal that drug addiction contributes largely to social consequences such as internet fraud, gang formation, disruption of normal educational activities, cultism, violence, armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, sexual abuse, and reduced productivity.

Experts asserted that so many factors are responsible for indulging youths in drug and substances abuse worldwide. These include but are not limited to reasons such as; Parental abuse, depression, peer pressure, peer group influence, the proliferation of quacks in the drug trade, early childhood and adult trauma, and environmental circumstances.

Drug and alcohol abuse in Nigeria are serious problems and has mainly contributed to the sorry state of our dear nation. Therefore, we can no longer continue to ignore the implication of such action as it poses a threat to our lives and that of the upcoming generations.

Talking about the way out – the government alone cannot eradicate this social menace. It is a joint task involving every individual, community, family, school, civil society, religious organization, the media, business entities, and traditional leaders to halt the ugly trend.

Most of these drug abusers are jobless individuals roaming about the streets. Thus, the government should step up an effort to provide them with jobs, while others could be empowered with the necessary skills and tools to start their own business to carter for themselves and their family.

Again, the government should remember that stemming the tide of drug abuse is akin to solving the security challenges currently bedevilling the country. The time to take action is long overdue.

Fagge is a Student of Mass Communication at Skyline University Nigeria. He sent this article via faggekabir29@gmail.com.

By Abdullahi Abdullateef

A team of researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, says it has reviewed over 357 publications estimating 15.8% of the global population have a headache on any given day signifying the prevalence of headache worldwide.

This estimation is reported in a review of 357 publications from between 1961 and the end of 2021. The review was published in The Journal of Headache on Tuesday, 12th April, 2022.

Noting that the majority of publications reported in the review indicate the prevalance of headache among adults between 20 and 65. It also reports that children upto five years of age and adolescents suffered acute headache.

Similarly, the newswise.com reports that of the 357 publications reviewed, it has found that 52% of the global population have experienced a headache disorder within a given year, with 14% reporting a migraine. 26% percent reporting a tension-type headache and 4.6% reporting a headache for 15 or more days per month.

The Lead Author, Lars Jacob Stovner says: “Compared to our previous report and global estimates. The data does suggest that headaches and migraines rates may be increasing. What is clear is that overall,headache disorders are highly prevalent worldwide and can be a high burden.”

“It may also be of interest in future to analyse the different causes of headache that varied across groups to target prevention and treatment more effectively.”

Jacob adds that all the types of headache are more common in females than males most especially migraines.

Noting that there are 17 percent in females compared to 8.6% in males having headache for 15 or more days per month representing 6% in females compared to 2.9% in males.

He maintains that the majority of the publications reviewed reported from high income countries and gave recommendations that further investigation into middle and low-income countries would help present a more accurate estimation of prevalence of headache in the globe.

By Abdullahi Abdullateef

The Lagos State Government, through the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency (HEFAMAA) has shut down Medville Global Health Centre located in Okota area of the state over its illegal operation and low numbers of personnel working in the hospital.

This is contained in a statement signed by the Head Public Affairs of HEFAMAA, Mr Muyideen Ayokunle Uthman on Tuesday, 5th April, 2022.

According to the statement, the Executive Secretary of the Agency, Dr Abiola Idowu, says that the Medville Global Health Centre which is located at 1, Bashiru street, off Lateef Adegboyega street, Ago Palace Way, Okota is sealed for not complying with the set standards.

Reacting to the demise of one Mr Triplem C. Mchaty’s wife, she said the agency carried out preliminary investigations which revealed that the hospital was not registered with HEFAMAA, noting that this contravened the 2006 health sector reform law.

She stated, “It means the facility was operating illegally.” She added that the hospital had inadequate personnel.

Reiterating the allegation on social media, in a tweet, one Mr Triplem C. Mchaty @scantee stressed the sad moments on his Twitter account @scantee. The tweet reads thus:

“Good morning family, I am really heartbroken now. My wife died at MEADVILLE GLOBAL HEALTH CENTRE (HOSPITAL) NO. 1 Bashiru street,off Lateef Adegboyega Street, Ago Palace Way, Okota.

“We just got married 10 months ago, she took in, she was undergoing Antenatal in Onitsha, Anambra [state].”

However, Dr Idowu disclosed that the Chairman Dr Solanke Kayo Esq. has ordered the agency to carry out a full investigation to uncover the facts of her death.

Relating with the closure of the hospital, she maintained that the agency has taken the crucial decision in furtherance of public protection awaiting the final outcome of the ongoing investigations.

She finally urged all administrators of health facilities in the state to adhere strictly to the set standards and cooperate with the leadership of Governor Sanwo-Olu.

By Bilyaminu Idris Ndasadulau

I believe in collective action, responsibility and collaboration. That’s why I joined as a man to fight against period stigmatisation and period poverty. It’s everyone responsibility, not only the females.

Menstruation matters to me. Thus, I consider any form of stigma associated with menstruation a social abuse and crime against women. Unfortunately, millions of women and girls continue to live in period poverty around the world without any support from the government to end the problem. We need to address the issue collectively. That’s why in 2019, I started online research studies on health matters, and I found out many women and girls need pads, but they cannot afford them, which can often lead to girls not attending school and also unhygienic practices. 

So in 2020, we initiated the “Rescue A Girl” project, which aims to end the stigma and discrimination and focus on enhancing, from the grassroots, adequate education, health and gender equality, which is a key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals agenda. 

In the same year, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we launched the project on International Girl Day. We outreached to different schools and communities where we educated and impacted over 350 women and girls with free sanitary pads.

After our 2020 project report, we understand that sanitary pads are not the best solution to end period poverty and financial inequality worldwide. So we design a sustainable solution strategy to support these women and girls through reusable pads products. Which is very affordable and also help in economic empowerment to produce these materials and sell them. At the same time, our approach will be a sustainable solution to end period poverty and increase available good health hygiene aids for women and girls. 

In late 2021, we decided to push the sustainable solution to reality, where we visited and trained almost 1000 women and girls in different marginalised places. While we also raise awareness to improve knowledge and practices of menstrual hygiene management, especially for the local residents and school girls.

This effort was supported by Connected Development in collaboration with ShareYourself Organization from the USA. Through this project, we build transparency data of impact to ensure our partners and the public can see the sustainability of our work. So we can gain more support around the world. 

This project targets 2000 women and girls just for the 2021 goal. Still, it is a life continuation work to ensure we reduce the high rate of women and girls facing period poverty and lack of MHM knowledge. While we also empower them to become self economic independent and minimise environmental waste caused by sanitary pads. 

We will keep pushing the Rescue A Girl project as a movement to ensure policymakers, government, NGOs and individuals all play their role through taking it as a responsibility and commitment to change the policies and mindsets to support these vulnerable living survivors. 

The experience we gained throughout this health project was unique. We travelled to slums; we met a lot of young housewives and girls, and we built confidence brought hope and a smile on their faces.         

You can reach Idris Bilyaminu Ndasadu’Lau via bilyaminuidrisndasadulau@gmail.com.

By Muhammad Sabiu

Akin Abayomi, the Lagos State Commissioner for Health, claims that a steady decline in COVID-19 case positive has signalled the end of the state’s fourth wave.

On Saturday, Mr Abayomi made the announcement via his verified Twitter account @ProfAkinolaAbayomi, while presenting the state’s COVID-19 report for January 20.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the state notified the start of the fourth wave on December 7 as the virus’s daily infection rate increased.

According to Mr Abayomi, COVID-19 infection positivity rates have decreased from 29.3 percent on December 21 to 1.9 percent on January 20.

According to him, bed capacity utilization is currently at 2%, with a death rate of 0.71 percent.

On the reporting date, 46 additional infections were confirmed, bringing the total number of COVID-19 illnesses in the state to 98,284.

Since the start of the epidemic in the state, 1,023, 203 sample tests have been performed, he said.

To further minimize the transmission of the virus, Mr Abayomi recommended residents be vaccinated and continue to follow non-pharmaceutical approaches.

Dropcap the popularization of the “ideal measure” has led to advice such as “Increase font size for large screens and reduce font size for small screens.” While a good measure does improve the reading experience, it’s only one rule for good typography. Another rule is to maintain a comfortable font size.

Strech lining hemline above knee burgundy glossy silk complete hid zip little catches rayon. Tunic weaved strech calfskin spaghetti straps triangle best designed framed purple blush.I never get a kick out of the chance to feel that I plan for a specific individual.

Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia. It is a paradisematic country, in which roasted parts of sentences fly into your mouth.

A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. Even the all-powerful Pointing has no control about the blind texts it is an almost unorthographic life One day however a small line of blind text by the name of Lorem Ipsum decided to leave for the far World of Grammar. The Big Oxmox advised her not to do so, because there were thousands of bad Commas, wild Question Marks and devious Semikoli, but the Little Blind Text didn’t listen.

On her way she met a copy. The copy warned the Little Blind Text, that where it came from it would have been rewritten a thousand times and everything that was left from its origin would be the word “and” and the Little Blind Text should turn around and return to its own, safe country.

A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine. I am so happy, my dear friend, so absorbed in the exquisite sense of mere tranquil existence, that I neglect my talents.

But nothing the copy said could convince her and so it didn’t take long until a few insidious Copy Writers ambushed her, made her drunk with Longe and Parole and dragged her into their agency, where they abused her for their projects again and again. And if she hasn’t been rewritten, then they are still using her.

Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia.

A collection of textile samples lay spread out on the table – Samsa was a travelling salesman – and above it there hung a picture that he had recently cut out of an illustrated magazine and housed in a nice, gilded frame. It showed a lady fitted out with a fur hat and fur boa who sat upright, raising a heavy fur muff that covered the whole of her lower arm towards the viewer.

Gregor then turned to look out the window at the dull weather. Drops of rain could be heard hitting the pane, which made him feel quite sad. “How about if I sleep a little bit longer and forget all this nonsense”, he thought, but that was something he was unable to do because he was used to sleeping on his right, and in his present state couldn’t get into that position. However hard he threw himself onto his right, he always rolled back to where he was.

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.

One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible vermin. He lay on his armour-like back, and if he lifted his head a little he could see his brown belly, slightly domed and divided by arches into stiff sections.

A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. Even the all-powerful Pointing has no control about the blind texts it is an almost unorthographic life One day however a small line of blind text by the name of Lorem Ipsum decided to leave for the far World of Grammar. The Big Oxmox advised her not to do so, because there were thousands of bad Commas, wild Question Marks and devious Semikoli, but the Little Blind Text didn’t listen.

His room, a proper human room although a little too small, lay peacefully between its four familiar walls. A collection of textile samples lay spread out on the table – Samsa was a travelling salesman – and above it there hung a picture that he had recently cut out of an illustrated magazine and housed in a nice, gilded frame.

It showed a lady fitted out with a fur hat and fur boa who sat upright, raising a heavy fur muff that covered the whole of her lower arm towards the viewer. Gregor then turned to look out the window at the dull weather. Drops of rain could be heard hitting the pane, which made him feel quite sad.

Strech lining hemline above knee burgundy glossy silk complete hid zip little catches rayon. Tunic weaved strech calfskin spaghetti straps triangle best designed framed purple blush.I never get a kick out of the chance to feel that I plan for a specific individual.

Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia. It is a paradisematic country, in which roasted parts of sentences fly into your mouth.

A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. Even the all-powerful Pointing has no control about the blind texts it is an almost unorthographic life One day however a small line of blind text by the name of Lorem Ipsum decided to leave for the far World of Grammar. The Big Oxmox advised her not to do so, because there were thousands of bad Commas, wild Question Marks and devious Semikoli, but the Little Blind Text didn’t listen.

On her way she met a copy. The copy warned the Little Blind Text, that where it came from it would have been rewritten a thousand times and everything that was left from its origin would be the word “and” and the Little Blind Text should turn around and return to its own, safe country.

A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. I am alone, and feel the charm of existence in this spot, which was created for the bliss of souls like mine. I am so happy, my dear friend, so absorbed in the exquisite sense of mere tranquil existence, that I neglect my talents.

But nothing the copy said could convince her and so it didn’t take long until a few insidious Copy Writers ambushed her, made her drunk with Longe and Parole and dragged her into their agency, where they abused her for their projects again and again. And if she hasn’t been rewritten, then they are still using her.

Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia.

A collection of textile samples lay spread out on the table – Samsa was a travelling salesman – and above it there hung a picture that he had recently cut out of an illustrated magazine and housed in a nice, gilded frame. It showed a lady fitted out with a fur hat and fur boa who sat upright, raising a heavy fur muff that covered the whole of her lower arm towards the viewer.

Gregor then turned to look out the window at the dull weather. Drops of rain could be heard hitting the pane, which made him feel quite sad. “How about if I sleep a little bit longer and forget all this nonsense”, he thought, but that was something he was unable to do because he was used to sleeping on his right, and in his present state couldn’t get into that position. However hard he threw himself onto his right, he always rolled back to where he was.

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.

One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible vermin. He lay on his armour-like back, and if he lifted his head a little he could see his brown belly, slightly domed and divided by arches into stiff sections.

A wonderful serenity has taken possession of my entire soul, like these sweet mornings of spring which I enjoy with my whole heart. Even the all-powerful Pointing has no control about the blind texts it is an almost unorthographic life One day however a small line of blind text by the name of Lorem Ipsum decided to leave for the far World of Grammar. The Big Oxmox advised her not to do so, because there were thousands of bad Commas, wild Question Marks and devious Semikoli, but the Little Blind Text didn’t listen.

His room, a proper human room although a little too small, lay peacefully between its four familiar walls. A collection of textile samples lay spread out on the table – Samsa was a travelling salesman – and above it there hung a picture that he had recently cut out of an illustrated magazine and housed in a nice, gilded frame.

It showed a lady fitted out with a fur hat and fur boa who sat upright, raising a heavy fur muff that covered the whole of her lower arm towards the viewer. Gregor then turned to look out the window at the dull weather. Drops of rain could be heard hitting the pane, which made him feel quite sad.