Frontpage News (3256)
Eating vegetables prevents diabetes, hypertension, ulcer – Biochemist
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Professor Rotimi Arise of the Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, has urged Nigerians to consume more indigenous fresh vegetables, fruits and nuts in their daily diet to build more antibodies to prevent and protect them against diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and ulcer.
Arise made the call in his inaugural lecture, noting that the consumption of indigenous fresh vegetables, fruits and nuts which are rich in antioxidants, short peptides and micronutrients is quite beneficial to health.
Nigeria’s shambolic healthcare delivery system is under renewed attack from several fronts. Apart from frequent outbreaks of diseases, dependence on imported medicines and the exodus of medical professionals, the influx of fake and substandard drugs has become a deluge, causing illnesses, disabilities and deaths in Nigeria and other West African countries.
The government needs to urgently reinvigorate its strategy to protect the people from the scourge of counterfeit drugs. Assailed by outbreaks of cholera, Lassa fever, and diphtheria, among others, in several of its constituent parts, and with a weak health system, fake drugs are compounding the misery of Nigerians and the sub-region.
Recently, I was doing a study about children living with sickle cell disease having a stroke. This was where I came across the term ‘silent’ stroke in children. The doctor talking about it in a YouTube video mentioned how the child could still be functioning ‘normally.’
The normal stroke that people know of is a stroke where there’s weakness in one’s face, leg, arm, or one side of the body. To hear the term ‘silent’ stroke in children made me want to understand the term better. I decided to find out more about it and write about it. I have read many articles and collated something for this column. Let’s read on and educate ourselves further.
Esther was 38 years old and her husband, Kunle, was 40 when they began investigating the cause of their infertility. They were married for four years and longing for a child when they finally opted to visit a fertility centre in Lagos.
Following a series of basic and routine tests, some issues were discovered that were preventing conception, so the couple was recommended to undergo in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Under the supervision of their specialist, Esther had the IVF procedure. She was monitored and stimulated to produce eggs, as sperm collected from Kunle fertilised the eggs in a laboratory.
This is a fairly common set of problems to be found especially in women and they are often associated with swelling, discharge, pain, change in colour, and itching. These problems in the nipples can lead to discomfort and affect anyone.
They can lead to significant amounts of discomfort from time to time. But most of the causes are not serious and can easily be treated. In other cases, however, such occurrences would indicate the presence of some underlying health conditions. Some of the more common symptoms of these lesions are as follows:
Naira scarcity may push Nigerians into depression, suicide —Psychiatrist
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A Professor of Psychiatry at the Department of Psychiatry, College of Medical Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Kaduna State, Taiwo Sheikh, has warned that the scarcity of the old and new naira notes will push many Nigerians into frustration and depression.
He also said the situation would worsen the cases of suicide in the country if the Federal Government fails to urgently address the problem. Prof. Sheikh, who is the immediate past President of the Association of Psychiatry in Nigeria, said the situation if not checked will plunge a lot of Nigerians into mental health crises that will require hospital admission amid a scarcity of manpower and infrastructure.
Naira scarcity: Patients lament as hospitals insist on cash payment
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Patients and their relatives are lamenting the scarcity of the naira, noting that it has made payment for medical bills difficult. Some of the patients who spoke with PUNCH HealthWise bemoaned the impact of the ongoing naira scarcity on medical treatment, adding that they are facing serious frustrations to get treated as some doctors are also insisting on cash payment for tests, drugs, and treatment.
Our correspondent who visited some hospitals in communities in Lagos and Ogun states reported that many patients are lamenting the non-availability of naira notes to settle medical bills, noting that the naira scarcity has made the payment for medical bills to become a herculean task.
HPV vaccine not available in Lagos hospitals, experts blame govt for scarcity
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Findings by PUNCH HealthWise have revealed that major government-owned hospitals in Lagos State do not have the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine that protects women and girls against cervical cancer. Some mothers shared their frustrations about the inability to get their daughters vaccinated as experts blame the government for the scarcity.
A Lagos businesswoman, Mrs. Abigail Joseph is unhappy over her inability to get her 14-year-old daughter vaccinated against cervical cancer with the Human Papillomavirus Vaccine that protects against the disease after visiting big hospitals owned by the federal and state governments in the state.
Are you expecting more than one baby or you’re simply curious about multiple births? Whatever applies to you, it is clear that the increase in the number of multiple births in recent times is attracting attention and there is a need for even more creation of awareness.
Factors that increase the likelihood of pregnancy with multiples include increasing maternal age because hormonal changes might cause the release of more than one egg at ovulation. Assisted reproductive technologies, such as IVF also raise the odds for twins and higher multiples because they often produce more than one egg. Other factors such as the history of multiple births on a woman’s side of the family, and racial descent are significant.
Severe vomiting during pregnancy may cause miscarriage, gynaecologists warn
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Maternal health experts have urged pregnant women not to dismiss severe vomiting in pregnancy as a normal pregnancy issue, noting that it can harm the mother and the baby. They also warned that it can lead to a miscarriage if not properly and promptly treated by qualified medical personnel.
The experts noted that unknown to many people, severe vomiting by a pregnant woman is a serious health issue that could affect the health of the mother as well as the baby, stressing that it can affect the outcome of the pregnancy when poorly managed.
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A study from Keck Medicine of USC published today in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology gives people extra motivation to reduce fast-food consumption. The study found that eating fast food is associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a potentially life-threatening condition in which fat builds up in the liver.
Researchers discovered that people with obesity or diabetes who consume 20% or more of their daily calories from fast food have severely elevated levels of fat in their liver compared to those who consume less or no fast food. And the general population has moderate increases of liver fat when one-fifth or more of their diet is fast food.
In recent times there have been global uproar on merits and demerits of abortion, especially in the United States (U.S.) and Nigeria. The US, which used to be liberal on issues of abortion, recently banned the procedure in most states in the country. In Nigeria, an attempt by the Lagos State government to legalise the procedure was shut down, forcing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to suspend the plan.
Until now, the levels of unintended pregnancy and unsafe abortion continue to be high in Nigeria due to low contraceptive prevalence. A substantial number of women have unintended pregnancies, many of which are resolved through clandestine abortion, despite the country’s restrictive abortion law.
There are certain myths in our society and one of the most enduring of these is the fact that when a woman is pregnant, she should literally put some aspects of her life on hold. Some women barely even want to continue working at their regular jobs while others seek every possible excuse to avoid going to work.
The overwhelming evidence is, however, contrary to these attitudes and it is important, therefore, to make the facts known to all women and their husbands as well. In the hinterland, the culture is somewhat different as women continue to do their normal, regular day-to-day activities be it buying and selling, farming or even pounding yam for the menfolk to dine on.
Finding out that you are pregnant with multiples such as twins, triplets, or more is best experienced than imagined. You are said to have multiple births when you give birth to two or more babies from the same pregnancy.
A combination of factors including the widespread use of assisted reproductive techniques and advancing maternal age at conception is part of the reason why many women are having many babies at once these days.
