Chioma Umeha

Total knee replacement surgery: Lagos records more success By: Chioma Umeha E fforts of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) in the total knee replacement surgery exercise witnessed further advancement with the successful surgery of  another set of beneficiaries, including; two female petty trader, aged 62 and 52. Announcing this Tuesday, was Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, during the presentation of recent beneficiaries at LASUTH, who said that the goal of total knee replacement surgery exercise which commenced three years ago in Lagos is to reduce the rate of capital flight which is lost to conducting the exercise overseas. Idris also said that the total knee replacement surgery facilities and services are part of his Ministry’s commitment to build local capacity for surgical procedures.  According to him, this would also provide training for resident doctors aspiring to become certified specialist as nursing staff and physiotherapists responsible

Nigerians treat malaria through self-medication By: Chioma Umeha A recent weekly poll showed that 51 per cent Nigerians treat malaria through self-medication. According to the poll released by NOI Polls Limited, weekend, 44 per cent of Nigerians visit the hospital to see a doctor when they have malaria, 38 per cent simply buy medicine from the pharmacy or chemist, while 13 per cent make use of native herbs such as, Dogonyaro, Agbo, Neem leaves and Lemon grass.  The remaining four per cent do not use any medicine. The poll also showed that seven out of 10 Nigerians (66 per cent) have had malaria at least once in the last one year. It further stated that women are more likely to visit the hospital than men. This is because majority of Nigerian men simply visit the pharmacy to buy malaria medicines or opt for native herbs more than women, the survey showed. As the survey puts it, “almost seven in 10 Nigerians (66 per cent) have had malaria at least once in the pa

Our primary health care system is in comatose – Akintayo  By: Chioma Umeha Olumide Akintayo, is President, Pharmaceutical society of Nigeria (PSN). In this interview with CHIOMA UMEHA (HEALTH EDITOR) Akintayo tackles  issues  of  fake  drug distribution, primary health care among others. Excerpts: Olumide Akintayo   The PSN is critical in the efforts to bring sanity to drug distribution and eliminate fake drugs. What are you doing in this regard? While we were campaigning, I came up with this blue print, a 13-point agenda. The totality of our plans to transform the health sector to the next level was documented in this package. It is not the direct responsibility of PSN to either come up with an agenda of restructuring drug distribution in Nigeria or eliminate fake drugs in the distribution chain. The PSN strictly speaking is a professional body and always tell people this. Because we are a professional, we do not have the requisite regulatory powers to restructure dru

Routine antenatal care reduces maternal death – Experts By: Chioma Umeha E xperts have agreed that death of women through maternal cause can be avoided if regular antenatal check-up and routine drugs taken throughout the period of pregnancy. Stating this was the Commissioner of Health, Lagos State, Dr Jide Idris, who insisted that there is need for pregnant and nursing women to be aware of the availability health facilities and personnel and access the necessary services in order to sustain efforts in the reduction of maternal and child mortality. Idris said this on the occasion of the town hall meeting on maternal mortality reduction in Iberekodo, Ibeju, Lekki, Lagos, Thursday,  adding that state government has built hospitals, provide facilities, quality health personnel and literary materials to ensure that ensure that maternal death in the state remains on the decline. However, he noted pregnant women and nursing mothers may not access these facilities unless they are a

Nigeria among five countries with 47 % global burden of malaria By: Chioma Umeha L-R: Commissioner of Health, Lagos State, Dr Jide Idris, Former Deputy Governor, Lagos State, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan and Hon. Abike Dabiri, during the town hall meeting on maternal mortality reduction in Iberekodo, Ibeju, Lekki, Lagos, Thursday. PHOTO: CHIOMA UMEHA N igeria is among the five countries DRC, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya which account for 47 per cent of global burden (116 million) of malaria in the world. In view of this Prof. Chukwu Onyebuchi Chukwu, Minister of Health, has called for accelerated efforts to ensure that the country exits the list of five African countries with the highest burden of malaria in the world.  Prof. Chukwu, made this observation during the breakfast meeting in commemoration of the World Malaria Day at the African Union conference of Health Ministers, at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and added that malaria is still an issue of public health importance.

Facts about gastroparesis By: Chioma Umeha Chioma Umeha Gastroparesis – literally “paralyzed stomach” – is a serious condition manifested by delayed emptying of stomach contents into the small intestine after a meal. There is no cure for gastroparesis, but treatment can speed gastric emptying and relieve gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.  Gastroparesis most often occurs in people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, but diabetes isn’t the only cause of gastroparesis. Other possible causes are: post viral syndromes; anorexia nervosa; surgery on the stomach or vagus nerve and medications that slow contractions in the intestine, particularly anti-cholinergics and narcotics. Others are: smooth muscle disorders, such as amyloidosis and scleroderma; nervous system diseases, including abdominal migraine and Parkinson’s disease and metabolic disorders, including hypothyroidism. Symptoms of gastroparesis: The symptoms of gastroparesis include; feelings of fullness t

Vagrant psychotics is increasing due to stigma – Umeh By: Chioma Umeha D r. Charles S. Umeh, is a lecturer and clinical psychologist at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Lagos Teaching Hospital (LUTH), in Lagos. In this interview with CHIOMA UMEHA (HEALTH EDITOR) Umeh says that stigma is a major factor in the rising incidence of emotional problems in the country. Dr. Charles S. Umeh   What are the major problems that those with emotional conditions come down with? From the wider societal perspective, they use a common term to label a person who has cause to visit psychiatrist, a clinic psychologist that is the person is ‘mad.’ But, we say ‘no’ to such term. The term ‘mad’ has caused a lot of stigma to people who come down with emotional problems and from the look of things, virtually everybody has come down with certain level of emotional problems at what point in time or another; are we going to say, they are mad? Because of this they are cow, they are afraid

Nets, critical in reducing malaria deaths, illness UNICEF By: Chioma Umeha M alaria kills 660,000 people every year, most of them African children. Universal coverage of insecticide-treated bed nets is key in making gains against malaria – one of the biggest killers of children in the world, said UNICEF on World Malaria Day (WMD).  With partners, UNICEF champions and supports governments to undertake free distribution of insecticide-treated nets – especially long-lasting insecticidal nets. When universal coverage – one net for every two people – is reached, this simple, effective barrier can reduce child mortality by 20 per cent.  In 2004, there were just 5.6 million bed nets in sub-Saharan Africa. Until recently, limited competition among producers meant that they were too expensive to scale up. However, by 2010, bulk buying, joint procurement, better financing and extending manufacturing capacity into Africa meant that this number had increased to 145 million. A sustained, drive

Drug cloning: Nafdac smashes syndicate in Lagos By: Chioma Umeha A syndicate which specialises in cloning several fast moving drug products including locally manufactured anti-malaria and pain-relieving medicines has been smashed in Lagos, by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). The syndicate is said to have perfected its cloning act in China and thereafter imports the cloned drugs into the country. A member of the syndicate, Mr. Maduabuchi Abuzu, who owns a shop at 21 Ashogbon street, Idumota, Lagos, and has been under NAFDAC’s watch list of fake drug importers since two years, has been arrested, while the agency has began investigations to unravel his China- based partners. According to sources close to NAFDAC, the agency is determined to take advantage of its collaboration with Chinese government in the fight against fake drugs to ensure that when investigation is concluded in the country and it establishes the culpabilit

Cerebral palsy is neither a disease nor contagious - Gbadebo By: Chioma Umeha T here is more awareness concerning cerebral palsy and its associated problems today. Yes, since the past few decades, information on the many facets of cerebral palsy has significantly increased. Today, the medical community has great interest in studying cerebral palsy to determine its causes and the most effective ways to treat it. As knowledge and treatment techniques have expanded and improved, so too have the prospects of all children living with cerebral palsy. There are several misconceptions concerning cerebral palsy. Many are unaware that it is not a disease or illness. Cerebral Palsy is a term used to describe a group of chronic conditions affecting body movements and muscle coordination. !t is caused by damage to one or more specific areas of the brain, usually occurring during foetal development, or during infancy. It can also occur before, during or shortly after birth. “Cerebral” re

First Global Vaccine Summit began yesterday By: Chioma Umeha D espite tremendous international progress, one child still dies every 20 seconds from preventable diseases like pneumonia, rotavirus, measles, and meningitis, according to a United Nations study. Hundreds of international health experts and government officials therefore convened in the UAE capital yesterday, at the first Global Vaccine Summit to discuss pressing issues in the prevention and eradication of infectious diseases. This edition of the summit is expected to place special emphasis on polio eradication. “At present, 99 per cent of all countries have eradicated the disease within their borders. However, polio is still endemic in Pakistan, Afghanistan and northern Nigeria,” James Whittington, spokesperson for the renowned philanthropic organisation Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, told Gulf News ahead of the summit. Toddler getting vaccine While fewer new cases of polio have been reported