Chioma Umeha

Infants who were breastfed longer have higher IQs – Study By: CHIOMA UMEHA Infants  who were breastfed as infants scored higher on intelligence tests than formula-fed kids, and the longer and more exclusively they were breastfed, the greater the difference, said Harvard University researchers in a study published Wednesday in JAMA Pediatrics.  This study added “to the body of literature of the association between duration of breastfeeding and cognition,” said NBC news diet and health editor Madelyn Fernstrom. But does breastfeeding make your child smarter? Fernstrom said this study showed an association, not cause and effect. The researchers analyzed 1,312 expectant mothers enrolled between 1999 and 2002 in Project Viva, a study in eastern Massachusetts examining pregnancy and child health, and the children they delivered. The researchers found that seven-year-olds whose mothers had done any breastfeeding during the child’s first year – exclusively or in combination with formu

Natural ways to manage lung disorders By: CHIOMA UMEHA Stay Healthy  Routine activities, such as bathing, grooming and dressing, can take their toll on your energy if you have moderate or severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). But using some simple energy-conserving techniques can help you get through these tasks more quickly and with less effort. COPD is one of the most common lung diseases.  It makes it difficult to breathe. There are two main forms of COPD: Chronic bronchitis, which involves a long-term cough with mucus and Emphysema, which involves destruction of the lungs over time. Most people with COPD have a combination of both conditions. Therefore, if you have lung disorder, the following guidelines will be of help. Two key principles to keep in mind: Plan to carry out these activities when you’re feeling most energetic, and gather all the supplies you will need before you start.  Here are additional tips:   Bathing and lung disorders  •

Role of bacteria in pancreatic cancer By: Chioma Umeha Health Editor A new research has shown that bacterial infections may play a role in triggering pancreatic cancer. There is growing number of studies which suggest the role of infections —primarily of the stomach and gums — in pancreatic cancer.  The disease is a particularly deadly cancer, which the American Cancer Society estimates will kill nearly 38,500 Americans in 2013. “Pancreatic cancer is the worst form of cancer that people can have,” said Dr. Wasif Saif, director of the gastrointestinal oncology programme at Tufts Medical Center in Boston. “It’s the cancer with the highest mortality rate – 96 percent mortality,” he said. Although pancreatic cancer is extremely fatal, researchers don’t really know its main causes, Saif said. The known major risk factors account for less than 40 percent of all cases.  Known risk factors for the disease include tobacco smoking, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, alcoholism and chronic

Cardiovascular summit kicks off By: CHIOMA UMEHA  The sixth edition of the cardiovascular (CV) summit, an educational platform for healthcare practitioners to engage in a robust discussion on the current trends in cardiovascular disease and its management, organised by Pfizer NEAR (Nigeria and East Africa Region) kicked off yesterday. The 2013 edition has the theme ‘’Preventive Strategies for Cardiovascular Diseases’’   features both foreign and local distinguished resource persons who are highly respected in their field of practice.  A statement yesterday, signed by Mrs Margaret Olele, Director Communications, Pfizer, said that the summit has witnessed growing popularity among healthcare professionals. In 2011, the CV summit was endorsed by the medical and Dental Council of Nigeria as a continuous professional development (CPD) program provider for the award of class medical education (CME) points to attending clinicians. In a bid to continuously improve the outlook of the su

Teenagers risk kidney transplant failure – Study By: CHIOMA UMEHA  Global research has discovered that teenagers who receive kidney transplant is at risk of transplant failure even as African patients accounts for the highest number. An agency report yesterday, said that teenagers who receive a kidney transplant may be at increased risk of transplant failure, and the risk is especially high among African patients.  Researchers analyzed data from nearly 169,000 patients in the United States who received a first kidney transplant between 1987 and 2010. Patients who were aged 14 to 16 when they received their first transplant had the highest risk of transplant failure, beginning at one year after transplant and increasing at three, five and 10 years after transplant, said Dr. Kenneth Andreoni, of the University of Florida, Gainesville, and colleagues. In this age group, the risk of transplant failure was highest among African patients, according to the study published online Ju

Pregnancy, abortions cause high death of young girls By: Chioma Umeha Adolescent pregnancy has been identified as one of the reasons why young females don’t realise their full potential and experts have called for action to improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health education on this year’s world population day.  United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, in his message for the world population day 2013 expressed the need to devote attention and resources to the education, health and wellbeing of adolescent girls for sustainable positive change in society. “On this World Population Day, let us pledge to support adolescent girls to realize their potential and contribute to our shared future,” he said. Globally, about 16 million girls under age 18 give birth each year and 3.2 million undergo unsafe abortions.  Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General, United Nations In Nigeria, young people contribute more than 60 per cent of unsafe abortions annually, according to a st

Memory decline, sign of mental problem – Experts By: Chioma Umeha Global findings have revealed that memory issues could be dangerous signal of mental problems and no just normal part of aging. An agency report during the week said: “Memory problems that are often dismissed as a normal part of aging may not be so harmless after all. “Noticing you have a decline beyond the occasional misplaced car keys or forgotten name could be the very earliest sign of Alzheimer’s,” several research teams have reported.  Doctors often regard people who complain that their memory is slipping as “the worried well,” but the new studies show they may well have reason to worry, said Maria Carrillo, a senior scientist at the Alzheimer’s Association. One study found that self-reported memory changes preceded broader mental decline by about six years. Another tied these changes to evidence on brain scans that dementia are setting in. “Maybe these people know something about themselves” that their doc

Senate erred on underage marriage – FIDA By: CHIOMA UMEHA  International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Nigeria, has condemned the resolution recently passed by the Senate to retain the constitutional provisions that considers a married underage girl as an adult.  A statement issued yesterday and jointly signed by the National President, Hauwa Evelyn Shekarau, and National Secretary, Chigoziri Ojiaka, said the decision of the lawmakers contradicts the views of Nigerians as expressed during the recent constituencies consultations, which was part of the ongoing constitutional review process.  “FIDA, Nigeria, expresses her utter dissatisfaction with the resolution passed by the Senate to retain the provisions of section 29 (4) (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which deems a married underage girl as an adult, contrary to the general views of Nigerians as expressed during the recent constituencies consultations conducted as part of the ongoing

WHO, NAFDAC partners to end fake drug menace By: CHIOMA UMEHA  It may no longer be business as usual for fake drugs in Africa, Nigeria included, as World Health Organisation, WHO, has teamed with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administrative Control, NAFDAC, to adopt a new strategy to put surveillance system to detect any form of fake drugs in countries across the continent.  The system, Rapid Alert System, is a surveillance system aimed at monitoring of substandard, spurious, falsely labelled/ falsified Counterfeit (SSFFC) medical products, with the intention of training focal persons from different countries’ medicine regulatory authorities on the use new WHO initiative for SSFFC reporting – The Rapid Alert System. The Director General of NAFDAC, Paul Orhii said, at the opening of a three-day workshop, in Lagos last week, that it has become imperative to continually fight the scourge of fake drugs, not only in Nigeria, but also in other neighbouring countries in Afric

Type 2 diabetes linked to skipping breakfast By: Chioma Umeha That breakfast is the most important meal of the day is not news. However, new study has shown how harmful missing that first meal may be. A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that women who skipped breakfast even once a week were 20 per cent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who ate a meal every morning.  The study looked at data from more than 45,000 women who were initially free of cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes, and assessed their eating patterns over a six-year period. Those who chose to forego breakfast but ate frequently (four or more times a day) had a greater risk of developing diabetes, while a lower body mass index (BMI) seemed to mitigate some of the danger associated with irregular breakfast consumption. Translation: skipping breakfast isn’t a smart idea for anyone, but seems to be even more harmful for those who are overweight.  Acc

Avon HMO debuts with promise of health care, new insurance standards By: Chioma Umeha A health management organisation – Avon Healthcare Limited (Avon HMO) – which debuted in Lagos, recently, has pledged to offer a new approach in the management of health care and insurance. Avon HMO introduced a wide array of products and services to the market, during its brand launch Thursday, at the ultra-modern Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.  The management of Avon HMO said the launch set the tone for how the company plans to engage with key stakeholders and partners, including governments and senior public officials; leading corporate organisations; key SMEs as well as Healthcare professionals and providers. Speaking at the media conference in Lagos, Avon HMO’s CEO, Mrs. Simbo Ukiri, said the company aims to be the preferred choice for healthcare solutions and will set new standards in the industry. Ukiri added that the new standards will offer real value to clients, enr

Killing of 42 students violates international law – UNICEF By: Chioma Umeha Global efforts towards the child survival agenda has continued to suffer set-backs in Nigeria, following the incessant brutal killing of children in the North eastern part of the country. Nigerians woke up Saturday to the shocking news of the killing of 42 students of the Government Secondary School, Mamudo by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect.  The development is coming on the heels of The Lancet 2012 report, which raised the alarm that the world is not on track to meet the set Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 4, a two-thirds reduction in child deaths between 1990 and 2015. This is even as the reports still show existing gap in child survival chances with the death of 6·9 million children under the age of 5 years in 2011. “Recent international initiatives, such as Every Woman Every Child, the UN Commission on ‘Life-Saving Commodities for Women and Children, and A Promise Renewed,’ which rein