Chioma Umeha

Ephraim began to cough at 18 months old. Later his feet also started to swell. His mother, Theresa, took him to a health centre where he underwent chest X-ray. The health attendants did not find any sign of Tuberculosis (TB) and sent him home with drugs that could only cure common cold. However, when he did not get better, his mother was referred to Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba Lagos for comprehensive diagnosis. This time, Ephraim’s X-ray indicated that he had TB. Since there was no bed space at NIMR, he began treatment in one of the government hospitals in Badagry, Lagos. He stayed there for two months before being transferred to a facility close to their residence. Despite completing six months of treatment, his condition did not improve. Worried, his mother went back to NIMR where Ephraim was diagnosed with MDR-TB after doctors tested a sputum sample. He began treatment, which included a combination of daily injections and pills. For six months, T

Six journalists were on weekend won the maiden Excellence Awards by Malaria No More for their commitment to malaria reporting within the past year. The winners include, Mrs. Appolonia Adeyemi, Health Editor, New Telegraph (print category), Ms. Linda Nengi Finecountry, AIT Rivers (television category), Mrs. Tosin Odusola, Health Reporter, Eko FM/Radio Lagos (Radio Category) and Haruna Godwin, This Day (runner up, print category) were announced during the event. The winners all received 100,000 Naira cash prizes while the runner up in print category received 50,000 Naira. The awards which held at Zen Garden, Ikeja GRA, Lagos was attended by journalists from nine media houses, Corporate Affairs Manager, Total Nigeria Plc and Dr. Mike Okolo from Pan Atlantic University. The criteria for being a recipient of the prize for malaria reporting are detailed, accurate and consistent articles on malaria with human angled stories. Presenting the certificates were Mr. Albert Mabuyak

FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria PLC held its 10th annual nutrition seminar tagged “Physical Growth and Brain Development of the Nigerian Child: The Challenge of Our Time” on Friday, August 21, 2015 in Lagos. Key speakers at the seminar were renowned Professor of Pediatrics and President Pediatrics Association of Nigeria Prof Adebiyi Olowu; and Dr Anne Schaafsma, Senior Scientist, Global Nutrition Development, Friesland Campina Innovation Centre, The Netherlands. The speakers presented research papers on the importance of nutrition for the optimum brain development of a child. According to them, brain development and mental health of a child is essential and it should never be neAglected. The first five years of development of a child is crucial and represents the period the child significantly needs essential nutrients that support overall brain development, especially Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). From left, the Managing Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Mr. Rahul Co

Adaora Ogbaru is a middle-aged woman, married with three children. She has never had any health complications since she survived a surgery from fibroid. Suddenly, Ada as she is fondly known among acquaintances began to show signs of cough and wheezing. Her problem became worsened after what she thought was simple symptoms of cough was diagnosed as Tuberculosis (TB). However, the hospital authorities could not admit her to receive the treatment as there was no bed space. She was placed on the first-line drugs to treat the disease for eight months even as health workers were assigned to administer the drugs on her at home. Ada defaulted from going through the treatment. She preferred to go behind the doors taking traditional medicines. According to her, she did not want people to know that she had TB. Her case further got more complicated after she was back to the hospital and was diagnosed of multi-drug resistant (MDR-TB). Ada is simply an example of thousands of Nigeri

Nordica fertility center Lagos emerged 21st in Cybermetrics Laboratory survey conducted recently after Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro Abeokuta, emerged the sixth best hospital in Africa and 2091 in the world. Dr. Abayomi Ajayi An online report weekend, said that in the “World Hospitals’ ranking on the Web” conducted by Cybermetrics Laboratory, Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro Abeokuta, emerged the sixth best hospital in Africa and 2091 in the world. Nordica Fertility Centre Lagos came 21st in Africa and 6167th in the world. Bridge Clinic, Saint Nicholas Hospital, and Abuja Clinics also made the first 100 best hospitals in Africa with positions 43, 89 and 93 respectively. Nordica Fertility Centre is a reputable and leading Assisted Conception Centre with top class medical facilities in Lagos, Asaba and Abuja, with the founder as Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, a consultant Obsterician and Gynaecologist, who is also the Managing Director of the clinic that specialises in In-Vitro Fertili

• Urges EFCC, ICPC to probe finances of 55 FHIs Pharmacists under the umbrella of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has alleged that some Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) have been paying the skipping dues of doctors through internally generated revenues of institutions under them, a development which they have condemned, saying it amounts to illegality, as such funds were never allocated by the National Assembly. The association has therefore urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to audit the finances of all the 55 federal health institutions (FHIs) to fish out and sanction all liable CMDs. A statement on Monday, signed by Olumide Akintayo, President, PSN, which also condemned moves to pressure the Federal Government to factor payments accruing from the skipping of salary scale to doctors in the Federal Health Institutions in the 2016 budget called for the probe of t

… Arrests managing director The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC,has uncovered an illegal factory within the Trade Fair Complex in Lagos loaded with various expired food condiments worth millions of Naira even as it arrested a 24 – year- old, Mr. Victor Ebuka Okeke in connection with the expired products. This was sequel to a special raid and enforcement operation in some markets in the metropolis by officers of the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of the Agency. The factory which was originally a one- room shop was used to stock, re-validate and distribute expired products, particularly, food condiments.   Some of the expired products discovered in the unhygienic factory include expired Maggi Sauce with manufacturing dates: 15/08/2011 and expiry dates: 15/08/2014, Amoy Dark Soy Sauce, Costa Corned Beef and Exeter Corned beef among others. For the Costa Corned Beef, whether expired or not, the 24-year -old suspect,changed their

Do you often struggle with acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and heartburn? No matter what you call it, it all comes down to the same uncomfortable symptoms: belching, regurgitation, indigestion, nausea – even chest pain. You may find it embarrassing or frustrating to talk about your heartburn symptoms, but you’re far from being alone in your discomfort. It’s estimated that 14 to 21 per cent of American adults are affected by heartburn and together they spend $14 billion annually to treat it. If it is more than occasional heartburn – your GERD symptoms can be serious. The acid and digestive enzymes from the stomach that back up, or reflux, into the esophagus can damage the tissues in the esophagus and in the adjacent organs such as the mouth, throat, voice box and lungs. Left untreated, heartburn can lead to complications – esophageal ulcers, esophageal strictures and esophageal cancer. If you have symptoms of heartburn, it’s important to learn everyt

An Abuja-based physician , Dr Okezie Emenike, has said that shortness of breath experienced by some people could be an indication of allergic asthma. He told an in online news agency in Abuja on Wednesday, that allergic asthma was the type caused by allergy, which is also known as allergy induced- asthma. According to him, allergy asthma occurs when a patient’s immune system overreacts to the presence of some harmful substance known as an allergen. He said that allergic asthma was the most common type of asthma, which often times runs in the family with the history of asthma and other allergies, such as hay fever. He said that some people may develop breathing problems whenever they inhale allergens that usually occur when the airways swell as part of an allergic reaction. Emenike, however, attributed pollen, pet dander as well as dust as factors that could predispose one to allergic asthma. He also mentioned that shellfish, eggs, peanuts, fish and milk could trigger the dev