Chioma Umeha

The Nigerian media has been urged to rise up to their responsibility of pressuring the government to make adequate health budgetary allocations, especially in the area of child, women, otherwise family health. This call was made by Mrs. Chioma Kanu, an official of the Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH) during a courtesy visit of the team to Newswatch Times, recently, who insisted that it is very important for the media to support civil society groups in ensuring that government fulfill it promises of adequate health care to the people particularly, for mothers and children. Kanu explained that the essence of the team’s courtesy visit is to mobilize the media in the country to support the group and represent the society well. According to her, there are a lot of malnourished children across the country and there is a need for civil society groups to mobilize resources for nutrition with the support of the media. She observed that timely reports

Cauliflower has versatile nutrient profile as a vegetable with an easy-to-cook nature which makes it a staple of diet for many. You can make cauliflower into a dozen different dishes, from cauliflower steaks to cauliflower rice to creamy cauliflower bacon. Cauliflower is low in carbs and high in vitamin C, potassium, calcium, and fiber. It also has a moderate amount of vitamin K1 and contains sulforaphane, glucosinolates, carotenoids, and indole-3-carbinol. The following are the functions of the nutrients: Cauliflower Vitamin C You need vitamin C for collagen and connective tissue formation. Your body also uses it to manufacture glutathione, enhance immune function, and prevent free radical damage. Vitamin C is sensitive to heat, so you will lose a lot of cauliflower’s vitamin C if you cook it. You can help preserve vitamin C by cooking cauliflower at lower temperatures, or by eating it raw. If you insist on cooking your cauliflower, you may want to consider supple

A team of international scientists led by Northwestern University found that HIV is still replicating in lymphoid tissue, even when it is undetectable in the blood of patients on antiretroviral drugs. The findings provide a critical new perspective on how HIV persists in the body, despite potent antiretroviral therapy. “We now have a path to a cure,” said corresponding author Dr. Steven Wolinsky, chief of infectious diseases at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine physician, in an online report. “The challenge is to deliver drugs at clinically effective concentrations to where the virus continues to replicate within the patient.” The paper will be published January 27 in the journal, Nature. Combinations of potent antiretroviral drugs quickly suppress HIV to undetectable levels in the bloodstream of most patients, but HIV persists in a viral reservoir within lymphoid tissue in the body. The virus rapidly rebounds in the blood if p

...Charge them for greater innovation The Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) has been urged to work towards putting the country on the map with more innovation by taking advantage of the ongoing Constitution review process to propose amendments to laws governing the practice of the profession. Making the call weekend, was the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara when the PSN National President, Pharm. Ahmed Yakasai paid him a courtesy visit at the National Assembly, Abuja. Dogara, who expressed delight with the visit of the PSN delegates and pledged to contribute towards the development of pharmacy profession in the country, stated: “I was also informed of my nomination to the hall of fame and this, I accepted. I feel deeply honoured by the consideration and hope to contribute to the development of the Pharmaceutical profession in Nigeria.” Responding, Yakasai appealed to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara to pay special att

Benola’s Project Planning and Implementation Team (PPIT), an arm of a non-governmental organisation, has set agenda to drum support for families with Cerebral Palsy (CP) disorder. A statement signed by Tobiloba Ajayi, after PPIT’s fifth meeting at Peninsula Hotel and Towers, Lekki Phase One, Lagos, for Benola PPIT, noted that meeting which was convened to chart the course of the organizations activities for the current year and plan for their actualization, deliberated on and arrived at the following decisions: L-r: Mr. Akinsola Owoyemi; Tobiloba Ajayi; Rotimi Gbadebo in the background; AVM Femi Gbadebo; Mrs. Alaba Gbadebo; Prof Afolabi Lesi – Chairman; Mrs. Seke Odojukan; Dr Omadeli Boyo; Sir Lorenz Mba; Dada Olawale Folabi and Anderson Obah at the Benola’s fifth PPIT meeting, penultimate Tuesday. “There is need for regular outreaches to Cerebral Palsy Families in order to be rendered assistance with soft food items, toiletries, medication, adding that specialized equ

Snoring happens when you breathe through the mouth during sleeping, thereby producing that awfully embarrassing loud noise. Snoring has been medically researched to lead to eventual health issues. There are a lot of so called remedies and quick fix pills and medicines and contraptions that are out in the market these days. Some have attempted stop snoring through surgery. But it is often good advice to resort to natural methods first. Most of these natural methods are not only effective, but also possess several advantages like having no side effects. It is also a more permanent cure without breaking the bank. Sleep on your side. This allows you to breathe through your nose and not through your mouth. This opens up your nasal passages as opposed to sleeping on your back which pushes air to be breathed out through your mouth; thus making you snore. Exercises. Do exercises that help to stop snoring naturally. These are non-evasive choices that focus on controlling the moveme

As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, (CSR) to consumers of Astymin, Fidson Healthcare Nigeria has rolled out for latest reward package for Nigerians in the current year. Speaking to journalists at a media parley to mark the 15th year anniversary of Astymin and launch of Astymin Promo, Fidson Healthcare said from January till December 31, 2016, ten consumers of Astymin will win N10,000 every day. Tagged ‘Astymin Get Alert Promo’, one lucky winner will also win N100, 000 monthly. Speaking, the General Manager, Marketing, Mr. Ola Ojimakin said: “On four occasions, Fidson’s Astymin has emerged winner of the BrandHealth ‘Most Trusted Brand’ award in the Multivitamin category. L-R: General Manager Marketing, Mr. Ola Ijimakin; Product Manager, OTC, Mr. Femi Ajala and Corporate Services Manager, Mr. Oladimeji Oduyebo, all of Fidson Healthcare Plc, during the Astymin Get Alert Campaign media launch by the company in Lagos…on Monday. Photo: Bode Agbede “The As

In line with World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommendations, nutritionists in the country have reiterated their endorsement on exclusive breastfeeding of babies for the first six months of life, insisting that it is the best and could help to significantly reduce infant mortality. The nutritionists, led by Professor (Mrs.) Ngozi Nnam, the President of the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN) stated this on Tuesday, at a one-day Breastfeeding symposium organised by Promasidor Nigeria Limited, during which the company also introduced two infant milk formulas – Cowbell Tina 1 and Cowbell Tina 2 The theme of the event was “The Nutrition Wisdom of Infant Feeding Choices” and it was held at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. According to the Nutritionists, breastfeeding has an extraordinary range of benefits for the child and even for their mothers. They also stated that in circumstances when it becomes impossible for mothers to breastfeed their babies, they could use su

The Lagos State Government Tuesday, said it is targeting over four million children for measles vaccination which begins today in the state, even as parents and caregivers have been urged to ensure that all their wards between the age of nine months up to five years are taken to the health posts or designated posts for the measles vaccination. Briefing journalists in Lagos, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris said the vaccination exercise which is the second phase of the nationwide measles Follow-Up campaign was aimed at reducing any build –up of susceptibles born since the previous supplemental immunisation activities. Idris also noted that the exercise which will hold from January today to February 1, 2016 in 20 Local Government Areas ( LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) was also to reduce childhood mortality and morbidity from measles infection among children aged nine months to 59 months. “The main objective of the campaign is to immun

….Gives hygiene, sanitation codes to stop spread As efforts to contain Lassa fever takes centre stage across the federation, Lagos State Government has handed codes of hygiene and sanitation to over 500 teachers for further dissemination to school pupils. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, said that the essence of the exercise is to check the spread of Lassa fever in the state, adding that the seminar became necessary to educate teachers on strategies to contain the disease. Speaking at the sensitisation seminar in Lagos on Monday, Idris said that educating the teachers on strategies to contain Lassa fever is critical to controlling the spread of the disease not both in schools, at homes and in the communities. The Commissioner said through the teachers, children will be sensitized to note that Lassa fever can be contacted through: ingestion of foods and drinks contaminated by the saliva, urine and faeces of infected rats; catching and preparing infected rats

Lagos State Governor Akinwumi Ambode, on Tuesday, commissioned a state-of-the-art warehouse for finished goods, worth over two billion naira, an equivalent of 8.3 million Euros in Ogba, Ikeja Industrial area, for FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc. While commissioning the new facility, His Excellency, Governor Akinwumi Ambode lauded FrieslandCampina WAMCO for increasing its investment in Lagos State despite the challenging economy and for contributing to the growth of commerce in the state. The Governor who was represented by the Attorney General of the State, Justice Adeniji Kazeem, further commended the diary company for accomplishing the feat and ensuring commitment to integrity, professionalism in compliance with internationally acclaimed best practices, saying that the company has made the state proud. He enjoined the company to continue with its best practices in the discharge and management of industrial waste and effluents noting that the new finished goods warehou