Chioma Umeha

…Students killing dims Nigeria’s future By: Chioma Umeha & Toyin Adebayo The United Nations Children’s  Fund (UNICEF) has condemned the cruel attack, Monday, on the Government Science Technical School, Potiskum in Yobe State, which killed dozens of children and injured many more.  Bemoaning, UNICEF said: “These repeated and relentless attacks on children and schools are attacks on the future of Nigeria, a country that already has the largest number of children out of school in the world. “We call on those with the responsibility and power to bring the perpetrators of this cruel act to justice and to uphold their responsibilities to protect children.” It is recalled that a suspected Boko Haram suicide bomber, disguised in school uniform, killed 47 students in northeast Monday, prompting US and UN condemnation of one of the worst attacks against schools with a so-called Western curriculum. The explosion ripped through the all-boys school, just as students gather

Natural ways to treat diarrhoea By: Chioma Umeha Diarrhoea refers to frequent intestinal evacuations of loose and watery stools. It is part of the body’s defence mechanism in getting rid of toxins or poisons out of the body. This medical condition is usually manifested with stomach pain and gas. It may signify an existing problem around the gastrointestinal tract or can be an indication of an underlying disease such as irritable bowel syndrome, dysentery, or ulcerative colitis. Occurrence of diarrhoea can be stopped through taking over-the-counter medications, but it may also interfere with the body’s natural way of draining the toxins out. Here are natural remedies that can to reduce the discomforting effects of diarrhoea without halting the immune system’s normal defence. Natural Fruit Juice Drink lots of clear sterilized water to replenish loss fluids, prevent dehydration and to provide ample amounts of electrolytes needed by the body. Stay away from caffeinated and al

Public-private partnership to end malaria scourge By: Chioma Umeha That Malaria has been an endemic disease plaguing the entire sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, definitely will not make headline news now. However, its impact is significant enough to be currently viewed as a global health issue. Concerned stakeholders continue to intensify efforts through more innovative ways to lower malaria prevalence across Nigeria. In view of this, Ogun State Government and Reckitt Benckiser’s Mortein insecticide brand have teamed up to combat the scourge in Ogun state. CHIOMA UMEHA (HEALTH EDITOR) writes. Officials of the Ogun State and Reckitt Benckiser As concerned stakeholders intensify efforts to lower malaria prevalence across countries especially in Africa, more innovative ways to strengthen the global campaign against malaria are also unfolding. One of such innovations is the strategic alliance between the Ogun State Government and Reckitt Benckiser’s Mortein insectici

Tomorrow is the Global Day of Action for Access to Safe and Legal Abortion. Many girls and women are still going through trauma as victims of rape and incest in Nigeria today. The case of the over 200 Chibok girls abducted last April is unimaginable. Yet, they cannot access the right to safe and legal abortion if they have been abused and are pregnant because of restrictions posed by the 1861 Abortion Law. But, experts have advocated that a total health package recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) should be offered to victims of sexual violence, including the abducted girls when they are released. CHIOMA UMEHA (HEALTH EDITOR) writes. L-R: Toyin Aboh, Appolonia Adeyemi, all members of Network of Reproductive Health Journalists in Nigeria (NRHJN) Dr. Nihinlola Mabogunje, Country Director of Ipas in Nigeria and Yinka Shokunbi, National Secretary, NRHJN, during a meeting of the group in Lagos, last weekend. Since the beginning of this week, the media hav

Prostate cancer treatment: What to do about urinary  By: Chioma Umeha One of the side effects of prostate cancer treatment that especially concerns men is urinary incontinence. As treatments for prostate cancer improve, urinary incontinence will become less common.  However, today men should be aware that there are effective ways to alleviate urinary incontinence.  Surgery or radiation therapy may irritate the urethra or bladder or damage the urinary sphincter (muscles that contract to prevent urine from flowing out of the bladder). As a result, some degree of urinary incontinence (inability to control bladder function) is common immediately after prostate cancer treatment. For example, urge incontinence (the strong and sudden need to urinate, followed by a bladder contraction and involuntary loss of urine) is common for a few days after catheter removal in men who have undergone transurethral prostatectomy (TURP) for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). 

Guinea worm eradication: Nigeria risks WHO’s certification without surveillance By: Chioma Umeha If Nigerians go to sleep and watch neighbouring countries like Sudan, Ethiopia, Chad, among others, where guinea worm diseases is still prevalent transmit the disease to the country, it may not be certified as a guinea worm free nation by the World Health Organisation, (WHO), come June 2013.  For two decades, beginning from 1988, thousands of volunteers laboured to document every case of the disease and providing the tools and education necessary to defeat it. Nigeria had from December 2008 till date maintained a zero Guinea worm disease case status that is over four years. However, there are indications that some countries are still reporting Guinea worm disease and Nigeria is bordering some of the countries. Last month, the country celebrated her success in the eradication of the disease during the National Guinea Worm Disease Eradication Day. During the occasion, the Minister of