Chioma Umeha

Crisis looms in the health sector of Edo State as primary healthcare assistants yesterday protested over alleged exclusion from the new Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for their contemporaries at the local government, accusing the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and the Local Government Service Commission for the development.   However, efforts to reach state chairman of ALGON, Mrs. Itohan Osahon-Ogbeide, were futile as calls placed to her phone were unanswered as at press time yesterday. But addressing journalists yesterday under the aegis of Health Assistants and Attendants Association of Nigeria, the workers said they had been denied hazard allowance under a “mischievous guise” that they are not professionals and therefore should not be paid the perk. A member told The Guardian that “few days ago, I assisted a doctor in conducting a caesarean operation and my hand gloves got torn unknown to

Five Nigerian couples with the challenge of infertility stand to benefit from fully-funded fertility treatment cycles as the Fertility Treatment Support Foundation ( FTSF ) kick starts the 2015 series of funded fertility treatment campaigns for indigent Nigerians. In this year’s programme, 15 couples will stand a chance to receive the free screening while five couples will receive the full treatment. This will be done via an electronic raffle draw. A registered non-profit organisation based in Lagos, FTSF provides financial support and services for infertile couples, in partnership with Nordica Fertility Centre, Lagos/Asaba/Abuja, with the goal of enabling Nigerian couples with the challenge of infertility, to access full assisted reproduction technology, ART, services, in form of Free IVF treatment cycles. In addition to providing opportunity for infertile couples to have their own biological children completely free of charge, the FTSF campaign also serves to heighten awareness about

Consuming food rich in nutrients such as soybeans have been identified as a way to build rich culture of good nutrition in diet. The Managing Director and Chief Executive of Nestle Nigeria Plc, Chief Dharnesh Gordhon, reiterated this at a recent media tour at the company’s Agbara factory. Gordhon noted that products from the stable of Nestle such as the Maggi food seasoning are enriched with soybean to help improve the quality of the good consumed. Soybeans is described as the richest plant source of protein and the highest amongst all legumes as it contains 43 percent protein unlike other leguminous plants that contain 20 to 25 percent protein. Under guidelines adopted by The World Health Organisation for evaluating protein quality for children and adults, soy beans is rated as first and second to none. This is to say soy bean is equal to the protein found in meat and milk. “At Nestle we have a history of delivering regardless of the external environment, this is because of t

Constipation refers to any irregularity in, or absence of, bowel movements. The slow movement of food through the large intestine and the amount of time the waste remains in the colon are factors that contribute to constipation. More and more water is absorbed while the waste is in our body and the stool becomes drier and bulky, thus more difficult to pass. Regular bowel movement is necessary to remove waste and toxins from the body. Some people have movements daily, others three times a week, this is normal, although some doctors consider a person moving bowels less than once a day to be constipated. Constipation can be cause by lack of exercise, too much junk food, poor diet, painkillers, antidepressants and/or pregnancy. However serious diseases can cause constipation as well, including thyroid problems, circulatory disorder, colon malfunction (fistulas, tumours, and obstruction). Here are natural ways of returning the balance to the body: Eat fruits, vegetables and other high fibr

The Chairman, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, (PMG-MAN), Pharm. Okey Akpa (FPSN), has taken to the cleaners some drug-producing companies who demonstrate nonchalant attitude towards products they classified as “Orphan drugs.” Akpa, spoke at the at the opening ceremony of a three-day Nigeria Pharma Manufacturers Expo 2015 in Lagos, which concluded yesterday and was staged for stakeholders in the health sector to exchange information, products, services and ideas. In his key note address at the exhibition, with the theme: ‘The Nigerian Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Industry & International Competitiveness,’ PMG-MAN Chairman lamented that a major challenge in Africa is that many International Pharmaceutical Companies are not interested in research and development investments for conditions such as sickle cell anaemia and malaria that are peculiar to the African continent. The three-day programme was declared opened by the Director-

•Promotes vegetable consumption Following growing concerns to encourage consumption of vegetables as part of a healthy diet, Nestlé, Nigeria, through the Maggi brand, has engaged over 15,000 Nigerian women through its home garden initiative this year. A statement from the Nestlé Central & West Africa Region, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs Direction, signed by Isabella Akinseye, said that the scheme is an integral part of the yearly, ‘Maggi Women’s Forum,’ which is held in different parts of Nigeria in partnership with various women’s groups, including the governors’ wives and association presidents. At each forum, participants are taught about the importance of nutrition, health and wellness, shown how to raise a home garden and are given a vegetable garden starter pack containing iron-rich fluted pumpkin vegetable (an indigenous vegetable grown in southern Nigeria), and a leaflet. Over the past five years, women in 18 Nigerian states have received veget

National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, Thursday, declared its support for President Muhammadu Buhari on his ongoing anti-corruption crusade. Speaking at a press conference to herald the college’s 33rd convocation, President of the college, Prof. Rasheed Arogundade commended Buhari for the giant strides he has made in less than four months on assumption of office. Arogundade who disclosed that no fewer than 341 convokees will be awarding Fellowship certificates next week, pointed out that Buhari was already fulfilling his electioneering campaign promises. According to him, corruption has negative effect in every aspect of the economy. He said through the ongoing effort, huge money would be saved, which is needed to revatilise every sector of the country’s economy, particularly the health sector. L-R: Deputy Registrar, (Academics), National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria,  Dr. Salami Sule; College Registrar, Professor Ayoola Atoyebi; College Preside