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Bauchi Leads In WASH Implementation, Says UNICEF

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The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has identified Bauchi as a leading state in the implementation of Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) related interventions in the country.

Mr Tushar Rane, UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office, Bauchi, stated this at a news conference organised to commemorate the 2021 Global Hand Washing Day (GHWD), on Friday in Bauchi.

The theme for this year is: “Our Future is at Hand; Let’s Move Forward Together.”

Rene, represented by Mr Amose Kudzala, UNICEF’s WASH Specialist, said that six local government areas of the state had attained the Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.

“Bauchi is a leading state in the implementation of WASH related interventions in Nigeria.

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“Dass and Warji, are one of the first to attain and sustain ODF status while four other LGAs have achieved similar feat,” he said.

He listed the councils to include Toro, Bauchi, Katagum and Zaki, adding that they needed the state government support to achieve similar results before the end of the year.

According to him, the UN agency will continue to work with the state government, development partners and other organisations to ensure the fulfillment of the rights of children and women.

In his remarks, Alhaji Ahmad Jalam, the state Commissioner for Water Resources, said the state government had prioritised WASH in its policy.

Jalam said that the state had recorded significant progress in enhancing access to safe water supply and sanitation.

He, however, said that lack of toilets and handwashing facilities in homes and schools were negatively affecting the gains made in public health.

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Disparities in public health status and wellbeing is very clear between the over 6,000 ODF communities in the state, especially in Dass, Warji, Gamawa, Bogoro, Shira and Ganjuwa that are LGA-Wide ODF.

“To save lives and reduce the spread of preventable diseases, it is vital that we combine our expertise in technology and communication to raise awareness, promote safe sanitation and hygiene practices.

“Such practices include construction, usage and management of toilets in communities and handwashing with soap, under clean running water before we eat and after going to toilets among others, so as to support the government’s efforts at improving public health,” he said.

The Commissioner stressed the need for collective efforts to support government’s drive towards achieving ODF in communities across the state.

This, he said, is critical towards reducing the burden of WASH related diseases, improve health status, wellbeing and productivity of the people.

Also speaking, Mr Garba Magaji, Permanent Secretary, Bauchi State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), said that hand washing practices played vital role to stem spread of COVID-19 pandemic globally.

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He added that a lot of diseases could be prevented through hand washing with clean water and soap.

The event was organised in collaboration between the UNICEF, Bauchi State Government, WaterAid and African Development Bank (AfDB) Group.

Meanwhile, the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), under the auspices of Newtwork Society for Water and Sanitation (NEWSAN), has described WASH, as a fundamental right to all citizens.

Mr Jinjiri Garba, the CSOs Lead Team, said this at a news conference as part of activities to mark 2021 Global Handwashing Day in Bauchi.

Access to safe water is a fundamental human need and, therefore, a basic human right.

“Contaminated water jeopardises both the physical and social health of the people. It is an affront to human dignity.

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“The right to water entitles everyone to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible, and affordable water, and it must be enjoyed without discrimination equally by women and men.” he said.

READ ALSO: UNICEF Decries Deaths Of Children Through Unexploded Reminant Of Bombs

He decried the prevalence of cholera disease in the state and stressed the need for practical measures to enhance the provision of sustainable WASH services.

More so, Dr Evelyn Mere, Country Director, WaterAid Nigeria, said: “Hand washing promotion is proven to be cost-effective. Investments in health, education, and improved water supply are all jeopardised if hand washing with soap is not included in the overall plan.

“Governments should not wait for another crisis to hit the nation before investing wisely in the health and wellbeing of the people and the resilience of its economy,” she said.

On his part, Claire Seaward, WaterAid’s Global Campaign Director, also advised government at all levels to promote behaviour change and set out clear roadmaps for achieving hand hygiene for everyone by 2030.

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Partnerships with businesses will be crucial to strengthening supply chains for hygiene products and services.

“Donors need to rapidly increase their financial support in low and middle income countries, recognising the critical role that hand hygiene has in pandemic preparedness and addressing antimicrobial resistance.”

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Don Confirms ‘Zobo’ As Antihypertensive Therapy

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The Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, UNEC, Prof. Daniel Nwachukwu, after research findings and clinical trials in both animals and human, has confirmed that Hibiscus Sabdariffa, popularly called ‘zobo’ drinks, has all the curative potentials as an antihypertensive therapy.

Nwachukwu, who is a Professor of Cardiovascular Physiology in the university, stated that the antihypertensive effectiveness of the Hibiscus Sabdariffa (zobo) was comparable to those of known antihypertensive drugs that are popular in the retail pharmacies, adding that zobo’s availability, cheapness and absence of side effects make it attractive as an alternative therapeutic agent in mind to moderate hypertensive subjects.

He however cautioned that care should be applied to avoid abuse in the consumption of Hibiscus Sabdariffa (zobo), adding that the therapy could interfere with some anti-malaria drugs while its high dose was also reported to have toxic effects on the liver and kidney.

READ ALSO: How Airline Pilots Fell Asleep Mid-flight – Safety Agency Reveals

Nwachukwu’s discoveries were contained his 201st Inaugural Lecture of the University of Nigeria with the topic “The Marriage Between the Cardiovascular System and Hibiscus Sabariffa: Let no One Put Asunder,” delivered at the moot court hall, Law faculty of the University of Nigeria, Enugu campus.

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The DVC warned that Hibiscus Sabariffa consumption is not recommended for persons with low blood pressure because of its well established hypotensive action, advising that during combined therapy with antihypertensive drugs, the blood pressure, BP, must be carefully monitored.

He recommended that industrialists and investors should support large scale production of Hibiscus Sabariffa beverage and its distribution to rural communities in Nigeria, particularly since the raw materials (Hibiscus Sabariffa calyx and water) are cheap and readily available.

READ ALSO: Man Stabs Two Women To Death At A Mexico Varsity

According to Nwachukwu, “This lecture is intended to draw the public attention to our research efforts and unveiling the antihypertensive ability of Hibiscus Sabariffa which is called zobo in our common parlance. What we used for our studies was the same concentration as the locally produced zobo, and we found out that it exerted significant antihypertensive ability, in some cases even higher than the antihypertensive drugs and also did combination therapy with other antihypertensive drugs.

“What is significant is that this zobo is within us, it’s very cheap and it does not have any side effects compared to other antihypertensive agents. The raw material is just to buy zobo, prepare it under hygienic conditions, boil water and put it, sieve it and drink. It may have a sour taste but we do not encourage people to add things like pineapple or sugar in order to make it sweet, because once you do that, you are diluting or reducing its antihypertensive effectiveness.

“We have demonstrated it, both in animal studies and in humans. We are the first to do clinical trials, using mild to moderate antihypertensive Nigerians and we found it very useful. Some of the results show that one can actually use it and we equally saw that you can use it to prevent even diabetes from occurring because it reduces the rise in glucose level.”

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READ ALSO: Adolescent Girls Face Risks Of Sexual Violence – UNICEF

Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Charles Igwe while summarizing the lecture said that the lecture was in three dimensions; one on health grounds, another in academics and the third an economic value.

“Its economic in the sense that we can also begin to use what God has given us to make money. Maybe because God gave us everything in abundance in this country, we don’t recognize the simplest things God gave us in our environment. Therefore, what we are saying is that we should begin to, at all these pure water productions and incorporate zobo production so as to make money out of it.

“The university has made its contribution through our laboratories and it’s now left for the business community and the industries to come and buy into it and start widening it and make it very economic,” Igwe suggested.
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Glaucoma: What You Need To Know

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By Silver Yeibake 

Hi, did you know that Tuesday 12th March, 2024 is world Glaucoma day?Kindly avail yourself of this opportunity to learn about this important health issue as presented below:

Glaucoma is a dangerous eye disorder that damages the optic nerve, causing visual impairment or permanent blindness if not treated.
The optic nerve transmits visual information from the eye to the brain. Damage to this nerve might cause gradual visual loss that is not immediately obvious.

Worldwide, this disease affects 67 million people and contributes 6.7 million of blindness in this population. Glaucoma is the leading cause of blindness in the world.
The total number of cases is expected to increase to 111 million by 2040. Males are slightly more affected than females.

One of the basic causes of glaucoma is an increase in intraocular pressure (pressure within the eyeball), which can eventually damage the optic nerve (the nerve that makes seeing possible). This increase in pressure could be caused by an accumulation of aqueous humor, the fluid that nourishes the eye.

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FROM THE AUTHOR: Food Poisoning: What You Need To Know

There are several forms of glaucoma, including open-angle glaucoma, angle-closure glaucoma, normal-tension glaucoma, and secondary glaucoma, each with unique characteristics and treatment choices.

Some of the risk factors for glaucoma include sustained elevation of intraocular pressure, family history of glaucoma, race (African, Asian), short-sightedness, long-sightedness, age over 50, previous eye injury or surgery, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, migraines, and prolonged steroid therapy.

Glaucoma symptoms may not appear until the problem has advanced sufficiently, therefore regular eye checks are essential for early detection. Blurred vision, eye pain, nausea, and light halos are some of the most frequent glaucoma symptoms. However, these symptoms might be mild or readily misinterpreted as other eye problems, emphasizing the significance of regular eye examinations.

Glaucoma treatment tries to reduce intraocular pressure and protect the optic nerve from further damage. This can be accomplished using a variety of approaches, including prescription eye drops, oral medicines, laser therapy, and surgical procedures. Treatment options are determined on the kind and severity of glaucoma, as well as personal characteristics such as overall health and medical history.

To summarize, glaucoma is a serious eye disorder that requires timely diagnosis and treatment to prevent irreversible vision loss. Regular eye examinations, early detection, and commitment to treatment plans are critical for protecting vision and eye health in glaucoma patients.
Thank you.

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Dr. Yeibake, Weriwoyingipre Silver, a
Senior Registrar, Faculty Of Pediatrics, West Africa College of Physician (WACP), writes from Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

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Cough: What You Need To Know

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By Silver Yeibake

The cough reflex is a protective mechanism that helps to clear the airways of mucus, irritants, or foreign particles. When our airway is irritated, it sends a signal to the brain, which then triggers the muscles in our chest and abdomen to quickly expel air, clearing or removing the irritant. This reflex acts as a crucial defense mechanism for the respiratory system. “Cough is not a disease process.”

Kindly note the beautifully coordinated steps involved in the action we know as cough:

1. Irritatant detection: The first step in the cough reflex is the detection of an irritant in the airways, such as dust, smoke, or mucus by special protein complexes called irritants receptors (for convenience) which convert the sensation into an electrical impulse.

READ ALSO: Food Poisoning: What You Need To Know

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2. Signal Transmission: The receptors in the airway send the signals along nerves to the brain, specifically to a part called *”the cough center”* located in the medulla oblongata, a part of the brainstem.

3. Signal Processing: The brain processes these signals and responds by sending nerve impulses back to the muscles involved in the coughing process.

4. Muscle Contraction: The diaphragm, abdominal muscles, and muscles in the chest wall contract, increasing the pressure in the chest and forcing air out of the lungs at a high speed, making the sound that is characteristic of cough.

5. Expelling Irritant: The forceful release of air clears the airway, expelling/removing the irritant and helping to protect the respiratory system.

The above steps are designed to occur repeatedly until the irritant is removed from the airways or respiratory system or drugs are given to suppress this important protective function.

Although taking cough medication for relief as first aid is usual, it is best to identify and address the cause as soon as possible. Seek medical attention if 2 to 3 days of therapy do not give improvement or the symptom worsened rapidly.

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Dr. Yeibake, Weriwoyingipre Silver, a
Senior Registrar, Faculty Of Pediatrics, West Africa College of Physician (WACP), writes from Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

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