Health

Economic Hardship: There Is Need For More Family Planning – Expert

Published

4 years ago

May 20, 2021

By Joseph Kanjo, Benin

The need for more family planning in the society has once again been emphasised particularly in this period when the Nigerian society and by extension the world is faced with economic hardship.

Mrs. Omorere Adesuwa, Chief Nursing Officer and Officer in Charge, Oko Primary Health Care Centre in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State made this assertion, Thursday, when members of Media Advocacy Group, Benin, paid a visit to the facility.

The Chief Nursing Officer who welcomed the Group warmly at the instance of Challenge Initiative, TCI, said people have been coming to the centre for family planning and life planning, adding “We chant the need for family planning when mothers come for post-natal care.We sing child spacing even when husbands come with their wives. “

On the sexually active youths, Nurse Omorere said they do advise them to abstain from sexual intercourse whenever they have the opportunity to interface with them, adding that when they insist or cannot do without sex they advised them to go for any of the various life planning suitable for them.

She said the category of youth so active in sex in the in the state falls between age bracket of 15 and 24 years.

“For the sexually active youths, we sensitise them on abstinence, but when they insist, we counsel them on the available life planning methods – injectable, oral pills, implants, etc. The use of condoms by these youths is regular because of its dual purpose as a planning method as well as its effective role in prevention of Sexuallh Transmitted Disease, STDs,” she said.

Speaking on whether these youths are willing to dish out the sexual life with a third party, Mrs. Omorere said, “Confidentiality is key. If these young adolescents know they could confide in you, they will take your advocacy calmly. Yes, they may get pregnant, but it is our duty to make them understand that pregnancy is not the end of the road for them in planning their future. We counsel them, often times get across to their families and guide them on the actions that will be helpful in actualising their potentials and attaining the future of their dream,” she said.

The Chief Nursing Officer of the facility who bemoaned the effect of poverty on the rate of sexual activity among youths and adolescents, also cautioned on the use of abortion as a life planning method.

“Poverty and the crave for modern communication gadgets and others are culprits in the rate of sexual activity among youths. We all have a role to play in mitigating this development.

“Abortion is not yet legalised in our country, as such, we do not encourage it here. Abortion is risky, it is a blind procedure, and it could become septic if not properly done.

“While we don’t procure abortion here, we however administer Post Abortion Care (PAC) when we get the referrals,” she added.

She emphasised the need for training and retraining of hearth care personnel, noting that it is the key to good service delivery.

She noted that the outward disposition of help personnel could make the services poor, stressing that training and retraining are vital in service delivery.

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Health

LASG FLags Off Polio Outbreak Response Campaign

Published

6 months ago

January 20, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, has launched the 2025 Polio Outbreak Response Campaign, reaffirming its commitment to eradicating polio and safeguarding the health of its children.

The ceremony, held at the Simpson Primary Healthcare Centre, was led by the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, represented by Mrs. Widad Jumoke Mustafa, a member of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO).

In her address, the First Lady emphasised the state government’s proactive measures to keep Lagos polio-free, highlighting the critical importance of the campaign in preventing the debilitating effects of poliomyelitis, which can result in paralysis or death.

The First Lady also called on parents, community leaders, and stakeholders to support the campaign by ensuring eligible children are vaccinated.

Targeting children aged 0-59 months, vaccination teams will administer the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) to prevent virus transmission.

Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, the Special Adviser on Health, expressed gratitude to Lagosians for their continued cooperation in the fight against polio. While appreciating all healthcare workers and partners for their services, Mrs. Ogunyemi encouraged parents to present their children and wards for the exercise.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Lagos Mainland Local Government, Mrs. Omolola Rashidat Essien opined that Immunization is key in ensuring that children are kept safe from polio and other vaccine preventable diseases.

Dr. Abimbola Bowale, the Supervising Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, who also spoke at the event, underscored the life-saving importance of immunization.

“All children aged 0-59 months need multiple doses of the polio vaccine to ensure full protection. Any child missed represents a potential risk for the poliovirus to spread. The vaccine is safe, effective, and crucial in keeping our communities polio-free,” he stated.

Dr. Bowale also outlined several strategies to ensure the success of the campaign, including fixed post teams stationed at primary healthcare centres and public health facilities, house-to-house visits, and a transit strategy to reach special locations such as places of worship, schools, motor parks, and other public venues.

The event concluded with Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu officially launched the campaign, marking a renewed effort to maintain Lagos State’s polio-free status.

Headline

Lagos Cholera Cases Rise To 421

Published

1 year ago

June 22, 2024

Editor

The Lagos state suspected cholera cases have risen to 421.

The Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi disclosed this on his Instagram handle @profakinabayomi on Saturday.

“As of June 20, 2024, an additional four suspected cholera cases have been reported, as illustrated in the accompanying graph,” he wrote.

He noted that the Emergency Operations Centre in collaboration with all relevant partners is actively engaged in contact tracing, community-based surveillance, awareness campaigns, sample testing, and ensuring that confirmed cholera cases receive appropriate medical treatment.

On Friday, the commissioner confirmed 35 cases out of the 417 suspected cases and 24 deaths across 20 Local Government Areas in the state.

The cases were reported from Agege, Badagry, Ikeja, Mushin, Ajeromi-Ifelofun, Epe, Ikorodu, Ojo, Alimosho, and Eti-Osa.

Others were Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Amuwo-Odofin, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos Island, Shomolu, Apapa, Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos mainland, and Surulere.

Cholera is a food and water-borne disease caused by ingesting the bacteria— Vibrio cholerae — in contaminated water and food. Cholera can cause severe acute watery diarrhoea, and the severe forms of the disease can kill within hours if left untreated.

In Nigeria, cholera is an endemic and seasonal disease, occurring annually mostly during the rainy season and more frequently in areas with poor sanitation.

The World Health Organisation on Thursday announced a spike in cholera in several regions of the world, with almost 195,000 cases and over 1,900 deaths reported in 24 countries since the start of 2024.

WHO said the Eastern Mediterranean Region reported the highest number of cases, followed by the African Region, the Region of the Americas, the Southeast Asia Region, and the European Region.

The global health body, however, noted that there are no reported cases in the Western Region, according to its bulletin released on Wednesday.

It said it exhausted its global stockpile of Oral Cholera Vaccines by March but was able to exceed “the emergency target of five million doses in early June for the first time in 2024.”

Health

AUTISM: What You Need To Know

Published

1 year ago

April 6, 2024

Editor

By Silver Yeibake

Autism, commonly known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication, social interaction, and behavior. Autism is referred to as a spectrum condition since it can manifest in a variety of symptoms and abilities. While the actual cause of autism is unknown, evidence suggests that genetic and environmental factors interact to influence its development.

The risk factors include a sibling with autism, advanced age of parents, exposure to certain air pollutants and pesticides before birth, extreme prematurity, mothers with diabetes, immune system disorders or obesity, any difficulty with delivery leading to deprivation of oxygen to the baby’s brain, fever during pregnancy, lack of certain vitamins minerals during pregnancy, and certain genetic conditions, such as Down, fragile X, and Rett syndromes.

“Risk factors can not on their own cause a disease. However, they can increase the likelihood of that disease in a person.”

It is important to know that contrary to trending claims online, there is no scientific or medical evidence that vaccines or consumption of sugar are risk factors for autism.

Autism is defined by difficulties in social interaction and communication. Individuals with autism may struggle to grasp social cues, maintain eye contact, and engage in typical back-and-forth conversations. Some people may also engage in meaningless, repetitive actions, such as hand-flapping or rocking, and have strong interests in specific areas.

It is essential to remember that autism is a lifelong diagnosis, but with early intervention and adequate care, people with autism can live fulfilling lives.
Autism treatment frequently includes behavioral therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and social skills training. Each individual with autism is unique, thus interventions should be tailored to meet their personal needs and strengths.

In spite of the difficulties that autism can cause, many people with autism possess unique talents and abilities. Some people may succeed in fields such as music, art, mathematics, or programming, thus it is important for society to acknowledge and honor the qualities and achievements of people with autism.

In summary, autism is a complicated and diverse disorder that affects individuals in various ways. By raising autism knowledge, understanding, and acceptance, we can build a more inclusive society in which people with autism can thrive and attain their full potential.

Dr. Yeibake, Weriwoyingipre Silver.
Senior Registrar,
Faculty Of Pediatrics,
WACP