Health

Here’s Why 7 In 10 Nigerians Live With Tooth Decay

Published

4 years ago

November 25, 2021

Poor oral health awareness, lack of access to dental care facilities and poor nutrition are a few of the many reasons 70%, being 7 in 10 Nigerian children, live with tooth decay, especially in rural communities.

This is according to an oral health expert, Dr. Adekemi Adeniyan, who advocates improved dental care for children in Africa post COVID-19 pandemic.

While explaining that tooth decay is quite preventable, Dr Adeniyan said brushing and flossing is still not a priority for some families, mostly those who are struggling to make ends meet following the economic downturn occasioned by the coronavirus outbreak.

In the wake of COVID-19, the WHO in a study revealed that 90% of countries in the African region reported a complete or partial disruption of their oral health services between February and July 2020 while more than 530 million children suffer from dental cavities of milk teeth globally.

The global health body said oral diseases contribute a very sizeable quota to the burden of non-communicable diseases and affects not only the physical but mental health of children.

Now, Dr Adeniyan, a dental health expert, wants the federal government to pay attention to the need for teledentistry in Africa as a means of bringing oral health education to people in their homes through music, videos, TV shows and SMS.

She said a recent study conducted in rural Nigeria showed that many parents cannot afford as little as toothbrushes for their children while many young people have never received dental care.

”This is a disease that is quite preventable yet it is affecting a large number of African children. Our children are suffering from a silent yet preventable disease”, she said.

Speaking to DAILY POST in an exclusive interview, Dr. Adeniya decried that Nigeria and Africa, in general, has no effective oral health campaign for children.

She said Africa was not doing enough as a continent to spread the word on oral health among children, worrying that very few schools and communities have oral health education programs for children while those that do, only engage them once a year during the world oral health day.

”I think the oral health campaign for children in Africa can be better, less costly and effective if we meet them where they are at. Schools are a great place to start! We can do better.”

When asked how effective continuous awareness creation is on the oral health of individuals, Dr. Adeniya said such campaigns have a huge role in changing the way people view their mouths and the kind of oral hygiene they practice.

She said ”From experience, the communities that have participated in oral health awareness and campaigns organized by governments and organizations have had more positive outcomes in their oral health status and improved oral health hygiene”.

”My team and I have an “oral health book read campaign” in schools to stir up oral health in children. This campaign brings children together to read oral health storybooks and share what they learn. One school, in particular, mentioned that the characters in the book affected the thinking of children around good oral health habits”.

Dr Adesiya has, however, expressed worry that the COVID-19 pandemic created huge uncertainty in dental care services in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

She said the 2020 lockdown across Africa meant that dental clinics were closed and community-based oral health programs put on hold, increasing the burden of oral health diseases among citizens.

”So as soon as dental clinics opened up, we had more people coming in with tooth pain. The pandemic led to a rise in mental health issues that contributed to unhealthy eating and neglect of hygienic practices.

”The pandemic also meant a lot of Africans were out of jobs, which meant affording basic dental care services for children became too high a cost to bear.

”Teledentistry is the future of dentistry and the pandemic has opened us up to the need to be able to bring oral health education to people in their homes.”

She tasked parents to emphasise the importance of oral health for children by first modelling what they expect the children to see.

She maintained that parents and guardians have a huge role in the behaviour and life choices of children stressing that children learn faster by observation.

”If we want our children to brush twice a day, we as parents, we must do so also. We want them to use the right brushing technique, we must teach and show it to them. We want them to eat meals good for the teeth, we must go all the way to make them available. Good oral health for our children starts with us” she emphasised.

Health

LASG FLags Off Polio Outbreak Response Campaign

Published

5 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

12 months 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