What You Need to Know about Breast Cancer

The month of October is set aside as the Breast Cancer Awareness month. It is marked in various countries to increase support, awareness and reduce the stigma attached to breast cancer. Breast cancer is by far the most common type of cancer in women with an increasing mortality ratio in Sub-Saharan African countries and other developing countries. This can be partially attributed to low public awareness, lack of accessible and affordable medical measures and delayed presentation of breast cancer. According to world health Organisation, 2.1 million women suffer from breast cancer each year and 627 000 women died from breast cancer in 2018. Previous studies have shown that 70-80% of African women present with stage III or stage IV breast cancer, most often, years after self-detection.

In this part of the world, there is an implanted sense of security in women, the possibility that one could have breast cancer is seen as a taboo, a punishment for offending the gods, and the thought that one could die of breast cancer is considered a tempting fate. However, neglecting the fact that being a woman is a major risk factor for developing breast cancer is a bigger offense. Around one third of deaths from cancer can be attributed to some behavioral and dietary life style; obesity, physical inactivity, tobacco use, low fruits and vegetables intake and alcohol use. This is not to rule out other risk factors that can predisposed women to breast cancer, such as old age, being a woman, genetic mutation in BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene and a family history of cancer. Being a risk factor does not guarantee that you will surely have breast cancer, as there are women who have developed cancer without a known risk factor.

Different people present with different symptoms of breast cancer, while others may not have symptoms at all. When you notice symptoms such as lump in the breast, a change in the breast’s shape, redness or flaky skin in the nipple area, pulling in of the nipple, pain around the nipple or breast region, it is important that you seek for an immediate medical treatment. The symptoms earlier mentioned do not always score to the diagnosis of breast cancer, they could be symptoms of some underlying conditions - the more reason you should seek medical advice.

Sadly, there is no adequate knowledge on the causes of breast cancer, hence, early detection remains the main measure for breast cancer control. Despite the knowledge and awareness about breast cancer among some women, few women take the necessary steps to try and detect the breast cancer at the early stage. It is good to be optimistic and prayerful about good health, but it is better to be proactive and take responsibility for one’s health. When was the last time you went for a medical check-up? This is your body and you will have to wear it all through your life time. Early detection has been linked to decrease mortality rate of breast cancer.

There are some factors you do not have control over and there are some you can take full responsibility of to reduce the incidence of breast cancer. Women should have regular screening to improve chances of early detection, keep a healthy weight, cut down food craps and stress, eat more of veggies and fruits, exercise regularly, reduce alcohol intake, shut down cigarette smoking, ask your doctor and pharmacists about the risk and the type of hormone and oral contraceptives that best suit you. Protect yourself and the women around you. It’s breast cancer awareness month, take necessary precautions, go for screening, stay pink and safe.

HealthWise: How Can Africa Completely Win the War Against Malaria?

Maleria is an illness that is caused by  plasmodium parasites. People get affected with maleria if they have been  bitten by an infected female anopheles mosquito. This illness can't be spread through body contact or other  physical means but, can be transmitted if you got bitten  by an infected mosquito, and through other means of blood  transfusion.  If maleria is not properly treated, it can lead to death. Symptoms of maleria include; vomiting, sweating, shivering,fever, cough, headache etc.

Africa can completely win the war against maleria by;

To completely win the war against maleria, there have to be enough vaccines for people to use in order to get them immunized against maleria. 

There have to be enough distribution of  insecticide  treated bed nets  especially to people to in the rural areas. This distribution will go a long way in eliminating the spread of maleria.

There have to be  effective antimalerial medicines  for patients to use when infected. 

There should be improvement in the health system;  availability of  experienced doctors  in various health centers, construction of well equuipped health centers in the rural area, provision of antimaleria drugs for free to the poor etc.

There should be seminars to educate and orient  people on how to safe themselves against this illness whenever they are infected .

There should be enough investment in the provision of all listed above .

If all listed above can be effectively done, I believe the Africa will completely win the war against maleria in few years.

 

5 Positive Ways Fasting can affect your Health as a Nigerian

Fasting is nothing out of the ordinary amongst we Nigerians. Indeed, we fast for several reasons ranging from religious to cultural to even political reasons. We also engage in different forms of fasting, which include dry fasting, water fasting, fruit fasting, and even white fasting. Some fast to consecrate themselves for a particular cause. Others fast because they are instructed to. Some even consider fasting as punishment to the body. However, have you ever really considered some of the positive ways fasting can affect your health? Well, here are five of them.

1. Fasting can slow down ageing

Ageing has to with gradual changes in your body that leads to a decline in bodily activities. Recent researches have shown that one of the underlying factors of this process is the accumulation of damaged cell over time, and fats and sugars have been found to be key players in the process of cell damage. When these nutrients are too many in your body cells, they overwork them and lead to what’s called oxidative stress, which eventually destroys those cells. Fasting, however, can lower the rate of these cell destruction, and thus slow down ageing.

2. Fasting can improve your brain functions

When you fast, you deprive your body of glucose, which is the major source of energy for many organs, and your body is forced to make use of fat stores. The brain also utilizes glucose, and during fasting periods, it has to find an alternative source of energy. Ketones, which are made from fats, are therefore used as substitutes. Ketones have been proven to be better energy sources for the brain, and this is why the brain functions are improved during fasting. Asides this, some researchers have found fasting to help in inhibiting inflammation of brain cells. This improves brain functions too.

3. Fasting can help you shed unhealthy Weight

If you’ve ever thought about getting rid of some extra weight, you’ve probably thought about fasting. Fasting is indeed an effective way of shedding weight and even maintaining a healthy weight. As earlier stated, when you fast, you deprive your body of calories in form of sugars and fats which compels your body to deploy your fat stores. As a result, you have higher chances of losing unhealthy weight, as long as you don’t go back to consume twice the calories you lost while fasting. 

 

4. Fasting can make your heart healthier.

One of the major reasons behind cardiovascular diseases like myocardial infarction and even heart failures is the build-up of fats in the coronary arteries which supply the heart. When you fast, however, the amount of fat in the blood is regulated and this prevents the clogging up of the coronary arteries by fats. This way, your heart will healthier, and you will have lesser chances of developing heart diseases. 

5. Fasting can have protective Functions

Apart from protecting some specific organs, fasting protects the body as a whole. It does this by inducing a process known as autophagy, which involves the clearing up of debris from cells and the removal of toxic or any potentially harmful material from the body. Researchers also believe that autophagy prevents progression of diseases like cancer and Alzheimer disease, etc.  Consequently, the body is protected.

Now, we see that beyond the religious and cultural significance of fasting, it is beneficial to your health. So, the next time there's a Ramadan fast or your pastor declares a fast, I hope you remember that fasting is not just about punishing your body, but is also a rewarding activity.

How Coronavirus Keeps Underestimating National Health Systems

It's 2022 and Coronavirus, also known as COVID19 is an infectious disease caused by a deadly virus. People infected by the virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness and recover without requiring special treatment. Older people and those with underline medical problems like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease and cancer are likely to develop serious illness and the best way to prevent and slow down its transmission is to protect yourself by washing your hands, or using an alcohol based rub frequently and not touching faces. The virus spreads primarily through drop of saliva or discharge from nose when an infected person coughs or sneeze.

 

The Nigerian health care system has suffered several down falls from infectious disease outbreaks, year after year despite Nigeria's strategic position in Africa. The country is greatly undeserved in the health care sphere. Health facilities which include health center personnel and medical equipment are inadequate, especially in rural areas. While various reforms have been put forward by Nigerian government to wide ranging issues in the health care system, they are yet to be implemented at state levels and local government levels for years. Nigeria’s health care has been rated among the worst in the world. In 2018 studies in the lancet of global health care access and quality ranked Nigeria 142 out of 195 countries .

The country keeps increasing in population sizes with an estimated growth of 180 million people. This positions Nigerians as the most populous black country and giant of Africa, with massive foreign investment, yet, the health sectors which should cater for health needs of the population remains  in shambles. Under International Human Right Laws, the Nigerian government has an obligation to protect peoples' lifes to an adequate standard of living, including adequate food and nutrition, the highest attainable standard of health, and the right to social security. In times of economic crisis, countries must demonstrate that they have made every effort available to mobilize all available resources, including international resistance and allocate them in the way to maximize respect to human right. Government is obligated to ensure access to food, water, Health care, and other basic needs for everyone at all times and in particular, those subjects to lockdown and other restrictions on movements - it saddens that reverse is the case in Nigeria presently.

In a bid to improve Nigeria health care system during this pandemic and to cater for the less privilege who might not have anything to feed their humble stomachs, there were donations from individuals and companies alike. Nigeria’s top billionaires have donated billions to support the fight against the pandemic. When Chinese billionaire and co founder of Ali baba, Jack Ma announced intention to supports Africa’s fight against covid19 by donating essentials medical supplies, Nigerians reacted with immense gratitude, the attention was then shifted to Nigerian billionaires as Nigerians wanted to know what the country’s top business elites were doing to support their countries. Some of the top Nigerians billionaires who contributed to the good cause include Africa's richest, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, who made a persona donation of 2 Billion naira to support the cause. The famous industrialist has consistently maintained his position on top of Forbes Africa’s list of richest Africans as the majority owner of Dangote industries ltd. Mr Femi Otedola also announced his donation of 1 Billion naira to the relief fund via his instagram and twitter handles. According to him, ”we must all do what we can to flatten the curve.”

Abdul-Salam Rabiu also made cash donation worth 1 Billion through the BUA foundation and supply other medical aids while Folorunso Alakija, Africa’s second richest woman and Tony Elumelu, Chairman of United Bank for Africa Plc made personal donations. Other donors are Jim Ovia and

Oba Otudeko, Chairman of Holdings Plc and founder of Honeywell Group who donated the sum of 1 Billion naira

stop using potassium bromate, NAFDAC warns bread bakers

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has cautioned bakers who use potassium bromate as improvers, saying it is dangerous to health.According to it, as part of its efforts to curb the menace of importation, sales and distribution of counterfeit/fake regulated products and ensuring that only wholesome, safe, quality and efficacious products are imported, manufactured, distributed, sold and used by the Nigerians, it has stepped up efforts to raid defaulters.

The Acting Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr Monica Eimunjeze, at a media briefing in Lagos on Tuesday explained that potassium bromate is a banned flour improver and a known cancer-causing agent.

According to her, potassium bromate has been found to cause kidney failure among other ailments.

“Potassium bromate, popularly known as tablets in the black economy, is always attractive to merchants of death who want to make outrageous profit at the expense of citizens’ wellbeing.

“Bakers use potassium bromate because it helps to improve the texture of bread as well as increases its volume and it is relatively cheap.

“NAFDAC wishes to state that there are recommended healthy flour improvers approved by the Agency.’’

She disclosed that reiterating its resolve to reprimand offenders, operatives of NAFDAC raided and arrested suspects in connection with various fraudulent activities.

“A warehouse containing potassium bromate tablets and unregistered imported EDC – 2000 BREAD IMPROVER was raided by NAFDAC operatives on Dec. 7, 2022.

“NAFDAC officers raided the warehouse located in Apongbon area of Lagos Island in Lagos where they found 115 cartons of potassium bromate tablets.

“The tablets have a street value of twenty-eight million seven hundred and fifty thousand naira (N28,750,000:00).

“The seized tablets could be used with three hundred thousand (300,000) bags of 50kg flour to produce about thirty (30) million family-sized loaves of bread.

“Also found in the warehouse were counterfeit EDC Bread Improver, packed in sachets with a fake NAFDAC registration number 01-4242, worth three hundred thousand naira (N300,000:00).

“One Rapoluchukwu Joseph was arrested as the importer during the operation.’’

She explained that apart from improving the texture of a loaf, potassium bromate also increases its volume and it is relatively cheap.

Mr Ejimunjeze said that other counterfeit products found in the warehouse included 400 cartons of counterfeit super delicious cooking margarine with fake NAFDAC registration number:- (a1-2508) and Manufactured date:- 25/01/2022, Expiry date:- 25/01/2024 with various batch numbers.

She further disclosed that the NAFDAC had since Sept. 9, 2022, commenced an investigation which led its operatives to a long span of operations at states including Kano, Kaduna, Delta, Abia and Lagos States.

“After rigorous and painstaking efforts, the Agency’s operatives traced and arrested one Owerekwe Obinna Michael ‘male’ 46 years of 12 Boundry Street, Aba, Abia State as the importer of the counterfeit product.

“At the point of his arrest, the suspect upon sighting the operatives completely destroyed his mobile phone so that the evidence will not be traced to him. He also fought the operatives but was instantly overpowered, arrested and taken into custody.

“He confirmed that he actually imported four hundred (400) cartons of the product with the above details from Dubai through groupage and cleared at Onne Port, Port Harcourt.

“He claimed that the shipment was delivered to him by a clearing Agent, whose name he did not yet disclose He also admitted to distributing the product to markets across the country.

“Preliminary examination of the product showed that the actual manufacturer’s name was not written, but produced for a company in Indonesia.”

Mr Ejimunjeze enjoined Nigerians to watch out for these injurious products anywhere in the country and report same or any suspected fake/counterfeit or unwholesome product to any nearest NAFDAC Office.

Ondomind

Health wise: The history of Vaccines

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Vaccine is a substance given to stimulate the body's production of antibodies and provide immunity against a disease without causing the disease itself in the treatment, prepared from the agent that causes the disease(or a related,also effective, but safer disease), or a synthetic substitute.

Vaccine was first introduced by Edward Jenner, a British physician in 1796. He used the cowpox virus,vaccinia, to confer protection against Small pox. Consequently, after some years, a french microbiologist,  Louis Pasteur,1881, demonstrated immunization against Anthrax, using sheep by injecting them with a formula which contains weakened forms of the Bacillus that causes the disease. Four years later,he developed a protective suspension against rabies.

In the United States of America, the Supreme court ruled that laws could require vaccinations to protect the public from dangerous transmittable diseases. After the World War II, there is the imposition of compulsory vaccination on all citizens. The Smallpox, which is at the bane of existence of the vaccine was in 1959 called by the World Health Organization (WHO) for an eradication, worldwide. The vaccine has then since been used in more than 50 countries to curtail pandemics such as flu and the recent Coronavirus that ravaged the world.

Celine Dion diagnosed with rare incurable disease, cancels shows

Canadian singer Celine Dion has opened up on her battle with Stiff Person Syndrome, a neurological disorder that causes one’s muscles to tense uncontrollably.

The 54-year-old made the announcement in a video on her Instagram page on Thursday, where she disclosed that her 2023 shows had been moved to 2024.

The singer said, “Hello everyone, I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to reach out to you. I miss you all so much and can’t wait to be on stage talking to you in person.

“As you know, I’ve always been an open book, and I wasn’t ready to say anything before, but im ready now.

“I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time and its been really difficult for me to face my challenges and to talk about everything that I’ve been going through.

“Recently, I’ve been diagnosed with a very rare neurological disorder called the stiff person syndrome, which affects 1 in a million people

“While we’re still learning about this rare condition, we now know this is what’s been causing all the spasms I’ve been having.”

The caption of the video read, “Celine Dion reschedules Spring 2023 shows to 2024,and cancels eight of her summer 2023 shows.”

Ondomind 

I May Not Patronise Nigerian Hospitals If Elected President - Atiku

Atiku Abubakar has said he may not rely entirely on Nigerian hospitals for personal healthcare if elected president in February. “Health facilities that cater to my health may not be available.” Mr Abubakar said at the ongoing dialogue airing on AriseTV. “We have limitations; we know we have those limitations.”

Mr Abubakar’s response came when asked whether or not he would turn to the country’s medical establishments as president to set a clear leadership that deemphasises patronage of foreign hospitals by the country’s elite.

The former vice president and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party has lived in Dubai, the commercial hub of the United Arab Emirates, since the late aughts, only coming into the country for important holidays and political activities,

Peter Obi of the Labour Party said he would use Nigerian doctors if elected president, adding that available facilities would be improved to meet global standards.

Nigerians have long condemned the elite rush to foreign countries for medical care, a pattern attributed to the neglect of the country’s health sector. President Muhammadu Buhari has continued to travel abroad, mainly to the United Kingdom, to see his doctors. 

Ondomind 

WHO renames Monkeypox sickness as MPOX due to Racism

Monkeypox is to be rebranded as ‘mpox’ after global health experts said the name had racist connotations and could lead to stigmatisation.The World Health Organisation (WHO) said the term monkeypox would be phased out over the coming year.

Ondomind reports that it follows a forum in the summer in which two families of monkeypox - the Congo Basin and West African clades - were renamed as Clade I and Clade II.

At the time, the WHO said the decision was to ‘avoid causing offence to any cultural, social, national, regional, professional, or ethnic groups, and minimise any negative impact on trade, travel, tourism or animal welfare.’

In a statement about the move to ‘mpox’, the international health body said: “When the outbreak of monkeypox expanded earlier this year, racist and stigmatising language online, in other settings and in some communities was observed and reported to WHO.

“Following a series of consultations with global experts, WHO will begin using a new preferred term 'mpox' as a synonym for monkeypox. Both names will be used simultaneously for one year while 'monkeypox' is phased out.”

The WHO is responsible for naming new diseases and ‘very exceptionally’ will rename existing conditions.

In 2015, it released new guidelines entitled “Best Practices for the Naming of New Human Infectious Diseases,” in which it advised that diseases should no longer be named after places, specific people such as “Creutzfeld-Jakob disease’ or Alzheimer’s, occupations, such as Legionnaires disease, or animals, such as swine flu.

During the pandemic, the body renamed several variants, including the Kent variant, which became Alpha, the South African variant, which became Beta, and the Indian Variant, which became Delta.

Some 3,720 cases have been identified in the UK since the start of May, although the UK Health Security Agency has said it is seeing fewer and fewer cases reported.

NHS England said some 68,000 people have been inoculated against the disease with the smallpox vaccine since the outbreak began in May.

It is now launching a campaign offering a second vaccination to those eligible who have already had their first jab.

RukotoTV learned that Common signs of Mpox infection include the development of a new rash, fever, headache, muscle aches, exhaustion, and swollen lymph nodes.

Human monkeypox was first given its name in 1970 after the virus that causes the disease was discovered in captive monkeys in 1958.

Ondomind 

It is now one doctor to 10,000 Patients – NARD

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, says 4,000 of its members are ready to migrate abroad for greener pastures, warning that it is now a ratio of one doctor to 10,000 patients in the country.The revelation comes as the association expressed worries over government's 'nonchalant attitudes to members’ salaries, welfare and other deserved packages," Vanguard reports

NARD revealed that Nigeria had already lost 2,000 doctors to the other countries in the last two years and that Nigeria was well short of WHO’s recommended ratio of one doctor to 600 patients.

Although he admitted that mobility of labour was recognized anywhere in the world, he, however, said there were several reasons people can decide to leave their countries or migrate to other places, tasking government to find out the reasons and address them.

“Mobility of labour is recognized anywhere in the world." NARD president, Dr Emeka Orji, told the publication on Sunday, November 27.

“There are several reasons why people can decide to leave their counties or migrate to other places even to move from one state to the other in the same country to work ranging from welfare services, remuneration, working condition, security and other social issues." 

“And what government should do is to try to find out why and then address it.

“That is what a serious government does, because the truth is that it is a very serious problem in the health sector as we speak and we believe it is an emergency and that if nothing is done urgently to arrest the drift, we would come to a stage where we won’t have doctors in our hospitals.

“Over the past two years or so,we have lost over 2,000 doctors to an outside world and on average,we have lost between 100 to 160 doctors every month.

“We are not just talking about the low-level staff here, we are talking about the highly specialized doctors leaving the country.

“And when you undertake studies to know why they are leaving, 80 percent of them responded that it is because of poor remuneration.

 

“The salary structure we are using now came into being in 2009. That is over 13 years ago and part of th agreement we had with the government

Ondomind