Health

Health: Blazing The Trail

Published

13 years ago

June 1, 2011

Governments all over the world are always seeking for ways and measures to improving the health services of its citizenry.

Nigeria and Rivers State in particular, were not left out in this trend, no wonder the National Health Bill was introduced and subsequently passed into law.

In time past, Nigeria’s healthcare was left primarily in the hands of herbalists (medicine men), now called traditional medicine practitioners, who prepared medicines from herbs, roots and tree barks.

To be fair to these traditional medicine practitioners, some of their preparations were believed to be effective, particularly the one popularly called “acum-shurrup”, made from a plant locally called “dogoyaro”, (neern plant), in the treatment of malaria. People had relief from malaria attacks when “acum-shurrup” is taken and it is still been used by some die-heard “old schools”. But their methods are unsafe, crude, unhygienic, and may also be the primary cause of resistant talciparum strains (malaria causing organisms).

According to experts, the commonest diseases affecting the health of Nigerians include malaria, hepatitis, typhoid, yellow fever, diphtheria, diabetes and tetanus.

But with the advent of modern technology and breakthroughs in medicine science, treatment, management and control of diseases are much easier, better, safer and more effective.

Healthcare services in Nigeria, is better equipped to handle most types of medicine challenges and the system is in three tiers, primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare systems.

Adequate healthcare delivery is so important that the United Nations in its declaration of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), in September 2011, gave the top shot to healthcare by dedicating three out of the eight goals to improving health of the people

In Rivers State, the zeal to provide adequate healthcare for the citizenry received prompt attention as the state governor, Rt Hon chibuike Rotimi Amaechi demonstrated when he came on board, in October 2007 and stated categorically that the policy objective on healthcare is to provide integrated healthcare services and adored on efficient primary healthcare delivery.

To execute this plan, the state government embarked on a number of projects some of which include the construction 160 Primary Health Centres (PHC) as a step towards rebuilding the entire health care system.

The completion, furnishing/equipping and handover of 60 of these PHCs to 60 communities, last year was indeed a first step towards transforming the health care delivery system in the state.

Today, according to information from the office of the state commissioner for health, Dr Sampson Parker, 120 of the 160 PHCs have be completed and furnished, and ready to be handed over to communities.

Dr Parker disclosed at the handover of the first 60 PHCs, that government decided on this massive campaign against poor and inadequate health care delivery due to revelations by health indicators that about 1,000,000, Nigerian children die before their fifth birthday and 52,900, Nigerian women die from pregnancy related complications annually. This trend, the government has undertaken to reverse, he added.

He also stated that the health centers were handed over to community leaders, whom he described as gate keepers to engender community support, participation and ownership of the facilities.

The Primary Health Care Scheme also ensures adequate referral policy.

To support the Primary health care scheme, which is a prerequisite to the success of the secondary and tertiary health care systems, an auto-disable syringe factory first of its kind in Africa, was acquired by the state government to reduce the spread of injection transmittable diseases and discourage injection reuse.

Secretary of Pan African Health Foundation, technical partners of the factory, Mr Amanye Wokoma said the factory has capacity to produce 1 billion syringes perday and currently produces five and two milliliter syringes. He said the factory would also in future produce intravenous fluids and other medical consumables.

The Free Medical Care Programme (FMCP) is another trail in the path to a successful health care delivery. The programme, which started in 2000, was given impetus when the present administration took over. The scope was expanded to and more centres including all the Primary Health Care (PHCs) in the 23 Local Government Areas of the state. The programmes offers free treatment including overseas referrals to persons who are 60 years and above and six years and below.

In addition, the government established the central medical stores, which ran a drug revolving fund account. The drugs are purchased and sold at a very minimal cost to patient. The drugs are absolutely free under the proposed new free medical care programme (FMCP), where healthcare services are to be given free to all categories of persons. To enhance this programmes, more fund has be allocated to the health sector, which now stands at N17 billion about 15 percent of the state’s 2011 budget, which also fulfills the MDGs recommendation.

The state plans to establish an ultra-modern drug manufacturing plant at Central Medical Stores (CMS) and to meet the drug needs of the state, government has purchased drugs to combat the most pressing health challenge, malaria, hepatitis and HIV/AIDs.

In the roll malaria programme, government has taken the “fight to the levels backyard”, so to speak as millions of long lasting insecticide Nets (LLINs) and thousands of doses of anternisimi-based combination therapy and distributed free to residents in the state.

Also plans are underway to build a Bio-larvicidal plant another first in this part of the world in the state where Bio larvicide’s are expected to be produced while area spraying of larvicides as well as indoor residual spraying of homes.

The vision of the Amaechi-led administration is enshrined in the commitment to providing effective, efficient improved and accessible health care services.

To this end, secondary health institutions, being the generate hospitals are being renovated and re-equiped to handle referrals from the PHCs.

The Brathwaitte Memorial Specialist Hospital (BMSH), was also remodeled and retooled to a tertiary health standard. Niger Hospital, now Kelsey Harrison Hospital and the Dental Maxilotional Hospital also received facelifts. Justice Adolphus Karibi-whyte Hospital, a specialist hospital expected to discourage seeking medical help abroad and a mother and child hospital, Burns and Trauma centres are projects on the drawing board.

The state emergency medical services units, is worthy of mention. The service, which originally started in the previous administration, had only eight functional ambulances.

Since them more ambulance including marine ambulances have been added to the unit, which has been upgraded to a central ambulance control unit where all the ambulances are kept under a controlling unit and dispatched as the need arises.

To ensure the sustainability of its health programmes, the state government introduced a social services level which has been passed into law by the Rivers State House of Assembly.

So far, about N18.3 billion has been spent on the construction, renovation and retooling of health facilities in the state while N075.5 million has been spent on free medicals.

Dr. A Okuyagu, Director, Primary Health Care, Rivers State Ministry of Health, remarked, that “the true wealth of the people is the good health of the people, hence the wealthiest people are the healthiest people”.

The new Primary Health Care Policy of the state is surely a step to turn around the fortune of the people. It is hinged on wide consultation and input by stakeholders.

The fact that this is backed by a legislative act is an indication of its sustainability.

Tonye Nria-Dappa

Health

RSG Plans Fresh Training For TBAs

Published

2 weeks ago

April 10, 2024

The Tide

Plans are in the works by the authorities in the Rivers State Ministry of Health to conduct training for Traditional Birth Attendants(TBAs) in the State.
State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Adaeze Oreh gave the hint while chatting with newsmen recently in Port Harcourt.
She said the training has become crucial to school the TBAs on methods and measures to complement in maternal health care.
In her words,” We are aware of of their roles, but we need to be confident that they can still play that role, especially the skills set needed to complement what government is doing.’’
Dr. Oreh explained that maternal and child care has evolved, hence, the TBAs need to be schooled,” we want them to scale up their skills, especially on high risk pregnancies.”
She continued, “ We want to make sure that our system mops up those high risk pregnancies, because we know that many of them carry out clandestine activities they are not helping us.”
Assuring of improved manpower in the State health sector, Dr. Oreh said the Governor Siminalayi Fubara administration has embarked on fresh recruitment exercise for health workers to meet current challenges.
She assured that once the recruitment exercise is completed, the various health centres and hospitals will be staffed with qualified manpower to provide efficient health services in the State.

Kevin Nengia

Health

Viral Hepatitis Claims 3,500 Lives Daily -WHO

Published

2 weeks ago

April 10, 2024

The Tide

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised an alarm on viral hepatitis infection that claims 3,500 lives each day.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) 2024 Global Hepatitis Report, the number of lives lost due to the viral hepatitis is increasing.
The disease is the second leading infectious cause of death globally — with 1.3 million deaths per year, the same as tuberculosis, a top infectious killer.
The report, released at the World Hepatitis Summit revealed that despite better tools for diagnosis and treatment, and decreasing product prices, testing and treatment coverage rates have stalled.
It, however, said, reaching the WHO elimination goal by 2030 is still achievable, if swift actions are taken now.
New data from 187 countries show that the estimated number of deaths from viral hepatitis increased from 1.1 million in 2019 to 1.3 million in 2022. Of these, 83percent were caused by hepatitis B, and 17percent by hepatitis C. Every day, there are 3,500 people dying globally due to hepatitis B and C infections.
“This report paints a troubling picture: despite progress globally in preventing hepatitis infections, deaths are rising because far too few people with hepatitis are being diagnosed and treated,” said WHO’s Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
He added, “WHO is committed to supporting countries to use all the tools at their disposal – at access prices – to save lives and turn this trend around.”
Updated WHO estimates indicate that 254 million people lived with hepatitis B and 50 million with hepatitis C in 2022. Half the burden of chronic hepatitis B and C infections is among people 30–54 years old, with 12percent among children under 18 years of age. Men account for 58percent of all cases.
New incidence estimates indicate a slight decrease compared to 2019, but the overall incidence of viral hepatitis remains high.
In 2022, there were 2.2 million new infections, down from 2.5 million in 2019.
These include 1.2 million new hepatitis B infections and nearly one million new hepatitis C infections. More than 6,000 people are getting newly infected with viral hepatitis each day.
The revised estimates are derived from enhanced data from national prevalence surveys. They also indicate that prevention measures such as immunisation and safe injections, along with the expansion of hepatitis C treatment, have contributed to reducing the incidence.

Health

How Dates Boost Fertility -Research

Published

2 weeks ago

April 10, 2024

The Tide

Now, researchers in a study, suggest that date palm is an arsenal to fight infertility in couples. They found that 1-month consumption of date palm has a positive impact on the sexual function of infertile couples.
The study to investigate the effect of date palms on the sexual function of infertile couples was in the 2022 edition of the BMC Research Notes.
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted on infertile women and their husbands who were referred to infertility clinics in Iran in 2019, researchers found sexual function in females (arousal, orgasm, lubrication, pain during intercourse, satisfaction) in the intervention group was significantly increased compared to females in the control group that had no date palm.
Infertility and infertility management affects different dimensions of a couple’s life. Sexual dysfunctions can appear in both partners and might provoke problems in every stage of sexual response. Infertility negatively affects the sexuality of infertile couples.
Numerous studies show that infertile women have lower sexual function than fertile women. Sexual satisfaction is strongly affected by the consequences of infertility such as reduced self-esteem, feelings of depression and anxiety, and failed sexual relationships.
The intervention group was given a palm date capsule and the control group was given a placebo. The starch powder was applied to prepare the placebo capsules.
Also, all areas of male sexual function (erectile function, orgasmic function, sexual desire, intercourse satisfaction and overall satisfaction) significantly increased in the intervention group compared to the control group.
Infertility is not only a medical problem but also affects all personal dimensions and social life of most infertile individuals. Infertile couples are more prone to psychological problems (anxiety, depression, and stress), which may result in marital distress, social dysfunction (stigma, social exclusion, and feelings of failure), and reduced quality of life.
Infertility and infertility management affects different dimensions of a couple’s life. Sexual dysfunctions can appear in both partners and might provoke problems in every stage of sexual response. Infertility negatively affects the sexuality of infertile couples.
Numerous studies show that infertile women have lower sexual function than fertile women. Sexual satisfaction is strongly affected by the consequences of infertility such as reduced self-esteem, feelings of depression and anxiety, and failed sexual relationships.
Dates palm is known to have come from what is now Iraq. In Nigeria, dry and soft date fruits are sold out for consumption. However, in the northern part, they are added to the locally brewed alcoholic beverage to help reduce the intoxicating power.
Dates are a good source of energy and vitamins and important elements such as phosphorus, iron, potassium and a significant amount of calcium. It is also rich in phenolic compounds possessing free radical scavenging and antioxidant activity.
Since ancient times, the date palm has been used in Greece, China and Egypt to treat infertility and increase sexual desire and fertility in females. There are few studies on the effect of date palms on male and female sexual function in human beings.
Besides, studies have shown that the various parts of its plant are widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of various disorders which include memory disturbances, fever, inflammation, paralysis, loss of consciousness and nervous disorder.
Culled from Tribune online.

The researchers suggested that the improvement in male and female sexual function can be due to active ingredients and increased levels of sex hormones following the consumption of date palms since studies indicated that increasing sex hormones are effective in sexual function.

They, however, recommended more studies with a longer duration on the use of date palms on sex hormone levels in infertile couples.

Previously, a study revealed that using date palms in postmenopausal women for 1 month had a positive and significant impact on sexual desire and arousal. Another suggested that using date palms had a positive impact on orgasm, satisfaction and lubrication in women and also reduced pain during intercourse in women.

In the laboratory, administering date palms to male rats and measuring their sexual behaviours, researchers showed that sexual behaviour parameters (number of ejaculations, number of intercourse) increased compared to the control group.