Major health news last week: Exclusive breastfeeding, Ogun quack doctors, others

NEW MOTHERS ADVISED ON EXCLUSIVELY BREASTFEEDING

Experts have advised new mothers to try breastfeed their new babies in the first hour of birth and exclusively breastfeed for six months as all the nutrients and immunisation the babies need for protection against diseases and proper development is in the breastmilk.

This advice was given at different states across the country as last week marked the breastfeeding awareness week across the world.

The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, said though Nigeria is predominantly a breastfeeding nation with 97 per cent compliance, the rate of exclusive breastfeeding is still very low, at 25 per cent.

Exclusive breastfeeding is a method of feeding a child with only breast milk for the first six months of life. No other liquids or solids are given, even water, with the exception of oral rehydration solution, syrups of vitamins, minerals and medicines.

DONATE BLOOD TO SAVE LIVES- NBTS

The National Blood Transfusion Service, NBTS, has advised Nigerians to make blood donation a habit and not always wait until emergency.

NBTS Donor Recruiter, Nnamdi Agu, lamented the low blood donation habit in the country emphasising the importance of donating benefits not just the recipients but also the donors.

Debunking the myth that blood donation reduces immunity, he said blood donated help saves lives, and donors also get the opportunity to get free health check which can help them know their health status.

INCREASED SANITATION, HYGIENE FUNDING

The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council, WSSCC, Nigeria called on all three tiers of government to make adequate budgetary provision for water and sanitation projects.

Priscilla Achakpa, WSSCC National Coordinator, said the issues of sanitation and hygiene had never really gotten the attention of the ministry, especially in terms of appropriation.

Nigeria would reduce its disease burden through improve access to portable water and basic sanitation through a deliberate sustained funding, she said.

RESIDENT DOCTORS GIVE ULTIMATUM FOR PROMOTION

The National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, has threatened strike in the next 21 days unless the Federal Government meets their demands.

In a communiqué signed by principal officers of the association, the resident doctors demand their immediate enrolment in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), platform without further delay.

Other demands include the circularization of House Officer entry point despite various collective agreements on same as well as an alleged plan by the federal government to stagnate the promotion of resident doctors.

CONTAMINATED FOOD, DRUG ABUSE CAUSE HEPATITIS

Consumption of contaminated food, unclean water and intake of overdose drugs have been identified as the major causes of various categories of Hepatitis in human.

A medical practitioner, Johnson Ogunmade, at a health seminar in Ogun State said Hepatitis A, the most common among the five categories of the disease, in the country and E is as a result of drug abuse, unclean environment and intake of contaminated food and water.

While Hepatitis B, C and D can be transmitted through unprotected sex, blood transfusion among others, Hepatitis B which is regarded as the deadliest if not quickly detected kills faster than HIV/AIDs and can easily be transmitted through body fluid.

OGUN AND MEDICAL QUACKERY

Ogun state has the highest numbers of quacks in the country, says the state chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association.

Abayomi Olajide, state chairman of the association, expressed displeasure that in spite the rigorous campaign against quackery, the profession is still plagued by the unscrupulous people.

He blamed the clamp on quackery and closure of some facilities in neighbouring Lagos for the rise in the menace in Ogun State.

ZAMFARA DECRIES PREVALENCE OF CHILD KILLER DISEASES

The Zamfara State Government decried the recent increase in the six child killer diseases among children in the state.

The Executive Secretary, State Primary Health Care Development Agency, PHCDA, Yusuf Mafara, expressed the government’s concerns on the increasing cases of child killer diseases, despite the efforts of the government and international donor agencies such as UNICEF.

The state has 666 primary health care centres and general hospitals where free medication and routine immunisation are given to prevent such diseases, he said. Unfortunately, all efforts to tackle such diseases is still yielding low results.

ELIMINATE MENINGITIS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA BY 2030

There is new hope for Africa in the fight against meningitis as health experts from across the world have pledged to ensure that the killer disease is eliminated from the ‘meningitis belt’ in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030.

The experts highlighted the urgent need for a global meningitis vision and strategy to eliminate the disease which is of epidemic status and causes the death of many people during an outbreak.

Nigeria happens to be one of such countries, with the last epidemic outbreak this year lasting seven months killing and 1,166 people before it was officially declared over on June 29.