Category: Health

  CHUKS OKOH. A retired general manager of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the founder of Jedidiah Divine Home Of Love (JEDLOF), a Non Governmental Organisation, Dr. Mrs. Ebele Okoye, has advised Nigerians to check their blood pressure and sugar level regularly to avoid sudden death. Speaking shortly after carrying out free medical tests for over 100 widows at the Ikeja High School Oyetayo, Oshodi, as part of the NGO’s quarterly medical outreach over the weekend, Dr Okoye said,  the exercise was borne out of the fact that so many Nigerians can not access health facilities due to economic hardship in the country. With the theme ‘Reviving Hope and Empowering Widows’ Dr Okoye noted, that high blood pressure remained a silent killer of individuals in the country adding, that a lot of Nigerians do not have money to access medical facilities saying that, the free medical screening was  part of JEDLOF’s giving back to the society. She encouraged members of the public to always go for medical tests to keep staying alive. According to her, Nigerians are hardworking people stressing that their counterparts in the western world were being taking care of by their governments by providing necessary welfare facilities to keep them alive. Okoye urged Nigerians to be cautious of their health and advised that members of JEDLOF should participate in the monthly online prayers. She reiterated her call to government, corporate organisations and well meaning individuals in the country to assist the NGO to meet it’s humanitarian support to deserving widows and the less privileged. Also speaking, Mrs Peace Okoye, who coordinated the medical screening of the widows, said that exercise was done to assist the widows to examine their state of health. Okoye said, the foundation deviated from normal empowerment of the widows with food items and cash to providing medical assistance for them through screening According to her, most people do not carry out test in their body which has resulted to untimely death. While acknowledging the need of the people in the society, Okoye pleaded support for JEDLOF foundation to enable them do more for the widows For Mrs Abiodun Funmilayo, one of the widows who benefited from the medical check up, expressed joy over the exercise adding that it was not the first time she was benefiting from JEDLOF Another window, Mrs Yemisi Adenusi, commended Dr Mrs Okoye for coming to her rescue adding that apart from the test, she has provided her with food items, school fees for her children For Mrs Amaele Ego, “Immediately I saw the doctor, I was very happy because I realise today that health is very important. If I did not come today, I will not know that my BP is high and would have gone to the farm with it” A team of medical doctors was on ground to attend to those who came especially widows, with high blood pressure and sugar level were given medications after screening. Some that could not be treated were referred to hospital for more medical attention. Some of the beneficiaries (widows) of the medical outreach commended the founder of JEDLOF, Dr Okoye for organising the medical screening for them. Highlight of the exercise, was the distribution of gifts to the widows.

By Osehobo Ofure. The National President of the National Butchers Employers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Sunny Omokaro, has raised alarm over the acute shortage of veterinary doctors in Edo State’s slaughterhouses, warning that the situation poses a serious public health threat. Speaking in Benin City after a recent inspection of abattoirs across the South-South geopolitical zone, Omokaro described the situation in Edo State as dire, lamenting that over 70% of animals slaughtered daily are not inspected by qualified veterinary personnel. “It is a clear and present danger,” Omokaro declared. “By law, no animal should be slaughtered for public consumption without thorough pre-slaughter and post-slaughter inspection by a veterinary doctor. Sadly, in Edo State today, this law is being violated daily because the state has only eight veterinary doctors—four in the field and four confined to office duties.” He stressed that the absence of veterinary oversight could have catastrophic consequences, warning that in the event of a meat-borne epidemic, it would be impossible to trace the source due to the lapses in inspection. “In the past, veterinary doctors were stationed permanently at abattoirs, supervising the entire slaughter process from start to finish. Now, they are hardly seen, and the abattoirs are left in the hands of butchers and health officers who are often overwhelmed or untrained,” he noted. Omokaro also decried the deteriorating state of slaughterhouses in the state, accusing local government councils of negligence and complicity by granting licenses to individuals without proper facilities or professional training. “The law is clear, but the authorities are looking the other way. The local governments collect revenue daily from these abattoirs, yet they ignore the rot and the looming disaster. They must wake up to their responsibility, ensure the presence of veterinary doctors in all abattoirs, and stop licensing unqualified operators,” he stated. Omokaro called on the Edo State Government to urgently recruit more veterinary doctors and deploy them to all slaughterhouses, warning that failure to act could result in a public health crisis.”The time to act is now. Government must take this matter seriously before we face an outbreak that could have been prevented,” he warned.

JAMES IGBINOSA World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday called on Delta State government and other stakeholders in the health sector to address the increasing cases of adolescent pregnancy among the girl child to reduce the trend in the State. Speaking at one day programme of the Delivery Innovation in Self Care 1.0, State Level Projects Dessimination in collaboration with Society for family Health held in Asaba, WHO State coordinator, Dr. Faith Ireye said the adolescent pregnancy within 14 and 19 age bracket in the State is worrisome. Dr. Ireye stated that the area of adolescent pregnancy has to be taken care of because currently four percent of pregnancy that we have in the State now are adolescent people. She said there was need to ensure that more women get information about the family planning, saying this is the time for government to take decision, by way of educating the girl child in order to reduce the adolescent pregnancy to the barest minimum. According to her, “if they have information, and well guarded with the information at their disposal, it will be possible to crash it below four percent self care”. The state commissioner for health, Dr. Joseph Onojaeme said the State would “remain steadfast in our commitment to structures built by the state which were supported wholeheartedly by the DISC project, leveraging its successes and insights to inform future interventions and initiatives” Onojaeme, who spoke through the permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Philomena Okeowo, hinted that the State is concerned about equitable access to Reproductive health services, with particular emphasis to self care by ensuring that every individual can exercise their Reproductive rights and live healthy, and fulfilling lives. He applauded the Society for Family Health, healthcare providers, community leaders, and all stakeholders for contributing to the Success of the DISC project in the State