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Showing posts from August, 2010

MALARIA; prevention, a key approach.

Malaria, the old time killer disease kills nearly one million people yearly. About eighty five percent of this are children under five years of age. Africa is the most affected by malaria about 80% of cases, though it is still of significance concern in Asia and Latin America. A multifacet approach at different levels is the main stay to eradication, prevention and treatment of malaria. Malaria is an infectious disease caused by protozoa called, plasmodium , a microorganism of different types. This micro-organism carried or transmitted by a vector, called anopheles mosquito. We always hear “prevention is better than cure”. As old as it may, this is still valid till tomorrow. Prevention is the most trusted and reliable approach to the managing the age long crisis, malaria. This is the trick. Eradication or at least reduction in population of mosquito reduces the chances of mosquito bites. Reduction in or avoidance of mosquito bites profers reduction in chances of infection and even

HIV; radical approach, positive or not.

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is the virus that causes AIDS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. The virus is a retrovirus. it grows and reproduces using the nutrients of human cells especially the immune cells. A person may be HIV Positive without being an AID patient. An HIV positive patient would be said to have AIDS if he or she meet one or both of the following;  The presence of one or more AIDS related infections or illnesses  CD4≤200Cells/mm3 of blood (normal range =450-1200cells/mm3 of blood) UNAIDS estimates that about 33million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. About 3.6% of Nigerians were said to be infected with HIV and about 192,000 dying of AIDS. Most HIV positive persons live without symptons for about 10-12 years; this makes voluntary counselling and testing very essential and indisputable. Early diagnosis is the key to management of HIV/AIDS. In essence, proper management begins with early diagnosis. Therefore, go test yourself, know yo

THE EXTRA FAT!

Obesity (over weight) is implicated in so many disease condition. For example, diabetes, arthritis, cardaic failure etc. However we still see obese people tending to eating too much. You don’t blame them for that, you blame the extra fat. They would usually need some more glucose to power the extra fat they carry thus, tends to eat more. They complain about their weight but they still eat so much. They can hardly move their legs and we advocate physical exercise. Some of them suffer from ulcer (peptic ulcerative disorder) and we recommend starving and so on. What a paradox! Diet, physical exercise and life style adjustment are still the main stay in the management of obesity. It is important to note however that, certain aggressive approaches are needed to overcome the inertia to put management on course. Something that works, a result oriented and cost effective approach. Drug therapy, harbal or orthodox medicines are significant to starting management. Fat burners, antichol

this spike in blood sugar!

This is a group of metabolic-endocrine disease that is characterized with chronic hyperglycaemia (i.e high blood sugar/ glucose). It is a condition in which the body can not properly convert food into energy. The consistently high blood glucose is associated with acute, as well as long term complications affecting the eyes, kidneys, feet, nerves, cardiovascular system etc. Some of the symptoms of diabetes are;  Increased thirst, polydipsia and urination, polyurea,  Constant hunger, polyphegia,  Weight loss,  Blood vison,  Extreme fatique, etc There are three main types of diabetes mellitus as follows ; (a) Type I or the Juvenile diabetes. This results from the destruction of the pancreatic β cells usually by autoimmune processes. It presents at young age especially at teens and twenties. It requires daily use of insulin for survival, thus called insulin-dependent diabetes. Insulin is a hormone that is produced and secreted by the endocrine system in the body. It usu

DON’T TELL MY DADDY!

“Study hard, work hard and be focused” were more familiar statements from my father. I can bet with my kidney that those statements were as valid as the rising of the sun. However something very important was missing all along. My daddie was happy and comfortable with the things happening with me. I was on top of my game. I was at my best. I was spinning at top of my class and my principal too was happy about everything. Nonetheless, i was still ignorant of one important contemprary issue. Toyin was an incredibly beatiful jewel, a damsel, a friend and classmate of mine. She was also on top of her game, brilliant. I tell you grammer failed to describe how fabulously elegant she was. It was our friend’s birthday party . I there with my sister and she was too. Toyin was different, not in her usual school uniform, she was pretty to say the least. Then, i started feeling something i only feel in the morning in my room. “What should i do now, this is embarassing” i said to myself.