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In Nigeria, if you called in sick and couldn’t make it to work, it was probably because you had Malaria and Typhoid. Did I hear you say Typhoid? You have participated in Fraud! Let me shock you, the rate of Typhoid fever occurrence in Sub-Saharan Africa based on existing studies is less than 1%, unlike malaria prevalence which currently stands above 60% in Nigeria. Yet, typhoid fever, a disease caused by Salmonella typhi and its paratyphi variant is being diagnosed on a daily basis and treated at an unprecedented rate in Nigeria. This situation has gotten so bad that almost every patient; male, female, young and old with febrile illness in Nigeria is treated for typhoid. At every turn, what you hear is: ‘I have just been diagnosed and treated for malaria and typhoid’ or ‘since I treated malaria and its not going I must definitely have typhoid. As a matter of fact, patients who believe they have these twin ailments will abandon doctors who refuse to treat the Typhoid component

The Civil Society for HIV/AIDS in Nigeria (CiSHAN) has called on government in all the three tiers to procure self-testing kits to help increase testing for the virus in the country. Besides, the group also urged the government to, as a matter of urgency, disseminate the HIV self- testing guidelines. These, the group argued in a statement, would help bridge the HIV testing gap and ensuring that the country achieve ninety (90%) percent testing target for 2030. The statement which was signed by the group Executive Secretary, Dr. Walter Ugwuocha also noted availability of the self-testing kits will further provide access to people who don’t feel comfortable going to health facilities for testing. He said: “Availability of HIV self-test kit in Nigeria is a welcome development as it will facilitate access of persons. It will also facilitate HIV testing as many times as any individual wants. “The National roll out of the HIV self-testing programme in Nigeria can help clo

HIV Stigma Case Report: Public label of a Female Sex Worker (FSW) to be HIV Positive Issue: While two FSWs were quarreling in their brothel and exchanging words, Lady A emphatically  said that Lady B was HIV Positive and should pray that God would deliver her from it. She kept on repeating it to the hearing of all, including their clients. After the quarrel, Lady B  noticed that clients started avoiding her based on the label and she felt really bad. Efforts to make Lady A  refute her words proved abortive despite intervention by all at the brothel including the Manager. Action : Lady B reported to some CSOs working on HIV who intervened in the matter. Investigation revealed Lady B was HIV Negative, that Lady A spoke out of anger. Conclusion : Lady A was made to refute her words and apologized to Lady B. Lady B was also asked to apologized to Lady A for calling her children bastards. Both of them  reconciled. Success : The opportunity was used to caution the other brothel oc

Say NO to depression, say NO to suicide! Do you wish to help? 👪 Stop calling that child a fool or empty vessel. 👪 Stop referring to any child as a failure. 🚻 Stop asking single friends why they are yet to be married. 🚼 Stop asking married couples without kids what they are waiting for. 🚹 Stop asking people why are they too fat. Your stomach is too big just after one child? Oga, you eat so much? Don't you do exercise? Please it's none of your business 🚷 Stop telling people to add up a little. You look skinny, why? Be careful. You're not feeding them 😎 Stop seeing jobless people as lazy people You don't know how hard they are trying to secure one ⚠ Stop blaming people about what fate has offered NOTE: You're just so lucky.  It's not your smartness that got you where you are.  It's called GRACE (common or uncommon), Opportunity, chance, are all as a result of timely mercy. Don't be happy about

On my Birthday, my initial desire was to hold a session where some contemporary issues that affect our people can be discussed. However, it ended up as a Birthday wish. I have just chosen to use this medium to write on what is the issue that has recurrent burgled my mind. This is what bother me...... "Nigerian Police Officers in Edo State who aid & support RAPIST to escape JUSTICE and make life difficult for victims of Abuse & Sexual violence just name it, rape, defilement,incest and all manners of sexual offences ranging from father, uncles, neighbours  to females in some cases males.  It becomes painful that these persons are easily granted bail (we know how free bail can be);  they in turn go back to taunt their victims that they have secured freedom and boastfully tell them that they would repeat the act again if care is not taken. There are cases where within a span of a short while one person would have been arrested more than twice for sexual offences such as

Depression is a common mental disorder. Globally, more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease. More women are affected by depression than men. At its worst, depression can lead to suicide. There are effective psychological and pharmacological treatments for depression At its worst, depression can lead to suicide. Close to 800 000 people die due to suicide every year. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in 15-29-year-olds. Type of Depression include :Recurrent depressive disorder, Bipolar affective disorder etc   Causes or risk factors 1. Genetic or inherited 2. Biological or hormonal defect 3.Certain personality traits, such as low self-esteem and being too dependent, self-critical or pessimistic 4.Traumatic or stressful events, such as rape or loss of loved ones. 5.relationship, or financial problems 6.Blood rela

By Dr Ehimen Ferguson, Consultant Physician/Life Coach Expert   Introduction:   According to World Health Organization and Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, majority of the world population are stressed. As noted in America in 2010, majority of the population were stressed due to the economy recession. Likewise what is seen in Nigeria today, poor economic development and other government policies has placed it's citizens in an overstressed state, hence high suicide rates and other after effects of excessive stress. Also, Note our body  can entertain little stress and at times stress can be beneficial or a source of motivation. However, we are not equipped to handle long-term, chronic stress without negative consequences. AIM- WHY STRESS? It is important to refocus our attention  on stress control. This is important considering the facts that most health complications begins from that little stress. If this little stress is not properly handled  it can cascades i

“Dear mum, It’s with a heavy heart that I write you this note, knowing the amount of pain it is going to cause you. Mum, I want you to know that I love you dearly and will ever love you. If I am given the opportunity to live again I will still choose you as my mum and our family will still be my place of birth. But unfortunately, I know that there is not going to be any such opportunity. Mum, I didn’t want to do this, but I was compelled by circumstances beyond my control to take the plunge. I tried my best to pull through, but my best was not good enough. I battled alone for about thirteen months now until my strength failed me. You and dad could not decipher what I was going through and maybe I should not blame you for that. My one and only brother came very close to understanding what I was passing through but it was too much for his young mind to comprehend. Mum, I know that you and dad loved me and did everything you could to prove that to me but I was not feeling

True Story; She is in her late 30s with two children, aged mother and siblings. The truth is that the siblings does not know what she do to survive as she operates about three states from her place of origin. On many occasions she look very moody and other times she is full of life. She really does not have a bipolar disorder but sometimes she is boxed between leaving the profession and checking out the gains she has made by supporting the upkeep of her children and aged mother. She has at many occasions said  "If I get this amount either from this job or from bets she used to play, that she would just quit." It all started after her marriage hit a rock, yes she was happily married. She had a humble beginning as things were actually rough with them after the death of her father. She moved to Lagos to stay with brother whom she was helping to run his business. Things were getting better till the brother traveled abroad and his wife took over everything and they w

HEART BREAKIN G HEALTH ALERT!!!  By Dr Ehimen Ferguson, Consultant Public Health Physician and Life Coach Expert Preamble/Epidemiology : According to WHO, globally, 800,000 suicides occur annually and Nigeria last year alone record 80 cases of suicide. Again Just this few weeks (before 19th May, 2019) in Nigeria alone, several suicides have been reported... From the death of the 400 level students to the death of a pastor. Likewise,  two students committed suicides because they failed jamb and medical examinations respectively.  Painfully, more are still threatening to embark on suicide. Warning Signs and symptoms  1. Feeling of hopelessness 2. Intolerable to life challenges  3.Preoccupation with violence, dying, or death 4. Having mood swings, e 5.Being agitated, or in a heightened state of anxiety 6.Experiencing changes in personality, routine, or sleeping patterns 7. Consuming drugs or more alcohol than usual. 8.Engaging in risky beha

A true life narrative. In the past decade, several people especially acquaintances and younger colleagues have requested of me to ‘Show Them The Way’. Sadly, very few of these persons are willing to undergo the entire process of the “Way” they desire. They focus on the glitz and glamour associated with my work and refuse to acknowledge or associate with its inherent struggles, processes as well as its risks and challenges. I began BraveHeart Initiative (BH) at age 18 (Year 2002) as a teenage girl in a rural community. BHI was then known as Voice of the Zionites and operated as a youth led, youth focused, faith based youth development club. We only programmed during the main holidays as our target population were secondary school students and we needed an ample opportunity to reach them in large numbers. Our activities were executive during the Easter Holidays (April), Long Holidays (August) and Christmas Holidays (December). I had my first seminar on the 26th of December 2002

INTRODUCTION Blood is a very vital part of the circulatory system. It is usually red in colour as seen when we have a cut or injury. A proper look at its picture and contents gives a lot of information on various forms of health conditions that can be diagnosed through screening of the blood. It was observed that while data were collected from personnel, when it got to the area of feeding in information for blood group and genotype many were not forth coming. Some claimed they have never done it, though it was requested as part of needed information. Others claimed to have forgotten which ought not to be so. While a group  gave information that was not theirs, this is dangerous. Then some that know theirs did not know its relevance. The aim of the write up is to create awareness on the need for some blood investigations, their relevance as well as correcting misconceptions. That red substance (blood) is made up of cells which include: - Red blood cells