Health

Nigeria: Successful Heart Surgeries Performed in JUTH
News, Nigeria

Nigeria: Successful Heart Surgeries Performed in JUTH

Four patients over the period of four weeks had successful heart surgeries at the Jos University Teaching Hopsital, Jos Plateau State. According to the hospital's Chief Medical Director, Professor Edmund Banwat, the surgeries which are milestones in the nation's health delivery services, took place in the hospitals main theatre. He said "We have made a bold statement that cardiac hear surgery is very possible here in Jos University Teaching Hospital. We have exceeded our expectations. Achieving this great feat would not have been possible without all of you here." Though the surgeries which consisted of two closed and two open heart surgeries were carried out by a combined team which included experts from outside the country, Professor Banwat noted the capacity of the teaching hos...
Fitness and Well-being – Exercise Done Right
Fitness and Wellbeing, Lifestyle, Sports

Fitness and Well-being – Exercise Done Right

Do you know why many people find it difficult to really exercise? Simple! They complicate things for themselves. How? Let’s assume you want to improve your muscle tone. You’ve not been working out for ages and then when you decide to start, you want to take on the most strenuous of workouts. Ask any experienced fitness person, this is the easiest way to get discouraged and the reason is simple. After really hurting those muscles once or twice, guess what! You will still not notice any significant increase in your muscles mass. This is not because your workout session did not have any impact. The truth is that it is a GRADUAL PROCESS. When as a beginner you push yourself so hard and do not see that immediate result, your resolve is likely to wane. The same is true for t...
Nigeria: Buhari Leaves for UK
News, Nigeria

Nigeria: Buhari Leaves for UK

To meet Theresa May, others. President Muhammadu Buhari will, on Monday, travel to United Kingdom. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement on Sunday described the President’s trip as “an official visit.” Shehu said the President would be meeting with some persons, including the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings. Buhari’s trip is however coming more than one week ahead of the CHOGM meetings billed for April 18-20. The statement read, “President Muhammadu Buhari will leave Abuja on Monday 9th April, 2018 for an official visit to Britain where he is due to hold discussions on Nigeria-British relations with Prime Minister, Mrs. Theresa May, prior to the Commonw...
Ghana: Ghana Issues Lassa Fever Alert
Ghana, News

Ghana: Ghana Issues Lassa Fever Alert

The government of Ghana has issued an alert, warning members of the public on the possible outbreak of Lassa fever. Ghana Health Services (GHS) also cautioned all Divisional Directors, Regional Deputy Directors of the Service and public health care facilities of the likelihood of outbreaks of Lassa fever. The GHS in a release explained the disease has already affected several countries in West Africa with over 300 cases and 31 deaths in Nigeria and this has necessitated urgent spontaneous national response actions among all neighbouring countries. 1. Surveillance on Lassa fever and Acute Haemorrhagic Fevers in general (using case definitions) should be enhanced. 2. Suspected cases of Lassa fever should be managed in specific isolation conditions 3. Health workers should adhe...
Nigeria: Buhari’s Scandalous Recall of NHIS Boss
Corruption, Nigeria

Nigeria: Buhari’s Scandalous Recall of NHIS Boss

IN a baffling move, President Muhammadu Buhari demonstrated clannishness and lack of respect for procedure once more by reinstating the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, Usman Yusuf. Yusuf was suspended in July 2017 following serious allegations of corruption reported to the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, and is being investigated by both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission. The premature recall sits uneasily with Buhari’s commitment to openness and transparency. Yusuf, who was appointed in 2016, allegedly cornered N919 million, being part of the contributions of the subscribers to the scheme. He claimed that some of the amount was expended on the training of the NHIS staf...
Ghana: Autistic Models Turn Heads and Win Awards
Africa, Ghana, Inspirational

Ghana: Autistic Models Turn Heads and Win Awards

These autistic teenage girls have become successful models in Ghana, where they have won awards and been made brand ambassadors for a water company in Ghana. The BBC went to see Yacoba Tete-Marmon, Nana Ohenewaa Kuffour and Maame Bema Baffour Awuah strut their stuff. As published by As published by  BBC NEWS
Health: Breast cancer survivors bare it all
Inspirational, Uncategorized

Health: Breast cancer survivors bare it all

For women facing breast cancer, there is nothing like talking with those who have walked the path before them. On Wednesday, that sharing will be taken to a new level. After medical experts speak at a Toronto symposium marking Breast Reconstruction Awareness (BRA) Day, in a room off to the side, Willow’s Show and Tell Lounge will offer something unique. Under soft lighting and clustered around coffee tables, about 20 women will unzip their tops and bare the results of mastectomies and breast-reconstruction surgery to those considering the procedure. They will show their incisions, talk about how their new breasts feel, and share their emotional journeys through the surgical ward. Informal show and tells frequently happen in bathrooms at breast cancer events, says Natalie Witki...
Food: Five Fall Superfoods
Uncategorized

Food: Five Fall Superfoods

Fall is the perfect time to punch up your diet. The harvest season offers a bumper crop of delicious local produce, much of which is nutritionally dense, high in fibre and inexpensive, too. Embrace autumn’s bounty and kick-start your family menus with these dietitian-recommended superfoods. Squash Superpowers: “Squash is high in fibre, contains vitamin A, C, potassium, magnesium, and is tasty,” says Katie Antonutti, registered holistic nutritionist, of Toronto’s Nude Food Nutrition and Shape Health and Wellness Centres. And yellow and orange squash contain beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that may help protect the body against certain cancers. How to enjoy them: Swap higher-calorie starchy food such as rice, potatoes and pasta for a serving of this high-nutrient, low-cal starc...
World: Human rights gone wrong – The case of sex selection
Life

World: Human rights gone wrong – The case of sex selection

In a perfect world, sex selection would not exist. Parents would not prefer a male child, even to achieve a gender balance in their offspring. Vulnerable women would not be subjected to abortions, including late-term abortions because they are carrying a female child, or be required to be continually pregnant until a male is born. The increase in trafficking of women due to adverse sex ratios would dry up and alleged associated ills such as an increased number of rapes, abduction and wife-sharing would end. At the political level, the predominant number of men would not re-enforce male control over political power. However, it is not a perfect world, and so we are confronted with efforts to ban sex selection to stop discrimination against females, such as those of MP Mark Warawa in Bil...
Health: What is the Best Time of Day to Run?
Sports

Health: What is the Best Time of Day to Run?

Will running in the morning provide any extra benefits compared to training at any other time of day? Blackmores’ Online Personal Trainer and Weight Loss Coach Andrew Cate weighs up the pros and cons. The benefits of a morning run Have you been told it’s best to run before breakfast? While making sure you fit in a run at any time of the day is the most important factor, there are certainly some advantages to working out in the morning. These benefits include: It helps boosts your metabolic rate at the start of the day, before you’ve eaten. It may help to regulate your appetite for the day. It can increase the consistency of your exercise program, as you’ll be less likely to put off morning exercise for other interruptions. It’s a real ‘pick me up’, and makes you fee...