Frontpage News (3249)
NCDC activates emergency operation to curb Lassa fever outbreak as cases surge
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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has activated the national multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary Lassa fever Emergency Operations Centre as part of efforts to curb the spread of the disease across the country.
The Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, disclosed this in a statement he released on Wednesday. The NCDC boss said the step became necessary due to an increase in the number of confirmed Lassa fever cases.
Study reveals 10 minutes exercise from age 40 could extend lifespan
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A new study by researchers in the United State has suggested that 10 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day can extend lifespan. The study conducted in the US was published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.
The study noted that an increase of 20 or 30 minutes of exercise could lead to even more lives saved. The lead author, Dr. Pedro Saint-Maurice speaking with CNN on the findings of the research said that findings support encouraging older adults to increase their activity.
Nutritious feeding impossible in Nigeria with N30,000 minimum wage, study says
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A Nigerian earning the Federal Government-approved minimum wage of N30,000 monthly cannot afford basic nutritious food that the body needs, says a recent study from Picodi, an international e-commerce company.
According to the study, monthly consumption of milk, bread, vegetables, rice, eggs, fruits and other basic food products by an adult will cost ₦40,980. Picodi stated that its analysts also checked how the minimum wage rates have changed in 64 countries and whether such amounts can ensure a minimum standard of living in a given country.
Why future COVID-19 variants could become more transmissible –Experts
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Medical experts have warned that the Omicron variant will not be the last, noting that future COVID-19 variants will be more transmissible. The experts also cautioned against complacency in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, stressing that people should continue to take precautions against the viral health condition.
According to them, future variants could become more or less severe and could also have properties of immune escape. They, however, urged that people should continue to protect themselves against exposure by maintaining physical distancing, wearing masks, and receiving COVID-19 vaccines.
Cooking with animal fat dangerous, increases risk of heart attack, experts warn
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Nutrition and animal scientists have cautioned against the use of animal fats as a healthier substitute to vegetable oils. While warning that the intake of animal fat is dangerous to health, the experts noted that it could cause serious health complications including heart attack.
According to the experts, animal fats also known as animal tallows have a high content of saturated fat which could cause hypertension and heart attacks. Tallow, as explained in an article published by delightedcooking.com, is a form of rendered fat, classically made from beef.
Giving babies only pap not sufficient for growth, physician tells mothers
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A Senior Registrar in Paediatrics at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Dr. Chinwe Ogbonnaa-Njoku says while pap is a very nutritious meal for babies, nursing mothers should not depend on it for the growth of their children.
According to Dr. Ogbonnaa-Njoku, pap is not enough by itself for growing babies, hence the need to gradually introduce the whole range of family diets to babies from six months. “Pap is a very nutritious meal high in carbohydrate, B vitamins and has some protein and other micronutrients.
Marijuana could damage brain, affect ability to think, plan, study says
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A new study has indicated that persons using marijuana may find it more difficult to perform cognitive functions. According to the study, persons using marijuana, especially youth, are at risk of brain damage as the weed can affect the ability to think, solve problems and plan.
While the debate on the health effect of marijuana had remained contentious for years, the new study has once again highlighted the impact it can have on its users, CNN reported. The review of the study published on Thursday in the journal Addiction stated that contrary to the view of many people, the impact of marijuana may well go beyond the initial high and may affect the ability to think and plan, especially for adolescents.
‘Pregnant women who consume sweeteners risk having obese children’
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A new study by Canadian researchers has indicated that pregnant women who consume lots of artificial sweeteners could be more at risk of giving birth to children who end up being obese. The study, though carried out on rats, found that pregnant rats fed stevia or aspartame artificial sweeteners had pups that were fatter.
The researchers who performed the experiment stated that their findings could be used to caution expectant mothers against consuming sweeteners, noting that other studies have found similar findings in humans.
Eti-Osa, Ibeju-Lekki, Epe LGAs lead in high HIV prevalence rate in Lagos
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A new report has indicated that Eti-Osa, Ibeju-Lekki, and Epe Local Government Areas lead the pack of LGAs with a high HIV prevalence rate in Lagos state. The report was from a survey carried out by the Maryland Global Initiatives Corporation and titled ‘Nigerian HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey report in Lagos State’
The report covers the overall HIV/AIDS surveillance in the state. The Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi disclosed this on his Instagram handle @profakinabayomi, when he received the Country Director, Maryland Global Initiatives Corporation, Dr. Sylvia Adebajo.
Persons abusing paracetamol at increased risk of kidney, liver, blood cancers, expert warns
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A pharmaceutical scientist, Tony Oyawole has warned Nigerians against the indiscriminate use of paracetamol, noting that it could damage the liver and kidney. According to Oyawole, people engaging in the indiscriminate use of paracetamol are also at increased risk of blood cancer.
Speaking with PUNCH Healthwise, the community pharmacist, urged Nigerians to refrain from self-prescription of the pain killer, noting that using it indiscriminately can cause serious health problems. He said while paracetamol is a simple drug, it is also a very dangerous drug when not used according to prescription.
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Dried goji berries may protect age-related vision loss -Study
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A new study has found that eating a small serving of dried goji berries may help prevent or delay the development of age-related macular degeneration. Age-related macular degeneration is an eye disease that may get worse over time. It’s the leading cause of severe, permanent vision loss in people over age 60. It happens when the small central portion of your retina, called the macula, wears down.
The research, conducted by the University of California, Davis, suggests that a small serving of dried goji berries may help prevent or delay vision decline among healthy middle-aged people.
After a six-week surge, Africa’s fourth pandemic wave driven primarily by the Omicron variant is flattening, marking the shortest-lived surge to date in the continent where cumulative cases have now exceeded 10 million.
As of 11 January, there have been 10.2 million COVID-19 cases in Africa. Weekly cases plateaued in the seven days to January 9 from the week before. WHO Regional Office for Africa in Brazzaville in a statement said Southern Africa, which saw a huge increase in infections during the pandemic wave, recorded a 14 per cent decline in infections over the past week.
Why heart attacks occur at night, early in the morning –Cardiologists
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Cardiologists have urged Nigerians living with hypertension to always ensure that they have good blood pressure control, especially at night and early in the morning. The cardiologists said studies have shown that heart attacks occur more in the early hours of the morning, noting that ensuring good blood pressure control at night and early in the morning could help prevent it.
They explained that heart attacks in the early hours of the day are usually fuelled by some hormonal changes that tend to occur at that time of the day. According to the heart care specialists, the surge in hormones during the early hours of the morning could lead to a heart attack which could also lead to cardiac arrest if not managed promptly and properly.
The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency has given a vaccination waiver for individuals aged 16 and 17 to enable them to receive coronavirus jabs. The agency said this in an advisory made available to journalists on Thursday.
“The NPHCDA has given a waiver for persons aged 16 and 17 to receive COVID-19 vaccines if required for educational purposes,” the advisory read. The PUNCH had reported that the Federal Government, through the NPHCDA, had earlier recommended that only eligible Nigerians from age 18 and above would be allowed to take the vaccine.
