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Economy

Customs: Doctor recommends “DCG Dalhatu” for rehabilitation

Customs: Doctor recommends “DCG Dalhatu” for rehabilitation
By Mustapha Sumaila
Rehabilitation
Abuja, July 15, 2019 (NAN) The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says its officer, who wrongly wore his uniform with the rank of Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs (DCG), has been recommended for rehabilitation by the medical doctors who attended to him.
The Public Relations Officer of the service, Mr Joseph Attah, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
NAN reports that one Assistant Superintendent of Customs, Nura Dalhatu, appeared in the office on July 8, wearing the rank of a Deputy Comptroller-General (DCG).
Attah dismissed reports that the officer attempted to take over from the Comptroller-General, explaining that Dalhatu may be of doubtful right frame of mind.
He said from questions and answers that followed, it was obvious that the officer was not in the right frame of mind.
“So, a doctor was immediately invited and he is presently undergoing medical examination at the medical unit of the service,” he said.
Attah said that after a careful examination by the doctors, who attended to him, the officer had been recommended for rehabilitation and referred as appropriately.
He added that after the rehabilitation, a thorough investigation would be conducted as the matter had been handed over to Enforcement and Investigation Unit of the service.
“The officer is not in the right frame of mind. After the rehabilitation and necessary treatment, he will face investigation panel,” he said.
A NAN correspondent who visited the Customs Headquarters sighted Dalhatu in mufti, waiting for further directives. (NAN)
MS/KTO/MST
Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Defence/Security

NSCDC arrests fake eye doctor in Adamawa

NSCDC arrests fake eye doctor in Adamawa
By Yakubu Uba
Arrest
Yola, July 9, 2019 (NAN) The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Adamawa has arrested an alleged fake Optometrist operating in Yola.
Addressing newsmen on Tuesday in Yola, the state Commandant of the corps, Mr Nuraddeen Abdullahi, said the suspect, Imuere Ejiro, before his arrest, was allegedly rendering services in two private clinics in Yola.
Abdullahi said the suspect was arrested in possession of photocopies of academic qualification belonging to his younger brother.
He said the suspect was once arrested in Lagos by the Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians’ Registration Board of Nigeria, which fined him N200,000.
The commandant, who called for more public support to security agencies in the state, said there was a joint operation going on with other agencies to make things difficult for criminals in the state.
“The NSCDC has also sent some of its personnel to training as Agro-Rangers to contain farmers/herders conflicts in the state,” Abdullahi said.
Reacting to his arrest, the suspect said he operated in Taraba, Lagos and Adamawa states before his arrest.
Ejiro, who insisted that he was a qualified optometrist, said his arrest in Lagos was because he was practicing without registration.
“The board asked me to pay registration fee of N255,000 and I have so far made part payment of N65,000 to the board,” the suspect said.
Meanwhile, the Adamawa branch Chairman of Nigerian Optometric Association, Dr Okafor Ikechukwu, said the association had made contacts and discovered that the suspect was a quack.
“He is a quack and impostor who has been defrauding citizens of Adamawa of their hard earned money and at the same time putting their eye sight at risk by prescribing lens which is not licensed,” Ikechukwu said. (NAN)
YMU/CHOM/MST
Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Defence/Security

DSS confirms arrest of fake medical doctor in Adamawa

DSS confirms arrest of fake medical doctor in Adamawa
By Yakubu Uba
Doctor
Yola, June 20, 2019 (NAN) The Department of State Services (DSS) has confirmed the arrest of the Principal Medical Director of Fufore Cottage Hospital in Adamawa, Ibrahim Mustapha, for operating with fake medical certificate.
Mr Bola Olori, the Director of DSS in the state, told newsmen on Thursday in Yola preliminary investigations show that Mustapha did not study medicine but holds the National Board of Technical Education (NBTE) certificate.
“He perfected the illicit act of impersonation as doctor in Gombe where he worked as a ward attendant in several clinics.
“He was aided in the act by a practicing doctor who gave him sample copies of his NECO result, MBBS of Bayero University Kano, NYSC discharge certificate and that of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria annual registration license, all of which he forged,” Olori said.
The director said that Mustapha was employed by Adamawa Health Management Board as a doctor in October 2015, rose to the position of Principal Medical Officer and served as such in the cottage hospitals of Mayo-Belwa and Fufore.
“Prior to his arrest, the suspect had in the last five years performed hundreds of surgical operations in several hospitals in the state,” Olori said.
The director, who thanked the state officials of the state branch of the Nigerian Medical Association for their role in tracking the suspect, said that the suspect and his accomplice now in custody would be prosecuted at the conclusion of investigations.
He enjoined the public to be wary of such unscrupulous elements and alert security agencies for necessary action.
Speaking to newsmen, the suspect said he had no regret because he knew what he was doing and that he had performed successful medical operations.
“I even assist some qualified medical doctors to do the right thing.
“It’s unfortunate that someone from Gombe were I once worked who was envious of me decided to expose me after I was cleared to be part of Adamawa Medical team to this year’s Hajj, but the person failed to qualify in that interview,” Mustapha said. (NAN)
YMU/ECN/MST
Edited by Emmanuel Nwoye/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Healthy life: Doctor counsels over 40 year-olds

Healthy life: Doctor counsels over 40 year-olds
By Chinenye Offor
Health
Abuja, March 1, 2019 (NAN) Dr Raymond Aigbovo, a medical doctor at Asokoro District General Hospital, Abuja, has advised Nigerians, especially 40-year-olds and above, to imbibe the culture of annual comprehensive medical check to ensure healthy life.
Aigbovo gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
He said that annual comprehensive medical check was imperative because as one gets older, the tendency of coming down with some illnesses could arise.
He also said that the test and medical checks was necessary as it helps in early diagnosis and detection of diseases which helped in high chances of treatment and survival.
According to him, doctors’ work with the knowledge to save lives and when a case is presented early, the chances of survival is high.
“When a medical challenge is brought in late or when deteriorated, it will be difficult to save the life of the patient.
“But if a case is presented on time, the possibility of cure and survival is high because we are doctors and scientists not magicians,” he said.
The medical expert urged patients to always eat right and also inculcate exercise in their routine to live a healthy life.
Aigbovo said that going for annual medical check was another way of taking care of one’s health and urged the people to make it part of their lifestyle. (NAN)
CSO/OIF/MST
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Pyelonephritis: Life threatening disease, says Doctor

Pyelonephritis: Life threatening disease, says Doctor
By Ummul Idris
Pyelonephritis
Abuja, Jan. 16, 2019 (NAN) Dr Simon Abraham, a medical practitioner, has described pyelonephritis as a life threatening disease that could permanently damage the kidney.
Abraham told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja that the disease was a severe kidney infection which could cause the kidney to swell, resulting to permanent damage of the organ.
He said that an acute pyelonephritis was a sudden and severe kidney infection, which caused the kidneys to swell and may permanently damage them.
According to him, women are more prone to kidney infections and puts at a higher risk of acute pyelonephritis.
Other people who are at increased risk include anyone with chronic kidney stones or other kidney or bladder conditions.
According to him, when repeated or persistent attacks occur, the condition is called chronic pyelonephritis.
However, he noted that the chronic form was rare, but it happens more often in children or people with urinary obstruction
He said that the symptoms often appeared within two days of infection which include high fever, pain in the abdomen, cloudy urine, smelling urine, fatigue, moist skin and mental confusion
He also explained that symptoms could be different in children and older adults than they were in other people.
According to him, mental confusion is common in older adults and is often their only symptom.
Abraham stated that people with chronic pyelonephritis could experience only mild symptoms or lack noticeable symptoms altogether.
According to him, bacteria enter the body through the urethra and begin to multiply and spread up to the bladder and from there, the bacteria travel through the ureters to the kidneys.
The medical practitioner however stated that serious infection in the bloodstream could also spread to the kidneys and cause acute pyelonephritis.
“Any problem that interrupts the normal flow of urine causes a greater risk of acute pyelonephritis,” he said.
He noted that a urinary tract that was an unusual size or shape would likely lead to acute pyelonephritis.
He disclosed that women’s urethras were much shorter than men’s, hence it was easier for bacteria to enter their bodies. (NAN)
UMD/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Doctor dispels fears over birth control pills

Doctor dispels fears over birth control pills
By Ummul Idris
Pills
Abuja, Jan. 6, 2018 (NAN) Dr Gloria Moses, a general medical practitioner, said that using birth control pills before starting to have children will not affect future fertility.
Moses said this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja.
He said that birth control pills would only help prevent pregnancy while using them.
According to her, it has no long lasting effects on person’s ability to get pregnant.
She added that there is no evidence that birth control pills would harm users or their babies in future.
“It is not possible because it has no long lasting effects; it only works while you are taking it.
“When you stop taking it, so also the work stops and your system becomes normal and you can conceive.
“The purpose of the pills is to stop your ovulation. If you don’t ovulate you don’t get pregnant.
“But none of the pills have long lasting effects on your ability to get pregnant when you stop taking them and you decide to get pregnant, ” she said.
The general medical practitioner said that it doesn’t cause any complications during pregnancy or cause any birth defects to the baby.
According to her, other birth control methods like Intra Uterine Device (IUD) and Implant are also reversible.
“The IUD is a plastic device which is inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy.
“It works while is still inside you, but the moment you remove it then you are okay to conceive.
“The Implant is also a contraceptive; it is a small rod put under the skin in your arm.
“All of these contraceptive are reversible, effective and convenient to use.’’
She added that it is better to use them and prevent unwanted pregnancies than to have an abortion. (NAN)
UMD/KTO/MST
Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Smoking: Doctor recommends behavioural therapy

Smoking: Doctor recommends behavioural therapy
By Ummul Idris
Smoking
Abuja, Dec. 8, 2018 (NAN) Dr Nassanmu Yakub, a medical practitioner, has recommended behavioural therapy to curb cigarette smoking, especially among youths.
The expert, who gave the antidote to smoking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja, noted that the habit still persisted among youths in their 20s and 30s.
He said that tobacco smoking only gave a transient feeling of happiness because of its nicotine content.
According to him, you may feel high when you smoke, thinking everything is fine, but this is not true as everything is not alright.
“Smokers may deny the fact that they have problems at that moment, but the problems are still there, they just want to forget them for a while and this is common among the youth even though ladies are joining,” he said.
He said that the most obvious effect of smoking was that it caused prolonged cancer and obstructive pulmonary diseases, stressing that it may not come out until 20 years to 30 years later.
Yakub noted that smoking was bad for the health, adding that the advertisement alluded to it but somehow, we people do not listen to that part, but busy looking for all the fine, slim glamorous people.
According to him, smoking can cause your blood to clot abnormally and it can cause serious lung problem that you and your children will have to deal with later in life, “ he said. (NAN)
UMD/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Shortage of doctors: NMA demands improved welfare to avert brain drain

Shortage of doctors: NMA demands improved welfare to avert brain drain
By Ummul Idris
Doctors
Abuja, Nov. 28, 2018 (NAN) The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has attributed poor remuneration and inadequate
health facilities as some of the major reasons for mass exodus of medical doctors.
Dr Ekpe Phillips, the FCT Chapter NMA Chairman, said this at the opening of the Annual Health Week of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) on Wednesday in Abuja.

Phillips described the pay package of doctors in Nigeria as poor, stressing the need for government to increase the remuneration of doctors to address the challenge.

He noted that many doctors who left the country to take up foreign appointment did so due to inadequate facilities among other factors.

He listed mass unemployment, lack of placement for residency faced by a high proportion of medical professionals in Nigeria as other factors.

Phillips said Nigeria is losing doctors to foreign countries, adding that Nigerian doctors are leaving the country for greener pastures and the workload is becoming too much on the doctors that stay.

“We hear doctors collapsing because the workload is too much because their colleagues have left to find a greener gesture.

“We have internal and international brain drain; Nigeria now has one doctor catering for 5,000 patients instead of one doctor to 600
patients.

“Brain drain is now becoming pandemic and sad news because government did not and still is not doing enough; there is no serious commitment to stemming this syndrome.

“Nigeria which was one of the richest 50 countries in the early 70s has metro greased to become one of the 25 poorest countries in the
World today,’’ he said.

Dr Michael Olarewaju, the President of Association of Residents Doctors, FCT chapter, said that brain drain was a massive problem to Nigeria’s health system.

He said that if the problem was not properly tackled in the next two to three years there would not be enough doctors to treat patients in the country.

He observed that initially the problem in the sector was strike by health workers “but now they are not going on strike but are exiting the country’’. (NAN)
UMD/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Untreated chronic inflammation causes cancer – Doctor warns

Untreated chronic inflammation causes cancer – Doctor warns
By Chinenye Offor
Inflammation
Abuja, Oct. 25, 2018 (NAN) Dr Emmanuel Chimezue, an Abuja based physician, has warned that untreated chronic inflammation could predispose a patient to some certain cancers and other diseases.
He made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.
Chimezue explained that inflammation is a defence mechanism in the body that helps the immune system recognise damaged cells, irritants and pathogens, and it begins the healing process.
He described chronic inflammation as one that starts rapidly and becomes severe in a short space of time and failure to eliminate whatever that was causing inflammation.
He also said it could be explained as an autoimmune disorder that attacks normal healthy tissue, mistaking it for a pathogen that caused diseases.
Chimezue noted that signs and symptoms of the condition are normally present for a few days but may persist for a few weeks and years in some cases.
He stated that unlike acute inflammation, chronic inflammation can have long-term effects in the body.
He also explained that chronic inflammation is also called persistent, low-grade inflammation because it produced a steady, low-level of inflammation throughout the body or tissue which contributed to the development of diseases.
He added that chronic inflammation’s role in cancer development was huge, saying as many as one in five cancers are believed to be caused or influenced by inflammation.
Chimezue noted that one of the reasons was that chronic inflammation may damage DNA, and other times, the inflammatory process produce molecules called cytokines that stimulated the growth of blood vessels which brought oxygen and nutrients to a tumour.
He also explained that the process could generate molecules called free radicals that further damage the DNA as well as inflammation side effects which may help sustain and fuel cancer growth.
According to him, diseases and conditions that can result in chronic inflammation included chronic peptic ulcer, tuberculosis, ulcerative colitis and active hepatitis.
He said that science has it that about 35 per cent of cancers are linked to dietary factors such as obesity, stress and lack of exercise which are contributory factors to chronic inflammation.
He also said these factors trigger an immune response, even without an infection to fight off or an injured tissue to heal.
“The more sedentary a patient is and the worse the diet, the more inflammation you are generating,” Chimezue said.
Besides, he explained that damaged tissue could not heal without inflammation, but noted that chronic inflammation could cause several diseases and conditions including some cancers.
He however advised patients to include in their diets foods that have been shown to help reduce risk of inflammation such as olive oil, nuts, almonds and leafy greens.
He also advised patients susceptible to chronic inflammation to avoid eating foods that aggravate inflammation such as fried foods, white bread, pastries and foods that contained refined cabohydrates, sugary drinks and red meat, among others.
Chimezue, however, said that these dietary solutions do not alone hold the key to controlling inflammation but could also help prime the immune system to react in a measured way.
Besides, the doctor emphasised that a patient’s diet, lifestyle habits and environmental exposures could contribute to chronic inflammation.
He therefore said that It was important to maintain a healthy lifestyle in order to keep inflammation in check.
Chimezue recommended foods that are typical of a Mediterranean diet which included eating more fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, as well as eating moderate amounts of nuts and drinking red wine in moderation as ways of reducing inflammation.
He therefore enjoined patients to include anti-inflammatory foods such as Omega-3 fats into their diet in order to protect the body against the possible damage caused by inflammation. (NAN)
CSO/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Ignorance, misconceptions increasing incidence of sickle cell disease – Expert

Ignorance, misconceptions increasing incidence of sickle cell disease – Expert
By Desmond Amanyi
Sickle Cell
Abuja, Sept. 26, 2018 (NAN) Dr Chioma Ofoekii, a medical practitioner based in Abuja, has identified ignorance and misconceptions as causes for increasing incidence of sickle cell in the country.
Ofoekii made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
“The number of patients with sickle cell diseases soars yearly and this is more in rural areas hence increasing death rates, especially children.
“People indulge in marriages with the wrong blood genotype combinations without being aware of the dangers it poses to their offspring.
“Main reason why we seem to have so many children with the SS genotype (sicklers) is largely due to ignorance on the part of the parents.
“If we had a choice to give birth, we wouldn’t want to give birth to children with the SS blood genotype and put them through the kind of suffering they go through.
“So if we can curb the level of ignorance through education that will go a long way to reduce the incidence and prevalence of sickle cell disease in our society,’’ Ofoekii said.
She emphasised the need for government at all levels to increase health awareness campaigns in order to educate people on the dangers of the disease.
According to her, this will go a long way in creating the needed awareness as well as inform students about the illness.
Ofoekii, however, expressed concern about the content of messages being taught in schools, noting that there are misconceptions.
“The teaching that if you have four children one will be a sickler, one will have the AA genotype and the remaining two will have the AS genotype is wrong.
“This is wrong because they do not teach the children that it is a probability chart for each pregnancy.
“What this means is that at each point in time when you are pregnant, any of the three genotypes can manifest in the child.
“So that means that it is possible for an AS couple to give birth to three children with either AA or AS.
“Another couple may not be that fortunate. They might end up giving birth to only sicklers.
“So it is not enough to say that we are educating our kids in schools but we should also look at the content of the education.
“People are often taught that out of four children only one will be a sickler that is the wrong teaching.
“Some people have banked on it to say we will now have only three children since the last one will be a sickler.
“If they understand that for each pregnancy, there is a risk of having a sickler, then they will understand that the risk is not worth taking’’ she said.
Ofoekii stressed the need for marriage institutions to include teachings about sickle cell as part of their programmes.
“This will help create more awareness to intending couples on the need to check their blood genotypes before proceeding to marriage.

“The churches, the mosques, the courts where people can register and get married. Some of these institutions have marriage classes for intending couples.
“It will be beneficial to include a course on blood genotype, the risks and all that it entails to these intending couples so that they know well ahead of time.
“It should also be made compulsory to have people run test to determine their blood genotypes before they enter into marriage.
“If it becomes mandatory, they will be forced to do it because some people claim ignorance saying that they were not told in their churches and so on.
“For those institutions of marriage that have adopted it, it is very commendable.
“And aside the practice of teaching about genotype, what is more important is teaching the right thing so we do not mislead people with the information that we give,’’ the medical expert emphasised. (NAN)
DA/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola