Thursday 31 October 2013

HEALTH GOSSIP: World tallest Man marries wife who reaches him at his waist!!!

See the way he easily wrapped his hands round her hand....

Medically speaking, this is called GIGANTISM- excessive growth due to over secretion of growth hormone during CHILDHOOD as compared to 'Acromegaly' that occurs in adults mostly due to tumour of the pituitary gland leading to excessive growth.

Sincerely I don't what it is with tall men and short ladies and vice versa... But one thing is certain, 'Like poles (2 tall persons) repel' and 'unlike poles (1 short n 1 tall) definitely attracts'....

The world's tallest man has married – and his new bride barely reaches his waist. At 5ft 8in.

Merve Dibo is not a particularly short lady, but next to her giant groom Sultan Kosen, who looms at an enormous 8ft 3in(WOW), she looks tiny. Turkish farmer n Sultan, who has size 28 feet, is almost three feet taller than his blushing bride.

Sultan said he had given up on his quest to find love until he met Merve. The gentle giant said: "How unfortunate I could not find a suitable girl of my own size, but I believe I've found the person for me."

What could be the reason for this affinity between tall Men and short Ladies and vice versa? This is a question that need answers...

Please leave your comments below!!!

Wednesday 30 October 2013

HEALTH GOSSIP: (UPDATE) OJB Jezreel has been discharged following a successful kidney transplantation!!!

According to reports from HealthNewsNg.com, Popular Nigerian Music Producer OJB Jezreel has been discharged following a successful kidney transplantation that was performed in India.
In his own words, "I thought I must take out a quick moment and let you know that I am officially discharged today from the hospital, after a successful Kidney Transplantation Surgery, by God’s Grace," OJB said.

Also "I would like to take this opportunity to thank all Nigerians for your prayers & good wishes, without which all this would not have been possible," he said. He added: "I also take this opportunity to thank my friends, fans and family for all the love, prayers and good wishes for a speedy recovery."
Interesting to know, the kidney was donated by his lovely wife, Mabel. Isn't that lovely?
We at Health Infotainment Nigeria are saying congrats!!!
Please leave your comments below......

Tuesday 29 October 2013

HEALTH GOSSIP: Depressed Chinese bachelor cuts his penis off because it's surplus to requirements then CYCLES to hospital for treatment (but forgets to take severed organ with him)

A Chinese man frustrated at being single cut off his own penis then, in agony, decided to cycle to a hospital for treatment.



When he arrived doctors told him they couldn't help save his manhood and ordered him to cycle back home to get the penis before he could be treated.



When Yang Hu, 26, eventually arrived back at the hospital with the severed member, doctors told him that it had been without blood for too long, and it was impossible to reattach it. Yang's friends said that he had been increasingly depressed about the fact that since moving to the city he could not find a girlfriend.



What was worse, they said, was that he was doing such long hours in a clothing factory in Jiaxing, in Zhejiang province in east China, that he doubted he would ever have a chance to meet a woman.



His depression grew so bad that after returning home after work at 9pm on October 27 to his rented room he had suddenly decided to cut off his member as there was no use for it anyway, and believing it would stop him thinking about getting a girlfriend.



Incredibly he managed to cycle to the hospital, then cycled home again to collect the severed member and then back to the hospital.



His friends criticised doctors saying that had they provided the man with an ambulance he might have managed to get home quicker and his private parts could have been

saved.

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HEALTH GOSSIP: Woman dies at 20 although she looked like a baby...

Scientists studied Brooke's DNA in hopes of learning more about how people age — or how to tap the fountain of youth. A woman who died last week at the age of 20 never aged.

Brooke Greenberg, of Reisterstown, Md., puzzled medical professionals for years because she still looked and acted like a toddler. Doctors eventually dubbed her extremely rare condition "Syndrome X."

"While the outside world may have noticed Brooke's physical stature and been puzzled by her unique development state, she brought joy and love to her family," Rabi Andrew Busch, who delievered the eulogy at the funeral, told the Daily News Monday. "Her parents, three sisters and extended family showered her with love and respected her dignity throughout her entire life."

Brooke's mother, Melanie Greenberg, said, 'The older she gets, the more unbelievable it gets.'

In the womb, Brooke would not develop one month and play catch-up the next but that stopped around the age of 5 when all development stopped, her parents told NBC News.

"Brooke was a little on the small side, but nothing abnormal," Brooke's father, Howard Greenberg, told the station. "I mean you couldn't really tell until you witnessed the birth and you saw Brooke."

Brooke arrived one month early at just four pounds with a rare condition anterior hip dislocation. She needed surgery because her dislocated hips pushed forward and put her legs in an awkward position, paediatrician Lawrence Pakula explained.

Brooke's family realized something was wrong when her younger sister aged past her. Nonetheless, the woman had a strong personal identity and loved her family and friends.

The family realized something was wrong as Brooke's younger sister aged past her, so they brought her to see many different specialists in search of answers. But her condition baffled all of them.

Doctors told the Greenbergs to prepare for Brooke's death several times. They even picked out a casket and clothing for her funeral years ago.

"The older she gets, the more unbelievable it gets," her mother, Melanie Greenberg, told WBAL back in 2005.

Scientists studied Brooke's DNA in hopes to learn more about human aging and extending youth, the local NBC affiliate reported.

Brooke Greenberg died last week at the age of 20 but she still had the appearance and mental abilities of a toddler.

"She literally is the fountain of youth if you think about it," Howard Greenberg added. "She's shown me that as hard as it gets sometimes, the next day it can only get better."

Brooke reportedly developed a strong sense of individual identity later in life, enjoyed hugs, and loved her parents and sisters. She also grew rebellious in her teens and liked the Baltimore Ravens, her family said.

Brooke's funeral was held 10 a.m. Sunday at Levinson Chapel in Pikesville. She was buried at Baltimore Hebrew Cemetery.


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Monday 28 October 2013

HEALTH NEWS: (update) CHOLERA OUTBREAK. About 74 persons confirmed dead!!!

According to the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, about 373 Nigerians have been affected.



Plateau, Sokoto, Zamfara and Lagos States had recorded cases of cholera outbreak in the last one week.



Zamfara State has recorded 1,117 cases with official confirmation of deaths in two weeks.



The minister, who was disturbed by the outbreak urged Nigerians to take the issue of sanitation very seriously.



Chukwu spoke on Monday during the "2013 Physicians Week" with the theme: "Federalism and Nigeria's Healthcare system-An appraisal of the Primary and Secondary healthcare systems."



The programme was organized by the Nigerian Medical Association.



He said, "As at yesterday (Sunday), 373 Nigerians have been recorded having suffered cholera in this current outbreak out of which we have lost 74. We still got a report just yesterday (Sunday) that few of the cases can do with antibiotic.



"Each Nigerian must commit to certain things; can we stop going into the bush to defecate? Open defecation is not neglected but every Nigerian must know that it is unhealthy. Even market people are paying N5:00 to use toilets in the market place and that is what they do outside this country.



"My role as the Minister of Health is limited; as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I will continue to advocate that every sector keys into what each sector should do and individuals should preach to every Nigerian to do proper things in terms of sanitation."



He pointed that, what was important is that Nigerians must do everything to stop open defecation and have access to clean water.

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HEALTH GOSSIP: Secret Weapon Revealed on 'Why There is No Effective Cure or Vaccine Yet Against HIV/AIDS'

Medical experts found a new discovery about the frustrating secret of HIV which could be a reason why an effective and functional cure or vaccine has been very difficult to make. HIV particles can hide dormant inside infected cells which may cause re-occurrence after a successful anti-retro viral drug therapy. 

HIV SECRET WEAPON

If experts have several set of prospective on HIV cure or vaccine, the virus has a defence mechanism to prevent freedom against itself. For several years, medical science investigated how the AIDS-causing virus works, survives and infects immune cells but a recent discovery revealed the ultimate power of HIV.

Cell journal was a three-year study and recently published, revealing a shocking truth regarding the secret weapon used by HIV to protect itself from extinction and ensure victory against medical treatments.

"We've known about the latent reservoir for many years now. What we didn't realise until this study is it might be larger than previously estimated. It's a little bit scary," according Janet D. Siliciano of John Hopkins University School of Medicine, a microbiologist and one of the lead authors of the published paper, quoted by Online Athens.

Infectious disease experts at the John Hopkins University found the amount of dormant forms of HIV hiding inside infected T-cells can actually be 60 times greater than previous study and these dormant viruses have the potential to become active.

EFFECTS ON THE CREATION OF A CURE or VACCINE

Current models or drugs under clinical trials may have not included this recent discovery, hence the creation of an effective cure or vaccine against HIV may get another setback. HIV reservoirs inside infected cells may cause reinfection if Antiretroviral Drug Therapy (ART) is stopped or interrupted which creates new copies of HIV reservoirs to hide again - repeating cycle over and over.

"These results indicate an increased barrier to cure, as all intact noninduced proviruses need to be eradicated. Although cure of HIV infection may be achievable in special situations, the elimination of the latent reservoir is a major problem and it is unclear how long it will take to find a way to do this," Siliciano said.

But the medical researcher didn't take the blow as hopeless on the creation of a functional treatment but rather took it as challenge since science always have wanted to understand the virus more.

"I don't think it's discouraging. Our approach has always been to try to understand the latent reservoir. Everything that we're doing just gives us more information about the reservoir and about the mechanisms of latency. I think the more we learn about what works and doesn't work helps us go forward," positive aim from Siliciano.

HIV features several unique traits such as high-mutable genetic code, ability to destroy immune cells, causes almost zero initial symptoms and now can hide from plain side by saving reservoirs inside infected cells.

New information such as this frustrates researchers but new details means new knowledge to find the weakness of HIV and strengthen the development of an effective cure against it.

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HEALTH GOSSIP: Baby born with HIV may have been cured!!!

Doctors now have convincing evidence that they put HIV into remission, hopefully for good, in a Mississippi baby born with the AIDS virus _ a medical first that is prompting a new look at how hard and fast such cases should be treated.

The case was reported earlier this year but some doctors were skeptical that the baby was really infected rather than testing positive because of exposure to virus in the mom's blood.

The new report, published online Wednesday by the New England Journal of Medicine, makes clear that the girl, now 3, was infected in the womb. She was treated unusually aggressively and shows no active infection despite stopping AIDS medicines 18 months ago.

Doctors won't call it a cure because they don't know what proof or how much time is needed to declare someone free of HIV infection, long feared to be permanent.

"We want to be very cautious here. We're calling it remission because we'd like to observe the child for a longer time and be absolutely sure there's no rebound," said Dr. Katherine Luzuriaga, a University of Massachusetts AIDS expert involved in the baby's care.

The government's top AIDS scientist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, agreed.

"At minimum, the baby is in a clear remission. It is possible that the baby has actually been cured. We don't have a definition for cure as we do for certain cancers, where after five years or so you can be relatively certain the person is not going to go and relapse," he said. A scientist at his institute did sophisticated tests that showed no active virus in the child.

A government-sponsored international study starting in January aims to test early treatment in babies born with HIV to see if the results in this case can be reproduced.

Most HIV-infected moms in the U.S. get AIDS medicines during pregnancy, which greatly cuts the chances they will pass the virus to their babies. But the Mississippi mom got no prenatal care and her HIV was discovered during labor. Doctors considered the baby to be at such high risk that they started the child on three powerful medicines 30 hours after birth, rather than waiting for a test to confirm infection as is usually done.

Within a month, the baby's virus fell to undetectable levels. She remained on treatment until she was 18 months old when doctors lost contact with her. Ten months later when she returned, they could find no sign of infection even though the mom had stopped giving the child AIDS medicines.

Only one other person is thought to have been cured of HIV infection _ a San Francisco man who had a bone marrow transplant in 2007 from a donor with natural resistance to HIV, and showed no sign of infection five years later.

In the Mississippi baby, "there's no immune mechanism we can identify that would keep the virus in check" like that bone marrow donor, said another study author, Dr. Deborah Persaud of the Johns Hopkins Children's Center, who helped investigate the case because she has researched treatment in children.

Dr. Peter Havens, pediatric HIV chief at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and a government adviser on HIV treatment guidelines, said the child may have an undiscovered genetic trait that helped her manage the virus.

"I'm just not convinced that her dramatic response would be replicable in a large population," he said. It's too soon to recommend treating other high-risk babies so aggressively without more study, he said.

In the upcoming study, doctors plan to give AIDS medicines for at least two years and watch for signs of remission before suspending treatment and seeing whether a remission results.

The Mississippi case "did open people's eyes further" about a possible cure, Luzuriaga said. "We might be able to intervene early and spare children a lifetime of therapy. That is the potential impact of this case."

Things are just getting better by the day with regards the fight against HIV/AIDS...

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HEALTH GOSSIP: PROCESSED MEAT ‘SIGNIFICANTLY HARMS SPERM QUALITY’

MEN, who eat just one rasher of bacon a day could be reducing their chances of becoming fathers. Half a portion of processed meat such as a rasher or a small sausage can significantly harm sperm quality, scientists believe.

    Those, who want to boost the odds of having a child should eat fish instead – with species such as cod or halibut appearing to have a particularly dramatic effect on fertility.

    The findings add to the growing evidence that a couple's chances of having children is strongly governed by their lifestyle- with smoking, alcohol and stress having a detrimental effect and exercise and diet enhancing it.

     Experts are still unclear why certain foods can harm or promote fertility, but red meat is thought to contain high levels of pesticides and other substances that can interfere with hormones. White fish is rich in zinc, which is believed to boost fertility.

    In a study to be presented this week at a meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in Boston, Harvard University researchers compared the eating habits of 156 men undergoing In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) treatment with their partners. 

   They were each questioned how often they ate a range of foods including processed meat, white meat, red meat, white fish and tuna or salmon. Men who consumed just half a portion of processed meat a day had just 5.5 per cent 'normal' shaped sperm cells, compared to 7.2 per cent of those, who ate less.

    Men, who had dishes containing white fish at least every other day – or half a portion daily – had far better sperm quality than those, who ate it rarely. 
  
  Lead researcher Dr. Myriam Afeiche said, "we found the effect of processed meat intake lowered quality and fish raised quality."

    But Dr. Allan Pacey, chairman of the British Fertility Society, was cautious about the findings.
  
"The relationship between diet and men's fertility is an interesting one and there is certainly now convincing evidence that men, who eat more fresh fruit and vegetables have better sperm than men, who don't," he said. 

   "However, less is known about the fertility of men with poor diets and whether specific foods can be linked to poor sperm quality.
  
"In this instance, the authors link men's intake of processed meat with the size and shape of their sperm. This may be a real effect, but the study is small and we know that accurately measuring sperm size and shape in the laboratory is fraught with error. 
 
"However, it is already known that high intake of processed meat is linked to other health issues and so advising men to limit their intake of processed food may improve their health generally, as well as, possibly be good for their fertility."
 
  Last year, Cambridge University researchers calculated that the number of cases of bowel cancer, heart disease and diabetes would drop by 10 per cent if men halved their intake of processed meat.

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Thursday 24 October 2013

HEALTH GOSSIP: Female Patient Raped while Unconscious by a HIV Positive Doctor.

Don't be quick to start saying HIV Positive Doctors should not practice, because there are actually some 'good' Doctors who are Positive.



According to sources, The Benue State Police Command has arrested a Doctor for raping a female patient who was on admission in a hospital where he practices.



The alleged rapist, Toi (not real name), is a medical practitioner with Tersoo Clinic in Naka town, Gwer West local government area of Benue state.



It was gathered that the medical personnel had reportedly tested positive to HIV/AIDs and was receiving Anti-Retroviral (ARV) treatment at the General Hospital, Naka, before the incident occurred.



Medical sources said the female patient was brought to the clinic for emergency medical attention and after been placed on drip, recovered partially, but the doctor, who took advantage of the fact that she was unconscious, forcefully had carnal

knowledge of her.



The police public relations Officer in the state, DSP Daniel Ezeala, confirmed the incident, saying, "the medical personnel has been arrested by our men in Naka and investigation on the matter is on-going.



But Bros Why????? There are some other Doctors out there who are HIV positive but don't behave in such manner. Such an Act can lead to limitations with regards their practice.



What do you think? Please leave your comments below!!!



It will be really appreciated!!!

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HEALTH NEWS: Today is World Polio Day!!!

The world marks the World Polio Day today against the backdrop of a determined effort by Nigeria to shed the toga of "polio exporter" in the West African sub-region.

The history of Nigeria's fight against the deadly disease has been marked by twists and turns. Between 2001 and 2006, the country moved from 56 reported polio cases to 1,143.

It was an international embarrassment, as the nation incurred the derision of other countries, especially those sharing borders with Nigeria. While smaller countries had virtually rid their land of the dreaded disease, Nigeria was re-infecting them.

The concerted efforts mounted by the federal government through the National Programme on Immunisation (NPI) yielded positive results, as the number of polio cases reported came down to 46 in 2010. At that rate, it was expected that within the next two years, the disease would have become history, more so as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation had weighed in with massive support, in partnership with the Nigerian Governors' Forum, to take the battle to the grassroots. But a combination of social and religious variables militated against the achievement of that dream.

Also, the erstwhile corruption-laden system where middlemen cornered the supply of vaccines shifted the focus from disease eradication to a money-making bazaar.

The sight of polio victims disabled by a preventable disease must be distressing to all Nigerians; the fact that the country is one of the three countries in the world that have never interrupted the scourge of polio is equally worrying. Diseases do not respect borders. Even if polio is eradicated in all parts of the world except Nigeria, it will still find its way beyond our borders. That is why the world is interested in helping us do what we need to do to banish polio forever.

The good news is that what needs to be done is within our power - if we but summon the will. We must intensify the routine and supplementary immunisation activities in such a way as to ensure that no child is left out of the immunisation loop. Even in areas where security threats have truncated ordered social life, government must devise ways to reach the children, to save them from a lifetime of disability. Borno, Yobe and Kano, which have suffered terrorist activities in recent times, accounted for 72% of all polio cases in Nigeria in 2012.

It is cheering to note the reduction in the number of polio cases by 52% in the latest survey. There has been no report of the wild polio Type 3 virus in Nigeria this year.

The war against polio can be won within the next two years, if we sustain the current tempo and claim ownership of the fight. It is our cause. We owe our children nothing less.


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HEALTH NEWS: Rice-Water Stool producing disease(CHOLERA) hits Lagos with two confirmed dead!!!

In case you did not know, an outbreak of cholera started in Plateau- Jos about a week ago. Similar outbreaks have also been spotted in some other parts of the country. But now, its Lagos...



At least three persons were confirmed dead, while few others were said to have been discharged after treatment in Lagos, following outbreak of cholera in at least five local government areas.



This came barely three days after eight persons reportedly died in Plateau State, due to the outbreak of the disease.



Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who disclosed this, in Alausa, Ikeja, urged residents to report any case immediately to the nearest health facility as well as maintain high level of hygiene.



According to Idris: "Although, many of the cases have been treated and discharged in several health facilities, three have been confirmed dead.



"Most of the suspected cases are from Ajeromi, Apapa, Lagos Island, Oshodi_Isolo and Surulere local government areas."



Idris explained that surveillance and investigations by his Ministry had revealed that the suspected cases were contracted from food sources such as the African food salad, popularly called 'Abacha,' well water sources, especially in areas like Ikate community, Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area and Badia area of Apapa Local Government Area, and infected foods from food sellers, and other unhygienic habits.



The commissioner while urging members of the public to be hygenic, noted that cholera "is an acute contagious bacterial disease characterised by severe form of sudden onset of profuse painless watery stools, nausea and profuse vomiting."



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Wednesday 23 October 2013

HEALTH NEWS: Over 70 Affected In Plateau Cholera Outbreak!!!

Over seventy people, mostly children are receiving treatment for the recent cholera outbreak at an internally displaced centre in Namu village in Qua'pam local government area of Plateau state.



So far nine people, all children have died while receiving treatment at various health centres in the community.



The poor sanitary condition of the camp led to the outbreak of cholera in the host community, Namu in Qua'pam local government area of Plateau state, but the situation now appears to have been brought under control as some of those affected are now receiving treatment.



The displaced are presently housed in several homes in the Namu community and the Nasarawa state government is making efforts to ensure that the disease is under control according to the Nasarawa state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe.



The aftermath of the crisis in Assakio town of Lafia East Development Area has affected the economic and social activities of the area.



The latest situation has extended the damage to the health condition of the people.

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CRIME STORY: Man Butchers Wife with an Axe!!!

It is true that Men Can be Hard on their wives at times. But trust me, this one is way beyond being hard... The Yorubas will say, 'E le gidi gon' meaning 'this one is strong'.



Saw this post on Facebook and I couldn't believe a Man would this. I tried to convince myself that it was an Art work. But then, I told myself, wake up!! its for real...



Medically speaking, this Lady needs a lot to get better. Oh Yes!! She needs the grace of God... She will be needing Skin grafts(lots of it) and so many other things.



What I still can't believe is how can a Husband be so Heartless to beat up his wife like this? With an AXE for that matter....



My prayer is that she gets well soon... Amen!!!!



Please leave your comments below...

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HEALTH GOSSIP: Nigerian Medical Council inducts 333 Doctors!!!!

Studying Medicine outside the country has now become the main-thing!!! However, Just Yesterday, the Medical Council inducted 333 new Doctors into the council.



This is the highest figure the council has produced since the inception of the assessment examination about three decades ago.



Of the figure, 317 are foreign-trained while 16 are graduates of the Igbenedion University, Okada, Edo State.



The Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council, Dr. Abdulmumini Ibrahim said: "A total of 473 medical candidates and six dental candidates registered for the October 2013 assessment examination, which took place in Lagos at the University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).



This is the highest number ever recorded for the assessment examination since its inception. "Ibrahim attributed the increase in foreign-trained doctors to inadequate space in Nigerian's institutions and also the failure of most institutions to meet the requirements of the council.



He said: "The increase in the number of Nigerians, who study Medicine or Dentistry abroad, was probably caused by insufficient space in Nigerian universities to accommodate the number of qualified candidates seeking admission.



"The failure of some medical/dental schools to meet the minimum requirements of the council resulted in the withdrawal of accreditation."



Ibrahim urge parents of candidates seeking admission into medical/dental schools to clarify the status of institutions before applying.



According to him, the council is irrevocably committed to sanitising medical training in Nigeria.



Health Minster, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, urged the newly inducted doctors to disregard strikes because people depend on them for safe health.



What do you think? Please leave your comments below.....

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Sunday 20 October 2013

HEALTH GOSSIP: President Goodluck Jonathan's Motorcade rescues accident Victims...

The advance team of President Goodluck Jonathan's entourage, returning from Ado-Ekiti on Sunday rendered emergency rescue services to accident victims on the Lokoja-Abuja highway.



The accident which occurred at Okpu village, few kilometres after Lokoja, involved two cars, carrying 11 people.



A Nissan Almera car with registration number AH 47 KAA going to Lokoja and a Honda Accord car (Baby Boy) with registration number BG945BWR en-route Abuja, were involved in the accident.



The two vehicles had a head-on collision with serious impact, causing varying degrees of injury to the occupants of the vehicles.



The accident occurred few minutes before the presidential motorcade came to the scene.



The security team in the convoy swung into action by rescuing trapped victims in the two cars.



The front door of the passenger seat of the Nissan car was axed before a middle aged woman, who was trapped inside, could be rescued.



The medical team, led by Dr Aliyu Usman of the State House Clinic, rendered emergency medical treatment to the victims, aided by two nurses.



A team of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), led by one Mohammed Haruna, came to the scene of the accident about 30 minutes into the rescue operation.



The victims were taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja in an FRSC rescue van for further medical attention.



An eye witness, Aliyu Sadiq, said that the accident was caused by over-speeding, dangerous driving and the poor state of the road.



Sadiq appealed to the Federal Government to expedite action on completing the dualisation of the Lokoja-Abuja highway.



Great Job Guys!!! But, but and but.....



The eye witness, who is a commercial bus driver, said he plied the road on daily basis, adding that "there is a hardly a day that an accident is not recorded on the road."



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HEALTH NEWS: GSK1265744 rapidly suppresses HIV and appears safe at selected dose

The experimental HIV integrase inhibitor GSK1265744 demonstrated rapid and potent antiviral activity and good tolerability for treatment-naive patients in the LATTE study, according to a report at the 14th European AIDS Conference this week in Brussels.

Integrase inhibitors are among the most well tolerated antiretroviral medications. GSK1265744 (or GSK744 for short), being developed by GlaxoSmithKline, is similar to the recently approved dolutegravir. It is being tested both as a once-daily oral drug and as a long-acting injectable that may allow for once-monthly administration. A recently presented analysis of eight studies showed that it is safe with no notable safety concerns.

The phase 2b LATTE trial started with a 24-week induction phase comparing three oral doses of GSK744 plus two nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) to inform selection of an optimal dose for further development. At week 24 participants with stable viral suppression discontinued NRTIs and switched to a simplified dual maintenance regimen of GSK744 plus oral rilpivirine (Edurant).

At 24 weeks 87% of participants taking GSK744 achieved undetectable viral load (all dose arms combined) compared with 74% of those taking efavirenz in a 'snapshot' analysis. Response was similar with all GSK744 doses (88%, 85% and 87%). There was no significant difference according to NRTI backbone.

Viral load fell rapidly after starting treatment in all GSK744 dose groups. People taking GSK744 achieved viral suppression significantly sooner than those taking efavirenz, with 76% vs 24%, respectively, having undetectable HIV RNA by week 4.

"Oral [GSK744] administered once daily with two NRTIs was associated with a good treatment response," the researchers concluded.

Based on these findings the 30mg GSK744 dose was selected. The maintenance phase of LATTE testing GSK744 plus rilpivirine maintenance therapy is currently underway. Results from that part of the trial will prepare the way for a phase 2b study of combined long-acting injectable formulations of both drugs, which may one day be used as monthly maintenance therapy or pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)

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Friday 18 October 2013

HEALTH GOSSIP: Fake LUTH medical doctor nabbed by Police!!

According to the Police, Mr. Adeyemi Stephen Akintolure, a suspected fake medical doctor, who claimed to be a staff of Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, with card No. 13541, identifying him as a surgeon and gynaecologist (BOSS only u)



He said he is from Ondo State, studied Marketing at Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, as a part-time student and graduated in 1997.



According to Akintolure, "I have not treated more than 10 people. I just treat them for malaria and typhoid and I also give injections too because of my experience at RivicHospital at Akure."



When asked how he got the identity card, he said he got it from a business centre and that the computer operator signed it for him.



He said that he charges between N3,000 and N4,000 per patient, adding that his wife was not aware of his trade.



Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police Ngozi Braide, said she received a petition at the area H Police Command Headquarters, Ogudu, on July 19, that one Adeyemi Stephen Akintolure obtained N500,000 from one Joy Umosekhaimhe.



She said: "On October 10, LUTH replied that the suspect is not an employee of the hospital and was not issued the identity card.



"In view of the revelation, the suspect confessed that he is not a medical doctor, but has been practising for about four years, using his wife's vehicle as a mobile clinic."



She said his house and vehicle were searched and drugs, injections, syringes and laboratory coat were recovered.



I guess that was just too much... An Art-student turned Science-Student... But thing remains, there are so many others like him out there...



Please leave your comments below...

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HEALTH GOSSIP: Baby born with Four ears and no genitals, dies after delivery!!!

Sometimes you don't get to see it coming until, its just so close that you can't even

make a move. At that point, its 'Fate' on auto-drive. A tragic story, but a lesson can be learnt..



Baby born in Makurdi on Thursday with four ear lobes and no genitals has died, a hospital official said.



The baby was delivered by Mrs Mbanengen Emmanuel at about 5:30 p.m at Yima Hospital, located in International Market area, a suburb of Makurdi in Benue.



The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. John Dzike, on Friday said that the baby died "few hours after delivery".



Dzike said the baby also had its intestines exposed at the lower part of the abdomen.



According to him, it is the second time a baby with such type of complications was delivered at the hospital this year.



He explained that the defect was caused by malformation during pregnancy.



"This is a case of congenital malformation. Some women use un-prescribed drugs during pregnancy, that is why it is very important to attend ante-natal clinics, especially in the first 12 weeks.



"Diseases like virus, chicken pox, and mumps which are viral, can cause congenital malformation," Dzike explained.



He advised pregnant women to always attend ante-natal clinics and avoid self medication.



Stop self-medication!!! Its a Double-edged sword... Just see your Doctor when you need to!!!

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Thursday 17 October 2013

HEALTH GOSSIP: Beware!!! Your Pot belly may cause you Memory loss!!!

People with extra abdominal fat are three times more likely than lean individuals to develop memory loss and dementia later in life, according to a new study published in the current edition of the journal Cell Reports.



Scientists found that in people with a large amount of belly fat, the liver needs to use more PPARalpha, a certain protein, to work overtime to burn belly fat, while the brain uses PPARalpha process memory as well.



The process of burning fat essentially depletes the brain of PPAR alpha, thus hindering memory and learning, said researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.



Researchers raised mice that were deficient in PPARalpha. Some mice had normal PPARalpha in the liver but depleted PPARalpha in the brain, and had poor memory and learning abilities. Others had normal PPARalpha in the brain but not the liver, and showed normal memory, as expected.



When the researchers injected PPARalpha into the brains of PPARalpha-deficient mice, their learning and memory improved.



The surprising discovery in the new study is that the brain uses PPARalpha to process memory and learning, and that this is a possible reason for the connection between belly fat and memory loss.



PPARalpha thus provides a new avenue to explore in searching for a treatment for Alzheimer's disease and related memory-loss and cognition problems, said Kalipada Pahan, a neurological sciences professor at Rush University.

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Wednesday 16 October 2013

HEALTH GOSSIP: First Open Heart Surgery in a Teaching Hospital has been performed by surgeons in UCH!!!

The first open heart surgery in a teaching hospital in Nigeria has been successfully carried out at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The feat was carried out by surgeons at the UCH in conjunction with a team of surgeons from Tri-State Cardiovascular Delaware, United States of America,

A statement by the institution's Head of Information Unit, Mr. Toye Akinrinola, disclosed that the four-hour surgery was to correct a leaking heart valve in a 19-year-old secondary school leaver.

An elated Chief Medical Director of the UCH, Professor Temitope Alonge, noted that the UCH was moved to embark on the exercise as a way of alleviating the hardship being experienced by Nigerians with heart-related challenges.

He stated that as the first teaching hospital in Nigeria, the UCH should take the lead in critical areas of medicine, propelling it into ensuring that complex surgeries (like open heart surgery) were carried out in the hospital.

"We are the pioneer teaching hospital in Nigeria, and we should be taking the lead. We are going to do this and we intend to make it a continuous exercise.
"In fact, within the next six months, we intend carrying out not less than 30 heart-related surgeries and at affordable cost to Nigerians." Alonge, who lamented that Nigerians pay exorbitantly to undergo such procedures outside the country, pointing out that the cheapest rate outside Nigeria was about N2.5 million.

"This is outside the airfare and hotel bills. It will run into millions. But with us here, it will be a lot cheaper and the access is there. The first surgery is heavily subsidised as a way of encouraging Nigerians to have confidence in our healthcare system." Alonge stated that the Federal Government had given the UCH a mandate to improve on the training of doctors as a way of enhancing more access to adequate healthcare in Nigeria.

Leader of the doctors from the USA, Dr. Kamar Adeleke noted that the patient would be back to his normal activities in less than two months. "He does not have anything to fear about life expectancy. He will soon resume his normal activities, and do all the things he was used to before he took ill," Dr. Adeleke said.

Adeleke gave assurance of his continued support to providing access to adequate healthcare as obtained in other developed countries.

After more than a decade of of inactivity, open heart surgery resumed in the country at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH, Enugu, at an average cost of N500, 000.

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HEALTH NEWS: Must you continue to smoke until something goes wrong? Absolutely not!!!

An average smoker looses no less than 10 years of life due to smoking habits; a recent study revealed. To arrive at such conclusion the researchers studied cases of two hundred thousand Australian people. Even more disheartening was the finding that over two third of smokers die owing to their habits of regular smoking. The estimate far exceeded to earlier assessment that put it to around 50%.



"We all know that smoking is bad for your health. But until now we haven't had direct large-scale evidence from Australia about just how bad it is," says Professor Emily Banks, leader of the study. She also pointed out that to reach at the final estimation they are also studying information from other countries.



The study also revealed that cigarette smoking increased the instances of death quite considerably. Even smoking ten cigarettes a day could be fatal. However quitting smoking at any age will reduce the risk considerably, Banks says.





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Monday 14 October 2013

HEALTH GOSSIP: Please be careful.. Not all rams are healthy!!!

A veterinary officer at the Kwara Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Mutalib Lawal, has warned Muslims against buying unhealthy rams for slaughtering during the Eid-El Kabir celebration.



Lawal told newsmen in Ajase-Ipo, Kwara, on Friday that some Muslim faithful were fond of buying infected rams due to their giveaway prices.



Lawal, who is attached to the Fadama Community Association Veterinary Clinic, Ajase-Ipo, said consuming infected rams could pose serious danger to human health.



"We had on many occasions sounded it that it is a great deal of risk to buy infected rams for consumption just because they are cheap.



"Even with mere looking at such infected rams you can detect that something is seriously wrong with them.



"Our major concern stems from the fact that majority of these rams originated from outside the shore of the country, hence the need for them to be properly screened for infections," he said.



Lawal said that about 3,000 rams had been screened at Ajase-Ipo Kara market and certified fit for human consumption while the 10 infected rams had been treated.



"As far as this market is concerned, all the rams here have been medically certified, although the screening is a continuous process even after the Sallah period," he said.



He, however, said that the rate of animal infection was on the decline when compared to the 50 recorded as at the same period in 2012.



Lawal listed some of the prevalent ram diseases as skin and mouth diseases, foot rot and kidney disease.



He appealed to both the state and local government to make adequate provision for equipment and water for the clinic, especially for use at the abattoir.



Alhaji Omo Okunola, the leader of the market, expressed happiness at the large turnout of buyers and the friendly environment.



"I think so far so good, we are satisfied with the environment and the high level of patronage even from states like Oyo, Osun and Lagos," he said.

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HEALTH NEWS: Residents of Abuja join to Celebrate World sight Day!!!

Residents and drivers at Jabi park, trooped out over the weekend to avail themself of the free eye services provided by Danjuma Attah foundation in collaboration with Tulsi Chanrai Foundation.



This was part of the activities marking the World Sight Day.



Speaking at the occasion, the initiator of the programme, Danjuma Attah, commended the partners involve in the programme, especially the Tulsi Chanrai Foundation and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for their contributions towards the success of the campaign.



Attah, who said he lost his sight at the age of 13 due to a preventable condition, said the incident prompted him to help people in such conditions in order to preserve their sights.



Also speaking, the chief operating officer of Tulsi Chanrai foundation, Akhail Gupta, said his foundation has been in Nigeria since 1994, offering free eye surgeries and treatment to people and currently have hospitals in Katsina, Kebbi, Calabar, and Owerri for that purposes.



Responding, the chairman of the occasion, Bishop John Praise, thanked the organizers for the gesture and hoped that such gesture will continue.



He urged people especially the drivers to go for eye check regularly, as good eyesight is crucial for driving.



One of the beneficiaries, Tony Ogebe, told our reporter that he has been having some problems with his eyes, especially when exposed to dust and bright light. "This is my first time of having my eye tested, they said it is not a serious case so they prescribed some drugs for me'', he said

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Friday 11 October 2013

HEALTH GOSSIP: Pa Kasuma(Nigerian Actor) calls for Help!!!

Ailing actor, Pa Kasumu has asked for well-meaning Nigerians to come to his aid.



When he was visited by a reporter, the actor was quoted as saying;



'The problem is with my heart and liver. It had been there for a long time but for God who so love me, when I met that doctor at LUTH, he was able to curb the ailment from getting to the kidney. So now it's just the heart and the liver.'



Kasumu who is now financially incapacitated as a result of the ailment said that the sum of N12million is what is required for him to regain his health.



'They said that I have to travel out for an operation which will cost about N12million. I wish Nigerians could come to my aid and help me out of this predicament, because I am somebody that loves to make people happy and laugh.'



It was gathered that a few actors including Jide Kosoko and wife, Henrietta, Yomi Fabiyi and Sokoti have already visited Kasumu to show their support.



It is uncertain if Kasumu has raised any part of the required funds.



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Thursday 10 October 2013

HEALTH ARTICLE: Schistosomiasis, an unusual cause of infertility, painful sex

People become infected with schistosomiasis when its larval forms released by freshwater snails– penetrate the skin during contact with infested water. Experts say that individuals affected by the disease stand a chance of developing severe anaemia and HIV, aside infertility and painful sex, reports Sade Oguntola.
Ill-health due to reproductive health problems and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is mostly both preventable and remediable in its nature.

Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, is a chronic disease caused by parasitic worms that live in certain types of freshwater snails. People who come into contact with water that contains these snails are at risk of infection when the larval forms of the parasites (schistosome), which are released by freshwater snails, penetrate their skin of when in contact with the contaminated water while bathing, swimming, or performing daily chores, such as washing laundry, fetching water, and herding animals.

Fully matured worms often travel to the intestine, liver or bladder. The symptoms of intestinal schistosomiasis can include abdominal pain, diarrhoea and blood in the stool. Liver and spleen enlargement is also common in advanced cases.

The classic sign of urogenital schistosomiasis is blood in the urine. In women, urogenital schistosomiasis can present with genital lesions, vaginal bleeding, pain during sexual intercourse and nodules on the vulva.

"The reaction to the eggs of the worms can causes problem in the pelvic region, where the reproductive organs are and as such theoretically cause infertility. It has been seen in some special cases to cause infertility.

"Schistosomiasis is not one of the common causes of infertility. However, this unusual presentation of the disease had, in some instances, been reported in some cases to have contributed to infertility problem. Basically, the reaction to the eggs causes fibrosis and in that respect, could affect the reproductive organs, which are in the pelvic region, hence, resulting into infertility in both genders. "For instance, if it causes fibrosis around the fallopian tube, then it can block this tube, causing infertility. Where the ovaries are affected, it can contribute to infertility. The same is the case with reproductive organs of man.

The case of schistosomiasis affecting the reproductive organs of women was detected for the first time, in a young Egyptian woman, more than 100 years ago. This has been associated with ectopic pregnancy, infertility, miscarriage and HIV. Due to bleeding and sores in the vulva, schistosomiasis affecting the bladder and genital tract is also a risk factor for HIV transmission, especially in women. It can also contribute to painful sex.

Studies have demonstrated that pregnant women infected with schistosomiasis develop severe anaemia, have low birth weight infants, and an increased infant and maternal mortality rate. In men, heavy infection of schistosomiasis of the male genital tract can affect the testicles, prostate and other organs.

A serious, long-term irreversible consequence of schistosomiasis can include male infertility. Rarely, eggs can be found in the brain or spinal cord and cause seizures, paralysis, or spinal cord inflammation.

 Infection can occur if one's mouth or lips come in contact with contaminated water. So drinking safe water is important. Boiling water for at least one minute will normally kill any harmful parasites, bacteria or viruses present.

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HEALTH NEWS: GSK Malaria Vaccine could be in use by 2017...

The world's first malaria vaccine could be available in as little as three years after British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline's candidate treatment passed a major testing milestone.

GSK is ready to take the first step in getting the vaccine to market after promising trial results showing it was effective in protecting children and babies from malaria for up to 18 months.

The pharmaceuticals giant plans to submit the vaccine to EU regulators next year, which means, if approved, it could be widely available by 2016.

The World Health Organisation has already indicated that a policy recommendation for the vaccine, the most advanced treatment anywhere in the world by at least 10 years, could be made by 2015 if it clears regulatory hurdles.

GSK scientists have spent nearly three decades developing a vaccine against malaria, one of the world's deadliest diseases.

The vaccine has faced a number of setbacks during final-stage testing, but GSK and its partners believe the treatment has proven effective enough to make a "significant impact" on the health of millions of young children in Africa.

The latest results, unveiled today, show that the vaccine nearly halves the number of malaria cases in children between five and 17 months old for at least 18 months following the initial shot.

Earlier results, released in March, showed that the effectiveness of the vaccine wanes over time, protecting only 16.8pc of children for as long as four years. Sir Andrew Witty, chief executive of GSK, said: "While we have seen some decline in vaccine efficacy over time, the sheer number of children affected by malaria means that the number of cases of the disease the vaccine can help prevent is impressive."

Malaria experts agree that the vaccine has proven itself to be an effective weapon against malaria, but warn that unless it is provided cheaply enough, some low-income countries, dependent on aid from NGOs and charitable foundations, could be prevented from accessing it. GSK is running its malaria programme as a non-profit operation, but has not yet disclosed how much it will cost to make the vaccine.



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HEALTH NEWS: Jonathan kicks off stroke prevention programme

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday, kicked off the National Stroke Prevention Programme, to create awareness on the need for regular medical check-ups by Nigerians.

Jonathan, alongside Vice President Namadi Sambo and members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), took a break from the regular weekly meeting to enable the president to carry out a comprehensive check-up, conducted aboard a mobile clinic vehicle brought to the Presidential Villa.
The check-ups, carried out by a team of medical personnel from the National Hospital, Abuja, was followed by those of the vice president and other members of FEC, who had been directed to make themselves available.

Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, while briefing State House correspondents after the FEC meeting, said while it would normally cost the sum of N50,000 to carry out the check-up, the president had decided that the government would subsidise it for indigent Nigerians, to ensure that they did not pay more then N10,000.

He said the president was concerned about the spate of sudden deaths in the country and "he had long felt that something needed to be done on a national scale." According to him, "today, he and the vice president demonstrated leadership by example. They had various tests performed on them and all members of the FEC will do it."

The minister said President Jonathan had directed that all ministers should engage in regular exercises, while the rest of Nigerians must begin to go for regular medical check-up for healthy living.
The post-FEC briefing was coordinated by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, who was joined by Mrs Diezani Allison-Maduekwe, Tukur Idris, Olusegun Aganga, Yerima Ngama, among others.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister ofTrade and Investment, Dr Aganga, said the Federal Government had received a lot of interest from automobile manufacturers, following the recent policy to gradually phase out the importation of used vehicles from the country.

He said president of Nissan Motor Corporation had called President Jonathan to intimate him of his company's desire to participate in the integrated development of the automobile sector of the country.
In his remarks, Minister of Transport, Umar, revealed that FEC approved the contract worth $3.5 million for the construction of buoys in the nation's ports, so as to guide ships.

This was in addition to N900 million augmentation for N7.9 billion land reclamation contract, which the minister said was necessitated by additional works in the contract.

Minister of Petroleum, Allison-Maduekwe, spoke of plans to get together all foreign investors in Nigeria, so as to articulate where exactly they could key into the transformation agenda of the government. Meanwhile, the Federal Government has expressed dissatisfaction to the government of Guinea Bissau over the recent attack on Nigerian Embassy in the country and the death of a Nigerian citizen, saying that it would investigate the attack which took place last Tuesday.



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Tuesday 8 October 2013

HEALTH ARTICLE: 8 things that can keep you alive for a Long-Long time!!!

Your Health is Your Wealth. Many of us wish to live a very long life. However, just a few have the knowledge required for this. Take your time and read this article n be assured that you won't regret you did!!!

NAP IN THE AFTERNOON

Doctors say the ideal nap time is 1 pm to 3 pm in the afternoon since this is when our bodies are most in need of rest. While the number and effectiveness of disease-fighting immune cells increase with more sleep, a lack of it has been found to promote health attack-causing calcium build up in the heart arteries, and restrict the production of the human growth hormone, which limits the body's ability to repair itself.

DRINK MODERATELY

As opposed to popular perception, sipping a spirit or two increases longevity and decreases the risk of heart disease by 20 to 50 per cent. According to a study conducted by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, people who drink moderately do not get frequently hospitalised and have fewer disabilities than the general population.

EAT YOGHURT

A diet devoid of dahi or yoghurt is incomplete. The probiotic, or good, living bacteria present in yogurt have a favourable impact on many gastrointestinal conditions. It also helps to lower blood pressure, decrease cholesterol and strengthen the immune system. Eat at least one serving of yogurt daily to reap its benefits.

CONSUME LESS

A recent study claims a calorie-restricted diet in which participants ate up to 25 per cent less than they did normally, reduced overall cholesterol, triglyceride levels and blood pressure. But this doesn't mean you go into a starvation mode. To avoid vitamin deficiencies, make sure that whatever you are eating is nutritionally dense. Avoid simple sugars, make sure your protein intake is sufficient and don't forget to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Steer clear of supplements, packaged and canned food; they do nothing to contribute to your health.

TURN TO YOGA

For time immemorial, Ayurveda has stressed the need for yoga in our daily lives. Yoga's mindbody-breathing exercises strengthen and balance the immune system, stimulate it and effectively destroy sickness-causing microbes. Practising yoga regularly can reverse several risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure and sugar.

STRENGTHEN FRIENDSHIPS

People who have a strong social support system have a healthy immune system and are less likely to succumb to inflammatory disease. Having no close friends increases the risk of having a first-time heart attack by about 50 per cent. To maximise the benefits of your social network, meet them over lunch or go shopping together, or chat with them over the phone. But avoid e-mail or Facebook unless your folks stay in a different country or city.

UP YOUR GARLIC INTAKE

The benefits of the benign spice — garlic — are known to be abundant. It reduces blood pressure and cholesterol levels, fights off staph infections and acts as a powerful antioxidant. Recently, a study found that people who regularly consume garlic cut their number of sick days in half. Eat it raw or cooked, but avoid garlic supplements.

TAKE COLD SHOWER

While taking a warm water bath ensures a relaxed sleep, research shows turning the shower nozzle cold can improve blood circulation, strengthen skin, boost your immune system, improve your mood and rejuvenate your body. The ideal length of a cold shower is five minutes, and its best to enter and exit the cold stream in 30-second intervals. In fact, a study of swimmers inBerlin suggested that exposure to ice-cold water elevated levels of glutathione, one of the body's natural, stay-well antioxidants.

Now that you have gotten this knowledge, make sure you apply them.. All the best..

Please leave your comments below.. Thanks

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Monday 7 October 2013

HEALTH NEWS: Nobel Awards goes to Cell Researchers...

US duo James Rothman and Randy Schekman and German-born Thomas Suedhof won the Nobel prize in medicine on Monday for their groundbreaking work on how the cell organises its transport system, the jury said.



The trio, who all work at US universities, were honoured for "their discoveries of machinery regulating vesicle traffic, a major transport system in our cells," it said.



Their discoveries have had a major impact on understanding how cargo is delivered within and outside the cell and have implications for work on several diseases including neurological and immunological disorders, as well as diabetes, the Nobel committee said.



Each cell is a factory that produces and exports molecules. "For instance, insulin is manufactured and released into the blood and chemical signals called neurotransmitters are sent from one nerve cell to another. These molecules are transported around the cell in small packages called vesicles," it explained.



The three Nobel laureates "have discovered the molecular principles that govern how this cargo is delivered to the right place at the right time in the cell," it said.



The winners will share equally the prize sum of 8 million Swedish kronor ($1.25 million), reduced because of the economic crisis last year from the 10 million kronor awarded since 2001.



Last year, the honour went to Shinya Yamanaka of Japan and John Gurdon of Britain for their work on cell programming, a frontier that has raised dreams of replacement tissue for people crippled by disease.



In line with tradition, the laureates will receive their prize at a formal ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of prize founder Alfred Nobel's death in 1896.





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Sunday 6 October 2013

HEALTH NEWS: New cases of Polio reported in Nigeria...

According to the latest edition of the Weekly Polio Update published yesterday by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), two new WPV cases were reported last week from two previously infected districts, one from Bauchi Local Council in Bauchi State and one from Bichi Council in Kano State. The total number of WPV cases for 2013 is now 49 (all WPV1s). The most recent WPV1 case in the country, from Kano, had onset of paralysis on September 10, 2013.



NIGERIA has for the first time gone eleven months without recording any incidence of type three Wild Polio Virus (WPV3), even as she continues to report type one WPV (WPV1) with two new cases last week.



The GPEI report noted that no WPV3 has been detected in Nigeria since November 2012 and no new Circulating Vaccine Derived Polio Virus type two (cVDPV2) cases were reported in the past week. Speaking to The Guardian, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, noted the necessity for precautionary measures to prevent the outbreak of cholera epidemic in the state through high standard of hygiene.



The commissioner urged the public to be vigilant and report any suspected case whether dead or alive, to the nearest health facility and the Directorate of Disease Control in the state Ministry of Health or call the following numbers: 08023169485 or 0802321333 for assistance.



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Saturday 5 October 2013

HEALTH NEWS: Did You Know that Wearing a tight belt can cause throat cancer?

People who wear a tight belt are at greater risk of developing throat cancer, new research suggests.

Scottish experts believe that a tight belt can force stomach acid into the oesophagus - in turn causing damage. This increases the chance of oesophageal cancer.

Corroborating the claim, Dr Adamu Samaila, a consultant physician (gastroenterologist), Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, said such people would experience the acids in their stomach flowing back into their throats causing injury to the lining in their oesophagus.

The researchers, from Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities and Southern General Hospital, believe the risk is greatest in people who are overweight.

According to The Daily Record, the researchers worked with 24 volunteers who had no history of acid reflux.

They were each asked to swallow a device which took a selection of readings before and after the volunteers had eaten.

Measurements were recorded both when the participants were wearing a belt and when they were not.

The researchers discovered that when the participants were wearing a tight belt they were more likely to suffer acid reflux.

Lead researcher, Professor Kenneth McColl, of Glasgow University's institute of cardiovascular and medical sciences, told the Daily Record: 'Wearing a tight belt, especially if you are overweight, puts strain on the valve between the stomach and the gullet. This causes stomach acid to leak upwards into the gullet.

'Unlike the stomach, which is designed to withstand this, the gullet is damaged by the acid. This causes heartburn and, in the longer term, possibly oesophageal cancer.'

Professor McColl went on to explain that the prevalence of oesophageal cancer increasing faster than almost all other cancers.

Cancer of the oesophagus is rare in the UK and most cases affect people over the age of 55. About 8,200 people develop the disease in the UK every year.

The earliest symptom tends to be difficulty swallowing. Acid reflux is linked to the cancer because it can damage cells in the oesophagus causing them to change. These changed cells are more likely to becoming cancerous.

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HEALTH GOSSIP: Bola Tinubu is back to Nigeria after knee surgery..

In case you did not know, I reported last month concerning his surgery. Well thank God, everything went well. Now his back.



Mr. Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former governor of Lagos and chieftain of newly register opposition political party, All Progressive Congress (APC), have arrived from his medical sojourn overseas.



He underwent a kneel surgery in the U.S. and headed to London, where he has been resting for the past one month.



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Friday 4 October 2013

HEALTH NEWS: Scientist discover AIDS Virus In Cats To Help Human HIV Vaccine Effort...

There have been so many developments with regards HIV cure, hopefully a Cure is on the way. But I came across this one and It was amazing... Please continue reading!!



In a new study researchers find AIDS virus in cats may be able to help in the human vaccine effort for HIV people. It suggests protein from the virus that causes AIDS in cats triggered immune response in blood from people infected with HIV.



The virus that affects cats is known as the feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and the virus that causes AIDS in human beings is called as the human immunodeficiency virus. The study has been published in Journal of Virology magazine in its October issue. It suggests more research with FIV could lead to HIV vaccine. The study was done by University of Florida and University of California, San Francisco investigators.



Author Janet Yamamoto said, "One major reason why there has been no successful HIV vaccine to date is that we do not know which parts of HIV to combine to produce the most effective vaccine." Yamamoto is a professor of retroviral immunology at the UF College of Veterinary Medicine.



Earlier, researchers combined several whole HIV proteins as vaccine ingredients, but no benefits were seen.



Yamamto added, "Surprisingly, we have found that certain peptides of the feline AIDS virus can work exceptionally well at producing human T-cells that fight against HIV." T-cells are immune system cells. It attacks those cells that are infected with viruses.



Yamamto also said that the FIV protein triggering human T-cell response is found in several HIV-like viruses in animals of different species.



Co-author Dr. Jay Levy said, "We want to stress that our findings do not mean that the feline AIDS virus infects humans, but rather that the cat virus resembles the human virus sufficiently so that this cross-reaction can be observed."



Levy is professor of medicine at UCSF.



What do you think... A good or bad development?

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HEALTH NEWS: Resident Doctors on strike resume work to aid Survivors of the air crash...

Resident doctors suspend strike to help patients SURVIVORS and victims of the air crash have been taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) critical care unit even as the local Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) has suspended its two-day old nationwide strike to attend to patients.



Reliable sources at the Lagos State Ministry of Health (LSMH) confirmed to The Guardian yesterday that the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, the Permanent Secretary, Prof. Femi Olugbile, and other medical directors were on ground in LASUTH to ensure optimal care.



Also, resident doctors in LASUTH were on ground yesterday to help. President, LASUTH ARD, Dr. Jimi Sodipo, told The Guardian: "You know there is industrial action. But we have been coming to the hospital. When we heard about the crash we mobilized and we are going to be here to make sure that no life is lost. We are going to have a meeting to review the situation. I have been speaking with our national president and we are unanimous that we are here to save lives.



"We have not called off the strike, but we are attending to emergency cases. Most of the victims of the crash are here and we are going to stay and help as long as it takes. The Commissioner for Health and his team were also here."



Meanwhile, a team of specialists and medical staff at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) are 'battle' ready waiting to offer their services if needed.



Chief Medical Director of LUTH, Prof. Akin Osibogun, told The Guardian: "I sent somebody to go down there. I can confirm to you, the survivors are in LASUTH. They have qualified personnel there. But if there is need we will come in. But we won't go there and remove a patient from the bed."



President, ARD LUTH chapter told The Guardian that his members are on ground to make sure that their services are available when needed.

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Thursday 3 October 2013

GET INSPIRED: Infected with HIV by his Father as a Kid, Doctors told him, he would not see his 6th Birthday... Today, He is 22 and Strong!!!

His father was called the 'worst kind of war criminal' and told he would burn in hell by the judge who sentenced him to life in prison.

He was just 11-months-old in 1992 when Brian Stewart sentenced him to what doctors said was certain death by administering the lethal injection when he was on the brink of divorce with Brryan's mother. Why? Because the blood transfusion specialist was concerned about child support payments. With his son in hospital suffering from asthma, Stewart crept into his hospital room and plunged a needle with HIV-tainted blood into him.

As baby Brryan's giggles and smiles turned to lethargy and weeping, his family became concerned and took him to the doctors to be tested. With all other results returning negative, doctors decided to test blindly for HIV and were shocked with the positive result it returned.

Bryyan developed full blown AIDS at the age of five and lost 70 per cent of his hearing due to all the medication he was taking - at one stage 23 oral pills, two IV bags, and three injections.

Doctors said he would not live past six - dying either from the highly toxic drugs or the disease.

Brryan described how misinformation about his disease sometimes bred cruelty in the classroom. Bryyan developed full blown AIDS at the age of five and lost 70 per cent of his hearing due to all the medication he was taking - at one stage 23 oral pills, two IV bags, and three injections.

Talking about school he said: 'You can't drink from the water fountain, he has to bring his own water bottle ... you can only use one restroom and just different other things. I mean, I was left out of birthday parties' he said.

He said that at one stage he contemplated suicide, telling KPLR: 'I had three knives in front of me and thought, why me? Why me? But I realized there is hope, and it's not about what you have it's what you can give.'

Despite being given months to live after the sickening incident, the virus has been undetectable in Brryan, now aged 22, for the last five years - something doctors have called nothing short of miraculous.

The 22-year-old credits his Christian faith for his positive attitude and his forgiving spirit, saying of his decision to forgive his father: 'I think there is salvation for everyone, and I find myself praying for his salvation.'

Brryan is still in college and is considering a career in church ministry or politics. He's even thought about attending medical school.

He spends his free time promoting education on HIV/AIDS in order to prevent the spread of HIV, disband myths and reduce negative stigma related to being HIV positive.

On his Twitter page (@BrryanJackson)bio he writes: 'Christ Follower, AIDS Survivor, Founder of @HopeIsVital , A Voice To The Voiceless, Educator, Ambassador, Artist, Entreprenuer, Visionary.'

Please leave your comments below... Thanks!!!


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