Category: Health

The Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari Monday, visited Cross River State to flag off the 2016 edition of the Maternal New Born and Child Health Week as well as the launching of the Mediatrix foundation, a pet project of the Wife of Cross River Governor, Linda Ayade.

Aisha Buhari was received at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport by Governor Ben Ayade and his wife, Linda Ayade, his Deputy, Prof Ivara Esu and his wife Omotunde Ivara Esu and a host of other top government functionaries.

She later departed for Ikom where she joined the wives of the governors of Kogi, Ebonyi, Akwa Ibom and Oyo states, Mrs. Yahaya Bello, Racheal Umahi, Mrs. Udom Emmanuel and Florence Ajimobi as well as the former deputy governor of Plateau state, Dame Pauline Tallen for the official flag off.

See photos after the cut….

Photo Credit: CRiMages

Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari today flagged off her pet project tagged, “Project Future Assured” at Ikom Township Stadium, Cross River State.

Flagging off the event, the President’s wife commended Cross River State governor, Senator Ben Ayade for providing an enabling environment for the maternal new born and child health week to kick off while also lauding Mrs. Linda Ayade for launching her foundation and choosing to be a maternal and child health ambassador for the state.

In her words: “I will like to commend the Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade for providing a conducive environment for the official flag off of MNCH week and also congratulate his beautiful wife, Dr. Lynda Ayade for initiating the Mediatrix Foundation. I wish her success in her new role as maternal and child health Ambassador in Cross River State.”

Mrs. Buhari who was accompanied by wives of the governors of Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Oyo as well as former Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Mrs Pauline Tallen, among others, maintained that Nigeria was one of the countries with the highest rate of maternal and infant mortality, hence the need to take extra-ordinary actions to reduce the trend.

Continuing, she said: “The Federal Government is desirous of bringing this quality health care services closer to the people at the grassroots which is the primary reason for the establishment of one primary healthcare center in each political ward across the country,” assuring that she was committed to continuing advocacy for favorable response aimed at accelerating the reduction of maternal new born and child mortality.

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While speaking, Initiator of Mediatrix Development Foundation and Wife of the Governor of Cross River State, Mrs. Linda Ayade, stressed the need to correct the trend of maternal and child deaths in the state and the country, revealing that in Cross River, the skilled birth attendants stands at 41 percent, leaving 51 percent to gamblers.

The governor’s wife who rhetorically asked, “How can we gamble with lives which are irreplaceable?”, regretted that despite the free health care program for pregnant women and children under five years, some women patronized unskilled birth attendants, go to prayer houses and churches, without knowing the skills of the attendants.”

Mrs. Ayade said “the ugly trend must be stopped in our society,” adding that “Infant mortality rate is 75 in every 1000 live births. This high maternal and mortality rate contributes to the national picture and therefore totally unacceptable.

While thanking the husband for establishing the Primary Healthcare Development Agency which she noted will be the driver of the initiative, the governor’s wife urged all stakeholders to ensure that quality health services were affordable and made accessible for the citizenry at all levels.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Inyang Asibong said the state remained committed to the training of health workers in basic midwifery skills, establishment of a viable health management system, the provision of drugs as well as monitoring and supervision of health facilities.

Highpoint of the flag off was the commissioning a two Primary Health Centers in Ikom as well as the immunization of children by the Wife of the President.

Culled from CrossRiverWatch

Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari today flagged off her pet project tagged, “Project Future Assured” at Ikom Township Stadium, Cross River State.

Flagging off the event, the President’s wife commended Cross River State governor, Senator Ben Ayade for providing an enabling environment for the maternal new born and child health week to kick off while also lauding Mrs. Linda Ayade for launching her foundation and choosing to be a maternal and child health ambassador for the state.

In her words: “I will like to commend the Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ben Ayade for providing a conducive environment for the official flag off of MNCH week and also congratulate his beautiful wife, Dr. Lynda Ayade for initiating the Mediatrix Foundation. I wish her success in her new role as maternal and child health Ambassador in Cross River State.”

Mrs. Buhari who was accompanied by wives of the governors of Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Oyo as well as former Deputy Governor of Plateau State, Mrs Pauline Tallen, among others, maintained that Nigeria was one of the countries with the highest rate of maternal and infant mortality, hence the need to take extra-ordinary actions to reduce the trend.

Continuing, she said: “The Federal Government is desirous of bringing this quality health care services closer to the people at the grassroots which is the primary reason for the establishment of one primary healthcare center in each political ward across the country,” assuring that she was committed to continuing advocacy for favorable response aimed at accelerating the reduction of maternal new born and child mortality.

Advert by CRWatch :Place Yours




While speaking, Initiator of Mediatrix Development Foundation and Wife of the Governor of Cross River State, Mrs. Linda Ayade, stressed the need to correct the trend of maternal and child deaths in the state and the country, revealing that in Cross River, the skilled birth attendants stands at 41 percent, leaving 51 percent to gamblers.

The governor’s wife who rhetorically asked, “How can we gamble with lives which are irreplaceable?”, regretted that despite the free health care program for pregnant women and children under five years, some women patronized unskilled birth attendants, go to prayer houses and churches, without knowing the skills of the attendants.”

Mrs. Ayade said “the ugly trend must be stopped in our society,” adding that “Infant mortality rate is 75 in every 1000 live births. This high maternal and mortality rate contributes to the national picture and therefore totally unacceptable.

While thanking the husband for establishing the Primary Healthcare Development Agency which she noted will be the driver of the initiative, the governor’s wife urged all stakeholders to ensure that quality health services were affordable and made accessible for the citizenry at all levels.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Inyang Asibong said the state remained committed to the training of health workers in basic midwifery skills, establishment of a viable health management system, the provision of drugs as well as monitoring and supervision of health facilities.

Highpoint of the flag off was the commissioning a two Primary Health Centers in Ikom as well as the immunization of children by the Wife of the President.

Culled from CrossRiverWatch

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday endorsed the world’s first-ever vaccine for dengue fever, a potentially deadly mosquito-borne virus that threatens to infect close to half of the world’s population.

Unlike malaria, there is no established cure for dengue fever, which can cause severe nausea, bone pain, headaches, rashes, bleeding and even death. The virus can last for up to 10 days. About 390 million people are infected by dengue each year in some 120 countries, particularly in Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa.

Known as Dengvaxia, the vaccine is the product of two decades of research by French-based Sanofi Pasteur. Four countries—Mexico, Brazil, El Salvador and the Philippines—have already licensed Dengvaxia, but Friday’s recommendation will likely spur a host of other developing nations to follow suit at a time when climate change and urbanization is putting increasing numbers of people at risk from the mosquito-borne disease. “In countries where dengue is endemic, it’s one of the most feared diseases,” says Dr. In-Kyu Yoon, director of the Dengue Vaccine Initiative, an international consortium that has partnered with Sanofi. “The trajectory globally is increasing—at this point it’s essentially a pandemic.”

The vaccine is given in three injections spaced out over one year. It is designed for those over the age of nine who have been previously exposed to the virus and is best suited for people living in endemic areas, as opposed to short-term travellers, according to Dr. Alain Bouckanooge, associate vice president of clinical research and development at Sanofi’s division in Thailand. Throughout the past few years the company conducted clinical trials in tens of thousands of children in Southeast Asia and Latin America that revealed the vaccine to be 70 percent effective for those with pre-exposure to dengue and 90-95 percent effective against severe hospitalization.

Scientists have been unable to develop a vaccine for dengue in part because the virus is so complicated. It has four strains, more than other deadly diseases such as polio and smallpox. If a person gets infected with more than one type of dengue, there is a greater chance of the virus of causing hospitalization or death. Yoon said there have historically only been a few places where more than one serotype of dengue circulates at any given time, but urbanization has made it more common to have multiple serotypes in the same area.

Another challenge in testing the vaccine has been the need for expensive and time-consuming human trials. Bouckanooge says there is no good animal model that can be used as a predictor. “For dengue vaccine you don’t have that. Human dengue is quite unique.”

Even a successful vaccine won’t eliminate dengue overnight. Sanofi’s production capacity is limited, Yoon says. He estimates that the company could manufacture about 100 million doses of the vaccine annually, compared to an estimated demand of about one billion doses over five years. “So there are potentially some supply and demand issues,” he says. “Clearly there is a need for more than one vaccine and more than one vaccine manufacturer.” Dengvaxia’s side effects include systemic headaches, fatigue and light-grade fevers. No direct fatalities have been reported.

The decision whether or not to implement the vaccine will be the up to individual governments. While WHO does offer information resources to aid countries, setting up a vaccination program will provide its own set of challenges, according to Joachim Hombach, the senior advisor in WHO’s Initiative for Vaccine Research. “You need to buy the vaccine and it costs a lot money,” he says. “And you are in the business for many years — it’s essentially an open-ended commitment. You don’t want to be in a situation where you introduce a vaccine and then two years later you say, oops, sorry, we are running out of money and we have to stop this program.”
[Time]

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday endorsed the world’s first-ever vaccine for dengue fever, a potentially deadly mosquito-borne virus that threatens to infect close to half of the world’s population.

Unlike malaria, there is no established cure for dengue fever, which can cause severe nausea, bone pain, headaches, rashes, bleeding and even death. The virus can last for up to 10 days. About 390 million people are infected by dengue each year in some 120 countries, particularly in Southeast Asia, Latin America and Africa.

Known as Dengvaxia, the vaccine is the product of two decades of research by French-based Sanofi Pasteur. Four countries—Mexico, Brazil, El Salvador and the Philippines—have already licensed Dengvaxia, but Friday’s recommendation will likely spur a host of other developing nations to follow suit at a time when climate change and urbanization is putting increasing numbers of people at risk from the mosquito-borne disease. “In countries where dengue is endemic, it’s one of the most feared diseases,” says Dr. In-Kyu Yoon, director of the Dengue Vaccine Initiative, an international consortium that has partnered with Sanofi. “The trajectory globally is increasing—at this point it’s essentially a pandemic.”

The vaccine is given in three injections spaced out over one year. It is designed for those over the age of nine who have been previously exposed to the virus and is best suited for people living in endemic areas, as opposed to short-term travellers, according to Dr. Alain Bouckanooge, associate vice president of clinical research and development at Sanofi’s division in Thailand. Throughout the past few years the company conducted clinical trials in tens of thousands of children in Southeast Asia and Latin America that revealed the vaccine to be 70 percent effective for those with pre-exposure to dengue and 90-95 percent effective against severe hospitalization.

Scientists have been unable to develop a vaccine for dengue in part because the virus is so complicated. It has four strains, more than other deadly diseases such as polio and smallpox. If a person gets infected with more than one type of dengue, there is a greater chance of the virus of causing hospitalization or death. Yoon said there have historically only been a few places where more than one serotype of dengue circulates at any given time, but urbanization has made it more common to have multiple serotypes in the same area.

Another challenge in testing the vaccine has been the need for expensive and time-consuming human trials. Bouckanooge says there is no good animal model that can be used as a predictor. “For dengue vaccine you don’t have that. Human dengue is quite unique.”

Even a successful vaccine won’t eliminate dengue overnight. Sanofi’s production capacity is limited, Yoon says. He estimates that the company could manufacture about 100 million doses of the vaccine annually, compared to an estimated demand of about one billion doses over five years. “So there are potentially some supply and demand issues,” he says. “Clearly there is a need for more than one vaccine and more than one vaccine manufacturer.” Dengvaxia’s side effects include systemic headaches, fatigue and light-grade fevers. No direct fatalities have been reported.

The decision whether or not to implement the vaccine will be the up to individual governments. While WHO does offer information resources to aid countries, setting up a vaccination program will provide its own set of challenges, according to Joachim Hombach, the senior advisor in WHO’s Initiative for Vaccine Research. “You need to buy the vaccine and it costs a lot money,” he says. “And you are in the business for many years — it’s essentially an open-ended commitment. You don’t want to be in a situation where you introduce a vaccine and then two years later you say, oops, sorry, we are running out of money and we have to stop this program.”
[Time]

Scientists are also questioning how it spreads. 

Until recently, experts believed Zika was a relatively benign virus spread by mosquitoes. But now that it’s been linked to more than 1,000 microcephaly cases, scientists have taken a closer look, recently declaring it “scarier than we initially thought,” as one U.S. health officialput it this week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently announced it is now absolutely confident that Zika causes microcephaly—a connection that was suspected but not proven.It also appears to be linked to other disorders like Guillain-Barré syndrome and other autoimmune syndromes. The virus, experts now know, can be transmitted through sex.

In a new twist, experts are questioning the idea that mosquitoes are the primary cause of transmission. In a new study, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), looked at sequences of the Zika virus over decades and found notable changes in the virus over time, suggesting that the virus’ ability to mutate is a reason why it is able to trigger different types of disease. They also noticed that the sequenced strains of Zika from mosquitoes do not match all the strains in humans from this outbreak. This suggests that more people than was expected may be getting the virus some other way.

The virus was first discovered in 1947 and has caused some disease in Africa and Asia before notable outbreaks in Micronesia in 2007 and in French Polynesia in 2013. But the current outbreak is by far the worst.To figure out why, the UCLA team partnered with Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College in Beijing and compared 40 strains of Zika from past outbreaks as well as strains from the current one. The researchers analyzed some strains collected from people, some from monkeys, and some from mosquitoes. When sequences of the viruses were compared, the scientists noted a variety of differences between them.

“The things that change a lot [in the virus] might explain why it causes different disease now,” says study author Stephanie Valderramos, a fellow in obstetrics-gynecology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

What’s also curious, the researchers note, is that the strains of the virus collected from humans in this outbreak haven’t matched the strains seen in mosquitoes.“We haven’t found any human sequences in the mosquito in recent history,” says Valderramos. “It could be we haven’t been looking hard enough. If we can’t find them, it brings into question whether the mosquito is the primary mode of transmission in the current epidemic.”

It’s possible, the researchers suggest, that other modes of transmission, like sex, may play a bigger role. Due to cases of sexually transmitted Zika—this week it was revealed it can be spread via anal sex as well as vaginal sex—the CDC released precautions that people who are in areas of active Zika transmission need to practice safe sex, and abstinence may be recommended during pregnancy. There are currently no areas of active Zika transmission in the U.S., but the virus is spreading locally in Puerto Rico.

“What’s new and interesting and scary is that this is the first time a virus transmitted by mosquitoes has been shown to spread in any other way,” says Valderramos.

The researchers of the current study say there’s much more that needs to be done before scientists will fully understand Zika. The team plans to continue studying the strains involved in the ongoing outbreak as a way to identify possible targets for drug and vaccines. “We need to broaden our thinking about how this disease can be transmitted and how to stop it,” says Valderramos.
[Time]

Scientists are also questioning how it spreads. 

Until recently, experts believed Zika was a relatively benign virus spread by mosquitoes. But now that it’s been linked to more than 1,000 microcephaly cases, scientists have taken a closer look, recently declaring it “scarier than we initially thought,” as one U.S. health officialput it this week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently announced it is now absolutely confident that Zika causes microcephaly—a connection that was suspected but not proven.It also appears to be linked to other disorders like Guillain-Barré syndrome and other autoimmune syndromes. The virus, experts now know, can be transmitted through sex.

In a new twist, experts are questioning the idea that mosquitoes are the primary cause of transmission. In a new study, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), looked at sequences of the Zika virus over decades and found notable changes in the virus over time, suggesting that the virus’ ability to mutate is a reason why it is able to trigger different types of disease. They also noticed that the sequenced strains of Zika from mosquitoes do not match all the strains in humans from this outbreak. This suggests that more people than was expected may be getting the virus some other way.

The virus was first discovered in 1947 and has caused some disease in Africa and Asia before notable outbreaks in Micronesia in 2007 and in French Polynesia in 2013. But the current outbreak is by far the worst.To figure out why, the UCLA team partnered with Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College in Beijing and compared 40 strains of Zika from past outbreaks as well as strains from the current one. The researchers analyzed some strains collected from people, some from monkeys, and some from mosquitoes. When sequences of the viruses were compared, the scientists noted a variety of differences between them.

“The things that change a lot [in the virus] might explain why it causes different disease now,” says study author Stephanie Valderramos, a fellow in obstetrics-gynecology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

What’s also curious, the researchers note, is that the strains of the virus collected from humans in this outbreak haven’t matched the strains seen in mosquitoes.“We haven’t found any human sequences in the mosquito in recent history,” says Valderramos. “It could be we haven’t been looking hard enough. If we can’t find them, it brings into question whether the mosquito is the primary mode of transmission in the current epidemic.”

It’s possible, the researchers suggest, that other modes of transmission, like sex, may play a bigger role. Due to cases of sexually transmitted Zika—this week it was revealed it can be spread via anal sex as well as vaginal sex—the CDC released precautions that people who are in areas of active Zika transmission need to practice safe sex, and abstinence may be recommended during pregnancy. There are currently no areas of active Zika transmission in the U.S., but the virus is spreading locally in Puerto Rico.

“What’s new and interesting and scary is that this is the first time a virus transmitted by mosquitoes has been shown to spread in any other way,” says Valderramos.

The researchers of the current study say there’s much more that needs to be done before scientists will fully understand Zika. The team plans to continue studying the strains involved in the ongoing outbreak as a way to identify possible targets for drug and vaccines. “We need to broaden our thinking about how this disease can be transmitted and how to stop it,” says Valderramos.
[Time]

Men who have been diagnosed with the Zika virus or have symptoms of the illness should wait at least six months before having unprotected sex, US health authorities said on Friday.

Meanwhile, women confirmed to have Zika or who have its symptoms should wait at least eight weeks after the illness first appears before trying to become pregnant, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said in its updated interim guidelines on ensuring healthy pregnancies and babies amid the outbreak.

The recommended waiting periods are the same for sexually active couples who are not trying to get pregnant.

Zika has been linked to microcephaly in babies born to mothers infected while pregnant.

Microcephaly is a serious birth defect that leaves babies with small heads and incomplete brain development.

There is no vaccine to prevent Zika virus and no medicine to treat it.

Although Zika is generally spread by mosquitoes, it can also be sexually transmitted. The CDC has reported six cases of sexually transmitted Zika in the US since February, all by men infected while travelling in Latin America who passed it on to their female partners.

Brazil is the epicentre of the current outbreak, with about 1.5 million people infected, although most cases only cause mild symptoms including fever, rash, pink eye, headache and muscle and joint pain.

The CDC guidance was based on the longest-known risk period, multiplied by three, the health authority said in a news release.

In one case, Zika was detected in an infected man’s semen 62 days after the onset of symptoms, the CDC said.

Men with pregnant partners are advised to use condoms for vaginal, anal or oral sex or to abstain from sex throughout the duration of the pregnancy.

For men and women without symptoms who may have been exposed to Zika through travel or sexual contact, the CDC recommends waiting at least eight weeks before trying to become pregnant.

The latest CDC figures show 273 cases of Zika in the United States, all related to travel to areas where the virus is actively transmitted.

Among US overseas territories, Puerto Rico is the most affected, with 261 cases, mostly transmitted by mosquitoes.

The CDC said increasing access to contraception is critical to fighting Zika in Puerto Rico, where two-thirds of pregnancies are unintended. The agency estimated 138 000 women there may be at risk of unintended pregnancy.

– AFP

Men who have been diagnosed with the Zika virus or have symptoms of the illness should wait at least six months before having unprotected sex, US health authorities said on Friday.

Meanwhile, women confirmed to have Zika or who have its symptoms should wait at least eight weeks after the illness first appears before trying to become pregnant, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said in its updated interim guidelines on ensuring healthy pregnancies and babies amid the outbreak.

The recommended waiting periods are the same for sexually active couples who are not trying to get pregnant.

Zika has been linked to microcephaly in babies born to mothers infected while pregnant.

Microcephaly is a serious birth defect that leaves babies with small heads and incomplete brain development.

There is no vaccine to prevent Zika virus and no medicine to treat it.

Although Zika is generally spread by mosquitoes, it can also be sexually transmitted. The CDC has reported six cases of sexually transmitted Zika in the US since February, all by men infected while travelling in Latin America who passed it on to their female partners.

Brazil is the epicentre of the current outbreak, with about 1.5 million people infected, although most cases only cause mild symptoms including fever, rash, pink eye, headache and muscle and joint pain.

The CDC guidance was based on the longest-known risk period, multiplied by three, the health authority said in a news release.

In one case, Zika was detected in an infected man’s semen 62 days after the onset of symptoms, the CDC said.

Men with pregnant partners are advised to use condoms for vaginal, anal or oral sex or to abstain from sex throughout the duration of the pregnancy.

For men and women without symptoms who may have been exposed to Zika through travel or sexual contact, the CDC recommends waiting at least eight weeks before trying to become pregnant.

The latest CDC figures show 273 cases of Zika in the United States, all related to travel to areas where the virus is actively transmitted.

Among US overseas territories, Puerto Rico is the most affected, with 261 cases, mostly transmitted by mosquitoes.

The CDC said increasing access to contraception is critical to fighting Zika in Puerto Rico, where two-thirds of pregnancies are unintended. The agency estimated 138 000 women there may be at risk of unintended pregnancy.

– AFP

This country has gone from bad to worst. The deplorable state of this General Hospital in Etinan area of Akwa Ibom state is unbelievable. Too bad! 


Upon the most paid allocations being collected by the state, and the hospitality is still like this? I think Nigeria need to be recolonized for another 100 years just like Donald Trump said. See photos after the cut…