By Ovat Abeng
Nigerians have been urged to prioritize their health through regular medical checkups, routine exercise, and intentional healthy living to curb the growing trend of “slump and die syndrome.”
This call was made by the Chief Medical Director of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Amaku Awka, Dr. Joe Akabuike during a one-day health awareness program organized by the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Anambra State Chapter, on Thursday, where he presented a paper on the theme of the event, End “Slump and Die Syndrome: Your Health First.”
He advised the public not to hastily bury individuals who slump or are presumed dead as many people have been buried alive through the practice, stressing the importance of taking such persons to the hospital for proper medical evaluation or autopsy to confirm death and determine its cause, an approach he said, could help prevent future occurrences.
“Let’s be intentional on issues concerning our health, there’s nothing as sudden death only that we don’t in most cases don’t make our overall well-being a priority.
“Eat healthy, exercise heavy and rest well. Check your vital signs on a regular basis and keep a clean environment,” the CMD admonished.
In her welcome address, the Chairperson of NAWOJ, Anambra State, Comrade Tochukwu Ifejika, appreciated members and participants for their unwavering support, and encouraged journalists and other essential workers to make their health a top priority, reminding them that they can be replaced in their offices immediately they are dead.
“No one is indispensable, let’s not deceive ourselves that no one can do with us. It’s a lie, your replacement comes immediately after you die. Nature abhors vacuum”, She charged.
In his remarks, the Anambra State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Dr. Odogwu Emeka, who was also the Chairman on the occasion, urged women to make most of opportunities like the Health Awareness program to learn one or two things to impart on them.
In their various goodwill messages,
the representatives of some of the para military: Federal Road Safety corps(FRSC), Nigeria Immigration Service(NIS), Nigeria Police force(NPF), Nigeria Correctional Service(NCS), Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra (OCHA) brigade, Fire Brigade Service… commended NAWOJ for a timely packaging of the Health Awareness Program respectively.
In a vote of thanks, the Chairperson of the Organizing Committee, Comrade Chinyere Fessy-Okoye, thanked the guests and all the participants for attending and emphasized the need for people to take their health seriously; encouraging the participants to acquire basic first-aid tools in their homes and offices to help manage emergencies before professional help arrives.
The high points of the event was the CPR and practical first-aid techniques demonstration and educating of participants on how to respond during health emergencies ably led by a representative of the Nigerian Red Cross, Anambra State Chapter, Lady Nkechinyelu Nnaji and team and the cutting of the cakes of one year anniversary in office of the NAWOJ Anambra State Chapter current administration and May birthday celebrants.
The event concluded with the investiture of the award of Patron on Dr Nwachukwu Anakwenze (Onowu Abagana/Abagana Regent, DikeNdiIgbo) founder of Anakwenze Foundation, as most Impactful Foundation and Philanthropist Of the Year.