SEVEN (7) THINGS THAT CAUSE ILL HEALTH

BY: Godday O. Aghedo

One’s state of health is always a serious concern of any serious individual. This is so because, it directly impacts on the one’s plans, events, activities and even focus. A sick man won’t be able to pursue his dream fully. A seek man won’t be able to attend important functions be it social or religious. A sick man does not think about education or academic laurels. A sick man does not have the pleasure and comfort of effectively running his business or attending to office responsibilities. Invariably, ill health reduces a man’s financial worth rather than adding to it. It costs much more to regain one’s health than to regain it; this is why it is paramount to as often as the opportunity presents itself, talk about personal and communal health.

Considering the prevalent global environmental and climatic changes, the health of most people has continued to deteriorate. Several conditions are culpable for this negative modification; ranging from massive industrialization across the globe, deforestation, devastating exploration and excavation of natural resources, increasing degree of poverty in many countries, laziness, illiteracy and poor leadership leading to poor and unpatriotic health policies. Let’s examine the aforementioned, one after another.

Þ    Due to the industrialization of most of the cities of the world, the amount of toxic gaseous chemicals released into the atmosphere has continued to rise. Gases such as Carbon (II) Oxide, Sulphur (IV) Oxide (SO₂), Carbon (IV) Oxide (CO₂), amongst other dangerous gases are constantly emitted by industrial plants.

Þ    Deforestation does not only increase the leeway of land erosion, it also limits the availability of Oxygen (O₂) and increases the atmospheric CO₂. Note that plants exhale O₂ (which is used up by animals) and inhales CO₂ (a respiratory waste from animals). Both industrialization and deforestation are major causes of global warming due to the destruction of the ozone layers.

Þ    Searches and mining activities pollute the land, waters and the air. As the pollution continues to accumulate, it launches diverse health complications on the inhabitants of the region. Agricultural activities and products (both those on land and water alike) are adversely affected. The aquatic lives and other food substances in such a region may carry some of the contents of the pollutants.

Þ    Poverty makes people unable to take good care of themselves or at least access routine medical checkup and counselling services. They are unable to afford decent and healthy food, wears and accommodations. Due to high cost of housing, poor people settle for unhygienic houses in the slums as well as purchasing already contaminated old farm products instead of the expensive but fresh ones.

Þ    Some people are too lazy to embark on exercises which will eventually improve their health status.

Þ    Where there is poor health literacy or public health education, inhabitants are prone to indulging in anti-health practices such as smoking, excessive drinking and self-medication etc.

Þ    Poor leadership may affect the kind of laws made in a particular nation. Therefore, health policies that will help the populace live aright are inadvertently absent in many nations. It is the duty of any good leadership to install policies that will promote a health of the people. This should cut across every community of people, including the workplace.

Bye and large, it is safely logical to state categorically that, the quality of the life one lives, is dependent on some salient factors, some of which are food intake, lifestyle, environment, work life, friends or companies and purpose. See TIPS FOR OPTIMAL HEALTH for details.

THE HALLMARK OF NATIONAL SECURITY

BY: GODDAY O. AGHEDO

January 15^th every year is celebrated as Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Nigeria. It is a day set aside to acknowledge the heroic contributions as well as rewarding excellence of personnel in the Nigerian military. This year’s commemoration has come with lots of mixed feelings and reactions, as some people hold the opinion that the armed forces have fallen short of expectation while others believe they have done well so far. It’s no news that Nigeria has suffered serious setbacks security wise, in recent times. National security almost hit the bricks considering the increasing insurgency attacks launched by the dreaded Boko-Haram terrorists, cases of murder, pipeline vandalism, armed-robbery, kidnapping and various other sorts of heinous criminal and condemnable activities of some unscrupulous entities. To add salt to injury is the recent genocide executed by suspected Fulani Herdsmen in Benue State. While it is worthwhile to celebrate this unique sector of Nigeria’s national life, there is no gainsaying that the security challenges in Nigeria are multiplying instead of shrinking. This calls for more worries actually, than resting on our oars; and the military must win back the trust of Nigerians in their ability to secure lives and properties of the citizens/inhabitants.

Security is a basic concern of every citizen and we cannot under mind the gallant efforts of our military officers at various cadre. It is imperative to reward and honour our heroes past. Amidst many challenges such as lack of incentives, having to combat enemies in possession of far more sophisticated weapons, military effort sabotage by internal devious elements, bad leadership, politicizing the allocation and relocation of military personnel, lack of cooperation by members of the community amongst others.

However, it is noteworthy to bear in mind the hallmark of any security outfit of any nation.

1.  Heart-rooted Discipline
2.  Impeccable Integrity
3. Undaunted Bravery
4. Unalloyed Patriotism
5. Selflessness
6. Hard work and Commitment
7. Skill and Professionalism
8. Respect and Loyalty

Nevertheless, the Nigerian military has come a long way and deserve to be applauded. So much has been achieved in the past but honestly, there is still much to be done. Bravo, to the Nigerian military, the paramilitary forces and to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

PILLARS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE

By: Godday O. Aghedo

Governance is the process of making decisions and implementing same for the common good of the populace and general society. However, good governance is an indeterminate term used to describe how public institutions manage both human and natural resources, conduct public affairs,  and control internal or external disputes. 

At every level of human endeavours, leadership is a necessary component of the processes leading to the achievement of set targets. Governance is a form of leadership and its impacts on the people and public is always far reaching, therefore, it should be given adequate attention if the current developmental challenges must be truly surmounted. In Nigeria and many parts of Africa, more works have to be done to arrest the problems surrounding effective and public oriented leadership. This is paramount on the ground that, governance encompasses: the establishment of policies, execution of the policies, continuous monitoring of the implementation drivers, meeting the most vital and basic public needs and answering the questions about issues of public interest. It is also implicated in balancing the powers (be it political, social, cultural, religious or academic powers) of the members of the governing council/board and their fundamental functions of enhancing the living conditions of the populace, bringing prosperity and progress to the organisation. Good governance is neither a title nor a position; it is rather a system and process. It is the primary responsibility of every leader at every cadre to allow the system work and the process run.

SEVEN PILLARS OF EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE

Every acclaimed good governance must touch on the following basic necessities of the people. This may not be an  exhaustive list, but these pillars are enough to judge how effective or good a particular set regime of government has performed.

1. Devolution of powers - Power should be decentralized and given to the people rather than a selected or an elected few in government. 

2. Education - On yearly basis, there should be workable strategies in place for ensuring the the improvement of the literacy level of the members of the society, access to quality education at affordable costs must be established.

3. Housing and Infrastructure - The masses should be able to afford decent and healthy accommodations, public and private work-places should be modern enough to guarantee the safety of the employees. Massive road constructions and networks are needed. This in turn will positively impact the economy and productivity of the nation.

4. Health Care - Access to quality and affordable health care and social services will not only enhance the life span of the people, it will directly affect the productivity, vitality, savings and resourceful of the masses.

5. Environmental Management - Environmental degradation is one of the major threat to man on earth. A good government should be able to enact and implement policies that will protect our environment and make it healthier for man's habitation. Such as elimination or minimizing gas-flaring, embarking on reforestation activities, beautification of roads and dwellings with selected flowers or tress, regulating the mining of natural resources as well as ensuring effective system for waste control and management.

6. Economy - It should a key interest of any good government to boos the economy of the nation and not just that of individual members of the cabinet. Empowerment programmes have to be initiated and rolled-out, and incentives given to indigenous entrepreneurs who are also major players in driving up the economy. Partnership with private and public investors and corporations, both local and international, for massive economic operations should top the government's agenda. 

Bye and large, good governance must involve the participation of all and sundry, both the leaders and the led have distinct roles to play. When the leader is a good leader but the follower is a BAD follower, we will still run into crises. Therefore, all hands must be on deck to bring to bare, good governance; beginning from the so called low estates to the political government houses.

THE CHALLENGES OF MEDICAL INTERVENTION IN NIGERIAN HEALTH SECTOR

Health as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) is a state of complete physical, mental, social and emotional well being of an individual. It is a vital aspect of living as the absence of it threatens the existence and survival of individuals, families, societies, nations and the world at large. The health sector is an aggregate of units within an economic system that provides curative, preventive, rehabilitative and palliative care. Challenges of medical intervention therefore implies conditions and factors which hinder the moves and smooth running of medicine and its paramedics in ensuring individual and societal well being.

The medical world today is relentless in actualising its goals and objectives through vaccination, environmental alteration (vector and intermediate host control,) education, legislation (legal actions, subsidies and taxes,) nutritional, maternal, neonatal and therapeutic interventions. Unfortunately, its pace has greatly been retarded (if not rendered unattainable) by challenges. Nigeria health sector, a vestige of poverty, disease, illiteracy and vice wreaking nation, has struggled under the clouds of life threatening diseases such as malaria, cholera, tuberculosis, diarrhea, HIV, pox and a host of others. Intermittent outbreaks of these diseases throw the nation in diaspora breeding stigmatization, segregation and high mortality of citizens.

The study by the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) showed poor diet to be responsible for 72% of all deaths. This no doubt calls for great concern and attention. As man, a product of what he eats, drinks, inhales and thinks is prone to eating and drinking for quenching hunger, taste and satisfaction of pleasure which most often is detrimental to his health and wellbeing.

The prevalence of poverty has breed malnutrition which renders individuals susceptible to diseases and infections, while the poor wrestles with malnutrition, the rich is drown in gluttony. Some foods gladly eaten in Nigeria today cannot be given to dogs in the Western and developed countries of the world. The immense consumption of staples unwittingly shifts attention from other enriching foods that helps in keeping adequate and balance diet.

Stated in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is the sole responsibility of the government to ensure the health and wellbeing of its citizens. Unfortunately, a look at the annual budget shows just 5% to 6% of the national budget allotted to the health sector, as opposed to the average (minimum) of 15% expected of any country that seeks to be called a developed and healthy nation or state. Instability and nonchalance of the government and its policies has crippled the intervening limbs of the health sector. A vivid example is the abandonment of the 500 Bed Specialist Hospital in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state for reasons yet unfathomable.

Nepotism, which results in recruitment of unskilled workers and the delay in payment of workers’ salaries by government which leads to incessant strike actions that cost lives and rendered many helpless, has also become a hard knock to crack. The importation of substandard and un-scrutinized goods (e.g. fairly used clothes) has put lives in grave danger of diseases and infections. Also, the rampancy of mushroom hospitals (registered by government assigned organizations and parastatals), exposing many to low quality health facilities and care, and opening wide the door to illegal health practices such as abortion, euthanasia and a host of others. The effect is obviously high crime and mortality rate.

Predominance of diverse religions, customs, traditions, cultures, values, beliefs etc has immensely instigated unawesome practices such as ritual killing, incisions, bethrotal of the girlchild, animal sacrifice (a threat to fauna), and negligence to life saving medical practices such as drug intake, blood transfusion, tissue/organ transplant etc. The prevalence of such naïve and dinosaurian practices in the 21st century, no doubt puts the growth of the health sector at snail pace.

Death resulting from conflicts, terrorism, suicide, murder and natural disasters such as flood, drought etc., is also on the rise; as those fortunate to escape such deaths are unavoidably rendered orphans, widows, homeless, disserted, disabled or threatened with worst health conditions. Abandonment of settlements, as people flee to other regions for safety, thereby leading to overcrowding and paving routes for outspread of diseases, congestions,  high crime rate and a host of threats to living and survival.

Poor hygiene in homes, communities, cities, industries, which create breeding grounds for bacteria, virus, fungus, indiscriminate disposal of  wastes and pollution of environment through bush burning, deforestation, automobile usage, volcanic eruption, etc. (releasing substances such as CO, SO₂, chlorofluorocarbons, excess CO₂ in the air) leading to depletion of ozone layer, global warming, greenhouse effects, acid rain, etc which ultimately shortens longevity.

Incessant migration of skilled medical personnel to other countries (Brain drain) to secure attractive salaries and for other ulterior motives has greatly diminished the efficiency and credibility of Nigerian health sector. Nigerians have little (if not no faith) in the health centres and facilities. The leaders take the lead by travelling far and wide the globe seeking medical attention and quality health care in exchange for huge sums of Nairas.

The stealthy acts and dispositions of infected persons, such that the hands of medical practitioners cannot reach them (to avoid being quarantined) and their deliberate acts of spreading  diseases is not only a challenge but also a threat to medical intervention in Nigeria.

According to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria has the highest number of drug related convicts worldwide. Such a humiliating declaration shows recklessness on the part of citizens. The taking of drugs without the consent of skilled and experienced medical practitioner has landed many in hospitals and early graveyards. Ranging from alcohols, pharmaceutical and hard drugs like heroin, cocaine, etc., the abuse of these substances causes adverse effects suffered by their abusers or dealers, which in turn demeans and renders useless, the struggles of medicine in ensuring a healhy Nation.

Above all, the greatest enemies weakening and thwarting the interventions of medicine in a nation such as Nigeria are: ignorance, apathy, illiteracy and pessimism in its citizens. This alarming mental attitude begets and sustains other challenges combating the health sector. Little or no attention to rid these challenges has made every effort of the health sector as flogging a dead horse. All hands therefore must be on deck to circumvent the aforementioned challenges. Appointed ministers, commissioners, directors of health must seek selfless ways at the primary to tertiary levels. ‘A problem known,’ they say ‘is half solved.’ Collective effort is required in ensuring the peace and wellbeing of all, as a healthy Nation remains a wealthy Nation.

© Victoria Olabisi, 2018