Fear heightens in Benue as cholera kills eleven – Newstrends
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Fear heightens in Benue as cholera kills eleven

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3 months ago

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Fear heightens in Benue as cholera kills eleven

A cholera outbreak in Benue State has claimed at least eleven lives, local authorities said on Tuesday.

The epidemic in Apaogbozu community of Apa, in Ado Local Government Area of the State has also left six others in critical condition.

The disease broke out about four days ago, the immediate past secretary to the Ado Local Government Council, Dr Perpetual Okafor, disclosed.

Speaking to newsmen in Makurdi, Okafor, who hails from the area, called on the state government to come to the community’s aid as the situation could not be contained by the local authorities

“The first day that the cholera outbreak occurred, three deaths were recorded. Yesterday, about four persons also died and today, this evening, we have lost four persons again.

“As I speak with you, six others who went for church service since yesterday were caught in the web.

“They are right inside the church; nobody is there to help us remove them. I had wanted to enter the church but I couldn’t. It was an emergency situation. Our people are dying seriously.

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“We wanted to hire private medical personnel to assist us in treating the remaining affected victims who are in critical condition, but we couldn’t because the resources is not there. We have nobody to assist our people.

“Lives have been lost and many are down. Whosoever knows the agency that can come to our rescue should help us please. It is an emergency situation.

“I am calling on the Benue State government and other public spirited individuals to come to our aid so our people will not be completely wiped away by this dreaded disease.

“The situation is far above our community”, Okafor lamented.

Meanwhile, the Benue State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Yanmar Ortese, confirmed the situation but failed to give the number of casualties recorded so far.

However, he said information available to him indicates that there is only one suspected case of cholera in the area, adding that staff of the Ministry are already working on it.

“The Deputy Speaker, Benue State House of Assembly drew my attention to it today at about noon of a cholera outbreak in one Apaogbozu community.

“I called the emergency operation center under my Ministry to verify if the claim is true and they told me there is one suspected case.

“From what they said, the person is having diarrhea and is also vomiting. They will move quickly and take samples to see if it’s actually cholera or not.

“That is the information for now. We already have our public health staff who are everywhere in all the local governments and they are doing the surveillance. So it’s only a suspect from the area and our staff are working on it.

“They will take samples to see if it’s actually cholera or not. That is the information for now,” the commissioner said

 

Fear heightens in Benue as cholera kills eleven

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NAFDAC destroys N120bn ‘merchants of death’ fake products

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1 hour ago

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December 29, 2024

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Director-General of NAFDAC, Mojisola Adeyeye

NAFDAC destroys N120bn ‘merchants of death’ fake products

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) announced that it destroyed over ₦120bn worth of seized products between July and December 2024 across the six geopolitical zones and the Federal Capital Territory.

NAFDAC also reassured Nigerians that measures are in place to safeguard their health before, during, and after the yuletide season.

This was disclosed in the Christmas message from NAFDAC’s Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, as contained in a statement signed by the agency’s Resident Media Consultant, Sayo Akintola, on Sunday.

Adeyeye emphasised the importance of eating safely during the Yuletide period and advised Nigerians to purchase food and drinks from outlets with identifiable addresses to facilitate the agency’s tracking processes.

She warned against eating pharmaceuticals and packaged food products that do not have NAFDAC registration numbers, noting that exceptionally low-cost products are likely to be contaminated.

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She also revealed that the agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate is continuing to remove substandard and fraudulent pharmaceuticals, as well as unwholesome food items, from marketplaces around the country.

“Officers from the Investigation and Enforcement, Pharmacovigilance, and Post-Marketing Surveillance Directorates are in the field confiscating falsified medicines, fake wines and drinks, and unwholesome food products that could jeopardise public health during the festive season,” she said.

In December 2024, the agency destroyed expired and unregistered drugs worth ₦11bn in Ibadan and seized counterfeit alcoholic beverages and medicines worth billions of naira in Lagos.

In Nasarawa State, the agency uncovered a factory packaging counterfeit rice and confiscated over 1,600 bags worth ₦5bn.

Adeyeye emphasised NAFDAC’s commitment to ensuring that the Nigerian market only contains safe, high-quality food and medicines.

She warned that the agency would step up efforts to put counterfeiters out of business, branding them as “merchants of death.”

NAFDAC destroys N120bn ‘merchants of death’ fake products

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NAFDAC destroys N5bn fake, expired products in Aba

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1 week ago

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December 19, 2024

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NAFDAC destroys N5bn fake, expired products in Aba

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has shut down 150 shops at Eziukwu Market in Abia over fake and expired products Worth N5 billion.

The agency disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday on X.

NAFDAC said the shops were shut during a two-day operation on December 16 and 17, while products valued at N5billion were destroyed at the market.

The director of the South-East zone, Martins Iluyomade, expressed dismay at the continued illegal activities despite a previous undertaking signed by market leaders in December 2023 to expose counterfeiters.

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According to the statement, Mr Iluyomade described the market as a hub for counterfeit and substandard products.

“Our team uncovered a large-scale production and distribution of fake and expired goods, including beverages, carbonated drinks, wines, spirits, and vegetable oils.

“Revalidated food items such as milk, yoghurt, noodles among others were also destroyed,” the statement said.

It reaffirmed NAFDAC zero tolerance for such practices and emphasised its unwavering commitment to safeguarding public health while working toward a permanent solution to the problem of counterfeiting in the market

 

NAFDAC destroys N5bn fake, expired products in Aba

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Eating fish regularly minimises risk of incurable hearing condition – Study

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2 weeks ago

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December 14, 2024

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Eating fish regularly minimises risk of incurable hearing condition – Study

Tinnitus is the sound of ringing in the ears. It may also be described as roaring, buzzing, hissing, or clicking inside the head. The sounds may come and go. Or they may be ongoing. The sounds range in severity from a mild distraction to a disabling condition and may manifest with buzzing, hissing, or clicking inside the head.

The sound may happen in one or both ears and may have different tones. A team from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston studied 73,000 individuals to understand how common this disorder is, which affects millions  with a constant ringing in their ears.

Over a span of 30 years, those who consumed more than two servings of fish weekly had nearly 25 percent lower odds of getting tinnitus compared to those who seldom or never ate fish. Even eating just one serving a week resulted in a 13 percent reduced risk.

Certain types of fish, like tuna, light-fleshed varieties such as cod or halibut, and shellfish, were linked to a reduced risk, while darker fish like salmon and swordfish seemed to increase the risk.

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Interestingly, fish oil supplements, known for their benefits to heart, brain, and joint health, were also connected to a higher risk of tinnitus. It’s estimated that tinnitus is diagnosed in almost 1 in 6 persons.

While age-related hearing loss, ear injuries, and circulation issues are known to contribute to tinnitus, the exact cause remains unclear. Previous studies have suggested that dietary factors, such as high levels of calcium, iron, and fat, might heighten the risk. However, this new research is the first to analyse data over such a lengthy period.

Past findings have also shown that seafood can lower the risk of hearing loss, with one study suggesting that increased fish consumption might reduce hearing issues by up to 20 percent. Scientists believe that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish could protect inner ear cells or reduce inflammation caused by loud sounds, chemicals, or infections.

The Boston team’s investigation, based on a database of US nurses, aims to shed light on the connection between fish consumption and tinnitus, potentially aiding future patients. The authors of the study expressed hope that identifying factors that can be changed might help in preventing tinnitus and guiding targeted treatments.

Eating fish regularly minimises risk of incurable hearing condition – Study

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