52—Vanguard, TUESD AY, SEPTEMBER 24 2013 TUESDA
Prepare for old age from infancy — OYEDIRAN BY SOLA OGUNDIPE
PSN tasks FG on roles for health providers
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HE Pharmaceutical Society NE of the secrets of living to a ripe old age is to of Nigeria, PSN wants the Federal Government prepare for it right from infancy and even while in Committee set up to redress grievances of health workthe uterus during pregnancy. ers on contentious professional matters to be steadA public health physician and Former Adjunct Professor fast, bold and upright in tackling the various matters in the Department of Community Health and Primary at stake. Care, College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, PSN President, Pharm. Olumide Akintayo, urged the Professor Muriel Ayodeji Oyediran, who gave this committee to look into agitations for recognition of professional roles, optimising career aspirations, approassertion, urged Nigerians to adopt the kind of lifestyle priate designation of specialist roles and implementain their youth that would enable them live healthily in tion of non-discriminatory salary wages, which remain old age. constitutional rights of citizens of the Federal RepubOyediran, who was Guest Speaker at the 2013 Annual lic of Nigeria. Faculty Day lecture, of the Faculty of Public Health, Calling attention of the Committee, headed by the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria,held Head of Service of the Federation, to Section 42 (1) a last week at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, & b of the Constitution, Akintayo said the PSN was LUTH, Idi Araba, called for commitment from government not unmindful of threats and ultimatums on adherence at all levels towards provision of conditions that promote to “hierarchical orders” in the health sector. qualityof life for the elderly in Nigeria so that they continue “It is an irony of fate that the status quo in healthcare to participate in their communities for as long as possible. in our nation is deliberately structured to impair the “As soon as you can, from your childhood, teens and legitimate aspiration of some health workers to 20s, prepare for your old age, because you will get old • Prof. Muriel Oyediran. optimize their potentials in the health sector for many sometime. What you do from childhood influences your years now.” state of health later in life, so take care,” she advised. develop a network of family and friends who can assist “As representatives of pharmacists we now insist that “You have to start from being a baby, from childhood. with caring. “It is clear there are still many opportunities we shall exercise our liberties as freeborn citizens who Start from breast feeding which is the best for babies. It for health services and care to be provided in the will lawfully pursue our professional values in public protects their teeth, bones, and bones. A healthy child is community for the elderly who are either living by interest.” bound to grow into a healthy, normal adult, so if a child is themselves or are living with family. “This is a challenge Calling for exhibition of broad mindedness by well fed, that child would grow into a healthy normal and to the local authorities and state governments to improve appraising current evolutionary trends in care long-lived adult. lives of the elderly by providing them with companionship processes at global level, he said pharmacists insist “It begins from in-utero to birth, because the diet the and suitable activities to keep them mentally, physically and declare readiness to attain fair justice to all concerned in the health industry in Nigeria. mother has when she is pregnant affects the health of the and socially active. child. Start early from pregnancy all the way down, then you may live to 120,” she asserted. In her lecture entitled: “Even Nigerians Grow Old!: The Problems and Challenges of Ageing in Nigeria”, Oyediran, said it was essential for government to be aware Chief Matron, Lagos State Water Corporation Staff Continues from Page 51 of the increasing financial, social and health needs of the Clinic, Aderoju Olusola, who noted that the exercise elderly and to be more proactive in providing affordable many persons walking around with blood disorders was part of their monthly health talk aimed at healthcare for the elderly through health insurance without knowing. Encouraging cultivation of the inculcating healthy living into the staff of the schemes and care homes. culture of donating blood every three months, he corporation. Lamenting the increasing trend abuse, neglect and explained that not every donated blood is useable. Olusola, who acknowledged that most Nigerians are abandonment of the elderly in Nigeria, she said the “It is not everybody that can donate, you must attain afraid to donate blood out of fear, said donors stand to problem which was rarely recognized and reported in certain criteria before you donate, which include; you the past, is becoming an important growing social and must be 50 kg and above, blood pressure must be gain refreshed blood as well as prolonged life. Voluntary blood donation also helps to assist persons public health problem. normal, PVC must at an acceptable level to avoid any in need of blood, accident victims, cancer patients, “WIth regard to the various economic changes occurring unforeseen crisis. Only healthy people aged 18 -65 sickle cell anaemia patients and pregnant women in with high unemployment rates, poor economic indices are likely to donate blood,” he added. labour among others. and a general deterioration in living standards, it is likely that the elderly may become an extra source of stress and strain to the family.” In her view, Oyediran said it hospitals do not have enough, also place the other one on top. BY CHIOMA OBINNA babies have jaundice. is important for caregivers to She said three to four cases of and sometimes you have to bring So that prevents us from having O fewer than 400 babies jaundice are seen at LUTH daily. in two to three babies together to to exchange the baby’s blood. Because the machines are not affected by neonatal “It is the commonest newborn share a machine. “The second machine they enough, we keep having to jaundice are managed emergency and the commonest successfully at the Lagos reason why babies go home and brought is called the Bili-bed exchange the blood of the baby University Teaching Hospital, come back to the hospital. The whereby if the jaundice level is and because we have one of the Continues from Page 51 Continues on page 53 high the baby lies on it while we LUTH, Idi Araba, Lagos, every major thing is to treat it. The meeting which will be month. To aid the management “Many mothers are not doing chaired by Wife of the Lagos State of the babies,the Year Book Class, the right thing. It is not just tellGovernor, Dame Abimbola YBC, (final year medical ing mothers to go and take Fashola, is targeted at community students) of College of Medicine, ampiclox or take paw paw water, leaders, women and other University of Lagos, CMUL, has or agbo, not wearing yellow cloth stakeholders in Lagos Central donated two phototherapy or using camphor for the baby’s Senatorial district which machines to the Neonatal Unit of clothes. Those are the things that comprises Surulere, Apapa, Eti- the hospital. could cause serious problem.” Osa, Lagos Island, Lagos Neonatal jaundice, according to Jaundice is an emergency. Mainland local governments and an Associate Professor of When you notice it, rush the baby their local council development Paediatrics, CMUL, Dr. Chinyere for appropriate care.” areas. Ezeaka, is a medical emergency She said LUTH needed to “This town hall meeting which capable of damaging a baby’s procure modern phototherapy will hold at the Surulere local brain for life. machines to replace the outdated government secretariat is meant Jaundice is the yellowness of the ones in use currently. The to enlighten the public on efforts eyes, as a result of a breakdown machines donated by the Year being made by the state of blood within the first week of Book Class, when placed over government to reduce maternal life. the baby and the light is shone child mortality as well as open Ezeaka who is the Head of on the baby, would break down their minds to the roles they are Neonatal Unit at LUTH, stated the bilirubin on the skin. expected to play to ensure the that 50 percent of preterm babies “Sometimes a baby can be on it • Members of the LUTH Neonatal Unit with one of the photosuccess of the programme”, Idris will have severe jaundice and up for three to five days. We don’t therapy machines presented by the Year Book Class, College of noted. to 80 to 90 percent of preterm have enough machines, many Medicine, University of Lagos, CMUL,
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Shortage of voluntary blood donors
Jaundice: LUTH manages 400 babies monthly
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