Babcock University Performs First Surgery

Babcock University Teaching Hospital, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria has performed its first heart surgery. The surgery which was a milk valve replacement lasted 6 hours and was performed on a 34-year-old woman.
The team of cardio thoracic surgeons who achieved the feat include;‎ Professor Kamar Adeleke, Dr. Michael Sanusi, Dr. Mudashiru Lawal and Dr. Edward Anderson.

The Senior Vice President of the university, Professor Iheanyichukwu Okoro said, “What is going on now at the Tristate Heart and Vascular Centre of the University is not the last of such operations until all afflicted hearts are rid of that which prevents their effective functioning.”



Personal Health Monitor Right on Your Wrist

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Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known

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Photo by Nadine A. Gardner

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Dare to dream big

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Running towards the sunrise. Photo by Nadine A. Gardner

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Perfect opportunity

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To find a peace of mind listen to your heart.

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Once in a lifetime

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How to Get Your Bike Ready for Spring

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Revolution Slider Error: Slider with alias facebook-feed not found.

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Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known

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Photo by Nadine A. Gardner

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Dare to dream big

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I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.

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Running towards the sunrise.Photo by Nadine A. Gardner

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Perfect opportunity

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Whoa, you love reading! Take a moment to join us on social media.
To find a peace of mind listen to your heart.

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Once in a lifetime

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10 Fascinating Facts About Personality

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Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known

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Photo by Nadine A. Gardner

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Dare to dream big

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I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.

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Running towards the sunrise.Photo by Nadine A. Gardner

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Perfect opportunity

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Whoa, you love reading! Take a moment to join us on social media.
To find a peace of mind listen to your heart.

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Once in a lifetime

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Beware! Two-minute maggi noodles are hazardous – NAFDAC warns

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC has warned Nigerians to beware of Maggi noodles produced by Nestlé India as they contain excess lead which can cause serious health problems. These noodles have been recalled from stores across India since June 2015 after a report by the Indian Food Safety Regulators of probable lead contamination which caused 143,000 deaths.
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Store keepers, wholesalers and retailers in Nigeria have however been advised to employ proactive measures geared at stopping the consumption of the product. The public too has been urged to desist from buying or using them.

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Must Read: GlaxoSmithKline, Charles Oben – The Story Of A Reluctant Marriage

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Charles before the incident
Charles I have never met, but his beautiful wife had for the last one year been a source of support and inspiration to me as I meandered around a thankless job. So when he asked for a meeting I quickly agreed not realizing the impact this meeting would be having in my life. As I sat at the swimming pool lounge of the Ikoyi club surprisingly on the same chair Joan had interviewed me for the forgotten job, I could not help but wonder just how sweet life was. Children jumping in and out of the pool, the mothers refusing to swim for fear of exposing flabby bodies that had been destroyed by childbirth and middle age and the men watching a lackluster Nigerian Soccer Match in which in my own estimation Sunday Oliseh showed us very clearly the misery ahead for us. This was life…if only I knew what was contained in the laptop Charles was bringing towards me.




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With all the protocols over, he went straight into the reason for this meeting. He opened his Laptop and with the press of the button, he destroyed my appetite. Threw me into the darkest pits of despair and forcefully bringing out tears from my eyes. What I saw was unimaginable horror, a compilation of hiroshimaic pictures of wondrous monstrosity. This could not be the same person sitting beside me.. I shifted away less he still had the contagious germs still lurking around his fine face. With hands covering my mouth and a continuous fight to stop the imminent evacuation of my bowels, I jumped and ran to the nearest toilet where on my knees I threw up and cried like I had just lost my father all over again. What was this? How can? Was this from the Ebola ravaged fields of Liberia?Was this the devil reincarnated and come at me In Ikoyi club to take revenge for all my amorous sins?  I cried and pleaded for help, God please help me, help your son, who is this Charles, had he come to kill me???

Charles while he was admitted after using the drug

No, this was an innocent Charles who for the cost of N1,300 brought this upon himself. He calmly told me his story. He had been posted to Burkina Faso by UBA and in his usual meticulous self visited a Cardiologist for a routine check. They found out that his urea level was high and the drug Zyloric was prescribed. He dutifully took the drugs and in less than 36 hours his life was turned into a living hell. He transformed into a monster no Hollywood Horror movie could match in all their creative imaginations. He turned the sights of the Ebola Victims into a mere picture drawn by nursery school children. His life ended. Blisters, skin peeling, eyes destroyed, bleeding from everywhere, bed sores and everything imaginable became his plight. 

Joan flew in, saw her husband and melted. His children came in and ran away. Mirrors where kept away from him. For less than N2,000 he had bought the dreaded Stephen Johnson Syndrome. A sickness with a massively efficient mortality rate. His world came crashing and there was nothing anybody could do, fate and a wicked multi national drug company had prescribed this on his soul. 

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He was eventually evacuated to the UK with the private efforts of Joan and his family and there he received succor but with lasting side effects. He has had two cornea replacement surgeries and much more devastating is the fact that he cannot shed a tear for the rest of his natural life. He has been confined to the use of artificial tear inducing drugs which he buys from America at the cost of $200 monthly. His sex life, he didn’t say, but if I guess, would be very far from what I am sure would have been the case and in the process lost his lucrative job with life just floating by. 

GSK that huge Drug Firm, is the purveyor of this ‘wonder’ drug. GSK I hear manufactures and sells this drug from their UK base and distributes it all over the world while using its Nigerian Office as the headquarters for this operation of death in the whole of west Africa. Charles is in court with them. He has won the first round but as expected, the merchants of death have appealed and the hearing his coming up this February. I will be in that court premises, with my placard cursing and abusing their mothers and wishing death to their children and grandchildren.

Charles sensing my discomfort, challenged me to enter any chemist in Lagos and ask for that drug and I will get it. I took up the challenge and went into Obalende and viola I saw the drug for N900. I screamed and ran away. Where is NAFDAC in all these? Where are the authorities? Why are our doctors and Pharmacists still prescribing this drug. My people the instructions on the drug is written in FRENCH. Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!! french, how will we read and know the side effects. In the UK it is clearly stated in the pack that this could lead to death, but in Nigeria because we are a mumu people we keep ingesting and dying and attributing the painful death to curses from our ancestors or witches. 

Charles battle is my battle, Charles cry for retribution should be our collective war cry. GSK cannot use all the legalese in this world to escape reparations. Charles and all the other victims must be compensated. The compensation will not bring back the tears in his eyes but at least it will give him a sense of justice and judgement in his favour would save other lives. That is his major worry. 

As I left him that night, my mind goes back to the Amazon he married. Where would he be today without her, where would the world be today if he had died. We would not have known the evil that is GSK and their wonder drug. We await the Appeal Court Judgement even as we plot the next step in this comedy of errors. 

What a marriage.

Written by Joseph Edgar, an investment banker and writer. He blogs at josephedgarng.blogspot.com

Leading dentistry experts exhibit in 2nd edition of Dental Africa in Lagos

Leading dentistry experts exhibit in 2nd edition of Dental Africa
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Hands on workshops and experts provide attendees with latest dental technologies and updates in the industry
The Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos, Nigeria will once again host the 2nd annual Dental Africa Exhibition & Conference. The only specialized dental event to benefit from the privilege support of the Nigerian Dental Association. The exhibition will host some of the region and world’s well-known names in dentistry to bring the best practices, technology and innovation together under one roof.
The event will feature hands on workshops and a conference that will highlight the latest technology, procedures and developments in the field of dentistry. Dental Africa Exhibition will showcase the latest products by the frontrunners in the field from Africa and beyond. Attendees will benefit from the opportunity to network with some of the biggest local and international names, including Casa Dente Nigeria LTD, Oral B, S&S Biomat, Trinity Dental Supplies and more.

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According to Roland Yammine, Managing Director, Casa Dente Nigeria LTD, “This is our first official presence within the Nigerian dental field, and as a newly established dental company that is specialized in oral implantology, Dental Africa is an excellent opportunity to gain exposure and recognition in the Nigerian dental industry .As for the workshop, we will include an interactive hands on and lecture about MEGAGEN as well as a product introduction on the features and benefits of this exciting system.”
Casa Dente Nigeria LTD will offer dental implantation workshops during the Dental Africa Exhibition & Conference. The event, organised by Informa Life Sciences Exhibitions, will take place from 7-9 October 2015 at the Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos, Nigeria.

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“The workshop will demonstrate innovatively inducing Calcium Phosphate nano-particles to the Titanium layer of the implant and the unique implant design that eliminates the loss of crestal bone/biological width. This will lead to a faster loading period and faster treatment and recovery,” highlighted Mr Yammine.

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The event will host more than 2000m2 of exhibition space, more than 1500 participants, 25 local and international speakers, and a 3 day CPD accredited conference all dedicated to the dental industry in West Africa and Nigeria.
“We chose to set up in Nigeria because we wanted to be in a growing market in its early stages, where the sector is healthy and developing steadily. We have strategically chosen to be present here after conducting several market studies for over a year. This is a promising opportunity because we can have the chance to operate in a low competitive market and grow simultaneously with our customers, creating strong bonds and customer loyalty, which will pay off on the long run,” says Mr Yammine.

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Tips to protect yourself from the deadly MERS virus

 

Are you avoiding people in your surroundings with that hacking cough, cold, or flu? Do you draw your hand back from every doorknob? From a few sniffles to a chesty cough, headache and runny nose, any changes to air-conditioned environments, temperature and a population of constant travelers are culprits often slapped with the blame of the commonly known virus known Middle East Respiratory Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), a coronavirus which causes acute respiratory illness in infected patients.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that approximately 36 percent of patients suffering from the respiratory infection have died, since it was first identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012.
Practitioners across the world are cautioned to look out for symptoms of the virus to stop it from spreading. As there is no available vaccine or specific treatment for MERS, the best way to protect yourself is to maintain personal hygiene. This is one of the reasons why the WHO 1 along with many healthcare authorities in different countries, including the U.S. 2, Canada 3, Saudi Arabia 4, and Australia 5, are placing a heavy emphasis on hand hygiene.
Dr. Ashraf Allam, Regional Vice President, MundipharmaMiddle East and Africa region provides us with tips to protect yourself against MERS infections:
1)  Wash your hands frequently
Wash your hands frequently with antiseptic soap and water. This is particularly important in public toilets, when travelling, in hospital or in restaurants.
2)  Avoid touching your face
Avoid touching your face with your hand to prevent spreading the virus after touching dirty surfaces
3)  Practice proper hygiene at home and in public places: Use a handkerchief
When you sneeze or cough use a handkerchief or tissue to cover your nose or mouth. Dispose of the tissue immediately.
4)  Wear a surgical mask
Wear a surgical mask when visiting people with the illness
5)  Disinfect items in public space
When travelling, carry alcohol-based disinfectant wipes to sanitize your surroundings (overhead compartment latch, seatbelt, in-flight entertainment screen and controls, tray table)
6)  See a doctor
If you come in close contact with someone who has the MERS infection and you have fallen sick with fever, go see your doctor immediately.
Remember the initial symptoms of MERS are similar to the common cold – fever, cough, shortness of breath. As the disease progresses, though, victims may develop pneumonia or kidney failure.
7)  Build up your immune system by making healthy food and beverage choices
Replace immune-damaging beverages like alcohol, sodas (regular and diet), and energy drinks with plenty of fresh, purified water.
A strong immune system can protect you against so many common ailments.

Use of RDTs improves treatment of malaria patients

Using malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) in registered drug shops in a highly endemic region in Uganda substantially reduced over diagnosis of malaria, improving the use of valuable malaria drugs, according to a new study published in PLOS ONE.
Most of the 15,000 patients that visited drug shops with a fever chose to buy an RDT when offered one by the trained vendors taking part in the study. Once they performed the test, results showed that less than 60% of the patients had, in fact, malaria. The vendors usually complied with the test results, reducing over prescription of malaria drugs by 73%.
The researchers from the Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) Consortium (http://www.actconsortium.org) at the Ministry of Health in Uganda and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in the UK carried out the study because up to 80% of malaria cases in Uganda are treated in the private sector.
The private sector is a common source of treatment in many other malaria-endemic areas, especially where there is poor access to public health facilities. Patients buy antimalarial drugs in shops to medicate themselves, although malaria is not always the cause of their fever, and thus inappropriate treatment is very common.
Prof. Anthony Mbonye from the Ugandan Ministry of Health and lead author of the study, said: “Our findings show that it is feasible to collaborate with the private health sector and introduce malaria RDTs in drug shops. The next step is to refine the strategy and understand the cost implications of scaling it up in Uganda. Our long term aim is to provide evidence to help the World Health Organization develop guidance to improve malaria treatment in the private sector.”
Dr Sian Clarke from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, also a principal investigator in the research, said: “This study shows that RDTs can improve the use of ACTs – the most effective treatment for malaria – in drug shops, but it’s not without its challenges. These tests alone will not improve the treatment of other diseases. We now need to continue working with the Ministry of Health to investigate how to improve our approach and expand it to other common illnesses.”
At present, drug shop vendors usually treat patients based on their signs and symptoms without testing their blood for the presence of malaria parasites, as recommended by the World Health Organization. This can result in patients with a fever being over diagnosed with malaria and purchasing an ACT which they don’t need.
Microscopy is a method that requires laboratory equipment and qualified staff, while RDTs are alternative, simple tools that require minimal training to diagnose malaria. These rapid tests can help health workers and vendors in remote locations to prescribe the correct treatment for malaria.
An investigation conducted alongside the trial, published in Critical Public Health, found that despite their popularity, malaria tests were not a simple fix in the private sector. Patients welcomed the RDTs as well as government involvement in improving drug shops, and vendors “felt big” and more akin to qualified health workers in the public sector for being allowed to test blood. But researchers warn that this could give a false impression of vendors’ other skills and services, and regulation by authorities is needed.
The team have recently received a new grant to investigate the feasibility of training and equipping registered drug shops to manage three key childhood diseases: malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea.

Dental Nursing week begins in Lagos

Health experts will on Wednesday, July 1, 2015 discuss the management of cleft patients in Nigeria. They are also expected to discuss the role of Dental Nurses in the treatment of cleft patients and the myths about cleft, lip and palate in children.
A statement issued in Lagos by the coordinator of the School of Basic Dental Nursing, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Ms. Adeyanju Aina, said the programme would take place at Hall 36, Lagos University Teaching Hospital.

“The aim of the programme is to promote oral health and cleft surgery. The event expected to begin at 10:00am, will be attended by government officials, students and business executives” the statement reads. 

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