Queens College Diarrhea Tragedy: Victims Speak Out

Revelations have started coming out with regards to the tragic incident that happened at Queen’s College, Lagos, in which two students died while several others were hospitalized on the wake of an outbreak of diarrhea in the school. 

Aside the two pupils, no fewer than 50 others will not be in school as they are either recuperating at home or on admission in different hospitals in Lagos State, including Apapa General Hospital, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Harvey Road Hospital and Safe City Clinic.
It was gathered that problem started after the pupils, who were boarding students, ate spaghetti and drank suspected polluted water served in the refectory two weeks ago.
An epidemic of diarrhea was said to have broken out, as the pupils started vomiting and stooling.
News men, who spoke with parents, pupils, a teacher and a nurse in the school, gathered that the sickbay overflowed with sick pupils as panic spread in the school.
Some parents were said to have been called to take their children home for treatment.
It was learnt that Osuiniyi, a Junior Secondary School two pupil, died on Wednesday, February 15, 2017, while Itulua, a JSS 3 pupil, died on Wednesday, February 22, 2017.
The mother of Itualua, when contacted, declined comment, saying she was mourning the death of her daughter and did not want to discuss the incident.
Osuiniyi’s parents could not be reached for comment.
However, parents and pupils, who spoke with the media, begged not to be identified as the school management had vowed to deal with anyone who exposed the incident.
A pupil, who spoke from her hospital bed, explained that the school’s water system had been polluted for some time.
She said, “I don’t know the number of boarders affected, but one of my friends is also in the hospital.
“The one that died is Vivian (Osuiniyi). She was in JSS 2. Those affected in my dormitory are not less than 10.
“The problem started after we took spaghetti and drank the contaminated water in the hostel. When I woke up, I started feeling pains in my stomach. I was given some drugs and asked to return to my dormitory, but the pain didn’t stop.
“We complained to the school about the water that we drink, but nothing was done.”
Another pupil, who was receiving treatment at home, said more than 50 senior pupils in her class were affected.
She said, “About 50 pupils in my dormitory were stooling and vomiting after they ate the spaghetti and took the water. There are seven dormitories for SSS3 pupils and we are over 500.
“I went to the sickbay on Monday and complained that I ate spaghetti. A nurse said it was indigestion. When I ate it the next day, I vomited. When I went to report the second time, I was asked to stop eating the spaghetti. Aside the spaghetti, the water is brownish.”
She said the school later distributed bags of sachet water to the pupils.
A parent, whose daughter was among those on admission, told the media that when she called a teacher in the school, she was assured that her daughter was okay.
She said she later got a call that her daughter had started stooling and vomiting as well.
She said, “She was taken to the hospital from the school and has been on admission since Wednesday.”
Another parent, who said she was still treating her sick daughter, said she had first observed rashes on her body.
She said the victim later complained of the water in the school.
She said, “I gathered that the water had been contaminated. It was the same water they were using to cook their food.
“My daughter called and said one of their teachers said a pupil died. She said the girl was among those that ate the spaghetti.
“On Tuesday, I was called to come and take my daughter. I went there and took her to a hospital. When I got to the hospital, the doctors saw the uniform of my daughter and they screamed, ‘QC again!’ I was told that other pupils of the school had been brought to the hospital.”
The mother of one of the affected pupils said she subjected her daughter to several tests, including pregnancy and HIV tests, adding that the result showed food poisoning.
She said, “On Wednesday, I was called that my daughter was not feeling fine. I went on Thursday and took her to a hospital in Yaba. They conducted tests on her and the results showed food poisoning.”
The parent said the Parent-Teacher Association did not want the issue exposed to the public.
It was gathered that there had been threats that no parent should disclose any information regarding the school.
The threat followed an earlier scandal which rocked the school in 2016 after a teacher was alleged to have molested a female pupil.

A statement by the ministry said Adewole’s investigative team comprised members of staff of the Department of Medicine at the University of Lagos and the Epidemiology Unit of the Lagos State Ministry of Health.
“The minister has directed the officials of the ministry of health, community health and LUTH to ascertain the cause of death of the pupils, inspect of the school environment, examine the source of water supply and test its suitability for human consumption and also visit the bereaved families,” a statement by the school  said.

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Hope Rises As New HIV Vaccine Cures Five Patients

Three weeks after Prof. Maduike Ezeibe of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Abia State claimed to have discovered a cure for Human Immuno-deficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS), Spanish scientists over the weekend said five patients living with the disease are virus-free seven months after taking a new vaccine.
According to a study published in New Scientist but first reported by DailyMailUK Online, the treatment, developed by researchers in Spain, allowed the patients to stop taking regular antiretroviral (ARV) drugs – the current method of suppressing HIV.
Scientists have yet to test the results in a large-scale clinical trial, but they say the vaccine may be a “functional cure.”

It is the first step towards success in a field that has failed to find a vaccine in the last 30 years. Dr. Beatriz Mothe, from the IrsiCaixa AIDS Research Institute in Barcelona, Spain, said: “It’s the proof of  the concept that through therapeutic vaccination, we can really re-educate our T cells to control the virus. This is the first time that we see this is possible in humans.”
Mothe and her colleagues used an HIV vaccine made by Professor Tomáš Hanke from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom (UK).
The study included 13 participants, who had taken ARVs for a little over three years on average – all within six months of being infected.
After four weeks, eight of the patients saw the virus rebound. But the other five patients have gone six to 28 weeks without having to restart the treatment.
The virus became temporarily undetectable, but it has never gone above 2,000 copies per milliliter, which is the criterion to restart treatment.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, told The media yesterday that there is no cure for HIV/AIDS as claimed by Ezeibe. “No, there is no cure for HIV. It is important that we do not deceive our people. There is no cure for HIV. However, treatment is available that allows those infected to live healthy and productive lives. We encourage everyone to get tested, know their HIV status and if positive, get treatment in one of many centres in Nigeria. Treatment is free,” he said.
Ihekweazu said NCDC wants to avoid giving false hope to patients who may now abandon their Anti Retro Viral (ARVs) drugs thus leading to an increase in prevalence and mortality from the disease. He said the agency also does not want a situation where the trust of partners and donors in the country’s health system is lost.

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'' At Ola Herbs and Greens, Nature is Our Best Option'' - Mrs.Opeoluwa Aremu Okulaja, MD/CEO

In the Nigerian natural health industry, Ola Herbs and Greens Resources Limited occupies a front roll seat. This is not just becouse of the unique natural food product in its kitty – such as coconut bread, coconut cake, energy bar and so many others – but also becouse of its foray into other related  fields like health and wellness consultation, awearness programmes, teachings and treanings on healthy lifestyles amongst others. One can therefore refer to Ola Herbs as a 360 degrees natural health and wellness organizatoin.

In ths interview with Nigeria Natural Health Online’s editor, Dumbiri Frank Eboh, the managing director and chief executive officer of Ola Herbs and Greens Resources Limited Mrs. Opeoluwa Aremu Okulaja, speaks on the phylosohpy and idea behind the organization in its drive to promote a culture of natural healthy living and wellness  in Nigeria. Excerpts.

Who is a Healthy person?

A Healthy person is one that takes action everyday to ensure that his body is alright. This is through exercise, drinking enough water, eating the right diet, and engaging in other healthy lifestyles. Maintaining a healthy life is a conscious step that must be taken on a daily basis. How do you cook your food, what kind of snacks and drinks are you taking? These are all questions to ask in maintaining a healthy well being; and you have to discipline yourself in taking those steps. For instance, I don’t just go out there to buy whatever is available. I watch out for what I eat, am conscious of what I put into my body, I eat a lot of vegetables and fruits. I drink enough water and herbal teas to keep my body going. In our organization, our by- line is ‘‘Health, Your Best Optoin’’  because nature is our best friend, we try to produce everything from nature. We don’t believe in refined food, we don’t believe in processed foods. A lot of processed foods you see around do more damage and harm to the body than good and it is advisable to run from them.

What i s Ola Herbs all about?

We are into healthy living and well being. We believe in the power of nature. What we do is promote the use of natural product, herbs, seeds and every other component of nature. We help people to promote their diet with natural, green product.

What is your range of  products?

We produce health and beauty products. We have a line called Fedora Organic, product made of powder, facial scrubs, body polish all of which are made of natural product. Our facial powder, for instance, is made from cocoa powder, so it’s basically like the food  you eat. And so also is our facial masks wich is  made from natural product like green tea,  Aloe Vera etc. For our body polish, we make use of shear butter, coconut oil and things like that.

We also make smoodies from vegetables as well as salad for our customers and clients. When we bake, we don’t use  your regular flour, we use plantain flour and coconut flour to bake natural foods that are nutritious and healthy for the body. Ola Herbs also makes drinks, especially coconut milk and tiger nut milk all of which are 100% natural with no addictives. Our baking product includes coconut flour bread, cakes from coconut flour, plantain flour and other cookies made from vegetables and little fruits.We also have the energy bar made from nuts. And in all our products we do not use sugar, we use honey where necessary.

At Ola Herbs and Greens, we offer consultation services. There are health and livestyles programmes, weight loss programmes and also do recreational therapy in which people come with their health challenges and based on what they tell us, we try to turn things around for them.

For instance, we can add or remove something from their diet to make them achieve a healthier well being. If you want to do a detox programme, we use a lot of vegetables as detoxification agent. These are things that really detoxify the body in a healthy way.

Ola Herbs is also engaged in teachings and trainings on healthy living.

What percentage of your beauty products are natural?

They are 100% natural. We do not add preservatives nor do we add any form of addictives.

How are you positioned in the market?

We are positioned for all income bracket. Whether you belong to the lower, middle or upper income class, we have products that you can easily access and that can benefit health wise. It depends on what you in particular want. People come here and ask of local foods while others ask for foreign foods which ever category you belong to, we have natural products that can fit your needs. We are expanding our market to make available a wide range of products made from herbs and vegetables that can be easily be afforded by the common man.

In our present elitist culture where people’s social status are defined by big fast foods centres, how do we intend to make people return to natural foods?

That is why we engage in trainings and teachings on healthy living. That you are rich does not mean that you have to kill yourself with junk foods. Natural food has been and still remains the healthiest form of food anywhere in the world. And that also explains why these in the village, where people eat mainly natural foods,they live longer than their counterparts in the cities, that eat junks. So it shouldn’t be about the money: it should be about what it does to the body. Our focus is on the health, the father of modern medicines, Hippocrates said “let food be they  medicine and medicine they food”. And that is where our focus lie, making people understand the importance of what they eat to the body while also giving them natural healthy alternatives to all the junks that are flying around. I also write articles and feature on T.V. shows on matters relating to wellness and healthy living.

How can people access your products?

We are making arrangements to be on Konga, Jumia. But for now, people who are outside of Lagos and want our products, can make a direct order and we will  deliver it to them through courier services. People call us from Abuja, Port-Harcourt and several other cities in Nigeria and we deliver to them based on their orders. The only difference is that they pay for the delivery costs. In the near feature we will put our products in shops and outlet across the country where they can easily be reached. For those who want to retail our products, we will give them incentives in form of lower prices. This also is subject to the quantity that they are buying. The bigger the quantity, the bigger the incentive.

What are we expecting in the near future?

In the near future, we are expecting to have a lot of farm products in the markets. We want to have a wider reach where people can go and get natural product easily. We want to be able to consult to more people and direct them on the part of healthy living. We want to have our own farm so that we can produce our raw materials ourselves in order to serve both the local and international markets.  

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Imported Indian Gari: NAFDAC Warns Nigerians

A note of warning has come out from the national Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control concerning the imported Indian gari currently circulating in Nigerian markets. this is coming on the heels 0f several questions being thrown up about the nutritional value of the gari brand as well as the health implications of its consumers. , NAFDAC said contrary to reports, it did not register the ‘Indian garri’ that was reportedly being sold in the Nigerian market.
The agency’s Director, Special Duties and Media, Abubakar Jimoh, said this in an interview with the media,  noting that there had been false reports that the agency registered the brand.
Nigerians had expressed concerns over the weekend when it was reported that ‘Indian’-packaged garri was being sold in the country. The garri was packed in a 500g bag, which had the picture of a lady and an inscription, ‘TRS’, on it. It also had a price tag of N450, according to reports.
NAFDAC said it immediately commenced investigations into‎ the alleged importation of the “Indian garri”. The agency also cautioned Nigerians against consumption of the product.
Similarly, the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, spoke on the development in a statement on his verified twitter handle, noting that 26 packets of the product were seized for analysis by NAFDAC after regulatory officials visited the supermarket in Ikoyi on Monday.
While speaking with the media, Mr. Jimoh said that preliminary investigations revealed that the product was produced in UK, shipped to Ghana and now being sold in Nigeria.
He, however, said that the agency did not register the product as being insinuated.
“Let me make it clear again that NAFDAC did not register any garri,” he said.

On its own part, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development says it will liaise with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to investigate the alleged importation of garri from India.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, who made this known, yesterday  in Abuja, said that it is “strange and ridiculous” that garri would be imported when there is enough supply of cassava and garri in the country.
He said that the country produces more cassava than  India, adding that Nigerians must change their attitude towards imported goods.He said, “Whoever buys that kind of garri should be  blamed.
“I have heard of it. I will find out by tomorrow if NAFDAC indeed did certify any garri from India; unless it is some Indian companies packaging the garri here.
“Nigerians are too ready to buy anything imported. They will bring in apples and some of them have been preserved with ethanol which is not healthy for our consumption.
“Whoever is importing garri from India, something must be wrong with them. Why import garri when you do not know the conditions through which the garri was produced over there.
“I have no powers to stop imports, but I can recommend to the Nigerian Customs that this is unreasonable. I produce and encourage Nigerians to eat what they produce because it is safer for them.”

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Slow Down Your Aging Process With Coconut

Coconut is a mature fruit of the cocos nucifera palm. It is one of very versatile and indispensable food item for millions of inhabitants in South and South-East Asia, and Pacific islands as well as Africa. It is one of the most sought-after ingredients in the kitchen since it is employed in almost each and every recipe prepared in almost every parts of the world. Cocos nucifera belongs to the large Palmaceae family of palm trees. Coco palm grows well under tropical climates.
Coconut is a very versatile and indispensable food item for most people under the tropical belt. It is a complete food rich in calories, vitamins, and minerals. A medium-size nut carrying 400 g edible meat and some 30-150 ml of water may provide almost all the daily-required essential minerals, vitamins, and energy of an average-sized individual. 100 g kernel consists of 354 calories. Much of this comes from the fats and protein. Although, its meat is disproportionately high in saturated fats in comparison to other common edible nuts, coconut has many bioactive compounds that are essential for better health. The important saturated fatty acid in the coconut is lauric acid (1:12 carbon fatty acid). Lauric acid increases good-HDL cholesterol levels in the blood. HDL is a high-density lipoprotein, which has beneficial effects on the coronary arteries by preventing vessel blockade (atherosclerosis). Physicians recommend high HDL to total cholesterol levels in the blood for the same reason.
Coconut water is a very refreshing drink to beat tropical summer thirst. The juice is packed with simple sugar, electrolytes, minerals, and bioactive compounds such as cytokinin, and enzymes such as acid phosphatase, catalase, dehydrogenase, peroxidase, polymerases, etc. Altogether, these enzymes aid in digestion and metabolism. Coconut oil extracted from dry kernel (copra) is an excellent emollient agent. It is used in cooking, applied over scalp as hair nourishment, employed in pharmacy and in medicines.
Research studies suggest that cytokinins (e.g., kinetin and trans-zeatin) in coconut water showed significant anti-ageing, anti-carcinogenic, and anti-thrombotic effects. The kernel is an excellent source of minerals such as copper, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, and zinc. It is also a very good source of B-complex vitamins such as folates, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, and pyridoxine. These vitamins are essential in the sense that the body requires them from external sources to replenish.

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Sugary Drinks May Cause Liver Disease In Children - New Study

Fructose, otherwise known as sugary drinks, a form of sugar that’s added to sodas cookies, and other sweets, is contributing to the increase of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in adolescents and children.
This is contained in  a study published in the ‘Journal of Herpetology’. In its pure form, fructose has been used as a sweetener dingsince the mid-1850s and has advantages for certain groups, including people with diabetes and those trying to control their weight. Of course, fructose has been consumed for centuries in foods.
It is known as a simple sugar because it is a single sweetening molecule. Major sources of dietary fructose among children and adolescents are soda and other sweetened beverages.
Nearly 90 per cent reported drinking sodas and soft drinks one or more times a week. Almost 95 per cent of patients regularly consumed morning and afternoon snacks consisting of crackers, pizza and salty food, biscuits, yogurt, or other snacks.
High amounts of fructose in modern diets have been associated with a wide range of ailments, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Recent research suggests that dietary fructose intake may increase the amount of uric acid in the blood — which is associated with painful gout — and that both uric acid and fructose consumption may be elevated in individuals with NAFLD.
NAFLD, the accumulation of extra fat in liver cells in people who drink little or no alcohol, is recognised as the fastest growing cause of liver disease in both Western and developing countries.
It is estimated to affect up to 30 per cent of the general population in Western countries and up to 9.6 per cent of all children and 38 per cent of obese children.
NAFLD is related to insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome and may respond to treatments originally developed for other insulin-resistant states (e.g. diabetes mellitus type 2) such as weight loss, metformin, and thiazolidinediones. Up to 80 per cent of obese people have the disease.
Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the most extreme form of NAFLD, and is regarded as a major cause of cirrhosis of the liver of unknown cause.
Most people have a good outcome if the condition is caught in its early stages ‘NewmaxHealth’ reported that a team of Italian and British researchers studied obese children and adolescents with NAFLD.
All underwent liver biopsy and all completed a food frequency questionnaire, indicating when specific foods were consumed (breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, etc.), how often (every day of the week, sometimes, or never), and portion size.

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New Malaria Vaccine Offers 100 Per cent Protection In Clinical Trial

Scientists have discovered an effective vaccine that offers up to 100 per cent protection from malaria. German researchers at the University of Tübingen in collaboration with the biotech company, Sanaria Incorporated, have demonstrated in a clinical trial that a new vaccine for malaria called Sanaria PfSPZ-CVac has been up to 100 per cent effective when assessed at 10 weeks after last dose of vaccine.
With this discovery, Nigeria can save over 300,000 lives lost to malaria yearly and over N480 billion spent on the treatment and control of the parasite annually. The search for a vaccine has been going on for more than a century. An effective vaccine would make it easier to control malaria; vaccination campaigns could be conducted in severely affected areas to eliminate the pathogen. Such a vaccine could also help to stop the spread of resistance to the treatment, and to better protect travellers.
Details of the research results were published yesterday in the latest edition of the journal Nature. Tübingen University is a public research institution located in the city of Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg. It is one of Germany’s most famous universities in the areas of medicine, natural sciences, and the humanities.
Malaria is an ailment that is quite endemic in tropical Africa, especially in Nigeria. A cross-sectional community-based study was conducted on 551 participants from five local government areas in Kano State. Blood samples were collected and examined for the presence of Plasmodium species by rapid diagnostic test (RDT), Giemsa-stained thin and thick blood films, and PCR. Moreover, demographic, socioeconomic, and environmental information as well as KAP data were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire.
A total of 334 (60.6 %) participants were found positive for Plasmodium falciparum. The prevalence differed significantly by age group (p < 0.01), but not by gender or location. A multivariate analysis showed that malaria was associated significantly with being aged 12 years or older, having a low household family income, not using insecticide treated nets (ITNs), and having no toilets in the house. Overall, 95.6 % of the respondents had prior knowledge about malaria, and 79.7, 87.6 and 95.7 % of them knew about the transmission, symptoms, and prevention of malaria, respectively. The majority (93.4 %) of the respondents considered malaria a serious disease. Although 79.5 % of the respondents had at least one ITN in their household, utilization rate of ITNs was 49.5 %. Significant associations between the respondents’ knowledge concerning malaria and their age, gender, education, and household monthly income were reported.
With the discovery of the new vaccine, experts say a new done is about to break for Nigerian and other tropical countries plagued by malaria. It is believed that this new era will reverse the high mortality associated with the disease.

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Beware: Dr. Kelly Nwogu Exploiting Disabled Persons In Fraudulent Media Philanthropy

By Dumbiri Frank Eboh

I wish to use this piece to draw the attention of the general public (and indeed that of donor agencies) to the nefarious and fraudulent activities of Dr. Kelly Nwogu, the MD/CEO of Blue Sea Estate.

Several physically challenged persons in Nigeria have had their public image violated by Kelly Nwogu who, posing as a philanthropist, use them as publicity stunts to deceive donor agencies. I am one of the victims of this dubious scheme.

I first got to know Dr. Kelly Nwogu on a radio show, ‘Better Naija’ ( a Wazobia FM radio program dedicated to people with disability ) in which he reeled out a list of lofty empowerment programmes which he said he was organizing for PWDs in Nigeria.

I was quite impressed because I belong to the school of thought that believes that it is better to empower PWDs than to give them alms in form of beggars along the streets. Little did I know that what I just heard was a pack of lies calculated to deceive the unsuspecting public.

I noticed however that he concluded by making a passionate appeal to both local and foreign donor agencies, whom he said should come and support him with funds as he alone ‘cannot do it alone.’ This appeal was to later become a norm in his subsequent media apperances on the issue.

I called into the show and informed him of a publication project which I had and which was still on the pipeline because there was no seed capital to kick start it. He said I should bring a formal proposal to his office which I did the next day(I even enclosed copies of the pilot edition of the publication in the proposal).

But I soon found out that the Kelly Nwogu I heard on the radio was different from the one I met in the office. Even though my proposal was accepted and acknowledged, they kept asking me to come almost every other week. When I got tired of going to his office and realized that he was not going to live up to his promise, I called it quit; and this article would not have been written but for something that happened on January 1 this year at the National Stadium.

Before them, Telly Blind (the anchor of the Better Naija Show) told me to come to Wazobia FM, so that I can meet Dr. Kelly Nwogu in his presence – since it was in his show that I met Dr. Nwogu. I went and Nwogu said I should make sure I came to an event at National Stadium on January 1 where he said the empowerment project will kick off.

That same day, Dr. Kelly Nwogu went on air to tell Nigerians that he was going to feed and empower 40, 000 (Forthy thousand) disabled Nigerians on January 1. According to him, not only would they be empowered, we will make sure that each of them go back home with one bag of rice. When I calculated how much it would take to give one bag of rice each to 40, 000 people, I knew it was unrealistic. And I was proved right because on the deed day, instead of the 40, 000 bags of rice, there was just three bags, which was shared one derica each to the few people that had access  to it. Some of these people transported themselves all the way from Ikorodu -  to get one derica of rice! But the media never knew about this neither did the general public nor the donor agencies whom Dr. Kelly Nwogu had appeal to, to support the project with funds.

When he came to the part of the event that had brought me to the venue (i.e. the empowerment segment) Dr. Nwogu called me and some other persons out to face the crowd and the retinue of media men. He introduced us as those he was empowering to start their business. He said he was bringing us out to face the crowd so that it will be on record because the funds would be disburst the next Friday so that we can start up our various businesses. As usual, he concluded by making his appeal to donor agencies.

I will also like to state here that not only was his wife Mrs Chidioke Nwogu around to witness this; So also were his Father and Mother who herself is a cripple. This makes it quite ridiculous that someone whose mother is a cripple, should be exploiting disabled persons. But he goes to show to what extent some people can go in taking advantage of situations for their selfish ends.

But the Friday that Dr. Nwogu said the money will be disburst, never came. He later shifted it to Saturday when he organized an event in his office in Ajah. That morning, he went on air on Wazobia FM to tell the whole world that he was empowering thousands of PWDs while also the opportunities to canvass for support from donor agencies. The media he brought to that event were hoodwinked and deceived by three sewing machines and three wheel chairs he displayed to them. When we went to him at the end of the event, he said we should send our account details to him the following Tuesday. This was contradictory to what he had earlier told us that morning that, for security reasons, we would be given cheques. I sent my account details but even though his P.A. (Madam Bisi) acknowledged receiving it, the funds never came. She kept postponing and postponing and the last time I spoke with her, she said Dr. Kelly Nwogu would get back to us “whenever he is ready” -  which could be tomorrow or in ten years time.

The media never got to know of this neither did the donor agencies he appealed to. As for me, I have decided to press charges because my public image has been violated; indeed I feel used as a publicity stunt for something that is not genuine. So also are several others who, unlike me, may not have the platform to speak out. Thus, the real essence of this article (which will be forwarded to leading National Dailies in Nigeria and abroad) as I earlier stated, is to actually alert the general public (especially local and foreign donor agencies) to be wary of Dr. Kelly Nwogu, the MD/CEO of Blue Sea Estate, and his many antics.

Dumbiri Frank Eboh is a visually challenged, Lagos based Journalist, writer and a former Publicity Secretary, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) Lagos State chapter. He could be reached on ebogenius2@gmail.com

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Claims Of HIV Cure: Nigerian Senate Raises Hope For Prof Maduike's Vaccine

The Senate Committee on Primary Healthcare, Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases yesterday urged the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to authenticate the claim of Prof. Maduike Ezeibe of having a cure for HIV.
The Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa, made the call during the agency’s budget defence in Abuja.
Ezeibe, a researcher in Veterinary Medicine at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, was reported to have discovered cure for HIV/AIDS.
According to Ohuabunwa, it is not proper to dismiss Ezeibe’s claim without full verification.
He therefore urged the agency and other relevant bodies to subject the claim to scientific analyses in order to arrive at a definite decision.
The senator expressed reservations at the manner in which the National Agency for the Control of AIDS and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control dismissed the Ezeibe’s claim.
He said, “It is not a matter of his identity, he is a serving professor in a known institution, invite him if he had followed the scientific procedure.
“It will be a thing of pride that today a professor, a citizen of Nigeria is developing a cure, nothing is impossible even as he is a veterinary doctor.
“Coming out with a disclaimer immediately is not the right thing.”
However, Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, said they were satisfied with the stand taken by NACA and the Centre for Disease Control.
He said, “We are aware of the claim by the professor that he had found a cure for HIV/AIDS.
“Just like the Centre for Disease Control and NACA came out to issue a disclaimer that it is not correct, as an agency we align with the positions of these agencies that are based on scientific evidence.”
According to Shuaib, anyone announcing cure for any disease must follow some rigorous steps to test the findings.
He said, “That process has not being followed by the professor. It is strange.
“Based on the evidence that he has provided that he had treated 10 patients and when you look at the records he had presented, it falls short of what is expected in terms of rigour, in terms of what is acceptable.
“There are huge doubts whether the claims are true or not.
“We engaged the university and found out the information provided by the professor cannot be relied upon.
“By the information, I have, we found out that those persons were not cured. I don’t have direct engagement with the patients so I cannot hold brief for that investigation.”

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Improve Your brian Health With Cocumber

Cucumbers contain an anti-inflammatory flavonol called fisetin that appears to play an important role in brain health. In addition to improving your memory and protecting your nerve cells from age-related decline, fisetin has been found to prevent progressive memory and learning impairments in mice with Alzheimer's disease. Cucumbers contain polyphenols called lignans (pinoresinol, lariciresinol, and secoisolariciresinol), which may help to lower your risk of breast, uterine, ovarian, and prostate cancers.
Cucumbers may help to "cool" the inflammatory response in your body. And animal studies suggest that cucumber extract helps reduce unwanted inflammation, in part by inhibiting the activity of pro-inflammatory enzymes (including cyclo-oxygenase 2, or COX-2). Cucumbers contain numerous antioxidants, including the well-known vitamin C and beta-carotene. They also contain antioxidant flavonoids, such as quercetin, apigenin, luteolin, and kaempferol, which provide additional benefits.
 Placing a cucumber slice on the roof of your mouth may help to rid your mouth of odor-causing bacteria. According to the principles of Ayurveda, eating cucumbers may also help to release excess heat in your stomach, which is said to be a primary cause of bad breath. Cucumbers contain multiple B vitamins, including vitamin B1, vitamin B5, and vitamin B7 (biotin). B vitamins are known to help ease feelings of anxiety and buffer some of the damaging effects of stress. 
Cucumbers are rich in two of the most basic elements needed for healthy digestion: water and fiber. If you struggle with acid reflux, you should know that drinking water can help suppress acute symptoms of acid reflux by temporarily raising stomach pH; it's possible that water-rich cucumbers may have a similar effect. Cucumber skins contain insoluble fiber, which helps add bulk to your stool. This helps food to move through your digestive tract more quickly for healthy elimination.
 Cucumbers are very low in calories, yet they make a filling snack (one cup of sliced cucumber contains just 16 calories). The soluble fiber in cucumbers dissolves into a gel-like texture in your gut, helping to slow down your digestion. This helps you to feel full longer and is one reason why fiber-rich foods may help with weight control.   Cucumbers contain potassium, which is associated with lower blood pressure levels. A proper balance of potassium both inside and outside your cells is crucial for your body to function properly. As an electrolyte, potassium is a positive charged ion that must maintain a certain concentration (about 30 times higher inside than outside your cells) in order to carry out its functions, which includes interacting with sodium to help control nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and heart function. 
There are many ways to enjoy cucumbers, such as fermented or raw in vinegar-based salads. If you're looking for something different, cucumbers make an ideal base for your vegetable juice due to their mild flavor and high water content. In fact, a simple juice of cucumber and celery is ideal for those new to juicing. From there you can work your way up to red leaf lettuce, romaine lettuce, spinach, and escarole, along with parsley and cilantro. Juicing is actually an ideal way to consume cucumbers. When you drink fresh-made green juice, it is almost like receiving an intravenous infusion of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes because they go straight into your system without having to be broken down. When your body has an abundance of the nutrients it needs, and your pH is optimally balanced, you will feel energized and your immune system will get a boost. If you're wondering whether you should choose organic cucumbers over conventionally grown varieties, It is suggested that you choose organic. Cucumbers were ranked the 12th most contaminated food and the second in cancer risk due to their pesticide content, according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Further, cucumbers are often waxed after harvest to withstand the long journey to market unscarred and to protect against the many hands that touch them. Therefore, it is better to chose organic Cucumbers than these other varieties.

Cucumbers belong to the same plant family as squash, pumpkin, and watermelon (the Cucurbitaceae family). Like watermelon, cucumbers are made up of mostly (95 percent) water, which means eating them on a hot day can help you stay hydrated. However, there's reason to eat cucumbers all year long. With vitamin K, B vitamins, copper, potassium, vitamin C, and manganese, cucumbers can help you to avoid nutrient deficiencies that are widespread among those eating typical diet.

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Why Boiled Fish Is Healthier Than Fried Fish

Baked or boiled fish is a better source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids than fried, salted or dried fish, according to a new study.
And adding low-sodium soy sauce or tofu to boiled or baked fish, will further enhance the benefits.
"It appears that boiling or baking fish with low-sodium soy sauce (shoyu) and tofu is beneficial, while eating fried, salted or dried fish is not. In fact, these methods of preparation may contribute to your risk. We did not directly compare boiled or baked fish vs. fried fish, but one can tell from the (risk) ratios, boiled or baked fish is in the protective direction but not fried fish," said Dr Lixin Meng at the University of Hawaii, lead researcher of the study.
The findings also suggest that the cardioprotective benefits vary by gender and ethnicity - perhaps because of the preparation methods, genetic susceptibility or hormonal factors.
Many studies have suggested that eating omega-3 fatty acids reduces the risk of heart disease; however, little is known about which source is most beneficial.
In this study, researchers examined the source, type, amount and frequency of dietary omega-3 ingestion among gender and ethnic groups.
The study found that men who ate about 3.3 gm per day of omega-3 fatty acids had a 23% lower risk of cardiac death compared to those who ate 0.8 gm daily.
"Clearly, we are seeing that the higher the dietary omega-3 intake, the lower the risk of dying from heart disease among men," Meng said.
They also found that caucasian, Japanese-American and Latino men may be more likely to get the health benefits of fish than African-American or Hawaiian men, perhaps because of how their fish is prepared or genetic predisposition. However, experts say this position may not be true of Africans eating the fish in Africa and prepared in the African style.
Meng said that for women, the omega-3 effect was cardioprotective at each level of consumption but not consistently significant. Salted and dried fish was a risk factor in women.
"My guess is that, for women, eating omega-3s from shoyu and tofu that contain other active ingredients such as phytoestrogens, might have a stronger cardioprotective effect than eating just omega-3s," said Meng.
"Our findings can help educate people on how much fish to eat and how to cook it to prevent heart disease. Alternately, if it is verified that the interactions between fish consumption, risk factors and ethnicity are due to genetic susceptibility, the heart-disease prevention message can be personalized to ethnic groups, and future study could identify susceptibility at the genetic level," he said.

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