Beware: Egyptian Clinics Stealing KIdneys - FG Warns Nigerians

The federal government of Nigeria has warned its citizens who travel to Egypt for medical reasons to be very careful as some Egyptians clinics are presently stealing kidneys from patients who go on medical tourism to that country. Doctors and nurses suspected of belonging to a "large criminal network specialised in trading human organs" were among 12 people detained by Egyptian authorities, the interior ministry said on Tuesday.

The network "agreed with Egyptians to transfer some of their organs to foreign patients in exchange for large sums of money, exploiting people's financial need," the interior ministry said, noting three doctors, four nurses, three hospital workers and two agents were detained.

Some were arrested "while they were carrying out an operation to remove the kidneys and part of the liver of a citizen in a private hospital" in the Giza province, part of Greater Cairo.

The man had sold the organs for $10,000 (8,500 euros). Those operating on him were planning to implant the organs in a patient, the ministry said.

It did not give further details on the man's condition or say when the arrests took place, but added that the hospital had been closed pending an investigation.

Hundreds of poor Egyptians sell their kidneys and livers each year to be able to buy food or pay off debts, according to the United Nations.

In January, two Saudi brothers were held in Egypt for nearly two months after being accused by authorities of involvement in the country's organ black market.

Abdul Ilah al-Shabrami, 37, said he was accompanying his brother Abdullah to have a kidney transplant in the Egyptian capital, the Saudi Gazette reported.

Al-Shabrami says he paid $75,000 for a kidney from a deceased donor in a deal that was approved by the Saudi embassy in Cairo.

Kidney purchases are illegal in Egypt, while paying for transplant procedures is not, thus allowing the country's illegal trade to thrive.

According to a report published by the British Journal of Criminology last year, a kidney on Egypt's black market can fetch up to $100,000.

These illegal organs are often obtained from migrants who are trafficked into the country and are desperate to pay their way onto their next destination.

In 2010, the World Health Organisation ranked Egypt among the top five countries in the world trading illegally in organs.

Egypt's parliament passed a law that year banning commercial trade in organs as well as transplants between Egyptians and foreigners, except between husbands and wives.

The law aimed to regulate organ transplants and curb illegal trafficking and medical tourism for such operations.

In 2012, then-United Nations refugee agency chief Antonio Guterres warned that migrants in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula were being killed for their organs.

Authorities in December arrested 25 people, including doctors and university professors, suspected of being part of an organ trading network.

However, the Embassy of Egypt in Nigeria has denied alleged illegal harvest of the kidneys of Nigerians who travel to the North African country for medical attention.

In a statement issued by Ahmed Maher, who is the Head of the Press and Information Office in the Egyptian Embassy, the North African country, said its government had submitted a list of Egyptian certified medical centres and hospitals licensed to perform kidney transplant to relevant authorities in Nigeria.

It also explained that all the hospitals involved in organ trafficking in Egypt had been shut down and their medical personnel prosecuted.

The mission further clarified that no Nigerian was involved in the crime, adding that no complaint was filed against any Nigerian national over the incident.

The statement reads: “We have issued a list of the hospitals that were involved in the crime to the Nigerian government. All the people that were involved have been arrested and are being prosecuted.

“According to our sources, no Nigerian national was ever involved in those medical centres nor filed any complaint against any of them.

“In line with transparent, professional and constructive approach, the Egyptian side has maintained a list of the Egyptian certified medical centres and hospitals licensed to perform kidney transplant and this has been submitted to the relevant Nigerian authorities,” the mission stated.

The complicit hospitals are said to include Dar al-shefa in Helwan, Cairo; Al-Bashar Specialist Hospital in Faisal, Giza, Al-Amal Centre for General Surgery in Maurinteya, Giza; and Dar Ibn Al-Nafis Hospital, Giza.

The statement added that the Egyptian medical authorities and health care system adhered to the best international procedures and practices, a fact he said was well known by the Nigerian health officials.

The Egyptian Embassy noted that thousands of Nigerians and other Africans had placed their trust and confidence in the Egyptian health care system for many generations.

The Director of Hospital Services, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Wapada Balami, had earlier alerted the Nigerian Medical Association about organ harvesting and trafficking in Egypt.

He asked the NMA to warn all doctors in relevant specialties to “be aware so that Nigerians will be cautious while embarking on medical tourism in other countries.”

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Monkey Pox Spreads To More States

The federal government has disclosed that cases of monkey pox virus which broke out in Bayelsa State a fortnight ago has spread to more states in the country with 74 suspected cases being examined.

The Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, who disclosed this to journalists after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the State House, Abuja without stating in concrete terms what the government is doing to treat or tame the disease, said laboratory test conducted in Lagos showed that four cases tested negative.

He listed the 11 states ravaged by the disease as Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Lagos, Nasarawa and Rivers.

Adewale also said 12 of the suspected cases in Bayelsa State tested negative while three of them tested positive, adding that further tests are ongoing to identify the true nature of the disease.

“We received an update from the public health of the nation. We informed council about the latest development with respect to the monkey pox virus outbreak. So far, as of today, (yesterday), there are 74 suspected cases in 11 states of the country. We have confirmed three in Bayelsa State, and 12 of the Bayelsa suspected cases tested negative, four suspected cases from Lagos tested negative. We are still expecting the results of other ones,” he said.

Adewole also dispelled the insinuation making the rounds that the military was carrying out vaccination in some states of the federation and consequently spreading monkey pox in such areas.

According to him, the military is not involved in any vaccination exercise, explaining that the federal government cannot carry out any vaccination exercise without collaborating with state governments.

He said the federal government was only carrying out vaccination campaigns in Kwara and Kogi States on Yellow Fever and Cholera diseases in Borno State.

The minister also said the government was planning to conduct a vaccination exercise on measles.
“We are also doing advance test in Ede, the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics and Infectious Disease, to really understand the genomics of this virus. Even when they are negative, the laboratory attendance should be able to tell us what exactly they are. We will also be able to locate and identify the origin so that we can take adequate precaution.

“It is also important to use this opportunity to dispel the rumour circulating in the country that the military is vaccinating people and trying to spread monkey pox across the country. The military is not involved in any vaccination exercise and I must also really educate the Nigerian people about how vaccination campaigns are done. “Federal government will take the lead but we do not conduct campaign without working with states.

So, there is no way we will do campaign for states without working with the states and it is the states that will be in front and we will provide support. The rumour that federal government is doing vaccination campaign is not true. And as of today, we are only doing vaccination campaign in three states.

“We are doing vaccination campaign against yellow Fever in Kwara and Kogi States because of the outbreak in some parts of the country. We are also doing cholera vaccination in Borno State and so, anybody carrying the rumour, please help us educate Nigerians that it is not true.

“We are not vaccinating anybody. We plan to do measles campaign very soon and we will also do Yellow Fever campaign before the end of the year and we will let you know.

“You will never find federal staff conducting vaccination campaign without the support and active participation of the state Ministry of Health. This is just to correct the misconception,” he said.

The minister further warned Nigerians to be cautious about the ongoing illegal harvests of some organs of the body, notably the kidney by traffickers as he advised them to seek proper advice and patronise accredited institutions when necessary.

He emphasised that whereas the military is always involved in health campaigns as a number of soldiers are medical doctors, such campaigns do not include vaccination as erroneously conceived.

In his own briefing, the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, said FEC approved N280 million for the completion of an irrigation project started since 1997.

Meanwhile, palpable tension yesterday enveloped the ancient town of Omu-Aran in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State and Akwa Ibmo State as parents and guardians stormed schools in their hundreds to withdraw their wards over rumour of alleged killer vaccines in the area.

In Omu-Aran, parents had besieged both private and public schools in the area as early 9a.m. as the rummour of the presence of the said vaccine injection team allegedly accompanied by soldiers in the town spreads like wild fire.

Some of the parents, mostly traders, commercial motorcyclists had to abandon their businesses in a bid to withdraw their wards from schools to prevent them from being injected with the alleged vaccines.

But the state Ministry of Health in a statement clarified that the ongoing Reactive Vaccination in the local government area and other neighbouring communities, was to prevent the spread of yellow fever.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Suleiman Atolagbe Alege, explained that the vaccination exercise has no connection with the Nigerian Army and is not dangerous to children’s health as it has been rumoured by certain individuals.

In Akwa Ibom State, distressed calls by parents and students around schools across the state reportedly generated pandemonium which caused children to flee from school to their houses while some ran into the bush to hide in other to escape the alleged vaccination.

It was gathered that while police vehicles were seen visiting the schools, plain-cloth detectives were also seen going from school to school to interrogate the school-heads because of the development.

But the state Commissioner for Education, Mr. Paul Udofia, the police and army, all condemned the rumours saying they were calculated to cause confusion in the state.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bala Elkana and his colleague of the Nigerian Army, Headquarters 2 Brigade, Uyo , Major Umar Shuib, said the romour was misleading.

The PPRO said since the news got to them during the school period police patrol teams were dispatched to the schools to authenticate the truth and source of information.

He said: “It’s a mere rumour which unfortunately led to closure of some schools quite early today (Wednesday)

“Our officers have been on surveillance since morning, they have been going round schools but no one is really able to trace where the information originated from and which school was affected. The rumour came in from Anambra where such was reported to have occurred.”

The Nigerian Army, Headquarters 2 Brigade, Uyo in their reaction said “The attention of Headquarters 2 Brigade Nigerian Army has been drawn to some rumours making the rounds that some army personnel are going round schools in Akwa Ibom State dressed in military camouflage uniforms with the intention of forcefully vaccinating students with an unknown substance.

“The callous and unpatriotic rumours spread by these enemies of state are, to say the least, despicable, deplorable and highly condemnable as they are intended to cause pandemonium among the general public.

“The authorities of 2 Brigade Nigerian Army wishes to inform the public that the Brigade is currently involved in Operation Crocodile Smile II, which is yielding tremendous successes especially in curbing the excesses and activities of criminals, cultists and other miscreants in Akwa Ibom State.

“For emphasis therefore, the 2 Brigade Nigerian Army does not and will never carry out its medical outreaches or vaccination exercises for that matter in schools.

“We therefore wish to inform the public that the on-going rumours about army personnel in military camouflage going round schools in any part of Akwa Ibom State to forcefully immunise school children is false and should therefore be disregarded,” he posited

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Excess Sugar In The Body Can Lead To Cancer - New Study

Worried about the rising prevalence of cancer and deaths, Belgian scientists have reported a breakthrough in understanding how sugar drives cancer growth. These findings were reported in the journal ‘Nature Communications’.

Over the years, precisely how sugar makes tumours grow faster had been a mystery and the new understanding could help lead to new ways to combat cancer, through diet and other modifications of sugar intake. Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body.These contrast with benign tumours, which do not spread to other parts of the body.

Over 100 types of cancers affect humans. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that in 2015, about 90.5 million people had cancer globally, with about 14.1 million new cases occurring in one year. Similarly, worldwide, cancer caused about 8.8 million deaths, representing 15.7 per cent of human deaths.

Although, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) estimates that Nigeria records 102,000 new cancer cases yearly, 72,000 Nigerians die annually of cancer related diseases across the country.

“Data also shows that breast and cervical cancer are the two most common types of cancer responsible for approximately 50.3 per cent of all cancer cases in Nigeria.”

The research team – led by Johan Thevelein, Wim Versées and Veerle Janssens – have been studying sugar’s link to cancer for nearly a decade. They, and other scientists, have determined tumour cells grow by rapidly breaking down glucose (a form of sugar) – a phenomenon known as the ‘Warburg effect,’ the ‘newsmaxHealth’ reported.

The researchers found that yeast with high levels of glucose over-stimulate proteins often found mutated inside human tumours, making cells grow faster. Thevelein said that follow- up research is needed to prove that eating a low-sugar diet could help prevent or combat cancer.

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How Oil Spillage Is Killing Infants In Niger Delta

New research from the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, has demonstrated for the first time how oil spills are increasing mortality rates among newborns in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria.

The new study by Prof. Roland Hodler and Research Assistant, Anna Breuderle, from the School of Economics and Political Science at the University of St. Gallen, found that of the 16,000 infants killed within the first month of their life in 2012, 70 per cent – that is around 11,000 infants – would have survived their first year in the absence of oil spills.

The study titled “The Effect of Oil Spills on Infant Mortality: Evidence from Nigeria” was published September 14, 2017, in Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute (CESifo) Working Paper Serie.

According to the study, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency recorded more than 6,600 oil spills from 2005 to 2015. Nearby oil spills increase neonatal mortality rate by 38 per cent per 1,000 live births.

Neonatal relates to the newborn and especially the human infant during the first month after birth. The researchers said shockingly, this corresponds to an increase by 100 per cent on the sample mean and these oil spills are the cause of an alarming human tragedy and the research calls for more attention to the issue from both the research community and the international public.

Earlier studies have associated oil spills in Nigeria to rise in cancer cases and low sperm count especially among local communities in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.

The researchers noted: “In a recent study, we provide first-time evidence on the effects of onshore oil spills on neonatal and infant mortality as well as child health. The study combines two geo-coded data sets: First, the Nigerian Oil Spill Monitor provides information on date and location of oil spills registered by the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency. Second, the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 2013 provides the complete birth histories and information on the survival of children for 23,364 Nigerian mothers, along with geo-codes of their place of residence. It also provides height and weight measurements for children under five years of age.

“Our study analyses mortality within different phases over the first year of life. We thereby focus on children born to mothers whose reported place of residence is within 10 km from an oil spill, which has occurred between 2005 and 2014. For identification of causal effects, the study compares siblings conceived before and after nearby oil spills.”

The study found that oil spills, which occurred within 10 km prior to a child’s conception, strongly increase the risk of mortality during the first month of life.

“Specifically, nearby oil spills increase the neonatal mortality rate by 38 deaths per 1,000 live births, which corresponds to an increase by 100 per cent on the sample mean. The effect of oil spills on infant mortality is also relatively large, but not statistically significant. The effect on neonatal mortality is higher for oil spills that occurred in closer proximity, and it is highly persistent over time: nearby oil spills which occurred up to five years in the past still affect the survival chances of children born today,” the researchers noted.

Also, they said that the effect of oil spills on neonatal mortality is independent of the family’s socio-economic status or the location.
The study also found some evidence that oil spills impair the health of surviving children.

“In particular, oil spills prior to conception increase the incidence of low weight-for-height, notably in the first year of life.”

The researchers concluded: “A calculation based on these findings suggests that oil spills, prior to conception, killed around 16,000 infants within the first month of their life in 2012. Of these, 70 per cent (around 11,000 infants) would have survived their first year in the absence of oil spills. While there are good reasons to believe that the exact figure may be different from this estimate (example, the true effect may have been underestimated due to the incomplete oil spill records), the findings point out that onshore oil spills in Nigeria are the cause of an alarming ongoing human tragedy. More attention to the problem by both the research community and the international public is warranted.”

Roland Hodler is a professor of economics at the School of Economics and Political Science, University of St. Gallen. Holder said: “The oil companies are one culprit. They are directly responsible for oil spills that result from the lack of maintenance of pipelines and other oil infrastructure. In addition, their indifference towards the local population is one reason for some acts of sabotage. The Nigerian government is another culprit. It fails to properly regulate and control the oil companies as well as to prevent oil theft and sabotage. The only way to stop this ongoing human tragedy is that both the oil companies and the Nigerian government start caring about the environment and the local population particular rather than just about profits and personal enrichment.”

Epidemiological and clinical studies suggest that exposure to hydrocarbons in the environment and to particulate matter in the air can have severe adverse effects on human health, whereby unborn and newborn children are particularly vulnerable.
Story By JOHNSON OKPUSA OBASI

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Why Hair Dye Could Cause Breast Cancer - Experts

Against the background of a new study which found a link between hair dye and breast cancer, a British Breast Cancer Surgeon at the Princess Grace Hospital in Central London, Prof. Kefah Mokbel, has advised women to dye their hair only two to five times a year.
Also, Mokbel urged women to use products with more natural ingredients, so as to reduce the risk of developing cancer. The advice of the British surgeon is contrary to instructions by industries producing hair dyes.
They recommend that women should dye their hair every four to six weeks. Mokbel gave the advice after the review of studies on whether women who dyed their hair had a greater risk of breast cancer. Mokbel and his team found a 14 per cent rise, according to a report in ‘The Times’.

The study concluded: “Although further work is required to confirm our results, our findings suggest that exposure to hair dyes may contribute to breast cancer risk.”

 Consequently, Mokbel suggested that women could dye their hair less often and switch to products with natural ingredients. “What I find concerning is the fact that the industry recommends women should dye their hair every four to six weeks.” He said some dyes use natural ingredients, such as henna and rose hip.

A research in Finland also found women who used hair dye were more likely to develop breast cancer. But Sanna Heikkinen, of the Finnish Cancer Registry, said it had not been proven that dye was causing the increase.
“We did observe a statistical association between hair dye and risk of breast cancer. However, it is not possible to confirm a true causal connection", she said in ‘The Times’ report.

Nigeria records 100,000 new cancer cases including breast cancer yearly. According to a Professor of Radiology at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Ifeoma Okoye, 30 per cent of cancers can be prevented through lifestyle changes while another 30 per cent can be treated if detected early. With lifestyle changes including use of products with natural ingredients, some cancers can be prevented.
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Cervical Cancer: Every Sexually Active Woman Is At Risk - WHO

Studies from the World Health Organization (WHO) show that every woman sexually active woman is at risk of cervical cancer. 

In recent times, statistics available have shown that in Nigeria, cervical cancer accounts for 15 per cent of female cancers as compared to just about 3.6 percent in the developed countries. Shockingly, less than 0.1 per cent of Nigerian women have ever had cervical cancer screening in their lifetime and less than 1 per cent is aware of the existence of this silent killer. Consequently, cervical cancer kills a woman every hour in the country. Although 100 percent preventable, the cancer kills more women aged 24 to 35 years old women in developing countries than any other cancer in other parts of the world.
 

The World Health Organisation (WHO) projects a 25 per cent increase over the next decade in the absence of widespread interventions. This is a sharp contrast to what obtains in countries like Britain which have national screening programmes. There, deaths from cervical cancer have reduced by 75 per cent and reducing by further 7 percent annually.

Unfortunately, according to WHO estimates, Nigeria has a population of 40.43 million women aged 15 years and older who are at risk of developing cervical cancer. Current estimates indicate that every year 14,550 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 9659 die from the disease. Worse still, Cervical cancer ranks as the 2nd most frequent cancer among women in Nigeria, and the 2nd most frequent cancer among women between 15 and 44 years of age. About 23.7 per cent of women in the general population are estimated to harbour cervical HPV infection at a given time and percentage of invasive cervical cancers are attributed to HPV s 16 or 18. 

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers that affect a woman’s reproductive organs and various strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection, playa role in causing most cases of cervical cancer. When exposed to HPV, a woman’s immune system typically prevents the virus from doing harm. Thanks largely to Pap test screening, the death rate from cervical cancer has decreased greatly over the last 50 years. 

Today, most cases of cervical cancer can be prevented with a vaccine for young women In a study, Senior Lecturer/ Consultant at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) Zaria, Dr. Marliyya Zayyan noted that all Nigerian sexually active women are at risk of cervical cancer but the risk of cancer of the cervix is reduced with male circumcision. She says cancer of the cervix is the commonest malignancy among women in northern Nigeria. Three to four new cases are diagnosed every week in ABUTH, Zaria “We had 203 cases of cervical cancer in 2007. This number represents 75 percent of the total cases of confirmed gynecologic cancers presenting to the unit. The age distribution was very wide and youngest age of presentation was 28 years and the oldest was a 90year old with very advanced disease. The median age of presentation is 35 years. 

Majority of the women were married however 3 per cent were single women who have never married and 20 per cent were divorced or widowed. It affected family women with an average of 5 children.” Stating in Nigeria cervical cancer patients present late, she said only four cases (1.9 per cent) out of 203 presented early enough for cure to be achieved. “For 98.5 per cent of cases the disease could best be palliated. “The early symptom of bleeding after intercourse is often ignored by the patients.

 Two hundred cases were not possible to treat surgically. These cases were treated by heat treatment (radiotherapy). A quarter of the patients presented with complications of very late disease like leaking urine or faeces, or blockage of their intestines or urinary flow” Challenges of management, includes deaths from cervical cancer on poverty. “The cost per cycle of heat treatment is N25,000 and six to seven cycles are normally required. Special drugs required to melt out the cancer are very expensive and toxic. Could be unavailable. Follow up of discharged patients is difficult. Many specialists are required to effect treatment in the advanced stages patients present.” On the way forward, “Cancer of the cervix is about the only human cancer that is almost entirely preventable. “It is also 100 per cent curable if picked at very early stage. 

Treatment is cheap and simple in early stages requiring minimal manpower to achieve the high cure rate. Cancer of the cervix has an established screening method that works. Today vaccines are available for primary prevention of cervical cancer. Theses vaccines are already in use in other places and technology for their production is known. Control of Cervical cancer depends on increase in public awareness of the disease. Government should subsidies the treatment and incorporate screening programme into the primary health care as well as improve infrastructure and development of health facilities. To reduce the burden, she posited that there should be constant training and re-training of personnel. She recommended that “We need a strategy to reduce the burden of disease in the community through education. We need to roll out a reliable screening plan to cover at least 80 per cent of our population. The vaccine for cervical cancer should be part of our immunization plan. We should get rid of cervical cancer like other countries have done so we can direct attention on other cancers that have more complex biology. 

Overview of Cervical Cancer Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers that affect a woman’s reproductive organs. Various strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection, playa role in causing most cases of cervical cancer. When exposed to HPV, a woman’s immune system typically prevents the virus from doing harm. In a small group of women, however, the virus survives for years before it eventually converts some cells on the surface of the cervix into cancer cells. Cervical cancer occurs most often in women over age 30. Thanks largely to Pap test screening, the death rate from cervical cancer has decreased greatly over the last 50 years. And today, most cases of cervical cancer can be prevented with a vaccine for young women. At a glance In Nigeria, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women after breast cancer It accounts for 13 percent of all female cancers. 

Overall, the mortality: incidence ratio is 52 percent. There has been a steady rise in frequency of cancer over the years. Cancers of the cervix (30.1 percent) topped the list of the most frequent female cancers. Recent predictions of an increase in incidence of cervical cancer is manifesting. Findings at the Kano Cancer Registry, Ahmadu Bayero University, Kano, supports evidence for establishment of comprehensive cancer control programmes. At a rough estimate, Nigeria records 10,000 cases of cervical cancer yearly,” notes Prof. Isaac Adewole, Consultant Obstetrician and gynaecologist at the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan. “The women with this ailment die in a painful, miserable and undignified manner. At least 80 per cent of cases in Nigeria are at advanced stage where very little can be done. 

Measures including prevention, early detection and effective management of cervical are necessary to prevent an increase in incidence and deaths of women from the disease. He said there is need for stronger advocacy to ensure that cervical cancer vaccine becomes available in the public health sector. Adewole, also principal investigator Operation Stop Cervical Cancer Nigeria laments that cervical cancer fuels a cycle of poverty. Most of these women are low income earners and often located far from health institutions. The disease which affects the poorest and most vulnerable women sends a ripple effect through families and communities that rely heavily on women’s role as both providers and care givers.” Every 10 minutes, two women die from cervical cancer worldwide, affecting more of younger productive women between 20 years and mid 30s. 

Once a woman is affected, it can take between five and 30 years for the virus to develop into full cancer, but since it has no early symptoms, the woman feels very healthy while the virus continues to ravage her. By the time the symptoms begin to show, the situation becomes uncontrollable. Virtually nothing can be done to remedy the situation and the woman waits for death. Cervical cancer has been reduced drastically in the western world thanks to universal screening. “The rate of the cancer in Nigeria is 70 per cent and rising. If we can introduce universal screening, it would reduce drastically.” Symptoms Early cervical cancer generally produces no signs or symptoms. This is why regular screening is so important. As the cancer progresses, the following signs and symptoms of more advanced cervical cancer may appear: 

* Vaginal bleeding after intercourse, between periods or after menopause 

 * Watery, bloody vaginal discharge that may be heavy and have a foul odor 

* Pelvic pain or pain during intercourse When to see a doctor: If you experience any unusual bleeding between periods or pain during intercourse, make an appointment with your doctor. Risk factors 

* The greater your number of sexual partners – and the greater your partner’s number of sexual partners – the greater your chance of acquiring HPV. 

* Early sexual activity. Having sex before age 18 increases your risk of HPV. 

* If you have other STDs – such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis or HIV / AIDS – the greater your chance is of also having HPV. 

* A weak immune system. Most women who are infected with HPV never develop cervical cancer. However, if you have an HPV infection and your immune system is weakened by another health condition, you may be more likely to develop cervical cancer.

 * Cigarette smoking. The exact mechanism that links cigarette smoking to cervical cancer isn’t known, but tobacco use increases the risk of precancerous changes as well as cancer of the cervix. Smoking and HPV infection may work together to cause cervical cancer. Complications Treatments for invasive cervical cancer often make it impossible to become pregnant in the future. For many women especially younger women and those who have yet to begin a family infertility is a distressing side effect of treatment. For a specific subgroup of women with early cervical cancer, fertility-sparing surgery may be a treatment option. Causes In general, cancer begins when healthy cells acquire a genetic mutation that turns normal cells into abnormal cells. There are two main types of cervical cancer: 

* Squamous cell carcinomas begin in the thin, flat cells that line the bottom of the cervix (squamous cells). Screening Most guidelines suggest beginning screening at age 21, and some recommend starting within three years of becoming sexually active, or no later than age 21. 

*Pap test. During a Pap test, your doctor brushes cells from your cervix – the narrow neck of the uterus – and sends the sample to a lab to be examined for abnormalities. 

* HPV DNA test. Your doctor also may use a lab test called the HPV DNA test to determine whether you are infected with any of the 13 types of HPV that are most likely to lead to cervical cancer. Diagnosis Your doctor may examine your cervix:: During an exam called colposcopy, your doctor uses a special microscope (colposcope) to examine your cervix for abnormal cells. 

Staging exams: 

* Imaging tests. Tests such as X-rays, computerised tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) help your doctor determine whether your cancer has spread beyond your cervix. 

* Visual examination of your bladder and rectum. Your doctor may use special scopes to see inside your bladder (cystoscopy) and rectum (proctoscopy). Your doctor then assigns your cancer a stage. Treatments and drugs Treatment of cervical cancer that’s confined to the outside layer of the cervix typically requires treatment to remove the abnormal area of cells. For most women in this situation, no additional treatments are needed. For Invasive cancers Cervical cancer that invades deeper than the outside layer of cells on the cervix is referred to as invasive cancer and requires more extensive treatment. Treatment options may include: Surgery to remove the uterus (hysterectomy) is typically used to treat the early stages of cervical cancer. Hysterectomy can cure early-stage cervical cancers and prevent cancer from coming back, but removing the uterus makes it impossible to become pregnant. 

* Radiation therapy uses high-powered energy to kill cancer cells.

 * Chemotherapy uses strong anti-cancer medications to kill cancer cells. Chemotherapy drugs, which can be used alone or in combination with each other are usually injected into a vein and they travel throughout your body killing quickly growing cells, including cancer cells. 

Prevention You can reduce your risk of cervical cancer by taking measures to prevent HPV infection. HPV spreads through skin-to-skin contact with any infected part of the body – not just during intercourse. Use a condom every time you have sex in order to reduce your risk of contracting HPV.

Story By JOHNSON OKPUSA OBASI

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In recent times, statistics available have shown that in Nigeria, cervical cancer accounts for 15 per cent of female cancers as compared to just about 3.6 percent in the developed countries. Shockingly, less than 0.1 per cent of Nigerian women have ever had cervical cancer screening in their lifetime and less than 1 per cent is aware of the existence of this silent killer. Consequently, cervical cancer kills a woman every hour in the country. Although 100 percent preventable, the cancer kills more women aged 24 to 35 years old women in developing countries than any other cancer in other parts of the world.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/09/cervical-cancer-every-sexually-active-woman-is-at-risk/

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Why Working Night Shift May Lead To Obesity

People who work night shifts have a 35 percent higher risk of obesity because the nocturnal schedule derails their metabolism, a study claims.

Artificial light during night shifts disrupts the brain's melatonin levels and hinders the body's metabolism.

Someone who works at night will then gain more weight quicker because the metabolism is working slower than normal.

More than 3.4 million people worldwide die every year from obesity related ailments including diabetes, stroke and cardiovascular disease.

Experts recommend altering the work schedule to avoid working night hours in order to reduce the global obesity epidemic.

Researchers from the Chinese University in Hong Kong analyzed the shift patterns of employees and how it compared to their health.

His team pooled data from 28 previous studies involving hundreds of thousands of participants across the world including healthcare workers, manufacturing employees, local government staff and bus and truck drivers.

Senior author Dr Lap Ah Tse said: 'Globally, nearly 0.7 billion workers are engaged in a shift work pattern.

'Our study revealed much of the obesity and overweight among shift workers is attributable to such a job nature.' 

 They found night shift workers had a 29 percent increased risk of becoming obese or overweight. 

'Obesity has been evident to be positively associated with several adverse health outcomes, such as breast cancer and cardiovascular diseases,' Dr Tse said. 

The analysis, published in Obesity Reviews, also showed the risk of abdominal obesity, the most dangerous type where fat builds around the stomach and damages organs, was 35 percent greater. 

Dr Tse said exposure to artificial light at night disrupts the body clock, or circadian rhythm, reducing production of the sleep hormone melatonin that plays an important role in preventing disease.

Melatonin regulates the sleep cycle and also hormones such as cortisol, insulin and leptin but disrupting it may harm metabolism, leading to night workers gain weight.

Throughout the world, around 3.4 million deaths a year are caused by obesity related diseases. 

These diseases include diabetes, heart disease, stroke and forms of cancer.  

Shift work is becoming popular among employees because of the high demand for flexibility and productivity in the current work environment. 

But evidence has identified a link with obesity that can trigger the development of several cancers, such as breast cancer, as well as cardiovascular diseases.

Previous research has shown sleeping during the day burns fewer calories than at night. 

Despite suffering more disturbed sleep, night shift workers burned between 12 and 16 percent fewer calories.  

'Modification of working schedules to avoid prolonged exposure to long-term night shift work might be an efficient administrative control to reduce the risk of obesity,' Dr Tse said.

Story By JOHNSON OKPUSA OBASI 

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Monkey Pox: Reps Summon Nigerian Health Minister

The House of Representatives, yesterday, summoned the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, over the outbreak of monkey pox in the country.

The House took the decision in Abuja just as the National Centre for Disease Control confirmed that 31 cases of the disease had been recorded in the country.

The National Coordinator/Chief Executive Officer of the agency, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, had disclosed that monkeypox cases had been reported in seven states.

 The states are Bayelsa, Rivers, Ekiti, Akwa Ibom, Ogun, Cross River and Lagos.

At its plenary in Abuja, presided over by the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, the House was alarmed that the disease was spreading while it appeared that the Federal Ministry of Health was helpless without relying on the World Health Organisation.

A lawmaker from Bayelsa State, Mr. Diri Douye, raised the issue under matters of urgent national importance, praying that the minister should be summoned.

 The prayer was immediately passed in a unanimous voice vote.

Lawmakers expressed concern that a country, as big as Nigeria, did not have a laboratory to respond to the health emergency without first sending specimen to Dakar, Senegal, for investigations.

They were also in shock that Adewole admitted that Nigeria was helpless.

“The House is concerned by the shocking admission of Adewole that monkeypox could not be confirmed in Nigeria until laboratory investigations by WHO and referral to Dakar, Senegal.

“Again, concerned that the disease has spread to other states, notably Uyo in Akwa Ibom State, in spite of concerted efforts by the Bayelsa State Government since the initial report in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State,” the House motion read partly.

The minster is to explain the actions taken so far by the Federal Government to contain the spread of the disease.

The resolution stated, “The House invites the minister of health to explain the alarming situation of how a country, as vast and resourced as Nigeria, will depend on a laboratory in Dakar, Senegal, to analyse samples at such a critical time of national health crisis.

“To explain what measures and strategies the country has in place to be more proactive in the active surveillance and rapid case detection of cases for the prevention and containment of monkeypox as well as other viruses in future.”

The House commended the Bayelsa State Government for its “quick intervention and collaborative efforts” so far.

Also, the Senate urged the Federal Government to liaise with WHO and other donor agencies as Nigeria continued the fight against monkeypox.

This was part of the prayers of a motion moved by Senator Ali Wakili (Bauchi South), which the Senate adopted at the plenary on Tuesday.

The upper chamber of the National Assembly also urged the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Health, state and local governments, to be proactive in containing and preventing the disease from spreading beyond where it had been reported.

The lawmakers also called for aggressive enlightenment and education of the citizens on measures that could be taken to mitigate risk factors of exposure to the virus, while seeking a sustained public health education messages through media platforms.

Wakili, while moving the motion, said the Senate was worried that “there are no specific treatment in the provision or availability of vaccine for monkeypox infection and that Nigerians have been thrown into panic as the country’s health sector is facing a myriad of challenges.”

President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, in a remark, thanked Wakili for the motion and its prayers.

Story By JOHNSON OKPUSA OBASI

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Cholera Kills 184 Persons In Eight States

The Nigerian Centre for Disease Control says no fewer than 184 persons died from an outbreak of cholera in eight states across the country this year.

The Surveillance Focal Person of NCDC, Ms. Nanpring Williams, said this at the Water Sanitation and Hygiene Sector Meeting, organised by the Federal Ministry of Water Resources in Abuja on Tuesday.

She said that the affected states were Zamfara, Kwara, Borno, Lagos, Oyo, Kebbi, Kaduna and Kano.
Williams said that the National Cholera Situation Report indicated that there were 8,241 suspected cases of the disease in parts of the country.

 She said that the centre was executing the pilot phase of administering Oral Cholera Vaccine in Muna Internally Displaced Persons Camp and the entire Mafa Local Government Area in Borno, reaching no fewer than 34,815 persons.

She said that the centre was also conducting active surveillance and laboratory diagnosis, effective coordination and case-by-case management of cholera.

Williams said there were cases of water contamination in Kebbi through open defecation, adding that deliberate efforts were needed from all stakeholders to promote access to water and sanitation.

She, however, bemoaned the lack of coordination between the state ministries of health and the rural water supply and sanitation agencies, saying that the deficiency had been a major challenge to efforts to strengthen WASH activities in the country.
Story By JOHNSON OKPUSA OBASI

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