Opinion II Still On the World Hepatitis Day

ELIMINATING HEPATITIS IN NIGERIA AS THE 2017 WORLD HEPATITIS DAY IS MARKED ON FRIDAY JULY 28

        

On Friday, July 28, the world over commemorates the 2017 edition of World Hepatitis Day. The event, which is observed annually on July 28, was inaugurated by World Health Organization (WHO) under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) to raise global awareness on hepatitis or a group of infectious diseases known as Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E, and to encourage the prevention, diagnosis, as well as the treatment. The theme of this year’s anniversary is ‘Eliminating Hepatitis’.

        

The first global World Hepatitis Day was marked on May 19, 2008 through the effort of the World Hepatitis Alliance in collaboration with various patient groups. The commemoration received an international endorsement following the adoption of a resolution during the 63^rd World Health Assembly held in May 2010. The date of the event was later changed to July 28 each year by the assembly, in honour of the birthday of Nobel Laureate Baruch Samuel Blumberg – the man who discovered the Hepatitis B virus.

        

No rational man boasts of anything if his health condition is at stake. Suffice to say; a healthy life remains the most precious possession that ever comes to a man regardless of his/her status or age. In the world today, there are millions of illnesses or diseases in existence coupled with the ones that seem to have no specific cause or cure. Among these diseases, some are often referred to be stubborn regarding their mode of cure while some are seen to be deadly. No doubt, hepatitis is one of those stubborn or deadly illnesses in existence. 

       

Hepatitis is a medical condition which is defined as an inflammation of one of the most vital organs in the human body known as the Liver. It is usually characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of the organ. The inflammatory condition can be self-limiting or can heal on its own; but on the contrary, it can progress to fibrosis or cirrhosis.

        

Hepatitis may occur with limited or no symptoms, but often leads to jaundice, poor appetite, and a feeling of unease. It is referred to as acute when it lasts less than six months, and chronic when it persists longer. Globally, hepatitis viruses are the most common causes of the condition, but hepatitis can as well be caused by other infections, autoimmune diseases, or toxic substances such as alcohol, certain medications, and some industrial organic solvents and plants.

       

Initial features of acute hepatitis are of non-specific flu-like symptoms, which are invariably common to almost all acute viral infections, and may include fatigue, muscle and joint aches, fever, nausea diarrhoea, vomiting, and headache. More specific symptoms which could be present in acute hepatitis from any cause are profound loss of appetite, aversion to smoking among smokers, excretion of dark urine, and abdominal discomfort.

        

A small proportion of people with acute hepatitis usually progress to acute liver failure, in which the liver would be unable to remove harmful substances from the blood thereby leading to confusion and coma due to hepatic encephalopathy. The acute liver failure may also result to the production of blood proteins which often leads to peripheral edema and bleeding.

        

More so, a chronic hepatitis, which is commonly identified through blood test, is usually characterized with no symptoms at all. It often leads to the presence of jaundice which indicates advanced liver damage. On physical examination, there may be enlargement of the liver. In the same vein, women with autoimmune hepatitis mostly experience abnormal menstruation, lung scarring, inflammation of the thyroid gland and kidneys.

       

Aside the aforementioned two major classes of hepatitis, it is invariably grouped and recognized by medical experts based on its common causes. On this note, the different types of hepatitis in existence that are widely recognized include, Viral hepatitis, Alcoholic hepatitis, Toxic and drug-induced hepatitis, Ischemic hepatitis, Giant cell hepatitis, just to mention but a few. Common causes of viral hepatitis, which is the most rampant type, are the five unrelated hepatotropic viruses known as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E viruses.

       

There is an estimate that hepatitis affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide thereby causing acute or chronic disease and killing close to 1.4 million people every year. Currently, approximately five hundred (500) million people worldwide are suffering from either hepatitis B or hepatitis C. If left untreated or unmanaged, hepatitis B or C can lead to advanced liver scarring known as cirrhosis and other complications including liver cancer or liver failure.

         

While many people worry more about contracting diseases like HIV than hepatitis, the reality is that every year, at least 1.3 million people worldwide die as a result of either hepatitis B or C faster than they would in the case of HIV/AIDS. Needless to say that, hepatitis is indeed a deadly disease. Considering this fact, it is pathetic and devastating to note that many hepatitis carriers are yet to realize that they are living with the disease.

       

Hepatitis groups, patients as well as advocates worldwide, take part in series of events on every July 28 to mark the World Hepatitis Day. The World Hepatitis Day is one of the eight official global public health campaigns being marked by the WHO. As Nigeria joins the international community to commemorate the remarkable event, there’s need for collective support as regards creation of awareness on this silent killer known as ‘Hepatitis’.

        

The World Hepatitis Day provides an opportunity to focus on actions such as, but not limited to, raising awareness on the different forms of hepatitis, their common causes and how they are transmitted; strengthening prevention, screening, and control of viral hepatitis and other related diseases; increasing hepatitis B vaccine coverage cum integration into national immunization programmes; as well as coordinating a global response to hepatitis.

         

As the global community commemorates the World Hepatitis Day, it’s therefore needless to state that all hands are expected to be on deck towards ensuring that this killer disease that has been a colossal societal menace for decades now is duly eliminated. Think about it!

Comrade FDN Nwaozor

Executive Director,Docfred Resource Clinic - Owerri

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ShortStory II Rough Past (II)

ROUGH PAST (II)

       At this time, it was past eight O’clock at night. In Lagos, likewise other booming cities across the country, at eight, many residents were yet to return; hence, Andrew was still expecting more sympathizers in his apartment, particularly his neighbours who were still on their way home. And he had apparently lost the strength to walk to the entrance towards keeping the door open.

        As he, alongside his best friend Dube, separately sat firmly in a single upholstery chair right at the former’s parlour, they both seemed not unlike soured brown pap packed in archaic plates. Therein, the latter dissolved into uncontrollable tears; sure, he wasn’t just sharing the pains of his childhood pal but was equally feeling for himself.

        It would interest, perhaps shock you to note that the 42-year-old Dube who attended the same primary, secondary as well as university with Andrew in the ancient city of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria was as well passing through similar marital crisis in his life. He had thus far entombed two wives and was currently living with the third one named Lucy. But the two didn’t die in pregnancy as those of Andrew did, though they passed away mysteriously.

        Lucy who had been living in fears having learnt of the unspeakable that befell her predecessors, had taken her precious time to tour across almost all the ‘bible-believing’ churches within her territory toward ascertaining what actually was wrong as well as solving the ordeal, all to no avail.  Each of them came up with different problem cum prophesy, and ended up actualizing nothing having consumed reasonable sum of money from the solution seeker.

        “Oh Lord,” exclaimed Dube, facing upward, still seated. “What is all these?”

         Andrew was speechless.

         Dube quickly wiped out his tears. “God answer me.” he said. “Why are all these happening to us?”

        There was maximum muteness.

       “I can’t just understand.” Andrew broke the silence, still firmly seated. “Are we cursed or what?” He added furiously, stylishly looking at his friend.

       “It is high time we found out.” suggested Dube. “We can’t continue like this.” He supplemented, gesticulating.

       “I think you are right.” Andrew concurred. “But how do we go about it?”

        “I think I have an idea.” Dube thought aloud.

        “You do?”

          Dube nodded. “Yes.” He said.

         “So..?”

         “Don’t worry,” quoth Dube. “I will tell you later.”

         “I can’t just wait.”

         “Relaxed, okay?” urged Dube. “First thing tomorrow morning, we shall embark on a journey.” He informed hesitantly.

           At this moment, it was about some minutes to nine O’clock.

         “To where?” Andrew inquired anxiously.

           Before Dube could respond, his cell phone rang; it was Lucy, his darling wife. He sluggishly took the call. “Hello dear!” He answered.

          “Honey, how are you?” she enquired. “What is wrong with your friend.” She added in a jiffy.

          She was with him when Andrew called to ask for his presence urgently. So, since Dube left his matrimonial home for Andrew’s, she had remained perplexed and consequently lost her appetite.

         “Nothing so serious, dear.” He lied.

         “Nothing so serious?”

         “Yes dear.”

         “So why the urgency?” she said, referring to the said phone call.

           Dube was silent.

         “So, are you coming back tonight?” she supplemented.

         “No,” replied Dube quietly. “I will be back tomorrow.”

         “Dear, I know there’s something wrong.” She perceived. “Please tell me, what is the problem?”

         “Like I said earlier,” quoth Dube. “Nothing so serious.”

         “I insist you tell me what really happened.”

          Andrew was ab initio overhearing the conversation as he sat in the seat like a rejected baboon.

        “You insist?” reechoed Dube.

        “Yes.”

        “Okay,” said Dube. “Chidinma is gone.” He notified hesitantly.

        “Chidinma is what?”

        “She died in labour.” He frankly supplemented, cut the call as he heard her roaring.

         He was therein troubled by the thought that Lucy could not cope with the bad news, but was later consoled by the fact that they were living with one of his younger sisters who could serve as a good consoler.

        The following day, the duo – Andrew and Dube – embarked on the proposed odyssey. They were headed for a soothsayer who could aptly interpret their past, present as well as future.

       “Oh,” exclaimed the soothsayer as soon as they were ushered into his mud house. “Your hands are stained with blood.”

         They looked at each other in silent awe, standing.

        “I mean,” the old man added. “Pool of blood.”

          They were enjoined to sit on bare floor, and therein the equally seated soothsayer began to reveal their rough past.

         As if they had forgotten, the truth of the matter was that the duo was into cultism during their university days. They committed countless atrocities while in the confraternity and what they were suffering at the moment was not unconnected with a murder they committed inadvertently on one certain day they went for a highway robbery.  

        On that fateful day, they shot sporadically and in the process, a stray bullet caught a heavily pregnant woman who was a passerby. The said victim died at the spot but before she gave up the ghost, she cast a spell on the robbers, stating that none of them would ever hear the cry of a baby in his marital home.

        Intriguingly, according to the soothsayer, Andrew was actually the one who released the bullet in question.

        In line with the shocking revelation, a holistic cleansing was conducted on them thereafter, and consequently they were eventually freed from the lingered bondage.

        Andrew remarried one year on upon his parents’ importunities and was afterwards blessed with bouncing children, whilst Dube and Lucy were equally blessed with a happy home juxtaposed with beautiful kids.

        Though they were later released from the cursed land, the lesson they learnt from the Karma that ensued from the rough past remained a thing they would live to recall.

FDN Nwaozor 

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Clinic - Owerri

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Opinion II Imo Royal Fathers and the Governor's Directive on Indigenous Language

IMO ROYAL FATHERS AND THE GOVERNOR’S DIRECTIVE ON IGBO LANGUAGE

         

The last time I checked, the traditional custodians domiciled in Imo State – the Eastern Heartland – had been given a mandate to henceforth start making use of only Igbo language in any of their official gatherings or what have you.

        

The governor of the state in the person of Chief Rochas Okorocha gave the lofty directive recently, two weeks ago to be precise. According to the number-one citizen, that was the only way the royal fathers in their entirety could prove to their teeming subjects that they are indeed traditional custodians.

         

Reminding this revered group of leaders that they were supposed to speak only Igbo language during their official deliberations was, to assert the least, shameful and an ear-sore. I wonder why they would wait for someone let alone the governor to remind them the fundamental and statutory practices that are expected of their persons; such is unequivocally an aberration.

          

Isn’t it weird and mind-boggling to observe any royal father addressing the public or any social function in a foreign language? It becomes more troubling when realized that the reason they deliberate mainly in English language is that they see it as the only way they could prove to their subjects that they are enlightened and learned. They do so, thereby forgetting that it is obviously amusing and ridiculous to see a man who is well clad in an Igbo traditional regalia address his people in a foreign language; probably they aren’t aware of this fact, thus this is the high time they did.

         

Well, it’s pertinent to acknowledge that this humble critique was occasioned by the compelling need to notify the governor on the essence of ensuring that all his eminent directives and pledges, as the case may be, are duly implemented to the people’s delight. In other words, it is thus needless to reiterate the need to ensure that this very directive on Igbo language does not stop at mere pronouncement.

         

It suffices to say that every tool within the governor’s ambit ought to be utilized towards ensuring that such laudable instruction is strictly adhered to by its recipients. Our royal fathers must be meant to note in practical terms that they have really derailed as regards the modus operandi binding their sacred institution. Yes, ‘sacred’ in the sense that not everyone would be found worthy to be a member; in the sense that it remains an institution comprising individuals who are supposed to safeguard our customs at all cost. Of course, it is not anymore news that every custom is required to be treated as sacred and sacrosanct owing to its uniqueness.

         

Still on the need to ensure that every directive is duly implemented, I wish to use this medium to humbly remind His Excellency that on assumption of office in 2011 as the Executive Governor of the state, he outrightly without much ado directed the state’s royal fathers residing in the Diaspora to earnestly return to their respective autonomous communities. It’s no longer news that most of these traditional rulers are resident abroad; a scenario that could best be described as an eyesore.

           

It’s saddening to note that the governor’s directive on this was flouted or perhaps considered as frivolous or trivial. Till date, majority of these ‘traditional custodians’ are still enjoying their residences variously situated outside their communities. Such practice as this is completely out of context in regard to the laws binding any autonomous community in existence. The scenario is not in any way funny or laughable, thus remains a very serious matter yearning for apt attention.

         

As a result of this ugly trend, sometimes a certain case seeking for a royal father’s intervention would have to wait till the traditional ruler returns from the city where he is based. No doubt, we are not unaware of the inevitable implications of such obnoxious process, especially in a situation whereby the case in question requires an urgent attention, or needs to be addressed in earnest. I will not hesitate to say categorically that this manner of practice is really ridiculing the traditional institutions not just in Imo but across the Igbo nation.

         

I equally want to remind the governor that, sometime ago, he promised Imolites that elections would be conducted among these royal fathers toward producing those that would be in charge of their union’s leadership. Though the said union enjoys a viable leadership at the moment, it’s imperative to comprehend that such leaders were not drawn from any election; so, the governor’s pledge was not unconnected with this fact. The amiable governor ought to be reminded that Imolites in their totality are still awaiting that election.

         

At this juncture, having made my views known, I wish to re-appeal to the teeming royal fathers to please endeavour to acknowledge that thousands of Imolites, if not millions, are looking up to them, thus are required to invariably strive towards doing the needful. They are expected to be party to activities that would help to uplift the tradition which the Igbos are widely known for, and not otherwise.

         

Most importantly, they must be very close to their respective subjects, so that, they would at all times feel free to present their plights before them. It is very appalling to realize that most of our young ones are yet to know the names of their various traditional rulers let alone knowing their facial outlooks.

          

All in all, this recent directive of the governor, which I tagged a ‘wake-up call’, should not be swept under the carpet. Hence, let all the parties involved ensure that every commendable directive given thus far are holistically implemented, so that, we wouldn’t wake one morning and witness the unspeakable. Think about it!

Comrade FDN Nwaozor

Executive Director, Docfred Resource Clinic - Owerri

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