Health

Patients suffering from kidney failure have been blocking the entrance of the Yaounde General Hospital since Monday Oct. 10,  The angry patients are striking over the issue of their inability to get proper treatment due to faulty dialysis machines.

The patients complained that out of the 20 dialysis machines in the hospital, only 7 are functioning, and the Director General of the hospital said the machines will be repaired within one week, because the technicians for this repair are coming from Morocco.

Meanwhile, he proposed that the more serious cases and those that had a bit of strength will be transported to the Ebolowa General Hospital in the South Region, where they will receive their hemodialysis session, at the cost of the General Hospitals's expenses.

Their cries drew local and international media attention, and to put off the flames of their anger, and according to Minster Mama Fouda of Public Health, it is President Biya who 'INSTRUCTED HIM' to go and calm down the patients.

"The Head of State has instructed me to come and make sure that calm has returned, and that patients suffering from Kidney failure are already on dialysis.

 I have come to reassure these patients that the Head of State is close to their situation and that all necessary measures are being put in place to make sure some of the faulty machines in the treatment room at the Hospital are repaired within one week, and that 17 generators that are in this hospital should also be used, and also that the patients' waiting time should be brought back to essential"

Minister Mama Fouda shamelessly told the press yesterday.

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Rita Akana

12.Oct.2016

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Talking to their daughter about sex was never an option for Valerie Akaba’s parents. Like many children in conservative Cameroon, where sexuality is considered a taboo, Valerie entered puberty clueless about the changes in her body.

She thought menstruation was at best a shame, at worst an illness. At the age of 15, Valerie fell pregnant.

“I was four months pregnant and didn’t even know it. The menstruation had stopped, and I thought I had been miraculously cured of a sort of disease,” the young woman remembers three years later.

The taboo deprived Valerie of basic but vital information she needed to make informed choices about her sexual health. When she opted for an illegal abortion, she almost lost her life.

About 40 per cent of pregnancies in Cameroon are unintended, with more than a third ending in unsafe abortions, according to a 2014 report by research organization Guttmacher Institute in the United States. Almost 15 per cent of girls between the ages of 15 and 19 have been pregnant at least once in the West African nation.

Teenagers also know little about HIV, other sexually transmitted diseases, reproductive rights or even simply about sex itself.

To address this issue, a young Cameroonian entrepreneur, Mallah Tabot, developed a mobile application that allows users to ask questions about sexual and reproductive health anonymously – with “sexperts” providing swift answers at the other end. 

“Until we start looking at alternative means of providing sex education to those who need it the most - adolescents and young people - we are going to witness the vicious cycle of teenage pregnancy, increased HIV rates, mortality and morbidity,” says Tabot, who is also the programme director of United Vision, a non-profit organization that educates about sexual and reproductive health in the capital, Yaounde.

“People have the right to make decisions about their bodies, and the app is designed to help them make the right decisions,” Tabot, 28, told dpa.

Launched last month, Ndolo360 gives young people judgement-free information. It can be downloaded for free in English or French.

The app comes with a library of information about sex and reproductive topics users can browse. There are educational games and a database of youth-friendly services across the country. Personal questions are answered by a team of medical practitioners, peer educators, social workers and counsellors.

User reviews on the Ndolo360 website have been lauding the app as a “great bridge.”

“I discovered lots of things I thought I knew, but I was proven wrong,” one user commented. “It has the right information on sexual health, which my parents are still to give me,” said another user.

The app has also received the nod from experts. Ndolo360 has “the potential to circumvent cultural barriers,” says Rogers Ajeh, a researcher at the Institute of Research for Development in Yaounde.

Ajeh even goes a step further to suggest building monitoring software into the app to collect statistics so that its impact can be assessed by specialists.  

Among the first users of the app is also Valerie, who now works as a hairdresser in Yaounde.

“It’s a lot easier [to talk about sex] when you just send a message to someone you don’t know and have never seen and get adequate explanations to your problem,“ says the young woman.

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Rita Akana

11.Oct.2016

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Estimates suggest that 8% of all first-ever strokes occur in Africa and that 5% of the 30 million stroke survivors worldwide live in Africa.The prevalence of stroke might increase in the future because of changes in exposure to major stroke risk factors and improved prevention and control of infectious diseases.

According to the latest WHO data published in may 2014 Stroke Deaths in Cameroon reached 10,889 or 5.03% of total deaths. The age adjusted Death Rate is 115.50 per 100,000 of population ranks Cameroon #62 in the world.

STROKE
Stroke is a clinical condition caused by interruption of blood flow to a part of the brain, or by sudden bleeding into the brain.
Brain cells cannot function without oxygen. Oxygen is transferred to the brain by blood. So if blood flow is interrupted, oxygen will not get to the brain, consequently, brain cells will stop functioning. Lack of oxygen to the brain even for a few minutes damages brain cells. The brain cells control different parts of the body. Once brain cells are damaged or they die because of a stroke, effects of that damaged start to show in the parts of the body controlled by those brain cells.
Most strokes are caused by a blockage in the blood vessel that carries blood with oxygen to a part of the brain. This type of stroke is called an ischemic stroke.
If blood flow to the brain is blocked only for a few minutes and then relieved, it can lead to a mini-stroke also known as a transient ischemic attack (TIA). In cases of a mini stroke, the symptoms last for less than 24 hours. A mini stroke is usually a warning sign of a future major stroke and so it should be taken very seriously.
The second main type of stroke occurs when a blood vessel leaks blood or is broken and blood leaks to the brain, puts pressure on the brain cells in that area and damages them. This type of stroke is called hemorrhagic stroke.
How do you know that someone is having a stroke?
The signs of a stroke are usually sudden.
•    Sudden confusion
•    Sudden trouble speaking or seeing
•    Sudden trouble understanding what someone else is saying or saying things that cannot be understood.
•    Sudden weakness or numbness in the face, arm or leg, usually on one side of the
•    Drooling sputum  from one side of their mouth
•    Difficulties walking, unable to maintain balance, falling or just feeling dizzy
•    Severe sudden headaches, which some people describe as the worst headaches of their life
What should I do if someone is having a stroke?
ACT FAST! GET MEDICAL HELP REALLY FAST!
Any form of stroke is a medical emergency.  Time is the most valuable resource someone has when having a stroke. Seek medical attention right away.
1 in every 3 people who have a mini stroke and do not receive treatment will have a major stroke within one year. 1 in 10 of them actually has the stroke within the next 3 months.  
WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS FOR HAVING A STROKE?
•    High blood pressure  
•    Diabetes
•    High Cholesterol
•    Heart diseases like irregular heartbeats (Atrial Fibrillation ) or narrowing of some blood vessels
•    Smoking
•    Older age
•    Gender:  women have more strokes than men
•    Race, black people are more likely to have a stroke as compared to white people
•    People who have had a stroke or mini stroke are more likely to have a stroke than those who have never had a stroke
•    People who have blood relative who have had a stroke or mini stroke
•    People with enlarged blood vessels in the brain (brain aneurisms)  or mal- formed blood vessels (arteriovenous malformations or AVMs)  in the brain
•    Sickle cell disease
•    Some drugs like cocaine or amphetamines
Special risk factors for stroke in women include:
.    Use of birth control pills
.    Pregnancy
.    History of preeclampsia/eclampsia
.    Gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy)
.    Oral contraceptive use
.    Smoking
.    Post-menopausal hormone therapy
HOW CAN STROKE BE PREVENTED
•    Eating a healthy diet
•    Maintaining a healthy weight through a healthy diet and exercise
•    Avoiding tobacco use or even second hand smoke
•    Limiting alcohol use
•    Controlling blood pressure (taking your medications and eating right) for people with high blood pressure
•    Controlling blood sugars for people with diabetes
•    Avoiding high fat diets
GOOD TO KNOW
Stroke can occur at any age but it is more frequent in older people
Several drugs can cause someone to have a stroke (cocaine, amphetamines etc)
Some common medications called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for example ibuprofen may increase the risk of stroke or heart attack
Other resources
https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/
Prof. Akwe’s coner

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Prof Joyce Akwe

11.Oct.2016

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The Cameroon Baptist Convention CBC Health Board HIV-Free Northwest project has announced a marathon race to take place on the 1st December, 2016.

According to a Press Release signed by Prof Tih Pius Muffih Director CBC Health Services who doubles as Principal Investigator, HIV-Free Project, the marathon is part of his institution’s continuous effort to promote the wellbeing of the population.

Programmed for 6:30am December 1, the Marathon will constitute part of activities marking World Aids Day in the NW region of Cameroon.

“Registration per athlete is FCFA5000 and this can be done on or before the day of the Marathon. To ensure a smooth Marathon race, all athletes will have to obtain medical certificates of fitness from any Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC) Hospital or Health Centre at the cost of FCFA 2000. Only registered athletes who have done their medical examination shall be allowed to participate.” The Release explains.

The marathon race which is the first of its kind in the region will feature two groups of competitors. The first to run from Ndop to the Bamenda Commercial Avenue for persons “aged 18-40 years for men and 18-30 years for women.” The second group will be for those “aged 41-61 years for men and 31-50 years for women” covering from Babanki Tungo door market to Commercial Avenue Bamenda

The Release details that prizes will be available for the different for the first three men and the first three women. “The prizes shall include a handsome cash price, gold, bronze or silver medal and a certificate. All participants who complete the race shall receive various cash prizes, certificates of participation.”

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Bakah Derick

06.Oct.2016

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Asthma is a common and potentially serious chronic disease which is caused by airway narrowing (Bronchoconstriction), airway wall thickening and increase mucus secretions in the air ways. It is characterized by the history of breathing problems like wheeze, difficulties breathing, chest tightness and cough that vary over time in their occurrence, frequency and intensity.
Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases worldwide with an estimated 300 million affected individuals.
Our airways are like a water pipe, through which air flows in and out. If the airways narrow, there is an obstruction in air flow. People with asthma have more difficulties with air flowing out of the lungs when their air ways narrow down.  
People with asthma have difficulties breathing out air from the lungs because of airway narrowing, airway wall thickening and increased mucus. These changes in the air ways are what cause the symptoms of asthma
Symptoms of asthma are usually worse at night or early in the morning. The symptoms may be very severe or less severe, may resolve by themselves or may need medications. Asthma symptoms may be serious enough to warrant hospital admission with various levels of care.
People with asthma usually have airways that over react when stimulated with factors like viral infections, tobacco smoke, dust, pollens, exercise, stress, changes in temperature and air irritants. They also have chronic airway inflammation. These features usually persist, even when symptoms are absent or lung function is normal, but may normalize with treatment
What causes Asthma?
Several factors may increase the chances of developing Asthma. These factors include:  
#    Close blood family members who have asthma
#    Smoking
#    Exposure to second hand smoke
#    Overweight
#    Having another allergic condition, such as atopic dermatitis (skin rash due to some form of allergy or allergic rhinitis ((running and itchy nose due to something they breathe in also known as hay fever)
#    Exposure to air pollutants like exhaust smokes
#    Exposure to some chemicals at work such as some chemicals used by farming, some chemicals used by hairdressers and some chemicals used manufacturing industries




People can be diagnosed with asthma for the first time as children or as adults.
Asthma in Children:
Several things can cause wheezing in children, so if a child is wheezing, medical attention should be sort after right away. Diagnosing a child with asthma is a careful process that starts by excluding all the other causes of wheezing.  The clinician will always take a thorough history which will include symptoms like cough and wheeze, typical symptom patterns, and response to asthma therapy. Knowing if the child has tendencies to developing allergic diseases such as allergic rhinitis (running and itchy nose due to something they breathe in, also known as hay fever) or allergy to some foods is very important. It is also very important to know if some family members have asthma, if the child has other medical issues and if asthma triggers could be present in the environment where the child spends time.
How do I avoid Asthma?
There is no cure for asthma, but you can reduce or completely avoid asthma attacks or flares by avoiding the things that trigger asthma attacks. It is important to identify the main factors that trigger your asthma attack and avoid them. It is also important to have a written action plan from your doctor on what to do if you are having a flare or starting to have a flare. The written asthma action plan should include:
• The patient’s usual asthma medications
• When and how to increase medications, or start some medications by mouth
• How to access medical care if symptoms fail to respond
What causes Asthma flares?
Factors that may trigger or worsen asthma symptoms include:
#    Viral infections,
#    House dust mite
#    Pollens
#    Cockroach
#    Tobacco smoke
#    Exercise
#    Stress
#    Some Medicines like aspirin
#    Changes in weather
#    Kitchen smoke (from wood-burning stove or fireplace)

Some common steps to avoid the triggers of an Asthma attack include:
#    Cleaning your living environment regularly, avoid breathing in any dust during cleaning by putting a face mask on.
#    Cover your nose and mouth well if it is cold
#    Clean up any areas where mold can grow
#    Clean window blinds or other decorating objects
#    If possible, use air conditions and also maintain optimal humidity
#    Control your diet and exercise frequently so as to maintain a healthy weight
#    If you have acid reflux, make sure it is well treated. It could worsen asthma
#    Take your medications as prescribed by your doctors
#    Don’t forget to ask about the pneumonia vaccine or the annual flu vaccine (influenza vaccine)

What to watch out for:
Regularly measure and record your peak airflow with a home peak flow meter. Also learn to recognize warning signs of an impending attack, such as slight coughing, wheezing or shortness of breath. If your peak flow measurements decrease, it is a warning of an oncoming attack. Take your medication as instructed and immediately stop any activity that may have triggered the attack. If possible leave the environment that may be triggering your attack.  If you act quickly, you may end up not having a severe attack and your symptoms won't be that difficult to get under control. If your symptoms don't improve, sick medical help. Remember to activate your written action plan if you have one.
If you are relying on your quick-relief inhalers, your asthma is not well controlled. Talk to your doctor about adjusting your treatment.
Asthma in special populations
Pregnancy: Asthma control often changes during pregnancy. Exacerbations should be treated aggressively.

Obesity: Asthma is more difficult to control in obese people. Weight reduction should be included in the treatment plan for obese patients with asthma.

Smokers and ex-smokers: Asthma and COPD may co-exist or overlap (asthma-COPD overlap syndrome, ACOS), particularly in smokers and the elderly. ACOS has worse outcomes than asthma or COPD alone.

The elderly: They may have other medical problems which may complicate asthma management

Anxiety and depression: Patients should be assisted to distinguish between symptoms of anxiety and of asthma

Occupational asthma and work-aggravated asthma: In these patients asthma is better when they are away from work. It is important to confirm the diagnosis objectively and to eliminate exposure as soon as possible.

Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD): Need to be under the care of a specialist

Acid reflux (GERD), Rhinitis and sinusitis:  are commonly seen in asthma.

Good to Know!
You cannot get asthma from another person who has an asthma attack
Asthma is not contagious
Asthma does not attack only children
Kitchen smoke (from wood-burning stove or fireplace) can cause or worsen asthma
Different things may trigger asthma flare in different people
Shortness of breath is not normal in old age. Elderly people who are short of breath should seek medical attention.

To read more from prof Akwe’s corner

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Prof Joyce Akwe

03.Oct.2016

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The fight against HIV AIDS has intensified as over 250 participants from 31 countries in West Central Africa are gathered in Yaounde to discuss and develop strategies to reach out to key populations affected by HIV AIDS.

The three day regional meeting holding in Yaounde was officially opened by the Minister of Public Health Andre Mama Fouda who identified key populations in Cameroon with accompanying statistics that could help international partners draw up programmes that meet their objectives.  

The Regional meeting on the fight against HIV AIDS which holds the third time was hosted first by Ghana and then Togo.

It has as objective to intensify free screening campaign, and to distribute anti-retroviral to a 90% population target.

Experts are hoping that the new strategies will become fruitful for most African countries especially Cameroon with an HIV prevalence rate at 4.3%.

CRTV

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Rita Akana

22.Sep.2016

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