Saturday, 19 December 2015

Stop Abdominal Scarification

There is a very dangerous practice that has gone on for so long among mothers mostly in the rural areas and alternative medicine practitioners; abdominal scarification as a treatment for enlarged spleen. It appears a very hot substance is pressed on the stomach to 'melt' whatever they believe is responsible for the enlarged spleen. The cause of the enlarged spleen is often believed to be a disease of its own caused by accumulation of bad blood, worms or maybe evil spirit. This practice seems more common in the Southern parts of Nigeria. The Igbos call it "apa afo", "obara afo" and any such name depending on the part of Igbo land one is from. Sometimes they perform incisions on that part of the skin covering the palpable spleen, probably to make the bad blood bleed out.  Take a look at many kids below 10 and living in rural areas in the aforementioned region of Nigeria and you would likely observe this in more than 50% of them. It's heartbreaking to say the least that little kids are made to go through such treatment. 

Enlargement of the spleen has several causes, available research suggests the most prevalent cause in Nigeria is malaria. The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) also reported high incidences of splenic enlargement in places where malaria is endemic. The safest place to diagnose the cause of your child's splenic enlargement is in a hospital. Let a doctor, preferably a paediatrician do the diagnosis and prescribe the right course of treatment. Some of the mothers who let their children go through this believe there is no treatment for it in orthodox medicine, while most of them do it out of ignorance and helplessness.

Scarification poses serious threats to a child's survival. The child's abdomen gets scalded and could get infected or some other complication may arise. The instruments used to perform the incisions could also harbour some deadly disease-causing microorganisms. So many things could go wrong, yet it's not solving the problem.

A lot really needs to be done as regards awareness and enlightenment of mothers, most especially those in the rural areas. We cannot continue to watch while children are left with scars in a treatment course that achieves little or nothing at all. With the proliferation of internet users, I hope this piece gets to someone who would help enlighten another on how wrong and inhuman abdominal scarification is. I believe these kids scream out in pain when this totally unnecessary treatment course is being done.

So many things are done wrongly. So many things we do contribute to the alarmingly high mortality rates in our country. We need to join hands and drive ignorance away; this ignorance that puts lives at risk. We need to say no abdominal scarification and all child scarifications in general. We need to put a stop to traditions and treatment courses that put lives at risk and achieve little or absolutely nothing.

Let us all join hands to stop harmful traditions.

Tuesday, 15 December 2015

HMOs: Affordable Healthcare Solutions

We at the Informed Mum need to contribute our bit to the World Health Organization’s “Every woman, every child” program whose ultimate ambition is to end preventable deaths among all women, children and adolescents (and in fact everyone).  Many people among us have little or no access to essential, good-quality health services.  Hardly does a day go by in Nigeria without one hearing of someone dying, mostly of preventable and/or treatable causes. Most of the deaths have their causes rooted in poverty and/or a fear of hospital bills, so we tend to take the cheap way out. We patronize quacks, or these over-the-counter drug vendors one finds in almost all nooks and crannies of our society. Their drugs and treatment are cheap as far as money is concerned. One most times ends up buying fake or sub-standard drugs which hardly ever takes care of the issue (reminds one of the phrase “....high cost of cheap stuff......”). Those vendors just ‘mix’ drugs and give one depending on the symptoms one described. It is often shocking to find out they also sell some prescription drugs. It gets scarier by the day.

Things are hard, the economy seems to be getting harder by the day but we have to survive while we hope things get better. We can get our health insured, We can register with any HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) of our choice that would manage our healthcare. This assures to a very large extent we do not fall very sick as people with health insurance tend to get to the hospital once they notice even the slightest ill-health symptom. Many of us used to believe one needs to work with a corporate organization or the government to be able to access a HMO’s services.  These HMOs have  health packages for individuals as well as for families. There packages cover different ranges of health-care services. You simply choose the HMO of your choice; choose the package you can afford and the hospital convenient for you among those they work with. Some have packages as low as twelve thousand Naira and very flexible payment plans.

There are huge benefits in signing up for a health insurance plan. They offer cost-effective medical care, You do not have to pay out-of-pocket for your healthcare anymore except for some companies that have a co-payment plan,  You can get to the hospital and access quality care even when your pockets are empty. They also have ways of handling emergencies; when you cannot access your registered hospital. Just enroll yourself and/or your family and you are good to go. We took the liberty to attach the link to NCRIB (The Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers)-approved HMOs

here. Simply view or download the pdf, contact any HMO of your choice and inquire about their packages and partner hospitals, settle with one and voila, your health is insured for one year or thereabout.

A health maintenance plan will make a very good  gift for a loved one, especially those who can hardly afford it. We need to join hands and work towards better health for all of us. We need to stop preventable deaths. We need to contribute to supporting people to reach their full potential. We need to reduce the ridiculous mortality rates in our nation. We need to contribute our quota to improving the social determinants of health of everyone around us. We all need to work towards universal health coverage for all Nigerians. 

Saturday, 12 December 2015

To all fighters and survivors of cancer

I just lost a cousin-in-law (hubby's cousin) to cancer. She was a very beautiful and charming lady. Met her once and she left a lasting impression. She battled the "dreaded C" which ravaged her breasts and probably metastasized to other parts of her body. She, 39, was a fighter;  battled this disease for almost three years till she gave up the will to fight in the face of dwindling finances and strength. She was reported to have said something akin to "I'm tired and giving up". She left behind three kids with the eldest barely 7. It hurts deeply. Her parents are inconsolable. This piece is dedicated to her and to all those battling the "dreaded C".

Breast cancer is reported to be the most common cancer among women worldwide with the highest cases reported in developed countries. Low-income countries like ours have a gradually rising incidence as a result of increasing life expectancy, increased urbanisation and adoption of Western lifestyles. While it's occurrence is higher in developed nations, deaths due to breast cancer are higher in developing nations largely due to poor health facilities and financial capabilities. The least we can do is check our breasts at least once a month for lumps. We do not know the exact cause of breast cancer, but experts suggest that healthy living can reduce our risk. Let's try eating healthy and fresh foods as much as possible, exercise can also not be overemphasised . Anyone can have breast cancer ; man, woman or child though one's risk is said to increase as one nears midlife. Mammography is recommended at least once a year for women aged 40 upwards.

Cancer can occur on any part of the body, except the hairs. Some cancers unique to women are those of the uterus, ovary and cervix. Cervical cancer is said to be linked to sexual activity.  Some research works reported it almost doesn't exist among celibate women . HPV (human papilloma virus) screening is highly recommended for sexually active females 21 years and above, especially those who have had more than one partner. HPV is said to predispose one to cancer of the cervix. Our adolescent daughters should also get vaccinated against HPV.

We can't change our genes but we can influence our lifestyle and diet.  Let's reduce our intake of highly processed foods, we are blessed with a vegetation like ours and so many varieties of fruits and vegetables year round. Let us always choose our local foods over exotic species. As much as possible let us reduce our sedentary lifestyles.Loosing one's life in one's prime is horrible so also is making little children orphans.

My heart goes out to everyone facing this battle and those who have lost a loved one to cancer. It is a sad reality and the best we can do for ourselves is get checked regularly and maintain a healthy lifestyle. I pray for a cancer-free world. No one deserves to be ravaged by such a dreaded disease.
To Aunty Phina, and all those strong women who bowed down to the fight, may God grant them perfect peace in that place where I believe there exists no cancer or any infliction whatsoever.

Ozoemena (literally translated to mean "may such never befall  us again) is an Igbo name and prayer, that's my prayer for all of us, and our loved ones. Amen.

Tuesday, 1 December 2015

World's AIDS day

 Today is World's AIDS day, a day earmarked specially to raise HIV awareness, remember dead loved ones, show solidarity with people living with HIV, celebrate survival and health, and to raise money for HIV and related causes. The theme this year is "The time to act is now". The ultimate goal is to end the HIV epidemic by 2030. To achieve this, new HIV infections should be rare and HIV-positive people should have unfettered access to high quality, life-extending care, free from discrimination and stigma. Mother To Child Transmission (MTCT) of HIV should if possible be eradicated. Everyone should know his/her HIV status.

Sub-saharan Africa is said to account for about 70% of the total global new HIV infections. In Nigeria alone, there are about 3 million adults living with HIV and only about 30% of them have access to Antiretrovirals. These adults include pregnant and nursing mums with the potential  of transmitting the dreaded infection to their children.We need to eliminate paediatric HIV infections and also keep parents alive. Without any intervention, the risk of transmission of HIV infection from the mother to the baby is said to be 20-45 per cent. This transmission rate can be reduced to less than 2 per cent.

We need to check our HIV status as frequently as one thinks one has been exposed. HIV-positive pregnant mums need to register early at a VCT (voluntary counselling and testing) centre and have their pregnancy and delivery monitored, take the prescribed ARVs. We need to break the HIV/AIDS circle and have a generation free from it. Some of our habits expose us and our loved ones to HIV infection. Top among these habits is indiscipline.

I've seen several very indiscipline people who disregard their HIV-positive status and live careless sexual lives. They tend to say "I no go die alone" and go ahead spreading the virus. That is wickedness of the highest order. Some live in denial after being diagnosed and go ahead living their lives like nothing happened, till it almost gets out of hand then they start seeking a miracle. The funniest bunch are those who don't believe HIV/AIDS is real, I've seen someone at the last stages of AIDS saying it's 'attack'; you know how good we are on blaming everything on the spiritual.

Faith. I believe in God, I believe faith works but sometimes we really tend to abuse faith. Yeah, I believe in the '...moving mountains..' part, but I also know a part says ' without works is dead.'. People get diagnosed with HIV and instead of going to the hospital to access treatment that God-so-kind can be gotten free of charge, we go to prayer houses and to Men of God, seeking for miracles. Some abandon their ARVs midway cos someone prophesied that 'they are healed'. I think our prayers and faith should be directed towards finding a cure to the infection.

New HIV infections are reported daily in Nigeria with our cases of HIV-related infections topping the global chart. Nigeria alone is responsible for about 80% of the new cases of HIV-related tuberculosis infections in the globe. We need to be disciplined as indiscipline affects us in every sphere of our lives. Let's stop the spread of HIV, know your status, if positive follow you healthcare- giver's instructions  and prescriptions. If you are negative do not stigmatise or discriminate against others who aren't, HIV is not airborne. Increase the information on HIV/AIDS at your disposal.

There will be several places across our paths today where HIV counselling and screening can be done free of charge . Take advantage of one today, the staff there can answer your questions.  We need to stay alive and keep our loved ones alive too. We need to break the circle of HIV infections. We need to end the epidemic by 2030. We need to have a HIV-free generation. It begins with you. The time to act is NOW.

Friday, 27 November 2015














Wednesday, 18 November 2015


Image result for choosing a daycare

Whether white, blue or whatever-coloured collar job a mum has, it gets to that time when the working mum has to leave her precious little one in the care of another. This "another" could be a relation, a nanny or a caregiver at a daycare centre. Handing over our little ones to someone else should never be shabbily done. It should take a lot of research and other considerations. Even relations should be chosen with care especially with increasing reports of paedophilia.

Several factors should be considered when settling for a daycare centre to assist you in childcare.

Is the centre registered and government approved? These days of child-kidnapping, you certainly don't want to risk keeping your child with people who cannot be traced. The local authority should also be aware there is a daycare centre there and also know who the caregivers are. We certainly do not want stories that touch. Child-stealing cases seem to be on the increase, so also is paedophilia.

How do other parents using the centre feel? Are they confident or helpless? Make sure you get to interview not just one or two users of the centre. Do they feel confident that their kids are well taken care of? Or is it an I-don't-have-a-better-option feeling/attitude? Would the parents be happy to recommend another parent to the centre? Would they readily leave the centre if another seemingly better one springs up in the neighbourhood? You really need to know.

How do the kids themselves feel? This has to do with the kids old enough to show readable emotions. If you are nice to a kid, he/she naturally gets to love you in return and would be very willing to be left with you. It may take a little while, but it certainly will happen. Watch the countenance of kids being dropped off. Are they happy and willing to part with their parents? Granted some kids could be clingy, but if it seems to be the norm with almost all the kids at the centre then that's a red alert, something is certainly not right. Those kids are certainly not handled well. Stranger anxiety doesn't apply in this case. A caregiver overtime ceases to be a stranger to a kid.

 What are their health policies? I would always root for caregivers who run comprehensive medical tests on prospective employees. I would also root for those who have a strong health policy. Sick children should be kept at home till they recover, especially those with communicable diseases. Caregivers with communicable diseases should NEVER be allowed near the kids.
What other policies do they have? Only parents or people confirmed to be assigned by them should be allowed to visit or pick up kids left in their care. How do they handle emergencies? How prepared are they for emergencies. Can parents show up at random to visit or pick-up their kids? If the answer is 'no' then something is amiss. Make sure you read all the terms and conditions before handing over your kids to them.

How much? This shouldn't be the most important but it does matter. It should be an affordable place for you the parent. Contrary to what many people believe, cost doesn't always equal quality. Some low-priced caregivers give quality care while some expensive ones treat kids shabbily.

Convenience. How convenient is it for you the parent to drop off and pick-up your child on your way to and from work? It has to be somewhere close to your home or your workplace so that you either drop them just on your way to work and pick them when almost home, or you drop them when almost at the office. In the latter's case, you get to always enjoy the ride to and from work with your kids, thereby spending more quality time.

What do your instincts say? Always trust your instincts when it comes to your child. if your instincts say 'no', then no it is. It's better you are paranoid and your child is safe and happy.

What is the child/caregiver ratio? How many children is one caregiver responsible for? 3:1 should be the worst obtainable especially if the kids in question are babies. 5:1 can go for toddlers. Sadly, that is hardly the case in our part of the globe as one may even find as much as 10:1. Personalised child care should be strongly advocated.

After you have done your checks and balances, you can then settle for a particular daycare centre. Daycare homes (where the child is taken care of at the childgiver's home) seem better as one can also negotiate for weekends and beyond-office hours.

May we never fall prey to wolves in caregivers garbs.

Monday, 9 November 2015


Most mums mean well, but sometimes our meaning-well has the potential to expose our loved ones to peril. There is a very dangerous habit many of us Nigerians have imbibed ; drug abuse. When I found out some mums also engage in that I was moved to tears. The other day, I saw a mum giving her 3+ years old daughter 2 tablets of our 500mg paracetamol, I screamed and asked her why, she said the recommended half or one tablet has no effect on her, another mum came for her 3 months old daughter's vaccination and the little girl's cloths were stained with a yellowish substance, she said it was the colour of the malaria drugs she gave her daughter which she threw up. I asked her the name of the drug she named an adult malaria drug and added for good measure how she split it into two to give her daughter. I was gobsmacked. After vaccinations you'd hear some mums advising others to give the baby half a paracetamol tablet.
For heaven's sake there are specific drugs meant for kids, designed for their tender organs and tissues. It's bad enough that we have fake and substandard drugs to deal with, adding drug abuse especially for our babies worsens the whole thing. Some health workers also play a significant role in this. A woman who just gave birth in a very good hospital was discharged without giving her drugs for her baby only for an experienced midwife to complain about the "oversabi" and half-bred doctors and went ahead to prescribe ampiclox (a brand of antibiotics) , Abidec (a brand of multivitamins) among other drugs saying the baby needs them.

Please Informed mum (and dad too) if you must give your child any drug, let it be the one meant for children his/her age and at the dosage recommended by a qualified doctor, preferably a paediatrician. It took years of different phases of clinical research to arrive at a recommended dose. People tend to say "but the one I've given hasn't killed the child", it doesn't have to kill the child, at least not immediately . You could be exposing the child to chronic poisoning, could be weakening the child's kidney, liver and other organs. We have so many tropical diseases to contend with, adding poisoning and organ failure to the list is horrible especially as we do not have the best of healthcare systems. The very people who produce and research into those drugs advocate as drug-free a life as possible. Drugs should only be taken when it's advantages trump the attendant disadvantages. That's why many people tend to embrace alternatives to medicine.

I would also classify those who give their kids herbal concoctions as drug abusers as well. Traditional medicine now booms in Nigeria, some mums will tell you "oyibo no dey treat this one" and go ahead to reel out traditional drugs for the particular ailment being discussed. The side effects of most of those drugs are unknown. Much as I appreciate traditional medicine, I feel we've not done in depth clinical research on those plants parts we believe are medicinal. Before a drug is approved for use, it goes through different phases of clinical research. Hardly has any of our magic plant parts gone through that.
Please let's be wary of what we expose our little ones to. I advocate all drugs for kids be prescribed by doctors and dispensed by pharmacists, including the over-the-counter ones. Let's join hands and say no to drug abuse, especially in kids.

May we never expose our little ones to peril.

Sunday, 8 November 2015


Every mum seems to have gotten a bit of the scathing looks and comments that reek strongly of "you are a bad mum" from passersby and people around those moments our kids decided to throw their little tantrums. It amazes me as fellow mums seem to be the worst offenders ( if they can be thus described) in this, instead of the "keep calm, I've been there and I understand " look, they criticise the most.
Being a mum is one occupation everyone around you feels they can do better than you are doing. It annoys me most when the look or advice reeks of disdain. You go shopping with your kid who seems to demand everything he/she sees, you refuse some and oblige some. Lil master or mistress decides to throw a tantrum and you passerby feel my baby is disturbing ; please take a hike, or better still, go sit in a thrash can for all I care. Or my baby decides to babble, squeal or even cry in church, in as much as I'm trying to keep him calm, please do not shout at me nor even at my baby as you wouldn't like my burning look or the way I'd completely ignore you if you happen to be someone I'm friendly with.
Dear Informed mum, please do not overwork yourself just to please people around you. Sometimes when you can't handle the childish fits, ignore them and those around too. And if you are around a mum who is having that experience at that point in time, if you must react, give her a "I've been there look" or better still help her calm the child.
Our kids can really be overwhelming sometimes.

Monday, 2 November 2015

Exclusive breastfeeding

So much misinformation (maybe under-information is a better word) exists about exclusive breastfeeding. I took a survey recently of nursing mums' opinion on exclusive breastfeeding and it was horrid to say the least. One mum replied in Igbo " Tufiakwa! I choro si nwa'm gbakpo?" literally translated to mean " God forbid! do you want my child to dry of thirst?". Another asked me why I'd not give a baby water as if I can survive without water. In her opinion it was sheer wickedness. More mums were of the opinion that the breastmilk isn't enough to satisfy a baby's hunger, many from the upper social and economic class felt it is made for mums who may not be able to afford quality formula or whose babies' will be fighting off lots of infections cos of the environment they live in. Some plainly replied they just couldn't carry on as it was so stressful for them and they abandoned it almost as soon as the started.

Every mum wants the best for her child, even when she isn't sure what the best is. Breastmilk is the best food for the baby; research has proven that time and again. The World Health Organisation and many informed doctors and nurses recommend giving a baby breast milk alone for the first six months of life. It has numerous benefit both nutritional and non-nutritional. It provides all the baby needs for the first six months of life. Breastfeeding gives a child a high level of protection against infections through different passive immunity mechanisms, it helps prepare the child's body systems for the introduction of more heavier types of meals. Your baby will not dry out nor die of thirst if exclusively breastfed cos the breast contains about 90%water. Some research works also suggest exclusive breastfeeding reduces the mum's risk of breast cancer. Infant formulas are actually made to 'be like' breast milk. Why get the prototype when you have the original at your disposal?. Breastmilk has a kind of demand -supply mechanism ; the more a baby demands, the more Breastmilk is supplied. So the question of Breastmilk not being enough doesn't even apply.

The advantages of breastfeeding alone can never be overemphasized. This piece isn't meant to judge mums who do not exclusively breastfeed but to enlighten them the more about its advantages. Ofcourse one doesn't have to undertake a course one can't undergo but we know if mums know what the best is, then they will do their best to give their babies the best.


The importance of immunizations can never be overemphasised in our part of the world with the various types of infectious diseases our tender ones are susceptible to. The Federal Government of Nigeria with the support of the World Health Organization has a National Programme on Immunization that performs weekly immunizations in primary health care centers and certain private health facilities, this is to ensure improved access to and coverage of routine immunization services. It was with excitement that Nigeria's delisting from Polio-endemic list was greeted. Nigeria can now be said to be polio-free. I wish same could be said of other childhood killer diseases like measles, diphtheria, tuberculosis, tetanus and pertussis.

Once a child is born, it is recommended that the vaccines BCG (Bacillus Calmette–Guérin) and HBV (Hepatitis B Vaccine) that protects them from tuberculosis and Hepatitis B respectively be administered before discharge from the hospital. BCG is administered intradermally (below the skin, on the shoulder) while HBV is intramuscular (the muscles of the laps)The babies also should receive their first oral dose of Polio vaccine then. At 6 weeks of age, the baby should be ready to receive the first dose of the conjugated vaccine (often called penta) which protects them from diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, pertussis, meningitis and pneumonia. 2 booster doses of the same conjugated vaccine is administered at least 4 weeks apart. From about 16 weeks of age your baby is supposed to receive an injectable Polio vaccine (IPV), at 9 months the first measles vaccine dose and yellow fever vaccines should then be administered . The booster measles dose comes sometime after 12 months of age. These immunizations are for free in government owned health facilities though sometimes paltry service charges are required. The cost of these immunizations in private hospitals is also small, at least can never be compared to the cost of caring for a sick child.

Dear Informed Mums, please never take your child's immunization for granted. A single day of exposure can cause harm. Our babies depend on us for their protection, they can do nothing by themselves. I usually recommend immunizations be done in good health facilities where anaphylactic reactions can be promptly attended to.

Wednesday, 28 October 2015


A baby's neck showing what is often described as Nra, Nla, Ela or Jedi Jedi
I've never been able to get a specific name of symptoms for what we locally call that condition in babies where the areas where there are skin folds(like the neck, buttocks, and joints) look inflamed. What is called Jedi-jedi in an area is called Ela, Nla, or Nra in another area. Whatever the name, most mums from this our part of the world know about the condition and can really go about listing treatments for it. Treatments that include some tree herbs, roots or bark to be boiled and either given to the baby to drink or bath with, or even both. Another medical-seeming treatment will be the use of hydrocortisone -containing creams like Visita plus, FunBactA, Skineal etc.

Dear Informed mum, please do not use any medicine or plant part on your baby without first consulting a paediatrician, or at least a family practitioner and not just any medical personnel. Our babies are still too tender to have their skins exposed to substances that may be harsh.
Babies, especially those on the plummy side tend to have friction below their necks, on the ridges on the arms, legs etc. That of the buttocks seem to be common in all babies. The friction makes the area inflamed giving that reddish, fire-like color.

 Informed mums it has nothing to do with what you are eating as some will go ahead to reel out food a nursing mum shouldn't eat. Experts say it's simply friction and the treatment ; just keep the place greasy most especially with petroleum jelly. It reduces the friction. The area around the neck seems to get worse if you have a baby who drools a lot and it clears around 4 months when your baby may have started raising his/her head up and sitting. Do not panic, it's not eating into the intestines as usually speculated. For those around the buttocks, Kindly give your baby one or two diaper-free hours daily and apply a coat of petroleum jelly (vaseline as it's commonly called here) round the baby's buttocks when putting in a diaper or nappy on your baby. This ensures the urine doesn't cling to the baby's skin thereby causing or aggravating the skin irritation. And whenever your baby poos, change the diaper or nappy. Do not leave poo on your baby for long. Mum's using cloth nappies should change wet or soiled nappies more frequently than those using diapers. And if the condition seems to persist, or if your instincts demand so( I always tell mums to trust their instincts), see your baby's doctor. Treatment for babies should only be when absolutely needed.