Determining Migrant Health Needs

GENEVA, Switzerland, December 3, 2013/African Press Organization (APO)/ –IOM South Sudan released the findings of its recent Migrant Health Assessment last week, providing health partners in the country with an up-to-date overview of the health challenges encountered by migrants.

Funded by the IOM Partnership on Health and Mobility in East and Southern Africa (PHAMESA), the assessment is the first of its kind in South Sudan. The assessment identifies the key health vulnerabilities and needs faced by migrants, and provides reliable evidence for future collaboration between the government, partner organizations and IOM to address these needs.

“Addressing the health and wellbeing of migrants is key to ensuring that migration contributes to sustainable development,” said IOM South Sudan Chief of Mission David Derthick. “It is our hope that this assessment will provide a basis for an informed discussion on the health of migrants in the country.”

The assessment identified three key spaces of vulnerability – transport corridors, transit sites, and urban settings. One hundred and eighteen in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and key informant discussions were carried out with migrant workers and migrant female sex workers as well as truck drivers and their mechanics, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and returnees. Information was gathered on these populations’ self-reported health concerns and the barriers and enabling factors they face in accessing health care services.

Sharing land borders with six countries and having absorbed over two million returnees since 2005, South Sudan is a country largely characterized by migration. Despite the important economical and developmental contributions made by migrants, they face risks and challenges in terms of access to health services and exposure to unsafe traveling, working or living conditions.

While migrants often start their journey healthy, the conditions of the migration process may make a migrant more vulnerable to ill health. These conditions include individual, environmental and societal drivers of health vulnerabilities, such as poverty, discrimination, language and cultural differences, separation from family and legal status.

Describing the difficulties migrants can face in accessing health services, a migrant female sex worker from Uganda told IOM, “Some people go to the hospital but there is discrimination there. One woman went to the hospital, and even though she was very sick and had been waiting first, she kept getting passed over in the line. Sometimes people even pretend they don’t understand you when you go to the clinic.”

The assessment report outlines 21 recommendations for partners and key stakeholders including the Government of South Sudan and UN organizations. Among these recommendations is the promotion of migrant-sensitive health systems, improved monitoring of migrant health and advocacy for migrant-sensitive policy development.

 

SOURCE

International Office of Migration (IOM)

 

India: Abortions in the rise

There has been a rise in the number of abortions cases amongst tribal women in the Attapadi settlements in Palakkad. During the last 20 days, 10 abortion cases were reported among tribal women in Attapadi. All together 26 cases of abortion has been reported in Attapadi.

More than half the abortion cases here is of mothers in their second delivery.The alarming increase in abortion cases shows that the measures exerted by the government to identify high risk mothers and provide them medical care and nutritious food has failed.

Moreover the UNICEF directive for improved surveillance to prevent recurrence of infant deaths has not been implemented yet. The UNICEF had suggested community based integrated maternal and new-born child illness scheme and improved dietary practices for pregnant women and lactating mother.

 

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Kenya: Latest groundbreaking research on preventing, controlling and eliminating malaria , a killer disease

•  By  Dickens Wasonga.

Leading research scientists all over the World are set  to present the latest groundbreaking research on preventing, controlling and eliminating malaria , a killer disease and how they have been working to combat  the emerging resistance to drugs, insecticides, among others.

This even as the malaria community celebrates 10 years of progress in driving down the unacceptable number of what happened 50 years ago when donor fatigue and a lack of new tools resulted in a resurgence of malaria incidences  that took roughly a million lives a year in 2000.

The malaria community is responding by racing to hold on to the gains of the last ten years, while at the same time continuing to develop the tools that could help to eliminate and eventually eradicate malaria.

The Sixth Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) Pan-African Conference, the world’s largest gathering of malaria expert, will be held in Durban, South Africa, from 6-11 October 2013.

Leading scientists from across Africa and around the world who are pushing this groundbreaking research forward, will gather to present their latest findings in the areas of malaria diagnostics, control (including insecticides and mosquito behavior), treatment (drugs),and prevention (including long-lasting insecticide-treated nets, indoor residual spraying and vaccines).

At the conference, subtitled “Moving Towards Malaria Elimination: Investing in Research and Control,” they will be joined by thousands of other experts, national malaria control programme managers, policymakers, health care workers and community members who will highlight new developments and remaining challenges in the fight to defeat malaria once and for all.

Despite unprecedented advances, malaria continues to infect approximately 219 million people around the world each year.

In 2010, it took the lives of an estimated 660,000 people, the vast majority young children in Africa.

History has shown that decrease in support for fighting malaria in areas where significant progress has been made lead to a resurgence of the disease, potentially undoing years of effort and investment and putting millions of lives at risk.

End.

Kenya: Bungoma medics oppose the appointment of county medical boss

• GODFREY WAMALWA,API,KENYA

Bungoma district hospital is facing a deluge of challenges as its staff threaten to oppose the move to have hospital medic superintendent Dr.Egesa Mulianga to hold two positions in the government.
The latest move to have the said medic to a position of county medical superintendent as well as Bungoma district hospital superintendent has brought the renown medic under spotlight with a section of the staff going for the throat of country medical director Dr.Kimani over what they term as rampant nepotism.
“How can a person hold two government posts?is it not the money that exchanged hands?claimed a staff who wished not to be named.”We have many people who fit for one of his posts in our county,why Dr.Egesa alone?added another staff.
Sources well-versed with the on goings who spoke to this writer lamented about poor management Dr.Egesa has spearheaded in the last years where he subjected workers to poor working conditions.
A staffer who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the Media said that the medical officer wants to control funds of the hospital a move that has necessitated his rejection by other medics.
The source revealed that the Country medical director Dr.Kimani was given “his cut” by the controversial Dr.Egesa, two directors in the county who were involved in the illegal appointment without involving other professions which has led to the present stalemate.
But as the standoff between junior medics and Bungoma county barons over the appointment , it is emerging that the man at the centre of the storm who spearheaded the unpopular move is just not another doctor from Nairobi Dr.Kimani who is also a close friend and associate of Bungoma district hospital medical superintendent Dr.Egesa for whom they were classmates.
Multiple sources at Bungoma hospital speak of a facility which has been hijacked by individual private interests particularly by medical superintendent, Board Members and well-connected junior staffers like who seem to do things with impunity and at the detriment of the hospitals’ very survival. Employees are now pleading for the Ministry of medical services, to step in and resolve the stalemate.
As controversy boils, workers have vowed to down their tools if the opposed medic will have to hold two posts as had alleged.”The doctor was overheard saying that he will use his position to settle scores among his professional nemesis that has been opposing his appointment” claimed another source who sought anonymity for fear of security. When called for comments,Dr.Egesa cell phone his went on unanswered.

End

 

Have you had your soap and clean water today? .- Study links hygiene and height

Photo: Nancy Palus/IRIN

Have you had your soap and clean water today?

BANGKOK, – Soap and clean water for effective handwashing can help boost a young child’s growth, according to the firstlarge-scale scientific review to link hygiene to height – one measure of child nutrition.

While medical studies have amply proven how improved hygiene can reduce outbreaks of diarrhoea – a leading killer among children under the age of five – they have not systematically measured the impact of water, sanitation and hygiene interventions on a child’s height.

The latest study showed a “small but improved” average growth of half a centimetre among children who received clean water and soap for handwashing as opposed to those who did not. Researchers found clean water and soap reduced stunting by up to 15 percent.

There is growing scientific evidence that repeated bouts of diarrhoea reduce a gut’s ability to absorb life-enhancing nutrients that allow children to develop mentally and physically.

“WASH [water, sanitation and hygiene] squarely fits under the heading of an underlying cause of malnutrition,” one of the study’s lead authors, Alan Dangour, a public health nutritionist from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, told IRIN.

Researchers identified 14 studies conducted in low and middle-income countries that provided data on the impact of WASH programming on the physical growth of nearly 9,500 children. Included were five studies with control groups of children who did not receive clean water and soap, but who were similar in most other ways to the ones who did.

“This is a scientifically robust study design that largely removes the problems faced by observational studies,” added Dangour.

Chronic malnutrition, as evidenced by stunting (when a child is too short for his or her age group), is a leading cause of preventable mental disability and contributor to three million deaths annually of children who have yet to reach age five (45 percent of all deaths in that age group).

“Until now, we have not had a demonstration of the direct nutrition impact of WASH interventions on nutrition,” said Francesco Branca, the director of nutrition for health and development at the World Health Organization, who was not involved in the study. “This review shows that a multi-pronged approach [to solving undernutrition] is the way to go.”

Researchers noted available studies on which they base their most recent findings were short-term (with none lasting more than one year), and some had data shortcomings.

While Dangour admitted that “we need much more robust evidence to definitely state that WASH is a `cure for stunting’,” the findings are, nevertheless, important, he concluded.

pt/cb source http://www.irinnews.org

 

Unchained Minds: Somalis Mental Health State.

• By Farhia Ali Abdi

“Mental health needs a great deal of attention. It’s the final taboo and it needs to be faced and dealt with” Adam Ant.

The past and present capacity:

Given the Somalia political and economic turmoil suffered during the civil war, the country’s mental health system collapsed, and mental health disorder became rampant across the country.  To date, government in Somalia does not have an official mental health plan of action to combat mental illness, rebuild facilities, and grant funding to support programs. The apparent lack of medicine, and adequately trained staff and professionals have forced families, and mental health centers to chain their patients to beds or rocks as it shows in the picture above, leaving them with permanent trauma and physical injuries.

World Health Organization (WHO) indicated in their recent study of Somalia’s mental health care that people with mental illness in Somalia face degrading and dangerous cultural practices such as being restrained with chains, which are not only widespread, but also socially and culturally accepted.  WHO further expressed that Somalia has one of the world highest rates of mental-health disorder. Approximately, one-third of its eight million Somalis are affected by some kind of mental disorder, yet there are only three trained psychiatrists in the entire country who specialize in mental illness. Psychiatry as a profession is heavily stigmatized in Somalia by both the general public and the medical community. Healing for mental problems is provided by religious leaders or by traditional healers, and it has become an ineffective method in the current Somalia society.

Historical Context:

The country established a health care system after its independence in the 1960s; however, in the 1970s, there were few noticeable achievements with the military regime run health care system such as the creation of medical schools in Mogadishu and in Hargeisa (Nursing). Nonetheless, problems within the country’s meager national health care system were exacerbated by the state’s collapse in 1991. At this time, the healthcare system suffered a major setback and forced many Somalis to go without proper health care.

In a conceptual framework, Somali culture considers mental health as one is either “crazy or not crazy.” There is no assortment of health and disease, mental health and mental illness.   People’s beliefs and understanding of mental illness are predominately spiritual and metaphysical: mental illness comes from evil spirits; it can be brought on by another person or oneself through curses or bad behavior. These beliefs, coupled with the lack of a strong plan on mental health in the government at the federal, regional, and local levels, deepen the country’s mental health crisis.  According to, a 2010 World Health Organization report: “A Situation Analysis of Mental Health in Somalia,” medical education and training of health professionals is a key issue for the health sector as a whole. There are no medical institutes, universities and schools that have an internationally recognized and standardized curriculum. The only exception is the Nursing School in Hargeisa, recognized by WHO. They further noted that, there is one private medical school in Gaalkacyo, the Gaalkacyo University, which started in 2006, the first basic training program for Assistant Physicians (three-year course). In the South, the Benadir School covers the whole South-Central Zone. Aside from Somaliland, there has been no effort to introduce curriculum focused on mental health curriculum into the basic teaching package. The lack of resources, including, medical equipment, and administer medications and treat emerging high rates of trauma-related disorders throughout the country, requires an urgent attention.

Contemporary Somali Society:

Since the aftermath of the civil war, there is an apparent change in the perceptions and stigma regarding mental health. The causes of mental illness are now understood as chemical imbalance rather than a bad spirit. Specialized mental health professionals in the diaspora and locals in Somalia brought a new approach of looking at mental illness diagnosis and treatments, and in so doing, reduce the barrier to seeking care. Their efforts are already making a huge difference in how people view mental health disorders and to seek information to improve their conditions. For example, in Mogadishu, there are few mental health facilities run by Abdirsaq Ali Habeeb. Mr. Habeeb is a Psychiatry Nurse by training and operates mental health centers to care for in patients and outpatients with the support of NGOs such as the World Health Organization and other donors. Mr. Habeeb who is living in Mogadishu goes out to the streets of Mogadishu to find chained, mentally ill persons; he unchains them and brings them to his facilities for care, thus restoring their dignity. In Somaliland, there are similar public and private mental health centers with the same patient treatments and outcomes. These facilities are sustained by the support of few donors and NGOs such as the World Health Organizations (WHO).

The new understanding of mental health illness in Somalia is partially due to the contribution from Somali diaspora professionals who are returning home.  Good example is the recent opening of Somalia Mental Health Foundation Centre in Puntland region by Dr. Abas M. Jama and his colleague Mr. Hassan M. Esse. Dr. Jama and his colleague Mr. Esse are Somali diaspora professionals and the founders of The Somalia Mental Health Foundation. Their foundation is a non-profit organization that provides services and guidance for people with mental health conditions. One of the program’s mandates is to develop adequate facilities with highly qualified mental health professionals for the diagnosis and treatment of mental, neurological and psycho-social disorder. Furthermore, the mandate states that the foundation is to set up mental health camps where psychiatric consultation and medicines are provided free-of-charge. What is unique about this particular organization is that, it is initiated and run by Somali diaspora professionals who decided to dedicate their time and effort to support other Somalis inside the country, and one that I hope others follow suit.

Dr. Jama is a well-respected Psychiatrist by training in the United States. He has a private practice in Sandusky, Ohio and specializes in adult psychiatry. He is a member of the Medical Staff of Firelands Regional Medical Center and Firelands Physician Group, Mercy Hospital in Lorain, Ohio and a member of the American Medical Association and American Psychiatric Association.

Dr. Jama recognizes the need to treat individuals who are suffering from mental illness in Somalia as a result of the prolonged civil war, and the absence of proper mental health centers to treat these individuals. Hence, Dr. Jama and his colleagues opened their first office in Qardha, Puntland, and are working their way throughout the country to treat mental illness. The facility is run by Abdiqani Abdullahi Askar who has a Bachelor of Nursing Degree and Medical Psychiatry Training Certificate. Since opening the clinic in 2011, Dr. Jama and Abdiqani have treated over 4000 patients and returned to the region twice to train nurses, educate patients and their family members, and dispense medication.

Dr. Jama’s vision in Somalia is to establish collaborative working relationships with the medical community and hospitals in Somalia in order to facilitate needed medical training to care for mentally ill patients.  The top priority for this year he said is to provide and develop educational training programs. To this end, Dr. Jama (The Somali Mental Health Foundation) in partnership with the existing Mental Health Centers in Somali such as Mr. Habeeb’s run facilities in Mogadishu will conduct a two-four week of educational course on mental illness to nurses, nurse practitioners, and aides who live in Mogadishu and the surrounding region. The training program will be offered in three different cities in Somalia. Moreover, as part of this course, Dr. Jama will train approximately 60-100 nurses and aids in Somalia in the effort to give the participants the necessary tools and knowledge desperately required to treat mental illness.

More than providing education, Dr. Jama and his colleagues are changing societal views on mental illness by helping to lessen the stigma surrounding mental illness in Somalia. By this, they are providing the platform for sufferers to seek needed medical care for their illness. In Puntland regions, the municipal officials are putting requests to Dr. Jama to train the hospital staff in order to care for patients. As seen from video clips on their website: http://somalimentalhealthfoundation.com/ people are lining up for treatments.  A recent interview on Somali TV, the Dr. and his colleague Mr. Esse expressed an overwhelming experience by the new patients who for the first time since their illnesses were released from their chains.Line up in front of The Somali Mental Health Foundation, Qardha center, November, 2011

Though there are no monitoring oversight bodies except for the mental health institutions that regularly monitor patients at health facilities, this is a tremendous achievement on the onset of fighting mental illness in the country.

Advocacy and Public Education and Awareness

In an interview with Al-Jazeera TV, 2011, Mr. Habeeb who runs the Mental Health Centre in Mogadishu said, “I believe there is no one with good mental health in Mogadishu or in the entire South and Central Somalia because of what is going on. Normal people will not kill and maim their own, and for such a long time.” This is true for the entire country and there are dire needs for trained and educated professionals within the field of Mental Health and on the health field in general. The 2001 UN Development Programme’s Human Development Report, ranked Somalia lowest in all health indicators except life expectancy. In its latest report, the country is not even ranked due to the lack of reliable data. Somalia needs human resources for medical health development who can deliver integrated primary health care services. The backbone of any health care system is the mental health and in order to maintain and encourage a culture in which respect and healing for the mentally ill are a priority, there needs to be an education.  The new concept of training medical practitioners as exemplified by Dr. Jama and his colleagues has been successful, and it should be considered as a viable strategy for treating mental illness in Somalia and enhancing community awareness of mental illness.

Due to the long neglect of mental health issues in Somalia, and the long-held beliefs on mental illness, the country needs Somali community organizations, and community health centers such as the one developed by Dr. Jama, Mr. Esse, and Mr. Habeeb. Somali led mental health treatment, and training is the best hope for Somalia. Dr. Jama’s actions will hopefully encourage other diaspora professionals to invest back to the country. The efforts of these professionals have led to many successes, and Somalia continues to benefit from their tireless efforts and much-needed expertise in establishing a comprehensive strategy for battling mental illness in Somalia. Creating community awareness and empowerment in the area of mental health is a key to treating the disease and with the training and support from the international NGO also, will position Somalis to further improve mental illness. The current Somali government also needs to encourage, support, and partner with Somali professionals with mental health expertise to create mutual support, conduct advocacy and influence the policy-making process in line with international human rights standards.

The way forward for mental health policy implementation is to.

• Establish a centralized public health institution mandated in managing the Mental Health program and services in the country.
• Integrate mental health into the primary health care services, so mental health care can be seen as an essential aspect of health care.
• Create a clear, well communicated future vision for the healthcare system, and to consider mental health research findings that can be used most effectively in influencing the delivery of services.
• Assist in capacity building on the community-level models of care that effectively involved in mental health treatment and delivery of services.
• Support service providers and users alike to understand and promote human rights, recovery and rehabilitation of mental illness, and to recognize mental health as a crucial component of personal health.
• Lastly, build and maintain a health care related database in the country.

End

Kenya: Crackdown on drugs and illicit brew

• By Maurice Alal in Kenya

KISUMU County Commissioner Lorna Odero has today directed the district commissioners to crack down drug and illicit brew peddlers in the county.

Odero asked the DCs to make their areas drug free and warn of any laxity to arrest those involved.

She also orders the police in the county to ensure thorough inspections of public vehicles and suspected cars that are used to ferry the drugs and alcohol.

“I have instructed all the security agents in the county to deal strictly with cases of drugs,” she said.

Odero also warned those chiefs alleged to be colluding with changaa brewers and remind them of their responsibilities.

The county boss said the county recorded high usage of alcohol and drugs nationally and called all the chiefs to apprehend all the dealers.

Odero also warned the DCs and chiefs who are reluctant in fighting the drug peddlers in their areas saying they risk loosing their jobs.

“We cannot sit back and watch our youths being rendered useless by people with vested interest,” Odero stated.

She further asked young people in the county to desist from drugs and engage in productive activities.

The administrator urged members of the public to be vigilant and volunteer information to police to apprehend those involved in drugs.

This comes just a day when Kisumu West DC, Gilbert Kittyo impounded over 700 litres of illicit brew in Sunga village.

The brew included changaa and molasses which they poured down and intercepted the equipment that they use in brewing.

Kittyo warned the chiefs in his area that they will face stern action if they fail to eradicate the drug menace.

“I will sack those chiefs who fail to perform their duties before I am sent packing by my bosses,” he warned.

 

END

 

Kenya: Lugulu mission Hospital in Bungoma County is now surviving on borrowed time

• By GODFREY WAMALWA, API KENYA

Lugulu mission Hospital  in Bungoma County is now surviving on borrowed time if details of a well-guarded corruption networks unmasked by weekly citizen is anything to go by.

Even before the dust settle in the air after a shocking exposure of corruption at controversial Lugulu Mission Hospital in Bungoma County, fresh details are now emerging over the bleak future of the facility. For the third week in a row, the hospital which   a week ago was reported by your  favorite   Weekly Citizen to  have  lost  hundreds of millions if not  billions of  shillings through fraudulent  deals by it Managers, CEO and some of  its Board of Directors is now in the  thick of another  scandal involving another million scandal.

And following recent happenings at the once vibrant medical facility that have seen several directors and officials exit and others are now hauled to court  to answer unprocedurally terminations, details have emerged exposing even more sleaze.

 The facility is widely known within the region to conduct this malpractices and it is no longer news to hear that yet another multi million financial scam  has resurfaced.

Ironically , these cases even when reported are never dealt with accordingly by the relevant authorities.

After several ill-financial reports erupted one week after an exposure by your popular weekly citizen,this scribe pitched investigative tent to unmask what was detailed in the hidden but shocking auditing reporting.

The report in white paper but written with black ink cites numerous glaring cases of unvoiced expenditures, conflict of interest and accounting lapses at the hospital.The report details that a total of Sh14.7million was stolen through unvoiced expenditure and further recommends that the Financial director Evelyne  Efumbi should be investigated and arraign in court to pay for the loot.

Situated along Webuye-Kitale,the facility which receives huge funding from Friends United Mission,Aphias Plus and government support, has allegedly cut itself a special place on matters of corruption.Another Sh729,520  was lost whereby the hospital was required to carry out a monthly Bank reconciliations to detect any direct debits by Bank which was not captured in the hospital financial records.

The examination held by the hospital reveals that the expenditure totaling to the above amount during 2010/2011 financial year was incurred on clearing hospitals debts,no records were produced to show how transaction was done.

Documents in possession with weekly citizen reveals that sh 3million was not accounted for and the items purchased were not procured professionally.

An amount of sh6million was withdrawn from the hospital bank by former Dr.Simon Kisaka while another sh 1.6million withdrawn by Evelyne Efumbi who allegedly handed over the withdrawals,there is no documents to support such transaction.The report further indicates that the hospital might have lost sh 27million through fraudulent withdrawals.

The estimated average monthly collection(revenue)ksh 4million,but from available schedules,a total of sh 2.1m was banked and the sh1.9 was directly spent but there was no tangible evidence of banking sh2.1m.

The hospital however,lost sh900,000 through unaccounted for travelling and subsistence allowances but no supportive documents attacked to the payment vouchers,no receipt acknowledgement of the cash pai or payment vouchers and that the said payments were treated as expenditure instead of temporary imprests.

However officers implicated in the above scam are as follows.Wilson Maungo (former internal auditor)two junior staffs,and the acting administrator Jackson Fuko. Our expansive investigation has however, unmasked that mismanagement and inefficiency  is the cause of financial troubles at the Bungoma based hospital.

This revelations comes as the fate of about a section of employees hangs in balance,after being sacked under shady circumstances

The tradition by top management to single source suppliers is behind the fleecing of the company of profits, with no tendering process.

“There is too much inefficiency at the hospital”, a highly placed source said.

The source who has been working at the firm as a senior manager for over the years, but declined to be named blamed top managers for not having fixed rates for buying of items at the hospital.

The recent appointment of Jackson Fuko to head administration office has threatened to impair the smooth running of the hospital bearing in mind the he is incompetent and holds a mere certificate in storekeeping. In a recent meeting where he was to address staffs,saw him prefer using Kiswahili a situation which provided a perfect insight of his disastrous academic background. His anarchic act,selfish and outright office abuse has put his competence as an administrator in question something that is now evident at the hospital struck with mass exodus of managerial experts.

According to impeccable sources,his anarchic acts and selfishness has led to a number of senior officers moving out.However,the recent mass exit was that the immediate administrator William Wambugu who recently resigned at the hospital citing frustrations and forcefully embezzlement of donors funds,lack of commitment by a section of management,and issuing of payment vouchers to non-existing projects.

But what followed after the taking over the office of administrator very perturbing as a new turn of events emerging where a section of the locals who are well versed with the million scandal is now embroiled in got agitated and threatened to hold demonstrations.

End

 

Kenya: Nurses and midwives trained on safe abortion methods to curb high mortality rate

• By Maurice Alal, API Kenya

Kisumu Medical and Education Trust (KMET) has embark on the training of nurses and midwives on various ways to curb unsafe abortion which has led to high rate of mortality across the country.

According to Monica Ogutu the Executive Director of KMET the training is to enhance the capacity of health providers to offer quality abortion related services within the confines of the law in Kenya.

Monica said health providers need to understand provision of Comprehensive Abortion Care services such as the use of Manual Vacuum Aspiration, Medical Abortion and Post Abortion Care.

In Kenya, health statistics shows that 300,000 unsafe abortions occur annually with 30% of maternal deaths due to unsafe abortion with majority done by quacks. This means that 819 cases of unsafe abortion occur daily.

The reports further indicate that over 20,000 women are admitted to public hospitals with abortion complications with millions of shillings spent annually to treat these complications.

KMET Program Coordinator on Abortion Carolyne Nyandat said most women live with long-term consequences due to stigma in the society making them hide. This, she said force women to seek the services from unskilled people.

However, Deputy Director of Medical Services Dr Paul Mitei expressed fear that Kenya might not achieve the target of 75% to reduce mortality rate by 2015 as per the Millennium Development Goals.

Dr Mitei said this is jeopardized by rampant unsafe abortion carried by quacks behind doors. The mortality rate from abortion currently stands at 30%.

He warned the residents from seeking abortion services from untrained people and urged them to come out stigmatization. “Most people are still stigmatized because of the abortion law in our society,” he said warning that unsafe abortion is criminal activity with severe punishment.

“The cost of abortion varies as low as Kshs.500 depending with where the service is provided. In government institutions the service is offered at Kshs.1000” Says Dr Mitei.

The medics revealed that most people misuse abortion in the region leading to high rate of mortality from abortion. He said the trend is now worrying and call stakeholders to partner reduce the deaths.

“Although abortion is a family planning method, people should embrace appropriate standards,” Dr Mitei said.

In curbing the vice, the medic called upon women to seek abortion services at the first 12 weeks of the pregnancy from well-trained health providers and at right standards facilities.

He further urged residents to offer their babies to adoption society instead of rushing for unsafe services saying that children have a right to live.

END

 

Kenya: Dealing with jiggers

• By GODFREY WAMALWA, KENYA

Jiggers have continued to wreak havoc in many lives in the rural schools. A number of school going children have had to drop out of school because they are unable to walk.

A Non-Governmental organization Rise Up decided to ease this problem at Khwiroro primary school in Kimilili district of Bungoma county by holding an anti-jigger campaign that saw them treated in an exercise that exposed their ordeals that have negatively affected their concentration in class.

The vibrant initiative graced by Rise up Director Jim Nduruchi,saw over fifty infested pupils removed jiggers and the later treated one after the other with disinfectants with some having worse situations where the jiggers were found to have infested their hands and even to the extent of their mouth.

According to Rise Up we Director Mr.Nduruchi, the exercise was to ensure innocent pupils are given a chance to lead a comfortable life and enable them concentrate in class a situation that has been really affected by the jigger menace throughout the county.

However, the parents were also challenged to maintain high levels of cleanliness at their homes saying it will help a great deal in fighting jigger infestation. Mr.Nduruchi says teachers should sensitize pupils on standard hygiene and embark on a sustained drive to bring the situation under control. “You have to clean up your houses thoroughly, smear them with cow dung, bath your children on a daily basis as it will help you keep the jiggers away,” advised Nduruchi.

In addition, he lashed out at other organizations that has shown up claiming to be involved in anti- jigger campaigns in the community saying they are doing sub standard services of only telling infected people to deep their feet in chemicals without first removing jiggers from them.

Kimilili District Rise- Up Chairman Wanyonyi Bwisa promised that the Rise Up organization will conduct a door to door anti- jigger campaign so as to reach those who fear to show up in public to have an exclusive treatment.

The chairperson also urged the government to facilitate the carrying out of a comprehensive baseline survey on the number of pupils infected with jiggers in the country. Mr.Wanyonyi says the survey would help gather data on the number of children who drop out of school annually due to the horrific drama.

The affected areas as the research conducted by the Rise up are Chebukwabi, Khwiroro and parts of Kamusinga “ we are working on a program of ensuring we tour all the affected areas to provide our services to the benefit of our community” promised Mr.Wanyonyi. Ahadi Trust anti jiggers campaign ambassador Cecilia Mwangi two years back started the campaigns that caught the nation off guard.

Through her campaign, the Ministry of Education had also risen to the reality of the jiggers’ problem.

Since Ahadi trust raised the issue many other organizations have been visiting homes and schools of people infested with jiggers and offering food, clothing and medical assistance.

In Bumula constituency where the jiggers menace is reported to be very high, the area former Member of Parliament, Bifwoli Wakoli, had earlier commissioned a study to be carried out in all learning institutions, to find out what could be done to eradicate this problem.

A study carried out in Bumula District of Bungoma County has shown that all the primary schools in the area consistently record dropout cases, citing that most of the jigger infested pupils were avoiding being laughed at by their colleagues.

According to research, the major cause is said to be poor hygiene conditions. The most visible effect of the attack is the inability to walk easily due to the pain in the affected areas of the body especially the legs.

It also includes inability to carry out normal daily activities and the stigmatization by other people.However; this also leads to loss of self-esteem that result from stigmatization. Infections such as HIV/Aids may also be passed between patients sharing same pins.

The treatment of the infection involves the extraction of the entire insect. The breaking of the jigger is likely to cause inflammation and other infections. The breaking of jigger is likely to cause inflammation and other infection thus is recommended for the victim to soak the feet in an alcoholic solution such as hydrogen peroxide or dettol and savlon.

Poor people living in unhygienic dwellings get jiggers because of the unsanitary nature of the dwellings.

This renders the poor unable to rise out of poverty or makes them even poorer. They are however trapped in vicious cycle of poverty for a long time unless timely and appropriate intervention breaks the cycle. The jigger is a parasite capable of visiting untold misery on victims more so children.

The jigger vicious cycle is among the easiest to break because it mostly afflicts small populations of uneducated poor in endemic zones. The jigger and poverty vicious cycle can be broken through cost-effective intervention almost any angle.

This can be effected through improved hygiene and sanitation in homes to eradicate fleas creating better housing with smooth environment where the fleas cannot hide.

End

 

Colostrum contains super health benefits

* Transported here for educational purposes from Food News, Natural Healing, Nutrition News

Published on July 20, 2012 by Blanche Levine

Republished here without alterations:

(NaturalHealth365) Colostrum is the first food of life – naturally designed to maintain health and prevent disease. This is a baby’s first food and as such is incredibly effective at keeping a baby healthy while providing the foundation for growth. Sadly, most people (including health professionals) have never been taught its health benefits.

Colostrum is the secretion from the mammary glands before a mothers milk starts to flow. It is provided in the first 24 to 48 hours, and provides essential nutrients for the immune system. Bovine colostrum is biologically transferable to all mammals – including man. It even has identical factors to those of human colostrum and is actually many times richer in immune factors.

How to bring your body back to life

One of the primary functions of colostrum is gut health. The health of our gastrointestinal tract which consists of the mouth, esophagus, stomach and the intestines is essential to preventing disease. The gut has also been called our “second brain” and digestive issues are usually the source of most physical dis-eases.

We don’t need to look further than the gut when looking to alleviate most illnesses. Gut health is thought of in terms of diarrhea, constipation, indigestion, heartburn, and other GI problems. Unfortunately, we tend to ignore intestinal health when looking at conditions that seem unrelated such as: food allergies, autoimmune disorders, Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

A healthy digestive system is your first line of (disease) defense

When the bacteria in the gut are out of balance, dysbiosis is one of the consequences. In other words, the proportion of beneficial bacteria is out numbered by harmful bacteria – which leads the way to a “leaky gut”. Don’t ignore digestive disorders – look for a qualified, naturopathic physician to help you heal the gut.

Leaky gut is when the permeability of the gut lining increases so that toxins and pathogens (normally held in check) pass though the gut lining – moving freely throughout the body. The intestines now become the gateway to freedom for every type of bacteria, fungus and toxin – causing fatigue, brain fog plus many other chronic health problems.

Boost immunity with nature’s first food

Leaky gut can be devastating and the effects can last a lifetime. Colostrum has a cornucopia of essential immune boosting substances known to help heal leaky gut. There is a reason it’s the first feeding for a human being. Thankfully, breast feeding is making a popular comeback and will certainly help future generation – providing mothers keep their body healthy and strong.

In the book Colostrum, Life’s First Food, Dr. Daniel G. Clark’s message is loud and clear – bovine colostrum “rebuilds the immune system, destroys viruses, bacteria, and fungi, and accelerates healing of all body tissue, while helping with weight loss and builds lean muscle, while slowing down and reversing aging.”

According to Clark and the well-known naturopathic physician Dr. Bernard Jensen, colostrum plays a therapeutic role in AIDS, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, allergies, herpes, bacterial, viral and parasitic infections, gingivitis, colds and flu.

Is your diet filled with “superfood” nutrition?

Bovine colostrum is not for everyone – especially vegans. Ultimately, it’s up to each individual to choose what’s best for them. And, naturally, there are many other ways to rebuild the health of the colon such as, eating fermented foods; supplementing with prebiotics or probiotics and minimizing the use of antibiotics.

Keep in mind, the best quality colostrum comes from healthy cows that roam on chemical-free pastures without hormones or antibiotics. The processing has to be done without the use of high temperatures and pasteurization. And, powdered colostrum is more concentrated than its liquid form with a longer shelf life.

Did you know that conventional doctors once used colostrum for its antibiotic effects before the introduction of penicillin? Are you using colostrum? Post your health recovery story below.

About the author: Blanche Levine has been a student of natural healing modalities for the last 25 years. She had the privilege of working with some of the greatest minds in Natural Healing including Naturopaths, Scientist, and Energy Healers. Having seen people miraculously heal from all kinds of dis-ease through non-invasive methods, her passion now is to help people.

Sources:

http://www.colostrum-immunity.com/Colostrum-used-as-cancer-treatment.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colostrum

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Tags: bovine colostrum, colostrum, colostrums health benefits, dysbiosis, first milk, good bacteria, gut health, immunity, leaky gut

Comments

22 Comments on “Colostrum contains super health benefits”

• swarnmittal on Sun, 22nd Jul 2012 4:13 am 
  

  i got this really big information, on clostrum n i would like to keep my own cow n tt. my son,s constipaion and one my question is can it tt. my osteoarthritis of knee jts. n psoriasis.if possible plz. ans. to me. thankks.

• Jack Perham on Sun, 22nd Jul 2012 7:51 am 
  

  Hey Guys great article and a topic i have really been digging into since i joined the WAPF and became a HLC. Just a question… does bovine colostrum occur also in Raw Goats milk? to the same degree..

  Kind Regards

• Geoffrey Franklin of the Finn clan on Sun, 22nd Jul 2012 8:03 am 
  

  Where can I get some Bovine colostrum?

• Megan on Sun, 22nd Jul 2012 9:14 am 
  

  I started using probiotics 5 years ago and dont get exeama anymore

• Patricia on Sun, 22nd Jul 2012 9:21 am 
  

  Is there a particular colostrum brand you might suggest?

  Thank-you.

  Patricia

• leslie on Sun, 22nd Jul 2012 10:20 am 
  

  great info and article but the link given as a source (colostrum-immunity.com)is out of date/ not available for ordering product. I would suggest Transfer Factor.

• leslie on Sun, 22nd Jul 2012 10:26 am 
  

  I have used the transfer factor plus “Tri-Factor” by 4Life to rescue my cat from intermediate-grade lymphoma of the intestines…19 months (equivalent to about 10 years in human life!) later the cancer seems to be returning and I will try it on him again. I shouldn’t have stopped the treatment at all but he has had a great remission even still.

• leslie on Sun, 22nd Jul 2012 10:39 am 
  

  I have used the transfer factor plus “Tri-Factor” by 4Life to rescue my cat from intermediate-grade lymphoma of the intestines…19 months (equivalent to about 10 years in human life!) later the cancer seems to be returning and I will try it on him again. I shouldn’t have stopped the treatment at all but he has had a great extension of life.

• Sandy on Sun, 22nd Jul 2012 11:23 am 
  

  I would suggest listening to Robert Scott Bell’s show on Natural News Radio. He has, not only a colostrum product advertised on there, but also raw whey protein and a very superior probiotic formula. I have found the products he advertises on his show to be far superior to anything I have found anywhere else.

  Robert talks about healing the gut all the time on his show, so if you listen on almost any day, you should be able to pick up more information about this.

• Robin on Sun, 22nd Jul 2012 1:33 pm 
  

  I’ve been researching colostrum for a while now and I’ve found it must be 6 hours colostrum, that is colostrum that has been collected within the 6 hours window or it is not considered colostrum. It’s also important to come form grass fed cows. The Surthrival brand looks good.

  Robin @http://toxicbeautyblog.com

• BARBARA HORNER on Sun, 22nd Jul 2012 3:42 pm 
  

  I LEARNED ABOUT COLOSTRUM AND THE 8 ESSENTIAL GOOD SUGARS 4 OR 5 YEARS AGO AND DO TAKE IT MYSELF.

  MY HUSBAND HAD SQUAMOUS CELL CANCER AND HE IS TAKING THIS AS WELL AS OTHER IMMUNE SYSTEM ANTIDIOXIANTA.

  I TRULY BELIEVE, IF ONE HAS A HEALTHY BODY AND STRIVES TO MAKE IT STRONG, DISEASE CAN BE CURED AND THE BODY HEALED.

• Mrs Rosetta Liset on Sun, 22nd Jul 2012 3:56 pm 
  

  Hi I live in England I have a 11 year old doughter who has a servere Nurological Disorder, please can you tell me where can I get Boviene Colestrum, is the HEALTH SHOP MIGHT HAVE SOME, we are doing oll kinds of Supplements, but my doughter, is not olways keen in taking them, and we olso have Certified Organic Food. In the past we have done HBOT Oxigan Therapey, and Therapey Learning. Music therapey as my doughter has Distonted Hearing. We look forward to hearing from you Mrs Rosetta Liset.

• DJ on Sun, 22nd Jul 2012 6:50 pm 
  

  You’re such a good mom, Rosetta. Your daughter will be in my prayers.

• Lisa Schwabe on Mon, 23rd Jul 2012 12:17 am 
  

  Your article is very interesting.
  I have heard about the value of colostrum before.
  But to tread it is a problem,because it is so difficult to get natural and certified organic products.

  Somebody asked already if goats milk is just as good ? ? ?

• Helen on Mon, 23rd Jul 2012 9:21 am 
  

  Mrs.Rosetta Liset, have you heard of the science of Nutritional Immunology? Feel free to contact me for more info at helen.marinis@sympatico.ca – do not give me. Keep on researching for the natural ways of healing. We all have the best doctor in the world, our immune system.

• cindy toler on Mon, 23rd Jul 2012 10:14 am 
  

  YES please address the question about using raw goat milk!
  Thanks, Cindy

• sarum on Mon, 23rd Jul 2012 4:26 pm 
  

  Not vegan but really do not wish to take what belongs to the calf. There has to be another way.

• Angie on Wed, 25th Jul 2012 1:44 am 
  

  http://www.surthrival.com/portfolios/colostrum/

  Hope this helps, looks like a good product..

• Dr. Anthony Kleinsmith, Ph.D. on Wed, 25th Jul 2012 10:53 am 
  

  Make sure you are getting real colostrum, not transitional milk. Always ask for a 3rd Party validation and if they won’t or can’t give it to you, walk away. I am the owner of Immune Tree, we are the ONLY colostrum as validated independently by Cornell University and we just won the People’s Choice award over 5 other companies; With over 4000 votes, Immune-Tree colostrum has won the coveted Healthy Living People’s Choice Award with an astounding 89.33%. Source Naturals was a distant second at 4.55%, Jarrow scored 3.98%, Symbiotics 1.40% and TBR Labs had less than one percent of the vote.

  Always ask for validation!

  In health always,

  Dr. Anthony Kleinsmith

• PerCoBa on Wed, 25th Jul 2012 4:50 pm 
  

  Great article–for those of you asking about goat colostrum-it is my understanding that it is even better than bovine (cow) colostrum, but, of course-much less of a supply and harder to procure, which is why most companies use bovine. Free colostrum samples available from PerCoBa Colostrum (www.percoba.com) Another great book is “Natural Alternatives to Nexium, Maalox, Tagamet, Prilosec & other Acid Blockers” by Martie Whittekin, CCN. PerCoBa insists the calves get the colostrum they need first and then the extra is sold to us–only 0-6 hour colostrum! Hope I don’t sound like a salesman–I’ve used PerCoBa for 20+ years and my doctor comments “you’re never in here between physicals”…hmmmm. also..watch for the new and improved – colostrum.com

• Dann White on Thu, 26th Jul 2012 3:03 am 
  

  This is something special about Colostrum. I got many new things from your post. I have a link for Colostrum products and wish to share with you.
  http://www.herbs-wholesale.com/colostrum.htm
  Wide range of Colostrum products.

• Michael Felix on Sat, 4th Aug 2012 7:49 am 
  

  The greatest benefits of organic agriculture will be to the consumers as organic produce means less pesticides and much less contaminants in our food. Even at lower levels these contaminants can enjoy havoc with the body and despite all of the assurances from government and industry they have little idea regarding the real consequences of the pesticide addicted agricultural industry.For more visit: your-fuel.com/food-drink/health-advantage-organic-foods/

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Ends

 

Kenya steps up diabetes management

By Thomas Ochieng, reporting from Kenya                                                                                      

 

As the world is set to mark the World Diabetes day on 14^th November, the statistics around the diabetes condition are appalling to say the least. According to World Health Organization report it’s estimated that about 346 million people worldwide are diabetic, with 80% of them falling on the low-income and mid-income segments. Diabetes according to WHO falls in the category of Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and are the leading cause of mortality in the world. This invisible epidemic is an under-appreciated cause of poverty and hinders the economic development of many countries.

 

In Africa today, according to the WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr.Luis G.Sambo Changes in lifestyles of Africans have brought a change in the pattern of diseases in Africa. He deduces that until recently Africa was mostly affected by communicable diseases. Today, chronic diseases are becoming increasingly prevalent in all countries. This has created an epidemiological profile characterized by double burden of diseases, and many countries are unable to effectively deal with the current situation because of inadequate policies and resource constraints.

 

Kenya today is faced with a prevalence rate of 2.7% in the rural areas and 10.7% in urban areas according to the data collected by the Kenya Diabetes Information Center. The organization also attributes about 27% of deaths as a result of Non-Communicable Diseases to diabetes pandemic. To check this high prevalence rate of diabetes in Kenya the Government in partnership with the Kenya diabetes Information Center have come up with mitigation measures targeting both the diabetic patients, health providers and the public for a sensitization campaign to run throughout the country.

 

The sensitization campaign of diabetes as one of the Non-Communicable diseases in Kenya has in the recent past gained prominence in government’s health sector budgetary allocations. Diabetes has been a silent ailment for long time in the country and indeed many African countries whereby it was associated with taking of sugar, yet this is a myth, this grave concern is the driving force of the sensitization campaign to debunk some of these myths associated with such lifestyle diseases such as diabetes.

 

Ends.

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