Health
Herbal Cures For Malaria
About two weeks ago, the world celebrated Malaria Day. The challenge of malaria is still intractable especially in the tropics where mosquitoes are permanent part of the ecosystem.
Though statistics rolled out by the authorities in the Rivers State Ministry of Health says the incidence of malaria is decreasing with the high use of treated nets, but eliminating malaria is still a tall dream.
The World Health Organization some years ago commissioned research to find a vaccine for malaria. In Nigeria, Malaria is a major public health problem. It accounts for more cases and deaths in many other countries in the world.
Malaria is a risk for 97% of Nigeria’s population, while the remaining 3% of the population live in malaria free highlands.
There is an estimated 100 million cases with over 300,000 deaths per year in the country according to report by the Centre for Malaria Research and Phytomedicine in the University of Port Harcourt (CMRAP).
The Centre for Malaria Research and Phytomedicine is made of research from the University Teaching Hospital (UPTH) and has done a lot of research on the use of herbs to cure malaria. Below are some of the herbs recommended by the CMRAP for the cure of malaria:
1.Neem tree leaves: The use of Neen or “Dogonyaro” as it’s commonly called is rooted in many cultures and communities in Nigeria. This small medium-sized tree with a large crown up to 10-20 metres in diameter has great potency in treating malaria.
The leaves are used for malaria cure and mosquito repellent. Aside that, it is also used for body aches, skin infections and hemorrhoids.
2. Lemon Grass: Botanically known as “Cymbopogon Citratus” is a tall grass with ringed segment, coarse, green slightly leathery leaves in dense clusters. The plant is a native herb from India, Indonesia and other Asian countries.
To use lemon grass effectively, the leaves are boiled as cure for fever; It also has larvicidal and mosquito repellent properties. Cough, fever, flu and premmonia are also treated with lemon grass tea.
3. Scent leaf or Basil: The Ibos call it “Nchuanwu”. The Ibani people call it “Ikani” this aromatic perennial herb has a erect stem and woody at the base. It has a potent anti-malaria effect. Usually found in the tropics, Scent leave grows wild and is cultivated mainly as a home garden crop, only in Vietnam that it is grown on commercial scale.
To use Scent leaf, boil in water or mix with either lemon grass and drain water for drinking.
Aside malaria, Scent leaf is effective against treating epilepsy and flu. It is used as an antibiotic in upper respiratory trad infection and in diarrhea. It is also used for headache, fever and skin infections.
4. Mango leaves: Fortunately, mango tree grows everywhere and is one of the largest fruit-tree in the world, usually about a height of one hundred feet and an average circumference of 12-14 feet, or more.
Mango is common in Africa and Nigeria and the fruits are edible sweet when ripe with either green or yellow colour.
The leaves are used in the treatment of malaria. It’s also effective for the treatment jaundice and asthma.
Some people use it combined together, while others use the herbs singly, depending on the weight of the malaria.
Two United States scientists who unraveled the human micro RNA have won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024.
Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun won the coveted prize for their work on microRNA as their discoveries help explain how complex life emerged on earth and how the human body is made up of a wide variety of different tissues.
MicroRNAs influence how genes – the instructions for life – are controlled inside organisms, including humans.
Every cell in the human body contains the same raw genetic information, locked in our DNA.
However, despite starting with the identical genetic information, the cells of the human body are wildly different in form and function.
The electrical impulses of nerve cells are distinct from the rhythmic beating of heart cells. The metabolic powerhouse that is a liver cell is distinct to a kidney cell, which filters urea out of the blood.
The light-sensing abilities of cells in the retina are different in skillset to white blood cells that produce antibodies to fight infection.
So much variety can arise from the same starting material because of gene expression.
The US scientists were the first to discover microRNAs and how they exerted control on how genes are expressed differently in different tissues.
The medicine and physiology prize winners are selected by the Nobel Assembly of Sweden’s Karolinska Institute.
They said: “Their groundbreaking discovery revealed a completely new principle of gene regulation that turned out to be essential for multicellular organisms, including humans.
“It is now known that the human genome codes for over 1,000 microRNAs.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has begun acting to curb effects of antibiotic pollution.
The new guidance on wastewater and solid waste management for antibiotic manufacturing sheds light on this important but neglected challenge ahead of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) taking place on 26 September 2024.
The emergence and spread of AMR caused by antibiotic pollution could undermine the effectiveness of antibiotics globally, including the medicines produced at the manufacturing sites responsible for the pollution.
Despite high antibiotic pollution levels being widely documented, the issue is largely unregulated and quality assurance criteria typically do not address environmental emissions. In addition, once distributed, there is a lack of information provided to consumers on how to dispose of antibiotics when they are not used, for example, when they expire or when a course is finished but there is still antibiotic left over.
“Pharmaceutical waste from antibiotic manufacturing can facilitate the emergence of new drug-resistant bacteria, which can spread globally and threaten our health. Controlling pollution from antibiotic production contributes to keeping these life-saving medicines effective for everyone,” said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for AMR ad interim.
Globally, there is a lack of accessible information on the environmental damage caused by manufacturing of medicines.
“The guidance provides an independent and impartial scientific basis for regulators, procurers, inspectors, and industry themselves to include robust antibiotic pollution control in their standards,” said Dr Maria Neira, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, WHO. “Critically, the strong focus on transparency will equip buyers, investors and the general public to make decisions that account for manufacturers’ efforts to control antibiotic pollution.”
In a concerted effort to curb brain drain, the Kebbi State Government has harmonised medical doctors’ salaries to be at par with their colleagues in the federal government’s tertiary health facilities.
Kebbi State Commissioner for Health, Musa Inusa-Isma’il, disclosed this at the handing over of ambulances to the state-owned health facilities at the Ministry of Health in Birnin Kebbi yesterday.
Inusa Isma’il, according to a statement by Ahmed Idris, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, said the essence of the harmonisation was to retain the existing medical doctors and attract more to the services of the state.
According to him, the doctors across the state had already started enjoying the new salaries from August 2024.
He said the release of the vehicles was in fulfilment of Governor Nasir Idris’ promise to uplift health care services in the state.
“His Excellency said I should inform you, the beneficiaries of this gesture, that the vehicle should be strictly used for the intended purpose. It should not be used for anything else.
“If there is no referral case, each of the vehicles must be parked at the hospital by 6 pm. The governor said you should warn your drivers against reckless driving as well as violating the instructions.
“We should also do everything possible to reciprocate the gesture by working according to the terms and conditions attached,” he advised.
The benefiting health facilities included Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Birnin Kebbi; State Teaching Hospital, Kalgo; General Hospital, Argungu; General Hospital, Yauri; General Hospital, Zuru; and General Hospital, Bunza.
In his speech, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Dr Shehu Koko, recalled that the ambulances were handed over to the ministry last Friday by the governor for the onward handover to the benefiting hospitals.
He observed that the ambulances would go a long way in improving the referral system in the state, adding that delays in reaching the secondary and tertiary facilities would be eliminated.
The permanent secretary attributed the high rate of maternal mortality in the country to delays in getting to the health facilities for proper medical care.
“We believe with the provision of these ambulances, part of the gaps we have in our referral system will be addressed, whereby patients who require secondary healthcare could be easily transported to secondary and tertiary health centres, where they can get such help,” he said.
In a goodwill message, Commissioner for Information and Culture Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed expressed gratitude to the governor for the support he has given to the ministry to excel.
While advising the beneficiaries to use the vehicles judiciously, the commissioner advised that services and maintenance of the vehicles must be prompt to derive the maximum benefits from the vehicles.
The commissioner also highlighted some achievements recorded by the government in the last year, including beautification of the state capital, completion of a multimillion-naira ultramodern state secretariat, road construction, construction and renovation of classrooms and upgrading of some health facilities, among others.