Health
Consultant Pediatrician Tasks Parents On Hypertension
Consultant Pediatrician (Adolescent Health/Pediatric Rheumatology) at NnamdiAzikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi (NAUTH), Dr Ogochukwu Ofiaeli, says Hypertension is a medical condition where the pressure in blood vessels is persistently and abnormally elevated.
Ofiaeli said this in an interview with the newsmen Nnewi North Local Government Area of the state.
She spoke in celebration of world hypertension day 2021 with the theme ”Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately, Control It, Live Longer”.
She said that hypertension occurs with increased frequency in children of today and assured it could be controlled in children if parents abide by medical directives.
Ofiaeli said to diagnose the aliment in children, there are scales used to define and categorise hypertension in childhood. Which are usually dependent on the child’s stature.
“A Pediatrician is best suited to diagnose and manage hypertension in children,” she said.
According to her, to measure blood pressure in children, one needs the appropriate sized cuff as using adult cuffs for children would give a false reading.
She said if a normal blood pressure for an adult or even elevated for an adult is seen in a child of smaller stature compared to that adult, that raises a red flag for further evaluation of the child.
Ofiaeli said that an incidental finding of elevation in blood pressure is usually all that is needed for further evaluation for underlying causes.
She explained that underlying pathology in hypertension mechanisms for hypertension differs most times between adults and children. Children mostly have secondary hypertension due to an underlying illness such as Kidney disease and Cardiac problems.
Ofiaeli also said that Thyroid disease Autoimmune illness Drug and substance abuse, especially by Adolescents, and obese people, are major causes of hypertension.
She said that adults on the other hand have a greater proportion of primary hypertension with no known underlying cause or age associated with it.
wellness increases as the child grows.
Ofiaeli said that parents should go to Pediatricians as often as the need arises and urged them to come to hospital on routine checks to maintain healthy growth in children.
She said for the safety of a child, all urinary tract infections must be treated well and urged parents not to discharge the child from medical care until the doctor says so.
“Allow kids to be active and playful, Antihypertensives and other medications to control symptoms and any resultant complication will also be taken,” she said
Ofaeli said that hypertension is curable as the underlying cause of hypertension in childhood could be controlled and result in complete resolution of the blood pressure as it requires life long care
“In all, a hypertensive child may need life long follow up, depending on the cause of the elevated blood pressure. If poorly managed, could result in Kidney disease and Cardiac disease.
She said that hypertension in childhood needs prompt and specialist care, behavioral life style changes may be needed in addition to controlling the blood pressure.
“NAUTH Nnewi has a Department of Pediatrics with Paediatric Nephrology clinic that runs every Thursday and Paediatric Cardiology unit that runs every Friday.
Also, adolescent Health clinic also runs on Thursday, among other outpatient clinics that run from Monday to Friday all start in the morning as well as a 24-hour emergency and in patient care available.
She said that Parents and care givers can always visit these clinics for clarification of their concerns on their children and wards.
NAN reports that world hypertension day is observed every year to raise awareness about the silent killer. It was first inaugurated in May 2005 and ever since has become an annual event.
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.
