Students celebrates 2014 World Malaria Day

By Mohammed Sani Garba

Environmental Health Technology Students Association [EHTSA], Federal University of Technology, Owerri [FUTO] celebrated 2014 World Malaria Day. The celebration this year started across the university environment to create awareness about the day before addressing students and general public.

In his speech, the president of the association, Comrade Celestine Onah traced the history of the day to the 60^th World Health Assembly in March 2007, which replaced ‘Africa Malaria Day’, and focus to provide education and understanding of malaria as a global scourge which needs joint efforts in controlling the diseases.

The Dean, School of Health Technology [SOHT], Prof. I. N. S. Dozie expressed his happiness about the effort of the students in marking the day and call on stakeholders to join hands and reduce the incidences of malaria across the globe, which Africa contribute the highest number of morbidity and mortality globally; pledge his support to the students anytime such will arise, and hope the marking of the day and others be sustained.

The theme of the day is ‘Invest in the future. Defeat malaria’, but the association rephrase and localize it to ‘Invest in the future. Defeat malaria through environmental health approach’.

The association recommends adequate funding on environmental health services across the nation as the solution to malaria prevention, research grants to institutions like FUTO to carry out more research on malaria, and engaging of environmental health practitioners in piloting the affairs of malaria control to get maximum and efficient results among others.

Haruna B. Wakili, a graduating student of environmental health technology had this to say on the day “We commemorate the day like other organizations across the world; I am happy that my association engages fully in marking the day which brought glory to my department, my Dean was very happy and proud of the effort of my association. The message we are sending is that, malaria is an environmental health problems and needs environmental health solutions, simple”.

But Ijeoma Mang 400 level environmental health technology said “The celebration of the day is a success. It really widen my knowledge that malaria control do not lies in drugs, insecticide treated nets only but wholly on environmental health management and control. I am grateful to my association for commemorating the day”.

NAHESTS holds lecture

By Mohammed Sani

The National Association of Health Science and Technology Students [NAHESTS], Federal University of Technology, Owerri present Campus Student’s Movement in collaboration with Medical Women Association of Nigeria, Imo state chapter held a one day seminar on topical health issues.

Declaring the event open, the Dean, School of Health Technology, Prof. I. N. S. Dozie who was represented, welcome the speakers by coming to impart knowledge on wide range health issues; he called on the participants to practice what they would listen; and expressed his happiness by associating with these organizations that organizes the events.

In her paper on ‘cervical cancer’, Dr. Egwim Adana describes cervical cancer as a disease affecting women and the risk factors include being female, repeated sexual intercourse, multiple sexual partners, smoking, etc. and call on every woman to be going for screening periodically to avoid it in future, as it has no cure but can be prevented by vaccination, hence call for public awareness, regular screening, vaccination.

Dr. E. O. Ofundu in her paper titled ‘Healthy Skin’ describes skin as the largest organ of the body, as a mirror of the internal/body and a reflection of psychological, emotional, physical and mental trauma to the body. She looks at skin as either normal, dry, oily and combination of these three, which needs different approach in making it healthy.

To maintain a healthy skin, she call on participants to eat well balance diet, cleanse all make up before sleep, exfoliate regularly and avoidance of drugs that cause skin sensitivity.

Dr. Uche Onyekwere, a representative of Sebamed-makers of medical care products, delivered her paper on ‘Acne and Skin’ and look at acne as a “skin condition that occurs when the hair follicles over produce cells and becomes plugged with oil and dead skin cells. As a result, it swells and forms a white head which can be seen as a black head at the surface of skin”. He describes medical skin care products as products uses as a skin care routine that is suited to the particular characteristic of your skin, it strengthen its protective mechanisms and help it cope with stress and environmental influences, while cosmetic skin products are not, they are even dangerous to the natural skin.

The commissioner of Health Imo state, Dr. Edward O. Ihejirika, represented by Dr. Iyanya P. C. expressed his happiness by associating Imo state to the event in bringing issue of cervical cancer, skin care to the public domain to raise their awareness on how to take care of their health, which is also part of the state ministry of health mandate. He stated that Imo state government has completed plan to establish a diagnostic centre for cervical cancer menace.

The Campus Student’s Movement represented by Owums Henry C. tells participants that the organization “is a non-political movement that is centered at a better health care delivery amongst the youth, the civic responsibilities as youth, their social responsibilities to mention a few”.

He thanks the university management for hosting the programme.

2014 World Malaria Day in Federal University of Technology Owerri

The Department of Public Health Technology and Institute of Environmental Health technology [IEHT], Federal University of Technology, Owerri [FUTO], in conjunction with Centre for Women, Gender and Development Studies [CWGDS], Office of the Vice Chancellor will celebrates World Malaria Day on 25th April, 2014.
The theme of this year is ‘Invest in the future. Defeat malaria’

The day will feature
• Lectures
• Procession

* Malaria Screening

Announcer, Prof A. N. Amadi, Head of Department, Public Health Technology and Coordinator, Institute of Environmental Health Technology, FUTO.

School holds 5th lecture series

School Of Health Technology [SOHT], Federal University of Technology, Owerri held it 5^th lecture series recently. The lecture was delivered by a renowned lecturer of department of public health, Dr. Uchechukwu Chukwuocha titled ‘Antimalarial drug resistance: Molecular considerations and implications for evidence based research in Nigeria’.

“Malaria is a disease of poverty and major hindrance to economic development” Said Chukwuocha and that notwithstanding the number of malaria deaths across the world, “the actual number deaths are not known with certainty, as accurate data unavailable in many rural areas and many cases are undocumented”.

On the factors that contribute to the spread of resistance he stated human behaviour-drug pressure due to complacency, indiscriminate drug usage and adulterated drugs; and biological influence as in pharmacokinetic of drugs and reaction with parasite, decreased immunity, malnutrition and cross reactivity with drugs for other ailments.

He therefore listed the tools that can be used to monitor drug resistance to include therapeutic efficacy test, in vitro studies of parasite susceptibility to drugs in culture, case detection, molecular methods of gene mutations or gene amplifications associated with parasite resistance.

He calls on the need for high-quality monitoring of antimalarial drug resistance, sustained funding and encouragement of high level research for routine monitoring, continuous surveillance of molecular drug resistance to inform better planning and effective/timely implementation of drug policies based on evidence which will help in the timely detection of resistance for any particular drug in use at any point in time so that changes in drug policy can be made in time, and there is need to routinely evaluate and update our malaria treatment policies.

In his remark, the Dean, School of Health Technology [SOHT] calls on the students to be committed and dedicated in their academic studies as the future of Africa lies in their hand, for Malaria, HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis are the major diseases affecting Africa, so I encourage you to go into research in these and many more diseases.

The attractive part of the lecture is the issue of the advocacy by the lecturer for the return of Chloroquine and sickle cell patient’s malaria which drew a series of intellectual debate by scholars, whereby Dr. Sikiru Lamina, Dr Okorie, Engr Azeez and Prof A. N. Amadi brainstorm to the delight of student.

Mohammed Sani, Public health department, FUT, Owerri

Association Welcomes freshers

Association of Public Health Technology Students [APHETS] has held it ‘Health week, orientation & lectureship’ of new students of the department. The event that last four days, starts from raising awareness of the programme, to diabetes and HIV/AIDS screening, football match and lecture.

In his opening remark, the Dean, School of Health Technology [SOHT], Prof I. N. S. Dozie encouraged the students to lead by example by ensuring a green environment free of dirt’s and litter while paying attention to their academic studies.

In her speech, The immediate Associate Dean, SOHT, Prof S. T Oparaocha also advised the students to pay attention to their studies, not to hate their lecturers, relate well with their fellow students, and cultivate good moral, as university is meant to model a student morally and academically, hence, encourage them to  make hay while the sun shine.

The Head of Department, Public Health, Prof A. N. Amadi presents a paper titled ‘Sanitation and Hygiene: A panacea for a healthy living’, and also congratulates students for choosing a beautiful course anchored on promoting and protecting health, and prolonging life.

In the paper he presented, the immediate Dean, School of Health Technology, Prof C. O. Abanobi titled ‘Careers in Public Health’, he educate the students on the prospects of public health practice and challenges ahead. He therefore calls on the students to remain focus, committed and dedicated so that they can excel in their studies.

An award was given to Prof C. O. Abanobi, Prof S. T. Oparaocha and Prof A. N. Amadi for their various contributions to the department since inception, public and environmental health practice in the country and the world at large.

The representative of the Registrar, Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria [EHORECON], Mr Lawrence Ohorozor call on the student that may choose environmental health and safety option to register with EHORECON after graduation by passing its examination before engaging in practice. He promised to offer automatic employment in his organization for the student that graduates with first class in Public Health.

During the programme, news was read by APHETS radio, an interview was aired by APHETS TV on diabetes, a song by Dr. Mrs. Nwafor, dance and entertainment take over for the enjoyment of the new students and others.

Onyema Kennedy one of the new students said “I learnt a lot in this orientation, from career in public health, diabetes, to sanitation & hygiene. I am proud to recommend public health course to my friends as their chosen field of study due to it wide prospects”. Mbadi-Igwe Kosisochukwu shared her opinion by saying “I learnt about my department and what it is all about, also the contribution I can make to public health practice. If I graduate, I will make an impact in my community, country and the world at large”.

For Chinenye Eze “I now know the careers in Public Health, the things you can practice after graduation, know about diabetes mellitus, it causes and how to control/prevent it. I am simply happy”.

The president of APHETS that organizes the programme, Comrade Osuji Miracle said on the orientation “it is to educate the new students on the their chosen course and what it is all about, considering some of them might have chooses it by chance. Also to let them know how public health department operates and relates with students so that they can maximize their potentials to excel in their new course of study”.

The event was attanded by other lecturers of the department like Dr Joakin Nwakoro, Dr. Chimezie Iwuala, and Dr Udiji.

Mohammed Sani, department of public health, FUT, Owerri