Africa News

Archive for March, 2011

Listen to your health nurse advice

there are some cause why your health counselor suggest you to bring malaria tablets. here are some of them
the country that you visit is a living place for malaria mosquito.
you are traveling when malaria risk is increasing.

there are several kind of tablets that protect you from malaria. it is very importan to use the right one. because some kind of tablet ussualy only works for certain area. your doctor also know which tablet will interact well with other drugs that you maybe use. for children, your doctor can also sugest the right tablets and dose. in most malaria danger country, local pharmacy ussualy prepare the suitable tablets. locate the nearest pharmacy from the palace you are staying. prepare also your doctor prescription.

you should prepare your preventive medicine at least 3 weeks before your departure.

Malaria protection: summary of action to be taken

For best result, you should taking your tablet at least 3 weeks before your travel. but it also depend on which anti-malaria that you use. before you use the table, you should read carefully the instruction of usage and use it exacly as it state. don’t take it before you read the instruction until finish. if you decide to travel less than 3 week before depart, contact your doctor as soon as possible. although a bit late, it still worth until your last minute.

in conclution, always cantact your doctor before you travel to malaria danger area. ask them for the suitable tablet for your malaria protection. inform them about your current medication treatment. read your tablet instruction to the end and use it exacly as written in the instruction.

JOHANNESBURG, 26 January 2010 (PlusNews) – The announcement in late 2009 that the government had approved a new HIV/AIDS policy in the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was widely welcomed by AIDS and human rights lobbyists as long overdue.

A November 2009 statement by the SANDF noted that the new policy made provision for the “recruitment and selective deployment of HIV-positive members” of the military and complied with a High Court ruling in May 2008, which found the previous policy of excluding HIV-positive people from recruitment and foreign deployment unconstitutional.

The South African Security Forces Union (SASFU) assisted by the AIDS Law Project (ALP), had brought a case to the High Court on behalf of two of its members who were denied employment and deployment opportunities because of their HIV-positive status.

The SANDF’s surgeon general, Lt-Gen Vejaynand Ramlakan, said the military had been in the process of reviewing its HV/AIDS policy long before. He noted, however, that the particulars of the new framework remained classified, although parts of it were “in the public domain” and already being implemented.

“The reason [the new policy] has taken so long is that we’re dealing with the stigma and fears that surround HIV and AIDS,” he told IRIN/PlusNews. “Military people share all the misunderstandings of wider society. We needed to consult very widely with all military commanders and to convince them of the need to change the existing policy, and to prevent any misunderstanding about whether combat readiness would be affected.”

Other southern African defence forces and the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations also had to be consulted, as well as the South African National AIDS Council. The new policy also had to ensure that “the health standards of the SANDF are commensurate with the tasks they have to perform.”

In the past, military policy-makers argued that the tasks armies had to perform took precedence over the individual rights of people living with HIV and AIDS, and that the demands of foreign deployment and combat could jeopardize the health of an HIV-positive soldier and that of his colleagues.

These arguments have carried less weight since antiretroviral (ARV) therapy turned HIV into a chronic, manageable disease.

Implementing the policy

A draft of the new policy, obtained by ALP, draws on a system of classifying soldiers according to their health status and needs.

An HIV-positive soldier who is stable and asymptomatic can now be classified as a “G2K1″, meaning they have a chronic but treatable disease and can be deployed “anywhere at any time”.

However, if HIV-positive soldiers are to be deployed abroad they must have a CD4 cell count [a measure of immune system strength] higher than 350, and an undetectable viral load [the amount of HI virus in the blood]. The ALP pointed out that this excluded anyone not on treatment, as only ARVs could reduce the viral load to undetectable levels.

S’khumbuzo Maphumalo, an ALP attorney, described the requirement as not reconcilable, with an emphasis on non-discrimination of asymptomatic HIV-positive individuals. “The way we see it, someone who has a very high CD4 count is unlikely to fall ill,” he told IRIN/PlusNews.

An HIV-positive recruit is also required to be on ARVs for three to six months before being considered for deployment, and failure to adhere to treatment is grounds for being declared “temporarily unfit for deployment and military courses”.

Ramlakan confirmed that a soldier would have to be on ARVs to qualify for foreign deployment, but declined to discuss the rationale for such a provision. He also noted that personnel with higher health classifications would be given preference for foreign deployment.

The only HIV-positive soldier known to have been deployed abroad is one of the applicants in the court case brought by SASFU, Sergeant Sipho Mthethwa, an operations planner sent to Sudan for six months in October 2009.

On his cell phone from Darfur, in western Sudan, Mthethwa said he was “very, very happy [about the new policy]. Now I feel that I’m a full member of the SANDF because I do everything that other people are allowed to do.”

He claimed he was still treated unfairly by his superiors. “They just want to make sure that I get demoralized, or I quit, or I get sick. Hopefully that’s not going to happen,” he told IRIN/PlusNews, adding that he was fit and taking his daily ARV medication.

Ramlakan said a campaign to inform unit commanders and health workers about the new policy was underway, but Dan Mthembu, of SASFU, told IRIN/PlusNews that his union had yet to see the policy, or have the opportunity to ensure it was properly implemented. “We need to sit down and work together, but we’ve been excluded from the process of implementation.”

This study is being led by Dr Cindy Firnhaber, an HIV physician with over 15 years experience in HIV and AIDS care both in America and South Africa. Firnhaber is now working with the government to develop a cervical cancer screening programme for HIV-positive women. Her study, which started four years ago, involves 2000 women attending the Right to Care Thembalethu AIDS Clinic at Helen Joseph Hospital, in Johannesburg. Interim results suggest that a significant number of them could develop cervical cancer or cancer of the cervix.

“Over 1000 of them have early changes that could lead to cervical cancer. It doesn’t mean they have cervical cancer, but they have early changes. That’s quite a few – that’s 1 in 2. We want to treat those women early to get those changes out before they progress to cancer. And about 300 – 400 of those women have changes that are pretty significant – that if we don’t take them out now they could in a year’s time, maybe, develop into a cancer, or longer, it’s hard to know. But it’s very important that we get those abnormal cells out now”, she explains about the finding.

“We are seeing much higher rates of pre-cancerous lesions or early cancers. We’re seeing higher rates of actual cervical cancer also. And then, we’re beginning to see that these women – which is something we’ve known – don’t clear the virus as well, their bodies are not able to repair these abnormal cells as well as a woman without HIV”.

“We are seeing rates between 200 – 300 women per 100 000 women, which is quite high. It’s much higher than… like in the United States, per se, where we are seeing about 7 – 10 per 100 00. So, we are seeing a significant increase in cervical cancer, here. Part of that is due to more the HIV epidemic and part of that is due to the access to screening… it’s not as available. General figures for the women in South Africa has been about 30 – 40 per 100 000”, Firnhaber adds.

But why are HIV-positive women more likely to develop cervical cancer?

“Cervical cancer is caused by a sexually transmitted virus called Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). We do know that the lower the CD 4 count or the weaker the immune system, the more likelihood that women who have been exposed to HPV virus are going to maintain that virus in the cervical area”.

“They’re not able to clear the virus as well, like when you get a cold and you have a normal immune system, you’re able to clear the virus. But with your immune system being weakened, you don’t have the strength in your immune system to clear the virus. And once this virus incorporates itself into the DNA or the cervical cells, it’s more likely to change the cells to become pre-cancerous lesions and go on to cancerous lesions”, she explains.

The study was approved by Wits University’s ethics committee and is due for completion next April.

 

Bacterial vaginosis discharge is a problem that infect many women. it is also a symptomps of bacterial vaginosis. bacterial vaginosis an infection in vaginal area. This Infection happened because of the disturbed balance beetwen good and bad bacteria in vagina. the good bacteria worked to protect vagina from any infection. sometimes for some reason, the bad bacteria grow over the capabilities of the good bacteria. this situation will triggers the bacterial vaginosis infection

The main cause of this kind of imbalance between the bad and the good bacteria nevertheless remains to be unidentified, but certain factors may increase the chance of creating this kind of infection, and these include; cigarette smoking, extreme genitals douching, having several sexual lovers, doing unprotected sexual intercourse, using thong, using vaginal spray and use of inter-uterine products for birth control.

Bacterial vaginosis discharge is usually greyish white-colored accompanied by a strong unpleasant smell. This could cause depression, shame and also humiliation, therefore affecting your personal, social and also professional lifestyle. But you do not have to end up being stressed out because of this problem since it can be effectively and efficiently controlled as well as removed.

The following tips can guide you to eliminate the discharge and the annoying fishy smell.

Personal Hygiene

Wash your own vaginal area everyday with warm water and odorless soap. Don’t use aromatic soap or even body wash. Additionally, quit too much douching to remove genitals scent. This approach can disturb the normal vagina pH therefore causing you to vunerable to vagina disease. Alternatively, you should use feminine wipes which are readily available in many stores. Also, don’t clean your private part from back to front after colon movements. This can make the bacteria within the faeces to go into your vagina. Instead, wipe your private part from front to back. In addition, always cut and shave your pubic hair, because they have a tendency to harbour bacteria as well as smell when they are too bushy.

Healthy Diet

You must always eat healthy diet. Fruit and veggies are full of fibers and also vitamin supplements, so try to eat all of them on a regular basis. Likewise, fresh fruits just like apples and cranberry consist of antioxidants which can help to get rid of vagina odor. You must also avoid consumption of meals with high glucose-sugar material, as they are sources of nutritional requirements for bad bacteria within the vagina. Stay away from or perhaps reduce consumption of alcoholic beverages and also smoke. Make sure that you drink plenty of water. Consume at least 8-10 glasses of water each day. Water will certainly flush out toxins out of your body and also help in the digestion of extra sugar in the system.

Wear Clean and Loose Fitting Clothes

Always wear underwear that are clean and loose. Avoid wearing tight clothes and fabrics made from artificial. This might stop the flow of air to the vagina area therefore making your vagina wet and moist. Instead wear loose cotton underwear and pants to facilitate air movement. You must keep in mind to change your underwear daily.

Protected Sex

Ensure that your partner utilize condom whenever you engage in sexual intercourse. This is very essential especially with a new partner. This can prevent you from contacting vaginal infection.

In 1976 we suddely surprised with the appearance of ebola which caused 340 people die. people of zaire engulf with fear. their mind were filed with uncertainty about their future. they can be the next victim. they waited outside the churches, clinics, and in their house. they hope for cure for their condition. but it never come. watch people die, and hope they can live and survived from the virus.

from 1976 until 1996, the scientist has search the source of the virus and try to find the cure for it. reaserchers have done a lot of test and investigation to find out something. but not even one has find the correct answers. so now the focus to the preventive action. the studied how the virus should treated properly, and how to isolate this deadly virus before it spread.

known as a family of RNA viruses which is named filoviruses, there are five kind of ebola viruses. Ebola, Zaire, Ebola Sudan, Ebola Reston, Ebola Tai, and Marburg virus, are the viruses that cause the ebola disease. within those five viruses, only Ebola Reston that cause desease on monkey. Filoviruses are the virueses that caused a fever which called  viral hemorrhagic fevers. all of this kind of virus start the sufferer pain with muscle pain and fever. except bone and skeletal muscle, Ebola Zaire virus infect every tissue and organ in the body. this virus is very deadly and destructive since it change every that invected into a slime of viruses.

ebola virus are consist by seven kind of protein, which remain misterious until now. this seven kind of protein makes this virus a molecular predator, perfect destructor of human body. they consume the victim body and duplicate their self. Your internal organs change to mush and also the underlayers of the victim skin perish and liquefy. The skin bubbles up to create a blood break outs. the victim mouth will bleed, bleed around your teeth, and the victim might have hemorrhages from the salivary glands. Every opening in the victim body, regardless of how tiny, excretes blood. The surface of the tongue becomes outstanding red-colored and then drops away. It is swallowed or even spat out when the victim vomit up blood. the victim heart will bleed within and you are not really dead. Blood gets in to your eyelids and you weep blood. Before you finally pass away your body twitches significantly from great mal seizures.

NAIROBI-AHIC 2nd OCTOBER 2008-Nurses will converge between 7th & 9th October this year, at Masinde Muliro University for their annual general meeting. One of the main agenda for the AGM is voting in leaders of National Nurses Association of Kenya (NNAK) for a term of three years .But as the organizers finish up on the last the touches of the meeting, it is emerging that Kenyan nurses have confidence in the current leadership of the association.

Past Officials have faced stiff competition during the years of election but talking to Mr. Luke Simba Kodambo, Chairman NNAK he had a different story to tell about the current leadership of NNAK. For the first time in the history of the association they are going into the AGM unopposed despite the association boasting of a membership of over 12,000 nurses spread across the country. He said that, “In a period of less than 3 years we have transformed the association into a functional and vibrant body .We have  managed to computerized all our operations ,developed a data system that with a click of a button one can confirm who is a member of NNAK online .” Apart from the chairman the current officials include Mr.Fredrick Osundwa 1^st Vice Chairman, Mr.Julius Muema 2^nd Vice Chairman ,Mr. Fredrick Omiah as Secretary ,Jane Raburu 2^nd Secretary & Vice Treasurer and Jeremiah Maina as Treasurer

This years AGM theme is, “Strengthening nursing & Midwifery to respond to maternal & child health challenges by 2015” .The meeting will also be  celebrating 50 years of existence for the nurses association. Mr. Simba went on to say that,” Within the short time that we have been in the office ,the association has managed to purchase a vehicle and build a modern administration block that was officially opened by Public health minister ,Hon.Beth Mugo”.  The association has a registered a nurses’ investment company that allows members to purchase shares that will go towards the financing the construction of an ultra-modern complex next to the administration office.

The association has entered into partnership with both regional and international bodies which has greatly boosted its profile. With one of the partners, NNAK has come up with a Girl Child education fund which sponsors the education of   female children of a deceased member upto the age of 18 years.  It has also set up a benevolent fund that gives out Ksh.10, 000 to the family for burial arrangements incase of death of a member.

Mr. Simba commented that as an association it faces frustration from its main employer, the government, by it not responding to issues affecting the nurses as fast as it should .This has partly contributed to a mass exodus of nurses to western countries where they are in high demand and well remunerated. The nurses are anxiously waiting to hear from the minister of medical services, Prof. Anyang Nyong’o   on their grievances already presented to him. He will be the guest of honour at this year NNAK AGM.