Positive Outlook To Life As An HIV Positive Person

This is my first time of posting on this forum and I pray this get to as many people as possible.
Most folks dread the thought of testing positive to HIV but it shouldn't be so. That is why it is very necessary to get tested at least once in a month.

I developed the habit of getting tested monthly (though I can beat my chest and say with pride that I am not a promiscuous fellow). But recently I skipped a couple of months in my routine for no apparent reason. The last time I got a test was mid-march so I went for a test last week and the test result came out positive. To be certain it wasn't a mistake, I went to two other places and the results were adamantly positive.

Now some people may ask who who got me infected, but that is a none-issue as far as I'm concerned . I have even stopped asking myself how I got infected because it's been more than two years since the last time I had sexual intercourse . So it can't possibly have been sexually transmitted to me, most especially as the experts say the viral load is low which means I must have been recently infected, at most not more than five or six months.

I intend to utilize my status as an HIV+ person to reach out and help as many as I can. I am already posting on Facebook what I learn from counseling programs I attend on living with the virus.
The Doctors said they have to monitor my viral load and CD4 count for some time in order to determine the best treatment program for me. I know that if I stick to the treatment program and follow the Doctors advice diligently that I'll still live a healthy life.

I use this medium to beg of everyone reading this to go for an HIV test. Knowing your status is key to helping yourself. If you are negative, please maintain all necessary prevention techniques.... avoid unprotected sex/multiple partners , don't share needles/blades (if you can afford it, get your own hair clipper) but above all, get tested regularly.

If you find out that you are positive (like me) , please don't despair. There are several HIV/AIDS centres in most hospitals across the nation where you can access help in the form of counseling and medications and these are mostly free of charge.

HIV is not a death sentence, you can still live a meaningful and healthy life despite your status.
Spread the message and not the virus.

World Sickle Cell Day

Today, June 19, is a day set aside by WHO as World Sickle Day.
I am here today, because I have survived. Battles have been fought, casualties recorded, and comrades lost(in this fight against Sickle Cell).

We will soldier on. We will keep lending our voices to the fight against Sickle Cell. No matter how obstinate or nonchalant the rest are about the scourge, we owe a duty to ourselves to make our voices heard.

No matter, how much others disdain us, we owe a duty to ourselves to make our voices heard.

No matter how loud and deafening the silence is, by those who are supposed to know better. We owe a duty to ourselves to make our voices heard.

The scars are there.

The pain has not gone away.

The midnight tears, is a constant reminder of the battles we have to fight.
But above all else, I have SURVIVED.

Happy World Sickle Cell Day.

Chika Ike Donate Blood At A Health Center (Photos)

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Today is world blood donor day and Actress Chika Ike was among the many who went out to donate blood to save lives.

Nigeria To Get First Batch Of Local Vaccines In Two Years

Nigeria is expected to roll out its first locally produced vaccines in July 2019, beginning with the drugs against Yellow fever, Tetanus Toxoid and Hepatitis B.To ensure that a firm being floated to achieve this target, Biovaccines Nigeria Limited, meets these promises, May and Baker said it would need to invest $50 million (N18.5 billion) to resuscitate a manufacturing line at the defunct National Vaccine Production Laboratory (NVPL) in Yaba, Lagos, which it has acquired.

Stakeholders said the project would help Nigeria to better respond to emergencies like the recent epidemic of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM) C that ravaged about 27 states of the federation, generate increased internal revenue and increase the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country.

May and Baker Plc, an indigenous pharmaceutical industry penultimate week signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Government, which was vetted by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to immediately begin local production of vaccines.

According to the MoU, the project, which is being handled through Biovaccines, will build local capacity in vaccine production as well as develop a centre of excellence for research and development of vaccine technology and other biologics.

Until now, Nigeria depended on the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and other international agencies for the procurement of the vaccines needed by the country.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of May & Baker, Mr. Nnamdi Nathan Okafor, told The Guardian: “I expect that within 24 months, that is within two years from now, the first vaccines should be out. So from the date that the board of Biovaccines is inaugurated, within 24 months, Nigerians should have their first vaccines. We can then build on that.

The efforts to begin local production of vaccines have received the support of most stakeholders in the health sector including the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMGMAN).

World Blood Donor Day 2017: Give Blood, Give Now

World Blood Donor Day (WBDD) is one of eight official global public health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization (WHO). Every 14 June since 2004, countries around the world celebrate this event on the birth anniversary of Karl Landsteiner – the Austrian-American pathologist and immunologist who distinguished the main blood groups.

WBDD serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank blood donors for their voluntary, life-saving gifts of blood. This year’s theme is: What Can You Do?

Transfusion of blood and blood products helps save millions of lives every year. It can help patients suffering from life-threatening conditions live longer and with higher quality of life, and supports complex medical and surgical procedures. In the past six weeks, The Guardian in partnership with Lifebank – a tech startup, has campaigned for a shift in the Nigerian blood culture by releasing communication materials including articles, videos and infographics to educate the Nigerian public on the need for voluntary blood donation as a way of reducing mortality rate. Access to safe and sufficient blood and blood products can help reduce rates of death and disability due to severe bleeding during delivery and after childbirth.

The theme for Blood Donation Day in 2017 focuses on blood donation in emergency situations. The first response when an emergency happens is "What Can You Do?" and the answer is "Give Blood. Give Now. Give Often."

Major Cause Of Belly Fats

For decades, grains and other high carbohydrate foods formed the base of the food pyramid and the foundation for a “healthy diet”. All the while, fats were demonized.

Unfortunately, these recommendations couldn’t be further from the ideal path to a flat belly. A diet high in wheat and other grain products inevitably leads to high blood sugar and poor sensitivity to the hormone insulin. In turn, poor insulin sensitivity has been shown to be a major cause of abdominal fat accumulation. Even worse, the more abdominal fat you gain, the worse your insulin sensitivity becomes… and thus the vicious cycle repeats, often leading to out-of-control belly fat storage over time.

Fats, on the other hand, are instrumental in the regulation of your overall hormonal balance, including many fat-burning hormones. When you understand how to choose the right fats, replacing high-carb items in your diet such as bread, bagels, muffins, baked goods, and pasta with more of these fat-burning, healthful "fatty foods", you’ll be well on your way to a flatter belly.

Here are 7 of our top "fatty foods" for a flat belly: Whole Eggs, Nuts (such as almonds, pecans, walnuts, and cashews), Seeds (such as sunflower seeds and flax-seeds), Avocado, Olive Oil, Fatty Fish (for example, mackerel, tuna, salmon, and trout), and Coconut Oil.

All of these "fattening" foods help to improve your overall fat-burning hormone balance, satiety and feelings of fullness after a meal, and also possess an array of other unique fat-burning and health benefits.

For example, egg yolks are loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants (making the myth about only eating egg whites for a flat belly completely false); avocados and olive oil are rich in heart-healthy, health-boosting fatty acids; many species of fish are a great source of inflammation-reducing omega-3s; and coconut oil is a prime source of medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), well known for their appetite regulation, energy, and immune benefits.

Obasanjo Commissions School Of Nursing & Midwifery In Makurdi, Benue State

Nigeria’s former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo today recommissioned the Schools of Nursing and Midwifery in Makurdi, Benue State, which the Governor Samuel Ortom adminsitration reconstructed.

He expressed excitement at the reopening of the schools saying it was callous and a sad commentary on those who allowed the institutions to lose accreditation for several years.

The former President noted that it was significant that he performed the recommissioning while he was in the state for a campaign for Zero Hunger, noting that good food and nutrition were the beginning of good health.

He charged the students to be committed to the Nursing and Midwifery professions stressing that they carried great responsibilities having to do with the saving of lives.
Chief Obasanjo noted that healing was a great part of the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ and as such those who had such a responsibility were in good company.

He praised Governor Ortom for reconstructing and restoring accreditation to the schools and prayed that God would bless him and the state.

The Governor had explained that the institutions had lost accreditation for four years on account of dilapidation of infrastructure and equipment a situation which he reversed and obtained their re-accreditation.

The Governor stated that his administration reconstructed the two schools on account of their contribution to health care delivery in the state and beyond noting that graduates of the schools found ready employment upon the completion of their studies.

He stated that the School of Nursing resumed academic activities with 85 student nurses and 20 post basic students while that of Midwifery admitted 35 new students.

Corper Serving In Kebbi Dies Of Anaemia

A serving NYSC member,Obafemi Oluwatimilehin Paul,has died after battling aplastic anaemia(where the bone marrow is exhausted that it can no longer produce enough blood).Obafemi,a a graduate of the Federal University of Technology, Akure,stream 1 set with state code KB/16/2111 while in Kebbi developed the disease while in Kebbi.

After he graduated from FUTA without the sickness, he was posted to Kebbi state for NYSC.As soon as he got to Dakingari camp in Kebbi state, he began to feel extremely exhausted.After examination in Kebbi, he was told that his eyes were pale which is a symptom of low blood(anemia). He had to redeploy to Oyo state for proper treatment.He was admitted at University College Hospital Ibadan where he constantly received blood transfusion both blood and platelets.

He finally died last night. According to one of his friends,NYSC Director allegedly failed to assist the deceased despite getting hold of his condition.

See photos below;

Lady Dies Hours After Telling Her Friend She Would Die That Day (Photos)

This is very sad. A young lady identified as Halima has left her family and friends in sorrow after giving up the ghost yesterday. According to multiple online reports, the lady who was in a hospital in the northern part of the country told her friend in a chat that she would die that day because she was feeling somehow...

Moments after the chat with her close friend, Halima gave up the ghost. May her soul rest in peace.

Mosquitoes Are Our Friends, Stop Killing Them - UNILORIN Professor

A Professor of Entomology at the University of Ilorin, Adeolu Ande, has decried killing mosquitoes, saying the insects are friends to humans that deserved to be properly managed.

Ande made the statement on Monday in Ilorin in a paper he presented at a public seminar organised by the university.

In his paper with the title “Consider the ways of Ants and be Wise,” the entomologist described insects as the “most successful and influential group’’ of organisms in the biosphere.

He said that humans had a lot to learn from insects in order to be wise.

“Human life is beset with inevitable associations with insects that have over the years influenced human destiny positively and negatively.

“Negative influences, such as disease transmission, crop losses, food spoilage, economic losses and nuisance value caused by less than 5 per cent of insect species have been exaggerated by man.

He said that positive influences of insects are not unappreciated and downplayed.

He listed some of them to include: pollination of flowers, waste recycling and sustenance of the ecosystem.

Others, he said, include source of silk, shellac, cochineal, therapeutic agents, aesthetics, biological control agents and food source.

The don said that man deliberately misunderstood the role of mosquitoes and frequently described them as causing the diseases they transmit.

He said: “in the actual sense, mosquitoes are equally sick but inadvertently and unwillingly convey pathogens that are the real causal agents of these diseases.

“The female mosquito could be described as an example of a true mother who is forced to undertake suicide mission in its bid to provide for its unborn children.

“The adult female mosquitoes have exceptional value for child raising hence the level of commitment and risk they take on the mission that entails decision between life and death.

“The after effect of this commitment is a well thought out plan that forestalls most of the factors that may stand in the way of raising good children.

“I am sure most human females will not take comparable decision in the face of similar attendant risks.

“It is however certain that children born after well thought out and risky conditions are better posited for quality living than those produced carelessly.

Ande said that mosquitoes had proved over the years that they are our friends and allies, adding that if we like them or not, they would exist and continue to source blood from humans.

The professor called for improvement in Zoology curriculum to ensure better focus on organisms that feature prominently around man.

He said that zoologists were expected to be the foster parents of animals in the Zoo, adding that they should be familiar with their needs and their health status.

5 Reasons Why Most Nigerian Guys Have Body Odour

A lady once told me that one of her criteria for choosing a man is that he must smell really good.

"why such a requirement" I asked

"Because most Nigerian guys stink and I love a good smell" she blurted

Now, this is not what just one lady thinks but what almost everyone knows, that a lot of guys out there really stink of body odour.

5 Reasons Why Most Nigerian Guys Have Body Odour

1. They don't bathe well

Most Nigerian guys bathe like Fast and Furious. Sponge here and there and then pour the water on their body and that's it. They believe its only women that are meant to bathe for long and maybe bathe well too. A little scrub here and there will do. But this is just wrong.

Bathing is meant to remove dirt and odours, also reduce the amount of skin bacteria which leads to these odours, so if you think there is no need to scrub really hard and scrub very well then there is no reason for you to wonder why you smell so bad.

2. They don't bathe on weekends

Ladies!!, show me a Nigerian guy that bathes normally on weekends and I will treat you to dinner by the end of the day.

Especially for students and those who don't get to work on Weekends (Saturdays and Sundays). They might as well skip the morning bathe, skip the afternoon if still less busy and take a bathe around 4 to hang out with friends.

Even your favorite health blogger, Paul Samuel FitnessDoctor was once among these guys.

Nigerian guys believe that since they do not have much doing on the weekend, then there is no reason to sponge up.

3. Too lazy to groom

Most Nigerian guys are too lazy to clean up themselves, their houses, kitchen, backyard, toilets, armpit hairs etc just reeks of their personality. They don't really give themselves that much time expect they are inviting a girl over, or trying to get a girl.

That's when you see them brushing like soldiers to kill mouth odour, bathing and scrubbing, cleaning their apartment as if the Health Inspector is coming over.


4. They don't admit it, but cover it up

Most Nigerian guys don't want to admit to themselves that they do have body odour. They take a sniff at their armpits and ugh!!! it reeks, but instead of doing the right thing to get a good scrubbing, they head straight into the market to get the best body spray to cover it up.

Even someone offers a body spray as a birthday gift, they start claiming that he/she is giving the impression that he has body odour (which he knows he has)

You would notice in some individuals that when the smell of the body spray begins to die down, they start smelling weird.

5. It is normal

I heard someone say this quite recently, that body odour is normal and you can never stop sweat. Well, I know that I smell good even when I sweat so I don't understand where this kind of lazy mindset is coming from.

Body odour is a sign that you are not cleaning up properly, if you are saying that body odour is normal and men don't have to work themselves to smell good, that is saying that Vaginal odour is normal and women should worry about it.

There may be many more reasons why Nigerian guys have body odour, but from my experience, this is why most of them have it. Today also, the 4 secrets to killing body odour without deodorant post is coming up. Don't worry you wouldn't have to spend a dime to smell good.

Remember you deserve to look good, let no one tell you different.

Stay Healthy, Stay Wise

Aisha Buhari Pledges Commitment To Welfare Of Women, Children

Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari has pledged the commitment of her pet programme, Future Assured, to the welfare of women and children.She made the pledge through the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Dr. Hajo Sani, at the just-concluded World Village Festival in Helsinki, Finland.

According to the Executive Director of the Africans and African Europeans Association (AFAES), Mrs. Fatima Hassan, the non-governmental organisation was recogniSed due to its outstanding work in human development

She stressed that the project’s commitment to the health and empowerment of women and children, as well as its activities FOR the internally displaced persons, also formed the yardstick.

Sani said: “The very poor health outcomes for women and children in the country at the beginning of the present administration provided justification for such a high-level commitment.

“Two years down the line, the project haS reached hundreds of thousands of women and children through empowerment, health screenings against killer diseases, deworming exercises, nutrition and vitamin supplementation.”

The Secretary of AFAES, Mr. Meijo Mikkanen, commended the country’s anti-corruption fight and expressed the hope that Nigeria would join the Universal Peace Foundation to make better gains in that regard.

Some of the key persons at the event were the General Secretary, Nigeria-Finish Association, Mr. Abayomi Magbagbeola, the Head of Mission at the Embassy of Nigeria in Stockholm, Mrs. Jane Ada Ndem and the Honorary Consul of Finland in Nigeria, Dr. Kingsley Akinroye.

Cannabis Cures Little Girls Ailment

A little girl who suffered from a rare condition causing such debilitating and dangerous seizures she was put into a coma has been cured by cannabis.

Annalise Lujan, 12, was taking part in a gymnastics class when she began vomiting and lost all feeling in her legs.

She suffered a severe seizure and was rushed to hospital where paramedics put her in a medically induced coma to stop any further damage being caused to her brain.

The youngster was flown to a specialist unit at Phoenix Children’s Hospital where she was diagnosed with febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES), an incredibly rare condition affecting just one in a million children.


Her mother, Maryann Estrada-Lujan, told KVOA : “One day, she was just a healthy young lady, going to school, participating in her community and her gymnastics, and the next day - fighting for her life.
“She was put on a ventilator, and put into a medical coma, and, we haven't talked to her since.

“We had no idea that our whole world would be 180-degrees turned around in such devastation, such heartache, such confusion.”

The condition was causing Annalise to suffer constant seizures which can prove to be fatal, but normal epilepsy medication was ineffective against FIRES.

Doctors were not able to bring her out of her induced coma until they found a method of controlling the seizures.

 Her mother began researching alternative remedies and discovered a cannabis -derived drug, Cannabidiol, which had been successful in previous epilepsy cases.

She lobbied for the drug, which has low levels of THC which is the active ingredient making people ‘high’, to be given to her daughter.

Doctors had to rush through its approval with the FDA and DEA as the drug was not yet approved.
After just three treatments the schoolgirl, from Tuscon, Arizona, was able to be brought out of her coma, and no longer suffers from the crippling seizures.

Health Benefits Of Beer

What is beer? Beer is an alcoholic drink that is prepared using barley, hops, water and yeast. It is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages, which is enjoyed by people all over the world. There are many varieties of beer and some of them include pale ale, stout, mild ale, wheat, lambic and lager beer.

What is beer made of? Beer is made using 4 ingredients- barley, hops, water and yeast. These ingredients are easily available in grocery stores or online stores. It can also be made using wheat and rice instead of barley.

It can be made at home using the above ingredients and a brewing kit which comprises of containers, fermenter etc. and is also easily available in online stores.

Prevention of Anemia: Beer is a good source of vitamin B12 and folic acid, a deficiency of which may lead to anemia. Vitamin B12 is also essential for maintaining normal growth, good memory and concentration.

Ariana Grande Visits Manchester Victims in Hospital Shortly Before Benefit Concert

Ariana Grande is lending her heart to fans in need.

As the "Dangerous Woman" songstress returned to England less than three weeks after the deadly attack at Manchester Arena and ahead of Sunday night's star-studded benefit concert, Grande stopped by the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital ward to spend time with young girls injured in the bombing.

A heartwarming snapshot shared to Ariana's Instagram as well as other fan accounts feature the 23-year-old posing for selfies with fans and bringing them goodies such as flowers and stuffed animals. The father of one hospitalized attendee wrote on Facebook, "This means more to us than all the amazing things people have done this week. When your daughter asks after her 2nd operation: ‘Is Ariana OK?' So happy she came I could burst! Never seen Jaden so happy! Even cried again myself."

Jaden gushed on Twitter alongside a photo of Grande kissing her on the forehead, "I got to meet my queen today."

The attack, which killed 22 and injured dozens more, prompted Grande to pen a powerful essay announcing the "One Love Manchester" concert, which will include performances from Coldplay, Pharrell Williams, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, Niall Horan, Little Mix, and Robbie Williams.

"I don't want to go the rest of the year without being able to see and hold and uplift my fans, the same way they continue to uplift me," Ariana wrote via social media. "Our response to this violence must be to come closer together, to help each other, to love more, to sing louder and to live more kindly and generously than we did before."

"I'll be returning to the incredibly brave city of Manchester to spend time with my fans and to have a benefit concert in honor of and to raise money for the victims and their families," she added.

Tickets for the fundraising event sold out in less than six minutes, with approximately 45,000 jumping at the chance to give back to the victims and their families.  Those who were at Grande's May 22 concert when the suicide bombing took place were offered free tickets; the remainder went on sale for $52.

Extra safety precautions will be taken at the Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester, with additional security checks and increased police presence.

Shortly after the tragedy, Ariana returned home to Boca Raton, Fla. to spend time with family and boyfriend Mac Miller. "Ariana is completely shocked," a source told E! News. "This has really traumatized her. She has a really big support system and has been leaning on a few key people. [Mac] has been there for her during this time and is the best."

"One Love Manchester" airs Sunday, June 4 on ABC and Freeform in the United States. The concert will air on Freeform live at 2 p.m. ET and a one-hour highlight special will air on ABC after the NBA finals. The event is expected to bring in upwards of $3 million, which will benefit the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund, set up by Manchester City Council in partnership with the British Red Cross.

AIDS pandemic far from over, says Amina Mohammed

Ms Amina Mohammed, Deputy UN Secretary-General, has warned that the AIDS pandemic was still far from over, saying more than 36.7 million people are living with HIV globally.

Mohammed told delegations at the General Assembly’s annual review of the Secretary-General’s report, this year calling for a reinvigorated global response to HIV/AIDS, that tackling it required a life-cycle approach based on community-level solutions.

According to her, global optimism has fuelled a major push to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030, the highest ambition within the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

“I am happy to report that, today, more babies than ever are being born free from HIV. Now we need to do a better job of reaching young women and adolescent girls.

“This is particularly true for sub-Saharan Africa, where adolescent girls account for three out of four new HIV infections among 15 to 19-year-olds,” she said.

“Achieving our aims on AIDS is interlinked and embedded within the broader 2030 Agenda. Both are grounded in equity, human rights and a promise to leave no one behind,” Mohammed added.

In 2016, the UN political declaration on ending AIDS set the world on a fast-track to stamp out the epidemic by 2030.

In the first phase, countries agreed to reduce new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths to fewer than 500,000 by 2020 and to eliminate HIV-related stigma and discrimination.

However, according to the report, with less than four years to go, progress on reducing new HIV infections among adults had stalled.

The report added that financing for the global response had dried up and more importantly, women and girls continued to bear the brunt of the AIDS epidemic.

“While more than 18 million are now on life-saving treatment, this is just half of those who need it, and there is no decline in the number of new infections each year.

“People living with HIV who are on treatment can now expect the same life expectancy as someone who is not infected,” the UN chief said.

Mohammed noted that key populations, including sex workers, people who inject drugs, transgender people, and men who have sex with men, remain at much higher risk of HIV infection.

More than 10 million additional people living with HIV must access treatment by 2020, while most of them are unaware of their HIV status.

On his part, President of the General Assembly, Peter Thomson, said that while major advancements have been made, the scale of shortcomings remained deeply concerning.

“Some 1,800 young people a day are being newly infected with the virus, with young women at particular risk.

“A blunt assessment would say that to date our achievements have been mixed,” Thomson said.

He stressed that ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 required a comprehensive and inclusive approach that also targets education, information and services to people living with HIV and to those at risk.

“Adequate funding remains critical to meet the objectives, he added, emphasizing the need to close the seven billion dollars funding gap for the global AIDS response.

"If You Don't Have Money, Don't Give Birth To Many Children"- Emir Sanusi

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has called on Nigerians to stop birthing more children than they can cater for.

He spoke on Thursday when Mohammed malick Fall, the United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) representative in Nigeria paid him a courtesy visit in Kano.

According to him about 3 million children in Kano are out of school due to ignorance of their parents on their responsibility to their children’s educational up-bringing.

‘’for you to have kids you must make sure that the responsibility of their education, health, and general up-bringing both morally and otherwise are part and parcel of what a parent should do’’.

He said "it is not only giving birth to the child that matters, but how to take your responsibility as a parent to bring-up that child to grow and be a benefit to the society in general’’ saying ‘’if people are aware of this they will not even have many kids that they know they cannot take care of’’.

My Daughter With Cerebral Palsy Was Battered By The Therapist I Trusted

I’m Bukola Ayinde, Founder of P4:13 Foundation and author of Diary of a Special Needs Mum.

Getting a diagnosis which says your child has Cerebral Palsy is a parent’s worst nightmare. I had my period of living in denial; wishing the problem would go away, like it was all a dream, but the reality stared me in the face.

My husband and I decided to face the challenge before us squarely.

We engaged different specialists; Neurologist, Paediatrician, Physiotherapist, Speech therapist, Occupational therapist, Special Needs Care Givers. At one point we were scouting for a very good physiotherapist.

A parent of a special needs child recommended a young lady to me. I mentioned her name {Bisola Anthonia Abayomi Ojo} to one of my daughter’s therapist who confirmed that the lady was very good at her job. However, she also confirmed that the lady could be arrogant. I spoke with another therapist on the field who also confirmed that the recommended Physiotherapist was good at what she does but she could be rude.

Well, at that point of my life, I didn’t mind if she was going to be rude to me or arrogant as far as she was as good as everyone had said, I was fine with that. All I wanted was to see was my child’s improvement, I could take any sh*t in between.

She came on board as my daughter’s physiotherapist. She was very professional and dedicated, but she didn’t come cheap. She didn’t come cheap at all.
My daughter attended a mainstream school that allowed her to use the sickbay as her pullout room for her physiotherapy session.

In June 2016, my daughter’s school proprietress requested that my husband and I should make out time to see her. When we eventually did a week later, she told us that the physiotherapist had manhandled our daughter and she was going to show us a CCTV recording to prove it.

At the back of my mind I felt the woman was exaggerating because therapy could be demanding at times. My child may cry, if she didn’t like the exercise or if the exercise was tasking.
However, when I watched the video, I was shocked beyond words that someone I trusted with my daughter could treat her worse than an animal. I believe that even an animal shouldn’t be treated that way.


I mean, she came highly recommended; she is a Masters degree holder. She is not an illiterate.
Apparently she didn’t remember that there was a CCTV in the room or she felt nobody would be checking the TV at that particular time.

It was heartbreaking to see my daughter treated by a health worker in such a barbaric act.
I watched my daughter as she fell down several times hitting her head on the tiles. There were times she hit her head on the edge of the wooden bed before falling to the ground.

Her Physiotherapist slapped her three times; the third time with her cell phone. She left her head hanging upside for 5 minutes. She twisted my daughter’s hands several times; at a point she sat on her hands, at another point she tied her hands behind her head. I watched as my daughter fell from her chair while her neck was stuck in between the space at the vertical back rest and the flat wood used for sitting down. I watched on as this lady typed on her phone 90% of the time only taking some time off to torture my daughter. Did I mention that she took out time to take her selfie? Up to five times.

After we watched the recording, my husband could not control his tears. My heart bled.
My daughter’s Neurologist said we cannot ascertain the level of damage to her brain because we did not bring her immediately it happened. He said an MRI would have been done to ascertain any damage.
I got her arrested.


She said she was sorry
She claimed depression and ill health
I didn’t believe her then, I don’t believe her now.

I had to make a decision, to leave my daughter in the hands of her nannies at home (which may be another source of abuse) and follow through to ensure the physiotherapist was duly punished. (Bearing in mind the justice system in Nigeria) or drop the charges lodged at the police station and allow Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Board at Yaba to handle the matter.

I dropped the police charges. I decided to stay with my traumatized daughter.
I handed the Physiotherapist over to the Registrar at Medical Rehabilitation Therapists Board at Yaba.

Her punishment:
• Three months withdrawal of her practicing license.
• Three months work in a general hospital under supervision without pay
• She was to undergo a psychiatric test
Like seriously? Are you kidding me?
She had been practicing for a year without renewing her license and all you could do was to withdraw her license officially for a mere three months?

She went back to the Registrar at Medical Rehabilitation Therapists to ask for permission to travel to USA to get treatment.

I called to check on the case, and I was told she had travelled for treatment
I was told not to worry as she cannot practice anywhere else in the world without a letter from the board.
Some months later, I was told by a reliable source that she was not taking any major treatments but attending a Masters programme in US.

So she got away with child abuse, assault, battery, in fact attempted murder.
This is only possible in Nigeria right?

I went back to Medical Rehabilitation Center, I was shocked to find out that the case had gone cold.
What stops her from coming back into the country and working with other children?
How many Nigerians ask for practicing license before employing a professional?

I strongly believe that the least the board should have done was to declare her unfit to work with children.
In respect to my daughter, the signs were there: She had been withdrawn for a while in fact she had stop smiling, interacting with anybody in the house or attempting to answer questions in school. I kept asking the care giver that followed her to school about the sudden change. The caregiver said she had no idea. I came up with my own theory and I brushed it aside.

How would I have known that a health worker, someone I trusted with my child could be so cruel? The Physiotherapist had been with us for over two years. I can only imagine….

Well, I pulled my daughter out of school and started her own mini school at home. I let go of my current caregivers for good reasons and got new ones. With care and love, she added weight, came out of her shell and got better. Right now she attends a school three times a week and we are making progress.

Child abuse is real…from the people you least expect. Protect your children.

Nigerian Nursing Assistant Breaks Leg Of 98-year-old Patient, Leading To Death

A Nigerian nursing assistant has been arrested by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, after investigations revealed that he caused injuries that led to a 98-year-old woman’s death.

According to Newnan police, the patient Edna Warren sustained a broken leg following contact with 43-year-old Hakim Ogunkunle on Tuesday. Warren was taken to Piedmont Newnan Hospital where she underwent emergency surgery but she died during the procedure.

It was gathered that a staffer noticed swelling on Warran’s leg and notified a supervisor. When Ogunkunle was question, authorities said he told a story that was “inconsistent” with Warren’s injuries.

However, after Ogunkunle’s story didn’t match the nurse’s account of what happened, Ogunkunle wrote a statement. In it, he said that he went into Warren’s room to get her ready for breakfast.

He said that Warren became combative and tried to kick him. He wrote that he held her legs together to keep from being kicked and heard a “crack” from her leg and said she began to scream in pain.

Ogunkunle told his supervisor that he didn’t tell the truth originally because he was scared he’d get into trouble, according to the incident report. The supervisor called police.

The police department requested the GBI’s assistance in the case and, on Thursday, the agency announced their findings – that Warren intentionally caused the elderly woman’s injury.

Ogunkunle was arrested and charged with aggravated battery and exploitation as well as intimidation of an elderly person. He is being held at the Coweta County Jail.

According to an Atlanta Police report, Okunkunle was arrested last year on an charge of battery against a patient at another facility. Those charges were not pursued.

Workers Raise Alarm Over Sorry State Of LUTH

Health workers at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos, have raised alarm over the sorry state of healthcare system in the institution, calling for urgent intervention.

The workers under the aegis of Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) and Association of Resident Doctors, among other unions, stated this during a protest, and lamented that healthcare is endangered in LUTH and needed urgent restructuring.

President, Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Adebayo Sekumade, said;

“The erratic supply of electricity and water affects schedules of surgical operations, endangers the security of the hospital environment and the safety of patients. The water scarcity is easily noticeable with the messy toilets that stink in LUTH environment. Most of the hospital buildings are in bad condition.

“It is only one dialysis machine that is available for babies, pregnant women, HIV patients, accident victims, adults, and others, thereby putting patients and health workers in a permanent state of chaos, desperation and conflict on who uses the machine at any point in time. There is only one functional ECG Machine, when there should be at least one in every ward and service areas.”