IYANDA'SBLOG

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
BBC Europe correspondent Jean Mackenzie met locals learning to live with the shakes.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
In the US, one in eight couples experience infertility. But a culture of silence and stigma means most people suffer alone.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
The attacks around Atlanta, Georgia, come amid a surge in hate crimes directed at Asian-Americans.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
A new UN report says interrupted health services caused hundreds of thousands of deaths in South Asia.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
The natural song of the regent honeyeater has essentially "disappeared" in 12% of the population.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
With rising infection rates, Papua New Guinea's fragile healthcare system is under pressure.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Many pro-Trump Republicans have expressed reluctance to take up the offer of a Covid-19 jab.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Their popularity among celebrities is thought to have added to the rise of the French bulldog.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
The business committee says firms should face sanctions if they cannot prove no links to labour camps.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
President Bolsonaro and his new health chief are resisting calls for a lockdown despite record deaths.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
A look at the tensions between the superpowers as delegates gather for a meeting in Alaska.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
A new law aims to close a loophole that is the only remaining way for LGBT people to adopt children.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Observers say online skinny fads stem from an obsession among some Chinese women with being thin.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
The starfish could represent a lucrative trade but they also play a key role on the coastal ecology.

The Kano state government has stated that the index case of the strange disease, which has claimed four lives, drank borehole water from a place close to the Dandolo cemetery in the state.

This was disclosed by the state’s Commissioner of Health, Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa, during a press briefing on Tuesday. 

He said the investigation also revealed that other individuals that came up with similar symptoms consumed prepared juice from instant flavoured drink powder.

The commissioner confirmed that in the last 10 days of the outbreak, four persons have died while a total of 284 have been affected in 10 of the 44 local government areas of the state.

The local government areas affected are Gwale, Kano Municipal, Dala, Fagge, Ungogo, Kumotso, Tarauni, Bunkure, Rano, Dawakin-Kudu, Dawakin-Tofa, Gwarzo and Dambatta.

See Also News Strange Disease In Kano Kills Three, Lands 284 In Hospitals 0 Comments 3 Hours Ago

He said the illness is with “a barrage of symptoms including fever, yellowish discolouration of the eyes, haematuria, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, body-aches, generalised body weakness, dizziness and in some cases requiring blood transfusion.”

According to Tsanyawa, the samples of water, blood and the different instant drink powder have been taken for different tests to pin down a diagnosis ranging from foodborne illness, food poisoning-Lassa fever, yellow fever, Dengue fever, chemical poisoning, toxic hepatitis, among others.

He said the results so far, have proven negative for Lassa and yellow fever as well as non-reactive for hepatitis but the results for heavy metals and leptospirosis were still being awaited along with findings of the National Agency of Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC) on samples of the instant drink and powders.

He added that the ministry, in collaboration with other relevant authorities, has since commenced on the spot checks and supervisions of expired assorted foods and drinks across major markets and distribution points in the state.

This, it was gathered has yielded some results with the arrest of three persons and the confiscation of goods worth N59 million.

He called on the general public to avoid taking such instant powder drinks, especially as Ramadan is close.

“As we are near the fasting (Ramadan) period, that one can fulfil his daily recommended intake of fruits by drinking 100 per cent juice by following safety guidelines to help prevent foodborne illness alongside personal and environmental hygiene,” he said. 

Meanwhile, the state government has banned the sale of any type of instant flavoured drink in the state.

The Managing Director of Kano State Consumer Protection Council, Baffa Babba Danagundi, said the prohibited drinks include instant flavour drink powder such as Foster Clark Critic Acid and Jolly Juice, among others.

He said the government has mandated the council to go after anyone buying or selling any flavoured drink in the state.

He called on the general public not to relent in reporting to the council any person that continues with such a business.

PUBLIC HEALTH News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/2OVWhXs

A group, Unified Nigerian Youth Forum (UNYF) has condemned in totality the spate of the abduction of students in the North and the country at large.

UNYF President, Abdulsalam Mohammed Kazeem, in a statement, said that education is now under attack in Northern Nigeria, as a result of the new challenge.

He noted that the Northern region has the highest number of children who are out of school, adding that the current security challenges will take the region another five decades to fill the vacuum if the situation is not quickly addressed.

The statement read, “The leadership of Unified Nigerian Youth Forum (UNYF) has no option but to join many Nigerians to condemn in totality the spate and worrisome countless abductions of secondary and primary school children across the country with much concentration of the kidnapping activities in North Central, North West and North East regions of the country. Without apologies, I'm bold to say education is under attack in northern Nigerian.

“Available records from both local and international organisations have shown that the regions mentioned above have the highest number of out-of-school children, and government at all levels in those regions on their parts have equally introduced many policies to encourage mass enrollment of people into both private and public schools, but with current kidnapping activities, it will take the region another five decades to fill the vacuum.

“It's unbelievable to find out that despite our handsome security budget, the current trend of insecurity is threatening our educational system and curriculum.

“The President should close his eyes to pity now and act brutally on all those who the current administration claimed to be on her watchlist over their links to security-related matters now.

“Henceforth, we as a Forum passionately appeal to the Federal Government to sanction heads of security agencies in any state/region with a record of mass abductions or kidnappings, that will further prove to our country co-conspirators that it's no longer business as usual.

“Government at all levels should form a synergy between all the security agencies, local vigilantes inclusive to help find a lasting solution to our multiple security challenges, which have brought us shame and disgrace amongst the comity of sovereign nations.

“The body language and direct output of our leaders should change with immediate effect or else with such high rate of daily reports on insecurities, one day one will not be able to visit his/her wards school in a hurry and or even in a dream.

“Government at all levels must provide adequate security in our schools and staff quarters like they are doing for themselves, immediate family members, places of business interests and political associates.”

Education Insecurity News AddThis :  Original Author :  SaharaReporters, New York Disable advertisements : 
https://ift.tt/3trXGDZ

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
BBC cameraman Darren Conway has returned to Syria to meet survivors of the Iqra school bombing, the aftermath of which he filmed in 2013.

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J
Many religious leaders are spreading the word that vaccines are safe and effective, but some are undermining that message.