Health
How to Take Control of Your Health and Well-being With Small, Easy Steps
It’s the middle of the rainy season, so colds and flu are in full swing, and with people starting to not wear masks while out in public, we could potentially be exposed to more germs than we would be if everyone were wearing masks. If there was ever a time to take control of your health, it would be now. And there are various ways to do that just by making small changes in your life and home.
Don’t forget the dust traps
There are many spaces in your home that are massive dust traps and prime spots for germs to breed in. You might not want to think about it, but your sheets, pillows and PJs can be full of dead skin cells, unwanted germs, and tiny dust mites that increase your risk of suffering from allergies, hay fever, and asthma. If anyone in your family suffers from hayfever or allergies, try to keep your house as dust-free as possible, advises Awazi Angbalaga, Country Manager of home-cleaning service, SweepSouth Nigeria.
Carpets and rugs attract a lot of dust and dirt, so be sure to clean these regularly. Even air pollutants like pollen, fungi and cigarette smoke get trapped in carpet fibres and can trigger allergies and eczema attacks, so vacuum carpets and rugs at least twice a week, and more in high traffic areas. Consider hiring a service like SweepSouth, which will provide a home cleaner to help tackle hard-to-reach areas, like under couches, behind fridges, and the top of curtain pelmets. Angbalaga suggests that a good cleaning tip is to set a vacuum cleaner on a low setting to give curtains a quick once over to remove dust, while a clothes steamer can be used on curtains to refresh them.
Eat seasonal vegetables
Fruits and vegetables that are stored for a long period of time while being transported lose high amounts of nutritional value. This is why eating in-season fruits and vegetables are better for your health.
Chef Norman Heath of Radisson Blu Hotel Waterfront agrees: “In-season fresh produce is nutrient dense and it also tastes better than anything that gets imported. Not only that, but it’s better for the environment, too, which works out better for everyone’s health in the long run.
“And, you will be supporting local farms, local markets and local employment, all with this one choice to buy in-season,” he adds.
Breathe it out
Meditation and deep breathing are something everyone can easily implement for their health. It reduces stress which, in turn, has endless benefits for your overall health. Stress suppresses your immune system and increases blood pressure, among other things.
Calm your mind by deep breathing, with longer exhales than inhales for a few minutes. Follow it by focusing on relaxing every part of your body, releasing tension as you go. You can do this whenever you’re feeling stressed, but it’s also a highly effective way to help you fall asleep at night.
Invest in a good mattress
Getting a good night’s rest should be high on our agenda for a healthy lifestyle, and an important part of achieving this is having a comfortable mattress. A good mattress supports your whole body as you sleep, keeping your spine in a neutral position You wouldn’t run a race without the right shoes, or climb a mountain without the correct gear, yet despite the fact that we spend up to a third of the day sleeping, we often don’t consider how an old mattress, or one that isn’t offering adequate support, is affecting our quality of sleep.
With so many different types of beds to choose from, do research when choosing the bed that’s right for you. If you suffer from back pain or allergies, for example, a foam or latex mattress might be your best bet, or perhaps a soft mattress doesn’t give you the adequate support, in which case a medium-to-firm mattress would be more comfortable.
Check your family’s medical history
Maintain and protect your health in the long run by finding out if any serious health conditions run in your family. An especially important one to know is whether there is a history of blood clots, says Dr Helen Okoye of the World Thrombosis Day Steering Committee. Worldwide, more people succumb to the life-threatening conditions caused by thrombosis, the formation of a blood clot in blood vessels, than the total number of people who lose their lives to AIDS, breast cancer, and car crashes combined, every year.
You’re more likely to develop blood clots if you have family members who have had dangerous blood clots. This is because inherited causes of blood clots are linked to your genetics. People with a family history of life-threatening blood clots tend to develop thrombosis before the age of 45, although it is not very common. If you are aware of this pattern in your family, Dr Okoye advises that you let your doctor know about it so they can make informed medical decisions any time you visit the hospital with an ailment. Knowing this also allows you to make the necessary lifestyle and dietary adjustments to avoid the problem.
Make time for fun and spend time with your loved ones
A story published by Time notes that social isolation can have severe effects on your mental and physical health. The sense of isolation and loneliness can lead to depression, anxiety and less movement, which is bad for your health.
The same article goes on to say that “A robust social life can lower stress levels; improve mood; encourage positive health behaviours and discourage damaging ones; boost cardiovascular health; improve illness recovery rates and aid virtually everything in between. Research has even shown that a social component can boost the effects of already-healthy behaviours such as exercise”.
Bottom line – meet up with the people who bring you joy. Saturday 30 July is International Friendship Day, so make work of planning a dinner or going on a fun outing with friends to celebrate!
The old saying that your health is your greatest wealth is sage advice. When you’re feeling healthy you’re more confident, more productive and have a far greater ability to experience life richly.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) says the number of Nigerians enrolled in health insurance has risen to more than 22 million.
The Director-General of NHIA, Mr Kelechi Ohiri, said this resulted from the implementation of the mandatory health insurance, which has gained momentum nationwide.
He said this on Wednesday at the Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Association of Insurance and Pension Editors (NAIPE) in Lagos.
Mr Ohiri said enrolment had increased to 22.03 million, representing a 35 per cent year-on-year growth, attributing this to stronger collaboration with state social health insurance agencies, ministries, departments and agencies, organised labour, employers, the private sector, and the gradual implementation of the mandatory health insurance provisions of the NHIA Act.
He said that the country had moved beyond policy formulation to delivering measurable improvements in healthcare access, service quality and consumer protection in line with the federal government’s health sector reform agenda.
According to him, Nigeria already has the necessary policies and legislation to achieve Universal Health Coverage, positing that the key challenge was effective implementation.
“The decisive variable is now implementation- consistent, rigorous and accountable execution that converts political commitment into healthcare access for real Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Ohiri said that the transition from the former National Health Insurance Scheme to the NHIA had strengthened regulation, consumer protection, accountability and strategic purchasing, while providing the legal and operational framework for achieving Universal Health Coverage.
He added that improving the experience of enrollees remained central to the Authority’s reform agenda.
According to him, NHIA has strengthened its complaints management system, introduced faster resolution timelines, and intensified compliance monitoring of Health Maintenance Organisations (HMOs) and healthcare providers.
He further added that NHIA had sanctioned facilities that failed to meet the required standards, adding that his organisation had resolved 3,878 complaints, representing an 87 per cent resolution rate, while 95 per cent of the cases were concluded within prescribed timelines.
Mr Ohiri noted that more than N14.2 million had been refunded to enrollees, while non-compliant healthcare facilities had been sanctioned.
He said NHIA had also introduced service standards, including a one-hour treatment commencement target for enrollees requiring urgent care, to improve access to timely and quality healthcare services.
The NHIA boss further disclosed that capitation payments to healthcare providers had been increased by 93 per cent.
He said fee-for-service reimbursements rose by 378 per cent to enable providers to invest more in personnel, equipment and infrastructure.
According to him, 7,592 healthcare facilities have been assessed under the SafeCare quality framework as part of efforts to institutionalise continuous quality improvement across the country.
Mr Ohiri also highlighted interventions targeted at vulnerable groups, including support for more than 48,500 pregnant women, expanded maternal and newborn healthcare services, the Vulnerable Group Fund, and improved access to healthcare for pensioners and retirees.
He said Universal Health Coverage could only be achieved if every Nigerian, regardless of income or location, had access to quality healthcare services.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The new one-hour authorisation response time ultimatum policy introduced by the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) has received the full backing of SUNU Health Nigeria Limited.
This policy was introduced by the agency to ensure enrollees get prompt approval codes to access care.
Healthcare service providers have been urged to report any Health Maintenance Organisation (HMO) that violates this initiative through an email, with the HMO in copy and a timestamp attached as evidence of the request. They may proceed to offer services to enrollees thereafter.
Speaking at the company’s second-quarter Providers’ Forum for the Lagos-Ogun region in Lagos recently, the chief executive of SUNU Health, Dr Moyosore Olomola, expressed optimism that this policy would improve healthcare delivery in the country, especially for enrollees, who crave quality service.
At the event themed Improving Quality and Access to Care Through Stronger Provider Network, and held at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in Yaba, Lagos, Mr Olomola reaffirmed the HMO’s commitment to operating within legal and operational frameworks to guarantee adequate care for enrollees.
“Access to care and quality of care remain key priorities in our healthcare systems. We know quite well that deliberate collaboration, strategic partnerships, and a shared commitment to excellence are required to achieve these priorities.
“A strong provider network is doubtless the backbone of any effective healthcare system. It ensures that our mutual enrollees receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place, and at the right price,” Mr Olomola, represented at the programme by the organisation’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), Dr Faith Nwachi, stated.
He further assured that SUNU Health would strictly adhere to the one-hour authorisation limit, stressing that this aligns seamlessly with one of the organisation’s core values—promptness and its corporate slogan, Humanity is the centre of our initiatives.
In a bid to further improve access and quality of care, SUNU Health also demonstrated its new operational software and Mobile app, aptly named SUNU Legacy.
Also speaking at the event, the NHIA Lagos State Coordinator (Ikeja), Dr Bethuel-Kasimu Abraham, noted that the forum’s expected outcome is to significantly reduce delays in accessing medical care.
Other key expectations include ensuring continuity of care, improving patient outcomes, and strengthening accountability among HMOs.
Addressing specific pain points faced by enrollees, the NHIA Ogun State Coordinator, Mr Dare Adefeso, acknowledged that the agency had received complaints regarding out-of-stock drugs and the discrimination of enrollees by certain providers.
He affirmed that the NHIA is actively addressing these issues, stressing that moving forward, every facility must ensure enrollees are properly catered to regardless of their status, provided they have an active health insurance plan.
Corroborating the long-standing legacy of SUNU Health, the Ogun State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mrs Aishat Tiamiyu, shared that her agency is responsible for public information dissemination and has been enrolled with SUNU Health for over 25 years.
Commending the HMO’s stellar service over two decades, she called for the immediate enrollment of new NOA staff into the scheme.
The Providers’ Forum remains one of the strategic channels employed by SUNU Health to consistently engage healthcare providers, understand their operational challenges, introduce new software updates, and solidify partnerships aimed at fostering premium healthcare delivery across Nigeria.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has announced the recall of a sexual enhancement product known as WAP Sensual Enhancement Capsules.
In a statement on Monday, the Nigerian agency disclosed that the recall is due to “undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients” in the product, whose country of origin is unknown, but is marketed and distributed online in the US through eBay.
It was emphasised that the recall is being “voluntarily” made by the manufacturer, Best Supplements Best Prices Company.
The detection of the undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients was made by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Laboratory analysis by the US FDA revealed that the product contained undeclared sildenafil, tadalafil, and flibanserin, which were not mentioned on the product label. Such substances may include phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors or related compounds commonly used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, the statement by NAFDAC stated.
Sildenafil and tadalafil are ingredients in FDA-approved prescription drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction.
It was noted that these undeclared ingredients may interact with nitrates found in some prescription drugs, such as nitroglycerin, and may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels. Consumers with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or heart disease often take nitrates.
Flibanserin is the active ingredient in an FDA-approved prescription drug used to treat low sexual desire in women. Flibanserin can cause drowsiness, sedation, dangerously low blood pressure, and fainting, especially when combined with alcohol.
Consumers have been encouraged to report compromised products (medicines or medical devices) to the nearest NAFDAC office, call 0800-162-3322, or send an email to sf******@********ov.ng.
