By Iyanu Oluwajomilju
In a bid to sensitize parents, teachers, students and their guardians on the medical condition called diphtheria, a one day School Health Seminar was held yesterday at the Grandmates School Hall, Okota area of Lagos.
The event is best described as the Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR of the popular Ago Medical Center, Okota, Lagos.
Doctor Mrs Adesona R.O, Deputy Directorate of Family Health and Nutrition, Lagos State, describes Diphtheria diseases as a deadly disease which causes serious infection of the nose and throat but can be easily preventable by a vaccine when noted in time.
Adesona noted that early diagnosis, timely intervention and prevention is the best approach to curb this disease from spreading.
She explained that an Immunization Vaccines called DPT, protects children and adults against diphtheria. She explained D stands for Disease, P stands for Pertussis, which is also known as whooping cough and T stands for Tetanus adding that the vaccine is given as a number of injections to infants and young child. Children should get three injections in the first year and a fourth injection when they are 18 months old.
The Deputy Director of Family Health and Nutrition, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Mrs Esther Samuel speaks on the overview and causes, prevention and control of the Diphtheria disease.
Mrs Samuel explains that the disease destroy the cells in the body system from the throat, noise and later result to low breathing from the Lungs with a low temperature from the body.
Speaking further, she explains that the disease which may also cause inflammation of Mucus, Membranes, Asymptomatic as well as transmitting the bacteria to others.
She expresses the need for a quick intervention of treatments because of the high spread of disease in some State in Nigeria.
Mrs Samuel points out that the wide spread of the DPT is extremely rare in developed Countries due to availability of the vaccination against the diseases adding that it breaks down the cell due to toxic effects in the system while a total number of 7,487 case has been reported with a total of 471 death case.
She urges all parents, students to visit a good health centers or hospitals when they are sick and not to imbibe in self medicating.
One of the guest speakers, Doctor
Utah Ijeoma Judith, a registered Medical Officer and Public Health Mid Wife Nurse applauds the General manager of the Ago Palace Medical Center and Grandmates School for the partnership and organizing such events.
Utah stresses on the needs to give adequate Nutrition to Students, provision of Clean Environment and Sanitation to School as well as administering Medical Screening to all Students and Staffs of the Management according to the important aspects of the School Health Scheme.
She advised that all Schools, Communities and Religious houses to partner with hospitals in tackling inproper Nutritional treatment.
Mr Abdul Remi who represented the Permanent Secretary on Quality Assurance of the Ministry of Education appreciates the organizers of the events
Abdul speaks on the importance of the medical Screening and welfare of every school as an area to be focused on.
He stated that facilities of Schools must be in a good conducive environment, and also check for medical health issues of all students before considering them into any curriculum activities on physical health and mental wellbeing.
He noted that this act will help to prevent poor health issues in the school settings.
He also pleaded that both the school proprietors, principals, teachers and student must all be screened to avert spread of the disease and also to be given better Nutrition.
Doctor Kola Afolabi, the Medical Director of the Ago Palace Medical Center appreciates all guest speakers and participants present at the Seminar, urging every students to be of good character, study well, be of good behavior at school, at home to both parents, teachers, guardians, custodians and also among other students.
