FG Blames Govs as Lassa Fever Hits 17 States

The Federal Government has blamed poor response from state governments for the spread of Lassa fever from 10 to 17 states in the country.

The Federal Government accused some states of hiding some suspected cases in their states while some others failed to take proactive measures to follow up patients.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said this in Abuja during the emergency National Council on Health meeting on Lassa fever outbreak on Tuesday.

Adewole, identified Ebonyi State as one of those that did not inform the Federal Government about some cases.

The minister also told the council of a patient referred from Ebonyi State to Irrua Specialist Hospital in Edo State for treatment, who he said, absconded with a relative.

He directed that the patient should be traced and treated

The minister told the 418 delegates that the United Nations Children Fund would support with more ribavirin medication to treat persons suffering from the disease.

He expressed surprise that many Nigerians had refused to believe that the epidemic was real.

Adewole said, “Ordinarily, we would not have called this meeting. We are worried and we should be worried. This is why this meeting is important. This battle is not for us alone. It is a nationwide exercise.”

He thereafter named renowned virologist, Prof. Oyewale Tomori, as the Chairman of the 19-man committee set up by the Federal Government to help proffer solution to the disease.

Adewole, who reiterated the capacity of the country to contain Lassa fever, explained that there were enough health professionals to manage the disease.

He, however, denied claims by the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, that there were not enough diagnostic laboratories in the country.

According to him, the Federal Government would establish new treatment centres for Niger, Bauchi, Niger and Taraba, Plateau, Ondo and Ebonyi states “in addition to the six that are active.”

Adewole said, “We currently have testing capability in 14 testing centres some of which are in Maiduguri, Kano, Iddo, Irrua, Lagos, Port Harcourt and the FCT. We have treatment centres all over the country. We have enough personnel for managing Lassa fever. Unlike Ebola Virus Disease that is untreatable, Lassa fever is treatable. But we must start treatment on time to enable us to save the patients…”

He emphasised that all the states in the country should be regarded as hotbed of Lassa fever.

The minister said 17 states in the country were battling Lassa fever while 212 suspected cases in 62 local governments had been in existence since last year August.

He also promised that the Federal Government would establish 109 Primary Healthcare Centres on Lassa fever in each of the six geo-political zones of the country in the next three months.

Adewole said that government was determined to have a functional PHC centre in each ward across the country, and assured Nigerians that there was enough drugs to treat patients suffering from the ailment.

He, however, warned that state governments should “not be under the illusion that the Federal Government alone can take care of the health needs of this nation because we must all drive it.”

The Federal Government, he said, must not be the only one buying drugs for states, adding, “The Federal Ministry of Health cannot be producing everything. Health is on the concurrent list. We must do it together.”

In his update on the disease, the Director of Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, Prof . Abudulsalami Nasidi, expressed fear that 50 per cent of all suspected Lassa fever cases in the country were not Lassa fever but might be symptoms of a new virus.

Nasidi said, “We are worried whether we are dealing with another virus. The cases are different from Dengue, Ebola and Lassa fever,” Nasidi said.

He added that all confirmed Lassa fever cases were tested in two different laboratories.

In his submission, the Niger State Commissioner for Health, Mustapha Jibril, called for the inclusion of traditional healers and health practitioners in the fight against the disease, as done in his state to stop the spread of the disease.

However, residents of Osun State panicked on Tuesday following the death of a medical doctor at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex, Ile Ife who was suspected to have died of Lassa fever on Tuesday.

One of our correspondents gathered that the deceased, who returned from Ondo State with an illness, was admitted at the intensive care unit of the hospital before he died.

He was said to have been vomiting blood and showing other symptoms associated with the disease before he died on Monday.

A source at the hospital said, “The doctor just returned from Ondo State and he became ill. He was admitted on Sunday and he died on Monday. I was told that he showed symptoms similar to Lassa fever.

“The hospital has started contact tracing and some of the nurse and workers have been placed under observation.”

The chairman of a committee set up by the OAUTHC on Lassa fever, Prof. Adedeji Onayade, when contacted on the telephone by one of our correspondents said although a resident doctor died, the hospital had yet to confirm if he died of Lassa fever.

Onayade said, “A resident doctor died and we are suspecting Lassa fever among other causes. We cannot say it is Lassa fever until test confirms it. “

The Chairman of Osun State Association of Medical and Dental Officers, Dr. Isiaka Adekunle, when contacted on the telephone said the association would suspend its strike in case of an outbreak of disease.

Meanwhile a 65-year-old lady from Ifiogwari Village, Ayamelunu, Anambra State, has died of Lassa fever in Delta State.

By: Friday Olokor, Femi Makinde and Bukola Adebayo

Punch News.

Get Proper Concussion Treatment In Toronto ON

By Freida Michael

Concussions and other forms of mild traumatic brain injuries did not have a proper diagnostic procedure and even treatment for long. This means that most patients who suffer brain injuries had to wait for a natural recovery, which in some cases did not happen. The medical community was in the state of confusion. However, this is not the case anymore. There is no need to worry since the concussion treatment in Toronto, ON, guarantees a full recovery for the athletes and all other patients within the shortest time possible.

A mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) can cause several symptoms that may persist and in turn lead to a significant functional limitation. The most common symptoms to look for include sleep disturbance, post-traumatic headache, cognitive impairment, disorders of balance, anxiety disorder, mood swing, and fatigue among others.

There are some standardized procedures, tools and equipment that the clinician now uses to help in proper diagnosis and help facilitate very quick recovery. A good example of such tools available in Toronto is the IMPACT which is basically a computer-based cognitive test. The standardized balanced test used is known as BESS. The two tests mainly focus on the primary brain functions such as the processing speed, reaction speed and the memory for the diagnosis.

As such, it is important that you seek help whenever you suspect a concussion case, whether it is you are someone close to you. The symptoms such as dizziness, nausea and headache are the common ones, but there can be several other symptoms.

Normally, the clinicians advise that the first phase of treatment starts with rest. Concussion occurs when the injury has cut energy supply to some sections of the brain. In addition to this, such injuries lead to improper blood flow and imbalance of ion. By taking deep rest, normal blood floor and ion balance may be restored.

The rest is also important as it helps prevent the secondary injuries that come as the result of disorientation caused by the first injury. In addition to this, the process of rest helps jump-start the process of recovery. When resting, the available energy goods into the restoration of the imbalances as well as building brain cells that may have been damaged in the process.

The rest, in this case, is not as simple as the normal rest. It requires that the brain is not involved in any activity that requires energy. Whether it is reading a newspaper, storybook or any form of reading is not recommended. The same goes for watching TV, playing video games or any form of physical activity that requires thinking. In some extreme cases, the patient may be taken into a dark room for sometimes to prevent brain stimulation caused by light.

In extreme cases of concussion, the medication may be recommended. However, this is not always the case. In any case, just be sure that the medication is recommended and prescribed by a clinician that is highly experienced with the brain injuries. After the rest, the patient is taken through the second phase that involves returning the cognitive activities. F this succeeds, it is followed by the return of the physical activities. Each stage needs to be preceded by at least 24 hours of rest.

About the Author:

Discover lots of valuable information about concussion treatment in Toronto by logging on to our web page. If you want to know how to find our clinic, just click the link that appears here on http://ptpaul.com.

Tips For Reiki Art Certification Portland Oregon

By Beverly C. Ralph

For those who wish to achieve professional status as a healer, the correct qualifications should be sought to open a business. An experienced and qualified practitioner must be available to establish a practice by investing in work. To ensure that one achieves Reiki Art certification Portland Oregon communities are advised on the steps that must be followed.

The first step is to work towards achieving certification as a practitioner in the practice and art of Reiki. The approach is based on the use of energy and spiritual healing that can be applied in the management of various health related conditions without invasive methods and harsh medication. Learning about the techniques and traditions involved can assist in helping others to reach an improved state of function.

A suitable professional level can be reached and achieving status as a Reiki practitioner developed with reliance on the correct approach. The initial level will allow one to open a business and to practice; however, the additional levels will need to be learned to teach. There are particular measures that must be put in place to aid in achieving the best outcome.

It is important to ensure that all clients are knowledgeable of the practice that will be applied. The training and relevant experience should be indicated to the client to ensure that they are aware of the measures that are involved in such an approach. It is possible to open a practice with the correct approach.

The right training levels should be possessed by practitioners to support individuals in working towards a state of wellness. The professional will be able to address the needs of friends and family to ensure that the practice is mastered. The correct business approach implemented with a level one training can aid in achieving the best professional results.

The particular tradition relies on a significant amount of time and a complete understanding of this art that can be improved with friends used initially as clients. These individuals will be able to deliver honest summaries of the experience that will aid in developing a more effective practice. The measures that are implemented are based on natural approaches to wellness.

Reiki Art is a popular natural practice that can provide clients with a number of benefits in the management of particular mental and physical conditions. The right levels of training can be achieved with practitioners in the field who are knowledgeable and licensed in the artform. It is important to put the correct measures in place that will serve as an alternative option to tend to individual requirements.

About the Author:

Beverly C. Ralph is an advocate for holistic healing and wellness. Beverly is especially passionate about the many benefits that can be gained in the practice of Reiki. If you are interested in learning more about Reiki Healing Portland, Oregon then she recommends you click here to learn more.

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Avastin Lucentis Update 17 The Controversy Heats Up Once Again

This writeup was posted on the WSJ Health Blog earlier this afternoon. Isn’t it interesting about the timing – just as the CATT Study comparing the two drugs is set to begin the day after Genentech cuts off supply of Avastin to compounding pharmacies.

Genentech Restricting Avastin Sales To Curb Eye Use

Posted by Jacob Goldstein
WSJ Health Blog
October 11, 2007, 2:39 pm

The toughest competitor for Genentech’s eye drug Lucentis has been Avastin, a Genentech cancer drug.

Today, though, Genentech said it wouldn’t let wholesalers sell Avastin to compounding pharmacies, which have been taking Avastin out of vials and putting it into pre-packaged syringes for eye treatment.

Avastin isn’t approved for use in the eyes, but it’s very similar to Lucentis, which the FDA cleared last year to treat an eye disease called wet macular degeneration. Some doctors substitute Avastin for Lucentis because a dose of the cancer medicine used for the eye disease is a lot cheaper. Avastin used that way costs about $40 a month compared with $2,000 a month for Lucentis. (Physicians are free to prescribe drugs for unapproved uses.)

In a letter explaining the decision (see below), Genentech pointed out that Lucentis was developed expressly for use in the eyes, and that the FDA has expressed safety concerns over the re-packaging of Avastin.

In the first six months of this year, U.S. sales of Avastin were $1.1 billion, and Lucentis sales were $420 million.

Avastin, which is sold through wholesalers, will still be available to hospital pharmacies and directly to doctors after the company ends sales to compounding pharmacies at the end of next month.

But Anne Fung, a San Francisco ophthalmologist, said she worries that some doctors, unable to buy the drug from compounding pharmacies, may do the re-packaging work themselves without the proper safety equipment. “This move is taking it out of a regulated environment into an unregulated environment,” she told the Health Blog. That could increase the risk of contamination and serious eye infections.

Fung, who said Avastin and Lucentis are split roughly 50-50 among macular degeneration patients, said she would likely try to get Avastin from a hospital pharmacy, which might charge her more than the compounding pharmacy.

Genentech spokeswoman Dawn Kalmar pointed out that most wet macular degeneration patients are covered by Medicare, and said the company helps connect patients who can’t cover their copay (which can be $400 a month for Lucentis) with charities that help with payment.


Here is a copy of the Genentech letter:


Letter to Physicians

October 11th, 2007

Dear Retinal Community Member:

On behalf of Genentech, manufacturer of Avastin® (bevacizumab), I am writing to inform you of a change to the distribution of this product. Like all of Genentech's FDA-approved oncology products, Avastin is distributed directly to physicians and hospital pharmacies through authorized wholesale distributors. Genentech has also permitted compounding pharmacies to purchase Avastin from authorized wholesale distributors. As of November 30, 2007, Genentech will no longer allow compounding pharmacies to purchase this product directly from wholesale distributors. This change does not otherwise impact the distribution of Avastin nor will it remove Avastin from the marketplace or otherwise limit a physician's prescribing choice. Physicians can still order Avastin directly from authorized wholesale distributors.

Avastin is an infused medication approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in combination with intravenous 5-fluorouracil-based chemotherapy for first- or second-line treatment of patients with metastatic carcinoma of the colon or rectum and in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel for the first-line treatment of patients with unresectable, locally advanced, recurrent or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Despite the availability of LUCENTIS® (ranibizumab injection), an FDA-approved treatment for neovascular (wet) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), some ophthalmologists are using Avastin for the unapproved treatment of this and other ocular indications. Avastin is not FDA-approved for ocular uses and is not manufactured to meet U.S. Pharmacopoeia (USP) ophthalmic standards. This change will not go into effect until November 30, 2007 to allow for physicians and compounding pharmacies to adjust to this change in distribution.

A series of events have contributed to our decision to make this change to our distribution of Avastin. Most important among these events is the FDA approval and broad availability of Lucentis for patients with wet AMD. Subsequent to the approval of Lucentis, the FDA raised concerns related to the sterility and repackaging of Avastin for ocular use in a Warning Letter to a compounding pharmacy and, separately, during a routine FDA inspection of our South San Francisco manufacturing facility, concerns were raised by inspectors related to the ongoing ocular use of Avastin because it is not designed, manufactured or approved for this use. In addition, we note that Avastin has not undergone any formal, randomized, controlled clinical trials for ocular use.

We recognize this change may require some adjustment on your part and are acknowledging this by notifying you seven weeks prior to the change taking effect. In addition, I would like to reiterate Genentech's commitment to patient access to our approved products. We have always believed that no eligible patient should go without one of our approved medicines due to financial barriers alone. As such, we have invested in a dedicated support services organization to assist with providing patients access to our medicines. Specific to Lucentis, we offer The LUCENTIS Commitment™, a comprehensive support program dedicated to facilitating timely reimbursement. If you or your patients have any questions related to our access and reimbursement services, please contact us toll-free at 1-866-724-9394.

Should you have questions or comments about this distribution change, I encourage you to contact us at physicianquestions@gene.com. We will do our best to respond to your inquiry by the end of the next business day. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we move forward with implementing this change.

Sincerely,

Susan Desmond-Hellmann, M.D.,M.P.H.
President, Product Development
Genentech, Inc.

Hiring A Chiropractor Conroe Texas

By Rebecca Campbell

If a person has ever been involved in a road accident, toted around an overloaded sack or worked a physically demanding job, they might need therapy in a chiropractic clinic. Most individual visit these centers suffering from conditions such as neck pain, sciatica, back aches and many other ailments. When searching for the best chiropractor Conroe Texas residents need to know what factors to consider. The core of this technique is to assist the body recover from different conditions.

It is important that the professional an individual wants to appoint has all the necessary qualifications and experience in their field. A lot of people do not have an idea of what aspects to consider and how to verify these credentials. When visiting the experts during the first consultation, it is imperative to ask about their qualification.

Generally, these practitioners prefer using med-free techniques and other normal methods during treatment. They rely on the idea that the body should recover on its own. The doctors may recommend an individual to try different drug-free options before they can refer them to a different specialist.

Patients are usually surprised to discover that chiropractic professionals utilize techniques such as massage therapy when treating ailments of body discomforts and muscle-joints. In cases where surgery is unsuccessful, the experts offer better and effective treatment alternatives.

When it comes to choosing the right chiropractic experts, issues such as fee, insurance and discounts are worth considering. Ask the experts about their charges, both for consultation and other standard adjustments. At this point, it is imperative to compare the cost from different clinics in order to establish what the average fee is. Moreover, one should ask about issues of insurance and the types of plans involved.

The level of customer utility is also another area a person needs to put into consideration. One can inquire about this issue from the patients going in and coming out of the chiropractic center. Apart from this, legit businesses will always establish themselves online. Visit their sites and read what other people have to say about services they received from the clinics. Of course, there will be negative and positive comments but the negatives must not override the positives.

A good number of chiropractic practitioners are freelance experts. In this respect, one is going to get an advantage regarding the cost and bedside manner if they decide to work with a chiropractic professional within their place of residence. A business that appoints chiropractors will always have a larger turnover rate but organizations that have two or three doctors will certainly exist for a long time.

Finding a reputable professional in Conroe TX is a good way of ensuring that an individual takes care of their lower back pain without taking medication. What is more exciting is that the money an individual pays for these services often goes back to the community. Additionally, chiropractors utilize various methods allowing the patient to select a suitable one.

About the Author:

When you are looking for information about a chiropractor Conroe Texas residents can go to our web pages online here today. Additional details are available at http://www.lordexspineinstituteofconroe.com now.

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