Country’s name: NIGERIA

MAIN 5 DIDEASES AND HEALTH PROBLEM

1. Malaria:
Nigeria is a malaria endemic environment. Malaria is caused by
plasmodium and transmitted through female anopheles mosquito which
feed on blood; they are attracted to body sweats. Symptoms arise two
weeks after been bitten. Symptoms include headache, high temperature,
bitter taste, loss of appetite, fatigue and body pain. Malaria in pregnant
women results in miscarriages, still births, loss of baby weight etc.
Studies show that about250, 000 of Nigerian children die every year
from malaria and551, 187 population death was recorded in the year
2010.Self-medication and malaria pills are given to a sick person at his or
her first sign of such symptoms.
Symptoms can get worse if not treated well. Mosquitoes are always found
in gutters, swamps and stagnant dirty water around the house. To
prevent mosquito bites, good hygiene should be maintained. This is done
by washing the drainages, sewages and gutters. Grasses around the
houses should be cut, the use of mosquito nets, spraying the house and
rooms with insecticides are also some of the useful preventive measures.
Night bath is necessary to prevent mosquito bites.

2. Cold:
Common cold is a viral infection that affects the upper respiratory tract,
especially the nose. 11,281 number of death was recorded as a result of
whopping cough in 2009. It is associated with symptoms such as
coughing, sneezing, running nose, sore throat, headache, watery eyes,
and block nostrils with mucus and voice loss. They are caused by dust,
exposure to cold, eating contaminated foods or eating with dirty hands.
Preventive measures include good personal hygiene, washing of the
hands, avoiding the dusty areas or covering the nose with masks in dusty
areas, wearing of sweaters, cardigans and not exposing the body parts,
especially, the chest in cold weather. Covering of the nose when sneezing
and turning away from people when they sneeze also help to curb the
spread of the virus.

3. Hypertension:
It is also known as high blood pressure which later leads to the paralysis
of one or both sides of the body, known as "stroke". Hypertension occurs
when the blood pressure in the arteries are increased. Due to this, the
heart will work more for the circulation of blood. The heart contracts and
the cardiovascular muscle relaxes. Anyone with the BP of 140/90mmHg
and above is likely to have hypertension, stroke, heart and kidney failure.
Nobody is exempted from this chronic disease. The men, women, old and
young should always check their BP. It is common among those with
stressful life situations, job loss, failure in projects, contracts and studies,
loss of a loved ones, emotional trauma, and heart breaks.
We should always check our blood pressure (BP) in hospitals or pharmacy
shops and it is even free in most clinics. We should note that blood
pressure rises when malaria parasite is present in the blood stream. So, it
is not always when one has high BP that he or she is hypertensive, but,
high BP is most likely associated with hypertension. With the absence of
malaria, high BP needs medical attention. Medications prescribed should
be used always. A hypertensive patient should not be around a noisy
environment. Bad or tragic news should be kept from such patients.
Avoiding stressful activities, reduction in salt and alcohol intake, watching
of body weight, adequate sleep, rest and exercise, frequent BP checking
are the medical advice given to people with high blood pressure.

4. Cholera and diarrhoea:

A chronic and communicable disease that can claims lives within few
days if care is not taken. Diarrhoea is not as serious a cholera, lasts for
about three days which can be as a result of stomach upset, reactions to
food eaten, food poisoning or constipation. Diarrhoea symptoms are
loose, watery and frequent stools. They are both water and food-borne
diseases that are carried by house flies that came in contact with infested
stools and vomits. According to the UNESCO statistics, the diarrhoea
death rate in Nigeria is 18.8%. Diarrhoea accounts for 16% of infant
mortality in Nigeria and about 150,000 deaths among children under 5
years. Cholera include symptoms such as passing out watery or blood
stained stools, vomiting, loss of body weight, fatigue, dehydration,
stomach ache. To prevent these diseases, high degree of personal should
be maintained, frequent washing of hands before eating and after using
the toilet, covering of food and water, proper cooking of food, taking
healthy food and water, good construction of toilets, washing and cleaning
of toilet, covering of pit latrines. Health education and frequent visitations
of public health officers to different houses will force the population to
take care of their environments, including their toilets. Government
should provide drinking water and good sanitation body.

5. HIV/AIDS:
Human Immunodeficiency Virus advances to Acquired Immune deficiency
Syndrome is a sexually transmitted disease that destroys the immune
systems and is accompanied by many diseases and infections. HIV is
mainly transmitted through blood or mucous contact by unprotected
sexual activities and sharing sharp objects like razors, needles, hair
clippers, cutting combs used by ladies, injections, circumcisions and
piercing equipment. Symptoms include fever, high temperature, weight
loss, diarrhoea, body blisters, fatigue, cough, difficulty in breathing and so
on. Safe sexual activities by the use of condoms prevent one from
contacting the disease. Sharp objects should not be shared. Used
injections, circumcisions blades, piercing equipment should be disposed
off. Rape victims should check in for medical attention and test do know
their HIV status.