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ROLE OF GENDER EQUALITY IN ACHIEVING SDGs IN 2030

Gender, Gender Equality, SDG, Speak Wednesday / cfhinitiative

Gender equality, according to United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is defined as women and men, girls and boys having equal conditions, treatment, and opportunities for realizing their full potential, human rights, and dignity, and for contributing to (and benefitting from) economic, social, cultural and political development. It is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making; and the state of valuing different behaviors, aspirations, and needs equally, regardless of gender.

There is a growing global recognition that gender is a key determinant of health inequalities and health sector performance. In framing the Sustainable Development Goals and 2030 Global agenda for All, it was widely recognized that integrating gender equality and women and girls’ empowerment perspectives into policies and programs is important to the achievement of global commitments and targets. More precisely, global best practices in health care delivery demonstrate that gender mainstreaming and human rights-based approaches lead to better health outcomes for men and women, boys and girls.

Women and girls make up half of the population of the world yet are marginalized in every area of life. Extreme poverty is higher among women because of the societal and cultural belief that women are homemakers while men are said to be breadwinners. The popular saying “Educate a girl educate a nation” is a call for action that should be championed by all. Poverty would end in all its forms in society and will improve if women have access to decent work and pay.

Also, maternal and child mortality will reduce if women have full rights and protection to reproductive rights, especially the eradication of female genital mutilation done on girls and women. This will indirectly bring a significant change in the promotion of life and well-being of all which is one of the global goals.

Every gender prejudice has an undermining effect on all other global goals because women make up half of the population of the world, and women’s right is a human right.

Once given the right tools, and privilege, women will achieve more success across all disciplines and live a self-empowered and independent life that will benefit the overall betterment of society.

Speak Wednesday is an initiative of CFHI to address issues around gender-based violence and gender bias.

#SpeakWednesday #GenderEquality #SDG5 #GenderBias #EqualityEqualsProgress

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Monday Health Burst on Viral Hepatitis-Vaccine and Treatment

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Welcome to today’s Monday Health Burst on Viral Hepatitis Vaccination and Treatment. The vaccination and treatment for hepatitis differs depending on the type of virus.

Hepatitis A has no specific treatments. The body usually clears up the virus within 6 months of contraction, without leaving a lasting damage on the liver. However, resting, managing nausea, avoiding alcohol and use of medications could help. Currently, the two known types of hepatitis A vaccine include a single-dose vaccine which is given as two shots, 24 weeks apart, and a vaccine combination that can protect against both hepatitis A and hepatitis B. The combination vaccine can be given as three shots over 6 months.

Haptieties B vaccine is available for all age groups. However, the treatment of Hepatitis B may be life long. This is to ensure that the infection does not develop to something much worse and that the infection does not spread to other people. These treatment may include: Antiviral medications, Interferon injections and Liver transplant.

The most effective therapy for hepatitis C is a drug combination consisting of pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Pegylated interferon is taken weekly as an injection and ribavirin is a twice daily tablet. The treatment is a form of chemotherapy and the ability to tolerate it varies widely for each person. There is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C, but the best way to prevent hepatitis C is by avoiding behaviors that can spread the disease, especially injecting drugs. It is important to carryout routine testing for hepatitis C, because treatments can cure most people with hepatitis C in 8 to 12 weeks according to research.

For Hepatitis D, Pegylated interferon alpha is the generally recommended treatment. Treatment should last for at least 48 weeks irrespective of the patient’s response. Though virus tends to give a low rate of response to the treatment, the treatment is associated with a lower likelihood of disease progression, according to National Center for Biotechnology Information. There is also no vaccine to prevent hepatitis D yet, however, a report by Centre for Disease Control shows that prevention of hepatitis B with hepatitis B vaccine also protects against future hepatitis D infection.

There is no specific treatment capable of altering the course of acute hepatitis E, as the disease is usually self-limiting. Hospitalization is generally not required. Most important is the avoidance of unnecessary medications. Acetaminophen, paracetamol and medication against vomiting should be used sparingly or avoided.
Hospitalization is required for people with fulminant hepatitis and should also be considered for symptomatic pregnant women. Immunosuppressed people with chronic hepatitis E benefit from specific treatment using ribavirin, an antiviral drug. In some specific situations, interferon has been used successfully. A vaccine to prevent hepatitis E virus infection has been developed and is licensed in China, but is not yet available elsewhere.

Monday Health Burst is an initiative of CFHI to address issues of basic health concern. Join us every Monday on all our social media platforms for more episodes.

#StillOnViralHepatitis #Vaccine #Treatment #WHD2022 #BB9ja

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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL (SDG) 5

Gender, Gender Based Violence, Gender Equality, SDG / cfhinitiative

Among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2015 is Sustainable Development Goal 5, whose mission is to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

According to Wikipedia, SDG 5 has nine targets and 14 indicators. Six of the targets are “outcome-oriented”: ending all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere; ending violence and exploitation of women and girls; eliminating harmful practices such as child, early and forced marriage, and female genital mutilation; the increasing value of unpaid care and promoting shared domestic responsibilities; ensuring full participation of women in leadership and decision-making, and ensuring access to universal reproductive rights and health. The three “means of achieving” targets are: fostering equal rights to economic resources, property ownership, and financial services for women; promoting the empowerment of women through technology; and adopting, strengthening policies, and enforcing legislation for gender equality.

It is a fundamental right of a woman to live free of all discrimination or violence, to have a quality education, work, equal pay, health care, and a wholesome inclusion in political and economic decision-making. Our government needs to take substantial actions to help achieve SDG 5 because the inclusion of women and girls in economic and political decision-making will essentially drive more sustainable development outcomes for all.

Speak Wednesday is an initiative of CFHI to address issues around gender-based violence and gender bias.

#SpeakWednesday #SDG5 #GenderBias #Genderequality

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Monday Health Burst on Hepatitis in Pregnant Women and Children.

Uncategorized / cfhinitiative

Viral hepatitis occurs in pregnant women atimes due to peculiar diseases associated with pregnancy, such as acute fatty liver of pregnancy, elevated liver enzyme, severe pre-eclampsia and low platelet count.

Statistics has shown that about 9 in 10 pregnant women with acute hepatitis B virus infection will pass the virus to their babies. Also, between 1 and 2 in 10 women with chronic infection. Most transmission of viral hepatitis from mother to child happen by exposing infants to an infected blood and fluids during labour and delivery, and autoimmune liver condition.

Symptoms of viral hepatitis in children include dehydration, diarrhea, abdominal pain and vomiting before showing signs of severe acute hepatitis (increased liver enzymes and jaundice).

According to research, vaccine provides over 95 percent protection in infants, and the prevalence of viral hepatitis among vaccinated women during childhood is considerably moderate compared to non vaccinated women. Hence, timelines in the reception of the birth dose and completion of the schedule would help to actualize the efficiency of the vaccine. Also, supervising hand washing in young children can help to prevent infections that can cause hepatitis.

Monday Health Burst is an initiative of CFHI to address issues of basic health concern. Join us every Monday on all our social media platforms for more episodes.

#ViralHepatitis #MaternalHealth #ChildHealth #MondayHealthBurst

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GENDER STEREOTYPE IN FAMILIES

Uncategorized / cfhinitiative

Gender stereotype is a widely accepted bias that ascribes specific attributes, characteristics or roles to males and females because of their gender.

Society has expectations of how a woman or a man should act, speak, dress, groom, and conduct themselves. This practice starts in the family which is the smallest unit of society. In most families, gender roles are transmitted to the younger generations from their parents. Some parents model their lifestyles of gender stereotypes to their children, thereby preserving and reinforcing stereotyping in society.

Domestic roles like sweeping, cooking and washing kitchen utensils are assigned to the female child while the male child is made to do heavier tasks. This indirectly conditions the mind of a female child as a weak gender. From this stereotyping, stems the erroneous old saying that ‘the education of a woman ends in the kitchen’.

Similarly, research has it that the distribution of domestic roles has a major impact on the development of children. Most importantly, it affects their professional preferences or career aspirations.

To stamp out this norm in our families, parents and caregivers are advised to use gender-neutral language around children, exhibit fairness and divide house chores equally, teach children, male and female alike to be independent, and fight stereotypes in every social construction.

Speak Wednesday is an initiative of CFHI to address issues around gender-based violence and gender bias.

#SpeakWednesday #GenderStereotype #GenerBias #GenderInequality

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Viral Hepatitis – Overview

#ViralHepatitis, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Monday Health Burst, PMTCT, Viral Hepatitis, WHO / cfhinitiative

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver caused by a variety of infectious viruses and non-infectious agents leading to a range of health problems which could result in fatality. There are five main strains of the hepatitis virus, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E and they all cause liver disease. However, they differ in significant ways such as modes of transmission, severity of the illness, geographical distribution and prevention methods.

Viral hepatitis B and C leads to chronic disease in hundreds of millions of people and together are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis, liver cancer and viral hepatitis-related deaths.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), about 354 million people worldwide live with hepatitis B or C, and for most, testing and treatment remain beyond reach and in 2019, approximately 290 000 people died from hepatitis C.

Viral Hepatitis types are contacted through ingestion of contaminated food or water, unsafe contact with infected body fluids, receipt of contaminated blood or blood products, Mother-child transmission, sexual contact etc. Symptoms may be mild or severe at the onset of the infection.

Some types of hepatitis are preventable through vaccination while there is currently no effective vaccine against hepatitis C. Hepatitis if not treated with caution at the early stage will progress to cirrhosis and other chronic conditions of the liver.

WHO’s global hepatitis strategy, aims to reduce new hepatitis infections by 90% and deaths by 65% between 2016 and 2030.

#hepatitis #who #liverdiseases #livercirrhosis #mondayhealthburst #cfhi #unfpa #unicef

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SPEAK WEDNESDAY – MOTHERHOOD PENALTY

Uncategorized / cfhinitiative

After childbirth, most women experience a significant drop in their careers. This is called the motherhood penalty.

According to Wikipedia, the motherhood penalty is a term coined by sociologists who argue that in the workplace, working mothers encounter biological and cultural-based disadvantages in pay, perceived competence, and benefits relative to childless women.

Mothers in the workforce most times face discrimination in the hiring process based on stereotypical views that women are less committed to their work, therefore less productive. Subsequently, this affects the employability rate of women, wages, evaluations, promotions, and in a long run, their careers.

To change the narrative, the government should make policies that prohibit discrimination against mothers, continue to promote paid parental leave, and assess gender wage gaps. Society and employers should learn to provide support for working mothers as that will reduce the penalization of women for starting a family.

Speak Wednesday is an initiative of CFHI to address issues around gender-based violence and gender bias. Join us every Wednesday on all our social media platforms for more episodes.

# SpeakWednesday #MotherhoodPenalty #GenderBias #Genderinequality

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MONDAY HEALTH BURST – VIRAL HEPATITIS IN NIGERIA

#ViralHepatitis, Health, Health Communication, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C / cfhinitiative

Viral hepatitis is one of the most communicable diseases in the world. It is spread through contaminated blood, intravenous drug abuse and sexual contact with an infected person. In highly endemic areas like sub-Saharan Africa and Asia, hepatitis B is most commonly spread from mother to child at birth (perinatal transmission). In addition, infection can occur during medical, surgical and dental procedures, tattooing, or through the use of razors and similar objects that are contaminated with infected blood. Annually, viral hepatitis affects 400 million people worldwide, causing acute and chronic liver diseases and killing about 1.5 million people (4,000 people daily), mostly from hepatitis B and C. Yet, it is entirely preventable.

Infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the main cause of liver cancer. According to Centre for Disease Control (CDC), viral hepatitis causes 80% of all liver cancer deaths. In Nigeria, liver cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths, accounting for over 11,000 deaths yearly and 32 deaths every day. Liver cancer is less common among children and teenagers and more common with adults. The average age of occurrence in Nigeria is about 46 years compared to the developed world where the average age of occurrence is in the mid-60s. Also, liver cancer is more common in men with a male: female ratio of about 2 in 1 according to National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Liver cancer is rare in children and teenagers.

Every year, July 28 is marked as World Hepatitis Day (WHD). It is a day dedicated to increase the global awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis and the diseases that it causes. This is because research shows that with better awareness and application of its preventive measures, this life-threatening disease could be eliminated, and 4,000 lives could be saved daily.

Centre for Family Health Initiative (CFHI) takes advantage of this special event annually to work towards eliminating viral hepatitis across different states in Nigeria. Aside awareness creation in communities by CFHI, other successful ways employed to curb this menace is to reach out to key populations in Abuja, Nasarawa and Imo states with sensitization programs, vaccination and referrals. These key populations include female sex workers, drug addicts, inmates in correctional centres, worship centres, and people living in hard-to-reach communities. CFHI also carries out street interviews to know the level of awareness of people towards hepatitis and has over the years reached out to over 1000 people.

During the sensitization campaigns, participants are shown different ways of preventing the transmission of viral hepatitis, which include avoiding sharing of needles and other items such as toothbrushes, razors or nail scissors, avoiding tattoos or body piercings from unlicensed facilities and screening of blood donation products, practicing safe sex by minimizing the number of partners and using barrier protective measures (condoms), reducing alcohol intake, obesity, and avoiding aflatoxin prone foods like tree nuts (almonds, cashews, and walnuts), peanut, rice, corn, dried fruits, cereals, among others.

During the street interviews by CFHI, about 40% of the respondents were unaware of what hepatitis really is, neither do they know the means of transmission and preventive measures; 30% agreed to have heard about hepatitis, but never cared much about it; 20% were either infected or affected by HBV or HCV; and 10% had proper knowledge of viral hepatitis and were vaccinated.

To significantly reduce the current hepatitis epidemic, screening and early diagnosis still remains a major tool in preventing transmission of viral hepatitis and other health problems that may result from viral hepatitis infection. There is need for massive awareness and widespread availability of these interventions. With CFHI already facilitating health education, screening as well as vaccination against hepatitis at the grassroots and among key populations, a larger number of persons in Nigeria will be reached with more support.

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Speak Wednesday- Structural Inequality in Rural Communities

Uncategorized / cfhinitiative

Structural inequality is a situation when social institutions offer a biased distinction which is advantageous to certain category of people and marginalizes some other set of people. In this case, the women. This marginalization is mainly a rural phenomenon. However, urban communities are not completely excluded.

The structural gender inequality persists in rural communities due to factors such as sexual orientation, tradition and religion. As a result of this, some women in rural communities are denied equal access to wealth, properties, wages, quality education, good health care and health insurance, employment, living standards, among others. Which is detrimental to the actualization of sustainable development goals and frustrates the economic growth of the society at large.

To combat structural gender inequality in rural communities, all private sectors should encourage maternity leaves with pay. Also, the government should without gender bias increase the minimum wage, end residential segregation, build affordable assets for working families, invest in infrastructure and public services, ensure the fair distribution and access to land, and end all forms of discrimination.

Speak Wednesday is an initiative of CFHI to address issues around gender-based violence and gender bias. Join us every Wednesday on all our social media platforms for more episodes.

#SpeakWednesday #StructuralInequality #GenderBias #RuralCommunities #Urbanization

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Monday Health Burst – Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV

PMTCT / cfhinitiative

In 2020, 1.7 million people in Nigeria were living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), according to National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA). Women being the most affected group, numbering about 960 thousand. Agreeably, this puts children at a very high risk of infection.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), HIV can be transmitted from infected pregnant woman to her infant during pregnancy to breastfeeding periods. However, with effective medical intervention, the rate of maternal to child transmission of HIV can be curtailed.

Some of the interventions include the sensitization of isolated communities and youths to the dangers of having unprotected sex, guidelines for HIV prevention, care and treatment for infected pregnant women, among others. Also, intensifying prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) programmes in health care centres.

#MondayHealthBurst #PMTCT #Health4All #HIVAIDSPrevention

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