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The trade of people for the purpose of forced labour, sexual slavery, or commercial sexual exploitation for the trafficker or others is referred to as human trafficking by the United Nations.

Although human trafficking is a violation of human rights that affects people of all genders, the U.S. Department of State reported that women and girls make up the majority of those who have been found to have been trafficked for both commercial sex and labour.

This can also be supported by the findings of the United Nation that stated that women and Girls represent 65 percent of all trafficking victims globally. While more than 90 percent of detected female victims are trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

The Nigerian government in 2022 identified 521 sex trafficking victims. Out of them, 158 were children, all girls, and the rest were women. As much as this is a global issue, it varies from country to country.

There are many factors that causes human trafficking. Among them are armed conflict, social and cultural practices, economic deprivation, gender discrimination, lack of education, lack of respect for human rights, poverty, etc. However, the root cause of human trafficking is traffickers.

Human trafficking is one of the most damaging hazards and injustices that women and girls face especially in crises ridden areas. Victims of human trafficking experience high rates of physical and sexual violence, including homicide, torture, psychological abuse, horrific work and living conditions, mental health problems e.g., depression, PSTD, etc. – American Psychological Association.

Government, private citizens, and other stakeholders are urged to take aggressive action to curb the occurrence of this gendered crime that preys on women and girls.

Speak Wednesday is an initiative of CFHI to address issues around gender-based violence and gender bias.
#SpeakWednesday #HumanTrafficking #WomenTrafficking #ChildTrafficking #HumanRight #GenderBias #GenderInequality

                 

 

Diabetes mellitus refers to a group of diseases that affect how the body uses blood sugar glucose.
About 422 million people worldwide have diabetes, the majority living in low-and middle-income countries(WHO).

According to Mayo Clinic, the actual cause of most kinds of diabetes is unknown. In all cases, sugar builds up in the bloodstream in every situation. This is as a result of inadequate insulin production by the pancreas. Diabetes of either type 1 or type 2 can result from a mix of hereditary and environmental factors. What those factors might be is unknown.

Diabetes symptoms vary depending on how much the blood sugar is elevated. Some people, especially those with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, may sometimes not experience symptoms. In type 1 diabetes, symptoms tend to come quickly and be more severe.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if one has any of the following diabetes symptoms, it is important to visit a medical doctor for a blood sugar test:

• Frequent urination especially at night
• Increased thirst
• Abnormal weight loss
• Increased hunger
• Blurry vision
• Numbness or tingling hands or feet
• Tiredness even when not stressed.
• Abnormal dry skin
• Having sores that heal slowly
• Frequent occurrence of infections.

#Diabetes #SymptomsandCauses #WorldDiabetesDay2022 #MondayHealthBurst @cdcgov

In Nigeria, there are various cultural customs that limit the advancement and protection of women’s rights. Women from all of Nigeria’s ethnic groupings generally experience some amount of marginalization in all facets of their lives due to the the patriarchal society that regards them as second-class citizens.

These cultural practices include;
1.Female genital mutilation
2.Child/forced marriage
3. Preference of a male child over a female child
4. Female infanticide
5.Widowhood rites, etc.

Gender inequalities in society as a whole are frequently reinforced and maintained by these harmful cultural norms.

Furthermore, these unfair societal attitudes and values promote and uphold the male patriarchy while restricting women’s access to political, economic, and educational opportunities as well as their sexual and reproductive health. This shows that female children are born with disadvantages from birth which prevents them from realizing their full potential as women in the future.

By eliminating harmful and discriminatory cultural practices, promoting female child education, and taking legal action against organizations or people who pose a danger to women’s rights, this narrative can be transformed.

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

#SpeakWednesday #CulturalRights #CulturalPractices #Women’sRights #GenderEquality #GenderBias #GenderInequality

A crucial factor in enhancing child survival and fostering healthy growth and development is infant and young child nutrition. The first two years of a child’s life are particularly crucial because good nutrition during this time promotes overall better development, lowers morbidity and mortality, and lowers the chance of chronic diseases.

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 2.7 million child fatalities per year, or 45% of all child mortality, are attributed to malnutrition.

A child’s growth and capacity for learning are enhanced by adequate nutrition prior to delivery, through the mother’s health, and during the early years of life. Additionally, healthy eating helps avoid disease.
Children that are underfed do not develop properly, they are smaller than other kids their age and are typically quite selective and less interested in eating food. When they play, they are less engaged in exploring and learning and are less energetic.
In addition, malnourished children are frequently unwell. A body that is already weak from insufficient nutrition is more prone to sicknesses.

Everyone in the society should work together to ensure that child nutrition is prioritized from conception, child’s birth and all through their development stages in order to ensure the society’s future healthiest generations.

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.

#InfantNutrition
#YoungChildFeeding
#MondayHealthBurst

Breast self-examination have not been shown to be effective in detecting cancer or improving survival for women who have breast cancer. Regardless, health practitioners believe that there is value in women being familiar with their own breasts to help them understand what is normal and report changes promptly.

Centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) in September 2022 noted that “Regular mammograms are the best tests doctors have to find breast cancer early”.
A mammogram is an X-ray picture of the breast, otherwise known as a screening mammogram. This phenomenon when used in relation to breast cancer, means checking a woman’s breast for cancer before there are any visible signs. With a mammogram, doctors occasionally detect signs of cancer up to three years before it can be felt (CDC).

Treatment of cancer depends on the cancer stage. It could consist of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.

Thus, it is vital that routine breast screening is done to greatly increase the chances of winning breast cancer and screening is done at any approved hospital or clinic.
Early detection is key.

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.

#breastcancer
#ScreeningandTreatment
#breastcancerawarenessmonth
#breastcancersurvivor
#RISEforBCAM
#MondayHealthBurst

Cancer has been defined by Oxford languages as a malignant growth or tumor resulting from an uncontrolled division of cells.
Breast cancer is thus a cancer that forms in the cells of the breasts.Breast cancer is more prevalent in women and occurs only very rarely in men.Breast cancer is known to be the most common and invasive type of cancer in females. It is also recorded to be the leading cause of deaths from cancer.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2020, 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer and about 685 000 deaths occurred from breast cancer globally.
Historically, breast cancer was low in Nigeria, but we have experienced an increase as a result of lifestyle changes as well as urbanization. Currently approximately 18% of deaths in the country are attributed to breast cancer.

The American Cancer Society stated that the most common types of breast cancer are:

Ductal Carcinoma in situ (DCIS) , Invasive Breast Cancer (IDC/ILC), Triple-negative Breast Cancer, Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC), Paget disease of the Breast, Angiosarcoma of the Breast and Phyllodes Tumor.

There are four known stages of breast cancer. Stages one to four being the most common stages. Stage zero is sometimes used to describe cancer that still is localized to the area In which it started hence they are easily treatable. They are even considered precancerous by some healthcare providers.

The most common symptoms of breast cancer includes;

A lump in the breast, abnormal nipple discharge,
changes in the shape or texture of the nipple or breast, discomfort in the breast, redness of skin around the breast.

While the risk factors include;

Genetic mutations, incressing age, having dense breasts, personal history of breast cancer or certain non-cancerous breast diseases, family history of breast or ovarian cancer, previous treatment using radiation therapy.

Other risk factors include;

Not being physically active, being overweight or having obesity after menopause, taking hormones or certain oral contraceptives (birth control pills), reproductive history (Having the first pregnancy after age 30, not breastfeeding, and never having a full-term pregnancy), harmful use of alcohol, smoking, female gender is the strongest breast cancer risk factor.

There are many reasons for lumps to develop in the breast, most of which are not cancer.

Often, the most common first detectable site of spread is to the lymph nodes under the arm although it is possible to have cancer-bearing lymph nodes that cannot be felt.

#BreastCancer
#SymptomsandRiskFactors
#BreastCancerAwarenessMonth
#BreastCancerSurvivor
#RISEforBCAM
#MondayHealthBurst

The United Nations defined gender stereotype as a preconception about attributes or characteristics, or the roles that are or ought to be possessed by, or performed by, women and men. A gender stereotype is harmful when it limits women’s capacity to develop their personal abilities, pursue their professional careers and/or make choices about their lives.

Example includes exposure to higher rates of sexual assault, gender-based violence, not criminalizing marital rape, sexualizing women, believing that victims of sexual violence agreed to sexual acts, lower rates on education, employment, inclusion in leadership et al.

A Medical News Today’s article reviewed in June 2021, reported that studies have shown a link between experiencing discrimination and mental health symptoms. Sexism also exposes people to many risk factors of mental health conditions, including chronic stress, negative self-image, and trauma. Furthermore, exposure to socioeconomic inequality and harmful messages in the media can lead to women developing mental conditions.

Other psychological effects of gender stereotyping include depression, anxiety, insomnia, anger, sadness, post-traumatic stress disorder and more.

In anticipation of the World Mental Health Day 2022, the Centre for Family Health Initiative enjoins all to learn, speak up and always condemn gender stereotyping.

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

• #SpeakWednesday #Genderstereotype #Genderrights #Genderequality #mentalhealth

 

Climate change, together with other natural and human-made health stressors, influences human health in numerous ways, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to the World Health Organization, between 2030 and 2050, climate change is expected to cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year, from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress.

Health is already being impacted by climate change in a variety of ways, including the increased frequency of extreme weather events like heat-waves, storms, and floods, the disruption of food systems, an increase in zoonosis, food-water diseases vector-borne diseases, and mental health problems.
Furthermore, many of the social factors that contribute to good health, such as employment opportunities, equality, access to medical treatment, and social support networks, are being undermined by climate change.
Women, children, ethnic minorities, poor communities, migrants or displaced people, elderly populations, and individuals with underlying health issues are among the most at risk and disadvantaged groups who experience a disproportionate amount of these climate-sensitive health concerns.

According to Common Wealth Fund in the article “The Impact of Climate Change on Our Health and Health Systems”, accessed on 26 September,2022, Since 2008, weather-related incidents have caused an average of more than 20 million people to relocate worldwide. Compared to the consequences on physical health, the effects of such stress and loss on mental health are more difficult to measure. However, they are still very severe.

The greatest threat to human health is climate change but reducing emissions of greenhouse gases through better transport, food and energy-use choices can result in improved health.

 

#MondayHealthBurst #ClimateChange #CDC #Palladium #VillageReach #PreservationofOzoneLayer

The ozone layer is a region of the upper atmosphere located between 15 and 35km above earth’s surface. Its function is to absorb high-energy Ultraviolet (UV) Ray’s from the sun preventing them from reaching the earth’s surface.

Over exposure to UV radiation is considered to be a health risk, causing skin and eye damage, as well as having adverse effects on the immune system. Amongst the effects resulting from exposure to Ultraviolet radiation, Melanoma, a lethal human health effect causes over 7100 deaths annually in the United States as reported by Hidaya Aliouche in an article published on News Medical and Health Sciences, accessed 19 September, 2022, <https://www.news-medical.net/health/What-Are-the-Health-Benefits-of-Protecting-the-Ozone-Layer.aspx/>

An international agreement to protect the ozone layer is expected to prevent 443 million cases of skin cancer and 63 million cataract cases for people born in the United States through the end of this century, according to new research by scientists at the National Cancer for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), ICF consulting, and US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Furthermore, the European Environmental Agency stated that one of the action required globally to continue the recovery of the ozone layer is to ensure that banks of ozone-depleting substances (both in storage and contained in existing equipment) are dealt with in an environmentally-friendly manner and are replaced with climate-friendly alternatives. European Commission, Protecting the ozone layer, accessed September 19, 2022, <https://ec.europa.eu/clima/eu-action/protecting-ozone-layer_en/>

World Ozone Day was established to be marked on September 16 every year to raise awareness of the ozone layer’s depletion.

 

#HealthBenefits #OzoneLayerProtection #WorldOzoneDay #MondayHealthBurst

 

                                                                                 

Greenhouse effect is the process by which radiations from the sun are absorbed by the greenhouse gases and not reflected back into space. This insulates the surface of the earth and prevents it from freezing.

The greenhouse gases at normal level help the earth to maintain an ambient condition for our survival. However, the anthropogenic action by humans (burning of fossil fuels) has induced the amount of these greenhouse gases thereby resulting in greenhouse effect.

According to Naiyer et al., (2022), the greenhouse effect along with global warming have impacts that are adverse to humans. Short-term exposure impacts can be coped with by humans, but when it is a high long-term concentration exposure, the impact becomes detrimental.

The long-term exposure slowly affects multiple organs such as the respiratory system, cardiovascular system, central nervous system, immune system, digestive system and often the reproductive system.

Increasing the greenhouse effect gives rise to a runaway greenhouse effect which would increase the temperature of the earth to such an extent that no life will exist in the near future https://byjus.com/biology/greenhouse-effect-gases/.

Hence, the need to watch the rate at which fossil fuels are burnt and regular medical checkups for early detection of diseases resulting from exposure to Greenhouse Effects.

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.

#GreenhouseEffect #HumanHealth #Who  #MondayHealthBurst