Health

Noise: Why You Need To Protect Your Hearing

Published

2 years ago

July 16, 2022

An Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) expert and Head and Neck surgeon with the Federal Medical Center, Abuja, Dr. Oyeyipo Yemisi, has said that generally, noise affects the ear and it results in what is called noise-induced hearing loss.

The consultant ENT told LEADERSHIP that noise-induced hearing loss results from exposure to loud noise.

She said “We can have just noise induced hearing loss which actually ranges from just having noise in the ear. It starts actually with people feeling noise in their ears, that is usually like the warning sign that you are about to lose your hearing from this noise. Some people just have hearing loss immediately and for some other people, it is due to what we call acoustic trauma which occurs when a person hears a loud noise that suddenly knocks off the person’s hearing. So the louder the noise, the more dangerous it is to the ear and noise of about 85 decibel is usually considered very loud and it is very dangerous to the ear.”

On sources of noise, she said it could either be from recreational activities or from occupational activities.

“Recreational activities: people who go to the nightclub, and the use of personal music devices like people who use iPod, earpiece, Bluetooth, all these things that people put over their ears, they generate noise and the noise go directly into the ear and exposure to this noise over time affects the ear and it causes either noise in the ear or hearing loss.

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However, she said each person’s threshold differs. “Some persons can use these things for some time without any issues, but some other persons can use it for just a few days and they will develop hearing loss. So the individual threshold varies but what we are sure of is that these things affect the ear negatively.”

On occupational sources of noise, she said people who work in places where a lot of noise is being generated, especially people like soldiers and policemen who are exposed to gun shot and then maybe people who work with heavy machines that generate a lot of noise.

Also, she said people who work in telecommunication or call centres, who have to put headphones in their ear and all of that. “This is actually dangerous and a lot of them have reported noise in their ears since they started working in the company.

Oyeyipo also said that even generators that we use everyday generate a lot of noise that can affect hearing. “If you go to a market where everybody uses a generator, the generator is so loud that if you just simply pass through there for a few minutes, you can hear your ear still making that noise, sometimes it’s like your ear gets blocked for a while and then later it opens up again. These are actually warning signs that you have exposed your ear to very loud sound that can damage your ear and the earlier you remove yourself from there, the better,” she said.

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On how to prevent hearing loss from exposure to noise, the expert said “Don’t put our phone on speaker and put it on your ear.

Even if you must use some of these things, you use the ones that have noise cancelling features. Don’t increase your phone volume above 50 per cent of the maximum volume and it should not be for long hours. Then generators should not be kept close to the house, avoiding noisy places generally. If you must be in a noisy place, you can protect your ear by wearing ear plugs or ear muffs, don’t increase your phone volume above 50 per cent of the total volume.”

Health

Ondo Resident Doctors Begin 14-Day Warning Strike

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

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Resident doctors at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) in Ondo State have initiated a 14-day warning strike, as confirmed by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

The strike action, led by the association’s President, John Matthew, highlights various grievances, notably the non-payment of seven months’ salaries to new members.

Matthew added that the strike also addresses the non-payment of palliative to House Officers since February, the failure to disburse the February Hazard Allowance despite prior assurances from the state government, and the ongoing shortage of staff due to resignations.

Matthew lamented the drastic decrease in resident doctors, citing a decrease from 150 doctors to a mere 26 in recent months.

In response to the situation, he urged management to prioritise the full payment of arrears owed to members, immediate payment of the February 2024 palliative to house officers, and prompt disbursement of the February hazard allowance.

The association further called for urgent measures to address the critical shortage of clinical manpower within the institution.

Health

FG Okays N25bn Disbursement to Enhance Healthcare Delivery

Published

1 month ago

April 2, 2024

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File photo of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate,

The Federal Government has greenlit the allocation of N25 billion to bolster the efforts of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) in advancing healthcare accessibility and quality across Nigeria.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, made this known, stressing the steadfast commitment of the current administration towards revamping the healthcare system to achieve Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) for all Nigerians.

In a statement by Deworitshe Patricia, a spokesperson for the ministry, Pate emphasised that the government’s strategy for health sector transformation involves the implementation of a Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) and the Health Sector Renewal Investment Programme (NHSRIP).

Addressing the imperative for reforms in Nigeria’s primary healthcare delivery, Pate highlighted the significance of revising the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF) and its associated programmes.

Pate outlined the objectives of the revised guidelines, which include expanding healthcare services for underserved populations, particularly women and children, reducing maternal mortality rates, alleviating out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, and standardizing healthcare quality across primary healthcare facilities nationwide.

“The Ministry, in collaboration with development partners, is dedicated to ensuring equitable access to healthcare services for all Nigerians, with a special focus on vulnerable groups,” stated Pate. “Through initiatives like NHSRIP, we aspire to minimize the need for long-distance travel for medical care, thereby improving the overall health outcomes and well-being of our citizens.”

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Health

Photos: Saudi Medical Team Make History, Separate Nigerian Conjoined Twins

Published

2 months ago

March 1, 2024

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cojoinedtwinssurgery3 1 MegaIcon Magazine

In a monumental achievement for medical science, a team of Saudi professionals at the King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital has completed the separation surgery of Nigerian conjoined twins, Hassana and Husaina.

The directive for this historic achievement came from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, demonstrating the Kingdom’s commitment to advancing healthcare.

The complex procedure, initiated on Thursday morning, was the result of meticulous planning and execution by a dedicated team of 38 medical experts. This group included consultants, specialists, technicians, and nursing staff, all working in harmony to address shared areas in the lower abdomen, pelvis, lower spine, and lower spinal nerves of the twins.

The surgery, unfolding in nine carefully planned stages, lasted approximately 14 hours. Dr. Abdullah Al Rabeeah, Advisor at the Royal Court, Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), and head of the medical team, expressed confidence in the success of the procedure, citing a noteworthy 70% success rate.

“This is a momentous occasion that showcases the Kingdom’s commitment to advancing medical science and providing compassionate healthcare globally,” he said.

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The successful separation of Hassana and Husaina commemorates the 60th operation conducted by the Saudi programme for separating conjoined twins. Over the past 34 years, this programme has offered care to 135 conjoined twins from 25 countries.

Dr. Al Rabeeah expressed heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to the Saudi leadership for their steadfast support of the programme.

He said, “The successful separation of Hassana and Husaina exemplifies the Kingdom’s dedication to humanitarian causes and its role as a leader in global healthcare.”

The Press Attaché at the Saudi embassy in Abuja, Mohammed Alsahabi, remarked on the accomplishment, stating, “This remarkable feat underscores the strong collaboration between Saudi Arabia and Nigeria in healthcare. We take pride in contributing to the improvement of these twins’ lives and their families.”

The separation of Hassana and Husaina represents not just a medical triumph but also serves as a symbol of hope for numerous individuals confronting similar challenges globally.