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Accept parental advice

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:24:18 GMT

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Parents are simply our fathers and mothers, the people through whom God has brought us to the world. Brothers and Sisters, the way to accept parental advice is by giving them due respect, that is obeying them.

Children should always be ready to obey their parents’ instructions. It is the parents that are responsible for nurturing and caring for them. Therefore, a child should be ready to do whatever the parent asks him or her to do.

Sometimes our parents may lay down very strict rules for us like asking us not to go out at night, not to smoke, not to have love outside marriage.

As a young child or an adolescent, such rules may look difficult to follow and might even offend you. Some of us may even think that such rules are meant to prevent us from enjoying ourselves.

Any rule our parents lay down for us are intended for our future good. They are an expression of their love for us. There is the case of a boy called Sankung who was told by his parents not to attend parties at night because he was in school.

But one night, Sankung ran away from the house while his parents were asleep to gate-crash nearby birthday party. Unfortunately, a fight broke out at the party and Sankung was hit with a bottle on the head. He spent a week in hospital while his friends were at school.

Therefore, to obey our parents is for our own good. In fact, do you know that a person who respects his or her parents has fulfiled one of God’s requirements? Imagine someone who sacrificed a lot of his time to see that you are healthy, well fed and protected. Will the same person give you bad advice?
Definitely not!

Author: by Saidou Jallow, Kuntaur Upper Basic School

Act With Great Haste to Combat Illness and Stigma

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 06:14:09 GMT

Monday, October 20, 2008

It is very encouraging to see that the Department of State for Health and particularly the Secretary of State Dr. Malick Njie are taking such a proactive role in tackling the issue of mental health in The Gambia. Last week The Gambia joined the rest of the world to observe World Mental Health Day. The theme for this years World Mental Health Day was ‘Making Mental Health a Global Priority; scaling up services through citizen advocacy and action’.

Speaking at the occasion, Dr. Njie stated the Department of State for Health and Social Welfare has developed, for the first time in its history, a National Mental Health policy and strategic plan which will guide the provision of mental health services in the country. He added that the policy instruments developed through a consultative process involving all stakeholders are only waiting for approval by the National Assembly.

We ask that the National Assembly immediately approve these measures so that all those in The Gambia affected by mental health issues can receive the best possible treatment.

Many mental health issues are very easily treated when they are identified and action is taken in an efficient manner. The kind of frameworks that are being suggested would make this identification and treatment a much easier job and would relieve many families of the considerable pressure they experience when trying to care for someone who is suffering from a mental health problem.

We still must also work to combat the stigma associated with mental health problems in the community so that those afflicted and their families do not suffer excessively as a result of the illness.

The policy in question highlighted fundamental issues that need urgent attention which include the following

1. The right of the mentally –ill to treatment, care and support as other patients.

2. Provision of affordable and accessible mental health services to the general population.

3. Protection of the mentally ill against stigma, discrimination and social exclusion.

4. Community awareness and participation in mental health promotion and resource mobilisation for mental health.

If these issues are addressed as stated above then the burden will be considerably eased on may people suffering from mental health problems and also their families. We as a nation must work hard to ensure that this happens so that we can be a more inclusive and just society.

“Your prayers should be for a healthy mind in a healthy body”

Juvenal.

Free pranic healing session

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:41:46 GMT

Thursday, September 04, 2008

As part of activities marking the official establishment of the West African Pranic Healing Foundation in The Gambia, a day’s free pranic healing session was held at its new office in Bijilo, Western Region .

The session aimed, among other things, to promote healthy living,to minimise the risk of accumulated fats and excess energy in the body and to promote the culture of peace, unity and understanding among people of diverse cultures and backgrounds.

The free pranic healing session, which started at 10:00am and ended at 7:00pm on August 30 brought together hundreds of participants from the government, private sector, the business community and individuals.

Mr Srikanth Jois, pranic healer and trainer, who doubles as the country representative of the West African Pranic Healing Foundation, in an interview with the Daily Observer at the end of the session, expressed happiness over the large turnout.

He said he had been a pranic healer for the past couple of years and has worked in many countries, especially in West Africa and other parts of the world. He spoke about the efficacy of pranic healing.

According to Mr Srikanth Jois, pranic healing is an ancient science of healing the whole physical body based on two laws or principles, the law of self recovery and life force.

“What the pranic healing essentially does is that it enhances the healing process of the body by increasing the life energy on the affected part of the body. Every peron is surrounded by a luminous energy field called bio-plasmic body or energy body.

This energy body keeps the physical body healthy and alive. Therefore any disturbance in the energy body can manifest as an ailment,” he said. On what pranic healing can do for you as an individual Mr Jois said, it heals fever, headache, muscle pain, cough and cold, asthma, liver, kidney ailments, fracture, cancer to name a few.

“It help you attain inner peace, physical and emotional balance, brings you awareness of the energy world. It could be used to solve family or marital differences and improve relationships at the office and increase performance at work,” he said.

Eva Wagher, a health practitioner who also spoke to the Daily Observer described pranic healing as very effective. According to her, she has been doing pranic healing for quite some time and it has proven to be effective.

For his part, Lamin Camara, pranic healer, trainer and assistant country representative of the West African Pranic Healing Foundation also reiterated comments made by previous speakers in describing the healing as cost effective.

Author: by Sanna Jawara

Wahtani Ajuma: In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 03:35:40 GMT

Friday, August 29, 2008

Ramadan
The month of fasting called Ramadan is obligatory to a mature and healthy Muslim, both male and female. It is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar, between the month of the Shaban and Shawal.

The month of Ramadan is created to guide man on the right path; to leave what is forbidden and concentrate on what the Almighty wants. It is for the maintenance of the soul, forbids the body all the amusements from sunrise to sunset. It is an obligation ordained by Allah in the Holy Quran and narrated in hadiths by Prophet Mouhammed (saws). Sura Baqara states in V.183:

“O ye who believe! fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that ye may (learn) self restraint.(Fasting) for a fixed number of days but if any of you is ill, or on a journey, the prescribed number (should be made up) (with hardship), is a ransom, the feeding of one that is indigent but he that will give more, of his own free will, - It is better of him. And it is better for you that ye fast, If ye only knew.”

According to Prophet Mouhammed (saws), he stated in a hadith on the authority of Abu Abd Rahman Abdullah says, the son of Umar, “Islam has been built on five (pillars): “Islam has been built on five (pillars): testifying that there is no God by Allah and that Mouhammed is the messenger of Allah, performing the prayers, paying the Zakat, making the pilgrimage to the house and fasting.

The conditions for fasting are:
1.The sighting of the moon
2.The one fasting should be a Muslim
3.He should be matured
4.He should be healthy and sound

She should not be on her menstrual cycle or delivered a baby.
The one fasting must see the moon first before commencing. The sighting of the moon should be on the 29th of Shaban to prepare for this holy month. If a group of people said they have seen the moon, then there is no disagreement, it can be accepted.

If no one has seen it on the 29th day of Shaban, then fasting is not valid. Some scholars said that if only one person who s well respected had seen it, then we can fast amongst these scholars Shafiyatou and Hanaabilatou. It is based on these two hadiths: Narrated Ibnu Umar,” The people tried to sight the new moon and he informed the prophet (saws) that he had seen it, so he fasted and commanded the people to fast.”

Another hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas said: A bedouin came to the prophet (saws) and said,” I have seen the new moon (of Ramadan) he asked,” Do you testify that there is no God but Allah? He replied yes. He then asked, Do you testify that Mouhammed is Allah’s messenger? He replied, yes I do. He then said Bilal, announce to the people that they should fast tomorrow.”

Some other scholars said one person is not enough for the sighting of the moon. It should be more than one. Among them is Malikiyatou.

Some scholars also said when the weather is dark then if one person sees the moon it can be accepted but when it is clear, then one person is not enough. Among them is Al Hanafiyatou. Ramadan became obligatory in the month of Shaban the second year after hyra. The Prophet Mouhammed (saws) fasted for nine months. Only one Ramadan month was fasted for 30 days, the rest were 29 days.

Narrated by Abdullah Bin Mmar, Allah’s messenger said: “The month (can be ) 29 nights (i.e days), and do not observe Saum (fast) till you see the crescent and if the sky is overcast, the complete (Shaban) as 30 days.”

A Sahaba called Abdullah Ibnu Masud said: “We fasting with Prophet Mouhammed (saws) more for 29 days, than we did for 30 days.

All the learned scholars agreed that a non-muslim should not fast during Ramadan.
Man should be matured, and able to identify to be able to fast. If not it is not an obligation either to pray or fast. When the child is ten years and can do it without getting tied, then he can fast. The age of maturity is 18 years. The child should be encouraged to fast so that when he reaches the age of maturity, it would be easier.

The Prophet Mouhammed (saws) said: “If a child can fast three days without a break, then he should fast for the whole month” above mentioned to fast during this period, btu should repay for the days missed. If these particular people do not eat or drink during this period, it will not be accepted.

Aisha, the Prophet’s wife said: “We used to have our periods during Prophet Mouhammed's time, then he would forbid us to fasting, after we paid for the days missed, but the prayers were not paid.”

If the woman starts mensuration after Fajr prayers, then she is forbidden to fast, also if the menstruation stops after Fajr, she should not fast on that day. But she should not eat in public because of the holiness of this month, but she can eat indoors.

If the menstruation stops before Fajr, maybe about 30 minutes, then is the fasting accepted? The scholars replied that if she has enough time to do the “Eynah” then she can fast for the following day. May Allah give us good health to fast for the whole month.

To be cont’d.

Author: DO

GAF CLEAN BAKAU

Tue, 27 May 2008 05:15:01 GMT

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

About 30 officers from the Guard Battalion of the Fajara Military Barracks, yesterday embarked on a major cleansing exercise along the President’s Award Scheme Highway in Bakau.

Acting under the instruction of Lt. Colonel Lamin Bojang, commanding officer of the Battalion, the said soldiers started the exercise outside the fence of Shyben Madi Wrestling Arena, towards the main gates of the Friendship Hostel of the Independence Stadium, thus giving the area a new look.

Speaking to the Daily Observer at the scene, Lt. Alkali Dibba, on behalf of his commander, said the exercise was a complement to the monthly cleansing exercise referred to as ‘operation clean the nation’ initiated by President Jammeh, which aims at making the country a healthy planet.

“As soldiers we attach a lot of importance to a clean and healthy environment and this is not the first time for our unit to embark on such an exercise”.

He added “Each time our boss Lt. Col. Bojang passes anywhere and see the need for us to clean the area he issues directions to that effect. As soldiers I think we should be at the forefront of such initiatives”, he stressed.

Lt. Dibba then expressed their willingness to embark upon such exercises anywhere if the need arises, saying “Even if the Daily Observer need us to clean their area we will be happy to do it”.

Author: DO

Viewpoint - The importance of recreation

Tue, 20 May 2008 06:11:28 GMT

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Recreation is defined as things you do for enjoyment: play tennis volleyball, swim, walk etc.Recreation helps to build healthy minds and bodies. “All work and no play make Jack a dully boy and Jill a dull girl” to satisfy gender balance is as true today as when it was first said.

Many educational and child psychologists believe that there is likely to be less delinquency among young people if there is ample space and time for recreation provided for them. Educators and doctors have agreed that children need time and opportunity to play if they are to develop healthy minds and bodies.

Play helps to overcome the fatigue that develops from long hours of work and play.Fresh air helps to purify the blood. Exercise helps to relieve cramped muscles. The mind relaxes in the enjoyment of a game.

Recreation develops leadership. On the playing field is developed the leadership and stamina that can be very useful in later life. Boys and girls learn to cooperate, to play together and to work as a team, thus eliminating the attitude of selfishness. Experience is gained in organising groups to compete with each other. Opportunity is given to learn how to win happily and loss cheerfully.

Life is sometimes called a game. Competitive sports and games have valuable lessons to teach in preparation for this game. Not everyone is a leader, but nearly everyone would like to be. On the play ground many boys and girls become leaders. Leadership depends on ability, but it can also be greatly influenced by an individual’s sense of fair play and good sportsmanship. The boy or girl who is willing to be part of a team is ready for the first lesson in leadership.

Coordination of mind and body are outcomes even more important than the result (scores) of the game. Co-operation in sports gives real help in preparing for “the game of life”.

To be successful in life, no matter what you goal is, you need well - rounded development intellectually, physically, socially, spiritually and emotionally. Recreation helps to develop all of these.

In a previous article, I posited that the development of any nation to a very large extent depends on the ability of its citizens to produce materials and services which others will buy in this way individual members of a country are able to earn their living. From their earnings, they in turn are able to pay for the goods and services they need. This cannot happen if the people are unhealthy and incapacitated. If large numbers of Gambians become ill and unable to work - God forbid, the prosperity of the country would suffer.

So you owe it to yourselves, your families, and country to keep physically fit and healthy. Without good health you cannot enjoy many of the good things of life no matter how rich you may be. Good health and freedom from worry are necessary if you are to be happy.

Author: by Salieu E.H. John

Dr Mbowe praises midwifery, nursing

Mon, 12 May 2008 06:07:38 GMT

Monday, May 12, 2008

Today is International Nurse’s Day celebration.The world nursing federation, in collaboration with local nurses associations, commemorate this important day each year. The theme for this year’s celebration is: “Delivering Quality, Serving Communities: Nurses Leading Primary Health Care”.

Dr Tamsir Mbowe , director of health services, who also doubles as the director general of the Presidential medical treatment programme, who delivered a paper on the commemoration, said the occasion was meant for every midwife to think about the many others in the profession, making new contacts within and outside the profession as well as to widen the knowledge of what midwives do for the world.

Dr Tamsir Mbowe added that the aim of the day was to celebrate midwifery and to bring awareness of the importance of midwives’ work to as many people as possible. “This year, the focus of the celebration is on ‘Healthy Families: the key to the future’.

Midwives help to build healthy families”. Midwifery care for women and their babies is an investment that promotes healthy growth and well being for the present and future generations of our countries. Midwives’ commitment to families, within a functioning health system and supportive environment is also a core element of Primary Health care.

According to Dr Mbowe, the world is challenged by the paucity of midwives especially in the rural areas, among others, to effectively reduce maternal, newborn and child morbidity and mortality, to which The Gambia is no exception.

Dr Tamsir Mbowe said the Gambian leader, President Yahya Jammeh, has as high on his priority making health care accessible and affordable to all who live in The Gambia. “This is reflected in the building of new health care facilities and the training of more health workers: doctors, nurses and midwives, public health officers and community workers.The Gambia government will do all it can to improve general working conditions, with incentives, for health workers”.

This year, the World Health Organization (WHO) marks 60 years of service to humanity and 60 years of affiliation with International Council of Nurses. It also marks 30 years since the goal of universal access to health services through primary health care, as enshrined by WHO and Member States in the declaration of Alma-Ata, which highlighted the “gross inequality in the health status of the people particularly between developed and developing countries.

“In 2008 primary health care is again high on the global health agenda. The International Council of Nurses is celebrating nursing’s leadership and advocating for greater nursing involvement in Primary Health Care, the key strategy to achieving universal access and better health for the world’s people.

What have we learned?

When we embraced Primary Health Care (PHC) in 1978, we saw it as the optimal route for improving health and addressing the enormous challenges facing health care systems. AS we plan ahead, it is useful to take stock of and learn from our successes and failures. Communities should be empowered, to enable them to take responsibility for their health care. All stakeholders in health care should commit their efforts towards the delivery of quality care and serving their respective communities”.

Author: by Lamin M. Dibba

Bravo KMC

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 04:10:01 GMT

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Editor,

Please allow me a space in your widely read Newspaper to thank the Kanifing Municipal Council for their commitment to cleaning the Municipality, an initiative that was recently launched by Mayor Colley. Keeping the Municipality clean is part of contributing one’s quarter to national development.

This initiative, spearheaded by His Excellency the President of the Republic of The Gambia, who has supported the council to embark on environmental sanitation. Bravo KMC, keep the environment clean for the betterment of humanity and the development of our nation. Suffice to say that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation.

Sohna Jallow

Bundung

Author: DO

GAMTEL/GAMCEL conducts cleansing exercise

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 04:36:51 GMT

Tuesday, February 05, 2008

In a bid to complement Government’s efforts to ensure an environment free from malaria and related diseases, staff of The Gambia Telecommunications Company (GAMTEL), and their counterparts from the Gambia Cellular Company (GAMCEL), on Saturday conducted a cleansing exercise at the Gambia Telecommunications Multimedia Institute and its surroundings in Kanifing.

The twin-companies conducted the exercise in preparation for the Independent celebrations.

Speaking at the grounds, Rein Zwolsman, Chief Executive officer of Gamtel/Gamcel expressed delight in his company's participation in the monthly cleansing exercise. According to him, such exercises will help to create a healthy nation. He commended his staff for their positive turnout.

Mr Geert, Gamtel/Gamcel’s Chief Technical Officer, also emphasised on the importance of a clean working environment, noting that the GTMI premises need to be cleaned in order to help preserve the company’s technical equipment.

Other speakers at the occasion included Amadou Touray, GAMTEL’s Public Relations Officer and Almamy Gasama, Gamcel’s Sales and Marketing Manager.

Author: by Buya Jammeh

Is dark chocolate really healthy?

Sat, 01 Dec 2007 08:02:27 GMT

Saturday, December 01, 2007

Dark chocolate seems to be one of the latest products to hit the "health food"product circuit. The Dove dark chocolate bar and Xocai healthy dark chocolate are just two examples. The battle cry is that dark chocolate is bursting with anti-oxidants that help to prevent heart disease and stroke. Sounds great! Health and Wellness Product investigates!

What are anti-oxidants and do we really need them?

Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in our foods which can prevent or slow the oxidative damage to our body. When our body cells use oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals, or by-products, which can cause damage. Antioxidants act as "free radical scavengers" and hence prevent and repair damage done by these free radicals. Health problems such as heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes, cancer are all contributed by oxidative damage. Indeed, a recent study conducted by researchers from London found that 5 servings of fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of stroke by 25 percent. Antioxidants may also enhance immune defense and therefore lower the risk of cancer and infection.

Research conducted by scientists from Holland's National Institute of Public Health and Environment shows that chocolates contain antioxidants called Catechins and Phenols. These antioxidants could prevent heart diseases and cancer.

Chocolate is like red wine in that it is said to protect against heart disease and it also contains phenols. These reduce the presence of free radicals that damage cells and DNA. Phenols are said to prevent fat like substances in the blood stream from oxidizing and clogging the arteries.

OK, that sounds pretty important to me. Anti-oxidants are a good thing!

According to the research, dark chocolate, not white chocolate, lowers high blood pressure. This study is from Dirk Taubert, MD, PhD, and his colleagues at the University of Cologne in Germany. Their report appears in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

Taubert's team signed up six men and seven women aged 55-64. All had just been diagnosed with mild high blood pressure -- on average, systolic blood pressure of 153 and diastolic blood pressure of 84.

Every day for two weeks, they ate a candy bar and were asked to balance its 480 calories by not eating other foods similar in nutrients and calories. Half the patients got dark chocolate and half got white chocolate.
Those who ate dark chocolate had a significant drop in blood pressure by an average of 5 points for systolic and an average of 2 points for diastolic blood pressure. Those who ate white chocolate did not.

But that is no license to go on a chocolate binge. Eating more dark chocolate can help lower blood pressure, if you've reached a certain age and have mild high blood pressure, say the researchers. But you have to balance the extra calories by eating less of other things.

Chocolate also has not been proven to cause cavities or tooth decay. Rather, it helps to hinder mouth bacteria and stop dental decay.

Research shows that the cocoa butter in the chocolate coats the teeth and may help protect them by preventing plaque from forming. The sugar in the chocolate does contribute to cavities, but no more than the sugar in any other food. Scientists believe that the antibacterial agents in the cocoa beans help to offset its high sugar levels. Go figure!

The studies seem to show that dark chocolate does indeed help boost the immune system and therefore help in the prevention of cancer and other immune system problems. In addition, cardiac and stroke chances are decreased by the anti-oxidant benefit of this tasty treat.

So, it would seem that dark chocolate has the research behind it to actually call itself "healthy". Eaten in moderation, with other nutrient rich foods in your diet it can not only be a benefit to your health, but certainly an enjoyable addition!

Health and Wellness Product gives a big thumbs UP!

Denise Clarke is a retired Paramedic and has been involved in the health and wellness industry for over 20 years...... to follow her latest blog go to: http:www.healthwellnessproduct.blogspot.com

Author: By Denise Clarke

Source: articles-hub.com