Gates of hope healthcare

15/10/2023

The ultimate step in infection prevention

29/05/2023

Malnutrition,

in all its forms, includes undernutrition (wasting, stunting, underweight), inadequate vitamins or minerals, overweight, obesity, and resulting diet-related noncommunicable diseases.

14/07/2021

Self esteem and knowledge

07/09/2020

28/07/2020

SUGGESTED COVID 19 MANAGEMENT
I-Inform the population properly.
T-Testing [Mass Testing is better than Mass Lockdowns, and cheaper];
T-Tracing [Contact Tracing, done quickly, and effectively is key];
I-Isolation [getting those who are infected isolated for 14 days is key to breaking the spread];
T-Treatment [there are now serious treatments available, which should be secured, including ventilators and oxygen, as well as medicines].

10/07/2020

Who is most at risk? We are learning more about how COVID-19 affects people every day. Older people, and people with chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease, appear to be more at risk of developing severe symptoms. As this is a new virus, we are still learning about how it affects children. We know it is possible for people of any age to be infected with the virus, but so far there are relatively few cases of COVID-19 reported among children. This is a new virus and we need to learn more about how it affects children. The virus can be fatal in rare cases, so far mainly among older people with pre-existing medical conditions.

09/07/2020

How does COVID-19 spread? The virus is transmitted through direct contact with respiratory droplets of an infected person (generated through coughing and sneezing). Individuals can also be infected fromand touching surfaces contaminated with the virusand touching their face (e.g., eyes, nose, mouth). The COVID-19 virus may survive on surfaces for several hours, but simple disinfectants can kill it

07/07/2020

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

Symptoms can include fever, cough and shortness of breath.
In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia or breathing difficulties.
More rarely, the disease can be fatal.These symptoms are similar to the flu (influenza) or the common cold, which are a lot more common than COVID-19. This is why testing is required to confirm if someone has COVID-19.

05/07/2020

Acquit yourself with the Reproductive Health Care Bill.
Please note what the bill says:

PART V — TERMINATION OF PREGNANCY 26. (1) A pregnancy may be terminated by a trained health professional where in the opinion of the trained health professional — (a) There is need for emergency treatment; (b) The pregnancy would endanger the life or health of the mother; or (c) There exists a substantial risk that the foetus would suffer from a severe physical or mental abnormality that is incompatible with life outside the womb. (2) A trained health professional shall offer non-directive counselling before and after the termination of a pregnancy.

05/07/2020

SCHIZOPHRENIA

> Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, debilitating mental illness characterized by disordered thoughts, abnormal behaviors, and anti-social behaviors.

> It is a psychotic disorder, meaning the person with schizophrenia does not identify with reality at times.

> Schizophrenia affects about 1.1% of the world's population.
Schizophrenia is most commonly diagnosed between the ages of 16 to 25

> Schizophrenia can be hereditary (runs in families). It affects men 1.5 times more commonly than women

TYPES OF SCHIZOPHRENIA

1. Paranoid schizophrenia
2. Disorganized schizophrenia
3. Catatonic schizophrenia
4. Undifferentiated schizophrenia
5. Residual schizophrenia

PARANOID SCHIZOPHRENIA

> Paranoid-type schizophrenia is distinguished by paranoid behavior, including delusions and auditory hallucinations.

> Paranoid behavior is exhibited by feelings of persecution, of being watched, or sometimes this behavior is associated with a famous or noteworthy person a celebrity or politician, or an entity such as a corporation.

> People with paranoid-type schizophrenia may display anger, anxiety, and hostility. The person usually has relatively normal intellectual functioning and expression of affect.

DISORGANISED SCHIZOPHRENIA

> A person with disorganized-type schizophrenia will exhibit behaviors that are disorganized or speech that may be bizarre or difficult to understand.

> They may display inappropriate emotions or reactions that do not relate to the situation at-hand. Daily activities such as hygiene, eating, and working may be disrupted or neglected by their disorganized thought patterns.

CATATONIC SCHIZOPHRENIA

> Disturbances of movement mark catatonic-type schizophrenia.
People with this type of schizophrenia may vary between extremes: they may remain immobile or may move all over the place.
They may say nothing for hours, or they may repeat everything you say or do.

> These behaviors put these people with catatonic-type schizophrenia at high risk because they are often unable to take care of themselves or complete daily activities.

UNDIFFERENTIATED SCHIZOPHRENIA

> Undifferentiated-type schizophrenia is a classification used when a person exhibits behaviors which fit into two or more of the other types of schizophrenia, including symptoms such as delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech or behavior, catatonic behavior.

RESIDUAL SCHIZOPHRENIA

> When a person has a past history of at least one episode of schizophrenia, but the currently has no symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech or behavior) they are considered to have residual-type schizophrenia.

> The person may be in complete remission, or may at some point resume symptoms.

CAUSES OF SCHIZOPHRENIA

> Schizophrenia has multiple, intermingled causes which may differ from person to person, including:

@ Genetics (runs in families)
@ Environment
@ Brain chemistry
@ History of abuse or neglect

> Schizophrenia has a genetic component. While schizophrenia occurs in only 1% of the general population, it occurs in 10% of people with a first-degree relative (parent, sibling) with the disorder.

> The risk is highest if an identical twin has schizophrenia. It is also more common in people with a second-degree relative (aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents) with the disorder.

SYMPTOMS OF SCHIZOPHRENIA

> Many people with schizophrenia do not appear ill. However, many behavioral changes will cause the person to seem 'off' as the disease progresses. Symptoms include:

@ Social withdrawal
@ Anxiety
@ Delusions
@ Hallucinations
@ Paranoid feelings or feelings of persecution
@ Loss of appetite or neglecting to eat
@ Loss of hygiene

> The "positive," or overtly psychotic, symptoms are symptoms not seen in healthy people, include:

@ Delusions
@ Hallucinations
@ Disorganized speech or behavior
@ Dysfunctional thinking
@ Catatonia or other movement disorders

> Negative (Deficit) Symptoms
"Negative" symptoms disrupt normal emotions and behaviors and include:

@ Social withdrawal
@ "Flat affect," dull or monotonous speech, and lack of facial expression
@ Difficulty expressing emotions
@ Lack of self-care
@ Inability to feel pleasure (anhedonia)

Cognitive Symptoms

Cognitive symptoms may be most difficult to detect and these include:

@ Inability to process information and make decisions
@ Difficulty focusing or paying attention
@ Problems with memory or learning new tasks

Affective (or Mood) Symptoms

> Affective symptoms refer to those which affect mood. Patients with schizophrenia often have overlapping depression and may have suicidal thoughts or behaviours

DIAGNOSIS

> The diagnosis of schizophrenia is made both by ruling out other medical disorders that can cause the behavioral symptoms (exclusion), and by observation of the presence of characteristic symptoms of the disorder.

> The Health Practitioner (HP) will look for the presence of delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech or behavior, and/or negative symptoms, along with social withdrawal and/or dysfunction at work or in daily activities for at least six months.

> The HP may use physical examination, psychological evaluation, laboratory testing of blood, and imaging scans to produce a complete picture of the patient's condition.

> Mental health screening and evaluation is an important part of the diagnosis process for schizophrenia. Many other mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, anxiety disorders, severe depression, and substance abuse may mimic symptoms of schizophrenia.

A HP will perform an assessment to rule out these other conditions.

SCHIZOPHRENIA MEDICATIONS

> Antipsychotic medications are the first-line treatment for many patients with schizophrenia.

> Medications are often used in combination with other types of drugs to decrease or control the symptoms associated with schizophrenia. Some antipsychotic medications include:

@ olanzapine (Zyprexa)
@ risperidone (Risperdal)

> Mood swings and depression are common in patients with schizophrenia. In addition to antipsychotics, other types of medications are used. Mood stabilizers include:

√ lithium (Lithobid)
√ carbamazepine (Tegretol)

> Antidepressants include:

√ fluoxetine (Prozac)
√ sertraline (Zoloft)

PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTIONS

1. Family psycho-education: It is important to include psychosocial interventions in the treatment of schizophrenia. Including family members to support patients decreases the relapse rate of psychotic episodes and improves the person's outcomes.
Family relationships are improved when everyone knows how to support their loved one dealing with schizophrenia.

2. Assertive community treatment (ACT): Another form of psychosocial intervention includes use of out-patient support groups. Support teams including psychiatrists, nurses, case managers, and other counselors, meet regularly with the schizophrenic patient to help reduce the need for hospitalization or a decline in their mental status.

3. Substance abuse treatment: Many people with schizophrenia (up to 50%) also have substance abuse issues. These substance abuse issues worsen the behavioral symptoms of schizophrenia and need to be addressed for better outcomes.

4. Social skills training: Patients with schizophrenia may need to re-learn how to appropriately interact in social situations.
This kind of psychosocial intervention involves rehearsing or role-playing real-life situations so the person is prepared when they occur.
This type of training can reduce drug use, and improve relationships.

5. Supported employment: Many people with schizophrenia have difficulty entering or re-entering the work force due to their condition. This type of psychosocial intervention helps people with schizophrenia to construct resumes, interview for jobs, and even connects them with employers willing to hire people with mental illness.

6. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): This type of intervention can help patients with schizophrenia change disruptive or destructive thought patterns, and enable them to function more optimally. It can help patients "test" the reality of their thoughts to identify hallucinations or "voices" and ignore them. This type of therapy may not work in actively psychotic patients, but it can help others who may have residual symptoms that medication does not alleviate.

7. Weight management: Many anti-psychotic and psychiatric drugs cause weight gain as a side effect. Maintaining a healthy weight, eating a well-balanced diet, and exercising regularly helps prevent or alleviate other medical issues.

PROGNOSIS FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA

> The prognosis for people with schizophrenia can vary depending on the amount of support and treatment the patients receives.

> Many people with schizophrenia are able to function well and lead normal lives.

* However, people with schizophrenia have a higher death rate and higher incidence of substance abuse.

√ When medications are taken regularly and the family is supportive, patients can have better outcomes.

05/07/2020

PSEUDO-PREGNANCY (False Pregnancy)

By Katie Mena, M.D.

> A false pregnancy is also known as a phantom pregnancy, or by the clinical term pseudocyesis. It’s an uncommon condition that causes a woman to believe she’s pregnant.
She’ll even have many classic symptoms of pregnancy.

> But this isn’t related to a miscarriage.
In a false pregnancy, there was no conception and there is no baby. Despite this, symptoms can last long enough to make a woman, and even those around her, believe she’s expecting.

> There’s no answer to why some women experience pseudocyesis. But there are three leading theories:

1. Some mental health professionals believe it’s related to an intense desire or fear of becoming pregnant. It’s possible that this affects the endocrine system, which in turn causes symptoms of pregnancy.

2. Another theory relates to wish fulfillment. Some mental health professionals believe that when a woman yearns to be pregnant, possibly after experiencing multiple miscarriages, infertility, or because she wants to get married, she may misinterpret certain changes in her body as a clear sign that she’s pregnant.

3. The third theory is related to certain chemical changes in the nervous system that are related to depressive disorders.
It’s possible that these chemical changes are responsible for the symptoms of false pregnancy.

SYMPTOMS OF A FALSE PREGNANCY

> A false pregnancy often resembles pregnancy in every way, minus the presence of a baby.
In all cases, the woman is absolutely certain that she is pregnant.

> Physically, the most common symptom is a distended abdomen, similar to a baby bump. The belly can begin to expand just as it does during pregnancy when a developing baby grows. During a false pregnancy, this abdominal extension isn’t the result of a baby. Instead, it’s believed to be caused by a buildup of:

√ gas
√ fat
√ f***s
√ urine

> Irregularity of a woman’s menstrual cycle is the second most common physical symptom. Between one-half and three-quarters of women experiencing pseudocyesis reported feeling the baby move. Many women also report feeling the baby kick, even though there was never a baby present.

> Other symptoms can be just as difficult to distinguish from those experienced during an actual pregnancy, and can include:

* morning sickness and vomiting
* tender breasts
*changes to the breasts, including size and pigmentation
* lactation
* weight gain
* labor pains
* inverted bellybutton
* increased appetite
* enlargement of the uterus
* softening of the cervix
* false labor

> These symptoms can be so believable that doctors can even be deceived.

TREATMENT FOR FALSE PREGNANCY

> Showing a woman proof that she really isn’t pregnant through imaging techniques like an ultrasound is the most successful way to bring a false pregnancy to an end.

> False pregnancies aren’t thought to have direct physical causes, so there are no general recommendations for treating them with medication. But if a woman is experiencing symptoms like menstrual irregularity, medication may be prescribed.

> False pregnancies seem to disproportionately take place in women experiencing psychological instability.
For that reason, they should be under the care of a psychotherapist for treatment.

HOW COMMON IS FALSE PREGNANCY

> The concept of a false pregnancy is nothing new. Hippocrates is credited for the first written account in 300 B.C.
Mary Tudor is a famous historical example.

* In the 1940s, cases of false pregnancy occurred in approximately 1 out of every 250 pregnancies. That number has declined to between 1 and 6 cases for every 22,000 births.

* The average age of a woman experiencing a phantom pregnancy is 33. But there have been cases reported in children as young as 6 and women as old as 79.

* Roughly one-third of women with pseudoscyesis have been pregnant at least once before, and more than two-thirds are married.

* Women who have experienced in**st could be at a greater risk of experiencing false pregnancies.

* In countries with easy access to accurate pregnancy tests, false pregnancies have become quite rare.

* Some cultures link a woman’s worth with her ability to conceive, and pseudocyesis is seen in higher rates in these parts of the world.

17/06/2020

A study by KEPHIS tested 1000 field samples for pesticide residues. 1 in 2 of the samples tested positive and 1 in 10 exceeded maximum levels allowed in the EU.

What does this mean? Our food is contaminated with pesticides and are below the safety standards set by other countries. These pesticides can cause cancer, heart disease, breathing problems, infertility and brain damage in children.

Find out how pesticides affect you and how our food is literally eating us!

https://www.routetofood.org/toxic-business/

03/06/2020

✅ Back to school?

Students & staff must all comply with strict hygiene rules to prevent the spread of in school. Here are 5 moments for hand hygiene👇🏿

10/04/2020