Negligence, self-medication, major cause of Africa’s low life expectancy

Me Cure introduces We care programme, trains radiographers on high-end equipment
The Chairman of Me Cure Healthcare Limited, Mr. Samir Udani has attributed the major cause of Africa’s low life expectancy to negligence of health symptoms and self-medication by people.

He said people in the developing countries live an average age of 52 years as against those in the developed countries whose life expectancy is 79, saying they ignore symptoms of illnesses in the body when noticed at an early stage, resorting to self-medication for cure, which causes severe damage in the long run.

To this end, the Me Cure, We care programme has been launched to enable Nigerians with low-income get first hand medical treatment at their fingertips and in their convenience.

Udani said the programme, which quantifies health, involves two stages, which include screening, detection, and treatment of non-communicable diseases, which is proven to be a silent killer, as it kills more than communicable diseases. He added that the health programme, captures 61 health investigations, as it reveals symptoms of any health conditions, enabling people to be aware and then receive medications from qualified medical professionals as well as drugs for maintenance.

“ What we have done is to design a programme to tell you what the problems are by colour code, it screens for lifestyle diseases using health meters and also makes referrals to medical professionals if need be and at the same time makes provision for 87 different supplement drugs at no cost. What we do is to enable THE Chairman of Me Cure Healthcare Limited, Mr. Samir Udani has attributed the major cause of Africa’s low life expectancy to negligence of health symptoms and self-medication by people.

He said people in the developing countries live an average age of 52 years as against those in the developed countries whose life expectancy is 79, saying they ignore symptoms of illnesses in the body when noticed at an early stage, resorting to self-medication for cure, which causes severe damage in the long run.

To this end, the Me Cure, We care programme has been launched to enable Nigerians with low-income get first hand medical treatment at their fingertips and in their convenience.

Udani said the programme, which quantifies health, involves two stages, which include screening, detection, and treatment of non-communicable diseases, which is proven to be a silent killer, as it kills more than communicable diseases. He added that the health programme, captures 61 health investigations, as it reveals symptoms of any health conditions, enabling people to be aware and then receive medications from qualified medical professionals as well as drugs for maintenance.

“ What we have done is to design a programme to tell you what the problems are by colour code, it screens for lifestyle diseases using health meters and also makes referrals to medical professionals if need be and at the same time makes provision for 87 different supplement drugs at no cost. What we do is to enable those with little income get the right healthcare at their convenience without going to a medical facility, which would cost them much,” he added.

Meanwhile, the treatment of cancerous diseases received a boost last week as Me Cure Healthcare Limited, MHL, trained over 67 newly graduated Nigerian radiographers on the use of high-end medical equipment to aid the treatment of cancer diseases in Medical facilities across the country.

The radiographers, which include interns and university students, were trained on the practical use of Computed Tomography modalities such as CT angiography, Cardia CT, MRI angio at the Oshodi and Lekki branches of the health facility.

Others include, the use of 64 slice computed Tomography (CT) machines, 1.5 Teslar magnetic Resonance (MR) machines, Digital X-Ray Machines among others.
Presenting the graduands at the end of the Compulsory Professional Development Programme organized by the Nigerian Institute of Radiographers, a division of Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria, RRBN, in collaboration with Me Cure Healthcare Limited, on the theme: “Computed Tomography Imagine”, in Lagos,

The Head of Radiographers and the Relations Safety Officer, Me Cure, Col. Jide fadirepo (rtd) said there was need to train manpower in the radiography field to operate the modern machines, as there are few of them in the country, with an increase in cancerous diseases in people, who travel out to get treatment.

“The training provides a good opportunity to churn out new radiographers with requisite job skills for the global market, and the average Nigerian today does not need to worry about travel expenses to carry out medical imaging investigation in radiology, as local skills and equipment are available in the country,” he said.

He added that the training of manpower would also reduce salaries and other allowances paid to expatriate workers in foreign currency to operate this high-end medical equipment due to the dearth of local skills.

The Head, RRBN, Lagos Zonal Office, Mr. Unaegbunam Chuma Promise said the collaboration was to equip and increase the number of certified radiographers in the country, as well as to reduce quackery in the system, adding that with the increase in cancerous disease, which has led to many losing their live due to lack of manpower and equipment for radiation, the trained professionals would ensure it is nipped in the bud.