Nairaland Forum

No matter how careful we are, we can’t always escape the increasing number of diseases lurking in our daily lives in Nigeria, below are the most common of such diseases and how they can be effectively prevented.

1. Malaria: Malaria is leading cause of morbidity and mortality in our country, this disease is caused by plasmodium species whose vector is the anopheles mosquito; it is usually transmitted by mosquito bites.

Malaria can be prevented by eradicating mosquitoes or preventing bites, simple ways to do this include

 Keeping a clean environment; clear drainages and gutters

 Cut down grasses and clear swamps around your house

 Sleep under a mosquito net(preferably the treated ones)

 Spray your room with good insecticides twice weekly

 Window nets have been found to be helpful in preventing bites

 Mosquitoes are attracted by sweat, so it is essentially to take a bath before going to bed and making your bedroom cool

 See your physician once you notice this symptoms( fever, joints pain, headache, bitter taste in the mouth and fatigue)



2. Common cold or Flu: Common cold as the name depicts is everywhere, it is also known as nasopharyngitis or acute coryza is a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract which affects the nose primarily causing sneezing, sore throat, cough and runny nose, it is usually self-resolving after about seven to ten days. The only possible ways to reduce the spread of the viruses are physical measures such as hand washing, reducing contact with anyone with symptoms and wearing of masks amongst health workers



3. HIV/AIDS: Human immunodeficiency virus is a slowly replicating retrovirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; an infectious disease in which progressive decline and failure of the human immune system leads to life threatening opportunistic infections and cancer.it can be prevented by the following practice

 Proper use of condom during intimate intercourse

 Proper screening of blood before transfusion

 Avoid sharing share objects

 Safe injection practices

 Proper circumcision of male children

 Post exposure prophylaxis to health workers and molestation victims


4. Pelvic Inflammatory disease: This is a term for inflammation of the uterus, fallopian tubes and/or ovaries as it may progress and lead to infertility; it is usually caused by bacteria, fungal or parasites. route of spread is usually via intimate intercourse or via post abortal sepsis and intrauterine device insertion. If untreated it could lead to infertility or ectopic pregnancy. Below are ways to prevent PID

 Abstinence /proper human intimate behaviour

 Use of barrier methods such as condoms or diaphragm

 Avoid womanly douching

 Good personal hygiene; never wear a panties twice

 Periodic pelvic examination and STI testing to screen for symptomless PID

 See a gynaecologist once you notice any abnormal womanly discharge

 Treating partners to prevent reinfection or spread to other people



5. Hypertension: This is also known as high blood pressure and it simply means that the blood pressures in the arteries are elevated and this requires the heart to work harder than normal to circulate blood through the vessels. Blood pressure is summarised by two measures systolic(when the heart contracts) and diastolic( when the cardiac muscles are relaxed).High blood pressure is present when the pressure is 140/90mmHg and above, this is a major risk factor for stroke, heart failure, myocardial infarction and chronic kidney disease. This disease can be prevented by the following

 Maintain normal body weight for adults; body mass index of 20-25kg/m2

 Reduce dietary salt intake

 Engage in regular aerobic exercise daily

 Limit alcohol consumption

 Eat lots of fruits and vegetables

6. Acute diarrhoea: Diarrhoea is very common water and food-borne disease. Caused by a wide range of enteric organism, symptoms include passage of loose stools, fever, abdominal cramps and sometimes vomiting. The ways to prevent diarrhoea include

 Avoid consumption of uncovered foods such as fruits cut and exposed

 Drink only potable water

 Avoid eating foods sold by food vendors and bukas

 Wash your hands before eating

 Wash your hand after you use the toilet


http://www.article.com.ng/news/6-common-diseases-in-nigeria-and-how-to-prevent-them/

Common disease (abi na ailment) in naija is jedi jedi - pile and backpain! A product of eating too much rice, yam, garri, sugar, all starchy food! Wake up!

One common and popular disease is FASHOLA

Its common yet so hard to keep the rules. God help us in this country.

Tnx 4 d info

May God have mercy...

Wetin Malaria dey do for the list? Why u no put headache too?

Good! Maybe it will improve the live expectancy of a Nigerian which is currently at 48 years

Thank you very much more so we are approaching the rainy season when most of this bacteria and viruses multiply sporadically

Op. So you don't know HUNGER is a deadly diseas too? The issue of hihg blood pressure is not that true because recent researches have made it clear that it is genetical, though the term "genetic predisposition"will always be used in other to coat it as something that is not 100% clear but has higher chances of being the root cause.

I dont understand; common disease in Nigeria?
Hmmmmm (thinking).... cant really remember any may be is because I live @ Aso Rock

Okay!

Ok.. . . . U bam

Please how do we prevent kongee?

Kells677: i tell u say i dey sleep b4 wait o e be lyk u no gt doings datz y ur d 1st 2 coment no offence o jst spewin my mind

no b say i no get work, na u suppose b d first initially bt d network for ur area no good, na y d page no quick load b dat. And me get 3G network for here, na y i first u b dat. No vex, beta luck nxt time...

Trigger Happy: One common and popular disease is FASHOLA

In ghana it's big n.y.ash and d craze for nyt life...gbam!

thankie

Nawah oº°˚˚˚°º‎​ pls how do i prevent and treat sleeping sickness cos i tink say e d̶̲̥̅̊ε̲̣̣̣̥γ̲̣̣̥ worry me wella

seedord247: yellow and red eyes. How do you prevent it?

isnt kwashiorkor common ?

Tonto disease nko for NL FP....dat not be disease yet

Lapalapa lori omode... how do we prevent this

Nice compilation. Keep it up SLYSINZU...