Aging with HIV

Aging isn’t easy for any of us. Our bodies aren’t quite as fast as they used to be, recovery time is longer and we have a few more aches than when we were younger.

So is it actually harder for people living with HIV to age well? 

Research shows that it is. 


Specifically, they experience:

• Increased likelihood of living with more than one adverse health condition at once (multimorbidity), including hepatitis C, hypertension, cognitive dysfunction and frailty.

• Stigma both from HIV infection and from aging. Negative stereotypes of aging, including viewing older people as needy, senile and less useful than younger people, persist and can be added to the negative stereotypes and overt discrimination of HIV infection. Stigmas can lead to increased symptoms and decreased quality of life. We can all help reduce these negative stereotypes by learning the facts about HIV and aging, respecting this population, and fostering hope and empowerment among aging adults with HIV.

• Increased burden of symptoms, such as fatigue, pain and depression, perhaps worse in HIV-positive women. This negatively influences everything from daily functioning to employment to quality of life.

• Focus on HIV-related health issues at the expense of non-HIV-related health promotion and disease prevention.

There is no magic bullet for aging well, no matter your health status. Everyone needs to take their medications as prescribed, get a good night’s sleep, manage stress and see a health care provider regularly. However, there is new evidence that suggests that three promising, nonpharmacological strategies can help adults with HIV.

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Increasing the amount, intensity and frequency of physical activity. In HIV-positive adults, physical activity can improve cardiovascular health, can reduce distressing symptoms such as fatigue, and may improve cognitivefunctioning. In the general population, it reduces all types of chronic health conditions, including hypertension, diabetes and depression, but its effect on these conditions in aging adults with HIV has not yet been tested in a large clinical trial. Yet, we also know that most HIV-positive adults do not engage in regular, intense physical activity.

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Eating a nutritious, balanced diet can reduce chronic health conditions and may reduce symptom burden, but there has been less research on this since HIV became a chronic disease. What we do know is that limiting alcohol consumption is a critical part of the aging, HIV-positive person’s diet.


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Positive social interactions can improve HIV treatment adherence and aspects of quality of life and can reduce symptom burden. While researchers aren’t sure which types of interactions are the best, there is increasing evidence that regular, formal, paid employment can be beneficial. My research team also reported that volunteerism, activism and being involved in a spiritual community can also be sources of helpful social interactions.


Yet these strategies can be hard to engage in, particularly for a historically marginalized population that is dealing with aging for the first time. Several investigators, including my team, are studying new ways to help this aging population.

Over the past three years, a research team conducted a clinical trial with 109 HIV-positive adults to see if a group-based intervention improved exercise and healthy eating. In November, at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, they reported that behavioral intervention reduced carbohydrate intake, specifically the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. However,  failed to improve physical activity in aging adults with HIV. Recently, others have reported that their interventions also did not increase physical activity, and suggest that a new, personalized approach to initiating and maintaining physical activity in this population is needed.

Breakthroughs in this area can lead to new treatment strategies to help not only HIV-positive adults age well, but also others who are living with complex chronic conditions.

So while we focus on curing HIV, we must also recognize that a cure is likely several decades away. In the meantime, millions of people struggle to age well with HIV. Our HIV-positive brothers and sisters have shown incredible resiliency over the past 36 years. Together, we undoubtedly will find innovative and personalized strategies to overcome these struggles.

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article here

How To Boil Eggs

I'm not a cook but I'm just being SPONTANEOUS! 

This article just bumped into me and it hit me real hard... I will love to share the pain or  better still, I will rather like to take the pain to share a revelation some of us have known for quite some time! 

This will be an eye opener to those of us who think we know how to cook! (ITSS)

IYKYK

Enjoy:

Don’t just throw cold eggs into boiling water! 

The sudden change of temperature can lead to “shocked,” or unevenly cooked, eggs or even worse—cracked, damaged eggs. Instead, heat the eggs gently using the water. This allows for a gradual, even cook that equals the perfect hard-boiled egg.

You’ll know that your egg is perfectly cooked if it has an opaque, yellow center. The yolk of an overcooked egg, on the other hand, will turn a greenish-gray color.

Stick to the formula below for a perfect boiled egg, every single time:

• Place a single layer of raw eggs in the bottom of a medium or large saucepan. 
• Fill the pan with water to about 2 inches over the eggs.
• Place the pan on high heat. 
• Bring to a boil. 
• Remove the pan from the heat. 
• Cover, and let the eggs stand for 12 minutes.
• Run the eggs under cold water or place in an ice bath to cool. 
• Peel the hard-boiled eggs, and enjoy.

Whether you want a completely cooked boiled egg or a slightly softer boiled egg, use this trusted timeline:

Soft-boiled egg (slightly runny center)

Let the eggs sit in the water after it comes to a boil for 4 to 5 minutes.

Slightly firmer yolk (custard-like texture)

Leave the eggs in the water for 6 minutes.

Firm yolk (still a bit creamy with some liquid)

Leave the eggs in the water for 10 minutes.

Completely hard-boiled egg (for deviled eggs or egg salad)

Leave the eggs in the water for 12 minutes.

How long do hard-boiled eggs last in the refrigerator? 

You can safely refrigerate the eggs in their shells for one to 1½ weeks. (Did you know that!)

Let me know what you think about this piece in the comment box below.

msn

Mental Health Officer at World Health Organisation(WHO)

Mental Health Officer - (1803357)

Grade: NO-B

Contractual Arrangement: Individual service contractor

Contract duration: 3 Months

Job Posting: Jul 18, 2018, 1:11:37 PM

Closing Date: Aug 1, 2018, 10:59:00 PM

Primary Location: Nigeria-Maiduguri

Organization: AF_NGA Nigeria

Schedule: Full-time

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that the deadline for receipt of applications indicated above reflects your personal device's system settings.

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

The Northeast of Nigeria is experiencing a humanitarian emergency affecting nearly 15 million people. It involves massive displacements of populations resulting in more than 2 million Internally Displaced People (IDPs). The IDPs live in densely populated clusters in camps or in host communities with poor sanitary conditions, and limited availability of food and basic services. It is estimated that nearly 4 million people are in need of health services. This humanitarian crisis with ongoing violence and displacement has impact on the health of the affected population including mental health. As a result of the disruption of the health delivery system and the relatively less emphasis given to mental health, there is a need to include mental health service as one of the essential health services.  

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Reporting to the Team Lead and under the overall guidance of the Incident Manager, the Mental Health Officer will be accountable for the effective day to day management of WHO mental health activities in line with the mhGAP approach, Sphere Project and Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) policies and strategies in the areas of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). The specific functions of the incumbent are:

• Facilitate training of PHC workers on MhGAP
• In collaboration with Borno state Neuro Psychiatry Hospital Organize and supervise mental outreach mental health services.
• Facilitate support to referral of patients to the state Neuropsychiatry hospital
• Provide timely analysed data on mental health services
• Support the assessment of mental health services in the state.
• Actively participate in the mental health related meetings
• Collaborate with partners on mental health through the mental health working group
• Perform other activities as required by the supervisor

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: University degree/qualification as a Psychiatry Nurse or Clinical Psychologist from a recognized university/institute.

Desirable: Masters degree in Public Health from an accredited/recognized institute.

Experience

Essential: At least 2 years’ experience in mental health in an international organization, NGO, government agencies or any other reputable organization

Desirable: Prior humanitarian working experience at field level with WHO, other UN agencies, health cluster partners, recognized humanitarian organizations or with an international non-governmental organization with expertise in mental health. 

Use of language skills

Essential: Excellent knowledge of English

Desirable: Working knowledge of ethnic languages would be an asset.

Skills

Specific skills required: 

• Good working of Microsoft Office
• Ability to work with large datasets.
• Good knowledge of online data collection applications, statistical analysis packages (Stata, SPSS, etc.).

2 Ebola patients attended church with 50 people before dying.

Two Democratic Republic of Congo Ebola patients who fled the hospital in the city of Mbandaka on Monday attended a prayer meeting with 50 people hours before they died, Jean-Clement Cabrol, an emergency medical coordinator at Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders), said on Thursday, 24th May 2018.

Health officials are scrambling to contain an outbreak of the deadly disease in the heavily populated port city in northwest Congo that is believed to have killed 22 people since April.

Two new deaths from Ebola and seven new confirmed cases have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the health ministry said on Tuesday.

One of the deaths occurred in the provincial capital of Mbandaka, according to a daily bulletin.

A nurse also died in the village of Bikoro, where the outbreak was first detected, ministry spokeswoman Jessica Ilunga told Reuters.

Read also: Nurse Justina's Story From The Grave

The ministry said the seven new confirmed cases were registered in Bikoro.

Health officials administered an experimental vaccine on Monday to 33 medical workers and Mbandaka residents, WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told reporters in Geneva.

The vaccine manufacturer Merck has provided WHO with 8,640 doses of the vaccine and an additional 8,000 doses are expected to be available in the coming days, WHO said.

Congo’s ninth outbreak of Ebola since 1976 is believed to have killed at least 28 people so far.

Officials are particularly concerned by its appearance in Mbandaka, a crowded trading hub on the Congo River with the road, water and air links to Congo’s capital, Kinshasa.

NAN reports that the WHO said it will need 26 million dollars for the Ebola Response in the DRC over the next three months.

WHO said it had also released two million dollars from its Contingency Fund for Emergencies, to scale up the Ebola response.

The Government of DRC, with the support of WHO partners, is preparing to vaccinate high-risk populations against Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in affected health zones.

The organisation said health workers operating in affected areas were being vaccinated on Monday and community outreach had started to prepare for the ring vaccination.

More than 7,500 doses of the rVSV-ZEBOV Ebola vaccine have been deployed to DRC to conduct vaccination in the northwestern Equator Province where 46 suspected, probable and confirmed Ebola cases and 26 deaths have been reported – as of Friday

Source: The Punch

Cholera outbreak kills 12 in Adamawa, Nigeria

A cholera outbreak has killed 12 people and may have infected at least 134 others in the northeast Nigerian state of Adamawa, a medical official said on Wednesday 23rd May 2018.

At least 134 others may be infected in the state of Adamawa where nurses are on strike and many have been displaced from war, making it difficult to deal with an outbreak of such magnitude.

Ezra Sakawa, medical director of the general hospital for Mubi, the town where the disease has struck said no fewer than 12 people have died from the disease and that there were many more cases. He also noted that there was little manpower to deal with the outbreak as nurses were on strike.

A senior official at the state health ministry Bwalki Dilli, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the ministry with the support of other partners like WHO had set up a 24-hour treatment centre at Mubi General Hospital.

He urged the public to be on alert and observe personal and environmental hygiene, adding that the state emergency operation centre had dedicated toll-free telephone lines for reports and enquires on health emergencies.

The outbreak comes days after the World Health Organization (WHO) announced its collaboration with the Nigerian government on precautionary measures at various seaports, land borders, airports and other entry points to prevent the Ebola virus from entering Nigeria. 


 Source: TRTWorld 

STIs and Oral Sex

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Clinic Assistant At IRC

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to people affected by war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.



Position: Clinic Assistant

Locations: Maiduguri and Konduga, Borno

Reports to: Reproductive Health Midwife


Scope of Work
The RH clinic assistant is responsible for supporting RH midwives in direct patient care, registering new clients, assessing patients’ reproductive health state, determining what care they need etc.

Responsibilities
The responsibilities of the RH Clinic Assistant include but are not limited to the following:

• Assist RH midwives in direct reproductive health service provision
• Conduct initial consultations for patients attending the clinic according to IRC RH guidelines
• Assess signs and symptoms of illness, take vital signs and enter them in medical charts, develop a nursing diagnosis and triage patient to the appropriate provider
• Register new patients and provide STI and FP counselling
• Provide technical nursing support for RH services
• Ensure referral for all transfer patients are coordinated with necessary health care intervention and diagnoses
• Ensure all necessary information concerning the patients or activities in the clinic are reported to the supervisor in a timely manner
• Maintain the register for medical consultation, of all the present RH services
• Monitoring responsibilities
• Ensure all patient registers are properly filled on daily bases
• Ensure data tracking sheets a properly filled and reported to supervisors in a timely manner.

Other Duties:

• To perform any other responsibility as directed by supervisor.

Professional Standards:
All IRC staff are required to adhere to THE IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct and the IRC country employment policies.

Minimum Qualifications

• Gender requirement (if applicable): Female
• Qualified CHEW or Nurse with Nurse Diploma/Certificate
• At least 2 years of working experience in nursing care
• NGO experience preferred
• Experience in RH , BEmONC (EmONC), and working at community level
• Communication skills to educate and sensitise on sensitive RH topics
• Works well in and promotes teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, is flexible and able to handle pressure
• Good spoken and written English
• Computer literacy; Word, Excel and Powerpoint

Working Environment
The positions are located in Maiduguri and Konduga. The situation in northeast Nigeria continues to be volatile and the security phase is orange or red depending on location. This is a national position.

Benefits

• Competitive Monthly salary,
• 13th Month Salary Inclusive,
• Health Insurance Coverage for Family, Pension, Creche Facilities available for Women with babies under 24 Months.

Method of Application

Applicants should send their Cover Letters and CV’s to “The Senior Admin/HR Manager, IRC” via: IRCNigeria.Recruitment@rescue.org. 
The subject of the application should read “Clinic Assistant, Maiduguri” or “Clinic Assistant, Konduga”.
Or
Hand delivery applications should be sent to the IRC Maiduguri Field Office.

Note
Only shortlisted candidates will be communicated for Interview.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.