Nigerian Military Ranked 4th Most Powerful Force In Africa

The Nigerian Armed Forces have been rated as the fourth most powerful military in the African continent for the year 2019.

According to a new list of military rankings released by Globalfirepower, the Nigerian military rated 0.7007 on its Power Index score to be positioned behind Egypt, Algeria and South Africa, Africa's top three militaries.

Based on the Power Index score, Nigeria is also ranked as the 44th most powerful military in the world.

It was discovered that the country's military was similarly ranked last year and maintained its position in the new listing.
Discover the truth behind the age of consent in Nigeria.

Egypt is the highest ranked African country with 12th most powerful military in the world. The Egyptian Armed Forces had a Power Index score of 0.2283.

The second most powerful military in Africa and the 27th in the world belongs to Algeria which had a Power Index of 0.4551.

South Africa's Armed Forces sit in the third position in Africa with a rating of 32nd most powerful in the world. They had a Power Index score of 0.5405.

After Nigeria, being 4th, the fifth most powerful military in Africa belongs to the Ethiopia which ranked 47th in the world with a Power Index score of 7361.

Angola's military is sixth most powerful in Africa and 58th in the world with its Power Index score of 0.8154.

The Kingdom of Morocco's armed forces wraps up the top 7 most powerful military in Africa with a 61st ranking in the world following a Power Index score of 0.8244.

According to Globalfirepower, a defense website, the ranking is achieved by processing the individual and collective values of each nation on the list through an in-house formula to generate the Power Index score. Some of the values, the website says, maye be estimated if original data is unavailable.

These values include military manpower, air power, land strength, naval power, resources, logistics, financials and geography among others.

The 2019 ranking comes at a crucial time for the Nigeria Armed Forces which have been stretched thin fighting decimated insurgent forces in the northeastern part of the country and rampaging bandits across huge parts of the north.
Giving additional support to the police to combat incessant kidnappings in both the north and southern parts of the country has also become the daily duty of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

(Legit)

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WHO Identifies ‘more Effective’ Ebola Treatment Drugs

Two of four Ebola treatment drugs have been determined “more effective” than the others and will be the only ones used on patients going forward, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced.

WHO announced in a statement that two of the four Ebola treatment drugs were determined more effective in treating patients than others in a trial which began as part of the emergency response in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Nov. 20, 2018.

The trial was called the Pamoja Tulinde Maisha study.

ZMapp, remdesivir, mAb114 and REGN-EB3 were the four drugs used in the trials. During trials, REGN-EB3 and mAb114 were determined to be more effective in treating Ebola than the other two, and will be the only two used going forward, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases announced in a statement.

As part of an emergency response team in the Congo, the “Together Save Lives” trial was done with a collaboration of organisations, including the Congo’s National Institute for Biomedical Research, the Ministry of Health, the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Alliance for International Medical Action and other organizations.

FreshReporters News understood that the final analysis of data will be completed in late September or early October of this year, the NIAID said the effectiveness of REGN-EB3 and mAb114 was “compelling enough to recommend and implement” the changes immediately.

The other two treatments, ZMapp and remdesivir, will no longer be used.

Some 681 patients were enrolled in the trial as of August 9, 2019, with a total aim of 725 patients, the NIAID said.

According to the CDC, Ebola is a virus that is transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids of someone infected with the virus or who has died from it, or through blood, body fluids or tissues of infected fruit bats or primates.

Symptoms, including fever, muscle pain, fatigue, vomiting, severe headache, weakness, diarrhea, abdominal pain or unexplained hemorrhaging, occur within two to 21 days of coming in contact with the virus.

Currently, there is no approved vaccine or treatment for the virus, so prevention is crucial, the CDC states.

Trials like “Together Save Lives” have been introduced in areas like the Congo during outbreaks to test what treatments may be most effective for infected patients.

Just under a month ago, the Ebola outbreak in Congo was declared a global health emergency.

As at Aug. 6, there have been 2,781 reported cases of Ebola in the country, according to the WHO.

There have been 1,866 reported deaths as a result of the virus – NAN reports

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Buhari, Condé Donate Money, Cows, Rice To Corpers Serving In Katsina

As part of his activities during the Eid-el-Kabir, President Muhammadu Buhari and his visiting Guinean counterpart, Alpha Condé, donated cash, cows and bags of rice to youth corps members posted to Katsina State for their one-year National Youth Service.

The youth corps members had visited the President at his country home, Daura, on Sunday, where he is spending the Sallah holiday with Condé.

FreshReporters News understood that President Buhari donated two cows and 10 bags of rice to the corps members, in addition to cash, his Guinean guest complemented his gesture with two cows.

The President also used the occasion to challenge the corps members to live up to the expectations of the founding fathers by utilising their education and privilege of visiting different parts of the country to unite Nigerians.

Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s spokesman, quoted President Buhari in a statement in Abuja as saying that, “The primary focus of the NYSC is to expose graduates to the beauty and diversity of the country, so that they can return to their states to share their experiences.”

He urged them to always emphasise the common values of peaceful co-existence, kindness and hospitality that cut across all cultures and religions in Nigeria.

“From Lagos, Port Harcourt and other parts of the country, you are at the end of the country.

“This posting will make you know this place, Daura, and you can disabuse the minds of those who are not educated about the other side of the country.

“It is only the NYSC that is merging us together and, of course, the police and soldiers,” he said.

The President noted that in every meeting with former Head of State, retired Gen. Yakubu Gowon, who initiated the programme in 1973 to promote unity and understanding among Nigerians, he always remembered to appreciate the ingenuity of the programme and the need for its continuity.

In his remarks, President Conde of Guinea, who celebrated the Muslim festival with Buhari, said that the diversity of Nigeria remains its greatest strength, urging the youth corps members to always see themselves first as Nigerians, before identifying with their ethnic background.

“First, you are Nigerians before you are from any other part of the country.

“So promote the unity of the country regardless of your tribes,” he added.

The Chief Liaison Officer of NYSC in Daura, Aliyu Abdullahi, said it was a privilege to serve in the hometown of the President, and also meet with him and his Eid-el Kabir special guest, President Condé.

(NAN)

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Army Denies Arresting Notorious Criminal, Bobrisky

The Nigerian Army has denied reports that its soldiers have arrested a suspected notorious cult leader, popularly known as Bobrisky in Gokana local government area of Rivers State.

Recall that the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike last Friday August 9th, announced that soldiers in the state have arrested the notorious criminal.

The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, 6 Division, Colonel Aminu Illiyasu, has however denied the claims made by the governor. In an interview with The Leadership, Illiyasu said soldiers did not arrest Bobrisky or any other criminal in Gokana local government area.

“We don’t know what they are talking about. If such thing has happened, I would have been the first to inform you. When we got Don Wanny, I sent you pictures and the statement as early as 4:00am in the morning, because I couldn’t get all of you to come and take pictures yourself.

“When we got Mene, I sent the statement and pictures to you even before you started calling me. But, the issue of Bobrisky, we don’t know anything about it. If the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army  was involved, I wouldn’t have waited for you to call before passing the information to you.”

The governor on Thursday August 8th, placed a N30 million bounty on Bobrisky. Hours later, he announced that the suspected criminal had been arrested by soldiers after his promise to reward anybody with information that could lead to his arrest.

“The Army has captured Bobrisky of Gokana. I will pay the bounty that I promised to the Nigerian Army. Anyone  who  generates insecurity in Rivers State, I am ready to pay any amount to ensure the arrest of that person.” the governor said
(LIB blog)

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Harmful Effects Of Palm Wine On Breastfeeding

This week is the world breastfeeding week. It is celebrated every year around the world from 1st to 7th August to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies. It promotes exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. This piece is put up to demystify the myths about the effects of palmwine on breastfeeding. I had gone to congratulate a woman and to see that the new born baby was doing fine. I met the new mum she was happy, on a lighter mood, baby was also happy as evidenced by the numerous spontaneous smiles from the baby. I asked for the husband, she was said to have gone out. I later met him at the reception and noticed he was worried.

The following ensues between the two of us:

Doctor: Congrats Sir, where have you been?

Man: Doctor, I’ve been out all day in search of palm wine for the new mum.

Doctor:  Palm wine! Palm what!

Man: The nurse requested I get the palm wine for the mum so that she can lactate.

Doctor: No Sir, you need to hold on, you don’t need to get it, and the mum doesn’t need palm wine either.

Man: But the nurse asked us to go and get it, anyway thank God, thank you

I later approached the nurse, who requested for the palm wine to be brought and given to the new mum. I asked her if she knew that palm wine contains alcohol on the average up to six per cent. I also asked her whether she knew that alcohol passes through breast milk and can affect the baby. She replied that it is a cultural practice, but agreed that it was not a medical proven treatment and that it was not ordered by the doctor.

Medical Explanation

Naturally, palm wine is a low alcoholic drink. Its alcoholic content is as little three per cent, but fermented palm wine has the potential to breed as high 12 per cent alcoholic content. When palm wine is taken by breastfeeding mum, it passes into the breast milk. It is on record that there is no known safe level of alcohol consumption while breastfeeding. Mums should avoid palm wine/alcohol intake in the first month after a baby is born until breastfeeding is well established because it impedes the milk flow as opposed to the cultural belief. It takes about two hours for the average woman to clear one standard glass of alcohol drink from her system, therefore four hours for two glasses, six hours for three glasses and so on.

Effect of palm wine/alcohol on breastfeeding mum

Using alcohol may make the mum fall into a deep sleep which can be dangerous to the baby. Mums who are going to drink alcohol are strongly advised not to have their baby sleep with them on the bed.  They are to always put babies in their cots. They may not wake for the baby’s next feed, or if the baby becomes distressed. They are to make ‘safety plans’ – have an adult take care of the baby. Palm wine is used by some mums as post natal beverage. This is dangerous to health; the levels of alcohol in breast milk remain close to those in the mother’s bloodstream. Levels will be at their highest between 30 and 60 minutes after drinking, or 90 minutes if drinking with a meal. It takes two hours for a unit of alcohol (a small glass of wine, or half a pint of beer) to leave a mother’s blood.

Effect of palm wine/ alcohol on breastfed babies

While large amounts of alcohol in breast milk can have a sedative effect on the babies, it is more likely to make the babies agitated and disrupt their sleep patterns. When a nursing mother takes it, it gets into the breast milk and the baby sleeps and unable to suck. Alcohol inhibits a mother’s let-down (the release of milk to the nipple). Studies have shown that babies take around 20 per cent less milk if there is alcohol present, so they’ll need to feed more often. Some infants have been known to go on ‘nursing strike’, probably because of the altered taste of alcohol in the milk.

In conclusion, drinking palm wine by breastfeeding mums is counterproductive because it is proven scientifically that palm wine does not make the breast flow. It reduces the flow contrary to perceived increase by traditions. The act of palm wine drinking by new mum is a myth, with no scientific basis or benefit. Most importantly, it is a harmful practice. Breast flow is, however, increased by staying hydrated, eating a well-balanced diet, putting baby to breast on demand, resting and having enough sleep.

Rotimi Adesanya; Child and Public Health Physician, roayad@yahoo.com, 08037202050

(Punch)

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