HEALTH FOCUS

AN END TO THE NIGHTMARE HIV/AIDS

Dr Fru Richard

GAEINAMED-CAM


The issue of HIV/AIDS is very intricate, considering the fact that HIV/AIDS has been ravaging many people especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, in spite of the fact that since 1982 as Statistician proclaimed four million condoms have been shipped to Sub-Saharan Africa as preventive measures.

The Holy Bible does recommend healing with the use of herbs as seen in Ezekiel 47:12-14 and Revelation 22:1-2. With reference to Jeremiah 8: 21-22 we can question why HIV/AIDS remains a nightmare?

The mystery as to the remedy of HIV/AIDS has caused many Medical Practitioners to be alert due to the menace HIV/AIDS is creating. A renowned Tradi-Medical Practitioner in Cameroon, Dr. Richard Fru, Founder and CEO of Garden of Eden Institute of Natural Medicine CAMEROON, has come up with herbal medications for HIV/AIDS. GAEINAMED-CAM in November 2005 and December 2007 won an award of Excellence as the best and most popular traditional clinic for research in Cameroon.

Dr. Fru holds that, the condition of HIV/AIDS is as a result of the destruction of one’s immune system. Through profound research, he discovered that apart from HIV, other conditions like stress, poor nutritional intake, too much consumption of chemical drugs and protracted illnesses like typhoid, can affect the immune system thereby leading to AIDS. As a matter of fact, there are situations where some people have been diagnosed of AIDS in conventional hospitals meanwhile they never had HIV.

According to Dr. Fru, God has endowed a lot of mystical powers in plants, which transcends scientific explanations; as a result, there is no ailment without cure or remedy. God has bestowed wisdom and knowledge to some people to be able to understand the different plants and their uses.

The herbal medications of Dr Fru are meant to boost the immune system, thereby rendering the virus inactive. Moreover, it should be noted that one’s immune system is made strong and effective from the consumption of natural foods.

The Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Communication, instead of investigating the authenticity of these claims have placed an embargo that, any Traditional Healer who publicly declares can treat HIV/AIDS would be imprisoned for five years and a fine of ten million franc CFA awaits any defaulter.

To ascertain the efficacy, safety and quality of Natural Therapy, the READER’S DIGEST titled FOODS THAT HARM, FOODS THAT HEAL, an A-Z GUIDE TO SAFE AND HEALTHY LIVING, states on page 186 with the caption – HERBS FOR HEALTH that, “herbs in the diet and herbal remedies are making a comeback as people rediscover the value of natural ingredients and natural cures and question the side effects of pharmaceutical drug …Nevertheless, there is much wisdom in the general approach of herbal medicine and there are usually with fewer or no side effects…. Certain forms of Eczema appear to respond to herbal remedies where orthodox medicine has little to offer.
The medicinal value of herbs, known to earlier civilization through a combination of keen observation, trial and error, is being rediscovered and confirmed by modern scientific tests. But while research continues to investigate the uses of new plants, many Doctors and Scientists still do not acknowledge the healing powers of herbs, preferring instead to rely on “tried and tested” pharmaceutical drugs.

A press release dated February 21, 2003 and titled ‘FirstAfrican Traditional Medicine Day to be commemorated on 31 August 2003’ states that, the decision to observe an African Traditional Medicine Day follows an adoption in 2000 of a resolution on promoting the role of traditional medicine in health systems. A strategy for the African Region, by the region’s Health Ministers, requesting the institution of the day on the WHO calendar for observance in member states.
The image and profile of traditional medicine received a boost in Africa in 2001, that research into traditional medicine should be made a priority. They followed up this declaration with another in Lusaka in July 2001, designating the period 2001 – 2010 as the decade of African Traditional Medicine.

Traditional Medicine is one of the priority program of AFRO which in 2000 developed the above mentioned regional strategy document. The development and adoption of the African Regional Strategy was complemented by the launching in 2002 of the first Global Strategy on Traditional Medicine by WHO.

Dr Fru is a young advocate of African Traditional Medicine / Natural Therapies. He has attended conferences in and out of Cameroon, especially on HIV/AIDS. The most recent being the Global Summit on HIV/AIDS - Traditional Medicine and Indigenous knowledge held in Accra, Ghana on March 14-18, 2006. His discourse was titled “The Importance of Traditional Medicine in Our Society and Its Role in the Fight against HIV/AIDS”.

He participates in several radio and TV talks shows and publishes articles in local Newspapers. Most important, he has consulted and treated many HIV/AIDS patients.

By Enie Ndoh Cecile

HEALTH FOCUS

A Growing Population and HIV/AIDS

The United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) promotes the human rights of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. Every minute, one woman dies during pregnancy and birth because she did not receive adequate care and prompt treatment. By increasing the intervention for safe motherhood , we can save the lives of half a million women and seven million infants, and prevent millions of women from suffering from infections, injury and disability each year.

HIV/AIDS is becoming more of global crises every day. At present, 40 million adults and children are living with HIV/AIDS, and at least 10.4 million children currently under the age of 15 have lost their mother or both parents to AIDS.

Perhaps nowhere is the need for reproductive health services more urgent than in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Every day, 14,000 people are newly infected, and half are young people under the age of 25. Many know little about the disease and how the virus is transmitted. Young women are especially vulnerable and more likely to be infected than young men. Reproductive health services that empower women and people with life-saving information and skills will help prevent HIV from spreading and reduce further suffering and social and economic disruption.

According to 2004 estimates by the population division of the UN Secretariat, despite declining fertility rates, world population is expected to rise in the next 45 years by 2.6 billion, to reach a total of 9.1 billion in 2050. Nearly all the growth will take place in less developed countries, and will be concentrated among the poorest populations in urban areas. The population of the 50 poorest countries is projected to more than double by 2050, and to at least triple in Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Chad, Congo, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea -Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Timor - Lester and Uganda, Sub - Saharan Africa, the world's poorest region, is the fastest growing, despite increasing population losses from AIDS deaths.

Overall figures on life expectancy in developed countries mark some striking regional differences. They have been increases in mortality and a severe decline in life expectancy in Eastern Europe since the late 1980s. Particularly in the Russian Federation and the Ukraine. In 2005 life expectancy in Eastern Europe was 66.6 lower than it was in 1955. Better life expectancy in the poorest countries depends on the implementation of effective programs to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. AIDS have killed some 20 million people since 1981: 3.1 million people died in 2004. Today 39.4 million are HIV positive, the highest level ever. In 2004 alone 4.9 million people were newly infected. Women are increasingly at risk.

With regards to HIV/AIDS and population, the AIDS pandemic has had an impact on life expectancy and population growth, particularly in Sub - Saharan Africa, where it is more prevalent In Sub Saharan Africa life expectancy decline precipitously from 62 in the first half of the 1990s to 48 just ten years later. It projected to decrease even further to 43 over the next decade before a slow recovery starts. Botswana life expectancy decline is among the most alarming, with more than a third of the population infected with HIV in 2003, life expectancy has fallen from 65 to 37 in less than two decades.

As a result of AIDS, population growth in the region is slow down in the next 15 years. In Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland the population will actually decrease, as deaths outnumber births. In most of the other developing countries, affected by the pandemic, population will continue to grow, as moderate or high fertility will outweigh the rise in mortality. The number of people living with HIV has been rising in every region with the steepest increases in East Asia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia: In East Asia, the number of people who are HIV positive rose by almost 50 % between 2002 and 2004, an increase that is attributed largely to China's growing epidemic in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, there were 40% more people living with HIV in 2004 than in 2002. The AIDS epidemic is increasingly affecting women and girls globally; just under half of all people living with HIV are female. In Sub- Saharan Africa 76% of young people 15 - 24 years old living with HIV are female.

Condoms can save lives by preventing the sexual transmission of HIV. Access to testing and counseling must be given high priority in every country. Everyone has the right to voluntary and confidential counseling and testing for HIV/AIDS and the right to be protected from discrimination of any kind related to her or his HIV/AIDS status.

ENVIRONMENTAL FOCUS

OZONE LAYER DEPLATION AND

ITS EFFECT ON THE POPULATION

Environmental protection is a vital aspect of life and any negative and positive impact on the environment, affects lives not only human lives but all living things In fact, it is detrimental if the impact is negative and profitable when it is positive.

Recently we all are perturbed about the excess heat we experience today. Incidentally we are ignorant of the causes and how we can protect ourselves from the effects. Definitely, we are all aware sunrays heat the earth. The sun is a flaming star full of burning hot gases. Its heat makes life on earth possible but along with its warmth, comes deadly Ultra Violet Rays- Uvs.

This Uvs harm all life on our planet, people, animals and plants. Luckily, our planet earth is protected by little molecules, which form the ozone layer. Our ozone defenders are very strong and smart. They actually let the sun’s life – giving warmth in, while keeping the deadly UVs out. Even so, the activities on earth are dangerous to the ozone defenders.

Chloro Floro Carbons (CFCS) are chemicals that destroy the ozone layer and even make a hole in it. In many countries CFCs are now replaced by new ozone friendly products, but there are still equipments containing these harmful chemicals such as some old refrigerators and air conditioners contain CFCs. Examples of CFCs are Halon used in some fire extinguishers, methyl Bromide, a pesticide used on some farms is also dangerous. These gases are not harmful when they are inside equipment but they become dangerous to the ozone layer once they escape.

It is not uncommon for one to have fun in the sun but we must protect ourselves, because getting too much sun can posse a lot of dangers. It should be noted that UV rays not only burn but also wrinkle ones skin and make the person look old. They also cause cataracts in eyes and this can lead to blindness, they can weaken ones body’s resistance to diseases, which can cause one to get sick more easily. Children are particularly in danger because Uvs damage could result to cancer later.

HOW DO WE PROTECT OURSELVES

To protect ourselves from the dangers of Uvs, we have to protect our skin with clothes, which cover our arms and legs. We should wear a hat to cover our heads and sunglasses to protect our eyes. Stay inside when the sun is high up in the sky, as a matter of fact, we should always try to stay in the shade. We could use sunscreen lotions if we can afford it. We advice our friends, sisters and brothers to protect themselves from the sun when they are outdoors. We should choose ozone friendly products. We should be conscious of the fact that only human beings can make a difference to save the ozone layer.

It is therefore an obligation for us to join in protecting all nature and us too. The United Nation Environment Programme booklet on OZZY OZONE DEFENDER OF OUR PLANET advices that, every one around the world can make a difference, because when it comes to protecting our planet earth, everything counts. Andjongo Raoul a young Environmentalist advised that we should seize from purchasing old refrigerators and air conditioners from abroad. They might be cheap, but very dangerous to our environment. However, parents need to check first the label behind these items to check the components they are made off. More so, our international traders who help clean up foreign countries from CFCs, think only of their lucrative income, but undermine the fact that lives are endanger.