Bakare Ismail Afolabi, a Physician and senior medical officer in charge of Omupo cottage hospital in Irepodun local government area of Kwara State, has expressed concern over prevalence of depression amongst rural women.
According to him, research being conducted by the hospital at its psychiatric unit indicated that more women are being diagnosed with depression in the hospital.
He says: “From what we have seen, depression seems to be number one case of rural women.
“There are lots of things that affect women that we are not paying attention to. Women need empowerment; we need laws and advocacy that will support the cause of women.”
Afolabi, said this while delivering a health talk to mark the 2019 press week of the Kwara State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), in Ilorin, spoke on the topic “Occupational health hazard being faced by journalists”.
The medical expert identified ‘stress’ as a major health issue affecting journalists in Nigeria and their counterparts in the south- east Asia, saying “body’s reaction to normal life events, if not well managed could result into chronic one with resultant effects such as headache, poor sleep, and sexual dysfunctions “.
Afolabi, maintained that journalists just like other professionals were prone to “injuries, disease outbreak and epidemic,” in line of duties.
“We need to do more on journalists’ safety and to manage stress. Stress is the number one list factor for mental health in Journalists, “he said.
Afolabi explained that chronic stress could set in when there is a “rise in heart beat, blood sugar, and rise in adrenal level”.
Causes of stress according to him include “uncertainty in political dispensation, poverty, social issues, and economic problem among others”.
For proper management of stress, the medical expert counselled Nigerians to develop a positive attitude to life. He says: “we should have believed that all will be well, know your limit, and know that this is the level you can go. Consider your health first, be assertive, be optimistic, learn to say no and be realistic to yourself”.
He opined that home management of stress could also be achieved by consuming oath meals, cereals, cabbage, smoked fish and also engaging in coordinated exercise which he says will prevent memory loss especially, at old age.
He however, cautioned that indulgence “in drugs, ilicite sexual activities” is not solution to stress management”.
SIKIRAT SHEHU, Ilorin
