Malaria, which the dictionary defines as recurrent fever or fever recurring or happening repeatedly, and a disease caused by mosquito bite, has been my major health problem since 1972. Indeed, it has been my only worry since diabetes which I was diagnosed with in 1992 was cured in 2002. I have had typhoid only once in my life, and that was about two years ago.

In other words, fever, which is abnormally high body temperature and its attendant discomforts, which include headache or migraine, irritable feelings and at times shivering, which I have constantly suffered from in the last 45 years has been my most enduring illness. My situation has been such that for four – and – a – half decades now, I have been taking orthodox medicines every week for three days, and at times along with injections.

In fact, I would have been on modern drugs for malaria twice a week, if not that I have been supplementing them with herbal drink prepared for me by alternative doctors or bought from hawkers, which I take in the remaining four days of the week.

I have mosquito nets in all the windows in my house and sleep under mosquito – treated – net. But I have perennial malaria because I belong to the few in the AA genotype blood group who are vulnerable to malaria. As a result, once I am bitten by mosquito when in the living – room at home or elsewhere, I must have fever immediately. Genotype is a term coined from gene – type by Danish botanist, physiologist and geneticist Wilhelm Johannsen in 1903.

Since artesunate and other drugs prescribed by orthodox doctors did not have effect on my malaria, I have on my own for about twenty years now, resorted to taking chloroquine tablets which are the only ones that have a little impact in my treatment of fever. But as a result of the unavailability of chloroquine tablets and quinine drink of old, I have in the last four years been buying the drug called 2 – 2 – 1.

It is a chloroquine – type of medicine given the name because two tablets are taken on the first day, two on the second day and one on the third day. Since chloroquine is said to cause eye problem, I believe I have not had bad sight or gone blind because for 25 years or so now, I have been seeing an ophthalmologist every three months for a test and using twice a day (at exactly 12 hours interval) the eye drops recommended for the treatment of my glaucoma.

It was Monday, September 4 that I began taking the herbal drink Mrs. Folarin prepared for treating my malaria, and for the first time in 45 years I have not taken orthodox medicine in one week. Indeed, as of today Wednesday, September 27, it is now 28 days that I last took 2 – 2 – 1 tablets, which was on August 30. I still have seven days to complete the one month she said I should take the herbal drink for, which means until October 4. In other words, within a week Mrs. Folarin’s herbal drink had effect on my malaria.

I see two reasons for the difference in her malaria herbal medicine and those prepared for me by other alternative doctors in the last 45 years. The first is that hers might have one or more ingredients than those of the others. The other could be the difference in the number of times a day and the period recommended for taking the drink.

The other herbalists said I should take their medicine twice a day (morning and night) for a week or a week – and – a – half. Whereas Mrs. Folarin told me to take hers thrice a day for a month, that is for 30 or 31 days. She also said once I warmed the drink on fire in the morning that I do not have to do so again to take it in the afternoon and at night. Her colleagues did not give me such an explanation and as a result, I used to warm the drink anytime I wanted to take it.

But do not get me wrong! I am not saying that Mrs. Folarin’s herbal medicine has cured my fever for – all – time and made me invulnerable to malaria disease forever. The point I have made is that her herbs have been effective with my fever that for a month now I have had no cause to take orthodox drugs. Something I used to do every week before she gave me her herbal drink.

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To be continued next week Wednesday

 


Dr. Kolade, admirable leader of utmost integrity (4)— Alex Nwokedi’s issue (3)

I was very happy and proud of Dr. Christopher Kolade as the type of boss and leader needed in the media with what he said that day he came to the editorial board meeting of the News and Current Affairs Division. After being briefed of Mr. Nwokedi’s visit and that it was what led to the changes in the unprofessional news talks he had been hearing in the last one week, he expressed disappointment at the way Mr. Akpan Harrison, the Acting Assistant Director of News and Current Affairs (ADNCA), handled the affair.

Dr. Kolade said he should have reported the matter to his immediate boss, Mr. Horatio Agedah, the Director of News and Current Affairs (DNCA), so that he could have informed him about the development. He said he did not believe General Obasanjo sent Nwokedi because if the Head of State had objection to a programme broadcast by the corporation, it was him the Director – General he would have sent him to. Or told to come and see him at Dodan Barracks, the seat of the Federal Military Government at the time.

Dr. Kolade told Harrison that he must not hear unprofessional and unscholarly news talks broadcast again on both Radio Nigeria and the Voice of Nigeria, the external service of the corporation. He said if Nwokedi or anyone came from the office of the Head of State, the person should be directed to see him the Director -General.

Making such a statement at such an open forum was a great act of courage by Dr. Kolade. Because in a country where tribalism was prevalent, as it still remains till today, he knew that whatever he said that day would be relayed to Nwokedi, and maybe brought to the notice of General Obasanjo. As a result, a weak leader not given to upholding professionalism would have told Harrison to see him in his office after the meeting and given him the instruction privately.

Sad to say that when Dr. Kolade went on voluntary retirement the following year, in April 1978 his successor, Mr. George Bako, the Head of the Engineering Department of the corporation proved a disappointing leader in professional integrity and editorial matters.

For continuation next week Wednesday