LAGOS – The Nigerian Thoracic Society (NTS), on Wednesday said there was need for better management of respiratory conditions and lung health to reduce respiratory system diseases.
Prof. Etete Peters, National President of NTS, said this in Lagos at the 2014 Annual Scientific Conference of the society with theme: “Emerging Trends in Lung Diseases in Nigeria’’.
According to him, there has been for some time now a changing trend in the respiratory conditions that affect Nigerians.
Peters, who is also the Chief Medical Director (CMD), University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, said several factors might account for these changes.
“They include the HIV epidemic, increasing urbanisation of our towns and villages; environmental and industrial pollution; and increasing adoption of westernised lifestyle.
“Others are drugs-resistant tuberculosis, HIV-associated pulmonary malignancies (AIDS defining and non-AIDS defining), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases, obesity and obstructive sleep apnoea’’, he said.
Dr Njideka Okubadejo of the Neurology Unit, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, said there were effects of loss of sleep as a result of respiratory diseases.
“Respiratory diseases can lead to disruption of sleep. This can lead to cognitive dysfunction that affects work and output.
“Sleep and cognition have become major public health and safety issues and the consequent result in significant financial and social costs’’, she said.
Dr Olanisun Adewole, Consultant Chest Physician, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, urged medical experts to continue to provide opportunities for the advancement of respiratory practice and care in Nigeria.
Adewole, who is the Secretary General of NTS, said the society will continue health campaigns and corporate responsibilities so that Nigerians would have healthy lungs.
“We will continue advocacy and other activities that will ensure good and optimal health for our patients.
“People need to be aware of the causes, risk factors, symptoms and early presentation of these diseases.
“That way, the management and treatment will be more successful.
“Government should also provide the enabling environment; equip the hospitals with up-to-date equipment as well as encourage and motivate medical and health workers’’, he said. (NAN)
