Many years ago, while on the Lagos Island shopping in the ever busy ‘Akponbon’
market, my shopping partner was pressed and needed to use the bathroom. So she
asked the owner of the shop where we were sorting out fabrics if there was a
place to “pee” and the woman responded with a quick “yes”.
And so while my partner was trying to get set to be taken to a decent
place to pee, we heard the heavily built shop owner call out to one of her
sales girls “come pour our those oranges from that bucket under the table” and
when the girl did her bidding, she turned towards my partner and continued “customer
please go in and use the bucket, my girl will pour it in the gutter when you
finish” pointing towards the small gutter in front of the shop.
To say I was shocked would be understated as it was the first time I was
hearing and seeing such. As for my friend and shopping partner, she was too
pressed to ask questions so she quickly went and did her ‘pee thing’ as she was
told. On her return, she didn’t utter a word but I deduced from the look on her
face that it was new to her as well and we were sure going to talk more about
the incident on our way out of the market.
Many years after, and a couple of weeks ago, I got to the market and
was about to buy tomatoes from a young girl when I realized that she had just
stood up from sitting over a bucket under the table and without washing her
hands first, proceeded to picking up a bag for my tomatoes. Arrrgh! I couldn’t argue
so I just said, “you know what, don’t bother, I think these tomatoes are quite
expensive” walking off swiftly before she starts raining abuses.
Do you all get my gist? If you didn’t, just hang in there, you will get
it soon.
A while ago I was reading about a Lancet study and its description of
Hepatitis as one of the leading killers across the globe contending a
death toll with the highly dreaded AIDS or tuberculosis.
Back in the days, while in the University, the talk of HIV or Aids was
something frightening enough not to talk about knowing someone who was already
infected thus driving home the already established fact that Aids is real and
it’s here amongst us and it’s still getting very prevalent given our kinds of
lifestyles.
According to the
report, it says in 2013 alone, despite the availability of vaccines and
treatments, about 1.45m deaths were recorded due to complications from
hepatitis infections and such a number scares me because the World Health
Organisation data revealed that there were 1.2m AIDS-related deaths in 2014,
while TB led by1.5m.
However one can
only hope that the numbers would have dropped between 2013 and now as there
seems to be more awareness of hepatitis presently even as the WHO is making
plans to curtail the increase having put forward a global strategy for tackling
it.
Now the question
is how can the strategy be effective?
First I need you
to know there are five types of hepatitis virus from A to E and some of them
can be spread through sweats while A and E are spread through contaminated food
or water even though most of the deaths worldwide are due to the B and C virus
which cause grave damages to the liver predisposing victims to cancer of the
liver as well.
You will be amazed to know that at times, it is those same buckets/utensils
as described in the two scenarios above that are also used to convey edibles
and most people who have the habits of eating without washing of hands and
foods requiring washing before eating, get contaminated on a daily basis.
What about the
sweats? You may want to ask?
A lot of us get sweats
contact with others while, for example, in public transport right? You can’t
help it so protect yourself from skin to skin contact while in such
circumstances. Maybe covering your body properly would do in such situations.
Let's not even go the way of those who defecate in streams.
Alright, how about
those who feel once they have a condom on during intimacy, they are well protected?
Well you know the
answer to the question already.
The saddest part
is that the virus may have carried out long term damages before the victims
become aware as the symptoms are rarely noticed at the initial stage.
So, take HOLD of
your life.
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