Anaemia

Anemia
Anemia is also known as Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) caused due to the shortage of iron, important micro nutrients of food. Iron is one of the most important micro nutrients essential for making hemoglobin, which supplies oxygen to each and every tissue of the body from lungs. Anemia is mostly found in children and pregnant women. Deficiency of iron in the body makes it weak and reduces immunity power. Females, especially pregnant and postnatal ones suffer from it. The babies, born from mother suffering from anemia have low weight and are more vulnerable from death. The adults, victims of anemia, seem feebler and have low capacity to perform different tasks. Children suffering from anemia grow slowly, understand very late and may die early.

Causes and symptoms

Anemia is a disease caused by the deficiency of haemoglobin or the lack of red blood cells. This problem is mostly found in small children, woman and pregnant mother. This caused due to the lack of iron in food. It may also be caused by hookworm parasites.
Symptoms

• Feeling of dizziness and tiredness
• In the case of babies, loss of appetite and weeping for no specific reason can be observed
• The facial appearance is pale and yellow
• Pigmentation of the skin, paleness in the eyes and the fingernails
• The patient feels giddiness
• Difficulty in breathing

Safety measures of Anemia

• We should take iron containing food like livers, meat, fish, eggs, green vegetables, grains, beans, cereals etc.
• Food that contains vitamin ‘C’ like lemon, orange, vegetables etc should be taken, which help to absorb the iron element in the food.
• Hookworm is one of the major causes of anemia. So, we must have a habit of wearing shoes.
• Iron tablets can also be given to babies for immediate supply of iron.

Modes of Transmission of HIV/ AIDS and prevention

Modes of Transmission

• Unsafe sexual contact with HIV infected person
• With infected blood transfusion
• Use of skin-piercing injection, blade, etc. without sterilization
• Mother to baby (during pregnancy, during delivery and during breastfeeding)

Preventive measures of HIV/ AIDS and other STIs

• Sexual behaviors before matured age are unsafe. Sexual decisions in early age may not be appropriate. Sexual behaviors which are considered as safe may not be safe for the people in early age due to the lack of proper knowledge and skills. Therefore, we must avoid sexual intercourse in early age in order to prevent STIs.
• Abstain yourself. If not possible, adopt safe sex
• Between two or be mutually faithful for sexual intercourse. Avoid multiple sex partners because healthy looking persons might also be infected with STIs
• Consistent use of condom as it also prevents pregnancy
• Do not use unsterilized needles, blades, scissors etc
• Blood transfusion should be done after proper test
• Infected women must not give birth to a baby
• We must increase mass awareness and discourage girls trafficking and prostitution. Similarly, we have to emphasis on female education and female employment in order to save from this fatal disease
• We must adopt kind feeling and co-operation to STI victims for their treatment and care. Advise STI patients on the consistent use of condom and spermicides while they make sexual contact.

Stop HIV/ AIDS

Introduction

AIDs stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Our body has the immune system that fights against diseases. When this immunity is lost, we get suffered from various diseases. As a result, various symptoms can emerge.  AIDS is not a disease but that stage in which various symptoms and syndromes can emerge. Though AIDS was medically recognized only in 1981 in USA, it is widely and rapidly spreading all over the world. Over 2 decades, more than 40 million people are suffering from this fatal disease. Though its virus appeared later in Asian countries, it is more rapidly spreading here than other regions. In Nepal, first case of AIDS was identified in 1988 but the cases are rapidly increasing. Now about more than 60 thousand people are estimated to be infected of HIV in Nepal.

Causes of HIV/ AIDS

The causative agent for this disease  is retrovirus which is called HIV (Human Immune-deficiency Virus). This virus destroys the immune system of producing the antibody to fight against the germs of disease. In the lack of antibody, we cannot be healthy. After entering it in our body, it takes about 6 to 12 weeks for virus to be seen in blood test. This unidentified period is window period. When HIV is detected, this stage is carrier stage. Similarly, when symptoms are seen, it is only the stage of AIDS.

Symptoms of HIV/ AIDS

Symptoms cannot be seen immediately in HIV infected patients and it may take 10-15 years. As the immunity of patients is lost any common disease may suffer them. The symptoms are seen according to the disease they have suffered. However, TB is found in almost HIV patients in Nepal.

The symptoms of AIDS can be classified as major and minor sign. A person can be AIDS patient if at least 2 major signs and one minor sign appear.

Major Sign of HIV/ AIDS

• Loss of weight more than 10% of usual body weight within one month
• Continuous fever for more than 1 month
• Continuous diarrhea for more than 1 month

Minor Sign of HIV/ AIDS

• Coughing of more than a month
• Itching and skin rashes
• Recurrent herpes zoster
• Chancres appear around lip and nostril
• Not recovery of some common and curable diseases like common cold, diarrhea, TB etc.
• Repeatedly suffering of pneumonia
• Thrush or inflammation in mouth and throat
• Swelling of glands for a long time