Porti & ambiente — le notizie raccolte

Topic:Defence Forces Sun 7 Jun 2026 at 10:54am David Shoebridge says Australia does not have the capacity to defend sea trade lanes thousands of kilometres from its shore.(ABC News: Matt Roberts) David Shoebridge says Australia is too small to be able to defend global sea trade lanes. The Greens senator says pursuing AUKUS only obliges Australia to join a US-China conflict, and the nation should instead focus on diplomacy. Australia is pursuing an agreement with the United States to acquire three in-service Virginia-class submarines.

Kindly share this story: The uncontrolled growth of Nigeria’s population should be a matter of concern to all the authorities within the country. It has huge potential benefits, given the fact that a large, young, and productive population, which characterises Nigeria’s population pattern, ought to serve as an engine of economic growth and development.The added benefit is that Nigeria’s population is mainly youthful, with a median age of about 18 years.However, the odd thing about all of that is that our youthful population is poorly educated, and those who have an education are not employable. Many of them have turned to crime and drugs.The concern about all of that on this page today is how these pressures impact the healthcare system of the country. The health system is like a small, underfunded clinic that was built for, maybe, about 100 people.Overnight, it seems like 500 people have begun to use the clinic, with more arriving every day. That is what rapid population growth feels like for Nigeria’s health services. Definitely, the clinic cannot keep up.Nigeria’s population is growing faster than the government can build new hospitals, train new doctors, or provide medicines. Right now, there are far too few doctors and nurses for the number of people.In Lagos, for example, as many as 30,000 doctors are needed to provide optimum care for residents, but there are fewer than 7,000 overworked and underpaid doctors. The statistics are just as bad for nurses.That means many patients wait for hours or days. Delays in diagnosis and treatment are common, with some patients turned away and many others not getting treatment at all. The buildings themselves are often old, run-down, and lacking basics like clean water and electricity for fridges to store vaccines. There are not enough beds.But diseases do not take turns, as we have seen over the past year. Usually, they all attack at once. So, we have to deal with cholera, Lassa fever, malaria, gastroenteritis, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS all at once.In rich countries, they first solved deadly infections like malaria, measles, diphtheria, tuberculosis, and other killer diseases, and later, as people lived longer, they started dealing with lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease.But in Nigeria, both problems are happening at the same time. You still have malaria and TB spreading easily, especially in crowded areas with poor sanitation. At the same time, as more people move to cities and eat processed foods, you see a huge rise in diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.This is called a “double burden,” a little like fighting two wars on separate battlefields with half the required number of soldiers.As a result, maternal and child deaths continue at shocking rates because there are not enough clinics and hospitals with trained birth attendants, midwives, and nurses.It is shocking to know that even within Lagos, many women give birth at home without qualified medical help, or at contraptions called “Alagbo,” which translates roughly to people who hawk herbs. If something goes wrong, like heavy bleeding or a baby being stuck in the wrong position, there is no one to save them. Sometimes, these things happen even within shouting distance of a healthcare facility.But in communities with strong adherence to traditional birth methods or among those who exercise faith, it is amazing how many women choose such a path to deliver their babies. That is why Nigeria has such a high number of mothers dying in childbirth. And for babies, the first month of life is extremely dangerous. Many die from infections, lack of oxygen, or being born too small or too early. Even though fewer older children are dying now than before, newborn deaths have not improved much.Most Nigerians pay for healthcare out of their own pockets. There is no safety net. If a child gets malaria, a mother might have to choose between buying the required medicine and food for the week. If someone needs surgery or cancer treatment, families sell their land, cattle, or borrow money for years.Over 70 per cent of all health spending in Nigeria is paid directly by patients. As usual with Nigeria, this is an estimate. Very many people pay for treatment with traditional birth attendants and caregivers, even when such bills exceed what hospitals might charge them. This pushes millions deeper into poverty every year.In addition, poor conditions outside the clinic make everything worse, so that even if you had enough doctors and hospitals, many Nigerians still live in homes without clean drinking water or toilets.They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. The added benefit is that Nigeria’s population is mainly youthful, with a median age of about 18 years.However, the odd thing about all of that is that our youthful population is poorly educated, and those who have an education are not employable. Many of them have turned to crime and drugs.The concern about all of that on this page today is how these pressures impact the healthcare system of the country. The health system is like a small, underfunded clinic that was built for, maybe, about 100 people.Overnight, it seems like 500 people have begun to use the clinic, with more arriving every day. That is what rapid population growth feels like for Nigeria’s health services. Definitely, the clinic cannot keep up.Nigeria’s population is growing faster than the government can build new hospitals, train new doctors, or provide medicines. Right now, there are far too few doctors and nurses for the number of people.In Lagos, for example, as many as 30,000 doctors are needed to provide optimum care for residents, but there are fewer than 7,000 overworked and underpaid doctors. The statistics are just as bad for nurses.That means many patients wait for hours or days. Delays in diagnosis and treatment are common, with some patients turned away and many others not getting treatment at all. The buildings themselves are often old, run-down, and lacking basics like clean water and electricity for fridges to store vaccines. There are not enough beds.But diseases do not take turns, as we have seen over the past year. Usually, they all attack at once. So, we have to deal with cholera, Lassa fever, malaria, gastroenteritis, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS all at once.In rich countries, they first solved deadly infections like malaria, measles, diphtheria, tuberculosis, and other killer diseases, and later, as people lived longer, they started dealing with lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease.But in Nigeria, both problems are happening at the same time. You still have malaria and TB spreading easily, especially in crowded areas with poor sanitation. At the same time, as more people move to cities and eat processed foods, you see a huge rise in diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.This is called a “double burden,” a little like fighting two wars on separate battlefields with half the required number of soldiers.As a result, maternal and child deaths continue at shocking rates because there are not enough clinics and hospitals with trained birth attendants, midwives, and nurses.It is shocking to know that even within Lagos, many women give birth at home without qualified medical help, or at contraptions called “Alagbo,” which translates roughly to people who hawk herbs. If something goes wrong, like heavy bleeding or a baby being stuck in the wrong position, there is no one to save them. Sometimes, these things happen even within shouting distance of a healthcare facility.But in communities with strong adherence to traditional birth methods or among those who exercise faith, it is amazing how many women choose such a path to deliver their babies. That is why Nigeria has such a high number of mothers dying in childbirth. And for babies, the first month of life is extremely dangerous. Many die from infections, lack of oxygen, or being born too small or too early. Even though fewer older children are dying now than before, newborn deaths have not improved much.Most Nigerians pay for healthcare out of their own pockets. There is no safety net. If a child gets malaria, a mother might have to choose between buying the required medicine and food for the week. If someone needs surgery or cancer treatment, families sell their land, cattle, or borrow money for years.Over 70 per cent of all health spending in Nigeria is paid directly by patients. As usual with Nigeria, this is an estimate. Very many people pay for treatment with traditional birth attendants and caregivers, even when such bills exceed what hospitals might charge them. This pushes millions deeper into poverty every year.In addition, poor conditions outside the clinic make everything worse, so that even if you had enough doctors and hospitals, many Nigerians still live in homes without clean drinking water or toilets.They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. However, the odd thing about all of that is that our youthful population is poorly educated, and those who have an education are not employable. Many of them have turned to crime and drugs.The concern about all of that on this page today is how these pressures impact the healthcare system of the country. The health system is like a small, underfunded clinic that was built for, maybe, about 100 people.Overnight, it seems like 500 people have begun to use the clinic, with more arriving every day. That is what rapid population growth feels like for Nigeria’s health services. Definitely, the clinic cannot keep up.Nigeria’s population is growing faster than the government can build new hospitals, train new doctors, or provide medicines. Right now, there are far too few doctors and nurses for the number of people.In Lagos, for example, as many as 30,000 doctors are needed to provide optimum care for residents, but there are fewer than 7,000 overworked and underpaid doctors. The statistics are just as bad for nurses.That means many patients wait for hours or days. Delays in diagnosis and treatment are common, with some patients turned away and many others not getting treatment at all. The buildings themselves are often old, run-down, and lacking basics like clean water and electricity for fridges to store vaccines. There are not enough beds.But diseases do not take turns, as we have seen over the past year. Usually, they all attack at once. So, we have to deal with cholera, Lassa fever, malaria, gastroenteritis, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS all at once.In rich countries, they first solved deadly infections like malaria, measles, diphtheria, tuberculosis, and other killer diseases, and later, as people lived longer, they started dealing with lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease.But in Nigeria, both problems are happening at the same time. You still have malaria and TB spreading easily, especially in crowded areas with poor sanitation. At the same time, as more people move to cities and eat processed foods, you see a huge rise in diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.This is called a “double burden,” a little like fighting two wars on separate battlefields with half the required number of soldiers.As a result, maternal and child deaths continue at shocking rates because there are not enough clinics and hospitals with trained birth attendants, midwives, and nurses.It is shocking to know that even within Lagos, many women give birth at home without qualified medical help, or at contraptions called “Alagbo,” which translates roughly to people who hawk herbs. If something goes wrong, like heavy bleeding or a baby being stuck in the wrong position, there is no one to save them. Sometimes, these things happen even within shouting distance of a healthcare facility.But in communities with strong adherence to traditional birth methods or among those who exercise faith, it is amazing how many women choose such a path to deliver their babies. That is why Nigeria has such a high number of mothers dying in childbirth. And for babies, the first month of life is extremely dangerous. Many die from infections, lack of oxygen, or being born too small or too early. Even though fewer older children are dying now than before, newborn deaths have not improved much.Most Nigerians pay for healthcare out of their own pockets. There is no safety net. If a child gets malaria, a mother might have to choose between buying the required medicine and food for the week. If someone needs surgery or cancer treatment, families sell their land, cattle, or borrow money for years.Over 70 per cent of all health spending in Nigeria is paid directly by patients. As usual with Nigeria, this is an estimate. Very many people pay for treatment with traditional birth attendants and caregivers, even when such bills exceed what hospitals might charge them. This pushes millions deeper into poverty every year.In addition, poor conditions outside the clinic make everything worse, so that even if you had enough doctors and hospitals, many Nigerians still live in homes without clean drinking water or toilets.They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. The concern about all of that on this page today is how these pressures impact the healthcare system of the country. The health system is like a small, underfunded clinic that was built for, maybe, about 100 people.Overnight, it seems like 500 people have begun to use the clinic, with more arriving every day. That is what rapid population growth feels like for Nigeria’s health services. Definitely, the clinic cannot keep up.Nigeria’s population is growing faster than the government can build new hospitals, train new doctors, or provide medicines. Right now, there are far too few doctors and nurses for the number of people.In Lagos, for example, as many as 30,000 doctors are needed to provide optimum care for residents, but there are fewer than 7,000 overworked and underpaid doctors. The statistics are just as bad for nurses.That means many patients wait for hours or days. Delays in diagnosis and treatment are common, with some patients turned away and many others not getting treatment at all. The buildings themselves are often old, run-down, and lacking basics like clean water and electricity for fridges to store vaccines. There are not enough beds.But diseases do not take turns, as we have seen over the past year. Usually, they all attack at once. So, we have to deal with cholera, Lassa fever, malaria, gastroenteritis, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS all at once.In rich countries, they first solved deadly infections like malaria, measles, diphtheria, tuberculosis, and other killer diseases, and later, as people lived longer, they started dealing with lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease.But in Nigeria, both problems are happening at the same time. You still have malaria and TB spreading easily, especially in crowded areas with poor sanitation. At the same time, as more people move to cities and eat processed foods, you see a huge rise in diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.This is called a “double burden,” a little like fighting two wars on separate battlefields with half the required number of soldiers.As a result, maternal and child deaths continue at shocking rates because there are not enough clinics and hospitals with trained birth attendants, midwives, and nurses.It is shocking to know that even within Lagos, many women give birth at home without qualified medical help, or at contraptions called “Alagbo,” which translates roughly to people who hawk herbs. If something goes wrong, like heavy bleeding or a baby being stuck in the wrong position, there is no one to save them. Sometimes, these things happen even within shouting distance of a healthcare facility.But in communities with strong adherence to traditional birth methods or among those who exercise faith, it is amazing how many women choose such a path to deliver their babies. That is why Nigeria has such a high number of mothers dying in childbirth. And for babies, the first month of life is extremely dangerous. Many die from infections, lack of oxygen, or being born too small or too early. Even though fewer older children are dying now than before, newborn deaths have not improved much.Most Nigerians pay for healthcare out of their own pockets. There is no safety net. If a child gets malaria, a mother might have to choose between buying the required medicine and food for the week. If someone needs surgery or cancer treatment, families sell their land, cattle, or borrow money for years.Over 70 per cent of all health spending in Nigeria is paid directly by patients. As usual with Nigeria, this is an estimate. Very many people pay for treatment with traditional birth attendants and caregivers, even when such bills exceed what hospitals might charge them. This pushes millions deeper into poverty every year.In addition, poor conditions outside the clinic make everything worse, so that even if you had enough doctors and hospitals, many Nigerians still live in homes without clean drinking water or toilets.They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Overnight, it seems like 500 people have begun to use the clinic, with more arriving every day. That is what rapid population growth feels like for Nigeria’s health services. Definitely, the clinic cannot keep up.Nigeria’s population is growing faster than the government can build new hospitals, train new doctors, or provide medicines. Right now, there are far too few doctors and nurses for the number of people.In Lagos, for example, as many as 30,000 doctors are needed to provide optimum care for residents, but there are fewer than 7,000 overworked and underpaid doctors. The statistics are just as bad for nurses.That means many patients wait for hours or days. Delays in diagnosis and treatment are common, with some patients turned away and many others not getting treatment at all. The buildings themselves are often old, run-down, and lacking basics like clean water and electricity for fridges to store vaccines. There are not enough beds.But diseases do not take turns, as we have seen over the past year. Usually, they all attack at once. So, we have to deal with cholera, Lassa fever, malaria, gastroenteritis, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS all at once.In rich countries, they first solved deadly infections like malaria, measles, diphtheria, tuberculosis, and other killer diseases, and later, as people lived longer, they started dealing with lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease.But in Nigeria, both problems are happening at the same time. You still have malaria and TB spreading easily, especially in crowded areas with poor sanitation. At the same time, as more people move to cities and eat processed foods, you see a huge rise in diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.This is called a “double burden,” a little like fighting two wars on separate battlefields with half the required number of soldiers.As a result, maternal and child deaths continue at shocking rates because there are not enough clinics and hospitals with trained birth attendants, midwives, and nurses.It is shocking to know that even within Lagos, many women give birth at home without qualified medical help, or at contraptions called “Alagbo,” which translates roughly to people who hawk herbs. If something goes wrong, like heavy bleeding or a baby being stuck in the wrong position, there is no one to save them. Sometimes, these things happen even within shouting distance of a healthcare facility.But in communities with strong adherence to traditional birth methods or among those who exercise faith, it is amazing how many women choose such a path to deliver their babies. That is why Nigeria has such a high number of mothers dying in childbirth. And for babies, the first month of life is extremely dangerous. Many die from infections, lack of oxygen, or being born too small or too early. Even though fewer older children are dying now than before, newborn deaths have not improved much.Most Nigerians pay for healthcare out of their own pockets. There is no safety net. If a child gets malaria, a mother might have to choose between buying the required medicine and food for the week. If someone needs surgery or cancer treatment, families sell their land, cattle, or borrow money for years.Over 70 per cent of all health spending in Nigeria is paid directly by patients. As usual with Nigeria, this is an estimate. Very many people pay for treatment with traditional birth attendants and caregivers, even when such bills exceed what hospitals might charge them. This pushes millions deeper into poverty every year.In addition, poor conditions outside the clinic make everything worse, so that even if you had enough doctors and hospitals, many Nigerians still live in homes without clean drinking water or toilets.They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Nigeria’s population is growing faster than the government can build new hospitals, train new doctors, or provide medicines. Right now, there are far too few doctors and nurses for the number of people.In Lagos, for example, as many as 30,000 doctors are needed to provide optimum care for residents, but there are fewer than 7,000 overworked and underpaid doctors. The statistics are just as bad for nurses.That means many patients wait for hours or days. Delays in diagnosis and treatment are common, with some patients turned away and many others not getting treatment at all. The buildings themselves are often old, run-down, and lacking basics like clean water and electricity for fridges to store vaccines. There are not enough beds.But diseases do not take turns, as we have seen over the past year. Usually, they all attack at once. So, we have to deal with cholera, Lassa fever, malaria, gastroenteritis, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS all at once.In rich countries, they first solved deadly infections like malaria, measles, diphtheria, tuberculosis, and other killer diseases, and later, as people lived longer, they started dealing with lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease.But in Nigeria, both problems are happening at the same time. You still have malaria and TB spreading easily, especially in crowded areas with poor sanitation. At the same time, as more people move to cities and eat processed foods, you see a huge rise in diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.This is called a “double burden,” a little like fighting two wars on separate battlefields with half the required number of soldiers.As a result, maternal and child deaths continue at shocking rates because there are not enough clinics and hospitals with trained birth attendants, midwives, and nurses.It is shocking to know that even within Lagos, many women give birth at home without qualified medical help, or at contraptions called “Alagbo,” which translates roughly to people who hawk herbs. If something goes wrong, like heavy bleeding or a baby being stuck in the wrong position, there is no one to save them. Sometimes, these things happen even within shouting distance of a healthcare facility.But in communities with strong adherence to traditional birth methods or among those who exercise faith, it is amazing how many women choose such a path to deliver their babies. That is why Nigeria has such a high number of mothers dying in childbirth. And for babies, the first month of life is extremely dangerous. Many die from infections, lack of oxygen, or being born too small or too early. Even though fewer older children are dying now than before, newborn deaths have not improved much.Most Nigerians pay for healthcare out of their own pockets. There is no safety net. If a child gets malaria, a mother might have to choose between buying the required medicine and food for the week. If someone needs surgery or cancer treatment, families sell their land, cattle, or borrow money for years.Over 70 per cent of all health spending in Nigeria is paid directly by patients. As usual with Nigeria, this is an estimate. Very many people pay for treatment with traditional birth attendants and caregivers, even when such bills exceed what hospitals might charge them. This pushes millions deeper into poverty every year.In addition, poor conditions outside the clinic make everything worse, so that even if you had enough doctors and hospitals, many Nigerians still live in homes without clean drinking water or toilets.They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. In Lagos, for example, as many as 30,000 doctors are needed to provide optimum care for residents, but there are fewer than 7,000 overworked and underpaid doctors. The statistics are just as bad for nurses.That means many patients wait for hours or days. Delays in diagnosis and treatment are common, with some patients turned away and many others not getting treatment at all. The buildings themselves are often old, run-down, and lacking basics like clean water and electricity for fridges to store vaccines. There are not enough beds.But diseases do not take turns, as we have seen over the past year. Usually, they all attack at once. So, we have to deal with cholera, Lassa fever, malaria, gastroenteritis, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS all at once.In rich countries, they first solved deadly infections like malaria, measles, diphtheria, tuberculosis, and other killer diseases, and later, as people lived longer, they started dealing with lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease.But in Nigeria, both problems are happening at the same time. You still have malaria and TB spreading easily, especially in crowded areas with poor sanitation. At the same time, as more people move to cities and eat processed foods, you see a huge rise in diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.This is called a “double burden,” a little like fighting two wars on separate battlefields with half the required number of soldiers.As a result, maternal and child deaths continue at shocking rates because there are not enough clinics and hospitals with trained birth attendants, midwives, and nurses.It is shocking to know that even within Lagos, many women give birth at home without qualified medical help, or at contraptions called “Alagbo,” which translates roughly to people who hawk herbs. If something goes wrong, like heavy bleeding or a baby being stuck in the wrong position, there is no one to save them. Sometimes, these things happen even within shouting distance of a healthcare facility.But in communities with strong adherence to traditional birth methods or among those who exercise faith, it is amazing how many women choose such a path to deliver their babies. That is why Nigeria has such a high number of mothers dying in childbirth. And for babies, the first month of life is extremely dangerous. Many die from infections, lack of oxygen, or being born too small or too early. Even though fewer older children are dying now than before, newborn deaths have not improved much.Most Nigerians pay for healthcare out of their own pockets. There is no safety net. If a child gets malaria, a mother might have to choose between buying the required medicine and food for the week. If someone needs surgery or cancer treatment, families sell their land, cattle, or borrow money for years.Over 70 per cent of all health spending in Nigeria is paid directly by patients. As usual with Nigeria, this is an estimate. Very many people pay for treatment with traditional birth attendants and caregivers, even when such bills exceed what hospitals might charge them. This pushes millions deeper into poverty every year.In addition, poor conditions outside the clinic make everything worse, so that even if you had enough doctors and hospitals, many Nigerians still live in homes without clean drinking water or toilets.They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. That means many patients wait for hours or days. Delays in diagnosis and treatment are common, with some patients turned away and many others not getting treatment at all. The buildings themselves are often old, run-down, and lacking basics like clean water and electricity for fridges to store vaccines. There are not enough beds.But diseases do not take turns, as we have seen over the past year. Usually, they all attack at once. So, we have to deal with cholera, Lassa fever, malaria, gastroenteritis, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS all at once.In rich countries, they first solved deadly infections like malaria, measles, diphtheria, tuberculosis, and other killer diseases, and later, as people lived longer, they started dealing with lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease.But in Nigeria, both problems are happening at the same time. You still have malaria and TB spreading easily, especially in crowded areas with poor sanitation. At the same time, as more people move to cities and eat processed foods, you see a huge rise in diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.This is called a “double burden,” a little like fighting two wars on separate battlefields with half the required number of soldiers.As a result, maternal and child deaths continue at shocking rates because there are not enough clinics and hospitals with trained birth attendants, midwives, and nurses.It is shocking to know that even within Lagos, many women give birth at home without qualified medical help, or at contraptions called “Alagbo,” which translates roughly to people who hawk herbs. If something goes wrong, like heavy bleeding or a baby being stuck in the wrong position, there is no one to save them. Sometimes, these things happen even within shouting distance of a healthcare facility.But in communities with strong adherence to traditional birth methods or among those who exercise faith, it is amazing how many women choose such a path to deliver their babies. That is why Nigeria has such a high number of mothers dying in childbirth. And for babies, the first month of life is extremely dangerous. Many die from infections, lack of oxygen, or being born too small or too early. Even though fewer older children are dying now than before, newborn deaths have not improved much.Most Nigerians pay for healthcare out of their own pockets. There is no safety net. If a child gets malaria, a mother might have to choose between buying the required medicine and food for the week. If someone needs surgery or cancer treatment, families sell their land, cattle, or borrow money for years.Over 70 per cent of all health spending in Nigeria is paid directly by patients. As usual with Nigeria, this is an estimate. Very many people pay for treatment with traditional birth attendants and caregivers, even when such bills exceed what hospitals might charge them. This pushes millions deeper into poverty every year.In addition, poor conditions outside the clinic make everything worse, so that even if you had enough doctors and hospitals, many Nigerians still live in homes without clean drinking water or toilets.They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. But diseases do not take turns, as we have seen over the past year. Usually, they all attack at once. So, we have to deal with cholera, Lassa fever, malaria, gastroenteritis, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS all at once.In rich countries, they first solved deadly infections like malaria, measles, diphtheria, tuberculosis, and other killer diseases, and later, as people lived longer, they started dealing with lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease.But in Nigeria, both problems are happening at the same time. You still have malaria and TB spreading easily, especially in crowded areas with poor sanitation. At the same time, as more people move to cities and eat processed foods, you see a huge rise in diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.This is called a “double burden,” a little like fighting two wars on separate battlefields with half the required number of soldiers.As a result, maternal and child deaths continue at shocking rates because there are not enough clinics and hospitals with trained birth attendants, midwives, and nurses.It is shocking to know that even within Lagos, many women give birth at home without qualified medical help, or at contraptions called “Alagbo,” which translates roughly to people who hawk herbs. If something goes wrong, like heavy bleeding or a baby being stuck in the wrong position, there is no one to save them. Sometimes, these things happen even within shouting distance of a healthcare facility.But in communities with strong adherence to traditional birth methods or among those who exercise faith, it is amazing how many women choose such a path to deliver their babies. That is why Nigeria has such a high number of mothers dying in childbirth. And for babies, the first month of life is extremely dangerous. Many die from infections, lack of oxygen, or being born too small or too early. Even though fewer older children are dying now than before, newborn deaths have not improved much.Most Nigerians pay for healthcare out of their own pockets. There is no safety net. If a child gets malaria, a mother might have to choose between buying the required medicine and food for the week. If someone needs surgery or cancer treatment, families sell their land, cattle, or borrow money for years.Over 70 per cent of all health spending in Nigeria is paid directly by patients. As usual with Nigeria, this is an estimate. Very many people pay for treatment with traditional birth attendants and caregivers, even when such bills exceed what hospitals might charge them. This pushes millions deeper into poverty every year.In addition, poor conditions outside the clinic make everything worse, so that even if you had enough doctors and hospitals, many Nigerians still live in homes without clean drinking water or toilets.They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. In rich countries, they first solved deadly infections like malaria, measles, diphtheria, tuberculosis, and other killer diseases, and later, as people lived longer, they started dealing with lifestyle diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease.But in Nigeria, both problems are happening at the same time. You still have malaria and TB spreading easily, especially in crowded areas with poor sanitation. At the same time, as more people move to cities and eat processed foods, you see a huge rise in diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.This is called a “double burden,” a little like fighting two wars on separate battlefields with half the required number of soldiers.As a result, maternal and child deaths continue at shocking rates because there are not enough clinics and hospitals with trained birth attendants, midwives, and nurses.It is shocking to know that even within Lagos, many women give birth at home without qualified medical help, or at contraptions called “Alagbo,” which translates roughly to people who hawk herbs. If something goes wrong, like heavy bleeding or a baby being stuck in the wrong position, there is no one to save them. Sometimes, these things happen even within shouting distance of a healthcare facility.But in communities with strong adherence to traditional birth methods or among those who exercise faith, it is amazing how many women choose such a path to deliver their babies. That is why Nigeria has such a high number of mothers dying in childbirth. And for babies, the first month of life is extremely dangerous. Many die from infections, lack of oxygen, or being born too small or too early. Even though fewer older children are dying now than before, newborn deaths have not improved much.Most Nigerians pay for healthcare out of their own pockets. There is no safety net. If a child gets malaria, a mother might have to choose between buying the required medicine and food for the week. If someone needs surgery or cancer treatment, families sell their land, cattle, or borrow money for years.Over 70 per cent of all health spending in Nigeria is paid directly by patients. As usual with Nigeria, this is an estimate. Very many people pay for treatment with traditional birth attendants and caregivers, even when such bills exceed what hospitals might charge them. This pushes millions deeper into poverty every year.In addition, poor conditions outside the clinic make everything worse, so that even if you had enough doctors and hospitals, many Nigerians still live in homes without clean drinking water or toilets.They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. But in Nigeria, both problems are happening at the same time. You still have malaria and TB spreading easily, especially in crowded areas with poor sanitation. At the same time, as more people move to cities and eat processed foods, you see a huge rise in diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.This is called a “double burden,” a little like fighting two wars on separate battlefields with half the required number of soldiers.As a result, maternal and child deaths continue at shocking rates because there are not enough clinics and hospitals with trained birth attendants, midwives, and nurses.It is shocking to know that even within Lagos, many women give birth at home without qualified medical help, or at contraptions called “Alagbo,” which translates roughly to people who hawk herbs. If something goes wrong, like heavy bleeding or a baby being stuck in the wrong position, there is no one to save them. Sometimes, these things happen even within shouting distance of a healthcare facility.But in communities with strong adherence to traditional birth methods or among those who exercise faith, it is amazing how many women choose such a path to deliver their babies. That is why Nigeria has such a high number of mothers dying in childbirth. And for babies, the first month of life is extremely dangerous. Many die from infections, lack of oxygen, or being born too small or too early. Even though fewer older children are dying now than before, newborn deaths have not improved much.Most Nigerians pay for healthcare out of their own pockets. There is no safety net. If a child gets malaria, a mother might have to choose between buying the required medicine and food for the week. If someone needs surgery or cancer treatment, families sell their land, cattle, or borrow money for years.Over 70 per cent of all health spending in Nigeria is paid directly by patients. As usual with Nigeria, this is an estimate. Very many people pay for treatment with traditional birth attendants and caregivers, even when such bills exceed what hospitals might charge them. This pushes millions deeper into poverty every year.In addition, poor conditions outside the clinic make everything worse, so that even if you had enough doctors and hospitals, many Nigerians still live in homes without clean drinking water or toilets.They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. This is called a “double burden,” a little like fighting two wars on separate battlefields with half the required number of soldiers.As a result, maternal and child deaths continue at shocking rates because there are not enough clinics and hospitals with trained birth attendants, midwives, and nurses.It is shocking to know that even within Lagos, many women give birth at home without qualified medical help, or at contraptions called “Alagbo,” which translates roughly to people who hawk herbs. If something goes wrong, like heavy bleeding or a baby being stuck in the wrong position, there is no one to save them. Sometimes, these things happen even within shouting distance of a healthcare facility.But in communities with strong adherence to traditional birth methods or among those who exercise faith, it is amazing how many women choose such a path to deliver their babies. That is why Nigeria has such a high number of mothers dying in childbirth. And for babies, the first month of life is extremely dangerous. Many die from infections, lack of oxygen, or being born too small or too early. Even though fewer older children are dying now than before, newborn deaths have not improved much.Most Nigerians pay for healthcare out of their own pockets. There is no safety net. If a child gets malaria, a mother might have to choose between buying the required medicine and food for the week. If someone needs surgery or cancer treatment, families sell their land, cattle, or borrow money for years.Over 70 per cent of all health spending in Nigeria is paid directly by patients. As usual with Nigeria, this is an estimate. Very many people pay for treatment with traditional birth attendants and caregivers, even when such bills exceed what hospitals might charge them. This pushes millions deeper into poverty every year.In addition, poor conditions outside the clinic make everything worse, so that even if you had enough doctors and hospitals, many Nigerians still live in homes without clean drinking water or toilets.They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. As a result, maternal and child deaths continue at shocking rates because there are not enough clinics and hospitals with trained birth attendants, midwives, and nurses.It is shocking to know that even within Lagos, many women give birth at home without qualified medical help, or at contraptions called “Alagbo,” which translates roughly to people who hawk herbs. If something goes wrong, like heavy bleeding or a baby being stuck in the wrong position, there is no one to save them. Sometimes, these things happen even within shouting distance of a healthcare facility.But in communities with strong adherence to traditional birth methods or among those who exercise faith, it is amazing how many women choose such a path to deliver their babies. That is why Nigeria has such a high number of mothers dying in childbirth. And for babies, the first month of life is extremely dangerous. Many die from infections, lack of oxygen, or being born too small or too early. Even though fewer older children are dying now than before, newborn deaths have not improved much.Most Nigerians pay for healthcare out of their own pockets. There is no safety net. If a child gets malaria, a mother might have to choose between buying the required medicine and food for the week. If someone needs surgery or cancer treatment, families sell their land, cattle, or borrow money for years.Over 70 per cent of all health spending in Nigeria is paid directly by patients. As usual with Nigeria, this is an estimate. Very many people pay for treatment with traditional birth attendants and caregivers, even when such bills exceed what hospitals might charge them. This pushes millions deeper into poverty every year.In addition, poor conditions outside the clinic make everything worse, so that even if you had enough doctors and hospitals, many Nigerians still live in homes without clean drinking water or toilets.They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. It is shocking to know that even within Lagos, many women give birth at home without qualified medical help, or at contraptions called “Alagbo,” which translates roughly to people who hawk herbs. If something goes wrong, like heavy bleeding or a baby being stuck in the wrong position, there is no one to save them. Sometimes, these things happen even within shouting distance of a healthcare facility.But in communities with strong adherence to traditional birth methods or among those who exercise faith, it is amazing how many women choose such a path to deliver their babies. That is why Nigeria has such a high number of mothers dying in childbirth. And for babies, the first month of life is extremely dangerous. Many die from infections, lack of oxygen, or being born too small or too early. Even though fewer older children are dying now than before, newborn deaths have not improved much.Most Nigerians pay for healthcare out of their own pockets. There is no safety net. If a child gets malaria, a mother might have to choose between buying the required medicine and food for the week. If someone needs surgery or cancer treatment, families sell their land, cattle, or borrow money for years.Over 70 per cent of all health spending in Nigeria is paid directly by patients. As usual with Nigeria, this is an estimate. Very many people pay for treatment with traditional birth attendants and caregivers, even when such bills exceed what hospitals might charge them. This pushes millions deeper into poverty every year.In addition, poor conditions outside the clinic make everything worse, so that even if you had enough doctors and hospitals, many Nigerians still live in homes without clean drinking water or toilets.They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. But in communities with strong adherence to traditional birth methods or among those who exercise faith, it is amazing how many women choose such a path to deliver their babies. That is why Nigeria has such a high number of mothers dying in childbirth. And for babies, the first month of life is extremely dangerous. Many die from infections, lack of oxygen, or being born too small or too early. Even though fewer older children are dying now than before, newborn deaths have not improved much.Most Nigerians pay for healthcare out of their own pockets. There is no safety net. If a child gets malaria, a mother might have to choose between buying the required medicine and food for the week. If someone needs surgery or cancer treatment, families sell their land, cattle, or borrow money for years.Over 70 per cent of all health spending in Nigeria is paid directly by patients. As usual with Nigeria, this is an estimate. Very many people pay for treatment with traditional birth attendants and caregivers, even when such bills exceed what hospitals might charge them. This pushes millions deeper into poverty every year.In addition, poor conditions outside the clinic make everything worse, so that even if you had enough doctors and hospitals, many Nigerians still live in homes without clean drinking water or toilets.They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Most Nigerians pay for healthcare out of their own pockets. There is no safety net. If a child gets malaria, a mother might have to choose between buying the required medicine and food for the week. If someone needs surgery or cancer treatment, families sell their land, cattle, or borrow money for years.Over 70 per cent of all health spending in Nigeria is paid directly by patients. As usual with Nigeria, this is an estimate. Very many people pay for treatment with traditional birth attendants and caregivers, even when such bills exceed what hospitals might charge them. This pushes millions deeper into poverty every year.In addition, poor conditions outside the clinic make everything worse, so that even if you had enough doctors and hospitals, many Nigerians still live in homes without clean drinking water or toilets.They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Over 70 per cent of all health spending in Nigeria is paid directly by patients. As usual with Nigeria, this is an estimate. Very many people pay for treatment with traditional birth attendants and caregivers, even when such bills exceed what hospitals might charge them. This pushes millions deeper into poverty every year.In addition, poor conditions outside the clinic make everything worse, so that even if you had enough doctors and hospitals, many Nigerians still live in homes without clean drinking water or toilets.They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. In addition, poor conditions outside the clinic make everything worse, so that even if you had enough doctors and hospitals, many Nigerians still live in homes without clean drinking water or toilets.They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. They have to defecate in the open. They live in crowded rooms with poor ventilation. These conditions spread diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid, and respiratory infections like wildfire. So people keep getting sick from things that are totally preventable.Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Over the years, governments have failed to adequately and sincerely invest in providing clean water or sanitation, so the cycle never ends.If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. If you are rich in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, or Ibadan, you can fly to London, Paris, Jeddah, or Bengaluru for treatment, or go to a private hospital with air conditioning and American, British, or Canadian-trained doctors.But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. But if you are poor, which is the lot of some 85 per cent of Nigerians, people are multidimensionally poor, meaning they lack several basic needs at once.The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. The local clinic might have no drugs, no doctor, and no running water. This means your village or neighbourhood suffers 10 times more disease and death than the wealthy parts of the same city.The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. The government knows this is a crisis.They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. They are trying to rebuild thousands of primary healthcare centres, the small clinics in villages and poor urban areas that are the first line of defence. They are also trying to produce more medicines locally so they can rely less on expensive imports. And they are promoting family planning and helping women space out their pregnancies or have fewer children.Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Slower population growth would give the health system time to catch up. The fertility rate has already dropped from over six children per woman a few decades ago to about 4.8 now, which is progress, but it is still among the highest rates in the world.In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. In communities often worst affected by these depressing conditions, there is a deep suspicion of these family planning efforts, and many young women, even after having five or more children, leave one marriage to start a new life in another, with the hope of having a similar number of children in the new home. Many have never even heard of family planning.Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Nigeria simply has too many people, too little money for health, and too few hospitals, nurses, and doctors. That means preventable diseases kill millions, mothers and babies die needlessly, families go bankrupt from medical bills, and the whole system is overwhelmed.It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. It is like trying to fill a swimming pool with a cup while the pool keeps getting bigger every day.It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. It is a vicious cycle that reinforces the terrible anguish of poverty, ignorance, and disease, and we are only still scratching the surface.Questions and answersGoodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Goodevening, Dr Sylvester. Thank you for the wonderful charity work you have been doing for us over the years through the Sunday PUNCH newspaper. May Almighty God continue to protect, guide, and guard you always.My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. My daughter, who is 19 years old, has been coughing constantly for years. We have done tests to ascertain the cause of the cough, and the laboratory results keep coming out negative, with no underlying illness detected, but the cough has persisted.She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. She is currently at the university. I have told her to stop using cough syrup and antibiotics for now until she comes back from school in September, or, if she has a free period, to come home for another comprehensive test at a reputable laboratory in Lagos.This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. This problem started when she inhaled a mixture of Hypo and Harpic while washing the toilet at home. Is there anything you can recommend for us for now, perhaps? I have also told her to stop drinking cold water and avoid harsh perfumes, body sprays, deodorants, air conditioners, or anything that could trigger the cough for now, so that we can see what the outcome will be.Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Thank you for your understanding and kindness. 08093002000Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Thank you very much for your kind words and prayers. With regard to your daughter, she ought to be more aggressive in trying to determine the cause of her cough. As an undergraduate, the minimum she should do is visit the university’s health centre for a proper examination and appropriate testing.It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. It does not appear at this point that a doctor has even been involved in her treatment. She may have some form of allergy, which her exposure to Hypo and Harpic provoked. She may also have an underlying illness that was triggered by that exposure and has thus far not been diagnosed.As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. As a result, a chest X-ray is probably the minimum investigation she needs, in addition to some blood tests.However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. However, she should not simply walk into a laboratory and request investigations on her own or at your direction. That will not necessarily reveal what is wrong.Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Good day, doctor. Perhaps it will help if, once in a while, you publish guidelines for letters sent to you, advising readers to always include the sender’s gender, age, and other basic details. Thank you. 08148138000Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Good evening to you. Thank you for keeping a date with us every week.Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Well, that would actually be a good thing, but there is no specific platform on which to do that except here on this page. However, through feedback such as yours, readers will see various questions and answers and understand that those extra details are important in guiding the advice they can receive here.We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. We appreciate your contribution and comments very much.Living beside death: Ogun residents battle toxic dumpsite, killer roadBayelsa oil, gas park progresses steadilyAbuja agriculture students receive food security grantsGood day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Good day, Doctor. In response to your article in The PUNCH newspaper on Sunday, May 23, 2026, I wish to request an appointment with you. Thankyou. 08022224000Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Good day to you. If you are referring to the essay titled Understanding ED Will Help You Manage It, you will benefit more from the advice several other readers have been given since then, which is that they should begin their journey towards solving this problem by being examined by a doctor.The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. The remaining aspect of their journey towards improved sexual health will then be directed by that doctor through appropriate guidance and referrals.Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Please, sir, good morning to you. The results I will forward to you on WhatsApp belong to my younger brother, who is 41 years old.He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. He developed jaundice about six weeks ago, but before then, he was always complaining of stomach pain. He said it felt like heartburn, and he went to a hospital here in Abuja. He was placed on ulcer medication because the doctor told him he had a peptic ulcer.He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. He does not eat well. He is losing weight, perhaps because he is not eating properly. But now, despite the medicines he was given, he does not even sleep. He is in pain all the time.I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. I do not know if you understand Yoruba, sir, but I will also forward the voice note he sent to me just five days ago. He is itching all over his body.I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. I am a nurse, and I advised him to do an abdominal scan, which he did before the doctor advised him to undergo a CT scan of the abdomen. Both reports are there. They also recommended another test. I do not know what that one is, please.What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. What do we do? 08133297000Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Thank you very much for your detailed history and question. To be brief, this looks like lymphoma, mainly because of his age. However, the description indicates that it is more likely to be cancer of the pancreas, which is very surprising given his age.Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Unfortunately, it has already spread to the liver and has also grown around the major blood vessels in that area. That seems to be the major reason why he is losing weight. This makes the overall outlook much worse.Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Therefore, surgery is no longer possible in his case. The report is recommending an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) examination, which is a way of introducing a contrast material into the body so that the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreatic duct can be examined in detail with the benefit of MRI. This will help evaluate the severity of his condition and assist in mapping out a treatment plan, including the possible placement of a stent to relieve the obstruction.Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Unfortunately, there can be no hope of a cure; the disease is already too advanced.Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Question:Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Dear Doctor, good day to you. I am a 54-year-old woman, and I have suffered from pain in my lower back for more than 24 years. I attribute the pain to the three times I was given spinal anaesthesia for my caesarean sections. The first time, the doctors inserted the needle into my back up to four times.When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. When the pain starts, I am usually miserable because the area feels as though it is being hit with a hammer, and the pain spreads to the back of my right thigh. I have been to the Orthopaedic Hospital here in Lagos and also to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, where X-rays and other tests were done.Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Now, they have told me that I need to do an MRI of the spine to take my investigations further. I am so confused. What should I do?08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. 08028261000Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Answer:There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. There is no reason for you to be confused about your current situation because, between the Orthopaedic Hospital and LUTH, you have access to some of the best doctors available to manage your condition.It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. It is important that you follow their instructions because, while you link the onset of this pain to your unpleasant experience with spinal anaesthesia, the cause of the pain could be something else. That possibility needs to be explored so that you can receive the proper treatment your back requires.Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Question:Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Good morning, Doctor. The way my body has been feeling over the last three weeks is difficult to describe. I was treated for malaria by the doctor at my office clinic with Fansidar tablets. Although I felt better, I was no longer able to sleep.After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. After about four days, I went to my HMO, where they carried out a number of tests and later confirmed that I had malaria and typhoid. They prescribed P-Alaxin and Ciprofloxacin for seven days. I completed the treatment, but I still do not sleep well, and I experience a kind of internal heat between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. every evening. Then the headache starts.Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Yesterday night, I almost lost consciousness when a nurse who is my neighbour checked my blood pressure and found it to be 180/88mmHg. Now I am afraid that I may be having a stroke. Please advise me.08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. 08033672000Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Answer:Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Thank you for your detailed history. You have done the right thing by seeing doctors regarding your complaints.The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. The likely reason for the rise in your blood pressure may be your inability to sleep properly. Stroke does not usually begin in this manner, and although you did not indicate your age, gender, or occupation, you are most likely an adult.Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Therefore, the first thing is to ensure that you are able to sleep properly. To achieve this, you may need to repeat your malaria tests to determine whether the infection has been successfully treated. If it has, your doctors will follow the normal protocols to help you regain healthy sleep.If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. If the malaria has not cleared, which can happen for several reasons, another antimalarial medication may be prescribed to ensure your return to good health.The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. The most likely cause of your current dilemma is that you did not follow up adequately with the doctors managing your treatment.Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Question:Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Good day, Sunday Doctor. My baby is three weeks old and will be one month old soon. I noticed a swelling on the right side of his neck shortly after delivery. I showed it to the nurses, and they informed the doctor. The doctor said it would go away.However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. However, it has not gone away, and now the swelling has become hard. My baby cannot turn his head properly to the left side. We went to another hospital and, after some tests, they advised us to do a CT scan. Another doctor said we should do an MRI.Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Sir, we do not have the kind of money they are asking for. Please help us. This is my first baby, and we do not know what to do. Thank you, sir.07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. 07040667000Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Answer:Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Well, this swelling is visible in the middle of the neck. Although the picture quality is poor, it appears to be related to the manner in which your baby was delivered.There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. There was likely some bleeding into the belly of that muscle, and the blood has congealed over time, so that what you described above as “the thing” has now become a solid lump.I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. I will not bother you with its medical name, but what your baby needs is gentle physiotherapy to massage the muscle and gradually turn the neck from side to side. Do not attempt to do this yourself.With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. With proper physiotherapy, the lump should gradually reduce in size and soften. Kindly share this story: All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH. Contact:[email protected] Stay informed and ahead of the curve! Follow The Punch Newspaper on WhatsApp for real-time updates, breaking news, and exclusive content. Don't miss a headline – join now! Stay in the know—fast. 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La compagnia crocieristica di lusso ha ottenuto il riscadenziamento dei prestiti ma le difficoltà finanziarie non sono finite e la concorrenza cresce La compagnia crocieristica The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection ha ottenuto un’importante ristrutturazione del debito per evitare violazioni degli accordi finanziari e sostenere lo sviluppo del mercato delle crociere ultra-lusso. L’operazione comporta però un ulteriore impegno finanziario da parte degli azionisti. Fondata nel 2017 da un gruppo di investitori guidato da Oaktree Capital (55% del capitale) e autorizzata a utilizzare il marchio Ritz-Carlton tramite licenza con Marriott, la società si era proposta di trasferire in mare l’esperienza degli hotel di lusso del brand. Il progetto ha incontrato diverse difficoltà. La prima nave, Evrima, è entrata in servizio solo nel 2022 dopo oltre tre anni di ritardo dovuti ai problemi del cantiere spagnolo Hijos de J. Barreras incaricato della costruzione. Successivamente sono state ordinate due unità più grandi, Ilma e Luminara, consegnate rispettivamente nel 2024 e nel 2025. Secondo documenti societari citati dal Financial Times, la compagnia ha accumulato quasi 700 milioni di dollari di perdite dalla fondazione e non prevede di raggiungere la redditività prima del 2027. Pur operando in un mercato del lusso in crescita, ha sofferto per diversi anni di tassi di occupazione delle navi inferiori alle attese e ha dovuto investire oltre 100 milioni di dollari in marketing per stimolare la domanda. Per sostenere il progetto, le banche creditrici hanno accettato di allungare le scadenze dei prestiti. Crédit Agricole, principale finanziatore, ha rinviato rimborsi per 171 milioni di dollari relativi a Ilma e Luminara, mentre CaixaBank ha concesso una deroga che ha evitato il rimborso immediato di quasi 300 milioni di dollari collegati a Evrima. In cambio, gli azionisti hanno promesso ulteriori 275 milioni di dollari di capitale, portando a oltre 1 miliardo gli apporti effettuati dall’avvio dell’iniziativa. La società ha avvertito che potrebbero verificarsi nuove violazioni dei covenant finanziari anche nel 2026, rendendo probabilmente necessarie ulteriori deroghe da parte delle banche. Nonostante le difficoltà, gli investitori continuano a credere nel potenziale del segmento ultra-lusso. Tuttavia la concorrenza sta aumentando rapidamente, con l’ingresso di nuovi operatori legati a marchi prestigiosi come Four Seasons, Orient Express e Aman, tutti intenzionati a conquistare la fascia più esclusiva del mercato crocieristico. ISCRIVITI ALLA NEWSLETTER QUOTIDIANA GRATUITA DI SHIPPING ITALY SHIPPING ITALY E’ ANCHE SU WHATSAPP: BASTA CLICCARE QUI PER ISCRIVERSI AL CANALE ED ESSERE SEMPRE AGGIORNATI

Gli studi legali BonelliErede e Cbb Cristoffanini Bravo Bottero hanno annunciato di avere contribuito come advisor al completamento di un’articolata operazione societaria nel settore delle riparazioni navali genovesi che ha visto Genova Industrie Navali (Gin) acquisire una partecipazione di minoranza in Lagomarsino Anielli e, contestualmente, cedere a quest’ultima la società Pitturazioni Navali Industriali (già Luigi Amico). Questi i dettagli dell’operazione strutturata su due direttrici parallele: da un lato l’ingresso di Gin nel capitale sociale di Lagomarsino Anielli con una quota di minoranza, dall’altro l’acquisizione da parte di Lagomarsino Anielli di Pitturazioni Navali Industriali, società appartenente al gruppo Gin. Lagomarsino Anielli è un’azienda genovese attiva dal 1946 nel settore delle manutenzioni e riparazioni navali, con circa 10.000 mq tra aree coperte e scoperte nel porto di Genova, operativa nelle sabbiature, pitturazioni, manutenzioni e riparazioni navali, con una divisione dedicata alle isolazioni termiche, acustiche e tagliafuoco e alle pavimentazioni, sia nel campo delle nuove costruzioni che delle manutenzioni. Genova Industrie Navali è una holding nata nel 2008 dall’unione dei cantieri T. Mariotti e San Giorgio del Porto, con asset nei porti di Genova (circa 90mila mq e 5 bacini di carenaggio utilizzati), Marsiglia (circa 170mila mq e 3 bacini di carenaggio) e Piombino (circa 160mila mq dedicati allo ship recycling e alla cantieristica). La nota degli studi legali spiega che “l’operazione si inserisce in un contesto di consolidamento nel comparto delle riparazioni navali genovesi, con l’obiettivo di sviluppare sinergie tra i due gruppi, ampliare l’offerta di servizi e rafforzare la presenza nel settore cantieristico italiano, puntando alla creazione di un polo industriale di riferimento a livello nazionale e mediterraneo”. BonelliErede ha assistito la famiglia Pelizza e Lagomarsino Anielli con un team guidato dal partner Vittorio Lupoli, componente del Focus team Shipping, transport & logistics, affiancato dal senior counsel Fabio Macrì e dall’associate Filippo Airoldi. Il gruppo Gin è stato invece assistito da Studio Legale Cbb Cristoffanini Bravo Bottero, con il partner Giovanni Cristoffanini e il counsel Emanuele Magarelli. ISCRIVITI ALLA NEWSLETTER QUOTIDIANA GRATUITA DI SHIPPING ITALY SHIPPING ITALY E’ ANCHE SU WHATSAPP: BASTA CLICCARE QUI PER ISCRIVERSI AL CANALE ED ESSERE SEMPRE AGGIORNATI

Dreaming of a sun-soaked escape? Treat yourself to an unforgettable all-inclusive holiday in Kos, one of the most beautiful islands in Greece, from just €355 per person. This package includes return flights from Vienna and 7 relaxing nights at a stylish 4-star resort — perfect for couples, friends, or solo travellers seeking effortless luxury. For your holiday inKosbook a double room at the well-ratedAegeon Hotel. The hotel enjoys a convenient position close to the port, the Old Town, archaeological attractions, restaurants, cafés, and shops. Guests can take advantage of a range of services including free Wi-Fi throughout the property, air-conditioned rooms, private balconies, refrigerators, TV, hairdryer, 24-hour reception, a café-bar, lounge area, garden, terrace, bicycle rental, luggage storage, parking facilities, and concierge assistance. The hotel also provides easy access to nearby swimming facilities and local transport connections. One of the hotel’s greatest advantages is its proximity to some of the best beaches in the area. The nearest town beach is only a short walk away and is ideal for swimming and relaxing by the sea.Psalidi Beach, located just south of Kos Town, offers crystal-clear waters and excellent conditions for windsurfing.Lambi Beachis another popular option, featuring a long stretch of sand and pebbles lined with beach bars and tavernas. For visitors willing to travel a little further,Tigaki Beachis famous for its soft golden sand and shallow turquoise waters, making it one of the most beautiful beaches on the island. Travel dates:24 June – 1 July 2026 Route:Vienna – Kos – Vienna Baggage allowance:One personal item per passenger Price breakdown for 2 people: Vienna – Kos – Vienna >> If you need a car for your trip,find the best car hire deals here. Did you have a delayed or cancelled flight? Get up to€600per passenger for flights from the last 3 years.File your claim >> Traveling soon? Get yourHolafly eSIMwith a 5% discount forseamless internet accessin any destination. No more worrying about roaming charges or finding local SIM cards. Enjoy unlimited data and stay connected with ease.Order your Holafly eSIM now » Heymondooffers a wide range of travel assistance insurance policies with a 5% discount. They combine the best quality, service and price with various levels of coverage, so you’re covered on your weekend getaways and long trips.Buy insurance »

The SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud is an excellent idea that’s been poorly executed and ultimately falls well short of its asking price. This combo mobile grip and Bluetooth controller is plagued by missed inputs, mushy triggers, and flaky compatibility that ruin what is otherwise a clever choice for multi-platform gamers. Clever dual-mode extending design Hall Effect sensors on both sticks and triggers Light with a comfortable shape Well-placed rear paddle buttons Triggers feel mushy and lack detail Intermittent missed inputs on face buttons Rough compatibility across platforms No companion app for customization or button remapping Build quality doesn’t feel particularly premium Why you can trust TechRadarWe spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you're buying the best.Find out more about how we test. The SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud positions itself as the “world's first true dual-mode cloud controller”. It starts out as a generic-looking Bluetooth gamepad before doing its best Autobot impersonation and extending out to become a mobile grip that connects to your phone via USB-C, too. It’s a clever idea and it’s backed up by an impressive spec sheet that ticks all the usual premium controller boxes. Hall Effect thumbsticks and triggers, mechanical face buttons, programmable rear buttons, and compatibility with Mac, PC, iOS, and Android. That all sounds great, but after a week of using the Nimbus Cloud, it sadly lived up to its name. Cumulonimbus clouds are the type that bring heavy rain and thunderstorms, and my parade has been well and truly rained on. When it works, it’s not a bad controller and falls neatly in line with the likes of the stockXbox Wireless Controller. However, for a $149.99 / £129.99 / AU$359.99 controller, the Nimbus Cloud simply has too many flaws that spoil the day-to-day experience. There’s a list of buts coming here and it doesn’t make for particularly pleasant reading. Build quality is fine, but it’s generic rather than carrying any kind of premium vibe. The triggers use Hall Effect sensors, which is good, but they feel mushy and throttle control in racing games proved a frustrating experience. The mechanical face buttons are crisp, but over both Bluetooth and USB-C I encountered missed inputs when pressing them more than once. My iPhone 17 Pro fit, but it was far from a secure hold and it required the removal of the rubber inserts, leaving the phone resting and rubbing against bare plastic. SteelSeries lists Mac as a compatible platform, but my testing on a MacBook Air was a mess, with inverted sticks, wrongly mapped inputs, and Steam not playing nice either. If this were a cheaper option or first attempt from a challenger brand then I’d find it easier to focus on the decent core elements and look past the finer details. However, at $149.99, you're paying over the odds for an under par experience, regardless of which mode you’re running it in. Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. The SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud is a relatively new addition to the range, launching in the back half of 2025 at $149.99 / £129.99 / AU$359.99. That’s top-end territory for a mobile grip or PC controller on its own, though it’s certainly more palatable for a device aiming to be both in one. For comparison, theBackbone Promobile grip andRazer Wolverine V3 ProPC controller will both set you back around the same on their own. But you could grab both theGameSir G8+for mobile and8BitDo Ultimate 2for PC and have a little budget to spare. It is worth shopping around, too, because the price seems to vary dramatically.Applelists the Nimbus Cloud £20 higher in the UK than SteelSeries on its own website. And I’ve seen the price drop as low as £64 while writing this piece. Price $149.99 / £129.99 / AU$359.99 Dimensions 6 x 3.5 x 7.2 in / 154 x 90 x 182 mm Weight 8.1 oz / 252g Connection USB-C (mobile only), Bluetooth LE Compatibility iPhone 15+, Android, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, PC, Chromebook, Smart TV Software N/A Pick up the SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud in its collapsed form, and, apart from a curious split down the middle, you'd be forgiven for thinking it's a fairly standard Bluetooth gamepad. It has the familiar Xbox-style stick layout, ABXY face buttons, bumpers, triggers, a d-pad, and view/menu buttons. There's no center button like an Xbox guide button, though there is a Home button that directs you to your device's home screen or, on iOS, Apple's Games app. It’s all pretty standard stuff. Build quality is alright rather than impressive. I wasn’t blown away by how it felt in my hands but equally there wasn’t any area of particular concern. It's surprisingly light at just over 250g, which is welcome for a mobile controller with a battery, but that lightness comes with a hollow feeling that doesn't scream premium. Nothing rattles or creaks, but it's no better than a stock Xbox controller and lacks the little premium touches like rubberized or textured grips that you’d expect for $150. SteelSeries says the battery is good for 20 hours of play over Bluetooth and that seems about right based on my testing. There’s passthrough USB-C charging too, but no 3.5mm audio output. The magic trick is when it engages Transformer mode (an unofficial name I’m giving it). Pull the two halves apart and the Nimbus Cloud unfurls into a telescopic mobile grip, revealing a USB-C connector on the upper right side that plugs directly into your phone. The mechanism involves multiple overlapping sections that extend, and credit where it's due, it's a very clever bit of mechanical design. It just seems to keep going with more and more phone deck appearing from nowhere. It’s satisfying in a fidget-toy sort of way and while using it in PC controller mode I caught myself idly expanding and collapsing it a few times during cutscenes. Phone compatibility is a mixed bag and unlike other dedicated mobile grips it’s not simply a matter of case on vs case off. I tested with both an iPhone 17 Pro and a POCO X5 Pro. The POCO has a slim, nearly flat profile and fit physically with the stock set of rubber inserts. By design your phone is seated in the upper half of the grip rather than centrally, though, which leaves it feeling somewhat exposed and prone to knocks. The iPhone 17 Pro was almost a non-starter as with either size of the included rubber inserts the camera bump was too thick to fit neatly. Even after removing the inserts entirely, which leaves the phone resting against bare hard plastic, it didn't fit in a way I’d consider usable long term. Beyond worries about it getting scratched to bits, I was concerned about the amount of stress going through the USB-C connector. There's noticeable movement and wobble with the phone inserted, it never feels square, and one bad bump feels like it could snap the connector off inside your phone's port. The rear of the SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud has two programmable buttons that sit in a natural resting position for your middle fingers. I’d call them a hybrid between a paddle and a button and it’s a design that works well ergonomically, requiring just the right amount of force to activate while avoiding accidental clicks. However, the lack of any official companion app means you can only bind or remap these through iOS's built-in Game Controller settings. On Android, I couldn't remap them at all. For a controller at this price from a brand with the resources of SteelSeries, the absence of a dedicated app for customization is difficult to understand. Competitors likeRazer, GameSir, and Backbone all offer robust software companions, and some of those are half the price. Whether in controller or grip trim, the Hall Effect thumbsticks are the SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud's strongest performing feature. They're quite firm with a relatively fast spring-back and slightly shorter travel than some competitors I've tested. That means they're precise enough for shooters and responsive enough for general gaming, though the smaller range of movement might take some adjustment. Unlike some competitors, there’s no option to swap or adjust the sticks and SteelSeries has played it reasonably safe with a shortish stick height and traditional caps. The triggers also use Hall Effect sensors, but they’re muddy and I didn’t feel like they consistently recreated their physical movement in game. It's hard to explain, but where good thumbsticks let you feel dialed in when playing racing games likeForza Horizon 6, on the Nimbus Cloud I felt disconnected when trying to modulate the throttle. This was the same whether I was playing locally on my PC or via cloud gaming on mobile, so wasn’t a Bluetooth latency issue. The mechanical face buttons are super clicky, tactile, and satisfying to press, as is the d-pad. They’re responsive for general gameplay; however, I noticed the Nimbus Cloud would occasionally miss inputs in situations where I was pressing the same button repeatedly. This originally cropped up when spam jumping waiting for the Battle Bus in aFortnitelobby and I was able to confirm it with dedicated testing after getting eliminated. Interestingly, this didn't seem to be an issue when pressing a combination of buttons so appears to be a debounce problem. The face buttons are pretty quiet but the same can’t be said for the bumpers. It’s nice to see these use mechanical switches, but unlike the face buttons they’reloud and almost sound like a cheap old-fashioned mouse. When stretched out in mobile grip mode the SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud performs well. On both iOS and Android it was immediately recognized, though the controller itself is a little shy in confirming this for you. The four battery LEDs do briefly light up initially, but I’d like a persistent indicator like you find on rivals. BothFortniteandCall of DutyMobilerecognized the controller on launch with no extra config or mapping needed, as did Xbox Cloud Gaming. It all worked nicely and naturally out of the box, which is just as well, because without an app you’d be completely stuck otherwise. I mentioned it before, but the Nimbus Cloud having no companion app feels like a real misstep. Rivals like the GameSir G8+ allow for deep customization like dead zone adjustment and hair trigger modes, both of which are notably absent here on a controller that costs nearly twice as much. Where things fell apart completely in my testing was when I tried to use the Nimbus Cloud with macOS. SteelSeries lists Mac as a compatible platform, but in my experience it was borderline unusable. It happily connected via Bluetooth without any fuss, but that’s where the joy ended. InForza Horizon 6via Xbox Cloud Gaming I was greeted by the left stick input being inverted and triggers that were mapped to start and select. It turned out the bumpers were acting as triggers instead, and while I attempted to remap through macOS system settings, it didn't seem to be respected in game. This wasn’t aForzaproblem; either,Stardew Valleydidn’t even recognize it at all. Steam fared just as badly, albeit in a different way. There it detected the Nimbus Cloud as two separate controllers simultaneously, neither of which worked correctly. The good news is that I was actually quite impressed with how the SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud performed over Bluetooth (as long as you’re not a Mac main, of course). My iPad Pro immediately recognized the Nimbus Cloud without issue and playingFortnitenatively could easily have been mistaken for a scaled-down console experience. Connected to my Windows gaming PC I happily spent a couple of hours inRoadcraftand at this slower pace the Nimbus Cloud kept up nicely. I did have to go through the full Steam controller setup procedure, however, something I’ve not needed to do with controllers in the past. Cloud gaming was fine on Windows too, up was up, down was down, and triggers were triggers. You consistently jump between mobile and desktop devicesThe Nimbus Cloud combines two controllers into one. The extending mechanism works well to stretch out into a mobile grip and the form factor in both modes is comfortable to hold for longer sessions. You mainly game on PCWhile the Windows experience is good enough, there are many better dedicated PC controllers that’ll set you back far less. Gaming on macOS? Look elsewhere, the Nimbus Cloud is barely compatible. You have a larger phoneWhile SteelSeries does include a couple of sizes of rubber insert, larger phones like the iPhone 17 Pro don’t sit securely in the Nimbus Cloud. You’ll be left with your phone rubbing against hard plastic which is unlikely to end well. After a more consistent experience? Here are two capable alternatives. SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud GameSir G8+ MFi Backbone Pro Price $149.99 / £129.99 / AU$359.99 $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99 $169.99 / £169.99 / AU$299.95 Dimensions 6 x 3.5 x 7.2 in / 154 x 90 x 182 mm 9.02 x 4.20 x 2.13in / 229 x 106.8 x 54.2mm 7.1 x 11.1 x 2in / 181 x 281 x 50mm Weight 8.1 oz / 252g 10.72oz / 304g 0.44lbs / 203g Connection USB-C (mobile only), Bluetooth Wired (USB-C) Wired (Type-C), Bluetooth Compatibility iPhone 15+, Android, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, PC, Chromebook, Smart TV Android, iOS iPhone 15 Series, Android, PC, smart TV, Nintendo Switch Software N/A GameSir App Backbone App GameSir G8+ MFiThe GameSir G8+ lacks the Nimbus Cloud's dual-mode trick, but it's a better mobile controller in virtually every other way. You get Hall Effect sticks and triggers, dual vibration motors, MFi certification for iPhone and iPad Mini, a companion app for full customization, and swappable ABXY button caps, all for $79.99 / £79.99 / AU$129.99. For more information, check out our fullGameSir G8+ MFi review Backbone ProThe Backbone Pro is the Nimbus Cloud's most direct competitor. It costs a touch more and doesn’t fully fold down to a conventional controller form factor, but in return you get a polished companion app, a 3.5mm headphone jack, double the battery life, and reliable cross-platform Bluetooth. Its sticks aren't Hall Effect, but the overall package is refined and, crucially, actually works on every platform it claims to support. For more information, check out our fullBackbone Pro review Over the course of a week I tested the SteelSeries Nimbus Cloud across multiple platforms and game genres. Mobile testing was split between an iPhone 17 Pro and a POCO X5 Pro, covering both iOS and Android in the extended USB-C mode. I played a mix of native mobile games and cloud-streamed titles via Xbox GamePass. For Bluetooth testing, I paired the Nimbus Cloud with a Windows PC and a MacBook Air, looking at games on Steam and cloud gaming on both platforms. When I noticed potential missed button inputs during regular gameplay, I used a dedicated button testing app to verify. Read more about how we test First reviewed July 2025 With a background in sports media leading Northamptonshire cricket club’s communications for five years, these days Alex has turned his attention more to virtual grass than real turf. A fan of all things simulation and sandbox, you’ll often find him behind the wheel of an F1 sim rig or agonizing over individual rock placements inPlanet CoasterorCities: Skylines. Havingstreamed on Twitch for the best part of a decade, he’s tried and tested more microphones, mixers, cameras, and controllers than you can imagine, writing for GamesRadar, Trusted Reviews, Mediaberry, and now TechRadar. 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This article is part of a regular series of conversations with theReview’s contributors; read past entrieshereand sign up for ouremail newsletterto get them delivered to your inbox each week. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, “with his cowboy arms and crispy gelled hair, is a parody come to life,”writes Suzy Hansen in our June 11 issue. He is a parody of a certain type of American swashbuckler: brash, aggressive, god-fearing, contemptuous of the wretched refuse beyond our shores. Though a caricature of American chauvinism he may be, the tradition of raining “death and destruction from the sky,” as he described the Trump administration’s bombing of Iran, did not start with Hegseth. Generations of American foreign policy wonks, Hansen notes, have also trafficked in the bloodshed he so enjoys: “With the invasion of Iran, the Trump administration picked up where the Biden administration and the Democrats left off; the Biden people may not have exhibited that nasty Christianity, but they did exhibit that nasty hegemony.…Whether the perpetrators are Democrats evading responsibility through feigned haplessness or Republicans claiming the power of a wrathful God, the violence is the same.” For twelve years Hansen was based out of Istanbul, where she had a front-row seat to much of this violence. Before moving back to the US in 2019 she reported widely around the Middle East and west Asia, writing about the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and Libya, to name a few. Her first book,Notes on a Foreign Country(2018), seeks to take stock of, and renounce, American solipsism abroad. Her new book,From Life Itself, narrates the turbulent decade between 2015 and 2025 as it was seen and heard on the streets of Karagümrük, a working-class neighborhood of Istanbul and a stronghold of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s Justice and Development Party. Since 2013 she has written for theReviewabout Turkey, the war on terror, and American foreign policy. Last week I wrote to Hansen to ask her about our self-styled secretary of war, learning to hold power to account, and the challenges of living and working abroad as a journalist. Dahlia Krutkovich:This essay seems to have been written against the grain of your first book,Notes on a Foreign Country, which is partially about turning away from the blinkered gaze Americans cast abroad. What about the last few years of American foreign policy made you want to root around in the world as seen by Pete Hegseth? Suzy Hansen:I first became interested in Hegseth—interested in or horrified by him—because of how shocking his behavior has been, his cartoonish demeanor, his nastiness. People of all backgrounds seem genuinely bewildered by him. But I actually came to this article by way of my interest in the Biden administration’s foreign policy, its tolerance of mass death and destruction in Gaza, and the shocking callousness of spokespeople like John Kirby. This interest does actually follow from my first book, which takes aim at how liberals and the institutions that produce them cultivate the assumption that Americans have good intentions no matter what havoc they wreak. I spent less time thinking about red state or conservative types during that project, because my worldview and temperament were, as an adult, shaped more by liberal institutions (the Ivy League, New York media, Democratic Party politics, etc.) than conservative ones, and I wanted to implicate myself. Often, when it comes to their foreign policy, “conservative” and “liberal” are really two superficial camps of Americans, but as Biden’s administration gave way to Trump’s, I found myself wanting to think about the Hegseth worldview in particular. What about his instincts for foreign policy and his lust for violence diverges from that of liberals or Democrats, if it does at all? The mass bombing reflex is at the very least bipartisan and has been since September 11. You write, “Extreme though Hegseth may be, he is a recognizable type: a jockish, puerile white man, a boy you knew in your public high school, if you went to one. He is the Jersey Shore as much as he is Kansas, Florida, Texas, and Oregon.” One of these places is a little more specific than the others. How did growing up on the Jersey Shore, with the men you may have known there, influence your feel for Hegseth? One of my guiding principles as a white American writing about the US is that it’s important to include yourself in your analysis, to acknowledge your own complicity or at least involvement in the country’s history or power, because you are a beneficiary of it. According to that rule, I felt I had to gesture to my own origins in this slightly more specific way. I also couldn’t help but notice certain resemblances in his and my biographies: we both grew up in white, middle-class small-town America, came of age during the post-1989 years of US triumph, and won entry to two of the more conservative Ivy League universities in part because we were good at sports. I went a different way in life after college than Hegseth did, but I know what kind of worldview, and what kind of inferiority complex, that upbringing can produce. Advertisement To that end, even though I knew men in my childhood who vaguely resembled Pete Hegseth, especially in regard to their class resentment, I also know misogynists and racists as an adult in New York City, and I feel comfortable assuming everyone reading the piece knows men like this, too. I wanted to urge liberals away from the tendency to exoticize him (although I understand the temptation, considering the absurdity of Trump’s second term) and instead consider that this imperial impulse has existed throughout all of American history and society. I wanted to make the case for our collective responsibility to respond to people who prey on the vulnerable, people like him—and maybe people like us. How did your time atThe New York Observerinfluence your eye for personalities? Your new book also has a few very artful character studies. You learn different things at different stages of life, but theObserver, the onetime house paper of New York City’s power elite, is where I learned to develop a voice. TheObserver’s voice was Peter Kaplan’s—the beloved editor who ran the magazine for years before I started in 2004 and after I left in 2006—and it was hiscompletely original stylethat we young writers tried our best to emulate. I usually failed, and it was up to the more senior editors to heavily edit those pieces and pull them in line with the paper’s sensibility. It’s through that back-and-forth that you learn how to write for yourself. I worry all the time that as journalism declines, and there are fewer places committed to that kind of editorial exchange, young writers aren’t getting to figure that out for themselves. It was also helpful that theObserverhad a reputation for being snarky, and even mean, to its subjects. I don’t like being mean, but writing with that sharpness taught me how to be critical and how to be tough—particularly when writing about the powerful. Unlike most mainstream publications, we could say almost anything we wanted, which is a very unusual experience for a young person to have. I learned how to be brave and recognized, eventually, that it was actually my job to take risks, to tell the darkest truths, and also to try—always, and all credit to Kaplan for this one—to say something new. It helped me immeasurably when I left to write about foreign affairs, which can tend toward the dull and stuffy. I spent the first years of my time in Istanbul trying to figure out how to write about Erdoğan like I would have forTheNew York Observerand still get published. What was it like learning Turkish upon your arrival in Istanbul? What were your early reporting experiences like in the language? I arrived speaking no Turkish at all, and actually no other languages at all, so I was bad at even knowing how to learn it. But I moved there ona fellowshipthat paid for six months of language instruction as part of a two-and-a-half-year term in Turkey, and I continued to take grammar classes and study one-on-one with teachers for years after. It’s a very hard language. The lucky part of that fellowship, though, was that I was discouraged from getting published during the term. And even though I kept living in Istanbul once the program was over, magazines weren’t very interested in Turkish politics, so I mostly reported from elsewhere. That’s why so much of my first book takes place in Iran, Afghanistan, Egypt, Greece, and other countries I visited in the region. American magazines really only wanteddeeply reported piecesfrom Turkey once Erdoğan began cracking down in 2013, and by that time I had already spent six years living with the language. In retrospect, the difficulty of Turkish, and knowing how hard it was for outsiders to learn, might have inspired me to report my second book the way I did. I wanted everyday conversation to be the mode through which I narrated how public life changed on one street in one neighborhood of Istanbul over ten years. I tried to capture the conversations unfolding in markets and barbershops and teahouses as local and international crises erupted around us and affected—or didn’t affect—everyday life. I ran the tape for hours, hired heroic transcriptionists, and then I translated what was on the page. Much of the dialogue in the book is simply lifted straight from those documents. That listening and translation process made me want to incorporate the rhythm of the language directly into the text, even when I wasn’t reproducing dialogue, while also somehow making it an enjoyable reading experience. I thought it captured the vibe of the place more. I hope it worked. Advertisement We’ve talked a bit offline about how going abroad is both a way to live within the humble means to be made by working in media and a way to hone your skillset as a journalist. Do you have any advice for young correspondents trying to find their way overseas? I moved abroad midcareer, or as some would put it, “late”—I was six months from turning thirty—so I arrived with contacts and editors’ email addresses and a knowledge of the business. It was an extreme advantage, but freelancing was still very hard. The global financial crisis struck just as my fellowship ended, and while that made me (a cheap foreign correspondent living four hours from many international destinations) an appealing hire for magazines, it also meant that rates started shrinking. I always had three or four side hustles and still do to this day. In the beginning it was fact-checking, and then it was book editing, and then teaching. But all of it was to salvage and preserve the gift of living abroad and being able to write, a life of freedom and discovery that I still think I was so privileged to have. Now it’s a different time in journalism, and if I had to do it again, I would think about it differently, as I have seen my former students do. They get jobs in various professions and write on the side. Or they go for staff positions because freelancing is too brutal and decide that health care and job security are too important to sacrifice. Or they apprentice themselves to writers with popular Substacks or authors working on books (“always find mentors” is my mantra). Or they are being wise about studying, say, data journalism and acquire technical skills. The main thing is to gain life experience—and linguistic and cultural and lived experience—so that you have something to offer as a thinker, while still feeling comfortable enough to stay sane and be kind to yourself. That, by the way, also includes remembering that what has happened to journalism in the twenty-first century is structural and due to enormous, predatory technological forces that we older people failed to protect you from. This was not in your control. And if it doesn’t work out, it’s not your fault. Suzy Hansen is the author ofFrom Life Itself: Turkey, Istanbul, and a Neighborhood in the Age of Erdoğan, which was published this spring, andNotes on a Foreign Country: An American Abroad in a Post-American World. Dahlia Krutkovich is on the editorial staff ofThe New York Review.

'Fox & Friends' hosts dissect the Los Angeles mayoral primary results. They express concern that, despite rising crime, homelessness and educational failures, voters are not electing change. Spencer Pratt's journeyfrom reality television villainto Los Angeles mayoral contender has taken another unexpected turn as the former reality star appears positioned to face incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in a runoff election. Bass, who has served as mayor since 2022 and faced scrutiny over her handling of the devastating LA fires, advanced to a runoff after no candidate secured more than 50% of the vote in Tuesday's primary. The top two vote-getters will now compete in November. Pratt, who is best known for starring on MTV's "The Hills" and has never previously run for political office, is running in second place ahead of LA Councilmember Nithya Raman. SPENCER PRATT SURGES TO RUNOFF IN LA MAYOR'S RACE AFTER ANGRY VOTERS SEND MESSAGE TO KAREN BASS "God wanted five more months of me exposing all the failures of our mayor," Pratt said while speaking with reporters outside his election watch party on Tuesday night. Former reality TV star Spencer Pratt appears poised to challenge incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the November runoff.(HIGHFIVE/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images;Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) "So, it's going to be a fun ride," he continued. "I hope she's ready." When asked if he was ready, Pratt responded, "I mean, I was born for this, clearly." Pratt's mayoral bid was initially met with widespread skepticism, with many observers viewing the TV personality as a long-shot celebrity candidate. LA BUSINESS LEADER SAYS CRIME, WILDFIRE FALLOUT FUELING PRATT SURGE AS VOTERS SEEK CHANGE: 'PEOPLE ARE ANGRY' However, as hiscampaign gained traction online, attracted support from high-profile figures and tapped into voter frustration over issues such as public safety, homelessness and wildfire recovery, perceptions began to shift, and national media outlets started treating his candidacy as a serious political effort. In recent weeks, Pratt's unlikely candidacy has continued to gain traction due to several viral campaign ads andwidely praised debate performanceagainst Bass and Raman. From reality television fame and viral social media stardom to his surprisingly competitive mayoral campaign, Pratt has reinvented himself more than once. Now, as he looks poised for a showdown with Bass for the leadership of LA, here's what to know about Pratt. SPENCER PRATT'S SISTER NOW BACKS HIS LA MAYOR CAMPAIGN, MONTHS AFTER SAYING HE DOESN'T BELONG IN THE GOVERNMENT As a lifelong Angeleno, Pratt has argued that his experiences growing up in the city have shaped his understanding of its most pressing challenges.(Gilbert Flores/Penske Media via Getty Images) Throughout his campaign, Pratt has highlighted his LA roots, arguing that he has firsthand knowledge of the challenges facing the city and its residents. Born and raised in LA, Pratt is the son of dentist William "Skip" Pratt and Janet Pratt. He grew up alongside younger sister Stephanie Pratt, who also found fame on "The Hills," and has an older half-sister, Kristin, from his mother's previous marriage. SPENCER PRATT FACES HARSH FAMILY OPPOSITION IN LA MAYORAL BID DESPITE GROWING COMMUNITY SUPPORT Pratt attended the Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences in Santa Monica, a private high school known for its many famous alumni, includingGwyneth Paltrow, Kate Hudson, Jack Black and others. "The Hills" stars Brody Jenner and Whitney Port also attended Crossroads alongside Pratt and Stephanie. In February, Stephanie slammed Pratt's mayoral run, claiming a vote for him was a "vote for stupidity." Last week, Stephanie revealed that she was now supporting her brother’s campaign. "I admit I was the first person to tell people that they were idiots if they voted for my brother," Stephanie toldVanity Fairin an email related to a profile on him. "Wow, was I wrong? He has spent every day since the fires finding the facts, the mistakes, the negligence and uncovering the truth that they never wanted us to know." Supporters, including Pratt's lifelong friend and "The Hills" co-star Brody Jenner, have pointed to his political science degree from USC.(Kevin Mazur/WireImage) Long before launching a mayoral campaign, Pratt earned a bachelor's degree in political science from theUniversity of Southern California(USC) in LA. After graduating from high school, Pratt enrolled as a political science major at USC in 2003. Pratt left college to pursue television projects which led to his career in reality TV. In 2011, he enrolled again at USC to finish his degree and graduated in 2014. Pratt's supporters, including Brody, have previously pointed to Pratt's degree when critics dismissed him as "just a reality star." Pratt rose to fame after he began dating Heidi Montag and joined "The Hills."(Michael Tran/WireImage) Pratt's reality television career began in 2005 with Fox's short-lived series "The Princes of Malibu," a series he co-created and executive produced that followed Brody and his brother Brandon Jenner's lives in Malibu. Brody and Brandon's mother, songwriter and actress Linda Thompson, and their stepfather at the time, Grammy Award-winning musician David Foster, also starred. In May, Foster and his wifeKatharine McPheehosted an exclusive, star-studded fundraiser at their Brentwood Park home for Pratt's mayoral run. Pratt also made appearances in "The Princes of Malibu," which was canceled after one season. He later became a household name after he began dating "The Hills" star Heidi Montag in 2006. At the time, Montag was starring alongside Port, Lauren Conrad and Audrina Patridge in the show, which premiered in May 2006. Pratt joined "The Hills" during its second season in 2007, where the couple's relationship quickly became central to the show’sdrama. Pratt, who has previously spoken out about how he carefully cultivated his "villainous" TV persona for attention, quickly became a disruptive presence, oftenclashing with Conrad and theexisting friend group. While appearing on the show, Pratt and Montag teamed up to become the reality TV power couple known as "Speidi." The duo established themselves as fixtures of the tabloid era known for staging paparazzi photos, fueling feuds and embracing the attention that came with being reality television’s most famous pair. Pratt and Montag teamed up to become the cultural phenomenon known as "Speidi."(Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic) By the late 2000s, the couple's fame reached its peak. Pratt and Montag married in 2008 and held a televised ceremony the following year that aired on "The Hills." After "The Hills" ended in 2010, the duo faced financial hardship as their income began to dwindle, and they struggled to maintain their celebrity status. After blowing through their $10 million reality TV fortune, the couple downsized significantly and moved in with Pratt's parents at one point as they tried to rebuild their lives. The two continued to pursue opportunities in reality television, appearing on shows including "I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!," "Marriage Boot Camp" and the U.K.'s "Celebrity Big Brother." Pratt and Montag made their full-time return to reality TV when they starred in "The Hills" revival series "The Hills: New Beginnings" from 2019 to 2021. The couple's first son, Gunner, who they welcomed in 2017, appeared on the show, reflecting a reinvention that saw Pratt and Montag move away from their former reality TV personas and toward a more grounded, family-oriented life. SPENCER PRATT SHARES HEARTBREAKING MOTHER'S DAY TRIBUTE TO HEIDI MONTAG FROM THEIR FIRE-DESTROYED LA HOME In 2022, Montag gave birth to their second son, Ryker. Pratt announced his candidacy for mayor of Los Angeles at a rally in Pacific Palisades on the one-year anniversary of the Palisades Fire, which destroyed thousands of homes, including his own.(Backgrid) In January 2025, Pratt and Montag lost their Pacific Palisades home in the devastating California fires, which destroyed more than 16,200 buildings. Days after the fire, Pratt asked fans of the couple for their help. CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES: HEIDI MONTAG SKYROCKETS TO NO. 1 ON ITUNES AFTER LOSING PACIFIC PALISADES HOME In an effort to support the pair, fans catapulted Montag's 2010 debut album, "Superficial," which was initially a commercial flop, to thetop of the iTunes charts,where it secured the No. 1 spot for both song and album. The experience marked a personal turning point, shifting public perception of Pratt and Montag from former tabloid fixtures to a family navigating real hardship. The tragedy also transformed Pratt into one of Bass' most vocal critics and ultimately helped propel him into politics. SPENCER PRATT ENLISTS SEN. RICK SCOTT FOR FEDERAL INVESTIGATION INTO CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE RESPONSE Following the fires, Pratt, whose parents also lost their home, led a social media crusade against California leadership he hasaccused of mismanagement, corruptionand "criminal negligence" in their response to the disaster. In August 2025, Pratt traveled to Washington, D.C., tomeet with federal officials, including former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. Pratt has highlighted his status as an outsider challenging the status quo.(Roy Rochlin/Getty Images) SPENCER PRATT ANNOUNCES LA MAYOR RUN ON ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF PALISADES FIRE THAT DESTROYED HIS HOME Pratt announced that he wasrunning for mayor of LAat a "They Let Us Burn!" protest in the Pacific Palisades near the remains of his home Jan. 7, the one-year anniversary of the LA fires. From the start of his campaign, Pratt has positioned himself as anoutsider candidate challenging city halland establishment politicians. "The system in Los Angeles isn’t struggling; it’s fundamentally broken," Pratt said while announcing his mayoral run, according to US Weekly. "It is a machine designed to protect the people at the top and the friends they exchange favors with while the rest of us drown in toxic smoke and ash," he continued. "Business as usual is a death sentence for Los Angeles, and I’m done waiting for someone to take real action. That's why I am running for mayor. "But let me be clear. This just isn't a campaign," Pratt added, via the BBC. "This is a mission, and we are going to expose the system. "We are going into every dark corner of LA politics and disinfecting the city with our light." WHY SPENCER PRATT’S LOS ANGELES CAMPAIGN HAS AMERICA PAYING ATTENTION Pratt's campaign has turned into a national political spectacle.(Highfive/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images) Despite lacking traditional political experience, Pratt emerged as one of the most talked-about candidates in the race. The former reality star's mayoral bid has attracted national attention, earning coverage from major political and entertainment outlets as he emerged as an unexpectedly competitive challenger to Bass. THE CELEB ENDORSEMENTS BOOSTING SPENCER PRATT'S CHANCES OF BECOMING THE NEXT LA MAYOR Pratt's celebrity status, viral social media strategy and outsider message have helped turn what was expected to be a relatively routine LA mayoral race into a national political spectacle. His campaign has also gained additional attention as celebrities have spoken out about their views on his candidacy. In the months since Pratt launched his campaign, his run for mayor has become a Hollywood flashpoint, as celebrities rally behind the former reality star while others openly push back. Paris Hilton, Dennis Quaid, Joe Rogan, James Woods, Jamie Kennedy, Billy Bush, Adam Carolla and Joanna Krupa are among Pratt's supporters, as well as several of his former "The Hills" co-stars: Brody, Audrina Patridge and Kristin Cavallari. Oscar-winning producer Brian Grazer attendedFoster and McPhee's fundraiserfor Pratt while Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss donated the maximum allowed amount to his campaign. Celebrities who have expressed opposition to Pratt's run includeJimmy Kimmel, Drew Carey, Jane Fonda, Chelsea Handler, Lisa Rinna and Yvette Nicole Brown. The candidate has emphasized his focus on quality of life issues in LA.(MEGA/GC Images) Pratt has centered his mayoral campaign on a series of quality-of-life issues that he argues have been neglected by city leaders. Pratt has emphasized issues such ashomelessness, public safety, wildfire responseand infrastructure. Public safetyhas emerged as one of the cornerstones of Pratt's platform. He has called for increased funding for the Los Angeles Police Department and stronger enforcement against crimes. SPENCER PRATT SEIZES ON HOMELESSNESS REMARKS BY KAREN BASS, BLASTS DEMOCRAT FOR FAILURES Pratt has also focused heavily on homelessness. The candidate has criticized the city's handling of the homelessness crisis and advocated for a more effective approach to addressing encampments and connecting people with services. He also made disaster readiness a key campaign issue, calling for stronger emergency planning, infrastructure improvements andwildfire preventionefforts across Los Angeles. In addition, Pratt has highlightedinfrastructure concerns, including road conditions, traffic congestion and city maintenance. SPENCER PRATT REVEALS THE ONE MAJOR ISSUE MADE HIM DECIDE TO RUN AS A REPUBLICAN Pratt has rejected political labels and emphasized that the mayor's race is nonpartisan.(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times) Though Pratt is a registered Republican, he is running as an independent in the nonpartisan race and has attempted to distance himself from party politics. He has often described himself as a "community advocate" focused on local issues rather than national ideology. During an appearance onNBC News,Pratt rejected being labeled a "MAGA" candidate by Raman. He emphasized that LA mayoral elections are officially nonpartisan and that a mayor is "supposed to represent all Angelenos." TRUMP SAYS HE HOPES SPENCER PRATT DOES WELL IN LA MAYORAL RACE, BLASTS CALIFORNIA'S 'RIGGED' ELECTIONS Pratt also noted that many members of his family and people he meets on the campaign trail are Democrats. "I do not represent a party. I don’t have a campaign manager. I don’t have campaign consults. There’s no political party backing me," he said. After President Donald Trump praised Pratt last month, the former reality star explained that he wasnot seeking endorsements from politicians. "I don’t need anyone’s endorsement but mothers’. That’s who’s getting me elected," he told NBC News. "My race is a local race. I don’t care what’s going on in the national politics, in other states. I am running for a local position." Pratt has leveraged his social media following to promote his campaign directly to voters.(Getty Images; Spencer Pratt) CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER Social media has been central to Pratt's public image long before he entered politics. After "The Hills" ended, he successfully reinvented himself online in 2016 when he began cultivating a widespread following on Snapchat, sharing content about his daily life and his obsession with hummingbirds and crystals. He later became one of the platform's top personalities, winning Snapchatter of the Year at the 10th Annual Shorty Awards in 2018. Over the past decade, Pratt has continued to build his social media following across Snapchat, TikTok,Instagramand X. LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS By the time he launched his mayoral run, Pratt already had a built-in audience that he leveraged to promote his campaign directly to voters without relying solely on traditional advertising or media appearances. Instead of running traditional television or radio ads, Pratt'scampaign strategyhas focused entirely on social media and viral AI-generated videos. Pratt frequently posts videos discussing local issues, responding to critics and sharing campaign updates. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP He has also appeared in a series of campaign videos that were widely shared and made national headlines. Pratt's videos include aspoof on "The Fresh Princeof Bel-Air," a wildfire-themed spot tied to the loss of his Pacific Palisades home, and a homelessness-focused clip that highlighted conditions on city streets. In addition, Pratt has reposted grassroots, viral AI-generated videos created by social media users, including one by filmmaker Charlie Curran that depicted LA as a dystopian city in decline, with the former reality star cast asa Batman-like figure stepping into restore order. Ashley Hume is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to ashley.hume@fox.com and on Twitter: @ashleyhume

The 2,700-litre figure comes from the World Wildlife Fund’s accounting of the full water footprint of a single cotton garment, including the irrigation required for the cotton itself, the water used in dyeing and chemical treatment of the fibres, and the water consumed during fabric processing before the finished shirt reaches a retail rack. The figure is consistent across multiple authoritative sources and is now widely cited in academic and policy literature. The figure represents the volume required to produce one garment in the global average production environment. Garments produced in regions where cotton is irrigated by drip systems use less. Garments produced in regions where cotton is flood-irrigated, which remains the dominant practice in much of South and Central Asia, use more. The 2,700-litre figure assumes a single T-shirt. The same accounting framework gives approximately 9,000 to 10,000 litres of water per pair of jeans, approximately 25,000 litres per kilogram of cotton fibre, and approximately 125 to 150 litres per kilogram of fabric during dyeing and finishing alone. The pair of jeans is roughly the daily drinking water needs of 4,750 people. Cotton is, by every available measurement, one of the thirstiest crops in commercial agriculture. The plant requires sustained irrigation through most of its growing cycle and is highly sensitive to salt, which restricts the kinds of water that can be used to grow it. Roughly 60 per cent of the total water footprint of a typical cotton garment is consumed before the cotton is even harvested. The remaining 40 per cent is consumed at the textile-processing stage. After harvest, the cotton fibres are spun into yarn, woven into fabric, and then dyed, printed, treated, and finished. Each of these steps requires water both as a solvent and as a rinse medium. The 2018 Quantis International report on the global pollution impacts of the apparel industry identified dyeing and finishing as the single largest source of the industry’s water-related environmental impact, accounting for approximately 36 per cent of the total. Yarn preparation accounts for approximately 28 per cent. Fibre production accounts for approximately 15 per cent. The water used in dyeing and finishing does not return to the local water system in the same condition it left. In Bangladesh, where approximately 1.5 trillion litres of water per year are used in garment factories and dyeing mills, the wastewater from textile processing is one of the largest single sources of industrial water pollution in the country. The same pattern holds in southern China, in Vietnam, in Turkey, and in the textile-processing regions of India and Pakistan.As Geographical Magazine set out in a 2026 review of the industry’s water footprint, the dyes, heavy metals, oils, phenols, and pesticide residues released by textile processing reach groundwater, agricultural irrigation systems, and the marine environment. According to a 2019 analysis by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, summarised in coverage by United Nations News, the global fashion industry consumes approximately 79 to 93 billion cubic metres of fresh water annually, depending on the methodology of accounting. The figure represents approximately 4 per cent of global freshwater extraction. It is enough water, by the UN’s own framing, to meet the needs of approximately five million people for an entire year, or alternatively to fill approximately 32 to 37 million Olympic-sized swimming pools. The same figure, taken alongside the global water-scarcity numbers, makes the analytical pivot direct. Approximately 2.2 billion people worldwide currently lack access to safe drinking water. The fashion industry’s annual water consumption, by either of the standard accounting frameworks, is sufficient on its own to provide every one of those 2.2 billion people with the World Health Organization’s minimum daily drinking water requirement for several decades. The industry’s total emissions are equally striking.A 2018 announcement from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change estimated total annual greenhouse gas emissions from textile production at approximately 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2-equivalent, which the announcement noted was more than the combined annual emissions of all international flights and maritime shipping. The same announcement projected that sector emissions could rise by more than 60 per cent by 2030 if the industry continued on its current trajectory. The water consumption is not evenly distributed across the planet. Cotton is grown in regions where it grows well, which in practice means hot, dry, and seasonally arid climates where irrigation is essential. The largest cotton-producing regions in the world include the Aral Sea basin in Uzbekistan, the Indus and Punjab regions of Pakistan, the Brahmaputra basin in northeast India, the Yangtze and Yellow River basins in China, and the Cotton Belt of the southern United States. Most of these regions are now classified as water-stressed by the World Resources Institute’s standard rating system. Several are in long-term decline. The Aral Sea, once the world’s fourth-largest saline lake, has been documented by NASA’s Earth Observatory in serial satellite imagery since the early 1960s. In 1960, before the Soviet Union began the irrigation diversion project that has since become one of the most-studied environmental disasters of the twentieth century, the Aral Sea covered approximately 68,000 square kilometres. The lake was fed by two major rivers, the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya, which descended from the mountains of Central Asia. The Soviet authorities diverted both rivers to irrigate cotton plantations in what is now Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan. By 2007, the lake had shrunk to approximately 10 per cent of its original surface area. The exposed seabed, contaminated with the agricultural pesticides and fertilisers that had been washed downstream for decades, has become the Aralkum Desert. Approximately 40,000 to 60,000 fishermen lost their livelihoods. The autonomous Karakalpakstan region of northwestern Uzbekistan, which had drawn approximately half its economic activity from fishing and related industries, has not recovered. The Aral Sea was destroyed for cotton. The cotton, in turn, was destined for textile processing in the same broad region, before being shipped onward to the global garment manufacturing centres in Bangladesh, Vietnam, and elsewhere. Some of the cotton was eventually turned into T-shirts that now sit in wardrobes across Europe, North America, and East Asia. The water that the Aral Sea once held is now in the air, in the soil, and in clothing that has, in many cases, already been discarded. The water consumption is one of three distinct environmental costs the fashion industry produces at scale. The second is microplastic pollution. Approximately 500,000 tonnes of microfibres are shed into the ocean each year through the washing of synthetic clothing, by the UNCTAD figure cited in the same 2019 UN analysis. The figure is equivalent in mass to approximately 50 billion plastic water bottles, or approximately 3 million barrels of oil. The microfibres do not biodegrade. They have now been detected in fish, in seabirds, in commercial shellfish, in human placenta tissue, and in the human bloodstream. The third cost is textile waste itself.As Earth.Org’s 2026 analysis of the industry’s environmental impact sets out, the global apparel industry now produces approximately 92 million tonnes of textile waste per year, with the figure projected to rise to approximately 134 million tonnes by 2030. Approximately 85 per cent of all textiles eventually end up in landfill or incineration. A substantial proportion of the discarded clothing from the wealthy world is shipped to the developing world. In Chile, the Atacama Desert has become a recognised destination for textile waste, with at least 39,000 tonnes of unsold or discarded clothing now sitting on the desert floor in the region around the port of Iquique. Satellite imagery has documented the textile mountain in successive years. The acceleration of the past five years has been driven primarily by the ultra-fast-fashion business model pioneered by Shein and now followed by Temu and a growing number of imitators. Shein’s emissions, by the 2025 Fossil Free Fashion Scorecard, rose by approximately 170 per cent over the two-year period to 2024. The company now produces, by the same scorecard’s accounting, annual emissions comparable to those of a small developed country. The figures cited above are the figures that the industry’s environmental impact can be estimated from publicly available data. The full footprint is, by every available assessment, larger. Three specific gaps recur across the disclosure landscape. The first is the gap between the water used in primary production (cotton irrigation, textile dyeing) and the water used in the entire supply chain (transport, retail, consumer washing). Almost no corporate sustainability report includes the latter. The second is the gap between aggregated industry figures and facility-level figures. A company-wide annual water-consumption total reveals nothing about whether the company’s textile-processing plant in a drought-affected region of Bangladesh is straining the local groundwater. The third is the gap between the major brands that publish any environmental disclosures and the much larger number of mid-tier and ultra-fast-fashion brands that publish none. Shein, despite being one of the largest single fashion companies in the world by sales volume, did not begin publishing any environmental reporting until 2022 and has since been criticised by the Changing Markets Foundation and others for the partial nature of what it does publish. The figures the academic and NGO literature has been able to produce are, in significant part, estimates of what the brands themselves have not been willing to publish. The global fashion industry has been on a continuous growth trajectory for approximately twenty years. Clothing production roughly doubled between 2000 and 2014 and has continued to grow since. The average consumer in the developed world now buys approximately 60 per cent more clothing than they did fifteen years ago, and keeps each item for approximately half as long. The industry has, in the same period, been the subject of multiple UN reports, multiple academic analyses, and multiple high-profile journalistic investigations, all of which have set out the environmental costs in detail. The disclosures have not slowed the growth. The 2,700 litres of water in a cotton T-shirt is not, in the abstract, an enormous quantity. The total global production of cotton garments is, on the current accounting, more than 50 billion items per year. The 79 billion cubic metres of fresh water the industry consumes annually is the cumulative figure produced when each individual T-shirt is multiplied by the scale of global demand. The drought-affected regions where the cotton is grown are not getting wetter. The wastewater systems in the textile-processing regions are not getting cleaner. The proportion of synthetic fibres in global clothing has risen from approximately 3 per cent in 1960 to approximately 68 per cent today, which means the microplastic shedding from washing is rising rather than falling. The T-shirt is small. The aggregate is not. Written by Kiran Athar is a writer at Space Daily with a degree in multimedia journalism. She covers psychology, identity, and the inner life — the questions of how people change, what holds them back, and what helps them grow. Her writing for Space Daily sits in the Mind & Meaning pillar, where she focuses on practical psychology and the human side of ambition.