CATHOLIC BISHOPS HOLD 2ND PLENARY IN EFFURUN, DELTA STATE

President Goodluck Jonathan has appealed for cooperation from Nigerians in the fight against insurgency and acts of terrorism in the country.

President Jonathan in a goodwill message  to the Second Plenary of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria  in Effurun, Delta State, affirmed that his administration was committed to end all forms of insurgency in the country.

Dr. Jonathan who was represented by Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, explained that the government has intensified the fight against terrorism in the Northern part of the country but that it required the continued cooperation and prayers of all Nigerians .
"I need the cooperation of the entire country in the fight against Boko Haram. In doing this Nigerians should also pray for the defeat of the Boko Haram," he said.
President Jonathan also assured Nigerians of his administrations commitment towards conducting free and fair polls in 2015.
Dr. Uduaghan speaking for himself said that government through the support of religious bodies like the Catholic Church to raise the bar of development in the state.
Governor Uduaghan acknowledged the constructive criticisms of the Catholic Church on issues of development  and also promoting moral values in schools it received back from government.
He informed the Catholic Bishops of efforts his administration was embarking on to improve the lives of the people of the state, ranging from the Delta Beyond Oil vision aimed at diversifying the economy of the state.
"We have expanded the process of development in Delta State. This we have done through the Delta Beyond Oil Economic Development Model."
Governor Uduaghan while expressing concern about the activities of insurgents which had resulted in displacement of people, pleaded for continued prayers an end to the crisis. "I thank the Catholic Church for its prayers. If prayers could resolve crisis in the Niger Delta, prayers can end Boko Haram insurgency. So Nigerians should pray for an end to insurgency. I also appeal for prayers for our developmental programmes particularly the Delta beyond Oil programme so that the next administration would continue with it."
The Papal Nuncio (Pope's Ambassador) to Nigeria, Archbishop Augustine Kasujja who delivered a goodwill message on behalf of Pope Francis, charged Christians to work together to defeat terrorism.
President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor in his goodwill message also charged Christians to set the stage for a united Nigeria that would usher in peace and development.
President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama who declared the conference open on his part called on Christians and Muslims in the country to take pragmatic steps towards promoting unity among their adherents.

BREAKING NEWS!!! SCHOOLS NOW TO REOPEN SEPTEMBER 22, 2014

Public primary and secondary schools are now to reopen on the 22^nd of this month. The decision was taken a short while ago in Abuja, at a meeting between the Minister of Education and State Commissioners for Education.

The Nigerian government had fixed October 13, 2014, to enable health authorities contain the dreaded Ebola virus. More details later.

RIVERS STATE, SOUTH SOUTH NIGERIA RECORDS EBOLA DEATH

Nigeria's Health Minister, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu says the country has recorded another death from the Ebola Virus Disease this time in Port- Harcourt Rivers state, South -South Nigeira.

Addressing newsmen today in Abuja, Professor Chukwu said the case was recorded as a result of a primary contact of the late Patrick Sawyer who evaded surveillance and traveled to Port-Harcourt.

According to the minister, the contact after experiencing some symptoms went for treatment following which he was cured.

PROF. ONYEBUCHI CHUKWU

The same was however not the case for the doctor who treated him as he got infected and has since died.

Professor Chukwu said the wife of the doctor has been quarantined and 70 other contacts have since been traced and placed under surveillance in Port Harcourt.

The Minister appealed to residents to contacts under surveillance to abide by the advice given to them by the stressing that the Incidence Management Team is already on ground.

BREAKING NEWS!!! NIGERIAN DOCTORS CALL OFF NATIONWIDE STRIKE

The Nigerian Medical Association has suspended its nationwide strike, which began on the first of last month, July.
First Vice National President, Dr Titus Ibekwe confirmed this in a telephone interview with our correspondent in Abuja.

He said the NMA met all through the night and agreed to call off the strike due to intervention by well meaning Nigerians  as well as the prervailing health conditions in the country, chiefly the Ebola Virus disease.

Dr Ibekwe also said that the National President of the Association will address a press conference later today (NOON Nigerian time) in Abuja to formally announce the suspension.
He also dispelled insinuations that their strike was selfish, adding that it was aimed at boosting the overall health needs of Nigerians.

PARACETAMOL FOR LOW BACK PAIN 'NO BETTER THAN PLACEBO'.

Paracetamol used to treat acute lower back pain is no better than a dummy pill, research in the Lancet suggests.

The largest trial to date suggests the drug does not improve recovery time or provide greater pain relief than a placebo.

The study questions whether paracetamol should remain a first-choice drug on most national guidelines.

But experts caution anyone considering a change of medication should seek medical advice.

Paracetamol does not work for every type of pain, nor does it work for every person”

Dr Andrew Moore Churchill Hospital, Oxford

About 26 million people suffer from lower back pain each year in the UK, and it remains a leading cause of disability worldwide.

Sleep quality

Researchers studied more than 1,650 people across several primary care centres in Australia, who had experienced back pain for six weeks or less.

• A third received regular doses of paracetamol
• A third took the drug as needed
• A third were given a dummy pill (placebo) for one month

Paracetamol did not reduce the intensity of the pain, nor did it improve sleep quality. And scientists found there was no difference in recovery time for all three groups - an average of 17 days.

Lead author Dr Christopher Williams, from the University of Sydney, said: "The results suggest we need to reconsider the universal recommendation to provide paracetamol as a first-line treatment."

'Remain active'

The researchers say the mechanisms behind lower back pain may differ to those in pain felt in other conditions such as headaches, toothaches and post-surgery discomfort - where there is evidence that paracetamol can provide relief.

And as people in the trial recovered more quickly than those in some previous studies, they suggest the advice and reassurance provided during their trial may be more effective than medication.

Dr Andrew Moore, a senior researcher at the Churchill Hospital, Oxford, who was not involved in the research, told the BBC: "Paracetamol does not work for every type of pain, nor does it work for every person.

"There has been evidence emerging for some time that paracetamol does not benefit most people with chronic back pain for example.

"And I'm willing to bet in 10 years' time national guidelines will have changed."

However, the researchers were unsure what to recommend instead due the side-effects of some anti-inflammatory pain killers and say people should discuss their options with their doctor.

Prof Roger Knaggs of the British Pain Society, told the BBC: "Despite how common paracetamol use is, this is a question that hasn't been studied in such a rigorous way before.

"For people who feel no benefit, there are alternative strategies. They should speak to their pharmacists or doctors and discuss any side-effects of other medication."

Prof Christine Lin, an author on the study, said: "Other ways to ease back pain include remaining as active as possible and avoiding bed rest."  (BBC)

ONE PILOT RECOVERED ALIVE FROM CRASHED NIGERIAN AIR FORCE HELICOPTER

The Defence Headquarters say one of the pilots of the crashed Nigerian Air Force MI-35 helicopter, has been recovered alive.

However, the second pilot and technician on board the three-member crew flight died in the crash.  The helicopter was reported to have crashed this afternoon in Bama, Borno State, during a training session, following a technical fault.

A statement forwarded to our news desk by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, ruled out enemy action, but added that investigations have commenced to unravel the circumstances that led to the accident.