Behavioural & Dietary Change - Key to Beating Cancer

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has reported that cancers are among the leading causes of death worldwide, accounting for 8.2million deaths in 2012 which is a rise from 7.6million in 2008.

The most common causes of cancer death are cancers of the Lung (1.59million deaths), Liver (745.000), Stomach (723.000), Colorectal (694.000), Breast (521.000) and Oesophageal (400.000).

WHO says about 30% of cancer deaths are due to the 5 leading behavioural and dietary risks which are; high body mass index, low fruit and vegetable intake, lack of physical activity, tobacco use and alcohol use. Tobacco use is the most important risk factor for cancer, causing 22% of global cancer deaths and about 71% of global lung cancer deaths. It's clearly evident that the risk of cancers can be drastically trimmed down if we change some of our bad habits. Cancer is definitely beatable in this light.

Cancer causing viral infections such as Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV) and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) are responsible for up to 20% of cancer deaths in low- and middle-income countries. Cervical cancer which is caused by HPV is a leading cause of cancer death among women in low-income countries.

 Estimated Cancer Incidence and Mortality – GLOBOCAN 2012

	Men Cases	Men Deaths	Women Cases	Women Deaths
World	7 427 000	4 653 000	6 663 000	3 548 000
More Developed regions	3 244 000	1 591 000	2 832 000	1 287 000
Less Developed regions	4 184 000	3 062 000	3 831 000	2 261 000
WHO Africa region (AFRO)	265 000	205 000	381 000	250 000
WHO Americas region (PAHO)	1 454 000	677 000	1 429 000	618 000
WHO East Mediterranean region (EMRO)	263 000	191 000	293 000	176 000
WHO Europe region (EURO)	1 987 000	1 080 000	1 750 000	852 000
WHO South-East Asia region (SEARO)	816 000	616 000	908 000	555 000
WHO Western Pacific region (WPRO)	2 642 000	1 882 000	1 902 000	1 096 000
IARC Membership–24countries	3 706 000	1 900 000	3 354 000	1 570 000
United States of America	825 000	342 000	779 000	293 000
China	1 823 000	1 429 000	1 243 000	776 000
India	477 000	357 000	537 000	326 000
European Union (EU-28)	1 446 000	715 000	1 211 000	560 000

More than 60% of the world’s total new annual cases occur in Africa, Asia, Central and South America. These regions account for 70% of the world’s cancer deaths.

Tobacco Use

Source: modifylifestyle.com

“Smoking is by far the most important preventable cause of cancer,” says Cancer Research UK adding that smoking accounts for more than one in four UK cancer deaths and nearly a fifth of all cancer cases. Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer as well as of 14 others including cancers of the larynx (voice box), oesophagus (gullet), mouth and pharynx (throat), bladder, pancreas, kidney, liver, stomach, bowel, cervix, ovary, nose and sinus, breast and some types of leukaemia.

Children are mostly affected by passive smoking because they breathe faster than adults.

Alcohol Use

A 2011 review by Cancer Research UK suggest around 4% cancers are linked to alcohol. High alcohol intake increases the risk of mouth, liver, breast, bowel and throat cancers. In the UK for example, people have adopted a frequent casual drinking culture which in most cases turns to ‘binge drinking’ and is highly risky to one’s health. The National Health Services (NHS) recommends the following; Men should not regularly drink more than 3-4 units of alcohol per day and for women it's no more than 2-3 units. It also recommends that if you've had a heavy drinking session, you must avoid alcohol for 48 hours. One ‘unit’ equals 10ml or 8g or pure alcohol. ‘Regularly’ means drinking this amount everyday or most days of the week.

Source: drinkaware.co.uk

Smoking and drinking together raises the risk of these cancers far more than the effects of either drinking or smoking alone.

Diet

Fruit and Vegetables – Your 5 a day

A study by Cancer Research showed that people who eat the widest range of fruit and vegetables have 22% lower risk of mouth cancer than those with the narrowest range. However these should not be taken as supplements but as real fruit and vegetables. “Fruit and vegetables are a good source of natural fibre and there is strong evidence that high levels of fibre reduce bowel cancer.” Eating plenty of fruit and vegetables can help you maintain a healthy body weight.

Red and Processed Meat

Medical experts have advised to desist from eating lots of red or processed meat because it increases the risk of bowel cancer. The meats contain a red pigment called haem which can irritate or damage the cells in the bowel. Red meat which include all fresh, minced and frozen beef, pork or lamb may also cause pancreatic and stomach cancers. Processed meat includes ham, bacon, salami, sausages, spam, conned beef, pate and tinned meat. A report from Cancer Research suggests around a quarter of bowel cancer cases in men and around one sixth in women are linked to eating red or processed meat.

Consequentially, processed meat is more strongly linked to cancer risk than red meat due to the compounds i.e. nitrites and nitrates; which are used to preserve the meat. There is some evidence that the effects of haem could be countered by chlorophyll, found in green vegetables. It is advised not to take more than 100g of meat a day. White meat is healthier than red meat.

Fish

Eating lots of fish (particularly oily fish like salmon, trout,  mackerel) may lower the risk of bowel cancer.

Fibre rich foods

A review showed that eating 10g of fibre per day can reduce the risk of bowel cancer by around 10%. Examples of food rich in fibre are whole grains cereals and bread, brown rice and pulses. Fibre triggers the production of helpful chemicals and increases the frequency of bowel movements.

Salt

A diet with lots of salt increases one’s risk of stomach cancer by damaging the lining of the stomach and causing inflammation, or by making the stomach lining more sensitive to carcinogens such as nitrates. Countries such as Japan where people eat a lot of salt, pickled and smoked foods have a high rate of stomach cancer. A diet with no more than 6g of salt each day is recommended.

Animal Fats

Eat less animal fats for example butter, cream, cheese.

Cooking Methods

Boiling or braising meat is much healthier than cooking it at very high temperatures like barbeque or grilling which can cause the meat to produce harmful chemicals such as heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons many of which cause cancer. It is better not to fry foods and if you use fats in cooking, choose vegetable oils or olive oil; not lard or butter.

High Body Mass Index

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), overweight or obese people have an increased risk of bowel and pancreatic cancers and this could be because they tend to have higher insulin levels. Obese means being more than 25% overweight. The ACS goes on to say having too much belly fat (that is a larger waistline) regardless of body weight, is linked with an increased risk of colon and rectal cancer, and is probably linked to a higher risk of cancers of the pancreas, endometrium, and breast cancer in women past menopause. Obesity may also lead to oesophageal, kidney, and gallbladder cancers.

It’s essential to frequently check one’s body mass index to make sure you maintain it at the right level. Exercise and frequent physical activities will help you maintain a healthy body weight. 

Viruses

Viruses can help to cause some cancers. These cancers and viruses are linked;

Cancers	Virus
Cervical cancer and other cancers of the genital and anal area	HPV
Primary liver cancer	HBV, HCV
Lymphomas	Epstein-Barr
T cell leukaemia in adults	Human T cell leukaemia
Oropharyngeal cancer and non menoloma skin cancers in some people	HPV

However, many people can be infected with a cancer causing virus, and never get cancer.

Genetic Predisposition

Hereditary cancers are primarily caused by an inherited genetic defect. According to Macmillan Cancer Support, it’s thought that about 5-10% of cases may be linked to inherited genes. “Scientists have discovered cancer susceptibility genes for some of the more common cancers that can run in families such as breast, bowel, ovary and womb. There are other cancers such as prostate, pancreatic and testicular which may run in families, but specific cancer susceptibility genes for these cancers haven’t been identified yet”, they said.

Age

Age is the single biggest risk factor for cancer. The older you are the more likely you are to develop cancer because the longer we live, the more cancer causing faults we accumulate in our DNA. Nearly two thirds of all cases of cancer diagnosed in the UK occur in people aged over 65 years. Macmillan Cancer Support reported that age is the strongest risk factor for prostate cancer citing that men under 50 years of age were at a lesser risk. Similarly, the risk factor of developing breast cancer also increases with age.

Ultra-violet (UV) Radiation

The American Cancer Society says skin cancer is the most common of all cancers in the United States of America (USA) accounting for nearly half of all cancers in the US. The main cause is exposure to ultra-violet radiation from the sun as well as sunlamps and sun-beds (tanning beds and booths). Most modern Ultra Violet (UV) tanning beds emit more than 95% UVA rays. UV light damages the DNA of our skin cells and can cause skin cancer. So this is food for thought for you the next time you decide on getting that 'trendy tan'. It's not a fashion or beauty statement but a skin damage statement  and can increase the risk of skin cancer. Next time you go for that long awaited summer holiday, make sure you protect yourself from the sun by wearing a hat, sunglasses, putting on some sun-screen and staying in the shade. A trip to the tanning booth is not a good idea after all.

The Bagpipes Have Spoken ... it's NO to Scottish Independence

Scots playing bagpipes at a parade (Source : spoonandchair.wordpress.com)

After months of intense campaigning, heated debates, clashing and agreeing of diverse points and erratic speculation on the Scottish Referendum, the Scots finally went to the polls yesterday and a resounding No vote to independence is the result. 53.3% voted to remain a part of the United Kingdom while 44.7% voted for independence.

A paltry 4 council areas voted Yes which were Dundee, West Dunbartonshire, Glasgow and North Lanarkshire. 28 council areas voted No, bringing a resounding victory to the “Better Together” camp.

 

At a press conference this morning “Better Together” leader Alistair Darling still promised to work towards change in Scotland saying 'No vote doesn't mean No change'. Yes campaign leader Alex Salmond accepted Scotland's voice and urged Scots to move on together. Back in Downing Street Prime Minister David Cameron affirmed his promise of further devolution of powers to Scotland in what some have described as a quasi Devo Max (Maximum Devolution), which means getting power over everything apart from defence and foreign affairs. There is a huge sentiment that Holyrood might not gain control over oil take or corporation tax.

In Aberdeenshire which is Salmond’s council area, 40% voted Yes while in Edinburgh which is Darling’s, 61% voted No.

It was an 84% voter turnout as 3.6million of the total 4.2million registered voters cast their ballots. This voter turnout has been described as a record high in the UK. The No victory suggests that perhaps independence was not necessarily the necessary way to go, in trying to gain more powers for Scotland.

 Below is a breakdown of how the 32 council areas voted.

Yes Votes

Dundee - 57%

W. Dunbartonshire – 54%

Glasgow – 53%

N. Lanarkshire – 51%

No Votes
Edinburgh - 61%	E. Dunbartonshire - 61%
Fife - 55%	E. Lothian - 62%
S. Lanarkshire - 55%	E. Renfrewshire - 63%
Aberdeenshire - 60%	Eileanan Siar - 53%
Highland - 53%	Inverclyde - 51%
Aberdeen - 59%	Midlothian - 56%
W. Lothian - 55%	Moray - 58%
Renfrewshire - 53%	N. Ayrshire - 51%
Falkirk - 53%	Orkney Islands - 67%
Angus - 56%	Perth &Kincross - 60%
Argyll & Bute - 59%	Scottish Borders - 67%
Clackmannanshire - 54%	Shetland Islands - 64%
Dumfries & Galloway - 66%	S. Ayrshire - 58%
East Ayrshire - 53%	Stirling - 60%

After the results were announced the British Pound strengthened and shares rose. Royal Bank of Scotland which had last week indicated that in the event of an Independent Scotland, its headquarters would move to England, its shares today went up by 4 percent which is nearly a two-year high against the Euro. This suggests business confidence in a united United Kingdom. 

In the run-up to next year’s general elections Westminster must be seen owning up to its promise for devolution of powers for Scotland in-order for most Scots to vote in favour of conservative Members of Parliament.

EBOLA VIRUS - Potentially Sexually Transmitted

Electron micrograph of an Ebola virus virion

The Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) formerly known as Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever (EHF) has now claimed 2296 lives in the West African region, the World Health Organisation (WHO) reported on Tuesday. The death toll has jumped by almost 200 in a single day and has been described by the WHO as “the largest and most severe and most complex we have ever seen”, since it was first discovered in 1976.

More than 40 percent of the deaths have occurred in 3 weeks leading up to 3 September; WHO says indicating that the epidemic is fast outpacing efforts to control it.

Sexual Transmission of the Ebola is potentially a reason for this ferocious spread. In a 2007 report published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases entitled Assessment of the Risk of Ebola Virus Transmission from Bodily Fluids of Fomites written by an Associate Professor in the Department of Tropical Medicine at Tulane University Health Sciences Centre, Daniel Bausch has shown that Ebola can be transmitted sexually even after the man has recovered from the disease. He said, “The isolation of EBOV (Ebola Virus) from semen 40 days after the onset of illness underscores the risk of sexual transmission of the filoviruses during convalescence. Zaire EBOV has been detected in the semen of convalescent patients by virus isolation (82days)... Marbug virus has also been isolated from the semen and linked conclusively to sexual transmission 13 weeks in convalescence.”

The WHO has cited a specific instance when the Ebola virus was found in the semen of a man 61days after recovery. Medical Director of Emory University Hospital in Atlanta’s Infectious Disease Unit, Bruce Ribner has also said, “Many survivors actually have the virus in their semen or vaginal secretions. Many of these must be sexually active and henceforth, sexual intimacy might be the reason for the uncontrolled spreading of this epidemic.” This also implies that vaginal secretions of an infected woman and one that is in convalescence also carries the Ebola virus and henceforth can sexually transmit it to their partner.

Henceforth the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention which hosted a special hour-long Twitter chat to answer questions on Ebola has cautioned people to abstain from sex or to alternatively use condoms for up to 3 months after recovering from Ebola.

Ebola can also be transmitted from mother-to-child through breast milk, Bausch's research findings also revealed. He stated, “In-fact, breastfed children of the mothers whose milk was later tested in this study, died of laboratory confirmed EHF during early stages of the outbreak.” The research also proved that transmission of the virus from breast milk may occur even during convalescence. Hence Bausch advised mothers who survive EHF to avoid breastfeeding and contact with the mucous membranes of the eye for at least 3 months after recovery to avoid transmitting the virus to their infant. An epidemiologist at the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Barbara Krust has said women were instructed to wean any children who have been breastfeeding because the Ebola virus tends to linger on in breast milk even after the woman has recovered.

Health Worker being sprayed clean with chlorine solution at
Foya Ebola management centre in Liberia. (Source: www.msf.org)

The WHO has recorded 4293 cases from West African countries as of 6 September but it still did not have new figures for Liberia, the worst affected country, suggesting the true toll is already much higher. Liberia has accounted for half of all the fatalities. Below are the latest statistics of the Ebola infections and fatalities from the WHO as of 6 September 2014;

	Total Number of People Infected	Deaths
	4293	2296
Liberia	2046	1224
Sierra Leone	1361	509
Guinea	862	555
Nigeria	21	8
Senegal	3	0

WHO says support teams are struggling to contain the disease as well as adequately attend to all patients due to the lack of resources. It sites as an example the need for up to 1000 beds in a case where they only have 240. Infected people were being driven to treatment centers only to be turned away, return home and create ‘flare-ups’ of deadly fever in their village. This, coupled with poor health care in these West African countries together with difficulties associated with the caring of patients poses a non-near-future containment of the disease. 

The name of the disease, 'Ebola' originates from the first recorded outbreak in 1976 in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo (then Zaire) which lies on the Ebola River. There is no known cure or licensed vaccine for the virus and the use of experimental drugs has been deemed unethical.

So many are dying in such a painful and gruesome way, and the pictures are hardly easy on the eye. One United Nations Children's agency worker has described the situation in Liberia as "Biological war" and this is very much different from other forms of war zones where you get journalists streaming over to get pictures, interviews and exclusive stories. This place is exclusively voluntarily 'out of bounds'. 

Scottish Independence - Is it a 'Divorce with Benefits'?

With only 26 days left before Scotland goes to vote in an independence referendum, the populace has mixed feelings on whether to vote for independence or to remain part of the United Kingdom (UK). According to the UK Polling Report published on the 18^th of August 2014, 43% are saying YES to independence while 57% are saying NO. However there still are a significant number of voters who remain undecided and a question to be asked is; Is this a safe position for Scotland this late towards the elections? This is in no doubt the biggest decision in Scotland’s history.

Scotland First Minister, Alex Salmond (Source: www.scotland.gov.uk)

Scotland First Minister Alex Salmond is leading the Yes Campaign adamant that Scotland is more than ready for a divorce from the 307 year-old seemingly ‘defunct’ marriage to Westminster, which he says has strolled and trod on Scot’s economic, social and political progress.

“It is my absolute conviction that Scotland’s future should be in Scotland’s hands,” he says. “The vote in September is about becoming independent from the parliamentary union of 1707 and passing to the Scottish Parliament the powers Westminster has over matters such as taxation, welfare and the economy, and securing for Scotland our own place in the world as an independent country.”

Salmond’s camp has occasionally described Labour Member of Parliament Alistair Darling’s ‘Better Together’ campaign 'scaremongers' who trade on spurious scare stories in-order to instil fear in the voters so that they desist from voting for independence. 

Scottish Labour Party Member of Parliament, Alistair Darling
(Source: http://www.agenciabrasil.gov.br/media/imagens/2006/09/05/2150AC062.jpg/view)

Darling’s No camp labels the Yes campaign and strategy as a big gamble that can’t be relied on. The following are the arguments being put forward by the two opposing parties and a real bone of contention and sticking point for the undecided voters is that of the currency to be used by an independent Scotland.

Currency

Salmond maintains that no one has the right to deny Scotland the use of the Pound-Sterling because it’s their currency as well as it is that of the rest of the UK. In a debate some weeks ago, Salmond refused to spell out Plan B on which currency to use if Westminster refuses with the Pound-Sterling. Darling played this to his advantage saying Salmond has no clear strategy in line with currency which is detrimental to the success of the Yes campaign because this is a crucial aspect for everyone in Scotland including the business sector.

 Oil and Gas

According to the Yes campaign, Scotland can invest its oil wealth for future generations. The campaign believes there is estimated to be as much North Sea oil still to come as has already been extracted. Scottish waters consist of a large sector of the North Altantic and the North Sea, containing the largest oil reserves in the European Union. This has given Aberdeen the 3^rd largest city in Scotland the title of Europe’s oil capital.

Scotland’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) including oil and gas produced in Scottish waters was estimated at £150 billion for the calendar year 2012. Hence, credible sources say if Scotland became independent it would hold 95% of the UK’s current oil and gas reserves if they were split geographically using a median line from the English-Scottish border. If the reserves were split by population, that figure would be reduced to 9%.

The NO campaign disputes the Scottish National Party claims about the value of oil and gas in Scottish waters. They say Scotland has run a deficit in 20 of the last 21 years – in other words every penny has been spent on public services like schools, hospitals and pensions. The No campaign also believes that as part of the bigger UK economy, Scotland is protected from the oil and gas price fluctuations.

Economy

Salmond envisions an independent Scotland with a strong and diverse economy with high performing sectors including manufacturing, food and drink, tourism, energy and high potential growth areas in life sciences and biotechnology. Darling says size matters and being a part of the UK means Scotland has a bigger customer base. The ‘Better Together’ campaign quotes a report published by the Independent Institute for Fiscal Studies which suggests that an independent Scotland would face a gap between tax income and spending more than twice as large as the rest of the UK.

Healthcare

The Yes campaign intends to keep the National Health Services (NHS) in public hands and maintain an NHS that is free at the point of use and need – as opposed to its privatisation which is being proposed by Westminster. 

According to Darling, the strength, stability and security of the UK economy safeguards the NHS for generations to come. He goes on to say independent Scotland can’t afford good health care because if it gets independent it would face between £3billion and £10billion of cuts or increases. A separate health border from the UK would mean that some treatments too specialised would not be cost-effective in a country of 5million. As part of the UK, Scots have access to dozens of treatments that are unavailable in Scotland with no hustle and no charge. On the other hand Salmond says an independent Scotland doesn’t mean ending current cross-border arrangements with health services in the rest of the UK, which have continued even though the NHS in Scotland already operates independently. This sounds like an 'independence with benefits’. The question is, Is this practical?

Pensions

Salmond promises to protect pensioners’ incomes with the triple lock so that pensions increase by inflation, earnings or 2.5%, whichever is highest. In an independent Scotland, the parliament would have the flexibility to alter the pensionable age while still offering people the security of knowing that their pension will be paid on time and in full. According to Darling, the best way of ensuring Scotland’s pensioners are supported is by spreading those increasing costs across 60million people across the UK – not just 5million in Scotland.

Defence

The Yes camp say independent Scotland will set up a separate Scottish Defence Force and Scottish Intelligence Services. They also intend to remove nuclear weapons from Scotland and this would be with a view to the removal of Trident (an operation system of four Vanguard-class submarines armed with Trident II D-S ballistic missiles, able to deliver thermonuclear warheads from multiple independent re-entry vehicles. It is the most expensive and most powerful capability of the British military forces. At least one submarine is always on patrol to provide a continuous at sea deterrent).

A Trident Missile armed Vanguard class ballistic missile submarine
(Source: 222.naval-technology.com)

The No camp snubs off SNP’s proposed defence strategy describing it as fantasy. It quotes Former Black Watch Commander Lieutenant General Sir Alistair Irwin who said, “to spend money in Scotland replicating all the existing UK-wide policy, administrative and practical functions that are needed to sustain a defence force seem profligate, to say the least of it...there is, i think, little doubt that the nation and its interests...would not only be less well protected than they are now but more to the point, would actually be inadequately protected.” Separation will only compromise Scottish security. Darling also argues that some 12 000 people working in Scotland’s defence sector face the risk of losing their jobs because some of them work for defence contractors on UK contracts.

The Case of the European Union (EU)

An independent Scotland intends to be a part of the EU so says the Yes campaign, but the process involved in joining is not as easy. Scotland would have to go through the process of applying to enter the EU like any other new country and one of the requirements is that the country should pledge to join the Euro currency, something that the SNP is not in favour of.

Education

Proportionally Scotland has more universities in QS’ World University Rankings’ top 100 than any other nation in the world, and in 2014 research reported by the office for National Statistics found that Scotland was the most highly educated country in Europe and among the most well-educated in the world in terms of tertiary education attainment, with roughly 40% of people in Scotland aged 16-64 educated to NVQ Level 4 and above. This is a heritage that the Yes campaign seeks to maintain through independence. The campaign says independence will allow Scotland to protect the principle of free education and free access to higher education. It also promises Scotland will pay its way within the common research area and contribute to arrangements for research funding through the existing Research Councils.

According to ‘Better Together’, this thriving tertiary education is as a result of Scotland being part of the UK and not a solo success. Darling goes on to say Scottish universities are backed by a disproportionate share of UK Research Council and UK Charity Funding and the unity offers greater opportunities for Scottish students and researchers. ‘Better Together’ questions the legality of SNP’s white paper proposal to exclusively charge English and Welsh students tuition fees in the event of independence and joining of the EU.

Welfare

Upon independence, SNP plans to abolish the ‘bedroom tax’ within the first year. It also intends to halt the further roll out of Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments in Scotland. It also promises to ensure that benefits and tax credits increase at least in line with inflation to avoid the poorest families falling further into poverty. ‘Better Together’ believes that pooling and sharing of resources across the UK makes higher benefit spending in Scotland more affordable as opposed to Scotland going it alone.

In the event that Scotland votes for independence on the 18^th of September, Scotland would become an independent country 24 March 2016 as proposed by Salmond. Are Salmond's proposals practical and implementable? There is a high degree of supposition and uncertainty in his quest for independence. Yes, it takes time for a country that has just gained independence to stand on its own two feet, but it seems Salmond's policies are based too much on continued operational ties with the rest of the UK- as if Scotland will only relate with the UK when it benefits the Scots. If that be the case, is Westminster going to agree to be taken advantage of? 

On the other hand Salmond believes in the rich and vibrant Scottish economy and its viability in the rest of the UK, Europe & the world.

Where Are Our Girls?

Chibok school girls abducted by Boko Haram

110 days have passed since the Chibok girls were abducted by Boko Haram militants from their boarding school in Nigeria. Both the international community and local Nigerian government pledged to do all they could to bring back the girls but till now; nothing of material has been done. There is no sign of any of them at all. So, WHERE ARE OUR GIRLS?

Each and every passing second is more than a living nightmare for the girls’ families. Each passing minute, each and every single one of these girls is exposed to such ills as violent rape, physical, emotional and sexual assault, sexual slavery, ‘forced marriages’, unwanted pregnancies, miscarriages due to abuse, risk of contracting all forms of sexually transmitted infections, murder, torture, hunger, lack of proper sanitary-ware and sanitation, brainwashing and indoctrination, risk of developing stockholm syndrome...OH DEAR LORD! All this is happening as the world powers are more concerned about their economic wars in Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Syria, Iraq, and Gaza. Nobody seems to care about the girls anymore, that is if they ever did.

The international community which was so seemingly adamant to get the girls back, seems to have been affected by a ‘quiet syndrome’ because they ain’t talking about it anymore. Have you done all you can to help locate the girls? If it were your daughter would you be so silent? The time has come for you to tell us, Where Our Girls Are?

In April, people around the world marched, demonstrated, showed all forms of remorse against the Chibok girls abductions and these gross human right violations. The media was less than eager to report on this issue which was in the interest of the public until they were compelled to do so by members of the public. Yes, there was a lot of coverage of the story for a few days but now it has died out...just how this whole atrocity is about to die out and the girls never to be recovered again.  The media are now instead, focusing on Gaza’s children. Are the Chibok girls of less importance? I beg, Where Are Our Girls?

The United Nations is sitting every other day and Secretary General Ban ki Moon calling for immediate cease fire in the Israel – Gaza conflict again and again. The children of Gaza seem more important than those of Chibok because Mr. Sec. General is not calling for any move to stop Boko Haram. Is the UN not a representative of the girls? Is the UN not a representative of the girls’ parents? Mr. Secretary General, Where Are Our Girls?

Boko Haram has unleashed a reign of terror through bombings, kidnappings and all sorts of other ills in the Nigerian society as well as neighbouring countries. They demand the release of their soldiers from prison in exchange for the girls – like, seriously!!??

Just the other day, two Boko Haram militants were captured and arrested after being found with a 10 year old girl who had a bomb strapped to her body. Are our girls now being used as suicide bombers? Is this a sure sign that more other girl-child abductions are going unreported? The Nigerian government continues to look on since the militants have connections with high officials. Maybe the white colour on your flag which ‘resembled’ peace ought to be changed to black for terror, war and bloodshed. You are not willing to stop these acts of impunity but we continue to ask, Where Are Our Girls?

Cameroonian Vice President’s wife who was kidnapped last Friday by Boko Haram has already been rescued! How easy is it to hide and conceal one person as opposed to 273 girls? Definitely there was some kind of settlement. It’s a pity the Chibok girls don’t have parents in high positions for example politicians and business people otherwise they would be back home by now.

Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan dashed the kidnapped girls’ parents some money equivalent to and in some cases less than US$2000 as a way of ‘consoling’ the bereaved families. He has resorted to the old adage Nigerian style of settling issues – that is bribery. Is the money going to stop the families missing their daughters and sisters? A mother carried her daughter in her womb for nine whole months and was the happiest and proudest when she delivered her into the world. A world full of un-just and in-human people. At birth the mother shed tears of JOY. Three months ago till the daughter comes back home, it will just be tears of SORROW. Mr. President, we want to see some luck as your name suggests, otherwise you have desperately failed us. We eagerly wait for the return of our girls.

We yearn for that day when you will bring back our girls and tell us, ‘Here they are, safe and sound’.