By Efa Sunday
A Professor of Paediatric, Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Prof. Emmanuel Eyo-Ekanem, Director of University of Calabar (UNICAL) Alumni Association Directorate has called on Nigerians to embrace daily intake of one egg in their meals, stating that it cures rickets and Kwashiokor, especially amongst children.
The Professor made this call while speaking at the 85th inaugural lecture of the University on the topic ‘The Gut,The Thymus, The Cerebrum and The Future- A Basic Continuum,’ which held at the University of Calabar International Conference Centre.
Expantiating on the topic, the scholar said, “thymus is a little gland around the neck region, and it is an important organ that serves as immunity against diseases. And it is the primary site for differentiation, maturity and acquisition of competence by the white blood cells.”
Speaking on the notable signs of kwashiokor in children, which he said is majorly causes by poverty which leads to malnutrition, Ekanem added, “these children have reduced head circumference, which makes them intellectually incapacitated, suffer short term memory, suffer partial perception, and are retarded in speech.
“…that child is short and looks physically sickly and unfit, for ladies, they have small pelvies, which later constitute problem during child birth.”
While proffering solutions, he emphasised the need to eat more proteinous meals, especially eggs, saying that “eggs are rich in vitamins that make for proper growth in children, and increase their intelligent quotients.”
He also called on the Government and NGOs to “carry out planned community based nutritional education, scale up simple strategies for growth monitoring, exclusive breastfeeding, and oral rehydration therapy.”
He continued, “… make widely available pre-packes nutritional cereals based feeds for children from six months and distribute free or at least subsidized rate, and these should replace carbonated drinks.”
Some of the guests present at the event which held at the international conference centre of the school were the Vice Chancellor of UNICAL, Prof. Zana Apkagu, Former VC James Ikpoke, VC CRUTECH, Prof. Owan Enoh, Provost College of Medical Science, Prof. Victor Ansa and a host of other prominent personalities.