Mr Popoola Olugbenga, a Physiotherapist with Federal Medical Centre in Yenagoa has expressed concern over the habit of giving native massage to pregnant women in the state.
Olugbenga, who is also the Head of Physiotherapy Department in the hospital told the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Yenagoa after a two-day physiotherapy outreach that local massaging was not an alternative to ante-natal care.
He explained that the physiotherapy outreach organised and sponsored by the department was part of social responsibility activities to communities in Bayelsa State.
The physiotherapist said that the programme, held in about three communities in the state, was aimed at educating the people on the need for healthy living.
He urged pregnant women seeking native massage to desist from it, noting that such act could endanger the baby’s condition in the womb.
Olugbenga said “women should know that pregnancy is not a disease that they should be going out from the routine antenatal care; moreover, not even every health challenge needs massaging.
“Pregnant women should know that the native massagers have limited knowledge about antenatal care; they have limited knowledge about other related diseases like stroke, cerebral palsy, facial nerve palsy, among others.
“Obviously, these diseases can be preventable if people begin to give proper attention to their health.”
On prevention of stroke, Olugbenga said regular exercise, good lifestyles, eating balanced diet, regular check up with medical experts, especially on blood pressure could go a long way.
The physiotherapist added that stroke, cerebral palsy and facial nerve palsy, could occur when blood circulation from the brain to other parts of the body was poor, describing the brain as power house of human body.
Mr Francis Iyado, another Physiotherapist, explained that many stroke-related issues were caused by lack of attention to one’s health.
He said “stroke could be in form of blindness and one may not know that it was stroke; sometime, it could make one unconscious and you begin to loss memory.
“We must always give proper care to our health, exercise regularly, avoid excessive alcoholic drinking, maintain healthy lifestyle, among others,” Iyado stated.
Mr Genesis Nemekie from Okutukutu Community, Yenagoa Local Government Area, said the medical outreach to the people in the area was a welcome development.
-NAN
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