Aug 24, 2024 | Testimonials
This week, we shine our MCM limelight on Benjamin Masominu Olorunfemi, an exemplary leader who has dedicated his life to the service of humanity. Born on June 7th, Benjamin is the driving force behind Rays of Hope Support Initiative (ROHSI), where he serves as the Executive Director. With a career that spans over 18 years, Benjamin has made significant strides in the field of social impact and community development, particularly in the health sector.
Benjamin’s journey is one marked by a relentless pursuit of excellence and a deep commitment to improving the lives of the underserved. His work with ROHSI has been transformative and impactful, particularly in the areas of non-communicable diseases, hypertension and diabetes. Since taking the helm in 2017, his ability to build and maintain strategic partnerships with government agencies, donors, and stakeholders has been crucial in sustaining efforts and ensuring that the organization’s mission holds, and this mission. Benjamin has successfully implemented with over 11 community health outreaches across Lagos, Oyo, and Osun states. These initiatives have provided free screenings and medication to over 5,000 individuals, offering hope and health to some of Nigeria’s most underserved, and left behind communities.
With a solid educational background in Banking and Finance from Ambrose Alli University, coupled with certifications from the Nigerian Institute of Industrial Security and the Police Training College in Ikeja. Benjamin has also taken numerous courses in entrepreneurship, leadership, cyber security, nonprofit management, and social enterprise – skills that have proven invaluable in his current role.
Benjamin’s contributions to community health and development are profound. In 2023, he was nominated for the prestigious CSR_in_Action: CAHR Award. He is also an active member of the Nigeria Network of NGOs, World Health Organisation Global Diabetes Compact Forum, and World Patients Alliance, where he continues to advocate for better health outcomes on a global scale.
Guided by his philosophy, “I believe in making a tangible difference in people’s lives,” Benjamin Masominu remains committed to serving humanity and creating opportunities. His leadership is embedded in the power of building strong partnerships and leveraging resources to address the challenges faced by underserved communities.
On Member Crush Monday Feature which also coincides with the commemoration of World Humanitarian Day, join us in celebrating Benjamin Masominu Olorunfemi, a change maker who embodies the spirit of humanitarianism and continues to inspire us all to act for humanity.
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#GlobalGoals #Rohsi3 #NNNGO
Apr 20, 2021 | Healthy Tips
HOW TO MANAGE HIGH CHOLESTEROL
Rotimi Adesanya
Cholesterol is made by the liver. It is a waxy substance that the body uses to build cells, among other processes. It is a type of fat also called a lipid. It travels through the bloodstream in tiny molecules wrapped inside proteins. These packages are called lipoproteins. Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) is one of the main types of lipoproteins in the blood. The other main type is high-density lipoproteins (HDL). A third type of lipid, called a triglyceride, also circulates in the blood. The body still needs a little cholesterol for healthy digestion and to make vitamin D and certain hormones.
Causes:
Eating too many foods that are high in cholesterol, saturated fats, and trans fats may increase the risk of developing high cholesterol. Other lifestyle factors can also contribute to high cholesterol. These factors include inactivity and smoking. The genetics can also affect ones chances of developing high cholesterol. If the parents have high cholesterol, the offspring are at higher risk of having it too.
Symptoms:
In most cases, high cholesterol is a “silent” problem. It typically doesn’t cause any symptoms. Many people don’t even realize they have high cholesterol until they develop serious complications, such as a heart attack or stroke.
Complications:
If left untreated, high cholesterol can cause plaque to build up in the arteries. Over time, this plaque can narrow your arteries. This condition is known as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis can result in many life-threatening complications, such as: stroke, heart attack, angina (chest pain), high blood pressure, peripheral vascular disease, chronic kidney disease. High cholesterol can also create a bile imbalance, raising your risk of gallstones.
Laboratory Tests:
A cholesterol screening test is collectively reffered to as the Lipid Profile and is normally done in the morning before taking breakfast. Cholesterol levels are measured in milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per decilitre (dL) of blood. Ideal results for most adults are:
Total Cholesterol: less than 200 mg/dL (the lower the number, the better)
LDL: 70 to 130 mg/dL (the lower the number, the better)
HDL: more than 40 to 60 mg/dL (the higher the number, the better)
triglycerides: 10 to 150 mg/dL (the lower the number, the better)
Dietary Advice:
Following dietary guidelines, there are no specific recommended limits for the amount of cholesterol one consumes from food. But it’s still important to pay attention to the food that one eats in order to keep the body’s cholesterol levels in a healthy range.
Doctors now recommend that one limits the amount of harmful saturated fats, trans fats, and added sugars in the diet. You should also keep an eye on your cholesterol intake since foods that are high in cholesterol also tend to be high in saturated fats.
Cholesterol itself is only found in animal-based foods, including meat, dairy products, seafood, egg yolks, butter. Shrimp is high in cholesterol but very low in saturated fat.
Cholesterol-free foods…. There’s no cholesterol in foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts. These are also all part of a healthy well-balanced diet.
Read Also:
Foods that are high in saturated fats and should be limited include: red meat and pork, baked goods, such as cakes and cookies, cheese, pizza, ice cream, processed meats, such as sausages, fried foods.
Foods containing unhealthy trans fats, which should be avoided, include fried foods, packaged foods with “hydrogenated oils” in the ingredients list baked goods, such as cakes, pies, and cookies, margarine, microwave popcorn, frosting.
Foods that contain healthy unsaturated fats, which you should eat, include olive, peanut, canola, safflower, and sunflower oils, avocados, most nuts, but especially walnuts, most seeds.
Treatment:
Cholesterol medications: In some cases, your doctor might prescribe medications to help lower your cholesterol levels. Statins are the most commonly prescribed medications for high cholesterol. They block the liver from producing more cholesterol.
Prevention:
Genetic risk factors for high cholesterol can’t be controlled. However, lifestyle factors can be managed.
To lower your risk of developing high cholesterol:
Eat a nutritious diet that’s low in cholesterol and animal fats, and high in fibre like oat bran, found in oatmeal and whole oats.
Avoid excessive alcohol consumption.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Exercise regularly.
Don’t smoke.
In conclusion, Pay attention to the saturated and trans fats on the food labels, as well as added sugars. The less of these one consumes, the better. No more than 10 per cent of one daily calorie should come from either saturated fats or added sugars. Don’t worry about eating enough cholesterol. The body makes enough whether or not one consumes it. Eat healthier, unsaturated fats. Try replacing butter with extra virgin olive oil in cooking, Eat lean cuts of meat, and snack nuts and seeds instead of French fries or processed snack foods.
Sep 20, 2020 | News
ROHSI CREATES AWARENESS ON SALIENT ILLNESSES
By Canice Opara
The Rays of Hope Support Initiative (ROHSI) has been creating awareness on salient sicknesses in the country, such as hypertension and diabetes through education on their health implications.
According to Mr. Benjamin Olorunfemi, founder of the organization, these ailments have been causing a lot of problems in the country, and unfortunately people are not always taking them seriously, hence his organization has embarked on an awareness campaign to education citizens.
Olorunfemi, who narrated how he almost died through these sickness, said he later researched on them only to discover that high blood pressure and diabetes are among other non-communicable diseases millions of Nigerians are battling with without knowing what they are, that this has led to his desire to raise awareness, provide health education, get people screened for hypertension and diabetes with the vision to reducing the untimely death resulting from complications caused by these ailments. Hence, Rays of Hope Support Initiative (ROHSI) was born in March 2017.
“We found out that if people had access to information and medical services early, deaths and other health complications arising from these ailments could be prevented. Then we decided to fight against these diseases with one-on-one talk Initiative, which was later extended to our communities because of the increasing number of people who need information and treatment”, he said.
Olorunfemi, quoting the World Health Organisation (WHO), said hypertension and diabetes are responsible for an estimated 45 percent of adults’ death due to heart diseases, and 51 percent of deaths due to stroke globally, with studies blaming the increasing prevalence of the condition on lifestyle and dietary factors such as physical inactivity, alcohol and tobacco use, and a diet high in sodium usually from processed and fatty foods. That unfortunately, the control of hypertension and diabetes has become a priority in many countries of the world, but remains a crisis in Nigeria in terms of awareness and management as the condition continues unabated.
He stated that studies continue to show from experts that more Nigerians are daily battling with these ailments without laid down measures, and asked why?
The ROHSI founder believes that economic downturn and the astronomical increase in managing these ailments are forcing many people to go on compulsory “drug holiday’’, as they found it hard to get funds in getting medical screening and medication on real-time. And that it could be why today people are seeking an alternative to orthodox drugs and treatment, as the economic situation has not allowed the majority of them to be able to cope with continuing medication.
He wondered why government, whose responsibility it is to create awareness and help pharmaceutical companies in curbing these sicknesses, is not doing much in that regard.
“Our government that was supposed to help in terms of awareness, providing relief and subsidies to pharmaceutical companies and the people with hypertension and diabetes to ameliorates their health conditions are not doing much even; our primary healthcare centres that supposed to be the first point of call for screening, detecting and helping in alleviating these ailments are not functioning to their name. Today, many of these patients are going back to alternative medicine or ‘’drug holiday’’ as I have said earlier, which often worsens the condition resulting in more health complications”, Olorunfemi lamented.
He said based on this, they are coming in to bridge that gap by coming in today as an organization to provide means by which more of people with these ailments could be reached through programmes like community outreaches, where they have provided free screening and medication to over 3,000 Nigerians.
“We all know there are significant health and economic gains attached to early detection, adequate treatment and good control of hypertension and diabetes than treating the complications of these ailments”, he reminded.
While saying that his organisation has the vision of supporting the health and well-being of people through health education and enlightenment, Olorunfemi said “but it’s not what we can do alone as an organisation; we need like minded people like you to help us with your time, network, resources among others in achieving the following:
“To create awareness on the effects and management of hypertension and diabetes among our people with special interest among the low income and the less privileged members of our society.
“To help increase the understanding among the communities, especially the less privileged members of the communities battling with these ailments about its impact on their health.
“To reduce the percentage of people with these diseases significantly through our awareness, health education and community outreaches respectively with follow-up on a great percentage of the people.
“To provide people living with hypertension or diabetes with comprehensive information on the causes and management.
“To provide our targeted audience with ongoing follow-up information on hypertension and diabetes.
“To reach a larger number of the communities with pamphlets, handbill, lecture in local dialects for clear and better understanding of what hypertension and diabetes are all about, and how deadly they could become if not discovered and managed on time”.
Olorunfemi advised that Nigerians should discourage people from resorting to self – medication, but instead seek for proper medical attention.
He added that all of the above cannot be achieved without Nigerians’ efforts and contributions, and that is why his organisation is asking people to join them with all that they have in achieving these.
First Published By Dispatch News Online http://dispatchnews.com.ng/2020/09/19/rohsi-creates-awareness-on-salient-illnesses/
