Dokita Volume 30 - public health edition

This is the much awaited Public Health Edition. And I daresay that it could not have come at a better time. Preventive Medicine is the order of the day in the field of medicine especially as related to Malaria and HIV/AIDS. The acceptable term now in the fight against malaria is malaria control rather than Eradication. This is as a result of the difficulty in finding a cure to this particular tropical scourge. Several programs have been executed in the past with minimal success but the Roll Back Malaria Initiative by the WHO promises better results. This is not only because of the use of insecticide treated bed nets and colour coded drugs, but its heavy reliance on community participation. The rationale being that the community itself must have a responsibility in the fight against this disease. The recent elevation of Artemisin based drugs to first line use I the treatment of malaria by the Federal Ministry of Health is an evidence of the persistence of this age-old disease and goes to show further that prevention, for now, is the “cure” for malaria.

HIV/AIDS is a case in point in the use of preventive strategies in the fight against diseases. Data from the sentinel survey by the Federal Ministry of Health, 2003 indicates a decline in the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. This can be attributed to better education of the populace on the mode of transmission of HIV and its complications. Radio programmes, Television adverts, posters and handbills are all over the country by several NGOs warning the public of the dangers of HIV/AIDS and how to avoid getting infected. HIV/AIDS is now accepted by Nigerians not as a myth but as glaring threat that is here to stay if not properly handled. The Success of some African countries in lowering the prevalence of HIV/AIDS through emphasis on preventive methods is a lesson in the usefulness of preventive medicine in control, if not eradication of diseases. This is a strategy which can also be extended to other diseases known to man, as the saying goes, prevention is better than cure.

This is why the DOKITA Editorial Board has decided to highlight this important field of medicine which is relatively overshadowed by other subspecialties. This Edition contains several informative articles ranging from original researches to review articles. It is both comprehensive and peer-reviewed.

This Edition would not have been possible without the Diligence of Board members who have sacrificed not only their time but also their mental strengths to ensure this edition is possible. In particular, I will like to thank the Production Manager for all his efforts on this journal. Last but not the least the Almighty God, for his role in our lives and in the affairs of the Board

Adedotun Ogunsua,
Editor-in-Chief,
March 2005