Journal of Family Medicine and Health Care

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State of Health Care in the Nigerian Military

Received: 12 March 2017    Accepted: 06 May 2017    Published: 31 October 2017
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Abstract

Introduction: The primary mission of any Military is to defend the territorial integrity of its country. In order to achieve this, the health of its personnel must be well taken care of to enable them can carry out their military missions during peace and wartime. Often described as the medical readiness mission, this effort involves medical testing and screening of recruits, emergency medical treatment of troops involved in hostilities, and the maintenance of physical standards of those in the armed services. This paper is aimed to highlight the lack of the above in the Nigerian Military using Diabetes mellitus as a case report. Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disease resulting from deficiency of insulin (absolute or relative) that prevents the body from utilizing glucose. There are essentially two types: - Type I (Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus; IDDM) usually seen in children and Type II (Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus; NIDDM) usually seen in adults. Both types are easily diagnosed and can be managed properly once diagnosed, using injectable insulin, anti-diabetic drugs, diet or a combination. If not diagnosed however, the consequences are many. This range from death to lifelong disabilities such as blindness, chronic renal failure and loss of a limb or limb (s) [1]. The disease should not go unnoticed in a Soldier who has served his country for over thirty years. The military is known for having best medical facilities world over for its personnel and civilians who can access them. No soldier should therefore be sent to the war front without checking his or her health statues as this will affect his or her performance. This is illustrated in the case presented below. Conclusion: All military establishments worldwide, especially in the developing world, Nigeria inclusive, must make the health of its personnel a priority, even above its ordinances.

DOI 10.11648/j.jfmhc.20170303.12
Published in Journal of Family Medicine and Health Care (Volume 3, Issue 3, September 2017)
Page(s) 52-55
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Undiagnosed Diabetes Mellitus, Nigerian Military Personnel, Long Serving Soldier

References
[1] Lehtinen JM, Uusitupa M, Siitonen O, Pyorala K. Prevalence of neuropathyin newly diagnosed NIDDM and nondiabetic control subjects. Diabetes 1989; 38: 1307-1313.
[2] Cameron NE, Cotter MA. The relationship of vascular damage to metabolic factors in diabetes mellitus and their role in the development peripheral nerve complications. Diabetes Metab Rev 1994; 10: 189-224.
[3] Scarpini E, Bianchi R, Moggio M, Fiori MG, Scarlato G. Decrease of nerve Na+, K+, -ATPase activity in the pathogenesis of human diabetic neuropathy. J NeurolSci 1993; 120: 159-167.
[4] Mincu I. Micro- and macroangiopathies and other chronic degenerative complications in newly detected diabetes mellitus. Med Interne Romania 1980; 18: 155-164.
[5] Wahren J, Johansson B-L, Wallberg-Henricksson H. Does C-peptide have a physiological role? Diabetologia 1984; 37: Suppl 2: S99-S107.
[6] Ratzman KP, Raschke M, Gander I, Schimke E. Prevalence of peripheral and autonomic neuropathy in newly diagnosed type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes. J Diabet Complications 1991; 5: 1-5.
[7] Pirart J. Diabetes mellitus and its degenerative complications: a prospective study of 4,400 patients observed between 1947 and 1973. Diabetes Care 1978; 1:168-188.
[8] Best, Jr., Richard A. (2005-05-05). "Military Medical Care Services: Questions and Answers" Congressional Research Service. Retrieved 2008-05-23.
[9] "Mortgage Uninsured Veterans and Family Members: Who Are They and Where Do They Live?". JournalistsResource. org, retrieved June 18, 2012.
[10] Haley, Jennifer; Kenney, Genevieve M. (2012). "Uninsured Veterans and Family Members: Who Are They and Where Do They Live?" (PDF). Urban Institute.
Author Information
  • Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Nigeria; College of Medical Sciences, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria

  • Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria

  • 7 DIV Military Hospital and Medical Services, 7 Division Nigerian Army, Maiduguri, Nigeria

  • Department of Medicine, College of Medical Sciences, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria

  • Department of Ophthalmology, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and College of Medical Sciences, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria

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  • APA Style

    Dabkana Theophilus Maksha, Nyaku Titus Friday, Onuchukwu Ndidi Stephen, Nyandaiti Yakubu Wilberforce, Askira Bala Hassan. (2017). State of Health Care in the Nigerian Military. Journal of Family Medicine and Health Care, 3(3), 52-55. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfmhc.20170303.12

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    ACS Style

    Dabkana Theophilus Maksha; Nyaku Titus Friday; Onuchukwu Ndidi Stephen; Nyandaiti Yakubu Wilberforce; Askira Bala Hassan. State of Health Care in the Nigerian Military. J. Fam. Med. Health Care 2017, 3(3), 52-55. doi: 10.11648/j.jfmhc.20170303.12

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    AMA Style

    Dabkana Theophilus Maksha, Nyaku Titus Friday, Onuchukwu Ndidi Stephen, Nyandaiti Yakubu Wilberforce, Askira Bala Hassan. State of Health Care in the Nigerian Military. J Fam Med Health Care. 2017;3(3):52-55. doi: 10.11648/j.jfmhc.20170303.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.jfmhc.20170303.12,
      author = {Dabkana Theophilus Maksha and Nyaku Titus Friday and Onuchukwu Ndidi Stephen and Nyandaiti Yakubu Wilberforce and Askira Bala Hassan},
      title = {State of Health Care in the Nigerian Military},
      journal = {Journal of Family Medicine and Health Care},
      volume = {3},
      number = {3},
      pages = {52-55},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jfmhc.20170303.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfmhc.20170303.12},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jfmhc.20170303.12},
      abstract = {Introduction: The primary mission of any Military is to defend the territorial integrity of its country. In order to achieve this, the health of its personnel must be well taken care of to enable them can carry out their military missions during peace and wartime. Often described as the medical readiness mission, this effort involves medical testing and screening of recruits, emergency medical treatment of troops involved in hostilities, and the maintenance of physical standards of those in the armed services. This paper is aimed to highlight the lack of the above in the Nigerian Military using Diabetes mellitus as a case report. Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disease resulting from deficiency of insulin (absolute or relative) that prevents the body from utilizing glucose. There are essentially two types: - Type I (Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus; IDDM) usually seen in children and Type II (Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus; NIDDM) usually seen in adults. Both types are easily diagnosed and can be managed properly once diagnosed, using injectable insulin, anti-diabetic drugs, diet or a combination. If not diagnosed however, the consequences are many. This range from death to lifelong disabilities such as blindness, chronic renal failure and loss of a limb or limb (s) [1]. The disease should not go unnoticed in a Soldier who has served his country for over thirty years. The military is known for having best medical facilities world over for its personnel and civilians who can access them. No soldier should therefore be sent to the war front without checking his or her health statues as this will affect his or her performance. This is illustrated in the case presented below. Conclusion: All military establishments worldwide, especially in the developing world, Nigeria inclusive, must make the health of its personnel a priority, even above its ordinances.},
     year = {2017}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - State of Health Care in the Nigerian Military
    AU  - Dabkana Theophilus Maksha
    AU  - Nyaku Titus Friday
    AU  - Onuchukwu Ndidi Stephen
    AU  - Nyandaiti Yakubu Wilberforce
    AU  - Askira Bala Hassan
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    PY  - 2017
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfmhc.20170303.12
    DO  - 10.11648/j.jfmhc.20170303.12
    T2  - Journal of Family Medicine and Health Care
    JF  - Journal of Family Medicine and Health Care
    JO  - Journal of Family Medicine and Health Care
    SP  - 52
    EP  - 55
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2469-8342
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jfmhc.20170303.12
    AB  - Introduction: The primary mission of any Military is to defend the territorial integrity of its country. In order to achieve this, the health of its personnel must be well taken care of to enable them can carry out their military missions during peace and wartime. Often described as the medical readiness mission, this effort involves medical testing and screening of recruits, emergency medical treatment of troops involved in hostilities, and the maintenance of physical standards of those in the armed services. This paper is aimed to highlight the lack of the above in the Nigerian Military using Diabetes mellitus as a case report. Diabetes Mellitus is a metabolic disease resulting from deficiency of insulin (absolute or relative) that prevents the body from utilizing glucose. There are essentially two types: - Type I (Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus; IDDM) usually seen in children and Type II (Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus; NIDDM) usually seen in adults. Both types are easily diagnosed and can be managed properly once diagnosed, using injectable insulin, anti-diabetic drugs, diet or a combination. If not diagnosed however, the consequences are many. This range from death to lifelong disabilities such as blindness, chronic renal failure and loss of a limb or limb (s) [1]. The disease should not go unnoticed in a Soldier who has served his country for over thirty years. The military is known for having best medical facilities world over for its personnel and civilians who can access them. No soldier should therefore be sent to the war front without checking his or her health statues as this will affect his or her performance. This is illustrated in the case presented below. Conclusion: All military establishments worldwide, especially in the developing world, Nigeria inclusive, must make the health of its personnel a priority, even above its ordinances.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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