Health & Wellbeing

Thousands more people in England with type 2 diabetes will be offered the chance to try a soup-and-shake diet weight-loss plan for free on the NHS.

Studies show switching to the low-calorie liquid diet can put diabetes into remission.
Experts say they want to help people to be as fit as possible, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic.

Obesity and type 2 diabetes are linked and both increase the risk of complications from Covid-19.

Some NHS patients have already benefited from the year-long diet and exercise plan, which is why NHS England wants to expand the scheme to more people.

People living with type 2 diabetes who are an unhealthy weight and have been diagnosed with the condition in the last six years will be considered for the scheme.

After a few months on the shakes and soups, when some weight loss has been achieved, solid foods are reintroduced, with support to help the person maintain a nutritious diet and regular exercise.

Results from one trial showed almost half of those who went on the diet achieved remission of their type 2 diabetes after one year.

Professor Jonathan Valabhji, NHS national clinical director for diabetes and obesity, said: "This is the latest example of how the NHS, through our Long Term Plan, is rapidly adopting the latest evidence-based treatments to help people stay well, maintain a healthy weight and avoid major diseases.

"There has never been a more important time to lose weight and put their type 2 diabetes into remission, so it's good news for thousands of people across the country that practical, supportive measures like this are increasingly available on the NHS."

In an address from the Vatican, Pope Francis said any potential Covid-19 vaccine should be made available to all.

The Pontiff said: “It would be sad if, for the vaccine for Covid-19, priority were to be given to the richest! It would be sad if this vaccine were to become the property of this nation or another, rather than universal and for all”.

He issued his comments followed a warning by World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, against “vaccine nationalism.”

In his speech Pope Francis said: “The pandemic has laid bare the difficult situation of the poor and the great inequality that reigns in the world. And the virus, while it doesn’t make exceptions among persons, has found in its path, devastating, great inequalities and discrimination, and it has increased them.”

“If we can work together, we can ensure that all essential workers are protected, and proven treatments like dexamethasone are available to those who need them, he said.

“Sharing finite supplies strategically and globally is actually in each country’s national interest. No one is safe until everyone is safe”.

Tedros said: “While there is a wish amongst leaders to protect their own people first, the response to this pandemic has to be collective”.

Rates of coronavirus infections are rising among young people in Birmingham, it has been revealed. Despite the city's overall rates falling since it was named on a Covid-19 watch-list, new cases in those aged 20-29 have risen in the last two weeks. The age group now accounts for the most positive tests, it has been said.

Birmingham has been given enhanced support to tackle the virus's spread. Younger people have been urged to "keep the region safe for everyone".

Dr Sue Ibbotson, Public Health England's director for the West Midlands, urged those in the "lower risk age group" to continue to follow government guidance over the bank holiday to "reduce the risk of local lockdown".

"As a 20-something you might not feel particularly ill if you catch Covid-19 but if you don't stick to the rules… there is a risk you will infect someone near and dear to you," she added.

West Midlands Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner told the regional briefing that special operations would target illegal raves and unlicensed music events over the bank holiday.

Last weekend the force broke up 96 events and since then new measures have been introduced allowing police to fine organisers up to £10,000.

By mid-September, Birmingham City Council plans to introduce "enhanced contact tracing", which the local Director of Public Health Dr Justin Varney told a board meeting on Thursday could be used to get in touch with young people living in areas where large gatherings have taken place.

Latest figures from Public Health England put the number of new infections in Birmingham at 25.2 per 100,000 people, for the seven days up to 25 August, down from 26.2.
Birmingham has been joined on the government's list of areas to receive enhanced support by Sandwell.

The Black Country local authority has seen the number of cases rise slightly after a fall over the last fortnight. Birmingham City Council has also been given new powers to allow it to close pubs and restaurants that do not have adequate risk assessments to help combat the outbreak.

The Tipu Sultan restaurant, in Moseley, is the first business in the city to be handed a Direction Notice, ordering it to make changes or face possible closure.

The city council said five confirmed cases of Coronavirus had been linked to the premises in four weeks and that it had "flouted" government guidance.

As schools, colleges and universities get ready to welcome back students, new data reveals almost half (46%) of 11-18-year-olds in the West Midlands are worried that returning to education will impact their mental health. The survey, commissioned by the mental health anti-stigma campaign, Time to Change, showed that many young people are harbouring concerns about returning to education, but only 37% of parents in the West Midlands have spoken to their child about their mental health since the start of the summer break.

Time to Change, which is run by the charities Mind and Rethink Mental Illness, is urging all parents to act now and start a conversation about mental health, even if they do not suspect their child is struggling. The campaign says broaching the topic of mental health before school or college begins, will show your child you are open and ready to support them if they need it now or later.

Encouragingly, just under three quarters (74%) of parents in the West Midlands said they would know how to spot the signs if their child was struggling but the fact that so few have broached the topic suggests less confidence around how to manage a conversation about mental health.

Time to Change has compiled some tips to help parents start the conversation.
1. Normalise it: 1 in 8 young people have a mental health problem, and many more are worried about their mental health.
2. Check in: Your child’s feelings may change as the weeks and days go by and they adjust to the new normal.
3. It doesn’t need to be about them: Talking about mental health in general might help open a dialogue. For example, ‘It can be stressful dealing with change can’t it?’.
4. Talk side by side: You don’t need to have a face-to-face sit down chat. Lots of young people might feel awkward about having a conversation, so take the pressure off by doing it while walking, cooking or driving.
5. Make it relevant: Some young people might not think mental health is relevant to them. But we all have mental health, which can range from good to poor. These are unsettling times and it’s important to discuss mental health even if your child isn’t in need of support
Jo Loughran, director of Time to Change, said “One in eight young people will experience a mental health problem in any given year. However, at this moment in time, many more are concerned about their mental health – regardless of whether they have a diagnosis. It’s great that parents feel able to spot the signs, but we want to reassure them that having a conversation with their child won’t make them more susceptible to mental health problems or create issues that aren’t already there. It simply means they will know you are open to the topic, willing to listen and ready to support them if and when they need it.”

Adam Howard, 20, experienced depression and anxiety throughout school and is now preparing to start University in September. He said “It wasn’t until I was in sixth form that I opened up to my mum about my mental health. She noticed my behaviour was affecting my everyday life, including college, and we had a conversation about the appropriate steps we could take going forward to find a solution. Sometimes I find it difficult to start the conversation because I don’t want to cause her more stress, but when I can I try to speak to her about how I’m feeling. As I’m preparing to go to University I’ve told her that there’s a lot to take in right now, as my move in date is fast approaching, but I know we need to chat as it’s not good to suffer in silence.”

Paula Fisher, Adam’s mum, said “I noticed that Adam had become quiet and he started to isolate himself, staying in his room more than usual. He was also irritable, getting upset about things which wouldn’t normally bother him so much. When I saw his behaviour change and he stopped wanting to go to school I assumed he was being bullied. I started talking to him about it, encouraging him to share his thoughts. That’s when he told me he was feeling anxious about going to school.

“My advice to other parents would be to take little steps. Don’t pressure them into talking or assume you know what is wrong. Let them know if they want to talk you’re there to listen. They will come to you gradually once they know that door is open and they’re ready to talk. Ultimately, it’s just about letting them know you’re in this together and they’re not alone.”

As schools and colleges reopen, Time to Change will be working with education providers to help students and their parents learn more about mental health. Participating schools and colleges will be provided with lesson plans, expert guidance, conversation starters and films to help them deliver sessions that open up the conversation about mental health; encouraging students to be aware of their own wellbeing as well as supportive of classmates who might be struggling.

The Lars Windhorst Foundation, established by the German entrepreneur to provide support and educational opportunities to young people announced a collaboration with The Access Project to deliver an intensive maths summer catch-up programme to pupils whose learning has been interrupted by Covid-19.

Following widespread concerns that school closures have disproportionally affected pupils who are economically disadvantaged, the Foundation has acted promptly and decisively to support these pupils and prevent reversing years of educational progress. Estimates suggest that the academic attainment gap between pupils from different backgrounds could widen by a median figure of 36%.

Working with The Access Project, a charity which supports disadvantaged pupils to get into top universities, funding from the Lars Windhorst Foundation (LWF) is directly supporting maths tutoring to students from 26 schools across the UK. The Access Project was chosen because of its strong track record as students they work with are four times more likely to attend a top university as similarly disadvantaged peers. 

The programme is running through the summer, providing an opportunity for students to compensate for missed lessons before the start of the new term.
 
Through online sessions with highly-experienced maths tutors, the Foundation believes it can help young people and their families navigate the complexities of education through this difficult period.
 
The Foundation recently announced that it is working with a number of state schools across London to provide support during COVID-19, including the Future Zone Collaboration (a network of 21 primary schools in Islington), as well as the King Solomon Academy and Hanover Primary School.
 
Lars Windhorst, Founder of the Foundation, said: “Through these extremely challenging times, the Foundation continues to make strides in helping support the community and, in particular, economically disadvantaged pupils. With the devastating effects the virus has had on the economy and society as a whole, it’s now more important than ever before that we maintain a sense of community and rally around those who are most in need. Directly funding maths tutoring for 26 schools across the country is another small success for LWF, as we continue to look at ways of supporting the most vulnerable pupils in our society.”
 
Full information on Foundation's COVID-19 response can be found at: http://larswindhorstfoundation.com/

A full list of participating schools, by region:

London

Ark Globe Academy – Waterloo
Central Foundation Boys School – Hackney/Finsbury
Central Foundation Girls’ School – Hackney/Finsbury
Chelsea Academy – Chelsea
Haggerston school – Hackney
Highbury Grove school – Highbury/Islington
Hornsey School For Girls – Haringey/Crouch End
Kensington Aldridge Academy – Kensington
King Solomon Academy – Camden
Lilian Baylis Technology School – Kennington
Lister Community School – Plaistow/Upton Park
Norwood School – Crystal Palace
Oasis Academy – Enfield
St George’s RC secondary school – Maida Vale/Paddington
St Thomas More Catholic School – Wood Green
The City Academy – Hackney
The Urswick School - Hackney
Woolwich Polytechnic School – Thamesmead, Woolwhich

Birmingham

Colmers school and sixth form college
Holte Secondary School
Moseley School and Sixth Form
Ormiston Forge Academy – Cradley Heath
Waverley school

Nottingham

Ashfield School
Shirebrook Academy - Mansfield

Manchester

George Green’s Secondary School

A nursing graduate who saved a man's life during a flight from Thailand has been nominated for Nurse of the Year.

Isobel Corrie from near Stratford-Upon-Avon, in Warwickshire, was due to start her first job at a Warwick hospital last summer when she helped James Birch, who had a cardiac arrest mid-air.

Ms Corrie, 22, responded to a call over the tannoy asking for anyone with medical experience to come forward. She kept Mr Birch alive by performing CPR and using the defibrillator.

"I went over and could see he was having a cardiac arrest - he was blue... and completely limp in his seat."
Ms Corrie said she had not performed CPR on a person outside of her training before.

"The flight attendant team are all trained, but I had to take lead of the situation because it wasn't going to be effective enough to save James' life. I did CPR for 45 minutes, and five rounds on the defibrillator."

Mr Birch, 53, nominated her for the Patient's Choice category of the Royal College of Nursing Awards.

The 22-year-old, who now works at the gastrointestinal surgery department at Warwick Hospital, has been selected as one of six nominees - making her the youngest in the awards' history.

Mr Birch said: "This brave young lady saved my life when it would have been easier to sit quietly and do nothing. I am in no doubt whatsoever that had she not stepped forward I would not be here to recount the story today."

Ms Corrie managed to get back in touch with Mr Birch after the incident through a tweet she posted, as she was worried about what had happened to him.

She said: "I was absolutely gobsmacked when I found out I was nominated. There are so many amazing people and nurses that have worked really hard and done amazing stuff.

The Erdington-based hospice is setting up a new group for people to feed back on their experiences and thoughts on support and services to help John Taylor shape its plans for the future.

The community participation group will meet every two months either in a face-to-face group or online with these meetings expected to last an hour.

Hospice Community Engagement Manager Mark Jones explains: “Patients we are caring for and the families of people we have supported in the past are the best-placed people to help us take our services forward.

“By sharing their valuable experience they can help us ensure we are responding to local needs and concerns. We will be asking them to comment on a range of issues including care services, communication and information.

“In this way they can help us integrate the hospice into various cultures within our community to ensure we are providing specialist care and support to all. They can also help us make changes and improvements into the future.”

“We’d love to hear from as many people as possible so we can have a broad range of experience,” added Mark.

The first virtual group will take place on 16 September between 10.30-11.30am.

The first face-to-face socially distanced group meeting will take place at the Lighthouse in St Barnabas Church, High Street, Erdington, Birmingham, on October 1 between 10am-12.30pm. Tea and coffee will be provided.

  
Unsung heroes of the pandemic – such as NHS workers, delivery drivers and supermarket workers – are at the top of Britain’s new pecking order and the most respected in society, a study shows. 
  
Research into attitudes during the coronavirus crisis shows a remarkable change in the social pecking order of how people who do different jobs are now regarded. 
  
Almost all those in key worker roles – such as food shop staff, bin men, delivery drivers, postmen and carers – have joined NHS staff and paramedics and are now held in higher esteem than before. 
  
A study for toiletries giant, Right Guard, found that while the health and social work industry made the most difference during the pandemic (53%), followed by the whole sale and retail trade (31%), the Government were in the bottom half of the list (20%) along with the education sector who polled (8%). 
  
The findings come as Right Guard launches a nationwide competition to find the biggest unsung hero of the pandemic, with the prize of an incredible £2,000 towards a bucket-list moment of a lifetime for the winner. 
  
The survey of almost 170 adults in the West Midlands found that two-thirds of people now have more appreciation for essential shop workers and delivery drivers, while over half say the same for posties and bin men. 
  
But their opinions of journalists and politicians have gone down during the crisis, while attitudes to teachers have largely remained the same. 
  
Oliver Ramirez, Brand Manager at Right Guard, said: “It’s interesting how when the chips are down, people place more value on the simple necessities they may not have paid much heed to before. We have always held NHS staff in high regard, but we now seem to have more appreciation for those who do what we might previously have thought of as more menial work.” 
  
From Monday 17th August, anyone can nominate an Unsung Hero by heading to www.rightguardcompetition.co.uk until Monday 31st August when the competition will close. Following this, 20 shortlisted applicants across 10 nomination categories will be chosen and notified of the next stage.  
  
Each lucky applicant will then be required to send a video of them speaking to camera, explaining exactly why the person they are nominating should be crowned Britain’s Unsung Hero and awarded £2000 towards that life-changing experience.  
  
THE CATEGORIES: 
 
NHS Worker  
Carer  
Great Neighbour  
Bin Man  
Shop-worker  
Sports/Fitness Legend  
Charity Fundraiser  
Community Hero  
Spirit Raiser  
Best of the Rest (please specify)  
  
Ramirez continued: “Our survey shows how much the people of Britain appreciate all those who have sweated to keep the country running during some dark times… We want to celebrate the courage and hard work of these everyday superstars and reward them for being Britain’s unsung heroes by making their bucket-list dreams come true.” 
 
 
 

UK tourists have spent thousands of pounds on new flights and endured long drives in a race to get home before new coronavirus travel rules kicked in.

As of 04:00 BST on Saturday, travellers returning to the UK from Croatia, Austria and Trinidad and Tobago must quarantine for 14 days. Children in families who did not return in time will miss the start of school in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. But searches for flights to Portugal rose as it was put on the safe list.

Meanwhile, extra restrictions to stem the spread of Covid-19 have come into force in north-west England. It comes as a further 18 deaths have been recorded in the UK, bringing the total number of people to have died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus to 41,423.

The quarantine measures for Croatia, Austria and Trinidad and Tobago have been imposed because of a spike in coronavirus cases in those countries, the UK government has said.

As of 21 August, the UK recorded 21.2 coronavirus cases per 100,000 people over the last fortnight, according to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. In comparison, Croatia had 47.2 cases per 100,000, Austria had 33.0 and Portugal 28.5.

There were about 17,000 British tourists in Croatia on Friday, according to the country's national tourist board.

On Friday evening, British Airways flights arriving from the Croatian city of Dubrovnik and the capital Zagreb at London's Heathrow airport were among the last to reach the UK before the deadline.

Jennifer Ivory, from Walsall, in the West Midland, said she was disgusted by the rule change which meant that her children would have to miss the first week of school after they return from the Austrian Alps, on August 26.

She said: "We were looking forward for my children to return to school as near to normality as possible, but now we've got to explain to them that they will not be able to go back at the same time as all of the others."

She said that the holiday was "the one thing we have been looking forward to" after she was recently made redundant last year.

But now, she says, it has been "spoilt".

Public Health England is to be replaced by a new agency that will specifically deal with protecting the country from pandemics, according to a report.

It has been claimed that the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, will this week announce a new body modelled on Germany's Robert Koch Institute.

Ministers have reportedly been unhappy with the way PHE has responded to the coronavirus crisis.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "Public Health England have played an integral role in our national response to this unprecedented global pandemic.

"We have always been clear that we must learn the right lessons from this crisis to ensure that we are in the strongest possible position, both as we continue to deal with Covid-19 and to respond to any future public health threat."

It was reported that Mr Hancock will merge the NHS Test and Trace scheme with the pandemic response work of PHE.

The paper said the new body could be called the National Institute for Health Protection and would become "effective" in September, but the change would not be fully completed until the spring.

The Robert Koch Institute, which the new body will reportedly be based on, is an independent agency that has taken control of Germany's response to the pandemic.

Earlier this month, the government brought in a new way of counting daily coronavirus deaths in England following concerns that the method used by PHE overstated them.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also said the country's response to Covid-19 could have been done "differently" and the government needed to learn lessons.

Social distancing means keeping apart from people to restrict the spread of coronavirus.

Rules and guidance have been relaxed across some parts of the UK, but there are some restrictions in Aberdeen in Scotland, parts of northern England and Leicester.

The original rule across the UK was that you had to stay 2m (6ft) away from anybody outside of your household. Those rules have now been relaxed in England and Northern Ireland.

People should still ideally stay 2m (6ft) apart. But if that's not possible, people can stay 1m (3ft) plus apart in England - and 1m apart in Northern Ireland - with extra precautions such as face coverings and not sitting face-to-face.

In Scotland the exemptions to the 2m rule only apply in some premises like pubs and restaurants - and face coverings are compulsory in shops. Also, children aged 11 or under no longer have to socially distance with others outside. In Wales, while the 2m rule remains, the guidance has changed to reflect the fact it is not realistic to stay that far apart in somewhere like a hairdresser's. Social distancing does not have to be observed by children aged under-11 in Wales.

The only people you do not have to distance yourself from are those you live with or people in your support bubble. Support bubbles are allowed in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. They apply only to single adults living alone or single parents with children under 18.

Those people can "bubble" with one other household of any size, and visit each other's homes with no social distancing.

In Wales, two households (four from 22 August) of any size can now join up in a similar "extended household".

So, anyone not in a bubble or extended household should still observe social distancing with other people who may visit you at home.

Outdoors in England, up to 30 people from two households can meet, or a maximum of six people can meet from multiple households. Social distancing between different households must be observed throughout. In Scotland, up to 15 people from five different households can meet outdoors. In Northern Ireland, up to 30 people who are not in the same household can meet outdoors. In Wales, up to 30 people can now meet outdoors.

There are tighter coronavirus restrictions in parts of northern England, Leicester and Aberdeen
People from separate households are not allowed to mix with each other in homes or gardens.

In England, two households up to a maximum of 30 people can meet indoors and overnight stays are allowed.
In Scotland, up to eight people from three different households can meet indoors while social distancing.
In Northern Ireland, groups of up to 10 people from four different households can meet indoors.
In Wales, up to four households - up from two - will be able to form an "extended household" from 22 August, as long as conditions "remain stable".

Experts recommend:

Wash hands before and after preparing food, eating and washing up
Put food straight on plates and don't use large serving bowls
Avoid serving cold food which needs "handling" before and during meals, like cold meats or salads
Use detergent or soapy water to regularly wipe down tables and chairs where people put hands, fingers and elbows - then wash the cloth.

Pubs, restaurants and cafes have reopened indoors across the UK - but they must follow safety guidelines.

Expect to:

Book ahead
Give contact details
Follow a one-way system
Be offered table service only

Staff should practise good hand hygiene and social distancing, but they don't have to wear face coverings.

The government advice to employers includes:

avoiding face-to-face seating
monitoring crowd density, and reducing the number of people in enclosed spaces
improving ventilation
changing shift patterns so staff work in set teams

Self-isolating means staying at home and not leaving it.

People who have symptoms of coronavirus should isolate themselves for 10 days and arrange to get tested. Symptoms include:

a new continuous cough
a high temperature
a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell

Other members of their household should isolate for 14 days and not leave their homes.

If you test positive you will be contacted by contact tracers, who will establish who else you might have passed on the infection to.

Anybody they deem to be at risk will have to isolate themselves for 14 days from the point of contact.

Until recently, those categorised as "clinically extremely vulnerable" have also been self-isolating or shielding.

Shielding was paused in Northern Ireland from 31 July; in England and Scotland from 1 August, and in Wales on 16 August.

A couple from Great Barr got to celebrate their anniversary back in each other’s company, after the wife returned home following months of treatment for COVID-19 at a West Midlands healthcare Trust.

A tearful Hanifabibi Shaikh left Birmingham City Hospital to applause, as staff formed a socially distanced guard of honour to mark the end to a long period of treatment. Treatment which began when Hanifabibi fell seriously ill to the Coronavirus back in March, requiring a spell on the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit before beginning a slow recovery on City’s D47 Rehabilitation Unit.

Now in August, although her journey is not yet over, Hanifabibi is recovered enough to go home to finish her recuperation at home in the company of her loving husband Abdul.

The Shaikh family had been in regular contact with Sandwell and West Birmingham staff during Hanifabibi’s treatment and had developed a special relationship with those helping her. Even presenting the ward staff with a special book, full of messages of thanks from relatives far and wide.

Staff in return presented Hanifabibi with two cards – one a best wishes card, but another for the couple’s wedding anniversary which they were delighted to be able to spend together. At the same time others caught up with family news, expressing sadness they would miss their regular updates.

Hanifabibi Shaikh:  “It’s a very special day for me today. I’m going home after coming here in March but as happy as I am going home I’m going to miss all the friends I’ve made on my stay at D47. Although they are my health carers, my nurses, they all took me as friends, they’ve all given me such time – from ITU who knew they could save me and give me a second chance at life, to the respiratory team, and now here on D47. I cannot find sufficient words to express what I feel about them all - I thank the Lord for giving me a second chance, but so many people have played a part in it.”

Memory Seka, Senior Sister – D47 Rehabilitation Unit: “We’re both sad and happy to see Hanifabibi leave after so long needing treatment. It’s heartwarming to see her reunited with Abdul and we all wish her the very best in her continued recovery. I’m very proud of all the staff on D47 for all they have done to support Hanifabibi and her family while she has been under our care. They really have maintained and upheld the care promises set out by our Trust.”

 
By: Roland Joseph Tetteh

Cassava is classified as either sweet or bitter and it contains antinutritional factors and toxins. Both bitter and sweet varieties of cassava carry the image of life and death. However, with the bitter and sweet varieties, there is life. 
The importance of cassava to many Africans is epitomised in the Ewe (a language spoken in Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria) named cassava plant, AGBELI, which literally means "THERE IS LIFE ". 

In Ghana, the Farmers often prefer bitter varieties because they deter pests, animals, and thieves. However, the sweet cassava is consuming more than the bitter one. 

Worldwide, over half a billion people depend on cassava as their source of food. Africa continent depends much on root and tuber crops in feeding its population. 

In Ghana, for example, cassava and yams occupy an important position in the agricultural economy and contribute about 46 per cent of the agricultural gross domestic product. Cassava accounts for a daily caloric intake of 30 per cent in Ghana and is grown by nearly every farming family. It is one of the most drought-tolerant crops, capable of growing on marginal soils. Every part of Ghana soil cassava can grow to the wild. 

The concentration of these antinutritional and unsafe glycosides varies considerably between varieties and also with climatic and cultural conditions. Selection of cassava species to be grown, therefore, is quite important. Once harvested, bitter cassava must be treated and prepared properly prior to human or animal consumption, while sweet cassava can be used after simply boiling.  Cooking is sufficient to eliminate all toxicity. 

Our ancient fathers revealed the secret of the nutritional value of the cassava root, which is the chief source important minerals for our health. The cassava root is long and tapered, with a firm, homogeneous flesh encased in a detachable rind, about 1 mm thick, rough and brown on the outside. 

The flesh can be chalk-white or yellowish. Cassava roots are very rich in starch and contain an amount of calcium, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, copper, iron, manganese and vitamin C. However, cassava leaves are a good source of protein (rich in lysine), but deficient in the amino acid methionine and possibly tryptophan. 

Raw cassava is 60% water, 38% carbohydrates, 1% protein, and has negligible fat of 0.3g. In a 100 gram amount, raw cassava provides 160 calories and contains 25% of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin C, but otherwise has no micronutrients in significant content (no values above 10% DV; table). Cooked cassava starch has a digestibility of over 75%. 

The traditional method used in West Africa is to peel the roots and put them into the water for three days to ferment. The roots are then dried or cooked. In Nigeria and several other West African countries, including Ghana, Cameroon, Benin, Togo, Ivory Coast, and Burkina Faso, they are usually grated and lightly fried in palm oil to preserve them. The result is a foodstuff called gari. 

Considering the health factors of the plant, the cassava is surely a bringer of life. Cassava help to increase immune function effectively as well as repair and protect the DNA. The leaves are useful for wound healing in the skin and replacing damaged cells and bone. Cassava leaves reducing the frequency of migraines and also reducing acidic levels in the body and breaks down waste faster. 

West Midland councils have warned that there is no room for complacency as public health teams continue their efforts to prevent further COVID-19 lockdowns across the region.

The number of cases per 100,000 population for the seven metropolitan authorities dropped from 13.1 in the seven days up to and including 27 July to 11.5 for the seven days up to and including 1 August. Those figures are significantly lower than the rates that have prompted new lockdowns across parts of northern England and Aberdeen in the last week.

Even so, the leaders of Birmingham, Coventry, Sandwell, Solihull, Dudley, Walsall and Wolverhampton councils insist businesses and individuals must continue to play their part in reducing the risk of a further significant spike.

Speaking after the weekly meeting of West Midlands council leaders, Birmingham City Council leader Cllr Ian Ward said: "We've seen how quickly things can change in Leicester, parts of northern England and now Aberdeen, so we can't afford to take our eye off the ball.

"That's why we're working closely across the region, sharing data and intelligence, to help tackle this. But we will only succeed if every person, every community, business and organisation plays a part. For example, we need pubs and restaurants to properly maintain records of staff, customers and visitors for NHS Test and Trace in the event of an outbreak.

"We need businesses to contact public health the moment a case is identified. This reduces the risk to staff and customers and often means the case can be managed quickly and without significant impact on the business. Some are doing this, but sadly not all and that could have devastating consequences."

The seven councils are now:

Supporting employers to be COVID-safe and working with them to rapidly engage with public health teams once a case is identified.
Targeting work encouraging young people to stay COVID-alert, especially when socialising with friends and family.
Focussing on specific business sectors, especially pubs and banqueting suites, taxis and supermarkets to ensure these businesses are doing everything possible to protect customers and staff.
Piloting additional testing approaches in different areas to increase the uptake of testing and better understand the pattern of the disease in our communities.
Working with community partners and local media partners to ensure key messages on keeping COVID-safe are accessible in multiple languages and formats.

Cllr Ward added: "We must all continue to do everything we can to protect our families, friends, neighbours and colleagues right across Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.

Our public health teams are working hard to minimise the risk of further lockdowns and every single one of us needs to help them."

A West Bromwich couple whose lives have been blighted by cancer are urging people to get checked out if they suspect they have symptoms of the disease.

Marjorie and Kenneth Davies have both battled cancer and lost loved ones, but remain positive and have raised tens of thousands of pounds for charity. Mr Davies, aged 79, is currently living with prostate cancer, after overcoming the disease in his bowel and lungs, whilst Mrs Davies fought breast cancer in 1994. The couple were both treated at Sandwell Hospital over the years and have regularly raised money for cancer services through Your Trust Charity, the registered charity for the hospital.

“I would urge people out there to seek help from their GP if they have any of the symptoms of cancer,” said Mrs Davies, aged 83. “The healthcare professionals are there to look after us, and they have always been there for my husband and I throughout our ordeal.
“The care we’ve received is second to none, and my husband is still receiving treatment. It is important that people remember cancer care is still going on throughout this pandemic.”

Mrs Davies watched her mother die in 1955 of cancer. She recalled: “At the time there was no treatment at all, apart from morphine to help ease the pain. I had the same in again 1988 with my father, who used to be a miner. The combination of many years of inhaling coal dust and his cancer diagnosis eventually killed him. In 1994 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and thought ‘that’s it’. I said to my husband ‘if he is going to take me, he’s got a fight on his hands’.

“After my operation and a month of radiotherapy I returned to work within four months. The help and treatment I received was fantastic. All was going well until 2007, when my husband received a bowel screening test through the post. The result came back positive and within seven days he had undergone an operation.

“Four years later in 2011 he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He had chemotherapy and part of his right lung removed.”
Despite her husband’s prostate diagnosis in 2013, the couple remain strong: “I just want to stress to everyone that over the last 13 years, we have fought this together and have given each other strength and the willpower to remain positive. However, the main backbone was the fantastic treatment and help we both received from the doctors and nurses at Sandwell Hospital and the Macmillan staff - everything was first class.
“We cannot stress enough to people who receive a bowel screen test through the post, Please do it, it has saved my husband’s life.”
Mrs Davies added: “I feel through fundraising I am giving something back to all those who have helped us. I’ve sold many items and donated the funds to the charity whilst my friend has knitted baby clothes which are on sale in the Courtyard Gardens shop at Sandwell Hospital main reception.

“I’ve been so pleased to be able to raise money for such a worthwhile cause.”
Jenny Donovan, Cancer Services Manager, said: “Mr and Mrs Davies are a very special couple who have found strength in each other to fight their cancer diagnoses. Their story is a positive one about being aware of symptoms and acting quickly if you think something is wrong. Cancer treatments have come a long way since Mrs Davies sadly lost her mum back in the 1950s, so people should not turn a blind eye in the fear of a positive diagnosis. There is much we can do to help.

“By raising money for Your Trust Charity, Mr and Mrs Davies are doing something very special for their community, as the funds raised will go back into providing a better patient experience for patients on their own cancer journey. Our heartfelt thanks go out to them for their generosity.”

Up to 750,000 unused coronavirus testing kits are being recalled due to safety concerns.
The UK's medicines and healthcare products regulator (MHRA) asked Randox to recall the kits sent out to care homes and individuals.

The government said it was a "precautionary measure" and the risk to safety was low.
It comes weeks after the health secretary said Randox kits should not be used until further notice.

In mid-July, Matt Hancock said the swabs in some kits were "not up to standard".
The Department for Health and Social Care said results from Randox tests were unaffected.

A spokesperson said: "We have high safety standards for all coronavirus tests. Following the pausing of Randox kits on 15 July, Randox have now recalled all test kits as a precautionary measure." Care home residents or staff with symptoms of coronavirus can continue to book a test, she said.

Last weekend, a pledge to provide regular testing for care home residents and staff in England was delayed, partly because of the problems with Randox kits. Healthcare group Randox, based in County Antrim in Northern Ireland, claims to be responsible for up to 17% of the total tests carried out in the UK. About 1.3 million of its tests have been sent out so far.

Around 200,000 coronavirus tests are now being provided across the UK each day.
Problems with Randox tests were flagged up in July, with supplies to care homes and individuals halted.

The Department of Health has stressed that the safety risk is low and recalling the kits is a precautionary measure to remove the possibility of them being used in error. But this is another awkward development for the test and trace programme in England when it is trying to expand capacity rapidly.

The Randox issue was one factor behind a recent decision to delay a pledge to provide regular testing for care home staff and residents in England. After questions have been raised about procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE), there will now be more about government contracts for testing provision.