…Physician appeals to Nigerians to donate blood voluntarily to save lives***

A medical doctor, Dr Victor-Bryan Nwala, has shared a medical tip on Twitter, warning against using saliva as lubricant during sexual intercourse because it may lead to infection.

Nwala tweeted this on his social media page monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday that such practice could cause infections and lead to a difficult and unhealthy life.

He said that people should avoid using saliva as a lubricant when trying to “get things moist” during intercourse.

He stated that saliva contained digestive enzymes that could prove dangerous to the eco-system of the sexual organ.

According to the doctor, the bacteria in saliva is different from those in the vagina, and its introduction could lead to yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis.

Also read: Unclean hands, leading cause of diseases globally – Expert

He also listed herpes, gonorrhea, chlamydia, HPV, syphilis, and trichomoniasis as diseases that could be transmitted to the genitals through saliva.

“Saliva is not a lubricant! The result can upset your vaginal microbiome and leave you susceptible to developing a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis.

“Any STI in the throat or mouth can be transmitted to the genitals through saliva.

“If your partner has an active herpes lesion, for example, using the spit to ‘make things slick’ could leave you with genital herpes.

“This scenario happens more than you might think and it is the most common way genital herpes is contracted.

“Even if you don’t see a cold sore on or around the mouth, the virus can still be transmissible.

“Herpes isn’t the only oral STI you could contract. Gonorrhea, chlamydia, HPV, syphilis and trichomoniasis can also all be transmitted to the genitals through saliva,’’ he warned.

In the meantime, a phycician, Dr Soji Adeleke, on Wednesday in Lagos called on Nigerians to donate blood voluntarily in order to save lives of fellow citizens who might need it during medical treatments.

Soji, a gynaecologist, and the Cheif Medical Director, Tonasij Hospital and Maternity, Ikotun, Lagos, made the appeal while lamenting on the death of Mrs Ngozi Amaechi, a patient of the hospital who died during child birth.

The medical practitioner told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the deceased died alongside the baby after cessarian operation that caused much lost of blood.

According to him if there is blood available the situation will have been arrested and both the deceased and the baby will have been alive.

“We had to embark on the operation based on 50-50 chance after the husband could not make available money to purchase blood at N25,000 per pint.

“My decision to go ahead with the operation was based on the belief that the deceased had undergone blood building process with the hospital since February she registered for antenatal,” he said.

The doctor who regretted the death of Mrs Amaechi called on Nigerians to cultivate the tradition of donating blood to blood banks to make it easy for people to access blood when needed.

He said that such sad situation was common in the society and needed to be curtailed on a holistic basis.