I. First they came for the Communist; and I did not speak – up: because I was not a Communist. 

II. Then they came for the Trade Unionists and I did not speak – up: because I was not a Trade Unionist.

III. Then they came for the Socialists;  and I did not speak – up: because I was not a Socialist.

IV. Then they came for the Catholics;  and I did not speak – up: because I was a Protestant.

V. Then they came for the Jews;  and I did not speak – up: because I was not a Jew.

VI. Then they came for me;  and by that time, no one was left to speak – up for me. (Martin Niemoeller of German 1892 – 1984).

“First they came…….” Is the poetic form of a prose post war confession, first made in German in 1946, by the German Lutheran Pastor Martin Niemoller(1892 – 1984). It is about the cowardice of German intellectuals and certain clergy (including by his own admission, Niemoller himself), following the Nazis’ rise to power, and subsequent incremental purging and killing of their chosen targets, group by group.

I am using this as a metaphor to our health and our lives. Yes, lassa fever and corona virus are affecting others and not us, and we have refused to care. When they will come for us, with other diseases, there will be nobody left to treat us.

Yes, like the responder to my New Year write – up, who impudently told me that he cannot monitor his health, because there was nothing wrong with him.

Forget what any doctor will tell you, just remember that you are, your first and best doctor.

Let me repeat for posterity.

1a Go to your social media and my past write- ups and read up everything about Lassa fever and corona virus.

1b. If you are above 40, and not a diagnosed hypertensive, you must check year blood pressure at least once every-three-months.

2) If you are above 40, and not a diagnosed diabetic, you must monitor your blood sugar once every six months.

3) If you are above 40, and do not have regular chronic illnesses, you must do your full medical check up annually.

4) If you are above 40, and not diagnosed with glaucoma, you must do your eye-evaluation at least once every year.

5) If you are above 40, and you are overweight, you must monitor your weight so that it it does not tilt towards obesity.

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6) If you are above 40, and you notice a mild creeping in of hearing loss, you must be evaluated by an Ear, Nose & Throat(ENT) Surgeon annually.

Did you notice that age and time are recurrent in (1) to (6) above? Did you also notice that I used the word “must” and not “may” in all my assertions above.

“Yes”, you might remonstrate, “I know a fool at 40, is a fool forever”- hell no. Or “Okay I know that life begins at 40”- again no. Or you will reflect again, “Alright I know at 40 one suffers from mid-life crisis” – the answer is “yes and no”.

Why is 40 important in our lives?

i) At 40, women attain menopause or begin to experience signs and symptoms of menopause.

ii) At 40, most men, start experiencing reduction in the production of male hormone – androgen. Hence decrease in libido and virility.

iii) At 40, the climacteric, the circadian rhythm and the body clock start experiencing mild clogging.

iv) At 40, glaucoma symptoms begin to manifest, for those who are genetically disposed to having one.

v) At 40, atherosclerosis and heart diseases, begin to manifest their symptoms.

vi) At 40, obesity for those predisposed to it, if not watched starts becoming a permanent feature of our lives.

The story behind health monitoring.

• As part of this year’s Igbere Presbyterian Centenary celebration, a free medical scheme was organised courtesy of Igbere Presbyterian Church, from 20 to 30 December 2019. I consulted from 23rd to 28th, where I met 3 to 4 patients.

Tongue-in-cheek, they claimed, they had actually not been seriously ill, apart from occasional headache and fever. For which they went to a chemist to mix drugs for them. Which they claimed they drank and got better. Or when they thought the fever was more serious, they went to a laboratory scientist who will collect their blood and urine, do some tests and write out prescriptions for them. My God that meant for almost 5 years, they had not checked their blood pressures, and they were very elderly.

• Let me state clearly here that mixing of drugs, is a great disservice to medical practice. When we get to a chemist or a pharmacy, we should request for a complete dose of antimalarial or anti respiratory tract infection drugs, plus analgesics. Let them not mix anything for you, it is very dangerous to your health.

Please check your blood pressure regularly, for your family’s sake. If you notice any symptoms, see a medical personnel for advise. Let us not behave like Malvolio in Shakespeare’s Twelve Night, who was sick of self-love.

• Please follow me on twitter ; @ _ DRSUN