Abuja

BACKGROUND: As part of the Federal Government of Nigeria's desire to increase medical coverage among the citizenry, the National Emergency Medical Service and Ambulance Scheme (NEMSAS) was set up and piloted in the FCT in 2022. To gauge the progress so far, this study sought to assess the level and determinants of public awareness and utilization of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) among residents of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2023 among 1177 respondents residing in FCT Abuja at the time of the survey...

Introduction Benign lipomatous tumors are soft tissue tumors that exhibit a predominant adipocytic phenotype. Lipomas are the archetype and are the most common benign soft tissue tumors in adults but relatively uncommon in children. Their sex incidence is equivocal. They sometimes occur in combination with other mesenchymal elements, giving rise to variants including fibrolipoma, angiolipoma, myolipoma, spindle cell lipoma, chondroid lipoma, osteolipoma, and chondrolipoma. Their clinical significance is mainly due to the cosmetic disfigurement of patients and the differential diagnosis of malignant soft tissue tumors...

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are associated with a high and rising burden of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is among the leading causes of NCD-related deaths worldwide and is a foremost public health problem in Nigeria. As part of the National Multi-Sectoral Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs, Nigeria has committed to implementing the World Health Organization (WHO) Package of Essential NCD control interventions. Implementing the intervention requires the availability of essential elements, including guidelines, trained staff, health management information systems, equipment, and medications, in primary healthcare centers (PHCs)...

BACKGROUND: Complications associated with ventriculoperitoneal shunt insertion constitute a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among hydrocephalus patients. Despite this, VP shunt placement has remained the mainstay of treatment for hydrocephalus. The aim of this study is to evaluate the complications of VP shunt surgery in our environment and to identify the risk factors associated with it. METHODOLOGY: Patients who had VP shunt surgery over a period of two years (Jan 2015-December 2016) were evaluated retrospectively by reviewing their hospital records...

Internally displaced Persons are marginally sidelined in many areas of life, reproductive health issues inclusive. There is a need to know the prevalence and pattern of contraceptive use among this vulnerable group of people. This study determined the prevalence and pattern of contraceptive uptake among internally displaced adolescents in North-Central Camp, Abuja, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional study, among 403 adolescents using semi-structured questionnaires. The mean age of the respondents was 19...

This study aims to assess the effects of atmospheric temperature, relative humidity, and atmospheric pressure on the signal strength of Maloney FM Radio, 95.9 MHz, Keffi, Nasarawa State. It is essential to measure the signal strength of the new radio station in relation with some parameters of weather to provide effective service delivery to the critical sectors and the entire populace. The research was conducted using the data of atmospheric temperature, atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, and the strength of the Maloney radio signal acquired from 6...

The true prevalence and cardiovascular comorbidities of resistant hypertension (RH) in Nigeria and Africa are not known. We sought to determine the prevalence and cardiovascular comorbidities of resistant hypertension in a treated Nigerian hypertensive population. We analyzed 1,378 patients with essential hypertension from a prospective clinical registry, the Federal Medical Centre Abuja Hypertension Registry. Resistant hypertension was defined as blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg despite the use of ≥3 guideline-recommended antihypertensive medications including a diuretic, reninangiotensin system blocker and calcium-channel blocker at optimal or best-tolerated doses or blood pressure <140/90 mmHg on ≥4 antihypertensive medications...

BACKGROUND: Urinary tract infection (UTI) and enteritis are major causes of morbidity and mortality in children. A combined profiling of UTI and enteritis could be helpful since stool plays a major role in the etiopathogenesis of UTI. AIM: This study aimed to examine and compare bacterial UTI and bacterial enteritis in respect of their etiology and anti-microbial susceptibility (AMS) in children aged 0 to 17 years at Alliance Hospital, Abuja. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective descriptive study of urine cultures in children who were investigated for UTI and of stool cultures in those investigated for enteritis...

Mallory-Denk bodies (MDBs) are hepatocellular cytoplasmic inclusions, which occur in certain chronic liver diseases, such as alcohol-related (ASH) and metabolic dysfunction-associated (MASH) steatohepatitis, copper toxicosis, some drug-induced liver disorders, chronic cholangiopathies, and liver tumors. Our study focused on the expression of the senescence markers p21WAF1/cip1 and p16INK4a in hepatocytes containing MDBs in steatohepatitis, chronic cholangiopathies with fibrosis or cirrhosis, Wilson's disease, and hepatocellular carcinomas...

INTRODUCTION: Sickle cell disease (SCD) and sickle cell traits (SCT) are genetically inherited red blood cell disorders common among people of African descent. Nigeria has a high prevalence of SCD, with a prevalence of 2.28%-3% and SCT, 25%-30%. Poorly managed SCD and SCT can lead to sensorineural hearing loss and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) issues. This research aims to assess these possible complications of SCD and SCT in Nigeria. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The study will use a comparative cross-sectional design at study power 80% to investigate the association between SCD/SCT, hearing impairment and HRQoL...

BACKGROUND: Evidence of willingness to pay for kidney replacement therapy is scarce in low-middle-income countries, including Nigeria's Formal Sector Social Health Insurance Programme. The study, therefore, assessed the willingness to pay for haemodialysis among chronic kidney disease patients in Abuja, Nigeria. METHODS: The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design. We used the contingent valuation method to estimate the maximum stated willingness to pay (WTP) for haemodialysis among end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients...

INTRODUCTION: Salmonella is considered one of the most significant pathogens in public health since it is a bacterium that is frequently linked to food-borne illnesses in humans. Some Salmonella serovars are responsible for outbreaks that are connected to the consumption of animal products. Cattle are connected to humans through a shared environment and the food chain as a significant source of animal protein. In Nigeria, antimicrobial medications are easily accessible for use in food-producing animals...

BACKGROUND OBJECTIVES: The correct association between Plasmodium falciparum parasite density and the cellular constituents of blood is not known in entirety in Nigerian children. Thus, we decided to study the association between cellular blood constituents and malaria parasite density in malaria infected children attending a Nigerian hospital. METHODS: A study of all the children diagnosed with malaria fever at the Paediatric out-patient clinic, Cedar Crest Hospital, Abuja...

Apart from the conventional inputs for cocoa production, climatic parameters have a significant effect on the yield of the crop globally. However, existing literature suffers a knowledge gap on the farmers' perceptions of climate effect on cocoa yield and its nexus with climate data. The chi-square test of independence, standardized anomaly index (SAI), multiple regression, z-distribution, and descriptive statistics were employed to investigate the socioeconomic and climate impacts on yield. The registered farmers (280) from the Osun State Cocoa Growers Association (OSCGA) in the Nigerian Humid Zone were the interviewees...

BACKGROUND: New family planning (FP) product introduction requires understanding the target market and support from stakeholders from across the health sector. We aimed to understand the perspectives of FP providers and other stakeholders on the potential introduction of new subcutaneous (SC) depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) injectable contraceptives lasting 4 and 6 months in Nigeria and Uganda. METHODS: Between July 2021 and February 2022, we conducted 48 in-depth interviews (IDIs) and 11 focus group discussions (FGDs) with FP providers and other stakeholders involved with service delivery, program management, and policymaking in Lagos and Abuja in Nigeria and Kampala and Luwero in Uganda...

INTRODUCTION: Chest infections are a frequently encountered problem in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), more so in tracheostomised patients. This study aimed to audit the tracheostomy care practices in patients with neurosurgical pathologies in the ICU of Wellington Clinics Abuja, a tertiary neurosurgical hospital in Nigeria. METHODS: We conducted a closed-loop audit with mixed methods involving analysis of 24 patients who had tracheostomy within the first two weeks of neurosurgical pathology at a tertiary neurosurgical hospital and semi-structured interviews to determine tracheostomy care practices among the primary caregivers - nurses, intensivists, and doctors...

BACKGROUND: The barrier dysfunction of atopic dermatitis (AD) promotes epicutaneous sensitization to aeroallergens. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of food and aeroallergen sensitization in AD and to explore the relationship between allergen sensitization and the personal or family history of allergic rhinitis, conjunctivitis, asthma, eosinophil count, and AD severity of Nigerian patients. METHODS: Children and adults with AD who visited the dermatology clinic were included in this study...

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of abnormalities which includes central obesity, dyslipidaemia, elevated blood pressure and hyperglycemia. Hypertension, (which is a very common component of metabolic syndrome), and diabetes mellitus, are independently associated. Also, studies examining metabolic syndrome inAbuja, a city with affluence-driven lifestyle, are not available. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among hypertensive patients in Abuja, Nigeria, as well as to examine the associations between metabolic syndrome and certain factors in that cohort of hypertensive patients...

The occurrence of pathogens in discharged wastewater effluent may constitute potential public health risks. This study assessed the physicochemical and bacteriological characteristics of water samples taken from the Wupa River in Abuja, Nigeria, which receives the final effluent of the Wupa Wastewater Treatment Plant. Sixty sewage/water samples were collected over 12 months from five sampling points. Coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli were simultaneously enumerated using the membrane filtration technique and Chromocult Coliform Agar...

BACKGROUND: A current worrisome global trend is the emigration of health workers from resource-constrained areas especially Africa, with 1 in 4 doctors, and 1 in 20 nurses leaving for developed countries. This phenomenon has resulted in a shortfall of over 1.5 million health workers in the region. The factors contributing to the trend remain multifaceted, with provider burnout playing a crucial role in this phenomenon. Several studies have highlighted the burden of burn out among health workers in public facilities...