Physicians management of sore throat in children in Benin City, Nigeria

Sorethroat is a common reason for presentation in primary paediatric care. Because only minority of cases of pharyngitis is caused by bacteria, physicians have been guided by various recommendations on the judicious use of antibiotics to avoid overprescription. In the absence of guidelines, the treatment approaches between physicians may differ. The management of children with sorethroat by physicians inBeninCity,Mid-WesternNigeriawas evaluated. The experience and practice of 25 paediatricians and 30 non paediatricians who routinely attend to children with sorethroat in Benin metropolis, Nigeria were evaluated with the aid of a self administered questionnaire. Information sought for included biodata, empirical antibiotic prescription. The choice of antibiotic and complications of pharyngitis encountered in practice. Majority of respondents 31(56.4 %) considered viruses as the commonest cause of pharyngitis. Despite this an equal proportion 31(56.4 %) treated children with sorethroat empirically with antibiotics. Of these, significantly more paediatricians 19(61.3%) than non paediatricians 12(38.7%) considered viruses the commonest cause of pharyngitis, P = 0.013. CI (0.10 0.63). Almost three quarter (72.7 %) of respondents examine the throat of the childrenwhile only 18.2%obtained throat swab formicrobiological analysis. The 24 doctorswho did not treat empiricallywould prescribe antibiotic if the patient has purulent pharyngeal exudates, fever and adenitis.Augmentin and cefuroximewere themost prescribed antibiotics. Alot of children served by these doctors receive antibiotic needlessly from empirical antibiotic treatment of pharyngitis.National guidelines on appropriate antibiotic use is needed to promote rational use of antibiotics and reduce antibiotic overuse.Keywords: Sore throat, streptococcal, antibiotic, physicians,Beni

Rethinking development and sustainability of African economy: The roles of science education

It is an understatement that of all the continents in the world Africa is seriously lagging behind in the area of development and sustainability. Trend studies of vital indices revealed a slow pace of development, which portends a great danger for the continent coupled with it being bedeviled by political instability. This study offers a rethink of these situations and the roles science education could play in fostering the much-needed development in Africa. The areas of focus are food security, energy supply, institutional infrastructures, education, health and environmental conscious designs. Conclusions are drawn and recommendations made on the ways forward

Experience With Hydroxy Carbamide Use; Indications, Adverse Effects And Clinical Course At A Tertiary Care Hospital In Lagos

Introduction: Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited haemoglobin disorder with the highest prevalence in Sub-saharan Africa. The clinical course of the disease has improved with newborn screening, penicillin prophylaxis and hydroxycarbamide use amongst other interventions. Despite the data on the benefit of hydroxycarbamide use, the uptake of hydroxycarbamide in poor resource  settings is still very low. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital from January to December 2017 among children with sickle cell anemia on hydroxycarbamide. Ethical Approval was obtained from the Health, Research and Ethicscommittee of the Hospital. Statistical analysis was with SPSS version 20. Results: Atotal of 1039 children were seen in the period under review with 13.5% of them on hydroxycarbamide. The commonest  indication for hydroxycarbamide was high risk for stroke while lumbar infarction was the least common indication. Adverse effects were seen in 2.1% of the recipients and all these patients had derangements of liver function. None of the recipients had hematologic adverse effects. Conclusion: The use of hydroxycarbamide is relatively safe among children living in resource constrained settings but long term follow-up among a larger cohort is desired. Key words: Hydroxycarbamide, indications, sickle cell diseas