Fabrication and Testing of a Manual Charcoal-Fired Groundnut Fryer

Groundnut is an agricultural product that is of great value to both man and animals. It serves as raw material for industries. Frying is the process of generating characteristic aroma, flavour and colour required by consumers for acceptance of such fried food. The wide range usage of groundnut and its products has led to increase in its demand. However, the local methods of roasting Groundnut seeds after it has been shelled has some associated problems and difficulties which make it ineffective, laborious and time consuming. A manually operated Groundnut seed roaster was constructed with the aim of improving on the traditional methods commonly used in the Nigeria. The machine shows the roasting efficiency (Er) to be in the realm of 98.0% with percentages of seed damaged (loss) in the range of 2.00-20.0%.   The average and optimum time for roasting was estimated to be in the range of 4 minutes. Keywords: Groundnut, charcoal, groundnut fryer, mechanization, heat , manual DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/9-4-0

Open intramedullary nailing for segmental long bone fractures: an effective alternative in a resource restricted environment

Background: Closed, locked intramedullary nailing has been accepted as the gold standard in the care of femoral fractures, with reported union rates as high as 98–100%. Closed, locked intramedullary nailing often requires expensive equipment which is a challenge in developing countries. Segmental long bone fractures are often a result of high‑energy trauma and hence often associated with a lot of injuries to the surrounding soft tissues. This consequently results in higher rates of delayed or nonunion. This study was proposed to review the outcome of management of segmental fractures with locked intramedullary nails, using an open method of reduction. Methods: A retrospective analysis was made of data obtained from all segmental long bone fractures treated with intramedullary nailing over a 1‑year period. Records were retrieved from the folders of patients operated on from January 2011 to  December 2011. Patients were followed up for a minimum of 1 year after the surgery. Results: We managed a total of 12 segmental long bone fractures in 11 patients. Eight of the 12 fractures were femoral fractures and 10 of the fractures were closed fractures. All but one fracture (91.7%) achieved union within 4 months with no major complications.Conclusions: Open method of locked intramedullary nailing achieves satisfactory results when used for the management of long bone fractures. The method can be used for segmental fractures of the humerus, femur, and tibia, with high union rates. This is particularly useful in low‑income societies where the use of intraoperative imaging may be unavailable or unaffordable. It gives patients in such societies, a chance for comparable outcomes in terms of union rates as well as avoidance of major complications. Larger prospective studies will be necessary to conclusively validate the efficacy of this fixation method in this environment.Keywords: Locked intramedullary nailing, open reduction, segmental fracture

Patient characteristics associated with COVID-19 positivity and fatality in Nigeria: retrospective cohort study

Objective: Despite the increasing disease burden, there is a dearth of context-specific evidence on the risk factors for COVID-19 positivity and subsequent death in Nigeria. Thus, the study objective was to identify context-specific factors associated with testing positive for COVID-19 and fatality in Nigeria. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting: COVID-19 surveillance and laboratory centres in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory reporting data to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. Participants: Individuals who were investigated for SARSCoV-2 using real-time PCR testing during the study period 27 February–8 June 2020. Methods: COVID-19 positivity and subsequent mortality. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors independently associated with both outcome variables, and findings are presented as adjusted ORs (aORs) and 95% CIs. Results: A total of 36 496 patients were tested for COVID-19, with 10 517 confirmed cases. Of 3215 confirmed cases with available clinical outcomes, 295 died. Factors independently associated with COVID-19 positivity were older age (p value for trend<0.0001), male sex (aOR 1.11, 95%CI 1.04 to 1.18) and the following presenting symptoms: cough (aOR 1.23, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.32), fever (aOR 1.45, 95% CI 1.45 to 1.71), loss of smell (aOR 7.78, 95% CI 5.19 to 11.66) and loss of taste (aOR 2.50, 95% CI 1.60 to 3.90). An increased risk of mortality following COVID-19 was observed in those aged ≥51 years, patients in farming occupation (aOR 7.56, 95% CI 1.70 to 33.53) and those presenting with cough (aOR 2.06, 95% CI 1.41 to 3.01), breathing difficulties (aOR 5.68, 95% CI 3.77 to 8.58) and vomiting (aOR 2.54, 95% CI 1.33 to 4.84). Conclusion: The significant risk factors associated with COVID-19 positivity and subsequent mortality in the Nigerian population are similar to those reported in studies from other countries and should guide clinical decisions for COVID-19 testing and specialist care referrals

Perceptions and opinions of Nigerians to the management and response to COVID-19 in Nigeria.

Introduction: we present a qualitative analysis of opinions of the Nigerian general public as to how successful healthcare strategies have been in containing the COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: an online qualitative survey was conducted, consisting of 30 semi-structured questions. Results: four hundred and ninety-five (495) respondents participated, ranging in age from 18 to 59 years. Over 40% of all respondents were critical of public health information. Participants saw provision of social support measures (n = 83), lack of economic, financial and social support (n = 65), enforcement of restrictions on movement outside the home, availability of face-masks and social distancing (n = 53) and provision of COVID-19 testing (n = 48) as the major things that were handled poorly by the government and health authorities. Conclusion: we advocate coordinated forward planning for public safety until vaccines are widely available; while social distancing should continue. Policymakers need to be adaptable to changing conditions, given fluctuating case numbers and fatality rates

Mental health challenges in Nigeria: Bridging the gap between demand and resources

This study discusses the significant topic of mental health challenges in Nigeria, focusing on the shortage of mental health professionals, particularly psychiatrists, and the factors influencing medical students’ hesitation to pursue psychiatry as a career path. We examine the multifaceted difficulties in Nigeria’s mental health environment using various sources, including research studies and statistical data. The scarcity of psychiatrists, with only 250 for a population of 200 million, underscores the urgent need for attention to mental health within the country. Factors such as brain drain, inadequate learning infrastructure, limited research exposure and insufficient health coverage contribute to this crisis. Additionally, societal stigma and financial constraints discourage students from pursuing psychiatry as a career. To address these challenges comprehensively, we propose a holistic approach that involves cross-disciplinary collaboration, robust mental health education in all healthcare programs, community-based awareness initiatives and transdisciplinary teamwork among mental health providers. We highlight the importance of mentorship, scholarships and national advocacy to encourage more individuals to enter the mental health profession, emphasizing the need for diversity and inclusiveness. Furthermore, our paper stresses the significance of research and innovation in advancing mental health treatment and inspiring passion for mental health among students and aspiring professionals. By embracing this comprehensive set of recommendations, we aim to cultivate a diverse, talented and compassionate workforce capable of effectively addressing Nigeria’s pressing mental health challenges

Public perception of COVID-19 management and response in Nigeria: a cross-sectional survey

Objectives: A study designed to assess the public perception of the response of government and its institutions to the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Setting: Self-selecting participants throughout Nigeria completed a self-administered questionnaire through an online cross-sectional survey. Participants: 495 Results: The majority of respondents were married (76.6%), were males (61.8%), had tertiary level education (91.0%), were public servants (36.8%), Christians (82.6%), and resident either in the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) (49.1%) or in the South-East Region of Nigeria (36.6%). Over 95% of the respondents had heard of COVID-19 (98.8%) and knew it is a viral disease (95.4%). The government and its institutions response to the pandemic were rated as poor, with the largest rating as poor for Federal President’s Office (57.5%). Communication (50.0%) and prevention messages (43.7%) received the highest perception good rating. Female respondents and those less than 40 years generally rated the governmental responses as poor. Conclusions/Recommendations: It is recommended that as a public-private partnership approached was efficiently used to more effectively disseminate public health communication and prevention messages, the Nigerian Government should expand this collaboration to improve the quality of services provided in other areas of COVID-19 outbreak management