Seasonal and socio-economic variations in clinical and self-reported malaria in Accra, Ghana: Evidence from facility data and a community survey

Objectives: This study characterizes the variations in malaria morbidity for Accra.Methods: Both routine reporting of presumptive, clinically diagnosed malaria in out-patient clinics and results from a longitudinal household survey are used in the analysis. In the household survey, cases of suspected malaria were self-reported by patients, based on diagnoses from health centers, hospitals, pharmacies, chemical sellers or traditional healers.Results: Although the malaria ascertainment is not based on parasitology, we see systematic and plausible patterns by season and by district associated with variations in rainfall by month and year. There are significant differences in malaria incidence by socioeconomic group, possibly linked with place, work or residence.Conclusions: Understanding these seasonal and geographic patterns have implications for both prevention and treatment of malaria-like morbidity in both children and adults in urban settings

Cost efficiency of Ghana's banking industry: a panel data analysis

This study analyzes the efficiency of the banking industry in Ghana over the period of 2001–2010 using the data envelopment analysis. The study investigates the impact of size, capitalization, loan loss provision, inflation rate and GDP growth rate on Ghana’s bank efficiency using both static and dynamic panel data models. The static model is estimated by the fixed effects estimator whereas the dynamic mdoel is estimated by the two step system GMM estimator. The results suggest that Ghana banks are inefficient. This study reveals that well-capitalized banks in Ghana are less cost efficient. In addition, bank size has no influence on bank cost efficiency suggesting that larger banks in Ghana have no cost advantages over their smaller counterparts. The findings also exhibit that loan loss provision ratio has no effect on bank efficiency in Ghana. This study finds GDP growth rate negatively influences bank cost efficiency and that lagged cost efficiency tends to persist from year to year

Effect of water treated and urea treated neem (Azadirachta indica) kernel cake as protein supplement on haematological, biochemical and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens

In a study to evaluate the carcass haematological and biochemical characteristics of broiler birds fed graded levels of water and urea-treated neem kernel cake (NKC), 300 day-old broilers (Cobb, 500) were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments for 56 days. Water and feed were fed adlibitum. The diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous to replace soya bean meal at 0 per cent neem kernel cake (NKC), 5 per cent water treated neem kernel cake (WNKC), 10 per cent WNKC, 5 per cent water and urea treated neem kernel cake (WUNKC) and 10 per cent WUNKC for diets 1,2,3,4, and 5, respectively. The results showed that average daily feed intake (ADFI), average body weight gain (ABWG), average daily water intake (ADWI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and feed cost kg-1 live weight gain were significantly (P = 0.05) different across dietary treatments. With the exception of the red blood cell (RBC), globulin and total protein, all the haematological parameters (white blood cell, haemoglobin, PCV, MCH, MCHC and MCV) and biochemical parameters (albumen, cholesterol, HDL, LDL and TGS) measured were not significantly (P = 0.05) different across the dietary treatments. Results on carcass parameters were significantly (P = 0.05) different among the dietary treatments. Liver, gizzard, heart, dressed weight, and intestinal weights of birds on the test diets were significantly (P = 0.05) different from those on the control diet

Awareness and knowledge of glaucoma among adult patients at the eye clinic of a teaching hospital

Background: Primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) is an irreversible blinding disease that often presents late because it is symptomless in the early stages. Prognosis depends on early diagnosis and treatment and patient understanding of their condition. Many patients present late because of poor awareness and knowledge. This study was conducted to assess patient’s awareness and knowledge of glaucoma in a referral Teaching Hospital.Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among glaucoma patients aged 40 years and above attending the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). Patients were selected by simple random sampling. They were recruited after informed consent had been given. A questionnaire on demographics, socio-economics and awareness of glaucoma was administered.Results: There were a total of 117 participants, 61 males and 56 females. The median and modal age group was 50 and 59 years. Amongst the participants, 74% were aware of glaucoma. There were no significant statistical difference in the various age groups, sex, ethnic group or religion and their awareness of glaucoma (P>0.05).There were statistically significant differences between those who had higher education and their awareness of glaucoma (P< 0.001). Yet only 27% of these had accurate knowledge of glaucoma.Conclusion: Glaucoma awareness in patients attending Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital is high. Higher education was associated with higher awareness yet this was not translated into accurate knowledge as there were significant misconceptions .There is the need to review the contents of health education with the aim of reducing dangerous misconception of glaucoma and targeting the lower socioeconomic population.Key words: Glaucoma, Primary Open Angle Glaucoma, Knowledge, Awareness, Blindnes

Efficacy of extractives from parts of Ghanaian pawpaw, avocado and neem on the durability of alstonia

Conventional preservatives are not only toxic to wood bio-deteriorators, but also to humans and animals. In an effort to find preservatives that are non-toxic to humans and animals, efficacy of water extracts of heartwood of Azadirachta indica (Neem) and leaves of Persea americana (avocado) and Carica papaya (pawpaw) at 0.24%, was tested on the durability of wood of Alstonia boonei by pressure impregnation and buried in a termite-prone field for 5 weeks following a modified EN 252 and Gay et al. (1957). Efficacy was tested on the basis of visual durability ratings, percentage hardness and mass losses of impregnated alstonia wood after burial. Though alstonia wood retained pawpaw extract least, pawpaw extract improved the durability of alstonia wood most. Pawpaw extract could be used to improve the durability of alstonia wood better at 0.72% (3x0.24%) and on triple treatment. 83% of Anloga furniture makers who saw the efficacy of pawpaw extract at 0.72% and on triple treatment, showed a high sense of interest in preservative botanical extracts.Key words: Eco-friendly, termite, efficacy, standardization, percentage hardness loss, percentage mass loss, visual durability rating

Sustainability of Mahogany Production in Plantations: Does Resource Availability Influence Susceptibility of Young Mahogany Plantation Stands to Hypsipyla robusta Infestation?

Hypsipyla robusta Moore (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), like many other moth species, shows selectivity when choosing host plants for its eggs. Four Meliaceae species (Khaya grandifoliola, K. ivorensis, Swietenia macrophyla, and Entandrophragma cylindricum) were established in a moist semideciduous forest in Ghana to study this selectivity at 12 and 21 months after planting. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) at a P-value of 0.05 was used to test the significance of differences in infestation by H. robusta between the species. H. robusta attacks were recorded by month 12 after planting in the field, and only Khaya spp. was attacked, with attacks evident on 15.5% of K grandifoliola and 6.6% K. ivorensis. Saplings in blocks closer to an older H. robusta infested K. grandifoliola stand had more infestation compared to saplings further away. The mean percentage of K. grandifoliola attacked was 38.9%, 38.9%, 13.3%, and 7.4% in 4 different plots located increasingly further away from the older infested plantation. A similar trend was found in K. ivorensis with 28.4%, 7.1%, 0.0%, and 0.0% in the plots located increasingly further away from the infested stand. These results indicate a higher number of shoot borer attacks at the edge of the plantation and in proximity to other infested plantations. After 21 months, the fastest-growing species and the fastest-growing individuals within the species were the most infested. K. grandifoliola recorded the fastest growth and most attacks followed by K. ivorensis and S. macrophylla. E. cylindricum recorded the least growth and no H. robusta infestation. After 21 months, the mean percentages of trees attacked were 59.1%, 23.7%, 5.6%, and 0.0% for K. grandifoliola, K. ivorensis, S. macrophylla, and E. cylindricum, respectively. Within species, the fastest-growing saplings experienced the most attacks. A positive correlation was observed between the plant size and H. robusta attacks (R2 = 0.76). Attacks resulted in the death of the apical shoot and the proliferation of multiple shoots in only the Khaya spp., with K. ivorensis recording a lower number of shoots than K. grandifoliola. These proliferated shoots were also attacked, and a positive correlation was observed between the number of proliferated shoots and H. robusta attacks (R2 = 0.84). These findings will assist plantation developers, forest managers, and investors in mahogany plantations to devise integrated pest management strategies to reduce the impact of Hypsipyla attacks on their plantations

Sickle cell disease: reappraisal of the role of foetal haemoglobin levels in the frequency of vaso-occlusive crisis

Background: Foetal haemoglobin has been implicated in the modulation of sickle cell crisis. Its level is generally inversely proportional to the severity of sickle cell disease (SCD) for a given sickle cell phenotypes. The main aim of therapy for vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC), which is the hallmark of SCD, is to reduce the chances of sickling through the prevention of polymerization of HbS. One way of preventing this polymerization is by increasing foetal haemoglobin levels.Objectives: To determine the relationship between HbF levels and the frequency of crisis in SCD patients in Ghana.Method: A longitudinal retrospective survey covering a period of 30 months was carried out on adult SCD patients at the Sickle Cell Clinic of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.Results: Eighty-three adults aged 15 to 65 years made up of 40 males and 43 femalea were studied. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) gave significant results in Hb and HbF levels. Higher HbF levels were positively related to less frequent crisis and were significantly high in SCD patients than in controls. HbF effects on the clinical manifestations on SCD were variable.Conclusion: Threshold values of HbF play a role in reducing the frequency of vaso-occlusive crisis in SCD patients and this finding contributes to the body of available literature on SCD severity. However our work does not give the apparent threshold level of helpful HBF Level in SCD.Keywords: Haemoglobin F, Frequency of crisis, sickle cell disease

Use of Corn Cob and Rice Husk Biochar as Liming Materials in Acid Soils

Most soils in Ghana are acid with those of the Evergreen Rain Forest belt having Al toxicities. Unavailability, high cost and poor grade of conventional liming materials have led to poor yields of food crops grown on these acid soils. Preliminary works on biochar produced from agricultural waste in Ghana have shown that some types have high concentration of basic cations and contain CaCO3, an active ingredient in conventional lime. Biochar could, therefore, be exploited for use as liming material.  However, the biochar type that would be ideal for use as liming material in acid soils of Ghana has received little attention. Two typical acid soils viz., Typic Hapludox and Typic Hapludult were thus amended with corn cob and rice husk charred at 500 and 700 oC at a rate of 80 Mg/ha in a screen house experiment to evaluate their respective efficacies as substitutes for conventional agricultural lime. The Ca equivalent of the biochar types from CaCO3, the conventional lime, was amended to the soils to serve as realistic controls. The amended soils, in addition to their un-amended counterparts, were all kept at 80% field capacity in a completely randomized design in the screen house to allow for pH equilibration amidst weekly pH and bi-weekly exchangeable Al, Ca and Mg monitoring. Results showed that corn cob charred at 500 oC was able to raise pH from 4.2 to 5.2 in Hapludox and from 4.9 to 6.2 (an optimum pH for most food crops) in Hapludult within a six-week incubation period. All the biochar types reduced Al concentration from 0.4 cmolc /kg to undetectable levels in the Hapludult. The element was reduced from 1.3 cmolc /kg to 0.45 cmolc /kg in the rice husk and corn cob charred at 700 oC amended Hapludox

Evaluating services for perinatal asphyxia and low birth weight at two hospitals in Ghana: a micro-costing analysis

Background: Neonatal mortality has been decreasing slowly in Ghana despite investments in maternal-newborn services. Although community-based interventions are effective in reducing newborn deaths, hospital-based services provide better health outcomes.Objective: To examine the process and cost of hospital-based services for perinatal asphyxia and low birth weight/preterm at a district and a regional level referral hospital in Ghana.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at 2 hospitals in Greater Accra Region during May-July 2016. Term infants with perinatal asphyxia and low birth weight/preterm infants referred for special care within 24hours after birth were eligible. Time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) approach was used to examine the process and cost of all activities in the full cycle of care from admission until discharge or death. Costs were analysed from health provider’s perspective.Results: Sixty-two newborns (perinatal asphyxia 27, low-birth-weight/preterm 35) were enrolled. Cost of care was proportionately related to length-of-stay. Personnel costs constituted over 95% of direct costs, and all resources including personnel, equipment and supplies were overstretched.Conclusion: TDABC analysis revealed gaps in the organization, process and financing of neonatal services that undermined the quality of care for hospitalized newborns. The study provides baseline cost data for future cost-effectiveness studies on neonatal services in Ghana.Keywords: perinatal asphyxia; low-birth-weight; time-driven activity-based costing; process of careFunding: Authors received no external funding for the stud