The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Orthopedic Practice in Nigeria

Background: COVID‑19 has caused worldwide disruption in health‑care services including orthopedics as surgeries and clinics are beingscaled-down worldwide in conformity with the social‑distancing and virus containment measures being applied worldwide, including in Nigeria. Unfortunately, the care of routine diseases such as trauma, infections, and malignancies is also being negatively impacted by the slowdown in activities. Aims: The aim of this study was to determine if the ongoing COVID‑19 pandemic had affected orthopedic practice in Nigeria, and also to see what measures were already being taken, if any, and to propose solutions. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted via an online survey among orthopedic surgeons practicing in  Nigeria. Results: One hundred and seventy‑three orthopedic surgeons practicing in Nigeria participated in this study. Majority of the participants (71.1%) practice in hospitals where there were no written guidelines on orthopedic care during a viral epidemic. Most (80.9%) did not have enough personal protective equipment (PPE) for work. Most clinic services were able to run during the outbreak (65.3%). There was a marked decrease in the volume of elective and emergency surgeries performed during the pandemic, especially in public hospitals. Conclusion: COVID‑19 has affected orthopedic practice in Nigeria. Provision of adequate PPE, the use of telemedicine for outpatient consultations, physical distancing, and other techniques may improve care for our patients. Keywords: COVID‑19, Nigeria, orthopedic

Road traffic injuries as seen in a Nigerian teaching hospital

Trauma is a major problem in both developing and developed countries. World wide road-traffic injuries (RTIs) represent 25% of all trauma deaths. Injuries cause 12% of the global disease burden and are the third commonest cause of death globally. In our own environment, trauma is also important, with RTIs being a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. There is limited data on RTIs in West African countries, and this necessitated our study. We aimed to find common causative factors and proffer solutions. This was a one year prospective study examining all cases of trauma from RTIs seen at the Accident and Emergency Department of the Ebonyi State University Teaching Hospital (EBSUTH), Abakaliki, Nigeria. Three hundred and sixty-three patients were studied. There was a male/female ratio of 3.4:1, with the modal age being 25 years. Most injuries involved motorcycles (54%). Passengers from cars and buses were also commonly affected (34.2%). Most of accidents occurred from head-on collisions (38.8%). Soft-tissue injuries and fractures accounted for 83.5% of injuries. The head and neck region was the commonest injury site (41.1%), and the most commonly fractured bones were the tibia and fibula (5.8%). Death occurred in 17 patients (4.7%), and 46 (12.7%) patients discharged themselves against medical advice. Improvements in road safety awareness, proper driver education—especially motorcycle drivers—and proper hospital care are needed in our subregion