Employee Perception of Maintenance Practices at Selected Public Healthcare Facilities in Niger State, Nigeria

Maintenance practice involves deliberate and orderly way that deals with planning, evaluation, organizing, and monitoring of maintenance activities and their expenses. An excellent maintenance management framework combines with learned and proficient maintenance staff can avoid safety and health issues and environmental harm; yielding longer assets life with less breakdowns, lower working costs and higher personal satisfaction for the users and occupants. Experienced and highly trained workers are inspired with a very friendly atmosphere and they are also in turn individual friendly.Lack of maintenance of our healthcare facilities is evident in the deplorable condition of the structures and equipment.This study assessed maintenance practices of maintenance staff at six (6) selected healthcare facilities in Niger State through a structured questionnaire. Data collected was analysed with Minitab 17 statistical software using descriptive statistics. The analysis revealed among others that majority of maintenance practice were preventive in nature, and that the maintenanceproblems in the healthcare facilities of Niger State was caused bylack of lack of funding and lack of successful adaptation of ineffective maintenance programmes and practices. The study recommended a proactive and aggressive approach to reduce the occurrence of defects in and around the healthcare facilities. It was also recommended that individual healthcare centres should solicit for both private and public funding for maintenance activities since they have partial autonomy to generate revenue internally for their operation

Hepatitis B Co-Infection is Associated with Poorer Survival of HIV-Infected Patients on Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy in West Africa

Background: Hepatitis B has been reported to be high in HIV-infected African populations. However, the impact of this co-infection on the survival of HIV-infected Africans on long-term highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) remains poorly characterised. We investigated the impact of HBV/HIV co-infection on survival of HIV infected patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy in a West African population. Methods: This was a clinic-based cohort study of HIV-infected adults enrolled in Nigeria, West Africa. Study subjects (9,758) were screened for hepatitis B and hepatitis C at HAART initiation. Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate probability of survival and to identify predictors of mortality respectively, based on hepatitis B surface antigen status. All patients had signed an informed written consent before enrolment into the study; and we additionally obtained permission for secondary use of data from the Harvard institutional review board. Results: Patients were followed up for a median of 41 months (interquartile range: 30–62 months) during which, 181 (1.9%) patients died. Most of the deaths; 143 (79.0%) occurred prior to availability of Tenofovir. Among those that were on antiretroviral therapy, hepatitis B co-infected patients experienced a significantly lower survival than HIV mono-infected patients at 74 months of follow up (94% vs. 97%; p=0.0097). Generally, hepatitis B co-infection: HBsAg-positive/HIV-positive (Hazards Rate [HR]; 1.5: 95% CI 1.09–2.11), co-morbid tuberculosis (HR; 2.2: 95% CI 1.57–2.96) and male gender (HR; 1.5: 95% CI 1.08–2.00) were significantly predictive of mortality. Categorising the patients based on use of Tenofovir, HBV infection failed to become a predictor of mortality among those on Tenofovir-containing HAART. Conclusions: HBsAg-positive status was associated with reduced survival and was an independent predictor of mortality in this African HIV cohort on HAART. However, Tenofovir annulled the impact of HBV on mortality of HIV patients in the present study cohort

Information Asymmetry, Financialisation and Financial Access

This study investigates whether information sharing channels that are meant to reduce information asymmetry have led to an increase in financial access. The study employs a Generalised Method of Moments technique using data from 53 African countries during the period from 2004-2011 to examine this linkage. Information sharing channels are theoretically designed to promote the formal financial sector and discourage the informal financial sector. The study uses two information sharing channels: private credit bureaus and public credit registries. The study found that both information sharing channels have a positive and significant impact on financial access. The study also found that public credit registries complement the formal financial sector to promote financial access. The policy implications are discussed

Employee Perception of Maintenance Practices at Selected Public Healthcare Facilities in Niger State, Nigeria

Maintenance practice involves deliberate and orderly way that deals with planning, evaluation, organizing, and monitoring of maintenance activities and their expenses. An excellent maintenance management framework combines with learned and proficient maintenance staff can avoid safety and health issues and environmental harm; yielding longer assets life with less breakdowns, lower working costs and higher personal satisfaction for the users and occupants. Experienced and highly trained workers are inspired with a very friendly atmosphere and they are also in turn individual friendly.Lack of maintenance of our healthcare facilities is evident in the deplorable condition of the structures and equipment.This study assessed maintenance practices of maintenance staff at six (6) selected healthcare facilities in Niger State through a structured questionnaire. Data collected was analysed with Minitab 17 statistical software using descriptive statistics. The analysis revealed among others that majority of maintenance practice were preventive in nature, and that the maintenanceproblems in the healthcare facilities of Niger State was caused bylack of lack of funding and lack of successful adaptation of ineffective maintenance programmes and practices. The study recommended a proactive and aggressive approach to reduce the occurrence of defects in and around the healthcare facilities. It was also recommended that individual healthcare centres should solicit for both private and public funding for maintenance activities since they have partial autonomy to generate revenue internally for their operation

Research Note 1: Detection of helminth parasites of ruminants in hedgehog Atelerix albivetrix

Parasitological investigation on the gastro-intestinal contents of hedgehog was conducted. Samples were scrubbed from the length of gastro-intestinal tracts of road kills and casualty hedgehogs collected from the road site(s) during the early hours of the day and transported to the laboratory before post-mortem changes sets in. Of the ninety-nine road-kills hedgehogs collected and used for the studies, 5.26% (5) and 2.10 % ( 2) prevalence rates of infestation with Haemonchus contortus and Dicrocoelium dendriticum that are classical ruminant helminthes were detected respectively. Thus, the findings confirmed hedgehog as a host in the epizootiology of helminth parasitosis in ruminants; further investigation is required to determine if hedgehog could act as a secondary intermediate host in the epizootiology of helminthes infection in ruminants. Keywords: helminth parasites, hedgehog, ruminants, helminthosis. Nigerian Journal of Parasitology Vol. 28 (2) 2007: pp. 129-13

Predictors of impaired renal function among HIV infected patients commencing highly active antiretroviral therapy in Jos, Nigeria

Background: Kidney disease is a common complication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection even in the era of antiretroviral therapy, with kidney function being abnormal in up to 30% of HIV-infected patients. We determined the predictors of impaired renal function in HIV-infected adults initiating highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study among HIV-1 infected patients attending the antiretroviral clinic at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), between November 2005 and November 2007. Data were analysed for age, gender, weight, WHO clinical stage, CD4 count, HIV-1 RNA viral load, HBsAg and anti-HCV antibody status. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated using the Cockcroft-Gault equation. Statistical analysis was done using Epi Info 3.5.1. Results: Data for 491 (294 females and 197 males) eligible patients were abstracted. The mean age of this population was 38.8΁8.87 years. One hundred and seventeen patients (23.8%; 95% CI, 20.2-27.9%) had a reduced eGFR (defined as <60 mL/min), with more females than males (28.6% vs. 16.8%; P=0.02) having reduced eGFR. Age and female sex were found to have significant associations with reduced eGFR. Adjusted odds ratios were 1.07 (95% CI, 1.04, 1.10) and 1.96 (95% CI, 1.23, 3.12) for age and female sex, respectively. Conclusions: Older age and female sex are independently associated with a higher likelihood of having lower eGFRs at initiation of HAART among our study population. We recommend assessment of renal function of HIV-infected patients prior to initiation of HAART to guide the choice and dosing of antiretroviral drugs

Alleged rape: an analysis of management of cases seen at specialist hospital Gombe, Nigeria

The aim of this study was to determine how patients who presented following sexual assault were managed at a secondary health facility in Gombe, Nigeria. The case notes of patient who presented at the Accident and Emergency Unit of State Specialist Hospital Gombe after serious sexual assault from August 1 2016 to July 30 2018 were retrieved and the data were entered into SPSS Version 20 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL) and summarised as proportions. Of the 15,613 patients who presented, 277 were alleged rapes which constituted 1.77% of presentations. Two hundred and one of the patients were females with a total of 2341 admissions at the gynaecological ward representing 8.6%. One hundred and seventy one (67%) of the patients did not receive any form of care, 127 (54.0%) were not given antibiotics prophylaxis against STIs, 117 (42%) did not receive post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV/AIDS and 80% of the women between the ages of 15–45 had emergency contraception. One hundred and ninety seven (71.1%) did not receive any psychological support. Rape is common. Measures should be put in place to improve the clinical management of survivors.Impact statement What is already known on this subject? Rape is common in Gombe, Nigeria, and a standard management protocol has been developed with a view to reduce the adverse consequences associated with it. What the results of this study add? The results of this study show that survivors of rape in the developing countries like ours do not receive adequate clinical and psychological care when they present at the hospital. What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Given the results, there is the need for physicians managing rape cases to pay attention to details so as to minimise both immediate and long-term complications associated with rape

Useful Volatile Organic Biomarkers for Discriminating Spoilt Onion Cultivars in Sokoto

Microorganisms degrade food components in order to access nutrient available in such food and in return produce organic compounds from the breakdown of the food components. These organic compounds hold potential to be exploited as biomarkers to detect the presence of such microorganisms. This study was conducted to evaluate fungi associated with volatile organic compounds production in spoilt onion cultivars. A total of 54 onion bulbs which include 45 healthy and 9 spoilt onion bulbs belonging to three cultivars were used for this study. All laboratory investigations were carried out by standard methods. Four fungal genera were identified and these include&nbsp;Aspergillus,&nbsp;Fusarium,&nbsp;Mucor&nbsp;and&nbsp;Candida. The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of twenty six (26) volatile compounds in spoilt white onion bulb, (9) in yellowish-brown and (8) in the purple variety, respectively. White onion bulb had the following dominant compound; nonane (11.97%), decane (11.96%), octane (9.3%) of which ten was unknown. The compounds sulphurous acid, 2-ethylhexylisohexyl ester (18.60%), phenol 2,6-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methyl (7.90%) were dominant in yellowish-brown cultivar including five (5) unknown, while the predominant compounds in the spoilt purple onion variety were, phthalic acid, di-(1-hexen-5-yl)ester (69.64%) and phenol-2,6-bis (1,1-dimethylethyl)-4-methyl, of which five were unknown. This study suggests that these unique volatile organic compounds could provide the bedrock for restraining postharvest losses and the volatile organic compounds could also form baseline knowledge for discriminating diseases associated with onion