Usefulness of X-Rays in the Evaluation of Patients with Pains of the Upper Limb

The conventional use of x-rays in radiodiagnosis is widelyobtainable in Nigeria. This study was intended, therefore todetermine the usefulness of x-rays to evaluate pains of theupper-limb in aspects of its contribution to diagnosis, cost,patient care and management and the views for detailedinformation. Adopting judgemental sampling, a nonprobabilitysampling, approach was used. A total of twohundred and forty seven (247) radiographs were handpickedusing the request forms and radiologist reports on theradiographs. The results obtained showed that the use of xraysto evaluate pain of the upper limb contributed 47.70% totherapeutic decision, cost, patient care and management.Oblique view had a positive outcome of 51.50% as againstposterior anterior and lateral views which had 27.14% and22.16% respectively. In comparison, computed tomography(CT) scans of 72 patients showed that 68.06% of the caseswere diagnosed as pain resulting trauma, spondylosis,ostemomyelitis and narrowing of disc spaces. The CT scanresult showed an improvement over conventional x-ray and anadded advantage to therapeutic decision making and patientcare/management. It was concluded that the use of otherimaging modalities in our hospitals should supplement the useof conventional x-rays on pains of the upper limb to removedoubt on therapeutic decisions in our health institutions

Impact of macroeconomic variables on stock return volatility : evidence from Sub-Sahara Africa

The main purpose of this paper was to investigate the impact of macroeconomic variables on stock market return volatility in Sub-Sahara markets. The study concentrated on three stock markets including Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa using GARCH-X (1,1) model on monthly data from January 2000 to December 2017. Preliminary analyses from descriptive statistics show that show mean monthly returns are positive for all the stock markets. Skewness coefficients show that the stock returns and interest rates distribution of all Sub-Sahara Africa stock markets are negatively skewed but inflation rate is positively skewed for Nigeria and South Africa, and flat for Ghana. Excess kurtoses are positive for all the stock markets and macroeconomic indicators, and JarqueBera statistics indicate the stock markets’ series and macroeconomic indicators are not normally distributed. The Unit roots tests results indicate that all the stock markets and macroeconomic indicators are first difference stationary. The results of the GARCH-X (1,1) model show that macroeconomic variables do not significantly impact stock market returns volatility in Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa at the 5% significance Level. We therefore recommend that stock market regulators, market participants and investors should concentrate more efforts on other macroeconomic variables aside interest rate and inflation rate, in estimating stock market return volatility in Sub-Sahara Africapeer-reviewe

Bank consolidation and its challenges

Now, that the consolidation exercise has been successfully concluded, it remains for the 25 emergent banks to devise ways of playing more creative roles in investment banking and international capital movement, in addition to exploring off shore banking. NESG Economic Indicators Vol. 12 (2) 2006: pp. 39-4

Book Review: World Development Report 2007: Development and the next generation

The book - World Development Report 2007: Development and The Next Generation, examines the major challenges facing young persons, especially the young women, rural and disabled youths, whose voices are often not heard. In this review, the writer submits that the report will be useful in addressing youth restiveness in Nigeria, especially in the Niger Delta region. NESG Economic Indicators Vol. 13 (4) 2007 pp. 58-6

Trade Openness, Stock Market Development and Economic Growth of Nigeria: Empirical Evidence

The study investigates the effect of trade openness on the impact of stock market development on economic growth of Nigeria. The ADF test revealed stationarity of the variables at first difference. The Johansen multivariate cointegration test confirms a long-run co-integrating relationship at 5% level of significance. In addition, the regression estimates shows that trade openness response to the relationship between stock market development does not have significant effect on economic growth. The pairwise granger causality test shows that there is no causal relation between trade openness and economic growth on one hand; and trade openness and stock market development on the other hand. The study conclude that exposure to external economies (trade openness) has no significance contribution to the development of Nigerian stock market in particular and the economy in general. Keywords: Stock market development, Nigeria, trade openness, economic growth, FDI

Cost analysis of tuberculosis treatment in two tertiary hospitals in South-East Nigeria

Background: Treatment of tuberculosis is known to be free of charge to patients in Nigeria. How free is it? Several governmental and non-governmental agencies support tuberculosis treatment to make the services accessible and affordable to patients. These efforts are geared towards reducing the burden of the disease in the community.Objective: To estimate the pattern and overall costs incurred by the patients and to compare the cost of tuberculosis treatment in these two centers.Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study among tuberculosis patients, who came for treatment in these centers, was done using a pre-coded, pre-tested questionnaire between 1st October and 1st December, 2012. Information was collected on demographic, socioeconomic characteristics and expenditure before and during treatment. Data were analyzed and presented as mean costs which were used for comparison.Results: The overall estimated average direct costs were between N71, 575.61 [$436.44] (4.83$663.00] (63.3%), average indirect cost was between N112, 602.75 [$686.60] (41.3$1320.88] (59.1%), average coping cost was between N18, 670.56 [$113.84] (4.4$293.32] (52.2%), and overall total cost was between N244, 265.76 [$1489.43] (91.5$2218.38] (133.1%).The mean direct cost incurred was found to be N81, 287.63 ($495.66) in those who come on an out-patient basis to these two tertiary health facilities and N129, 450 ($789.33) in patients admitted in Federal Medical  Centre Umuahia. In the same vein, the mean indirect cost incurred was found to be N165, 026.32 ($1,006.25) in those who come on an out-patient basis to these two institutions and N163, 000 ($993.90) in patients admitted in Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, while their mean total cost was found to be N291, 563.95 ($1,777.83) in those who come on an out-patient basis to these centres and N351, 450 ($2,142.99) in patients admitted in Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia. All the cost incurred by patients admitted in Federal Medical Centre was found to be highest. It was also observed that there is a difference in cost incurred by patients who come on an out-patient basis to these institutions as compared to those on admission.Conclusion: This study has brought to light the financial burden of tuberculosis care on patients and their families and therefore emphasized the need for the review of cost reduction by the relevant stakeholders and policy makers. This will help to increase the access of tuberculosis care to the poor and unreached populations, thereby achieving universal access to tuberculosis care. It has also highlighted the variation in cost among the different treatment modalities.Keywords: Home-based care, Hospital-based care, Directly Observed Therapy (DOT), Cos