Patterns of Morbidity and Mortality amongst Motorcycle Riders and their Passengers in Benin-City Nigeria: One-year Review

Objective: To evaluate patterns of morbidity and mortality among bike riders and pillion seat passengers involved in road traffic accidents in Benin-City Nigeria between August 2003-July 2004. Methods: A total of Fifty-one bike riders and pillion seat passengers, who participated in this study were part of a larger study, involved in a road traffic accident and were brought to the accident and emergency unit of either the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) or the State Specialist Hospital between August 2002-July2003.The injured ones were examined and dead patients had an autopsy done on them Results: A total of 51 cases of bikes riders/pillion seat passenger accidents were recorded representing 18% of total accidents. 35 motorbike riders/pillion seat passengers were struck down by cars (68.6%). Seven bike riders/pillion seat passengers (13.5%) were struck by articulated vehicles. 7 bike riders/pillion seat passengers representing 13.5% of cases were stuck by buses, 2 (3.9%) pillion seat passengers fell of bikes from epilepsies and sustained secondary injuries. Males were more in number with a ratio of 2.5; 1. One hundred percent (100%) or all motorcyclist and their passengers did not use helmets. Conclusion: Cars struck down most bike riders and their pillion seat passengers. Males were more than females in number. The commonest autopsy findings as cause of death was intra-cranial hemorrhage preventable by the use of crash helmets. Objectif: pour évaluer la morbidité et la mortalité parmi les motocyclistes et leur passagers qui sont victimes des accidents de circulation dans la cite de Bénin au Nigeria entre Août 2003 et Juillet 2004 Méthodes: une cinquante des motocyclistes et leurs passagers participants dans cette étude, étaient victimes d'un accidents de circulation et ont été amené a la salle d'urgence et d'accidents du centre hospitalier universitaire du Bénin ou de l'hôpital spécialiste de l'état entre Août 2002 et juillet 2003. On a examine les blesses et quant aux gens morts, on leur a fait une autopsie. Résultat: on a noté une cinquantaine des motocyclistes et leur passagers qui étaient victimes d'accidents routiers. Ce bilan représente 18% de tous les accidents. Trente-cinq motocyclistes étaient renverses par les voitures (68%), sept motocyclistes et passagers 13.5% étaient renverses par les autobus, deux passagers sont tombés du moto pendant une attaque d'épilepsie et étaient grièvement blessés Pratiquement tous les motocyclistes se sont méprisés de casque protecteur. Conclusions: la plupart des motocyclistes et passagers étaient renversés par les voitures. Parmi les victimes, les hommes étaient plus nombreux que les femmes. Partout dans les résultats de l'autopsie, la cause la plus courante des morts était l'hémorragie intracrânienne Keywords: Road traffic accident, motorcycle riders, morbidity, mortalityyword Annals of African Medicine Vol. 7 (2) 2008: pp. 82-8

Oncocytic Schneiderian Papilloma Occurring In a Young Nigerian Male: A Case Report

Oncocytic Schneiderian papilloma is one of the three morphologically separate tumors that arise from the Schneiderian membrane (the others are fungi form papilloma and inverted papilloma). It is quite rare in our environment. We report a case of Oncocytic Schneiderian papilloma arising from the right maxillary sinus and extending to the ipsilateral nasal region in a 26year old Nigerian male. The growth was present for a period of 5 months before his presentation on 18-10-2005 and recurred again nine months later after excision. Both excised tissues were confirmed by histology to be Oncocytic Schneiderian papilloma, with no evidence of malignancy after a rigorous search.Le papillome schneidérien oncocytique est une des trois tumeurs morphologiquement indépendante qui se soulève de la membrane schneidérien (l y a d\'autres comme ; le papillome creux et le papillome fongueux) c\'est rare chez nous. Nous aimerons souligner un cas de papillome schneidérien oncocytique qui se soulève du coté droit du sinus maxillaire et porte plus loin jusqu a la région nasale d\'un jeune nigérian de 26 ans. La grosseur était présente pendant cinq mois et puis après avoir été excisé grâce a une intervention chirurgicale 18-10-2005, elle a réapparu neuf mois plus tard. On a pu identifier, a travers l\'histologie, que les deux tissus excisés étaient papillome schneidérien oncocytique, sans aucun signe de malignité au bout d\'une recherche rigoureuse. Keywords: Oncocytic Schneiderian papilloma Annals of African Medicine Vol. 7 (2) 2008: pp. 91-9

Chaplaincy Inclusion in Hospital Interdisciplinary Teams and Its Impact on Chaplains\u27 Well-Being

Healthcare providers may impede the delivery of spiritual and emotional support to patients and their families by healthcare professional chaplains if they misunderstand how to effectively use chaplains, who often prefer to be engaged sooner than they are. This issue prevents highly trained, board-certified professional chaplains from providing services, thereby impacting the quality of patient care. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine, through the lived experiences of professional chaplains, the extent to which chaplains feel that others perceive them as valued members of an interdisciplinary team (IDT), as well as to determine how team inclusion may impact chaplains\u27 physical and emotional well-being. An adaptation of the antecedents and outcomes of inclusion theoretical framework was used. Research questions were developed to elicit to what extent professional chaplains perceived that they were valued members of IDTs and what impact inclusion had on their well-being A semistructured interview protocol with open-ended questions was used with 9 board-certified professional chaplains in the northeastern region of the United States.. Data were analyzed through coding and comparison of significant responses into units of meaning to reflect the phenomenon of participants\u27 experiences. Key findings revealed that inclusion did have an impact on the well-being of chaplains, and its impact was perceived as positive. This study may contribute to positive social change by helping to initiate training and education programs for healthcare organizations that work with and employ professional chaplains to effectively integrate chaplains into IDTs, ensuring more timely evaluation and care planning for patients and their families to achieve greater wholeness and healing

Morbidity and Mortality Among Road Users in Benin-City, Nigeria

Background/objective: Murray and Krug had reported that road traffic injuries are a major cause of death globally, with disproportionate number occurring in developing counties. Seventy out of 308 deaths that occurred in Benin City from August 2002-July 2003, representing 22.7% of all deaths was due to road traffic injuries. Despite this observation, there is a paucity of data on road traffic morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate patterns of morbidity and mortality among drivers and passengers of cars involved in road traffic accidents in Benin-City Nigeria from August 2002-July 2003 as a base line data. Methods: Eighty-seven car drivers and passengers who were studied were part of a larger study, involved in a road traffic accident and brought to the accident and emergency units of either the University of Benin Teaching Hospital or the State Specialist Hospital between August 2002-July2003.The injured ones were examined and dead patients had autopsy done on them. Results: Over all, out of 283 total accidents cases reviewed in the period of study 87 were car occupants representing 30.7% of all accident cases, and 67 patients (23.7%) sustained varying injuries, while 20 patients (7.1%) died. Commercial cars were involved in majority of cases 85%. Males were also more in number. Intracranial hemorrhage was the predominant cause of death. Conclusion: Occupants of cars accounted for the singular most common category of morbidity and mortality among all road users. The male to female ratio was 2.1:1. Windscreen injuries most commonly associated with facial and head injuries represented the commonest cause of morbidity and mortality. The commonest autopsy finding as cause of death was intra-cranial hemorrhage.Contexte/Objectif: Murray et Krug avaient rapport\ue9 cela rles dommages du trafic d'oad sont une cause importante de la mort globalement, avec le nombre disproportionn\ue9 se produisant dans les comt\ue9s se d\ue9veloppants. Soixante-dix sur les 308 d\ue9c\ue8s qui se sont produites dans la ville du B\ue9nin d'ao\ufbt 2002 \ue0 juillet 2003, repr\ue9sentant 22.7% de toutes les d\ue9c\ue8s \ue9taient dus aux dommages du trafic de route. En d\ue9pit de cette observation, il y a un manque des donn\ue9es sur la morbidit\ue9 et la mortalit\ue9 du trafic de route. Le but de cette \ue9tude est 1. Pour \ue9valuer des mod\ue8les de la morbidit\ue9 et de la mortalit\ue9 parmi des conducteurs et des passagers des voitures impliqu\ue9es dans des accidents de trafic de route dans la B\ue9nin-Ville Nig\ue9ria de Ao\ufbt 2002 \ue0 juillet 2003 comme grande ligne donn\ue9es. M\ue9thodes: Les conducteurs et les passagers de voiture d'Eighty-seven qui ont \ue9t\ue9 \ue9tudi\ue9s faisaient partie de une plus grande \ue9tude, impliqu\ue9 dans un accident de trafic de route et apport\ue9 aux unit\ue9s d'accidents et de secours de l'universit\ue9 de l'h\uf4pital de enseignement du B\ue9nin ou de l'h\uf4pital de sp\ue9cialiste en \ue9tat entre l'ao\ufbt 2002 \ue0 juillet 2003. Bless\ue9s ont \ue9t\ue9 examin\ue9s et les patients morts ont eu autopsie faite sur eux. R\ue9sultats: Au-dessus de tous, sur 283 cas totaux d'accidents pass\ue9s en revue dans la p\ue9riode de l'\ue9tude 87 \ue9taient des occupants de voiture repr\ue9sentant 30.7% de tous les cas d'accidents, et 67 patients (23.7%) ont soutenu des dommages variables, alors que 20 patients (7.1%) mouraient. Des voitures commerciales ont \ue9t\ue9 impliqu\ue9es dans la majorit\ue9 d'affaires 85%. Les m\ue2les \ue9taient \ue9galement plus en nombre. L'h\ue9morragie intra-cr\ue2nienne \ue9tait la cause pr\ue9dominante de la mort. Conclusion: Les occupants des voitures ont expliqu\ue9 le singulier la plupart de cat\ue9gorie commune de morbidit\ue9 et mortalit\ue9 parmi tous les utilisateurs de route. Le m\ue2le au rapport femelle \ue9tait 2.1:1. Dommages de pare-brise le plus g\ue9n\ue9ralement associ\ue9s aux dommages faciaux et principaux a repr\ue9sent\ue9 la cause la plus commune de la morbidit\ue9 et de la mortalit\ue9. L'autopsie la plus commune trouvant comme cause de la mort \ue9tait h\ue9morragie intra-cr\ue2nienne

Neuroblastoma occurring in a 38-year old Nigerian man: a rare finding

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a common malignancy in children, but rarely occurs in adults. Accepted unfavorable prognostic factors include age over one year, low histological grade and advanced stage, MYCN amplification, chromosomal aberrations, elevations of neuron specific enolase and lactate dehydrogenase, and increased catecholamine metabolites in urine or serum. In adults, abdomen/retroperitoneum are the primary sites and in children the adrenal gland. We report a 38-year old civil servant who presented at our urology clinic on the 21st of December 2007 with a six month history of right flank dull pain which was worse on walking and relieved by rest, hypertension and a large right retroperitoneal mass. Tumor resection revealed a grade III NB. Chemotherapy using a combination of vincristine, adriamycin and cyclophosphamide was started. Follow-up showed regression of the mass initially with a relapse after patient absconded for three months. He resurfaced with new masses and he had a repeat chemotherapy with disappearance of the masses and is currently undergoing further treatment. To our knowledge this is the only report of NB in an adult registered so far in Nigeria and perhaps the whole of Africa. Currently, there are no standard treatment guidelines for patients with NB in adulthood. This study emphasizes the need for a standard treatment regime for adult onset neuroblastoma and its recognition as a possible differential in intra-abdominal mass in adults

Copper, selenium and zinc content of canned and noncanned beverages in Nigeria

The levels of copper, selenium and zinc in beverages purchased in Nigeria were studied. Fifty samples of these beverages were digested in nitric acid and were analyzed using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The zinc levels ranged from 0.0 - 1.34 mg/L for the canned and 0.01 -  1.11 mg/L for the non-canned beverages. All had zinc levels below the maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 5.0 mg/l set by United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). The selenium levels ranged from 0.24 - 1.67 mg/L for the canned and 0.07 - 1.23 mg/L for non-canned beverages. 20 out of 21 (95%) canned beverages had selenium levels that exceeded the MCL whereas 90% of the non-canned products had selenium levels above the MCL. The copper levels ranged from 0.04 - 3.55 mg/L for the canned and 0.04 - 3.20 mg/L for non-canned beverages. 11 out a total of 21 (52%) canned beverages had copper levels that exceeded the MCL. 45% of the non-canned products had copper levels above the MCL. The mean and median values of copper and selenium exceeded the MCL in the beverages whereas the zinc levels did not exceed the MCL. The calculated amount of copper, selenium and zinc in three beverages were 14.57, 5.96 and 5.31 mg respectively. The worst-case scenario is assumed here to estimate the weekly intakes of Cu, Se and Zn, and results seem to pose some concern. 48 and 92% of the 50 beverages studied in March 2005 in Nigeria failed to meet the US EPA criteria for acceptable copper and selenium levels in consumer products.Key words: Copper, selenium, zinc, contaminants, beverages, Nigeria

Corporate manslaughter and its relationship with corporate social responsibility in Nigeria

This thesis examines the relationship between corporate manslaughter and corporate social responsibility in Nigeria through the lens of legal enforceability. The law all over the world has been unclear as regards what corporate social responsibility means1 and the level of obligation that a company owes its employees and other stakeholders. The issue of legal enforceability has been staggered in/ with different jurisdictions. While in some countries the liability for death at the workplace is individual but some countries have moved to organizational liability. This thesis, therefore, asks whether the absence of a coherent legal framework to legally enforce all aspects of corporate social responsibility affects the legal enforceability of incidences that leads to corporate manslaughter offenses. Whether there is a link between corporate manslaughter and corporate social responsibility through the lens of legal enforcement? What is the attitude of the courts on legal enforceability? Nigeria is one of the countries in the world that is experiencing problems in prosecuting multinational oil companies because the laws in existence are weak. With regards to enforceability, one consequence of the artificial nature of a company as a legal person (corporate personality) is that inevitably decisions for, and actions by, it must be taken by natural persons. Decisions on its behalf may be taken by shareholders of the company. These shareholders in the event of corporate manslaughter may refuse to ratify the decisions of their senior managers as the acts of the company itself. Secondly, a country with weak laws and a system for the enforcement of the law will have problems prosecuting companies in the event of corporate manslaughter. In such circumstances, this thesis will look at the culture behind legal enforcement, the attitude of the government and its institutions, the companies, and the people towards the enforcement of corporate manslaughter laws. This researcher will use a questionnaire and organized interview to measure whether the absence of a coherent legal framework to legally enforce all aspects of corporate social responsibility affects the legal enforceability of incidences that leads to corporate manslaughter offenses. This researcher intends to use a case study. Using a case study, the researcher will be able to discover that with regards to enforcement have read the duty of care provision in Nigerian law in pari passu with the provision of the law in the United Kingdom, the law in Nigeria is weak and porous. The significance of the findings in this research is to explain that in Nigeria, the system of enforcement of the law against companies is almost non-existent. This means that for corporate manslaughter cases in Nigeria, there must be a certain system of enforcement involving the government and its institution to legally enforce the law. This is to ensure obedience to the law by the companies and the citizens

Death patterns among Nigerian leaders

BACKGROUND:The aim of this study is to establish the patterns of death amongst Nigerian leaders since independence, thus providing a feasible avenue to avoid their recurrence if possible especially amongst the political elite who currently hold power. METHODS: Using available unclassified authentic public information, all leaders who had ruled Nigeria since her independence on 1 October, 1960 until her 45th birthday on 1 October 2005, irrespective of whether they are dead or alive were included. Data was extracted and analyzed. RESULTS: On 1 October 2005, Nigeria celebrated 45 years as a sovereign nation. Within this period, the country has had eleven leaders, all of whom were men. Only three (27.3%) were civilians, while eight (72.7%) were army generals. Of the eleven leaders, four (36.4%) had died before Nigeria reached its 45th birthday and all of these four (100%) died while still in office. Three of the dead leaders (75%) were assassinated, while one (25%) died suddenly in mysterious circumstances, believed to be the result of poisoning by unknown external powerful interest groups. Three of the deaths (75%) occurred during violent periods of Nigeria’s checkered history (1966-1970 and 1993-1999), showing that periods of national and international strife appeared to be the weakest link in chains of events that led to their death while in office. Autopsies were neither requested nor performed on any of the dead leaders, signifying an entrenched culture of nonchalance, a lack of a coordinated national coroner’s law and contempt for accurate and detailed death records. Worse still, no valid tenable death certificate has ever been issued. In other words, no attempt has been made to determine the cause of death of four of the nation’s former leaders. Only hurried national burials were accorded two (50%) of them while the other two (50%), who died in the coup and revenge coup of 1966, were completely neglected, and not even given a decent national burial. CONCLUSIONS: The facts identified above will serve as a landmark to highlight an existing problem, and thus bring the issue to the attention of policy-makers and the political elite. The overall expected benefit is that nations like Nigeria can focus on the issue of orderly succession and the peaceful handing-over of government to duly transparently elected national leaders and all efforts should be made to avoid holding on to power unnecessarily. The tenets of democracy shall be upheld and transparent elections take place so as to reduce national tension and strife to the barest minimum. We also strongly recommend a review and improvement of Nigeria’s national coroner’s laws