Establishing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Services in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Survey of Suggestions Made by Health Care Workers in Cross River State, Nigeria

BACKGROUND: Rising trend in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in developing countries often result in sudden death, which are largely preventable through effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Most communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, however, lack access to CPR services, due to a deficiency in requirements for the establishment of such services. These requirements can be grouped into a triad of awareness, infrastructure and capacity building.AIM: This study was aimed at assessing the perceived need and recommendations for improvement in CPR services in Cross River State.METHODS: Proportionate sampling was used to recruit healthcare workers in this cross-sectional study. Data was obtained using semi-structured open-ended questionnaire consisting of recommendations for improving CPR services. Responses were coded and grouped into three essential areas. Data were entered and analysed using SPSS version 20.0.RESULT: Two hundred and twenty-nine (229) questionnaires were completed; mean age of respondents was 42.1 ± 11.2 years. The commonest cadre of healthcare worker was nurses (135, 59.0%). One, two, and three areas of suggestions were made by 55.5%, 37.1%, and 7.4% of respondents, respectively. Suggestions included training of health care workers on CPR (111, 48.5%) and provision of resuscitation equipment (95, 41.5%). Sixty-five respondents (29.3%) recommended creating awareness and means of contact, while some respondents recommended capacity building (132, 57.6%) and resuscitation infrastructure set-up (149, 65.1%).CONCLUSION: Healthcare workers perceive an urgent need for the establishment of CPR services in our health facilities and communities. There is need to address the triad of awareness, infrastructure and capacity building for the establishment of CPR services peculiar to Sub-Saharan Africa

An Assessment of Mental Health Status of Undergraduate Medical Trainees in the University of Calabar, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: The mental health status of medical students has been proven to be poor compared to their peers in other disciplines and has led to grave personal and professional consequences. This subject has however remained largely unexplored in our medical school.AIM: The study was therefore conducted to assess the prevalence of mental health of medical students in the University of Calabar, Cross river state, Nigeria.METHODOLOGY: A descriptive cross-sectional survey of 451 randomly selected medical students from the pre-clinical and clinical levels of study in the University of Calabar. A self administered questionnaire including the GHQ12 was used to elicit information from the respondents. A score of ≥ 3 suggested poor mental while a score < 3 represented good mental health. Data were summarized using proportions, and c2 test was used to explore associations between categorical variables. Level of significance was set at p < 0.05.RESULTS: The mean age of the respondents was 23.4 ± 4.3 years, 63.8% were males, 34.8% were from the preclinical and 65.2% from clinical levels of study. Based on the GHQ categorisation, 39.2% had a poor mental health status, compared to 60.8% with good mental health status. The factors significantly associated with poor mental health, were recent experience of mistreatment by trainers or colleagues, perceived inadequate monthly allowance and perception that medical training is stressful (p < 0.05).  CONCLUSION: With more than a third of undergraduate medical trainees with traits of poor mental health, provision of accessible mental health services/counselling is strongly recommended early in their training

Access to Electricity, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), and Financial Development: Evidence from West Africa

Poor Access to electricity may hinder West African countries from raising levels of financial development with the aid of Information communication Technology (ICT). Using 16 West African countries, and data over the period of 2000 to 2017, this present study analyses the effect of greater access to electricity on financial development through ICT. ICT was measured using mobile use and internet use, while financial development was measured using private bank credit to GDP ratio and Broad Money Supply to GDP ratio. Panel data fixed effect instrumental variables estimation was used for analysis and the study found that access to electricity significantly boosts mobile use and internet use, while resulting from access to electricity mobile use significantly boosted both measures of financial development but internet use significantly reduced the measures. Further categorizing sample countries into Anglophone and Francophone West Africa countries, access to electricity through ICT boosted both measures of financial development for Francophone countries, while only boosting broad money supply to GDP ratio for Anglophone countries. Thus greater access to electricity through for example provision of electricity infrastructure and regulation of electricity charges to households and firms is important to boost levels of financial development in West Afric

Do Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and financial development contribute to economic diversification? Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract This study based on a panel of 37 sub-Saharan Africa countries over the period of 2000–2019 explores the effect of a number of Information and Communications Technology variables namely fixed broad band, fixed line telephone, Information and Communications Technology good imports, internet, mobile, and secure internet servers, and financial development measured by private sector domestic credit to GDP on economic diversification as measured by a computed Herfindahl–Hirschman Index of economic diversification. Model estimation was performed using pooled ordinary least squares regression, panel data fixed effects regression, and generalized method of moments regression. The results from findings indicated that the Information and Communications Technology variables: fixed-line telephone, and ICT imports significantly reduced economic diversification, while internet and mobile were, respectively, insignificant for boosting economic diversification, and fixed broadband and secure internet servers were insignificant in adversely affecting economic diversification. As regards financial development, it was insignificant in boosting economic diversification of sub-Saharan Africa countries. The study recommended amongst others that individuals in sub-Saharan Africa countries should have improved access to Information and Communications Technology infrastructure and governments should ensure adequate provision of quality Information and Communications Technology infrastructure