The Roles of Library and Librarian in Information Resource Sharing in the Emerging Information Society

This study is an attempt to look at the roles which library and librarian stand to play in the emerging information society where information resource sharing is requires to ensure there is wider access to information resources on the platform of ICT. The study was conducted in three selected academic libraries in Kogi State to ascertain their readiness to engage in effective information resources sharing. The study observed selected three libraries have state of the art ICT facilities required for information resource. The study made some recommendations that can improve upon the success achieved in the deployment of ICT for information resources sharing. Key words: ICT, ICT Information Resources, Information Resource Sharin

Comparative Study of Job Stress among Teaching Staff of Library and Information Science in Higher Institutions in Nigeria.

The research is on comparative study of job stress among teaching staff of library and information science in higher institutions in Nigeria. Concept of job stress has been of great debate among employers in different organizations and higher institutions since the last decades. Causal-comparative research design was adopted in the study and population comprised of lecturers in library and information science department in four higher institutions in Nigeria. From the research hypotheses and questionnaires used as research instrument showed that there is significant difference between level of job stress in Federal, State and Private Higher Institutions in Nigeria. Percentage count table and Chi- square statistics was used to analyzed the questionnaire and hypotheses. The findings showed that there is a very high job stress in the four institutions under stud. It was also found out that job stress has lots of negative effects on health and family of academic staff. It also found out that the  cause  of job stress among teachers in higher institutions include: too much courses allocation , fear of being laid off , overtime working hours , too much administrative duties(100%), too many number of students to supervise for  projects or thesis works and  frequent meetings(66.67%) as well as lack of information to work with. Therefore, the researchers made recommendations to the aforementioned negative effects and causes of excessive job stress among academic staff in higher institutions in Nigeria. Keywords: Job stress, workplace, education, higher institutions and library school staf

Perception and acceptability of bilateral tubal ligation among women attending antenatal clinic at Usmanu Danfodiyo university teaching hospital Sokoto

Background: Contraception can be defined as all temporary or permanent measures designed to prevent pregnancy. Bilateral tubal ligation is a surgical and permanent form of contraception offered to women who completed their family size or for limitation of family size due to medical condition. The practices of bilateral tubal ligation is limited in Sub-Saharan African countries, Nigeria inclusive because of great desire for a large family size, cultural and religious factors, misunderstanding and fear of the procedure. The aim of the study was to determine the perception and acceptability of bilateral tubal ligation as a form of contraception among women attending Antenatal clinic at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto.Methods: This was a cross sectional study conducted among women attending antenatal clinic between 1st of May to 31st of July, 2018. The information was obtained using a structured questionnaire to obtain the respondent’s socio-demographic characteristics, questions on perception and acceptability of bilateral tubal ligation. Data analysis was done with statistical package for social sciences version 22 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA).Results: The study revealed that 73% of the respondents were aware of bilateral tubal ligation, but only 44% of them have good perception towards it. Majority of the respondents (63.8%) reject BTL for contraception. Most of their reasons were cultural believe (33.3%), regret (31.6%), religious believe (26.6%) and fear of surgery (8.5%).Conclusions: There was poor perception and low acceptability toward bilateral tubal ligation among the study population, mostly due to cultural and religious believes, as well as fear of regret, despite awareness of BTL among majority of the respondents

Obstructed labour at Usmanu Danfodiyo university teaching hospital Sokoto: a five-year review

Background: Obstructed labour is an obstetric emergency and one of the major causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality in the developing countries, Nigeria inclusive. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, causes and feto-maternal outcome of cases of obstructed labour managed at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto from 1st January, 2014 to 31st December, 2018.Methods: This was a retrospective review of all cases of obstructed labour managed at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto over 5 years. List of cases managed during the study period was obtained and case notes were retrieved. Relevant information such as age, booking status, parity, educational status, address, causes, mode of delivery and both maternal and foetal outcomes were obtained from the case notes. Data analysis was done using statistical package for social sciences version 22 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, IL, USA).Results: A total two hundred and seventy-six cases of obstructed labour were managed out of the 15,452 total deliveries during the study period. This gives an obstructed labour prevalence of 1.79%. The major cause of obstructed labour identified in this study was Cephalopelvic disproportion (74.6%) and majority of the patients were delivered by emergency lower segment caesarean section (70.6%). Up to 32.3% of the patients had no maternal complications and also 42.3% of them had live birth with no fetal complication. However, 20.2% of these patients had ruptured uterus and 37.9% of them had still birth, while 19.8% had live birth complicated by birth asphyxia.Conclusions: This study has found that obstructed labour resulted in adverse maternal and perinatal outcome. Hence, there is need to prevent obstructed labour in order to avert this consequence

Disseminating PhD Thesis through ETD: The Challenges before University Libraries in Developing Economy like Nigeria

International audienceThe Problem: PhD is the apex academic certification anybody can earn, provided you satisfy the requirement for the admission and have the competency to run the programme, the requirement for PhD admission dictate that it would be incomplete without writing thesis and dissertation. Also, PhD means Doctor of Philosophy Degree awarded by a university to acknowledge student academic prowess and contribution to knowledge building. PhD thesis and dissertation is a written statement of facts, principle, theory, knowledge undertaken by students seeking to be awarded Doctor of Philosophy Degree (PhD). Thesis and dissertation being what it is has certain obligation to fulfill and the obligation of any thesis is the discovery of new knowledge, fill research gap and dissemination. It is very clear from the above fact that PhD thesis has the tendency of solving human curiosity and problems, so also, the developmental quest of a Nation. Surprisingly, Nigerian universities, Nigerian citadel of learning seems not to place serious premium on the dissemination of their PhD students thesis and the PhD students can do nothing, absolutely, nothing in disseminating their thesis. Nigerian universities through their respective libraries cannot continue to keep PhD thesis in their shelves. Rather, full scale digitalization and uploading into Institutional Repository must take place, if not, number three of five laws of Ranganathan (1931) would be violated, i.e. ‘'Every books its readers'' which will be ‘'Every thesis its readers''. With the growth in the number of PhD intake or enrollment in Nigerian universities, there is urgent need to start discussing the method and the best approach to get the PhD thesis out of our libraries shelve into the global arena via institutional repositories. In order, to serve Nigerian developmental quest better, universities should be ready to supply the necessary knowledge required to move the country to next level. The Nigerian Universities must all her functions as the knowledge industry that Nigerian economic development depends on. Methods: The study would adopt survey research methodology with purposive sampling technique and would be guided by well formulated research questions. The data for the research will be solicited through the instrument of interview, observation and questionnaire. The findings will be analyzed and presented in tabular and chart form including other statistical instrument. Results: The study is expected to unveil the true picture of the situation PhD thesis and dissertation in ETD format among Nigerian Universities. And provide answers to Nigerian Universities inability to show their presence in the ETD global map. Contributions: The research shall among other things recommend the way forward for Nigerian Universities to fulfill their role as citadel of learning to supply Nigeria economy the required knowledge for accelerated development and the study would fill a research gap in area of PhD thesis dissemination through ETD

Antibiotic resistance and the COVID‐19 pandemic: A dual crisis with complex challenges in LMICs

Abstract Background and Aims Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a global health crisis of mounting urgency, has been further complicated by the ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic. The intricate relationship between these two phenomena is especially pronounced in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) due to the distinct obstacles encountered by their healthcare systems and policy structures. This study aims to explore the complex challenges arising from the coexistence of these two crises in LMICs and proffer specific recommendations for holistic management. Methods An exhaustive bibliographic survey was executed, employing search queries in specialized databases such as PubMed, SCOPUS, and Web of Science's SCI‐EXPANDED index. The timeframe for the literature search extended from January 2020 to January 2023. The search strategy employed key terms including antibiotic resistance, AMR, COVID‐19 pandemic, low‐ and middle‐income countries, SARS‐CoV‐2, and LMICs. Results The pandemic has aggravated various drivers of AMR in LMICs, including limited capabilities, weak frameworks, and socioeconomic factors. New challenges have emerged, such as disruptions in the antibiotic supply chain and an increased risk of healthcare‐associated infections. The interaction between these drivers presents a complex problem that demands a coordinated response. Specific recommendations include strengthening health systems, funding research and innovation, and enhancing infection prevention control measures. Conclusion The coexistence of AMR and the COVID‐19 pandemic in LMICs demands an integrated approach involving multiple stakeholders. Emphasis must be placed on constructing aligned regulatory frameworks, nurturing regional collaborations, and focusing on accessible therapeutic options. The study underscores the necessity for actionable strategies to achieve sustainable access to clean water and sanitation and also highlights the importance of long‐term planning, funding, and specialized expertise in emerging modalities like phage therapy

Effect of voice reminder on compliance with recommended hand hygiene practise among health-care workers in Kano metropolis.

BACKGROUND: Poor compliance with recommended hand hygiene practise by health-care workers is an emerging public health threat associated with significant morbidity, mortality and spread of multidrug-resistant microorganisms. OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the effect of voice reminder on compliance with recommended hand hygiene practise among the baseline, and post-intervention compliance with recommended hand hygiene among health-care workers using the WHO checklist for observation of 5-moments of hand hygiene of health-care workers in Kano. METHODS: Quasi-experimental study design was used. A total of 408 (204 in each arm) baseline and post-intervention observations were conducted in two hospitals in Kano, selected using a multistage sampling technique. Voice reminders were installed in the intervention hospital, and post-intervention observation was conducted 3 months after introducing a voice reminder. SPSS version 22.0 was used for data analysis. Relationship between variables was tested using χ2 and McNemar's test within the groups at 0.05 α-level of significance. RESULTS: Baseline compliance with hand hygiene in the intervention and control hospitals were 31.4% and 48.0%, respectively. Post-intervention compliance in the intervention and control hospitals were found to be 78.0% and 65.2%, respectively. Voice reminder improved compliance with hand hygiene practise when compared with baseline by +148% (P# = 0.3) in the intervention hospital compared with +36% (P# =0.1) in the control hospital. The differences were not statistically significant post-intervention when compared with the baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Voice reminder intervention improved hand hygiene compliance among health-care workers in the intervention hospital compared with the control hospital. Voice reminders should be provided in the hospitals by stakeholders. This can help in improving compliance with hand hygiene among health-care workers and reducing the burden of hospital-acquired infections due to the hands of health-care workers

Population health outcomes in Nigeria compared with other west African countries, 1998-2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study.

BACKGROUND: Population-level health and mortality data are crucial for evidence-informed policy but scarce in Nigeria. To fill this gap, we undertook a comprehensive assessment of the burden of disease in Nigeria and compared outcomes to other west African countries. METHODS: In this systematic analysis, using data and results of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2019, we analysed patterns of mortality, years of life lost (YLLs), years lived with disability (YLDs), life expectancy, healthy life expectancy (HALE), and health system coverage for Nigeria and 15 other west African countries by gender in 1998 and 2019. Estimates of all-age and age-standardised disability-adjusted life-years for 369 diseases and injuries and 87 risk factors are presented for Nigeria. Health expenditure per person and gross domestic product were extracted from the World Bank repository. FINDINGS: Between 1998 and 2019, life expectancy and HALE increased in Nigeria by 18% to 64·3 years (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 62·2-66·6), mortality reduced for all age groups for both male and female individuals, and health expenditure per person increased from the 11th to third highest in west Africa by 2018 (US$18·6 in 2001 to$83·75 in 2018). Nonetheless, relative outcomes remained poor; Nigeria ranked sixth in west Africa for age-standardised mortality, seventh for HALE, tenth for YLLs, 12th for health system coverage, and 14th for YLDs in 2019. Malaria (5176·3 YLLs per 100 000 people, 95% UI 2464·0-9591·1) and neonatal disorders (4818·8 YLLs per 100 000, 3865·9-6064·2) were the leading causes of YLLs in Nigeria in 2019. Nigeria had the fourth-highest under-five mortality rate for male individuals (2491·8 deaths per 100 000, 95% UI 1986·1-3140·1) and female individuals (2117·7 deaths per 100 000, 1756·7-2569·1), but among the lowest mortality for men older than 55 years. There was evidence of a growing non-communicable disease burden facing older Nigerians. INTERPRETATION: Health outcomes remain poor in Nigeria despite higher expenditure since 2001. Better outcomes in countries with equivalent or lower health expenditure suggest health system strengthening and targeted intervention to address unsafe water sources, poor sanitation, malnutrition, and exposure to air pollution could substantially improve population health. FUNDING: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation