Promoting Peace Education for Behaviourial Changes in Public Secondary Schools in Calabar Municipality Council Area, Cross River State, Nigeria

This study aimed at investigating the promotion of peace education for behavioural changes in public secondary schools in Calabar Municipal Council Area of Cross River State. A descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. A set of questionnaire items were validated and used for the collection of data involving 310 respondents, selected from a total population of 773 teachers and 10 principals representing 39.5% of the total population of 783. The questionnaire was titled: Promoting Peace Education For Behavioural Changes In Secondary Schools Questionnaire (PPEFBCISSQ). The reliability of the instrument was determined by using the split-half method which involved 31 teachers outside the study sample. Pearson product moment correlation coefficient was used to analyze the data. The reliability estimate was between r=0.60 and r=0.70. The result of the analysis showed a positive significant relationship between promotion of peace education and behavioural changes in curbing violence fighting, aggressiveness and conflict among students when tested at p< 0.05 level of significance. It was therefore recommended that Teachers who  implementers of the National policy on Education and school curriculum through civic education should promote peace education by inculcating in students good value system, that can aid the curbing of aggressiveness, fighting violence and conflicts in school system. Keywords: promoting, peace, education, behavioural, changes, secondary, schools

Approximation of Common Fixed Points of a Finite Family of Asymptotically Demicontractive Maps Using a Composite Implicit Iteration Process

Abstract We prove that the modified form of the composite implicit iteration proces

Assessment of Sustainable Livelihood Assets of Farming Households in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

There is surfeit of evidence on increase poverty and low agricultural productivity among majority of rural dwellers in Nigeria. Researches have established an inverse linked between rural poverty and sustainable households’ asset based. Agricultural production, being the major livelihood source for majority of rural dwellers needs considerable asset or capital for it to be considered as sustainable. Based on this assertion, the study assesses the sustainable livelihood assets of farming households in Abak Local Government area of Akwa Ibom state in Southern region of Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select 110 farming household heads in the study area. Structured questionnaires were used to collect cross sectional data from respondents. Descriptive tools were used to analyse data collected. The socioeconomic features of respondents revealed a sample population that is fast ageing, dominated by married male and moderately educated. Result also showed that, respondents had considerable piles of physical, social and natural assets to assist in livelihood sustenance. However, the index of capacity structure of sustainable livelihood assets revealed a huge deficiency in financial and human assets among farming households in the region. Hence, it is recommended that, farming households should increase their human assets by encouraging education of the younger household members. Also, efforts should be made to improve social capital formation among farming households and communities. Keywords: Akwa Ibom State, farming household, livelihood asset, poverty, sustainabilit

Assessment of Sustainable Livelihood Assets of Farming Households in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract There is surfeit of evidence on increase poverty and low agricultural productivity among majority of rural dwellers in Nigeria. Researches have established an inverse linked between rural poverty and sustainable households’ asset based. Agricultural production, being the major livelihood source for majority of rural dwellers needs considerable asset or capital for it to be considered as sustainable. Based on this assertion, the study assesses the sustainable livelihood assets of farming households in Abak Local Government area of Akwa Ibom state in Southern region of Nigeria. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to select 110 farming household heads in the study area. Structured questionnaires were used to collect cross sectional data from respondents. Descriptive tools were used to analyse data collected. The socioeconomic features of respondents revealed a sample population that is fast ageing, dominated by married male and moderately educated. Result also showed that, respondents had considerable piles of physical, social and natural assets to assist in livelihood sustenance. However, the index of capacity structure of sustainable livelihood assets revealed a huge deficiency in financial and human assets among farming households in the region. Hence, it is recommended that, farming households should increase their human assets by encouraging education of the younger household members. Also, efforts should be made to improve social capital formation among farming households and communities. Keywords: Akwa Ibom State, farming household, livelihood asset, poverty, sustainabilit

Safety, Quality, and Acceptability of Contraceptive Subdermal Implant Provision by Community Health Extension Workers Versus Nurses and Midwives in Nigeria: Protocol for a Quasi-Experimental, Noninferiority Study.

BACKGROUND: As part of its Family Planning 2020 commitment, the Nigerian government is aiming for a contraceptive prevalence rate of 36% by 2018, and in 2014, approved a policy to allow community health extension workers (CHEWs), in addition to doctors, nurses, and midwives, to provide contraceptive subdermal implants. There is a lack of rigorous evidence on the safety of long-acting reversible contraceptive provision, such as implants, among lower cadres of health providers. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare implant provision by CHEWs versus nurses and midwives up to 14 days post insertion. METHODS: The quasi-experimental, noninferiority study will take place in public sector facilities in Kaduna and Ondo States. In each state, we will select 60 facilities, and from these, we will select a total of 30 nurses and midwives and 30 CHEWs to participate. Selected providers will be trained to provide implant services. Once trained, providers will recruit a minimum of 8125 women aged between 18 and 49 years who request and are eligible for an implant, following comprehensive family planning counseling. During implant insertion, providers will record data about the process and any adverse events, and 14 days post insertion, providers will ask 4410 clients about adverse events arising from the implant. Supervisors will observe 792 implant insertions to assess service provision quality and ask clients about their satisfaction with the procedure. We will conclude noninferiority if the CI for the difference in the proportion of adverse events between CHEWs and nurses and midwives on the day of insertion or 14 days post insertion lies to the right of -2%. RESULTS: In September and October 2015, we trained 60 CHEWs and a total of 60 nurses and midwives from 12 local government areas (LGAs) in Kaduna and 23 LGAs in Ondo. Recruitment took place between November 2015 and December 2016. Data analysis is being finalized, and results are expected in March 2018. CONCLUSIONS: The strength of this study is having a standard care (nurse and midwife provision) group with which CHEW provision can be compared. The intervention builds on existing training and supervision procedures, which increases the sustainability and scalability of CHEW implant provision. Important limitations include the lack of randomization due to nurses and midwives in Nigeria working in separate types of health care facilities compared with CHEWs, and that providers self-assess their own practices. It is unfeasible to observe all procedures independently, and observation may change practice. Although providers will be trained to conduct implant removals, the study time will be too short to reach the sample size required to make noninferiority comparisons for removals. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03088722; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03088722 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6xIHImWvu)

Epidemic History and Evolutionary Dynamics of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in Two Remote Communities in Rural Nigeria

BACKGROUND: In Nigeria, hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has reached hyperendemic levels and its nature and origin have been described as a puzzle. In this study, we investigated the molecular epidemiology and epidemic history of HBV infection in two semi-isolated rural communities in North/Central Nigeria. It was expected that only a few, if any, HBV strains could have been introduced and effectively transmitted among these residents, reflecting limited contacts of these communities with the general population in the country. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Despite remoteness and isolation, approximately 11% of the entire population in these communities was HBV-DNA seropositive. Analyses of the S-gene sequences obtained from 55 HBV-seropositive individuals showed the circulation of 37 distinct HBV variants. These HBV isolates belong predominantly to genotype E (HBV/E) (n=53, 96.4%), with only 2 classified as sub-genotype A3 (HBV/A3). Phylogenetic analysis showed extensive intermixing between HBV/E variants identified in these communities and different countries in Africa. Quasispecies analysis of 22 HBV/E strains using end-point limiting-dilution real-time PCR, sequencing and median joining networks showed extensive intra-host heterogeneity and inter-host variant sharing. To investigate events that resulted in such remarkable HBV/E diversity, HBV full-size genome sequences were obtained from 47 HBV/E infected persons and P gene was subjected to Bayesian coalescent analysis. The time to the most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) for these HBV/E variants was estimated to be year 1952 (95% highest posterior density (95% HPD): 1927-1970). Using additional HBV/E sequences from other African countries, the tMRCA was estimated to be year 1948 (95% HPD: 1924-1966), indicating that HBV/E in these remote communities has a similar time of origin with multiple HBV/E variants broadly circulating in West/Central Africa. Phylogenetic analysis and statistical neutrality tests suggested rapid HBV/E population expansion. Additionally, skyline plot analysis showed an increase in the size of the HBV/E-infected population over the last approximately 30-40 years. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest a massive introduction and relatively recent HBV/E expansion in the human population in Africa. Collectively, these data show a significant shift in the HBV/E epidemic dynamics in Africa over the last century

Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of an Ethanol Extract of Smilax krausiana Leaf in Mice

The effect of ethanolic extract of Smilax krausiana (Smilaceae) leaf was investigated for its analgesic and antiinflammatory activities in mice. The extract significantly (p<0.01-0.001) inhibited in a dose – dependent fashion algesia (nociception) induced by acetic acid, formalin and hot plate. It also reduced in dose-related manner inflammation induced by fresh egg albumin, carrageenin and capsaicin. These inhibitions were statistically significant (p<0.01 – 0.001). Though the mechanism of action of the extract is not fully elucidated, it may in part involve suppression of capillary permeability through neurogenic and non-neurogenic pathways as well as its narcotic potential. The extract’s inhibition of all the models investigated in a non-specific manner supports the folkloric use of the plant