Review Article: Health Care Environment: A War-zone

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The Effect of Computer Literacy on University of Maiduguri Students’ Attitude towards Computerized Record System

Computerized record systems have been viewed as being desirable and have undeniable advantages over the manual system of record keeping.  However, oftentimes these may not be appreciated by students, especially in environments where overall penetration of ICTs is low and as such computer literacy is also low.  This paper aims to investigate how computer literacy affects University of Maiduguri students’ perception of a computerized record system.  It studied the views of sampled students of the university in order to ascertain how their level of computer literacy affects their desire for their record system to be computerized.  Research questions were analyzed with a view to determining the association that exists between level of computer literacy of students and their desire for a computerized record system, and the desirability of such a system among computer literate and non computer literate students.  Simple percentage analysis and Chi Square test were used to investigate the level of desirability of computerization, and the association between computer literacy and desire for computerized record system, respectively.  It was found that among both computer literate and non computer literate students, the computerized record system was highly desired.  It was also found that there is no association between level of computer literacy and desire for computerization among students sampled.  This implies that even in areas where there is low ICT penetration and computer literacy, computerization can still be highly desired by university students. Keywords: computer literacy, computerized record system, computer anxiety, technophobi

Isolation and Identification of Phenol-Degrading Bacteria from Oil-Contaminated Sites

This work is aimed at isolating and identifying phenol-degrading bacteria from oil-contaminated sites. Five soil samples from three auto-mechanic workshops within Katsina metropolis were collected. The samples were analyzed by selective enrichment technique, which resulted in the isolation of four bacterial species. The species were further subjected to the Vitek 2 compact microbiological system analysis. Cupriavidus pauculus, Pontoea spp, Proteus mirabilis 1 and Proteus mirabilis 2 were identified. Result from the present study showed that the bacteria could utilize phenol as their carbon source. Proteus mirabilis 1 and Proteus mirabilis 2 showed lower phenol degradation potential, under similar conditions. Cupriavidus pauculus and Pontoea sp. showed significant increases (p<0.05) in their optical densities. The optical density increment is strongly correlated with increase in colony forming units of the bacteria. This study further showed that the isolates could tolerate high phenol concentrations and may serve as strong putative isolates in bioremediation of phenol-contaminated sites

Assessment of Selected Health Determinants among Almajiri Students in Gwadabawa Local Government, Sokoto State, Nigeria

Health determinants are factors that can influence our health either positively or negatively. This paper determined the factors that affect the health of Almajiri in their system of study in Gwadabawa local government of Sokoto state, Nigeria. Interview and visual observation were used to collect data, which was analyzed by thematic networks method. The result of this study was shown. Most (50.0%) of the Almajiri live in buildings own by school,whereas, 33.5% of them in donated buildings .There were three types of houses / classes where Almajiri live.Most (50.0%) were made of cement/modern style ,then (33.3%) the mud houses / classes, and (16.7%) were the ones from zinc .There were toilets for urination only ,no one was slated for defecation . In 75% of the schools there was no water, whereas 33.3% have water source from unprotected wells. In 33.3 % of the schools there was refuse dumps .In 33.3% there were no any source of risk. Whereas, in 16.7% there were gutters, and in 16.7% there were roads nearby. Personal hygiene was observed. 75.0% of Almajiri wore dirty garments.25.0% wore cleaned garments, 12.5% wore torn garments, and 87.5% wore untorn garments. 62.5% wore shoes and 37.5% have no shoes. 62.5% take bath weekly, 37.7% take bath daily. Interms of livelihood, most of them relied on begging for food; 25.0% do domestic work to get food and other needs. 70.0% of them eat twice in a day, 25.0% thrice, whereas, 5.0% once; in most cases. The result revealed many health determinants which can negatively affect the health of Almajiri.Keywords: health determinants, open defecation, overcrowding, begging, child labou

Establishing convergent validity of a medication literacy assessment instrument for use within the Nigerian setting

Purpose: To establish convergent validity of a previously designed medication literacy instrument for use in Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Zaria, Kaduna State from May to August 2021, with structured instruments administered to conveniently sampled members of the public via one-on-one interviews to collect data. These instruments included a previously designed medication literacy assessment instrument and the Newest Vital Sign United Kingdom version (NVS-UK) health literacy assessment questionnaire. Data obtained was reported using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Three hundred respondents were interviewed, majority of whom were females (51 %) and aged between 15 – 25 (76.6 %). The percentage of correct responses to the NVS-UK questions ranged from 22 to 58.3 %, while the total number of NVS-UK questions answered correctly by respondents ranged from 0 to 6 with a mean of 2.2 ± 1.7. Respondents’ NVS-UK scores were associated with their highest level of education completed (p = 0.001). The NVS-UK showed adequate internal consistency (Cronbach’s Alpha = 0.7) and validation of the developed medication literacy instrument against the NVS-UK demonstrated a Spearman’s rho correlation coefficient of 0.42. Conclusion: The designed instrument is valid and can be used to assess medication literacy within the country

Chiari I Malformation: A Missed Diagnosis

Chiari I malformation is a complex congenital malformation of the hindbrain, characterized by herniation of the cerebellar tonsils through the foramen magnum into the cervical spinal canal. There may be mild caudal displacement and flattening or kinking of the medulla with an associated small posterior fossa. We present a case of a 30 year old man who presented with a 2 year history of worsening nystagmus and ataxia with associated occipital headache and diplopia. Examination showed a young man with horizontal and vertical nystagmus, he had truncal ataxia and Rhomberg's sign was positive. Diagnosis was missed by several clinicians during the 2 year period. Repeated brain CT scans were normal. Brain MRI confirmed the diagnosis of Chiari I malformation and cervical syringomyelia. He had decompressive occipital craniectomy durotomy and duroplasty. The patient recovered fully from ataxia headache and diplopia but still has residual nystagmus.La malformation Chiari I est une malformation congenitale complexe du cerveau posterior, characteris\ue9e par l'hernie de l'amygdale du cervelet dans le trou occipital et le canal spinal cervical. Il peut y'avoir le deplacement caudal, applatissement ou tortillement de la moelle allong\ue9e associ\ue9 \ue3 une petite fosse posterieur. Nous presentons un adult de 30 ans qui s'est present\ue9 avec un nystagme progressive, l'ataxie associ\ue9s \ue0 des. cephall\ue9es occipitales et la diplopie pour deux ans. L'examen de ce jeune homme rev\ue8le du nystagme horizontale et verticale, l'ataxie troncale avec le signe de Rhomberg present. Le diagnostique etait manqu\ue9 durant ces deux ann\ue9es par plusieurs cliniciens. Des scanner repet\ue9s du cerveau etaient normaux. Le M.R.I. du cerveau a confirm\ue9 le diagnostique de la malformation Chiari I, ainsi que la syringomyelie cervicale. Il a eu une craniotomy decompressive occipitale (fosse cerebelleuse) durotomy ainsi que duroplastie. Le patient a eu une convallescence parfaite avec l'abolition de l'ataxie, les cephall\ue9es et la diplopie mais a encore du nystagme residuel

Innovation Platform : Methods to engage crop-livestock stakeholders in West Africa

With an objective of engaging stakeholders in mixed farming systems in the semiarid tropics of West Africa. Innovation Platforms (IP) meetings were initiated by the International Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) together with National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES) in Nigeria and Niger. The transboundry transect between Nigeria and Niger called Katsina Kano and Maradi (KKM) was selected as action site. Results indicated that the IP meetings at KKM transect allowed platform members (farmers, processors, marketers, political and traditional institutes and researchers) to obtain feedback on performance of introduced agricultural technologies, link farmers to seed, agrochemical companies and commodity brokers, and provided opportunity to the registered farmer groups to source inputs through governmental agencies. The IP meetings also facilitated decision making among members through scenario visioning. As a result of such visioning, the researchers were encouraged to explore the replacement of maize with sorghum in poultry feed consequently trials were initiated in Kano and earadi. The IP was also used in identifying relevant capacity building needs of stakeholders. A crop-livestock integration training was identified for the stakeholder in the transect. The training was therefore conducted for 41 participants from 5 countries (Benin, Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and Nigeria). The stakeholders used the platform to enhance knowledge, expand network along with technology oriented practical demonstrations on food-feed crops, innovation of green and dry fodder chopping using machines, use of grinders for feed block making, animal traction and manure management