Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Neisseria gonorrhea and Chlamydia trachomatis isolated from individuals attending STD clinics in Kampala, Uganda

Background: Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) management in sub-Saharan Africa is syndromic but molecular diagnostics provide quicker, sensitive diagnosis and treatment. Effective STD control hinges on identification and treatment of infected persons and sexual partner contact tracing. Objectives: This study assessed feasibility of using the Xpert CT/NG test to identify prevalent Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhea (NG) infections among STD clinic attendees and their sexual partners and tested for antimicrobial resistance for N. gonorrhea. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at 4 outpatient STD clinics in Kampala, Uganda from February 2019 to October 2019. Participants received a syndromic diagnosis, were tested for NG and CT, as well as their sexual partners. Urine (men) and high vaginal swabs (women) were collected, examined using Xpert CT/NG assay. A total of 79 participants were enrolled at baseline of whom 25 had CT/NG. 21 partners of infected baseline participants and 7 partners of the 21 primary partners were enrolled. Results: The mean age of the reported sexual partners was 26 (18-43) years. The prevalence of NG was 25% at baseline and 18 % for CT. Nine (11.4%) people were dually infected. Men were more likely to have NG (p<0.001) at multivariable level. Two participants tested HIV-1 positive. On microbiological culture, 8 samples (2.5%) grew NG, and all were resistant to penicillin, ciprofloxacin. For CT, we found a preponderance of the F-serovar in this population. Conclusion: The most prevalent organism was Neisseria gonorrhea. Generally, the prevalence of CT and NG was high. Infection proportions increased among primary partners, particularly women. Etiologic testing without partner tracing and treatment may underestimate burden of CT/NG in this population and contribute to re-infection

Access to health information through partnerships: problems and benefits

Even though in Africa have limited resources for their work; many of them have made innovative and committed efforts to deal with the problems they face; by creating partnerships with other libraries in the region and beyond; and with international agencies that are concerned with information transfer and health promotion. Library partnerships have indeed served several purposes in Africa. However; the greatest challenge facing African libraries today is to keep the partnerships alive and growing. This paper is a series of reflections on the nature and history of partnerships between Universities in Africa and others elsewhere; with a particular focus on those that the Albert cook Medical Library at Makerere University has participated in

Health service priorities in a developing country: biomedical and health information support in Zimbabwe

The Ministry of Health has reallocated available resources to bring more primary health care services to rural areas and to upgrade provincial; general and district hospitals; and more recently; has begun to improve its library services. Two 1984 surveys of the information needs and resources of health professionals showed serious information deficiencies in the general and district hospitals outside the capital; while staff and students in the country's one medical school in Harare were relatively well supplied. In 1983; U.Z.M.L. was designated National Focal Point (NFP) for Health Sciences Information Services. In response to its new reponsibilities as NFP and to the findings of the surveys; and in support of the Ministry of Health's drive to improve health services to its largely rural population; the Medical Library sought to redress the imbalance by improving the supply of information to health workers outside the capital. Steps taken by the NFP and the Ministry to achieve this included the appointment of an Outreach Librarian; the provision of core collections of books and primary health care manuals to peripheral hospital; a training program for library clerks; the establishment of national core journal collection; and the circulation of a digest/update of locally-relevant MEDLINE citations and abstracts to health professionals country-wide. Efforts to provide computerised literature searches and databases; both from MEDLINE on CD-ROM and from locally-generated sources; are also described

Getting information to health workers

The paper analysis a survey of attitudes of medical academic staff to medical library facilities which was carried out in 1984. A detailed analysis of the following: the problem; core collections of books; core collections of journals; production of the digest; contents for inclusion in Current Health Information in Zimbabwe and some other related issues

Socio-political changes in developing countries : the concerns of the Medical Librarian?

The paper describes problems faced by African Libraries and Librarians;notably financial cuts; lack of automation or co-operative sharing of electrically accessed data; cancellation of periodical subscriptions; few monographs; non-functioning photocopiers; and even a lack of basic essentials like catalogue cards; stencils; spine marking equipment and binding services; and telephone and mail services which are faulty or slow. Issues concerning staff training; library processes; user education and orientation are also discussed

Strengthening of the IEC and social mobilisation unit of the Ministry of Health

Included in this document are proposed staffing levels for the Central; Regional and District IEC Units projected to 1985. Included also; are the job descriptions of the proposed technical staff. The document has attempted to present an overall picture of the IEC services in the context of the Ministry of Health's overall health delivery system. The document is not comprehensive; but does provide a framework on which to base plans and ideas to strengthen the IEC services in Malawi

Sources of information on family planning among female secondary school teachers living in Lusaka Urban; Lusaka; Zambia

The study showed that most women (48 per cent of respondents) had information on family planning from friends. Dependent on this were factors of age; marrital status; religion and residential area

Estimated coverage from routine information

Health information is collected routinerly as a major activity of many health workers; but often little use is made of the information. In this dissertation a method of analysing routine information is explored; using data from Buhera District in Zimbabwe. Data on outpatient attendance; anternatal care; clinic deliveries; and vaccinations are presented and their most important biases and deficiencies discussed. It was possible for these data to be broken down by catchment area of the health centres in the district. However; for the information tobe meaningful; it should be related to the population in each catchment area. Analysis of the available population statistics was carried out; giving attention to population structure; size; and distribution within the district. It is concluded that under enumeration by 33 probably occurred during the 1982 Census. Onthe basis of the health information and population statistics the utilization ofthe health services is analyzed by catchment area and compared with that reported elsewhere. [abstract terminated]

Zimbabwe AIDS information Network (ZAINet) : mission and strategy

ZAINet's Mission is to establish and maintain an active network to achieve the effective collection; analysis and dissemination of information on the AIDS epidemic in Zimbabwe by: - promoting the collection and storage of data on HIV infection and AIDS for as many sources as possible within Zimbabwe; - supporting the ongoing collation and analysis of the data collected and submitted through the network and making these data available to members of the network and to bona fide research workers; - maintaining a facility for the ongoing and timely analysis and dissemination of these data to as wide an audience as possible; - stimulating research on the AIDS epidemic in Zimbabwe; ZAINet's ulitimate goal is to generate reliable and up to date information; analyses and research results on all aspects of the AIDS epidemic in Zimbabwe in order to provide as sound a basis as possible for planning educational; health; social and economic measures to combat the epidemic or ameliorate its effects on individuals and society