ABSTRACT
Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected blood supplies globally. Mobile blood drive campaigns halted, and voluntary blood donations reduced, challenging available blood supplies. Furthermore, fears of virus transmission led to deferrals of elective surgeries and non-urgent clinical procedures with noticeable declines in blood donations and transfusions. Aims: We aimed to assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the number of blood donations and transfusions across the country by blood product type across various hospital departments. Materials and Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on blood services in 34 tertiary hospitals in Nigeria, comparing January to July 2019 (pre-COVID-19) to January to July 2020 (peri-COVID-19). Data were collected from the country's web-based software District Health Information System, Version 2 (DHIS2). Results: A 17.1% decline in numbers of blood donations was observed over the study period, especially in April 2020 (44.3%), a 21.7% decline in numbers of blood transfusions, especially in April 2020 (44.3%). The largest declines in transfusion were noted in surgery department for fresh frozen plasma (80.1%) [p = 0.012] and accident and emergency department transfusion of platelets (78.3%) [p = 0.005]. The least decline of statistical significance was observed in internal medicine transfusions of whole blood (19.6%) [p = 0.011]. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected the numbers of blood donations and transfusions in Nigeria. Strengthening blood services to provide various blood components and secure safe blood supplies during public health emergencies is therefore critical.
Subject(s)
Blood Donors , Blood Transfusion , Blood Specimen Collection , Long Term Adverse Effects , COVID-19ABSTRACT
A 7-year-old lactating Red Sokoto goat was presented to the veterinary clinic, Aliyu Jodi Road Sokoto, with the complaint of inappetance, weight loss, reduced milk output and foul-smellingudder four weeks after kidding. The goat weighed approximately 25 kg. The patient appears dull with rough hair coat, the right mammary gland was necrotic and blue-greenish, atrophied, hardened with a lacerated base, painful to touch with foul smelling. Gangrenous mastitis was diagnosed and animal as scheduled for surgery.The surgery was successfully conducted; the animal was later discharged 16 days post-surgery.
ABSTRACT
Background: Inter-professional rivalry (IPR) in Nigerian health sector has become a common practice for over a decade due to abuse of the existing laws and ethics governing the operations of the professional cadres manning the health institutions in the country. This has led to incessant strikes by the different cadres in the hospitals across the country, thereby affecting the quality of services delivered by all the categories of healthcare staff. This study was aimed at identifying the initial source of the problem by interviewing the students of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences of Bayero University Kano (BUK) and that of Yusuf Maitama Sule University (YUMSUK) and those that have passed their examinations and joined the clinical and allied science departments in Bayero University Kano. The Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences is the initial confluent point where all medical and students of allied sciences receive their training together especially in the first and second year of their training. Method: A random sampling method was used to select the subjects. Two hundred questionnaires were distributed but 139 (69.5%) students at various levels of training filled and returned the questionnaire. Results: Females constituted 62 (44.6%), while the male were 77 (55.4%). Those in level 4 and 6 dominated the study with 55 (39.6%) and 41 (29.5%) respectively. Medical students and students of Physiology program constituted 42(30.2%) and 23(16.5%) respectively. Majority of the students 126 (90.6%) chose their respective courses without external influence and 85 (61.2%) believed that their course of study has a supportive role in the health care system. Up to 63 (45.3%) believed there is no superiority among the various courses of study. Of the factors fueling superiority feelings among students, 70 (50.4%) did not provide any reason, while those that believe professional bodies encourage it constituted 40 (28.8%), followed by teachers 11 (7.9%) and students themselves 10 (7.2%). Superiority feelings lead to rivalry among the various programs as opined by 78 (56.1%), chaos in the health sector 26 (18.7%) and poor patients management 12 (8.6%). Majority, 61 (43.9%) believed that rivalry in health sector can be prevented by giving uniform opportunity to all professional group. Conclusion: It is clear that half of the students interviewed were not aware of superiority feeling among the different programs of study. However, professional bodies rank first among the factors fueling superiority feeling during undergraduate training. Superiority feeling has negative effects on the healthcare system, one of which is rivalry among the healthcare staff and it can be avoided by giving uniform opportunity to different professional groups
Subject(s)
Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms , Conflict, Psychological , Dangerous Behavior , Health Care Sector , Interpersonal Relations , Nigeria , Social BehaviorABSTRACT
Background: Malaria is a global menace caused by the transfer of a plasmodium parasite to a host by an infected anopheles mosquito. Upon infection; the overwhelmed host releases free radicals which have the capacity to induce oxidative damage by lipid peroxidation. This study was undertaken to assess the effect of malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum on some antioxidant markers and lipid peroxidation levels in children attending hospitals in Katsina State; Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Blood samples were collected from untreated subjects upon confirmation of Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia using the Giemsa stain technique. One hundred and sixty (160) consenting individuals (80 infected patients and 80 uninfected subjects) comprising of both sexes were randomly selected. The levels of antioxidant markers and malondialdehyde (MDA) - a lipid peroxidation marker were determined. Descriptive analysis was employed using SPSS version 16.0 and significance between groups was ascertained using students' T-test. Results: P. falciparum malarial infection significantly (p 0.05) reduced the antioxidant markers [vitamins A; C; et E; and reduced glutathione (GSH)] by 65.4%; 29.7%; 48.1%; 40.4% respectively in males and by 54.2%; 36.6%; 55.7% ; 36.6% in females when compared with values obtained from uninfected; healthy children. Conversely; lipid peroxidation levels were significantly (p 0.05) higher in children with parasitaemia than in nonparasitaemic controls. Males showed greater than 200% increase; while it increased by 138% in females. Conclusion: Our findings indicate a reciprocal relationship; where high levels of lipid peroxidation correspond to low levels of antioxidants; which may be due to over utilization of the antioxidants in order to counteract the effect of free radicals. This may be responsible for oxidative stress and consequently; tissue damage associated with pathology of malaria in Nigerian children
Subject(s)
Antioxidants , Child , Lipid Peroxidation , Malaria , Nigeria , Oxidative Stress , Plasmodium falciparumABSTRACT
Microscopy of the gum revealed various shapes and sizes which disintegrated within a short time (3-5 minutes). They have thick walls, somewhat cracked and striated and also seen as translucent masses. Some were observed to have open fissures. However, the purified ones obtained from the precipitates depicted no open fissures, striations or cracks. Macroscopy revealed that A.occidentale gum has irregular shapes, tasteless, odourless, very coarse texture for the crude to fine coarse for the purified gum. It is yellowish brown colour for the crude to whitish milk for the purified gum. On the other hand, the gum arabic has a bland mucilaginous taste, odourless, varying shapes and sizes with a milky colour. This shows that the plant gum has features similar to available pharmaceutical gums and as such a viable pharmaceutical material and also these features are useful for the preparation of monograph of the plant. Paper and Thin Layer Chromatographic analyses of the carbohydrates in both the gums revealed the presence of sugars such as xylose, arabinose, galactose and glucose. Butanol-Acetic acid- Water (BAW) 4:1:5; Butanol-Ethanol-Water (BEW) 4:1:2.2; and Butanol-Acetic acid-Ether-Water (BAEW) 9:6:3:1 were used as solvents systems by ascending technique and sprayed with Aniline phthalate for visualization.
ABSTRACT
Evidences arising from epidemiological studies as well as from detailed experimental investigations have indicated that there is strong relationship between certain feed ingredients and incidence of bacterial infections. A total of two hundred and thirty nine (239) Poultry feed samples comprising of two hundred and four (204) commercially prepared feed and thirty five (35) self compounded feed were collected from seventy six (76) identified poultry farms in Sokoto metropolis over a period of 12 months for assessing their microbiological (bacterial) quality. Of the total 80 questionnaires administered, 76 (95.00%) were responded to. Of the respondents, 53 (69.74%) indicated using commercially prepared feed while 23 (30.26%) compounded the feed by themselves. Similarly, 30.57% of the farms visited store their feed either within the poultry pen or in an open space. Out of total (n=239), commercially prepared (n=204) and Self compounded (n=35) feed samples, 217 (90.79%) samples yielded positive bacterial growth. Based on culture and identification, 263 bacterial species/genus were identified which include the following: Corynebacterium pyogenes (9; 3.42%), Bacillus subtilis (60; 22.81%), Enterobacter arrogenes (6; 2.28%), Escherichia coli (57; 21.67%), Listeria monocytogenes (19; 7.22%), Coagulase-negative staphylococcus (8; 3.04%), Pasturella multocida (3; 1.14%), Pseudomona aerogenosa (7; 2.66%), Proteus mirabilis (1; 0.38%), Proteus vulgaris (17; 6.46%), Salmonella spp. (10; 3.80%), Staphylococcu aureus (44; 16.73%), Streptococcus pyogenes (17; 6.46%), Yersinia enterocolitica (3; 1.14%) and (2; 0.76%) unidentified bacterial species. The presence of the above bacteria in all the feed samples calls for attention in the storage methods employed by the poultry and other livestock farmers, the warehouse condition, distributors and the sellers. This result could be used as a baseline data in setting public health standard for poultry feeds to achieve food security concern issues.
ABSTRACT
Thrombolytic therapy is a standard treatment for patients presenting with acute myocardial infarction [MI]. Early administration of these agents is crucial for the outcome of management. This audit was conducted to evaluate the time between arrival to emergency department [ED] and the administration of thrombolysis [door to needle time]. Data was collected from patients admitted to the Coronary Care Unit of Riyadh Medical Complex [RMC], Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a 1500-bed community hospital, with a diagnosis of acute MI and received thrombolytic therapy over a one-year period [April 1999 to April 2000]. The time between arrival to the ED to the time of administration of thrombolytic therapy was obtained as well as the time of onset of chest pain up to presentation to the hospital, and the outcome [all cause mortality] post treatment. A total of 271 patients [256 males] admitted to RMC with a diagnosis of acute MI received thrombolytic therapy over a one-year duration. The median door to needle time was 95 minutes. The median time of onset of chest pain to arrival to ED was 5 hours [300 minutes]. The outcome of these patients obtained either alive was 260 [96%] or dead was 11 [4%] [P < 0.00001]. The door to needle time was relatively similar to other centers. The delay in administering thrombolytic therapy should be reduced to a target of <70 minutes from onset of symptoms. Delay in presentation to the hospital was more important and factors contributing to this delay should be looked for and corrected. Another audit is needed to evaluate the implementation of these recommendations