ABSTRACT
Background: The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) aims to promote, protect and support optimal infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices among all women, irrespective of their employment status. Consequently the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), a Baby Friendly Hospital, has provided free Crèche services since 1996 to enable working mothers breastfeed their babies while at work, as they resume after 4 months of maternity leave. Aims: To appraise attendance and use of the Crèche by health workers for the promotion, protection and support of breastfeeding at the UPTH. Study Design: Retrospective study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Paediatrics, UPTH, Nigeria. Methodology: Personal data and data on Crèche attendance were extracted from the Registers of children cared for at the Crèche between November 2006 and October 2016, entered into Excel Spreadsheet and analysed with SPSS version 20. Simple statistics were used to analyse and present data. Results: One thousand and sixty-two children utilised the Crèche during the 10 years review period with total of 10,490 attendances. The children consisted of 604(57%) males and 458(43%) females, aged 6 weeks to 48 months (mean-6.44±2.54 months). An average of 93.6 children were cared for each month, with attendance showing a declining trend and they spent 2 to 9.5(mean-4.68) hours daily. The children attended the Crèche for 1 to 22(mean-7.35) days each month, while 32% of them attended only 1-3 days a month. Mothers from all clinical and non-clinical departments utilised the Crèche with nurses constituting 37%. Conclusion: Utilisation of the Crèche services was sub-optimal. Its provision alone is insufficient to promote and support optimal IYCF practices among working women. User education and support for optimal IYCF practices are required. Access to Crèche services in all shifts and on all days should be guaranteed. Improved record keeping is required.
ABSTRACT
Background : The Niger Delta region in Southern Nigeria is peculiar; not only for its oil and mineral resources; but also; for the adverse socio-environmental factors; which enhance the occurrence of communicable diseases like tuberculosis and Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Because childhood tuberculous infection is a reflection of ongoing transmission in the community and can be reactivated as adult TB; which in turn maintains a chain of transmission; it is important to determine its incidence in this region. Aim : To describe the pattern of paediatric tuberculosis at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH); Port Harcourt; in the Niger Delta and the role; if any; of HIV co-infection in the cases. Methods: A retrospective analysis of children diagnosed to have tuberculosis; using clinical data; tuberculin test and chest radiography; and managed at the UPTH from January 1; 2002 to October 31; 2005 was done. Results : out of 13;367 children aged 0-15 years who received care at UPTH during the period under review; 188 had tuberculosis. The median age of the tuberculosis cases was 2 years. Seventy six percent were under-fives and 53.2 HIV seropositive. Pulmonary tuberculosis (80.6) was the commonest form of the disease. The proportional incidence of tuberculosis and HIV co-infection increased from 0.88 in 2002 to 87.5 in 2005. Conclusion : Tuberculosis and HIV co-infection seems to be an emerging pattern of paediatric tuberculosis infection in Port Harcourt. There is therefore a need to screen all children with tuberculosis for the presence of HIV co-infection
Subject(s)
HIV Infections , Pediatrics , TuberculosisABSTRACT
Background: Consequent on the recognition of the public health importance of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD); especially in developing countries; the goal of iodising at least 90of edible salts by 2000 was set at the 1990 World Summit for Children.Aim: To determine the salt iodisation level in Port Harcourt.Methods: In April 2000; using pre-tested questionnaires and MBI field test kits; traders from 8 markets and residents of 2181 households in Port Harcourt were interviewed and samples of their edible salts tested to determine their iodine content.Results: The major salt brands of the 336 market and 2182 household samples were Union Dicon (70.54and 25.52) and Cassava (11.9and1.92). About 17of salt samples tested from markets compared to 72.55from households; were of unknown brands (p=0.00000). Over 99of samples from markets and households (99.7and 99.13respectively) had 30 ppm of iodine. All 27 traders interviewed were ignorant of salt iodisation programme and IDD; 92.6had seen persons with 'goitre' but were ignorant of its causes and prevention.Conclusion: Salt iodisation at the point of production has proved effective in increasing the consumption of iodised salts in Port Harcourt despite the widespread ignorance of the programme and its importance in controlling IDD. That most of the salts had 30 ppm of iodine portends the danger of toxicity with long-term use. There is need for close monitoring to ensure the safety of the intervention and its sustainability
Subject(s)
Iodine , SaltsABSTRACT
Background: The Niger Delta region in Southern Nigeria is peculiar; not only for its oil and mineral resources; but also; for the adverse socio-environmental factors; which enhance the occurrence of communicable diseases like tuberculosis and Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Because childhood tuberculous infection is a reflection of ongoing transmission in the community and can be reactivated as adult TB; which in turn maintains a chain of transmission; it is important to determine its incidence in this region. Aims: To describe the pattern of paediatric tuberculosis at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH); Port Harcourt; in the Niger Delta and the role; if any; of HIV co-infection in the cases. Methods: A retrospective analysis of children diagnosed to have tuberculosis; using clinical data; tuberculin test and chest radiography; and managed at the UPTH from January 1; 2002 to October 31; 2005 was done. Results: Out of 13;367 children aged 0-15 years who received care at UPTH during the period under review; 188 had tuberculosis. The median age of the tuberculosis cases was 2 years. Seventy six percent were under-fives and 53.2HIV seropositive. Pulmonary tuberculosis (80.6) was the commonest form of the disease. The proportional incidence of tuberculosis and HIV co-infection increased from 0.88in 2002 to 87.5in 2005. Conclusions: Tuberculosis and HIV co-infection seems to be an emerging pattern of paediatric tuberculosis infection in Port Harcourt. There is therefore a need to screen all children with tuberculosis for the presence of HIV co-infection