Outcomes of Paediatrics HIV care at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu after ten years of service

Background: Antiretroviral therapy is associated with improved survival among HIV-infected children. In Nigeria, HIV treatment scale up was extended to children over a decade ago. This poses new challenges of sustained quality care. Aim: To determine the outcomes for HIV infected children and factors that influenced retention in care at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku/Ozalla, Enugu.Methods: This was a study of HIV-infected children seen between September 2004 and October 2015 and at the Paediatric HIV clinic of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku Ozalla, Enugu. Data collected include socio-demographics, HAART regimen and outcomes. Data analysis were done with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 (Chicago IL).Results: Five hundred and nineteen of 555 enrolled children with complete data were included in the data analysis. Two hundred and sixty-seven (51.4%) were females. Three hundred and thirty-nine participants (65.3%) were still in care, 12345 (23.7%) had been lost to follow up, or 22 (4.2%) dead while 35 (6.87%) were transferred out to other health facilities or into the adult ART clinic. Factors associated with retention in care were both parents being HIV positive (p<0.0001), commencement of HAART (p<0.0001) and HIV disclosure status of the child (Fisher's exact Test =0.003).Conclusions: About a quarter of our HIV-infected children were lost to follow up. Prompt initiation of HAART and HIV disclosure will positively influence retention in care

Practice of Asthma Management among Doctors in South-East Nigeria

The major role of airway inflammation in childhood asthma has been recognised for more than a decade; and anti-inflammatory drugs now form the mainstay of treatment. In order to optimise treatment and achieve a better outcome; different guidelines have been introduced for asthma management. Examining the practice of the medical practitioners who manage asthma will help establish the gaps and provide informed advice on the current national and international guidelines. Our objective was to investigate the appropriate treatment of acute bronchial asthma by medical practitioners in south-east Nigeria. Two hundred and eighty-five doctors were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Evaluation for differences in asthma management by doctors with different years of practice and heath facilities was carried out. Results were analysed with Epi info version 3.5. We concluded that management based on newer trends in childhood asthma management and adherence to management guidelines is less common among doctors that work in non-tertiary health facilities and among doctors that graduated more than 15 years ago or less than 5 years ago. This needs to be improved for optimal management of these patients. The need for regular continuing medical education for all doctors cannot be over emphasised