Knowledge and Treatment Practices of Malaria among Mothers and Caregivers of Children in an Urban Slum in Jos; Nigeria

A cross-sectional descriptive study design; a cluster sampling technique and an interviewer administered questionnaire were used to collect information on socio demographic profiles as well as knowledge and treatment practices of malaria from mothers and caregivers of underfive children in Gangare; Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State;central Nigeria. The data was then analyzed using Epi info2002 epidemiological software. The study revealed a low level of knowledge ofmalaria with 248(49.6) being able to recognize the disease and only 124(24.9) attributing it to the mosquito bite. The attitude of most respondents towards malaria as an illness was however good as 275(55) viewed it as a very serious illness and most of them 328(65.6) woulduse hospitals/clinics for treatment. Majority of them; 462(92.4) have not heard of Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT) and only 19(50) of those who had heard of ACT had ever used it for the treatment of malaria.Generally; their knowledge of malaria and treatment seeking practice are influenced by cost of treatment; perceived safety and level of their education. (p

The impact of advocacy and community mobilization on the utilization of health services at the Comprehensive Health Centre, Gindiri

Primary Health Care facilities provide promotive; preventive; curative and rehabilitative services to a community. They may be well built and equipped with adequate resources but grossly underutilized due to several factors. Health records at the Comprehensive Health Centre Gindiri for 2005 were compared with those of 2007 after a well-coordinated advocacy and mobilization programme in that community. The results show that the total out patient attendance in 2007 increased by 220.6 when compared to that of 2005. 293 patients were admitted into the wards in 2005 compared to 813 in 2007(277). There was no surgery carried out in the whole of 2005; whereas in 2007 there were 98 surgeries. Advocacy and community mobilization could be important factors in the utilization of primary health services

Awareness of Essential Drug Revolving Fund (EDRF) among Doctors in Jos University Teaching Hospital

Background: There is a need to utilize the available resources in an efficient; cost effective way to meet the needs of patients. The objective of this study was to determine the awareness among doctors in Jos University Teaching Hospital of the Essential Drug Revolving Fund (EDRF). Methods: This is a cross sectional study using a stratified sampling method to enroll doctors from different specialties in the hospital into the study Results: Among the doctors forty-five (46.2) had practiced in Jos University Teaching Hospital for more than twelve months and fifty-five (53.8) for twelve months or less. Only forty-two (41.2) doctors could define Essential Drug Revolving Fund. Eighty-five (83.3) could state correctly the purpose of Essential Drug Revolving Fund. Only two (2.0) knew when Essential Drug Revolving Fund started in Jos University Teaching Hospital; with sixty-one (59.8) correctly defining essential drugs. Sixty-four (62.7) knew the purpose of Essential Drug Revolving Fund and fiftyfive (53.9) knew the existence of an Essential Drug Revolving Fund Committee in Jos University Teaching Hospital. Only forty-three (42.2) knew the criteria for essential drug selection with forty-four (43.1) knowing how they are selected. Though seventy (68.6) knew about rational drug use; only forty-four (43.1) knew how essential drugs are procured. Ninety-three (91.2) knew the definition of polypharmacy; but only twenty-six (25.5) knew how these drugs are stored and stocked. Only thirty-eight (37.3) knew that exempted patients are not part of the scheme in Jos University Teaching Hospital. Conclusion: This study highlights the need for efforts to increase the awareness of doctors on Essential Drug Revolving Fund

Impact of health education on sexual risk behaviour of secondary school students in Jos, Nigeria

BACKGROUND:Secondary school students are a high risk group for HIV transmission. They could also be easily reached with health education interventions. There is as yet no global consensus on the nature, content and effectiveness of this intervention among this group. It is also not known how effective this intervention is in reducing sexual risk behaviour among secondary school students in our environment. The aim of the study was to find out the impact of HIV/AIDS health education intervention on the sexual risk behaviour of secondary school students.METHODS:This was an interventional follow-up study among senior secondary school students with controls selected from similar schools. The students' sexual risk behaviour was assessed at baseline followed by a HIV/AIDS health education intervention. The risk behaviour was then re-assessed 6 months after the intervention.RESULT: Students who lived in urban areas and those who lived with both parents were less likely to have experienced sexual intercourse at baseline than those who lived in the rural areas (but school in Jos during school sessions), and those who lived with single parents and other relations. Health education delayed sexual debut among students who were sexually naïve but had no effect on the sexual activity of those who were already sexually experienced.CONCLUSION:Health Education intervention has a place in reducing secondary school students' sexual risk behaviourif commenced before their sexual debut

In vitro susceptibility testing of dermatophytes isolated from pediatric cases in Nigeria against five antifungals

The antifungal activities of itraconazole, ketoconazole, fluconazole, terbinafine and griseofulvin were tested by broth microdilution methods against 71 isolates of dermatophytes isolated from Nigerian children. Most drugs were very active against all the dermatophytes and the MIC 90 ranged from 0.03 to 8.0 µg/mL. This appears to be the first documented data on the antifungal susceptibility testing of isolates of dermatophytes from Nigerian children.

Atividades antifúngicas de itraconazole, ketoconazole, fluconazole, terbinafine e griseofulvina foram testadas por métodos de microdiluição em caldo contra 71 isolados de dermatófitos de crianças nigerianas. A maioria das drogas foi muito ativa contra todos os dermatófitos e o MIC 90 variou de 0,03 a 8,0 µg/mL. Estes parecem ser os primeiros dados documentados sobre os testes de susceptibilidade antifúngica de isolados de dermatófitos de crianças nigerianas.