ABSTRACT
Objectives: This study sought to assess the current impact of health insurance coverage on medication adherence and blood pressure control of patients being managed for hypertension in Ghana and Nigeria. Methods: The study was a prospective study among 109 patients with hypertension in two health facilities with similar population dynamics in Ghana and Nigeria. Patients were systematically selected, categorized as having health insurance coverage or not, and followed up monthly for 6 months. The outcome variables (medication adherence and blood pressure control) were then measured and compared at 6 months. Analysis was done using Stata with level of significance set at p ⩽ 0.05. Results: There was a 90% insurance coverage among participants from Ghana compared to 15% from Nigeria. National Health Insurance Authority enrolees in both countries had better blood pressure control and medication adherence compared to non-enrolees (adjusted odds ratio = 2.6 and 4.5, respectively). Conclusion: National Health Insurance Authority enrolment was found to be poor among respondents in Nigeria compared to Ghana. Enrolment into the National health financing schemes in both countries led to better blood pressure control and medication adherence among patients with hypertension at primary health facilities. There is therefore the need for system strengthening to improve their sustainability.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Routine laboratory investigations are important in preoperative preparation of otorhinolaryngological, head and neck patients to assess and to prevent operative risks. This study aimed at determining the American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) classification of the preoperative patients, causes of delayed surgery, associated comorbidity and abnormal laboratory investigation results in ear, nose, and throat surgical practice in a low-resource setting. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective hospital-based study of patients being worked up for elective surgical procedures in Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria, from January 2014 to December 2016. Patients that gave consent were enrolled into the study. Interviewer-assisted questionnaires were used to obtained data from the patients. Data obtained were collated and statistically analyzed by using SPSS version 16. RESULTS: A total of 424 patients were enrolled into the study. Males constituted 61.8% and male to female ratio was 2:1. Majority, i.e. 69.8% of the patients belonged to the ASA Grade I. Preoperative findings leading to delayed surgery occurred in 17.9% of the patients. They were due to 2.4% arterial hypertension and 6.4% delayed routine laboratory investigations results. The overall comorbid illness was 21.2%. Major comorbid illnesses were 2.4% arterial hypertension and 6.8% diabetes mellitus. The types of surgery in the patients were 14.6% ear surgery, 12.3% nasal surgery, and 59.2% throat surgery. Delayed surgery occurred in 25.5% of the patients. The most common findings were 6.8% anemia, 6.3% abnormal prothrombin/international normalized ratio, and 5.7% blood electrolyte and urea. CONCLUSION: All surgical conditions are peculiar with different comorbid illnesses which can lead to untoward outcome. Adequate preoperative evaluation and preoperative laboratory investigation of ear, nose, and throat conditions are mandatory to detect subclinical illnesses in poor-resource setting.
ABSTRACT
A 6-year-old girl who claimed to have fallen while playing with metal rod that resulted in palatal avulsion injuries was presented. Neither of the parents was around when the incidence happened. She was brought to the hospital because of pain, bleeding from the mouth, drooling of saliva mixed with blood and inability to feed or phonate appropriately. Examinations of the oral cavity revealed a triangular area of avulsion in the posterior aspect of the hard palate extending to the soft palate. She had examination under anaesthesia and wound repaired with 3-0 vicryl interrupted sutures after thorough wound debridement. She did well and was discharged from the clinic.
