RESUMO
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The study assessed the knowledge level of doctors, their preparedness to respond to pandemic influenza and the preventive practices employed by them. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional survey of doctors from a tertiary-referral teaching hospital in Benin City, Nigeria was conducted between August and October, 2011. Interviewer administered structured questionnaires were distributed to 240 doctors in different departments in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. RESULTS: In the study, 15.4% of participants had poor knowledge, 60.4% of respondents had fair knowledge and 24.2% of respondents had a good knowledge about pandemic human influenza. An analysis of attitudes showed that 46.2% of doctors have poor attitudes to work and only 10% had good attitude to work in the event of a pandemic human influenza emergency. CONCLUSION: Doctors had basic knowledge about how the virus is transmitted, symptoms and mode of spread of the human influenza infection, and about the preventive measures that should be taken. Most respondents had a poor attitude to work and did not consider themselves competent enough for role specific responsibilities during a pandemic. Up-to-date information and in-service training of health personnel will strengthen national preparedness and will delay international spread of novel influenza viruses.
