Research Articles in Medicine & Surgery

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://repository.nileuniversity.edu.ng/handle/123456789/100

Browse

Author: search.filters.author.Ibrahim, M.A.Subject: search.filters.subject.Nigeria

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Reducing the burden of diarrhea among children under five years old: lessons learned from oral rehydration therapy corner program implementation in Northern Nigeria
    (BioMed Central, 2015-02-02) Charyeva, Z.; Cannon, M.; Oguntunde, O.; Garba, A.M.; Sambisa, W.; Bassi, A.P.; Ibrahim, M.A.; Danladi, S.E.; Lawal, N.
    Background: In Nigeria, diarrhea remains one of the leading causes of death among children under five years old. Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) corners were introduced to health facilities in Bauchi and Sokoto states to serve as points of treatment for sick children and equip caregivers with necessary skills in case management of diarrhea and diarrhea prevention. Objectives: The operations research study examined the effect of facility-based ORT corners on caregivers’ knowledge and skills in management of simple and moderate diarrhea at home, as well as caregivers’ and service providers’ perceived facilitators and barriers to utilization and delivering of ORT corner services. It also examined whether ORT activities were conducted according to the established protocols. Methods: This quantitative study relied on multiple sources of information to provide a complete picture of the current status of ORT corner services, namely surveys with ORT corner providers (N = 21), health facility providers(N = 23) and caregivers (N = 229), as well as a review of service statistics and health facility observations. Frequency distribution and binary analysis were conducted. Results: The study revealed that ORT corner users were more knowledgeable in diarrhea prevention and managementand demonstrated better skills for managing diarrhea at home than ORT corner non-users. However, the percentage of knowledgeable ORT users is not optimal, and providers need to continue to work toward improving such knowledge. ORT corner providers identified a lack of supplies as the major barrier for providing services. Furthermore, the study revealed a lack of information, education and communication materials, supportive supervision, and protocols and guidelines for delivering ORT corner services, as well as inadequate documentation of services provided at ORT corners. Recommendations: Recommendations for ORT corners program planners and implementers include ensuring all ORT corners have oral rehydration salt (ORS) packages and salt, sugar, and zinc tablets in stock, a secured commodity supply chain to avoid stockouts, and adequate policies and procedures in place.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Patterns and predictors of malaria care-seeking, diagnostic testing, and artemisinin-based combination therapy for children under five with fever in Northern Nigeria: a cross-sectional study
    (Malaria Journal, 2014-02-02) Millar, K.R.; McCutcheon, J.; Coakley, E.H.; Brieger, W.; Ibrahim, M.A.; Mohammed, Z.; Bassi, A.P.; Sambisa, W.
    Background: Despite recent improvements in malaria prevention strategies, malaria case management remains aweakness in Northern Nigeria, which is underserved and suffers the country’s highest rates of under-five child mortality. Understanding malaria care-seeking patterns and comparing case management outcomes to World Health Organization (WHO) and Nigeria’s National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) guidelines are necessary to identify where policy and programmatic strategies should focus to prevent malaria mortality and morbidity. Methods: A cross-sectional survey based on lot quality assurance sampling was used to collect data on malaria care-seeking for children under five with fever in the last two weeks throughout Sokoto and Bauchi States. The survey assessed if the child received NMCP/WHO recommended case management: prompt treatment, a diagnostic blood test, and artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). Deviations from this pathway and location of treatment were also assessed. Lastly, logistic regression was used to assess predictors of seeking treatment. Results: Overall, 76.7% of children were brought to treatment—45.5% to a patent medicine vendor and 43.8% to a health facility. Of children brought to treatment, 61.5% sought treatment promptly, but only 9.8% received a diagnostic blood test and 7.2% received a prompt ACT. When assessing adherence to the complete case management pathway, only 1.0% of children received NMCP/WHO recommended treatment. When compared to other treatment locations, health facilities provided the greatest proportion of children with NMCP/WHO recommended treatment. Lastly, children 7–59 months old were at 1.74 (p = 0.003) greater odds of receiving treatment than children ≤6 months. Conclusions: Northern Nigeria’s coverage rates of NMCP/WHO standard malaria case management for children under five with fever fall short of the NMCP goal of 80% coverage by 2010 and universal coverage thereafter. Given the ability to treat a child with malaria differs greatly between treatment locations, policy and logistics planning should address the shortages of essential malaria supplies in recommended and frequently accessed treatment locations. Particular emphasis should be placed on integrating the private sector into standardized care and educating caregivers on the necessity for testing before treatment and the availability of free ACT in public health facilities for uncomplicated malaria.