The Pan African medical journal
-
Poor data quality and use have been identified as key challenges that negatively impact immunization programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In addition, many LMICs have a shortage of health personnel, and staff available have demanding workloads across several health programs. In order to address these challenges, the Better Immunization Data (BID) Initiative introduced a comprehensive suite of interventions, including an electronic immunization registry aimed at improving the quality, reliability, and use of immunization data in Arusha Region, Tanzania, and Southern Province of Zambia. The objective of this study was to assess the incremental costs of implementing the BID interventions in immunization programs in these two countries. ⋯ The introduction of electronic immunization registries and stock management systems through the BID Initiative was estimated to result in potential time savings in both countries. Health worker time was the area most impacted by the interventions, suggesting that time savings gained could be utilized for patient care. Information generated through this work provides evidence to inform stakeholder decision-making for scale-up of the BID interventions in Tanzania and Zambia and to inform other Low-to-Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) interested in similar interventions.
-
The intense global efforts are directed towards development of vaccines to halt the COVID-19 virus pandemic. There are 160 candidate vaccines under clinical trials across the world using different molecular targets and techniques. ⋯ We feel that the fundamental principles of ethics: autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice should not be violated in this hastened vaccine development process. We recommend constitute a Consortium on a global platform to formulate, provide and monitor a comprehensive ethical umbrella to the process of vaccine development.
-
Bee sting injuries to the eye are relatively uncommon. The outcomes of corneal bee sting injuries are highly variable, and there is no consensus on the management at the time of initial presentation. We report a case of a 17-year-old male with a corneal bee sting injury that significantly improved in the acute stage without any treatment, which to the best of our knowledge is the first report in the literature documenting the natural history of a corneal bee sting injury in the acute stage.
-
Bird fancier's disease falls within the spectrum of hypersensitivity pneumonitis secondary to immuno-allergic reaction to avian antigens. This occurs only rarely in children. It is found in two-thirds of patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis. ⋯ The patient received inhaled corticosteroids associated with avoidance of exposure to birds. After a follow-up of 2 months, outcome was favorable. Given that the signs of bird fancier's disease are non-specific, this should be suspected in patients with respiratory symptoms associated with exposure to avian antigens.
-
Case Reports Observational Study
Novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) co-infection with HIV: clinical case series analysis in North Central Nigeria.
SARS-CoV-2 has created a global public health emergency with significant mortality and morbidity for people living with HIV (PLWH). Preliminary data reveals persons with immune-compromised status are at risk of developing adverse clinical outcomes from SARS-CoV-2. We aimed to characterise clinical outcomes of HIV patients co-infected with SARS-CoV-2 infection in Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria. ⋯ Real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid were performed using nasopharyngeal swabs (novel coronavirus PCR fluorescence diagnostic kit, BioGerm medical biotechnology) at the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Abuja, Nigeria. Our study reveals mild clinical outcome among HIV patients with SARS-CoV-2 co-infection. There is need for a syndemic framework to be used to conceptualise SARS-CoV-2 impact among HIV patients and an urgent need to strengthen healthcare programmes within Nigeria.