Acceptability and user experiences of a patient-held smart card for antenatal services in Nigeria: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Poor maternal, newborn and child health outcomes remain a major public health challenge in Nigeria. Mobile health (mHealth) interventions such as patient-held smart cards have been proposed as effective solutions to improve maternal health outcomes. Our objectives were to assess the acceptability and experiences of pregnant women with the use of a patient-held smartcard for antenatal services in Nigeria. METHODS: Using focus group discussions, qualitative data were obtained from 35 pregnant women attending antenatal services in four Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Benue State, Nigeria. The audio-recorded data were transcribed and analyzed using framework analysis techniques such as the PEN-3 cultural model as a guide. RESULTS: The participants were 18-44 years of age (median age: 24 years), all were married and the majority were farmers. Most of the participants had accepted and used the smartcards for antenatal services. The most common positive perceptions about the smartcards were their ability to be used across multiple health facilities, the preference for storage of the women's medical information on the smartcards compared to the usual paper-based system, and shorter waiting times at the clinics. Notable facilitators to using the smartcards were its provision at the "Baby showers" which were already acceptable to the women, access to free medical screenings, and ease of storage and retrieval of health records from the cards. Costs associated with health services was reported as a major barrier to using the smartcards. Support from health workers, program staff and family members, particularly spouses, encouraged the participants to use the smartcards. CONCLUSION: These findings revealed that patient-held smart card for maternal health care services is acceptable by women utilizing antenatal services in Nigeria. Understanding perceptions, barriers, facilitators, and supportive systems that enhance the use of these smart cards may facilitate the development of lifesaving mobile health platforms that have the potential to achieve antenatal, delivery, and postnatal targets in a resource-limited setting.

Healthcare clinic and pharmacy chains in Kenya and Nigeria: A qualitative exploration of the opportunities and risks they present for healthcare regulatory systems.

BACKGROUND: Regulating fragmented healthcare markets is a major challenge in low- and middle-income countries. Although a recent transformation towards consolidation could improve regulatory efficiency, there are concerns over risks to client safety and market functioning. We investigated market consolidation through the emergence of clinic and pharmacy chains in Kenya and Nigeria and explored resultant regulatory opportunities and risks. METHODS: The study was conducted in Nairobi Kenya and Abuja Nigeria. Data were collected through document reviews and 26 interviews with chain operators, professional associations and regulators between September and December 2018. A thematic analysis was conducted. RESULTS: We characterised two broad types of chains: organic chains that started as single business locations and expanded gradually, and investor-driven chains that expanded rapidly following external capital injection. In both countries, chains and independents were regulated similarly, with regulators failing to both capitalize on opportunities and guard against risks. For instance, chains' brand visibility and centralised management systems made them easier to regulate and more suitable for self-regulation. On the other hand, chains were perceived to pose the risks of market dominance, commercialisation of healthcare, and regulatory capture. CONCLUSION: As healthcare chains expand, regulators should build on opportunities presented and guard against emerging risks.

Awareness of HIV serostatus by sex partners of women living with HIV in North-Central Nigeria: correlates and predictive analyses.

Non-communication of HIV status among sex partners is a notable hurdle in halting transmission, largely due to socio-cultural factors. This study aimed to predict the determinants of male partners' awareness of women's serostatus. A total of 8825 women of reproductive age living with HIV who were clients at five comprehensive HIV treatment centres in Benue State, North-Central Nigeria were surveyed between June and December 2017, and 6655 reported having a sexual partner at the time of the survey selected for analysis. A regression model was used to estimate the determinants of male partner awareness of serostatus from the perspective of women. Conditional marginal analyses were conducted to evaluate the marginal effects of identified predictors on the probability of outcomes. Partners of married women were found to have greater odds of being aware of their spouse's serostatus (adjusted OR (aOR): 3.20; 95%CI: 2.13-4.81) than non-married partners. Similarly, the odds of male partner awareness increased with the years women had been on antiretroviral therapy (aOR: 1.13; 95%CI: 1.07-1.20). The probability of partners of married respondents being aware of their spouse's HIV serostatus was 97%. The conditional marginal effects of being educated to primary or higher level were 1.2 (95% CI: -0.2 to 2.7) and 1.8 (95% CI: 0.09-3.4) percentage points higher respectively when compared with women with no formal education. Being unemployed or being a trader significantly decreased the probability of partners being aware of respondents' serostatus when compared with farmers; conditional marginal effects of -6.7 (95% CI: -12.0 to -1.4) and -3.9 (95% CI: -5.7 to -2.2) percentage points, respectively. The study found that relationship status and girl-child education are factors that can improve communication of HIV status to sex partners. Policies and interventions aimed at improving the social determinants of health, and social support for healthy communications in relationships, are recommended to reduce HIV transmission between sex partners.

Improving uptake of prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission services in Benue State, Nigeria through a faith-based congregational strategy.

BACKGROUND: Nigeria has low antiretroviral therapy (ART) coverage among HIV-positive pregnant women. In a previous cluster-randomized trial in Nigeria, Baby Shower events resulted in higher HIV testing coverage and linkage of pregnant women to ART; here, we assess outcomes of Baby Shower events in a non-research setting. METHODS: Baby Shower events, including a prayer ceremony, group education, music, gifting of a "mama pack" with safe delivery supplies, and HIV testing with ART linkage support for HIV-positive pregnant women, were conducted in eighty sites in Benue State, Nigeria. Client questionnaires (including demographics, ANC attendance, and HIV testing history), HIV test results, and reported linkage to ART were analyzed. Descriptive data on HIV testing and ART linkage data for facility-based care at ANC clinics in Benue State were also analyzed for comparison. RESULTS: Between July 2016 and October 2017, 10,056 pregnant women and 6,187 male partners participated in Baby Shower events; 61.5% of women attended with a male partner. Nearly half of female participants (n = 4515, 44.9%) were not enrolled in ANC for the current pregnancy, and 22.3% (n = 2,241) of female and 24.8% (n = 1,532) of male participants reported they had never been tested for HIV. Over 99% (n = 16,240) of participants had their HIV status ascertained, with 7.2% of females (n = 724) and 4.0% of males (n = 249) testing HIV-positive, and 2.9% of females (n = 274) and 2.3% of males (n = 138) receiving new HIV-positive diagnoses. The majority of HIV-positive pregnant women (93.0%, 673/724) were linked to ART. By comparison, at health facilities in Benue State during a similar time period, 99.7% of pregnant women had HIV status ascertained, 8.4% had a HIV-positive status, 2.1% were newly diagnosed HIV-positive, and 100% were linked to ART. CONCLUSION: Community-based programs such as the faith-based Baby Shower intervention complement facility-based approaches and can reach individuals who would not otherwise access facility-based care. Future Baby Showers implementation should incorporate enhanced support for ART linkage and retention to maximize the impact of this intervention on vertical HIV transmission.

When technology precedes regulation: the challenges and opportunities of e-pharmacy in low-income and middle-income countries.

The recent growth of medicine sales online represents a major disruption to pharmacy markets, with COVID-19 encouraging this trend further. While e-pharmacy businesses were initially the preserve of high-income countries, in the past decade they have been growing rapidly in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). Public health concerns associated with e-pharmacy include the sale of prescription-only medicines without a prescription and the sale of substandard and falsified medicines. There are also non-health-related risks such as consumer fraud and lack of data privacy. However, e-pharmacy may also have the potential to improve access to medicines. Drawing on existing literature and a set of key informant interviews in Kenya, Nigeria and India, we examine the e-pharmacy regulatory systems in LMICs. None of the study countries had yet enacted a regulatory framework specific to e-pharmacy. Key regulatory challenges included the lack of consensus on regulatory models, lack of regulatory capacity, regulating sales across borders and risks of over-regulation. However, e-pharmacy also presents opportunities to enhance medicine regulation-through consolidation in the sector, and the traceability and transparency that online records offer. The regulatory process needs to be adapted to keep pace with this dynamic landscape and exploit these possibilities. This will require exploration of a range of innovative regulatory options, collaboration with larger, more compliant businesses, and engagement with global regulatory bodies. A key first step must be ensuring that national regulators are equipped with the necessary awareness and technical expertise to actively oversee this e-pharmacy activity.

Hepatitis B infection and risk factors among pregnant women and their male partners in the Baby Shower Programme in Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the population prevalence and determinants of hepatitis B (Hep B) status, and status discordance, among pregnant women and their male partners in Nigeria. METHODS: Cross-sectional study assessing the seroprevalence of Hep B virus in a cohort of 16 920 pregnant women and their male partners in northcentral Nigeria. Rapid HBsAg antibody test was used for Hep B diagnosis. Demographic, socio-economic and behavioural information was collected through interviewer-administered questionnaires and evaluated as determinants of Hep B status and couple status discordance using logistic regression. RESULTS: Of 16 920 participants who had a Hep B test result, 6750 couples and 1316 discordant couples were identified. The prevalence of Hep B among all participants was 10.9%, with lower prevalence among pregnant women (10.2%) than their male partners (11.9%), P < 0.001. The prevalence of Hep B sero-discordance among couples was 19.5% (1316/6750). Younger age, prior Hep B testing and a prior positive Hep B test increased the odds of Hep B infection while being a woman decreased the odds of Hep B among all participants, and among couples. Furthermore, polygamy (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.49, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.19-1.87), prior Hep B testing (AOR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.14-4.97) and a prior positive Hep B test result were significant determinants of status discordance among the participating couples. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of Hep B among pregnant women and their male partners in northcentral Nigeria is high. A large-scale intervention is required to reduce Hep B prevalence in this setting.

OBJECTIFS: Déterminer la prévalence dans la population et les déterminants du statut de l'hépatite B (Hep B) et de la discordance de statut chez les femmes enceintes et leurs partenaires masculins au Nigéria. MÉTHODES: Etude transversale évaluant la séroprévalence du virus Hep B dans une cohorte de 16.920 femmes enceintes et leurs partenaires masculins dans le centre-nord du Nigéria. Un test rapide des anticorps anti-HBsAg a été utilisé pour le diagnostic de l'Hep B. Des informations démographiques, socio-économiques et comportementales ont été recueillies au moyen de questionnaires administrés par les intervieweurs et évaluées en tant que déterminants du statut Hep B et de la discordance du statut de couple à l'aide de la régression logistique. RÉSULTATS: Sur 16.920 participants qui avaient un résultat de dépistage de l'Hep B, 6.750 couples et 1.316 couples discordants ont été identifiés. La prévalence de l'Hep B chez tous les participants était de 10,9%, avec une prévalence plus faible chez les femmes enceintes (10,2%) que chez leurs partenaires masculins (11,9%), p <0,001. La prévalence de la séro-discordance de l'Hep B chez les couples était de 19,5% (1.316/6.750). Un âge plus jeune, un dépistage antérieur de l'Hep B et un test Hep B positif antérieur augmentaient les risques d'infection à l'Hep B alors que le sexe féminin diminuait les risques d'Hep B chez tous les participants et parmi les couples. De plus, la polygamie (rapport de cotes ajusté [AOR]: 1,49, intervalle de confiance [IC] à 95%: 1,19-1,87), un dépistage antérieur de l'Hep B (AOR: 2,38 ; IC95%: 1,14-4,97) et un test hépatique B positif antérieur résultat étaient des déterminants significatifs de la discordance de statut parmi les couples participants. CONCLUSION: La prévalence de l'Hep B chez les femmes enceintes et leurs partenaires masculins dans le centre-nord du Nigéria est élevée. Une intervention à grande échelle est nécessaire pour réduire la prévalence de l'Hep B dans cette région.

Sero-prevalence and determinants of Hepatitis B among a cohort of HIV-infected women of reproductive age in Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: Sub-Saharan Africa houses over two-thirds of the 37 million people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) globally and of this, 5-20% are co-infected with Hepatitis B virus (HBV). This is double jeopardy, especially for women of reproductive age in these settings, who can transmit both viruses vertically as well as horizontally to their children. The objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence and determinants of HBV among women of reproductive age living with HIV. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of HIV-infected women of reproductive age in Benue State, Nigeria. Participants were eligible for the study if they were HIV-infected women (ages 18-45 years) receiving care from any of the selected study sites. A global rapid hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) antibody test strip was used to test for HBsAg in plasma. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographic, clinical and lifestyle characteristics of participants. We estimated prevalence of HBV infection and used multivariable logistic regression to determine factors associated with the infection at a significance level of <0.05. RESULTS: A total of 6577 women were screened for HBsAg. The prevalence of HBV was 10.3% (95% CI: 9.5-10.9%). Age, parity and male partner's HIV status were found to be associated with having HBV infection. Compared to women older than 40 years, the odds of HBV infection increased significantly with increasing age until age 35 years and decreased significantly with increasing parity (versus no parity). Women with HIV-infected partners and those without a partner had higher odds of HBV infection compared to women with HIV-negative partners. CONCLUSION: HBV is hyperendemic among HIV-infected women of reproductive age in North Central Nigeria. Specific programs targeting HBV testing, vaccination and treatment of all women of reproductive age need to be developed in this resource-limited, high-need setting.

Predictors of current tobacco smoking by adolescents in Nigeria: Interaction between school location and socioeconomic status.

INTRODUCTION: Tobacco smoking is the largest preventable cause of global mortality, with its prevalence increasing in Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly among adolescents. We sought to determine the factors associated with tobacco smoking among Nigerian school adolescents and investigate the interaction between school location and socioeconomic status (SES). METHODS: Using a cross-sectional study design, 4332 eighth to tenth grade students in rural and urban secondary schools in Enugu State, Nigeria, were selected by stratified two-stage cluster sampling. We collected data using a modified Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) Core Questionnaire. Outcome measures were current smoking of cigarettes and other smoked tobacco. Multilevel mixed effects logistic regression models were used to determine factors associated with current tobacco smoking and were considered statistically significant at p<0.05. RESULTS: Prevalences of current smoking of cigarettes and other smoked tobacco were 13.3% (95% CI: 11.3-15.7) and 5.8% (95% CI: 4.6-7.2), respectively. Possession of higher weekly allowance, exposure to secondhand smoke or tobacco advertisements, having smoking parents, friends or classmates who smoke, and sale of cigarettes near school, were positively associated with current smoking of tobacco. Female sex, having both parents employed and being exposed to tobacco teaching in school were negatively associated with current cigarette smoking while increasing age and high father's SES were negatively associated with current smoking of other tobacco products. There was an interaction between school location and father's SES in the association with cigarette smoking. The higher odds of smoking in rural versus urban schools were much higher for students with fathers of high SES compared to low SES. In rural schools, high SES was associated with higher odds of smoking, but in urban schools low SES was associated with higher odds of smoking. CONCLUSIONS Environmental factors are associated with adolescent tobacco smoking. Tobacco control programs should use targeted strategies that vary depending on the local context.

Retention in care and adherence to HIV and AIDS treatment in Anambra State Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Retaining patients on antiretroviral treatment in care is critical to sustaining the 90:90:90 vision. Nigeria has made some progress in placing HIV-positive patients on treatment. In an effort to increase access to treatment, ART decentralization has been implemented in the country. This is aimed at strengthening lower level health facilities to provide comprehensive antiretroviral treatment. We determined the level of retention and adherence to treatment as well as the associated factors among private and public secondary level hospitals in Anambra State. METHOD: We conducted a cross-sectional study among patients who had taken antiretroviral treatment for at least one complete year. A structured questionnaire and patient record review were used to extract information on patient adherence to treatment, and retention in care. Adherence to treatment was ascertained by patient self-report of missed pills in the 30 days prior to date of interview. Retention in care was ascertained using the 3-month visit constancy method reviewing the period spanning 12 months prior to the study. RESULT: We found a comparable level of retention in care (private 81.1%; public 80.3%; p = 0.722). However, treatment adherence was significantly higher amongst participants in the private hospitals compared to those in the public hospitals (private: 95.3%; public: 90.7%; p = 0.001). Determinants of good retention in the private hospitals included disclosure of one's HIV status (AOR: 1.94, 95% CI: 1.09-3.46), being on first-line regimen (AOR: 3.07, 95% CI: 1.27-7.41), whereas being on once-daily regimen (AOR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.36-0.92), and being currently married (AOR: 0.54 95% CI: 0.32-0.91) determined poor retention. In the public hospitals, only disclosure (AOR: 3.12 95% CI: 1.81-5.56) determined good retention, whereas, spending less than N1000 on transport (AOR: 0.230 95% CI: 0.07-0.78) and residing in a rural area (AOR: 0.64 95% CI: 0.41-0.99) determined poor retention. None of the factors determined adherence. CONCLUSION: Retention in care was high and comparable among the different hospital types and HIV disclosure status was an important factor relating to retention in care. The other factors that determined retention were however different at public and private hospitals. The HIV program manager should consider these variations in designing programs to improve patient retention in care and adherence to treatment.

Targeted HIV testing for male partners of HIV-positive pregnant women in a high prevalence setting in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Partner HIV testing during pregnancy has remained abysmally low in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Nigeria. Males rarely attend antenatal clinics with their female partners, limiting the few opportunities available to offer them HIV testing. In this study, we evaluated the scale-up of the Healthy Beginning Initiative (HBI), a community-driven evidenced-based intervention to increase HIV testing among pregnant women and their male partners. Our objectives were to determine the: (1) male partner participation rate; (2) prevalence of HIV among male partners of pregnant women; (3) factors associated with HIV positivity among male partners of HIV-positive pregnant women. METHODS: We reviewed program data of expectant parents enrolled in HBI in Benue State, north-central Nigeria. During HBI, trained lay health workers provided educational and counseling sessions, and offered free onsite integrated testing for HIV, hepatitis B virus and sickle cell genotype to pregnant women and their male partners who participated in incentivized, church-organized baby showers. Each participant completed an interviewer-administered questionnaire on demographics, lifestyle habits, and HIV testing history. Chi-square test was used to compare the characteristics of HIV-positive and HIV-negative male partners. Simple and multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine the association between participants' characteristics and HIV positivity among male partners of HIV-positive women. RESULTS: Male partner participation rate was 57% (5264/9231). Overall HIV prevalence was 6.1% (891/14495) with significantly higher rates in women (7.4%, 681/9231) compared to men (4.0%, 210/5264). Among the 681 HIV-positive women, 289 male partners received HIV testing; 37.7% (109/289) were found to be HIV-positive. In multivariate analysis, older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.27-4.72 for age 30-39 years vs. <30 years; aOR: 2.39, CI: 1.18-4.82 for age ≥40 years vs. <30 years) and self-reported daily alcohol intake (vs. never (aOR: 0.35, CI: 0.13-0.96)) were associated with HIV positivity in male partners of HIV-positive women. CONCLUSION: The community-based congregational approach is a potential strategy to increase male partner HIV testing towards achieving the UNAIDS goal of 90% HIV screening. Targeting male partners of HIV-positive women for screening may provide a higher yield of HIV diagnosis and the opportunity to engage known positives in care in this population.

Targeting the last polio sanctuaries with Directly Observed Oral Polio Vaccination (DOPV) in northern Nigeria, (2014-2016).

BACKGROUND: The declaration of poliomyelitis eradication as a programmatic emergency for global public health by the 65th World Health Assembly in 2012 necessitated innovations and strategies to achieve results. Review of the confirmed polio cases in 2013 showed that most of the cases were from non-compliant households, where parents connived with vaccinators to finger mark the children without actually vaccinating the children with oral polio vaccine or children were absent from home at the time of the visit of vaccinators. METHODS: We used pre-post design to quantify the outcomes of directly observed vaccination in 90 local government areas from 12 northern Nigeria states at very high risk of polio transmission. The strategy is an intervention, vaccinating children under the direct supervision of an independent supervisor to ensure compliance. Attractive incentives (pluses) were used to make parents willingly submit their children for vaccination or directly attract children to the vaccination teams or post as part of this strategy. RESULTS: There was a steady increase in population immunity in all the 90 DOPV implementing LGAs since the introduction of DOPV in 2013. The number of states in which > 90% of children received > 4 OPV doses increased from 7 in 2013 to 11 states by July 2016. Yobe state reported the highest proportional increase from 75 to 99% by July 2016 (22% increase), while Kano state reported 17% increase, from 82 to 99% by July 2016. CONCLUSION: Directly observed polio vaccination strategy improved uptake of polio vaccines and population immunity in high-risk areas for polio transmission.

AVADAR (Auto-Visual AFP Detection and Reporting): demonstration of a novel SMS-based smartphone application to improve acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance in Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Eradication of polio requires that the acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance system is sensitive enough to detect all cases of AFP, and that such cases are promptly reported and investigated by disease surveillance personnel. When individuals, particularly community informants, are unaware of how to properly detect AFP cases or of the appropriate reporting process, they are unable to provide important feedback to the surveillance network within a country. METHODS: We tested a new SMS-based smartphone application (App) that enhances the detection and reporting of AFP cases to improve the quality of AFP surveillance. Nicknamed Auto-Visual AFP Detection and Reporting (AVADAR), the App creates a scenario where the AFP surveillance network is not dependent on a limited number of priority reporting sites. Being installed on the smartphones of multiple health workers (HWs) and community health informants (CHIs) makes the App an integral part of the detection and reporting system. RESULTS: Results from two phases of tests conducted in Nigeria point to the effectiveness of the App in the surveillance of AFP. CONCLUSION: We posit that appropriate use of the App can soon bring about a worldwide eradication of poliomyelitis.

Routine immunization community surveys as a tool for guiding program implementation in Kaduna state, Nigeria 2015-2016.

BACKGROUND: Routine childhood immunization remains an important strategy for achieving polio eradication and maintaining a polio-free world. To address gaps in reported administrative coverage data, community surveys were conducted to verify coverage, and guide strategic interventions for improved coverage. METHODS: We reviewed the conduct of community surveys by World Health Organization (WHO) field volunteers deployed as part of the surge capacity to Kaduna state and the use of survey results between July 2015 and June 2016. Monthly and quarterly collation and use of these data to guide the deployment of various interventions aimed at strengthening routine immunization in the state. RESULTS: Over 97,000 children aged 0-11 months were surveyed by 138 field volunteers across 237 of the 255 wards in Kaduna state. Fully or appropriately immunized children increased from 67% in the fourth quarter of 2015 to 76% by the end of the second quarter of 2016. Within the period reviewed, the number of local government areas with < 80% coverage reduced from eight to zero. CONCLUSIONS: The routine conduct of community surveys by volunteers to inform interventions has shown an improvement in the vaccination status of children 0-11 months in Kaduna state and remains a useful tool in addressing administrative data quality issues.

Environmental, economic and socio-cultural risk factors of recurrent seasonal epidemics of cerebrospinal meningitis in Kebbi state, northwestern Nigeria: a qualitative approach.

BACKGROUND: Kebbi State remains the epicentre of the seasonal epidemic meningitis in northwestern Nigeria despite interventions. In this setting, no previous study has been conducted to understand the risk factors of the recurrent meningitis epidemics using qualitative approach. Consequently, this study intends to explore and better understand the environmental, economic and socio-cultural factors of recurrent seasonal epidemic meninigitis using a qualitative approach. METHODS: We conducted in-depth interview (40 IDIs) and focus group discussions (6 FGDs) in two local government areas (LGAs) in Kebbi State, Northwestern Nigeria to understand the environmental, economic and socio-cultural factors of recurrent meningitis outbreaks. Routine surveillance data were used to guide the selection of settlements, wards and local government areas based on the frequency of re-occurrences and magnitude of the outbreaks. RESULTS: The discussions revealed certain elements capable of potentiating the recurrence of seasonal meningitis epidemics. These are environmental issues, such as poorly-designed built environment, crowded sleeping and poorly ventilated rooms, dry and dusty weather condition. Other elements were economic challenges, such as poor household living conditions, neighbourhood deprivation, and socio-cultural elements, such as poor healthcare seeking behaviour, social mixing patterns, inadequate vaccination and vaccine hesitancy. CONCLUSION: As suggested by participants, there are potential environmental, socio-cultural and economic factors in the study area that might have been driving recurrent epidemics of cerebrospinal meningitis. In a bid to addressing this perennial challenge, governments at various levels supported by health development partners such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nation Habitat, and United National Development Programme can use the findings of this study to design policies and programmes targeting these factors towards complementing other preventive and control strategies.

Patients' satisfaction with HIV and AIDS care in Anambra State, Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: HIV and AIDS care requires frequent visits to the hospital. Patient satisfaction with care services during hospital visits is important in considering quality and outcome of care. Increasing number of patients needing treatment led to the decentralization of care to lower level hospitals without documented patient perception on the quality of services. The study determined and compared patient satisfaction with HIV and AIDS care services in public and private hospitals and identified the factors that influence it. METHOD: This was a cross-sectional comparative study of patients receiving antiretroviral treatment in public and private hospitals in Anambra State. The sampling frame for the hospitals consisted of all registered public and private hospitals that have rendered antiretroviral services for at least one year. There were three public urban, nine public rural, eleven private urban and ten private rural hospitals that met the criteria. One hospital was selected by simple random sampling (balloting) from each group. Out of a total of 6334 eligible patients (had received ART for at least 12 months), 1270 were recruited by simple random sampling from the hospitals proportionate to size of patient in each hospital. Adapted, validated and pretested Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ18) was interviewer-administered on consenting patients as an exit interview. A Chi-square test and logistic regression analysis were conducted at 5% level of significance. RESULT: There were 635 participants each in public and private hospitals. Of the 408 patients who had primary education or less, 265(65.0%) accessed care in public hospitals compared to 143(35.0%) who accessed care in private hospital (p<0.001). Similarly, of the 851 patients who were currently married, 371 (43.6%) accessed their care in public compared to 480 (56.4%) who accessed care in private (p<0.001). The proportion of participants who were satisfied were more in public hospitals (71.5%) compared to private hospitals (41.4%). The difference in proportion was statistically significant (χ2 = 116.85, p <0.001). Good retention in care [AOR: 2.3, 95%CI: 1.5-3.5] was the only predictor of satisfaction in public hospitals while primary education [adjusted odds ratio (AOR); 2.3, 95%CI: 1.5-3.4], residing in rural area [AOR: 2.0, 95%CI: 1.4-2.9], and once-daily dosing [AOR: 3.2, 95%CI: 2.1-4.8] were independent predictors of patient' satisfaction among private hospital respondents. CONCLUSION: Satisfaction was higher among patients attending public hospitals. Patient's satisfaction was strongly associated with retention in care among patients in public hospitals. However, in private hospitals, it was influenced by the patient's level of education, place of residence, and antiretroviral medication dosing frequency.

Examining the Financial Feasibility of Using a New Special Health Fund to Provide Universal Coverage for a Basic Maternal and Child Health Benefit Package in Nigeria.

Background: A special health fund was established in Nigeria in 2014 and is known as the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF). The fund is equivalent to at least 1% of the Consolidated Revenue of the Federation. The BHCPF will provide additional revenue to fund primary healthcare services and help Nigeria to achieve universal health coverage (UHC). This fund is to be matched with counterpart funds from states and local government areas (LGAs), and is expected to provide at least a basic benefit health package that will cover maternal and child health (MCH) services for pregnant women and under-five children. Objective: To determine the financial feasibility of using the BHCPF to provide a minimum benefit package to cover all pregnant women and under-five children in Nigeria. Methods: The study focused on three states in Nigeria: Imo, Kaduna, and Niger. The feasibility analysis was performed using 3 scenarios but the main analysis was Scenario 1, which was based on the funding of drugs and consumables only. All the costs and revenues were in 2015 levels. The standard costs of a minimum benefit package for the different states were multiplied by the number of target beneficiaries to determine the amount required for the year. Financial feasibility is determined by the excess or otherwise of revenue over costs. Findings: It was found that in the best case funding scenario of using 95% of the CRF with 25% counterpart funding from states and LGAs, the entire available funds were not adequate to cover the benefit package for all the pregnant women and under-five children in the three states. The funds were also inadequate to cover the target beneficiaries that live below the poverty line in two of the states. Conclusion: The BHCPF is a good step toward providing essential MCH services, but the current level of funding will not assure UHC for all the target beneficiaries. However, the available funds should be used immediately to target priority mothers and children such as vulnerable groups, whilst sourcing for additional funds to ensure universal coverage of MCH services.

Reliability of Self-Reported Mobile Phone Ownership in Rural North-Central Nigeria: Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: mHealth practitioners seek to leverage the ubiquity of the mobile phone to increase the impact and robustness of their interventions, particularly in resource-limited settings. However, data on the reliability of self-reported mobile phone access is minimal. OBJECTIVE: We sought to ascertain the reliability of self-reported ownership of and access to mobile phones among a population of rural dwellers in north-central Nigeria. METHODS: We contacted participants in a community-based HIV testing program by phone to determine actual as opposed to self-reported mobile phone access. A phone script was designed to conduct these calls and descriptive analyses conducted on the findings. RESULTS: We dialed 349 numbers: 110 (31.5%) were answered by participants who self-reported ownership of the mobile phone; 123 (35.2%) of the phone numbers did not ring at all; 28 (8.0%) rang but were not answered; and 88 (25.2%) were answered by someone other than the participant. We reached a higher proportion of male participants (68/133, 51.1%) than female participants (42/216, 19.4%; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported access to mobile phones in rural and low-income areas in north-central Nigeria is higher than actual access. This has implications for mHealth programming, particularly for women's health. mHealth program implementers and researchers need to be cognizant of the low reliability of self-reported mobile phone access. These observations should therefore affect sample-size calculations and, where possible, alternative means of reaching research participants and program beneficiaries should be established.

Disparities in tobacco use by adolescents in southeast, Nigeria using Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) approach.

BACKGROUND: Tobacco use during adolescence is a substantial problem and adolescents are at higher risk of addiction and prolonged use. To reduce the burden of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality, monitoring of adolescent tobacco use is imperative. We aimed to determine the prevalence of tobacco use among adolescents in urban and rural secondary schools in Enugu State, southeast Nigeria. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 4332 adolescents in 8th to 10th grades in 25 urban and 24 rural secondary schools in Enugu, Nigeria was done using Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS) methodology. Students were asked about previous and current tobacco use, smoking cessation, and susceptibility to smoking initiation among non-smokers. Geographical, age and sex prevalence differences were examined. Analyses were performed for all adolescents (10-19 years) and for a subset of students, 13-15 years of age for comparison with previous GYTS surveys. All analyses were weighted to account for the complex survey design and for differential non-response at school, class and student levels. RESULTS: About 28.9% of students reported ever smoking cigarettes; 19.4% reported current tobacco use among all adolescents (13.3, 5.8 and 7.8% for cigarettes, other smoked tobacco, and smokeless tobacco, respectively) while 18.6% reported current tobacco use among 13-15 year olds (12.6, 5.2 and 7.5% for cigarettes, other smoked tobacco and smokeless tobacco respectively). Prevalence of all types of tobacco use was higher in rural schools (vs. urban schools), and among boys (vs. girls). Susceptibility to smoking initiation among non-smokers was 9.3% (95% CI: 8.1-10.7) among all adolescents, and 9% (95% CI: 7.6-10.7) among 13-15 year olds. About 88.1% of all adolescent smokers desired to quit and 57.9% of them had never received help to quit smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly one in every five school-going adolescents currently uses at least one type of tobacco in Enugu State, southeast Nigeria. Prevalence of tobacco use is higher in rural schools and among boys in this setting. Most adolescent current smokers desire to quit and need smoking cessation support.