Blood transfusion in sub-Saharan Africa: understanding the missing gap and responding to present and future challenges.

Blood transfusion in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is at a crossroad. Significant recent developments may help meet local needs in safe blood products and fulfil a global health target, as highlighted by the World Health Organization (WHO) Millennium and Sustainable Development Goals, in improving supply and safety, and ensuring the gradual implementation of selective haemotherapy. When WHO recommended the evaluation of convalescent blood or plasma to treat Ebola-infected patients during the recent epidemics, substantial gaps in local blood collection, testing and technology infrastructure and safety, as compared to best accepted quality standards, became evident. This evidence should now serve as an 'electro-shock'/awakening call used to highlight the needs for local governments to support National Blood Transfusion Services and establish robust national regulatory authorities that are mandated to bear regulatory responsibilities of blood establishments. A nationally co-ordinated blood programme is the best tool to gather reliable epidemiological data, address local needs in blood and blood products and serve public health. A literature review using WHO website and PubMed was conducted in this article to outline the current clinical use of blood products and plasma derivatives in SSA. This text also intends to highlight the gaps to be filled in the coming years with respect to quality, safety, supply and efficacy of blood and plasma products, in line with WHO guidelines for transfusion.

Factors associated with malnutrition among children <5 years old in Burkina Faso: evidence from the Demographic and Health Surveys IV 2010.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the factors associated with malnutrition among children <5 years in Burkina Faso. DESIGN: This study was based on secondary analysis of cross-sectional population-based data from Burkina-Faso Demographic Health Surveys 2010. SETTING: This study was carried out in Burkina Faso, West Africa. PARTICIPANTS: The participants were 6337 children <5 years and their mothers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Demographic characteristics, child nutrition and health status, and maternal and household information were collected. Survey-specific SAS procedures for weighting, clustering and stratification in the survey design were used. The distribution of different nutritional status, such as underweight, stunting and wasting and the effects of risk factors on malnutrition was analyzed. RESULTS: Out of 6337 children <5 years, 51.0% of children were male and 57.8% of children had an average size at birth. There were 15.6, 21.5 and 10.6% of children who recently suffered from diarrhea, fever and acute respiratory infection, respectively. Child sex, age, size at birth, child morbidity, mother's education and body mass index and household wealth index were significantly associated with undernutrition among children <5 years in Burkina Faso. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to the improvement of household wealth index, more health and nutritional education for mothers should be implemented by the government to improve health and nutritional status of children <5 years in Burkina Faso.

Nutritional Status of Patients with Tuberculosis and Associated Factors in the Health Centre Region of Burkina Faso.

Extreme hunger and poverty remain a significant barrier to maintaining a normal and healthy life, and increase the burden of tuberculosis (TB) in sub-Saharan African countries. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and factors associated with undernutrition among adult patients with TB in Burkina Faso. In the Health Centre Region of Burkina Faso, we conducted a cross-sectional survey with face-to-face interviews of patients aged 15 years and older with TB (n = 302), from March to April 2019. Undernutrition was defined as a body mass index of <18.5 kg/m2. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the correlates of undernutrition. The prevalence of undernutrition was 35.8%, in which severe, moderate, and mild thinness were 7.7%, 8.9%, and 19.5%, respectively. Low food frequency per day (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.28, confidence interval [CI]: 1.42-7.55, p = 0.005), human immunodeficiency virus infection (aOR = 6.18, CI: 2.26-16.88, p < 0.001), and diabetes mellitus (aOR = 17.52, 95% CI: 1.88-162.97, p = 0.012) and young age (45-54 years vs. 65 years and older, aOR = 2.93, 95% CI: 1.11-7.70, p = 0.029) were associated with increased odds of undernutrition. We concluded that the assessment of comorbidity and nutritional status should be part of the treatment for adult TB patients.

Impact of socio-demographic factors, lifestyle and health status on nutritional status among the elderly in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Aging is an imperative problem for many countries in this century, and presents several challenges for the maintenance of good nutritional status. This study aims to assess the impact of socio-demographic factors, lifestyle and health status on the nutritional status among the elderly in Taiwan. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in Taiwan. Data were obtained from the Mei Jau Health Management Institution, which is a private health evaluation provider with multiple health screening centers in Taiwan and Asia. This study included 7947 adults aged 65 years or above. The data were extracted between 2001 to 2010. Nutritional status was assessed using anthropometric data, biochemical data and dietary intake information. RESULTS: Among the 7947 participants with mean age of 70.1 (SD = 4.5) years, 20.2%, 6.6%, 10.5% and 52.5% experienced underweight, protein malnutrition, anemia and inadequate dietary intake in the past month, respectively. Age was negatively correlated with body weight (r = -0.19, P = 0.02), body mass index (r = -0.41, P < 0.001), albumin level (r = -0.93, P < 0.001) and hemoglobin level (r = -0.30, P = 0.008). Age above 70 years, gender, unmarried status, retirement, lack of education, low family income, smoking, alcohol drinking, sleep duration of 6-8 hours, vegetarian diet, multiple medications, comorbidity and dysphagia were positively associated with malnutrition in older adults. CONCLUSIONS: Underweight and inadequate dietary intake are prevalent among the elderly in Taiwan. Vegetarian diet, multiple medications, comorbidity, dysphagia and lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol drinking and sleep duration of 6-8 hours are risk factors for undernutrition in older adults.