Factors associated with child mortality among antenatal care attendees in Ado-Odo/Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria.

The study examined the determinants of child mortality among attendees at a government health care facility in Ado-Odo/Ota in Ogun State, Nigeria. The study, based on a descriptive cross-sectional study, used a mixed-methods research approach and utilized an interviewer-administered structured pretested questionnaire. A total of 1350 respondents constituted the sample size. Data analysis consisted of descriptive and regression analysis with STATA Version 12. Furthermore, the study employed focus group discussions to reinforce the quantitative results of the investigation. Results showed the place of delivery (P = 0.000), distance from house to health facility (P = 0.022), immunization status (P = 0.000), duration of breastfeeding (P = 0.000), cost of treatment at the health facility (P = 0.627), household waste disposal practice (P = 0.000), and ever used oral rehydration solution (P = 0.000) as being significantly associated with child mortality. The study created awareness of behavioral practices affecting child mortality and insights on possible interventions for reducing child mortality. We conclude that community-based educational strategies and the improvement of health facilities will reduce child mortality.

The spatio-temporal epidemic dynamics of COVID-19 outbreak in Africa.

Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was first detected in the city of Wuhan, China in December 2019. Although, the disease appeared in Africa later than other regions, it has now spread to virtually all countries on the continent. We provide early spatio-temporal dynamics of COVID-19 within the first 62 days of the disease's appearance on the African continent. We used a two-parameter hurdle Poisson model to simultaneously analyse the zero counts and the frequency of occurrence. We investigate the effects of important healthcare capacities including hospital beds and number of medical doctors in different countries. The results show that cases of the pandemic vary geographically across Africa with notably high incidence in neighbouring countries particularly in West and North Africa. The burden of the disease (per 100 000) mostly impacted Djibouti, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria. Temporally, during the first 4 weeks, the burden was highest in Senegal, Egypt and Mauritania, but by mid-April it shifted to Somalia, Chad, Guinea, Tanzania, Gabon, Sudan and Zimbabwe. Currently, Namibia, Angola, South Sudan, Burundi and Uganda have the least burden. These findings could be useful in guiding epidemiological interventions and the allocation of scarce resources based on heterogeneity of the disease patterns.

Nigeria and Italy Divergences in Coronavirus Experience: Impact of Population Density.

BACKGROUND: The reports and information on coronavirus are not conspicuously emphasising the possible impact of population density on the explanation of difference in rapid spread and fatality due to the disease and not much has been done on bicountry comparisons. OBJECTIVE: The study examined the impact of population density on the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in two sociodemographic divergent countries. METHODS: The study conducted a scoping review of published and unpublished articles including blogs on incidences and fatalities of COVID-19. The analysis followed qualitative description and quantitative presentation of the findings using only frequency distribution, percentages, and graphs. RESULTS: The two countries shared similar experience of "importation" of COVID-19, but while different states ordered partial lockdown in Nigeria, it was an immediate total lockdown in Italy. The physician/patient ratio is high in Italy (1 : 328) but low in Nigeria (1 : 2500), while population density is 221 in Nigeria and 206 in Italy. Daily change in incidence rate reduced to below 20% after 51 and 30 days of COVID-19 first incidence in Italy and Nigeria, respectively. Fatality rate has plummeted to below 10% after the 66th day in Italy but has not been stabilised in Nigeria. CONCLUSION: The authors upheld both governments' recommending measures that tilted towards personal hand-hygienic practices and social distancing. Authors suggested that if Italy with its high physician/patient ratio and lower population density compared to Nigeria could suffer high fatality from COVID-19 pandemic under four weeks, then Nigeria with its low physician/patient ratio and higher population density should prepare to face harder time if the pandemic persists.