An exploration of profile, perceptions, barriers, and predictors of research engagement among resident doctors: a report from CHARTING study.

Purpose/Aims: This research aimed to study the profile, perceptions, barriers, and predictors of Nigerian resident doctors' level of engagement in scientific research. Methods: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional quantitative survey of 438 resident doctors in Nigeria. This study forms a part of the big CHARTING Study, the protocol of which was published in "Nigeria Journal of Medicine 2019;28:198-205." Results: Three hundred and eighteen (72.8%) respondents were male and 119 (27.2%) were female. There were 229 (52.4%) registrars and 208 (47.6%) senior registrars, while residents in surgical versus nonsurgical specialties were 190 (44.5%) and 237 (55.5%), respectively. Three hundred and sixty-eight (85%) respondents had participated previously in research; 67 (15.6%) and 72 (16.6%) had their papers published in local or international journals, respectively; and only 46 (10.6%) had held first authorship positions in peer-reviewed journal publications. The significant barriers to research identified among them included lack of funding, lack of free time, inadequate training/knowledge on research methodology, and the onerous nature of clinical research. The independent predictor of previous engagement with research was years on current job (P = 0.007). This was similar to finding for the first authorship of a peer-reviewed article among the respondents (P = 0.017). Conclusion: This study concludes that publication and grantsmanship rates were very low among the surveyed resident doctors, despite their high rate of engagement in research projects. There is a need for increased research capacity building among resident doctors in Nigeria.

Profile and determinants of intention to migrate by early career doctors in Nigeria: A report from CHARTING study.

INTRODUCTION: Recently, there has been an upsurge in the migration of medical personnel, especially early career doctors (ECDs) from low- and middle-income countries, Nigeria inclusive, to high-income countries with wide-ranging consequences on the social and economic systems of the donor countries. This study assessed the profile and determinants of intention to emigrate by ECDs in Nigeria. METHODS: A cross-sectional study conducted among Nigerian ECDs from nine tertiary hospitals. Socio-demographic characteristics, intention & reasons to emigrate and willingness to return were collected using a self-administered semi-structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23. RESULTS: A total number of 763 ECDs participated in the study. The majority (88.2%) were less than 40 years of age and the male to female ratio was 2:1. Majority of the participants (69.4%) received monthly income ≤833 US Dollar. About two-thirds of ECDs had plans to emigrate and most to developed countries. Common reasons for intention to migrate were better quality of postgraduate training, improved quality of life and better remuneration. CONCLUSION: High proportion of Nigerian ECDs has intention to emigrate out with potential adverse effect on the fragile health system in the country.

Epidemiological review of confirmed Lassa fever cases during 2016-2018, in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria.

Lassa fever (LF) is endemic in West Africa and constitutes a significant public health concern due to its potential for epidemics and associated high mortality. The first reported case and management of Lassa fever in Plateau State occurred more than 50 years ago. We set out to undertake a three-year epidemiological review of LF cases in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria. This is a retrospective study of all confirmed LF cases in Plateau State between 2016 and 2018. Plateau state Lassa fever- Line list and patient case records were used to extract relevant data. Lassa PCR was carried out at the NCDC accredited Laboratory network. Data analysis was done using STATA version SE14.1. Forty-four persons (44) had confirmed LF over the examined period, 18 (41%) in 2016, 15 (34%) in 2017 and 11 (25%) in 2018. The mean age was 29.7±14.6 years and 53% were males. Sixty-six percent (66%) of the patients resided in rural areas. It affected all local government areas (LGA) in the state except Pankshin, Jos East and Kanke LGAs. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the cases occurred among underprivileged communities of Jos North and another 25% in rural dwellers of Langtang North. Fifty-nine percent (59%) of cases occurred during the 1st quarter, 27% the 2nd quarter and 18% the 3rd quarter of the year. The case fatality rate was 57%. LF is endemic in Plateau State. Prevention strategies must be sustained year round and target the youth, urban and rural underprivileged communities. There is also need for case management improvement to reduce mortality.

A national survey of hospital readiness during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to overwhelm health systems across the globe. We aimed to assess the readiness of hospitals in Nigeria to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. METHOD: Between April and October 2020, hospital representatives completed a modified World Health Organisation (WHO) COVID-19 hospital readiness checklist consisting of 13 components and 124 indicators. Readiness scores were classified as adequate (score ≥80%), moderate (score 50-79.9%) and not ready (score <50%). RESULTS: Among 20 (17 tertiary and three secondary) hospitals from all six geopolitical zones of Nigeria, readiness score ranged from 28.2% to 88.7% (median 68.4%), and only three (15%) hospitals had adequate readiness. There was a median of 15 isolation beds, four ICU beds and four ventilators per hospital, but over 45% of hospitals established isolation facilities and procured ventilators after the onset of COVID-19. Of the 13 readiness components, the lowest readiness scores were reported for surge capacity (61.1%), human resources (59.1%), staff welfare (50%) and availability of critical items (47.7%). CONCLUSION: Most hospitals in Nigeria were not adequately prepared to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. Current efforts to strengthen hospital preparedness should prioritize challenges related to surge capacity, critical care for COVID-19 patients, and staff welfare and protection.

"Long COVID": A case report of persistent symptoms in a patient with prolonged SARS-CoV-2 shedding for over 110 days.

Coronavirus disease 2019 is a novel disease currently ravaging the world as a pandemic. More emphasis has been focused on the acute disease, with less attention on the detection and management of long-term sequelae which develop in some patients, variously termed "Long COVID," Post-coronavirus disease 2019 syndrome, or ongoing coronavirus disease. There are also various reports in the literature on the duration of viral shedding, with the longest known recorded being about 70 days, and whether this duration has an effect on prognosis or patients remaining infectious is still unknown. We report the case of a 22-year-old health care worker with prolonged multi-systemic features of coronavirus disease 2019 including cardiovascular, respiratory, central nervous system, and musculoskeletal symptoms lasting about 18 weeks from symptom onset, though never hospitalized, and persistent detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 attributed to viral shedding for over 110 days, which is the longest duration recorded to our knowledge.

Exploring Issues and Challenges of Leadership among Early Career Doctors in Nigeria Using a Mixed-Method Approach: CHARTING Study.

(1) Background: leadership behaviour is a poorly explored phenomenon among early-career doctors (ECDs). Good leadership is vital in maximising the effective management of patients in a clinical setting. While a good number of studies, though with small sample surveys, have researched the role of leadership in clinical setting quantitatively, qualitative investigations are yet to be done in Nigeria. This study aims to explore the attitudes, skills, and experience of ECDs in Nigeria on issues pertaining to leadership in a medical setting, using a mixed-method approach. (2) Methods: we conducted two sessions of key informant focus group discussion (FGD) that involved 14 ECD leaders in Nigeria, exploring their leadership experience in a clinical setting. Furthermore, we used a self-administered questionnaire to quantitatively survey 474 ECDs from seven Nigerian teaching hospitals to explore their attitudes, skills, and experience on issues pertaining to medical leadership. (3) Results: taking on leadership roles is a common phenomenon (52.7%) among the surveyed ECDs; however, the medical leadership position can be very challenging for ECDs in Nigeria. Despite the fact that many (91.1%) of the surveyed ECDs perceived leadership skills as essential skills needed by a doctr, many (44.1%) of them were yet to be formally trained on medical leadership. About three out of every 10 (23.6%) of surveyed ECDs that have ever held leadership positions in a medical setting experienced major leadership challenges while in such office due to their lack of training on leadership skills. Leadership skill acquisition programmes are highly recommended to become an integral part of medical training programmes in Nigeria. (4) Conclusion: there is a need for a structured leadership skill acquisition programme for ECDs in Nigeria. This programme will help in the robust delivery of highly effective healthcare services in Nigeria, as effective leadership is crucial to patient care services.

A systemic approach to the prevention of COVID-19 transmission in clinical settings in Nigeria

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness currently ravaging the world in pandemic proportions. Its route of spread and a high degree of infectivity make it easily transmissible within health care settings. Health workers, who are at particular risk of workplace-related infection, should be familiar with and abide by international best practices for infection prevention and control at work to protect themselves and their patients. This is particularly important so that they can continue to provide muchneeded care. We present a review of international best practices and guidelines to prevent COVID-19 infection in the clinical space in the Nigerian context. Our focus is on strategies for administrative control, patient management, and environmental cleaning and waste management

Assessment of HIV-related stigma and determinants among people living with HIV/AIDS in Abeokuta, Nigeria: A cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: HIV/AIDS-related stigma remains an essential barrier to the formulated care delivery and improved quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Only a few studies have evaluated stigma and its determinants as concerns people living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. METHODS: A cross-sectional design study recruited 386 people living with HIV/AIDS attending the government clinic, Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta, Nigeria, for the assessment of stigma using Berger's HIV stigma scale and United States Agency International Development-recommended indicators and questions on HIV-related stigma among people living with HIV/AIDS. Data were analyzed using SPSS 21. RESULTS: Of the 386 people living with HIV/AIDS, 322 (83.4%) were females and 64 (16.6%) were males, and 96.9% had disclosed their HIV status. Overall, mean perceived stigma score was moderately high at 95.74 (standard deviation = ±16.04). Majority (77.2%) of the participants experienced moderately perceived stigma. Among the subscales, disclosure concerns contributed the most to stigma score at 68.9%. Enacted stigma in the last 12 months was documented in 35.8% (138). There was no association observed between age, gender, marital status and HIV-related stigma. However, low education was associated with higher negative self-image perception (31.83 ± 5.81 vs 29.76 ± 5.74, p < 0.001). Furthermore, higher perceived stigma score was associated with abandonment by spouses (p < 0.001), isolation from household members (p < 0.001) and social exclusion (p < 0.001). We demonstrated a correlation between the domains of enacted stigma and Berger HIV stigma scales except for the loss of resources. CONCLUSION: Perceived HIV-related stigma is moderately high among people living with HIV/AIDS. Low education, disclosure concerns, spousal or household abandonment and social exclusion are the significant contributors. HIV-related stigma preventive interventions at different levels of care are advocated.