Global bibliometric analysis of cost effectiveness analysis in healthcare research from 2013 to 2023.

BACKGROUND: Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) has become a crucial technique in appraising the efficiency of healthcare interventions and resource allocation decisions. Cost-effectiveness analysis is now widely used to evaluate whether the effect of a healthcare intervention justifies additional expenditure. METHOD: We used PubMed database with search descriptors: "Cost effectiveness" [Title / Abstract] OR "Cost effectiveness analysis" [Title / Abstract] AND "Healthcare" [Title / Abstract]. The common bibliometric indicators were applied. RESULTS: We retrieved a total of 7,561 articles within 2013 and 2023. The growth pattern showed a progressive pattern. Articles with 5 authors signature had the highest number in publication. The most productive authors in cost effectiveness research in healthcare were Liew Danny and Ademi Zanfina. The most utilized journals for the publications were BMJ Open, PLoS One and Journal of Medical Economics. The most productive institutions were resident in United Kingdom with the University of York and University of Oxford at the helm. CONCLUSION: Scientific production in Cost effectiveness in healthcare research was found to be progressive. This study provides a reference for health policy makers, funders, policy decision makers, academics, and hospital economics researchers.

Thirty-five years (1986-2021) of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria: bibliometric and scoping analysis.

BACKGROUND: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is an acquired defect of the cellular immunity associated with the infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The disease has reached pandemic proportion and has been considered a public health concern. This study is aimed at analyzing the trend of HIV/AIDS research in Nigeria. METHOD: We used the PUBMED database to a conduct bibliometric analysis of HIV/AIDS-related research in Nigeria from 1986 to 2021 employing "HIV", "AIDS", "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome", "Human immunodeficiency virus", and "Nigeria" as search description. The most common bibliometric indicators were applied for the selected publications. RESULT: The number of scientific research articles retrieved for HIV/AIDS-related research in Nigeria was 2796. Original research was the predominant article type. Articles authored by 4 authors consisted majority of the papers. The University of Ibadan was found to be the most productive institution. Institutions in the United States dominated external production with the University of Maryland at the top. The most utilized journal was PLoS ONE. While Iliyasu Z. was the most productive principal author, Crowel TA. was the overall most productive author with the highest collaborative strength. The keyword analysis using overlay visualization showed a gradual shift from disease characteristics to diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Trend in HIV/AIDS research in Nigeria is increasing yet evolving. Four articles were retracted while two had an expression of concern. CONCLUSION: The growth of scientific literature in HIV/AIDS-related research in Nigeria was found to be high and increasing. However, the hotspot analysis still shows more unexplored grey areas in future.

Cysteine-cysteine chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) profile of HIV-infected subjects attending University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Southern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Cysteine-cysteine chemokine receptor 5 is the main HIV co-receptor involved in the virus and cell-to-cell spread. A variant of the CCR5 gene known as CCR5-Δ32 which is a product of 32 base pair deletion in the gene plays critical role in the infection and progression to AIDS. The study was carried out to determine the CCR5 genotype of HIV-infected subjects attending University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar. METHODS: A total of 100 subjects attending HIV clinic, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital were purposively recruited for this study. DNA was extracted from each sample using the Quick gDNA miniprep DNA extraction kit, Zymo Research. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used in the amplification of CCR5 gene in each DNA in a 9700 ABI Thermo cycler and then resolved on 4% agarose gel electrophoresis. RESULT: Out of the 100 samples assessed, 100 (100%) were homozygous for the CCR5 wild type gene (CCR5-wt), while none (0%) was homozygous for the CCR5-Δ32 (mutant type), and heterozygosity was not observed. CONCLUSION: This study observed absence of CCR5-Δ32 deletion gene among the studied subjects in Calabar, implying lack of genetic advantage in HIV infection and possible rapid progression towards AIDS if other precautions are not checked.

Glutathione, glutathione peroxidase and some hematological parameters of HIV-seropositive subjects attending clinic in University of Calabar teaching hospital, Calabar, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Despite the numerous intervention programmes, HIV still remains a public health concern with a high impact in Sub-Saharan Africa region. Oxidative stress has been documented in HIV subjects as viral infection promotes prolonged activation of immune system, hence, production of increased reactive oxygen species. METHODS: We studied 180 subjects. Of these, 60 were HIV-infected on antiretroviral therapy (ART), 40 were ART naïve HIV-infected and 80 were apparent healthy non HIV-infected subjects. The complete blood count was performed by automated hemoanalyzer, the CD4+ T-cell count was performed by cyflow cytometer, while the antioxidant assay was performed using ELISA technique. RESULT: All evaluated parameters; glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), CD4+ T-cell count, haemoglobin (Hb), total white blood cell count (WBC) and platelet count were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced in the HIV-infected subjects. All assessed parameters were found to be significantly (P < 0.5) reduced in the HIV-infected subjects that are ART naive when compared with those on ART. HIV-infected subjects with CD4+ T-cell count < 200 cells/mm3 had significantly (P < 0.05) reduced values in all assessed parameters when compared to those with CD4+ T-cell count ≥200 cells/mm3. GSH and WBC were found to be significantly (P < 0.05) increased in the female HIV-infected subjects when compared with the male counterpart. Anemia prevalence of 74 and 33% were recorded for the HIV-infected and control subjects, respectively. Gender and ART treatment were found to be associated with anemia in HIV. Male HIV-infected subjects on ART were found to be more likely to have anemia. CONCLUSION: Antioxidants; GSH and GPX were found to be significantly reduced in HIV infection. Further probe showed that the antioxidant status was improved in the HIV-infected group on ART.

Blood donors deferral prevalence and causes in a tertiary health care hospital, southern Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Blood transfusion is a life-saving intervention. However, the safety of the donor and the recipient is paramount. This study was aimed at determining the blood donation deferral pattern of University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the prospective donors' data of University of Calabar Donor clinic within the period of March 2015 to February 2016 was conducted. Data were extracted from the donor register and analyzed. Prospective donors were screened and interviewed for causes of temporary and permanent deferrals. RESULT: Out of the 1886 screened prospective donors, 164 (8.69%) were deferred. Though the minority of the donor population, female donors had the highest deferral rate (33.33%). There were 31.10 and 68.90% cases of temporary and permanent deferrals, respectively. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) was the highest (31.71%) cause of overall deferral as well as permanent deferral. Anemia was the major (21.95%) cause of temporary deferral as well as the second cause of overall deferrals. Commercial and replacement donors constituted 68.28 and 31.71% of the deferral cases, respectively. CONCLUSION: HBV was found to be the overall leading cause of deferral in the studied area. This outcome poses a public health concern and should elicit measures to curb the infection rate.

Bibliometric analysis of global Lassa fever research (1970-2017): a 47 - year study.

BACKGROUND: Lassa fever has been a public health concern in the West African sub-region where it is endemic and a latent threat to the world at large. We investigated the trend in Lassa fever research using bibliometric approach. METHODS: We used the SCOPUS database employing "Lassa fever" as search descriptor. The most common bibliometric indicators were applied for the selected publications. RESULTS: The number of scientific research articles retrieved for Lassa fever research from 1970 to 2017 was 1101. The growth of publications was more linear (r = 0.67) than exponential (r = 0.53). The duplication time of the scientific articles was 9.19 years. Small number of authors were responsible for bulk of the article production (transience index of 78.89%). The collaboration index was 4.59 per paper. The Bradford core consisted of 19 journals in which Journal of Virology was at the top (4.6%). Majority of the output were from USA government agencies. United States was the most productive country. Joseph B. McCormick was the most productive author, while New England Journal of Medicine published the two most cited articles. CONCLUSION: The growth of scientific Literature on Lassa fever was of linear pattern with high transient authors indicating low productivity and non-specialized authors from other related areas publishing sporadically. This study provides a helpful reference for medical virologists, epidemiologist, policy decision makers, academics and Lassa fever researchers.

Seroprevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections (HBV, HCV, syphilis and HIV) among prospective blood donors in a tertiary health care facility in Calabar, Nigeria; an eleven years evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Provision of constant and safe blood has been a public health challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa with high prevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs). This study was aimed at determining the trend and seroprevalence of HBV, HCV, syphilis and HIV across the years within study among prospective blood donors at blood bank in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar, Nigeria. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of blood donor data from January 2005 to December 2016 was conducted in Blood Bank/Donor Clinic of University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria. Sera samples were screened for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 1 and 2 and Treponema pallidum using commercially available immunochromatic based kits. RESULTS: Out of the 24,979 screened prospective donors in the 2005-2016 study period, 3739 (14.96%) were infected with at least one infective agent. The overall prevalence of HBV, HCV, syphilis and HIV were 4.1, 3.6, 3.1 and 4.2%, respectively. During the period of study, the percentage of all transfusion-transmissible infections declined significantly with remarkable decline in HIV. The study showed male dominated donor pool (98.7%) with higher prevalence (4.2%) of transfusion-transmissible infections than in female donors (0.0%). Commercial donors constituted majority (62.0%) of the donors and as well had the highest prevalence of transfusion-transmissible infections. Majority (62.9%) of the donors were repeat donors. CONCLUSION: HBV, HCV, syphilis and HIV have remained a big threat to safe blood transfusion in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa at large. Strict adherence to selection criteria and algorithm of donor screening are recommended.

Causes of infant and under-five (under-5) morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients in Southern Nigeria: A hospital based study.

Background: Rate and pattern of under-five mortality is a reflection of a society's healthcare system and quality of life. This study is aimed at reviewing the causes of infants and under-five morbidity and mortality in Calabar, Southern Nigeria. Methods: This study used retrospective descriptive cross-sectional design. We did a retrospective collation of data on under-five morbidity and mortality from 2012 to 2017 of under-five patients admitted or died while in admission in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital. The causes of morbidity and mortality were reported based on International Classification of Diseases 10 (ICD-10). The morbidity, mortality and fatality rates were computed. Results: A total of 11,416 under-five admissions and 391 deaths were recorded within the study period giving a fatality rate of 3.4%. Age 1-4 years category represented 50.5% of the admissions while infants (<1 year) constitute majority of the deaths (64.7%). There were 5652 infant admissions and 253 infant deaths giving fatality rate of 4.5% within the study period. Males constituted majority (55.8%) of under-five morbidity whereas females constituted majority (51.2%) of the deaths. Conditions originating from perinatal period; and infectious and parasitic diseases were the leading broad cause of under-five mortality. Specific disease analysis showed sepsis/septicemia; congenital infectious and parasitic diseases; slow fetal growth, malnutrition and short gestation as the chief causes of both infant and under-five mortality. Conclusion: The leading causes of under-five deaths in the studied population are amenable. Improved healthcare and antenatal will be of immense benefit.

Betulinic and ursolic acids from Nauclea latifolia roots mediate their antimalarial activities through docking with PfEMP-1 and PfPKG proteins.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapies target the PfEMP-1 and PfPKG proteins in Plasmodium falciparum, the parasite that causes malaria, in an effort to prevent the disease's high fatality rate. This work identified the phytochemical components of Nauclea latifolia roots and docked the chemical compounds against target proteins, and examined the in vivo antiplasmodial effect of the roots on Plasmodium berghei-infected mice. METHODS: Standard protocols were followed for the collection of the plant's roots, cleaning, and drying of the roots, extraction and fraction preparation, assessment of the in vivo antiplasmodial activity, retrieval of the PfEMP-1 and PfPKG proteins, GCMS, ADME, and docking studies, chromatographic techniques were employed to separate the residual fraction's components, and the Swis-ADME program made it possible to estimate the drug's likeness and pharmacokinetic properties. The Auto Dock Vina 4.2 tool was utilized for molecular docking analysis. RESULTS: The residual fraction showed the best therapeutic response when compared favorably to amodiaquine (80.5%) and artesunate (85.1%). It also considerably reduced the number of parasites, with the % growth inhibition of the parasite at 42.8% (D2) and 83.4% (D5). Following purification, 25 compounds were isolated and characterized with GCMS. Based on their low molecular weights, non-permeation of the blood-brain barrier, non-inhibition of metabolizing enzymes, and non-violation of Lipinski's criteria, betulinic and ursolic acids were superior to chloroquine as the best phytochemicals. Hence, they are lead compounds. CONCLUSION: In addition to identifying the bioactive compounds, ADME, and docking data of the lead compounds as candidates for rational drug design processes as observed against Plasmodium falciparum target proteins (PfEMP-1 and PfPKG), which are implicated in the pathogenesis of malaria, the study has validated that the residual fraction of N. latifolia roots has the best antiplasmodial therapeutic index.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of c-MYC gene expression in hematological malignancies.

Introduction: c-MYC plays vital role in regulation of cell proliferation and has been associated with tumorigenesis. This study is aimed at assessing diagnostic and prognostic value of plasma c-MYC expression to aid in early diagnosis and prognosis of hematological malignancies. Methods: Plasma c-MYC expression was determined by quantitative real time PCR using EVA Green chemistry and cluster of differentiation markers performed via immunocytochemistry. Result: Plasma c-MYC was higher in subject with hematological malignancies (8.8 ± 1.1) when compared with apparently healthy controls (4.5 ± 0.5). A screening cut-off c-MYC ratio value of 9.42 with sensitivity and specificity of 65.5% and 100% respectively were obtained using receiver operator characteristic curve analysis. Plasma c-MYC was found to have no prognostic value using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Conclusion: Plasma c-MYC ratio showed promising screening/diagnostic value for hematological malignancies.

Evaluation of hematological parameters in patients with leprosy in Southern Nigeria.

Introduction: Leprosy is a chronic granulomatous infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae that mostly result in immunological reactions that affect the skin, peripheral nervous system and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract. This study aimed to evaluate hematological parameters among subjects with leprosy and deduce biomarkers for onset of leprosy reaction. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study performed from September 1, 2018 to August 1, 2019. Sixty patients with leprosy (30 on multidrug therapy (MDT) and 30 that had completed MDT) and 30 apparently healthy controls were enrolled. Hematology auto-analyzer (Sysmex KX-21N by Sysmex Corporation Kobe, Japan) was used in sample analysis. ANOVA and Kruskal Wallis were used for mean comparison. Eta squared was used to assess effect size. Sensitivity and specificity were assessed using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve. Association was checked using bivariate logistics regression. Results: The majority (68.3%) of the patients with leprosy were males and a larger proportion were either farmers or unemployed. The prevalence of leprosy reaction in the studied population was 40%. The following parameters were significantly (p<0.05) reduced: red cell count, hemoglobin and hematocrit in patients with leprosy compared to controls. Total white cell count, absolute lymphocyte, neutrophil, monocyte and eosinophil counts were significantly elevated in patients with leprosy compared to controls. The hemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume of patients with leprosy on treatment were significantly higher compared to those who had completed treatment, while the mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration was significantly reduced. Overall, 65% of patients with leprosy were anemic. Eosinophil count showed good biomarker potential for leprosy reaction onset with AUC 0.709. Sex and absolute eosinophil count were associated with leprosy reaction (OR=11.194; 95%CI: 1.775-70.586). Conclusions: This study has shown a high frequency of anemia in patients with leprosy, both those on treatment and those that had completed MDT, necessitating incorporation of post treatment plan in the management of leprosy. This study has reported absolute eosinophil as potential biomarker of leprosy reaction.

Bibliometric analysis of global sickle cell disease research from 1997 to 2017.

INTRODUCTION: Sickle cell disease is an autosomal recessive genetic disease caused by a single point mutation in the ß-globin chain of the hemoglobin. It has been recognized by the World Health Organization as a public health priority since 2006. METHODS: The Scopus database was used in this study with the search descriptors: "sickle cell" and "sickle cell disease". We applied common bibliometric indicators to evaluate the trend in scientific literature in sickle cell disease research. RESULTS: We retrieved a total of 19,921 pieces of scientific literature in the repertoire from 1997 to 2017. The Price law was fulfilled in the trend of production of scientific literature on SCD as the growth of scientific literature was more exponential (r=0.9751; r2=0.9509) than linear (r=0.9721; r2=0.9449). We observed a duplication time of 4.52 years. The Bradford core was made up of 69 journals with Blood at the top, publishing the greatest number of articles. The most productive institutions were mostly United States agencies and hospitals. The United States was the most productive country. The National Institute of Health was the most productive institution and also had the highest number of citations. Vichinsky E was the most productive author, while the most cited article was published by Circulation. CONCLUSION: The growth of scientific literature in Sickle cell disease was found to be high. However, the exponential growth trend shows a "yet-to-be-explored" area of research. This study will be useful for physicians, researchers, research funders and policy-cum-decision makers.

Comparative analysis of hematological parameters of first-time and repeat blood donors: Experience of a blood bank in southern Nigeria.

INTRODUCTION: The safety of a blood transfusion practice is anchored on safe blood from a healthy donor, while further protecting the donor from future harm. This study aimed to evaluate the hematological parameters of blood donors in view of their donor category to aid in assessing the safety threshold in terms of donation frequency. METHODS: This study made use of the descriptive cross-sectional design. The blood donors were bled and their samples analyzed using a hematology autoanalyzer. RESULTS: A total of 178 male blood donors were recruited. Most of the donors were aged 18 to 39 years and were mostly students. A greater part of them were repeat donors who had donated blood more than four times. First- and second-time donors constituted the majority of the voluntary donors. While the total red cell count was significantly lower in repeat third-time donors, the hemoglobin and hematocrit of the first-time donors were significantly higher than those of the repeat fourth-time donors. The mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) of the first-time donors were significantly higher than those of the repeat fifth-time donors. The red cell distribution width (RDW) and mean platelet volume (MPV) were significantly lower in the first-time donors from those of the sixth- and seventh-time donors, respectively. Most of the fifth-time donors have subclinical anemia. There was more subclinical anemia in commercial donors than in voluntary donors. CONCLUSION: Repeat donors more than fifth-time donors are at risk of donation-induced iron deficiency anemia.

Arbovirus and its potential to lead the next global pandemic from sub-Saharan Africa: What lessons have we learned from COVID-19?

Risk and predisposing factors for viral zoonoses abound in the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region with significant public health implications. For several decades, there have been several reports on the emergence and re-emergence of arbovirus infections. The lifetime burden of arboviral diseases in developing countries is still poorly understood. Studies indicate significant healthcare disruptions and economic losses attributed to the viruses in resource-poor communities marked by impairment in the performance of daily activities. Arboviruses have reportedly evolved survival strategies to aid their proliferation in favorable niches, further magnifying their public health relevance. However, there is poor knowledge about the viruses in the region. Thus, this review presents a survey of zoonotic arboviruses in SSA, the burden associated with their diseases, management of diseases as well as their prevention and control, mobility and determinants of infections, their vectors, and co-infection with various microorganisms. Lessons learned from the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic coupled with routine surveillance of zoonotic hosts for these viruses will improve our understanding of their evolution, their potential to cause a pandemic, control and prevention measures, and vaccine development.

Assessment of knowledge, perception, preventive practices and effects of COVID-19 among Nigerians: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a disease of global public health concern. The current cumulative cases in Nigeria are high. The effective control of the pandemic is dependent on knowledge, attitude and willingness of people to adapt their life to the new reality. The purpose of this study is to determine the knowledge, perception, preventive practice, and effect of COVID-19 on the respondents. Methods: we conducted a cross sectional, online survey-based study (Google form) from May 25th, 2020 to June 25th, 2020. The survey questionnaire consisted of demographic characteristics, 13 items on knowledge, 6 items on preventive practices, 13 items on perception. Descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA and bivariate logistic regression were carried out. Results: the correct overall knowledge was 98.03% with average score of 11.7 ± 1.0 (9-13). Knowledge scores were comparable in all demographics except marital status. Most of the participants practiced preventive procedures such as wearing face mask (95.1%), use of alcohol based hand sanitizer (78.9%), avoidance of worship centers (62.4%) and regular hand washing. There were several perceptions ranging from rumors to unfounded scientific claims. Gender, level of education, monthly income and Christian denomination were predictors of use of hand sanitizer while age, level of education, monthly income, Christian denomination and region were predictors of attendance of worship centers during lockdown. Conclusion: the results of this study suggest government should gain trust of citizens to translate knowledge to practice and full compliance of regulations.

Evaluation of Annona muricata extract against Staphylococcus aureus isolate and in-silico activity of bioactive compounds against Capsular protein (Cap5O).

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus aureus has prevailed against the majority of antibiotics currently in clinical use, making it a significant global public health problem. As a safer alternative, bioactive compounds have been explored. Annona muricata has been shown to possess antimicrobial activity. However, there are few reports on the molecular activity of A. muricata bioactive compounds against S. aureus. Thus, this study was aimed at evaluating the antimicrobial activity of its crude extract as well as investigating the potential of its bioactive compounds against the Cap5O capsular polysaccharides (CPS) of S. aureus via molecular docking. METHODS: Collection of plant leaves, preparation of extracts, anti-nutrient analysis, phytochemical screening via crude method and gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometer (GC-MS), isolation and characterization of S. aureus and the antimicrobial activity test were all done using standard protocols. Molecular docking was done using the MCULE online tool with emphasis on docking scores, toxicity, and other properties. RESULTS: Crude screening of the extracts showed the presence of polyphenols, hydroxyanthraquinones, reducing compounds, flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, alkaloids, anthraquinones, phlobatannins and tannins in different concentrations. Anti-nutrient analysis showed the presence of allowable levels of evaluated anti-nutrients. GC-MS revealed a total of twenty-nine (29) bioactive compounds, out of which only 4 (13.80%) docked without toxicity and these were bicyclo[4.1.0]heptan-2-one 6-methyl, trichloromethane, carbonic acid 2-dimethylaminoethyl propyl ester, and 1-methyl-4-phenyl-5-thioxo-1,2,4-triazolidin-3-one on either the NAD-binding or C-terminal substrate binding domain of Cap5O. CONCLUSION: Results obtained show that Cap5O could be a potential drug target for multi-drug resistant S. aureus, however, further studies aimed at evaluating these bioactive compounds individually and in combination are highly needed.

Socio-demographic determinants of mammography uptake among women of 40 years and above in Calabar, South-South, Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: mammography has the potential for identifying high risk women with breast cancer. Early detection is important in reducing mortality and morbidity, and crucial for better prognosis. Mammography is poorly practiced in Nigeria. This study assessed the association between socio-demographic characteristics and uptake of mammography among women ≥40 years. Methods: a cross-sectional descriptive study design was employed and data was collected from 365 consenting participants in Calabar, Nigeria, using pre-tested questionnaire. SPSS Version 20 was used for data entry and analysis. The results were descriptively presented by frequencies and percentages. Pearson Chi-Square (χ2) analysis was performed to detect the association between variables at 5% level of significance (p-value of ≤0.05). Results: only 9.9% of participants had a mammography, majority 90.1% never had. Uptake was highest among respondents with tertiary education, married, Civil/Public Servants, and those in the high income level categorization. Educational status, marital status, occupation and age were not statistically significantly associated with mammography uptake (p>0.05). Only religious denominational affiliation (p = 0.02) and income level (p = 0.002) were statistically significantly associated with uptake. Barriers to uptake were poor knowledge about mammography (49.8%), psychosocial (37.8%), economic (17.1%) and health systems (11.5%). Key facilitators to uptake were encouragement/counselling by health workers (44.0%) and presence of breast problems (37.4%). Conclusion: mammography uptake in Calabar, Nigeria was extremely low. Therefore, regular awareness campaigns targeting women at faith-based settings, and provision of mammography screening services at subsidized rates will enhance knowledge level and uptake of mammography.

Evaluation of Blood Oxidant/Antioxidant Changes and Testicular Toxicity after Subacute Exposure to Cadmium in Albino Rats: Therapeutic Effect of Nigella sativa Seed Extracts.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: Cells and tissues of the body are prone to oxidative damage as a result of an increased level of reactive oxygen species and nitrogen radical beyond the detoxifying ability of the endogenous antioxidant system. This study aimed to evaluate the ameliorative effect of methanolic extracts of Nigella sativa (MENS) against cadmium-induced blood oxidative stress and testicular toxicity in albino rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five (25) male albino rats, weighing (200 ± 20g), were randomly grouped into five groups (A-E). Group B (Negative Control) received intraperitoneal administration of cadmium chloride (CdCl2, 5 mg/kg) only, group C received CdCl2 and low dose MENS (300 mg/kg, oral), group D received CdCl2 and high dose MENS (600 mg/kg, oral), group E (Positive control) received CdCl2 and Vitamin C (200 mg/kg, oral), for 14 days. No treatment was administered to group A (Normal control). The oxidative state of the blood was assessed by measuring the blood levels or activities of MDA, CAT, GSH and SOD; while testicular injury was assessed by measuring serum testosterone level using ELISA. The testes were harvested for histopathological examination. RESULTS: The results showed that cadmium induced a marked elevation in the level of MDA, and a decrease in SOD, CAT and GSH levels or activities (p<0.05 or p<0.01); but no significant alteration in the serum testosterone level was found (p>0.05); Histopathological studies on the testes showed that cadmium significantly induced testicular injury, which was however ameliorated by the seed extract of N. sativa. CONCLUSION: We conclude that N. sativa seed extract is potentially testiculoprotective and attenuates oxidative stress against harmful chemical toxins such as cadmium.

COVID-19 in WHO African Region: Account and Correlation of Epidemiological Indices with Some Selected Health-related Metrics.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious and pathogenic viral disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since it was first reported in Wuhan, China, it has spread across the continents. The study is aimed at describing epidemiological indices of COVID-19 as reported by the World Health Organization and to examine correlations with some country specific measures of general health status. Methods: Data from the WHO African region were extracted from World Health Organization, Global Health Security Index, Worldometer and World Bank databases, as at September 8, 2020. Other epidemiological indices were computed for the various countries. Epidemiological indices of COVID-19 were correlated with some selected health related metrics: Global Health Security index (GHSI) and current health expenditure (CHE). Pearson correlation was used to access the relationship between the health-related metrics and epidemiological indices. Results: Forty-seven (47) countries belonging to the WHO African region were evaluated. A total of 1,086,499 confirmed cases and 23,213 deaths were recorded giving a fatality rate of 2.1%. South Africa recorded the highest cumulative confirmed cases as well as deaths (Cases: 639,362; Deaths: 15,004) while Seychelles (Cases:135) and Eritrea/Seychelles (Deaths:0) had the least cumulative cases and deaths (135;0 and 330;0), respectively. South Africa recorded the highest attack rate (1127.67/100,000) while Republic of Tanzania recorded the least attack rate (0.78/100,000). The highest case fatality rate/ratio was observed in Chad (7.60%) while the least value was observed in Seychelles (0.0%). France was the most common country involved in travel history of index cases. Sporadic transmission was recorded in 3 countries, 9 countries had cluster of cases while the rest had community transmission. The first WHO African region country to record COVID-19 case was Algeria, while Comoros was the last. Significant positive correlation was found between COVID-19 case number/deaths and Global Health Security Index. Conclusion: The WHO African region has had its own share of the pandemic with all the countries being affected. The trio of cluster cases, sporadic and community transmission were recorded with majority being community transmission.

Coping with COVID-19 pandemic in blood transfusion services in West Africa: the need to restrategize.

INTRODUCTION: The West African region has been lagging in terms of the availability of, and accessibility to, safe blood. According to the 2016 World Health Organization (WHO) Global Status Report on Blood Safety and Availability, none of the West African countries met the WHO benchmark of 10 blood units per 1000 inhabitants. This study is aimed at discussing the blood transfusion status of West African countries in the pre-COVID-19 period and analyze the capacity to respond to the COVID-19 blood crisis, as well as to outline the panacea. METHODS: Secondary data were extracted from published reports, journal articles and web pages, reviewed and analyzed. RESULT: All the West African countries have recorded confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths. The confirmed cases have reached 55,697, with 1069 deaths and a fatality rate of 1.9%, as of June 17, 2020. The assessed countries lagged in most of the WHO benchmarks for effective blood transfusion services. CONCLUSION: Blood transfusion services in the West African region lacked the basic benchmark practice and policy, are not coordinated and may find it hard to tackle the blood transfusion crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic.