Publications by authors named "Bhavin Jani"
Tuberculosis (TB) disproportionally affects persons and families who are economically and socially disadvantaged. Therefore, a patient cost survey was conducted in Tanzania to evaluate the costs incurred by patients and their households before and after the diagnosis of TB. It was the first survey in Tanzania to ascertain baseline information and experience for subsequent surveys.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Although tuberculosis (TB) care is free in Tanzania, TB-associated costs may compromise access to services and treatment adherence resulting in poor outcomes and increased risk of transmission in the community. TB can impact economically patients and their households. We assessed the economic burden of TB on patients and their households in Tanzania and identified cost drivers to inform policies and programs for potential interventions to mitigate costs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: intussusception surveillance was initiated in Tanzania in 2013 after monovalent rotavirus vaccine was introduced, as part of the 7-country African evaluation to assess whether the vaccine was associated with an increased risk of intussusception. An increased risk from vaccine was not identified. Published data on intussusception in Tanzanian infants are limited.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) where HIV burden is highest, access to testing, a key entry point for prevention and treatment, remains low for adolescents (aged 10-19). Access may be hampered by policies requiring parental consent for adolescents to receive HIV testing services (HTS). In 2013, the WHO recommended countries to review HTS age of consent policies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRisk Factors Associated With Increased Mortality From Intussusception in African Infants.
J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr
January 2020
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates intussusception, a leading cause of bowel obstruction in infants, and its higher mortality rates in Africa compared to other regions, focusing on risk and protective factors associated with death or intestinal resection.
- Researchers enrolled 1,017 infants from 7 sub-Saharan African countries and found that 13% died during hospitalization while 48% required intestinal resection; factors such as female sex and delayed presentation increased the risk of death.
- The study concludes that improving awareness, diagnosis, and management in resource-limited settings could help reduce the high rates of morbidity and mortality associated with intussusception.
Article Synopsis
- A study was conducted in seven lower-income sub-Saharan African countries to assess if there is a link between the monovalent human rotavirus vaccine and intussusception in infants.
- Researchers enrolled 717 infants with confirmed intussusception and evaluated the timing of their vaccination, specifically looking at periods shortly after receiving the vaccine.
- The findings indicated that the risk of developing intussusception after vaccination did not exceed the normal background risk, suggesting that the vaccine is safe in these settings.
Article Synopsis
- The monovalent rotavirus vaccine (RV1) was introduced in Tanzania in January 2013, targeting infants at 6 and 10 weeks of age as part of the Reach Every Child initiative, with a focus on monitoring its effectiveness through a sentinel surveillance system.
- Pre-vaccine data showed high rotavirus positivity rates at Tanga Hospital (41%) and Bugando Medical Centre (58%), which significantly dropped to 14% and 18% respectively after the vaccine was introduced, demonstrating a notable decrease in infections.
- The vaccine showed an effectiveness of 53% against hospitalizations for rotavirus among children aged 5-23 months and 66% against those requiring intravenous rehydration, while post-vaccine trends
Article Synopsis
- The Tanzania Ministry of Health introduced a monovalent human rotavirus vaccine in January 2013, aiming to reduce diarrhea hospitalizations among infants by administering it at 6 and 10 weeks of age; high vaccine uptake was reported.* -
- A study examined hospital admission records from three hospitals over several years to analyze trends in diarrhea cases before and after the vaccine's introduction, finding significant reductions in hospitalizations at two of the three hospitals.* -
- The results indicated a notable decrease in diarrhea hospitalizations of at least 25% in some years after the vaccine rollout, along with a shift in the timing of diarrhea peaks, suggesting the vaccine's positive impact on infant health.*
Background: Low-income settings challenge the level of protection provided by live attenuated oral rotavirus vaccines. Rotarix (RV1) was introduced in the United Republic of Tanzania in early 2013, with 2 doses given at the World Health Organization-recommended schedule of ages 6 and 10 weeks, along with oral poliovirus vaccine.
Methods: We performed active surveillance for rotavirus hospitalizations at the largest hospital in Zanzibar, Tanzania, from 2010 through 2015.