Use what you have: leveraging microbiology support to develop a cumulative antibiotic susceptibility report for antimicrobial stewardship at a district hospital in Ghana.

Background: Antibiograms provide effective support for empirical prescribing and antimicrobial stewardship programmes (ASPs). In low-resource settings, microbiology systems to develop antibiograms may be rudimentary or entirely lacking, which may place such facilities at a disadvantage. Notwithstanding this, facilities should use what they have to support ASPs to inform evidence-based antibiotic use.

Management of sexually transmitted infections: a qualitative assessment of community pharmacy practices in the Ho Municipality, Ghana.

Background: Effective management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is crucial in the control and spread of these infections in health systems. Community pharmacies are usually the first port of call in Ghana for most people who contract STIs for therapy. Delayed and inappropriate treatment contributes significantly to treatment failures, drug resistance and complications.

Caregivers' knowledge, attitude, and perception toward pneumococcal infection prophylaxis in pediatric sickle cell disease patients in Kumasi, Ghana.

Background And Aims: Pneumococcal infection prophylaxis (PIP) is necessary for children with sickle cell disease (SCD) due to the enhanced risk of pneumococcal infections and associated mortalities. PIP measures include periodic administration of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV), twice-daily administration of phenoxymethylpenicillin tablets, and nonpharmacological measures. This work assessed the attitude, knowledge, and perception of parents of SCD children on PIP, how parents obtain phenoxymethylpenicillin, and their preference for PIP.

Assessing the impact of antimicrobial stewardship implementation at a district hospital in Ghana using a health partnership model.

Background: Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) is imperative in addressing the menace of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in health systems. Commonwealth Partnerships for Antimicrobial Stewardship uses a health partnership model to establish AMS in Commonwealth countries. The Hospital of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partnership with Ulster University, Northern Ireland, undertook an AMS project from November 2021 to May 2022.

Advanced pharmacy practice of a doctor of pharmacy student at an allied surgical ward in a hospital in Africa.

Introduction: The pharmacy profession is undergoing transformational change in Ghana. The role of pharmacists has become more patient-focused with increased accountability and responsibility.

Aim: This study is aimed at reporting the experiential learning on the clinical interventions made and documented at the Allied Surgical Wards of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH).

Attitudes of health care professionals towards interprofessional teamwork in Ashanti Region, Ghana.

Background: Interprofessional collaboration ensures that high-quality health care is provided leading to improved health outcomes and provider satisfaction. Assessing the attitudes of health care professionals towards teamwork in Ghana is novel.

Objective: To examine the attitudes of health care professionals towards interprofessional teamwork and assess specific attributes influencing these attitudes in the Ashanti region, prior to implementing an in-service interprofessional HIV training programme.

Blood pressure-lowering medication prescribing, its adherence to guidelines and relationship with blood pressure control at a family medicine department.

Background: In many resource-constrained countries, control of blood pressure (BP) is low. Antihypertensive drug prescribing practices may influence BP control. However, adherence of prescribing to treatment guidelines may not be optimal in resource-constrained settings.

SARS-CoV-2 Molecular Evolutionary Dynamics in the Greater Accra Region, Ghana.

To assess dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in Greater Accra Region, Ghana, we analyzed SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences from persons in the community and returning from international travel. The Accra Metropolitan District was a major origin of virus spread to other districts and should be a primary focus for interventions against future infectious disease outbreaks.

Evaluation of workplace hypertension preventative and detection service in a Ghanaian University.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of a pharmacist-led hypertension screening, preventative and detection services at the workplace.

Methods: This was a prospective study conducted among staff at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology from September 2019 to September 2020. Staff were screened for hypertension and interviewed via a structured questionnaire to gather data on their lifestyle practices and risk of hypertension.

Market violence through destructive entrepreneurship: Assessing institutional responses to the proliferation of counterfeit traditional and alternative medicines in Ghana.

Purpose: This multidisciplinary study seeks to determine the nature and structure of the informal markets for counterfeit medicines, the co-factors underpinning the demand and supply of counterfeit Western allopathic medicines (WAM), traditional and alternative medicines (TAM), and potential institutional responses in Ghana.

Method: This study is based on an interpretive research approach. It deploys a synthesis of a longitudinal ethnographic fieldwork, with multiple repeated visits for observations, analysis of documents, interviews, and focus group discussions.

Biopsychosocial analysis of antibiotic use for the prevention or management of COVID-19 infections: A scoping review.

Background: The novelty and complexity of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in various coping mechanisms adopted by individuals as a means of averting the perceived fatalities of the pandemic. The use of antibiotics in the management of COVID-19 is clinically recommended under specific conditions. However, there are increasing trends of non-adherence to the recommended criteria resulting in the unwarranted use of antibiotics as an adaptative approach to the ongoing pandemic.

Pattern of Antimicrobial Susceptibility and Antimicrobial Treatment of Neonates Admitted with Suspected Sepsis in a Teaching Hospital in Ghana, 2021.

Neonatal sepsis is a life-threatening emergency, and empirical antimicrobial prescription is common. In this cross-sectional study of neonates admitted with suspected sepsis in a teaching hospital in Ghana from January-December 2021, we described antimicrobial prescription patterns, compliance with national standard treatment guidelines (STG), blood culture testing, antimicrobial resistance patterns and treatment outcomes. Of the 549 neonates admitted with suspected sepsis, 283 (52%) were males.

Adherence to Prescribing Indicators at a District Hospital in Ghana: Do We Match WHO Standards?

: Rational use of medicines (RUM) and their assessment are important to ensure optimal use of resources and patient care in hospitals. These assessments are essential to identifying practice gaps for quality improvement. : Assessment of adherence to WHO/International Network for Rational Use of Drugs core prescribing indicators among outpatients in 2021 was conducted at the University Hospital of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Development and Implementation of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Checklist in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Co-Creation Consensus Approach.

Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) initiatives promote the responsible use of antimicrobials in healthcare settings as a key measure to curb the global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Defining the core elements of AMS is essential for developing and evaluating comprehensive AMS programmes. This project used co-creation and Delphi consensus procedures to adapt and extend the existing published international AMS checklist.

Drug-related problems among hospitalized hypertensive and heart failure patients and physician acceptance of pharmacists' interventions at a teaching hospital in Ghana.

Background: Hypertensive and heart failure patients frequently require multiple drug therapy which may be associated with drug-related problems (DRPs).

Aim: To determine the frequency, types, and predictors of DRPs, and acceptance of pharmacists' interventions among hospitalized hypertensive and heart failure patients.

Method: It was a prospective cross-sectional study at the internal medicine department wards of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH) between January and June 2019 using a validated form (the pharmaceutical care form used by clinical pharmacists at the medical department).

High Levels of Outpatient Antibiotic Prescription at a District Hospital in Ghana: Results of a Cross Sectional Study.

Background: Monitoring of antibiotic prescription practices in hospitals is essential to assess and facilitate appropriate use. This is relevant to halt the progression of antimicrobial resistance.

Methods: Assessment of antibiotic prescribing patterns and completeness of antibiotic prescriptions among out-patients in 2021 was conducted at the University Hospital of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in the Ashanti region of Ghana.

Antimicrobial stewardship capacity and infection prevention and control assessment of three health facilities in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Background: Addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) requires the rational use and optimization of available resources for prevention and management of infections. Structures in health facilities to support optimal antimicrobial therapy and AMR containment therefore need assessment and strengthening.

Objectives: To assess antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) capacity and conformance to National and WHO Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) guidelines in three hospitals in Ashanti region of Ghana.

Self-Medication and Antimicrobial Resistance: A Survey of Students Studying Healthcare Programmes at a Tertiary Institution in Ghana.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the biggest challenges facing mankind. Inappropriate uses of antibiotics including self-medication promote the increase and spread of AMR. Self-medication has not been well-studied among students.

Anti-hypertensive medication access and affordability and their association with blood pressure control at a teaching hospital in Ghana.

Introduction: many hypertensive patients require two or more anti-hypertensive drugs, but in low- and middle-income countries there may be challenges with medication access or affordability. The objective of this study was to determine accessibility and affordability of anti-hypertensive medicines and their association with blood pressure (BP) control among hypertensive patients attending the Korle-Bu teaching hospital (KBTH) polyclinic.

Methods: a cross-sectional study was conducted among 310 systematically sampled hypertensive patients attending the KBTH Polyclinic in Ghana.

Investigating Ghanaian Species for Anti-Infective and Resistance-Reversal Natural Product Leads to Mitigate Multidrug-Resistance in Tuberculosis.

The bulbs of species are a known source of antibacterial phytochemicals. Anti-infective, efflux pump and biofilm inhibitory activities of bulb extracts of selected Ghanaian shallots var aggregatum were evaluated using the HT-SPOTi assay and other whole-cell phenotypic screening techniques to determine their possible mechanisms of action. Ethanol and aqueous extracts of white inhibited the growth of mc 155 and respectively.

Point prevalence survey of antibiotic consumption across three hospitals in Ghana.

Background: Actionable data on antimicrobial use is important when planning strategic interventions such as antimicrobial stewardship to address the challenge of drug resistance, particularly in resource-constrained settings.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of antibiotic use, the pattern of commonly used antibiotics and patient factors that may be associated with the increased use of antibiotics in the study hospitals.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted using the WHO Methodology for Point Prevalence Surveys in hospitals.

Cardiovascular disease risk assessment among patients attending two cardiac clinics in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity and hypertension is the single most important modifiable risk. Assessment of an individual's "total" predicted risk of developing a CVD event in 5- or 10-years using risk scores has been identified as an accurate measure of CVD risk. Using the latest Framingham risk score we assessed the risk among patients attending two cardiac clinics in Kumasi.

Clinical characteristics, treatment regimen and duration of hospitalization among COVID-19 patients in Ghana: a retrospective cohort study.

Introduction: COVID-19 is a global pandemic seen in modern times. The clinical characteristics, treatment regimen and duration of hospitalization of COVID-19 patients remain unclear in Ghana.

Methods: we retrospectively reviewed the secondary data of 307 discharged COVID-19 patients to characterize their demographics, clinical symptoms, treatment regimen given and duration of hospitalization.