Challenges in oral health practice in Somalia: a call for regulatory strengthening and inclusion into primary healthcare services.

Background: Oral diseases remain a significant public health problem worldwide despite being largely preventable. Oral disorders such as dental caries, periodontal diseases, and oral cancers are highly prevalent chronic conditions that negatively impact quality of life. The oral health practice in Somalia has been evolving over the years, we therefore explored the challenges of oral health practice in a security-constrained poorly regulated environment to guide policy development.

Pattern of intestinal parasitic infections in children with malnutrition in Somalia.

Objectives: Children living in conflict zones plagued with adverse climatic conditions often suffer from acute malnutrition. Being coinfected with intestinal parasites could worsen the prognosis if adequate interventions are not promptly instituted. We determined the pattern of intestinal parasitic infections (IPIs) in children with acute malnutrition in the Bay and Banadir regions of Somalia.

COVID-19 pandemic response and Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programs in ECOWAS.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been persistent with a huge demand for human health resources which is a vital component of its preparedness and response. Globally, the public health workforce through field epidemiology and laboratory training programme (FELTP) has been instrumental to global health security. We determined the status of FELTP in the region and its contributions to the COVID-19 pandemic response in the ECOWAS region.

Adverse drug reactions, adherence, and virologic outcomes in adult patients on dolutegravir-based antiretroviral therapy at a tertiary hospital, southeast Nigeria.

Objective: To assess the adherence, adverse drug reactions (ADR), and virologic outcomes of dolutegravir-based antiretroviral therapy.

Design: This was a retrospective chart review.

Setting: A tertiary health facility-based study in Abakaliki, Nigeria.

Maternal death surveillance and response system evaluation in Makonde District, Zimbabwe, 2021.

Background: Maternal mortality is of global concern, almost 800 women die every day due to maternal complications. The maternal death surveillance and response (MDSR) system is one strategy designed to reduce maternal mortality. In 2021 Makonde District reported a maternal mortality ratio of 275 per 100 000 and only sixty-two percent of deaths recorded were audited.