Vaccine Safety: Assessing the Prevalence and Severity of Adverse Events Following COVID-19 Vaccination amongst Healthcare Workers in Tertiary Health Facilities in Nigeria.

Background: Vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, are known to be cost-effective interventions for disease prevention and control. However, adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) may challenge the acceptance of these vaccines. This study assessed the prevalence and severity of COVID-19-related AEFI amongst healthcare workers at tertiary health facilities in Nigeria.

Determinants of enrolment in health insurance scheme among HIV patients attending a clinic in a tertiary hospital in South-eastern Nigeria.

Objective: The study aimed to assess the determinants of enrolment in health insurance schemes among people living with HIV.

Design: The study was a cross-sectional study. A pre-tested interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect information from 371 HIV clients attending the clinic.

Awareness, knowledge, risk perception and uptake of maternal vaccination in rural communities of Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

Introduction: Knowledge and uptake of maternal vaccination has been reported to be low in low- and middle-income countries.

Objectives: To determine the knowledge, uptake and determinants of uptake of maternal vaccination among women of child-bearing age.

Methods: A cross sectional study was done among 607 women of childbearing age selected from rural communities in Ebonyi State using multi-staged sampling technique.

Are rural pregnant women disadvantaged in accessing intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy in Ebonyi State, Nigeria?

Introduction: Adequate intermittent preventive treatment (IPTp) uptake (≥3 doses) routinely delivered at antenatal clinics is effective in preventing malaria during pregnancy. Whereas, low IPTp uptake (24.0%) had been reported among pregnant women in Ebonyi State, there is paucity of studies comparing the uptake and its predictors in the urban and rural areas of Ebonyi State.

Utilising community volunteers can increase the detection and referral of Buruli ulcer cases in endemic communities in Southeast, Nigeria.

Background: Buruli ulcer (BU) is a debilitating neglected tropical disease which causes disability and mostly affects inhabitants in impoverished settings where access to medical care is challenging. This study aims to determine the effect of training community members as volunteers for or in the detection and referral of people who have Buruli ulcer to the hospital.

Methods: The following study is a before and after study in the BU-endemic Local Government Areas (LGA) of Ebonyi State.

Community Malaria Knowledge, Experiences, Perceived Roles, and Acceptability of Community-Directed Distribution of Intermittent Preventive Therapy for Pregnancy in Rural Southeast Nigeria.

Background: The community plays key roles in protecting pregnant women in rural areas from malaria. This study assessed malaria experiences, knowledge, perceived roles in malaria prevention in pregnancy, and acceptability of community-directed distribution of intermittent preventive therapy (IPTp) for malaria in pregnancy in rural Southeast Nigeria.

Methods: This study presents part of the baseline findings of a before-and-after study.

Effect of mobile-phone messaging on patient and health-worker knowledge and adherence to the isoniazid preventive therapy guideline in HIV clinics in Southeast, Nigeria.

Background: HIV-infected persons are at increased risk of developing tuberculosis and Isoniazid preventive therapy has been shown to reduce the occurrence of tuberculosis among this group of persons. M-health technology has been reported to increase both knowledge and implementation of various health services including Isoniazid preventive therapy implementation. This study aimed to determine the effect of m-health on health worker knowledge and adherence to isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) guidelines and on patient knowledge and adherence to isoniazid treatment.

Knowledge of malaria control and attitudes towards community involvement among female community volunteers: effect of capacity building in a rural community, Southeast Nigeria.

Introduction: community volunteers have limited skills but are an important link between the community and health facilities. We determined the effect of a capacity building intervention on knowledge of malaria control and attitudes towards community involvement among female community volunteers as part of a larger community-based intervention study on pregnant women and children under five.

Methods: we conducted a before and after intervention study (no randomization or controls) among female community volunteers in Amagu community in Abakaliki Local Government Area.

Demand for malaria rapid diagnostic test, health care-seeking behaviour, and drug use among rural community members with fever or malaria-like illness in Ebonyi state, Nigeria: a cross-sectional household survey.

Background: A good understanding of the demand for malaria rapid diagnostic test (MRDT), malaria health care-seeking behavior, and drug use among community members is crucial to malaria control efforts. The aim of this study was to assess the demand (use and/or request) for MRDT, health care-seeking behavior, and drug use, as well as associated factors, among rural community members (both children and adults) with fever or malaria-like illness in Ebonyi state, Nigeria.

Methods: A cross-sectional household survey was conducted between October 1st and November 7th, 2018, in 18 rural geographical clusters.

Reaching the unreached: effectiveness and satisfaction with community-directed distribution of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for preventing malaria in pregnancy in rural South-East, Nigeria.

Background: Innovative community strategies to increase intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) coverage is advocated particularly in rural areas, where health infrastructure is weakest and malaria transmission highest. This study involved proof-of-concept implementation research to determine satisfaction with and effectiveness of community-directed distribution of IPTp-SP on uptake among pregnant women in Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

Methods: This before-and-after study was carried out in 2019 in a rural community in Ebonyi State Nigeria.

Knowledge and adherence to isoniazid preventive therapy among people living with HIV in multilevel health facilities in South-East, Nigeria: baseline findings from a quasi-experimental study.

Introduction: isoniazid preventive therapy is a crucial component of TB/HIV collaborative program and patient good knowledge and adherence to this preventive treatment are essential in improving implementation. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and adherence to isoniazid preventive therapy among patients receiving HIV care.

Methods: this is a baseline result of a quasi-experimental study which was carried out among 200 patients receiving HIV care in six high patient load health facilities providing comprehensive HIV care in Ebonyi State.

Determinants of willingness to participate in health insurance amongst people living with HIV in a tertiary hospital in South-East Nigeria.

Background: Waning donor funding and poor country ownership of HIV care programmes are challenges for the sustainability of care for people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Nigeria. Health insurance presents a viable alternative for funding of HIV care services. This study assessed the determinants of willingness to participate in health insurance amongst PLHIV in a tertiary hospital in South-East Nigeria.

Effects of nutrition counseling and monitoring on the weight and hemoglobin of patients receiving antiretroviral therapy in Ebonyi State, Southeast Nigeria.

Introduction: The relationship between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and malnutrition is easily explained, and the etiology of malnutrition in HIV disease is believed to be multifactorial. It therefore follows that ongoing assessment of nutritional and medical status is crucial to quality nutrition care for every person living with HIV. The aim of this study was to find out the effect of nutritional counseling and monitoring, using personalized dietary prescriptions, on the body mass index (BMI) and hemoglobin of patients who are HIV-infected and also receiving highly active antiretroviral drugs.